Patent ID: 9706812
Date: 2017-07-18
CPC Classifications: A43B,A43C

Claim:
1. A footwear construction comprising: an outsole; an upper joined with the outsole, the upper including an ankle collar and a tongue configured to cooperatively surround an ankle of a wearer when the footwear is worn by the wearer, the ankle collar including an ankle collar rear portion extending around a heel of the wearer when the footwear is worn by a wearer; a first fairlead extending outwardly from the ankle collar, the first fairlead including a first base, the first base engaging the ankle collar, the first base including a first body and a first fairlead post, the first body extending outwardly from the first base and defining a fairlead first lace hole, the first fairlead post extending inwardly through at least a portion of the ankle collar, the first fairlead being located closer to the ankle collar rear portion than the tongue, the first base including a first forward protuberance and a first rearward protuberance extending forward and rearward of the first lace hole, respectively, exterior to the ankle collar, the first base including the first forward protuberance and the first rearward protuberance and having a second width greater than a first width of the first body; a second fairlead extending outwardly from the ankle collar, the second fairlead including a second base, the second base engaging the ankle collar, the second base including a second body and a second fairlead post, the second body extending outwardly from the second base and defining a fairlead second lace hole, the second fairlead post extending inwardly through at least a portion of the ankle collar, the second fairlead being located closer to the ankle collar rear portion than the tongue, the second base including a second forward protuberance and a second rearward protuberance extending forward and rearward of the first lace hole, respectively, exterior to the ankle collar, the second base including the second forward protuberance and the second rearward protuberance and having a fourth width greater than a third width of the second body; an elongated lace including first and second ends, the elongated lace extending from a location adjacent the tongue, rearward adjacent but entirely exterior to the ankle collar, the lace extending through the fairlead first lace hole over the first forward and first rearward protuberances, and configured to extend around the heel of the wearer, the lace extending through the fairlead second lace hole, over the second forward and second rearward proturberances, back toward a location adjacent the tongue, the first base and the second base being wider than the first body and second body respectively to provide a seating surface for the elongated lace, wherein the ankle collar defines interior ankle collar cavity, wherein the first fairlead post and the second fairlead post each terminate within the interior ankle collar cavity, with respective ends of the first fairlead post and the second fairlead post being concealed within the interior ankle collar cavity, whereby the elongated lace is configured to encircle the ankle of the wearer 360°, with the first and second ends joinable at a knot so as to ensure the footwear is securely joined with the wearer's foot.