US 6,128,835 AGranted

Self adjusting frame for footwear

AssigneeMark Thatcher

InventorsBrett D. Ritter, Damon R. Butler, Barry Joseph McGeough

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Abstract

A self adjusting frame for footwear comprises a strap slideably passing through a plurality of connectors spaced apart and adjacent to the sole, the strap passing around the heel of the footwear and having its two ends connected to the footwear. Lacing crosses over the footwear upper, with the lacing slideably engaging the strap so that when the lacing is tightened the strap is likewise drawn tight. The lacing and strap combination thereby secures footwear to a foot about substantially the periphery of the foot, and further self adjusts to develop differently oriented foot securing force vectors for differently shaped feet. Footwear comprises lacing and a strap passing through a plurality of connectors spaced apart around a shoe, with the lacing slideably engaging the strap. As the lacing is tightened the strap is thereby drawn tight. The footwear is thus secured to a foot about substantially the periphery of the foot.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A footwear product comprising:

a footwear producing having a sole, lateral and medial sides, and forefoot and heel regions;
and
a self-adjusting frame comprising:
a) a plurality of spaced apart connectors connected to said lateral side of said footwear;
b) a plurality of spaced apart connectors connected to said medial side of said footwear;
c) a medial strap portion extending along said medial side of said footwear, a lateral strap portion extending along said lateral side of said footwear, said strap portions on each side slideably engaging said connectors on each respective side, wherein said medial and lateral strap portions comprise a single continuous strap extending around said medial side, heel, and said lateral side of said footwear;
and
d) closure means between said lateral and medial portions of said strap, said closure means engaging said medial and lateral strap portions at a plurality of strap engagement points, whereby tightening of said closure means draws said medial and lateral strap portions tight, causing said medial and lateral strap portions to close around substantially the periphery of a wearer's foot.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.