ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 8 -- United States Patent no. 12,727,639, issued on Sept. 8.
"Footwear" was invented by Martin William Fredrick Dean (Hertfordshire, Great Britain).
According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "The disclosure relates to a footwear collar and an item of footwear comprising the collar for defining an opening into which a wearer's foot is insertable, the collar comprising a one-piece semi-rigid element which borders the opening, by itself or in combination with a sole or an upper of the footwear, to continuously surround the opening, and an undulating configuration comprising a first series of alternating peaks and troughs, the peaks being located adjacent the opening, wherein the collar ...