Patent ID: 8056265
Filing Date: 2011-11-15
Classification: A43C,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An article of footwear comprising: a pair of opposed flaps, each flap having an upper end and a lower end, the lower end being closer than the upper end to a toe portion of the article of footwear, and each flap also having a row of eyelets, the rows of eyelets extending in substantially parallel, opposed, relationship to each other in a direction extending from the lower ends of the flaps to the upper ends of the flaps; a lace threaded through said eyelets and having plural portions, each extending from an eyelet on one of said flaps to an eyelet on another of said flaps, said lace having two end portions extending respectively from an eyelet in each row, said plural portions exerting tension on said flaps, thereby urging said flaps toward each other; and a substantially rigid tying aid for tying a shoe with one hand comprising a leg extending substantially parallel to and between said rows of eyelets, and a pair of ears, joined with, and extending laterally in opposite directions from, said leg at a location adjacent the eyelets from which said two end portions extend, the leg being engaged with, and held in place between, said rows of eyelets by at least one of said plural portions of the lace; in which each of said ears of the tying aid has a narrow inner part by which it is connected to said leg, and an enlarged outer part remote from said leg; and in which parts of said two end portions of the lace are disposed in parallel, side-by-side relation to each other, and said parallel, side-by-side, parts extend around the narrow part of one ear, from said one ear to the other ear, and around the narrow part of said other ear; whereby the lace is retained by said ears and the tension exerted on the flaps by said plural portions of the lace is maintained.