At least one aperture may be incorporated into the mid-portion of the rigid heel cup that may be added to enhance the fit of the shoe around the foot of the heel. The upper material layers covering the aperture may comprise an elastic material such that the material stretches around the contours of the heel. The tension created by the elastic material upon stretching may enhance the securement of the foot during normal use of the shoe.

The upper portion of the heel cup may be configured with a smooth curvature extending from the top edge of the heel cup curved downward towards the shoe opening 48. The inner wall of the upper portion has an overall downward incline that extends from the curved top edge of the upper portion toward the interior of the upper 16. The inner wall of the upper portion may have dimensions akin to a shoehorn such that the smooth curvature and angle of the downward incline of the upper portion allows the heel of the foot to slide into the shoe 12 with greater case. The heel cup may be constructed of a rigid material that does not substantially compress under the load of the user's foot. In an alternate embodiment, the heel cup may have some flexibility such that the upper portion of the heel cup may have some slight flexibility sufficient to bend downward and away from the shoe opening and/or widen the shoe opening 48 for easier foot insertion and/or removal.

As shown in FIG. 11, the top edge of the heel counter 32 may also form a resilient support structure of the rear heel collar 74. When the heel cup 52 is incorporated into the upper 16, a fabric material(s) or a suitable material(s) known in the art may be used to cover the heel cup 52 thereby forming the exterior layer 42 and interior layers or structures of the upper. The fabric material may extend above the heel cup 52 thereby forming an extension of the heel collar 74.

Foam material or any inner lining material(s) known in the art may be used as an inner compressible layer of the upper 16 of FIG. 11. The foam material may be bonded to the inner surface of the heel cup 52 to provide cushioning against the rigid heel cup material. The thickness of the foam material may be uniform or vary at certain locations depending on the desired cushioning or support to the foot. In one exemplary embodiment, thicker foam material may be located at the inner wall 66 of the upper portion 64 and may further extend at least a portion along the mediolateral length of the inner wall 66. The foam material may be configured to curve around at least a portion of the ankle above the heel when the shoe 12 is worn similar to the foam material configuration shown in FIG. 10. In this embodiment, the user's foot may compress the foam material during foot insertion. Following foot insertion, the foam material may expand to its fully uncompressed state or partially expand thereby improving the security of the foot within the shoe 12. A thinner foam material may be used to line the other portions of the heel cup 52.

The rigid heel cup 52 may be used in combination with a shoe upper 16 having at least one elastic region 78 located on the sides of the upper between the heel cup 52 and the front portion of the foot receiving shoe opening 48. The elastic region 78 may have one or more elastic materials that allow the rear portion of the heel counter 32 to be temporarily moved back to widen the foot receiving shoe opening 48 for easier insertion of the foot into the shoe 12. As shown in FIG. 11, the elastic material may be a gore piece 80 configured to be fixed within a void of the upper such as in the form of a gusset on the medial quarter or lateral quarter or both. The elastic material may be in any spacing between the heel cup 52 and the upper portion located at the quarters 30 or vamp 24 or possibly a tongue. The elastic material may also be configured as a series of clastic strips or webbing extending between the heel cup 52 to the medial and lateral sides of the vamp 24 or possibly a tongue.

Instep Support. In some embodiments, an instep support may be used to aid in preventing, in some instances, the instep of the user's foot from dragging a portion of the instep, or tongue partially into the throat area as the user dons the shoe.

In some embodiments having a tongue 126 as shown in FIG. 14, the medial side of the upper portion 132 of the tongue 126 is attached to the first or proximal end of a medial elastic strap 128 and the lateral side of the upper portion 132 of the tongue 126 is attached to the first or proximal end of a lateral elastic strap 130. The front lower portion of the tongue is attached directly to the upper. Each of the medial and lateral elastic straps may be attached to the upper directly to the inner lining of the upper at its second or distal ends. In an alternate embodiment, the clastic straps may extend through an opening of the inner lining of the medial quarter and lateral quarter respectively. The second end of each of the medial and lateral elastic straps may terminate respectively at the sole, sockliner, or a region within the upper's interior lining. The clastic straps function to maintain the general positioning of the tongue when the user dons the shoe.

In other embodiments, each of the medial and lateral sides of the edge of the tongue or an upper portion of the tongue are attached by a gusset which may be of elastic material, to the inner lining of the upper of the medial quarter and lateral quarter of the upper. The gusset similarly may function to maintain the general positioning of the tongue when the user dons the shoe. In another embodiment of the tongue, the at least a portion of the medial and lateral edges of the tongue may be directly affixed or stitched to the interior portion of the upper and the tongue. Furthermore, the tongue may be extended wider than a conventional tongue along the mediolateral direction in the upper portion of the tongue and the edges or some portion of the extended portion may be affixed or stitched to the interior portion of the upper.

In other embodiments, an instep or tongue support which may be constructed of a sheet-like material of greater hardness than the fabric of the instep or tongue may be attached to the outer surface of the tongue or embedded between an exterior tongue layer and an inner tongue layer facing the shoe opening. The instep or tongue support may reduce or prevent the instep or tongue from collapsing during the insertion of the foot. In one embodiment shown in FIG. 14, tongue support 134 may be a more rigid material such as a thermoplastic polymer configured to be more rigid than the tongue. In some embodiments, the instep or tongue support may have a thickness of 0.2 mm to 1 mm. The instep support may be coextensive with the instep or tongue, or it may extend beyond the medial or lateral sides of the instep or tongue. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 14, the tongue support 134 may be narrower and shorter than the instep or tongue.

In one embodiment, a reinforcing quarter element may extend from the heel counter to the instep or eyestay. When a gusset is incorporated such as gusset 80 in FIG. 11-12, a reinforcing quarter clement may extend from the heel counter 32 along the front lower edge of the gusset and around the top edge of the collar to the instep, a region near vamp 24, or an eyestay adjacent to a tongue. A reinforcing quarter clement may be stiffer than the upper or quarter material. The reinforcing quarter element material may be constructed of leather, plastic, or rigid fabric. The reinforcing quarter element may be attached to the upper through bonding or stitching. The reinforcing quarter clement may be configured as an elongated shape such as a strip that extends along the front lower edge of the gusset and the collar portion. The reinforcing quarter clement may be located on the exterior surface or may be an interior layer of the upper such as a layer embedded within the upper or along a portion of the inner lining of the upper. A reinforcing quarter element may provide greater stability to the opening of the shoe such that it provides resistance against the quarters and instep region collapsing or moving inward into the opening of the shoe when the foot is inserted into the shoe and pushes the heel cup rearward.

When the reinforcing quarter element is used in combination with an eyestay layer used in laced shoes, the eyestay may add additional structural support in providing resistance against the quarters and instep from collapsing or moving inward into the opening of the shoe. Thus, as a foot pushes against the heel cup and the gusset is stretched rearward, the reinforcing quarter element is not significantly pulled rearward. Accordingly, the shoe opening may attain a wider opening when the foot is inserted into the shoe and pushes the heel cup rearward.

Compressible lining. In some embodiments, the inner surface of the heel counter and heel/ankle collar may have a portion having a compressible layer such as a foam layer. The compressible layer may extend into the shoe opening. The compressible layer is compressed under a load during the donning or removal of the shoe. After the foot is inserted into the shoe, the foam layer may expand fully or partially to its uncompressed state, and such expansion may enhance the securement of the foot within the shoe.

In one exemplary embodiment, the compressible layer 100 is embedded at least within a portion of the ankle collar 140 and the upper region of the heel counter 32. See FIGS. 15-19. The compressible layer 100 extends into the opening of the shoe. During the donning of the shoe, the foot exerts a load onto the compressible layer thereby widening the opening of the shoe through the transient compression of the compressible layer. After the foot is inserted into the shoe, the compressible layer expands partially or fully back to its original shape. Expansion of the compressible layer causes the foam to expand around the foot which may enhance comfort and securement of the foot. In some embodiments, the compressible layer extends above and/or around the calcaneus bone of the user's foot and around at least portions of the ankle region of the foot.

The compressible layer may be constructed of a material of a foam material such as EVA or polyurethane foam. The shape of the compressible layer may be pre-formed by molding the material, and affixing the compressible layer between at least two layers of textile material. The shape of the compressible layer may have at least partially a rounded outer surface that extends into the opening of the shoe and/or the ankle collar of the shoe. The volume of the compressible layer may be greater in the rear portion of the heel counter and taper along longitudinal direction of the inner portion of the foam layer at both sides of the shoe as shown in FIGS. 17-18. The compressible layer may also taper or be rounded along the vertical axis and that the compressible layer is greater in volume at the upper portion of the ankle collar 140 and less at the lower portion of the ankle collar 140. Sec FIGS. 18-19. The compressible layer may be used to form the entire heel cup without the need of an additional heel cup or heel counter. Alternatively, the compressible layer can be used in combination with a compressible heel cup, such as shown in FIG. 1. The heel cup can define an exterior surface of the upper, the heel cup can define an interior surface of the upper, or the heel cup can define an internal layer, for example, if embedded within the compressible layer.

In the exemplary embodiment, a lower flange 118 may extend downward from the ankle collar and is configured to attach to the upper. The lower flange may be configured in any dimensions necessary to secure the ankle collar to the upper. The lower flange may also vary in the length. In some embodiments, the lower flange may define the portion of the ankle collar attached to the upper without extending downward from the ankle collar at all. In other embodiments, the lower flange may extend downward partially or fully to the bottom of the upper. In some embodiments, the lower flange may be configured to form the heel counter. In other embodiments, a heel cup, such as shown in FIG. 1, may be partially or fully embedded in lower flange.

The compressible layer 100 may be covered by any type of textile. The textile may be elastic and may have wicking properties. The textile may be form fitted to the exterior shape of the compressible layer. In a preferred embodiment, an adhesive such as a thermoplastic based adhesive is applied to the compressible layer after which the compressible layer is inserted into an clastic textile sleeve. The resulting product may also be affixed by any means such as glue or stitching according to the desired pattern of the ankle collar 140. The textile may also include thermoplastic material and after the compressible layer 100 is inserted into the textile sleeve, heat may be applied to fuse the textile to the compressible layer 100. In a preferred embodiment, steam may be applied so that the textile conforms to the preformed shape that forms a portion of the ankle collar and/or heel counter.

Further to the exemplary embodiment, the ankle collar 140 is devoid of stitches or seams on its upper portion and may have a seam on the bottom portion where it is attached to the upper 16. The seamless ankle collar 140 may extend from the medial quarter, around the heel, to the lateral quarter. As the user's foot is inserted into the footwear, the user's heel depresses the compressible layer 100 against the heel cup. The heel cup may keep the structural integrity of a portion of the heel region of the upper 16 from collapsing when the user's heel depresses the compressible layer 100, thus allowing for an easier entry into the shoe by the user's foot without the use the user's hands or an external shoehorn. Once the user's heel is fully inserted into the shoe, the compressible layer may rebound and may exert force against the back of the user's heel above the calcaneus bone and around portions of the ankle region which may aid in providing comfort and securing the user's foot within the shoe.

Further to the exemplary embodiment, the cross-section of the seamless upper portion of the ankle collar 140 is substantially round. The ankle collar 140 may be separated into a forward portion 142 and a rear portion 144. Each of the forward portion and rear portion resemble an approximately circular cross-section or semicircular cross-section wherein the radius of the forward portion is greater than the radius of the rear portion. See FIGS. 18-19. The compressible layer may be directly attached to the inner structure of the heel counter or via the textile sleeve covering the compressible layer material.