Patent ID: 8806776

Claim:
An article of footwear comprising: an outsole; an upper having a lateral side, a medial side, a front end, and a rear end; a tightening device for reversibly tightening the upper at least relative to the foot of a wearer; the upper including an envelope and a reinforcement at least partially covering the envelope; the reinforcement including a plurality of lateral branches and a plurality of medial branches; each branch of said plurality of lateral branches and said plurality of medial branches extending transversely from a proximal end located in the area of the outsole to a distal end; the tightening device comprising: a plurality of lateral connection points and a plurality of medial connection points, each of the lateral and medial branches being secured to the upper; and a mechanism structured and arranged to bias a plurality of the connection points in a direction for reversible tightening the upper; the envelope comprising a flexible material, the plurality of connection points being located on respective ones of the plurality of lateral and medial branches of the reinforcement, and the respective ones of the plurality of lateral and medial branches being adhesively bonded on the envelope on at least portions of respective lengths of the plurality of lateral and medial branches; on at least one of the medial and lateral sides of the upper: a first pair of successive branches of the plurality of branches of the reinforcement form a first upper junction at respective distal ends of the first pair of successive branches, the first upper junction carrying a first of the plurality of connection points; and a second pair of successive branches of the plurality of branches of the reinforcement form a second upper junction at respective distal ends of the second pair of successive branches, the second upper junction carrying a second of the plurality of connection points; an upper bridge connecting the first and second upper junctions to one another, the upper bridge comprising a flexible and inextensible material.