Footwear including resilient support members

Abstract

An article of footwear includes an outsole and an upper attached to the outsole. The upper has a heel portion, a vamp portion, and two quarter portions, and defines a foot opening. A resilient heel support member is retained within a first channel that extends through the upper and lines a part of the foot opening in the heel portion of the upper. The heel support member is configured to support the upper such that the article of footwear retains its shape.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An article of footwear comprising:
 an outsole;   an upper attached to the outsole, said upper including at least a heel portion, a vamp portion and lateral and medial quarter portions there between, which define a foot opening; and   a resilient heel support member retained within a first channel extending through said upper and lining at least a part of the foot opening in said heel portion of said upper;   wherein said heel support member is configured to support said upper such that the article of footwear retains its shape.   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein said upper includes a pair of reinforced sections disposed, respectively, on both the lateral and medial quarter portions of said upper, and   wherein said first channel extends between said reinforced sections, and said heel support member is anchored at both ends within said reinforced sections.   
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein said heel support member is formed from a monofilament material. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , further comprising a resilient vamp support member retained within a second channel extending through said upper and lining at least a part of the foot opening in said vamp portion of said upper. 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear according to  claim 4 , further comprising a resilient collar support member retained within a third channel extending through said upper and lining at least a part of the foot opening at an upper peripheral edge of the lateral and medial quarter portions of said upper. 
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein said upper includes a pair of reinforced sections disposed, respectively, on both the lateral and medial quarter portions of said upper, and   wherein said first, second and third channels extend between said reinforced sections, and   wherein said heel, vamp and collar support members are anchored within said reinforced sections.   
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear according to  claim 5 , wherein said heel, vamp, and collar support members are formed from a monofilament material. 
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear according to  claim 4 , further comprising an opening in said second channel, said opening being sized to allow for insertion and removal of said vamp support member. 
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein said heel member is removable. 
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , further comprising an opening in said first channel in the upper, said opening being sized to allow for insertion and removal of said heel support member. 
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein said upper is formed from a durable water-repellent nylon fabric or a polyester ripstop fabric. 
     
     
         12 . An article of footwear comprising:
 an outsole;   an upper attached to the outsole having a heel portion, a vamp portion, lateral and medial quarter portions, and defining a foot opening;   a resilient heel support member extending around a first portion of said foot opening through the heel portion of said upper;   a resilient vamp support member extending around a second portion of said foot opening through the vamp portion of said upper; and   reinforced portions of said upper disposed on the lateral and medial quarters of said upper, said heel support member and said vamp support member extending between said reinforced portions and being anchored in said reinforced portions,   wherein said heel support member and said vamp support member are configured to support said upper such that the article of footwear retains its shape.   
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear according to  claim 12 , further comprising a collar support member extending around a portion of said foot opening through the lateral and medial quarters of said upper, wherein said collar support member extends between said reinforced portions and is anchored in said reinforced portions. 
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear according to  claim 13 , wherein said heel support member, said vamp support member, and said collar support member are formed from a monofilament material. 
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear as in  claim 12 , wherein the heel and vamp support members are removable. 
     
     
         16 . An article of footwear comprising:
 an outsole; and   an upper attached to the outsole and defining a foot opening, said upper including a removable resilient heel support member extending around a first portion of said foot opening through a heel portion of said upper, a removable resilient vamp support member extending around a second portion of said foot opening through a vamp portion of said upper, and a removable resilient collar support member extending around a portion of the foot opening through quarters of said upper, and   wherein said heel support member, said vamp support member, and said collar support member are configured to support said upper such that the article of footwear retains its shape.   
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear according to  claim 16 , wherein said upper further includes a pair of reinforced portions disposed, respectively, on a lateral quarter and a medial quarter of said upper, said heel support member, said vamp support member, and said collar support member extending between said reinforced portions and being anchored in said reinforced portions.