Dynamic lacing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10368608-B2
Application number	US-201815946951-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 6, 2018
Priority date	Jul 22, 2016
Publication date	Aug 6, 2019
Grant date	Aug 6, 2019

Abstract

An article of footwear includes an upper defining an interior void and a first cable movable in a tightening direction to move the upper into a tightened state and movable in a loosening direction to move the upper into a loosened state. The article of footwear also includes a tightening grip operable to be moved away from the upper in a first direction to move the first cable in the tightening direction and a cable lock operable in a locked state to restrict movement of the first cable in the loosening direction and operable in an unlocked state to permit movement of the first cable in the loosening direction. A release grip is operable to be moved away from the upper in a second direction to move the cable lock from the locked state to the unlocked state, whereby the release grip is separate from the tightening grip.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An article of footwear comprising:
an upper having a heel portion, an instep portion, and a forefoot portion, the upper including an ankle opening between the heel portion and the instep portion;
a tensioning grip disposed at an outer surface of the upper adjacent to an anterior end of the ankle opening;
a release grip disposed at the outer surface of the upper;
and a tensioning cable operably connected to the tensioning grip and movable in a tightening direction when the tensioning grip is pulled away from the upper to move the upper into a tightened state and movable in a loosening direction when the release grip is pulled away from the upper to move the upper into a loosened state;
a cable lock operable between a locked state restricting movement of the tensioning cable in the loosening direction and an unlocked state permitting movement of the tensioning cable in both the loosening direction and the tightening direction; wherein the cable lock is disposed within a cavity provided in a sole structure of the article of footwear.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the cable lock permits movement of the tensioning cable in the tightening direction when the cable lock is the locked state.

3. The article of footwear of claim 2 , wherein the cable lock engages the tensioning cable in the locked state to restrict movement of the tensioning cable in the tightening direction when the cable lock is in the locked state.

4. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the cable lock is disposed at one of the heel portion, or the instep portion.

5. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the tensioning cable includes a first length between the cable lock and the tensioning grip and a second length extending from the cable lock and along the instep portion of the upper, wherein movement of the tensioning cable in the tightening direction causes the first length to increase and the second length to decrease, and movement of the tensioning cable in the loosening direction causes the first length to decrease and the second length to increase.

6. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the cable lock includes a housing and a lock member slidably disposed within the housing, the lock member movable between a locked position restricting movement of the tensioning cable relative to the housing and an unlocked position permitting movement of the tensioning cable relative to the housing.

7. The article of footwear of claim 6 , wherein the lock member includes a first lock surface opposing a first engagement surface of the housing and a second lock surface opposing a second engagement surface of the housing, the lock member operable to pinch the tensioning cable between the first lock surface and the first engagement surface in the locked position and operable to pinch the tensioning cable between the second lock surface and the second engagement surface in the locked position.

8. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the cable lock is supported by an outsole coupled with the upper.

9. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the tensioning cable includes a first length between the cable lock and the tensioning grip and a second length routed across an elastic region of the upper.

10. The article of footwear of claim 9 , further comprising a first conduit configured to surround a portion of the tensioning cable along the first length, the first conduit defining an inner diameter that is greater than an outer diameter of the tensioning cable to accommodate bunching by the tensioning cable when the first length increases following movement of the tensioning cable in the tightening direction.

11. The article of footwear of claim 10 , wherein the first conduit forms a portion of the tensioning grip.

12. The article of footwear of claim 10 , wherein the tensioning grip defines the first conduit and is formed from an elastic material.

13. An article of footwear comprising:
an upper having a heel portion, an instep portion, and a forefoot portion;
a tensioning grip disposed at an outer surface of the upper and defining a first conduit extending over the instep portion from a first end on a medial side of the upper to a second end on a lateral side of the upper; and
a tensioning cable disposed within the first conduit and movable in a tightening direction when the tensioning grip is pulled away from the upper to move the upper into a tightened state and movable in a loosening direction to move the upper into a loosened state, the tensioning cable including a smaller cross-sectional area than a cross-sectional area of the first conduit and operable to bunch within the first conduit following movement of the tensioning cable into the tightened state;
a cable lock operable between a locked state restricting movement of the tensioning cable in the loosening direction and an unlocked state permitting movement of the tensioning cable in both the loosening direction and the tightening direction; wherein the cable lock is disposed within a cavity provided in a sole structure of the article of footwear.

14. The article of footwear of claim 13 , further comprising a loosening grip located along one of the medial side of the upper and the lateral side of the upper.

15. The article of footwear of claim 13 , wherein the tensioning grip is formed of an elastic material.

16. The article of footwear of claim 15 , wherein the tensioning grip lies substantially flat against the upper in a relaxed state, the tensioning grip being biased into the relaxed state by the elastic material.

17. The article of footwear of claim 13 , wherein the cable lock permits movement of the tensioning cable in the tightening direction when the cable lock is the locked state.

18. The article of footwear of claim 13 , wherein the cable lock is disposed at one of the heel portion, or the instep portion.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Dyer Caleb W
• Lam Peter
• Orand Austin
• Vinet Andrea M
• Williams Peter
• Young Samantha

Classifications

• A43B3/26 Primary

  adjustable as to length or size · CPC title

• Y10T24/3969

  Sliding part or wedge · CPC title

• A43B13/125

  characterised by the midsole or middle layer · CPC title

• Y10T24/3713

  having relatively movable holding components or surfaces · CPC title

• A43B23/0245

  characterised by the constructive form · CPC title