Skechers USA has been granted a patent for an innovative article of footwear with a unique heel cup design. The heel cup, attached to the upper, is molded with different portions to provide support and comfort to the user’s heel. The design allows for distortion under load and returning to the original shape. GlobalData’s report on Skechers USA gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s company profile on Skechers USA, was a key innovation area identified from patents. Skechers USA's grant share as of May 2024 was 69%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
Footwear with heel cup for improved comfort and support
A recently granted patent (Publication Number: US12011064B2) discloses an innovative article of footwear designed to enhance comfort and support for users. The footwear includes a unique heel cup structure that is uniformly molded with upper, midportion, and lower portions, forming a concave structure to cradle the heel. The heel cup features rearward and forward-facing concavities with varying amplitudes, allowing for optimal heel support and stability. Additionally, the upper portion of the heel cup can distort under the user's foot load, providing a customized fit that returns to its original configuration once the load is removed. The central portions of the heel cup also vary in thickness, contributing to the overall structural integrity and support of the footwear.
Furthermore, the article of footwear incorporates additional features such as an elastic member between the heel cup and the shoe opening, as well as a foam component on the inner surface of the heel cup to provide cushioning and pressure relief. The foam component is strategically placed to compress under the user's heel during foot insertion and exert pressure on the ankle once the foot is inserted, enhancing overall comfort and support. The footwear design also includes a unique vertical cross-sectional "S" wave shape for the upper, midportion, and lower portions of the heel cup, with central portions located at inflection points of the wave shape. These features work together to create a footwear design that prioritizes user comfort, support, and stability, making it a promising innovation in the footwear industry.
To know more about GlobalData’s detailed insights on Skechers USA, buy the report here.
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GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
