Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
BOOT AND TONGUE CLOSURE
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent
Application No.
63/245,096 filed September 16, 2021, the entire contents of which are herein
incorporated by
reference.
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0002] The present disclosure relates to a boot and tongue closure.
SUMMARY
[0003] In some embodiments, the disclosure provides an article of footwear
including a shell
and a liner. The shell has a shell sole including a toe portion, a heel
portion, and a bottom
surface. The shell sole includes an elastomeric material. A shell upper
portion extends from the
shell sole and forms a shell opening. The liner is received into the shell and
includes a liner sole
including a toe portion, a heel portion and a liner bottom surface, a liner
upper portion extending
from the liner sole and forming a liner opening. A tongue includes a main
body, a first lateral
wing and a second lateral wing. The main body includes a first portion and a
second portion
opposite the first portion. The first portion is coupled to the liner
proximate the liner opening.
The second portion is moveable with respect to the first portion. The first
lateral wing extends
from a first side of the second portion. The second lateral wing extends from
a second side of
the second portion. The first side is opposite the second side. The second
portion, the first
lateral wing and the second lateral wing can extend through the shell opening.
The first lateral
wing and the second lateral wing can be connected to the shell exterior
surface proximate the
shell opening while the liner is positioned within the shell.
[0004] In some embodiments, the disclosure provides an article of footwear
including a shell,
a liner and laces. The shell includes a shell sole having a toe portion, a
heel portion and a bottom
surface. The shell sole includes an elastomeric material. A shell upper
extends from the shell
sole and defines a shell opening. The liner can be received into the shell
through the shell
opening. The liner includes a liner sole having a toe portion, a heel portion
and a liner bottom
surface. A liner upper extends from the inner sole and defines a liner
opening. A tongue
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-16
includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is connected
to the liner proximate
the liner opening. The second portion can extend through the shell opening. At
least part of the
second portion can be connected to the shell exterior surface proximate the
shell opening while
the liner is positioned within the shell. The laces are connected to the shell
proximate the shell
opening and extend across a portion of the shell opening. The laces contact
the second portion of
the tongue to press the second portion of the tongue against the shell
exterior surface.
[0005] In some embodiments, the disclosure provides a method of assembling
an article of
footwear includes inserting a liner into a shell, grasping a tongue, and
pulling a second portion
out of the shell opening. The method further includes deforming the laces with
the tongue and
aligning the laces with grooves on the tongue. The method further includes
pressing the first
lateral wing against a first portion of the shell exterior surface adjacent
the shell opening, and
pressing the second lateral wing against a second portion of the shell
exterior surface adjacent
the shell opening.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pair of boots.
[0007] FIG. 2 is a left side view of one of the boots.
[0008] FIG. 3 is a right side view of the boot of FIG. 2 showing a portion
of the tongue
deformed to permit a user's foot to be inserted into the boot.
[0009] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the boot of FIG. 3.
[0010] FIG. 5 is a top view of the boot showing a liner separated from a
shell.
[0011] FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the boot of FIG. 2.
[0012] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the liner without the shell.
[0013] FIG. 8 is a right side exploded view showing the liner and laces
exploded from the
shell.
[0014] FIG. 9 is left side exploded view showing the liner and laces
exploded from the shell.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-16
[0015] FIG. 10 is bottom view of the liner separate from the shell.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] Before any embodiments are explained in detail, it is to be
understood that the
disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction
and the arrangement of
components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the
following drawings. The
disclosure is capable of supporting other embodiments and of being practiced
or of being carried
out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and
terminology used
herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as
limiting. Terms of degree,
such as "substantially," "about," "approximately," etc. are understood by
those of ordinary skill
to refer to reasonable ranges outside of the given value, for example, general
tolerances
associated with manufacturing, assembly, and use of the described embodiments.
[0017] FIG. 1 illustrates a pair of boots including a right boot 10 and a
left boot 10a. The left
boot 10a is a minor image of the right boot 10. The description and remaining
figures focus on
the right boot 10, but equally apply to the left boot 10a. The right boot 10
has a shell 14, a liner
18 arranged in the shell 14, and a tongue 22 arranged on the shell 14. The
liner 18 and the
tongue 22 are selectively removable from the shell 14. The left boot 10a has a
shell 14a, a liner
18a arranged in the shell 14a, and a tongue 22a arranged on the shell 14a. The
boots 10, 10a are
water-resistant, or waterproof, and impede water from entering an interior of
the boots 10, 10a
from an exterior environment outside of the boots 10, 10a.
[0018] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the shell 14 defines a sole 26 of
the boot 10 and an
upper portion 30 of the boot 10. In some constructions, the sole 26 and the
upper portion 30 are
integrally formed as one-piece. In the illustrated construction, the sole 26
and the upper portion
30 are formed as separate pieces and are coupled together.
[0019] As shown in FIGS. 5, 8 and 9, the sole 26 and the upper portion 30
define an interior
surface 34 of the shell 14 and an exterior surface 38 opposite the interior
surface 34. In the
illustrated embodiment, the shell 14 is formed from ethylene-vinyl acetate
("EVA"). In some
embodiments, the shell 14 is formed from an elastomeric polymer. In some
embodiments, the
shell 14 can be formed from plastic. The shell 14 is elastically deformable
and is waterproof.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-16
[0020] The sole 26 defines a toe 42, a heel 46 and an outsole 50 of the
boot 10. As shown
most clearly in FIG. 6, the outsole 50 of the sole 26 includes a plurality of
lugs 54 and grooves
58. The lugs 54 and grooves 58 are configured to provide traction for the
outsole 50.
[0021] With continued reference to FIGS. 5, 8 and 9, the upper portion 30
extends from the
shell sole 26 and forms a shell opening 62 sized to receive a foot of a
wearer. The upper portion
30 defines a plurality of apertures 66 positioned proximate the shell opening
62. The illustrated
embodiment includes three apertures 66 on a left side of the shell opening 62
and three apertures
66 on a right side of the shell opening 62. In other embodiments, other
quantities and
arrangements of apertures 66 are included.
[0022] With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the upper portion 30 includes a
first fastener 70a
positioned on the exterior surface 38 of the shell 14 proximate the shell
opening 62 and a second
fastener 70b positioned on the exterior surface 38 of the shell 14 proximate
the shell opening 62
and opposite the first fastener 70a. In some embodiments, the first and second
fasteners 70a, 70b
are hook and loop fasteners. In other embodiments, other suitable fasteners
are utilized in
addition to or in lieu of hook and loop fasteners.
[0023] The liner 18 is configured to be received into the shell 14 and is
configured to receive
the foot of a wearer. The liner 18 is formed from a water-resistant material,
such as a foam-
backed textile. With reference to FIGS. 5 and 7-10, the liner 18 includes a
liner sole 74 and a
liner upper portion 78, and defines an exterior surface 82. The liner sole 74
includes a toe
portion 86, a heel portion 90 and a liner bottom surface 94. While the liner
18 is positioned
within the shell 14, the toe portion 86 is positioned adjacent the shell
interior surface 34 adjacent
the toe 42, and the heel portion 90 is positioned adjacent the shell interior
34 adjacent the heel
46. While the liner 18 is positioned within the shell 14, the liner bottom
surface 94 is positioned
adjacent the shell interior 34 proximate the shell sole 26. The bottom surface
94 includes a
textured element 96, such as silicone pads, that increase friction between the
bottom surface 94
and a ground surface.
[0024] The liner upper portion 78 extends from the liner sole 74 and forms
a liner opening
98. The liner opening 98 is configured to receive a foot of a wearer. The
liner opening 98 is
substantially aligned with the shell opening 62 while the liner 18 is
positioned within the shell
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-16
14. The liner opening 98 is smaller than the shell opening 62. The liner upper
portion 78
includes a third fastener 100a positioned on the exterior surface 82 of the
liner 18 proximate the
liner opening 98 and a fourth fastener 100b positioned on the exterior surface
82 of the liner 18
proximate the liner opening 98 and opposite the third fastener 100a. In some
embodiments, the
third and fourth fasteners 100a, 100b are hook and loop fasteners. In other
embodiments, other
suitable fasteners are utilized in addition to or in lieu of hook and loop
fasteners. A first pull tab
102 is coupled to the liner upper portion 78 proximate the heel portion 90 and
the liner opening
98. The first pull tab 102 is graspable by a wearer to properly position the
liner 18 within the
shell 14 and to remove the liner 18 from the shell 14.
[0025] With reference to FIGS. 7-9, the tongue 22 includes a main body 106,
a first lateral
wing 110, and a second lateral wing 114. The main body 106 including a first
portion 118 and a
second portion 122. The first portion 118 is coupled to the liner 18 proximate
the liner opening
98. The first portion 118 is directly coupled to the liner 18 via stitching or
other suitable
coupling mechanism. The first portion 118 includes an elastomeric strip 126
proximate the
location at which the first portion 118 is directly coupled to the liner 18.
The illustrated strip 126
extends around a majority of the perimeter of the first portion 118 in a U-
shape. The elastomeric
strip 126 includes at least one of polyurethane and silicone. In some
embodiments polyurethane
is utilized to increase the rigidity of the location at which the tongue 22 is
joined to the liner 18.
The first portion 118 includes one rib 130 and two channels 134 on opposite
sides of the rib 130.
The rib 130 and the channels 134 extend across the first portion 118 generally
between opposite
sides of the strip 126.
[0026] The second portion 122 is coupled to the first portion 118 at a
first end and has a free
end that is moveable with respect to the liner 18. The first and second
portion 118, 122 define
first and second notches 138, 142 at opposite edges of the tongue 22. The
first and second
notches 138, 142 permit the second portion 122 to pivot and bend relative to
the liner 18 and
with respect to the first portion 118. The second portion 122 includes a
second pull tab 146
engageable by a user to permit the user to move the second portion 122 with
respect to the liner
18 and the first portion 118. The second pull tab 146 is positioned on an
exterior surface of the
tongue 22. The second portion 122 defines one rib 130 and one channel 134. The
rib 130 abuts
one of the channels 134 on the first portion 118.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-16
[0027] The first lateral wing 110 extends outward from a first side of the
second portion 122.
The first lateral wing 110 includes a fifth fastener 150a on an interior
surface of the tongue 22.
The second lateral wing 114 is a substantial mirror image of the first lateral
wing 110. The
second lateral wing 114 extends outward from a second side of the second
portion 122. The
second side of the second portion 122 is opposite the first side of the second
portion 122. The
second lateral wing 114 includes a sixth fastener 150b on the interior surface
of the tongue 22.
In some embodiments, the fifth and sixth fasteners 150a, 150b include hook and
loop fasteners.
[0028] In the illustrated embodiment, three elastomeric laces 154a, 154b,
154c are coupled to
the shell 14 and extend across a portion of the shell opening 62. The
elastomeric laces 154a,
154b, 154c each include tabs 158 on opposite ends. Each of the tabs 158 can be
inserted into a
respective opening 66 on the shell 14. The tabs 158 retain the elastomeric
laces 154a, 154b,
154c on the shell 14. The elastomeric laces 154a, 154b, 154c can stretch to
permit a wearer to
insert a foot into the shell 14 without needing to detach the elastomeric
laces 154a, 154b, 154c.
[0029] In order to wear the boot 10, a wearer pulls the second pull tab 146
to move the
second portion 122 of the tongue 22 out of the shell opening 62 and deform the
upper lace 154c
as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Then, the wearer inserts a foot into the boot 10.
The wearer adjusts
the position of the tongue 22 with the second pull tab 146 to position the
laces 154a, 154b, 154c
within the respective channels 134 and between the ribs 130 on the tongue 22.
Then, the wearer
secures the fifth fastener 150a of the first lateral wing 110 to the first
fastener 70a on the shell
exterior surface 38, and secures the sixth fastener 150b of the second lateral
wing 114 to the
second fastener 70b on the shell exterior surface 38. The tongue 22 is an
overlayer tongue and
not an underlayer tongue.
[0030] The laces 154a, 154b, 154c and the wearer's foot press the first
portion 118 of the
tongue 22 against the interior surface 34 shell 14, and press the second
portion 122 of the tongue
22 against the exterior surface 38 of the shell 14. In some embodiments, the
strip 126 includes
silicone to form a seal between the liner 18 and the interior surface 34 of
the shell 14. The laces
154a, 154b, 154c cooperate with the ribs 130 and channels 134 of the tongue 22
and the strip 126
to inhibit water from entering the boot 10 in the area of the tongue 22.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-16
[0031]
The liner 18 can be worn separately or with the shell 14. In order to wear the
liner 18
separate from the shell 14, the wearer pulls on the first pull tab 102 to
remove the liner 18 from
the shell 14. Either before or after removing the liner 18 from the shell 14,
the wearer positions a
foot in the liner 18. The wearer then secures the fifth fastener 150a of the
first lateral wing 110
to the third fastener 100a on the liner exterior surface 82, and secures the
sixth fastener 150b of
the second lateral wing 114 to the fourth fastener 100b on the liner exterior
surface 82. The
textured element 96 enhances the friction between the liner sole 74 of the
liner 18 and the ground
surface.
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Date Recue/Date Received 2022-09-16
