Footwear

Abstract

A system and method for footwear with a handless entry construction. A heel band may be provided in the footwear that is sufficiently deformable and sufficiently resilient to handlessly a) facilitate insertion of a wearer's foot into the footwear and b) move upward relative to a ground surface to engage a heel of the wearer's foot in order to aid in securing the wearer's foot within the footwear.

1 . A footwear comprising:
 an upper configured to receive a foot;   a sole assembly secured to said upper and having a longitudinal axis extending from a forefoot region to a heel region of said sole assembly, said sole assembly positioned between the foot and a ground surface;   said sole assembly including an outsole configured to provide traction with respect to the ground surface; and   said sole assembly including a heel band that is integral with a sole portion of the sole assembly, said heel band being deformable from a resting state to a deformed state to provide hands-free insertion of the foot into said upper, said heel band being resilient to move away from said deformed state to secure a heel of the foot in response to insertion of the foot within said upper.   
     
     
         2 . The footwear of  claim 1  wherein said outsole is integral with said sole assembly, and wherein said sole portion is said outsole. 
     
     
         3 . The footwear of  claim 1  wherein said heel band includes a dynamic pivot integral to the sole assembly, wherein said dynamic pivot is configured to resiliently support said heel band to cantilever about said dynamic pivot. 
     
     
         4 . The footwear of  claim 3  wherein said dynamic pivot defines a sidewall of said sole assembly, and wherein said dynamic pivot is deformed in said deformed state of said heel band such that said sidewall of said sole assembly is displaced away from said longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         5 . The footwear of  claim 4  wherein said upper formed of a flexible material that defines a void capable of receiving the foot and an ankle opening through which the foot is insertable into said void. 
     
     
         6 . The footwear of  claim 5  wherein said upper is attached to an interior heel support surface of said heel band, and wherein, in said deformed state, said flexible material of said upper is displaced laterally relative to said longitudinal axis, whereby lateral displacement of said flexible material of said upper provides additional lateral space for inserting the foot into said void of said upper. 
     
     
         7 . The footwear of  claim 4  wherein said upper includes a heel counter, and wherein said heel counter is movable in response to deformation of said heel support to allow insertion of the foot into said upper. 
     
     
         8 . The footwear of  claim 3  wherein:
 said heel band includes a medial-side dynamic pivot and a lateral-side dynamic pivot; 
 said heel band includes an interior heel support surface extending from said medial-side dynamic pivot to said lateral-side dynamic pivot of said sole assembly; and 
 said heel band is curved such that said interior heel support surface is operable to engage and support the heel of the foot. 
 
     
     
         9 . The footwear of  claim 8  wherein, in said deformed state, said heel band is inverted relative to said medial-side dynamic pivot and said lateral-side dynamic pivot such that a rear band portion of said heel band is displaced forward relative to a position of said rear band portion in said resting state along said longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         10 . The footwear of  claim 9  wherein, in said deformed state, said rear band portion of said heel band is displaced toward said outsole relative to a position of said rear band portion in said resting state. 
     
     
         11 . The footwear of  claim 8  wherein, in said resting state, a rear band portion of said heel band is disposed to be even with or forward of a rear outsole portion of said outsole along said longitudinal axis, and wherein, in said deformed state, said heel band is pivoted toward said outsole such that said rear band portion is disposed aft of said rear outsole portion of said outsole along said longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         12 . The footwear of  claim 1  wherein said sole assembly is injection molded as a one-piece sole assembly that integrally includes said heel band and said outsole. 
     
     
         13 . The footwear of  claim 1  wherein said heel band is sufficiently resilient to move from said deformed state, in which the heel is insufficiently secured, to slip over the heel to securely support the heel in a hands-free manner. 
     
     
         14 . The footwear of  claim 1  wherein said sole assembly includes a midsole that is said sole portion. 
     
     
         15 . A footwear comprising:
 a foot receiving space capable of receiving a foot;   a sole portion operable to provide support for the foot in said foot receiving space, said sole portion having a longitudinal axis extending from a forefoot region to a heel region of the footwear; and   a heel band being integral with said sole portion, said heel band being movable from a resting state to a deformed state to provide hands-free insertion of the foot into said foot receiving space, said heel band being resilient to move away from said deformed state to secure a heel of the foot in response to insertion of the foot within said foot receiving space.   
     
     
         16 . The footwear of  claim 15  wherein said sole portion is an outsole, and wherein said outsole is configured to provide traction with respect to a ground surface. 
     
     
         17 . The footwear of  claim 15  wherein said heel band includes a dynamic pivot that is integral to said sole portion, wherein said dynamic pivot is configured to resiliently support said heel band to cantilever about said dynamic pivot. 
     
     
         18 . The footwear of  claim 15  comprising an upper that defines at least a portion of said foot receiving space for insertion of the foot. 
     
     
         19 . The footwear of  claim 15  wherein:
 said heel band includes a medial-side dynamic pivot and a lateral-side dynamic pivot; 
 said heel band includes an interior heel support surface extending from said medial-side dynamic pivot to said lateral-side dynamic pivot of said sole portion; and 
 said heel band is curved such that said interior heel support surface is operable to engage and support the heel of the foot. 
 
     
     
         20 . The footwear of  claim 15  comprising a forefoot band coupled to said sole portion, wherein said forefoot band and said heel band are operable to define said foot receiving space. 
     
     
         21 . A method of manufacturing footwear, said method comprising:
 providing an upper constructed to receive a foot;   molding a one-piece sole assembly having a sole portion and a heel band, the one-piece sole assembly including a longitudinal axis extending from a forefoot region to a heel region, the one-piece sole assembly being positionable between the foot and a ground surface;   attaching, to the heel band, an upper that is constructed to receive the foot; and   said molding the one-piece sole assembly including providing a resilient material to facilitate deformation of the heel band to allow hands-free insertion of the foot within the upper.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the sole portion is an outsole, and wherein said molding the one-piece sole assembly includes molding a dynamic pivot between the heel band and the outsole, wherein the dynamic pivot allows the heel band to cantilever about the outsole in response to insertion of the foot within the upper. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21  wherein said molding includes providing:
 the heel band including a medial-side dynamic pivot and a lateral-side dynamic pivot; 
 the heel band including an interior heel support surface extending from the medial-side dynamic pivot to the lateral-side dynamic pivot of the one-piece sole assembly; and 
 the heel band being curved such that the interior heel support surface is operable to engage and support a heel of the foot.