Shoe tightening system
AssigneeDashAmerica, Inc.
InventorsMark Kerns, Christopher J. King, Sean Sullivan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a shoe having a canopy and laterally mounted tightening apparatus. The canopy has a fixed end attached to the shoe and a free end not attached to the shoe. The free end of the canopy has lobes (or the canopy is a plurality of straps) that are moveable relatively independently of each other such that a lace attached to a tightening apparatus and the free end of the canopy tightens the shoe allowing the free ends of the canopy to facilitate the canopy molding the foot of the user.
Claims42
A shoe comprising a sole coupled to an upper where the upper comprises a toe box, a throat opening, and a heel, the shoe containing a tightening system, the tightening system comprising:
- a canopy;
- the canopy comprising:
- a fixed end coupled to the upper,
- a free end opposite the fixed end,
- a body between the fixed end and the free end, the body traverses the throat opening,
- at least one slit originating at the free end and extending into the body,
- the at least one slit forming a plurality of lobes in the canopy, and
- each of the plurality of lobes having at least one canopy cable guide attached proximate the free end thereof,
- a tightening apparatus connected to the upper;
- at least one upper cable guide attached to the upper;
- and
- a lace;
- the lace connected to the tightening apparatus, the at least one upper cable guide and each of the at least one canopy cable guides whereby using the tightening apparatus to tighten the lace facilitates the canopy molding to a foot of the user.
A shoe including a tightening system, the shoe comprising:
- a sole;
- an upper coupled to the sole;
- the upper comprising a toe box, a throat, and a heel;
- a throat cover attached to the upper such that the throat cover resides in the throat;
- a canopy;
- the canopy having at least one fixed end, a plurality of free ends, and at least one body traversing the throat cover;
- at least one gap between adjacent free ends such that the body forms at least one lobe for each of the plurality of free ends of the canopy;
- at least one canopy cable guide attached to each of the plurality of free ends;
- at least one upper cable guide attached to the upper;
- a tightening apparatus;
- and
- a lace attached to the tightening apparatus, each of the at least one canopy cable guide, and each of the at least one upper cable guide, whereby
- using the tightening apparatus causes the lace to tighten the canopy over the throat such that the plurality of lobes form to a foot of a user relatively independently of each other.
A shoe including a tightening system, the shoe comprising:
- a sole;
- an upper coupled to the sole;
- the upper comprising a toe box, a throat, and a heel;
- a canopy having a fixed end coupled to the upper and a body that traverses the throat;
- a plurality of canopy cable guides attached to the canopy;
- at least one upper cable guide coupled to the upper;
- a lace;
- and
- means for tightening the lace such that the canopy tightens the upper on a foot of a user.
A shoe including a tightening system, the shoe comprising:
- a sole;
- an upper coupled to the sole;
- the upper comprising a toe box, a throat, and a heel;
- a throat cover attached to the upper such that the throat cover resides in the throat;
- a plurality of straps;
- each of the plurality of straps having a fixed end coupled to one side of the shoe and a free end on the opposite side of the shoe;
- at least one canopy cable guide attached proximate to each of the free ends;
- at least one upper cable guide attached to the upper;
- a tightening apparatus;
- and
- a lace attached to the tightening apparatus, each of the at least one canopy cable guide, and each of the at least one upper cable guide, whereby
- using the tightening apparatus causes the lace to tighten the canopy over the throat such that the plurality of straps tighten around the foot of a user relatively independently of each other.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.