Lace system for footwear
First Claim
1. A snowboard boot comprising:
- a boot body adapted to cover a foot and at least a portion of a shin of a wearer, the boot body having a lower region, an upper region and side regions;
a lower lacing zone comprising a first lace cooperating with the boot body;
an upper lacing zone comprising a separate second lace cooperating with the boot body, the first lace and the second lace each having a lace section extending to the upper region;
a first lace lock mounted to one side region of the boot body in the upper region, the first lace lock adapted to secure the first lace in the upper region; and
a second lace lock mounted to an opposite side region of the boot body in the upper region, the second lace lock adapted to secure the second lace in the upper region.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A snowboard boot incorporating techniques for making the process of tightening and loosening the laces of a snowboard boot more convenient for the wearer is disclosed. The snowboard 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 snowboard boot. The laces may be simultaneously, yet independently secured by a lace lock at the upper and/or forward region of the snowboard boot. Slack may be created to facilitate loosening of the snowboard boot and easy removal of a foot from the snowboard 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.
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. A snowboard boot comprising:
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a boot body adapted to cover a foot and at least a portion of a shin of a wearer, the boot body having a lower region, an upper region and side regions; a lower lacing zone comprising a first lace cooperating with the boot body; an upper lacing zone comprising a separate second lace cooperating with the boot body, the first lace and the second lace each having a lace section extending to the upper region; a first lace lock mounted to one side region of the boot body in the upper region, the first lace lock adapted to secure the first lace in the upper region; and a second lace lock mounted to an opposite side region of the boot body in the upper region, the second lace lock adapted to secure the second lace in the upper region. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A snowboard boot comprising:
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a boot body adapted to cover a foot and at least a portion of a shin of a wearer, the boot body having a lower region and an upper region; a lower lacing zone comprising a first lace cooperating with the boot body; an upper lacing zone comprising a separate second lace cooperating with the boot body, the first lace and the second lace each having a lace section extending to the upper region; a first lace lock mounted to the boot body in the upper region, the first lace lock having a locking portion, the first lace being directly engageable with and disengageble from the locking portion of the first lace lock; and a second lace lock mounted to the boot body in the upper region, the second lace lock having a locking portion, the second lace being directly engageable with and disengageble from the locking portion of the second lace lock. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A snowboard boot comprising:
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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 a wearer; a lower lacing zone comprising a first lace cooperating with the lower region; and an upper lacing zone comprising a separate second lace cooperating with the boot body to tighten the upper region; the first lace having a portion disposed in the upper region, the first lace having an anchor end anchored to a lower end of the lower region and a free end adapted to be grasped by the wearer, the second lace having a portion disposed in the upper region, the second lace having a free end adapted to be grasped by the wearer, wherein both the first and second laces are securable in the upper region. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification