Granted Patent B2

US 12,733,708 · App. 17/211,831 · Granted Sep 15, 2026

Inventor: Michael Pratt (Alpine, UT)

Assignee: FAST IP, LLC

A43B11/00A43B3/248A43B21/42A43C11/008

Abstract

Claims (41)

1 . A rapid-entry shoe comprising:

a sole support, the sole support comprising an insole having an upper surface configured to support a foot of a user;

an upper coupled to the sole support, the upper defining an opening adapted to receive entry of the foot, the upper comprising a tongue or vamp portion configured to close over the foot of the user; and

a connecting band extending from the sole support around at least a portion of the upper and configured to transition the rapid-entry shoe between an open configuration and a closed configuration;

wherein the connecting band is configured to cause the tongue or vamp portion to move approximately in concert with the rear portion of the insole in response to the shoe transitioning between an open position and a closed position;

wherein the connecting bad includes a portion configured to pivot relative to the sole support when transitioning between the open configuration and the closed configuration;

wherein in the open position the rear portion of the insole and the tongue or vamp portion each extend upward significantly above their respective positions when the shoe is in the closed position;

wherein the rear portion of the insole is secured in the closed position against unwanted disengagement to the open position by an engaging element;

wherein no mechanism external to the upper is required to be actuated to achieve wanted disengagement of the rear portion of the insole from the engaging element to the open position;

wherein the rear portion of the insole is released from the closed position and is pivoted upward to the open position by increasing an upward force on the tongue or vamp portion beyond a level normally achieved in using the shoe except when the shoe is desired to be removed;

wherein in response to the user inserting the foot into the opening and pressing down on the insole, the shoe transitions from the open position to the closed position as the rear portion of the insole moves downward while simultaneously the connecting band causes the tongue or vamp portion to close over the foot of the user; and

wherein the shoe is biased to the open position by at least one of the insole, and the tongue or vamp portion, and is not biased to the open position by any additional element.

2 . The rapid-entry shoe of claim 1 , wherein the engaging element is under the rear portion of the insole when the rapid-entry shoe is in the open position.

3 . The rapid-entry shoe of claim 2 , wherein the engaging element is directly coupled to the rear portion of the insole when the rapid-entry shoe is in the closed position.

4 . A rapid-entry shoe comprising:

a sole support, the sole support comprising an insole having an upper surface configured to support a foot of a user;

an upper coupled to the sole support, the upper having a topline defining an opening adapted to receive entry of the foot, the upper comprising a tongue or vamp portion configured to close over the foot of the user;

wherein the shoe has an open position ready to receive the foot and a closed position configured to secure the foot;

wherein in the open position a rear portion of the insole is closer to the topline than when the shoe is in the closed position;

wherein in the open position the rear portion of the insole and the tongue or vamp portion each extend upward significantly above their respective positions when the shoe is in the closed position;

wherein in response to the user inserting the foot into the opening and pressing down on the insole, the shoe transitions from the open position to the closed position as the rear portion of the insole moves downward while simultaneously a connecting band causes the tongue or vamp portion to close over the foot of the user;

wherein the connecting band extends from the sole support around at least a portion of the upper and configured to pivot relative to the sole support when transitioning between the open configuration and the closed configuration;

wherein the rear portion of the insole is secured in the closed position by an engaging element;

wherein no external mechanism is required to be actuated to disengage the rear portion of the insole from the engaging element to the open position;

wherein the rear portion of the insole is disengaged from the closed position and is pivoted upward to the open position by exerting a force on the tongue or vamp portion that is beyond what is normally encountered when wearing the shoe; and

wherein the shoe is biased to the open position by at least one of the insole, the tongue or vamp portion, and the connecting band, and is not biased to the open position by any additional element.

5 . The rapid-entry shoe of claim 4 , wherein the engaging element is under the rear portion of the insole when the rapid-entry shoe is in the open position.

6 . The rapid-entry shoe of claim 5 , wherein the engaging element is directly coupled to the rear portion of the insole when the rapid-entry shoe is in the closed position.

7 . A rapid-entry shoe comprising:

a sole support, the sole support comprising an insole having an upper surface configured to support a foot of a user; and

an upper coupled to the sole support, the upper defining an opening adapted to receive entry of the foot;

wherein the shoe further comprises a connecting band extending from beneath a rear portion of the insole and configured to pivot relative to the sole support when transitioning between a closed position and an open position;

wherein in the open position of the shoe the rear portion of the insole and the tongue or vamp portion of the upper each pivot upward significantly above their respective positions when the shoe is in the closed position;

wherein the rear portion of the insole is secured in the closed position by an engaging element;

wherein no external mechanism is required to be actuated to disengage the rear portion of the insole from the engaging element to the open position;

wherein the rear portion of the insole is disengaged from the closed position and is pivoted upward to the open position by exerting a force on the upper that is beyond what is normally encountered when wearing the shoe; and

wherein the shoe is biased to the open position by at least one of the insole, the tongue or vamp portion, and the connecting band, and is not biased to the open position by any additional element.

8 . The rapid-entry shoe of claim 7 , wherein the connecting band is configured to cause the tongue or vamp portion to move approximately in concert with the rear portion of the insole in response to the shoe transitioning between the open position and the closed position.

9 . The rapid-entry shoe of claim 8 , wherein in response to the user inserting the foot into the opening and pressing down on the insole, the shoe transitions from the open position to the closed position as the rear portion of the insole moves downward while simultaneously the connecting band causes the tongue or vamp portion to close over the foot of the user.

10 . The rapid-entry shoe of claim 7 , wherein the engaging element is under the rear portion of the insole when the rapid-entry shoe is in the open position.

11 . The rapid-entry shoe of claim 10 , wherein the engaging element is directly coupled to the rear portion of the insole when the rapid-entry shoe is in the closed position.

Assignments (6)

Continuity (5)

References Cited (203)