Patent Publication Number: US-2006000116-A1

Title: Article of footwear and lacing system therefor

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
      This application is based upon French Patent Application No. 04.07333, filed Jul. 2, 2004, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference thereto in its entirety and the priority of which is hereby claimed under 35 U.S.C. 119.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to an article of footwear, such as a shoe or a boot, and a lacing system for an article of footwear.  
      The invention relates to any type of footwear, including but not limited to footwear adapted for use in sports, such as walking shoes, running shoes, etc., or footwear adapted to particular sporting activities, such as snowboard boots, ski boots, skating boots, etc.  
      2. Description of Background and Relevant Information  
      Currently, there are shoes provided with very thin laces which, when associated with keepers or lace guides having a specific shape, allow for an extremely quick and precise tightening of the shoe. For example, such shoes are sold by Salomon S.A. under the trademark “XA-Pro®”.  
      There are also shoe tightening systems having a winding device that uses nylon or steel cables and pressure distribution plates. Such tightening systems are known, for example, from the European Patent Publication EP 474 708 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,117,567, in which the winding system is positioned on the top of the distribution plate, or from the European Patent Publication EP 666 718 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,609, in which the winding system is positioned at the rear of the heel.  
      In these known shoes, the distribution plates are made of a plastic that is sufficiently rigid to be capable of resisting the wear and tear caused by the steel or nylon cables used.  
      The drawbacks of the winding systems are caused by the required numerous rotations of the winding device to perform the tightening.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      An object of the present invention is to provide an article of footwear that includes an improved tightening system.  
      One of the objects in particular is to provide a foot tightening system that is easy and quick to use.  
      Another object is to provide a construction for the footwear that is simple and the lightest possible.  
      A further object is to provide an ergonomic and comfortable tightening system.  
      Object(s) of the invention is/are achieved in the article of footwear according to the invention, which includes an outer sole, an upper, and a foot tightening system, with the tightening system having a tightening plate arranged in the area of the instep of the article of footwear; the tightening plate having on each medial and lateral side, respectively, at least one channel for the passage of a tightening cord/lace; the sole and/or the upper having on each medial and lateral side, respectively, at least one keeper/guide arranged in the vicinity of the sole and adapted for the passage of the tightening cord/lace, the tightening cord/lace having at least one strand running along an alternating path between each keeper/guide and channel of the upper/sole and the tightening plate, respectively, a blocking system being associated with each strand of the cord/lace, the tightening plate being displaceable at least vertically in relation to the sole by traction on the cord/lace.  
      As a result, the tightening is carried out by displacing the tightening plate downwardly toward the sole, in a substantially vertical direction, this displacement having the effect of pressing the foot inside the article of footwear against the sole and, therefore, of ensuring that the foot has an excellent contact with the sole.  
      Furthermore, the blocking system associated with each strand makes it possible to adjust and to lock the desired tightening value precisely and quickly which, therefore, enables a quick and ergonomic tightening. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
      The invention will be better understood, and other characteristics and advantages thereof will become apparent from the following description, with reference to the attached schematic drawings, showing several embodiments by way of several non-limiting examples, and in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a shoe according to a first embodiment;  
       FIG. 1A  is a cross-sectional view along the line A-A of  FIG.1 ;  
       FIG. 1B  is a cross-sectional view along the line B-B of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 2  is a detailed view of  FIG. 1  with a section partially broken-away;  
       FIG. 3  is a top view of the shoe of  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 4  is a view, similar to  FIG. 1 , of a shoe according to a second embodiment;  
       FIG. 5  is a view, similar to  FIG. 1 , of a shoe according to a third embodiment.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTIBN OF THE INVENTION  
      The shoe  1  shown in FIG. 1  has an outer upper  10 , an outer sole or walking sole  20 , and a tightening system having a tightening plate  30 , a lacing system with a lace  40  cooperating with the tightening plate and a lace blocker  50 , as well as a storage pocket  60 . Although the lace is shown to have a circular cross-section, other shapes are encompassed by the invention, such as an oval cross-section and a square or rectangular cross-section.  
      The tightening plate  30  has a substantially saddle-shaped left surface, that is, a plate in the form of a portion of a cylinder demarcated by four concave edges, namely, a medial edge  41 , a lateral edge  42 , a front edge  43 , and a rear edge  44 .  
      The medial and lateral edges  41 ,  42  are arranged on the medial and lateral sides, respectively, of the shoe  1 , and the front and rear edges  43 ,  44  are arranged toward the front, or toe, and toward the rear, or heel, respectively, of the shoe.  
      A medial channel  45  and a lateral channel  46  are arranged on the medial and lateral edges  41 ,  42 , respectively, of the tightening plate.  
      In fact, each of the channels  45 ,  46  is a very thin tube or tube segment having a diameter corresponding to that of the lace  40  or substantially corresponding to that of the lace. Each tube  45 ,  46  extends along and fits the contour of the associated edge  41 ,  42 , respectively, of the plate and, therefore, also has a curved shape. According to one embodiment, the curvature corresponds to an arc of a circle with a radius between 50-70 millimeters (mm) or approximately between 50-70 mm.  
      The arc can alternatively have a non-circular but slightly elliptical shape.  
      To facilitate the sliding of the lace, one can provide that each channel  45 ,  46  be made from a material having a coefficient of friction that is compatible with that of the cord/lace  40  or coated with such material. This can also be a channel made of a material coated, for example, with polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE) in order to facilitate the sliding.  
      In the example shown in the two views of  FIGS.1A and 1B , the tightening plate  30  is made of a flexible plastic material such as polyurethane (PU), that is, a material that is flexible while being substantially non-deformable under traction, and which is compatible with an optimum sliding of the cord/lace. Each channel  45 ,  46  is defined by a groove  45   a,    46   a  arranged in the thickness of the material of the tightening plate and exposed alternatively on the top and bottom; in other words, its lower  47  and upper  48  walls, respectively, are alternatively interrupted.  
      Thus, the lace only rubs the lower  47  or upper  48  surface of the groove each time and possibly along one edge/of the edges  45   b,    46   b  thereof, which reduces the friction.  
      Thus, as also shown in  FIG. 1 , the end  49  of each channel  45 ,  46 , respectively, is widened out or flared, which makes it possible to avoid additional friction of the lace in the area of this end. Due to its concave edges, the saddle-shaped tightening plate  30  has a very anatomical shape that adapts well to various foot shapes, and particularly to the shape of the instep of a wearer. It is therefore very comfortable. In the example shown in  FIG. 1 , the tightening plate  30  is fixed to the upper  10  by any known means, such as stitches  31  (as shown) or glue, etc. This attachment of the tightening plate to the upper is not required, but it improves the positioning of the plate  30 .  
      In addition to guiding channels  45 ,  46 , various keepers/retums or guides are arranged on the upper and/or at the boundary of the upper/sole junction zone.  
      Thus, rear guides  51  are provided at the rear of the upper. These guides  51  are arranged along a plane P, angled relative to the longitudinal, extending from the area of the flexion crease of the article of footwear to the rear thereof. These guides  51  are further fixed mid-height to the upper on a lateral stiffener  11 . As the case may be, the lateral stiffener  11  can also be a part of a heel stiffener. The guides  51  can be constituted by merely folded straps, or by straps that are folded and provided with an insert made of plastic, such as described in the European Patent Publication EP 826 318 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,906,057, or by lacing hooks, as shown in  FIG. 1 .  
      Front guides  52  are also provided on each medial and lateral side and at the front of the upper  10 , in the area of the lower end of the upper, or even in the upper/sole junction zone.  
      As is the case with the guides  51 , the guides  52  can take the form of any of various types. In the example shown, these guides are each constituted by a strap that is folded over, through which the lace can extend.  
      A relatively large guide  53  is also provided on the top of the upper  10 , at the front end thereof, in front of the front edge of the tightening plate  30  in the illustrated embodiment. In the example of  FIG. 1 , this large keeper  53  is a channel in the form of an arc of a circle. This channel  53  can be defined by a thin tube, the diameter of which is compatible with that of the lace, or by thermoforming the material of the upper or a reinforcement thereof in the appropriate shape.  
      In the example shown, the upper  10  is made of a very flexible and ventilated mesh-type material, and the channel  53  is made by thermoforming an element  54  for reinforcing the upper, which makes it possible to guarantee a certain volume for the sliding of the lace and/or the passage of a sliding tube/channel.  
      Finally, two eyelets  55  are provided at the upper end of the upper  10 , on the lateral and medial sides, respectively, in order to constitute two last lace return elements on the front of the article of footwear, in the area of the upper end of the instep zone. These eyelets  55  are of the conventional type but could be replaced by any type of guides. The lace blocker  50 , which can be of the type described in the European Patent Publication EP 629 793 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,477,593, for example, or of any other type, is fitted on each of the strands  41   a  of the lace and makes it possible, in a known fashion, to block the lace in a predetermined blocking position. This blocker  50 , which is common to both strands, could be replaced by two blockers, that is, a blocker provided on each side of the upper and cooperating with a single strand of the lace at a time. In that case, the blocker could be of the type known from the commonly owned European Patent Publication EP 848 917 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,956,823.  
      The tightening cord/lace  40  therefore runs an alternating path between each guide  51 ,  52  and the channels  45 ,  46 ,  53 , respectively, of the tightening plate and/or of the upper. The two ends of the lace  40  are connected to one another, for example, by a system such as described in the European Patent Publication No. EP 1 477 078 and U.S. Pat. Publication No. U.S. 2004/0226151, or by mere stitches, so as to form a traction loop.  
       FIG. 2  is a detailed view of the pocket  60  for storing the loop of the lace and the blocker  50  after use. This pocket  60  is fixed on the top of the upper  10 , at the upper end of the instep zone. It has a double wall, namely, a first wall  61  made of an extensible material within which both the lace blocker  50  and the lace  40  can be stored. Such an elastic pocket is described, for example, in the European Patent Publication EP 923 886 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,473,999.  
      The first wall  61  is partially covered by a second wall  62  made of more rigid material, such as leather, a synthetic material, such as PU, PVC, etc., in which eyelets  55  are arranged for the passage of the lace  40 . This second wall  62  is centrally provided with an aperture  63  that makes it possible to grab and manipulate the first wall  61  in order to store the blocker  50  and the lace  40 . This second wall  62  can also be thermoformed in order to make bosses  64  and to provide an additional volume for receiving the blocking system and/or the lace.  
      As can be easily understood, a mere traction on the loop  41   b  of the lace, or on each of the strands  41   a  thereof, makes it possible to displace, in this case to vertically bring the tightening plate  30  closer to the outer sole  20 , and therefore to tighten the user&#39;s foot against the sole. It is noted that the tightening operation is particularly easy, quick, and ergonomic, since it suffices to pull the lace forward of the shoe, as it is usually done with conventional lacing. In particular, the tightening operation is carried out in a more ergonomic manner than with the tightening systems having a winding device, especially when these winding devices are arranged in the heel area.  
       FIGS. 4 and 5  show other embodiments in which similar or identical elements are designated by the same reference numerals increased by  100 ,  200 , respectively.  
      The shoe shown in  FIG. 4  differs from that of  FIGS. 1 and 3  only by the front portion of the shoe. In this case, instead of a channel  53  at the front end of the upper, two systems  153  for anchoring the ends of the lace are provided. These anchoring systems  153  can be constituted by hooks of a known type, as shown in the drawing, or by fastening straps, or any other similar element. The anchoring hooks  153  facilitate the traction force on the lace loop, since this traction is then applied from fixed points. In this case, where the ends of the strands of the lace  140  are anchored, there is no need for an additional system to form a lace loop at the opposite end, unless two laces are used. The position of the anchoring points  153  also makes it possible to modulate the effect of the tightening system.  
      It is also noted that in the case of  FIG. 4 , the guide  152  is of the plastic guide/keeper/hook type, and not a strap-like guide as is the case with the guide  52  of FIG.  1 . This guide  152  also has a certain radius of curvature adapted to facilitate the sliding of the lace  40 .  
       FIG. 5  shows the application of the invention to a sandal-type shoe  200 .  
      In this case, the upper  210  of the shoe is reduced to its minimum and only extends in the zone of the lacing system, that is, in the zone of the tightening plate  230  and of the front guiding channel  253 , which in this case form a single piece, and in the heel zone by means of a rear strap  220 . This upper  210  is made of a flexible and elastic material, such as neoprene, in order not to hinder the tightening process. Furthermore, the eyelets  55  are replaced here by channel-type guides  255 . These guides could also be made in the form of eyelets.  
      Therefore, it is noted that the tightening system according to the invention is compatible with a footwear upper reduced to its minimum and is therefore the lightest possible.  
      The present invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described hereinabove by way of non-limiting examples, but encompasses all similar or equivalent embodiments. Although the illustrated embodiments include footwear having a low height, such that the upper extends beneath the ankle, the invention encompasses articles of footwear having a mid-eight or at the ankle and footwear in which the upper extends above the ankle. The term lace as used herein is not intended to be limiting to any particular filiform element and includes lace, cord, rope, cable, or other element that would perform the tightening function described above. The lace is preferably inextensible or substantially inextensible along its length.