Abstract:
The present invention relates to a shoe having a canopy and laterally mounted tightening apparatus. The canopy has a fixed end attached to the shoe and a free end not attached to the shoe. The free end of the canopy has lobes (or the canopy is a plurality of straps) that are moveable relatively independently of each other such that a lace attached to a tightening apparatus and the free end of the canopy tightens the shoe allowing the free ends of the canopy to facilitate the canopy molding the foot of the user.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to shoes and, more particularly, to a sport shoe tightening system. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     There exist many mechanisms for tightening shoes, boots, skates, and other footwear. Conventional mechanisms for tightening footwear range from simple manual lace tightening to more complex buckles or clamps and the like. Manual lace tightening has many drawbacks including, for example, difficulty in adjusting the lace tightness and uneven distribution of pressure from the tightening. Buckle and clamp style systems, while quicker than manual lace tightening, cause pressure points where the buckles or clamps exist. These pressure points cause localized hot spots and irritation, which can lead to blisters and the like. 
     VELCRO® straps can be used in place of buckles and/or laces, but they suffer many of the drawbacks of buckles in they produce localized pressure points and uneven tightness distribution. Further, the straps are prearranged, similar to buckles, inhibiting the shoe from free forming to a user&#39;s foot shape. The result is localized pressure points and hotspots that can irritate the foot. 
     An existing automatic lace tightening system is described by U.S. Pat. No. 6,289,558, issued Sep. 18, 2001, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,599, issued Aug. 10, 1999, both titled FOOTWEAR LACING SYSTEM, both issued to Hammerslag. The Hammerslag Patents describe a circular tightening apparatus that is rotated to tighten the laces and locked in place with a ratchet and pawl lock. The laces are loosened by releasing the lock by lifting the pawl and pulling on the laces to loosen them, or using reverse rotation of the ratchet. As can be seen, the Hammerslag Patents disclose a conventional shoe having an upper with an open throat. Opposing sides of the upper are tightened using the laces and tightening system of the Hammerslag Patents. 
     The recent trend with Cycling shoes has been to provide a shoe  100  as shown in FIG.  1 . Shoe  100  has a conventional sole  102  and a conventional upper  104 . Upper  104  comprises a toe box  106 , a tongue  108  covering a throat opening (not specifically shown), and a heel  110 . As can be seen on shoe  100 , a seam  112  attaches the tongue  108  to upper  104  about toe box  106 . A canopy  114  with one or more fasteners  116  are coupled to upper  104  on a first side  118  and releasably attached to upper  114  on a second side  120  such that fasteners  116  traverse tongue  108 . Conventionally, fasteners  116  comprise hook and loop style fasteners, such as, for example, VELRCO® straps. These straps, however, have fixed fastening locations that cause localized pressure points, hotspots, and irritation to the user&#39;s foot. 
     While it would be desirous to incorporate the lacing system disclosed by the Hammerslag Patents into conventional cycling shoes, it has been discovered that incorporating the Hammerslag Patents as disclosed into cycling shoes causes localized hotspots, pressure points, and buckling in canopy  114 . Thus, it would be desirous to develop an improved shoe tightening system. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     To attain the advantages and in accordance with the present invention, a tightening system for a shoe is provided. The shoe comprises a sole and an upper. The upper is formed of at least a toe box, a throat, and a heel. The tightening system comprises a canopy having a fixed end and a free end. A slit in the free end extends internal to a body of the canopy forming a number of lobes. A lace runs from a tightening apparatus to the lobes allowing the canopy to be tightened on the foot of a user. 
     The present invention further provides a shoe with a tightening system. The shoe comprises a sole and an upper coupled to the sole. The upper comprises a toe box, a throat, and a heel. Traversing the throat is a throat cover. Traversing the throat cover is a canopy that is fixed to the upper on a fixed end and is not fixed to the upper on a free end. A lace is attached to a tightening apparatus and the free end of the canopy such that using the tightening apparatus to tighten the laces causes the canopy to tighten the shoe on the foot of a user. 
     The foregoing and other features, utilities and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of a preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the present invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles thereof. Like items in the drawings are referred to using the same numerical reference. 
         FIG. 1  is an elevation view of a conventional cycling shoe; 
         FIG. 2  is side elevation views of a shoe constructed in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the shoe of  FIG. 2 ; and 
         FIGS. 4A and 4B  are elevation views of opposing sides of another shoe constructed in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention will be described with reference to  FIGS. 2-4 . While the present invention is shown and described with regard to a cycling shoe, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize on reading the disclosure that alternative shoes styles could use the invention described herein, and the use of a cycling shoe is exemplary and non-limiting. 
       FIG. 2  shows an elevation view of a cycling shoe  200 . Cycling shoe  200  includes a sole  202  with lugs  204  attached to sole  202  and an upper  206  attached to the sole. Lugs  204  are optional. Upper  206  comprises a toe box  208 , a throat covering  210  covering the throat opening, a heel  212 , and a canopy  214  (which partially obscures throat cover  210 ). Throat cover  210  could be replaced with a tongue and opening similar to conventional shoes, but the bunching of the tongue and upper may cause irritation. Further, throat cover  210  optionally could be removed and canopy  214  could be stitched directly to upper  206 , but it is believed this would introduce additional bunching, localized pressure points, hotspots, and irritation to the user&#39;s foot. 
     Canopy  214  has a fixed side  216 , which is not specifically shown, on the instep of shoe  200 , and a free side  218  opposite fixed side  216 . A body  220  of canopy  214  traverses tongue  208  between fixed side  216  and free side  218 , which is best seen in FIG.  3 . Shoe  200  and canopy  214  are shown in  FIG. 3  with a top plan view for ease of reference. Canopy  214  has fixed side  216  and free side  218  with body  220  extending there between. As shown, body  220  has a slit  222  or gap extending from free side  218  to an interior portion of body  220  to form at least two lobes  224  in body  220 . Lobes  224  can move relatively independently of each other. An edge  226  on each lobe  224  contains a canopy cable guide  228 . Optionally, canopy cable guide  228  can reside on lobes  224  proximate edge  226  instead of on edge  226 . Generally, canopy cable guide  228  comprises a lumen or channel and is made of a low friction plastic, cloth, or the like. As shown, fixed side  216  resides on an instep side of shoe  200 , but fixed side  216  and free side  218  could be reversed as desired. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 2 , at least one additional upper cable guide  230  is attached to shoe  200 . Upper cable guide  230  comprises a lumen or channel and is made of a low friction material as well. Upper cable guide  230  is generally attached on upper  206 . As can be seen, lace  232  (which is shown in phantom inside cable guides  228  and  230 ) runs from tightening apparatus  234  through canopy cable guides  228  and upper cable guides  230  in a zigzag pattern. Generally, there will exist one more canopy cable guide  228  than upper cable guide  230 . Moreover, canopy cable guides  228  generally align with tightening apparatus  234  and upper cable guide  230 . The specifics of tightening apparatus  234  are further described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,289,558 and 5,934,599, incorporated herein by reference. 
     Lobes  224  move somewhat independently to each other and are not releasably attached in a fixed location, unlike either a buckle or VELCRO strap. In other words, lobes  224  (and portions of canopy  214 ) move and form to a user&#39;s foot unlike a buckle or VELCRO strap that is fixed to a predetermined location irrespective of the individual user&#39;s foot. The independent movement allows canopy  214  to form to a user&#39;s foot by giving canopy  214  an additional degree of freedom. By forming to the user&#39;s foot, pressure is more evenly distributed reducing localized hotspots and irritation. 
     The Hammerslag Patents disclose mounting tightening apparatus  234  specifically on a tongue or behind a heel of a shoe. Largely, this placement is sufficient for the device disclosed in the Hammerslag Patents because the tightening apparatus is designed to work with a symmetrical shoe having an upper with two symmetrical closure flaps that are being secured about a throat opening and tongue. But shoe  200  is asymmetrical and does not have a tongue, but rather throat cover  210  and canopy  214 . Although shoe  200  could have tightening apparatus  234  attached at the heel or tongue area, it has been found that placing tightening apparatus about the shoe arch support area on a side opposite the instep facilitates operation of the device. Thus, it is believed placing tightening apparatus  234  substantially aligned with an axis  236  of lobes  224  facilitates operation of the device. Further, to move tightening apparatus  234  to a different location, which would inhibit operation of the device, would likely require additional material, such as, for example, an additional upper cable guide to correct route the lace. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 4A and 4B , another shoe  400  is shown. Shoe  400  includes a sole  402  with, optionally, one or more lugs  404  and an upper  406 . Upper  406  comprises a toe box  408 , a throat cover  410 , and a heel  412 . Throat cover  410  could be replaced with a throat opening with or without a tongue. Throat cover  410  is attached to upper  406  along seam  414 . In this case, a canopy  416  traversing throat cover  410  comprises a plurality of independent straps  418  separated by a plurality of gaps  420 . Each strap has a fixed end  422  attached to one side of upper  406  and a free end  424 . Free ends  424  are proximate tightening apparatus  426 , which is generally located opposite the instep and substantially in line with an axis  428  of one of the plurality of free ends  424 . Each free end  424  has a canopy cable guide  430 . As one of skill in the art will recognize, aligning tightening apparatus  426  with axis  428  is a general placement suggestion and not a requirement of placement. Also existing proximate tightening apparatus  426  are upper cable guides  432 . Lace  434  is shown laced between tightening apparatus  426 , canopy cable guides  430  and upper cable guides  432 . As can be seen in  FIG. 4A , tightening apparatus  426  includes a rotating ratchet and pawl  440  and a release  442 . Ratchet and pawl  440  operates such that it normally tightens lace  434  by rotating in a singular direction. Release  442  can be, for example, a lever that lifts the pawl of ratchet and pawl  440  to allow rotation in the opposite direction or simply releases the locking effect so that lace  434  can be loosened. 
     Shoe  400  is slightly more form fitting than shoe  200  because straps  418  move completely independent of each other, while for shoe  200  only lobes  224 , and a portion of canopy  214 , move somewhat independently of each other. 
     Lace  232  and lace  434  should be formed of a low friction material as disclosed by the Hammerslag Patents. But it is believed a low friction material alone is not sufficient for ideal operation of the tightening system. In particular, the design of the tightening system is such that replacement of the lace would be difficult. To minimize replacement, it is believed a low friction, high tensile strength lace should be used, such as, for example, a lace made out of SPECTRA® as produced by Honeywell. The SPECTRA material is actually a form of plastic known as Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene. Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene also is abrasion resistant. 
     Shoe  200  contains throat cover  210  and shoe  400  contains throat cover  410  that replaces a throat opening and tongue. It is believed using the throat cover in place of a throat opening and tongue in the upper will reduce localized pressure points, hotspots, and irritation. To aid in this reduction, covers  210  and  410  are made out of a stretchable material, such as neoprene or a stretchable mesh fabric. Of course, other textiles, synthetic fabrics, or composites could be used. For increased comfort, a more breathable open foam construction may be used and or wicking material or absorbent material may be added to the cover as is generally known in the art. Having a stretchable material facilitates with the shoe fitting the user&#39;s foot without buckling or pressure points, etc. Assisting in the slipper fit described above. To fit most cyclist, throat cover should have a length L of about 95 mm to about 155 mm, but preferably has a length L of about 125 mm. Length L, however, can range anywhere from about 40 mm to 185 mm to accommodate various ages, sexes, and foot sizes. Similarly, throat cover should have a width W of about 50 mm to about 120 mm, but preferably has a width W of about 70 mm (as measured at the top opening). Width W, however, can range anywhere from about 30 mm to about 200 mm to accommodate various ages, sexes, and foot sizes. Length L and width W will also vary depending on the stretch ability of the material. Finally, shoe  200  and shoe  400  has the top opening with a length L′, which is conventional, and ranges from 60 mm to 90 mm, with 70 mm to 80 mm being the most common sizes, but preferably the length L′ is about 70 mm. 
     While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to an embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various other changes in the form and details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.