Guides and components for closure systems and methods therefor

• US 9,700,101 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2014
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BOA Technology Incorporated (The Kattegat Trust Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: BOA Technology Incorporated (The Kattegat Trust Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Cavanagh, Andrea, Lovett, Kristopher, Burns, Robert, Soderberg, Mark, Nickel, Michael, Dickensheets, David, Vladika, Brett, Kerns, Mark, Capra, James, Minkin, Ilya, Cavanagh, Sean
• Primary Examiner(s): Lavinder, Jack W
• Application Number:
  US14/479,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20150059206A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 24440, 24439, 24437, 24438, 24441, 24712, 36 501
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 1/06 tightened by draw-strings
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 11/004 Fastenings fixed along the upper edges of the uppers
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 11/008 Combined fastenings, e.g. to accelerate undoing or fastening
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 11/165 characterised by a spool, reel or pulley for winding up cables, laces or straps by rotation
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 3/00 Hooks for laces making from sheet metal B21D53/46; Guards for hooks
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 3/02 Lacing-hooks with guide rollers
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 5/00 Eyelets machines for setting eyelets A43D100/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16G 11/02 with parts deformable to grip the cable or cables; Fastening means which engage a sleeve or the like fixed on the cable
• CPC Class Codes: F16G 11/12 Connections or attachments, e.g. turnbuckles, adapted for straining of cables, ropes, or wire straining wire in general B21F9/00

Abstract

According to an embodiment, a component for attachment to an article includes an upper component that is made of a thermoplastic material having a first melting temperature and a flange member that is molded onto the upper component and made of a thermoplastic elastomer material having a second melting temperature that is lower than the first melting temperature of the upper component. The flange member extends laterally from a bottom end of the upper component so that a bottom surface of the flange member is flush with or positioned axially below a bottom surface of the upper component. The melting temperature of the thermoplastic elastomer material enables the flange member to be directly coupled to the article via heat welding and the like without substantially affecting the upper component.

Claims

1. A shoe comprising:

a sole;

an upper attached to the sole, the upper having a pair of eyestays positioned on opposing sides of a tongue portion of the shoe;

a tension member that is guided about a path along the tongue portion and between the pair of eyestays;

a tightening mechanism that is operably coupled with the tension member, the tightening mechanism being operable to effect tensioning of the tension member; and

a pair of elongate eyestay guides, each elongate eyestay guide being coupled with an eyestay of the pair of eyestays so that the pair of elongate eyestay guides are positioned on opposing sides of the tongue portion, wherein each elongate eyestay guide extends longitudinally along a length of the eyestay from a collar of the shoe to a toe portion of the shoe and each elongate eyestay guide includes a top edge that extends continuously along an edge of the eyestay from the collar to the toe portion of the shoe and a flange that extends laterally therefrom toward the sole of the shoe, the top edge being relatively straight along an entire length of the elongate eyestay guide and the flange extending longitudinally along the entire length of the elongate eyestay guide, and wherein each elongate eyestay guide includes a plurality of holes that extend entirely through the respective guide to allow the tension member to be looped around the top edge of the respective guide, the plurality of holes being longitudinally offset from one another with a first hole positioned near the collar of the shoe and a second hole positioned toward the toe box of the shoe;

wherein the tension member is operably coupled with each elongate eyestay guide to guide the tension member about the path along the tongue portion and between the pair of eyestays, the tension member being operably coupled with each elongate eyestay guide by insertion of the tension member through the first hole and the second hole, whereby tensioning of the tension member causes the opposing sides of the tongue portion to more toward one another via the pair of elongate eyestay guides and thereby tightens the shoe; and

wherein the top edge of each elongate eyestay guide extends inward toward the tongue portion of the shoe from an inward most edge of the upper.

2. The shoe of claim 1, wherein each elongate eyestay guide is made of a rigid thermoplastic material.

3. The shoe of claim 2, wherein each elongate eyestay guide is made of Nylon.

4. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the flange of each elongate eyestay guide is stitched to the upper of the shoe.

5. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the top edge of each elongate eyestay guide is rounded or curved along its longitudinal length.

6. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the top edge of each elongate eyestay guide has a lateral thickness that is greater than the flange.

7. The shoe of claim 1, wherein the tightening mechanism is a reel based tightening device.

8. A shoe comprising:

a sole;

an upper attached to the sole;

a tension member;

a tightening mechanism that is operably coupled with the tension member; and

an elongate eyestay guide that is separate from the upper and that is attachable to a side of the upper so that the elongate eyestay extends longitudinally along a majority of a length of an eyestay of the upper between a collar and toe portion of the shoe, the elongate eyestay guide including a top end that is positioned along an edge of the eyestay and a flange that extends laterally therefrom toward a sole of the shoe, the flange extending longitudinally along an entire length of the elongate eyestay guide and the elongate eyestay guide including a first hole that is positioned near the collar of the shoe and a second hole that is longitudinally offset from the first hole and positioned toward the toe box of the shoe, the first hole and the second hole extending entirely through the elongate eyestay guide to allow the tension member to be looped around the top end of the elongate eyestay guide;

wherein the tension member is operably coupleable with the elongate eyestay guide so that the tension member is guided about a path along the shoe, the tension member being coupleable with the elongate eyestay guide by insertion of the tension member through the first hole and the second hole;

wherein the top end of the elongate eyestay guide is relatively straight along the entire length of the elongate eyestay guide; and

wherein the top end of the elongate eyestay guide extends inward toward the tongue portion of the shoe from an inward most edge of the upper.

9. The shoe of claim 8, wherein the elongate eyestay guide is made of a rigid thermoplastic material.

10. The shoe of claim 9, wherein the elongate eyestay guide is made of Nylon.

11. The shoe of claim 8, wherein the flange of the elongate eyestay guide is stitched to the upper of the shoe.

12. The shoe of claim 8, wherein the top end of the elongate eyestay guide is rounded or curved along its longitudinal length.

13. The shoe of claim 8, wherein the top end of the elongate eyestay guide has a lateral thickness that is greater than the flange.

14. The shoe of claim 8, wherein the tightening mechanism is a reel based tightening device.