A device configured to surround a portion of a foot-receiving cavity at a heel region of an article of footwear comprises a control bar having a center segment, a first side arm extending from the center segment, and a second side arm spaced from the first side arm and extending from the center segment. The control bar may include a series of slats. A base supports the control bar and is connected to the first side arm and the second side arm. The control bar is biased to an unstressed position with the center segment a first distance from the base, and elastically bends under an applied force to a loaded position with the center segment a second distance from the base less than the first distance. The device stores potential energy that returns the control bar to the unloaded position upon removal of the applied load.

A device configured to surround a portion of a foot-receiving cavity at a heel region of an article of footwear comprises a control bar having a center segment, a first side arm extending from the center segment, and a second side arm spaced from the first side arm and extending from the center segment. The control bar may include a series of slats. A base supports the control bar and is connected to the first side arm and the second side arm. The control bar is biased to an unstressed position with the center segment a first distance from the base, and elastically bends under an applied force to a loaded position with the center segment a second distance from the base less than the first distance. The device stores potential energy that returns the control bar to the unloaded position upon removal of the applied load.

A device configured to surround a portion of a foot-receiving cavity at a heel region of an article of footwear comprises a control bar having a center segment, a first side arm extending from the center segment, and a second side arm spaced from the first side arm and extending from the center segment. The control bar may include a series of slats. A base supports the control bar and is connected to the first side arm and the second side arm. The control bar is biased to an unstressed position with the center segment a first distance from the base, and elastically bends under an applied force to a loaded position with the center segment a second distance from the base less than the first distance. The device stores potential energy that returns the control bar to the unloaded position upon removal of the applied load.

The shoe includes a sole and an upper having an ankle collar extending around a portion of a shoe opening. The shoe includes a heel cup in a heel region of the upper, the heel cup having a central region and peripheral portions and forms a vertical cross-sectional S wave shape through the central region, the S wave shape having an upper arc and a lower arc that intersect at an inflection point. The heel cup has a top, middle, and bottom portion, each extending horizontally through the central region. The shoe includes a compressible material layer along regions of an inner wall of the heel cup facing an interior of the upper. The compressible material layer protrudes into the shoe opening along the central region corresponding to the top portion and tapers towards the portion of the central region corresponding to the bottom portion.

The shoe includes a sole and an upper and a heel cup that extends from adjacent to the sole to a rear portion of a collar of the upper. The heel cup is positioned in an interior portion of the upper, has a central portion thinner than an adjacent region, and has a smooth curvature, including an S-wave cross-section at its rearmost portion. The shoe includes an inner compressible layer having foam and which is covered by a form-fitting elastic textile. The inner compressible layer has a curved outer surface extending into a foot-receiving opening of the shoe, a first thickness adjacent to a portion of the heel cup above a central inflection point, tapering to lesser lateral thicknesses at each side of the foot-receiving, and tapering to a lesser lower thickness adjacent to a portion of the heel cup below the central inflection point.

The shoe includes a sole and an upper having a foot-receiving shoe opening. The shoe includes a heel cup in a heel region, the heel cup having a central region, peripheral portions, and a top portion, mid-portion, and lower portion extending through the central region and the peripheral portions. The top portion, mid-portion, and lower portion form a vertical cross-sectional S wave shape through the central region of the heel cup. The shoe includes a compressible material layer positioned along regions of an inner wall of the heel cup facing an interior of the shoe upper corresponding to a portion of the central region of the heel cup. The compressible material layer protrudes into the shoe opening along the central region corresponding to the top portion and tapers towards the portion of the central region corresponding to the lower portion.

The shoe includes a sole and an upper. A heel cup has an upper mid- and lower portion and the heel cup extends from the sole to at least a portion of a rear ankle collar of the upper. The heel cup has a polymer material. In a first configuration, the upper portion of the heel cup has a downward incline with a first angle, and the upper portion can distort into a second configuration under a load of a foot when donning the shoe. In the second configuration the upper portion has a downward incline with a second angle that is greater than the first angle. An compressible interior foam layer is adjacent to an interior wall of the upper portion of the heel cup, extends around portions of an ankle region of the foot and extends into the shoe opening, providing securement of the foot.

An article of footwear includes an upper and a U-shaped foamed ankle collar. The ankle collar may form the topmost region of the foot receiving shoe opening and the foamed ankle collar may extend at least partially around and over a foot receiving shoe opening. The ankle collar is capable of being compressed by the user's heel during foot insertion and the ankle collar may exert pressure on the user's ankle once the foot is inserted. The ankle collar may have a flattened region along its length forming a downward angle from the topmost region toward the front of the article of footwear. The ankle collar may be located along at least a portion of an inner surface of a heel cup and the heel cup may have a shoe-horn like configuration. The ankle collar may reduce the dimensions of the shoe opening when not compressed.

A shoe includes a sole and an upper having a heel counter with a heel cup. The upper includes a foot receiving shoe opening. The heel cup is uniformly molded with an upper portion, midportion, and lower portion. On a vertical cross-section, the heel cup has a S wave shape and a thickness of the heel cup decreases gradually from a peripheral portion of the heel cup toward a central region of the heel cup. The heel cup is attached to an interior compressible layer, and the compressible layer extends into the shoe opening. The compressible layer may be compressed by a user's foot during insertion or removal of the user's foot, and may at least partially expand to hold an ankle of the user's foot once the foot is inserted.

The shoe includes a sole and an upper including at least one layer of elastic material positioned to stretch and create tension that enhances securement of a foot inserted into the shoe. The shoe includes a heel cup with polymer material, the heel cup affixed to the sole and upper, and the heel cup includes an upper portion, a midportion, and a lower portion. The shoe includes an interior foam layer adjacent to at least an interior wall of the upper portion of the heel cup, the interior foam layer being compressible, and the interior foam layer extends into the shoe opening, providing securement of the foot once inserted.