Footwear with an articulated heel

Abstract

A footwear article includes a hinged portion in a heel region that can be biased in various positions to increase or decrease the size of the foot insertion opening. The hinged portion can be disposed in a first position where, when the footwear article is worn, the hinged portion is more upright and in a position that covers the wearer's heel or Achilles tendon region. Additionally, the hinged portion can be rotatably hinged downwardly or rearwardly (e.g., away from the foot insertion opening) to a second position, which can increase the size of the foot insertion opening and / or can change the angle along which the foot can pass through the foot insertion opening when the footwear article is put on or taken off. One or more elastic members can be attached to the hinged portion and some other part of the footwear article to bias the hinged portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a footwear upper having a hinged portion in the heel region that can be biased in various positions to increase or decrease the size of the foot insertion opening. Background Art

[0002] Footwear typically includes an upper connected to a sole, with the upper and sole enclosing a foot receiving cavity. The upper can include an opening (e.g., an ankle opening) through which the foot can pass when inserted into or removed from the foot receiving cavity. In some cases, the collar around the opening can be adjusted to change the size of the opening. For example, the size of the opening can be enlarged to allow easier donning or doffing, reduced to secure the upper to the foot, or any combination thereof. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0003] Some of the subject matter described in the present disclosure includes a footwear upper having a hinged portion in the heel region that can be biased in various positions to increase or decrease the size of the foot insertion opening. The following describes this subject matter in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are submitted with this specification and incorporated herein by reference.

[0004] Figure 1 Front view of the outer side of a footwear article including one aspect of the present disclosure.

[0005] Figure 2 Including one aspect of the present disclosure Figure 1 Plan view of the footwear article.

[0006] Figure 3 Front view of the outer side of a second footwear article including one aspect of the present disclosure, the second footwear article having a hinged heel flap with an elastic cord.

[0007] Figure 4 Perspective view of a second footwear article including one aspect of the present disclosure, wherein the hinged heel flap is rotated backward.

[0008] Figure 5 Front view of a second footwear article including one aspect of the present disclosure, wherein the hinged heel flap is further rotated backward and includes a cross-sectional view of the heel flap.

[0009] Figure 6 Front view of a second footwear article including one aspect of the present disclosure, wherein the hinged heel flap is further rotated backward.

[0010] Figure 7 Front view of a second footwear article including one aspect of the present disclosure, wherein the hinged heel flap is rotated backward and flipped to press against the sole of the second footwear article.

[0011] Figure 8 Front view of the outer side of a third footwear article according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the third footwear article having a hinged heel flap with a resilient plate or a resilient band.

[0012] Figure 9 Including according to one aspect of the present disclosure Figure 8 of a view in which the resilient plate or the resilient band is mirrored to expose the hinged heel flap.

[0013] Figure 10 Front view of the outer side of a third footwear article according to one aspect of the present disclosure, in which the resilient plate or the resilient band is pulled backward and / or downward.

[0014] Figure 11 Perspective view of a third footwear article according to one aspect of the present disclosure, in which the resilient plate or the resilient band is pulled partially downward.

[0015] Figure 12 Front view of the outer side of a third footwear article according to one aspect of the present disclosure, in which the resilient plate or the resilient band is pulled downward and engaged with the sole of the third footwear article. Detailed Description

[0016] To meet statutory requirements, the subject matter is described in detail and specifically throughout the specification. The aspects described throughout the specification are intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive, and the specification itself is not necessarily intended to limit the scope of the claims. Instead, the claimed subject matter may be practiced in other ways to include different elements or combinations of elements equivalent to those described in the specification and combined with other current or future technologies. After reading this disclosure, alternative aspects may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art practicing in the fields related to the aspects described, without departing from the scope of this disclosure. It should be understood that certain features and sub-combinations are useful and may be employed without reference to other features and sub-combinations. This is contemplated by the claims and is within the scope of the claims.

[0017] The subject matter described in this specification generally relates particularly to a footwear upper having a hinged portion in the heel region that can be biased in various positions to increase or decrease the size of the foot insertion opening. In some aspects, the upper includes a collar (e.g., an ankle collar) that at least partially surrounds the foot insertion opening. Additionally, a hinge attaches a heel flap to the collar such that the heel flap can rotate between different positions on the hinge. For example, the heel flap can be disposed in a first position in which the heel flap is more upright or rotated forward, and when the footwear article is worn, the heel flap is in a position that covers the back portion or rear portion of the wearer's leg, ankle, or foot (e.g., the wearer's heel or Achilles tendon region). Further, the heel flap can be rotatably hinged downward or backward (e.g., away from the foot insertion opening) to a second position, which can increase the size of the foot insertion opening and / or can change the angle along which the foot can pass through the foot insertion opening when the footwear article is put on or taken off. In another aspect, one or more elastic members are attached to the heel flap and some other part of the footwear article. For example, one or more elastic members can be attached to the heel flap and the medial and / or lateral sides of the footwear article. When adjusting the heel flap between different positions, the one or more elastic members apply a force to the heel flap. For example, when the heel flap is in the first position, the force applied by the elastic member can help hold the heel flap in the first position by biasing the heel flap toward the foot insertion opening. Additionally, when the heel flap is rotated backward to the second position, the force applied by the elastic member can help hold the heel flap in the downward, backward rotated position, which can reduce the likelihood of an unintentional closure that might block the foot insertion opening, reduce the size of the foot insertion opening, and / or limit the angle along which the foot can pass through the foot insertion opening.

[0018] Before describing the drawings in more detail, some additional explanations of certain terms that can be used in this disclosure will now be provided.

[0019] The terms "a", "an", "the", "at least one", and "one or more" are used interchangeably to denote the presence of at least one of the items. When such terms are used, there may be more than one such item, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Unless explicitly or clearly indicated otherwise in the context (including the appended claims), all numerical values of parameters (e.g., amounts or conditions) in this specification should be understood to be modified in all instances by the term "about", whether or not "about" actually appears before the numerical value. "About" indicates that the stated numerical value allows some slight imprecision (close to the exact in value; approaching or reasonably close to the value; nearly). If the imprecision provided by "about" is not understood in the ordinary sense in the art, then "about" as used herein indicates at least the variations that can be caused by the ordinary methods of measuring and using such parameters. In addition, the disclosure of a range should be understood to specifically disclose all values within the range and further divided ranges. All references cited herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0020] The terms "comprising", "including", and "having" are inclusive and thus specify the presence of the stated material, feature, step, operation, element, or component, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other materials, features, steps, operations, elements, or components. When possible, the order of steps, processes, and operations may be changed, and additional or alternative steps may be employed. As used in this specification, the term "or" includes any and all combinations of the associated listed items. The term "any one" should be understood to include any possible combination of the recited items, including "any one of" the recited items. The term "any one" should be understood to include any possible combination of the recited claims of the appended claims, including "any one of" the recited claims.

[0021] The phrases "formed from" and "formed of" are also intended to be inclusive throughout this disclosure and the appended claims and specify the presence of the stated material, feature, step, operation, element, or component, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other materials, features, steps, operations, elements, or components, unless otherwise indicated.

[0022] For consistency and convenience, directional adjectives may be employed throughout the detailed description corresponding to the illustrated examples. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that terms such as "above", "below", "upward", "downward", "top", "bottom", etc. may be used descriptively with respect to the drawings without indicating a limitation on the scope of the embodiments of the invention described in this specification and as further defined by the claims.

[0023] As used throughout this detailed description and in the claims, the term "longitudinal" refers to a direction extending along the length of a component; that is, aligned with its longest dimension, unless otherwise indicated. For example, the longitudinal direction of a shoe extends from the forefoot region of the shoe toward the heel region, and vice versa. In some cases, the 'longitudinal' axis of a component may be specified with reference to the longitudinal axis of another component or of a structure of which the component is a part and aligned with that longitudinal axis, and will be so described for clarity. The terms "forward" or "front" are used to refer to the general direction from the heel region toward the forefoot region, and the terms "backward" or "rear" are used to refer to the opposite direction, i.e., from the forefoot region toward the heel region. In some cases, a component may be identified as having a longitudinal axis and longitudinal directions forward and backward along that axis. The longitudinal direction or axis may also be referred to as the anterior-posterior direction or axis.

[0024] As used throughout this detailed description and in the claims, the term "lateral" refers to a direction extending across the width of a component. For example, the lateral direction of a shoe extends from the outer side of the shoe toward the inner side, and vice versa. The lateral direction or axis may also be referred to as the outer direction or axis or the medio-lateral direction or axis.

[0025] As used throughout this detailed description and in the claims, the term "vertical" refers to a direction generally perpendicular to both the lateral direction and the longitudinal direction. For example, in the case where the sole of a shoe is flat on the ground, the vertical direction may extend upward from the ground. It should be understood that each of these directional adjectives may be applied to the various components of the sole. The terms "upward" or "upwardly" refer to the vertical direction toward the top of a component, which may include the instep, fastening region, and / or throat of the upper. The terms "downward" or "downwardly" refer to the vertical direction opposite to the upward direction and toward the bottom of a component, and generally may point to the bottom of the sole structure of a footwear article.

[0026] The "interior" of a footwear item, such as a shoe, refers to the portion at the space occupied by the wearer's foot when the shoe is being worn. The "medial side" of a component refers to the side or surface of the component that is oriented towards (or will be oriented towards) the interior of the assembled footwear item. The "lateral side" or "exterior" of a component refers to the side or surface of the component that is oriented away from (or will be oriented away from) the interior of the assembled footwear item. In some cases, other components may be between the medial side of a component and the interior of the assembled footwear item. Similarly, other components may be between the lateral side of a component and the space outside the assembled footwear item. Additionally, the terms "inward" and "inwardly" shall refer to the direction towards the interior of a component or a footwear item, such as a shoe, and the terms "outward" and "outwardly" shall refer to the direction towards the exterior of a component or a footwear item, such as a shoe. Further, the term "proximal" refers to the direction that is closer to the center of the footwear component or closer to the foot when the foot is inserted into the footwear item when the user is wearing it. Likewise, the term "distal" refers to the relative position that is farther from the center of the footwear component or farther from the foot when the foot is inserted into the footwear item when the user is wearing it. Thus, the terms proximal and distal can be understood as providing generally opposite terms for describing relative spatial positions.

[0027] When describing a footwear item, the relative terms "lower" and "upper" can also be used. For example, the upper portion generally corresponds to the top portion that is oriented closer to the person's head when the person's foot is flat on a horizontal ground and the person is standing upright, while the lower portion generally corresponds to the bottom portion that is oriented farther from the person's head and closer to the ground.

[0028] In other cases, standard anatomical terms of orientation can be used to describe a footwear item. For example, a footwear item can be described in terms of including a coronal plane, a sagittal plane, and an axial (transverse) plane. The coronal plane extends vertically and longitudinally, such that the coronal plane can divide the footwear item into a relative medial side and a relative lateral side. The sagittal plane also extends vertically, but in contrast to the coronal plane, extends transversely, and can divide the footwear item into a relative front portion or forward portion and a relative rear portion or back portion. The axial (transverse) plane extends generally horizontally, and can divide the footwear item into a relative upper portion or top portion and a relative lower portion or bottom portion. It should also be understood that the reference axes and planes described in the present disclosure, when used with respect to a shoe, remain fixed relative to the shoe and rotate in space with the shoe when the shoe rotates. For example, regardless of any change in the orientation of the shoe in space at any given time, the vertical axis of the shoe remains the vertical axis of the shoe.

[0029] To assist in the explanation and understanding of aspects of this specification, reference is now made to Figure 1 and Figure 2 to describe the elements of a typical footwear item 10. Figure 1 depicts the exterior of the footwear item 10, and Figure 2Depicts the top of the footwear. When describing the various figures mentioned in this disclosure, the same reference numerals represent the same components throughout the views.

[0030] The footwear 10 includes at least two main elements, including a sole structure 12 and an upper 14. When the footwear 10 is worn (as expected on the foot), the sole structure 12 is generally located near the plantar surface of the foot (i.e., the bottom of the foot). The sole structure 12 can protect the bottom of the foot and, in addition, can attenuate ground reaction forces, absorb energy, provide traction, and control foot movements, such as pronation and supination. The upper 14 is coupled to the sole structure 12 and together with the sole structure 12 forms a foot receiving cavity 16. That is, while the sole structure 12 generally surrounds the bottom of the foot, the upper 14 extends over and at least partially covers the dorsal portion of the foot (i.e., the top or instep of the foot) and secures the footwear 10 to the foot. The upper 14 includes a foot insertion opening 18 through which the foot is disposed in the foot receiving cavity 16 when the footwear 10 is put on.

[0031] As Figure 1 indicated, the footwear 10 can include a forefoot region 20, a midfoot region 22, a heel region 24, and an ankle region 26. The forefoot region 20, midfoot region 22, and heel region 24 extend through the sole structure 12 and the upper 14. The ankle region 26 is located in a portion of the upper 14. The forefoot region 20 generally includes the portion of the footwear 10 corresponding to the toes and the joints connecting the metatarsals to the phalanges. The midfoot region 22 generally includes the portion of the footwear 10 corresponding to the arch region and the instep of the foot. The heel region 24 corresponds to the posterior portion of the foot and includes the calcaneus. The ankle region 26 corresponds to the ankle. The forefoot region 20, midfoot region 22, heel region 24, and ankle region 26 are not intended to demarcate precise regions of the footwear 10, but are intended to represent general regions of the footwear 10 to aid in understanding various aspects of this specification. Additionally, portions of the footwear can be described using these general regions in relative terms. For example, a first structure can be described as being more toward the heel than a second structure, in which case the second structure will be more toward the forefoot and closer to the forefoot.

[0032] The footwear 10 also has a medial side 28 (identified in Figure 2 and obscured in Figure 1 and a lateral side 30 (identified in Figure 2 and obscured in Figure 1as can be seen). The medial side 28 and the lateral side 30 extend through each of the forefoot region 20, the midfoot region 22, the heel region 24, and the ankle region 26 and correspond to opposite sides of the footwear 10, each falling on an opposite side of the longitudinal midline reference plane 29 of the footwear 10, as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. For example, the longitudinal midline reference plane 29 may pass through the foremost point of the sole structure and the rearmost point of the sole structure. Thus, the medial side 29 is considered to be opposite the lateral side 30. Generally, the lateral side corresponds to the outer region of the foot (i.e., the surface facing away from the other foot), and the medial side corresponds to the inner region of the foot (i.e., the surface facing the other foot). In another aspect, the footwear includes a front portion 33 and a rear portion 35, which fall on opposite sides of the latitudinal midline reference plane 31 of the footwear 10. The latitudinal midline reference plane 31 extends perpendicular to the longitudinal midline reference plane 29 and the ground plane and is evenly spaced between the foremost point of the footwear 10 and the rearmost point of the footwear 10. Additionally, these terms can also be used to describe the relative positions of different structures. For example, a first structure that is closer to the inner portion of the footwear can be described as medial to a second structure that is closer to the outer region and more lateral.

[0033] The sole structure 12 can be composed of various materials and can include various elements. For example, the sole structure 12 can include a midsole 32 and an outsole 34. The midsole 32 can be formed of a polymer foam element that can be compressed (e.g., polyurethane or ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) foam), which attenuates the ground reaction force (i.e., provides cushioning) when compressed between the foot and the ground during walking, running, or other locomotive activities. In other aspects, the midsole 32 can include fluid-filled chambers, plates, regulators, or other elements that further attenuate forces, enhance stability, or affect the movement of the foot. The midsole 32 can be a single one-piece midsole or can be multiple components integrated into one unit. In some aspects, the midsole 32 can be integrated with the outsole 34. The outsole 34 can be one-piece or can be several outsole components and can be formed of a wear-resistant rubber material that can be textured to impart traction and / or can include traction elements such as treads or anti-slip pads that are fixed to the midsole 32. The outsole 34 can extend the entire length and width of the sole or only partially across the length and / or width.

[0034] The upper 14 can also be composed of various materials and can include various features. For example, the upper 14 can be composed of leather, textiles, or other synthetic or natural materials. Additionally, the upper 14 can be a knitted textile, a woven fabric, a braided fabric, a non-woven fabric, a laminated fabric, or any combination thereof. The upper 14 can have various material properties related to breathability, stretchability, flexibility, wicking, water resistance, etc.

[0035] The upper 14 generally includes a portion that overlaps and is connected to the sole structure 12, and the junction of this connection can be referred to as a bite line. Additionally, the upper 14 can include a "strobel", which includes a material panel that extends from the upper 14 and spans at least a portion of the foot-facing surface of the sole structure 12, and when the sole structure 12 is attached to the upper 14, the strobel can be used to hold the upper 14 on the shoe last. In other words, the sole structure 12 integrated into the footwear 10 includes a foot-facing surface, and in some cases, the upper 14 can include a panel (referred to as a strobel) that extends inward from near the bite line region and at least partially covers the foot-facing surface. In this case, when the footwear is worn, the strobel is positioned under the foot. The strobel can be covered by an insole or other material layer.

[0036] The upper 14 includes other features. For example, the upper 14 includes an ankle collar 36 that forms a perimeter around at least a portion of the foot insertion opening 18. In Figure 1 and Figure 2 , the ankle collar 36 extends continuously from the medial side around the back of the upper to the lateral side. However, the ankle collar 36 can include one or more incisions that enlarge the foot insertion opening 18, and the ankle collar 36 can include different shapes or profiles, such as a mule or clog with a short heel strap that wraps from the medial side to the lateral side. Additionally, the upper 14 includes a throat 38 that generally extends from the ankle collar 36 and forms a perimeter along at least one or more sides of the elongate opening 40. A tongue 42 is located in the elongate opening 40, and the size of the elongate opening 40 can be adjusted using various closure systems. For example, Figure 1 a lacing 44 is illustrated, and other closure systems can include elastic bands, hook-and-loop strips, zippers, buckles, etc. The position of the tongue 42 and the connection of the closure system can be adjusted to change the size of the foot insertion opening and the elongate opening, such as making the opening larger when the footwear is put on or taken off and making the opening smaller when the footwear is secured to the foot.

[0037] The footwear 10 can include athletic shoes, such as those that can be worn while running or walking, and the description of the footwear 10 (including regarding Figure 1 and Figure 2 the depicted elements) can also apply to other types of shoes, such as basketball shoes, tennis shoes, football shoes, soccer shoes, casual shoes or loafers, dress shoes, work shoes, sandals, mules, boots, hiking shoes, etc.

[0038] Now refer to Figures 3 to 7, an example of a footwear article 110 is depicted as having an upper 114 that has an articulated portion (e.g., a heel tab 150) in the heel region, and the articulated portion can be biased to various positions to increase or decrease the size of the foot insertion opening 118. Unless otherwise described, the footwear article 110 can include many of the same or similar elements as described with respect to Figure 1 and Figure 2 . The footwear article 110 includes an upper 114 coupled to a sole 112, and the upper 114 includes a collar 136 (e.g., an ankle collar). The collar 136 at least partially surrounds the foot insertion opening 118.

[0039] In addition, the footwear article 110 includes a heel tab 150 attached to the upper 114 by a hinge 152. The heel tab 150 can be moved between various positions by rotating about the hinge 152. For example, Figure 3 a first position is depicted in which, when the footwear article 110 is worn, the heel tab 150 is more upright and rotated forward and is in a position to cover the wearer's heel or Achilles tendon region. In addition, the heel tab 150 can be rotated hingedly downward or backward (e.g., away from the foot insertion opening 118 and clockwise based on the view in Figure 3 ) to a second position. Rotating the heel tab in this manner can increase the size of the foot insertion opening 118 and change the angle along which the foot can pass through the foot insertion opening 118 when the footwear article is put on or taken off, or any combination thereof. The hinge 152 can include various elements, such as a fabric strip (e.g., leather, polymer sheet, knitted fabric, woven fabric, non-woven fabric, etc.). As shown in Figure 4 and Figure 5 , the hinge 152 can be attached to an edge segment 151 of the heel tab 150 and can be attached between a layer 160 and a layer 162, such as by bonding or by some other connecting member (e.g., stitching). In other aspects, the hinge 152 can be attached to a surface 180 or a surface 170 along the edge segment 151.

[0040] In another aspect, the footwear article 110 includes an elastic member 154 attached to one or more portions of the footwear article 110 and the heel tab 150. The elastic material can include various forms, such as an elongated form having a dimension length greater than a dimension width, such as a cord, cable, strap, strip, plate, ribbon, etc. In Figures 3 to 7 , the elastic member 154 includes an elastic cable or an elastic cord. In Figures 3 to 7In [description], the elastic member 154 includes a first portion 154a attached to the outer side 130 of the shoe upper and a second portion 154b attached to the heel tab 150. In addition, the elastic member 154 includes a third portion 154c on the inner side of the shoe upper, and the third portion 154c includes a fourth portion 154d attached to the heel tab. The third portion 154c can also be attached to the inner side (obscured in the figure) in a manner similar to the first portion 154a attached to the outer side. The first portion 154a, the second portion 154b, and the fourth portion 154d are drawn as dashed lines to illustratively show that, in at least some aspects, this portion of the elastic member 154 can be obscured from view by a portion of the shoe upper 114 or the heel tab 150. In one aspect, the elastic member 154 can be a single continuous member that extends from the first portion 154a attached to the outer side of the shoe upper 114, through connection to the heel tab 150, to the third portion 154c on the inner side. In other aspects, the elastic member 154 can include a first member on the inner side of the shoe upper and a second member on the inner side of the shoe upper that is discontinuous with the first member.

[0041] The elastic member 154 can be attached to the shoe upper 114 and the heel tab 150 in various ways. For example, the first portion 154a can pass through a hole 115 in the outer layer of the shoe upper and be fixed to the shoe upper 114 (e.g., at a position inside the outer layer) using various connectors such as stitching, bonding, welding, etc. Other types of connectors can include a latch attached to the first portion 154a (e.g., inside the outer layer obscured from the view), which prevents the first portion 154a from being pulled out of the hole 115. The latch can allow the elastic member 154 to remain attached to the shoe upper 114 and rotate relative to the hole 115. Alternatively, a releasable fastener can be used to connect the first portion 154a to the shoe upper 114, such as a hook-and-loop fastener, a clip, a snap, etc. In Figures 3 to 7 [description], the first portion 154a is depicted as attached to the shoe upper 114, and in other aspects, the first portion 154a can be attached to the sole 112, between the shoe upper 114 and the sole 112 (e.g., near the bite line), or any combination thereof. Similarly, the third portion 154c can be attached to the shoe upper 114 on the inner side, attached to the sole 112, between the shoe upper 114 and the sole 112 (e.g., near the bite line), or any combination thereof.

[0042] In other aspects of the present disclosure, a second portion 154b of the resilient member 154 is attached to the heel flap 150 by a fixed-state connector 156. As used in the present disclosure, a fixed-state connector is a connector that has a connected state and no reversibility between the connected state and the disconnected state. That is, once connected, a fixed-state connector generally cannot be released or disconnected in a manner that would allow the fixed-state connector to be reconnected in the same form, and disconnecting a fixed-state connector often weakens or destroys the integrity of the connector. Some examples of fixed-state connectors include stitching, bonding, welding (e.g., sonic welding), heat stakes, rivets, etc., which can be applied to the heel flap 150, the resilient member 154, and any combination thereof. For example, once stitched, bonded, welded, heat staked, or riveted in place, the mechanism is generally non-releaseable and then non-reconnectable under the same conditions.

[0043] In Figures 3 to 7 , the fixed-state connector 156 includes a housing sleeve having a channel 158 ( Figure 5 ) through which the resilient member 154 extends. The housing sleeve includes one or more material layers that wrap around or otherwise surround the resilient member 156. For example, in Figures 3 to 7 , the heel flap 150 includes a first material layer 160 and a second material layer 162. When the heel flap is in a first position (e.g., more upright and forwardly rotated as shown in Figure 3 ), the first material layer 160 is more inward (e.g., closer to the foot receiving cavity) relative to the second material layer 162. For example, the first material layer 160 can be a lining material layer. Referring to Figure 5 , a cross-sectional view of the heel flap 150 depicts both the first material layer 160 and the second material layer 162. In one aspect, the first material layer 160 extends from a relatively internal position to the topline edge 164 of the heel flap 150, at which point the first material layer 160 folds or wraps from a relatively internal position to a relatively external position and is attached to the second material layer 162 with a connector 166. For example, in Figure 5 , the connector includes stitching, and in other aspects, the connector 166 can include another type of fixed-state connector (such as bonding, rivets, heat stakes, etc.). By wrapping the first material layer 160 from a relatively internal position to a relatively external position and attaching it to the second material layer 162 with the fixed-state connector 166, a housing sleeve is provided near the topline edge 164 along the collar of the heel flap 150. In addition, the housing sleeve includes an inner surface 168 facing the resilient member 154.

[0044] Other arrangements of the material layers may also form the outer shell sleeve. For example, in an alternative aspect, the second material layer 162 may be wrapped from a relatively outer position to a relatively inner position and attached to the first material layer 160 to form the outer shell sleeve. Alternatively, the first material layer and the second material layer may each extend to the gusset edge 164, where a first connector may attach the two material layers (e.g., above the elastic member 154). In this case, the second connection between the first material layer and the second material layer may be positioned below the elastic member 154 such that the elastic member 154 is positioned between the first connector and the second connector (e.g., the fixed-state connector). In yet another aspect, a single material layer may extend upward from the bottom edge 182 of the heel flap, fold or wrap around the elastic member 154 near the gusset edge 164, and connect back to itself below the elastic member 154 (e.g., by stitching, bonding, welding, etc.). In each of these alternatives, the outer shell sleeve includes an inner surface facing the elastic member.

[0045] In one aspect of the present disclosure, when the heel flap 150 rotates on the hinge 152, the inner surface 168 freely slides circumferentially around the elastic member. That is, when the heel flap 150 rotates on the hinge 152 from Figure 3 a more upright, forward-rotated position in Figure 7 to a downward, backward-rotated position in Figure 7 , the inner surface 168 orbits (e.g., reverse motion) around the elastic member 154. As used herein, the terms orbital motion or reverse motion or reverse orbit describe the relative rotational motion of the inner surface 168 relative to the elastic member 154, where the inner surface 168 may rotate when the elastic member does not rotate, the elastic member 154 may rotate when the inner surface 168 does not rotate, and / or the inner surface 168 and the elastic member 154 may rotate in opposite directions. The orbital or reverse motion of the inner surface 168 relative to the elastic member 154 can reduce torsional forces that might otherwise be generated in the elastic member 154 (such as if the elastic member 154 were stitched, bonded, fixed against, or otherwise directly coupled to the inner surface 168), and might undesirably bias the heel flap 150 toward the upright position - for example, torsional strain can increase the likelihood that the heel flap 150 inadvertently flips from Figure 3 a position in Figure 5 shown) may be less likely to impede reverse motion.

[0046] Figures 3 to 7 The depicted outer housing sleeve is an example of a fixed-state connector that rotates counterclockwise about the elastic member 154. In other respects, different connector types can attach the elastic member 154 to the heel flap and allow counterclockwise rotation. For example, a circular tubular structure can be attached to the outer surface 170 or the inner surface 180 of the heel flap 150, and the elastic member 154 can extend through the circular tubular structure. In another example, a first hole can be located on the outer side of the heel flap 150, while a second hole can be located on the inner side of the heel flap 150. In this example, a lateral elastic member can be attached to the heel flap 150 by extending through the first hole, where a first latch-type fastener (e.g., a crimp, a knot, a crimp sleeve, etc.) prevents the lateral elastic member from being pulled out of the hole. Similarly, an inner elastic member can be attached to the heel flap by extending through the second hole, where a second latch-type fastener prevents the inner elastic member from being pulled out of the second hole. In this alternative form, when the heel flap 150 transitions between positions, the latch fastener connection still allows the lateral elastic member and the inner elastic member, as well as the first hole and the second hole, to rotate counterclockwise relative to each other. In yet another aspect, corresponding swivel connectors can attach the lateral elastic member and the inner elastic member to the heel flap, in which case the swivel connectors can also allow a rotational connection. When the heel flap 150 transitions between positions, the rotational connection provided by the swivel can allow the elastic member to rotate relative to the heel flap 150 (or vice versa), and this relative rotation (e.g., a counterclockwise orbit of a portion of the swivel about another portion) can reduce torsional forces along the elastic member, the heel flap, or any combination thereof.

[0047] The hinge 152 can be attached at various positions along the shoe collar 136. For example, in Figures 3 to 7 it, the hinge is attached to the shoe collar 136 along a segment of the shoe collar that intersects the vertical longitudinal reference plane of the footwear article (e.g., Figure 2 plane 29). However, in other aspects of the present disclosure, the hinge and the heel flap can be offset medially or laterally. For example, in some cases, the hinge and the heel flap can be offset to create a larger foot insertion opening along a foot entry path that is not in line with the longitudinal direction of the footwear article. The positions of the hinge and the heel flap can be based on various factors, such as selecting a foot insertion opening that is configured to fit a prosthesis or a brace or other device (e.g., an ankle brace, a shin guard, etc.).

[0048] The footwear article 110 can also include other elements. As Figure 3As depicted, the footwear article 110 includes a heel flap 150 in a first position that is more upright and rotated forward and is biased by an elastic member 154 to be pulled toward the foot receiving cavity 116. In the first position, the heel flap 150 at least partially obscures the foot insertion opening 118, which can reduce the size of the foot insertion opening 118 and can limit the angle at which a foot can be inserted into or removed from the foot receiving cavity 116. Figure 3 The first position in Figure 7 can also be referred to as a closed position or a closed state. Additionally, as Figure 3 depicted, the footwear article 110 includes a heel flap 150 in a second position that is more downward and / or more backward when the heel flap 150 rotates clockwise (based on the view in

[0049] the view in Figure 3 the view in Figure 7 the view in

[0050] the view in Figures 3 to 7 away from the foot receiving cavity 116 about the hinge 152. In the second position, the heel flap 150 is biased against the heel portion of the sole 112 by the elastic member 154 pulling the heel flap 150 toward the midsole. Figure 3When in the first position shown, the resilient member 154 biases the heel flap 150 to rotate counterclockwise and forwardly towards the foot receiving cavity 116. Similarly, a counterclockwise biasing also occurs in Figure 4 and Figure 5 the positions indicated, in which positions, even if the heel flap 150 is pulled back a little (such as by the wearer with his / her foot or hand), the resilient member 154 still pulls the heel flap 150 back towards the foot receiving cavity 116 (e.g., to the "closed" state). In Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 the positions indicated, the force vectors 178a and 178b of the resilient member 154 are still above the hinge 152, and when the hinge 152 is applied to the heel flap 150, it continues to pull the heel flap 150 forward. This automatic return action provided by the resilient member 154 can assist in easier donning or doffing by temporarily increasing the size of the foot insertion opening 118 and automatically returning the heel flap 150 to the closed position. On the other hand, once the heel flap 150 has rotated backward far enough (e.g., such as by the wearer using his / her foot or hand), the direction or rotational bias of the force applied by the resilient member 154 changes such that the resilient member 154 biases the heel flap 150 to rotate backward towards the sole in the clockwise direction. For example, in Figure 6 and Figure 7 , the heel flap 150 has rotated backward far enough such that the force vectors 178c and 178d are now below the hinge 152, so that the heel flap is biased backward and opens.

[0051] On the other hand, when the heel flap 150 is in the Figure 3 first position, the resilient member 154 applies a first force to the heel flap 150, which first force has a first force vector 178a that points to a first portion 154a of the resilient member 154 attached to the upper (or some other part of the footwear 110). In one aspect, the first position may include the bottom edge 182 of the heel flap 150 that contacts at least a portion of the ankle collar 136. In a second position (e.g., Figure 7 ), the resilient member 154 applies a second force to the heel flap, the second force including a second force vector 178d that also points to the first portion 154a of the resilient member 154. In another aspect, in the Figure 3 first position, the heel flap 150 includes an inner surface facing the foot receiving cavity 116 (see, for example, the reference numeral 180 in Figure 4 ), and in the first position, the inner surface 180 is concave. In addition, in Figure 7In the second position, the inner surface 180 faces away from the footwear article and is convex, and the outer surface 170 is concave, which can further conform to the footwear article and help to hold the heel flap in a more open position. Alternatively, only a portion of the surface 170 can cause the "inside-out" flipping operation of the heel flap 150 by various elements, including the way the elastic member 154 is attached to the heel flap through the outer shell sleeve, and the force of the elastic member (e.g., compressive force) is greater than the bending strength of the heel flap 150. In addition, although Figures 3 to 7 depicts the heel flap 150 flipping between Figure 6 and Figure 7 the depicted positions, in reality, once the force vectors 178a to 178d have moved from one side of the hinge 150 to the other side of the hinge 152, the flipping may occur more incrementally. For example, when the force vectors 178a to 178d change from a position relatively higher than the hinge axis to a position relatively lower than the hinge axis, the transition of the heel flap 150 from the concave inner surface 180 to the convex inner surface 180 can occur more gradually. Similarly, when the force vectors 178a to 178d change from a position relatively lower than the hinge axis to a position relatively higher than the hinge axis, the transition of the heel flap 150 from the convex inner surface 180 to the concave inner surface 180 can occur more gradually. Although Figure 7 depicts the entire heel flap 150 flipping, in an alternative aspect, a portion of the heel flap 150 flips, such as the portion closest to the hinge 152, and in that case, that portion of the heel flap 150 may know that the outer shell sleeve may not be fully flipped.

[0052] The elasticity of the elastic member 154 can include various characteristics. For example, in one aspect, when the heel flap 150 is manipulated backward (e.g., with the wearer's hand or foot), the elastic member 154 elastically deforms (e.g., stretches elongately), such that the elastic member 154 can return to its previous state after the force is removed. In another aspect, the elastic member 154 can be stretched a certain distance under a backward-directed force to allow the heel flap 150 to rotate backward on the hinge 152. In at least one aspect, the distance that the elastic member 154 elastically stretches is at least such that the point where the elastic member is attached to the upper (e.g., 115), the hinge 152 (e.g., point 172), and point 174 are substantially coplanar (see, for example, Figure 3 the reference line 184 in, which depicts the approximate position of the reference plane where these portions will be coplanar when the elastic member 154 is elastically stretched backward). In another aspect, when the heel flap is in different positions, the elastic member 154 can apply a force sufficient to rotate the heel flap 150. For example, in Figure 3In the closed state represented, the elastic member 154 can actively pull the heel flap 150 towards the foot receiving cavity. Alternatively, in the closed state, the elastic member 154 can be taut, but not actively taut or elastically stretched.

[0053] Now referring to Figures 8 to 12 , another footwear article 210 is depicted, which is an alternative to the footwear article 110. Unless otherwise described in this disclosure, the footwear article 210 can have elements that are the same as or similar to those described with respect to the footwear article 10. The footwear article 210 includes an upper 214 that has an articulated portion (e.g., a heel flap 250) in the heel region, which can be biased in various positions to increase or decrease the size of the foot insertion opening 218. The upper 214 includes a collar 236 (e.g., an ankle collar) that at least partially surrounds the foot insertion opening 218.

[0054] In addition, the footwear article 210 includes a heel flap 250 attached to the upper 214 by a hinge 252, and Figure 9 a mirrored view of the elastic member 254 is shown to provide an unobstructed view of the heel flap 250 and the hinge 252, which otherwise might be obscured behind the elastic member 254 in the Figure 8 position represented. In one aspect, the heel flap 250 and the hinge 252 are the same as or similar to the heel flap 150 and the hinge 152 of the footwear article 110. The heel flap 250 can be moved between various positions by rotating about the hinge 252. For example, Figure 8 a first position is depicted in which, when the footwear article 210 is worn, the heel flap 250 is more upright, rotated forward, and in a position that covers the wearer's heel or Achilles tendon region. In addition, the heel flap 250 can be rotated hingedly downward and / or backward (e.g., away from the foot insertion opening 218 and clockwise based on the Figure 8 view in Figure 12 ) to a second position. Rotating the heel flap 250 in this manner can increase the size of the foot insertion opening 218 and change the angle along which the foot can pass through the foot insertion opening 218 when the footwear article is put on or taken off, or any combination thereof.

[0055] In another aspect, the footwear article 210 includes an elastic member 254 attached to one or more portions of the footwear article 210 and the heel flap 250. In Figures 8 to 12In [description], the elastic member 254 includes an elastic plate, and in other aspects, the elastic member can take other forms, such as an elastic band or an elastic strip. The elastic member 254 can include a variety of different elastic plates or strips. For example, the elastic member 254 can include a woven fabric, knitted or braided textile having multi-directional stretching (e.g., bi-directional, tri-directional, quadri-directional, etc.).

[0056] In Figures 8 to 12 [description], the elastic member 254 includes a first portion 254a (e.g., an end portion or an edge portion), and the first portion 254a is attached to the upper 214, the sole 212, or any combination thereof. For example, the first portion 254a can be firmly gripped between the upper 214 and the sole 212 near the bite line. Although not shown in the figures, on the other side of the footwear article 210 that is obscured from view in Figures 8 to 12 [description], there can be another portion of the elastic member 254 that is coupled to the upper, the sole, or any combination thereof. Additionally, the elastic member 254 includes an elongated portion 254b (e.g., the foremost front edge) that extends upward and rearward from the first portion to a pull portion 254c. In Figure 8 [description], the pull portion 254c is in a first position above the hinge 252, and the pull portion 254c is movable to a second position below the hinge 252 (e.g., Figure 12 ) by pulling downward and rearward on the pull tab 290, for example. In another aspect, the elastic member 252 includes a pinned portion 254d (e.g., the portion of the elastic member that is gripped between the stationary state connector 256 and the heel flap 250), and the pinned portion 254d is attached to the heel flap 250 by the stationary state connector 256. For example, in Figure 8 [description], the stationary state connector 256 is a suture, and other stationary state connectors can include bonding, welding, heat sealing, riveting, etc. In one aspect of the present disclosure, the pinned portion 254d is closer to the edge segment of the heel flap 250 that is coupled to the hinge 252 than the pull portion 254c (e.g., Figure 4 and Figure 5 the reference numeral 151 in the figures or Figure 12 the edge 251 in [description]). Thus, when a force is applied to the pull portion 254c, the force is transferred to the pinned portion 254d, and the heel flap 250 can be rotated about the hinge 252.

[0057] The hinge 252 can be attached at various positions along the shoe collar 236. For example, in Figures 8 to 12 [description], the hinge 252 is along a vertical longitudinal reference plane of the footwear article (e.g., Figure 2The segments of the shoe collar that intersect the plane 29) are attached to the shoe collar 236. However, in other aspects of the present disclosure, the hinge and the heel flap may be offset medially or laterally. For example, in some cases, the hinge and the heel flap may be offset to create a larger foot insertion opening along a foot entry path that is not in a straight line with the longitudinal direction of the footwear article. The positions of the hinge and the heel flap may be based on various factors, such as selecting a foot insertion opening that is configured to fit a prosthesis or a brace or other device (e.g., an ankle brace, a shin guard, etc.).

[0058] The footwear article 210 may also include other features. As Figure 8 depicted, the footwear article 210 includes a heel flap 250 in a first position that is more upright and is biased by an elastic member 254 that compresses the heel flap 250 toward the foot receiving cavity 216. For example, the elastic member 254 may apply a compressive force along the elongate portion 254b, where the force vector 278a points toward the first portion 254a. In the first position, the heel flap 250 at least partially obscures the foot insertion opening 218 (compared to other positions of the heel flap), which may reduce the size of the foot insertion opening 218 and may limit the angle at which the foot may be inserted into or removed from the foot receiving cavity 216. Figure 8 and Figure 9 The first position in Figure 12 may also be referred to as a closed position or a closed state. Additionally, as Figure 12 depicted, the footwear article 210 includes a heel flap 250 in a second position that is more downward or more backward when the heel flap 250 rotates clockwise (based on the Figure 8 and Figure 9 view in Figure 12 away from the foot receiving cavity 216 about the hinge 252. In the second position, the heel flap 250 is biased downward and backward by the elastic member 254 pulling on the heel flap 250. That is, as Figure 12 depicted, the elastic member 254 frictionally engaged with the sole 212 applies a force (e.g., a tension force) to the heel flap 250 at the connection 256 in the direction of the force vector 278c.

[0059] In one aspect of the present disclosure, when the heel flap 250 transitions from the first position to the second position, the heel flap 250 may rotate 90 degrees or more. The amount of rotation may be measured using various techniques, such as the same techniques described with respect to the footwear article 110.

[0060] The elastic member 254 may bias or assist in holding the heel flap 250 in various positions. For example, when the elastic member 254 is disposed in Figure 8The first position depicted (e.g., the pulling portion 254c is above the hinge 252), where when the heel flap 250 is in a position to support the wearer's heel or Achilles tendon, the elastic member 254 applies a compressive force on the heel flap 250 in the direction of the force vector 278a. This arrangement can be produced by various operative elements, including the position of the hinge 252, the position of the fixed-state connector 256, the connection of the portion 254a in front of the hinge 252 along the bite line, or any combination thereof. In another aspect, the positions of the elastic member 254 and the heel flap 250 can be manually manipulated. For example, as Figure 10 depicted, the wearer can pull down and stretch on the pulling portion 254c (e.g., using the pull tab 290). The pulling portion 254c can be pulled down and secured against the sole 212 (e.g., the midsole sidewall) such that the pulling portion 254c is below the hinge 252. For example, Figure 12 depicts the pulling portion 254c biased onto the heel portion of the sole 212. When arranged in Figure 12 the position depicted, the elastic member 254 can apply various forces to different parts of the footwear 210. For example, a compressive force in the direction of the force vector 278b can be applied to the sole 212 in the connection direction at the portion 254a. Additionally, a tension force can be applied to the connection 256 in the direction of the force vector 278c. The tension force can operate to rotate the heel flap 250 backward and bias the heel flap 250 in a more open position, and the compressive force can operate to hold the elastic member 254 on the sole 212 to bias the heel flap 250 in place and reduce the likelihood of unintentional closure. Once the wearer has inserted his or her foot through the foot insertion opening and into the foot receiving cavity, the pull tab 290 can be pulled upward to secure the footwear 210 to the foot.

[0061] The footwear 210 can also include other elements. In one aspect, a lever is formed by the hinge 252, the heel flap 250, and the pulling portion 254c. For example, when the heel flap 250 is in Figure 8When rotating backward from the first position shown, the system may include a lever (e.g., a class 3 lever), where the hinge 252 is the fulcrum, the heel flap 250 is the load, and the force applied to the pulling portion 254c and transferred to the heel flap 250 through the connection 256 is the force that moves the heel flap 250. For example, when the pulling portion 254c moves from a first position above the hinge 252 to a second position below the hinge 252, a force may be applied to the pulling portion 254c. In another aspect of the present disclosure, the elastic member includes a first surface 280 and a second surface 270. When the pulling portion 254c is in the first position above the hinge 252, then the first surface 280 faces and presses against the heel flap 250, while the second surface 270 faces away from the heel flap 250. Additionally, when the pulling portion 254c is in the second position below the hinge 252, the second surface 270 faces and presses against the sole 212, while the first surface 280 faces away from the sole.

[0062] In Figures 8 to 12 In the aspect shown, since the elastic member 254 extends downward between the top edges of the elastic member 254 for the entire distance of the connection near the bite line transition 213, the elastic member 254 substantially encapsulates the heel portion of the footwear 210. In other aspects, the elastic member 254 may have different sizes and may cover or encapsulate a lesser amount of the heel portion of the footwear 210 while still functioning in a manner similar to the illustrated elastic member 254 to bias or hold the heel flap 250 in a position. For example, the elastic member 254 may include a height extending from a lower edge positioned between the connection 256 and the bite line transition 213 to the top edge of the elastic member such that a portion of the heel region of the upper (e.g., above the bite line transition 213) is exposed and not encapsulated by the elastic member.

[0063] The elasticity of the elastic member 254 may include various characteristics. For example, in one aspect, when the heel flap 250 is manipulated backward (e.g., with the wearer's hand or foot), the elastic member 254 elastically deforms (e.g., stretches elongately) such that the elastic member 254 is able to return to its previous state after the force is removed. In another aspect, the elastic member 254 is able to stretch a certain distance under a backward-directed force to allow the heel flap 250 to rotate backward on the hinge 252. In at least one aspect, the distance that the elastic member 254 elastically stretches is at least such that the points where the elastic member is attached to the upper (e.g., 253), the hinge 252, and the fixed-state connector 256 are substantially coplanar (see, for example Figure 9 reference line 284 in, which shows the approximate position of the reference plane where these portions will be coplanar when the elastic member 254 is elastically stretched backward). In another aspect, when the heel flap is in a different position, the elastic member 254 may apply a force sufficient to rotate the heel flap 250. For example, inFigure 8 In the closed state represented, the elastic member 254 can actively pull or compress the heel flap 250 toward the foot receiving cavity. Alternatively, in the closed state, the elastic member 254 can be tensioned, but not actively tensioned or elastically stretched.

[0064] Some aspects of the present disclosure have been described with reference to examples provided in the accompanying drawings. Additional aspects of the present disclosure will now be described, which aspects may be related subject matter included in one or more claims or clauses of this application at the time of filing, or one or more related applications, but the claims or clauses are not limited to the subject matter described only in the following portions of this specification. These additional aspects may include features depicted in the drawings, features not depicted in the drawings, and any combination thereof. In describing these additional aspects, elements depicted by the drawings may be referred to for illustrative purposes.

[0065] As used herein and in connection with the claims listed below, the term "any one of the clauses" or a similar variation of said term is intended to be construed such that the features of the claims / clauses can be combined in any combination. For example, exemplary clause 4 may indicate a method / apparatus as described in any one of clauses 1 to 3, which is intended to be construed such that the features of clause 1 and clause 4 can be combined, the elements of clause 2 and clause 4 can be combined, the elements of clause 3 and clause 4 can be combined, the elements of clause 1, clause 2, and clause 4 can be combined, the elements of clause 2, clause 3, and clause 4 can be combined, the elements of clause 1, clause 2, clause 3, and clause 4 can be combined, and / or other variations. Additionally, the term "any one of the clauses" or a similar variation of said term is intended to include "any one of the clauses" or other variations of such terms, as indicated by some of the examples provided above.

[0066] The following clauses are aspects contemplated herein.

[0067] Clause 1. A footwear article, comprising: a sole; an upper that is coupled to the sole and includes a collar; a heel flap that is connected to the collar by a hinge; an elastic elongate member having a first portion coupled to the sole, the upper, or any combination thereof, and a second portion coupled to the heel flap; and a fixed-state connector that connects the second portion of the elastic member to the heel flap.

[0068] Clause 2. The footwear article according to clause 1, wherein the heel flap rotates on the hinge between a more forwardly rotated closed state and a more rearwardly rotated open state.

[0069] Clause 3. The footwear article according to Clause 1 or 2, wherein the fixed-state connector includes a portion of the heel flap, and when the heel flap transitions between a closed state and an open state, the portion of the heel flap rotates reversely freely about the elastic member.

[0070] Clause 4. The footwear article according to any one of Clauses 1 to 3, wherein the fixed-state connector includes a housing sleeve having a channel through which the elastic member extends, and the channel is at least partially defined by an inner surface of the housing sleeve facing the elastic member, and when the heel flap rotates on the hinge, the inner surface rotates reversely freely about the elastic member.

[0071] Clause 5. The footwear article according to any one of Clauses 1 to 4, wherein: in the closed position, the elastic member applies a first force to the heel flap, and the first force includes a first force vector pointing to the first portion of the elastic member; and in the open position, the elastic member applies a second force to the heel flap, and the second force includes a second force vector pointing to the first portion of the elastic member.

[0072] Clause 6. The footwear article according to any one of Clauses 1 to 5, wherein in the closed position, the heel flap includes an inner surface facing the foot receiving cavity of the footwear article, and the inner surface is concave in the closed position; and wherein in the open position, the inner surface faces away from the footwear article and is convex.

[0073] Clause 7. The footwear article according to Clause 1, wherein the elastic member includes an elongated portion extending upward and backward from the first portion to a pulling portion of the elastic member, and the pulling portion is movable between a first position above the hinge and a second position below the hinge; and wherein the second portion of the elastic member coupled to the heel flap is between the pulling portion and the hinge along a reference line following the elastic member.

[0074] Clause 8. The footwear article according to Clause 7, wherein the fixed-state connector extends at least partially through the thickness of the elastic member and at least partially through the thickness of the heel flap.

[0075] Clause 9. An article of footwear, comprising: a sole; an upper that is coupled to the sole and includes a collar; a heel tab that is hingedly connected to the collar; an elastic elongate member having a first portion coupled to the sole, the upper, or any combination thereof, and a second portion that is connected to the heel tab by a fixed state connector, the fixed state connector including a connection state having no back-and-forth repeatable convertibility between the connection state and a disconnection state; and the fixed state connector including a housing sleeve that couples the second portion of the elastic member to the heel tab, the housing sleeve having a passage through which the elastic member extends, the passage being at least partially defined by an inner surface of the housing sleeve facing the elastic member, wherein when the heel tab rotates on the hinge, the inner surface freely rotates in reverse around the elastic member.

[0076] Clause 10. The article of footwear according to Clause 9, wherein the heel tab includes one or more material layers, and wherein the passage is between an inner material layer formed by the one or more material layers and an outer layer formed by the one or more material layers.

[0077] Clause 11. The article of footwear according to Clause 9 or 10, wherein the housing sleeve is fixed in a collar portion of the heel tab.

[0078] Clause 12. The article of footwear according to any one of Clauses 9 to 11, wherein the heel tab rotates on the hinge between a more forwardly rotated closed state and a more rearwardly rotated open state; and wherein in the open position, the heel tab rotates more than 90 degrees rearwardly on the hinge compared to the closed position.

[0079] Clause 13. The article of footwear according to any one of Clauses 9 to 12, wherein in the open state, the heel tab rotates more than 135 degrees rearwardly on the hinge compared to the closed position.

[0080] Clause 14. The article of footwear according to any one of Clauses 9 to 13, wherein in the open state and the closed state, the elastic member applies a compressive force on the heel tab.

[0081] Clause 15. The article of footwear according to any one of Clauses 9 to 14, wherein the elastic member includes a third portion coupled to the sole, the upper, or any combination thereof; wherein the second portion is a central segment of the elastic member between the first portion and the second portion; and wherein the first portion is coupled to the inner side of the article of footwear and the third portion is coupled to the outer side of the article of footwear.

[0082] Clause 16. A footwear article comprising: a sole; an upper that is coupled to the sole and includes a collar; a heel tab that is pivotally connected to the collar by a hinge; and an elastic member that includes: an end portion that is coupled to the sole, the upper, or any combination thereof; an elongate portion that extends upwardly and rearwardly from the end portion to a pull portion of the elastic member, the pull portion being movable between a first position above the hinge and a second position below the hinge; and a pinned portion that is coupled to the heel tab by a fixed-state connector, the fixed-state connector including a connected state with no back-and-forth repeatable convertibility between the connected state and a disconnected state.

[0083] Clause 17. The footwear article according to Clause 16, wherein an edge segment of the heel tab is coupled to the hinge; wherein the pinned portion is closer to the edge segment than the pull portion; wherein the hinge is a fulcrum of a lever and the heel tab is a load of the lever; and wherein a first force applied to the pull portion to move the pull portion from the first position to the second position is transferred to the fixed-state connector to bias the load rearwardly.

[0084] Clause 18. The footwear article according to Clause 16 or 17, wherein when the pull portion is in the first position, the elastic member includes a first surface that faces and bears against the heel tab and a second surface that faces away from the heel tab; and wherein when the pull portion moves to the second position, the second surface faces and bears against the sole and the first surface faces away from the sole.

[0085] Clause 19. The footwear article according to Clause 18, wherein when the pull portion moves to the second position and the second surface bears against the sole, a first force vector of a compressive force applied by the second surface to the sole points toward the end portion, and a second force vector of a tension force applied by the pinned portion to the fixed-state connector and the heel tab points toward the pull portion.

[0086] Clause 20. The footwear article according to Clause 16, wherein the fixed-state connector that couples the pinned portion of the elastic member to the heel tab is stitching, bonding, welding, heat stakes, rivets, or any combination thereof.

[0087] Clause 21. The footwear article according to any one of Clauses 1 to 20, wherein the fixed-state connector includes a connected state with no back-and-forth repeatable convertibility between the connected state and a disconnected state.

[0088] As can be seen from the above, the present subject matter is well suited to achieve all the purposes and objects set forth above and other advantages that are obvious and inherent to the structure. It should be understood that certain features and sub-combinations are useful and can be employed without reference to other features and sub-combinations. This is contemplated by the claims and within the scope of the claims. Since many possible embodiments of the present subject matter can be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure, it should be understood that all matter set forth herein or shown in the accompanying drawings should be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Claims

1. A footwear article, comprising: a sole; an upper, the upper being coupled to the sole and including a collar; a heel flap, the heel flap being connected to the collar by a hinge, the heel flap having a collar portion; an elastic member, the elastic member having a first portion coupled to the sole, the upper, or any combination thereof, and a second portion connected to the heel flap by a fixed-state connector, the fixed-state connector including a connection state with no back-and-forth repeatable convertibility between the connection state and a disconnection state; and the fixed-state connector includes a housing sleeve fixed in the collar portion of the heel flap, the housing sleeve coupling the second portion of the elastic member to the heel flap, the housing sleeve having a channel through which the elastic member extends, the channel being at least partially defined by an inner surface of the housing sleeve facing the elastic member, wherein when the heel flap rotates on the hinge, the inner surface freely rotates reversely around the elastic member, wherein the elastic member includes a third portion coupled to the sole, the upper, or any combination thereof, the second portion being a central segment of the elastic member between the first portion and the third portion, the first portion being coupled to the inner side of the footwear article, and the third portion being coupled to the outer side of the footwear article, the elastic member being a single continuous member extending from the first portion through the housing sleeve to the third portion.

2. The footwear article according to claim 1, wherein the heel flap includes one or more material layers, and wherein the channel is between an inner material layer formed by the one or more material layers and an outer layer formed by the one or more material layers.

3. The footwear article according to claim 1, wherein the heel flap rotates on the hinge between a more forwardly rotated closed state and a more rearwardly rotated open state; and wherein in the open position, the heel flap rotates rearwardly on the hinge by more than 90 degrees compared to the closed position.

4. The footwear article according to claim 3, wherein in the open state, the heel flap rotates rearwardly on the hinge by more than 135 degrees compared to the closed position.

5. The footwear article according to claim 3, wherein in the open state and the closed state, the elastic member applies a compressive force on the heel flap.

6. A footwear article, comprising: a sole; an upper, the upper being coupled to the sole and including a collar; a heel flap, the heel flap being connected to the collar by a hinge; and an elastic member, the elastic member including: an end portion, the end portion being coupled to the sole, the upper, or any combination thereof; an elongate portion, the elongate portion extending upwardly and rearwardly from the end portion to a pull portion of the elastic member, the pull portion being movable between a first position above the hinge and a second position below the hinge; and A pinning portion, the pinning portion being coupled to the heel flap by a fixed-state connector, the fixed-state connector including a connected state with no reversibility between the connected state and a disconnected state; wherein an edge segment of the heel flap is coupled to the hinge; wherein the pinning portion is closer to the edge segment than the pulling portion; wherein the hinge is a fulcrum of a lever including the heel flap, and the elastic member is a load of the lever; and wherein a first force applied to the pulling portion to move the pulling portion from the first position to the second position is transferred to the fixed-state connector to bias the load rearward.

7. The footwear article according to claim 6, wherein, When the pulling portion is in the first position, the elastic member includes a first surface facing and pressing against the heel flap and a second surface facing away from the heel flap; and wherein, when the pulling portion moves to the second position, the second surface faces and presses against the sole, and the first surface faces away from the sole.

8. The footwear article according to claim 7, wherein, When the pulling portion moves to the second position and the second surface presses against the sole, a first force vector of a compressive force applied to the sole by the second surface points to the end portion, and a second force vector of a tension applied to the fixed-state connector and the heel flap by the pinning portion points to the pulling portion.

9. The footwear article according to claim 6, wherein the fixed-state connector that couples the pinning portion of the elastic member to the heel flap is stitching, bonding, welding, heat stakes, rivets, or any combination thereof.

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