Footwear heel counter for easier entry and removal

Abstract

Shoe (12) comprising a heel counter (32); wherein the heel counter (32) comprises a heel cup (52); wherein the heel cup (52) is uniformly shaped with an upper section (64), a middle section (58) and a lower section (54); wherein the upper section (64) has a lesser mediolateral length than the middle section (58); wherein the middle section (58) and the lower section (54) form a concave structure configured to accommodate the heel;wherein the upper section (64) of the heel cup has a first configuration and is configured to deform into a second configuration under the load of a user's foot when the user puts on the shoe (12), wherein in the second configuration at least a part of the upper section (64) is lowered relative to the first configuration and the upper section (64) is configured to return to the first configuration after the load from the user's foot has been removed, wherein an inner wall (66) of the upper section (64) of the heel cup (52) has a downward slope relative to a vertical line at the rearmost section of the heel cup (52);wherein the inner wall (66) of the upper section (64) of the heel cup (52) has a convex curvature pointing towards a shoe opening (48), and wherein the thickness of the heel cup (52) gradually decreases from a peripheral section (70) of the heel cup (52) to a central region (50) of the middle section (58).