Patent ID: 9730493
Date: 2017-08-15
CPC Classifications: A43C

Claim:
1. An article of footwear in combination with an elastic closure, comprising: an article of footwear having an upper, the upper having a plurality of eyelets formed therethrough; and a plurality of elastic closures, each of the closures including a continuous elastomeric loop having a closed first and a second longitudinally opposed end; an anchoring member, the anchoring member having a top surface and a bottom surface, the anchoring member being secured directly to the first end of the elastomeric loop, wherein the anchoring member includes a shank extending from the bottom surface thereby defining a space therebetween, further wherein the first end of the elastomeric loop is disposed within the space and is secured to the shank; and an aglet secured to and covering the second end of the elastomeric loop, wherein the aglet and the second end of the elastomeric loop are dimensioned and configured for insertion from above through a first one of the eyelets of the upper of the article of footwear so that the aglet and the second end of the elastomeric loop may then be drawn through a second one of eyelets of the upper from below the second one of the eyelets, the anchoring member preventing the first end of the elastomeric loop from passing through the first one of the eyelets, the second end of the elastomeric loop being stretched across the upper and releasably secured about the anchoring member to releasably close the upper, a plurality of pairs of the eyelets having a corresponding one of the elastic closures fastened across the eyelets to resiliently retain the footwear on the foot of a user.