Slip-on footwear with a heel support

Abstract

An article of footwear is provided and includes a sole, an upper attached to the sole and a heel support attached to the upper, where the heel support includes at least one flex point to enable the heel support to move between a non-flexed position and a flexed position, where pressure against the heel support causes the heel support to move to the flexed position, and the heel support moves back to the non-flexed position when the pressure is released from the heel support.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An article of footwear comprising:
 a sole; and   an upper attached to said sole; and   a heel support attached to the upper, said heel support including at least one flex point to enable the heel support to move between a non-flexed position and a flexed position, wherein pressure against the heel support causes the heel support to move to the flexed position, and wherein the heel support moves back to the non-flexed position when the pressure is released from the heel support.   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein said heel support forms an angle θ between a line extending from an outer surface of the heel support and a vertical line that is transverse to a longitudinal axis of the sole, and wherein θ is 27 degrees in the non-flexed position and 51 degrees in the flexed position. 
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein said heel support forms an angle θ between a line extending from an outer surface of the heel support and a vertical line that is transverse to a longitudinal axis of the sole, and wherein a range of θ is 20 degrees to 60 degrees. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein said heel support has a body including a main member, a lateral member and a medial member, wherein said lateral member extends from said main member and at least partially along a lateral side of said sole, and said medial member extends from said main member and at least partially along a medial side of said sole. 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the upper includes an integrated tongue made with a semi-rigid foam material. 
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear of  claim 5 , wherein part of the tongue includes EVA. 
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein said heel support has a hardness value in a range of 92 Shore A to 98 Shore A. 
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the heel support includes an outer surface and a plurality of ridges that extend from the outer surface, wherein the ridges assist with the hands-free removal of the article of footwear from a user's foot. 
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein a distance that one of said ridges extends from the outer surface is greater than a distance that the other ridges extend from the outer surface. 
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein a distance that one of said ridges extends from the outer surface is greater than a distance that the other ridges extend from the outer surface. 
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the heel support is made with TPU. 
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the heel support is inserted within the heel of the upper and enclosed by an outer material and an inner material of the upper. 
     
     
         13 . An article of footwear comprising:
 a midsole and an outsole attached to said midsole;   an upper attached to said midsole, said upper including an integrated tongue; and   a heel support attached to an outer surface of the upper, said heel support including a body having a main member, a lateral member and a medial member, wherein said lateral member extends from the main member and at least partially along a lateral side of the upper, and said medial member extends from the main member and at least partially along a medial side of the upper,   said heel support including an inner flex point and an outer flex point that enable the heel support to move between a non-flexed position and a flexed position, wherein when pressure is applied to the heel support, the heel support moves to the flexed position, and wherein the heel support moves back to the non-flexed position when the pressure is released from the heel support.   
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear of  claim 13 , wherein said heel support forms an angle θ between a line extending from an outer surface of the heel support and a vertical line that is transverse to a longitudinal axis of the sole, and wherein θ is 27 degrees in the non-flexed position and 51 degrees in the flexed position. 
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear of  claim 13 , wherein said heel support forms an angle θ between a line extending from an outer surface of the heel support and a vertical line that is transverse to a longitudinal axis of the sole, and wherein a range of θ is 20 degrees to 60 degrees. 
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein said integrated tongue is made with a semi-rigid foam material. 
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear of  claim 16 , wherein part of the tongue includes EVA. 
     
     
         18 . The article of footwear of  claim 13 , wherein said heel support has a hardness value in a range of 92 Shore A to 98 Shore A. 
     
     
         19 . The article of footwear of  claim 13 , wherein the heel support includes an outer surface and a plurality of ridges that extend from the outer surface wherein the ridges assist with the hands-free removal of the article of footwear from a user's foot.