Laceless shoe

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10426227-B2
Application number	US-201615283611-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 3, 2016
Priority date	Oct 9, 2015
Publication date	Oct 1, 2019
Grant date	Oct 1, 2019

Abstract

Described is a shoe upper for a shoe, in particular an athletic shoe, wherein the shoe upper is laceless and comprises: (a.) a lateral portion; (b.) a medial portion; and (c.) at least an elastic intermediate portion between the lateral portion and the medial portion, wherein the stiffness of at least one of the lateral portion and the medial portion is at least 2 times higher than the stiffness of the elastic intermediate portion.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A laceless shoe upper for a shoe, the shoe upper comprising:
a. a lateral portion comprising a first coating portion applied to a first base fabric portion;
b. a medial portion comprising a second coating portion applied to a second base fabric portion; and
c. an elastic intermediate portion between the lateral portion and the medial portion and comprising a cupped portion uncoated by the first coating portion and the second coating portion, wherein the cupped portion is cupped above surrounding areas of the laceless shoe upper when the laceless shoe upper is laid out in an at-rest state, wherein the cupped portion maintains its shape when the shoe is not being worn, wherein the first coating portion is adapted to modify a stiffness of the first base fabric portion of the lateral portion to be at least 2 times higher than a stiffness of the elastic intermediate portion, and wherein the second coating portion is adapted to modify a stiffness of the second base fabric portion of the medial portion to be at least 2 times higher than the stiffness of the elastic intermediate portion.

2. The shoe upper of claim 1 , wherein:
the lateral portion is adapted to extend from a lateral junction of the upper with a sole to the elastic intermediate portion; and
the medial portion is adapted to extend from a medial junction of the upper with the sole to the elastic intermediate portion.

3. The shoe upper of claim 1 , wherein the elastic intermediate portion extends at least partly on a dorsal portion of the shoe upper.

4. The shoe upper of claim 1 , wherein a length of the elastic intermediate portion is between 20% and 50% of a length of the shoe upper; and
a width of the elastic intermediate portion is between 10% and 60% of the width of the shoe upper.

5. The shoe upper of claim 1 , further comprising at least one continuous one-piece layer at least partially covering the lateral portion and at least partially covering the elastic intermediate portion.

6. The shoe upper of claim 1 , wherein the stiffness of at least one of the medial portion and the lateral portion is between 2 and 50 times higher than the stiffness of the elastic intermediate portion.

7. The shoe upper of claim 1 , further comprising at least one forefoot portion with a stiffness at least equal to the stiffness of the medial portion.

8. The shoe upper of claim 1 , further comprising at least one heel portion comprising a third coating portion applied to a third base fabric portion, the third coating being adapted to modify the stiffness of the third base fabric portion.

9. The shoe upper of claim 1 , further comprising a knitted layer.

10. The shoe upper of claim 9 , wherein the knitted layer is knitted in one piece and extends over at least 80% of a surface area of the shoe upper.

11. The shoe upper of claim 9 , the knitted layer further comprising a first area having a first knit structure and a second area having a second knit structure different from the first knit structure.

12. The shoe upper of claim 1 , further comprising an elastic collar surrounding a shoe opening.

13. The shoe upper of claim 12 , further comprising a holding tab proximate a junction between the elastic intermediate portion and the collar.

14. A shoe comprising:
a. a sole; and
b. a laceless shoe upper attached to the sole, the shoe upper comprising:
i. a lateral portion comprising a first coating portion applied to a first base fabric portion;
ii. a medial portion comprising a second coating portion applied to a second base fabric portion; and
iii. an elastic intermediate portion between the lateral portion and the medial portion and comprising a raised portion uncoated by the first coating portion and the second coating portion, wherein the raised portion is raised above surrounding areas of the laceless shoe upper when the laceless shoe upper is laid out in an at-rest state, wherein the raised portion maintains its shape when the shoe is not being worn, wherein the first coating portion is adapted to modify a stiffness of the first base fabric portion of the lateral portion to be at least 2 times higher than a stiffness of the elastic intermediate portion, and wherein the second coating portion is adapted to modify a stiffness of the second base fabric portion of the medial portion to be at least 2 times higher than the stiffness of the elastic intermediate portion.

15. The shoe of claim 14 , further comprising a sock arranged at least partially inside the shoe upper.

16. The shoe of claim 15 , further comprising:
an elastic collar surrounding a shoe opening; and
a holding tab proximate a junction between the elastic intermediate portion and the collar, wherein a first end of the holding tab is attached to the shoe upper, and a second end of the holding tab is attached to the sock.

17. The shoe of claim 16 , wherein the first end of the holding tab is attached to the shoe upper at a top of the elastic intermediate portion.

18. A laceless shoe upper for a shoe, the shoe upper comprising:
a. a lateral portion comprising a first coating portion applied to a first base fabric portion;
b. a medial portion comprising a second coating portion applied to a second base fabric portion; and
c. an elastic intermediate portion between the lateral portion and the medial portion and comprising a cupped portion uncoated by the first coating portion and the second coating portion, wherein when the shoe is not being worn the cupped portion maintains its shape and holds a portion of a rim of a foot opening of the shoe at least partially upright to keep from collapsing into a position obstructing a portion of the foot opening and to facilitate introduction of the foot into the shoe, wherein a stiffness of at least one of the lateral portion or the medial portion is at least 2 times higher than a stiffness of the elastic intermediate portion as a result of the first coating portion and the second coating portion.

19. The shoe upper of claim 18 , wherein the cupped portion of the intermediate portion is located over an instep of a foot of a wearer when worn and is configured to deform so as to permit introduction of the foot in the shoe and extraction of the foot out of the shoe.

20. The shoe upper of claim 18 , wherein the cupped portion is raised above surrounding areas of the laceless shoe upper when the laceless shoe upper is laid out in an at-rest state.

21. The shoe upper of claim 18 , wherein the arrangement of the first coating portion and the second coating portion contribute to the cupped portion maintaining its shape.

22. The shoe upper of claim 18 , further comprising a coating comprising the first coating portion and the second coating portion.

23. The shoe upper of claim 18 , further comprising a base fabric comprising the first base fabric portion and the second base fabric portion.

24. A shoe comprising the shoe upper of claim 18 .

Assignees

• Adidas Ag

Inventors

• Lee Fu Wen
• Chen Lulu
• Forester Sam

Classifications

• A43B23/07

  Linings therefor {(lining laminated with upper A43B23/026)} · CPC title

• A43B23/0235

  Different layers of different material · CPC title

• A43B23/04

  Uppers made of one piece; Uppers with inserted gussets · CPC title

• A43C11/006

  Elastic fastenings · CPC title

• A43B23/0295 Primary

  Pieced uppers · CPC title