Rapid-Entry Footwear Having A Stabilizer And An Elastic Element
Patent No. US12274325 (titled "Rapid-Entry Footwear Having A Stabilizer And An Elastic Element") was filed by Siena Lending Group Llc on Oct 13, 2022.
What is this patent about?
’325 is related to the field of footwear, specifically to shoes designed for easy and rapid entry. The background acknowledges the inconvenience or difficulty some individuals face when putting on and taking off shoes, especially those requiring tying or fastening. This patent aims to address this problem by providing a shoe design that simplifies the process of donning and doffing.
The underlying idea behind ’325 is to create a rapid-entry shoe that combines an elastic element to expand the foot opening and a stabilizer to prevent the rear of the shoe from collapsing. The elastic element allows the shoe to stretch and accommodate the foot during entry, while the stabilizer maintains the shoe's structure and guides the foot into the correct position.
The claims of ’325 focus on a rapid-entry shoe featuring a sole, an upper, and a stabilizer made of rigid material at the rear of the sole. The stabilizer has a base portion with lateral and medial portions forming a convex structure, and an elevated portion that extends upward and acts as a shoehorn. A foam liner is coupled to the stabilizer to retain the heel. Method claim 10 focuses on the act of donning the shoe, where the foot contacts both the stabilizer and an elastic element in the upper, causing the stabilizer to pivot and the elastic element to expand.
In practice, the elastic element, strategically placed in the upper, stretches to enlarge the opening as the foot is inserted. Simultaneously, the rigid stabilizer, with its shoehorn-like extension, guides the heel into the shoe, preventing the rear from folding or collapsing. The foam liner within the stabilizer then helps to secure the heel in place, ensuring a snug and comfortable fit once the foot is fully inside.
This design differentiates itself from traditional shoes by eliminating the need for laces or other fasteners for entry. The combination of the elastic element and the stabilizer provides a hands-free or minimal-effort donning experience. The convex structure of the stabilizer's base and the upward extension of the elevated portion, coupled with the foam liner, are key to providing both structural support and heel retention, addressing the common issue of heel slippage in slip-on shoes.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical landscape at the time
In the late 2010s when ’325 was filed, footwear design commonly involved trade-offs between ease of entry/exit and secure fit. At a time when shoe uppers were typically constructed from multiple stitched or bonded layers of textile, leather, or synthetic materials, incorporating elastic elements to facilitate foot insertion while maintaining support was a known but not universally adopted technique. When shoe stabilizers were often implemented using rigid internal or external heel counters, the integration of such structures with elastic elements presented engineering challenges related to durability and comfort.
Novelty and Inventive Step
The application was subject to a final rejection. Claims were rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) for failing to comply with the written description requirement, under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite, and under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by prior art. Claims 1-7 and 9 were also rejected for nonstatutory double patenting. The examiner objected to the drawings. Arguments were presented by the applicant, but were not persuasive to the examiner.
Claims
This patent contains 15 claims, with independent claims 1 and 10. Independent claim 1 focuses on the structure of a rapid-entry shoe, particularly a stabilizer component. Independent claim 10 focuses on a method for donning the rapid-entry shoe. The dependent claims elaborate on specific features and variations of the shoe's components and the donning method.
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Date
Description
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US12274325
- Application Number
- US17965516
- Filing Date
- Oct 13, 2022
- Status
- Granted
- Expiry Date
- Jul 29, 2040
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO, Google Patents