Lace fitting structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9737117-B2
Application number	US-201214384656-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2012
Priority date	Mar 16, 2012
Publication date	Aug 22, 2017
Grant date	Aug 22, 2017

Abstract

A lace fitting structure for fitting an upper 3 wrapping around an instep of a foot to the instep, the structure including: a medial side portion 31 covering the instep and a medial side surface of a big toe; a lateral side portion 32 covering the instep and a lateral side surface of a little toe; first shoelace means 1 placed to extend in a longitudinal direction Y of the foot and engaged with the medial side portion 31 and the lateral side portion 32 along central edge portions 33 of the medial side portion 31 and the lateral side portion 32 ; placement means for placing a portion of the first shoelace means 1 so that the first shoelace means 1 is exposed in a plurality of exposed areas 1 i , which are separated from one another in the longitudinal direction Y; and second shoelace means 2 engaging, in a transverse direction X of the foot, with the first shoelace means 1 in the plurality of exposed areas 1 i so as to bring the medial side portion 31 and the lateral side portion 32 closer to each other, wherein a length L of the exposed areas 1 i in the longitudinal direction Y is greater than a thickness and a width of the second shoelace means 2.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A lace fitting structure in combination with a shoe having an upper, said upper having a medial side portion and a lateral side portion, said upper configured to wrap around an instep of a foot of a wearer, said combination comprising:
said medial side portion configured to cover medial side surfaces of the instep and a big toe;
said lateral side portion configured to cover lateral side surfaces of the instep and a little toe;
a first shoelace configured to be placed to extend in a longitudinal direction of the shoe along edge portions of the medial side portion and the lateral side portion, and configured to be anterior to a top-line through which the foot is inserted into the upper, the first shoelace engaged with the medial side portion at a plurality of locations and engaged with the lateral side portion at a plurality of locations;
a placement structure configured to place a first portion of the first shoelace on said medial side portion of the shoe anterior to the top-line so that the first portion is exposed in a plurality of medial exposed areas that are separated from one another in the longitudinal direction, the placement structure configured to place a second portion of the first shoelace on said lateral side portion of the foot anterior to the top-line so that the second portion is exposed in a plurality of lateral exposed areas that are separated from one another in the longitudinal direction; and
a second shoelace configured to be engaged, in a transverse direction of the shoe, with the first shoelace in the plurality of medial and lateral exposed areas so as to bring the medial side portion and the lateral side portion closer to each other,
wherein a length of each of the plurality of medial exposed areas and a length of each of the plurality of lateral exposed areas in the longitudinal direction are greater than a height of the second shoelace and a width of the second shoelace,
the placement structure comprises:
three or more insertion parts placed along each of the edge portions of the medial side portion and the lateral side portion, the three or more insertion parts being pierced therethrough in the longitudinal direction, and the first shoelace being inserted through the three or more insertion parts so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction,
one exposed area of the plurality of medial exposed areas being defined between one pair of insertion parts of the three or more insertion parts, the one pair of insertion parts being placed along the edge portion of the medial side portion and adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction,
another exposed area of the plurality of medial exposed areas being defined between another pair of insertion parts of the three or more insertion parts, the other pair of insertion parts being placed along the edge portion of the medial side portion and adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction,
one exposed area of the plurality of lateral exposed areas being defined between one pair of insertion parts of the three or more insertion parts, the pair of insertion parts being placed along the edge portion of the lateral side portion and adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction,
another exposed area of the plurality of lateral exposed areas being defined between another pair of insertion parts of the three or more insertion parts, the other pair of insertion parts being placed along the edge portion of the lateral side portion and adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction;
secured portions for securing end portions of the first shoelace at least in the medial side portion and the lateral side portion;
the medial side portion and the lateral side portion each include at least one through hole which is running through the medial side portion or the lateral side portion in a direction of the height and through which the second shoelace is inserted;
the at least one through hole in each of the medial side portion and the lateral side portion is located posterior to a most posterior insertion part of the three or more insertion parts and posterior to the secured portion in each of the medial and lateral side portions;
the second shoe lace is in contact with a part of an outer surface of the medial side portion and a part of an inner surface of the medial side portion,
the at least one through hole is placed more medially than the part of the outer surface and the part of the inner surface of the medial side portion;
the second shoe lace contacts a part of an outer surface of the lateral side portion and a part of an inner surface of the lateral side portion,
the at least one through hole is placed more laterally than the part of the outer surface and the part of the inner surface of the lateral side portion;
the second shoe lace is engaged with an edge of the at least one through hole in the medial side portion; and
the second shoe lace is engaged with an edge of the at least one through hole in the lateral side portion, and
wherein the upper comprises:
a stretchable member that is configured to cover the medial side surface and the lateral side surface of the instep of the shoe in an area anterior to the most posterior insertion part, the stretchable member being stretchable in the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction;
a non-stretchable member that is attached to a surface of the stretchable member, is less stretchable than the stretchable member, and forms a portion of the medial side portion and the lateral side portion;
a plurality of protruding portions of the non-stretchable member configured to project toward a center of the instep of the shoe, the protruding portions being provided by a wave-shape formation of the edge portions of the non-stretchable member in the medial side portion and the lateral side portion; and
a soft portion formed by the stretchable member between protruding portions adjacent to each other, which is not covered by the non-stretchable member and in which the stretchable member is exposed,
wherein the insertion parts are provided at the edge portions of the protruding portions.

2. The lace fitting structure according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one through hole in the medial and lateral side portions each includes a through hole, of which an inner diameter is smaller than the width of the first shoelace.

3. The lace fitting structure according to claim 2 , wherein the through hole, of which the inner diameter is smaller than the width of the first shoelace is arranged posterior to the secured portion in the medial and lateral side portions.

4. The lace fitting structure according to claim 1 , wherein the opposite end portions of the first shoelace are secured by sewing to the upper at the secured portions in the medial and lateral side portions.

5. The lace fitting structure according to claim 1 , wherein each of the protruding portions is formed in a trapezoidal shape tapered toward a center of the upper.

6. The lace fitting structure according to claim 5 , wherein:
each of the protruding portions is formed in a trapezoidal shape tapered toward a center of the upper; and
a notch is defined between a pair of protruding portions of the protruding portions.

7. The lace fitting structure according to claim 6 , wherein in an area anterior to the most posterior insertion part, the upper is sock-shaped and is configured to be continuous along a circumference of the foot.

8. The lace fitting structure according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of medial and lateral exposed areas includes an anterior exposed area and a posterior exposed area posterior to the anterior exposed area, and a length of the posterior exposed area in the longitudinal direction is greater than a l

Assignees

• NONOGAWA Mai
• Nakanishi Keizo
• Asics Corp

Inventors

• NONOGAWA Mai
• Nakanishi Keizo

Classifications

• A43C11/22 Primary

  Fastening devices with elastic tightening parts between pairs of eyelets, e.g. clamps, springs, bands · CPC title

• A43C1/04

  with rings or loops · CPC title

• A43C1/00

  Shoe lacing fastenings (garment fastening devices A41F) · CPC title

• Y10T24/3737

  having lacing directing means in particular pattern · CPC title

• Y10T24/3787

  having elastic segment in lacing · CPC title