Footwear lacing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10021942-B2
Application number	US-201414481365-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 9, 2014
Priority date	Oct 6, 2011
Publication date	Jul 17, 2018
Grant date	Jul 17, 2018

Abstract

A lacing system for an article of footwear may include a lateral series of lace-receiving elements and a medial series of lace-receiving elements. A first lace extends consecutively through a first lateral lace-receiving element, a second lateral lace-receiving element, a fourth medial lace-receiving element, a fifth lateral lace-receiving element, a third medial lace-receiving element, and again through the first lateral lace-receiving element. A second lace extends consecutively through a first medial lace-receiving element, a second medial lace-receiving element, a fourth lateral lace-receiving element, a fifth medial lace-receiving element, a third lateral lace-receiving element, and again through the first medial lace-receiving element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure, the upper including a lacing system comprising:
a first series of lace-receiving elements extending in a longitudinal direction of the footwear;
a second series of lace-receiving elements extending in the longitudinal direction of the footwear, the second series being spaced from and parallel to the first series;
a first lace that comprises a first lace element and a second lace element that is coextensive with the first lace element, the first lace having a first terminal end and a second terminal end opposite the first terminal end; and
a second lace that comprises a first lace element and a second lace element that is coextensive with the first lace element, wherein the second lace has a first terminal end and a second terminal end opposite the first terminal end;
wherein the first lace element and the second lace element converge to form a unitary lace segment defining an end length of the first lace disposed adjacent to the first terminal end of the first lace, and the first lace element and the second lace element are joined to each other along the end length by a permanent connector interconnecting the first lace element and the second lace element along the end length, the first lace element is in direct contact with the second lace element along the end length, and the first lace element and the second lace element are parallel to each along the end length;
wherein the first lace element and second lace element of the second lace converge to form a unitary lace segment defining an end length of the second lace disposed adjacent to the first terminal end of the second lace;
wherein the first lace element of the first lace extends through a topmost lace-receiving element of the first series of lace-receiving elements located adjacent to an ankle opening of the upper and the second lace element of the first lace extends through a lace-receiving element of the first series of lace-receiving elements that is consecutive with the topmost lace-receiving element of the first series of lace-receiving elements;
wherein, at a point disposed adjacent to the second terminal end of the first lace, the first lace element and the second lace element of the first lace together extend through a bottommost lace-receiving element of the second series of lace-receiving elements;
wherein, at a point disposed adjacent to the second terminal end of the second lace, the first lace element and the second lace element of the second lace together extend through a bottommost lace-receiving element of the first series of lace-receiving elements; and
a connector designed to connect the second terminal end of the first lace with the second terminal end of the second lace at a point disposed between the bottommost lace-receiving element of the first series and the bottommost lace-receiving element of the second series.

2. The article of footwear recited in claim 1 , wherein the first lace element of the second lace extends through a topmost lace-receiving element of the second series of lace-receiving elements located adjacent to an ankle opening of the upper and the second lace element of the second lace extends through a lace-receiving element of the second series of lace-receiving elements that is consecutive with the topmost lace-receiving element of the second series of lace-receiving elements.

3. The article of footwear recited in claim 1 , wherein the unitary lace segment of the first lace and the unitary lace segment of the second lace are designed to be tied together in the form of a bow knot.

4. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure, the upper including a lacing system comprising:
a first series of lace-receiving elements extending in a longitudinal direction of the footwear;
a second series of lace-receiving elements extending in the longitudinal direction of the footwear, the second series being spaced from and parallel to the first series;
a first lace that comprises a first lace element and a second lace element that is coextensive with the first lace element,
wherein the first lace has a first terminal end and a second terminal end opposite the first terminal end,
wherein, at a point disposed adjacent to the second terminal end of the first lace, the first lace element and the second lace element of the first lace together extend through a bottommost lace-receiving element of the first series of lace-receiving elements;
a second lace that comprises a first lace element and a second lace element that coextensive with the first lace element,
wherein the second lace has a first terminal end and a second terminal end opposite the first terminal end,
wherein the first lace element and second lace element of the second lace converge at a converging point to form a unitary lace segment defining an end length of the second lace disposed adjacent to the first terminal end of the second lace, and the first lace element and the second lace element are inseparably joined to each other along the end length by a permanent connector interconnecting the first lace element and the second lace element along the end length such that the first lace element is inseparably and permanently connected to the second lace element along the end length, the first lace element and the second lace element are in direct contact with each other at the converging point, and the first lace element and the second lace element are parallel to each along the end length;
wherein, at a point disposed adjacent to the second terminal end of the first lace, the first lace element and the second lace element of the second lace together extend through a bottommost lace-receiving element of the second series of lace-receiving elements;
wherein the end length of the first lace and the end length of the second lace are designed to be tied together in the form of a bow knot; and
a connector designed to connect the second terminal end of the first lace with the second terminal end of the second lace.

5. The article of footwear recited in claim 4 , wherein the connector is a detachable connector.

6. The article of footwear recited in claim 5 , wherein the connector has a clamshell configuration formed by a first connector portion and a second connector portion connected together by a hinge.

7. The article of footwear recited in claim 6 , wherein the connector includes a first fastener element disposed on the first connector portion and a second fastener element disposed on the second connector portion, the first fastener element and the second fastener element fitting together to lock the first connector portion and the second connector portion around the first lace and the second lace.

8. The article of footwear recited in claim 4 , wherein the connector is designed to receive and secure the first lace element and the second lace element of the first lace and the first lace element and the second lace element of the second lace.

9. The article of footwear recited in claim 4 , wherein the connector connects the second terminal end of the first lace with the second terminal end of the second lace at a point disposed between the bottommost lace-receiving element of the first series and the bottommost lace-receiving element of the second series.

10. The article of footwear recited in claim 4 , wherein the first lace element of the first lace extends from the bottommost lace-receiving element of the first series of lace-receiving elements to and through a first lace-receiving element of the second series of lace-receiving elements, the first lace-receiving element of the second series being consecutive with the bottommost lace-receiving element of the second s

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Conrad Bryan P
• Lyttle Amy
• Mcfarland Billy
• Nguyen Phuc
• Toraya Erin

Classifications

• A43C1/00

  Shoe lacing fastenings (garment fastening devices A41F) · CPC title

• A43C9/00 Primary

  Laces; Laces in general for garments made of textiles, leather, or plastics · CPC title

• A43C7/00

  Holding-devices for laces · CPC title

• A43C7/005

  the devices having means to hold the traditional knots or part of it tightened · CPC title

• A43C1/006

  Rear lacing, i.e. with a lace placed on the back of the foot in place of, or in addition to the traditional front lace · CPC title