Buckle system for sports shoe

Abstract

Sporting footwear can include a buckle system to secure the footwear to the user's foot. The footwear may also include additional other types of fastening systems. The buckle system can include a base plate attached to the shoe and a buckle housing attached to the base plate. The buckle housing and base plate can be assembled without tools, such as having a snap fit interface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . Sporting footwear for use in a sporting event comprising:
 an upper for receiving a foot of a user;   a sole attached to the upper;   a strap having a plurality of teeth, the strap connected to the upper;   a ratcheting buckle system for securing the strap to tighten the sporting footwear around the foot of the user, the ratcheting buckle system comprising:
 a base plate attached to the upper; 
 a buckle housing received into the base plate and connected thereto with a snap fit connection forming a non-rotating or pivoting assembly without screws; and 
 a first engagement member connected to the buckle housing, the first engagement member comprising a pawl for engaging one or more of the plurality of teeth on the strap, the first engagement member having a first position configured to prevent the strap from loosening and a second position configured to allow the strap to loosen. 
   
     
     
         2 . The sporting footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the snap fit connection comprises a protrusion on the buckle housing received into a slot on the base plate. 
     
     
         3 . The sporting footwear of  claim 2 , wherein the protrusion comprises two protrusions on opposite sides of the buckle housing and the slot comprises two slots on the base plate. 
     
     
         4 . The sporting footwear of  claim 3 , wherein the two protrusions are located at a front end of the buckle housing and the two slots are located at a front end of the base plate. 
     
     
         5 . The sporting footwear of  claim 4 , further comprising a raised ledge on the base plate wherein each of the protrusions are positioned within one of the slots such that a back end of the protrusion abuts the slot and a front end of the protrusion abuts the raised ledge. 
     
     
         6 . The sporting footwear of  claim 3 , further comprising an additional slot located in a central area of the base plate and a first cooperating protrusion on the buckle housing received into the additional slot. 
     
     
         7 . The sporting footwear of  claim 6 , wherein the cooperating protrusion comprises a hook. 
     
     
         8 . The sporting footwear of  claim 6 , further comprising a second additional slot located at a back end of the base plate and a second cooperating protrusion at a back end of the of the buckle housing received into the second additional slot. 
     
     
         9 . The sporting footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the base plate further comprises a sunken bottom, the buckle housing positioned in the sunken bottom such that at least of portion of one or more of the front, back, and side surfaces of the buckle housing abut walls of the sunken bottom. 
     
     
         10 . The sporting footwear of  claim 1 , further comprising a second engagement member configured to tighten the strap, wherein rotating the second engagement member causes one end of the second engagement member to engage one or more of the plurality of teeth on the strap and advance the teeth through the buckle system. 
     
     
         11 . The sporting footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the first engagement member is pivotally connected to the buckle housing. 
     
     
         12 . The sporting footwear of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one spring. 
     
     
         13 . The sporting footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the base plate is plastic and the buckle housing is metal. 
     
     
         14 . The sporting footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the base plate is sewn into the upper. 
     
     
         15 . The sporting footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the sporting footwear is a clipless cycling shoe. 
     
     
         16 . Sporting footwear for use in a sporting event comprising:
 an upper for receiving a foot of a user;   a sole attached to the upper;   a strap attached to the upper at one end and having a free end, the strap comprising a plurality of teeth;   a ratcheting buckle system wherein the free end of the strap is configured to advance through the ratcheting buckle system for securing the strap to tighten the upper around the foot of the user, the ratcheting buckle system comprising:
 a base plate sewn into the upper; 
 a buckle housing received into the base plate and connected thereto with a snap fit connection forming a non-rotating or pivoting assembly without screws, the snap fit connection comprising a protrusion on the buckle housing received into a slot on the base plate; and 
 a first engagement member connected to the buckle housing, the first engagement member comprising a pawl for engaging one or more of the plurality of teeth on the strap, the first engagement member having a first position configured to prevent the strap from loosening and a second position configured to allow the strap to loosen. 
   
     
     
         17 . The sporting footwear of  claim 16 , wherein the protrusion comprises two protrusions on opposite sides of the buckle housing and the slot comprises two slots on the base plate. 
     
     
         18 . The sporting footwear of  claim 17 , wherein the two protrusions are located at a front end of the buckle housing and the two slots are located at a front end of the base plate. 
     
     
         19 . The sporting footwear of  claim 16 , further comprising first and second holes passing through the base plate and first and second hooks on the buckle housing, each hook being positioned within one of the holes. 
     
     
         20 . Footwear comprising:
 an upper for receiving a foot of a user;   a sole attached to the upper;   a strap having a plurality of teeth, the strap connected to the upper;   a ratcheting buckle system for securing the strap to tighten the upper around the foot of the user, the ratcheting buckle system comprising:
 a base plate sewn into the upper; 
 a buckle housing received into the base plate and connected thereto with a snap fit connection forming a non-rotating or pivoting assembly such that the ratcheting buckle system does not utilize screws; and 
   a first engagement member connected to the buckle housing, the first engagement member comprising a pawl for engaging one or more of the plurality of teeth on the strap, the first engagement member having a first position configured to prevent the strap from loosening and a second position configured to allow the strap to loosen.