Article of footwear with an adjustable width, adjustable tension closure system

Claim 2

An adjustable width closure element (22), for attachment to an article of footwear (10) closed by a lacing system, comprising: a discrete elongate body (24) formed of a plastic material, said body having an outer longitudinal portion (26) adapted to be fastened to an article of footwear (10) along the edge of the throat (16) and an inner longitudinal portion (28); a plurality of discrete shoe fastening means for selectively receiving a shoelace (20), said fastening means being located at longitudinally spaced locations along said inner portion of said body, said discrete fastening means being staggered inward and outward with respect to the longitudinal dimension of said body.

Claim 3

An adjustable width closure element as recited in claim 1, wherein said shoelace fastening means comprises a plurality of shoelace openings (30) formed in the inner portion (28) of said body (24).

Claim 4

An adjustable width closure element as recited in claim 2, wherein said shoelace openings (30) are sized larger than the cross-section of a shoelace (20) to permit a shoelace (20) to pass freely therethrough so that the article of footwear (10) may be laced closed with a uniform tension by pulling on the `ends of a shoelace (20) threaded through said openings.

Claim 5

An adjustable width closure element as recited in claim 2 or 3, wherein said shoelace openings (30) have a width extending transverse to the longitudinal direction of said body (24), which is less than the length of said shoelace openings.

Claim 6

An adjustable width closure element as recited in any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein a notch (32) is formed in said inner portion (28) of said body(24) and is adapted to be positioned over the metatarsal area of the article of footwear (10) in order to provide enhanced flexibility of said body over the metatarsal area.

Claim 7

An adjustable width closure element as recited in any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein each of said shoelace openings (30) comprises an inner wall (36), an outer wall (34 and two transverse walls (38) interconnecting said inner wall to said outer wall, said inner wall further comprising means for guiding a shoelace (20) threaded through said shoelace opening in a generally upwardly slanted direction along a throat (16) of a shoe (10).

Claim 8

An adjustable width closure element as recited in claim 6, wherein said means for guiding a shoelace (20) comprises a raised spiral edge (40) formed on said inner wall (36) of each of said shoelace openings (30).

Claim 9

An adjustable width closure element as recited in claim 6 or 7, wherein said body (24) has a substantially flat overall configuration, and said transverse walls (38) and sai inner wall (36) of said shoelace openings (30) have a substantially circular cross-section, thus defining a raised lip (42) on three sides of said opening.

Claim 10

A variable width closure element in accordance with any one of claims 2 to 8, wherein said body has a generally serpentine configuration in its longitudinal direction, and said shoelace openings (30) are shaped to follow the contou1 of said serpentine shape.

Claim 11

A closure element (22), for attachment along the tongue opening (16) of an article of footwear (10) to receive and guide shoelaces (20) of a lacing system, comprising: a plurality of shoelace encircling members (30) adapted to be attached along the edges of the tongue opening, said shoelace encircling members being sized larger than the cross-section of the shoelace to permit the shoelace to pass freely therethrough; and means on said shoelace encircling members for guiding a shoelace threaded through said shoelace encircling member in a generally upwardly inclined direction of the tongue (19).

Claim 12

A closure element (22), for attachment along the tongue opening (16) of an article of footwear (10) to receive and guide shoelaces (20) of a lacing system, comprising: a plurality of shoelace encircling members (30) adapted to be attached along the edges of the tongue opening, said shoelace encircling members being sized larger than the cross-section of the shoelace to permit the shoelace to pass freely therethrough; and means on said shoelace encircling members for guiding a shoelace threaded through said shoelace encircling member in a generally upwardly inclined direction of the tongue (19).

Claim 13

A closure element as recited in claim 10, wherein said means for guiding a shoelace comprises a spiral edge (40) formed on an outer surface of each of said shoelace encircling members (30).

Claim 14

A closure element as recited in claim 10 or 11, wherein said shoelace encircling members (30) are formed as portions of an integral body (24).

Claim 15

A closure element as recited in claim 12, wherein said body (24) is elongate and said shoelace encircling members (30) are formed along one longitudinal side thereof at locations, staggered with respect to the longitudinal direction of said body.

Claim 16

A closure element as recited in claim 12 or 13, wherein said shoelace encircling members (30) include a serpentine edge of said body on which said spiral edge is formed.

Claim 17

An article of footwear (10) comprising: an upper (14) for surrounding the foot of a wearer and a sole (12) attached to said upper for contacting the ground, said upper including a throat (16) with lateral and medial edges, a reinforcing member attached to the material of said upper along the lateral and medial edges of said throat, a plurality of pairs of first shoelace encircling members (30) disposed along the lateral and medial edges of said throat, at least one pair of second shoelace encircling members (44) disposed along the lateral and medial edges of said throat and a shoelace (20) having an uncompressed first cross-section, said first shoelace encircling members having a cross-section larger than said first cross-section to permit said shoelace to pass freely therethrough so that by pulling on the ends of said shoelace the shoelace can be moved through substantially all of said first encircling members, and said at least one pair of second encircling members being located between an uppermost and a lowermost pair of said first encircling members and having a cross-section sufficiently less than said first cross-section to frictionally engage said shoelace so that the tension of the shoelace laced through said first encircling members located below said at least one pair of second encircling members can be set by passing said shoelace through said at least one pair of second shoelace encircling members.

Claim 18

An article of footwear (10) comprising: an upper (14) for surrounding the foot of a wearer and a sole (12) attached to said upper for contacting the ground, said upper including a throat (16) with lateral and medial edges, a reinforcing member attached to the material of said upper along the lateral and medial edges of said throat, a plurality of pairs of first shoelace encircling members (30) disposed along the lateral and medial edges of said throat, at least one pair of second shoelace encircling members (44) disposed along the lateral and medial edges of said throat and a shoelace (20) having an uncompressed first cross-section, said first shoelace encircling members having a cross-section larger than said first cross-section to permit said shoelace to pass freely therethrough so that by pulling on the ends of said shoelace the shoelace can be moved through substantially all of said first encircling members, and said at least one pair of second encircling members being located between an uppermost and a lowermost pair of said first encircling members and having a cross-section sufficiently less than said first cross-section to frictionally engage said shoelace so that the tension of the shoelace laced through said first encircling members located below said at least one pair of second encircling members can be set by passing said shoelace through said at least one pair of second shoelace encircling members.

Claim 19

An article of footwear as recited in claim 15, wherein said reinforcing member includes an insert (48) fastened between the material of the upper (14) and an outer layer (46) of reinforcing material, said insert being formed by a rubber or rubber-like material, said pairs of said second shoelace encircling members (44) being formed as holes in said reinforcing member.

Claim 20

An article of footwear (10) comprising: an upper (14) for surrounding the foot of a wearer and a sole (12) attached to said upper for contacting the ground, said upper including a throat (16) with lateral and medial edges, a reinforcing member attached to the material of said upper along the lateral and medial edges of said throat, a plurality of pairs of first shoelace encircling members (30) disposed along the lateral and medial edges of said throat, said pairs of first shoelace encircling members being located at different widths across said throat, a shoelace (20) having an uncompressed first cross-section, said first shoelace encircling members having a cross-section larger than said first cross-section to permit said shoelace to pass freely therethrough so that by pulling on the ends of said shoelace the shoelace can be moved through substantially all of said first encircling members.

Claim 21

An article of footwear (10) comprising: an upper (14) for surrounding the foot of a wearer and a sole (12) attached to said upper for contacting the ground, said upper including a throat (16) with lateral and medial edges, a reinforcing member attached to the material of said upper along the lateral and medial edges of said throat, a plurality of pairs of first shoelace encircling members (30) disposed along the lateral and medial edges of said throat, said pairs of first shoelace encircling members being located at different widths across said throat, a shoelace (20) having an uncompressed first cross-section, said first shoelace encircling members having a cross-section larger than said first cross-section to permit said shoelace to pass freely therethrough so that by pulling on the ends of said shoelace the shoelace can be moved through substantially all of said first encircling members.

Claim 22

An article of footwear in accordance with claim 17, including at least one pair of second shoelace encircling members (44) disposed along the lateral and medial edges of said throat (16), said at least one pair of second encircling members being located between an uppermost and a lowermost pair of said first encircling members (30) and having a cross-section sufficiently less than said first cross-section to frictionally engage said shoelace so that the tension of the shoelace laced through said first encircling members located below said at least one pair of second encircling members can be set by passing said shoelace through said at least one pair of second shoelace encircling members.

Claim 23

An article of footwear in accordance with claim 17 or 18, including an elongate plastic body (24) attached to each edge of said throat (16), and said first shoelace encircling members (30) being formed integral with said bodies.

Claim 24

An article of footwear as recited in claim 19, wherein said reinforcing member includes an insert (48) being formed of a rubber or rubber-like material, and said at least one pair of second shoelace encircling members (44) being formed as holes in said reinforcing member.

Claim 25

An article of footwear as recited in claim 19 or 20, wherein said elongate body (24) has a serpentine shape and an inside edge of said first shoelace encircling members (30) being shaped to follow the contours of said serpentine body.

Claim 26

An article of footwear as recited in any one of claims 17 to 21, wherein the width of said first shoelace encircling members (30) is less than the length of said first shoelace encircling members.

Claim 27

An article of footwear as recited in any one of claims 17 to 22, wherein each of said first shoelace encircling members (30) comprises an inner wall (36), an outer wall (34) and two transverse walls (38) interconnecting said inner and outer walls; said inner wall including means for guiding a shoelace (20) threaded through said first shoelace encircling members.

Claim 28

An article of footwear as recited in claim 23, wherein said means for guiding a shoelace (20) comprises a raised spiral edge (40) formed on said inner wall (36) of each of said first shoelace encircling members (30).

Claim 29

An article of footwear as recited in claim 23 or 24, wherein said body (24) has an overall substantially flat configuration and said transverse walls (38) and said inner wall (36) of said first shoelace encircling members (30) have a substantially circular cross-section, thus defining a raised lip (42) on three sides of said member.

Claim 30

An article of footwear (10) comprising: an upper (14) for surrounding the foot of a wearer and a sole (12) attached to said upper for contacting the ground, said upper including a throat (16) with lateral and medial edges, a reinforcing member attached to the material of said upper along the lateral and medial edges of said throat, an adjustable width closure element (22) including an elongate body (24) attached to said upper along each of said edges of said throat and a plurality of pairs of first shoelace encircling members (30) extending from said bodies, said first shoelace encircling members being arranged at different widths across said throat, at least one pair of second shoelace encircling members (44) formed in said reinforcing member along the lateral and medial edges of said throat, a shoelace (20) having an uncompressed first cross-section, said first shoelace encircling members having a cross-section larger than said first cross-section to permit said shoelace to pass freely therethrough so that by pulling on the ends of said shoelace the shoelace can be moved through substantially all of said first encircling members, a spiral guide ridge (40) being formed in said first shoelace encircling members for guiding said shoelace in a generally upward direction along said throat and said at least one pair of second encircling members (44) being located between an uppermost and a lowermost pair of said first encircling members and having a cross-section sufficiently less than said first cross-section to frictionally engage said shoelace so that the tension of the shoelace laced through said first encircling members located below said at least one pair of second encircling members can be set by passing said shoelace through said at least one pair of second shoelace encircling members.

Claim 31

An article of footwear (10) comprising: an upper (14) for surrounding the foot of a wearer and a sole (12) attached to said upper for contacting the ground, said upper including a throat (16) with lateral and medial edges, a reinforcing member attached to the material of said upper along the lateral and medial edges of said throat, an adjustable width closure element (22) including an elongate body (24) attached to said upper along each of said edges of said throat and a plurality of pairs of first shoelace encircling members (30) extending from said bodies, said first shoelace encircling members being arranged at different widths across said throat, at least one pair of second shoelace encircling members (44) formed in said reinforcing member along the lateral and medial edges of said throat, a shoelace (20) having an uncompressed first cross-section, said first shoelace encircling members having a cross-section larger than said first cross-section to permit said shoelace to pass freely therethrough so that by pulling on the ends of said shoelace the shoelace can be moved through substantially all of said first encircling members, a spiral guide ridge (40) being formed in said first shoelace encircling members for guiding said shoelace in a generally upward direction along said throat and said at least one pair of second encircling members (44) being located between an uppermost and a lowermost pair of said first encircling members and having a cross-section sufficiently less than said first cross-section to frictionally engage said shoelace so that the tension of the shoelace laced through said first encircling members located below said at least one pair of second encircling members can be set by passing said shoelace through said at least one pair of second shoelace encircling members.

Claim 32

An article of footwear as recited in claim 26, wherein said body (24) has a serpentine configuration with an outer portion (26) attached to the upper (14) and an inner portion (28).

Claim 33

An article of footwear as recited in claim 27, wherein said first shoelace encircling members (30) are shaped to follow the contours of said serpentine body (24).

Claim 34

An article of footwear as recited in any one of claims 26 to 28, wherein the width of said first shoelace encircling members (30) is less than the length of said first shoelace encircling members.

Claim 35

An article of footwear as recited in any one of claims 26 to 29, wherein said body (24) has a notch (32) in its inner side (28) positioned over the metatarsal area of the article of footwear (10) in order to provide enhanced flexibility of said body over the metatarsal area.

Claim 36

An article of footwear as recited in any one of claims 26 to 30, wherein said reinforcing member includes an insert (48) fastened between the material of the upper (14) and an outer layer (46) of reinforcing material, said insert being formed of a rubber or rubber-like material, and said second shoelace encircling members (44) being formed as holes in said insert and reinforcing material.

Claim 37

An article of footwear as recited in any one of claims 26 to 31, wherein each of said first shoelace encircling members (30) comprises an inner wall (36), an outer wall (34) and two transverse walls (38) interconnecting said inner wall to said outer wall and said guide ridge (40) being formed on said inner wall.

Claim 38

An article of footwear as recited in claim 32, wherein said body (24) has a substantially overall flat configuration and said transverse walls (38) and said inner wall (36) of said first shoelace encircling members (30) have a substantially circular cross-section, thus defining a raised lip (42) on three sides of said first shoelace encircling members.

Claim 39

An article of footwear as recited in any one of claims 26 to 33, including a plurality of pairs of said second shoelace encircling members (44) located at spaced locations along the length of said lateral and medial edges of said throat (16).