Patent ID: 8745901

Claim:
An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the upper comprising: a forefoot region and a heel region opposite the forefoot region; an exterior surface and an opposite interior surface defining a void configured to receive a foot, wherein an upper edge of the exterior surface defines an ankle aperture in at least the heel region for providing the foot with access to void; a tongue having a forward area and a rear area that is disposed between the forward area of the tongue and the heel region of the upper, the tongue having a tongue opening extending through the rearward area of the tongue and having a size sufficient to permit a finger of the wearer to pass into tongue opening; and wherein the heel region of the upper includes (a) a first layer that forms at least a portion of the exterior surface of the upper, (b) a heel opening extending through the first layer and having a size sufficient to permit a finger of the wearer to pass into heel opening, wherein the heel opening has a topmost point and a bottommost point, (c) a second layer located inward from the first layer and extending from the upper edge of the exterior surface to the sole structure, wherein the second layer is secured to the first layer along an area between the sole structure and the bottommost point of heel opening and wherein the second layer is designed to overlap the heel opening such that the second layer blocks access to the void via the opening, and (d) a third layer located inward from the second layer such that the second layer is sandwiched between the first layer and the third layer.