Patent Publication Number: US-5425185-A

Title: Shoe with a side mounted central rotary closure

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a shoe, especially an athletic shoe, with a central rotary closure which is provided on an instep cover, and a tightening element that can be drawn in and let out by the central rotary closure and is guided from the instep cover laterally and is looped over deflecting elements of guide elements that are located in the area of the side parts of the upper. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Shoes of the type to which the present invention is directed are known, for example, from U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,117,567 and 5,181,331. In the shoes described therein, the central rotary closure is attached to an instep cover, to which lateral closing flaps, for side parts of the upper, are molded-on in a hinged manner. The tightening element that can be tightened with the central rotary closure runs from the instep cover alternately over guide elements of the closing flaps and the instep cover. 
     Further, it is known from one embodiment of the previously mentioned patents and from U.S. Pat. No. 5,177,882 to make the closing flaps as separate parts from the instep cover. In this case, the guide elements are attached to lateral straps which run over the shoe upper to the area of the shoe sole and which connect to the closing flaps via corresponding recesses formed in the closing flaps. 
     Also, allowed, commonly owned, co-pending U.S. patent application 08/064,664, filed May 21, 1993 describes a shoe having a central closure which is mounted on the upper in the vicinity of the ankle bone area thereof. In the case of the shoe of this application, the tightening element runs from the central closure to guide elements on the instep cover and then runs alternately over guide elements of the closing flaps and the instep cover with one end portion of the tightening element passing around the heel of the shoe above the heel bone back to a point of attachment with or near the central rotary closure. This arrangement is particularly suited for shoes with high top type uppers as are most commonly found on basketball shoes. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary object of this invention is to achieve shoes of the aforementioned type which, in the case of stress on the instep, for example, by the impact of a ball or the like, will avoid an accidental opening of the shoe. 
     It is a further object of the invention to enable the production and assembly of the closing device to be possible in a simple way. 
     These objects and others are achieved by preferred embodiment of the invention in which the central rotary closure is arranged on the lateral side of the shoe in the area surrounding the lateral malleolus, and one tightening section of a tightening element runs forward from the central rotary closure and another tightening section is directed to the rear are formed on same side of the shoe. Furthermore, the front tightening section is coupled with a pull strap which runs forward obliquely over the instep and is fastened at an end to the shoe upper, especially to the medial side of the shoe. A rear tightening section of the tightening element is coupled with a pull strap which runs to the rear and around the heel to the medial side of the shoe, and optionally, around a guide element and then obliquely forward over instep. Optionally, from its connection to the front tightening section, the pull strap crosses over the instep and is fastened at a lower end area indirectly or directly to the lateral side of the shoe on shoe upper. 
     By the arrangement of the central rotary closure outside of the instep stress zone in the area of the lateral malleolus and by the closing action of the tightening element starting from the central rotary closure, on the one hand, to the rear around the heel forward over the instep again to the outside of the shoe, as well as, on the other hand, forward over the instep to the opposite inside of the shoe, an advantageous and finely adjustable closing action is achieved. As a result, at the same time, an accidental opening, in the case of otherwise possible stressing of the central rotary closure is avoided. 
     These and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which, for purposes of illustration only, show a single embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side view of the lateral side of a shoe according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of the medial side of the shoe shown in FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 3 is a top view of the shoe according to FIGS. 1 and 2. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A shoe 1, especially a sport or leisure shoe of the type having an upper 4 formed of elastically flexible materials, such as fabrics, leather, etc., has a central rotary closure 3 mounted on the outer side 2 of the shoe, i.e., on the side of the lateral malleolus, in the area surrounding the lateral malleolus. The closure 3 can correspond to a known design of the type used in the initially mentioned patents and application which has a quick release. The central rotary closure is attached, for example, directly to the material of upper 4 of shoe 1, preferably, being fastened, as in the embodiment according to FIG. 1, to a special support plate 5, which is fixed, for example, stitched at its lower edge 6, to the upper of shoe 1. 
     A tightening element 7, for example, a plastic or metal wire rope, is coupled with the central rotary closure 3 in a way known in the art so that it can be shortened to close the shoe and lengthened to open it by rotating a winding knob or disc of the rotary closure 3. The quick release can take place by pulling or pressing on the winding knob or disc. 
     Tightening element 7 is guided so that a front tightening section 8 and a rear tightening section 9 are formed. Tightening sections 8, 9, preferably, are in the form of loops 8&#39;, 9&#39; and are each coupled with a respective one of a pair of pull straps 12, 13, either directly or preferably by coupling elements 10, 11. For this purpose, coupling elements 10, 11 have a guide element 14 formed with a circular or elliptical path or other form of guideway running in a suitable way, for example, a guiding groove 15, in which or around which a respective one of tightening sections 8, 9 is guided. By rotating central rotary closure 3 and shortening tightening element 7, coupling elements 10, 11 can be pulled toward central rotary closure 3, while releasing of the rotary closure 3 allows the tightening element to be unwound, so that the coupling elements 10, 11 can be moved away from the rotary closure 3 as the free length of the tightening element 7 increase as a result. 
     Pull strap 12 can be fastened to front coupling element 10 or guided around a deflecting bar 16 of it, and from deflecting bar 16, pull strap 12 is guided forward over instep 17 toward the inner side of the shoe, i.e., to the side of the medial malleolus, where it is fastened at its end 19 (FIG. 3). When using the deflecting bar 16 as a guide instead of a fastening point, the pull strap 12, after passing around bar 16, runs first slightly forward and then upward directly over instep 17 (in FIG. 3 this portion of strap 12 is shown as being initially partially covered by the portion of strap 12 running from end 19 to coupling 10 and then partially covered the portion of strap 13 running over the instep 17). After crossing over instep 17, the pull strap 13 runs rearward and downward into the area of the ankle or of the inner malleolus where it is fastened to upper 4, preferably relatively close to the sole 20 or directly to sole 20. 
     Rear coupling element 11 preferably also has a deflecting bar 16, to which pull strap 13 is fastened. Pull strap 13 runs to the rear around the heel 21, then forwardly along the medial side 18 of the shoe, over the instep 17 to the lateral side 2 of the shoe, where it is fastened. In this case, two pull straps 12 and 13 can cross over instep 17. 
     To achieve a good closing action, pull strap 13 is guided, preferably, from heel 21, first, over a deflecting bar of a slotted guide element 22 which is between the arch of the foot and the inner malleolus, especially in the area forward of the lateral malleolus. Preferably, guide element 22 is provided on upper 4 or on sole 20 in the area below the lower edge of the inner malleolus. As a result, pull strap 13 runs from the heel 21, first, forward and downward, and after deflection, forward and upward over instep 17. As a result, a good supporting of the foot in the shoe 1 is assured. 
     Advantageously, guide element 22 has a pin-shaped or rod-shaped portion which, preferably, runs horizontally or inclined at a small angle to a horizontal line and over which strap 13 passes. Advantageously, the guide element 22 is designed as a ring or especially as an elongated link, one longitudinal section 23 of which is fastened to shoe 1, for example to upper 4 or to sole 20 and the other longitudinal section 24 of which pull strap 13 is guided. 
     To guide tightening element 7, support plate 5 can be provided with guideways 25 formed, for example, as grooves. The guideways can also, at least partially, be pipe-shaped or tunnel-shaped to enclose the portions of the tightening element 7 passing therethrough. 
     While a single embodiment in accordance with the present invention has been shown and described, it is understood that the invention is not limited thereto, and is susceptible to numerous changes and modifications as known to those skilled in the art. Therefore, this invention is not limited to the details shown and described herein, and includes all such changes and modifications as are encompassed by the scope of the appended claims.