| US 7,526,881 B2 | ||
| Shoe closure system | ||
| Martin John Jones, Wiesendorf (Germany); and Klaus Hubertus Rolshoven, Scheinfeld (Germany) | ||
| Assigned to adidas International Marketing B.V., Amsterdam (Netherlands) | ||
| Filed on May 09, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/430,536. | ||
| Application 11/430536 is a continuation of application No. 10/720845, filed on Nov. 24, 2003, granted, now 7,065,906. | ||
| Claims priority of application No. 102 54 933 (DE), filed on Nov. 25, 2002. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2006/0201031 A1, Sep. 14, 2006 | ||
| This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer. | ||
| Int. Cl. A43C 11/00 (2006.01); A43B 5/04 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 36—50.1 [36/50.5] | 34 Claims |
| 1. A tightening system for a shoe comprising an upper and a sole, the system comprising:
a closure panel disposed about an instep portion of the shoe and directly attached to at least one of the upper and the sole
at at least one location; and
a tightening element coupled to the closure panel and arranged at a heel of the shoe, the tightening element arranged to operatively
adjust pressure applied by the closure panel on the instep portion of the shoe, wherein the tightening element has a primary
loading path disposed at an acute angle relative to a ground engaging surface of the shoe to transmit a downward and rearward
force onto the instep portion.
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