U.S. patent application number 10/485712 was filed with the patent office on 2004-12-02 for shoe.
Invention is credited to Lacey, Brad.
Application Number | 20040237348 10/485712 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 7967180 |
Filed Date | 2004-12-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040237348 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lacey, Brad |
December 2, 2004 |
Shoe
Abstract
A shoe (1), especially an athletic shoe, with an upper (2) which
has a tongue (4) in the area of the instep (3). Such a shoe (1) is
improved such that it can be put on and taken off while avoiding
lacing effort, nevertheless the shoe (1) being held on the foot in
the best possible manner. This is achieved in that the tongue (4)
and the area (5, 6) of the shoe upper (2) located laterally from
the tongue (4) are connected via at least one flexible-elastic flat
part (7, 8) and that the two areas (5, 6) of the shoe upper (2)
which are located to the side of the tongue (4) are interconnected
by at least two tightening straps (9, 9', 9", 9'", 9"").
Inventors: |
Lacey, Brad; (Nurnberg,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
NIXON PEABODY, LLP
401 9TH STREET, NW
SUITE 900
WASHINGTON
DC
20004-2128
US
|
Family ID: |
7967180 |
Appl. No.: |
10/485712 |
Filed: |
February 4, 2004 |
PCT Filed: |
November 14, 2002 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/DE02/04185 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/54 ; 36/50.1;
36/51 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43C 11/006 20130101;
A43B 3/08 20130101; A43C 11/1493 20130101; A43C 11/22 20130101;
A43C 11/20 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
036/054 ;
036/050.1; 036/051 |
International
Class: |
A43C 011/00; A43B
011/00; A43B 023/26 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 30, 2002 |
DE |
202 01 427.4 |
Claims
1. Shoe which has a tongue in the area of the instep, the tongue
and an area of the shoe upper located laterally from the tongue
being connected via at least one flexible-elastic flat part and the
areas of the shoe upper which are located to the side of the tongue
being interconnected by at least two tightening straps.
2. Shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least two tightening
straps span the top of the tongue.
3. Shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least two tightening
straps run on the bottom of the tongue.
4. Shoe as claimed in claim 3, wherein the at least two tightening
straps are located between the bottom of the tongue and a cushion
layer.
5. Shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein between the tongue and each
of the lateral areas of the shoe upper there is a respective
flexible-elastic part.
6. Shoe as claimed in claim 5, wherein the at least two
flexible-elastic parts are formed by a continuous elastic strap
which extends between the areas to the side of the tongue on the
shoe upper and which is securely joined to the tongue a flat area
of the tongue.
7. Shoe as claimed in claim 6, wherein a top surface of the elastic
strap is connected to a bottom surface of the tongue.
8. Shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein on the tongue there is at
least one guide element for the tightening straps.
9. Shoe as claimed in claim 8, wherein the guide element is a
loop.
10. Shoe as claimed in claim 8, wherein each tightening strap has
at least one guide element of its own.
11. Shoe as claimed in claim 8, wherein for each tightening strap
there are two guide elements on the tongue which are located
roughly symmetrically to the center axis of the shoe.
12. Shoe as claimed in claim 8, wherein a guide element for each
tightening strap is assigned to each flexible-elastic part.
13. Shoe as claimed in claim 8, wherein at least one guide element
is located on the top of the tongue.
14. Shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tightening straps
essentially tighten the entire area of the tongue.
15. Shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least two
tightening straps comprise five tightening straps.
16. Shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tongue is made of a
material from the group consisting of leather, imitation leather,
plastic, textile material and combinations of these materials.
17. Shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one
flexible-elastic part is made of a material from the group
consisting of leather, imitation leather, plastic, textile material
and combinations of these materials.
18. Shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tightening straps are
made of rubber material.
19. Shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tightening straps are
made of a material from the group consisting of an elastomer butane
rubber, neoprene, polyurethane or silicone.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to a shoe, especially an athletic
shoe, with an upper which has a tongue in the area of the
instep.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] Shoes of this type have been known for a long time in the
prior art. Conventionally, they are closed/tightened by tying of a
shoelace after the foot has been slipped in, so that the shoe fits
securely on the foot.
[0005] Approaches are also known in which, with elimination of the
shoelace, the instep area of the shoe upper is made elastic so that
the shoe can be put on and taken off without lacing. The
disadvantage here is that the shoe is held on the foot only
conditionally and this entails the danger that, especially when
used in sports, the shoe can be easily pulled off the foot
unintentionally.
[0006] Published European Patent Application EP 0 283 419 A2 (and
counterpart U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,497) discloses a shoe concept for
an athletic shoe in which, in the instep area, there is a flat,
flexible-elastic strap which is located on adjacent sections on
each side of the shoe upper. In any case, it is also
disadvantageous in this athletic shoe that it can be pullet off the
foot unintentionally with relative ease.
[0007] Swiss Patent 48336 discloses a shoe which has several
tightening straps which span the tongue area. In any case, the
tongue area is made such that it cannot exert any tightening force,
so that this shoe has only a limited ability to prevent the shoe
from coming off unintentionally.
[0008] In the approach of published German Patent Application DE 44
47 267 A1, there are two tightening straps which are fixed by means
of a Velcro.RTM. hook and loop closure, therefore do not have their
own elastic tightening action. After putting on the shoe these
tightening straps must be fixed via the Velcro.RTM. hook and loop
closure, by which a certain effort arises in putting on the shoe,
which is moreover disadvantageous.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] Therefore, the object of the invention is to develop a shoe,
especially an athletic shoe of the initially mentioned type, such
that it can be put on and taken off while avoiding lacing effort,
nevertheless the shoe being held on the foot in the best possible
manner.
[0010] This object is achieved by the invention in that the tongue
and the area of the shoe upper located laterally from the tongue
are connected via at least one flexible-elastic flat part and that
the two areas of the shoe upper located to the side of the tongue
are interconnected by at least two tightening straps.
[0011] The tongue of the proposed shoe is therefore connected at
least by the flexible-elastic part to the edge of the shoe upper
which borders the tongue laterally, the tightening force which is
necessary for secure fitting of the shoe being applied by at least
two tightening straps.
[0012] According to a first development, it can be provided that
the at least two tightening straps span the top of the tongue.
Alternatively, however, it is also possible for the at least two
tightening straps to run on the bottom of the tongue; in doing so,
it can then be provided that the tightening straps are located
between the bottom of the tongue and a cushion layer which cushions
the tongue toward the foot.
[0013] According to one development, that a respective
flexible-elastic part is provided between the tongue and the
lateral areas of the shoe upper; then the tongue therefore sits
centrally in the shoe upper and is connected by the edge of the
shoe upper to the tongue on each side via a respective
flexible-elastic part.
[0014] In terms of production engineering, especially simple
manufacture is possible if the two flexible-elastic parts,
according to the latter embodiment, are formed by a continuous
elastic strap which is located in the areas to the side of the
tongue on the shoe upper and which is securely joined to the tongue
via its flat area. In doing so, it can be provided mainly that the
elastic strap is connected on its top to the bottom of the
tongue.
[0015] Advantageously, there is at least one guide element for the
tightening straps on the tongue. Here, the guide element can be
made as a loop through which the tightening strap is routed.
Preferably, each tightening strap has at least one guide element of
its own. It can also be provided that, for each tightening strap,
there are two guide elements on the tongue which are located
roughly symmetrically relative to the center axis of the shoe.
There are also advantages with respect to guiding the tightening
straps when a guide element for each tightening strap is assigned
to each flexible-elastic part. Preferably, the guide elements are
located on the top of the tongue.
[0016] Especially good seating of the shoe on the foot arises when
the tightening straps essentially tighten the entire area of the
tongue. Especially the arrangement of five tightening straps has
proven effective for this purpose.
[0017] The tongue is preferably made of leather, imitation leather,
plastic, textile material or of combinations of these
materials.
[0018] The flexible-elastic parts are made of leather, imitation
leather, plastic, textile material or combinations of these
materials.
[0019] The material for the tightening straps is preferably rubber
or also elastomers such as butane rubber, neoprene, polyurethane or
silicone.
[0020] The proposed configuration of the shoe, especially of an
athletic shoe, enables the shoe to be put on and taken off quickly
and easily since a lacing process is not necessary. Nevertheless
the shoe is very securely fitted on the foot so that the danger is
low that the shoe will unintentionally come off the foot.
[0021] In the drawings one embodiment of the invention is
shown.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] FIG. 1 perspective view schematically showing an athletic
shoe in accordance with the invention and
[0023] FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken along line A-B
in FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0024] The athletic shoe 1 shown in FIG. 1 has an upper 2 which is
made, preferably, of leather or textile material or of a
combination of the two materials. In the instep area 3 of the shoe
1, there is a tongue 4 which runs in the middle in the upper 2 in
the conventional manner. In the each of the two areas 5, 6 to the
side of the tongue 4, there is a respective flexible-elastic part
7, 8. These two parts 7, 8 are attached both on the side of the
tongue 4 and also on the adjacent lateral edge of the upper 2.
[0025] Thus, the tongue 4 and the parts 7, 8 yield a structure
which completely covers the instep area 3 of the shoe 1. The
elasticity of the flexible-elastic parts 7, 8 makes it possible to
pull the shoe 1 onto the foot.
[0026] So that the shoe 1 is fitted securely on the foot, here,
there are five tightening straps 9, 9', 9", 9'", 9"" which are
attached to the upper 2 with their respective ends and span both
the tongue 4 and also the flexible-elastic parts 7, 8. As can be
seen, the tightening straps 9, 9', 9", 9'", 9"" essentially span
the entire surface of the tongue 4.
[0027] As can furthermore be seen in FIG. 1, on the tongue 4, there
are guide elements 13 in the form of guide loops. With the latter,
the tightening straps 9, 9', 9", 9'", 9"" are each guided through
two guide elements 13 near the edge of the tongue 4; therefore one
guide element 13 for each tightening strap 9, 9', 9", 9'", 9"" is
assigned to each of the two flexible-elastic parts 7, 8.
[0028] FIG. 2 shows the structure of the shoe in greater detail.
Section A-B as shown in FIG. 1 is illustrated. Here, it is apparent
that there is a continuous elastic strap 10 which is located in the
areas 5, 6 to the side of the tongue 4 and are attached securely on
the edges of the upper 2. The top 12 of the elastic strap 10 is
securely joined to the flat area 11 of the tongue 4 so that the
elastic strap 10 is elastic only in the lateral areas 5, 6, and
thus, can form the flexible-elastic parts 7, 8.
[0029] FIG. 2 also shows that per tightening strap 9, 9', 9", 9'",
9"", there are two guide elements 13 on the tongue 4 which are
located essentially symmetrically to the middle axis 14 of the
shoe.
* * * * *