Shoe

Abstract

A shoe ( 1 ), especially an athletic shoe, with an upper ( 2 ) which has a tongue ( 4 ) in the area of the instep ( 3 ). Such a shoe ( 1 ) is improved such that it can be put on and taken off while avoiding lacing effort, nevertheless the shoe ( 1 ) being held on the foot in the best possible manner. This is achieved in that the tongue ( 4 ) and the area ( 5, 6 ) of the shoe upper ( 2 ) located laterally from the tongue ( 4 ) are connected via at least one flexible-elastic flat part ( 7, 8 ) and that the two areas ( 5, 6 ) of the shoe upper ( 2 ) which are located to the side of the tongue ( 4 ) are interconnected by at least two tightening straps ( 9, 9′, 9″, 9′″, 9″″ ).

1 . Shoe which has a tongue in the area of the instep, the tongue and an area of the shoe upper located laterally from the tongue being connected via at least one flexible-elastic flat part and the areas of the shoe upper which are located to the side of the tongue being interconnected by at least two tightening straps.  
     
     
         2 . Shoe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least two tightening straps span the top of the tongue.  
     
     
         3 . Shoe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least two tightening straps run on the bottom of the tongue.  
     
     
         4 . Shoe as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the at least two tightening straps are located between the bottom of the tongue and a cushion layer.  
     
     
         5 . Shoe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein between the tongue and each of the lateral areas of the shoe upper there is a respective flexible-elastic part.  
     
     
         6 . Shoe as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the at least two flexible-elastic parts are formed by a continuous elastic strap which extends between the areas to the side of the tongue on the shoe upper and which is securely joined to the tongue a flat area of the tongue.  
     
     
         7 . Shoe as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein a top surface of the elastic strap is connected to a bottom surface of the tongue.  
     
     
         8 . Shoe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein on the tongue there is at least one guide element for the tightening straps.  
     
     
         9 . Shoe as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the guide element is a loop.  
     
     
         10 . Shoe as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein each tightening strap has at least one guide element of its own.  
     
     
         11 . Shoe as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein for each tightening strap there are two guide elements on the tongue which are located roughly symmetrically to the center axis of the shoe.  
     
     
         12 . Shoe as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein a guide element for each tightening strap is assigned to each flexible-elastic part.  
     
     
         13 . Shoe as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein at least one guide element is located on the top of the tongue.  
     
     
         14 . Shoe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the tightening straps essentially tighten the entire area of the tongue.  
     
     
         15 . Shoe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said at least two tightening straps comprise five tightening straps.  
     
     
         16 . Shoe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the tongue is made of a material from the group consisting of leather, imitation leather, plastic, textile material and combinations of these materials.  
     
     
         17 . Shoe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said at least one flexible-elastic part is made of a material from the group consisting of leather, imitation leather, plastic, textile material and combinations of these materials.  
     
     
         18 . Shoe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the tightening straps are made of rubber material.  
     
     
         19 . Shoe as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the tightening straps are made of a material from the group consisting of an elastomer butane rubber, neoprene, polyurethane or silicone.