Infant footwear with heel closure

Abstract

A footwear construction for an infant includes an upper having a medial panel that transitions to a heel closure flap and a lateral panel with a fin that transitions a minor upstanding wall around a heel of the footwear. The heel closure flap is operable in a closed mode, in which it overlaps the minor upstanding wall such that no vertical gap is formed therebetween in the heel region and secures the footwear on an infant foot, and in an open mode, in which the flap is distal from the fin and the minor upstanding wall to expose a heel opening so that the infant foot can be placed in a void of the footwear, passing at least partially through the heel opening in the open mode. A related method of use also is provided.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
         1 . An infant footwear construction comprising:
 an outsole including a lower surface, an opposing upper surface, a sidewall extending between the upper surface and the lower surface, and a rearward outsole portion;   an upper joined with at least one of the upper surface and the sidewall, the upper comprising:
 a medial panel extending rearward on a medial side of a longitudinal axis of the footwear, above the sidewall, the medial panel transitioning to a heel closure flap including a first end portion joined with the medial panel and extending rearward along the medial side, a heel portion configured to extend rearward about a heel of an infant, and a second end portion extending from the heel portion forward along a lateral side adjacent a heel region, the second end portion including a first hook and loop closure element, the heel portion angled forward from a vertical plane extending upward at a rearwardmost outsole portion; and 
 a lateral panel extending rearward on a lateral side of the longitudinal axis of the footwear, above the sidewall, the lateral panel including a second hook and loop closure element configured to engage the first hook and loop closure element, the lateral panel including a fin that extends upward from the sidewall in the heel region, and transitions downward to a minor upstanding wall at least 2 mm forward of the vertical plane, the minor upstanding wall extending upward from the upper surface of the outsole a height of at least 2 mm, the minor upstanding wall extending above the rearwardmost outsole portion and around to the medial side, the minor upstanding wall joined with the medial panel on the medial side in the heel region, 
   wherein the heel closure flap is operable in an closed mode, in which the second end portion is adjacent the fin, with the first hook and loop closure element removably secured to the second hook and loop closure element, with the heel portion overlapping and immediately adjacent the minor upstanding wall such that no vertical gap is formed therebetween in the heel region, and an open mode, in which the first hook and loop closure element is detached from the second hook and loop closure element, and the second end portion and heel portion are distal from the fin and the minor upstanding wall to expose a heel opening in the heel region of the footwear,   whereby in the open mode a foot of an infant can be placed in the void, passing at least partially through the heel opening, and in the closed mode the first hook and loop closure element is removably secured to the second hook and loop closure element, with the heel opening closed by the heel closure flap and the heel portion configured for placement adjacent the minor upstanding wall to limit engagement of the heel closure flap against a heel of the infant.   
     
     
         2 . The infant footwear construction of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the minor upstanding wall includes an upper wall edge,   wherein the heel closure flap includes a lower closure edge,   wherein the lower closure edge is below the upper wall edge when the heel closure flap is in the closed mode.   
     
     
         3 . The infant footwear construction of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the minor upstanding wall height is less than a fin height by which the fin extends upward from the upper surface of the outsole.   
     
     
         4 . The infant footwear construction of  claim 3 ,
 wherein the heel closure flap includes an interior closure surface and an opposing exterior closure surface,   wherein the minor upstanding wall includes an interior wall surface and an opposing exterior wall surface,   wherein in the closed mode the interior closure surface directly engages the exterior wall surface.   
     
     
         5 . The infant footwear construction of  claim 4 ,
 wherein the minor upstanding wall includes a terminal wall end,   wherein the terminal wall end is sewn with stitching to the medial panel in the heel region on the medial side.   
     
     
         6 . The infant footwear construction of  claim 5 ,
 wherein the first end portion of the heel closure flap extends over the terminal wall end, with the stitching extending through the first end portion on the medial side.   
     
     
         7 . The infant footwear construction of  claim 6 ,
 wherein the fin includes an upper edge that transitions to a downward sloping edge in the heel region on the lateral side,   wherein the downward sloping edge is continuous with the upper wall edge.   
     
     
         8 . The infant footwear construction of  claim 7 ,
 wherein the minor upstanding wall includes a lower edge,   wherein the lower edge is concealed by a foxing band that overlaps the lower edge and extends around at least a portion of the sidewall of the outsole.   
     
     
         9 . The infant footwear construction of  claim 2  comprising:
 a foxing band that overlaps the minor upstanding wall, 
 wherein the lower closure edge is between the upper wall edge and the foxing band when the heel closure flap is in the closed mode. 
 
     
     
         10 . The infant footwear construction of  claim 9 ,
 wherein the height of the minor upstanding wall is between 2 mm and 20 mm inclusive.   
     
     
         11 . An infant footwear construction comprising:
 an outsole including a lower surface, an opposing upper surface, a sidewall extending between the upper surface and the lower surface, and a rearward outsole portion;   an upper joined with the outsole and forming a void between the upper and the outsole, the upper comprising:
 a medial panel transitioning to a heel closure flap configured to extend from a medial side of a longitudinal axis, rearward around a heel of an infant, to a lateral side of the longitudinal axis, the heel closure flap including a first closure element, and 
 a lateral panel on the lateral side, the lateral panel including a second closure element configured to engage the first closure element, the lateral panel including a fin in a heel region that transitions downward to a minor upstanding wall having a height of at least 2 mm above the upper surface of the outsole, the minor upstanding wall extending around to the medial side, the minor upstanding wall joined with the medial panel on the medial side, 
   wherein the heel closure flap is operable in an closed mode, in which the first closure element is removably secured to the second closure element, with the heel closure flap overlapping the minor upstanding wall such that no vertical gap is formed therebetween in the heel region, and an open mode, in which the first closure element is detached from the second closure element and the heel closure flap is distal from the fin and the minor upstanding wall to expose a heel opening in the heel region,
 whereby in the open mode a foot of an infant can be placed in the void, passing at least partially through the heel opening, and in the closed mode the first closure element is removably secured to the second closure element, with the heel opening closed by the heel closure flap, the heel closure flap configured for placement adjacent the minor upstanding wall to limit engagement of the heel closure flap against a heel of the infant. 
   
     
     
         12 . The infant footwear construction of  claim 11 ,
 wherein the fin includes an upper fin edge that transitions to a downward sloping edge in the heel region on the lateral side,   wherein the downward sloping edge is continuous with an upper wall edge of the minor upstanding wall.   
     
     
         13 . The infant footwear construction of  claim 12 ,
 wherein the minor upstanding wall includes a lower edge,   wherein the lower edge is concealed by a foxing band that overlaps the lower edge and extends around at least a portion of the sidewall of the outsole.   
     
     
         14 . The infant footwear construction of  claim 11 ,
 wherein the heel closure flap includes a heel portion angled forward from a vertical plane extending upward at a rearwardmost outsole portion when the heel closure flap is in the closed mode,   wherein the heel closure flap includes an upper closure edge and a lower closure edge,   wherein the heel closure flap includes an interior closure surface and an opposing exterior closure surface,   wherein the minor upstanding wall includes an interior wall surface and an opposing exterior wall surface,   wherein in the closed mode the interior closure surface directly engages the exterior wall surface, and the upper closure edge is farther forward from the vertical plane than the lower closure edge.   
     
     
         15 . The infant footwear construction of  claim 14 ,
 wherein the minor upstanding wall includes a lower wall edge and an upper wall edge,   wherein the lower closure edge is between the lower wall edge and the upper wall edge,   wherein the upper closure edge is above the lower wall edge and the upper wall edge.   
     
     
         16 . The infant footwear construction of  claim 11 ,
 wherein the minor upstanding wall height is between 2 mm and 20 mm inclusive.   
     
     
         17 . The infant footwear construction of  claim 16 ,
 wherein the minor upstanding wall transitions to an upward sloping edge forming an upper fin edge of the fin in the heel region on the lateral side,   wherein the upward sloping edge is continuous with the upper fin edge.   
     
     
         18 . The infant footwear construction of  claim 11 ,
 wherein the heel closure flap includes a first end portion joined with the medial panel and extending rearward along the medial side, a heel portion configured to extend rearward about the heel of an infant, and a second end portion extending from the heel portion forward along the lateral side adjacent the heel region, the second end portion including the first closure element, the heel portion angled forward from a vertical plane extending upward at a rearwardmost outsole portion.   
     
     
         19 . A method of using an infant footwear construction, the method comprising:
 providing an upper joined with an outsole, the upper including a medial panel extending on a medial side of a longitudinal axis, the medial panel transitioning to a heel closure flap, and a lateral panel extending on a lateral side of the longitudinal axis of the footwear, the lateral panel including a fin that transitions downward to a minor upstanding wall;   converting the heel closure flap from a closed mode, in which a first closure element joined with the heel closure flap is removably secured to a second closure element joined with the fin, with the heel closure flap overlapping the minor upstanding wall such that no vertical gap is formed therebetween in a heel region, to an open mode, in which the first closure element is detached from the second closure element and the heel closure flap is distal from the fin and the minor upstanding wall to expose a heel opening in the heel region;   passing a foot at least partially through the heel opening while the heel closure flap is in the open mode to place a foot of an infant in a void of the upper; and   returning the heel closure flap to the closed mode so that the first closure element is removably secured to the second closure element, with the heel opening closed by the heel closure flap which is placed adjacent the minor upstanding wall to limit engagement of the heel closure flap against a heel of the infant and yet snugly secure the footwear to the foot of the infant.