|
(11) | EP 1 360 910 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
| (54) | Easy-to-wear footwear |
| (57) An anchoring assembly (30, 30') on a footwear body (10, 10') includes a stationary
member (40, 40'), a movable member (50, 50') and a releasable fastener unit (60, 80').
The stationary member (40, 40') is fixed on the footwear body (10, 10'). The movable
member (50, 50') is provided with a footwear lace stringing part (522, 57') that is
formed with at least one eyelet (521, 571'). The releasable fastener unit (60, 80')
is provided on the stationary and movable members (40, 40', 50, 50') and releasably
interconnects the movable member and the stationary member (40, 40', 50, 50'). |
[0001] The invention relates to a footwear, more particularly to a footwear which is easy to wear and remove.
[0002] A conventional footwear usually includes a footwear body with a top opening, and a footwear lace. The footwear body includes a vamp, a tongue, and a pair of eyelet tabs. The tongue has a front portion connected to the vamp, and a rear portion extending to the top opening. The tongue further has an opposite pair of lateral sides that extend from the vamp to the top opening. Each of the eyelet tabs is connected to the vamp, and is disposed adjacent to one of the lateral sides of the tongue. Each of the eyelet tabs is formed with a plurality of eyelets that are aligned with each other in a direction from the vamp to the top opening. The footwear lace has a front portion, and a rear portion. The front portion of the footwear lace is strung through the eyelets to form a criss-cross pattern on the eyelet tabs. The rear portion of the footwear lace can be tied together so as to tighten the footwear. However, it is time-wasting to tie and untie the footwear lace when wearing and removing the footwear.
[0003] U.S. Patent No. 5,469,640 discloses a quick adjusting footwear lace system for adjusting footwear lace tension in a single movement. The footwear lace system disclosed in this U.S. patent includes a cinch plate having eyelets which are spaced apart by about the same distance as eyelets formed in the eyelet tabs of the footwear. The footwear lace is strung through the eyelets at the cinch plate along with the eyelets in the eyelet tabs of the footwear. A strap, fixably attached at a lower end to the footwear body and loopable at an upper end through a slot in the cinch plate, is used to adjustably pull the cinch plate and the footwear lace looped through the eyelets downwardly and thus increase the footwear lace tension so as to tighten the footwear. However, the footwear lace system disclosed in this U.S. patent is merely configured to adjust tension of the footwear lace, and does not facilitate wearing and removal of the footwear.
[0004] U.S. Patent No. 4,414,761 discloses a footwear having an improved closure. The closure of the footwear disclosed in this U.S. patent includes a first elongate area provided with a plurality of eyelets, a second non-apertured elongate area provided with a male VELCRO™ fastener, a footwear lace, and a panel provided with a plurality of eyelets corresponding to the eyelets of the first elongate area and a female VELCRO™ fastener on the inner surface of the panel . The footwear lace is strung through the eyelets of the first elongate area and the eyelets of the panel to form a criss-cross pattern. The panel can releasably engage the second non-apertured elongate area through the engagement between the male and female fasteners.
[0005] Although the footwear disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,414,761 facilitates wearing and removal of the footwear, the VELCRO™ fasteners are liable to loosen during use and easily accumulate dirt thereon.
[0006] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a footwear which is easy to wear and remove and which has an anchoring assembly that can prevent undesired loosening.
[0007] The footwear according to this invention includes a footwear body, an anchoring assembly, and a footwear lace unit.
[0008] The footwear body has a top opening, and includes a vamp, a tongue, a first eyelet tab and a second eyelet tab. The tongue has a front portion connected to the vamp and a rear portion extending in a longitudinal direction to the top opening. The tongue further has an opposite pair of lateral sides that are spaced apart from each other in a transverse direction transverse to the longitudinal direction and that extend from the vamp to the top opening. The first and second eyelet tabs are connected to the vamp and are respectively disposed adjacent to the lateral sides of the tongue. The first eyelet tab is formed with a plurality of eyelets. The second eyelet tab includes a front portion proximate to the vamp, a rear portion proximate to the top opening, and an intermediate eyelet-free portion between the front and rear portions of the second eyelet tab. Each of the front and rear portions of the second eyelet tab is provided with at least one eyelet.
[0009] The anchoring assembly includes a stationary member fixed on the eyelet-free portion of the second eyelet tab, a movable member provided with a footwear lace stringing part that is formed with at least one eyelet, and a releasable fastener unit, provided on the stationary and movable members, for releasably interconnecting the movable member and the stationary member.
[0010] The footwear lace unit has a first portion and a second portion. The first portion of the footwear lace unit is strung through the eyelets of the first eyelet tab, the eyelets of the second eyelet tab and at least one eyelet of the footwear lace stringing part of the movable member to form a criss-cross pattern on the first and second eyelet tabs. The second portion of the footwear lace unit is disposed proximate to the top opening.
[0011] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of a footwear according to this invention;
Figure 2 is a perspective view showing an anchoring assembly of the preferred embodiment of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a sectional view of the anchoring assembly of Figure 2 in an engaged state;
Figure 4 is another perspective view of the preferred embodiment of Figure 1;
Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the preferred embodiment of Figure 4, showing the anchoring assembly in a disengaged state;
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the second preferred embodiment of a footwear according to this invention;
Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view of an anchoring assembly of the preferred embodiment of Figure 6;
Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of the preferred embodiment of Figure 6, showing the anchoring assembly in an engaged state;
Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional view of the preferred embodiment of Figure 6, showing how the anchoring assembly is disengaged;
Figure 10 is a fragmentary sectional view of the preferred embodiment of Figure 6, showing the anchoring assembly in a disengaged state;
Figure 11 is another perspective view of the preferred embodiment of Figure 6;
Figure 12 is a fragmentary sectional view showing an anchoring assembly of the third preferred embodiment of a footwear according to this invention in an engaged state; and
Figure 13 is a fragmentary sectional view of the anchoring assembly of Figure 12 in a disengaged state.
[0012] Referring to Figures 1 to 5, the footwear 100 according to this invention is shown to include a footwear body 10, an anchoring assembly 30, and a footwear lace unit 20.
[0013] The footwear body 10 has a top opening 11, and includes a vamp 101, a tongue 14, a first eyelet tab 12 and a second eyelet tab 13. The tongue 14 has a front portion 141 connected to the vamp 101 and a rear portion 142 extending in a longitudinal direction to the top opening 11. The tongue 14 further has an opposite pair of lateral sides that are spaced apart from each other in a transverse direction transverse to the longitudinal direction and that extend from the vamp 101 to the top opening 11. The first and second eyelet tabs 12, 13 are connected to the vamp 101 and are respectively disposed adjacent to the lateral sides of the tongue 14. The first eyelet tab 12 is formed with a plurality of eyelets 121. The second eyelet tab 13 includes a front portion 133 proximate to the vamp 101, a rear portion 135 proximate to the top opening 11, and an intermediate eyelet-free portion 132 between the front and rear portions 133, 135 of the second eyelet tab 13. The front portion 133 of the second eyelet tab 13 is provided with a plurality of eyelets 131. The rear portion 135 of the second eyelet tab 13 is provided with an eyelet 131. The intermediate eyelet-free portion 132 of the second eyelet tab 13 is located to correspond to two of the eyelets 121 of the first eyelet tab 12.
[0014] The anchoring assembly 30 includes a stationary member 40, a movable member 50, and releasable fastener unit 60. The stationary member 40 is fixed on the eyelet-free portion 132 of the second eyelet tab 13. The movable member 50 is provided with a footwear lace stringing part 522 that is formed with two eyelets 521. The distance between the two eyelets 521 of the footwear lace stringing part 522 corresponds to the distance between two adjacent eyelets 121, 131 of the first or second eyelet tab 12 or 13.
[0015] The releasable fastener unit 60 is provided on the stationary and movable members 40, 50, and releasably interconnects the movable member 50 and the stationary member 40.
[0016] The fastener unit 60 includes a first fastener engaging section 43 provided on the stationary member 40, and a second fastener engaging section 53 extending from the movable member 50 and capable of removable engagement with the first fastener engaging section 43.
[0017] The footwear lace unit 20 has a first portion 21 and a second portion 22. The first portion 21 of the footwear lace unit 20 is strung through the eyelets 121 of the first eyelet tab 12, the eyelets 131 of the second eyelet tab 13 and the eyelets 521 of the footwear lace stringing part 522 of the movable member 50 to form a criss-cross pattern on the first and second eyelet tabs 12, 13. The second portion 22 of the footwear lace unit 20 is disposed proximate to the top opening 11, and can be tied into a knot for tightening the footwear 100.
[0018] As best shown in Figure 2, the second fastener engaging section 53 of the fastener unit 60 includes a concave portion 534 and a guiding portion 533, which is disposed to surround the concave portion 534, and which has a proximate edge 531 proximate to the concave portion 534, a distal edge 531' distal from the concave portion 534, and an inclined surface 532 that inclines downwardly from the proximate edge 531 to the distal edge 531'. The first fastener engaging section 43 of the fastener unit 60 includes a resilient latch member 43' having a pivot end 431 mounted pivotally on the stationary member 40, and a lock end 432 opposite to the pivot end 431 and formed with a convex protrusion 433 that projects toward the stationary member 40. The latch member 43' is pivotable about the pivot end 431 so as to enable the convex protrusion 433 on the lock end 432 to move along the inclined surface 532 and into the concave portion 534 to interconnect the movable and stationary members 50, 40 when the movable member 50 is disposed on the stationary member 40. The stationary member 40 includes a barrier 42, which extends upwardly from an edge of the stationary member 40 distal from the first fastener engaging section 43 and which is formed with a limiting flange 421 at a top edge of the barrier 42. The barrier 42 is disposed to abut against the movable member 50 to restrict movement of the movable member 50 relative to the stationary member 40.
[0019] When the wearer desires to take off the footwear 100, the resilient latch member 43' of the first fastener engaging section 43 of the fastener unit 60 can be pivoted about the pivot end 431 so as to disengage the convex protrusion 433 of the lock end 432 of the resilient latch member 43' from the concave portion 534 of the second fastener engaging section 53 of the fastener unit 60 for movement along the inclined surface 532 of the guiding portion 533 of the second fastener engaging section 53 of the fastener unit 60. At this time, as best shown in Figures 4 and 5, the movable member 50 can be separated from the stationary member 40, and the first eyelet tab 12 and the second eyelet tab 13 can be loosened accordingly. Therefore, the footwear 100 can be taken off quickly and easily.
[0020] Referring to Figures 6 to 11, the second preferred embodiment of the footwear 100' according to this invention is shown to include an anchoring assembly 30', which has a stationary member 40', a movable member 50', a pivot unit 70', a releasable fastener unit 80', and a resilient member 60'.
[0021] The stationary member 40' is a curved rectangular member and is fixed on the eyelet-free portion 132' of the second eyelet tab 13' in a well-known manner, such as riveting.
[0022] The movable member 50' has a curvature corresponding to that of stationary member 40', and is provided with a footwear lace stringing part 57'. The footwear lace stringing part 57' includes a pair of eyelet units 571' spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction and fixed on the movable member 50' in a well-known manner, such as riveting. The space between the pair of eyelet units 571' is equal to that between the corresponding eyelets 121' of the first eyelet tab 12'. Each of the eyelet units 571' has a bottom part fixed to the movable member 50', and a top part fixed to the bottom part of the eyelet unit 571' and formed with an eyelet 572'.
[0023] The pivot unit 70' is provided on the stationary and movable members 40', 50' proximate to the tongue 15' of the footwear body 10' to permit pivoting movement of the movable member 50' relative to the stationary member 40' about a pivot axis that extends in the longitudinal direction between a footwear tightening position, in which the movable member 50' is turned toward the stationary member 40' so as to be superimposed on the stationary member 40', and a footwear loosening position, in which the movable member 50' is turned away from the stationary member 40'. The pivot unit 70' includes : a pair of upright pivot lugs 42' formed on the stationary member 40'; a pivot ear 52' formed on the movable member 50' and disposed between the pivot lugs 42' ; and a pivot pin 421' that extends in the longitudinal direction and that couples pivotally the pivot ear 52' to the pivot lugs 42'. The movable member 50' further includes a grip portion 53' opposite to the pivot ear 52' of the pivot unit 70' in the transverse direction.
[0024] The releasable fastener unit 80' is provided on the stationary and movable members 40', 50' and releasably retains the movable member 50' at the footwear tightening position. The releasable fastener unit 80' includes a hook unit 43' provided on the stationary member 40', and a rod unit 56' provided on the movable member 50'. The rod unit 56' is movable relative to the hook unit 43' between an engaging position, where the hook and rod units 43', 56' engage each other to retain the movable member 50' at the footwear tightening position, and a disengaging position, where the hook and rod units 43', 56' disengage from each other to permit movement of the movable member 50' to the footwear loosening position. The rod unit 56' includes a guide hole 54' formed in the grip portion 53' of the movable member 50', an operating member 55' movably disposed in the guide hole 54', and an anchor rod 561'. The guide hole 54' is a stepped hole, i.e. the upper part of the guide hole 54' has a cross section larger than that of the lower part of the guide hole 54'. The operating member 55' includes a finger operating portion 551' and a rod coupling portion 552' extending downwardly from the finger operating portion 551' and through the guide hole 54'. A rod coupling hole 553' is formed through the rod coupling part 552'. The anchor rod 561' has opposite rod ends, an intermediate rod part coupled to the operating member 55' via extension through the rod coupling hole 553', and a stop ring 562' between one rod end and the intermediate rod part. The anchor rod 561' is disposed below the movable member 50'. The hook unit 43' includes a pair of hook retainers 431' which extend from the stationary member 40'. Each of the hook retainers 431' is formed with a rod receiving slot 433' to receive one of the rod ends of the anchor rod 561' therein. The rod receiving slot 433' is confined by a top retainer wall 434' with a downward limiting flange 432' to restrict outward movement of the respective one of the rod ends of the anchor rod 561' from the receiving slot 433'.
[0025] The resilient member 60' is disposed between the stationary and movable members 40', 50', and provides a biasing force to bias the movable member 50' away from the footwear tightening position. The resilient member 60' is made of a resilient material, such as a metal sheet, and includes a biasing end 62' and a fixing end 61' fixed to the stationary member 40' in a well known manner, such as riveting.
[0026] Referring to Figures 9 and 10, when the wearer desires to take off the footwear 100', the rod unit 56' is moved to the disengaging position by simply moving the operating member 55' in the transverse direction toward the pivot ear 52' so as to disengage the anchor rod 561' from the receiving slots 433' of the hook retainers 431'. At this time, the resilient member 60' provides a biasing force to bias the movable member 50' away from the footwear tightening position. Therefore, the footwear 100' can be taken off quickly and easily.
[0027] Referring to Figures 12 and 13, in the third embodiment of this invention, which is a modification of the second preferred embodiment, the movable member 50" is formed with a pair of spaced rectangular guiding holes 511" extending in the transverse direction. Each of the guiding holes 511" has a first end (I) proximate to the pivot ear 52" and a second end (II) opposite to the first end (I). A pair of eyelet units 57" are spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction. The space between the pair of eyelet units 57" is equal to that between the corresponding eyelets 121" of the first eyelet tab 12". Each of the eyelet units 57" has a bottom part 571" disposed on top of the movable member 50", a top part 572" fixed to the bottom part 571" of the eyelet unit 57" and formed with an eyelet 573", and a guiding pole 574" extending downwardly from the bottom part 571" and through the corresponding guiding hole 511". Each of the eyelet units 57" is movable in the transverse direction between the first end (I) and the second end (II) of the corresponding guiding hole 511" when the movable member 50" moves pivotally relative to the stationary member 40" between the footwear tightening position shown in Figure 12 and the footwear loosening position shown in Figure 13.
a footwear body (10, 10') having a top opening (11), said footwear body (10, 10') including a vamp (101), a tongue (14, 15'), a first eyelet tab (12, 12', 12") and a second eyelet tab (13, 13'), said tongue (14, 15') having a front portion (141) connected to said vamp (101) and a rear portion (142) extending in a longitudinal direction to said top opening (11), said tongue (14, 15') further having an opposite pair of lateral sides that are spaced apart from each other in a transverse direction transverse to the longitudinal direction and that extend from said vamp (101) to said top opening (11), said first and second eyelet tabs (12, 12', 12", 13, 13') being connected to said vamp (101) and being respectively disposed adjacent to said lateral sides of said tongue (14, 15'), said first eyelet tab (12, 12', 12") being formed with a plurality of eyelets (121), said second eyelet tab (13, 13') including a front portion (133) proximate to said vamp (101), a rear portion proximate (135) to said top opening (11), and an intermediate eyelet-free portion (132) between said front and rear portions (133, 135) of said second eyelet tab (13, 13'), each of said front and rear portions (133, 135) of said second eyelet tab (13, 13') being provided with at least one eyelet (131);
an anchoring assembly (30, 30') including
a stationary member (40, 40') fixed on said eyelet-free portion (132, 132') of said second eyelet tab (13, 13'),
a movable member (50, 50') provided with a footwear lace stringing part (522, 57') that is formed with at least one eyelet (521, 572'), and
a releasable fastener unit (60, 80'), provided on said stationary and movable members (40, 40', 50, 50'), for releasably interconnecting said movable member (50, 50') and said stationary member (40, 40'); and
a footwear lace unit (20) having a first portion (21) and a second portion (22) , said first portion (21) of said footwear lace unit (20) being strung through said eyelets (121) of said first eyelet tab (12, 12', 12"), said eyelets (131) of said second eyelet tab (13, 13') and said at least one eyelet (521) of said footwear lace stringing part (522) of said movable member (50) to form a criss-cross pattern on said first and second eyelet tabs (12, 12', 12", 13, 13'), said second portion (22) of said footwear lace unit (20) being disposed proximate to said top opening (11).
a pair of upright pivot lugs (42') formed on said stationary member (40');
a pivot ear (52') formed on said movable member (50') and disposed between said pivot lugs (42'); and
a pivot pin (421') that extends in the longitudinal direction and that couples pivotally said pivot ear (52') to said pivot lugs (42').
a hook unit (43') provided on one of said stationary and movable members (40', 50'); and
a rod unit (56') provided on the other one of said stationary and movable members (40', 50') ;
one of said hook and rod units (43', 56') being movable relative to the other of said hook and rod units (43', 50') between an engaging position, where said hook and rod units (43', 56') engage each other to retain said movable member (50') at said footwear tightening position, and a disengaging position, where said hook and rod units (43', 56') disengage from each other to permit movement of said movable member (50') to said footwear loosening position.
a guide hole (54') formed in said movable member (50') ;
an operating member (55') movably disposed in said guide hole (54'); and
an anchor rod (561') having opposite rod ends, and an intermediate rod part coupled to said operating member (55'), said anchor rod (561') being disposed below said movable member (50').