Patent ID: 6691433
Filing Date: 2004-02-17
Classification: A43B,A43C,Y10T

Abstract:
An automated tightening shoe comprising:a sole; an upper connected to said sole and having a toe portion and a heel portion, said upper being formed with an opening adjacent to said heel portion to permit slipping of a foot into said upper, said upper further having a tongue connected to said toe portion, and first and second closure tabs disposed to overlap opposite lateral sides of said tongue, respectively; a closure member provided on said upper, extending between said first and second closure tabs, and connected to at least one of said first and second closure tabs, said closure member being movable from a loosening state, where said closure member allows limited movement of said first and second closure tabs away from each other, to a tightened state, where said closure member pulls said first and second closure tabs toward each other to tighten said shoe around the foot; a tightening mechanism including a first fastener having a mounting section mounted securely on said first closure tab, and a fastener engaging section provided on said mounting section, and a second fastener connected to said closure member, and having a fastener engaging portion capable of removable engagement with said fastener engaging section of said first fastener so as to retain releasably said closure member at the tightened state; and a drive unit mounted inside said sole, and including a housing, a spool mounted rotatably in said housing, a pull string having a first anchored end connected to said spool, a second anchored end connected to said second fastener, and an intermediate string portion between said first and second anchored ends, said intermediate string portion extending outwardly of said sole and said upper to permit connection of said second anchored end to said second fastener, and a motor unit mounted in said housing and coupled to said spool, said motor unit being operable so as to drive rotation of said spool in said housing to wind said pull string on said spool for pulling said second fastener toward said first fastener in order to engage said fastener engaging portion with said fastener engaging section, thereby resulting in automated tightening of said shoe.