Boots – shoes – and leggings – Uppers – Closure
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-18
2001-06-05
Kavanaugh, Ted (Department: 3728)
Boots, shoes, and leggings
Uppers
Closure
C024S714800
Reexamination Certificate
active
06240657
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to footwear having a lace-binding system with replaceable eyelet extenders.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various lace-binding systems (i.e., shoelace-binding systems) are in use for securing shoes to feet. All typical lace-binding systems require a wearer who is experiencing a need to adjust the level of shoe snugness to untie ends of the lace (i.e., the shoelace), loosen or tighten the lace, and then retie ends of the lace in order to adjust the level of shoe snugness. In other words, typical lace-binding systems are not homeostatic with regard to maintaining a comfortable level of shoe snugness. Instead, the capacity to adjust shoe snugness via the typical lace-binding system is absent unless ends of a lace of the lace-binding system are untied, the lace is loosened or tightened, and the ends are then retied at the desired level of shoe snugness. Unfortunately, the wearer of a shoe having a typical lace-binding system may have a need to adjust the level of shoe snugness several times during the course of a day in order to set snugness at a comfortable level. Consequently, in order to meet these needs, the wearer of a shoe having a typical lace-binding system may be required to go through the tedious exercise of untying and retying lace ends several times during the course of a day.
Discomfort in shoe snugness for a shoe secured with a typical lace-binding system is often related to inflexibility in the path length of the tied lace. For example, if a shoe wearer ties the lace ends of a typical lace-binding system so that the lace is at a snug tension (e.g., as is done by some wearers having only largely stationary activity in mind), constancy in the path length of the lace of the lace-binding system can mean that the snug tension may later become a very pressing tension (e.g., when the wearer attempts to engage in a brisk walk). In fact, the tension of lace in the lace-binding system may become a source of great discomfort as the wearer's foot swells during the course of a later brisk walk, possibly causing injury to the dorsal metatarsal phalangeal joints of the foot.
Depending on the activity of the shoe wearer, accommodation for constancy in the path length of lace in a lace-binding system may be required in order to maintain a comfortable level of shoe snugness. Nonetheless, in a typical lace-binding system, the capacity for accommodating constancy in the path length of tied lace is limited. Once the lace ends that pass through the uppermost eyelets are tied, the path length of the tied lace is set.
Not only may the maintenance of a comfortable level of shoe snugness be tedious, and not only may the capacity to accommodate constancy in the path length of lace be limited, other aspects of typical lace-binding systems have negative aesthetic consequences. These negative aesthetic consequences derive from the fact that, except for lace, components of a typical lace-binding system are not readily replaceable. While replacing a lace of one color (e.g., red) for a lace of another color (e.g., blue) may contribute to switching from one shoe color pattern to another, attempting to replace non-lace components (e.g., vamp sections) of a typical lace-binding system after manufacture of shoes is generally futile.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides footwear having a lace-binding system with replaceable eyelet extenders. Since a replaceable eyelet extender of the lace-binding system can interpose between an eyelet and lace, each such eyelet extender can provide a measure of flexibility between an eyelet and a lace. This flexibility can help accommodate constancy in lace path length, so that a comfortable level of snugness, e.g., in shoe fit, can be maintained without requiring a wearer often to untie and retie lace ends. Furthermore, since the eyelet extenders (or components thereof) may be replaced with relative ease, modifying shoe color patterns by switching eyelet extenders (or components thereof) of one color for those of another color may also be accomplished with relative ease.
Despite the relatively small spatial significance of components of a lace-binding system with replaceable eyelet extenders, as provided by the present invention, the visual appeal of such components may be an important aesthetic consideration for a shoe or another article of manufacture having a lace-binding system. In shoes, for example, the color of a replaceable eyelet extender (or a component thereof) as provided by the present invention, may be integral to an overall color pattern of a schema for uniform dress of a team, a band, or a cheerleading squad. Furthermore, the replaceable character of such an eyelet extender (or a component thereof) may be key to switching from one color pattern (e.g., of a home-team schema) to another desired color pattern (e.g., of a visiting-team schema) without requiring the acquisition of another complete pair of shoes in order to achieve the other desired color pattern.
Since eyelet extenders (or components thereof) of a lace-binding system of footwear, as provided by the present invention, are replaceable, switching from one overall color pattern to another is facilitated. Replaceable eyelet extenders (or components thereof) of a lace-binding system with eyelet extenders, as provided by the present invention, also facilitate accommodating constancy in the path length of lace (by allowing modification of flexibility between eyelets and lace), helping maintain a comfortable level of snugness (e.g., in shoe fit).
In particular, the present invention provides footwear, comprising: a sole; an upper connected to the sole, the upper comprising a lateral vamp section and a medial vamp section and a plurality of eyelets in the vamp sections; and a lace-binding system for drawing the vamp sections together, the lace-binding system comprising a plurality of eyelet extenders, each of the eyelet extenders being positioned within one of the eyelets, the eyelet extender comprising a sub-eyelet section for removably retaining the eyelet extender within the eyelet, a supra-eyelet section having a passage therethrough for receiving a lace, and an eyelet-traversing section joining the sub-eyelet section and the supra-eyelet section.
The present invention also provides a method of introducing a color pattern in footwear having eyelets, but lacking both lace and eyelet extenders. The present invention also provides a method of introducing flexibility in such footwear. The method of introducing a color pattern comprises: placing eyelet extenders in the eyelets so that each eyelet extender is removably retained and oriented to receive lace; and threading lace through supra-eyelet sections of the eyelet extenders. The method of introducing flexibility for such footwear comprises: placing eyelet extenders in the eyelets so that each eyelet extender is removably retained and oriented to receive lace; and threading lace through supra-eyelet sections of the eyelet extenders.
The present invention also provides a method of modifying a color pattern in footwear having a lace-binding system that has eyelets and lace but lacks eyelet extenders, as well as a method of modifying flexibility between eyelets and lace in such footwear, the method of modifying a color pattern comprising: removing lace threaded through eyelets; placing eyelet extenders in the eyelets so that each eyelet extender is removably retained and oriented to receive lace; and threading lace through supra-eyelet sections of the eyelet extenders. The method of modifying flexibility between eyelets and lace in such footwear comprises: removing lace threaded through eyelets; placing eyelet extenders in the eyelets so that each eyelet extender is removably retained and oriented to receive lace; and threading lace through supra-eyelet sections of the eyelet extenders.
The present invention also provides a method of modifying a color pattern in footwear having a lace-binding system with replaceable eyelet extenders, as well as a method of modifying flexibility
Adams Thomas M
Skaja Joseph J.
Wang Jack
Weber Mark
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld & LLP
In-Stride, Inc.
Kavanaugh Ted
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