WO2007080205A1

WO2007080205A1 - Shoe including an automatic closure device on the upper thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2007080205A1
Application number: PCT/ES2007/000009
Authority: WO
Inventors: Francis Raluy; Swider Jerzy
Original assignee: Francis Raluy; Swider Jerzy
Priority date: 2006-01-13
Filing date: 2007-01-11
Publication date: 2007-07-19
Also published as: ES2258936A1; ES2258936B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a shoe including: a closure element (1) which is mounted such that it can slide between an open position and a closed position in which it braces part of the upper; an actuation platform (2) which is designed to be pressed by the user's heel in order to pivot between a raised open position and a closed position in which it is housed in a cavity (5) in the heel (6) of the shoe; and connection members (7) for transmitting the movements from the actuation platform (2) to the closure element (1). The inventive shoe also includes elastic means for pushing the closure element (1), the actuation platform (2) and the connection members (7) into the respective open positions thereof. The invention further includes retaining means which are designed to retain the actuation platform (2) in the closed position thereof against the force of the elastic means and release means which are designed to be actuated from the exterior of the shoe in order to release said retaining means.

Description

FOOTWEAR WITH AUTOMATIC CLOSURE DEVICE IN THE EMPEINE

Technical sector

The present invention concerns a shoe with an automatic closure device on the instep, more specifically, a shoe provided with a mechanism operated by the user's heel at the time of introducing the foot in the footwear, said mechanism acting to tension a closure element on an instep area.

State of the prior art

The patent EP-A-1275317, and its equivalent US-A-6643954, describes a device for activating a traction mechanism of a closing element in a shoe, said closing element being associated with the area of the instep of the shoe . The mentioned mechanism is housed in an inner cavity of the heel of the sole and can move between open and closed positions. The mechanism includes a lever mounted on the inner part of the sole and adapted to be pressed by the heel of the foot to move a rocker that in turn pulls some traction elements connected to the closure element to press the instep when the mechanism passes from the open position to the closed position. The device includes retention means to retain the mechanism in the closed position and release means adapted to be actuated from the outside to release the retention of the mechanism and thereby allow its return to the open position.

A drawback of the previous approach is that the traction elements are connected to the lower end of the rocker arm, which pushes and pulls the traction elements in a horizontal direction. Since the thrust and traction of the closure element in the instep area is carried out in a substantially inclined direction, the traction elements are forced to work bent along a curved path from the rocker arm to the closure element. It is difficult for the traction elements to have sufficient flexibility to bend and at the same time sufficient rigidity to push the closure element towards the open position. In addition, the mechanism is considerably complex and expensive, and difficult to accommodate depending on what types of footwear lighter than a shoe, for example, in sneakers.

Another drawback is that the said release means comprise a button arranged in a housing inside the heel. This button is accessible from the outside through an opening in the back of the heel and is connected to the mechanism through a passage that communicates with the cavity in which the mechanism is housed. Consequently, the aforementioned opening, the housing and the passage constitute a path of air and water from the outside to the inside of the shoe at a level very close to the ground, constituting a failure in the airtightness of the shoe.

Still another drawback is that the button of the release device is hidden inside the heel and to press it it is necessary to insert a finger through the corresponding opening, which forces the user to bend down or adopt other awkward postures when he wishes to take off his shoes, in contradiction with the comfort that the automatic closing device intends to provide.

Exhibition of the invention

The present invention contributes, above the previous ones and other inconveniences by providing a shoe with automatic closure device on the instep, which in combination comprises a closure element mounted so that it can be moved between an open position, separated from an instep area of said footwear, and a closed position, hugging said instep area; a drive platform that has a front end linked to an inner middle area of a sole of the footwear by means of a joint, so that the drive platform can pivot between an open position, raised from the sole, and a closed position, housed in a cavity formed in a heel of said sole; at least two connection members, each with a first end connected to one side of the drive platform and a second end connected to one side of said closing element, said connection members being rigid enough to transmit the movements of Ia drive platform to the closing element from its open positions to its closed positions, and vice versa; and elastic means arranged to push the closing element and the drive platform connected by the connecting members to their respective open positions. The drive platform is adapted to be pressed by the heel of a user against the force of said elastic means from their open position to their closed position and thereby tensioning the closing element towards its closed position. The device includes retention means arranged to retain the drive platform in its closed position resisting the force of the elastic means, thereby retaining the closing element in its closed position by means of the connecting members; and release means adapted to be operated from outside the footwear to release said retention means and thereby allow the return of the drive platform and the closing element connected by the connecting members to the respective positions opened by the thrust. of elastic means.

This construction is extremely simple compared to the aforementioned device of the prior art, and has a small number of pieces adapted to be assembled easily releasable by elastic deformation assemblies, so that it can be easily applied to both shoes and shoes sports and other types of footwear.

In the device of the present invention, the connection members do not have bends and the drive platform pushes and pulls the connection members in the appropriate direction, so that the connection members can be rigid enough to work both in tension as to compression and relatively flexible to adapt to the movements of the footwear. On the other hand, the construction of the retention and release means is completely hermetic, so that the release means can be comfortably actuated from the outside of the footwear without air or water pathways inside it.

Brief description of the drawings - TO -

The foregoing and other advantages and features will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of some examples of embodiment with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectioned side view of a shoe with an automatic closure device on the instep in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention in an open position;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but with the device in a closed position;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of connecting members that are part of the footwear device of Fig. 1 connected to each other by a transverse member;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a platform that is part of the shoe device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a side view showing the assembly of the connecting members of Fig. 3 to the platform of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a schematic detail view showing the assembly of the platform of Fig. 4 to the sole of the footwear of Fig. 1, in a position prior to assembly;

Fig. 7 is a detailed perspective view showing an elastic part that is part of a means for retaining and releasing the shoe device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a schematic view of a plan development showing the assembly of the connecting members of Fig. 3 to a shoe closure element of Fig. 1 by means of regulating devices; Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the footwear of Fig. 1 with the device in the open position;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but with the device in a closed position;

Fig. 11 is a schematic view illustrating an alternative embodiment for elastic elements that are part of the footwear device of the present invention, in a position prior to assembly; Fig. 12 is a side view of a shoe with an automatic closure device on the instep in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention in an open position;

Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an alternative embodiment for mounting the connection members to the platform; Figs. 14A and 14B are schematic detail views illustrating an alternative embodiment for mounting the drive platform to the sole of the shoe, in a position prior to assembly and a closed position, respectively;

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment for the construction of the tongue;

Fig. 16 is a partial cross-sectional view illustrating an alternative construction for the retention and release means of the closing device; Figs. 17 and 18 show in perspective and in cross-section, respectively, an alternative embodiment of the device for regulating the connection of the connecting members to the tongue; Figs. 19 and 20 show in perspective and in cross-section, respectively, another alternative embodiment of the device for regulating the connection of the connecting members to the tongue; Y

Fig. 21 is a perspective view showing a detail of the embodiment of Figs. 19 and 20.

Detailed description of some embodiments

Referring firstly to Figs. 1 and 2, there is shown a shoe with an automatic closure device on the instep in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The footwear comprises a sole 3 that includes a heel 6, a heel piece 17, side pieces 21, and one or more front pieces 31. In an instep area the side pieces 21 are separated so that they can be separated to facilitate an opening, and to cover said opening a tongue 25 is arranged. Above said tongue 25 a closing element 1 is arranged, the which is mounted so that it can be moved between an open position (Fig. 1), separated from said instep area of the footwear, and a closed position (Fig. 2), hugging the instep area. Preferably, the closure element 1 is arranged to press on the tongue 25 in the closed position, and the tongue 25 has at least one positioning configuration 26 adapted to cooperate with at least one corresponding positioning configuration 27 of the closure element 1 ( see also Fig. 8) to ensure a correct relative positioning between the tongue 25 and the closing element 1, and to make the tongue 25 move together with the closing element 1 between the open and closed positions.

Inside the footwear is installed an actuation platform 2 that has a front end 2a linked to an inner middle area of the sole 3 by means of a joint 4, so that the actuation platform 2 can pivot between an open position, raised from The sole 3 (Fig. 1), and a closed position, housed in a cavity 5 formed in the heel 6 of the sole 3 (Fig. 2). The closing element 1 is linked to the platform by means of a pair of connecting members 7, each of which has a first end 7a connected to one side of the drive platform 2 and a second end 7b connected to one side of the closure element 1. These connection members 7 are flattened, thin, relatively flexible to adapt to the movements of the footwear and yet rigid enough to transmit the movements of the drive platform 2 to the closure element 1 from their positions open to their closed positions, and vice versa, that is, to work both traction and compression. The device includes elastic means arranged to push the closing element 1 and the drive platform 2 connected by the connecting members 7 towards their respective open positions. In the exemplary embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2, said elastic means comprise an elastomeric member 8 on each side of the shoe, each elastomeric member 8 having a first end 8a connected to the corresponding connection member 7 near the first end 7a thereof, and a second end connected to the side piece 21. However, the present The invention covers other types of elastic means and / or elastic means in other arrangements, as will be explained later.

The drive platform 2 is adapted to be pressed by the heel of a user against the force of said elastic means from their open position to their closed position, whereby the drive platform 2 pulls the connecting members 7 and they tension the closing element 1 towards its closed position on the tongue 25. To retain the drive platform 2 in its closed position resisting the force of the elastic means, retention means 9, 10 are provided. By virtue of the traction exerted by the connecting members 7, the closure element 1 is retained in its closed position while the drive platform 2 is retained in its corresponding closed position by said retaining means 9, 10. The footwear also includes release means 11 adapted to be actuated from outside the footwear to release said retention means 9, 10 and thereby allow the return of the platform rma of drive 2 and of the closure element 1 connected by the connecting members 7 to the respective open positions by the pushing of the elastic means. The retention means 9, 10 and the release means 11 will be described in greater detail below. Referring now to Fig. 3, there is shown an example of embodiment of the two connection members 7, where the first ends 7a of the connection members 7 are connected to each other by a transverse member 12. The two members of connection 7 and cross member 12 are preferably made of a single piece of injection molded plastic. The transverse member 12 is adapted to be housed in an existing transverse seat 13 on a lower side of the drive platform 2. With this, the drive platform 2 drags the transverse member 12 when pivoting from its open position to its closed position.

In Fig. 4 an example of embodiment of the drive platform 2 is shown, which is of a relatively rigid material, generally plastic, and defines a peripheral frame in which a pad piece 32 is housed (Figs. 9 and 10) of a relatively soft material, such as an elastomer foam or the like. The drive platform 2 and the piece of pad 32 may include a covering 33 of a fluffy material similar to a coating internally of the rest of the sole 3. In the lower part of the drive platform 2 the transverse seat 13 is formed in two aligned portions. The transverse seat 13 is adapted to allow a relative rotation of said transverse member 12. On the sides of the drive platform 2, together with the corresponding portions of the transverse seat 13, depressions 15 are formed adapted to receive corresponding projections 14 inserted formed on the inner faces of the first ends 7a of the two connecting members 7 (Fig. 3). A certain elasticity of the connecting members 7 keeps the projections 14 inserted in said depressions 15 to ensure that the drive platform 2 remains in contact with the transverse member 12, especially when the mechanism is in the open position and the foot of the User is not inside the footwear. The aforementioned elasticity of the connecting members 7 also allows the projections 14 of the depressions 15 to be disengaged by pulling up the drive platform 2 to disassemble the assembly, for example, in order to perform a cleaning, etc. The depressions 15 are elongated to allow the relative rotation of the connection members 7 in relation to the drive platform 2. Fig. 5 shows the assembly of the connection members 7 to the drive platform 2.

Still in relation to Fig. 4, in said front end 2a of the drive platform 2 are formed lugs 19 adapted to engage in corresponding housings 20 formed in a base piece 18 attached to an inner part of the sole 3. The lugs 19 and the corresponding housings 20 make up the aforementioned joint 4 between the drive platform 2 and the sole 3. As best shown in Fig. 6, the housings 20 are designed to receive and retain the lugs 19 by elastic deformation. under pressure, which provides great simplicity of construction and ease of assembly. Preferably, said base part 18 defines the mentioned cavity 5 formed in the heel 6 of the sole 3. From the lower part of the drive platform 2 protrusions 34 adapted to fit in cavities 35 formed in the base part 18 stand out. when the drive platform 2 is in the closed position in order to avoid torsional stresses on the joint 4 during use.

At the rear end of the footwear, the retaining means 9, 10 mentioned above are arranged, which comprise a hitch configuration 9 provided at a rear end of the drive platform 2 and a retention nail 10 formed in an elastic piece 16 attached to heel 6 of sole 3 (Figs. 1, 2 and 7). This retention nail 10 is adapted to automatically engage with said engagement configuration 9 by elastic deformation of said elastic piece 16 when the drive platform 2 is placed in its closed position by a pressure exerted by the user's heel on the platform 2 to put on shoes

The aforementioned release means 11 comprise a trigger 11 connected to said elastic piece 16 (Figs. 1, 2 and 7) and protruding in the outer part of the shoe. This said trigger 11 is adapted to be pressed, for example by the other foot of the user, in order to elastically deform the elastic piece 16 and thereby separate the retaining nail 10 from the coupling with the engagement configuration 9. For the purpose to ensure a good hermeticity of the footwear, a lower part of said elastic piece 16 is tightly connected to the heel 6, while upper and lateral parts of the elastic piece 16 are hermetically connected to the said heel piece 17 of the footwear. This heel piece 17 is in turn tightly attached to the heel 6 and is flexible enough to allow the elastic deformation of the elastic piece 16. In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the elastic piece 16 is advantageously integral of said base piece 18 attached to an inner part of said sole 3, which defines the cavity 5 formed in the heel 6 of the sole 3. This contributes to achieve a reduced number of parts for the device and greater ease of manufacture and assembly.

In relation to Fig. 8, an example of embodiment of the connection of the second end 7b of each connection member 7 to the closure element 1 is described below. This connection is made by means of a joint 28, which is connected to a sliding part 29 that is part of a corresponding regulating device 30 fixed to the closure element 1 and adapted to regulate the position of the joint 28 in relation to the closure element 1. The said sliding part 29 has elastic arms provided with respective nails 36, and is installed so that it can run inside a housing 37 formed in the closure element 1, or in a piece or attached thereto. Said housing 37 has formed lateral recesses in the form of saw teeth 38 in which the nails 36 of the sliding piece 29 can be selectively interlocked to which the second end 7b of the connecting member 7 is connected. Acting on said arms elastic of the slide 29 it is possible to release the nails 36 to move the sliding piece 29 and with it the joint 28 in relation to the housing 37, and select an interlocking position of the nails 36 to provide a position of the joint 28 suitable for Username. In the market there are similar or equivalent adjustment devices, and any of them is obviously applicable to the footwear of the present invention. Referring now to Figs. 9 and 10, there is shown an example of embodiment of a device to pass the connecting members 7 of the interior of the shoe, where they are connected to the platform 2, to the outside where they are connected to the closure piece 1. To do this, each of the mentioned side pieces 21 of the footwear comprises a double layer portion 39, shown by a contour of dashed lines in Figs. 1 and 2, and in cross section in Figs. 9 and 10. This double layer portion 39 has an inner layer 21a and an outer layer 21 b, separated, between which the corresponding connecting member 7 is arranged. The term "double layer" does not include possible internal fluffy coatings 41 of the side pieces 21. The first end 7a of each connection member 7 is connected to the drive platform 2 through a guide race 22 formed in the corresponding inner layer 21a, and the second end 7b of each connection member 7 protrudes outside through a slit 23 between the corresponding inner and outer layers 21a, 21b. At the first end 7a of each connecting member 7 there is formed a plug 40 (see also Fig. 3) that extends transversely through said guide race 22 to connect with the cross member 12. Thus, said plug 40 acts as a skate that moves guided along the guide race 22. Each of the connecting members 7 has a widened area 7c formed near its second end 7b. In turn, each of said slits 23 has a length adapted to adjust in an outline of said widened area 7c of the corresponding connection member 7 when the drive platform 2 and the closure element 1 are placed in said closed position ( Fig. 2). Adjusting the widened areas 7c of the connecting members 7 in the slots 23 seals a possible entry of air or water through the slits 23 into the footwear and at the same time immobilizes the connecting members 7 in a transverse direction giving stability to the assembly in the closed position. In this exemplary embodiment, the elastomeric member 8 that is part of the elastic means is disposed between the inner layer 21a and the outer layer 21b of each of said double layer portions of the side pieces 21. To do this, as is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, each elastomeric member 8 has its first end 8a connected to the corresponding connection member 7 near the first end 7a thereof, and its second end 8b connected to at least one of the inner and outer layers 21a, 21b of the corresponding side piece 21 within the double layer area 39.

In the examples of embodiment shown, the double layer portion 39 is formed by a laminar piece externally attached to the side piece 21 as a pocket. However, the double layer portion 39 could be provided by a piece internally attached to the side piece 21 or by other types of construction that could easily occur to an expert in the shoe manufacturing technique. Alternatively, the side pieces 21 of the footwear could comprise a single layer (apart from the internal fluffy coatings), in which case each of the side pieces 21 would include, for example, a slit, analogous to the slit 23 described above, a through which the corresponding connection member 7 could pass from the inside to the outside of the footwear and adjust in the closed position to seal the air or water inlet. Here, the elastomeric members would be arranged inside the shoe with its first end 8a connected to the first end 7a of the corresponding connecting member 7 and the second end 8b connected to the corresponding side piece 21, analogously to that described above, or alternatively the first end 8a of the elastomeric member 8 could be directly connected to the drive platform 2.

In Fig. 11 an alternative embodiment example is shown for the elastic elements that are part of the footwear device of the present invention. Here, instead of the elastomeric members, the elastic means comprise one or more helical springs 24, loaded with torsion, arranged around one or more of said lugs 19 at the front end 2a of the drive platform 2. The said spring helical 24, or each of them, has a first end 24a inserted in a housing 43 of the drive platform 2 and a second end 24b inserted in a housing 44 of said base piece 18 attached to the sole 3, adjacent to the corresponding housing 20 for the pin 19. With this construction, since the helical spring 24 directly pushes the drive platform 2 towards its open position, the transverse seat 13 of the drive platform 2 has a coupling configuration 13a in the form of an adapted hook to receive and retain by elastic deformation thereof the transverse member 12 in the transverse seat 13. Thus, said configuration d The coupling 13a contributes to transmitting the thrust of the helical spring 24 from the drive platform 2 to the connecting members 7 and to the closing piece 1.

In Fig. 12 another example of embodiment of the footwear of the present invention is shown in which the closure element 1 is attached or forms an integral part of the shoe tongue. In this Fig. 13 the double layer area 39 of the side piece 21 is also illustrated as a laminar piece externally attached to the side piece 21 as a pocket, which incorporates the slit 23.

In Fig. 13 an alternative embodiment example is shown for mounting the connecting members to the platform, where instead of the transverse member 12 described above in relation to the embodiment example of Figs. 1 to 10, each connecting member 7 has its first end 7a connected by means of the corresponding block 40 to an appendix 42 housed in a corresponding transverse seat 13 of the drive platform 2. Each of said appendages 42 ends in a configuration in the form of a hook 43 that contributes to provide a good fastening of the connecting member 7 to the drive platform 2. Moreover, the embodiment shown in Fig. 11 is analogous to that described above in relation to Figs. 1 to 10. In Figs. 14A and 14B shows an alternative embodiment for mounting the drive platform 2 to the sole 3 of the footwear, with an inverse construction to that shown in Fig. 6. In the embodiment example of Figs. 14A and 14B, the lugs 19 are formed in the sole 3, or more exactly in the base piece 18 attached to the sole 3, while the corresponding housings 20 are formed in the front end 2a of the drive platform 2. In addition , each housing 20 has an inclined input channel 20a in relation to the longitudinal direction of the drive platform 2, so that, when the drive platform 2 is in an inclined position prior to assembly, (Fig. 14A), the corresponding pin can be inserted in a direction substantially parallel to the sole 3, while when the drive platform 2 is in the closed position (Fig. 14B) the input input channel 20a is tilted upward preventing the removal of the pin 10 in the direction substantially parallel to the sole 3. This feature partly performs the function of the mentioned protrusions 34 of the drive platform 2 adapted to fit into cavities 35 formed in the base piece 18, so that these could be eliminated. With the drive platform 2 in the open position (not shown), the elastic retention force of the housings 20 is sufficient to retain the lugs 19, given the limited effort supported by the joint 4 in this position.

In the alternative embodiment shown in Fig. 15, the closure element 1 is constituted by a tongue 69 of the shoe itself, that is, by a piece that at its front end is integral with a front piece 31 of the footwear and which It is articulated with the latter by a flexible zone without continuity solution. In this case, the part corresponding to the tongue 69 will preferably be more rigid than the front piece 31. Here, the connecting members 7 are connected to the closure element 1, that is, directly to the tongue, by means of an articulation 28 Optionally, This joint 28 may be attached to the tongue by a regulating device, for example, as the regulating device 30 described above in relation to Fig. 8, or by any other alternative regulating device. Examples of embodiment of the closure device described above in relation to Figs. 1 and 2 and with Fig. 12 can also be applied using a closure element 1 in the form of a tongue integral with the front piece 31 of the footwear, as the tongue 69 shown in Fig. 15.

In Figs. 17 and 18 shows an alternative embodiment for the regulation device 30 of the connection of the connection members 7 to the closure element 1, which may be constituted by the shoe's own tongue. In this alternative embodiment, the closure element 1 has a pair of reinforcement members 52 attached to its sides, for example by adhesive or similar, which can be, for example, of a somewhat stiffer plastic material than the closure element 1. Below each of said reinforcement members 52, the closure element has a recess 53 that defines an elongated channel covered by the corresponding reinforcement member 52, into which a slide 54 can slide, preferably made of a rigid material, for example, metallic. The said slide 54 has a stud 55 formed through an oblong hole 56 formed in the reinforcing member 52. Thus, the slide 54 with the stud 55 can run along the recess 53 and the oblong hole 56, but they cannot rotate with respect to an axis of the pin 55 by virtue of a non-circular shape of the slide 54. A pressure piece 57, which has a hollow sleeve 58 formed, is arranged externally on the reinforcing member 52, with the pin 55 of the slide 54 inserted inside said hollow sleeve 58. The second end 7b of each aforementioned connecting member 7 (see, for example, Figs. 1 and 2) has a hole 72, and the hollow sleeve 58 of said pressure piece 57 is inserted into said hole 72 of the connection member 7, providing a joint 28 between the connection member 7 and the closure element 1. Finally, a screw 59 is passed through the inside of the sleeve ito hollow 58 of the pressure piece 57 and coupled to a hole Filleting 60 formed coaxially on the pin 55 of the slide 54, so that a head 61 of said screw 59 sits on an outer end of the hollow sleeve 58 and a force exerted by the screw 59 is transmitted to the pressure piece 57. In addition, the head 61 of the torch 59 encompasses an extension in the radial direction greater than the hole 71 of the connecting member 7, whereby the connecting member 7 is retained in connection with the hollow sleeve by the head 61 of the screw 59. Thus, when the screw 59 is tightened, a portion of the reinforcement member 52 is pinched between the slide 54 and the pressure piece 57 immobilizing the position of the joint 28 in relation to the closure element 1 without impeding the operation of said joint 28 between the connecting member 7 and the closing element 1.

In the head 61 a coupling configuration 62 adapted for the coupling of a tool is formed. Preferably, said coupling configuration 62 is shaped and sized for the coupling of a coin that can be used as a tool to loosen or tighten the screw 59.

In Figs. 19 to 21 another alternative embodiment is shown for the regulation device 30 of the connection of the connection members 7 to the closure element 1, which also here may be constituted by the shoe's own tongue. In this alternative embodiment, the second ends 7b of the connecting members 7 are attached to the ends of a strap or tape 63 of adjustable length passed over the closure element 1. Said belt or tape 63 may be formed, by for example, by two portions 63a, 63b joined by one of its lower ends respectively to the connecting members 7 and joined together by its upper ends by means of a buckle 64 or other device that allows the mentioned regulation of the length of the belt or belt 63. Optionally, the belt or tape 63 is passed through a pin 65 fixed to the closure element 1 to ensure the positioning of the belt or tape 63 with respect to the closure element 1.

The lower ends of the portions 63a, 63b of the belt or tape 63 are connected to the corresponding connection members 7 by means of connecting elements 66 that provide an articulation 28 between them. Each of the connecting elements 66 has a sliding portion 68 integral with the lower end of the corresponding portion 63a, 63b of the belt or tape 63, and a rod 70 passed through a corresponding hole of the connecting member 7. The rod 70, which constitutes the joint 28, includes a head 71 that holds the connecting member 7 attached with the possibility of turning the end of portion 63a, 63b of the belt or tape 63. For example, portion 63a, 63b of the belt or tape 63 may be of a flexible material, such as a textile material, leather, a synthetic material or a composite material, and the joint element 66 may be of a substantially rigid material, such as a metal or a hard, fixed plastic to the portion 63a, 63b of the belt or tape 63 by any suitable means that does not occupy a significant space, as shown in the detail of Fig. 21. Among the suitable fixing means are, for example, joined n by adhesive, gagged, welding between plastics, overmolding, and others. Alternatively, the portion 63a, 63b of the belt or tape 63, instead of being fixed directly to the connecting element 66 as shown in the figures, may be adjacent to the connecting member 7 and have a hole aligned with said hole of the connecting element 7, so that the rod 70 of the connecting element is passed through both holes, that is, the hole of the portion 63a, 63b of the belt or tape 63 and the hole of the connecting element 70.

Obviously, the configuration of the connecting element 66 admits multiple variants, provided that it constitutes said articulation 28 and includes said sliding portion 68, which is adapted to slide inside guides 67 located on the corresponding sides of the closing element 1, whether fixed or integral thereof. The material of said guides is, for example, a plastic with a certain degree of elasticity and the sliding of the connecting elements 66 along the guides 67 is intentionally braked by virtue of its special configuration, which provides friction between the two. , so that whatever the position that, depending on the regulation of the length chosen for the belt or belt 63, the connecting elements 66 occupy within the guides 67, the connecting elements 66 will not move upwards of the guides 67 loosening the belt or tape 63 when the connecting members 7 push the closure element 1 upwards during a shoe opening operation. However, the sliding portion 68 of the connecting elements 66 can be manually forced to vary their position within the guides 67. Optionally, the guides 67 may have stops at their ends (not shown), so that the elements of union 66 cannot leave them neither below nor above.

It should be noted that the sliding devices for regulating the position of the connections of the connecting members 7 to the closing element 1 could be located on the connecting elements 7 instead of being arranged on the closing element 1, although this construction is less preferred because, according to the chosen position, portions of the prominent connection elements 7 may remain.

In relation to FIG. 16, an alternative construction for the retention and release means of the closing device is described below. In this construction example, the retention nail 10 is integral to the elastic piece 16, which is in turn integral to a base piece 18 internally attached to the heel 6 of the footwear, while the trigger 11 is formed by a piece independent located on the outside of the footwear. Between an inferior zone of the heel piece 17 and the heel 6 of the shoe an opening is formed, and to seal said opening a flexible sealing membrane 50 is arranged, which has its entire outer contour hermetically attached to the heel piece 17 and to the heel 6. The piece that defines the trigger 11 is fixed to the part of the base piece 18 that defines the retaining nail 10 by trapping between them a portion of said sealing membrane 50. With this construction, the nail of Retention 10 can be coupled with the hitch configuration 9 formed in the drive platform 2 by elastic deformation of the elastic piece 16 and flexion of the sealing membrane 50 when the drive platform 2 is placed in the closed position, and a force applied externally to the trigger 11 is transformed into a movement of the retaining nail 10 by virtue of an elastic deformation of the elastic piece 16 and a flexion n of the sealing membrane 50, which allows the retention nail 10 to be separated from the coupling with the hitch configuration 9, all maintaining a perfect seal in the lower rear area of the shoe.

The fixing of the part defining the trigger 11 to the portion defining the retention nail 10 can be used a variety of fixing means, such as, for example, one or more screws 51 passed through corresponding holes formed in the trigger 11 and in the sealing membrane 50 and coupled in corresponding threaded holes formed in the portion defining the retention nail 10, or by a similar assembly using rivets, or by adhesive, or by a combination thereof. One skilled in the art will be able to introduce variations and modifications in the examples of embodiment shown and described without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1.- Footwear with automatic closure device on the instep, which comprises in combination: a closure element (1) mounted so that it can be moved between an open position, separated from an instep area of said footwear, and a position closed, hugging said instep area; a drive platform (2) having a front end (2a) linked to an inner middle area of a sole (3) of the footwear by means of a joint (4), so that the drive platform (2) can pivot between a open position, raised from the sole (3), and a closed position, housed in a cavity (5) formed in a heel (6) of said sole (3); at least two connecting members (7), each with a first end (7a) connected to one side of the drive platform (2) and a second end (7b) connected to one side of said closing element (1) , said connecting members (7) being rigid enough to transmit the movements of the drive platform (2) to the closing element (1) from their open positions to their closed positions, and vice versa; elastic means arranged to push the closing element (1) and the drive platform (2) connected by the connecting members (7) to their respective open positions, the drive platform (2) being adapted to be pressed by the a user's heel against the force of said elastic means from its open position to its closed position and thereby tensioning the closure element (1) towards its closed position; retaining means arranged to retain the drive platform (2) in its closed position resisting the force of the elastic means, thereby retaining the closure element (1) in its closed position by means of the connecting members (7) ; and release means adapted to be operated from the outside of the footwear to release said retention means and thereby allow the return of the drive platform (2) and the closing element (1) connected by the connecting members (7) to the respective open positions by the pushing of the elastic means.

2. Footwear, according to claim 1, characterized in that the first ends (7a) of the two connecting members (7) are connected to each other by a transverse member (12) housed in a transverse seat (13) existing in a lower side of the drive platform (2), so that the drive platform (2) draws said transverse member (12) when it pivots from its open position to its closed position.

3. Footwear, according to claim 2, characterized in that the first ends (7a) of the two connecting members (7) comprise projections (14) adapted to be inserted in corresponding depressions (15) formed on the sides of Ia drive platform (2) to ensure that the drive platform (2) remains in contact with the cross member (12).

4. Footwear, according to claim 2, characterized in that said transverse seat (13) existing in the drive platform (2) has a coupling configuration (13a) adapted to receive and retain the transverse member (12) by deformation elastic

5. Footwear, according to claim 1, characterized in that said retention means comprise a hitch configuration (9) provided at a rear end of said drive platform (2) and a retention nail (10) provided in a elastic piece (16) attached to said heel (6), said retaining nail (10) being adapted to engage with said engagement configuration (9) by elastic deformation of said elastic piece (16) when the drive platform (2) It is placed in said closed position.

6. Footwear, according to claim 5, characterized in that said release means comprise a trigger (11) attached to said elastic piece (16) in the outer part of the footwear, said trigger being adapted to be pressed for the purpose of elastically deforming the elastic piece (16) and thereby separating the retaining nail (10) from the coupling with the engagement configuration (9).

7. Footwear, according to claim 6, characterized in that a lower part of said elastic piece (16) is tightly connected to the heel (6) and upper and lateral parts of the elastic piece (16) are hermetically joined to a heel piece (17) of the footwear, which is flexible enough to allow the elastic deformation of the elastic piece (16) and in turn is tightly attached to the heel (6).

8.- Footwear, according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises a flexible sealing membrane (50), provided with an outer contour tightly connected to the heel piece (17) and to the heel (6) of the footwear, closing Hermetically an opening formed between a lower area of the heel piece (17) and the heel (6) of the footwear, the trigger (11) being formed in an independent piece located in an outer part of the footwear and attached to the retention nail (10), which is integral to the elastic piece 16, said piece defining the trigger (11) fixed to the retention nail (10) trapping between them a portion of said sealing membrane (50).

9. Footwear according to any one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that the elastic piece (16) is integral to a base piece (18) attached to an inner part of said sole (3), said piece defining base (18) Ia mentioned cavity (5) formed in the heel (6) of the sole (3).

10.- Footwear, according to claim 1, characterized in that said joint (4) comprises lugs (19) formed in said front end (2a) of the drive platform (2) and adapted to be coupled by elastic deformation in some corresponding housings (20) formed in a base piece (18) attached to an inner part of said sole (3), or vice versa, said base piece (18) defining said cavity (5) formed in the heel (6) of the sole (3).

11. Footwear, according to claim 1, characterized in that some side pieces (21) of the footwear each comprise a double layer portion, with an inner layer (21a) and an outer layer (21b), separated, between which the corresponding connection member (7) is arranged, where the first end (7a) of each connection member (7) is connected to the drive platform (2) through a guide race (22) formed in the corresponding inner layer (21a), and the second end (7b) of each connecting member (7) protrudes to the outside through a slit (23) existing between the corresponding inner and outer layers (21a, 21b).

12. Footwear, according to claim 1, characterized in that some side pieces (21) of the footwear each include a slit (23) through which the corresponding connecting member (7) passes from the inside to the outside of footwear

13.- Footwear, according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that each of the connecting members (7) has a widened area (7c) formed near its second end (7b) and each of said slits (23 ) has a length adapted to adjust in a contour of said widened area (7c) of the corresponding connecting member (7) when the drive platform (2) and the closing element (1) are placed in said closed position, sealing with it slits (23).

14. Footwear according to claim 11, characterized in that said elastic means comprise an elastomeric member (8) disposed between

The inner layer (21a) and the outer layer (21b) of each of said double layer portions of the side pieces (21), each elastomeric member having

(8) a first end connected to the corresponding connecting member (7) near the first end (7a) thereof, and a second end connected to at least one of the inner and outer layers (21a, 21b) of the corresponding side piece (twenty-one).

15. Footwear according to claim 12, characterized in that said elastic means comprise, on each side of the shoe, an elastomeric member (8) with a first end connected to the corresponding connecting member (7) near the first end (7a ) thereof, and a second end connected to the corresponding side piece (21).

16. Footwear, according to claim 1, characterized in that said elastic means comprise, on each side of the shoe, an elastomeric member (8) with a first end connected to the drive platform (2) and a second end connected to The corresponding side piece (21).

17. Footwear, according to claim 10, characterized in that said elastic means comprise at least one helical spring (24) torsionally loaded around at least one of said lugs (19), said helical spring (24) having a first end (24a) adapted to be inserted into a housing of the drive platform (2) and a second end (24b ) adapted to be inserted in a housing of said base piece (18) attached to the sole (3).

18. Footwear, according to claim 10, characterized in that said housings (20) are formed in said front end (2a) of the drive platform (2) and have an input input channel (20a) inclined to purpose to prevent the removal of the lugs (10) in the direction substantially parallel to the sole (3) when the drive platform (2) is in the closed position.

19. Footwear, according to claim 1, characterized in that said closing element (1) is arranged to press on a tongue (25) of the footwear.

20. Footwear according to claim 19, characterized in that said tongue (25) has at least one positioning configuration (26) adapted to cooperate with at least one corresponding positioning configuration (27) of the closure element (1) to ensure a correct relative positioning between the tongue (25) and the closing element (1).

21. Footwear, according to claim 1, characterized in that said closure element (1) is attached or forms an integral part of a tongue (69) of the footwear.

22.- Footwear, according to claim 19 or 21, characterized in that said tongue (25, 69) of the footwear is a piece that at its front end is integral with a front piece (31) of the footwear and is articulated with respect to The same for a flexible area without continuity solution.

23. Footwear, according to claim 2 or 4, characterized in that said transverse seat (13) in the drive platform (2) is adapted to allow a relative rotation of said transverse member (12).

24. Footwear, according to claim 1, characterized in that said second end (7b) of each connecting member (7) is connected to the closure element (1) by means of a joint (28).

25.- Footwear, according to claim 24, characterized in that said joint (28) is connected to a sliding part (29, 54) that is part of a corresponding regulating device (30) fixed to the closing element

(1) and adapted to regulate the position of the joint (28) in relation to the closure element (1).

26.- Footwear, according to claim 1, characterized in that said second ends (7b) of the connecting members (7) are connected to the ends of a belt or tape (63) passed over the closure element (1 ), said belt or belt (63) including means for regulating its length.

27.- Footwear, according to claim 26, characterized in that the second ends (7b) of the connecting members (7) are connected to the ends of said belt or tape (63) by means of connecting elements (66 ) which provide an articulation (28) between them, each of said connecting elements (66) having a sliding portion (68) adapted to slide inside guides (67) located on a corresponding side of the closure element ( 1) and fixed or integral thereof, the sliding of the connecting elements (66) along the guides (67) being braked by a configuration of both.