Nike, Inc.

Nike Innovate C.v.

Richard S Ramsay

Ami Davis

Patrick D Boyd

Michelle Haines

Austin J Orand

Tobie D Hatfield

Nicola Jane Reynolds

Peter P Williams, Ii

Jessica Green

Monica Judge

Stephen N Bruno

Ryan J Maddox

George S Kim

Sarah E Sowers

Gerry Plasker

Daniel J Gearhardt

Dustin V Tolliver

Nicola J Reynolds

Ami M Davis

A footwear article includes a hinged portion in a heel region that may be biased in various positions to increase or decrease a size of a foot-insertion opening. The hinged portion may be arranged in a first position, in which the hinged portion is more upright and is in position to cup a wearer's heel or Achilles region when the footwear article is worn. In addition, the hinged portion may be rotated downward or rearwardly (e.g., away from the foot-insertion opening) to a second position, which may increase a size of the foot-insertion opening and/or may change an angle along which a foot can pass through the foot-insertion opening when the footwear article is being donned or doffed. One or more elastic members may be attached to the hinged portion and to some other portion of the footwear article to bias the hinged portion.

Footwear article with hinged heel

This disclosure is directed to articles of footwear with adjustable dimensions. More specifically, the articles of footwear disclosed herein include sole structures with adjustable dimensions. In some instances, an article of footwear includes one or more removable insert members configured for adjusting the dimensions of a foot-receiving cavity of the article of footwear. Additionally or alternatively, a sole structure can include one or more flexible portions that can move between compressed and expanded states to accommodate feet of various dimensions. To accommodate the adjustable dimensions of the sole structures, an upper of the article of footwear can be stretchable.

Articles of footwear with adjustable dimensions

A footwear article includes a hinged portion in a heel region that may be biased in various positions to increase or decrease a size of a foot-insertion opening. The hinged portion may be arranged in a first position, in which the hinged portion is more upright and is in position to cup a wearer's heel or Achilles region when the footwear article is worn. In addition, the hinged portion may be hingedly rotated downward or rearwardly (e.g., away from the foot-insertion opening) to a second position, which may increase a size of the foot-insertion opening and/or may change an angle along which a foot can pass through the foot-insertion opening when the footwear article is being donned or doffed. One or more elastic members may be attached to the hinged portion and to some other portion of the footwear article to bias the hinged portion.

An article of footwear includes a footwear component that is a tongue removably attachable to an upper. The tongue has a first set of lace guides extending outward of a perimeter of the tongue. The upper has a second set of lace guides. The first set of lace guides is interleaved with the second set of lace guides when the tongue is positioned adjacent the upper. The tongue is removably attached to the upper by a lace routed through the first set of lace guides and the second set of lace guides such that the tongue is hinged to the upper at the first set of lace guides and the second set of lace guides. The tongue may be reversibly, removably attached to the upper. A footwear system includes alternately removably attachable tongues.

Hinged removable footwear tongue

An attachment system for use with a prosthetic device includes a first component including a first surface, and further including one of a channel and a projection disposed on an opposite side of the first component than the first surface. A second component including a second surface, and including the other of the channel and the projection disposed on an opposite side of the second component than the second surface, the other slidably engaging the channel or the projection to selectively couple the first component and the second component together. One of the first surface and the second surface is operable to be attached to the prosthetic device, and the other is operable to be attached to a sole structure having a ground-engaging surface.

Prosthetic blade attachment system

Footwear, including athletic footwear, opens very wide, e.g., by moving an ankle containing portion of a footwear upper laterally/sideways with respect to the sole structure or a base portion of the upper (e.g., rotate it to the lateral side). In effect, the ankle containing portion may move/rotate sideways with respect to the sole structure/base portion via a connecting member (e.g., moving akin to rotation on a hinge type structure) to open in somewhat of a 'clamshell' fashion. The rear of the upper base portion in this open condition may appear somewhat as an open backed slipper or 'slide' type shoe. These actions and features open the rear heel area of the upper wide and low to enable easy insertion of a foot into the interior chamber, generally from the rear of the footwear structure. One or more straps can be used to secure the upper to the foot.

Easy access articles of footwear

Growing community of inventors

Portland, OR, United States of America

Richard S Ramsay