Boot and tongue closure

Abstract

An article of footwear including a shell, a liner and laces. A shell upper extends from the shell sole and defines a shell opening. The liner can be received into the shell through the shell opening. A liner upper extends from the inner sole and defines a liner opening. A tongue includes a first portion connected to the liner proximate the liner opening, and a second portion that can extend through the shell opening. At least part of the second portion can be connected to the shell exterior surface proximate the shell opening while the liner is positioned within the shell. The laces are connected to the shell proximate the shell opening and extend across a portion of the shell opening. The laces contact the second portion of the tongue to press the second portion of the tongue against the shell exterior surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An article of footwear comprising:
 a shell including
 a shell sole including a toe portion, a heel portion and a bottom surface, the shell sole including an elastomeric material, 
 a shell upper portion extending from the shell sole and forming a shell opening; and 
   a liner configured to be received into the shell, the liner including
 a liner sole including a toe portion, a heel portion and a liner bottom surface, 
 a liner upper portion extending from the liner sole and forming a liner opening, and 
 a tongue including a main body, a first lateral wing and a second lateral wing, the main body including a first portion and a second portion opposite the first portion, the first portion being coupled to the liner proximate the liner opening, the second portion being moveable with respect to the first portion, the first lateral wing extending from a first side of the second portion, the second lateral wing extending from a second side of the second portion, the first side being opposite the second side, 
 wherein the second portion, the first lateral wing and the second lateral wing are configured to extend through the shell opening, and the first lateral wing and the second lateral wing are both configured to be coupled to the shell exterior surface proximate the shell opening while the liner is positioned within the shell. 
   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second lateral wings are configured to be coupled to a liner exterior surface while the liner is separate from the shell. 
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 2 , wherein the bottom surface of the shell includes a plurality of lugs configured to grip a surface, and wherein the liner bottom surface includes a plurality of silicone pads configured to grip the surface. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the shell includes a waterproof material, and the liner tongue includes a water-resistant material, such that water is inhibited from entering the article of footwear while the first and second lateral wings are coupled to the shell exterior surface. 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 4 , further comprising a strip on a portion of the tongue, the strip includes silicone and is configured to form a seal with the shell while the first and second lateral wings are coupled to the shell exterior surface. 
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the tongue includes a flexible material to permit deformation of the tongue to thereby permit a user to insert a foot into the liner. 
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , further comprising laces coupled to the shell proximate the shell opening and extending across a portion of the shell opening, wherein the laces are elastomeric and configured to stretch to permit a user to insert a foot into the article of footwear without detaching the laces, and wherein the laces are configured to contact the second portion of the tongue to press the second portion of the tongue against the shell exterior surface. 
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear of  claim 7 , further comprising a first set of apertures defined in the shell adjacent a first side of the shell opening and a second set of apertures defined in the shell adjacent a second side of the shell opening, the laces each comprising a first end having a first tab and a second end having a second tab, each first tab configured to be inserted into a respective first aperture and each second tab configured to be inserted into a respective second aperture, the first and second tabs configured to retain the respective laces in the respective apertures. 
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear of  claim 7 , wherein the tongue further includes a plurality of ribs and channels, the channels are sized to receive the laces and the ribs are configured to be positioned between the laces while the liner is positioned within the shell. 
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear of  claim 9 , wherein the ribs, the channels and the laces are configured to retain the tongue against the shell to inhibit debris and water from entering the shell while a user's foot is positioned within the article of footwear. 
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the liner further includes a first pull tab on the liner upper and the tongue further includes a second pull tab on the second portion of the tongue, the first pull tab configured to assist a user while removing the liner from the shell, the second pull tab configured to assist a user while positioning the tongue on an exterior surface of the shell. 
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the shell includes a first shell fastener positioned on an exterior surface of the shell on a first side of the shell opening, and a second shell fastener positioned on the exterior surface of the shell on a second side of the shell opening, opposite the first side,
 wherein the first lateral wing includes a first wing fastener positioned on an interior surface of the liner, and the second lateral wing includes a second wing fastener positioned on the interior surface of the liner, and   wherein the first wing fastener is configured to be coupled to the first shell fastener and the second wing fastener is configured to be coupled to the second shell fastener while the liner is positioned within the shell.   
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second lateral wings are configured to be coupled to the shell exterior surface via hook and loop fasteners. 
     
     
         14 . An article of footwear comprising:
 a shell including
 a shell sole including a toe portion, a heel portion and a bottom surface, the shell sole including an elastomeric material, and 
 a shell upper extending from the shell sole and defining a shell opening; 
   a liner configured to be received into the shell through the shell opening, the liner including
 a liner sole including a toe portion, a heel portion and a liner bottom surface, 
 a liner upper extending from the liner sole and defining a liner opening, and 
 a tongue including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being coupled to the liner proximate the liner opening, the second portion configured to extend through the shell opening, and at least part of the second portion configured to be coupled to an exterior surface of the shell proximate the shell opening while the liner is positioned within the shell; and 
   laces coupled to the shell proximate the shell opening and extending across a portion of the shell opening, the laces contacting the second portion of the tongue to press the second portion of the tongue against the shell exterior surface.   
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear of  claim 14 , wherein the at least part of the second portion being configured to be coupled to a liner exterior surface while the liner is separate from the shell such that the liner is wearable by a user without the shell. 
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear of  claim 14 , wherein the at least part of the second portion is configured to be coupled to the shell exterior surface via a hook and loop fastener while the liner is positioned within the shell, and wherein the at least part of the second portion is configured to be coupled to a liner exterior surface via a hook and loop fastener while the liner is separate from the shell such that the liner is wearable by a user without the shell. 
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear of  claim 14 , wherein the shell includes a waterproof material, and the liner tongue includes a water-resistant material, such that water is inhibited from entering the article of footwear while the part of the second portion is coupled to the shell exterior surface. 
     
     
         18 . The article of footwear of  claim 14 , wherein the tongue includes a flexible material to permit deformation of the tongue to thereby permit a user to insert a foot into the liner,
 wherein the tongue further includes a plurality of ribs and channels, the channels are sized to receive the laces and the ribs are configured to be positioned between the laces while the liner is positioned within the shell, and   wherein the ribs, the channels and the laces are configured to retain the tongue against the shell to inhibit debris and water from entering the shell while a user's foot is positioned within the article of footwear.   
     
     
         19 . The article of footwear of  claim 14 , wherein the liner further includes a first pull tab on the liner upper and the tongue further includes a second pull tab on the second portion of the tongue, the first pull tab configured to assist a user while removing the liner from the shell, the second pull tab configured to assist a user while positioning the tongue on the shell exterior surface. 
     
     
         20 . The article of footwear of  claim 14 , further comprising a first set of apertures defined in the shell adjacent a first side of the shell opening and a second set of apertures defined in the shell adjacent a second side of the shell opening, the laces each comprising a first end having a first tab and a second end having a second tab, each first tab configured to be inserted into a respective first aperture and each second tab configured to be inserted into a respective second aperture, the first and second tabs configured to retain the respective laces in the respective apertures.