Shoe with an adjustable tightening device

Abstract

A shoe includes a shoe body, a flexible connecting member, and a locking unit. The shoe body has a shoe opening, a vamp, a tongue, and first and second tabs. The first and second tabs are respectively disposed adjacent to lateral sides of the tongue, and are concealed by the tongue. The flexible connecting member has a first portion connected securely to the first tab and a second portion that extends toward the second tab for engaging the same. The locking unit is operable from a releasing position, where the flexible connecting member permits movement of the first and second tabs away from each other, thereby loosening the shoe body, to a locking position, where the flexible connecting member pulls the first and second tabs toward each other, thereby tightening the shoe body.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A shoe comprising: 
 a shoe body having a shoe opening, said shoe body including a vamp, a tongue, and first and second tabs, said tongue having a front portion connected to said vamp and a rear portion extending to said shoe opening, said tongue further having an opposite pair of lateral sides that extend from said vamp to said shoe opening;    said first and second tabs being connected to said vamp, being respectively disposed adjacent to said lateral sides of said tongue, and being concealed by said tongue, said first and second tabs having rear edges that define a front edge of said shoe opening and further having inner edges that are spaced apart from each other to form a slot therebetween, said slot extending to said shoe opening;    a flexible connecting member spanning said slot and having a first portion connected securely to said first tab, and a second portion opposite to said first portion and extending toward said second tab for engaging said second tab; and    a locking unit associated with said flexible connecting member and operable from a releasing position, where said flexible connecting member permits movement of said first and second tabs away from each other to widen said slot and enlarge said shoe opening for loosening said shoe body, to a locking position, where said flexible connecting member pulls said first and second tabs toward each other to constrict said slot and narrow said shoe opening for tightening said shoe body.    
     
     
         2 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein said flexible connecting member is a strap.  
     
     
         3 . The shoe of  claim 2 , wherein said strap is an elastic woven strap.  
     
     
         4 . The shoe of  claim 3 , wherein said elastic woven strap is made from nylon.  
     
     
         5 . The shoe of  claim 2 , wherein said strap is a non-elastic woven strap.  
     
     
         6 . The shoe of  claim 2 , wherein: 
 said second tab is formed with a strap hole that permits said second portion of said flexible connecting member to extend therethrough; and    said locking unit includes a hook fastener and a loop fastener for engaging removably said hook fastener.    
     
     
         7 . The shoe of  claim 6 , wherein: 
 one of said hook and loop fasteners is provided on said first tab and said first portion of said flexible connecting member,    the other of said hook and loop fasteners being provided on said second portion of said flexible connecting member,    said second portion of said flexible connecting member being folded after passing through said strap hole to engage said second portion of said flexible connecting member with said second tab, and to permit said hook fastener to engage said loop fastener so as to dispose said locking unit in the locking position.    
     
     
         8 . The shoe of  claim 1 , wherein said first portion of said flexible connecting member is formed as two parallel lace sections having first and second ends, said first ends of said parallel lace sections being fastened securely to said first tab, said second portion of said flexible connecting member being formed as a curved lace section that interconnects said second ends of said parallel lace sections so as to form a loop.  
     
     
         9 . The shoe of  claim 8 , wherein said flexible connecting member is an elastic woven lace having a circular cross-section.  
     
     
         10 . The shoe of  claim 8 , wherein said flexible connecting member is a non-elastic woven lace having a circular cross-section.  
     
     
         11 . The shoe of  claim 8 , wherein said locking unit includes: 
 a casing having a bottom wall fastened to said second tab, a top wall spaced apart vertically from said bottom wall and formed with a guide slot that extends in a transverse direction generally transverse to said inner edge of said second tab, and opposite lateral walls that interconnect opposite lateral edges of said bottom and top walls;    said bottom, top and lateral walls configuring said casing with a receiving space that widens gradually in the transverse direction away from said inner edge of said second tab and that has a narrow open end and a wide open end respectively proximate and distal to said inner edge of said second tab, said wide open end being wider than said narrow open end; and    a wheel member disposed in said receiving space, said wheel member having a toothed periphery, and being provided with a guide pin that extends into and that is slidable along said guide slot;    said parallel lace sections extending through said casing from said narrow open end to said wide open end such that each of said parallel lace sections is disposed between said toothed periphery of said wheel member and a respective one of said lateral walls of said casing and such that said curved lace section is disposed outwardly of said casing;    said wheel member being movable in said receiving space along the transverse direction to dispose said locking unit in the locking position, where said wheel member forces said parallel lace sections against said lateral walls of said casing so as to arrest movement of said first and second tabs away from each other.    
     
     
         12 . The shoe of  claim 11 , wherein said wheel member further has a pull tab that extends radially therefrom and outwardly of said casing via said wide open end, said pull tab being operable so as to move said wheel member in said receiving space and said guide pin along said guide slot, thereby disposing said locking unit in a selected one of the releasing and locking positions.  
     
     
         13 . The shoe of  claim 11  wherein said locking unit further includes a rivet for riveting said bottom wall of said casing to said second tab.