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  Footwear variable tension lacing systemsRelated Patent Categories: Boots, Shoes, And Leggings, Uppers, Closure, For Ski BootFootwear variable tension lacing systems description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20050284003, Footwear variable tension lacing systems. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a division of application Ser. No. 10/764,297 filed Jan. 23, 2004, the entire content of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference thereto. BACKGROUND ART [0002] The invention generally pertains to variable tension lacing systems for footwear. More particularly, the tension systems permit adjustment of selected zones of the footwear lacing system, to provide an improved fit and to prevent discomfort during use. [0003] There are numerous systems that currently exist for tightening footwear about the foot of a wearer. The most common includes threading a lace in a zig-zag pattern through two parallel rows of eyelets that are placed on opposite sides of a tongue area of a shoe or boot. The shoe is tightened by pulling on opposite ends of the threaded lace to pull the two rows of eyelets together so that the closure edges of the cuffs are urged toward the middle of the foot, and then tying the lace ends in a knot to maintain the desired tension. There are a number of known problems with such traditional systems, including that the tightening force is not adequately distributed along the length of the threaded zone due to friction between the laces and eyelets. Thus, some portions of the lace may be slack while other portions are taut which results in certain portions of the shoe being tighter around certain sections of the foot, particularly the ankle portions which are closer to the lace ends. This can cause discomfort and may adversely affect performance when the wearer is involved in a sports activity. [0004] Conventional lacing systems are also typically difficult to untighten and/or difficult to readjust in order to redistribute tension because the wearer must loosen and adjust the lace from each of many eyelets. Simply untying the knot does not release the lace because friction between the lace and eyelets and between overlapping laces often maintains the toe portion and sometimes even much of the other areas above the foot in tension even after the knot is released. Consequently, a wearer often must loosen the lace from each individual eyelet, which can be tedious if the number of eyelets is high, for example, such as in an ice skate boot, a snowboard boot, or other high-performance sports footwear. [0005] Certain sports footwear, such as ski boots, use tightening mechanisms that include buckles that clamp together to tighten the boot about the foot. Such systems typically use three or four buckles positioned about the tongue area of the boot, and can be quickly clamped to tighten and unclamped to loosen the boot about the foot. However, such systems isolate the closure forces about the immediate area of the buckle which can be undesirable in many circumstances, such as when the wearer is engaged in a sport that requires an evenly distributed force line along the length of the foot. In addition, buckles tend to be uncomfortable if used on some types of footwear, such as soft boots, and thus are primarily used only on hard-shell type footwear such as ski boots. [0006] Other footwear lacing systems have been developed that include a lace or cable attached to a tightening mechanism. In one such system, the lace is threaded through a series of opposing guide members positioned along the top of the foot and ankle portions of the footwear. The tightening mechanism operates to wind up the lace to tighten the shoe about the foot, and to wind out the lace to release tension. The lace and guide members have low friction surfaces to facilitate sliding of the lace through the guide members to promote the even distribution of tension across the footwear. However, such systems cannot be used to isolate any specific region where a user may wish to increase or decrease tension. Further, as a wearer performs certain maneuvers, some sections of the system become constricted due to stress forces which causes discomfort. For example, snowboard riders wearing boots that include such a system have complained that the lace, which is typically a cable, tightens and causes discomfort across a lower portion of the tongue during flexion. A need thus exists for a tension lacing system that can be adjusted by a user to avoid discomfort that may occur when a shift in tension forces occurs during use. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] The invention relates to a footwear article that includes a footwear lacing system, a lace or cable and at least one stop device for preventing opposing closure edges of a footwear article from advancing towards each other. Advantageously, the stop device comprises a stop guide operatively associated with a first closure edge of the footwear article; and a releasable affixing member operatively associated with stop guide and affixable in at least two different selected positions with respect to the stop guide to selectively vary the advancement of the closure edges toward each other. [0008] In a first embodiment, the stop guide is fastened to a portion of the footwear article, and the releasable affixing member comprises a stop element having a stop head that is configured to be manipulated by a user to releasably secure the affixing member to a selected position across the length of the stop guide, and the stop head is operable to contact the first closure edge of the footwear article. [0009] In an advantageous implementation, a first distal end of the stop guide is configured for attachment to a tongue of the footwear article. The second distal end of the stop guide may be free-floating. In addition, a cross guide member may be included that is configured for attachment to the tongue. The cross guide member may include a base section with a sleeve to accommodate the second distal end of the stop guide, and a guide portion including at least one channel for guiding the lace or cable. [0010] In a beneficial variation, the stop device may include a stop guide with a plurality of openings, and the affixing member may include at least one stop pin for releaseably mating with a selected opening. The affixing member could include at least two stop pins, and the stop element may include a stop tab. [0011] In a preferred embodiment, the stop system includes a second stop device that includes a second stop guide and a second stop element having a second stop head, and a second releasable affixing member, wherein the second stop device is fastened to a portion of the footwear article that is adjacent to and opposite a first stop device such that the second stop head is operable to contact a second closure edge of the footwear article. In addition, the stop head may have a front surface that is shaped to complement the shape of a lace or cable guide member, wherein the guide member is associated with the closure edge of the footwear article and guides the lace or cable. [0012] In a variation, the stop guide includes a plurality of teeth, and the affixing member includes at least one tooth. In addition, the implementation may include a second stop element having a second affixing member that includes at least one tooth for releasably meshing with the teeth of the stop guide. In this case, first and the second stop elements include first and second stop heads configured to contact the first closure edge and an opposing second closure edge of the footwear article. The stop heads may be stop hooks that are shaped to securely contact the closure edges of the footwear article. [0013] Another implementation of the footwear article further comprises a stop device that includes a stop head having a first surface operable to contact the first closure edge of the footwear article, a tab connected to the stop head, and a fastener for releasably securing the tab in a selected position on the tongue area. The tab includes at least one adjustment hole for attachment to a tongue area of the footwear article. [0014] In an advantageous implementation, included is a second stop device comprising a second stop head having a surface operable to contact a second closure edge of the footwear article, a second tab connected to the second stop head and a second fastener for releasably securing the second tab in a selected position that is adjacent to and opposite a first stop device such that the second stop head is operable to contact the second closure edge of the footwear article. The second tab includes at least one adjustment hole for attachment to a tongue area of the footwear article. The front surface of the stop head may be shaped to complement the shape of a cable guide member that is associated with the closure edge of the footwear article. [0015] Another embodiment of the footwear article further comprises a stop device that includes a stop head having first and second opposing surfaces and the affixing member comprises a fastener assembly for releasably securing the stop head in a selected location on a tongue area of the footwear article. In this implementation, the stop head includes an offset attachment point for the fastener assembly and is rotatable about the attachment point such that either the first surface or the second surface may be chosen to contact a first closure edge of the footwear article. [0016] In an advantageous embodiment, a second stop device is provided that includes a second stop head having first and second opposing surfaces, and a second fastener for releasably securing the stop head in a selected location that is adjacent to and opposite a first stop device. The second stop head includes an offset attachment point for the fastener assembly and is rotatable about the attachment point such that either the first surface or the second surface of the second stop head may be chosen to contact a second closure edge of the footwear article. The first and second opposing surfaces of the stop head may be shaped to complement the shape of a cable guide member that is associated with the closure edge of the footwear article. [0017] Another aspect according to the invention concerns a stop device for use with a footwear lacing system that includes a housing having at least one lace channel for permitting a lace to freely pass therethrough, at least one adjustable stop bumper, and at least one tightening mechanism. The stop bumper is located on at least a first distal end of the housing, and includes a lace channel therethrough and a contact edge for contacting a closure edge of the footwear article. The tightening mechanism is connected to the housing and is associated with the stop bumper, and used to adjust the length between an edge of the distal end of the housing and the contact edge. [0018] In an advantageous embodiment, the tightening mechanism includes a twist tightening mechanism and a threaded tube. In addition, the housing may be cross-shaped and include two crossing lace channels and at least two adjustable stop bumpers, the stop bumpers configured to contact first and a second opposing closure edges of the footwear article. In a variation, four adjustable stop bumpers are provided, the stop bumpers configured to contact first and a second opposing closure edges of the footwear article. In addition, a tightening mechanism may be associated with each of the stop bumpers. [0019] Yet another aspect of the invention concerns a footwear lacing system for an article of footwear that includes a tongue area having first and second opposing side edges. The system includes a plurality of lace guide members affixed to the first and second side edges and positioned in opposing relationship to each other for guiding the lace to traverse the tongue area. Also included is at least one lace guided by the guide members to traverse the tongue area, and at least one adjustable stop device configured to contact a lace guide when the lace is tensioned. The stop device prevents the first side edge from approaching the second side edge when the lace is tensioned. [0020] In an advantageous implementation, the footwear lacing system includes a tightening mechanism connected to the footwear article, wherein the lace is rotationally connected to the tightening mechanism. In addition, each stop device may include a stop guide and at least one adjustable stop element, the at least one stop element having a stop head and a releasable affixing member. The stop head may be beneficially configured to be manipulated by a user to releasably secure the affixing member to a selected position across the length of the stop guide, and the stop head is operable to contact a lace guide member. In addition, the stop head may have a front surface that is shaped to complement the shape of a cable guide member. A preferred embodiment includes a second stop device that includes a second stop guide and a second stop element having a second stop head and a second releasable affixing member. This second stop device could be fastened to a portion of the footwear article that is adjacent to the original stop device such that the second stop head is operable to contact an opposing lace guide member. In a variation, a second stop element has an affixing member that includes at least one tooth for releasably meshing with the teeth of the stop guide. In this case, a first stop element and the second stop element include first and second stop heads configured to contact first and second opposing lace guides. [0021] In an advantageous embodiment, the stop device includes a stop head having a contact surface for contacting a lace guide member, a tab connected to the stop head, and a fastener for releasably securing the tab in a selected position on the tongue area. The tab includes a plurality of adjustment holes for attachment to the tongue area. In a variation, the stop device includes a stop head having first and second opposing surfaces, and a fastener assembly for releasably securing the stop head in a selected location on the tongue area, wherein the stop head includes an offset attachment point for the fastener assembly and is rotatable about the attachment point such that either the first surface or the second surface may be chosen to contact a lace guide member. 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