FOOTWEAR AND METHOD OF USING SUCH FOOTWEAR

Abstract

A shoe that includes a sole assembly, an upper including a vamp and a tightening device. The tightening device includes keepers, a single lace having a tightening portion in a lacing path, and a blocking element having an active state for fixing a length of the tightening portion of the lace. The tightening device includes a vamp keeper provided on the vamp of the upper, as well as a tension member configured to reversibly pass the tightening portion of the lace between the lacing path and a tightening path when the blocking element is in the active state.

Claims

1. A shoe for receiving a foot of a user to practice a physical activity, the shoe extending along a lengthwise direction and comprising: a sole assembly on which the foot of the user is intended to rest, the sole assembly extending along the lengthwise direction between a tip and a heel; an upper comprising a lower portion adjoining the sole assembly and configured to cover the foot of the user, the upper comprising a vamp adjoining the tip of the sole assembly and configured to cover at least the toes of the user; and a tightening device configured to adjustably tighten the upper on the foot of the user; the tightening device comprising: keepers arranged on the upper in two rows of keepers arranged on either respective side of a tightening axis extending between the heel and tip of the shoe; a single lace threaded into the keepers of each row of keepers along a lacing path so as to be capable of bringing the rows of keepers closer to one another by pulling on the lace, the lace having a tightening portion in the lacing path; and a blocking element having an inactive state in which the blocking element enables the user to modify a length of the tightening portion of the lace, and an active state in which the blocking element fixes the length of the tightening portion of the lace; the tightening device further comprising: at least one vamp keeper provided on the vamp of the upper, the lacing path including the vamp keeper; at least one tension member arranged on the upper so as to define at least one tightening path including the lacing path and having a length greater than the lacing path, the tension member being configured to reversibly pass the tightening portion of the lace between the lacing path and the tightening path when the blocking element is in the active state.

2. Shoe according to claim 1, wherein: the tension member is arranged on the upper.

3. Shoe according to claim 1, wherein: the tension member is a hook arranged at a distance from the tightening axis and having an opening oriented in a direction opposite the tightening axis.

4. Shoe according to claim 1, wherein: the tension member is provided on one of the vamp keepers.

5. Shoe according to claim 4, wherein: the vamp keeper comprises a body comprising an opening configured to receive a portion of the lace and the tension member.

6. Shoe according to claim 1, wherein: the upper extends along the lengthwise direction between a toe cap and a heel counter, and along a transverse direction between a medial portion and a lateral portion; the at least one vamp keeper comprises two end keepers arranged on respective lower ends of the rows of keepers; the end keepers are arranged on the respective medial and lateral portions of the upper; the end keeper arranged on the medial portion is offset along the lengthwise direction towards the toe cap of the upper in relation to the end keeper arranged on the lateral portion.

7. Shoe according to claim 1, wherein: the upper comprises at least one slit provided on the vamp; and the tightening device comprises at least one strap having a first end attached to either one of an inner surface of the sole assembly or an inner surface of the upper, and a free second end extending through the slit, the vamp keeper being provided on the second end of the strap.

8. Shoe according to claim 7, wherein: the lace has a central section and two end sections on either side of the central section; and the central section of the lace has a transverse cross section with a perimeter smaller than a perimeter of a transverse cross section of each of the end sections.

9. Shoe according to claim 1, wherein: the upper comprises a tongue adapted to cover at least a portion of the instep of a foot of the user and along which the tightening axis extends; and the vamp comprises a throat adjoining the tongue, the at least one vamp keeper being provided on the throat.

10. A method of using a shoe according to claim 1, providing: positioning a foot in the shoe with the blocking element being in the inactive state; adjustably tightening the upper of the shoe on the foot by pulling on the lace to modify the length of the tightening portion of the lace and to bring the rows of keepers closer to one another; placing the blocking element in the active state in order to fix the length of the tightening portion of the lace; and switching the tightening portion of the lace from the lacing path to the tightening path.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0035] Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following description of a particular embodiment of the invention given by way of non-limiting example, the description being made with reference to the annexed drawings, in which:

[0036] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a front lateral portion of a shoe according to one embodiment of the invention, the shoe comprising a sole assembly, a flexible upper and an upper tightening device suitable for adjustably tightening the upper on the foot of the user, the upper tightening device comprising keepers, including a plurality of vamp keepers, and a lace threaded through the keepers along a lacing path;

[0037] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the detail II in FIG. 1 of the lace of the shoe of FIG. 1, the lace having a central section and two end sections on either side of the central section, the central section having a transverse cross section with a perimeter less than a perimeter of a transverse cross section of each of the end sections;

[0038] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a front medial portion of the shoe of FIG. 1, the upper tightening device comprising a tension member arranged on the upper so as to define a tightening path;

[0039] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the detail IV in FIG. 3 of the tension member of the shoe of FIG. 1;

[0040] FIGS. 5 and 6 are views of the shoe of FIG. 1 during use of the shoe, the tightening portion of the lace switching from the lacing path to the tightening path; and

[0041] FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the detail VII in FIG. 6, illustrating the tightening portion of the lace of FIG. 1 passing through the tension member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] The same reference numerals designate identical or similar elements in the drawing figures.

[0043] FIGS. 1 to 4 show a shoe 1 configured to enable a user to practice a physical activity. Without being limited thereto, the shoe 1 is particularly configured to physical activities practiced in mountains, such as hiking or running, during which the user may encounter various types of terrain along his/her course, including climbing paths and descending paths, for example.

[0044] The shoe 1 is structured to receive one of the user's feet and extends generally along a lengthwise direction E. It comprises a sole assembly 3, that is, an outer sole assembly, having an inner surface on which the user's foot is supported, and an upper 6 configured to cover the foot of the user.

[0045] The sole assembly 3, which can be deformable to allow a bending or rolling movement of the sole assembly and, likewise, bending and rolling of the foot, extends along the lengthwise direction E between a tip 4 and a heel 5. Such bending or rolling refers to a longitudinal bending, such as during alternate raising and lowering of the heel in relation to a forward portion of the sole assembly, and such as a flexing in a zone corresponding to a user's metatarso-phalangeal joint.

[0046] In the exemplary illustrated non-limiting embodiment, the flexible upper 6 comprises only a lower portion 7 adjoining the sole assembly 3, that is, it does not include an upper portion that extends above the user's ankle. The upper 6 extends along the lengthwise direction E between a toe cap 8 and a heel counter 9, and along a transverse direction T, perpendicular to the lengthwise direction E, between a medial portion 10, or side, inward of the foot, and a lateral portion 11, or side, outward of the foot. Opposite the heel 5 of the sole assembly 3, the upper 6 has an upper edge 12 demarcating an opening 13 along a vertical direction V, perpendicular to the lengthwise direction E and transverse direction T, through which the user can insert his/her foot into the shoe 1. To make it easier to insert the foot, the upper edge 12 can extend over a portion of the upper 6 corresponding to the instep of the user's foot between two opposite edges 14. The upper 6 also comprises a tongue 15 extending between the edges 14 so as to cover at least a portion of the instep of the user. Alternatively, the edges 14 extending the upper edge 12 could extend on a medial wall 16 of the medial portion 10 or on a lateral wall 17 of the lateral portion 11. According to another alternative, the upper 6 could be devoid of edges 14 that extend the upper edge 12, the tongue 15 being made integral or unitary with the medial 16 and lateral 17 walls of the upper 6. The upper 6 further comprises a vamp 18 adjoining the tip 4 of the sole assembly 3 and configured to cover the toes, and possibly a portion of the instep of the user. The vamp 18 includes a throat 19 adjoining the tongue 15 and the toe cap 8 of the upper 6.

[0047] In FIGS. 1 and 3, three pairs of slits are provided through the upper 6 to enable an inner surface of the upper 6 to communicate with the outside. In particular, a first pair of slits comprises two slits 20 positioned opposite each other on the respective medial 16 and lateral 17 walls. A second pair of slits comprises two slits 20 positioned opposite each other on the vamp 18, in particular on the throat 19, in the vicinity of the tongue 15. A third pair of slits comprises another two slits 20 arranged on the vamp 18, in particular on the throat 19, in the vicinity of the toe cap 8 of the upper 6. In this third pair of slits, the slit 20 arranged on the side of the medial portion 10 of the upper 6 is offset along the lengthwise direction E towards the toe cap 8 of the upper in relation to the slit 20 arranged on the side the lateral portion 11 of the upper 6.

[0048] The shoe 1 also comprises a tightening device 25 for tightening the upper on the foot of the user. The upper tightening device 25 comprises keepers 26 arranged on the upper in two rows of keepers arranged on either respective side of a tightening axis S, each of the two rows extending forwardly toward the tip of the shoe E. In the illustrated embodiment, the tightening axis S extends along the tongue 15. The two rows of keepers extend along the respective edges 14 that extend the upper edge 12 between respective upper ends, in the vicinity of the upper edge 12, and respective lower ends, in the vicinity of the toe cap 8 of the upper 6.

[0049] The upper tightening device 25 comprises straps 28, portions of which are outlined by broken lines, that project through the upper 6 in FIG. 1. Each strap 28 has a first end 28a fixed inside the shoe 1, and in particular to the inner surface of the upper 6, or to the inner surface of the sole assembly 3, and a free second end 28b extending through one of the slits 20 of the upper 6. Each row of keepers includes: [0050] keepers 26, for example four in the illustrated embodiment, made in the form of eyelets 29 through the upper 6 on the area of the upper edge 12; and [0051] keepers 26, for example three in the illustrated embodiment, provided on the respective second ends of the straps 28 on the area of the toe cap 8 of the upper 6.

[0052] Some of the keepers 26 provided on the straps are made in the form of a loop at the second end 28b of the strap 28.

[0053] In FIG. 4, one of the keepers 26 arranged on the strap 28 extending through the slit 20 on the side of the medial portion 10 of the second pair of slits includes a body 30 made in one piece, for example made of plastic, comprising a through opening 31. The body 30 further comprises a hook 32 arranged at a distance from the tightening axis S and having an opening oriented in a direction opposite the tightening axis S. The body 30 is affixed to the second end 28b of the strap 28.

[0054] On each of the rows of keepers, keepers 26 provided on the vamp 18 of the upper 6 form vamp keepers 33. In the illustrated embodiment, the vamp keepers 33 are provided at the second ends 28b of the straps 28 extending through the slits 20 of the second and third pairs of slits provided on the throat 19. The vamp keepers 33 on the straps 28 extending through the slits 20 of the third pair of slits in the vicinity of the toe cap 8 of the upper constitute end keepers 34 arranged at the respective lower ends of the rows of keepers. Due to the arrangement of the slits 20 of the third pair of slits, one of the end keepers 34, arranged on the medial portion 10, is offset along the lengthwise direction E toward the toe cap 8 of the upper 6 in relation to the other end keeper 34, arranged on the lateral portion 11. Alternatively, one or any other suitable number of vamp keepers arranged on the vamp of the upper could be provided according to any other suitable arrangement.

[0055] In the illustrated embodiment, the tightening device 25 comprises a single lace 40. In the embodiment shown, the lace 40 has a central section 41 and two end sections 42 on either side of the central section 41. In the central section 41 the lace has a transverse cross section, for example circular, with a perimeter less than a perimeter of a transverse cross section, for example oblong, of each of the end sections 42. The lace 40 is threaded into the keepers 26 of each row of keepers, including the opening 31 of the body 30 of the vamp keeper 33, along a lacing path. The lacing path is then defined by the keepers in which the lace is threaded, namely, in the illustrated embodiment, the vamp keepers 33 and at least a portion of the eyelets 29. The portion of the lace 40 located in the tightening path defines a tightening portion 43. On either side of this tightening portion 43, the lace 40 has two end portions 44 forming a blocking element having: [0056] an inactive state in which it enables the user to modify a length of the tightening portion 43 of the lace 40 in the lacing path, when the end portions 44 are free, that is, untied; and [0057] an active state in which it fixes the length of the tightening portion 43 of the lace 40, when the end portions 44 are tied.

[0058] Alternatively, any other type of blocking element having the aforementioned inactive and active states could be provided according to the invention. For example, the blocking element could comprise a body provided with a through bore in which a user-actuable pin is displaceably mounted in translation between: [0059] a blocking position in which it extends through the bore to block the end portions 44 of the lace 40 inserted into the bore; and [0060] a release position in which it is at least partially spaced from the bore to enable the end portions 44 of the lace 40 to slide in the bore.

[0061] A use of the shoe 1 is now described with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7.

[0062] As the blocking element is in the inactive state, namely the lace 40 is loosened and the end portions 44 are free, the user slips his/her foot into the shoe 1. The foot rests on the inner surface of the sole assembly 3 and is covered by the upper 6. In particular, the user's toes are covered by the vamp 18. The strap 28 carrying the end keeper 34 on the medial portion 10 of the upper 6 is arranged in correspondence with the big toe, and the strap 28 carrying the end keeper 34 on the lateral portion 11 of the upper 6 is arranged in correspondence with the little toe.

[0063] The tightening of the upper 6 of the shoe 1 on the foot of the user is adjusted by pulling on the end portions 44 so as to modify the length of the tightening portion 43 of the lace 40. In doing so, the rows of keepers are brought closer to one another, reducing the fitting volume of the shoe, including in the area of the toes, due to the vamp keepers 33.

[0064] The end portions 44 of the lace 40 can then be tied to place the blocking element in the active state and thus fix the length of the tightening portion 43 of the lace 40 in the lacing path.

[0065] In order to increase the tightening intensity while keeping the blocking element in the active state, that is to say, by keeping the lace 40 tied, a strand of the tightening portion 43 of the lace 40 can be stretched and then placed in the hook 32 of the body 30 of the vamp keeper 33 as shown in FIG. 7.

[0066] The hook 32 forms a tension member arranged on the upper 6 so as to define a tightening path including the lacing path and having a length greater than the lacing path. The tension member makes it possible to reversibly pass the tightening portion 43 of the lace 40 between the lacing path and the tightening path when the blocking element is in the active state. By lengthening the path of the lace with the same tightening portion 43, the tightening intensity can be increased evenly, if necessary for a predetermined duration, including in the area of the toes.

[0067] The invention described in connection with a tension member in the form of a hook arranged on the vamp and, in particular, provided on one of the vamp keepers is in no way limited to this embodiment. Alternatively, any other configuration and arrangement of one or more tension members making it possible to define one or more tightening paths could be provided.

[0068] Further, at least because the invention is disclosed herein in a manner that enables one to make and use it, by virtue of the disclosure of a particular exemplary embodiment, such as for simplicity or efficiency, for example, the invention can be practiced in the absence of any additional element or additional structure that is not specifically disclosed herein.