Patent ID: 8256143

Claim:
An article of footwear comprising: an upper structure including a vamp separated into a medial portion and a lateral portion; a lace operable to selectively draw said medial portion and said lateral portion toward one another; a tongue attached to said upper structure and including a longitudinal axis and a main body having an inner surface opposing the foot of a user during use and an outer surface formed on an opposite side of said main body than said inner surface and opposing said lace; a first lace-retention feature attached to said main body and defining a first opening formed between said first lace-retention feature and said outer surface, said first opening receiving said lace in a first direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said tongue; and a second lace-retention feature attached to said main body and defining a second opening formed between said second lace-retention feature and said outer surface, said second opening receiving said lace in a second direction substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said tongue.