EP4670550A1

EP4670550A1 - Closure device for sports shoes

Info

Publication number: EP4670550A1
Application number: EP25183999.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Martino Rudelli; Nicola Salatin
Original assignee: Premec SpA
Current assignee: Premec SpA
Priority date: 2024-06-24
Filing date: 2025-06-19
Publication date: 2025-12-31

Abstract

Closure device for sports footwear to be applied to the edges of the upper of a shoe to cause them to come together characterized in that it comprises a traction element (18), constrained to one of the edges (4) of the upper, which selectively engages between two contiguous teeth (28) of a plurality of teeth placed side by side and engaged in a sliding manner by at least one flexible fastening element (60), closed at the ends, one of which is preferably free and the other being constrained to one of the edges of the upper.

Description

The present invention concerns a closure device for sports footwear.
Closure devices for sports shoes are known: they generally comprise a lever arm, integral with a flap of the upper to which a tie rod is articulated which selectively engages with one of the teeth of a rack connected to the other flap of the upper.
However, these well-known devices have some drawbacks, in particular:

the possible formation of ice between the teeth of the rack,
a large longitudinal size of the rack to have a wide adjustment range,
the need to use different racks depending on the shape of the shoe upper,
they are rigid and practically non-deformable components, especially those with greater adjustment possibilities.

European patent EP 2.020.166

However, this well-known device has the drawback that the fastening element has a fixed radius of curvature and therefore stiffens the area of the boot in which it is fixed, resulting in pressure on the foot.
Another drawback is the difficulty in taking the foot out of the shoe, both when the fastening element is engaged and when it is not, given its rigidity.
From US patent 2013/014355 a lever closure device is known in which the latching teeth 122 are locked with respect to two flexible cables 112.
This device has the drawback that the cables are placed laterally to the teeth and must somehow secure the blocks.
The aim of the invention is to eliminate these drawbacks and to create a fastening device for sports footwear which allows the flaps of the upper to be easily brought together and the lever to be disengaged from the fastening element without, however, stiffening the area of the boot to which the rack is applied .
Another aim of the invention is to create a lever closure device that offers greater freedom of adaptation to the upper and in all directions of traction.
Another aim of the invention is to create a lever closure device that allows the shoe to be put on easily.
Another aim of the invention is to create a lever locking device that allows for greater economy and ease of assembly.
Another aim of the invention is to create a lever closure device that allows the fastening element to be kept close to the upper.
The present invention is further clarified below in a preferred form of practical embodiment and in some embodiment variants reported for purely exemplifying and non-limiting purposes, with reference to the attached sheets of drawings, in which:

Figures 1 and 2: show a side view and a plan view of the locking device according to the invention,
Figure 3: shows a perspective view of the flexible coupling element in a first embodiment,
Figure 4: shows it in exploded perspective view,
Figure 5: shows an actuation phase of the closing device,
Figure 6: shows a different example of the tensile element,
Figures 7-12: show variations of the flexible coupling device,
Figure 13: shows a different configuration of the use of the flexible coupling element.

As can be seen from the figures, the fastening device for sports footwear according to the invention comprises a fork-shaped base 2 secured to a flap 4 of the upper of the footwear by means of a rivet 6. On each prong 8 of the fork-shaped base 2 there is a pin 10 for the articulation of a lever arm 12. A support 16 of a traction element 18 is articulated to the lever arm 12 in correspondence with a pin 14.
A flexible fastening element 60 is attached to the other edge of the upper 20, in correspondence with a rivet 22. The flexible fastening element 60 is substantially constituted by a flexible cable 24 inserted into holes 26 provided inside a plurality of adjacent blocks 28 which slide freely along the flexible cable 24 which is closed at the ends respectively by a preferably eyelet-shaped cable lug 30 and by a preferably hexagonal cable lug 32.
Each block 28 comprises a substantially stepped base 34 and a substantially curved upper appendix 36 with a concavity 38 facing towards the end cap 30. The set of these concavities between the adjacent blocks constitutes, as will be seen better later, a seat for the end of the traction element 18.
Between the cable lug 30 and the block 28 closest to it, a spring 40 can preferably be placed, having the function of recovering any play and pre-shaping the coupling element into the desired shape/curvature.
The use of the closing device is the traditional one which foresees that, once the lever arm 12 has been rotated clockwise for those observing figure 5, the end of the traction element 18 is inserted into one of the concavities 38 formed by two adjacent blocks 28 to be housed inside them and subsequently the lever arm 12 is rotated anticlockwise so as to cause, thanks to the contrast carried out between the traction element engaged in the blocks 28, the mutual approaching of the flaps 4 and 20 of the upper of the shoe.
If the degree of grip is not as desired, a similar manoeuvre is carried out by engaging the end 18 of the traction element in a different seat formed between different blocks 28.
From what has been said it is clear that the closing device according to the invention is particularly advantageous compared to known devices and in particular:

it adapts to any curvature of the shoe upper thanks to the flexibility of the 24 cable,
it allows for easier fastening of the traction element as the presence of ice between the teeth of traditional racks is eliminated,
it has a reduced longitudinal bulk of the element as the adjustment range is given by the length of the flexible cable and the number of blocks,
allows, in the case of using blocks of different colours, to visually memorise the position of engagement of the traction element between the two blocks and therefore to immediately reposition itself in the same configuration.
i offers greater freedom of adaptation to the upper and in all directions of traction,
it is economical and easy to assemble (less pieces to assemble and/or without crimping operations),
the compression action of the spring, thanks to the step-shaped support surfaces 34 between adjacent blocks, allows the flexible coupling element 60 to be pre-shaped with the desired curvature in the rest condition (not pulled). This prevents the coupling element from being raised with respect to the upper, making the appearance unsightly and making coupling with the traction element 18 difficult,
allows to hook/accommodate traction elements with different diameters, thanks to the fact that the blocks (28) can slide freely,
since the traction element (60) is in direct contact with the upper, possible concentrated pressure points are completely eliminated,
it makes ieasier to take off the shoe as there is no rigid element that prevents the upper from deforming,
the spring, thanks to the support surfaces/steps (34) between adjacent blocks, has the function of keeping the coupling element adherent to the upper; while in the EP 2020186 document the spring only has the function of recovering the play between the various blocks.

In the embodiment illustrated in figure 6 the traction element 18 consists of a flexible cable shaped like a loop.
In the embodiment illustrated in figure 7 the flexible coupling element 60 is made up of a plurality of blocks 28 which are crossed simultaneously by two distinct flexible cables 24.
In the embodiment illustrated in figure 8 the flexible cables consist of a single flexible cable 44 shaped like a U so as to avoid hexagonal cable lugs .
In the embodiment illustrated in figures 9 and 10 the eyelet terminal is eliminated and the flexible cable 48 is shaped like an eyelet with a special seat on a dedicated block 50 and is threaded onto a slotted hole present on each block 28.
In the embodiment illustrated in figures 11 and 12 the flexible cable is U-shaped and passes in succession through the two holes 26 on each block 28.
In the embodiment illustrated in figure 13, a cable 52 is connected to the lever 12 which, after having engaged between two blocks 28 of the flexible attachment element 60, is returned to a pin 54 provided on the same edge to which the lever is applied, to then be connected by means of a rivet 56 provided on the other edge of the upper.
In the illustrated embodiments, the traction element always engages in the cavity of the blocks, but it is also possible that the blocks do not have any cavity but only appendages that prevent the traction element, between which it is placed, from disengaging under load.

Claims

Closure device for sports footwear to be applied to the edges of the upper of a shoe to cause them to come together characterized in that it comprises a traction element (18), constrained to one of the edges (4) of the upper, which selectively engages between two contiguous teeth (28) of a plurality of teeth placed side by side and engaged in a sliding manner by at least one flexible fastening element (60), closed at the ends, one of which is preferably free and the other being constrained to one of the edges of the upper.
Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the traction element consists of a lever arm (12) provided with a traction ring (18).
Device according to claim 1 characterized in that a spring (40) acting elastically on the teeth (28) is applied to the flexible coupling element (60).
Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the teeth (28) are formed by a block comprising a base (34) substantially shaped like a step and a substantially curved upper appendix (36) with a concavity (38) facing towards the end furthest from the traction element.
Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the teeth (28) are made up of blocks provided with preferably vertical appendices (36).
Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the traction element is made up of two parallel flexible cables (24), each engaging a plurality of teeth (28).
Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the traction element comprises a single flexible coupling element (48) shaped like a ring.
Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the traction element is constituted by a cable (52) connected at one end to a lever (12) and at the other by means of a cable lug (56).
Device according to claim 2 characterized in that a cable (52) is attached to the lever (12) which, after having engaged between two blocks (28) of the flexible coupling element (24), is returned to a pin (54) provided on the same edge to which the lever is applied, to then be attached by means of a rivet (56) provided on the other edge of the upper.