Patent ID: 7640613

Claim:
A method of manufacturing an article of foot apparel, the method comprising: forming a platform for receiving a foot, the platform comprising a forward portion and a heel pad; connecting a retaining covering to the platform, the retaining covering configured to retain a foot at the front of the platform and to allow the heel of a foot retained by the retaining covering to move freely relative to the heel pad; and defining a first heel contact area and a second heel contact area on the heel pad, the second heel contact area being inwardly offset from the first heel contact area, and the heel pad being inwardly curved relative to the forward portion to define the second heel contact area about an approximate geometric center of the heel pad; and wherein connecting the retaining covering to the platform comprises positioning the retaining covering on the platform such that the retaining covering positions a heel of a foot retained by the retaining covering substantially over the first heel contact area of the heel pad when the foot is initially retained by the retaining covering prior to a stepping event and causes the platform to move outwardly away from the foot such that after the stepping event the heel of the foot is substantially over the second heel contact area.