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Athletic shoe having an upper toe section of stretchable material, external reinforcing strips and improved lacing

  • US 4,255,876 A
  • Filed: 05/31/1979
  • Issued: 03/17/1981
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1979
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An athletic shoe in which the improvement comprises:

  • an upper shoe portion formed of a toe section and a main body section jointed together and joined in a sole portion;

    said toe section extending generally forwardly of the metatarsal phalangeal joints of a foot positioned within the shoe and being formed of a stretchable material so as to facilitate flexing of the toes of the foot;

    said main body section being of a nonstretchable material for at least partially immobilizing the portion of the foot rearwardly of the toes;

    said upper portion defining a tongue opening and including a lacing portion which defines lace openings along the sides of the tongue opening;

    said upper portion also including first and second reinforcing strips extending from said sole portion to said lacing portion, said first strip being positioned adjacent to and forwardly of the ball of a foot positioned within the shoe and said second strip being positioned adjacent to and rearwardly of the ball of the foot, said first and second strips together defining a pocket therebetween for receiving the ball of the foot such that said first strip exerts pressure along the forward side of the ball within the pocket and said second strip exerts pressure along the rearward side of the ball when the shoe is laced to thereby restrict pronation of the ball of the foot.

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