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US 5,497,564 AGranted
Rigid/semi-rigid plastic shoe strap construction
AssigneeConverse Inc.
InventorsBernie Allen, Joel Rusnak, Aaron Azevedo, Neal Kimball
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A shoe construction employs straps formed of plastic material whereby separate areas of the shoe straps have different characteristics of elasticity, flexibility and rigidity. The construction of the strap provides areas connected to the shoe with greater elasticity and flexibility characteristics and a lesser rigidity characteristic than a second area of the strap that has greater rigidity characteristics and is connected to closure members of the shoe.
Claims20
A shoe having flexible and adjustable closure means, the shoe comprising:
- a shoe sole having opposite lateral and medial sides;
- a shoe upper secured to the shoe sole along its opposite lateral and medial sides, the upper having an interior surface that defines an interior volume of the shoe configured to receive a foot therein, and the upper having an exterior surface with opposite lateral and medial surfaces;
- and at least one strap having an elongated configuration with a length of the strap having opposite proximal and distal ends, the proximal end being connected to one of the lateral and medial sides of the shoe and the strap extending along its length from the shoe at the strap proximal end, to the distal end of the strap, the strap being formed of first and second plastic materials giving different areas of the length of the strap different characteristics of elasticity, flexibility and rigidity, with a first area of the length of the strap adjacent the strap connection to the shoe having greater elasticity and flexibility and lesser rigidity characteristics than elasticity, flexibility and rigidity characteristics of a second area of the length of the strap adjacent the strap distal end;
- and,
- closure means connected to the distal end of the strap for adjustably pulling the length of the strap from its connection to one of the lateral and medial sides of the shoe toward the other of the lateral and medial sides of the shoe.
2 more elements
A shoe having flexible and adjustable closure means, the shoe comprising:
- a shoe sole having opposite lateral and medial sides;
- a shoe upper secured to the shoe sole along its lateral and medial sides, the upper having an interior surface that defines an interior volume of the shoe configured to receive a foot therein, and the upper having an exterior surface with opposite lateral and medial surfaces;
- a lateral strap secured to the lateral side Of the shoe and a medial strap connected to the medial side of the shoe;
- both the lateral, and medial straps extending to distal ends of the lateral and medial straps, both the lateral and medial straps being formed of plastic material whereby different areas;
- of the straps have different characteristics of elasticity and flexibility with first areas of the straps adjacent their connections to the shoe having elasticity and flexibility characteristics that are greater than elasticity and flexibility characteristics of second areas of the straps adjacent their distal ends;
- closure means connected between the distal ends of the lateral an medial straps for adjustably pulling the distal ends toward each other;
- the lateral and medial straps are both formed of at least first and second different types of plastic material at the first and second areas of the straps, respectively,
- whereby the second plastic material at the second areas of the straps has a greater characteristic of rigidity than the first plastic material at the first areas of the straps.
5 more elements
A shoe having flexible and adjustable closure means, the shoe comprising:
- a shoe sole having opposite lateral and medial sides;
- a lateral strap secured to the lateral side of the shoe and a medial strap connected to the medial side of the shoe, both the lateral and medial straps having elongated configurations with lengths extending between oppositely spaced proximal and distal ends of the lateral and medial straps, the proximal ends of the straps are connected to the shoe, both the lateral and medial straps being formed of plastic material whereby different areas of the straps adjacent the proximal and distal ends have different characteristics of elasticity and flexibility with first areas of the straps adjacent the proximal ends' connections to the shoe having elasticity and flexibility characteristics that are greater than elasticity and flexibility characteristics of second areas of the straps adjacent the distal ends, the lateral and medial straps both being formed of at least first and second different types of plastic material at the first and second areas of the straps, respectively, whereby the second plastic material at the second areas of the straps has a greater characteristic of rigidity than the first plastic material at the first areas of the straps;
- and,
- closure means connected between the distal ends of the lateral an medial straps for adjustably pulling the distal ends toward each other.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.