Patent Publication Number: US-2021186146-A1

Title: Article of footwear with hands free donning and removal

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to and benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/949,716, filed Dec. 18, 2019, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. 
    
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present disclosure is in the field of footwear, particularly shoes adapted for ease of donning and removal. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Many conventional shoes include laces, which require manual tying after the foot has been inserted into the shoe, and manual untying when the user is ready to remove the foot from the shoe. In order to tie the laces after donning the shoe, and in order to untie the laces before removing the shoe, the user must sit and bend to reach the laces. Even for shoes without laces, it is generally necessary for the user to sit and manipulate the shoe with the user&#39;s hands to don and remove the shoe. 
     The steps of sitting down and reaching one&#39;s hands to manipulate a shoe for donning and removal, and for tying and untying of laces, are time consuming for any user. Many health conditions cause such steps to be not only time consuming, but even difficult and painful. For example, arthritis affecting the hands and fingers makes tying and untying of laces difficult and even painful. Back injuries and conditions make the steps of sitting, standing, leaning and reaching difficult, impossible or painful. 
     Often, individuals may be carrying items, such as bags or briefcases, in their hands, and wish to don shoes when leaving a home, apartment or other dwelling, or to remove shoes on entering a dwelling. In order to do so, a person must place the item on the floor or other surface, sit and manipulate the shoes to don or remove the shoes, and then pick up the item again on standing. This requires additional effort and time to place the item on a surface and to lift the item again. 
     Techniques and apparatuses that render donning and removal of shoes more simple and less time consuming, preferably not requiring the wearer to sit, and preferably not requiring the use of the wearer&#39;s hands, are desirable. 
     SUMMARY 
     In an embodiment, an article of footwear includes a door, positioned in a rear portion of an upper of the article of footwear. The door is movable between a first, closed position, and a second, open position. In the closed position, the door is releasably secured to an adjacent portion of the upper. In the open position, the door is releasably held in the open position. An actuator is in cooperative engagement with the door. The actuator is positioned in or on a rear portion of a heel and configured to be actuated only via striking a rear portion of the heel of the shoe on the back. Responsive to actuation of the actuator, the door changes between the closed position and the open position, thereby permitting hands-free donning and removal of the shoe. 
     In an embodiment, an article of footwear includes a sole and an upper on the sole; the upper having an opening in a rear portion of the upper, and a door. The door movable between a first, closed position that closes the opening, and a second, open position, the opening permitting removal and insertion of a foot in the article of footwear when the door is in the open position. The article further includes an actuator in cooperative engagement with the door, positioned in a rear portion of a heel of the sole. The door is configured to, responsive to actuation of the actuator, move from the closed position to the open position, thereby permitting hands-free removal of the article of footwear. 
     In an embodiment, the article of footwear includes coupling elements providing cooperative engagement between the actuator and the door. The coupling elements may include one or more springs that are maintained in extension or compression, released by action of the actuator to move the door, and then brought back into extension or compression by further action of the actuator. 
     In an embodiment, a weight-sensitive element is responsive to insertion of the user&#39;s foot into the article of footwear, and is operatively coupled to the door to cause the door to move from the open position to the closed position. In this embodiment, activation of the actuator does not move the door from the open position to the closed position. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a partially schematic view of an article of footwear according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is an end view of an article of footwear according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a partial side view of an article of footwear according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3A  is an expanded view of the portion of  FIG. 3  marked as  3 A. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment in which a weight-sensitive element located to be pushed by the user&#39;s heel actuates closing of the door. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment in which a motor is provided for opening and closing the door. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Conventional details of articles of footwear known to those of ordinary skill in the art are not shown. Those of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that other elements and/or steps are desirable and/or required in implementing the present invention. However, because such elements and steps are well known in the art, and because they do not facilitate a better understanding of the present invention, a discussion of such elements and steps is not provided herein. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an embodiment is shown in partially schematic form. Shoe  100  is configured for hands free donning and removal. Shoe  100  includes sole  140  affixed to upper  110 . Upper  110  includes toe portion  115 , a central portion  120 , including laces, and a rear portion  130  generally defining a wall surrounding a rear of the heel of the wearer. Sole  140  includes a heel portion  145 , which is thicker in a vertical direction than other portions of sole  140 . 
     Heel portion of sole  140  and the rear portion  130  of upper  110  include an apparatus  200  for opening and closing door  205  in rear portion  130  of upper  110  to facilitate hand-free donning and removal of shoe  100 . Door  205  is generally defined by a portion of the rear portion of upper  110 , forming a portion of the curved wall of the upper to the rear of the location of the wearer&#39;s heel. An actuator  300  is located within or on a back surface of the heel portion  145 . Actuator  300  is coupled to door  205  so that, on operative engagement by the foot of the user with actuator  300 , door  205 , if closed, will open, permitting the user to remove or don the shoe without the use of hands, and, if door  205  is open, door  205  will close, rendering the shoe ready to be worn. 
     Actuator  300  is located in or on a rear surface of heel portion  145  so that only a motion to cause the heel portion of the shoe sole to contact a body, such as the floor or ground, at an angle or a portion of the surface not achieved in ordinary walking or running, will cause the door to open or close. The actuator may be interior to the heel or on a rear surface of the heel. Many types of shoes, such as running and other athletic shoes, have a substantial heel thickness to provide cushioning. Cavities may be defined within the substantial thickness of the heel to contain the actuator and cooperative elements, such as flexible sheets, line, and springs, with minimal effect on the cushioning performance of the thick heel. The uppers of many shoes include fabric layers that may also accommodate small springs and lines. 
     Door  205  may have parallel straight sides, or the sides of door  205  may have a different profile. The width of door  205  is sufficient to permit passage of a foot of the wearer into and out of the shoe, and will vary dependent on size of the shoe and consequently the size of the foot. Door  205  is attached to the remainder of upper  110  by a hinge  208  at the bottom of door  205 . Door  205  is movable between a closed position and an open position. In the closed position, which is shown in  FIG. 3 , for example, door  205  is in a generally vertical orientation, and the sides of door  205  are in line with the curvature of the rear portion  130  of the upper. In the open position, door  205  is at a sufficient angle from vertical to permit passage of the foot of the wearer into and out of the shoe. Door  205  may be in an open position at an angle between, for example, 100 degrees and 45 degrees from vertical. 
     Actuator  300  may be a spring-loaded mechanism, such as a spring-loaded clip, which, when pressed inward, causes an elongated coupling member to be pulled to cause door  205  to move from an open position to a closed position. In embodiments, a variety of coupling members and actions caused by those coupling members may provide this function. In an embodiment, a plurality of first elements may be provided on the door, and a plurality of second elements provided on the upper adjacent to the door, the first and second elements being configured to engage with one another to hold the door in the closed position. The first and second elements may be hooks and latches. For example, door  205  may be held in place in the closed position by one or more latches  210 , which are rotatably or slidably mounted in the upper adjacent to the door  205 , to engage with corresponding projections, such as hooks, in door  205 . Actuator  300  is operatively coupled to latches  210 . On engagement of actuator  300  by applying pressure to the rear of the heel of the shoe, when the door  205  is in the closed position, and the latches  210  are engaged with the hooks, latches  210  are caused to rotate or slide open, thereby disengaging the latches from the hooks, and permitting the door to move between the closed position and the open position. 
     The operative engagement between actuator  300  and latches  210  may be provided by one or more of multiple alternative structures. By way of example, a flexible elongated fiber or rope, or a sheet of flexible material, may provide operative engagement. The structure providing operative engagement is preferably contained within the heel of the sole or under a fabric surface of the upper, so as not to come into contact with the foot, sock or hose of the wearer. 
     The latches  210  may be maintained in place by sewing or gluing to the fabric of the upper. Latches  210  may be supported by elongated vertical bars or rods in the upper. The bars or rods serve to maintain the shape of the upper when the door is in the upper position. 
     In embodiments, the latches may be mounted on the door, and the hooks mounted on the upper. The hooks may then be mounted on the upper and operatively coupled to the actuator to be movable responsive to actuation of the actuator. In embodiments, other first and second elements configured to engage and disengage may be provided on the respective door and upper. Either or both of the first and second elements may be operatively coupled to the actuator to disengage responsive to actuation of the actuator. 
     Actuation or engagement of actuator  300  also causes an operative element to move door  205  between an open and closed position. For example, actuation of actuator  300  may release a spring coupled to door  205  to cause door  205  to rotate about its hinge from the closed position to the open position. In embodiments, the spring may be within a cavity in the heel of the sole, or may be a spring lying horizontally within the hinge, by way of example. 
     The term spring when used herein covers any element that serves to store potential energy when deflected under a load. Thus such items as helical compression springs, helical tension springs, torsion springs, flat spiral springs, and leaf springs are included within the term spring. In embodiments, hydraulic springs may be employed. 
     The embodiment of  FIG. 1  shows door  205  having a hinge at its bottom  208 . In other embodiments, the hinge may be at a different location, such as at a side of door  205 . Hinge  208  may be defined by fabric, such as the fabric of the exterior of the shoe upper. The fabric may include one or reinforcing layers of fabric or other sheet material. 
     Actuator and operative coupling elements may take a wide variety of forms. A schematic diagram is shown in  FIG. 4 . Actuator, which is  400  in this illustration, is operatively coupled, via operative coupling elements  420 , to door  440  to cause the door to move from its open position (dashed lines) to its closed position (solid lines), and to move from its closed position to its open position. In an embodiment, actuator  400  may include a spring loaded element which is moved in response to force applied to the actuator, so that the spring  402  is either in extension or compression. The operative coupling elements  420  are coupled to the actuator so that movement of the actuator releases a spring  422 , held by a movable catch  424  in extension, which is connected to a wire, line or fabric  426 , which is in turn connected to door  440  to pull door  440  from the closed position to the open position. As spring  402  continues to travel back to a neutral state, it pulls, again via suitable coupling, spring  422  back into extension, and causes catch  424  to engage spring  422 . Spring  422  is thus effectively cocked for the next actuation. Actuator  400  also moves coupling element  432 , which may be a line, wire or fabric, to move latches  430  to release door  440 . 
     When the door  440  is in the open position (shown in dashed lines), a second spring operatively coupled to actuator  400  and door  440  may be held in compression or extension, and released, similarly to spring  422  and catch  424 , to move door  440  into the closed position. Catches  430  may be configured to rotate to permit corresponding hooks  432  to slide and then engage. In another embodiment, spring  422  may be configured with operative coupling to two lines, wires or sheets so as to move door  440  into the closed position on alternating activations of actuator  400 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , an embodiment is illustrated in which a weight-sensitive element located to be pushed by the user&#39;s heel actuates closing of the door. Shoe  500  is shown in partial cross-section, with the heel portion  510  of sole  505  shown in cross-section, with cross-hatching to designate the cross-section. Upper  550  is shown on heel portion  510 , with door  555 , which is a curving surface, shown in cross-section in an open position, pivoted around hinge  560 . In upper  550 , the inner wall  570  that is adjacent to the door  555  when the door is in the closed position is shown with a movable latch  572  that engages the door. 
     A weight-sensitive element located to be pushed by the user&#39;s heel, in the form of spring-loaded lever  530 , is shown. Spring-loaded lever  530  is shown mounted at a hinge connection at the back of the heel, and supported by spring  532  under the heel. Spring-loaded lever  530  is operatively coupled to an element that pulls door  555  into the closed position. For example, spring-loaded lever  530  may be connected to a line  535  which moves a catch (not shown) to release schematically shown spring  540 , which may be held in extension by the catch. Spring  540  may be located in the rear wall of the upper, or in the heel, and operatively coupled to door  555  to cause door  555  to rotate into the closed position. Lever  530  may also be operatively coupled to movable latch  572  so as to move latch  572  into position to engage with an element on door  555  to maintain door  555  in the closed position. For example, lever  530  may be coupled to a line which is coupled to latch  572 . 
     Spring-loaded lever  530  may also be coupled to one or more other springs or the like to provide a mechanism to return spring  540  to its extension position, and to move the catch back into position to hold spring  540 . 
     In the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , the actuator  300  is present to provide for opening of the door. For simplicity of illustration, the operative elements for opening the door responsive to force on actuator  300  are not shown. Thus, in the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , the user opens the door for shoe removal by applying force to actuator  300  at the rear of the heel. The shoe closes automatically when the user applies weight on the weight-sensitive element in the heel. Thus, in the embodiment of  FIG. 5 , the user does not activate the actuator  300  to close the door as the final step in donning of the shoe. 
     In embodiments, suitable gearing may be provided to translate linear motion of a portion of the actuator into rotational or other motion of coupling elements. In embodiments, a piece of fabric, wire or the like may be arranged using a gearing or pulley structure to provide for pulling the door between positions without the use of a spring. 
     Suitable fabric material must maintain its dimensions under stress. Nylon or polyester woven fabrics of suitable weight may be employed. 
     Operative elements may be contained in housings having rigid or flexible walls to prevent interference between operative elements, such as springs, wires, lines and gears, and the fabric and cushion material of the upper and sole. 
     In embodiments, the actuator may be on an exterior surface of the back of the heel of the shoe. Operative coupling may be achieved via mechanical structures extending into the heel of the shoe and/or into the upper. 
     The actuator should be configured so that it is not received into the cushioning material of the heel rather than being activated by an applied force on the back. A reinforcing band or other structure, anchored, such as by adhesive, at multiple attachment points on the heel, and/or anchored by stitching or adhesive to the upper, may be provided to prevent excessive movement of the actuator in the material of the heel. 
     Other actuator embodiments may be provided, such as a wheel that extends outside the rear of the heel and is rotatable responsive to a sliding motion of the heel on a surface, such as the ground or floor. The wheel is then operatively engaged with the door, such as by spring structures as described above, to move the door between open and closed positions responsive to rotation of the wheel. Alternatively a sliding actuator may be provided, which is similarly responsive to a sliding motion of the heel. In an embodiment, the actuator may take the form of a switch having two positions; responsive to pressure on the heel, the switch moves from one of its two positions to the other, and is operatively coupled to the door so as to cause the door to move from one position to another responsive to movement of the switch between its two positions. 
     In an embodiment in which a rotating wheel serves as the actuator, the wheel may be movable to rotate only in one direction. A progressive rotation when the door is closed causes the door to be released and the door to move to the open position. A progressive rotation in the same direction when the door is open causes the door to move from the open position to the closed position, and causes any movable closing elements to engage the door. This technology may be employed in alternate actuator types. For example, a wheel may be provided that is advanced in the same direction by movement of an actuator or a lever or other element. Such a wheel is not directly engaged by the user&#39;s action, but indirectly via the actuator or weight-sensitive element. 
     In embodiments, rather than the clip/hook arrangement to maintain the door in the open position, other reversible fastening technologies may be employed. By way of example, cooperating magnets, or magnets cooperating with metallic elements, may be employed in the door and the corresponding portion of the upper. On movement of the door into the closed position, the respective magnets hold the door in the closed position. The magnets in the corresponding portion of the upper may be mounted within elongated cavities, and may be on tracks, so as to be moved away from the corresponding magnets in the door responsive to activation of the actuator. 
     In embodiments, corresponding hook and loop tape (such as Velcro® brand hook and loop tape) may be provided on the door and the corresponding edges of the opening in the heel of the upper to maintain the door in the closed position during wearing. In these embodiments, the force exerted by the spring must be sufficient to detach the respective hook tape from the loop tape. 
     In an embodiment, the actuator may be contained in a module having a housing contained within a cavity in the heel and having a rear outer cover that is either flush with the back of the heel or protrudes slightly. Responsive to pressure on the outer cover, the rear wall may compress elastically to transmit force to the actuator, or the housing may be elastically mounted to slide into the sole. 
     The actuator is mechanical in embodiments. In an alternative embodiment, a mechanical or electrical switch may be provided in the rear of the heel to actuate small motors or small electromagnets, using a battery power source, which may be positioned in the heel, to move the door and latches via mechanical coupling, or to release springs to move the door and latches. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , a schematic diagram of an embodiment employing a motor powered by a battery power source in the shoe is shown. Heel  650  of the article of footwear, shown in dashed lines, contains switch  605 , motor  610 , controller  620  and battery  630 . In embodiments, one or both of battery  630  and controller  620  may be located elsewhere in the article of footwear, such as in an instep. Switch  605 , which serves as the actuator, is electrically coupled to controller  620 , which receives a signal when switch  605 , which may be an electro-mechanical switch, is actuated. Controller  620  may be an integrated circuit controller have a processor, memory storing program data to instruct the processor, memory storing other data, and input and output connections, which may include analog to digital and/or digital to analog converters. Controller  620  is electrically coupled to motor  610 . Battery  630  is electrically coupled to motor  610  and controller  620  to provide power. Controller  620  is programmed to provide a control signal to motor  610 . responsive to a signal from switch  605 . Controller  620  may also maintain in memory data indicative of a current status of door  640 , either open or closed, depending on the most recent control signal provided to motor  610 . Alternatively, a circuit may be provided coupled to controller  620  that provides data indicative of closed or open status of the door; for example, the circuit may be closed by contacts on door and the upper which are only in contact when the door is closed. The control signal provided by controller  620  to motor  610  causes motor  610  to drive mechanical coupling, shown schematically at  660 , to move the door between the open and closed position. Mechanical couplings may include springs to maintain the door in one position absent the application of force, a cable or thread on a spool which is rotated via an actuator to move the door and/or engagement elements on the door or the upper, linear actuators to extend or retract cables, and other mechanical couplings. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , in embodiments, a second switch, such as a pressure-activated switch  670 , may be provided, for causing the controller to provide a control signal to the motor to cause the door  640  to close. Further, in other embodiments, more than one motor may be provided, such as to effect separate operations, such as opening and closing the door. 
     The article of footwear may be a shoe, such as a running shoe or other athletic shoe, such as a running shoe with laces, a loafer, a lace-up formal shoe, a boot, molded athletic footwear or other type of footwear that encloses the user&#39;s foot. In an embodiment in which the article of footwear is a boot, the door may extend upward from the rear of the heel of the boot through the shaft to the top edge of the boot. The article of footwear may be made of a waterproof foam or resin, such as waterproof footwear of foam or resin having through holes suitable for beach or pool wear. 
     Shoes with laces need not be untied and retied between wearings, thereby saving time, and permitting the user to lace the shoe a single time to an optimal comfort level that may be used without untying, loosening and then retightening, adjusting and re-tying. Embodiments are applicable, as noted above, to molded shoes that do not include laces. 
     As the user may remain standing, the need to bend, reach and manipulate the shoe and laces is removed. Users will save time and effort in removing and donning shoes. Users having difficulty or experiencing pain, such as due to back or leg injuries or conditions, in bending, standing and sitting, will find the process of donning and removal of shoes to be easier, and in some cases free of pain. Users will not need to place objects in their hands down and then pick those objects up again after removing or donning shoes, thereby achieving greater convenience. 
     The embodiments described herein are exemplary, and other variations are feasible within the scope of the disclosure.