Closure system

• US 7,159,341 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2005
• Issued: 01/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Reebok International Limited (Authentic Brands Group, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Reebok International Limited (Authentic Brands Group, LLC)
• Inventors: Marvin, William, Reagan, Greg, Davis, Paul M
• Primary Examiner(s): PATTERSON, MARIE D
• Application Number:
  US11/050,695
• Publication Number:
  US 20050132613A1
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 36/501, 36/45, 36/9.R, 36/88, 361/36, 244/42
• US Class Current: 36/50.1
• CPC Class Codes: A41B 7/02 Closures for cuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/0081 made at least partially of hook-and-loop type material hook and loop-type straps for fastening purpose A43C11/1493
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/12 Sandals; Strap guides thereon
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/24 Collapsible or convertible
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/242 characterised by the upper
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/244 characterised by the attachment between upper and sole
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 11/1493 Strap fastenings having hook and loop-type fastening elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 2/913 Chest encircling, e.g. shirt, vest
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/181 Adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/27 including readily dissociable fastener having numerous, protruding, unitary filaments randomly interlocking with, and simultaneously moving towards, mating structure [e.g., hook-loop type fastener]

Abstract

A closure system comprises a hook and pile material having hooks on one side and pile on the other side. With regard to footwear, the present invention is a shoe comprising this material allowing a wearer to adjust the point of attachment of closure straps on the exterior of the outer member of the shoe, thereby allowing every shoe wearer to wear the strap across the throat of the shoe at a different location. With regard to apparel, the present invention is a closure system comprising a single-ply hook and pile material in which the overlapped piece, or the exterior piece attaches to the underlapped piece, or the interior piece that provides the wearer with the ability to customize the fitting of the apparel, including the tightness of the apparel around an individual.

Claims

1. An article of footwear, comprising:

a sole;

an upper attached to said sole, wherein a portion constituting at least 50% of said upper is formed from a material having a first side having pile and a second side having hooks opposite substantially everywhere said first side has pile.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein substantially all of said upper is formed from said material.

3. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein said upper includes a strap of said material extending from one of a medial or lateral side of said upper, wherein said strap is removably fastened to said portion of said upper positioned on the other of said lateral or medial side of said upper.

4. The article of footwear of claim 3, wherein said strap extends from said portion of said upper.

5. The article of footwear of claim 3, wherein said upper includes two straps of said material.

6. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein said upper includes a first strap of said material extending from a medial side of said upper and a second strap of said material extending from a lateral side of said upper, wherein each of said first strap and second strap is removably fastened to said portion of said upper positioned on the opposite side of said medial and lateral side from which said first and second straps respectively extend.

7. The article of footwear of claim 6, wherein at least one of said first strap and said second strap extends from said portion of said upper.

8. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein said material is single-ply.