Patent Application
20050022427
The present invention relates to shoes and, more particularly, to a sport shoe tightening system.
There exist many mechanisms for tightening shoes, boots, skates, and other footwear. Conventional mechanisms for tightening footwear range from simple manual lace tightening to more complex buckles or clamps and the like. Manual lace tightening has many drawbacks including, for example, difficulty in adjusting the lace tightness and uneven distribution of pressure from the tightening. Buckle and clamp style systems, while quicker than manual lace tightening, cause pressure points where the buckles or clamps exist. These pressure points cause localized hot spots and irritation, which can lead to blisters and the like.
VELCRO® straps can be used in place of buckles and/or laces, but they suffer many of the drawbacks of buckles in they produce localized pressure points and uneven tightness distribution. Further, the straps are prearranged, similar to buckles, inhibiting the shoe from free forming to a user's foot shape. The result is localized pressure points and hotspots that can irritate the foot.
An existing automatic lace tightening system is described by U.S. Pat. No. 6,289,558, issued Sep. 18, 2001, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,599, issued Aug. 10, 1999, both titled FOOTWEAR LACING SYSTEM, both issued to Hammerslag. The Hammerslag Patents describe a circular tightening apparatus that is rotated to tighten the laces and locked in place with a ratchet and pawl lock. The laces are loosened by releasing the lock by lifting the pawl and pulling on the laces to loosen them, or using reverse rotation of the ratchet. As can be seen, the Hammerslag Patents disclose a conventional shoe having an upper with an open throat. Opposing sides of the upper are tightened using the laces and tightening system of the Hammerslag Patents.
The recent trend with Cycling shoes has been to provide a shoe 100 as shown in
While it would be desirous to incorporate the lacing system disclosed by the Hammerslag Patents into conventional cycling shoes, it has been discovered that incorporating the Hammerslag Patents as disclosed into cycling shoes causes localized hotspots, pressure points, and buckling in canopy 114. Thus, it would be desirous to develop an improved shoe tightening system.
To attain the advantages and in accordance with the present invention, a tightening system for a shoe is provided. The shoe comprises a sole and an upper. The upper is formed of at least a toe box, a throat, and a heel. The tightening system comprises a canopy having a fixed end and a free end. A slit in the free end extends internal to a body of the canopy forming a number of lobes. A lace runs from a tightening apparatus to the lobes allowing the canopy to be tightened on the foot of a user.
The present invention further provides a shoe with a tightening system. The shoe comprises a sole and an upper coupled to the sole. The upper comprises a toe box, a throat, and a heel. Traversing the throat is a throat cover. Traversing the throat cover is a canopy that is fixed to the upper on a fixed end and is not fixed to the upper on a free end. A lace is attached to a tightening apparatus and the free end of the canopy such that using the tightening apparatus to tighten the laces causes the canopy to tighten the shoe on the foot of a user.
The foregoing and other features, utilities and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of a preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the present invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles thereof. Like items in the drawings are referred to using the same numerical reference.
The present invention will be described with reference to
Canopy 214 has a fixed side 216, which is not specifically shown, on the instep of shoe 200, and a free side 218 opposite fixed side 216. A body 220 of canopy 214 traverses tongue 208 between fixed side 216 and free side 218, which is best seen in
Referring back to
Lobes 224 move somewhat independently to each other and are not releasably attached in a fixed location, unlike either a buckle or VELCRO strap. In other words, lobes 224 (and portions of canopy 214) move and form to a user's foot unlike a buckle or VELCRO strap that is fixed to a predetermined location irrespective of the individual user's foot. The independent movement allows canopy 214 to form to a user's foot by giving canopy 214 an additional degree of freedom. By forming to the user's foot, pressure is more evenly distributed reducing localized hotspots and irritation.
The Hammerslag Patents disclose mounting tightening apparatus 234 specifically on a tongue or behind a heel of a shoe. Largely, this placement is sufficient for the device disclosed in the Hammerslag Patents because the tightening apparatus is designed to work with a symmetrical shoe having an upper with two symmetrical closure flaps that are being secured about a throat opening and tongue. But shoe 200 is asymmetrical and does not have a tongue, but rather throat cover 210 and canopy 214. Although shoe 200 could have tightening apparatus 234 attached at the heel or tongue area, it has been found that placing tightening apparatus about the shoe arch support area on a side opposite the instep facilitates operation of the device. Thus, it is believed placing tightening apparatus 234 substantially aligned with an axis 236 of lobes 224 facilitates operation of the device. Further, to move tightening apparatus 234 to a different location, which would inhibit operation of the device, would likely require additional material, such as, for example, an additional upper cable guide to correct route the lace.
Referring now to
Shoe 400 is slightly more form fitting than shoe 200 because straps 418 move completely independent of each other, while for shoe 200 only lobes 224, and a portion of canopy 214, move somewhat independently of each other.
Lace 232 and lace 434 should be formed of a low friction material as disclosed by the Hammerslag Patents. But it is believed a low friction material alone is not sufficient for ideal operation of the tightening system. In particular, the design of the tightening system is such that replacement of the lace would be difficult. To minimize replacement, it is believed a low friction, high tensile strength lace should be used, such as, for example, a lace made out of SPECTRA® as produced by Honeywell. The SPECTRA material is actually a form of plastic known as Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene. Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene also is abrasion resistant.
Shoe 200 contains throat cover 210 and shoe 400 contains throat cover 410 that replaces a throat opening and tongue. It is believed using the throat cover in place of a throat opening and tongue in the upper will reduce localized pressure points, hotspots, and irritation. To aid in this reduction, covers 210 and 410 are made out of a stretchable material, such as neoprene or a stretchable mesh fabric. Of course, other textiles, synthetic fabrics, or composites could be used. For increased comfort, a more breathable open foam construction may be used and or wicking material or absorbent material may be added to the cover as is generally known in the art. Having a stretchable material facilitates with the shoe fitting the user's foot without buckling or pressure points, etc. Assisting in the slipper fit described above. To fit most cyclist, throat cover should have a length L of about 95 mm to about 155 mm, but preferably has a length L of about 125 mm. Length L, however, can range anywhere from about 40 mm to 185 mm to accommodate various ages, sexes, and foot sizes. Similarly, throat cover should have a width W of about 50 mm to about 120 mm, but preferably has a width W of about 70 mm (as measured at the top opening). Width W, however, can range anywhere from about 30 mm to about 200 mm to accommodate various ages, sexes, and foot sizes. Length L and width W will also vary depending on the stretch ability of the material. Finally, shoe 200 and shoe 400 has the top opening with a length L′, which is conventional, and ranges from 60 mm to 90 mm, with 70 mm to 80 mm being the most common sizes, but preferably the length L′ is about 70 mm.
While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to an embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various other changes in the form and details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
