TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a footwear lace and to a shoe provided with such lace .

More in detail, the present invention relates to a lace for mountain footwear and to a trekking boot provided with such a lace, uses to which the following disclosure will explicitly refer without however losing in generality. BACKGROUND ART

As is known, trekking boots is usually made up of an upper vamp preferably made of leather and/or fabric and/or other soft and flexible material, which is shaped so as to cover the user's foot and ankle, and is provided with a front slit extending along the vertical midplane of the boot , from the zone of the vamp above the metatarsal area of the foot up to the zone of the vamp above the shinbone, and is dimensioned so as to allow the user to insert the foot insertion into the footwear; of a rubber sole, which is firmly fixed on the lower part of the vamp through stitching and/or gluing, to completely cover the user's underside of the foot; of an arch support or insole fixed to the rubber sole, inside the vamp; and of a protective tongue made of leather and/or fabric and/or other soft and flexible material, which is fixed inside the vamp to completely cover the front slit of the vamp. The trekking boots described above are also provided with a closing lace, which is adapted to pull the two edges of the vamp delimiting the front slit towards each other, so as to tighten the vamp on the user's foot.

More in detail, the vamp of the trekking boots described above is provided with a series of loops, eyelets, rings and/or return hooks which are conveniently- distributed along the whole length of the two edges of the vamp delimiting the major and opposite edges of the front slit, so as to be, in pairs, substantially facing each other, on opposite sides of the vertical midplane of the boot; while the closing lace is divided into two segments which intersect in zigzag manner on the upper part of the vamp, above the front slit, thus engaging sequentially a series of eyelets, rings and/or return hooks placed on opposite sides of the front slit of the vamp.

In most trekking boots currently on the market, the closing lace instead consists of a tubular cylindrical sleeve made of natural or synthetic fabric, which usually has a nominal diameter ranging between 2 and 5 mm, and a variable length according to the shape of the vamp and the number and position of the various eyelets, rings and/or return hooks; and of two anti-fray end fittings traditionally called "aglets", which are usually made of plastic or metal, and are fitted on the two ends of the tubular sleeve so as to prevent the fraying of the fabric of the sleeve and at the same time facilitate the introduction of the lace into the eyelets.

As they do not have an internal core, the closing laces described above are extremely flexible and therefore are capable of being perfectly adapted to the shape of the vamp of the boot. Furthermore, this type of closing lace may be quickly threaded into the various eyelets, rings and/or return hooks on the vamp of the boot, with the advantages this involves if the user has to replace the lace .

Unfortunately, the extreme flexibility of this type of closing lace results into increased sliding capacity of the lace in the individual eyelets, rings and/or return hooks, with the problems this involves when the fabric of the tubular sleeve suddenly breaks.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

Aim of the present invention is to make a lace for trekking boots and similar footwear which maintains increased flexibility and resistance to pulling, and which is further capable of reducing the drawbacks due to excessive sliding of traditional laces in the eyelets, rings and/or return hooks of the vamp.

In compliance with the these aims, according to the present invention there is provided a footwear lace as specified in claim 1, and preferably, though not necessarily, in any one of the claims dependent thereon.

According to the present invention there is moreover provided a footwear as specified in claim 10, and preferably, though not necessarily, in any one of the claims dependent thereon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a non- limiting embodiment thereof, in which:

- figure 1 shows a perspective view of a trekking boot provided with a lace made according to the teachings of the present invention; while

- figure 2 is a perspective view, with parts removed for clarity, of a section of the footwear lace shown in figure 1.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

With reference to Figure 1, number 1 indicates as a whole a mountain boot and in particular a mountain boot which is particularly advantageous used in trekking sport.

Boot 1 basically comprises: an upper vamp 2 preferably made of leather and/or fabric and/or other soft and flexible material, which is shaped so as to accommodate the user's foot and preferably also the lower part of the user's ankle, and is provided with a front slit 3 which extends along the zone of vamp 2 above the instep and preferably also above the lower part of the shinbone, while remaining substantially coplanar to the vertical midplane of the boot (not shown) , and is structured to facilitate the user's foot insertion into vamp 2; a sole 4 preferably made of rubber or other non-slip elastomeric material, which is firmly fixed on the lower part of vamp 2 via stitching and/or gluing, to completely cover the user' s underside of the foot; and preferably also a protective tongue 5 preferably made of leather and/or fabric and/or other soft and flexible material, which is fixed inside vamp 2 to completely cover slit 3 of the vamp.

Preferably, though not necessarily, boot 1 is also provided with an outer perimeter protective strip 6 made of vulcanized rubber or other highly elastic material, which completely covers the zone of vamp 2 immediately above the sole 4, and serves to protect the perimeter of the user's foot against blows, while at the same time preventing the seepage of water at joining points between vamp 2 and sole 4.

With reference to figure 1, boot 1 also comprises a series of lace-threading elements 7, in this case a series of loops and/or eyelets and/or rings return and/or return hooks, which are conveniently distributed along the two edges 2a of vamp 2 that delimit, on opposite sides of the vertical midplane of the boot, the slit 3; and a lace 10 of predetermined length which slidingly and in through manner engages in sequence the various lace-threading elements 7, alternately going from one side to the other of slit 3, so as to selectively pull the two edges 2a of vamp 2 towards/ against each other so as to tighten and block vamp 2 of boot 1 on the user's foot.

In other words, lace 10 is conveniently hooked to vamp

2 so as to tighten vamp 2 for blocking the user' s foot inside shoe 1.

In the example shown, in particular, the lace- threading elements 7 are conveniently distributed along the two edges 2a of vamp 2 delimiting slit 3, preferably for the whole length of slit 3, so as to be arranged, in pairs, substantially facing each other, on opposite sides of slit 3, i.e. on opposite sides of the vertical midplane of the boot (not shown) .

Lace 10 has a transversal section with extent ranging between 3 and 30 mm ² (square millimetres) and is divided into two sections/segments which extend zigzag on the upper section of vamp 2 engaging in sequence and alternately the lace-threading elements 7 placed on opposite sides of slit

3 of vamp 2 , so as to repeatedly intersect each other above the front slit 3 of the vamp, substantially for the whole length of slit 3, so as to connect the two edges 2a of the vamp to each other with the possibility of locally adjusting the distance between the same edges 2a.

More in detail, in the example shown, lace 10 is preferably provided with a substantially circular cross- section, with an outer diameter preferably ranging between 2 and 6 mm.

With reference to figures 1 and 2, unlike currently known footwear laces, lace 10 basically comprises a central threadlike core 11 preferably having a substantially circular cross-section, which has a nominal length substantially equal to the overall length of lace 10 and is made of polychloroprene foam, traditionally called Neoprene, having a nominal density preferably ranging between 0.8 and 2 g/cm ³ (grams per cubic centimetre); and an outer tubular sheath 12 made of a natural and/or synthetic fabric, which tightens and completely sheaths the central threadlike core 11.

In other words, the outer tubular sheath 12 consists of a series of threads which are conveniently interwoven to one another so as to form a tubular fabric which tightens and completely sheaths the central threadlike core 11.

More in detail, the central threadlike core 11 has a cross-section having an extent preferably ranging between 3 and 30 mm ² (square millimetres) , and is preferably made of closed-cell polychloroprene foam having a nominal density preferably ranging between 1.2 and 1.6 g/cm ³ (grams per cubic centimetre) .

Additionally, the breaking load of the central threadlike core 11 preferably ranges between 8 and 16 N/mm ² (Newtons per square millimetre) ; the maximum breaking extension of the central threadlike core 11 is preferably less than 280%, and the residual post-compression deformation of the central threadlike core 11 is preferably less than 20%.

In the example shown, in particular, the cross-section of the central threadlike core 11 is substantially circular in shape, with the outer diameter d preferably ranging between 2 and 6 mm; and the polychloroprene foam forming the central threadlike core 11 has a nominal density preferably equal to approximately 1.4 g/cm ³ (grams per cubic centimetre) .

Finally, the maximum breaking extension of the central threadlike core 11 is preferably equal to approximately 260%, and the residual post-compression deformation of the central threadlike core 11 is preferably equal to approximately 15%.

With reference to figure 2, the outer tubular sheath 12 instead preferably comprises a simple or double weave of a series of threads made of polyester, nylon or other polymeric material, with count preferably ranging between 660 to 990 DTEX .

More in detail, in the example shown, the threads forming the outer tubular sheath 12 may be made of tensioned twisted textured polyester, interlaced polyester, super- interlaced polyester, parallel polyester, and/or high density textured polyester.

With reference to figure 1, preferably lace 10 is finally also provided with two anti-fray end fittings 13, traditionally called "aglets", which are placed on the two ends of the threadlike body formed by the central threadlike core 11 and the outer tubular sheath 12, and are structured so as to prevent the fabric of the outer tubular sheath 12 from fraying and/or so as to facilitate the introduction of lace 10 into the lace-threading elements 7.

In the example shown, in particular, each anti-fray end fitting 13 consists preferably of a tubular-cylindrical sleeve 13 made of plastic or metal material, which is firmly fitted on the end of the threadlike body formed by the central threadlike core 11 and the outer tubular sheath 12, and is structured so as to locally tighten/press the end of the threadlike body for locally reducing the nominal diameter of the threadlike body.

More in detail, in the example shown each sleeve 13 is structured so as to locally reduce the nominal diameter of the threadlike body by a value which is preferably greater than 50%.

Operation of the mountain boot 1 is easily inferable from the above description, and therefore does not require further explanations.

With regards instead to lace 10, in use the tensile stresses are wholly supported by the outer tubular sheath 12 similarly to what occurs in any traditional footwear lace, while the elastically-compressible central threadlike core 11 tends to press/squash the outer tubular sheath 12 against the body of the lace-threading element 7 thus making more difficult the sliding of lace 10 on the lace- threading element 7.

In other words, the particular structure of lace 10 allows lace 10 to engage the various lace-threading elements 7 elastically deforming/compressing itself in the lace-threading elements 7.

This behaviour allows the excessive sliding of lace 10 in the individual lace-threading elements 7 to be reduced, while in any event ensuring flexibility and pulling resistance substantially equivalent to those of footwear laces solely comprising the tubular cylindrical sleeve made of natural or synthetic fabric.

The advantages resulting from the particular structure of lace 10 are large in number. Firstly, lace 10 facilitates lacing up the mountain boot 1, while however preventing, if lace 10 breaks, the immediate widening of the two edges 2a of vamp 2 and the subsequent opening of the mountain boot 1.

Additionally, the Neoprene central threadlike core 11 allows to make laces 10 which are highly water-repellent, with the advantages this involves .

Finally, it is clear that modifications and variants may be made to the above-described mountain boot 1 and footwear lace 10 without however departing from the scope of the present invention.

For example, the threads forming the outer tubular sheath 12 may also be made of cotton or other natural fibres, preferably treated to be water-repellent.