U.S. patent application number 13/805986 was filed with the patent office on 2013-08-15 for tongue for a shoe, and shoe.
This patent application is currently assigned to DEELUXE SPORTARTIKEL HANDELS GMBH. The applicant listed for this patent is Thierry Martigny. Invention is credited to Thierry Martigny.
Application Number | 20130205618 13/805986 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44628071 |
Filed Date | 2013-08-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130205618 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Martigny; Thierry |
August 15, 2013 |
TONGUE FOR A SHOE, AND SHOE
Abstract
A tongue for a shoe is disclosed, especially a sports shoe,
having at least one closure passage which is arranged on the
outside of an upper region of the tongue when the shoe is in use,
and a closure receiving pocket, which is arranged at the back of
the closure passage towards a user. A shoe provided with such a
tongue is also disclosed.
Inventors: |
Martigny; Thierry;
(Beaurepaire, FR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Martigny; Thierry |
Beaurepaire |
|
FR |
|
|
Assignee: |
DEELUXE SPORTARTIKEL HANDELS
GMBH
Kufstein
AU
|
Family ID: |
44628071 |
Appl. No.: |
13/805986 |
Filed: |
June 29, 2011 |
PCT Filed: |
June 29, 2011 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2011/060913 |
371 Date: |
February 4, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/54 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A43C 7/02 20130101; A43B
23/26 20130101; A43B 3/0031 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
36/54 |
International
Class: |
A43B 23/26 20060101
A43B023/26 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 30, 2010 |
DE |
102010017664.8 |
Claims
1. A tongue for a shoe, comprising: at least one closure passage
which is arranged on an outside of an upper region of the tongue
when the shoe is in use, and a closure receiving pocket, which is
arranged at a back of the closure passage towards a user.
2. A tongue according to claim 1, wherein: the closure passage is
in the form of a loop, through which at least one closure,
comprising at least one tape or at least one shoelace, is
guided.
3. A tongue according to any claim 2, wherein: the loop is elastic
and is configured for receiving and/or holding a locking system for
the closure.
4. A tongue according to claim 3, wherein: the loop has a cut-out
for receiving and holding the locking system.
5. A tongue according to claim 1, wherein: the closure receiving
pocket and/or the closure passage is integral with the tongue
(10).
6. A shoe having a tongue according to claim 1.
7. A tongue according to claim 3, wherein the locking system
comprises a clamping device.
8. A tongue according to claim 4, wherein the cut-out comprises a
slot-like cut-out.
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a tongue for a shoe according to
the preamble of patent claim 1 and to a shoe according to the
preamble of patent claim 6.
[0002] A tongue is a generally known part of a shoe which closes
the shoe at the front opposite a wearer's forefoot and instep. In
some shoes, especially in sports shoes, the tongue additionally
forms part of a closure system or lacing system, wherein a specific
portion, usually a middle and/or upper portion, of the tongue is
associated with a closure system or lacing system of the shoe. Such
a lacing system, or tightening system, for a shoe is described, for
example, in DE 601 06 816, wherein the tongue has in its upper
region a pocket with openings, through which pocket the shoelaces
extend and in which a shoelace-locking element can be accommodated.
However, the system described in DE 601 06 816 has the disadvantage
that the free end of the shoelace which is to be grasped by a user
during tightening or closing of the shoe, or of the shoelace, and
which is in the form of a loop is relatively long after locking of
the shoelace in a closed position and is stored in the same pocket
as the locking element for the shoelace, so that on the one hand
the pocket must be made very large and on the other hand there is a
risk of the locking element's coming undone again when the
left-over shoelace is pushed into the pocket, so that the lacing of
the shoe becomes loose. In addition, there is a further risk that,
when the left-over shoelace is pulled out of the pocket
intentionally or unintentionally, the locking element will likewise
be pulled out and may unintentionally come undone.
[0003] The object of the invention is to eliminate the
above-mentioned disadvantages and to provide a tongue for a shoe,
and a shoe, which has an improved closure system and in addition
ensures secure storage of a left-over closure means, such as, for
example, a shoelace.
[0004] That object is achieved by a tongue for a shoe according to
patent claim 1 and by a shoe equipped with such a tongue according
to patent claim 6.
[0005] In particular, the object is achieved by a tongue for a
shoe, especially a sports shoe, having at least one closure means
passage which is arranged on the outside in an upper region of the
tongue when the shoe is in use, and a pocket, especially a closure
means receiving pocket, which is arranged at the back of the
closure means passage towards a user.
[0006] An important aspect of the invention is that the tongue has
at least one closure means passage which is arranged on the outside
in an upper region of the tongue when the shoe is in use and
through which closure means, such as, for example, shoelaces, can
extend, while a closure means receiving pocket is arranged at the
back of the closure means passage, that is to say towards a user,
on the tongue or in the tongue, in which closure means receiving
pocket excess closure means, such as, for example, one or more of
the above-mentioned shoelaces, can be accommodated. In that manner
it is possible according to the invention to accommodate a locking
system which serves to fix a closure means, such as a shoelace, in
the upper region of the tongue on or in the closure means passage,
while left-over and/or excess closure means, such as
above-mentioned shoelaces, can be accommodated separately therefrom
in a pocket arranged between the closure means passage and the
wearer of the shoe, so that there is no risk that the locking
system and the closure means will affect one another, so that there
is no longer a risk of the locking system's being unintentionally
opened by excess closure means when the closure means is being
stored in or taken out of the pocket.
[0007] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the
closure means passage is in the form of a loop through which at
least one closure means, preferably at least one tape or at least
one shoelace, is guided. That loop according to the invention can
be in the form of either a loop of cord or a loop of tape, as
required, but a pocket-like loop of large surface area which is
attached, for example, flat to the front upper region of the tongue
by preferably lateral attachment points or seams, riveting or
adhesive bonding also falls within the scope of the invention.
[0008] The loop is further elastic according to the invention and
is optionally configured to receive and/or hold a locking system,
especially a clamping device for the closure means, it being
possible for the locking system to be held and fixed in a loop in
cord or tape form or to be accommodated completely in a pocket-like
loop. It should be pointed out here that the locking system can
either be configured as a fixed constituent of the pocket-like loop
and fixedly integrated therein, or alternatively can be capable of
being inserted into that pocket and removed therefrom.
[0009] It is further provided according to the invention that the
loop can have a cut-out, especially a slot-like cut-out, which
serves to receive, especially in a form-fitting manner, and hold
the locking system. In that manner, the locking system can be
accommodated securely on or in the loop, namely in the slot-like
cut-out of the loop provided therefor, and on the other hand is
easily and conveniently accessible for handling in order to
tighten, or close, the shoe and release the closure means.
[0010] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the
closure means receiving pocket and/or the closure means passage is
formed integrally with the tongue, so that both the closure means
receiving pocket and/or the closure means passage are accommodated
completely in the tongue and accordingly do not increase or
increase only negligibly the thickness of the tongue.
Alternatively, it can be provided that the closure means passage is
situated in an upper region of the tongue and is stitched,
adhesively bonded, riveted or welded thereto. In addition, the
closure means receiving pocket can also be stitched or otherwise
attached to an already existing, finished tongue or can be placed
on a tongue during the production thereof and connected, especially
stitched or adhesively bonded, riveted or welded, thereto.
[0011] The object of the invention is additionally achieved by a
shoe which has a tongue according to the above-mentioned
embodiments.
[0012] Further embodiments of the invention will become apparent
from the subsidiary claims.
[0013] The invention will be described below on the basis of
exemplary embodiments which are explained in greater detail on the
basis of the figures, in which:
[0014] FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic representation of a first
embodiment according to the invention of a closure means passage
and of a closure means receiving pocket located at the back
thereof;
[0015] FIG. 2 shows a diagrammatic representation of a further
embodiment of the invention;
[0016] FIG. 3 shows a diagrammatic representation of a further
embodiment of the invention;
[0017] FIGS. 4 to 7 show a shoe with a tongue according to the
invention; and
[0018] FIGS. 8 and 9 show a detail view of the tongue according to
the invention according to FIGS. 4 to 7.
[0019] In the following description, the same reference numerals
are used for parts which are the same and which have the same
function.
[0020] FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic representation of a closure
means passage 20 according to the invention, through which there
extends a closure means 40 in the form of a shoelace 40 guided in a
loop. The closure means passage 20 is in the form of a pocket-like
loop, in which there is accommodated a locking system 50 through
which the shoelaces 40 again extend. It is further apparent from
FIG. 1 that there is arranged at the back of the closure means
passage 20 a closure means receiving pocket 30 in which left-over,
or excess, closure means 40 is accommodated. Again at the back of
the closure means receiving pocket 30 there can be arranged a
tongue, to which the device shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1 can be
stitched. Alternatively, it is also possible to integrate the
device shown in FIG. 1 directly into a tongue 10 (not shown in FIG.
1).
[0021] FIGS. 2 and 3 each show a diagrammatic representation of a
tongue according to the invention, wherein in the embodiments shown
in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 the closure means passage 20 is in each case
in the form of a pocket-like loop, each of which has a cut-out 60
in which a locking system 50 can be fixed in a form-fitting manner
when the closure means 40 is tightened and held by the locking
system 50. It is further shown in FIG. 2 how the closure means 40
extends through the locking system 50 and through the closure means
passage 20, from where it emerges from a "buttonhole" and is shown
as a lace extending in a ring.
[0022] In FIG. 2, the cut-out 60 located in the closure means
passage 20 is not yet occupied by the locking system 50, while in
FIG. 3 the locking system 50 is held in a form-fitting manner in
the cut-out 60 of the closure means passage 20. In addition, FIG. 3
shows how the closure means 40 is accommodated in a closure means
receiving pocket 30 arranged at the back of the closure means
passage 20. The free ends of the closure means 40 extend in FIGS. 2
and 3, as well as in FIG. 1, towards the lacing system of an
associated shoe.
[0023] FIGS. 4 to 7 show how a tongue 10 according to the invention
is arranged in a shoe according to the invention, and how the
closure means 40 forms the lacing system of the shoe and extends
through the closure means passage 20. The locking system 50, by
means of which the closure means 40 can be fixed, is accommodated
in the closure means passage 20, which according to FIGS. 4 to 7 is
in the form of a pocket-like loop which in the present case does
not have a cut-out 60, the locking system 50 being inserted into
the pocket-like loop of the closure means passage from beneath,
that is to say coming from the lacing system of the shoe, the
closure means 40 extending out of the top of the elastic
pocket-like loop. The elastic closure means passage 20 is arranged
at the head of the tongue 10 and is in such a form that on the one
hand the closure means 40 is guided in a simple manner, while the
locking system 50, after tightening of the closure means 40, can be
held in the cut-out 60, the cut-out 60 being of such a size, and
especially sufficiently wide, that it is able to receive the
locking system 50 but is not so wide that secure holding of the
locking system 50 would not be possible.
[0024] The closure means receiving pocket 30 is in turn so
configured that the closure means 40, which extends out of the
locking system 50 towards the upper side of the tongue 10 through
the above-mentioned "buttonhole" of the closure means passage 20,
can be accommodated simply and securely, so that excess closure
means, especially shoelace, does not hang untidily outside the
shoe.
[0025] FIG. 8 shows an enlarged representation of an upper region
of the tongue 10 of a shoe according to the invention with a
closure means passage 20, which is in the form of a pocket and is
configured to receive a locking system 50. The detail view in FIG.
8 shows a front view of a shoe, so that the closure means 40
extends backwards into the closure means receiving pocket 30 (not
visible in FIG. 8). The closure means receiving pocket 30 is
visible in FIG. 9, FIG. 9 showing how the closure means 40, which
extends out of the "buttonhole", can be accommodated.
[0026] Accordingly, the tongue according to the invention
advantageously has a twin-pocket system which is provided on the
one hand for fixing or locking a closure means, namely preferably a
shoelace, which extends through a pocket-like loop and the excess
of which can then be stored in a closure means receiving pocket,
which is arranged, when the tongue is viewed from the front, behind
the closure means passage 20.
[0027] It should be pointed out here that all the parts described
above are claimed on their own and in any combination, especially
the details shown in the drawings. Modifications thereof are
familiar to the person skilled in the art.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0028] 10 tongue [0029] 20 closure means passage [0030] 30 closure
means receiving pocket [0031] 40 closure means [0032] 50 locking
system [0033] 60 cut-out
* * * * *