Patent ID: 6279251
Filing Date: 2001-08-28
Classification: A43B

Abstract:
A self-adjusting shoe for accommodating a range of foot sizes, comprising:a sole having a toe portion and a heel portion;a shoe upper extending from said toe portion to said heel portion and affixed to said sole and having an opening with a topline;a sock-type unit comprising a counter arranged at said heel portion and an expansible element connected to said counter and extending to said toe portion, said expansible element connected to said shoe upper along said topline of said opening in said shoe upper, said counter connected to said heel portion of said sole, said expansible element expandable from a non-expanded state to a fully expanded state for expandably receiving a first portion of the wearer's foot and supportably holding a second portion of the wearer's foot against said counter, and said expansible element being operatively expandable for supportably receiving a range of foot sizes from a smallest foot size to a largest foot size, said range spanning at least one standard shoe size; andsaid sole comprising a surface facing said expansible element, said surface operatively arranged for creating a large coefficient of friction with said expansible element thereby limiting a sliding movement of the wearer's foot received in said expansible element relative to said surface during use of said shoe.