52 results about "Heel counter" patented technology

A lasted skate boot for ice skates or in-line roller skates, the lasted skate boot comprising an upper having an outer shell molded of synthetic material and an inner lining mounted inside the outer shell. The outer shell comprises a heel counter, an ankle portion, medial and lateral quarters and reinforcing elements provided on the heel counter, ankle portion, medial quarter or lateral quarter. Each of the reinforcing elements comprises a ridge formed on one of the inner or outer surface of the outer shell and a groove registering with the ridge, the groove being formed on one of the inner or outer surface of the outer shell. The outer shell may also comprise an ankle portion having an upper part and a lower part that projects outwardly with relation to the upper part, the lower part merging with the heel counter. The lower and upper parts of the ankle portion follow the rear profile of the Achilles tendon.

A heel counter 4 includes: a support section 43 extending in a forward direction from a back side 1b of an upper 1; a rib 40 extending in the forward direction generally in parallel to the support section 43 at a position above the support section 43 from the back side 1b of the upper 1 along a medial side 11 and extending in the forward direction generally in parallel to the support section 43 at a position above the support section 43 from the back side 1b of the upper 1 along a lateral side 12; and first and second bridge means 41a, 41b and 42 connecting the support section 43 and the rib 40 to each other allowing the support section 43 to support the rib 40, wherein: a foremost one 46b of a plurality of connection portions 46b, 46c and 46e by which the rib 40 and the bridge means 41a, 41b and 42 are connected to each other is provided on the medial side of the upper 1; and the foremost connection portion 46b is located forward of a rear end of a talus bone B8.

The heel counter structure includes a sole plate provided at least at the heel region of the shoe and having a peripheral portion. The peripheral portion is upraised along the heel region of the shoe so as to enclose the lower portion of the heel portion of the foot of the wearer. The heel structure also includes a pair of heel counter portions provided on the medial and lateral sides of the heel region of the shoe so as to sandwich the heel portion of the foot sideways. The heel counter portions are coupled to the peripheral portion of the sole plate at the lower ends of the heel counter portions so that the heel counter portions can tilt inwardly and outwardly independently of the sole plate. The heel counter portions are separated from the peripheral portion of the sole plate except the lower ends of the heel counter portions.

A ankle and foot stabilization support apparatus and method that provide stability while the user's foot is in the neutral, dorsiflexed, and plantarflexed positions. In one embodiment, the invention comprises a support foundation and two adjustable lateral tension bands. One band extends from the support foundation to a location on an item of footwear that is proximate to the lateral heel counter and provides support in the neutral and dorsiflexed position. The second band extends from the support foundation to a location on the item of footwear proximate to the lateral quarter and provides support in the plantarflexed position. Another embodiment includes medial stabilization tension bands. The invention can be readily moved from footwear to footwear, may be integrated into an item of footwear, and may contain a combination of lateral and medial tension bands.

An article of footwear includes a sole assembly and an upper secured to the sole assembly. A heel counter is secured to the sole assembly. The heel counter includes an inner portion and an outer portion secured to the inner portion. A portion of the upper is captured between the inner and outer portions of the heel counter.

A modular shoe is provided by a two part shoe design. A first part is an internal support structure that includes a midsole portion and a heel counter. A second part is a removable cover that is configured to accept a specific size internal support structure to provide internal support to the soft material and outsole which comprise the cover. Various cover designs are configured to accept a single size internal support structure thereby providing for interchangeable cover and a plurality of shoe designs all sharing a single internal support structure. The removable cover takes substantially less packing space that supported shoe, thereby requiring reduced storage for a traveler packing several shoe designs all sharing a single internal support.

A method of making a lasted skate boot comprising providing a pre-cut sheet of thermoformable synthetic material; and thermoforming the sheet of synthetic thermoformable material to form an outer shell comprising a heel counter for receiving the heel of the foot; an ankle portion for receiving the ankle; and medial and lateral quarters for receiving the medial and lateral sides of the foot respectively, the medial and lateral quarters extending forwardly from the heel counter and the ankle portion. The ankle portion is thermoformed such that it comprises an upper part and a lower part that projects outwardly with relation to the upper part, the lower part merging with the heel counter, the upper part following the upper part of the Achilles tendon and the lower part following the lower part of the Achilles tendon.

A running shoe design focused on the heel section of running shoes used in, for example, T2 transition phase of the sport of triathlon. A heel counter portion of the shoe is a retractable flap. The flap retracts to an open position at a 45 to 90 degree angle awaiting the unhindered insertion of the runner's foot without any need for the runner to bend or sit. Immediately after the foot is inserted, the flap is closed with a pressing forward action by the athlete's other foot. The flap and the sides of the shoe are coated with adhesive, velcro-like materials. A variation of the foregoing uses a heel counter cut from the center top to the midsole area at the bottom, resulting in an acceptable size opening for uninhibited foot insertion when the flap (or strap) portion of the heel counter is set in the open position.

A ankle and foot stabilization support apparatus and method that provide stability while the user's foot is in the neutral, dorsiflexed, and plantarflexed positions. In one embodiment, the invention comprises a support foundation and two adjustable lateral tension bands. One band extends from the support foundation to a location on an item of footwear that is proximate to the lateral heel counter and provides support in the neutral and dorsiflexed position. The second band extends from the support foundation to a location on the item of footwear proximate to the lateral quarter and provides support in the plantarflexed position. Another embodiment includes medial stabilization tension bands. The invention can be readily moved from footwear to footwear, may be integrated into an item of footwear, and may contain a combination of lateral and medial tension bands.

A modular shoe is provided by a two part shoe design. A first part is an internal support structure that includes a midsole portion and a heel counter. A second part is a removable cover that is configured to accept a specific size internal support structure to provide internal support to the soft material and outsole which comprise the cover. Various cover designs are configured to accept a single size internal support structure thereby providing for interchangeable cover and a plurality of shoe designs all sharing a single internal support structure. The removable cover takes substantially less packing space that supported shoe, thereby requiring reduced storage for a traveler packing several shoe designs all sharing a single internal support.

A shoe display system is provided for promoting and selling shoes. The shoe display system comprises a combination of a shoe and a receiving loop. The receiving loop is formed by a receiving strip of material fixed at opposite end portions to inside the heel counter of said shoe.

A heel counter for a shoe and method of making the same is shown and described. The heel counter includes a pair of sidewalls and a deformation member between the sidewalls.

A modular shoe system having interchangeable uppers and outsoles, comprising an internal support structure, a plurality of interchangeable first removable covers and a plurality of interchangeable second removable covers. The internal support structure includes a midsole, a heel counter and a toe box. The internal support structure has a front portion including the toe box and a rear portion including the heel counter. Each of the first removable covers includes a front upper and a front outsole. Each of the first removable covers is configured for being alternately removably attached to the front portion. Each of the second removable covers includes a rear upper and a rear outsole. Each of the second removable covers is configured for being alternately removably attached to the rear portion.

A roller skate includes an upper, including a substantially nonrigid upper portion secured to a base. A frame secured to the base carries a plurality of wheels. The substantially nonrigid upper portion is reinforced by a substantially rigid internal heel counter. An ankle support cuff assembly is pivotally secured to the internal heel counter. The ankle support cuff assembly includes a substantially rigid ankle support cuff that is pivotally secured on lateral and medial sides to the internal heel counter. Ankle pad lines the interior of the ankle support cuff. Ankle support cuff is fastened by a selectively securable fastener about the skater's ankle. The ankle support cuff assembly pivots freely in the forward and aft direction relative to the internal heel counter.

A heel counter support for a shoe can allow a wearer to conveniently put on various kinds of shoes, such as low shoes, athletic shoes and a shoehorn, and can prevent the heel counter from being bent. The heel counter support, which is embedded in the uppers of a heel counter of the shoe, includes: a support member that is formed in the same arc as the heel counter as being viewed from the plane, is joined to a lower end of a shoe sole, and is made of rigid synthetic resin; and an arc-shaped tension-maintaining portion that is joined to an upper end portion of the support member and is made of soft synthetic resin to thereby naturally raise the heel counter up. The tension-maintaining portion has an upper end that is bent a little forward so that a wearer can easily insert the foot into the shoe.

In accordance with an aspect of the invention, a footwear comprises a base and a retainer being coupled to the base for forming a cavity and an opening thereto. The footwear further comprises a heel counter being coupled to at least one of the base and the retainer. The heel counter is biased in an up position and is positionable between the up position and a down position. When a foot interacts with the heel counter, the heel counter is positioned away from the up position towards the down position for facilitating access of a foot to the opening. Subsequently, when the foot is fully inserted into the cavity, the heel counter returns to the up position for engaging the heel of the foot in order for preventing dislodgement of the foot from the cavity.

An athletic shoe includes an outsole, a midsole, an insole, a bootie, a cage surrounding the upper front of the bootie, a tongue, a quarter, a heel counter and wings. The bootie can have one, two, three, four or five individual toe sections which allow the toes of the foot to move independently. The bootie may be removable or adhesively attached to the midsole and the innersole. Both the midsole and the innersole can have slots cut between the toe portions which further allows for independent movement of the toes. The cage and outsole surround the front toe portions of the bootie, insole and midsole. The cage and outsole prevent all large particles from falling between the toes. The individual toe sections in the inventive shoe increase natural foot movement, haptic response and improve stability / balance, footstrike biomechanics and foot strength.

The present invention relates to a pair of functional shoes, which enables both physical stimulation and electrical stimulation to be transmitted to the heel portions of feet and specific portions of ankles, which are helpful in promoting height growth, using the force that is generating while walking, thus stimulating growth plates. Each of the functional shoes an ankle contact member mounted to the heel counter of the shoe, which supports the rear portion of a foot, which ranges from the heel of a foot to an ankle, formed in a shape that corresponds to the concave shape of the rear portion of the ankle, and coming into contact with an ankle stimulation portion; an ankle stimulating member mounted from the inside of a shoe outsole to the ankle contact member, and transmitting physical stimulation to the ankle stimulation portion, which is the concave rear portion of the ankle malleolus, using force that is applied by the foot while walking; a heel stimulating member mounted in the shoe outsole, which corresponds to the central portion of the rear portion of a sole, formed to have hardness higher than the outsole, and transmitting load stimulation, caused by applied force, to a heel stimulation portion, which corresponds to the central portion of the rear portion of the sole; and an electrical stimulation unit, comprising a power generation device which is mounted in the shoe outsole and generates power, and power generation points which are formed on an ankle stimulation part and / or the heel stimulation portion.

The heel counter structure includes a sole plate provided at least at the heel region of the shoe and having a peripheral portion. The peripheral portion is upraised along the heel region of the shoe so as to enclose the lower portion of the heel portion of the foot of the wearer. The heel structure also includes a pair of heel counter portions provided on the medial and lateral sides of the heel region of the shoe so as to sandwich the heel portion of the foot sideways. The heel counter portions are coupled to the peripheral portion of the sole plate at the lower ends of the heel counter portions so that the heel counter portions can tilt inwardly and outwardly independently of the sole plate. The heel counter portions are separated from the peripheral portion of the sole plate except the lower ends of the heel counter portions.

An article of footwear for riding is disclosed. The article includes a second portion of an upper having a second coefficient of friction that is greater than a first coefficient of friction associated with a first portion of an upper. The article further includes a detachable spur member configured to attach to a heel counter of the article.

A novel shoe construction provides a unique fit and feel to the shoe wearer's foot. The shoe construction is a variation in what is typically called vulcanized shoe construction. Wherein the conventional vulcanized shoe construction bands of flexible material are permanently adhered or vulcanized to the shoe sole and to a portion of the upper adjacent the shoe sole, in the shoe construction of the invention upper sections of the bands are let loose by being unattached to the shoe upper. In addition, a toe cap of the shoe and a heel counter of the shoe are secured to the shoe sole, but are unattached to the shoe upper. This construction results in a shoe that not only has a unique appearance, but also has a unique feel to the shoe wearer's foot with the upper surrounding the foot being free floating along the sides of the foot as well as across the toes and heel of the foot.

A running shoe design focused on the heel section of running shoes used in, for example, T2 transition phase of the sport of triathlon. A heel counter portion of the shoe is a retractable flap. The flap retracts to an open position at a 45 to 90 degree angle awaiting the unhindered insertion of the runner's foot without any need for the runner to bend or sit. Immediately after the foot is inserted, the flap is closed with a pressing forward action by the athlete's other foot. The flap and the sides of the shoe are coated with adhesive, velcro-like materials. A variation of the foregoing uses a heel counter cut from the center top to the midsole area at the bottom, resulting in an acceptable size opening for uninhibited foot insertion when the flap (or strap) portion of the heel counter is set in the open position.

Shoes having midsoles with heel support, specifically designed to facilitate production via efficient shoe manufacturing methods and systems are described. In embodiments, the shoe upper is designed by way of a flat forming process. Additionally, in embodiments upper forms may be coupled with dual hardness midsole structures that provide heel support and eliminate the need for a heel counter in the shoe upper.

A counter for a shoe having an upper, a lining configured to be connected with the upper along a top edge of the shoe, a cushioning heel pillow arranged in a position opposite the heel of a wearer's foot, and an insole forming a foot bed of the shoe. The counter includes a member having an upper edge having a cut-out region forming a valley, a lower edge forming an anchor region, and first and second side wings. The counter is configured to be positioned between the lining and the upper at a heel portion of the shoe such that, in an assembled shoe, the first and second side wings wrap around the heel of the shoe and the valley accommodates an extension of the heel pillow therethrough.

An article of footwear having a heel support assembly with a memory foam layer situated internally of a heel counter is provided. The memory foam layer may be laminated to the heel counter, for example, by adhesive or direct attachment. The heel memory foam layer may have a maximum thickness that is sufficient to embrace the heel of the wearer's foot potentially cradling the calcaneus, the retrocalcaneal bursa and the base of the Achilles tendon. The heel support assembly may also include a heel cradle extending around an external portion of the upper and including a lasting allowance. The heel cradle can provide torsional support in the arch region (or waist) of the article of footwear, for example when the heel support assembly is incorporated into an article of footwear with a strobel construction.