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US 6,474,000 B2Granted
Sports boot having an integrated quick tightening system
AssigneeSalomon S.A.
InventorIgor Burt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sports boot having an outer sole on which an upper is mounted, which has a zone for introducing the foot and a rear upper zone having a medial quarter and a lateral quarter connected to one another by a tightening system constituted by a flexible linkage connecting to one another, along a predetermined alternative path, a series of return elements arranged fixedly on both sides of the quarters, in the vicinity of their edges to define a lacing zone. The return elements associated with the flexible linkage generally constituting the tightening system are arranged on the surfaces of the medial and lateral quarters, directed toward the foot, to constitute a tightening system of the upper, acting from within the latter.
Claims22
A sports boot comprising:
- an outer sole, an external upper mounted on said outer sole, said upper comprising a zone for introducing the foot and a front upper zone comprising a medial quarter and a lateral quarter, said medial and lateral quarters having respective inner surfaces, a tightening system connecting together said medial and lateral quarters, said tightening system comprising a flexible linkage connecting to one another, along a predetermined alternating path, a series of return elements arranged fixedly on both of said medial and lateral quarters, in the vicinity of edges of said medial and lateral quarters to define a lacing zone, said return elements being associated with the flexible linkage generally constituting the tightening system being arranged on the inner surfaces of the medial and lateral quarters to constitute a system for tightening the upper, acting from within the upper, said flexible linkage being maintained beneath, and not extending through, said medial and lateral quarters in said lacing zone, wherein the medial and lateral quarters are connected to one another by a band of elastic material joining said edges of each of them to constitute a closed upper that is extensible during the passage of the foot.
A sports boot comprising:
- an outer sole, an external upper mounted on said outer sole, said upper comprising a zone for introducing the foot and a front upper zone comprising a medial quarter and a lateral quarter, said medial and lateral quarters having respective inner surfaces, a tightening system connecting together said medial and lateral quarters, said tightening system comprising a flexible linkage connecting to one another, along a predetermined alternating path, a series of return elements arranged fixedly on both of said medial and lateral quarters, in the vicinity of edges of said medial and lateral quarters to define a lacing zone, thereby directly connecting together said medial and lateral quarters, said return elements being associated with the flexible linkage generally constituting the tightening system being arranged on the inner surfaces of the medial and lateral quarters to constitute a system for tightening the upper, acting from within the upper, said flexible linkage being maintained beneath said medial and lateral quarters in said lacing zone, respective longitudinally extending edges of said medial and lateral quarters being connected to one another by a piece of material to constitute a closed upper, said closed upper being at least partially elastic to provide extensibility of the upper during introduction of the foot into the boot.
A sports boot comprising:
- an outer sole;
- an external upper mounted on said outer sole, said upper comprising a foot-introduction zone and an upper front zone, said upper front zone comprising a medial quarter and a lateral quarter, said upper front zone further comprises a longitudinally extending band of material connecting said medial quarter to said lateral quarter;
- a tightening system connecting together said medial and lateral quarters for tightening the boot upon a wearer's foot, said tightening system comprising:
- a first series of return elements fixed to a longitudinally extending edge of said medial quarter of said upper and a second series of return elements fixed to a longitudinally extending edge of said lateral quarter of said upper, said first and second series of return elements defining a lacing zone, said first and second series of return elements and said flexible linkage positioned entirely beneath said band of material and beneath said medial and lateral quarters along said lacing zone;
- and
- a flexible linkage extending along said lacing zone by alternately connecting said return elements of said medial and lateral quarters;
- said upper front zone being closed along said lacing zone, whereby said upper front zone extends over said flexible linkage and over said series of return elements along said lacing zone, said upper front zone of said upper being flexible to facilitate introduction of a wearer's foot into said foot-introduction zone of said upper.
4 more elements
A sports boot comprising:
- an outer sole;
- an upper mounted on said outer sole, said upper comprising a foot-introduction zone and an upper front zone, said upper front zone comprising a medial quarter and a lateral quarter;
- a tightening system connecting together said medial and lateral quarters for tightening the boot upon a wearer's foot, said tightening system comprising:
- a first series of return elements fixed to a longitudinally extending edge of said medial quarter of said upper and a second series of return elements fixed to a longitudinally extending edge of said lateral quarter of said upper, said first and second series of return elements defining a lacing zone;
- and
- a flexible linkage extending along said lacing zone by alternately connecting said return elements of said medial and lateral quarters;
- said upper front zone being closed along said lacing zone, whereby said upper front zone extends over said flexible linkage and over said series of return elements along said lacing zone, said upper front zone of said upper being flexible to facilitate introduction of a wearer's foot into said foot-introduction zone of said upper;
- said first series of return elements being fixed to an inner surface of said medial quarter of said upper and said second series of return elements being fixed to an inner surface of said lateral quarter of said upper;
- said upper front zone of said upper further comprising a first series of housings for housing respective ones of said return elements of said first series of return elements and a second series of housings for housing respective ones of said return elements of said second series of return elements, each of said housings having a closed upper end covering a respective one of said return elements.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.