An easy removal prevention footwear apparatus includes a footwear, a medial opening, a lateral opening, a first elastic band, a second elastic band, and a fastener. The footwear delineates a general configuration of a shoe. A first proximal end of the first elastic band is internally connected to the footwear. A second proximal end of the second elastic band is internally connected to the footwear, opposite of the first proximal end. The medial opening and the lateral opening traverse into a counter section of the footwear. A first distal end of the first elastic band slidably traverses through the lateral opening. A second distal end of the second elastic band slidably traverses through the medial opening. The first distal end and the second distal end are tensionably attached to each other by the fastener thus configuring two different securing loops between the footwear and the user's foot.

An item of footwear includes an upper and a pair of closure mechanisms. The upper includes a shaft and a backstay spaced apart from the shaft to define a pair of gaps. The pair of closure mechanisms selectively couple the backstay to the shaft, and each include at least one coupler and at least one receiver. The coupler is coupled to one of the shaft and the backstay, and the receiver is coupled to the other of the shaft and the backstay. When the receiver is coupled to the coupler, the backstay is coupled to the shaft to restrict movement of the backstay relative to the shaft, and when the receiver is decoupled from the coupler, the pair of closure mechanisms permit movement of the backstay relative to the shaft.

An article of footwear can include a tensioning system with a multilayered upper and a relatively narrow strobel. One layer of the upper can be attached to an outer periphery of the strobel. Another layer of the upper can be attached to a portion of the sole structure. In addition, a lacing region can be formed by folding a laminated structure including the second layer. A third layer of the upper can provide a bootie within the article of footwear configured to receive a foot.

An article of footwear can include a tensioning system with a multilayered upper and a relatively narrow strobel. One layer of the upper can be attached to an outer periphery of the strobel. Another layer of the upper can be attached to a portion of the sole structure. In addition, a lacing region can be formed by folding a laminated structure including the second layer. A third layer of the upper can provide a bootie within the article of footwear configured to receive a foot.

A lace fitting structure for fitting an upper 3 wrapping around an instep of a foot to the instep, the structure including: a medial side portion 31 covering the instep and a medial side surface of a big toe; a lateral side portion 32 covering the instep and a lateral side surface of a little toe; first shoelace means 1 placed to extend in a longitudinal direction Y of the foot and engaged with the medial side portion 31 and the lateral side portion 32 along central edge portions 33 of the medial side portion 31 and the lateral side portion 32; placement means for placing a portion of the first shoelace means 1 so that the first shoelace means 1 is exposed in a plurality of exposed areas 1.sub.i, which are separated from one another in the longitudinal direction Y; and second shoelace means 2 engaging, in a transverse direction X of the foot, with the first shoelace means 1 in the plurality of exposed areas 1.sub.i so as to bring the medial side portion 31 and the lateral side portion 32 closer to each other, wherein a length L of the exposed areas 1.sub.i in the longitudinal direction Y is greater than a thickness and a width of the second shoelace means 2.

Provided is a self-fitting and automatically adjustable footwear wherein the shoe upper and/or shoe tongue have or are attached to a shape memory material (‘SMM”). Upon stimulation, the SMM deforms and brings the footwear to self-assemble about a foot, which further brings two clasp members close to each other and facilitates the clasp thereof to form a self-assembled and closed footwear. The clasp members may be integrated with straps or shoelaces, and optionally SMM. The footwear may include a motor, a control unit, and sensors which enable a motor-actuated fine tensioning of the footwear. A push button to enable manual opening of the footwear may be affixed on the footwear or removably attached to multiple surfaces/locations. The entire assembly generates data transmittable to health care providers and other data trackers. The footwear may include a battery, which may be charged by placing the footwear on a charge dock station.

A foot presence sensor system for an active article of footwear can include a sensor housing configured to be disposed at or in an insole of the article, and a controller circuit, disposed within the sensor housing, configured to trigger one or more automated functions of the footwear based on a foot presence indication. In an example, the sensor system includes a capacitive sensor configured to sense changes in a capacitance signal in response to proximity of a body. A dielectric member can be provided between the capacitive sensor and the body to enhance an output signal from the sensor.

An article of footwear with an insole, an adaptable heel configured to adjust between at least an open and a closed configuration, a retainer connected to the heel configured to hold the heel in one configuration, the retainer having a locked state and an unlocked state, a releaser connected to said retainer configured to place the retainer into the unlocked state. In some cases, the insole is configured to have a raised configuration and a lowered configuration, the raised configuration being linked by a linker to the heel and its open configuration and the lowered configuration being linked by the linker to the heel and its closed configuration. In some cases, the article of footwear has a tightener having a secure state and a loose state, and the heel's closed configuration linked to the tightener's secure state.

An article of footwear includes an upper that has a body extending over at least a portion of a first side and a second side of the upper. A laceless fastening system includes a strap having an anchored end fixed at the second side and a distal end selectively remote from the upper. A first fastener is fixed to an outer surface of the body on the first side. The first fastener is less elastic than the body. A segmented second fastener is fixed to the inner side of the strap. The segmented second fastener includes a proximal segment and a distal segment closer to the distal end of the strap than the proximal segment and spaced apart from the proximal segment along the strap by an exposed portion of the strap. The segmented second fastener is less elastic than the strap.

An article of footwear includes an upper having a tensioning element operable to move the upper between a tightened state and a loosened state. The tensioning element includes a first strand having (i) a first portion extending along a lateral side of an ankle opening of the upper to a first turn in the heel region, and (ii) a second portion extending from the first turn and along the lateral side of the ankle opening to a second end at an anterior end of the ankle opening. The tensioning element also includes a second strand having (i) a first portion extending along a medial side of the ankle opening to a second turn in the heel region, and (ii) a second portion extending from the second turn and along the medial side of the ankle opening to a fourth end at the anterior end of the ankle opening.