ALEXANDRIA, Va., Feb. 3 -- United States Patent no. 12,538,964, issued on Feb. 3, was assigned to Skechers U.S.A. Inc. II (Manhattan Beach, Calif.).
"Footwear heel counter for easier foot entry or removal" was invented by John Maxwell Weeks (Los Angeles), Scott Kelley (Redondo Beach, Calif.), Frank Chuang (Cypress, Calif.), Pei-Chun Liao (Torrance, Calif.), Johnson Tja (Foshan, China), Hui Xie (Dongguan, China) and Kurt Stockbridge (Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.).
According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "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...