Heel-End Slip Shoe

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to the construction of a shoe that is comprised of a disengageable-heel portion that may be disengaged from an upper. Disengagement of the heel portion from the upper allows the heel portion to fold away from the upper, which exposes a heel-end opening that a foot may pass through to gain entry to the interior of the shoe. Additionally, a stretchable lacing material may be utilized to allow the shoe to absorb energy exerted on to it by a wearer of the shoe without disengaging the heel portion from the upper.

1 . A shoe construction comprising:
 a sole having a toe end and an opposite heel end and having opposite medial and lateral sides extending between the toe end and the heel end;   an upper of flexible material attached to the sole, the upper extending upwardly from the sole to an upper top edge, the upper top edge defining a forefoot opening;   a disengageable-heel portion attached to the sole at the heel end, the disengageable-heel portion extending upwardly from the sole to a heel portion top edge;   the disengageable-heel portion having a medial-front edge extending from the sole to the forefoot opening on the medial side of the sole and an opposite lateral-front edge extending from the sole to the forefoot opening on the lateral side of the sole; and   the disengageable-heel portion disengageably attached to the upper, the heel portion top edge defining an ankle opening when disengageably attached to the upper.   
     
     
         2 . The shoe construction of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first plurality of apertures in the upper and arranged in a line on a medial side of the forefoot opening; and   a second plurality of apertures in the upper and arranged in a line on a lateral side of the forefoot opening.   
     
     
         3 . The shoe construction of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a third plurality of apertures in the disengageable-heel portion and arranged proximate the medial edge; and   a fourth plurality of apertures in the disengageable-heel portion and arranged proximate the lateral edge side.   
     
     
         4 . The shoe construction of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a fastener extending between the first plurality of apertures and the second plurality of apertures across the forefoot opening.   
     
     
         5 . The shoe construction of  claim 4 , wherein the fastener is an elastic material. 
     
     
         6 . The shoe construction of  claim 5 , wherein the fastener extends through a first aperture of the first plurality of apertures and the fastener extends through a second aperture of the second plurality of apertures, and the fastener is attached to the upper proximate the first aperture and the second aperture. 
     
     
         7 . The shoe construction of  claim 3 , wherein at least one aperture of the first plurality of apertures aligns with at least one aperture of the third plurality of apertures and at least one aperture of the second plurality of apertures aligns with at least one aperture of the fourth plurality of aperture when the disengageable-heel portion is disengageably attached to the upper. 
     
     
         8 . The shoe construction of  claim 1 , wherein the upper defines a heel-end opening. 
     
     
         9 . The shoe construction of  claim 1 , wherein the upper is discontinuous around the ankle opening. 
     
     
         10 . The shoe construction of  claim 1 , wherein the front-lateral edge and the front-medial edge of the disengageable-heel portion extends from a heel end near the sole toward a toe end at the ankle opening. 
     
     
         11 . The shoe construction of  claim 1 , wherein the disengageable-heel portion is disengageably attached to the upper along the medial-front edge and the opposite lateral-front edge. 
     
     
         12 . The shoe construction of  claim 1 , wherein the disengageable-heel portion is disengageably attached to the upper along either the medial-front edge or the opposite lateral-front edge. 
     
     
         13 . The shoe construction of  claim 1 , wherein the disengageable-heel portion is disengageably attached to the upper utilizing a hook and loop fastener. 
     
     
         14 . The shoe construction of  claim 1 , wherein the disengageable-heel portion has a permanently attached hook or loop portion extending from the heel top edge down towards the sole along the medial-front edge or the lateral-front edge, wherein the width, measured from the toe end to the heel end, of the hook or loop portion decreases, in part, as it extends down toward the sole. 
     
     
         15 . A shoe construction comprising:
 a sole having a toe end and an opposite heel end and having opposite medial and lateral sides extending between the toe end and the heel end;   an upper with opposite interior and exterior surfaces, the upper is attached to the sole along the medial and lateral side, the upper extending upwardly from the sole to an upper top edge, the upper top edge defining a forefoot opening, the upper forming a heel-end opening proximate the heel end of the sole;   a disengageable-heel portion of flexible material with opposite interior and exterior surfaces, the disengageable-heel portion is attached to the sole at the heel end, the interior surface of the disengageable-heel portion is disengageably attachable to the exterior surface of the upper enclosing the heel-end opening of the upper; and   the disengageable-heel portion having a medial-front edge extending from the sole to the forefoot opening on the medial side of the sole and an opposite lateral-front edge extending from the sole to the forefoot opening on the lateral side of the sole.   
     
     
         16 . The shoe construction of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a first plurality of apertures in the upper and arranged in a line on a medial side of the forefoot opening;   a second plurality of apertures in the upper and arranged in a line on a lateral side of the forefoot opening;   a third plurality of apertures in the disengageable-heel portion and arranged proximate the medial edge; and   a fourth plurality of apertures in the disengageable-heel portion and arranged proximate the lateral edge side.   
     
     
         17 . The shoe construction of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a fastener extending from a first aperture of the first plurality of apertures to a second aperture of the second plurality of apertures, wherein the fastener is attached to the interior surface of the upper.   
     
     
         18 . The shoe construction of  claim 17 , wherein the fastener is a stretchable lacing that is stitched to the interior surface of the upper proximate the first aperture and the second aperture. 
     
     
         19 . The shoe construction of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a first portion of a hook and loop material attached to the interior surface of the disengageable-heel portion;   a second portion of the hook and loop material attached to the exterior surface of the upper; and   wherein the first portion is one of a hook material or a loop material and the second portion is the opposite of the hook material or the loop material of the first portion.   
     
     
         20 . A shoe construction comprising:
 a sole having a toe end and an opposite heel end and having opposite medial and lateral sides extending between the toe end and the heel end;   an upper of flexible material with opposite interior and exterior surfaces, the upper is attached to the sole along the medial and lateral side, the upper extending upwardly from the sole to an upper top edge, the upper top edge defining a forefoot opening, the upper forming a heel-end opening proximate the heel end of the sole, such that the heel-end opening prevents the upper from extending around an Achilles region;   a disengageable-heel portion of flexible material with opposite interior and exterior surfaces, the disengageable-heel portion is attached to the sole at the heel end, the interior surface of the disengageable-heel portion is coupled to a hook or loop material disengageably attached to a hook or loop material coupled to the exterior surface of the upper, the disengageable-heel portion enclosing the heel-end opening of the upper;   a first plurality of apertures in the upper and arranged in a line on a medial side of the forefoot opening;   a second plurality of apertures in the upper and arranged in a line on a lateral side of the forefoot opening; and   a stretchable lacing attached to the interior surface of the upper extending through a first aperture of the first plurality of apertures, the stretchable lacing extending through a second aperture of the second plurality of apertures, the stretchable lacing is attached to the interior surface of the upper proximate the second aperture.