56° and Clear
The intricacies of protection a company applies to a clever, unique, and enviable design are clearly evident with Skechers, patented heel technology, Hands Free Slip-ins®.
This week US Patent 12,538,964 B2 was issued to Skechers. The list of inventors attributed to the design: John Maxwell Weeks, Los Angeles, CA (US); Scott Kelley, Redondo Beach, CA (US); Frank Chuang, Cypress, CA (US); Pei-Chun Liao, Torrance, CA (US); Johnson Tja, Foshan (CN); Hui Xie, Dongguan (CN); and Kurt Stockbridge, Palos Verdes Estates, CA (US)
Skechers Hands Free Slip-ins®, features patented heel technology allowing you to step in without bending or using your hands. Hands Free Slip-ins have an exclusive Heel Pillow™ that allow you to step in without bending over. Learn more about Slip-ins Technology.
Step In & Go: How Skechers Hands-Free Technology Works | SKECHERS | SKECHERS
The slip-in technology has been the subject of two lawsuits.
- 2024 Skechers filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Rockport/Authentic Brands Group over their Tristen Step Activated Slip On shoes infringe on Skechers' Slip Ins design patent
- 2025 Kizik filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Skechers, based on their patent for a shoe design with a stabilizer for hands-free wear
"Michael Greenberg, President of Skechers, stated, “The timing of this lawsuit is curious, coming on the heels of Skechers announcing a $9.42 billion merger with 3G Capital. Kizik asserts that, ‘at the heart of Skechers’ hands-free shoes’ are Kizik’s patented technologies, yet Skechers has been advertising and selling its Slip-ins since December 2021 without so much as a letter from Kizik." Skechers Responds to Kizik’s Patent Lawsuit | Skechers (about.skechers.com)
Skechers Patents include US 12,538,964 B2 Footwear heel counter for easier foot entry or removal. Assigned to Skechers U.S.A., Inc. II, Manhattan Beach, CA (US)
- Filed on Apr. 18, 2025, as Appl. No. 19/183,713.
- Application 19/183,713 is a continuation of application No. 18/199,250, filed on May 18, 2023, granted, now 12,419,386.
- Application 18/199,250 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2022/046726, filed on Oct. 14, 2022.
- Claims priority of provisional application 63/256,521, filed on Oct. 15, 2021.
Skechers was established in 1992 by Robert Greenburg, founder of L.A. Gear. They are based in Manhattan Beach. According to they are the third largest footwear company in the world!
More News from Los Angeles
- Menus as Neighborhood Maps: How Los Angeles Restaurant Menus Tell Stories of Community Formation Drawing from the L.A. Public Library’s extensive Menu Collection, Tien Nguyen will explore how restaurant menus can offer insights into the formation of immigrant enclaves.
- US Hockey Wins Olympic Gold - Two California Connections on the Team! 40 years after a stunning win at Lake Placid, the U.S. Olympic Hockey team won Gold at the 2026 winter Olympics. None of the players in 1986 had played professionally.
