Dynamic fit sleeve and independent lacing support cage for running footwear

Abstract

A footwear and footwear construction method that creates the footwear upper sleeve (shoe upper) using at least two overlapping, layered panels of fabric oriented 90 degrees with respect to each other. A lacing system creates a support cage for the foot, which is independent from the footwear upper. The lacing support cage can be asymmetrical in several respects to accommodate the physically asymmetrical shape of the foot. The lacing system includes fingers independent from the footwear upper. The fingers then end in lace eyelets.

1 . A shoe, comprising:
 a shoe upper having a forefoot area, a midfoot area, a medial quarter area, and a lateral quarter area, and   a sole on the bottom of the shoe, wherein the upper is formed from one or more fabric laminates, each fabric laminate comprises two or more fabrics joined to each other, each fabric in the fabric laminate defines an orientation with respect to stretch, wherein the orientation of fabrics with respect to stretch in the fabric laminate do not coincide.   
     
     
         2 . The show of  claim 1 , wherein the two or more fabrics are joined to each other throughout the whole of their contact area. 
     
     
         3 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein each of the forefoot, midfoot, medial quarter, and lateral quarter area includes one or more fabric laminates. 
     
     
         4 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric laminate is on the exterior of the shoe upper. 
     
     
         5 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric laminates includes a first and second woven fabric. 
     
     
         6 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric laminate includes a first fabric with warp and weft threads and a second fabric with warp and weft threads, wherein the warp threads of the first fabric are aligned with the weft threads of the second fabric. 
     
     
         7 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric laminate includes a similar first and second fabric. 
     
     
         8 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric laminate includes a dissimilar first and second fabric. 
     
     
         9 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric laminate includes fabrics made from nylon and spandex. 
     
     
         10 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric laminate includes breathable, lightweight fabrics. 
     
     
         11 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the upper does not include a tongue that is free on the medial and lateral sides thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric laminate includes a first fabric having a first direction of highest stretch and a second fabric having a second direction of highest stretch, and the first and second directions do not coincide. 
     
     
         13 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric laminate includes a first fabric having a first direction of highest stretch and a second fabric having a second direction of highest stretch, and the first and second directions are perpendicular. 
     
     
         14 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric laminate is formed by two or more fabrics joined at major surfaces to each other. 
     
     
         15 . The shoe of  claim 1 , further comprising a lacing system comprising a plurality of lacing fingers on the lateral side of the upper and a plurality of lacing fingers on the medial side of the upper, wherein the fingers comprise a lacing eyelet on one end thereof and are free to move with respect to the upper at least partly along their length. 
     
     
         16 . A shoe, comprising:
 a shoe upper, wherein the upper defines a centerline dividing the upper into a medial side and a lateral side;   a sole joined to the shoe upper; and   a lacing system comprising a plurality of lacing fingers extending on the lateral side of the upper and a plurality of lacing fingers extending on the medial side of the upper, wherein the fingers comprise a lacing eyelet on one end thereof and are independent from the shoe upper at least partly along their length.   
     
     
         17 . The shoe of  claim 16 , wherein the length of one or more fingers on the medial side is shorter than the length of one or more fingers on the lateral side. 
     
     
         18 . The shoe of  claim 16 , wherein one or more fingers on the lateral side cross the centerline into the medial side. 
     
     
         19 . The shoe of  claim 16 , wherein a forwardmost finger on the lateral side is placed further forward than a forwardmost finger on the medial side. 
     
     
         20 . The shoe of  claim 16 , further comprising a shoelace laced through the eyelets in a zigzag pattern, and the lace defines a loop. 
     
     
         21 . The shoe of  claim 16 , further comprising a shoelace laced through the eyelets in a zigzag pattern, and the lace includes a static end secured on the upper, and a free end passing through a locking mechanism. 
     
     
         22 . The shoe of  claim 16 , wherein two adjacent fingers are joined to each other at an upper portion. 
     
     
         23 . The shoe of  claim 16 , wherein the finger to finger distance at the eyelets on the lateral side is different to the finger to finger distance at the eyelets on the medial side. 
     
     
         24 . The shoe of  claim 16 , wherein a first finger to finger distance between any two fingers on a side is different than a second finger to finger distance on the same side. 
     
     
         25 . The shoe of  claim 16 , wherein the lateral side includes the same number of fingers as the medial side, and a length of one or more fingers on the lateral side is greater than a length of a corresponding finger on medial side. 
     
     
         26 . The shoe of  claim 16 , wherein one or more fingers are not joined to the shoe upper. 
     
     
         27 . The shoe of  claim 16 , further comprising a shoe upper, wherein the upper is formed from one or more fabric laminates, each fabric laminate comprises two or more fabrics, and each fabric in the fabric laminate defines an orientation with respect to stretch, wherein the orientation of fabrics with respect to stretch in the fabric laminate do not coincide. 
     
     
         28 . A shoe upper made by the process, comprising:
 obtaining a first fabric and a second fabric, each fabric having a direction with higher stretch in said direction;   aligning the first fabric and the second fabric, wherein the direction of the second fabric with higher stretch does not coincide with the direction of higher stretch in the first fabric;   joining the first and the second fabric together into a fabric laminate;   cutting one or more patterns from the fabric laminate; and   assembling one or more patterns cut from the fabric laminate into the shoe upper.   
     
     
         29 . The shoe upper of  claim 28 , wherein at least one pattern cut from the fabric laminate is applied to a forefoot, a midfoot, a medial quarter, or a lateral quarter area of the upper. 
     
     
         30 . The shoe upper of  claim 28 , wherein the shoe upper includes a forefoot, a midfoot, a medial quarter, and a lateral quarter area including a fabric laminate.