Patent ID: 6938360

Claim:
An athletic shoe comprising: a) a sole; b) an upper having a tongue and lacing means on said upper for lacing the shoe, said upper being attached to said sole; and c) said tongue comprising a bladder of an open celled foam material on the interior thereof sealed from the atmosphere except for a valve on said tongue communicating the interior of said bladder with the atmosphere, said valve being adapted to selectively draw air from the atmosphere into said interior when opened to allow expansion of the foam material in said interior, then release air from said interior to the atmosphere when said bladder is squeezed releasing air from said interior out of said valve, whereby said tongue may be inflated and said lacing means laced up against said tongue pressing said tongue against the foot of the wearer of the shoe, then said tongue may be slightly deflated to conform said tongue to the foot of the wearer of the shoe.