Lace system for footwear
First Claim
1. A method of using a boot, the boot having a boot body, a plurality of lace guides coupled to the boot body, at least one lace guided by the lace guides, and at least one lace lock cooperating with the at least one lace and engaging the at least one lace so that the at least one lace is holdable toward a tightening direction to tighten the boot body about a wearer, the at least one lace adapted to have an end portion extending from the at least one lace lock after the at least one lace has been tightened, wherein an amount of slack lace provided by the end portion of the at least one lace upon disengaging the at least one lace from the at least one lock may be insufficient to permit easy removal of the boot from the wearer, the method comprising:
- removing the at least one lace from at least one lace guide to create a length of slack in the at least one lace to aid in permitting removal of the foot from the boot; and
drawing the lace through at least one of the other lace guides in a loosening direction.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A boot incorporating techniques for making the process of tightening and loosening the laces of a boot more convenient for the wearer is disclosed. The boot may be provided with at least two independent lacing zones, the tensions of which are separately adjustable by the wearer. The zones may be secured by pulling on two laces, each of which tightens one of the two independent lacing zones. This arrangement allows the wearer to simultaneously tighten each zone, providing the wearer with the “feel” as though he or she is tightening a conventional single lacing zone boot. The laces may be simultaneously, yet independently secured by a lace lock at the upper and/or forward region of the boot. Slack may be created to facilitate loosening of the boot and easy removal of a foot from the boot by unhooking the lace from the lace guide without a corresponding distance of lace traveling through the lace lock. A release strap, graspable by the wearer, facilitates unhooking the lace.
349 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of using a boot, the boot having a boot body, a plurality of lace guides coupled to the boot body, at least one lace guided by the lace guides, and at least one lace lock cooperating with the at least one lace and engaging the at least one lace so that the at least one lace is holdable toward a tightening direction to tighten the boot body about a wearer, the at least one lace adapted to have an end portion extending from the at least one lace lock after the at least one lace has been tightened, wherein an amount of slack lace provided by the end portion of the at least one lace upon disengaging the at least one lace from the at least one lock may be insufficient to permit easy removal of the boot from the wearer, the method comprising:
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removing the at least one lace from at least one lace guide to create a length of slack in the at least one lace to aid in permitting removal of the foot from the boot; and drawing the lace through at least one of the other lace guides in a loosening direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of using a boot, the boot having a boot body having a lower region adapted to cover a foot of a wearer and an upper region adapted to cover at least a portion of a shin of the wearer, the upper region including a side region, the boot further having at least one lace, at least one handle coupled to the at least one lace and graspable by a wearer, and at least one lace lock cooperating with the at least one lace and engaging the at least one lace so that the at least one lace is holdable to at least partially tighten the boot body about the wearer, the method comprising:
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grasping the at least one handle to draw the at least one lace in a tightening direction; securing the at least one lace by the at least one lace lock; and stowing the at least one handle at the side region of the boot body in the upper region of the boot body. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of using a boot, the boot having a boot body, a plurality of lace guides coupled to the boot body, a lower region adapted to cover a foot of a wearer, an upper region adapted to cover at least a portion of a shin of the wearer, and a tongue opening disposed in a shin-toe direction and a tongue disposed within the tongue opening, wherein the boot body further comprises medial and lateral sides with the tongue opening locatable between the medial and lateral sides, wherein a first lacing zone is adapted to draw the medial and lateral sides toward each other to tighten a first region of the boot body and wherein a second lacing zone is adapted to draw the medial and lateral sides toward each other to tighten a second region of the boot body, wherein a lace of the first and second lacing zones has a portion that is disposed in the upper region, the method comprising:
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securing the lace of the first lacing zone in the upper region to tighten the first lacing zone; and securing the lace of the second lacing zone in the upper region to tighten the second lacing zone. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification