Patent ID: 8793904

Claim:
An article of footwear comprising: an upper including a first lace and a second lace; the first lace including a first long portion and the second lace including a second long portion, an end portion of the first long portion being non-releasably attached to the second long portion, each of the first and second long portions being disposed at a first attachment region; the first lace including a third long portion and the second lace including a fourth long portion, an end portion of the third long portion being non-releasably attached to the fourth long portion, each of the third and fourth long portions being disposed at a second attachment region; wherein the first long portion emerges from a first slot on a medial side of the upper and extends to the first attachment region at a lateral side of the upper; wherein the first slot is the rearmost medial-side slot through which the first lace passes; wherein the second long portion emerges from a second slot on the medial side and extends to the first attachment region at the lateral side, wherein the second slot is closer to a front side of the upper than the first slot; wherein the second slot is the rearmost medial-side slot through which the second lace passes; wherein the third long portion emerges from a third slot on the lateral side and extends to the second attachment region at the medial side; wherein the third slot is the rearmost lateral-side slot through which the first lace passes; wherein the fourth long portion emerges from a fourth slot on the lateral side and extends to the second attachment region at the medial side, wherein the fourth slot is closer to the front side of the upper than the third slot; wherein the fourth slot is the rearmost lateral-side slot through which the second lace passes; and wherein, between the fourth slot and the second attachment region, the fourth long portion lies one of on top of and beneath the first long portion and lies the other of on top of and beneath the second long portion.