Dynamic lacing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10463102-B2
Application number	US-201815951406-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 12, 2018
Priority date	Jul 22, 2016
Publication date	Nov 5, 2019
Grant date	Nov 5, 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 including an ankle opening and an instep portion forward of the ankle opening;
a tensioning grip disposed at an outer surface of the upper;
a tensioning cable extending over the instep portion from a medial side of the upper to a lateral side of the upper, the tensioning cable coupled with the tensioning grip and operable to move the upper into one of a tightened state and a loosened state, the tensioning cable movable in a tightening direction to move the upper into the tightened state and movable in a loosening direction to move the upper into the loosened state;
a first conduit including an inner diameter that is greater than an outer diameter of the tensioning cable and receiving a portion of the tensioning cable therein at the instep portion, the first conduit operable to accommodate bunching by the tensioning cable following movement of the tensioning cable in one of the tightening direction and the loosening direction; and
a cable lock disposed within a sole structure of the article of footwear and 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.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1 , further comprising a second conduit including an inner diameter that is greater than an outer diameter of the tensioning cable and receiving a portion of the tensioning cable therein, the second conduit operable to accommodate bunching by the tensioning cable following movement of the tensioning cable in the other of the tightening direction and the loosening direction.

3. 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 in the locked state.

4. The article of footwear of claim 3 , 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.

5. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the sole structure includes a midsole and an outsole defining a cavity therebetween, the cable lock being received within the cavity.

6. 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 between the cable lock and a loosening grip, 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.

7. 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.

8. The article of footwear of claim 7 , 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.

9. The article of footwear of claim 8 , wherein the first lock surface and the second lock surface converge toward an end of the lock member.

10. The article of footwear of claim 8 , wherein the first lock surface is substantially parallel to the first engagement surface and the second lock surface is substantially parallel to the second engagement surface.

11. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the cable lock includes a housing and a spool supported by the housing and rotatable relative to the housing in a first direction when the tensioning cable moves in the tightening direction and in an opposite second direction when the tensioning cable moves in the loosening direction, the spool including a first annular groove configured to collect a first portion of the tensioning cable and a second annular groove configured to collect a second portion of the tensioning cable.

12. The article of footwear of claim 11 , wherein the cable lock includes a plurality of teeth supported for common rotation with the spool and positioned circumferentially around an axis of the spool and a first pawl supported by the housing and including a first biasing spring operable to bias the first pawl into engagement with the plurality of teeth to selectively restrict the spool from rotating in the second direction.

13. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the first conduit forms a portion of the tensioning grip.

14. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the first conduit is formed from an elastic fabric material.

15. An article of footwear comprising:
an upper including an ankle opening and an instep portion forward of the ankle opening;
a tensioning cable extending over the instep portion from a medial side of the upper to a lateral side of the upper and 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;
a first conduit operable to receive a length of the tensioning cable therein at the instep portion following movement of the tensioning cable in one of the tightening direction and the loosening direction to accommodate bunching by the tensioning cable, the length of the tensioning cable received within the first conduit following movement of the tensioning cable in the one of the tightening direction and the loosening direction being greater than a length of the first conduit; and
a cable lock disposed within a sole structure of the article of footwear and 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.

16. The article of footwear of claim 15 , further comprising a second conduit operable to receive a length of the tensioning cable therein following movement of the tensioning cable in the other of the tightening direction and the loosening direction to accommodate bunching by the tensioning cable, the length of the tensioning cable received within the second conduit following movement of the tensioning cable in the other of the tightening direction and the loosening direction being greater than a length of the second conduit.

17. The article of footwear of claim 15 , 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 17 , 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.

19. The article of footwear of claim 15 , wherein the sole structure includes a midsole and an outsole defining a cavity therebetween, the cable lock being received within the cavity.

20. The article of footwear of claim 15 , wherein the tension

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• A43B13/125

  characterised by the midsole or middle layer · CPC title

• A43B11/00 Primary

  Footwear with arrangements to facilitate putting-on or removing, e.g. with straps · CPC title

• Y10T24/3996

  Sliding wedge · CPC title

• A43C11/165 Primary

  characterised by a spool, reel or pulley for winding up cables, laces or straps by rotation · CPC title

• A43B23/0245

  characterised by the constructive form · CPC title