Abstract:
A footwear item including an upper portion; at least one lace passing through eyelets arranged along the edges of an opening on the front the upper portion, and that tightens, thereby drawing the edges of the opening closer to each other, when pulled in a fastening direction; a string locking arrangement, provided in the upper portion having one or more passages in which the at least one lace is inserted and is capable of sliding when the wearer pulls it, while being capable of being retained there by a lock when it is at rest. The lock including an oscillating locking member in contact with the at least one lace to slide when the latter is pulled in the fastening direction, and which gets attached onto the at least one lace and locks it in position when the latter undergoes a tension in a direction opposite to the fastening direction.

Description:
This application is a U.S. National Phase Application of PCT International Application No. PCT/IT2005/000664, filed Nov. 15, 2005. 
     The present invention refers to a footwear item provided with a locking arrangement for strings, laces or similar means, as used in particular for fastening boots. 
     For reasons of greater simplicity, reference will be made to just the case of boots throughout the following description, even if the object of the invention is may be integrated in other footwear items. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Except for the case in which boots are adapted to be fastened by means of buckles or Velcro® strips, they are generally provided with strings or laces. Such strings, usually in the number of one or—at the most—two, extend along a zigzag path on the boot as they are routed at sharp alternate turns through a number of traction eyelets attached along the two adjacent borders of an aperture provided in the boot, usually in the front portion thereof, where the foot is inserted (see for instance EP 1 541 049). When a string is then pulled, this is caused to slide through the eyelets, thereby pulling the borders of said aperture closer to each other and, ultimately, closing said aperture. 
     Described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,241 is a locking arrangement for strings or laces, in which there are provided two guides with a U-shaped cross-section, in which two strings, i.e. a string for each guide, can be inserted and pulled parallelly along a traction direction. To lock the strings in position, the need arises then for said strings to be bent towards each other, so that a toothing provided in the upper portion of each guide is able to engage the respective string, thereby locking it. This however requires a quite inconvenient and unnatural movement to be performed by the wearer, since he/she has to cross his/her arms above the foot while keeping the strings tight and stretched. 
     EP 1 112 697 discloses a fastening arrangement, in which two ends of a string extending in a zigzag pattern all along the instep, i.e. the arched upper part of the foot in the boot, slip into a double guide tunnel that is oriented along the longitudinal axis of the foot, and terminate into a clevis. In this way, the wearer is able to seize the clevis by remaining in an almost erect posture, and pull it to thereby tighten the string around the foot. However, the string must then be locked in the desired position by using another appropriate contrivance, otherwise it would slide backwards and slacken, thereby undoing the fastening effect of the boot. It may be readily appreciated that it is quite inconvenient for the wearer to have to stretch the string, i.e. keep it tight, and lock it at the same time onto the boot, since he/she must stoop to do this. Moreover, apart from this adding some complications to the string locking arrangement itself, the need arises here to provide a kind of “case” in the boot, where the clevis can be accommodated and retained, so that it does not get in the way, i.e. is not of hindrance during normal use of the boot. 
     The string locking arrangement disclosed in US 2005/0097780 is provided on the front tongue of the boot and is formed of a mushroom-shaped protrusion, under which one or more strings are run to fit in and be retained under pressure by projecting teeth so as to effectively prevent them from sliding. For the boot to be fastened, the string must be pulled sideways relative to the foot, be run under the protrusion, and finally be pulled upwards. In this way, the string is caused to be trapped and locked up by the teeth. Anyway, having to pull the string—or, still worse, a couple of strings—by exerting a force sideways relative to the foot, is not really something that can be done in a much convenient manner. 
     Described in DE 102 38 025 is again a locking arrangement for the fastening strings of a boot. This arrangement is formed of a kind of grooved boss, in the groove of which there are provided projecting ribs in the shape of a V having its vertex facing the bottom of the rib. The string can wedge itself in the vertex of the V-shaped ribs, thereby remaining locked therein, or slide thereabove when it is at a standstill and is being pulled, respectively. The effects of a variation in the tension on the string are boosted by the provision of an elbow-shaped rebound provided in the route followed by the string as determined by the narrow radius of curvature of the groove. Now, for the entire boot to be duly fastened, a plurality of devices such as the one described above are needed, actually, and the string must be run, i.e. passed by hand through each one of them—one by one. 
     Other string locking arrangements, which are conceptually similar to the above-described one, are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,428 and FR 2 847 129. In these cases use is made of loops in which there are provided fixed retaining teeth projecting therefrom, which are effective in retaining the string when—by assuming a particular mutual arrangement—they come into engaging the same string. 
     Known in the art are also a number of further string locking arrangements, such as for instance the ones disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,953,114 or U.S. Pat. No. 3,564,670, in which use is made of a kind of key or a moving retaining tooth to lock the string onto a guide thereof. Further to being quite complicated, these arrangements require the wearer to perform an additional operation in that he/she—further to pull the strings—has in fact to also lock them in position. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a footwear item with a locking arrangement for the strings, or similar fastening means, in particular for boots, which does away with the drawbacks encountered in prior-art arrangements. 
     According to the present invention, this aim is reached in a footwear item comprised of:
         an upper portion that reaches up to at least the ankle;   at least one string or lace that runs through eyelets arranged along the edges of an opening up on the front of the footwear item, and that tightens up, thereby drawing the edges of said opening closer to each other, when it is pulled in a fastening direction;   a string guide arrangement, provided in the upper portion of the boot, having one or more passages through which said string is led, and in which said string is capable of sliding when the wearer pulls it, while being capable of being retained there by locking means when it is at rest, i.e. not pulled in the fastening direction,
 
characterized in that said locking means are comprised of an oscillating locking member in contact with said at least one string which allows said at least one string to slide when the latter is pulled in the fastening direction, and which on the contrary gets stuck onto said at least one string and locks it in position when the latter undergoes a tension in a direction opposite to the fastening one.
       

     With a footwear item according to the invention, when the string is eventually pulled to the desired extent of tightness, which may occur either in a single go or in several successive steps, the string is locked in position and the footwear items fastened in a stable and reliable manner without being slacked by the return tension of the string. In addition, it is the sole movement of the strings that actuates the locking means, actually, so that the wearer can use just a single hand to fasten the footwear item. 
     The locking means are provided with a quite simple and user-friendly construction based on an oscillating locking member, which is in contact with said at least one string and allows said at least one string to slide when the latter is pulled in the fastening direction, while wedging onto said at least one string to thereby keeping it locked in position when a tension is applied onto it in the direction opposite to the fastening one. 
     A further advantage is obtained if said oscillating member is elastically biased, for example by spring means or directly by a flexible segment provided integrally therewith. The result is that, in fact, the pressure exerted onto the string is boosted and, above all, the oscillating member is kept—substantially constantly—in contact with the string, regardless of its being at a standstill or sliding, so that both the accuracy and the reliability of the unidirectional string guide arrangement are clearly enhanced (for example, the string cannot twist or tangle up). 
     In view of further improving the gripping effectiveness of the oscillating member, it may be provided with properly projecting teeth. 
     Although the string locking means may be provided outside the passages of the (unidirectional) string guide arrangement, they may also be integrated in said passages for such arrangement to be made more compact, lightweight and easily controllable. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Features and advantages of a footwear item according to the present invention may anyway be more readily and fully understood from the description of a boot that is given below by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1   a  is a three-quarter view of a boot according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 1   b  is an enlarged view of the circle indicated at M in  FIG. 1   a;    
         FIG. 2  is a front view of the string guide arrangement of the boot shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view along the plane I-I of the arrangement shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view along the plane II-II of the arrangement shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a front view of a modified embodiment of the string guide arrangement of the boot shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view along the plane III-III of the arrangement shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a schematical top view of a component part for the arrangement shown in  FIGS. 2 and 5 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a schematical cross-sectional view along the plane IV-IV of the component part shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In  FIG. 1   a , a boot according to the present invention is generally indicated at  20 . This boot comprises a sole portion  24  and an upper portion  22 , in which two strings  26 ,  28  on the front portion of the boot  20  are capable of drawing two sides  30 ,  32  of the same upper portion  22  closer to each other by sliding—when duly pulled—through eyelets  34  attached to the edges of said sides  30 ,  32 , wherein only a few of such eyelets are shown in the Figure for reasons of greater simplicity. 
     On a tongue  36  arranged under the strings  26 ,  28  and the sides  30 ,  32  so as to close the gap above the arched upper part of the foot, and having a free end portion  37  extending parallel to the leg (direction of the axis Y in  FIG. 1 ), there is provided, in a position slightly above the ankle, a string guide locking arrangement  50  able to directionally condition some laces, which is best to be seen in  FIG. 1   b , where it appears in an enlarged view, and  FIGS. 2 to 4 . 
     The main body of such arrangement  50  rests on a slightly curved base  51 , which is not to be seen in  FIG. 1   a  since it lies under the tongue  36 , and is in a heart-like shape with three lobes  52   a, b, c , i.e. two upwards oriented lobes and a downwards oriented one, respectively, which are roughly arranged in the same manner as the angles of an equilateral triangle and, the upwards oriented ones, with a symmetry relative to the axis Y (a feature that will be referred to by using the suffixes “a” and “b” to indicate same and symmetrical details hereinafter). Each one of the two upwards oriented lobes  52   a, b  comprises respectively a passage  54   a  ( 54   b ), in which there are inserted and are capable of sliding the two end portions of the string  26 . These passages  54   a  ( 54   b ), the bottom of which is formed by the above-cited base  51 , and a side wall of which is formed by an edgeways placed, i.e. knife-like protrusion  70   a  ( 70   b ) departing from the base  51  itself, extend in a slightly curved pattern that tends to gradually follow the direction of the axis Y to eventually run almost parallel thereto, so that the string  26  exiting the passages  54   a  ( 54   b ) is guided parallel to said axis Y. 
     The lead-in or entry side of the passages  54   a  ( 54   b ) comprises a retaining staple  56   a  ( 56   b ), or the like, so that the string  26 , even if it is let dangling, i.e. hanging loosely, is not allowed to drop onto the ground by sliding off the passages  54   a  ( 54   b ), but is rather sustained by said staple  56   a  ( 56   b ) for it to be able to be conveniently seized and taken up again. 
     The downwards oriented lobe  52   c  comprises two such passages  58   a  and  58   b , in which there are inserted and are capable of sliding the two end portions of the string  28 . These passages  58   a  ( 58   b ), the bottom of which is formed by the above-cited base  51 , and a side wall of which is formed by an edgeways placed, i.e. knife-like protrusion  72  departing from the base  51  itself, extend in a manner that is almost linear and parallel to the axis Y, so that the string  28  exiting the passages  58   a  ( 58   b ) is guided parallel to said axis Y. Unlike the passages in the upwards oriented lobes, these passages  58   a  ( 58   b ) are not provided with any closing staple or similar contrivance—although they might be so provided, actually—at the entry side thereof, so that they are fully open in the cross-section thereof. Instead, a lead-in or guide nick  55   a  ( 55   b ) for the two end portions of the string  28  is provided at such entry side. 
     Along a side thereof, all such four passages  54   a ,  54   b ,  58   a ,  58   b  comprise a similar oscillating locking member  60  in the shape of a cam, which is housed in a little cavity  66   a, b  provided in the body of the arrangement  50  between the base  51  and a L-shaped covering extension  68   a, b  protruding from the same base  51 , and eccentrically hinged on to a pin  62   a, b  fitted in perpendicularly to the axis Y (see  FIGS. 3 and 4  for a more detailed representation, in which—as this is done throughout the following description, on the other hand—the same reference numerals are used to indicate similar parts, wherein these are solely distinguished by the use of the suffixes “a” and “b” so as to avoid making the description dull reading). 
     With an almost planar, flat section  61  thereof, the oscillating member  60  forms a side wall of the passages  54   a ,  54   b ,  58   a ,  58   b , wherein this wall faces the respective, opposite side wall  70   a ,  70   b  and  72   a ,  72   b . A plurality of teeth  74  (only a few of them being shown in the Figure for reasons of greater simplicity) are projecting—transversally relative to the lengthwise direction—from the walls  70   a ,  70   b  and  72   a ,  72   b , as well as the flat section  61  of the oscillating members  60 : owing to the geometrical arrangement of the whole assembly, the result is that, when a string is inserted in the passages  54   a ,  54   b ,  58   a ,  58   b , the same string is in contact—on the two opposite sides thereof—with said teeth  74  centrally relative to the base  51 , while the exposed portion thereof, on the opposite side relative to said base  51 , is fully uncovered and free, i.e. not engaged or restrained. Moreover, the oscillating member  60  is able to rotate about the pin  62  so as to bring the teeth  74  provided along the flat section  61  thereof and the opposite side walls  70   a ,  70   b  and  72   a ,  72   b  closer to or away from each other. 
     As an option, connected to the pin  62  there may be spring means  64  (a helical spring in the particular case being considered) that are adapted to elastically bias the oscillating member  60  to push it against the respective opposite side wall  70   a ,  70   b ,  72   a ,  72   b —in the direction indicated at F in the Figures. 
     The manner in which the arrangement  50  works will be explained below in greater detail. 
     The two end portions of the strings  26 ,  28  are inserted in the passages  54   a ,  54   b  and  58   a ,  58   b , respectively, as this is best shown in  FIG. 1 . For the boot  20  to be laced up, i.e. fastened, the wearer has simply to remain standing, i.e. in an erect posture, with the boot  20  on, and pull the strings  26 ,  28  in a pulling direction for fastening W extending parallel to the direction of the axis Y. The sliding motion of the strings  26 ,  28  causes the flat section  61  to move away from the opposite side walls  70   a ,  70   b  and  72   a ,  72   b , so that the teeth  74  provided on said walls move in turn away from each other and do not interfere with the motion of the strings  26 ,  28 . When the tension applied on the strings  26 ,  28  by pulling them in this way enables the desired or preferred degree of fastening of the boot to be eventually reached, the wearer can release the strings  26 ,  28 , which, by moving slightly backwards, i.e. in a direction opposite to the pulling or fastening one W, in each passage  54   a ,  54   b ,  58   a ,  58   b  as a reaction to them being so released, owing to the friction existing between them and the teeth  74 , are able to move the respective oscillating members  60  downwards, wherein these oscillating members—as assisted by both gravity and the action of the spring means  64 —move closer to and get stuck against the respective opposite side walls  70   a ,  70   b  and  72   a ,  72   b , thereby tightening and locking in place the strings  26 ,  28 . The residual tension of the strings  26 ,  28  is sufficient to keep the members  60  in position and the strings  26 ,  28  locked in place. 
     For the boot  20  to be then taken off, the fastening of the strings  26 ,  28  can be released in a quite simple manner, according to a feature of the present invention. To do this, in fact, the wearer has just to seize the strings  26 ,  28  and push them slightly forwards, towards the toe of the foot. By doing this, the strings  26 ,  28  are caused to slide on the teeth  74 , which, owing to the geometrical shape thereof, do not oppose any resistance, and move out of the passages  54   a ,  54   b ,  58   a ,  58   b  (in the direction indicated at Z in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). At this point, they are no longer retained by anything, except for the staples  56   a  and  56   b , on which they are anyway able to slide, and the fastening can be undone. 
     A modified embodiment of the string guide arrangement for the boot according to the present invention is illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , where it is generally indicated at  150  and the reference numerals used to indicate parts that are similar to those considered in connection with the previously illustrated embodiment have been left unaltered but for the addition of the prefix “1”. Basically, this embodiment goes without the two passages  58   a ,  58   b  of the downwards oriented lobe  52   c  of the previously considered embodiment. 
     The body of the string guide arrangement  150  rests on a slightly curved base  151  and features two lobes  152   a, b  arranged symmetrically relative to the axis Y (this feature being referred to below by using the suffixes “a” and “b” to indicate similar and symmetrical parts). As in the previously considered case, each one of the two lobes  152   a, b  comprises a passage  154   a  ( 154   b ) in which the two end portions of the string  26  are inserted and able to slide. These passages  154   a  ( 154   b ), the bottom of which is formed by the above-cited base  151 , extend in a slightly curved pattern that tends to gradually follow the direction of the axis Y to eventually run almost parallel thereto, so that the string  26  exiting the passages  154   a  ( 154   b ) is guided parallel to said axis Y. The entry side of the passages  154   a  ( 154   b ) comprises a retaining staple  156   a  ( 156   b ), or the like, so that the string  26 , even if it is let dangling, i.e. hanging loosely, is not allowed to drop onto the ground, but is rather sustained by said staple  156   a  ( 156   b ) for it to be able to be conveniently seized and taken up again. 
     The inner structure of the passages  154   a  ( 154   b ) is made and works in the same way as this has already been described hereinbefore, so that there is no point in dealing with the related details any further. In particular, the passages  154   a ,  154   b  comprise, along a side thereof, a similar oscillating locking member  160  in the shape of a cam, which is housed in a little cavity  166   a, b  provided in the body of the arrangement  150  between the base  151  and a L-shaped covering extension  168   a, b  protruding from the same base  151 , and eccentrically hinged on to a pin  162   a, b  fitted in perpendicularly to the axis Y. 
     With an almost planar, flat section  161  thereof, the oscillating member  160  forms a side wall of the passages  154   a ,  154   b , wherein this wall faces the respective, opposite side wall  170   a ,  170   b . A plurality of teeth  174  (only a few of them being shown in the Figure for reasons of greater simplicity) are projecting—transversally relative to the lengthwise direction—from the walls  170   a ,  170   b , as well as the flat section  161  of the oscillating members  160 : as in the previously considered case, the result is that, when a string is inserted in the passages  154   a ,  154   b , the same string is in contact—on the two opposite sides thereof—with said teeth  174  centrally relative to the base  151 , while the exposed portion thereof, on the opposite side relative to said base  151 , is fully uncovered and unrestrained. Moreover, the oscillating member  160  is able to rotate about the pin  162  so as to bring the teeth  174  and the opposite side walls  170   a ,  170   b  closer to or away from each other. 
     As an option, connected to the pin  162  there may be spring means  164  (a helical spring in the particular case being considered) that are adapted to elastically bias the oscillating member  160  to push it against the respective opposite side wall  170   a ,  170   b —in the direction indicated at F in the Figures. 
     A modified embodiment of a component part of the inventive string guide arrangement is illustrated schematically in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , where it is generally indicated at  200 . Instead of the previously considered oscillating members  60 ,  160 , which may be also replaced by other jamming or wedge-in mechanisms of different shape and construction, use can be made of an oscillating member  260  having a flexible segment  258  that, therefore, is inherently biased elastically. This flexible segment  258  has a longitudinal axis X that forms with the longitudinal axis of the string  226  an acute angle α, wherein the vertex of the angle α roughly coincides with the point of contact between the segment  258  and the string  226 . This vertex is offset, i.e. shifted relative to the member  260  towards the pulling direction W. The end portion of the segment  258  in contact with the string  226  is provided with a plurality of projecting teeth  274  (only a few of them shown in the Figures for reasons of greater simplicity) aimed at improving the grip on the string  226 , and is countered by a resting wall  290  that is in turn provided with a plurality of projecting teeth  274  (only a few of them being again shown in the Figures for reasons of greater simplicity). This construction can be most easily implemented inside the passages that have been described hereinbefore in connection with the first and the second embodiment of the present invention. 
     The way in which the arrangement  200  works shall be now explained in detail. 
     The string  226  is inserted in the passage that—as indicated at  254  in the Figures—is formed between the segment  258  and the opposing wall  290 . For the boot to be fastened, the wearer has at this point to just pull the string  226  in the pulling direction W. The resulting sliding motion of the string  226  causes the segment  258  to bend (into the position shown by dashed lines in  FIG. 8 ), so that the teeth  274  no longer oppose, i.e. hinder the string  226  from sliding. 
     When the tension applied on the string  226  by putting it in this way enables the desired or preferred degree of fastening of the boot to be eventually reached, the wearer can release the string  226 , which, by moving slightly backwards, i.e. in a direction opposite to the pulling or fastening one W, enables the segment  258  to again move against the string  226  so as to exert a pressure thereupon. Owing to the teeth  274 , the segment  258  gets stuck onto the string  226  to thereby lock it in place. The residual tension of the string  226  is sufficient to keep the segment  258  in position and the string  226  locked by mutual jamming effect. When the fastening of the boot has to be loosened, a construction as the one described hereinbefore in connection with the previously considered embodiments ensures that this can be done by simply pulling the string  226  sideways in the direction Z. 
     It will be readily appreciated that the inventive concept as illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings and described above byway of non-limiting example may be the subject of a number of further different embodiments, and variants thereof, without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims.