EP0614625A1 - Shoe - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a shoe which contains a flexible shaft (1) with shaft parts (1a, 1b) which can be braced in relation to one another in the instep region and with a heel cap (4, 24) provided towards the rear as well as, supported by the shaft (1), a rotary clamping closure (5) with a clamping cable (9) which can be wound up onto and unwound from a cable pulley (7) with the effect of mutual drawing together and loosening of the shaft parts. A particularly favourable arrangement of the rotary closure in terms of manufacturing as well as a particularly good drawing together of the corresponding shaft parts (1a, 1b) is achieved by the heel cap (4, 24) being designed in its central rear region with a raised extension section (13) for firm reception of the rotary clamping closure (5).

Description

The invention relates to a shoe according to the preamble of claim 1.

Shoes of the required type are known in practice in various embodiments and are primarily designed in the form of relatively sporty shoes, such as running shoes, tennis shoes, basketball boots, trekking and hiking shoes, military boots, cross-country shoes or the like these are generally shoes that have a relatively flexible shaft that has two mutually adjustable shaft parts in the instep area as well as a rear, stiffening heel cap, these shoes contain a rotating turnbuckle carried by the shaft as a central lock with a tensioning cable, which is connected to deflection guides the shaft parts or bandages attached to them are provided, guided and in the sense of a mutual relative contraction and loosening of these shaft parts can be wound onto a rope sheave and unwound from this rope sheave. A turnbuckle of the type mentioned is described for example in EP-A-412 290. In the above-mentioned shoes known from practice, the closure housing with the closure elements of the rotary tensioning closure carried by it is generally arranged in the instep area of the shaft, in particular on a tongue of the shoe formed there, with the shaft parts to be contracted or the associated lateral bandages on both sides of the instep are arranged.

The invention is based on the object of further improving a shoe of the type specified in the preamble in such a way that it is distinguished on the one hand by a relatively simple, inexpensive attachment of the rotary tensioning fastener and on the other hand by a particularly good hold on a foot.

This object is achieved by the combination of features in the characterizing part of claim 1.

Advantageous refinements and developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

A first feature essential to the invention is the heel cap which is somewhat expanded compared to known designs by means of very simple measures insofar as this heel cap has in its central rear region (ie approximately symmetrical to the vertical longitudinal center plane of the shoe) a raised extension section which is designed as a closure carrier for the fixed accommodation of the rotary tensioning closure . The heel counter can thus be designed largely in the same way as in known shoes and only receives a sufficiently wide and sufficiently high, flap-like extension section in the middle rear region mentioned. This heel cap designed in accordance with the invention thus serves both its actual task of stiffening the heel region of the shoe upper and additionally also of inexpensive reception and reliable holding of the rotary tensioning closure. The extension section of the heel cap, which acts as a closure carrier, can be attached, in particular, integrally, to the central rear region of this heel cap in an extremely simple manner. If For example, imagine that this heel counter is molded from the appropriate plastic material, then the extension section serving as the closure carrier can be molded extremely easily and inexpensively during the manufacture of the heel counter.

Since, in this embodiment of the invention, the turnbuckle - in contrast to the known shoes of the required type - is thus attached to the heel area of the shoe or shoe upper, a sensible combination ensures that a rope loop formed by the single tensioning rope is separated from that of the heel counter worn turnbuckle extends around the foot and over a lacing section in the instep area. In this way, the shoe designed according to the invention not only ensures reliable lacing in the instep area but also an extremely advantageous contraction or lacing of the shaft between the instep area and the heel area, in particular in the area below the ankles, which results in a particularly good and firm hold of the shoe on one foot.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, in the extension section of the heel counter, a closure receiving recess, which is aligned centrally to the longitudinal axis or to the vertical longitudinal center plane of the shoe, is incorporated, in which the closure housing of the rotary tensioning closure is received and fixed in a form-fitting manner. Such a closure receiving recess can be incorporated simultaneously in the manufacture and shaping of the heel counter, for example with the aid of a relatively simple, appropriately adapted shaping or punching tool. The turnbuckle cannot be simply attached to the extension section of the heel cap, but rather installed in this extension section or integrated into the heel cap.

If one assumes in the sense of the above that at least the heel cap is still covered in the usual way by an upper material or upper leather of the shaft, then the turnbuckle is expediently installed so far in the closure receiving recess of the heel cap that only the relatively shallowly curved rotary actuating handle of the clasp protrudes outwards from the upper. It also ensures a particularly attractive design of the shoe.

In many shoes, especially in sporty shoes, where a particularly good hold of the shoe on the foot is desired, it is also advantageous if the closure receiving recess is arranged in the extension section of the heel counter with the turn-lock fastener in the area above the actual heel of the foot. If one imagines in this connection that in the area above the actual heel of the foot - viewed in the lateral foot profile - there is a forward-inward arched, rear foot area (approximately outside the Achilles tendon), then this forward-inward-arched foot area is particularly suitable for the attachment of the turnbuckle, because this creates a particularly good hold of the shoe on the foot, since this measure counteracts slipping out of the foot from the shoe. Of course, the attachment of the turnbuckle will be made in this area so that no undesired Pressure is exerted on the said foot area or on the Achilles tendon, which is favored by a relatively flat design of the rotary tension lock.

Fig.1

eine perspektivische Seitenansicht eines erfindungsgemäß ausgeführten Schuhes in Form eines Halbschuhes bzw. Sportschuhes;

Fig.2

eine perspektivische Detailansicht einer erfindungsgemäß ausgeführten Fersenkappe mit zugeordnetem, aber noch nicht eingebautem Drehspannverschluß;

Fig.3

eine perspektivische Seitenansicht eines weiteren Ausführungsbeispieles für einen erfindungsgemäßen Schuh, und zwar mit einem hohen Schaft (Stiefelform);

Fig.4

eine perspektivische Detailansicht der Fersenkappe mit eingebautem Drehspannverschluß für eine Schuhausführung gemäß Fig.3;

Fig.5

eine vergrößerte Schnittansicht, etwa entsprechend der Linie V-V in Fig.4.

The invention is explained in more detail below with the aid of a few exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawing. In this drawing:

Fig. 1

a side perspective view of a shoe designed according to the invention in the form of a low shoe or sports shoe;

Fig. 2

a detailed perspective view of a heel counter designed according to the invention with an associated but not yet installed turn-lock fastener;

Fig. 3

a side perspective view of another embodiment of a shoe according to the invention, with a high shaft (boot shape);

Fig. 4

a detailed perspective view of the heel counter with built-in turn-lock for a shoe execution according to Figure 3;

Fig. 5

an enlarged sectional view, approximately along the line VV in Figure 4.

A first embodiment of the shoe according to the invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2; the shoe illustrated in Figure 1 is in shape, for example a low shoe, in particular in the form of a sports shoe such as a running shoe, tennis shoe or the like.

According to FIG. 1, this sports shoe contains a relatively flexible shaft 1 and a conventional, adapted sole 2.

The shaft 1 has in its instep region 3 two shaft parts 1a, 1b which can be braced against one another and also a stiffening heel cap 4 which is attached or installed at the rear, which is illustrated in perspective in FIG. 2 in detail.

A rotary turnbuckle 5 acting as a central lock is carried by the shaft 1. This three-way fastener 5 can be designed in a relatively flat, adapted design, for example in accordance with EP-A-412 290 (and here in particular in accordance with the examples in accordance with FIGS. 4 to 7). Accordingly, this three-way fastener 5 - as well as partially. 5 shows - as essential parts a closure housing 6, a rotatably mounted and drivable rope pulley 7 in the closure housing 6, a rotary actuating handle 8 rotatable in one direction or the other and a single tensioning rope 9. The two ends 9a of this tensioning rope are preferably in the Rope pulley 7 fixed, in particular welded, so that a closed rope loop 9b is formed outside of the closure housing 6.

As indicated in FIG. 1, a plurality of cable deflection guides are distributed on the mutually facing edge sections of the shaft parts 1a and 1b in the longitudinal direction of the shoe 10 attached, over which the rope 9, in particular the rope loop 9b is guided so that tensioning rope sections cross each other along the instep area, ie in a lacing section 11, with the formation of crossing points 12, 12a. A good design and corresponding length of the lacing section 11 ensure reliable lacing of the shoe in its front part and instep area 3.

As is known per se from rotary turnbuckles (e.g. EP-A-412 290), the tensioning cable 9 can be tightened by a corresponding rotary movement of the rotary actuation handle 8 and thus by a corresponding rotary drive of the rope pulley 7 in the sense of a mutual contraction or loosening of the shaft parts 1a and 1b be wound on the rope pulley 7 or unwound from this rope pulley 7.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, the shoe according to the invention carries the turn-lock fastener 5 in the heel area of this shoe. For this purpose, the heel counter 4 - as illustrated in more detail in FIG. 2 - has in its central heel region 4a an approximately flap-like or strip-like raised extension section 13 which is pulled up sufficiently wide and far enough that it acts as a closure carrier fixed reception of the rotary clamp 5 can be formed.

For this purpose, in the extension section 13, a closure receiving recess 14, which is centered approximately to the longitudinal axis A or to a vertical longitudinal center plane of the shoe, is incorporated, which according to FIG. 2 is in the form of a through hole at the upper end of the extension section 13 can be formed and its clear diameter is adapted to the outer diameter of the closure housing 6, so that the latter can be positively received and fixed in this closure receiving recess 14. For this purpose, the closure housing 6 - as can be seen from FIGS. 2 and 5 - have two approximately diametrically opposite hook projections 15 which are formed in correspondingly shaped recesses 16 in the region of the closure receiving recess 14 in the extension section 13. Furthermore, channel or groove-shaped guides 17 for the sections of the tensioning cable 9 running therein are incorporated approximately diametrically opposite the closure receiving recess 14 in the side regions of the extension section 13.

The heel counter 4 is preferably total, i.e. including the extension section 13, made in a manner known per se from a relatively strong material in order to ensure the desired rigidity in this area of the shaft 1. However, this material should still be somewhat or partially resiliently bendable, so that the closure housing 6 can be inserted by a corresponding slight bending of the heel cap 4 by snap engagement in the closure receiving recess 14 and can be easily removed again by a similar bending of the heel cap 4 if this is the case should be necessary for replacing or repairing the turnbuckle 5 or the tension cable 9.

Due to the arrangement and attachment of the turnbuckle 5 in the heel area of the shoe or shoe upper 1 there is also advantageously the possibility of guiding the rope loop 9b formed by the tensioning rope 9 overall over the shoe upper 1 in such a way that it extends from the rotary latch 5 carried by the heel counter 4 around the - in FIG 18 indicated by dash-dotted lines - foot around and extends over the lacing section 11 in the instep area 3. This results in a particularly good overall hold of a foot 18 located in this shoe, as can be seen from FIG. This hold can be increased if necessary, that - as also shown in dash-dotted lines in Fig.1 - the closure receiving opening 14 with the rotary fastener 5 in the area above the actual heel of the foot 18 and thereby the rope loop 9a in the area near below the Shoe entry opening 19 is guided along the shaft edge 1c. As a result, the shaft 1 can also lie relatively close to the corresponding foot area in the area of its shaft edge 1c, as a result of which the particularly increased hold of the foot 18 in the shoe is further improved.

3 and 4 illustrate an embodiment of the shoe according to the invention in an embodiment with a high shaft, ie in an embodiment in the form of a more or less high boot such as a basketball boot, trekking or hiking shoe or the like. The general basic structure of this boot according to FIGS. 3 and 4 is largely the same as that of the low shoe according to FIGS. 1 and 2, so that parts of the boot according to this second exemplary embodiment (FIGS. 3 and 4) which are of essentially the same design are provided with the same reference numerals are like in Example of the low shoe according to Figures 1 and 2, which is why a further detailed explanation of these shoe parts can largely be omitted.

The shoe or boot according to FIGS. 3 and 4 accordingly contains a sufficiently flexible shaft 21 above the sole, which in turn has two shaft parts 21a and 21b that can be braced against one another in the instep area 23 and a stiffening heel cap 24 installed at the rear. From the shaft 21, the turnbuckle 5 is in turn carried in the heel area, in the same way as in the first example (FIGS. 1 and 2) by the raised extension section 13, which is designed as a closure carrier, the heel cap here designated by 24. The design and function of the turnbuckle 5 and the guidance of the associated tensioning cable 9 are in a correspondingly adapted manner essentially the same as was explained above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. In particular, the housing 6 is also positively received and fixed in the closure receiving recess 14 of the extension section 13, as has been explained above with reference to FIGS. 2 and 5; the same applies to the guides 17 and the tension cable 9.

A special feature of the shoe design illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 is that the heel cap 24, which is designed and manufactured in its basic design in the same way as in the example of FIGS. 1 and 2, the side parts are extended upwards such that at least in the area the ankle (indicated by dash-dotted lines at 20 in FIG. 3) is formed on both sides of a stabilizing support 24a or 24b, which give this boot a sufficient and particularly reliable rigidity against buckling stresses of the ankle without impairing the comfort of the whole shoe.

In this embodiment, the cable loop 9a of the tensioning cable 9 is expediently guided along the outer sides of the stabilizing supports 24a, 24b, as is indicated in FIGS. 3 and 4. If the corresponding tension cable sections are guided along on the outside of the stabilizing supports 24a and 24b, then a particularly good contact of the stabilizing supports with the corresponding foot areas and thus also a particularly good lateral support of the foot 18 in the shoe is ensured. With this design, however, the general requirement is that the heel cap 24 (and with it the stabilizing supports 24a, 24b and the extension section 13) is covered by the upper material of the shoe.

In some shoe designs, be it loafers roughly according to Fig.1, be it boot-shaped shoes with a raised shaft according to Figures 3 and 4, however, the stiffening heel cap is arranged on the outside of the upper material of the shaft. In such cases, it will then be expedient to guide the tensioning rope 9 or its corresponding rope sections (loop sections) along the inside of the side parts of the heel counter (for example between these side parts and the upper material of the upper).

This already has an effect, particularly in the case of a shoe design with a high shaft in accordance with FIGS 1 and 2 explained above arrangement of the turnbuckle 5 in the area above the actual heel 18a of the foot 18 advantageous, since here - as can be seen in Figure 3 - the turnbuckle 5 in the most forward-inward direction arched rear part of the foot can be arranged easily and without any hindrance of the foot.

As can also be seen from FIGS. 4 and 5, it is also extremely advantageous in the case of shoe designs in which at least the heel cap 4 or 24 is covered by an upper material (upper leather) 25 of the shaft 1 or 21 if the rotary tensioning closure 5 or its housing 6 is installed as far as in the closure receiving recess 14 of the heel cap 4 or 24, that only the relatively flat curved rotary handle 8 of the closure 5 protrudes over the upper material 25 to the outside. This means that the turnbuckle 5 can be installed so far in the heel cap or its extension section 13 that only the turning handle 8 is still sufficiently accessible for its turning operation.

A further advantageous embodiment of this shoe will be explained with reference to FIG. Thereafter, an approximately rectilinear and approximately strip-shaped pull tab 26 is placed under the uppermost tension cable crossing point 12 of the lacing section 11, which is formed symmetrically to the longitudinal axis A of the shoe in the instep area 3 and which has at least one grip end 26a for pulling off this uppermost tension cable crossing point 12 from the instep area 3 having. This is particularly advantageous if the turnbuckle closure is roughly in accordance with EP-A-412 290 already mentioned (cf. examples there 4 to 7) and thus the pulley 7 can be released by a pressure movement exerted centrally on a locking element (cf. part 27 in FIG. 5) for a quick unwinding of the tensioning cable 9 by decoupling its rotary drive.

In this embodiment, the part of the pull tab 26 located under the uppermost tension cable crossing point 12 can also form a sliding guide support for the corresponding tension cable sections.

In addition, the handle end 26a of the pull tab 26, particularly when this pull tab 26 is relatively long, can be releasably fixed to the top of the shaft 1 in the lacing section 11, for example with the aid of a Velcro fastener, a push button or the like. If the largest Part of the pull tab 26 - as illustrated in FIG. 1 - runs approximately centrally and longitudinally over the lacing section 11, then this pull tab 26 can cover at least a part of the intersecting tension cable sections.

Claims (12)

Shoe containing a) a flexible shaft (21, 22) which has two shaft parts (1a, 1b, 21a, 21b) which can be braced relative to one another in the instep area (3, 23) and a stiffening heel cap (4, 24) provided at the rear, b) one of the shaft (1, 21) carried rotary lock (5) with a lock housing (6), a rotatably mounted and drivable rope pulley (7) in the lock housing, a rotary actuating handle (8) and a single tensioning cable (9), which on the cable deflection guides (10) provided for the shaft parts and can be wound on the cable pulley in the sense of a mutual contraction and release of these shaft parts and can be unwound from this cable pulley, characterized by the combination of the following features: c) the heel cap (4, 24) has in its central rear region (4a) a raised extension section (13) designed as a closure carrier for firmly receiving the rotary tensioning closure (5); d) a rope loop (9b) formed by the tensioning rope (9) extends from the rotary tensioning fastener carried by the heel cap (4, 24) from around the foot (18) and via a lacing section (11) in the instep area (3, 23). Shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that in the extension section (13) of the heel cap (4, 24) a closure receiving recess (14), which is centered approximately to the longitudinal center axis (A) of the shoe and in which the closure housing (6) is positively received and fixed is. Shoe according to claim 2, characterized in that the heel cap (4, 24) including the extension section (13) is made of a relatively firm but partially resiliently bendable material, in particular plastic material, and the closure housing (6) is snap-engaged in the closure receiving recess (14 ) and can be released by slightly bending the heel counter. Shoe according to claim 2, characterized in that guides (17) for the tensioning cable (9) are worked into diametrically opposite side areas of the extension section (13) to the closure receiving recess (14). Shoe according to claim 2, wherein at least the heel cap (4, 24) is covered by an upper material (15) of the upper (1, 21), characterized in that the rotary tensioning lock (5) extends as far as into the closure receiving recess (14) of the heel cap (4 , 24) is built in that only the relatively flat curved rotary handle (8) of the closure protrudes to the outside over the upper material (25). Shoe according to claim 2, characterized in that the closure receiving recess (14) with the rotary tension closure (15) is arranged in the region above the actual heel (18a) of the foot (18). Shoe according to claim 6, in a version with a high shaft, characterized in that the heel cap (24) is also extended upwards on its side parts in such a way that stabilizing supports (24a, 24b) are formed at least in the region of the ankles (20). Shoe according to claim 7, characterized in that the rope loop (9a) is guided along the outside of the stabilizing supports (24a, 24b). Shoe according to claim 2, in the case of an embodiment in the form of a low shoe, characterized in that the rope loop (9a) is guided along in the region below the shaft edge (1c) surrounding the shoe entry opening (19). Shoe according to claim 1, characterized in that the lacing section (11) with intersecting tension cable sections for the two shaft parts (1a, 1b) is aligned essentially centrally to the instep area (3) and symmetrically to the longitudinal axis of the shoe (A) and that at least below the top tension rope crossing point (12) is underlaid with an approximately strip-shaped pull tab (26), which at least has a handle end (26a) for pulling this uppermost pull rope crossing point from the instep area. Shoe according to claim 10, characterized in that the part of the pull tab (26) located under the tension cable crossing point (12) forms a sliding guide base for the tension cable sections. Shoe according to claim 10, characterized in that the grip end (26a) of the pull tab (26) on the upper side of the shaft (1) can be releasably fixed in the lacing section (11).

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