Patent ID: 9723891
Date: 2017-08-08
CPC Classifications: A43B,A43C

Claim:
1. An article of footwear, the article of footwear comprising: an upper; the upper comprising a fastening system, a shield, and a tongue; the fastening system including a first fastener and a first fixed strap, the first fastener comprising an elongated strap, the elongated strap including a hook portion and a loop portion, the hook portion being engaged to the loop portion in a closed configuration of the article of footwear; the shield being disposed between the first fastener and the tongue when the article of footwear is in the closed configuration; the upper comprising a longitudinal direction, a lateral direction, a forefoot portion, a heel portion, a vamp portion, and a midline; a central axis extending in the longitudinal direction from the forefoot portion to the heel portion, the central axis being approximately aligned with the midline of the article of footwear, and the central axis dividing the upper into two opposing sides across the lateral direction; the two sides of the upper comprising a first side and a second side; the first fixed strap being attached along the second side of the upper; the shield including a first edge, and the tongue including a second edge; the first edge of the shield being attached to a first portion of the second side, wherein the shield is detached along an entirety of the first side of the upper; the second edge of the tongue including a forward portion and a side portion, the forward portion being joined to a portion of the vamp portion that is associated with the central axis, the side portion being attached to a second portion of the second side by a first anchor portion that comprises a stitched region of the upper, wherein the tongue is detached along a region that extends between the first anchor portion and the forward portion, and wherein the tongue is also detached along the first side of the upper; and wherein the first fastener is configured to extend in a substantially lateral direction over the shield and secure the article of footwear when tension is applied to the first fastener.