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US 2006/0213085 A1Published application
Article of footwear with linkage-tightening device
AssigneeSalomon S.A.
InventorsGuy Azam, Jean-Bruno Danezin, Eric Pierre, Bruno Borsoi
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Abstract
A lace-up device for tightening an article of footwear, providing for the tieing of the lacing without causing discomfort to the user's hands, as well as to the article of footwear equipped with such device. The lace-up device includes a gripping mechanism arranged on the linkage in the area of a loop formed by the lacing outside the tightening zone. The gripping device includes a rigid frame, making it possible to distribute the tension of the lacing over the hand of the user.
Claims17
An article of footwear comprising:
- an upper including at least a first portion and a second portion, the first and second portions of the upper being spaced apart and adapted to be brought towards one another during tightening of the article of footwear;
- a first plurality of return elements affixed to said first portion of said upper and a second plurality of return elements affixed to said second portion of said upper, said first and second pluralities of return elements describing a tightening zone;
- a linkage guided in a predeterminate path via at least said first and second pluralities of return elements of said upper;
- said linkage having two ends, with a number of return elements positioned between said two ends, said linkage forming one strand, said one strand adapted to be spaced beyond said tightening zone while the article of footwear is tightened;
- a locking arrangement for locking said linkage at least while the article of footwear is tightened;
- at least one gripping device secured to said linkage, said gripping device comprising a loop for a hand of the user enabling the user to apply a tension force, intermediate lower and upper ends of said tightening zone, to said one strand of said linkage with at least one hand during said tightening of the article of footwear.
3 more elements
An article of footwear comprising:
- an upper including at least a first portion and a second portion, the first and second portions of the upper being spaced apart and adapted to be brought towards one another during tightening of the article of footwear;
- a first plurality of return elements affixed to said first portion of said upper and a second plurality of return elements affixed to said second portion of said upper, said first and second pluralities of return elements describing a tightening zone, said tightening zone extending from a lower end to an upper end;
- said tightening zone comprising a first tightening sub-zone and a second tightening sub-zone;
- a first strand of a lace or cable guided in a predetermined path via at least said first and second pluralities of return elements and extending within said first tightening sub-zone from an end proximate said lower end of said tightening zone.
- a second strand of a lace or cable guided in a predetermined path via at least said first and second pluralities of return elements and extending within said second tightening sub-zone from an end proximate said upper end of said tightening zone;
- a lock for said first strand and a lock for the second strand, at least said lock for said first strand being located on said first strand as said first strand exits said tightening zone at a position intermediate said lower end and said upper end of said tightening zone, said locks being adapted to lock said first and second strands while the article of footwear is tightened;
- a gripping device secured at least to one of said first and second strands, said gripping device comprising a loop for a hand of the user for enabling a user to exert a tension force to tighten the article of footwear.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.