Footwear lacing system
OwnerGary R. Hammerslaginventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A footwear lacing system comprises a lace attached to a tightening mechanism. The lace is threaded through a series of opposing guide members positioned along the top of the foot and ankle portions of the footwear. The lace and guide preferably have low friction surfaces to facilitate sliding of the lace through the guide members so that the lace evenly distributes tension across the footwear member. The tightening mechanism allows incremental adjustment of the tension of the lace. A release mechanism allows a user to quickly loosen the lace.
Claims10
A closure system for footwear having an upper, with a lateral side and a medial side, the closure system comprising:
- a first lace guide attached to the lateral side of the upper;
- a second lace guide attached to the medial side of the upper;
- each of the first and second lace guides comprising a longitudinal lace pathway extending generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the footwear and first and second transverse guide surfaces;
- a lace slidably extending along the first and second transverse guide surfaces and longitudinal lace pathway of each of the first and second lace guides;
- and
- a tightening mechanism on the footwear, for retracting the lace, thereby advancing the first lace guide towards the second lace guide to tighten the footwear.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.