Hands-free Step in Footwear and Method of Use

Abstract

An article of footwear with an insole, an adaptable heel configured to adjust between at least an open and a closed configuration, a retainer connected to the heel configured to hold the heel in one configuration, the retainer having a locked state and an unlocked state, a releaser connected to said retainer configured to place the retainer into the unlocked state. In some cases, the insole is configured to have a raised configuration and a lowered configuration, the raised configuration being linked by a linker to the heel and its open configuration and the lowered configuration being linked by the linker to the heel and its closed configuration. In some cases, the article of footwear has a tightener having a secure state and a loose state, and the heel's closed configuration linked to the tightener's secure state.

1 . An article of footwear, comprising:
 an insole;   a heel configured to have an open configuration and a closed configuration;   a retainer configured to have a locked state and an unlocked state;   a releaser connected to said retainer; and   wherein said retainer is configured to hold said heel in one of said open configuration or said closed configuration when in said locked state, and wherein said releaser is configured to change said retainer to said unlocked state.   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein said insole is configured to respond to a force; wherein said force changes said heel to said closed configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 2 , wherein said insole is configured to have a raised configuration and a lowered configuration. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear of  claim 3  further comprising a linker connected to said insole and said heel. 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 4 , wherein said insole's raised configuration and said heel's open configuration are mechanically linked by said linker; and said insole's lowered configuration and said heel's closed configuration are mechanically linked by said linker. 
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear of  claim 1  further comprising:
 an outsole configured to support said heel and said insole; and 
 an upper connected to said outsole; 
 wherein said upper and said outsole form a first enclosure for a portion of a foot; and wherein said heel in said closed configuration and said outsole form a second enclosure for a second portion of a foot. 
 
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear of  claim 6 , wherein said outsole is one physically unbroken piece. 
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear of  claim 6 , wherein said heel's open configuration enables movement of a foot into said first enclosure and said heel's closed configuration prevents movement of said foot to said first enclosure. 
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear of  claim 6 , wherein said heel is configured to have a storage configuration that is substantially in contact with the lateral and top edges of said upper. 
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear of  claim 6 , further comprising a tightener connected to said upper and said insole; wherein said tightener is configured to have a secure state and a loose state. 
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear of  claim 10 , wherein said insole has at least two configurations, a raised configuration, and a lowered configuration; wherein said insole's raised configuration places said tightener into said loose state and said insole's lowered configuration places said tightener into said secure state. 
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , further comprising a tightener connected to said insole; wherein said tightener is configured to have a secure state and a loose state. 
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear of  claim 12 , wherein said insole has at least two configurations, a raised configuration, and a lowered configuration; wherein said insole's raised configuration places said tightener into said loose state and said insole's lowered configuration places said tightener into said secure state. 
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , further comprising a second linker connected to said insole and said heel. 
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein said releaser is located on the outward facing surface of said heel. 
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein said releaser is configured to change said retainer between said locked state and said unlocked state. 
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein said insole comprises a single, unbroken piece. 
     
     
         18 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , further comprising an outsole configured to support said heel and said insole, wherein said heel is prevented from having a configuration in which a portion of said heel is below the plane of said outsole. 
     
     
         19 . An article of footwear, comprising:
 an outsole;   an insole configured to have a raised configuration and a lowered configuration;   an upper connected to said outsole; and   a tightener connected to said upper and said insole; wherein said tightener is configured to have a secure state and a loose state; and   wherein said insole's raised configuration places said tightener into said loose state and said insole's lowered configuration places said tightener into said secure state.   
     
     
         20 . The article of footwear of  claim 18 , wherein said insole is configured to respond to a force; wherein said force changes said insole to said lowered configuration.