Footwear Having An Adjustable Heel Mechanism

Abstract

An article of footwear having an adjustable heel mechanism is provided. The article of footwear can be capable of allowing a wearer to selectively alter the position of a portion of the heel portion of the article of footwear. In some embodiments, the article of footwear can have a sole, an upper attached to the sole and defining a void for a foot of a wearer, and a heel adjustment mechanism. In some embodiments, the heel adjustment mechanism may include a heel adjustment housing capable of moving with respect to the sole to modify the volume of the void created for the foot of a wearer.

1 . An article of footwear, comprising:
 a sole;   an upper attached to the sole and defining a void for a foot of a wearer;   a heel adjustment mechanism capable of modifying the volume of the void, the heel adjustment mechanism comprising:
 a heel adjustment housing having one or more openings and being capable of moving with respect to the sole; 
 one or more adjustment straps, wherein the one or more adjustment straps each has a portion of its length received inside the one or more openings in the heel adjustment housing; 
 a heel adjustment actuator connected to the heel adjustment housing; and 
 wherein movement of the heel adjustment actuator changes the amount of the length of the one or more adjustment straps that is received by the heel adjustment housing as well as the position of the heel adjustment housing with respect to the sole. 
   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more adjustment supports being connected to one or more of the sole and the upper;   one or more adjustment anchors located on the one or more adjustment supports; and   wherein the one or more adjustment straps are connected to the one or more adjustment anchors at an end opposite the portion of its length received inside the one or more openings in the heel adjustment housing.   
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 2 , further comprising a heel adjustment slider coupled to the heel adjustment housing, the heel adjustment slider provided with track-like openings to slidably receive the one or more adjustment supports. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more adjustment straps comprises a first adjustment strap located on an outstep side of the article and a second adjustment strap located on an instep side of the article. 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more adjustment supports comprises a first adjustment support located on an outstep side of the article and a second adjustment support located on an instep side of the article. 
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a pinion coupled to the heel adjustment actuator;   wherein the one or more adjustment straps each include teeth; and   wherein the pinion is configured to engage the teeth located on the one or more adjustment straps in order to change the amount of the length of the one or more adjustment straps that is received by the heel adjustment housing.   
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear of  claim 6 , wherein the heel adjustment actuator comprises an adjustment knob, wherein rotating the adjustment knob causes the pinion to rotate. 
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear of  claim 7 , wherein rotating the adjustment knob in a first direction causes the pinion to engage the teeth located on the one or more adjustment straps in order to increase the amount of the length of the one or more adjustment straps that is received by the heel adjustment housing, and wherein rotating the adjustment knob in a second direction causes the pinion to engage the teeth located on the one or more adjustment straps in order to decrease the amount of the length of the one or more adjustment straps that is received by the heel adjustment housing. 
     
     
         9 . An article of footwear, comprising:
 a sole;   an upper attached to the sole and defining a void for a foot of a wearer;   first and second adjustment supports being connected to one or more of the sole and the upper;   first and second adjustment anchors located on the first and second adjustment supports, respectively;   a heel adjustment mechanism capable of modifying the volume of the void, the heel adjustment mechanism comprising:
 a heel adjustment housing having first and second openings and being capable of moving with respect to the sole; 
 first and second adjustment straps, wherein the first adjustment strap has a portion of its length received inside the first opening in the heel adjustment housing, and wherein the second adjustment strap has a portion of its length received inside the second opening in the heel adjustment housing; 
 a heel adjustment actuator connected to the heel adjustment housing; 
 wherein movement of the heel adjustment actuator changes the amount of the length of the first and second adjustment straps that is received by the heel adjustment housing as well as the position of the heel adjustment housing with respect to the sole; and 
 wherein the first and second adjustment straps are each connected to the first and second adjustment anchors at an end opposite the portion of its length received inside the first and second openings in the heel adjustment housing. 
   
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear of  claim 9 , further comprising a heel adjustment slider coupled to the heel adjustment housing, the heel adjustment slider provided with track-like openings to slidably receive the first and second adjustment supports. 
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear of  claim 10 , wherein the first and second adjustment straps comprises a first adjustment strap located on an outstep side of the article and a second adjustment strap located on an instep side of the article. 
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear of  claim 11 , wherein the first and second adjustment supports comprises a first adjustment support located on an outstep side of the article and a second adjustment support located on an instep side of the article. 
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a pinion coupled to the heel adjustment actuator;   wherein the first and second adjustment straps each include teeth; and   wherein the pinion is configured to engage the teeth located on the first and second adjustment straps in order to change the amount of the length of the first and second adjustment straps that is received by the heel adjustment housing.   
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear of  claim 13 , wherein the heel adjustment actuator comprises an adjustment knob, wherein rotating the adjustment knob causes the pinion to rotate. 
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear of  claim 14 , wherein rotating the adjustment knob in a first direction causes the pinion to engage the teeth located on the first and second adjustment straps in order to increase the amount of the length of the first and second adjustment straps that is received by the heel adjustment housing, and wherein rotating the adjustment knob in a second direction causes the pinion to engage the teeth located on the first and second adjustment straps in order to decrease the amount of the length of the first and second adjustment straps that is received by the heel adjustment housing. 
     
     
         16 . An athletic shoe, comprising:
 a sole;   an upper attached to the sole and defining a void for a foot of a wearer;   an instep adjustment support being connected to one or more of the sole and the upper, and comprising an instep adjustment anchor;   an outstep adjustment support being connected to one or more of the sole and the upper, and comprising an outstep adjustment anchor;   a heel adjustment mechanism capable of modifying the volume of the void, the heel adjustment mechanism comprising:
 a heel adjustment housing having an instep-side opening and an outstep-side opening and being capable of moving with respect to the sole; 
 a heel adjustment slider coupled to the heel adjustment housing, the heel adjustment slider provided with track-like openings to slidably receive the instep and outstep adjustment supports 
 an instep adjustment strap connected to the instep adjustment anchor at a first end, and comprising teeth on a second end opposite the first end; 
 an outstep adjustment strap connected to the outstep adjustment anchor at a first end, and comprising teeth on a second end opposite the first end; 
 an adjustment knob connected to the heel adjustment housing; 
 a pinion coupled to the adjustment knob, wherein the pinion is configured to engage the teeth located on the instep and outstep adjustment straps in order to change the amount of the length of the instep and outstep adjustment straps that is received by the heel adjustment housing. 
   
     
     
         17 . The athletic shoe of  claim 16 , wherein rotating the adjustment knob in a first direction causes an increase the amount of the length of the instep and outstep adjustment straps that is received by the heel adjustment housing, and wherein rotating the adjustment knob in a second direction opposite the first direction causes a decrease the amount of the length of the instep and outstep adjustment straps that is received by the heel adjustment housing.