Article of Footwear with Adjustable Heel

Abstract

An article of footwear includes a sole structure and an upper connected to the sole structure. The upper includes at least one midfoot strap at least one heel strap. A first closure is mounted on the upper and is configured to tighten a first lace engaging the at least one midfoot strap. A second closure is mounted on the upper and is configured to tighten a second lace engaging the at least one heel strap.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An article of footwear comprising:
 a sole structure;   an upper connected to the sole structure, wherein a foot cavity is formed by the upper and the sole structure, the upper including:
 a forefoot portion, 
 a midfoot portion connected to the forefoot portion, and 
 a heel portion connected to the midfoot portion, the heel portion including a first wall on a first side of the heel portion, a rear wall, and a heel gate on a second side of the heel portion, the heel gate configured to move between an open position wherein the heel gate is further removed from the midfoot portion and a closed position wherein the heel gate is closer to the midfoot portion; and 
   a closure mounted on the midfoot portion, wherein tightening the closure draws the heel gate forward toward the closed position.   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1  wherein the closure includes a reel wherein rotation of the reel further draws the heel gate forwardly and inwardly as it moves from the open position toward the closed position. 
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , the heel portion further including a heel stabilizer adjacent to the sole structure, wherein the heel stabilizer forms a lower portion of the first wall and extends around the heel portion to a position under the heel gate. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear of  claim 3  wherein a gap is formed between the heel stabilizer and the heel gate such that the heel gate is configured to pivot relative to the heel stabilizer on a the second side of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 4  wherein the first side is a medial side, wherein the second side is a lateral side, and wherein a gap is included as part of a side opening to the foot cavity on the lateral side of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear of  claim 5  wherein the gap is a first gap in the side opening, the side opening further including a second gap between the heel gate and the midfoot portion on the lateral side of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear of  claim 6  wherein a width of the second gap is larger than a width of the first gap. 
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear of  claim 5 , the upper further including a collar defining a top opening to the foot cavity, the collar extending along perimeter portions of the midfoot portion and the heel portion, the top opening integral with the side opening such that the top opening and the side opening form a unitary foot opening to the foot cavity. 
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear of  claim 1  further comprising a lace that extends between the closure and the heel gate. 
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear of  claim 9  wherein the lace extends through a vertical lace channel on the heel gate. 
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear of  claim 10  wherein the rear wall of the heel portion further includes a heel tab that extends upwardly above the first wall and the heel gate, and wherein the vertical lace channel is arranged below the heel tab. 
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear of  claim 9  wherein the closure comprises a reel including a base and a dial moveable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, wherein:
 when the dial is in the engaged position, rotation of the dial moves the reel to subsequent incremental ratchet positions and winds the lace on the reel; and 
 when the dial is in the disengaged position, the dial is freely rotatable and the lace is freely moveable relative to the reel. 
 
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear of  claim 12 , wherein the midfoot portion includes a plurality of straps extending from a medial side of the article of footwear to a dorsum portion of the article of footwear, wherein the reel is a first reel and the lace is a first lace, the article of footwear further including a second reel and a second lace, wherein rotation of the second reel draws the plurality of straps toward a lateral side of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear of  claim 13  wherein the first reel is positioned rearward of the second reel on the midfoot portion on the lateral side of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         15 . An article of footwear configured to receive a foot of a wearer, the article of footwear comprising:
 a sole structure;   an upper coupled to the sole structure such that the upper and the sole structure form a foot cavity, the upper including:
 a vamp region configured to extend across toes of the foot of the wearer; 
 a quarter region coupled to the vamp region, the quarter region including a first quarter wall on a first side of the article of footwear and a second quarter wall on a second side of the article of footwear opposite the first side; 
 a throat arranged on a dorsal side of the article of footwear and extending along the quarter region; 
 a heel portion coupled to the quarter region; and 
 a collar defining an opening to the foot cavity, the collar extending along the throat, the first quarter wall, the heel portion, and the second quarter wall, the collar forming a U-shaped edge extending between the throat and the heel portion above the first quarter wall and a J-shaped edge extending between the throat and the heel portion rearward of the second quarter wall such that the opening to the foot cavity is enclosed in the quarter region along the first side of the article of footwear and open in the quarter region along the second side of the article of footwear. 
   
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear of  claim 15  further comprising a heel stabilizer extending along the heel portion from the first side to the second side of the article of footwear, wherein the U-shaped edge of the collar is removed from and above the heel stabilizer on the first side of the article of footwear, and wherein the J-shaped edge extends to the heel stabilizer on the second side of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear of  claim 15  wherein a gusseted tongue is arranged in the throat and coupled to the vamp region and the quarter region, and wherein the upper further includes at least one strap coupled to the quarter region and extending across the throat. 
     
     
         18 . The article of footwear of  claim 15  wherein the at least one strap further extends around the heel portion from the first side to the second side of the article of footwear such that a first end of the at least one strap is arranged on the quarter region, an apex of the at least one strap is arranged on the throat, and a second end of the at least one strap is arranged on the heel portion. 
     
     
         19 . The article of footwear of  claim 18  further comprising a first lace wound on a first reel and a second lace wound on a second reel, wherein the first lace is coupled to the first end of the at least one strap and the second lace coupled to the second end of the at least one strap, and wherein the first reel and the second reel are both arranged in the quarter region on the second side of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         20 . An article of footwear comprising:
 a sole structure; and   an upper connected to the sole structure, the upper including:
 at least one midfoot strap; and 
 at least one heel strap; 
   a first closure mounted on the upper and configured to tighten a first lace engaging the at least one midfoot strap; and   a second closure mounted on the upper and configured to tighten a second lace engaging the at least one heel strap.