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US 7,568,298 B2Granted
Engineered fabric with tightening channels
AssigneeDashAmerica, Inc.
InventorMark Kerns
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides a 3-D fabric with a plurality of channels. Loops in the channels distribute force over the fabric.
Claims18
A shoe comprising an upper, the upper comprising:
- an upper sole junction and a throat;
- a three dimensional fabric including a sole attachment side, a throat side, a back facing side, a body, and a top facing side;
- the body of the three dimensional fabric including a plurality of channels formed between the back facing side and the top facing side in at least a portion of the body of the three dimensional fabric;
- at least one loop, the at least one loop including a bottom section towards the upper sole junction and a top section opposite the bottom section towards the throat;
- at least a portion of the at least one loop residing in at least one of the plurality of channels;
- and
- at least one lace operatively associated with the at least one loop proximate the top section of the at least one loop, wherein
- the at least one loop distributes a tightening force across at least a portion of the upper when tightening the at least one lace.
5 more elements
A garment comprising:
- a gap with opposing edges to be tightened by at least one lace;
- a three dimensional fabric
- including a body facing side, a body, a top side,
- and a plurality of channels formed between the back facing side and the top facing side in at least a portion of the body of the three dimensional fabric;
- at least one loop, the at least one loop including at least one top section arranged about the gap and at least partially contained within at least one of the plurality of channels;
- and
- the at least one lace operatively associated with the at least one loop such that tightening the at least one lace distributes a tightening force about the three dimensional fabric.
4 more elements
A shoe having an upper, the upper connected to the sole at an upper sole junction, the upper comprising:
- a fabric, the fabric extending from a throat to the upper sole junction;
- the fabric formed with voids forming at least one channel extending from the throat to the upper sole junction;
- means for distributing a tightening force contained in the at least one channel, the means for distributing a tightening force distributes a tightening force about a foot received within the shoe;
- and
- at least one lace laced about the throat and attached to the means for distributing a tightening force, such that tightening the at least one lace about the throat supplies the tightening force distributed by the means for distributing a tightening force.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.