Lacing device for sports footwear

Abstract

An article of footwear provided to receive the user's foot and including a lacing device, the lacing device including a lace, at least two guides provided to enable a lace to slide relative thereto within a lacing zone, and a blocker capable of blocking relative movement of the lace, the blocker including a control member to unblock the lace. The article of footwear has an open position, facilitating insertion of the user's foot, and a tightened position firmly retaining the foot within the article of footwear. The switch from the open position to the tightened position is carried out via a traction on the lace, and the switch from the tightened position to the open position is carried out via a traction on the control member of the blocker.

1 . An article of footwear adapted to receive a wearer's foot, said article of footwear comprising: 
 a lacing device comprising: 
 a lace;  
 at least two lace guides for guiding said lace within a lacing zone, said lace being adapted to slide along said lace guides;  
 a blocker capable of blocking said lace against movement relative to said blocker, said blocker comprising a control member to unblock the lace;  
   said article of footwear transitionable between an open position, in which insertion of the wearer's foot is facilitated, and a tightened position, in which the wearer's foot is firmly retained in the article of footwear;    transition from the open position to the tightened position being carried out by a traction on the lace, and transition from the tightened position to the open position being carried out by a traction on the blocker control member.    
   
   
       2 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 traction exerted on the lace to transition from the open position to the tightened position, as well as the traction exerted on the control member to transition from the tightened position to the open position, is substantially vertically oriented when the footwear rests on a substantially horizontal surface.    
   
   
       3 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a mechanism to removably fix the blocker to the article of footwear, so that said transition to and from said open and tightened positions of the article of footwear can be carried out with one hand of the wearer, and so that a sub-assembly formed by the lace and the blocker can be detached from the article of footwear without use of any tool.    
   
   
       4 . An article of footwear according to  claim 3 , wherein: 
 said mechanism to removably fix the blocker includes a cover, said cover including an inside opening, the blocker being nested within said opening.    
   
   
       5 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 an upper comprising: 
 a longitudinal opening;  
 a tongue positioned over said longitudinal opening, said tongue including a lower zone at least partially covering an instep zone, an upper zone at least partially covering a lower part of the wearer's leg, and an intermediate zone located between said lower zone and said upper zone;  
   said blocker of said lacing device being connected to the intermediate zone of said tongue.    
   
   
       6 . An article of footwear adapted to receive a wearer's foot, said article of footwear comprising: 
 a lacing device adapted to selectively tighten and loosen the article of footwear on the wearer's foot, said lacing device comprising: 
 a lace;  
 at least two lace guides for guiding said lace within a lacing zone, said lace being adapted to slide along said lace guides;  
 a blocker capable of blocking said lace against movement relative to said blocker, said blocker comprising a blocking member and a body, said blocking member being movable inside the body;  
   a mechanism to removably fix said blocker to the article of footwear so that tightening and loosening of the article of footwear on the wearer's foot can be carried out by one hand of the wearer, and so that a sub-assembly formed by the lace and the blocker can be detached from the article of footwear without use of any tool.    
   
   
       7 . An article of footwear according to  claim 6 , wherein: 
 said mechanism to removably fix the blocker includes a cover, said cover including an opening, said blocker being nested within said opening.    
   
   
       8 . An article of footwear according to  claim 6 , wherein: 
 said blocker includes a control member, said control member being constructed and arranged whereby a traction exerted on said control member unblocks said lace.    
   
   
       9 . An article of footwear according to  claim 8 , wherein: 
 said blocker further includes a return mechanism adapted to bring said control member back into a blocking position of said lace.    
   
   
       10 . An article of footwear according to  claim 7 , wherein: 
 said opening is positioned substantially in a flexion crease area; and    said cover further includes a tunnel, said lace passing within said tunnel following exit from said blocker.    
   
   
       11 . An article of footwear according to  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 an upper comprising: 
 a longitudinal opening;  
 a tongue positioned over said longitudinal opening, said tongue including a lower zone at least partially covering an instep zone, an upper zone at least partially covering a lower part of the wearer's leg, and an intermediate zone located between said lower zone and said upper zone;  
   said blocker of said lacing device being connected to the intermediate zone of said tongue.