Internally laced shoe

Abstract

An internal lacing system wherein a plurality of lace guides having rotatable rollers are strategically positioned throughout a shoe to facilitate the securing of the foot within the shoe. First and second elongated laces are internally channeled through the respective lace guides so as to enable a user to tighten the shoe by pulling on exposed second ends of the first and second laces thereby allowing the laces to roll along each respective roller positioned within each lace guide. Because the first ends of the first and second laces are fixed, the pulling on the second ends of the first and second laces will result in a reciprocating force about each lace guide thus securely tightening the shoe around the user's foot.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An internally laced shoe having a sole and a heel, comprising: 
 at least one lace having a first end and a second end, said first end secured within said shoe, said second end extends to the exterior of said shoe;    means carried internally by said shoe for slidably engaging and guiding said lace; and    means carried by said shoe for adjustably securing said second end of said lace,    wherein when said second end of said lace is pulled, said lace slides about said guide means producing a reciprocating force about said guide means and thus, tightening said shoe around a foot.    
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said guide means is a plurality of rectangular box-like members each having a plurality of apertures therethrough for receiving said lace, and a roller rotatably engaged within each of said rectangular box-like members, wherein said lace engages said roller and slides about said roller when said lace moves.  
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said securing means is a buckle.  
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said securing means is hook and loop fastener.  
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of channels formed within said sole of said shoe and wherein at least one of said guide means is positioned in each of said plurality of channels.  
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said guide means are positioned in generally a diamond-shaped formation about said shoe.  
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said guide means is-positioned at the heel of said shoe.  
     
     
         8 . An internally laced shoe having a sole and a heel, comprising: 
 at least one lace having a first end and a second end, said first end secured within said shoe, said second end extends to the exterior of said shoe;    means carried internally by said shoe for slidably engaging and guiding said lace;    means carried by said shoe for adjustably securing said second end of said; and    a plurality of channels formed within the sole of said shoe for channeling said lace through the sole,    wherein when said second end of said lace is pulled, said lace slides about said guide means producing a reciprocating force about said guide means and thus, tightening said shoe around a foot.    
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein said guide means is a plurality of rectangular box-like members each having a plurality of apertures therethrough for receiving said lace, and a roller rotatably engaged within each of said rectangular box-like members, wherein said lace engages said roller and slides about said roller when said lace moves.  
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein said securing means is a buckle.  
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein said securing means is hook and loop fastener.  
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of said guide means is positioned at the heel of said shoe.  
     
     
         13 . An internally laced shoe having a sole and a heel, comprising: 
 a first lace having a first end and a second end, said first end secured within said shoe, said second end extends to the exterior of said shoe;    a second lace having a first end and a second end, said first end secured within said shoe, said second end extends to the exterior of said shoe;    means carried internally by said shoe for slidably engaging and guiding said first lace and said second lace;    first means carried by said shoe for adjustably securing said second end of said first lace; and    second means carried by said shoe for removably securing said second end of said second lace,    wherein when said second end of said first lace and said second end of said second lace is pulled, said first lace and said second lace slides about said guide means producing a reciprocating force about said guide means and thus, tightening said shoe around a foot.    
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein said guide means is a plurality of rectangular box-like members each having a plurality of apertures therethrough for receiving said first lace and said second lace, and a first roller and a second roller rotatably engaged within each of said rectangular box-like members, wherein said first lace engages said first roller and slides about said first roller when said first lace moves, and wherein said second lace engages said second roller and slides about said first roller when said first lace moves.  
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein said first securing means is a buckle, and wherein said second securing means is a buckle.  
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein said first securing means is hook and loop fastener, and wherein said second securing means is hook and loop fastener.  
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein said guide means are positioned in generally a diamond-shaped formation about said shoe.  
     
     
         18 . An internally laced shoe having a sole and a heel, comprising: 
 a first lace having a first end and a second end, said first end of said first lace secured within said shoe, said second end of said first lace extends to the exterior of said shoe;    a second lace having a first end and a second end, said first end of said second lace secured within said shoe, said second end of said second lace extends to the exterior of said shoe;    means carried internally by said shoe for slidably engaging and guiding said first lace;    means carried internally by said shoe for slidably engaging and guiding said second lace;    means carried by said shoe for adjustably securing said second end of said first lace; and    means carried by said shoe for adjustably securing said second end of said second lace,    wherein when said second end of said first lace and said second end of said second lace are pulled, said first lace and said second lace slide about said first lace guide means and said second lace guide means, respectively, producing a reciprocating force about said first lace guide means and said second lace guide means and thus, tightening said shoe around a foot.    
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein said first lace guide means is a plurality of rectangular box-like members each having a plurality of apertures therethrough for receiving said first lace, and a roller rotatably engaged within each of said rectangular box-like members, wherein said first lace engages said roller and slides about said roller when said first lace moves.  
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein said second lace guide means is a plurality of rectangular box-like members each having a plurality of apertures therethrough for receiving said second lace, and a roller rotatably engaged within each of said rectangular box-like members, wherein said second lace engages said roller and slides about said roller when said second lace moves.  
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein said first lace securing means and said second lace securing means is a buckle.  
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein said first lace securing means and said second lace securing means is hook and loop fastener.  
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein at least one of said second lace guide means is positioned at the heel of said shoe.  
     
     
         24 . An internally laced shoe having a sole and a heel, comprising: 
 a first lace having a first end and a second end, said first end of said first lace secured within said shoe, said second end of said first lace extends to the exterior of said shoe;    a second lace having a first end and a second end, said first end of said second lace secured within said shoe, said second end of said second lace extends to the exterior of said shoe;    a plurality of first lace guides carried by said shoe, said plurality of first lace guides comprising a plurality of rectangular box-like members each having a plurality of apertures therethrough for receiving said first lace, and a roller rotatably engaged within each of said rectangular box-like members, said first lace engages said roller and slides about said roller when said first lace moves;    a plurality of second lace guides carried by said shoe, said plurality of second lace guides comprising a plurality of rectangular box-like members each having a plurality of apertures therethrough for receiving said second lace, and a roller rotatably engaged within each of said rectangular box-like members, wherein said second lace engages said roller and slides about said roller when said second lace moves;    means carried by said shoe for adjustably securing said second end of said first lace; and    means carried by said shoe for adjustably securing said second end of said second lace,    wherein when said second end of said first lace and said second end of said second lace are pulled, said first lace and said second lace slide about said first lace guide means and said second lace guide means, respectively, producing a reciprocating force about said first lace guide means and said second lace guide means and thus, tightening said shoe around a foot.    
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein said first lace securing means and said second lace securing means is a buckle.  
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 24 , said first lace securing means and said second lace securing means is hook and loop fastener.  
     
     
         27 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein at least one of said plurality of second lace guides is positioned at the heel of said shoe.  
     
     
         28 . An internally laced shoe having a sole and a heel, comprising: 
 a first lace having a first end and a second end, said first end of said first lace secured within said shoe, said second end of said first lace extends to the exterior of said shoe;    a second lace having a first end and a second end, said first end of said second lace secured within said shoe, said second end of said second lace extends to the exterior of said shoe;    means carried internally by said shoe for slidably engaging and guiding said first lace;    means carried internally by said shoe for slidably engaging and guiding said second lace;    means carried by said shoe for adjustably securing said second end of said first lace;    means carried by said shoe for adjustably securing said second end of said second lace, and    at least one slit formed on the exterior of the shoe for forming a flap thereon for providing access to said first lace and said second lace,    wherein when said second end of said first lace and said second end of said second lace are pulled, said first lace and said second lace slide about said first lace guide means and said second lace guide means, respectively, producing a reciprocating force about said first lace guide means and said second lace guide means and thus, tightening said shoe around a foot.    
     
     
         29 . The device of  claim 28 , further comprising a zipper formed on the exterior of the shoe for providing access to said first lace and said second lace.