Footwear Lacing System

• US 20110030244A1
• Filed: 08/07/2009
• Published: 02/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pierre-Andre Senizergues
• Original Assignee: Pierre-Andre Senizergues
• Inventors: Kim, James, Fellmer, Greg, Motawi, Wade
• Granted Patent: US 8,474,157 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/117.1
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/0031 provided with a pocket, e.g. for keys or a card
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 1/003 Zone lacing, i.e. whereby different zones of the footwear have different lacing tightening degrees, using one or a plurality of laces laces combined with another system A43C11/008; zone tightening using straps A43C11/14
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 7/00 Holding-devices for laces
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 7/02 Flaps; Pockets

Abstract

A snowboard boot having two handles which each handle controlling pressure within two tightening zones is disclosed. One handle may be pitched to adjust pressure within upper and lower shin portion tightening zones. A second handle may be pitched to adjust pressure within upper and lower foot portion tightening zones. Once the appropriate amount of pressure is applied to the various tightening zones, locks may be engaged to set the pressures. The pressures are isolated from each other such that the various different pressures within the various different tightening zones do not equalize but remain constant during the snowboarding session. Additionally, the handles may be stored on a tongue of the snowboard boot or a back portion of the snowboard boot.

Claims

1. A footwear for protecting a foot portion of a person, the footwear comprising:

left and right cuffs;

first and second return element attached to the right cuff;

a left elongate rigid handle defining opposed first and second distal end portions wherein fingers of the person grabs the left elongate rigid handle between the opposed first and second distal end portions;

a first lace defining first and second portions, the first portion of the lace being fixedly attached to the first distal end portion of the left elongate rigid handle, extended across the left and right cuffs, slideably disposed through the first return element, extended across the left and right cuffs and anchored to the left or right cuff thereby defining a first tightening zone, and the second portion of the first lace being fixedly attached to the second distal end portion of the left elongate rigid handle, extended across the left and right cuffs, slideably disposed through the second return element, extended across the left and right cuffs and anchored to the left or right cuff thereby defining a second tightening zone;

wherein the person pulls on the left handle to tighten the lace and the left and right cuffs about the foot portion of the person, and pitching the elongate rigid handle produces uneven tightness in the first and second tightening zones such that the left handle controls tightness in two zones.

2. The footwear of claim 1 further comprising:

third and fourth return elements attached to the left cuff;

a right elongate rigid handle defining opposed first and second distal end portions wherein fingers of the person grabs the right elongate rigid handle between the opposed first and second distal end portions of the right elongate rigid handle;

a second lace defining first and second portions, the first portion of the second lace being fixedly attached to the first distal end portion of the right elongate rigid handle, extended across the left and right cuffs, slideably disposed through the third return element, extended across the left and right cuffs and anchored to the left or right cuff thereby defining a third tightening zone, and the second portion of the second lace being fixedly attached to the second distal end portion of the right elongate rigid handle, extended across the left and right cuffs, slideably disposed through the fourth return element, extended across the left and right cuffs and anchored to the left or right cuff thereby defining a fourth tightening zone;

3. The footwear of claim 2 wherein the first and second portions of each of the first and second laces are separate pieces.

4. The footwear of claim 2 wherein the first and second portions of each of the first and second laces are unitary.

5. The footwear of claim 2 wherein the return elements are curved hollow tubes.

6. The footwear of claim 2 wherein the return elements are embedded within the left and right cuffs.

7. A footwear for protecting a foot portion of a person, the footwear comprising:

left and right cuffs;

first and second return element attached to the left cuff;

an elongate rigid handle defining opposed first and second distal end portions wherein fingers of the person grabs the handle between the opposed first and second distal end portions;

a lace with the elongate rigid handle attached to the lace, the lace laced through the return elements for tightening the left and right cuffs about the foot portion of the person, the lace defines first and second portion, the first portion of the lace being fixedly attached to the first distal end portion of the handle, extended across the left and right cuffs, slideably disposed through the first return element, extended across the left and right cuffs and anchored to the left or right cuff thereby defining a first tightening zone, and the second portion of the lace being fixedly attached to the second distal end portion of the handle, extended across the left and right cuffs, slideably disposed through the second return element, extended across the left and right cuffs and anchored to the left or right cuff thereby defining a second tightening zone;

wherein the person pulls on the handle to tighten the lace and the left and right cuffs about the foot portion of the person, and pitching the elongate rigid handle produces uneven tightness in the first and second tightening zones such that the one elongate rigid handle controls tightness in two zones.

8. A snowboard boot for protecting a foot portion of a person, the footwear comprising:

left and right cuffs;

a back portion attached to the left and right cuffs and disposed between the left and right cuffs;

a tongue disposed at a forward portion of the snowboard boot and between the left and right cuffs;

a plurality of return elements attached to the left and right cuffs;

a lace laced through the return elements;

left and right handles attached to the lace for tightening the lace and the left and right cuffs about the foot portion of the person;

wherein the left and right handles are attached to the tongue or back portion after the lace is tightened.

9. The snowboard boot of claim 8 wherein the left and right handles having clips for clipping the left and right handles to the back portion or the tongue after the lace is tightened.

10. The snowboard boot of claim 9 wherein handle portions of the left and right handles are disposed on an interior side of the tongue and the clips are disposed on an exterior side of the tongue.

11. The snowboard boot of claim 8 further comprising a pouch attached to the tongue for storing the left and right handles after the lace is tightened.

12. The snowboard boot of claim 8 wherein the lace defines first and second separate pieces, the first piece of the lace being attached to the left handle, and the second piece of the lace being attached to the right handle.