Footwear heel support

Abstract

A heel support is provided for an article of footwear that includes an upper defining a foot-receiving cavity having an ankle opening. The heel support includes a cradle configured to be operatively connected to a heel region of the upper. The cradle includes a base and a cradle arm extending outward from the base to a tip portion such that the cradle arm extends upward toward the ankle opening and toward a posterior wall of the heel region. The tip portion is moveable relative to the base between an expanded position and a collapsed position. The heel support includes a metallic spring operatively connected to the cradle such that the spring biases the tip portion of the cradle arm toward the expanded position of the tip portion. The tip portion of the cradle arm is resiliently deflectable toward the collapsed position against the bias of the spring.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heel support for an article of footwear that includes an upper defining a foot-receiving cavity having an ankle opening, the heel support comprising:
 a cradle configured to be operatively connected to a heel region of the upper, the cradle comprising a base and a cradle arm extending outward from the base to a tip portion of the cradle arm such that the cradle arm extends upward toward the ankle opening and toward a posterior wall of the heel region when the cradle is operatively connected to the heel region, the tip portion of the cradle arm being moveable relative to the base between an expanded position and a collapsed position; and   a metallic spring operatively connected to the cradle such that the spring biases the tip portion of the cradle arm toward the expanded position of the tip portion, the tip portion of the cradle arm being resiliently deflectable toward the collapsed position against the bias of the spring.   
     
     
         2 . The heel support of  claim 1 , wherein movement of the tip portion of the cradle arm from the expanded position toward the collapsed position when the cradle is operatively connected to the heel region is configured to collapse the heel region of the upper of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         3 . The heel support of  claim 1 , wherein the tip portion of the cradle arm moves along an arc between the expanded position and the collapsed position of the tip portion. 
     
     
         4 . The heel support of  claim 1 , wherein the spring comprises a spring arm and an end portion operatively connected to the base of the cradle such that the spring arm extends upward from the end portion toward the ankle opening and toward the posterior wall of the heel region when the cradle is operatively connected to the heel region. 
     
     
         5 . The heel support of  claim 1 , wherein the spring is captured between the cradle arm and an exterior layer of the upper when the cradle is operatively connected to the heel region of the upper. 
     
     
         6 . The heel support of  claim 1 , wherein the cradle is mounted to an exterior layer of the upper along the heel region of the upper when the cradle is operatively connected to the heel region. 
     
     
         7 . The heel support of  claim 1 , wherein the cradle arm is a first cradle arm, the cradle comprising a second cradle arm extending outward from the base such that the second cradle arm extends upward toward the ankle opening and toward the posterior wall of the heel region between the first cradle arm and the base when the cradle is operatively connected to the heel region. 
     
     
         8 . The heel support of  claim 1 , wherein the spring comprises a spring arm that extends continuously from a left end portion of the spring that is operatively connected to the base of the cradle along a left side of the upper to a right end portion of the spring that is operatively connected to the base of the cradle along a right side of the upper. 
     
     
         9 . The heel support of  claim 1 , wherein the spring comprises a cantilever spring. 
     
     
         10 . The heel support of  claim 1 , wherein the spring comprises a metal. 
     
     
         11 . The heel support of  claim 1 , wherein the base of the cradle comprises a U-shape, the base comprising slots extending radially outward into the base along an interior of the U-shape. 
     
     
         12 . The heel support of  claim 1 , wherein the cradle comprises a collapsible window defined between the cradle arm and the base. 
     
     
         13 . The heel support of  claim 1 , wherein the cradle is mounted to a flexible backing of the upper, the spring comprising a spring arm extending between the cradle arm and the flexible backing. 
     
     
         14 . An article of footwear comprising:
 an upper defining a foot-receiving cavity having an ankle opening, the upper comprising a heel region having a posterior wall; and   a heel support comprising:
 a cradle operatively connected to the heel region of the upper, the cradle comprising a base and a cradle arm extending outward from the base to a tip portion of the cradle arm such that the cradle arm extends upward toward the ankle opening and toward the posterior wall of the heel region, the tip portion of the cradle arm being moveable relative to the base between an expanded position and a collapsed position; and 
 a metallic spring operatively connected to the cradle such that the spring biases the tip portion of the cradle arm toward the expanded position of the tip portion, the tip portion of the cradle arm being resiliently deflectable toward the collapsed position against the bias of the spring. 
   
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear of  claim 14 , wherein movement of the tip portion of the cradle arm from the expanded position toward the collapsed position is configured to collapse the heel region of the upper of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear of  claim 14 , wherein the tip portion of the cradle arm moves along an arc between the expanded position and the collapsed position of the tip portion. 
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear of  claim 14 , wherein the spring is captured between the cradle arm and an exterior layer of the upper. 
     
     
         18 . The article of footwear of  claim 14 , wherein the cradle is mounted to an exterior layer of the upper along the heel region of the upper. 
     
     
         19 . The article of footwear of  claim 14 , wherein the spring comprises a metal. 
     
     
         20 . A method for assembling an article of footwear that includes an upper and a heel support that includes a cradle, the method comprising:
 operatively connecting a metallic spring to a cradle arm of the cradle having a tip portion that is moveable between an expanded position and a collapsed position such that the spring biases the tip portion toward the expanded position; and   mounting the cradle to a heel region of the upper of the article of footwear such that the tip portion of the cradle arm is resiliently deflectable from the expanded position toward the collapsed position.