# US 2022/0031024 A1 · Cycling shoe lacing system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2022/0031024 A1 - Document ID: US20220031024A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/388,368 - Filed: 2021-07-29 - Published: 2022-02-03 - Earliest claimed: 2020-07-31 - Assignees: Specialized Bicycle Components, Inc. - Applicants: Specialized Bicycle Components, Inc. - Inventors: Robert Arthur Laurence Cook; Ashley Gill Sult - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220031024A1 ## CPC - A43B 5/14: Shoes for cyclists - A43C 11/165: {characterised by a spool, reel or pulley for winding up cables, laces or straps by rotation} - A43C 1/003: {Zone lacing, i.e. whereby different zones of the footwear have different lacing tightening degrees, using one or a plurality of laces (laces combined with another system A43C11/008; zone tightening using straps A43C11/14)} - A43C 11/008: {Combined fastenings, e.g. to accelerate undoing or fastening} - A43B: CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR - A43C: FASTENINGS OR ATTACHMENTS OF FOOTWEAR; LACES IN GENERAL ## Abstract A shoe includes an outsole, a first upper portion, a second upper portion, a rotary dial mounted to the first upper portion, and first and second lace portions coupled between the rotary dial and the second upper portion. The first lace portion aligns with a heel region of the shoe, the second lace portion aligns with a pedal region of the outsole, and a closure center line aligns with a medial arch region of the outsole. The second upper portion includes first and second lace guides. The first upper portion includes a third lace guide between the first and second lace portions. The first and second lace portions define a unitary lace extending from the rotary dial, through the first, second, and third lace guides, and back to the rotary dial. No portion of the lace member crosses over another portion of the lace member outside of the rotary dial. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A shoe comprising: an outsole having a heel end; an upper coupled to the outsole and including a first upper portion movable relative to a second upper portion, wherein the heel end of the outsole is coupled to the upper to define a heel region; and a lacing system including: a rotary dial mounted to the first upper portion; a first lace portion coupled between the rotary dial and the second upper portion such that rotation of the dial tightens the first lace portion; and a second lace portion coupled between the rotary dial and the second upper portion such that rotation of the rotary dial tightens the second lace portion, wherein the first lace portion is aligned with the heel region. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first upper portion includes a strap and the rotary dial is mounted on the strap. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A shoe as claimed in claim 2, wherein the strap wraps across a centerline of the shoe. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A shoe as claimed in claim 3, wherein a free end of the strap wraps at least 15 mm beyond the centerline of the shoe. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) A shoe as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first upper portion comprises a lateral part of the upper, wherein the second upper portion comprises a medial part of the upper, and wherein the strap comprises a lateral strap that wraps across a centerline of the shoe and overlaps the medial part of the upper. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A shoe as claimed in claim 5, wherein the rotary dial is mounted on a lateral side of the shoe. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outsole further includes a toe end, an outsole length between the heel end and the toe end, and a pedal region positioned 50%-70% of the outsole length from the heel end, and wherein the second lace portion is aligned with the pedal region. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second upper portion includes a first lace guide and a second lace guide, and wherein the first upper portion includes a third lace guide positioned between the first lace portion and the second lace portion, and wherein the first lace portion and the second lace portion are each part of a unitary lace that extends from the rotary dial, through the first lace guide, through the third lace guide, through the second lace guide, and back to the rotary dial. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A shoe as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second upper portion includes a fourth lace guide and a fifth lace guide, wherein the fourth lace guide is positioned between the rotary dial and the first lace guide to align the first lace portion with the first lace guide and the fifth lace guide is positioned between the rotary dial and the second lace guide to align the second lace portion with the second lace guide. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) A shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first lace portion and the second lace portion are both part of a same lace member, and wherein no portion of the lace member crosses over another portion of the lace member. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outsole further includes a toe end, an outsole length between the heel end and the toe end, and a medial arch region positioned 30%-50% of the outsole length from the heel end, wherein a rear lacing assembly defines a closure center line that extends from a center portion of the rotary dial towards an angular midpoint between the first lace portion and the second lace portion, and wherein the closure center line is aligned with the medial arch region. ### Claim 12 A shoe comprising: an outsole; an upper including a first upper portion movable relative to a second upper portion; and a lacing system including: a rotary dial mounted to the first upper portion; a first lace portion coupled between the rotary dial and the second upper portion such that rotation of the dial tightens the first lace portion; and a second lace portion coupled between the rotary dial and the second upper portion such that rotation of the rotary dial tightens the second lace portion, wherein the second upper portion includes a first lace guide and a second lace guide, and wherein the first upper portion includes a third lace guide positioned between the first lace portion and the second lace portion, and wherein the first lace portion and the second lace portion are each part of a unitary lace that extends from the rotary dial, through the first lace guide, through the third lace guide, through the second lace guide, and back to the rotary dial. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A shoe as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first upper portion includes a strap and the rotary dial is mounted on the strap. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A shoe as claimed in claim 13, wherein the strap wraps across a centerline of the shoe. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A shoe as claimed in claim 14, wherein a free end of the strap wraps at least 15 mm beyond the centerline of the shoe. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) A shoe as claimed in claim 14, wherein the first upper portion comprises a lateral part of the upper, wherein the second upper portion comprises a medial part of the upper, and wherein the strap comprises a lateral strap that wraps across a centerline of the shoe and overlaps the medial part of the upper. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A shoe as claimed in claim 16, wherein the rotary dial is mounted on a lateral side of the shoe. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) A shoe as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first lace portion is aligned with a heel region of the shoe. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) A shoe as claimed in claim 12, wherein the outsole has a heel end, a toe end, and an outsole length from the heel end to the toe end, wherein the outsole includes a pedal region that is 50% to 70% of the outsole length from the heel end, and wherein the second lace portion is aligned with the pedal region. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) A shoe as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first lace portion and the second lace portion are both part of a same lace member, and wherein no portion of the lace member crosses over another portion of the lace member.