Patent Publication Number: US-2017354204-A1

Title: Footwear and method of using such footwear

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is based upon French Patent Application No. FR 16/00920, filed Jun. 8, 2016, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference thereto in its entirety, and the priority of which is claimed under 35 U.S.C. §119. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to footwear, such as a shoe, and to the use of such footwear. 
     In particular, the invention relates to a shoe adapted to receive one of the user&#39;s feet to practice physical activity. 
     The invention is particularly applicable to physical activity practiced by a user in mountains, such as hiking or running. 
     2. Background Information 
     To engage in physical activity of the aforementioned type, it is known to use shoes, each having suitable sole assembly and flexible upper. The shoe also comprises a suitable tightening device for adjustably tightening the upper on the foot of the user. The tightening device conventionally comprises keepers, a lace threaded through the keepers along a lacing path, and a blocking element. The blocking element, for example, is formed by the end portions of the lace itself. The blocking element has has:
         an inactive state in which it enables the user to modify a length of a tightening portion of the lace in the lacing path when the end portions are free, and   an active state in which it fixes the length of the tightening portion of the lace when the end portions are tied.       

     The user may need to improve his/her supports and sensations along his/her moving path, or to vary the physical activity, as is the case, for example, when the user switches from hiking or running to rock climbing. The user then needs to be able to increase the tightening intensity. 
     To carry this out, the user has to switch the blocking element from the active state to the inactive state by loosening the laces in the preceding example, pull on the laces, and return the blocking element to the active state. 
     Such tightening adjustment takes a long time to carry out. Furthermore, it generally occurs in the area of the instep and does not make it possible to evenly tighten the upper on the foot, including in the area of the toes. The user, whose foot is not evenly held, does not have the supports and sensations to enable control of his/her movements. 
     SUMMARY 
     The invention overcomes the drawbacks mentioned above. 
     To this end, according to a first aspect of the invention, the invention includes a shoe extending along a direction of its length the following:
         a sole assembly on which the foot of the user is to be supported, the sole assembly extending along a direction of its length between a tip and a heel;   a flexible upper comprising a lower portion adjoining the sole assembly and configured to cover the foot of the user, the upper comprising a vamp adjoining the tip of the sole assembly and configured to cover at least the toes of the user;   an upper tightening device configured to tighten the upper on the foot of the user, the upper tightening device comprising:
           keepers arranged on the upper in two rows of keepers arranged on each of respective sides of a tightening axis extending parallel or substantially parallel to the length direction;   a single lace threaded into the keepers of each row of keepers along a lacing path so as to be capable of bringing the rows of keepers closer to one another by pulling on the lace, the lace having a tightening portion in the lacing path; and   a blocking element having an inactive state in which the blocking element enables the user to modify a length of the tightening portion of the lace, and an active state in which the blocking element fixes the length of the tightening portion;   the keepers comprising at least one vamp keeper provided on the vamp of the upper, the lacing path including the vamp keeper; and   the upper tightening device further comprising at least one tension member arranged on the upper so as to define at least one tightening path including the lacing path and having a length greater than the lacing path, the tension member being configured to reversibly pass the tightening portion of the lace between the lacing path and the tightening path when the blocking element is in the active state.   
               

     Thus, the invention makes it possible to simply and quickly lengthen the path of the lace with the same tightening portion so as to evenly increase the intensity of the tightening, even in the area of the toes. The user can thus more easily exert support forces and more easily receive sensations from the ground to enable him/her to better control his/her movements. 
     The tension member can be positioned on the vamp. 
     The tension member can be a hook arranged at a distance from the tightening axis and can have an opening oriented in a direction opposite the tightening axis. 
     The tension member can be provided on one of the vamp keepers. 
     The vamp keeper may include a body comprising an opening configured to receive a portion of the lace, and the tension member. 
     The upper can extend along its length between a toe cap and a heel counter, and along a transverse direction between a medial side portion and a lateral side portion, and the at least one vamp keeper can include two end keepers arranged at respective lower ends of the rows of keepers, the end keepers being arranged on the respective medial and lateral side portions of the upper, the end keeper arranged on the medial side portion being offset along the lengthwise direction towards the tip of the upper in relation to the end keeper arranged on the lateral side portion. These arrangements make it possible to obtain tightening that is more suited to the anatomy of the foot. Indeed, the big toe has an articulation of the first phalanx located substantially in the area of one end of the little toe. Because the end keeper located in the area of the big toe is offset forward in relation to the end keeper located in the area of the little toe, tightening can be achieved on all of the toes. 
     The upper may comprise at least one slit provided on the vamp, and the tightening device can include at least one strap having a first end fixed to either one of an inner surface of the sole assembly or an inner surface of the upper, and a free second end extending through the slit, the vamp keeper being provided at the second end of the strap. These arrangements make it possible to apply the tightening directly on the toes of the foot. 
     The lace may have a central section and two end sections on either side of the central section, the central section having a transverse cross section with a perimeter less than a perimeter of a transverse cross section of each of the end sections. These arrangements make it possible to limit friction between the lace and the upper, and to define a location in the area of the toes at which the increase in tightening intensity is more significant. 
     The upper can comprise a tongue for covering at least a portion of the instep of the user and along which the tightening axis extends, and the vamp can comprise a throat adjoining the tongue, the at least one vamp keeper being provided on the throat. 
     According to a second aspect, the invention is also directed to a method of using a shoe as defined above, providing:
         positioning the foot in the shoe, the blocking element being in the inactive state;   adjusting tightening of the shoe upper on the foot by pulling on the lace to modify the length of the tightening portion of the lace and to bring the rows of keepers closer to one another;   placing the blocking element in the active state in order to fix the length of the tightening portion of the lace; and   switching the tightening portion of the lace from the lacing path to the tightening path.       

    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following description of a particular embodiment of the invention given by way of non-limiting example, the description being made with reference to the annexed drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a front lateral portion of a shoe according to one embodiment of the invention, the shoe comprising a sole assembly, a flexible upper and an upper tightening device suitable for adjustably tightening the upper on the foot of the user, the upper tightening device comprising keepers, including a plurality of vamp keepers, and a lace threaded through the keepers along a lacing path; 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of the detail II in  FIG. 1  of the lace of the shoe of  FIG. 1 , the lace having a central section and two end sections on either side of the central section, the central section having a transverse cross section with a perimeter less than a perimeter of a transverse cross section of each of the end sections; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a front medial portion of the shoe of  FIG. 1 , the upper tightening device comprising a tension member arranged on the upper so as to define a tightening path; 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of the detail IV in  FIG. 3  of the tension member of the shoe of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIGS. 5 and 6  are views of the shoe of  FIG. 1  during use of the shoe, the tightening portion of the lace switching from the lacing path to the tightening path; and 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged view of the detail VII in  FIG. 6 , illustrating the tightening portion of the lace of  FIG. 1  passing through the tension member. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The same reference numerals designate identical or similar elements in the drawing figures. 
       FIGS. 1 to 4  show a shoe  1  configured to enable a user to practice a physical activity. Without being limited thereto, the shoe  1  is particularly configured to physical activities practiced in mountains, such as hiking or running, during which the user may encounter various types of terrain along his/her course, including climbing paths and descending paths, for example. 
     The shoe  1  is structured to receive one of the user&#39;s feet and extends generally along a lengthwise direction E. It comprises a sole assembly  3 , that is, an outer sole assembly, having an inner surface on which the user&#39;s foot is supported, and an upper  6  configured to cover the foot of the user. 
     The sole assembly  3 , which can be deformable to allow a bending or rolling movement of the sole assembly and, likewise, bending and rolling of the foot, extends along the lengthwise direction E between a tip  4  and a heel  5 . Such bending or rolling refers to a longitudinal bending, such as during alternate raising and lowering of the heel in relation to a forward portion of the sole assembly, and such as a flexing in a zone corresponding to a user&#39;s metatarso-phalangeal joint. 
     In the exemplary illustrated non-limiting embodiment, the flexible upper  6  comprises only a lower portion  7  adjoining the sole assembly  3 , that is, it does not include an upper portion that extends above the user&#39;s ankle. The upper  6  extends along the lengthwise direction E between a toe cap  8  and a heel counter  9 , and along a transverse direction T, perpendicular to the lengthwise direction E, between a medial portion  10 , or side, inward of the foot, and a lateral portion  11 , or side, outward of the foot. Opposite the heel  5  of the sole assembly  3 , the upper  6  has an upper edge  12  demarcating an opening  13  along a vertical direction V, perpendicular to the lengthwise direction E and transverse direction T, through which the user can insert his/her foot into the shoe  1 . To make it easier to insert the foot, the upper edge  12  can extend over a portion of the upper  6  corresponding to the instep of the user&#39;s foot between two opposite edges  14 . The upper  6  also comprises a tongue  15  extending between the edges  14  so as to cover at least a portion of the instep of the user. Alternatively, the edges  14  extending the upper edge  12  could extend on a medial wall  16  of the medial portion  10  or on a lateral wall  17  of the lateral portion  11 . According to another alternative, the upper  6  could be devoid of edges  14  that extend the upper edge  12 , the tongue  15  being made integral or unitary with the medial  16  and lateral  17  walls of the upper  6 . The upper  6  further comprises a vamp  18  adjoining the tip  4  of the sole assembly  3  and configured to cover the toes, and possibly a portion of the instep of the user. The vamp  18  includes a throat  19  adjoining the tongue  15  and the toe cap  8  of the upper  6 . 
     In  FIGS. 1 and 3 , three pairs of slits are provided through the upper  6  to enable an inner surface of the upper  6  to communicate with the outside. In particular, a first pair of slits comprises two slits  20  positioned opposite each other on the respective medial  16  and lateral  17  walls. A second pair of slits comprises two slits  20  positioned opposite each other on the vamp  18 , in particular on the throat  19 , in the vicinity of the tongue  15 . A third pair of slits comprises another two slits  20  arranged on the vamp  18 , in particular on the throat  19 , in the vicinity of the toe cap  8  of the upper  6 . In this third pair of slits, the slit  20  arranged on the side of the medial portion  10  of the upper  6  is offset along the lengthwise direction E towards the toe cap  8  of the upper in relation to the slit  20  arranged on the side the lateral portion  11  of the upper  6 . 
     The shoe  1  also comprises a tightening device  25  for tightening the upper on the foot of the user. The upper tightening device  25  comprises keepers  26  arranged on the upper in two rows of keepers arranged on either respective side of a tightening axis S, each of the two rows extending forwardly toward the tip of the shoe E. In the illustrated embodiment, the tightening axis S extends along the tongue  15 . The two rows of keepers extend along the respective edges  14  that extend the upper edge  12  between respective upper ends, in the vicinity of the upper edge  12 , and respective lower ends, in the vicinity of the toe cap  8  of the upper  6 . 
     The upper tightening device  25  comprises straps  28 , portions of which are outlined by broken lines, that project through the upper  6  in  FIG. 1 . Each strap  28  has a first end  28   a  fixed inside the shoe  1 , and in particular to the inner surface of the upper  6 , or to the inner surface of the sole assembly  3 , and a free second end  28   b  extending through one of the slits  20  of the upper  6 . Each row of keepers includes:
         keepers  26 , for example four in the illustrated embodiment, made in the form of eyelets  29  through the upper  6  on the area of the upper edge  12 ; and   keepers  26 , for example three in the illustrated embodiment, provided on the respective second ends of the straps  28  on the area of the toe cap  8  of the upper  6 .       

     Some of the keepers  26  provided on the straps are made in the form of a loop at the second end  28   b  of the strap  28 . 
     In  FIG. 4 , one of the keepers  26  arranged on the strap  28  extending through the slit  20  on the side of the medial portion  10  of the second pair of slits includes a body  30  made in one piece, for example made of plastic, comprising a through opening  31 . The body  30  further comprises a hook  32  arranged at a distance from the tightening axis S and having an opening oriented in a direction opposite the tightening axis S. The body  30  is affixed to the second end  28   b  of the strap  28 . 
     On each of the rows of keepers, keepers  26  provided on the vamp  18  of the upper  6  form vamp keepers  33 . In the illustrated embodiment, the vamp keepers  33  are provided at the second ends  28   b  of the straps  28  extending through the slits  20  of the second and third pairs of slits provided on the throat  19 . The vamp keepers  33  on the straps  28  extending through the slits  20  of the third pair of slits in the vicinity of the toe cap  8  of the upper constitute end keepers  34  arranged at the respective lower ends of the rows of keepers. Due to the arrangement of the slits  20  of the third pair of slits, one of the end keepers  34 , arranged on the medial portion  10 , is offset along the lengthwise direction E toward the toe cap  8  of the upper  6  in relation to the other end keeper  34 , arranged on the lateral portion  11 . Alternatively, one or any other suitable number of vamp keepers arranged on the vamp of the upper could be provided according to any other suitable arrangement. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the tightening device  25  comprises a single lace  40 . In the embodiment shown, the lace  40  has a central section  41  and two end sections  42  on either side of the central section  41 . In the central section  41  the lace has a transverse cross section, for example circular, with a perimeter less than a perimeter of a transverse cross section, for example oblong, of each of the end sections  42 . The lace  40  is threaded into the keepers  26  of each row of keepers, including the opening  31  of the body  30  of the vamp keeper  33 , along a lacing path. The lacing path is then defined by the keepers in which the lace is threaded, namely, in the illustrated embodiment, the vamp keepers  33  and at least a portion of the eyelets  29 . The portion of the lace  40  located in the tightening path defines a tightening portion  43 . On either side of this tightening portion  43 , the lace  40  has two end portions  44  forming a blocking element having:
         an inactive state in which it enables the user to modify a length of the tightening portion  43  of the lace  40  in the lacing path, when the end portions  44  are free, that is, untied; and   an active state in which it fixes the length of the tightening portion  43  of the lace  40 , when the end portions  44  are tied.       

     Alternatively, any other type of blocking element having the aforementioned inactive and active states could be provided according to the invention. For example, the blocking element could comprise a body provided with a through bore in which a user-actuable pin is displaceably mounted in translation between:
         a blocking position in which it extends through the bore to block the end portions  44  of the lace  40  inserted into the bore; and   a release position in which it is at least partially spaced from the bore to enable the end portions  44  of the lace  40  to slide in the bore.       

     A use of the shoe  1  is now described with reference to  FIGS. 5 to 7 . 
     As the blocking element is in the inactive state, namely the lace  40  is loosened and the end portions  44  are free, the user slips his/her foot into the shoe  1 . The foot rests on the inner surface of the sole assembly  3  and is covered by the upper  6 . In particular, the user&#39;s toes are covered by the vamp  18 . The strap  28  carrying the end keeper  34  on the medial portion  10  of the upper  6  is arranged in correspondence with the big toe, and the strap  28  carrying the end keeper  34  on the lateral portion  11  of the upper  6  is arranged in correspondence with the little toe. 
     The tightening of the upper  6  of the shoe  1  on the foot of the user is adjusted by pulling on the end portions  44  so as to modify the length of the tightening portion  43  of the lace  40 . In doing so, the rows of keepers are brought closer to one another, reducing the fitting volume of the shoe, including in the area of the toes, due to the vamp keepers  33 . 
     The end portions  44  of the lace  40  can then be tied to place the blocking element in the active state and thus fix the length of the tightening portion  43  of the lace  40  in the lacing path. 
     In order to increase the tightening intensity while keeping the blocking element in the active state, that is to say, by keeping the lace  40  tied, a strand of the tightening portion  43  of the lace  40  can be stretched and then placed in the hook  32  of the body  30  of the vamp keeper  33  as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
     The hook  32  forms a tension member arranged on the upper  6  so as to define a tightening path including the lacing path and having a length greater than the lacing path. The tension member makes it possible to reversibly pass the tightening portion  43  of the lace  40  between the lacing path and the tightening path when the blocking element is in the active state. By lengthening the path of the lace with the same tightening portion  43 , the tightening intensity can be increased evenly, if necessary for a predetermined duration, including in the area of the toes. 
     The invention described in connection with a tension member in the form of a hook arranged on the vamp and, in particular, provided on one of the vamp keepers is in no way limited to this embodiment. Alternatively, any other configuration and arrangement of one or more tension members making it possible to define one or more tightening paths could be provided. 
     Further, at least because the invention is disclosed herein in a manner that enables one to make and use it, by virtue of the disclosure of a particular exemplary embodiment, such as for simplicity or efficiency, for example, the invention can be practiced in the absence of any additional element or additional structure that is not specifically disclosed herein.