Patent ID: 9675131
Date: 2017-06-13
CPC Classifications: A43B,A43C

Claim:
1. An article of footwear comprising: an upper including an instep region located rearward of a toe region, an outsole joined with the upper; a rigid toe protective element disposed in the toe region of the upper; an internal metatarsal guard disposed in an interior of the upper; a first external metatarsal guard movably joined with the upper, on an exterior of the upper; a second external metatarsal guard, on the exterior of the upper, movably joined with the upper, and overlapping the first external metatarsal guard so that upon flexing of the instep region during a gait cycle of a wearer, the second external metatarsal guard rides along the first external metatarsal guard via lobster tail articulation of the first and second external metatarsal guards relative to one another, wherein a first external metatarsal guard front edge slides forwardly along an exterior surface of the upper during the gait cycle of the wearer, and thus moves relative to the rigid protective toe element, wherein the upper defines a centerline that bisects the upper, wherein the second external metatarsal guard defines a lace hole through which a shoe lace is disposed to secure the second metatarsal guard to the upper along a lateral edge of the second external metatarsal guard, wherein the shoe lace is disposed over an upper surface of the second metatarsal guard adjacent the lateral edge, without the shoe lace crossing the centerline over the upper surface to extend to a medial edge of the second metatarsal guard.