A wire tightening apparatus including: a base body part; a reel part rotatably installed inside the base body part to selectively wind a wire thereon when rotated; a housing part including a ratchet-type gear, a partition plate protruding radially inward along a lower portion of the ratchet-type gear, and a vertical movement hole; a vertically moving gear part including a gear body part configured to be vertically moved along the vertical movement hole and having a seating step, an elastic blade part coupled to the ratchet-type gear so that one-way rotation thereof is restricted, and a vertical movement fixing extension part selectively elastically supported by upper and lower surfaces of an edge of the vertical movement hole; and a cover part coupled to an upper portion of the vertically moving gear part to be integrally vertically moved and rotated therewith.

A length-adjustable shoe, of which a length between a front end and a rear end thereof is adjustable, includes an outsole, an upper, a stretch fabric, and a control device. The upper includes a body portion and a heel portion which are mutually separated, wherein the body portion is directly attached on the outsole, and the stretch fabric connects a bottom edge of the heel portion and the outsole. The control device connects the body portion and the heel portion, wherein the control device moves the heel portion relative to the body portion as a whole in an axial direction from the front end to the rear end, which changes the length of the shoe.

A length-adjustable shoe, of which a length between a front end and a rear end thereof is adjustable, includes an outsole, an upper, a stretch fabric, and a control device. The upper includes a body portion and a heel portion which are mutually separated, wherein the body portion is directly attached on the outsole, and the stretch fabric connects a bottom edge of the heel portion and the outsole. The control device connects the body portion and the heel portion, wherein the control device moves the heel portion relative to the body portion as a whole in an axial direction from the front end to the rear end, which changes the length of the shoe.

The inventive subject matter shown and described is directed to an item of footwear with a tensioning system, comprising: a shell for enclosing a foot and at least a portion of a lower leg; a pair of opposing edges generally aligned along the top of foot portion of the shell and/or a front lower leg portion, the edges generally aligning with a longitudinal axis of the foot and/or lower leg, the opposing edges defining opposite sides of the shell; a foot retraction system comprising a tension path and at least two anchor points disposed along the path on the opposite sides of the shell and supporting at least one tensionable cable section disposed along the path, at least one anchor point comprising a tensioning mechanism, the tensioning mechanism allowing for adjustable tensioning of the cable section, the anchor points being arranged on opposite sides of the shell that support the edges, at least one being on a lateral or medial side of a boot and not on the top of the foot and front of the lower leg, so that tensioning of the cable causes the opposing edges to converge together. The inventive subject matter is particularly suitable for use in boots for snow and skating sports or any other such sport where sliding movement of the foot or leg relative to the item of footwear is undesirable and where secure coupling of the item to the foot and leg facilitates transfer of power to a board, ski, skate blade, set of skate wheels, etc., that is coupled to the item.

The inventive subject matter shown and described is directed to an item of footwear with a tensioning system, comprising: a shell for enclosing a foot and at least a portion of a lower leg; a pair of opposing edges generally aligned along the top of foot portion of the shell and/or a front lower leg portion, the edges generally aligning with a longitudinal axis of the foot and/or lower leg, the opposing edges defining opposite sides of the shell; a foot retraction system comprising a tension path and at least two anchor points disposed along the path on the opposite sides of the shell and supporting at least one tensionable cable section disposed along the path, at least one anchor point comprising a tensioning mechanism, the tensioning mechanism allowing for adjustable tensioning of the cable section, the anchor points being arranged on opposite sides of the shell that support the edges, at least one being on a lateral or medial side of a boot and not on the top of the foot and front of the lower leg, so that tensioning of the cable causes the opposing edges to converge together. The inventive subject matter is particularly suitable for use in boots for snow and skating sports or any other such sport where sliding movement of the foot or leg relative to the item of footwear is undesirable and where secure coupling of the item to the foot and leg facilitates transfer of power to a board, ski, skate blade, set of skate wheels, etc., that is coupled to the item.

The Belt Ratcheting Device (BRD) facilitates unidirectional belt fastening and fast release. The BRD has a turning gate rotatably installed diagonally in a channel. The turning gate has a tapered front end with sharp edge with a smooth side. A preloaded spring keeps the BRD in active state when the release lever is not pulled. The BRD has two states: active and inactive. In the active state the device works as a belt ratchet i.e. allowing the belt to be pulled forwards but restricting any belt motion backwards. After fastening, the belt remains fastened until the BRD is switched into inactive state by manually pulling the lever. The BRD doesn't employ serrated surfaces, which cause accelerated belt wear. Instead, the BRD's smooth side and channel's smooth surfaces minimize belt wear. BRDs facilitate garment belt fastening or belt fastening of footwear.

The Belt Ratcheting Device (BRD) facilitates unidirectional belt fastening and fast release. The BRD has a turning gate rotatably installed diagonally in a channel. The turning gate has a tapered front end with sharp edge with a smooth side. A preloaded spring keeps the BRD in active state when the release lever is not pulled. The BRD has two states: active and inactive. In the active state the device works as a belt ratchet i.e. allowing the belt to be pulled forwards but restricting any belt motion backwards. After fastening, the belt remains fastened until the BRD is switched into inactive state by manually pulling the lever. The BRD doesn't employ serrated surfaces, which cause accelerated belt wear. Instead, the BRD's smooth side and channel's smooth surfaces minimize belt wear. BRDs facilitate garment belt fastening or belt fastening of footwear.

A closing system of a shoe or clothing item or accessory, including a lace, a substrate having an inner face and an exposed face opposite the inner face, a lace-locking element for adjusting the tension of the lace, which lace-locking element is arranged at the exposed face of the substrate and which is crossed by the lace thus defining a lace portion downstream of the lace-locking element comprising two lace segments coming out of the lace-locking element, one or more first passages integral with the substrate, wherein the lace portion downstream of the lace-locking element crosses the one or more first passages thus defining, on the side of the exposed face, an end portion of lace extended beyond one or more first passages and which comprises one lace segment or two lace segments not contiguous to each other.

A closing system of a shoe or clothing item or accessory, including a lace, a substrate having an inner face and an exposed face opposite the inner face, a lace-locking element for adjusting the tension of the lace, which lace-locking element is arranged at the exposed face of the substrate and which is crossed by the lace thus defining a lace portion downstream of the lace-locking element comprising two lace segments coming out of the lace-locking element, one or more first passages integral with the substrate, wherein the lace portion downstream of the lace-locking element crosses the one or more first passages thus defining, on the side of the exposed face, an end portion of lace extended beyond one or more first passages and which comprises one lace segment or two lace segments not contiguous to each other.

The present invention provides a wire tightening device for improving the convenience of use by readily providing the device in shoes, comprising: a housing part fixed to the tongue of shoes to provide a ratchet-type gear in the inner circumference thereof, and having a cylindrical inner surface; a reel part rotatably arranged inside the housing part and providing tensile force to a wire for tightening both side covers of the shoes as the wire is wound; and a rotary cover for selectively rotating the reel part, wherein the housing part provides a coupling part placed on the top surface of the tongue in a position corresponding to a provision hole formed in the tongue, and a pressing surface part for pressing the bottom surface of the tongue according to the coupling, to the coupling part, of the coupling bar protruding from one surface for clamping and fixing the tongue by penetrating through the provision hole.