US5371957A — Athletic shoe

Claim 1

Independent Claim 136 words

A shoe comprising: a footbed; an arcuate cable having spaced apart first and second portions, the first portion connected to the footbed at a first position on the footbed, the second portion connected to the footbed at a second position on the footbed spaced apart from the first position; a flexible panel attached to the footbed, the cable being connected to the panel to define an encompassed panel portion bounded by the cable and the footbed such that portions of the cable are exposed between the first and second portions, the encompassed panel portion defining at least one eyelet proximate the exposed portions of the cable; a shoelace located through the eyelet and looped about the exposed portions of the cable, with tension in the shoelace being transmittable to the cable, and thereby to the footbed.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 136 words

A shoe comprising: a footbed; an arcuate cable having spaced apart first and second portions, the first portion connected to the footbed at a first position on the footbed, the second portion connected to the footbed at a second position on the footbed spaced apart from the first position; a flexible panel attached to the footbed, the cable being connected to the panel to define an encompassed panel portion bounded by the cable and the footbed such that portions of the cable are exposed between the first and second portions, the encompassed panel portion defining at least one eyelet proximate the exposed portions of the cable; a shoelace located through the eyelet and looped about the exposed portions of the cable, with tension in the shoelace being transmittable to the cable, and thereby to the footbed.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 16 words

The shoe of claim 1 wherein the cable is attached near the periphery of the panel.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 26 words

The shoe of claim 1 wherein the periphery of the panel is hemmed to form a passage for receiving at least a portion of the cable.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 20 words

The shoe of claim 3 wherein the edge of the panel is folded over and sewn to define the passage.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 30 words

The shoe of claim 1 including a second, similar cable reinforced panel attached to the footbed apart from the first cable and panel, with the shoelace adjustably connecting the panels.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 43 words

The shoe of claim 1 wherein the encompassed panel portion defines an aperture larger than the eyelet, and wherein the shoe includes a removable sock including a molded insole, such that the sock is visible through the aperture when installed in the shoe.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 36 words

The shoe of claim 1 wherein the first position on the footbed is near a toe of the shoe and the second position on the footbed is near the midpoint of the length of the shoe.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 33 words

The shoe of claim 1 wherein the first position on the footbed is near the ball of the shoe and the second position of the footbed is near a heel of the shoe.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 18 words

The shoe of claim 1 including more than one cable reinforced panel on each side of the shoe.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 12 words

The shoe of claim 1 wherein the cable is a thermoplastic material.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 12 words

The shoe of claim 1 wherein the cable has a circular cross-section.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 11 words

The shoe of claim 1 wherein the cable material is nylon.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 16 words

The shoe of claim 1 wherein the footbed includes a rigid portion connected to the cable.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 146 words

An athletic shoe, comprising: a sole having a toe portion proximate a forward end of the sole and a heel portion proximate a rearward end of the sole; a first cable-panel having a substantially inelastic cable and a flexible panel connected to the cable wherein the cable is fixedly attached to the sole at first and second sole locations, the first sole location being disposed between the second sole location and the forward end; and a second cable-panel having a substantially inelastic cable and a flexible panel connected to the cable wherein the cable is fixedly attached to the sole at third and fourth sole locations, the third sole location being disposed between the first and second sole locations and the fourth sole location being disposed proximate to the rearward end such that the first and second cable-panels overlap between the second and third sole locations.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 146 words

An athletic shoe, comprising: a sole having a toe portion proximate a forward end of the sole and a heel portion proximate a rearward end of the sole; a first cable-panel having a substantially inelastic cable and a flexible panel connected to the cable wherein the cable is fixedly attached to the sole at first and second sole locations, the first sole location being disposed between the second sole location and the forward end; and a second cable-panel having a substantially inelastic cable and a flexible panel connected to the cable wherein the cable is fixedly attached to the sole at third and fourth sole locations, the third sole location being disposed between the first and second sole locations and the fourth sole location being disposed proximate to the rearward end such that the first and second cable-panels overlap between the second and third sole locations.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 48 words

The athletic shoe of claim 14 further comprising a heel counter fixedly connected to the sole at the heel portion, and a collar cable-panel having a substantially inelastic cable and a flexible panel fixedly connected to the cable, the collar cable-panel being fixedly connected to the heel counter.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 62 words

The athletic shoe of claim 14 wherein the sole has a medial margin and opposed lateral margin and the first, second, third and fourth sole locations are located along the medial margin of the sole, the shoe further comprising third and fourth cable-panels, each having a substantially inelastic cable connected to a flexible panel, the cables being anchored to the lateral margin.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 38 words

The athletic shoe of claim 16 wherein each cable-panel has a margin that is distal the sole, which margins combine to define a lacing margin, wherein each cable-panel defines at least one eyelet located along the lacing margin.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 16 words

The athletic shoe of claim 14 wherein each flexible panel is fixedly attached to the sole.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 70 words

The shoe of claim 14 wherein the shoe has a lateral margin and opposed medial margin, the first and second cable-panels and first, second, third and fourth sole locations being disposed on the lateral side, the shoe further comprising third and fourth cable-panels disposed on the medial side and anchored by respective cables secured to the sole at medial sole locations in a mirror image fashion to the lateral side.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 146 words

An athletic shoe, comprising: a sole having a toe portion, a ball portion, an arch portion and a heel portion; a heel counter fixedly connected to the sole at the heel portion; a first cable-panel having a substantially inelastic cable connected to a flexible sheet wherein a first end of the cable is fixedly connected to the sole at the toe portion and a second end of the cable is fixedly connected to the sole at the arch portion; and a second cable-panel having a substantially inelastic cable connected to a flexible sheet wherein a first end of the cable is fixedly connected to the sole at the ball portion and a second end of the cable is fixedly connected to the sole at the heel portion so that the first cable-panel and the second cable-panel partially overlap between the ball portion and the arch portion.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 146 words

An athletic shoe, comprising: a sole having a toe portion, a ball portion, an arch portion and a heel portion; a heel counter fixedly connected to the sole at the heel portion; a first cable-panel having a substantially inelastic cable connected to a flexible sheet wherein a first end of the cable is fixedly connected to the sole at the toe portion and a second end of the cable is fixedly connected to the sole at the arch portion; and a second cable-panel having a substantially inelastic cable connected to a flexible sheet wherein a first end of the cable is fixedly connected to the sole at the ball portion and a second end of the cable is fixedly connected to the sole at the heel portion so that the first cable-panel and the second cable-panel partially overlap between the ball portion and the arch portion.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 31 words

The athletic shoe of claim 20 further comprising a collar cable-panel having a substantially inelastic cable connected to a flexible sheet wherein the cable-panel is fixedly connected to the heel counter.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 48 words

The athletic shoe of claim 21 wherein the sole has a medial margin and an opposed lateral margin, wherein the first and second cable-panels are located along the medial margin of the sole, and further comprising third and fourth cable-panels located along the lateral margin of the sole.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 42 words

The athletic shoe of claim 22 wherein each cable-panel has a margin distal to the sole, the margins collectively defining a pair of opposed lacing margins and wherein each cable-panel defines at least one eyelet located along one of the lacing margins.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 30 words

The athletic shoe of claim 23 wherein the collar cable-panel has a forward margin located distal to the heel counter, which forward margin forms a part of the lacing margin.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 26 words

The athletic shoe of claim 20 wherein the second end of the second cable associated with the second cable-panel is fixedly connected to the heel counter.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 25 words

The athletic shoe of claim 20 wherein the sole further comprises a molded midsole and all the cable ends are embedded in the molded midsole.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 104 words

A shoe comprising: a footbed having lateral and medial footbed portions and toe and heel portions; an upper having lateral and medial upper portions; the lateral and medial upper portions each having a plurality of discrete cable-panels, each of which is reinforced by a respective substantially inelastic cable secured thereto, wherein at least two of the cables in the lateral upper portion and two of the cables in the medial upper portion have opposite ends anchored in the footbed; and wherein at least two of the cable panels partially overlap one another along a portion of the side between the toe and heel portions.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 104 words

A shoe comprising: a footbed having lateral and medial footbed portions and toe and heel portions; an upper having lateral and medial upper portions; the lateral and medial upper portions each having a plurality of discrete cable-panels, each of which is reinforced by a respective substantially inelastic cable secured thereto, wherein at least two of the cables in the lateral upper portion and two of the cables in the medial upper portion have opposite ends anchored in the footbed; and wherein at least two of the cable panels partially overlap one another along a portion of the side between the toe and heel portions.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 23 words

The shoe of claim 27 further including a heel cable panel and a heel cable secured thereto to reinforce the heel cable panel.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1997-12-12	1998-06-13	1998-12-13	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2001-12-12	2002-06-13	2002-12-13	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2005-12-12	2006-06-13	2006-12-13	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Athletic shoe

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