Footwear and method of using such footwear

Abstract

A shoe that includes a sole assembly, an upper including a vamp and a tightening device. The tightening device includes keepers, a single lace having a tightening portion in a lacing path, and a blocking element having an active state for fixing a length of the tightening portion of the lace. The tightening device includes a vamp keeper provided on the vamp of the upper, as well as a tension member configured to reversibly pass the tightening portion of the lace between the lacing path and a tightening path when the blocking element is in the active state.

1 . A shoe for receiving a foot of a user to practice a physical activity, the shoe extending along a lengthwise direction and comprising:
 a sole assembly on which the foot of the user is intended to rest, the sole assembly extending along the lengthwise direction between a tip and a heel;   an upper comprising a lower portion adjoining the sole assembly and configured to cover the foot of the user, the upper comprising a vamp adjoining the tip of the sole assembly and configured to cover at least the toes of the user; and   a tightening device configured to adjustably tighten the upper on the foot of the user;   the tightening device comprising:
 keepers arranged on the upper in two rows of keepers arranged on either respective side of a tightening axis extending between the heel and tip of the shoe; 
 a single lace threaded into the keepers of each row of keepers along a lacing path so as to be capable of bringing the rows of keepers closer to one another by pulling on the lace, the lace having a tightening portion in the lacing path; and 
 a blocking element having an inactive state in which the blocking element enables the user to modify a length of the tightening portion of the lace, and an active state in which the blocking element fixes the length of the tightening portion of the lace; 
   the tightening device further comprising:
 at least one vamp keeper provided on the vamp of the upper, the lacing path including the vamp keeper; 
 at least one tension member arranged on the upper so as to define at least one tightening path including the lacing path and having a length greater than the lacing path, the tension member being configured to reversibly pass the tightening portion of the lace between the lacing path and the tightening path when the blocking element is in the active state. 
   
     
     
         2 . Shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the tension member is arranged on the upper.   
     
     
         3 . Shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the tension member is a hook arranged at a distance from the tightening axis and having an opening oriented in a direction opposite the tightening axis.   
     
     
         4 . Shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the tension member is provided on one of the vamp keepers.   
     
     
         5 . Shoe according to  claim 4 , wherein:
 the vamp keeper comprises a body comprising an opening configured to receive a portion of the lace and the tension member.   
     
     
         6 . Shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the upper extends along the lengthwise direction between a toe cap and a heel counter, and along a transverse direction between a medial portion and a lateral portion;   the at least one vamp keeper comprises two end keepers arranged on respective lower ends of the rows of keepers;   the end keepers are arranged on the respective medial and lateral portions of the upper;   the end keeper arranged on the medial portion is offset along the lengthwise direction towards the toe cap of the upper in relation to the end keeper arranged on the lateral portion.   
     
     
         7 . Shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the upper comprises at least one slit provided on the vamp; and   the tightening device comprises at least one strap having a first end attached to either one of an inner surface of the sole assembly or an inner surface of the upper, and a free second end extending through the slit, the vamp keeper being provided on the second end of the strap.   
     
     
         8 . Shoe according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 the lace has a central section and two end sections on either side of the central section; and   the central section of the lace has a transverse cross section with a perimeter smaller than a perimeter of a transverse cross section of each of the end sections.   
     
     
         9 . Shoe according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the upper comprises a tongue adapted to cover at least a portion of the instep of a foot of the user and along which the tightening axis extends; and   the vamp comprises a throat adjoining the tongue, the at least one vamp keeper being provided on the throat.   
     
     
         10 . A method of using a shoe according to  claim 1 , providing:
 positioning a foot in the shoe with the blocking element being in the inactive state;   adjustably tightening the upper of the shoe on the foot by pulling on the lace to modify the length of the tightening portion of the lace and to bring the rows of keepers closer to one another;   placing the blocking element in the active state in order to fix the length of the tightening portion of the lace; and   switching the tightening portion of the lace from the lacing path to the tightening path.