Footwear with improved tightening of upper

Abstract

An article of footwear, or shoe, including an outer sole assembly and an upper, the upper including a vamp extending lengthwise from a rear zone to a front zone, widthwise between a lateral portion and a medial portion, and heightwise from the outer sole assembly to an apex, the shoe including a first device for tightening a first subdivision of the vamp and a second device for tightening a second subdivision of the upper. For at least one of the first and second subdivisions, the tightening device includes a linkage extending from an anchoring point in relation to the upper to a blocking point in relation to the upper, the anchoring point being located in the area of the vamp, the blocking point being located in the area of the vamp.

1 . An article of footwear comprising:
 an outer sole assembly;   an upper extending above the outer sole assembly;   the upper comprising:
 a vamp comprising:
 a length extending a rear zone to a front zone; 
 a width extending between a lateral portion and a medial portion; and 
 a height extending from the outer sole assembly to an apex; 
 
   a first tightening device structured and arranged to tighten a first subdivision of the vamp;   a second tightening device structured and arranged to tighten a second subdivision of the vamp;   at least one of the first and second tightening devices comprises a linkage extending from an anchoring point in relation to the upper to a blocking point in relation to the upper;   the anchoring point located in an area of the vamp;   the blocking point being located in an area of the vamp.   
     
     
         2 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first tightening device extends from the rear zone to the front zone, along a distance ranging between 40% and 90% of the length of the vamp.   
     
     
         3 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first tightening device comprises a first linkage;   the anchoring point for anchoring the first linkage of the first tightening device to the upper comprises stitching.   
     
     
         4 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first tightening device comprises keepers located on the lateral portion and medial portion of the vamp.   
     
     
         5 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second tightening device extends from the rear zone to the front zone, along a distance ranging between 15% and 60% of the length of the vamp.   
     
     
         6 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second tightening device comprises a second linkage;   the anchoring point for anchoring the second linkage of the second tightening device to the upper comprises stitching.   
     
     
         7 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second tightening device comprises keepers located on the lateral portion and medial portion of the vamp.   
     
     
         8 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first tightening device comprises a first anchoring point and the second tightening device comprises a second anchoring point;   the first anchoring point of the first tightening device and the second anchoring point of the second tightening device are longitudinally offset.   
     
     
         9 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first tightening device comprises a first linkage and the second tightening device comprises a second linkage;   the first tightening device comprises a first blocking device for blocking the linkage;   the second tightening device comprises a second device for blocking the linkage.   
     
     
         10 . An article of footwear according to  claim 9 , wherein:
 the first blocking device and second blocking device are transversely opposite one another.   
     
     
         11 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a single blocking device;   the first tightening device comprises a first linkage and the second tightening device comprises a second linkage;   the blocking point is comprised by the single blocking device acting on both the first and second linkages.   
     
     
         12 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the blocking point for the one of the linkages is located in the area of the rear zone of the vamp.   
     
     
         13 . An article of footwear according to  claim 12 , wherein:
 the linkage for at least the one of the tightening devices is a lace.   
     
     
         14 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 for at least one of the tightening devices, the linkage is a strap.   
     
     
         15 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the vamp comprises an outer envelope including a lateral quarter and a medial quarter;   the outer envelope demarcates an opening between the lateral and medial quarters;   the opening extending from the rear zone of the vamp toward the front.   
     
     
         16 . An article of footwear according to  claim 15 , wherein:
 in a direction extending away from the rear zone, the opening curves towards either a lateral side or a medial side of the article of footwear.   
     
     
         17 . An article of footwear according to  claim 16 , wherein:
 the opening curves toward the medial side.   
     
     
         18 . An article of footwear according to  claim 15 , wherein:
 the opening is straight.   
     
     
         19 . An article of footwear according to  claim 15 , wherein:
 the vamp comprises an inner envelope underlying the lateral and medial quarters, and at least partially covering the opening of the outer envelope.   
     
     
         20 . An article of footwear according to  claim 19 , wherein:
 the inner envelope is reversibly extensible.   
     
     
         21 . An article of footwear according to  claim 15 , wherein:
 the outer envelope comprises a flap extending from either the lateral quarter or the medial quarter, the flap being provided to extend at least partially in the area of the opening, between the lateral and medial quarters.   
     
     
         22 . An article of footwear according to  claim 21 , wherein:
 the flap extends from the medial quarter o f the outer envelope.   
     
     
         23 . An article of footwear according to  claim 21 , wherein:
 the flap has a continuous free end.   
     
     
         24 . An article of footwear according to  claim 21 , wherein:
 the flap has a discontinuous free end.   
     
     
         25 . An article of footwear according to  claim 21 , wherein:
 the flap extends in an area of the second tightening device, in a direction of the length of the article of footwear.   
     
     
         26 . An article of footwear according to  claim 25 , wherein:
 the second tightening device comprises keepers located on the lateral portion and medial portion of the vamp;   a plurality of the keepers of the second tightening device are located on the flap.   
     
     
         27 . An article of footwear according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 for one of the first and second subdivisions of the vamp, the second tightening device comprises a flap reversibly tightened by a tightening mechanism.