Lacing system for footwear

Abstract

Articles of footwear (e.g., soft snowboard boots) that may be tightened from the rear side to enhance heel hold are disclosed. A lace may be coupled to a strap that extends along a portion of the rear side of the boot body. The lace and strap may be arranged such that, upon tightening of the lace, the strap is pulled toward the front side. Tensioning of the lace may cause the lace to be pulled inward so as to exert a normal pressure against the medial and lateral sides of the boot, resulting in the sides being drawn inward toward the shaft region of the boot. The lacing system may employ one or more tightening zones where separate regions of the boot may be tightened independently from, or simultaneously with, one another. For example, a boot that is configured to have two tightening zones may include a first lace arranged so as to tighten a portion of the boot including at least one of the rear side, the medial side and the lateral side; and a second lace arranged so as to tighten another portion of the boot, including at least part of the front side. As a result, various “zones” of the boot may be separately controlled, tightened independent from one another, as desired.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A soft snowboard boot comprising:
 a body having a front side, a rear side, a medial side and a lateral side defining a shaft region; and   a lace cooperating with a rear side of the body and arranged to be tightened to draw at least one of the rear side, the medial side and the lateral side of the body inward toward the shaft region of the body.   
     
     
         2 .- 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The soft snowboard boot of  claim 1 , wherein the lace is arranged to partially circumscribe a portion of the body. 
     
     
         6 . The soft snowboard boot of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one strap coupled to the lace, wherein tightening of the lace results in at least one of the rear side, the medial side and the lateral side of the body being drawn inward toward the shaft region of the body. 
     
     
         7 . The soft snowboard boot of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one strap has a strap lace guide for guiding the lace. 
     
     
         8 . The soft snowboard boot of  claim 6 , wherein the lace, upon tightening, is arranged to pull against the at least one strap from at least one of a lateral side and a medial side of the body. 
     
     
         9 . The soft snowboard boot of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one strap extends along a portion of the rear side of the body. 
     
     
         10 . The soft snowboard boot of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one strap is constructed and arranged to be pulled by the lace in a direction substantially perpendicular to a shaft axis along which an upper region of the body is oriented, for pulling against the at least one strap. 
     
     
         11 . The soft snowboard boot of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one strap is constructed and arranged to be pulled by the lace in a direction substantially parallel to a shaft axis along which an upper region of the body is oriented, for pulling against the at least one strap. 
     
     
         12 . The soft snowboard boot of  claim 1 , wherein the lace includes a first lace portion arranged to be tightened to draw at least one of the rear side, the medial side and the lateral side of the body inward toward the shaft region of the body, and a second lace portion arranged to be tightened independently from tightening of the first lace portion, to pull medial and lateral sides of a tongue opening of the front side toward one another. 
     
     
         13 . The soft snowboard boot of  claim 1 , wherein the lace extends from at least one of a medial side and a lateral side of the body toward the rear side of the body. 
     
     
         14 . The soft snowboard boot of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the lace extends over the rear side of the body. 
     
     
         15 . The soft snowboard boot of  claim 1 , wherein the front side of the body has a tongue opening, and a portion of the lace extends over the tongue opening such that, upon tightening of the lace, medial and lateral sides of the tongue opening are pulled toward one another. 
     
     
         16 . The soft snowboard boot of  claim 1 , wherein the front side of the body has a tongue opening, and an additional lace extends over the tongue opening such that, upon tightening of the additional lace, medial and lateral sides of the tongue opening are pulled toward one another. 
     
     
         17 . The soft snowboard boot of  claim 1 , further comprising a cushioning member located at the rear side of the body for distributing pressure at the rear side of the body upon tightening of the lace. 
     
     
         18 . The soft snowboard boot of  claim 1 , wherein the lace cooperates with a rear side of the body and is arranged to be tightened to draw the medial side and the lateral side of the body inward toward the shaft region of the body. 
     
     
         19 . The soft snowboard boot of  claim 18 , wherein, upon tightening of the lace, the rear side of the body remains stationary relative to the shaft region of the body. 
     
     
         20 . A boot comprising:
 a body having a front side, a rear side, a medial side and a lateral side defining a shaft region; and   a lace arranged to partially circumscribe a portion of the body, and the lace arranged to be tightened to draw at least one of the rear side, the medial side and the lateral side of the body inward toward the shaft region of the body.   
     
     
         21 . The boot of  claim 20 , further comprising a tensioning member adapted to tighten the lace to draw at least one of the rear side, the medial side and the lateral side of the body inward toward the shaft region of the body. 
     
     
         22 . The boot of  claim 20 , further comprising at least one strap coupled to the lace and arranged to draw at least one of the rear side, the medial side and the lateral side of the body inward toward the shaft region of the body. 
     
     
         23 . The boot of  claim 22 , wherein the lace, upon tightening, is arranged to pull against the at least one strap from at least one of a lateral side and a medial side of the body. 
     
     
         24 . The boot of  claim 20 , wherein the lace includes a first lace portion arranged to be tightened to draw at least one of the rear side, the medial side and the lateral side of the body inward toward the shaft region of the body, and a second lace portion arranged to be tightened independently from tightening of the first lace portion, to pull medial and lateral sides of a tongue opening of the front side toward one another. 
     
     
         25 . The boot of  claim 20 , wherein the lace extends from at least one of a medial side and a lateral side of the body toward the rear side of the body. 
     
     
         26 .- 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . The boot of  claim 20 , wherein the boot is constructed as a soft snowboard boot. 
     
     
         30 . The boot of  claim 20 , wherein the lace cooperates with a rear side of the body and is arranged to be tightened to draw the medial side and the lateral side of the body inward toward the shaft region of the body. 
     
     
         31 . The boot of  claim 30 , wherein, upon tightening of the lace, the rear side of the body remains stationary relative to the shaft region of the body. 
     
     
         32 .- 78 . (canceled)