CLOSURE SYSTEM AND/OR SHOE CONFIGURATIONS FOR ENHANCING THE PERFORMANCE OF RUNNING SHOES
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A shoe may include a sole and an upper. The upper may have a medial side and a lateral side that each have an edge positioned on opposing side of the shoe'"'"'s tongue. The upper'"'"'s medial side and/or the upper'"'"'s lateral side may include stiffened regions and flexible regions with each stiffened region being disposed between two flexible regions so that the stiffened regions are moveable relative to one another upon tensioning of the medial and lateral sides of the upper. The opposing edges of the upper'"'"'s medial and lateral sides may be substantially linear or straight prior to tensioning of the upper'"'"'s medial and lateral sides and may be substantially uneven or nonlinear subsequent to tensioning of the upper'"'"'s medial and lateral sides due to relative movement of the stiffened regions.
33 Citations
36 Claims
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1-20. -20. (canceled)
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21. A shoe comprising:
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a sole; an upper that is attached to the sole and configured to fit around the foot of a user, the upper having a medial side and a lateral side that fit around the medial and lateral side of the foot respectively; a tension member that is guided or directed about a path along the shoe, the path being positioned on either the medial or lateral side of the shoe so that the tension member is positioned along the medial or lateral side of the shoe without being positioned on an upper portion of the shoe so as to be atop a user'"'"'s foot, the tension member being operationally coupled with the shoe so as to cause the shoe to tighten about the foot when the tension member is tensioned; and a tightening mechanism that is operable with the tension member to effect tensioning of the tension member upon operation of the tightening mechanism, the tightening mechanism being positioned on the medial or lateral side of the shoe adjacent the path of the tension member. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A shoe comprising:
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a sole; an upper attached to the sole and configured to fit around the foot of a user; a tension member that is routed or directed about a path along a medial or lateral side of the shoe such that the tension member is positioned along the medial or lateral side of the shoe without being positioned on an upper portion of the shoe; and a tightening mechanism that is operable with the tension member to tension the tension member upon operation of the tightening mechanism; wherein tensioning of the tension member causes the shoe to tighten about a user'"'"'s foot. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification