BICYCLING SHOE AND BICYCLING SHOE COMPONENTS

• US 20130269216A1
• Filed: 06/12/2013
• Published: 10/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dashamerica Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Dashamerica Incorporated
• Inventors: TORRANCE, Tony
• Granted Patent: US 8,826,570 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/114
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/14 Shoes for cyclists
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/085 in the upper
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/087 in the bottom of the sole
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 11/14 Clamp fastenings , e.g. strap fastenings; Clamp-buckle fastenings; Fastenings with toggle levers
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 11/1406 Fastenings with toggle levers; Equipment therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 11/146 Fastenings with toggle levers with adjustment means provided for on the strap, e.g. ratchet strap
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 11/1493 Strap fastenings having hook and loop-type fastening elements

Abstract

The invention provides bicycling shoes and bicycling shoe components that offer improved comfort, fit, increased efficiency and reduced incidence of injury.

Claims

1. An athletic shoe comprising:

a sole,

an upper attached to the sole to form a toe box, a vamp, a quarter, a throat and an interior cavity,

a tongue attached to the upper proximate the toe box, and

a closure system adapted to close the throat and secure the tongue on a foot of a user,

wherein, the closure system comprises at least one strap and one loop that are secured by drawing one end of a strap across the top of the upper, through the loop, and back over the upper, to connect with an opposing end of the strap, and,

wherein the at least one strap is positioned on the upper to intersect a toe-to-heel line at a strap angle between about 80 degrees and about 125 degrees.

2. The athletic shoe of claim 1, wherein the at least one strap comprises opposing first and second material layers.

3. The athletic shoe of claim 2, wherein the first and second material layers comprise the same material.

4. The athletic shoe of claim 2, wherein the first and second material layers comprise different materials.

5. The athletic shoe of claim 2, wherein the second strap layer comprises hook and pile materials that attach to the first strap layer by at least one of stitching, welding, adhesive bonding or a combination thereof.

6. The athletic shoe of claim 1, wherein the at least one strap comprises a hook material on one end and a pile material on a distal end, configured such that the hook and pile materials interlock when contacted.

7. The athletic shoe of claim 1, wherein the at least one strap comprises a hook or pile material that attaches to a hook or pile material on the upper.

8. The athletic shoe of claim 1, wherein the at least one strap is positioned on the upper to intersect a toe-to-heel line at a strap angle between about 95 degrees and about 120 degrees.

9. The athletic shoe of claim 1, wherein the at least one strap is positioned on the upper to intersect a toe-to-heel line at a strap angle between about 80 degrees and about 100 degrees.

10. The athletic shoe of claim 1, wherein the at least one strap is positioned on the upper to intersect a toe-to-heel line at a strap angle between about 110 degrees and about 115 degrees.

11. The athletic shoe of claim 1, wherein the closure system comprises two straps and two loops which are secured by drawing one end of the strap across the top of the upper, through the respective loop, and back over the upper, to connect with an opposing end of the respective strap.

12. The athletic shoe of claims 11, wherein the straps are separated by a distance between about 0.7 to about 1.1 inches on the upper of the shoe.

13. The athletic shoe of claim 1, wherein the closure system comprises three straps and three loops which are secured by drawing one end of the strap across the top of the upper, through the respective loop, and back over the upper, to connect with an opposing end of the respective strap.

14. The athletic shoe of claims 13, wherein the straps are separated by a distance between about 0.7 to about 1.1 inches on the upper of the shoe.

15. The athletic shoe of claim 1, wherein the throat is positioned on the upper to angle away from the medial side of the upper towards the lateral side of the upper from the interior cavity to the toe box.

16. The athletic shoe of claim 15, wherein the tongue is positioned on the upper to angle away from the medial side of the upper towards the lateral side of the upper from the interior cavity to the toe box.

17. The athletic shoe of claim 15, wherein the throat angles away from a toe-to-heel center line at an angle between about 5 degrees to about 30 degrees.

18. The athletic shoe of claim 15, wherein the throat angles away from a toe-to-heel center line at an angle between about 10 degrees to about 15 degrees.

19. The athletic shoe of claim 15, wherein the throat angles away from a toe-to-heel center line at an angle of about 12.