阅读说明：本技术 鞋类跟部弹簧装置 (Heel spring device for shoes ) 是由 蒂凡妮·A·比尔斯 约翰·T·丁莫夫 韦德·弗拉纳根 奥斯丁·奥兰多 乔治·A·赞索斯 于 2017-10-25 设计创作，主要内容包括：本申请涉及鞋类跟部弹簧装置。一种被构造成在鞋类物品的鞋跟部区包围足部接纳腔的一部分的装置,该控制条具有中央节段、从中央节段延伸的第一侧臂以及与第一侧臂间隔开并从中央节段延伸的第二侧臂。控制条可以包括一系列板条。基座支撑控制条并连接到第一侧臂和第二侧臂。控制条被偏置到无应力位置,此时中央节段距基座第一距离,并且在所施加的力的作用下弹性弯曲到加载位置,此时中央节段距基座比第一距离小的第二距离。该装置存储势能,在所施加的负载被移除时,该势能使控制条返回到未加载位置。(The present application relates to footwear heel spring devices. A device configured to enclose a portion of a foot-receiving chamber in a heel region of an article of footwear, the control strip having a central section, a first side arm extending from the central section, and a second side arm spaced apart from the first side arm and extending from the central section. The control bar may comprise a series of slats. The base supports the control bar and is connected to the first side arm and the second side arm. The control bar is biased to an unstressed position wherein the central segment is a first distance from the base and resiliently flexes under an applied force to a loaded position wherein the central segment is a second distance from the base less than the first distance. The device stores potential energy that returns the control bar to the unloaded position when the applied load is removed.)

1. An apparatus for facilitating entry of a foot into an article of footwear and configured to enclose a portion of a foot-receiving chamber in a heel region of the article of footwear, the apparatus comprising:

a resilient bellows comprising a central section, an inner side arm extending forwardly from the central section, and an outer side arm extending forwardly from the central section;

wherein the bellows comprises alternating ridges and grooves extending lengthwise along the medial arm, the central section, and the lateral arm; and is

Wherein the corrugated body is biased to an unloaded position and is compressed to a loaded position under an applied force, one or more adjacent ridges of alternating ridges being closer to each other in the loaded position than in the unloaded position, thereby storing elastic energy that returns the corrugated body to the unloaded position when the applied load is removed.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the corrugations comprise corrugations; and is

The ridges are the male pleats of the pleat and the grooves are the female pleats of the pleat.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:

the ridges and grooves of the first set extend from the medial arm to the lateral arm, and the ridges and grooves of the second set extend only along the central section.

4. The device of any one of claims 1-2, wherein the bellows is at least one of rubber or thermoplastic polyurethane.

5. The device of any one of claims 1-2, wherein the bellows is a resilient foam.

6. The device of any one of claims 1-2, wherein the device has an inner surface having a concave shape on the inner surface in both a medial-lateral direction and a vertical direction.

7. The device of any one of claims 1-2, further comprising an upper flange extending along an upper edge of the bellow at the central section.

8. The device of claim 7, in combination with a footwear upper, and wherein the upper flange is connected to the footwear upper such that the footwear upper is movable with the device between the unloaded position and the loaded position.

9. The device of any one of claims 1-2, further comprising a lower flange extending along a lower edge of the bellow at the medial arm, the central section, and the lateral arm.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, in combination with a footwear sole structure, and wherein the lower flange is secured to the footwear sole structure.

Technical Field

The present teachings generally include a heel spring device for an article of footwear.

Background

Traditionally, placing footwear on the foot typically requires the use of one or two hands to stretch the ankle opening of the footwear upper and retain the rear portion during foot insertion, particularly in the case of a relatively soft upper and/or a heel counter (heel counter) in which the upper is not secured to the rearwardly facing flexible fabric of the ankle opening.