Adjustable and flexible closure assembly for shoes with elasticized lower vamp opening
First Claim
1. In a shoe having a sole, tongue and uppers, including a vamp and quarters and a vamp opening in said shoe, said vamp opening having an upper portion and a lower portion, said lower portion of said opening including elasticized material connecting said quarters and spanning said opening and overlying said tongue, said upper portion of said opening including an adjustable and flexible closure assembly connecting said quarters and spanning said opening and overlying said tongue, said closure assembly located adjacent and substantially above said elasticized material connecting said quarters, said tongue providing a first layer between said quarters, said elasticized material and said closure assembly providing a second layer between said quarters, said closure assembly comprising:
- a flexible, multi-adjustable, separable fastener means having first and second fastening members including arrays of complementary, coacting flexible gripping elements for securing said closure assembly;
a fastener strap having a fixed portion and a free end, said free end including said fastening member, said second fastening member positioned adjacent said fixed portion of said fastener strap; and
anchor means including an anchor opening through which said free end of said fastener strap passes permitting adjustment to maintain a precise desired tautness of said closure assembly to fasten said shoe.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A shoe having an elasticized lower vamp opening in combination with an adjustable and flexible closure assembly to fasten the shoe. The elastic at the lower vamp opening permits this part of the shoe to expand as required by the flexing of the wearer'"'"'s foot and to recover the tautness and tension originally available in the shoe. The closure assembly utilizes separable fastening members having complementary coacting flexible gripping elements as the fastening means, a fastener strap and an anchor means which engages the free end of the fastener strap to permit the wearer to easily adjust and maintain the closure assembly to the precise tautness desired and to fasten the shoe, using only one hand. The improvements of this combination enables the wearer to obtain the optimum custom-fit and overall foot comfort.
102 Citations
29 Claims
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1. In a shoe having a sole, tongue and uppers, including a vamp and quarters and a vamp opening in said shoe, said vamp opening having an upper portion and a lower portion, said lower portion of said opening including elasticized material connecting said quarters and spanning said opening and overlying said tongue, said upper portion of said opening including an adjustable and flexible closure assembly connecting said quarters and spanning said opening and overlying said tongue, said closure assembly located adjacent and substantially above said elasticized material connecting said quarters, said tongue providing a first layer between said quarters, said elasticized material and said closure assembly providing a second layer between said quarters, said closure assembly comprising:
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a flexible, multi-adjustable, separable fastener means having first and second fastening members including arrays of complementary, coacting flexible gripping elements for securing said closure assembly; a fastener strap having a fixed portion and a free end, said free end including said fastening member, said second fastening member positioned adjacent said fixed portion of said fastener strap; and anchor means including an anchor opening through which said free end of said fastener strap passes permitting adjustment to maintain a precise desired tautness of said closure assembly to fasten said shoe. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification