Footwear fastening system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10863797-B2
Application number	US-201916371574-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 1, 2019
Priority date	Apr 13, 2018
Publication date	Dec 15, 2020
Grant date	Dec 15, 2020

Abstract

An article of footwear facilitates relatively easy donning and removal, and secure adjustment. The article of footwear comprises a sole structure, an upper secured to the sole structure, and a plurality of tensioning cables having proximal ends fixed to at least one of the upper or the sole structure and extending out of the upper. A strap has a proximal end connected to distal ends of the plurality of tensioning cables, and has a distal end releasably securable to the upper to tighten the tensioning cables. A webbed spacer is secured to the plurality of tensioning cables. The webbed spacer extends between adjacent ones of the plurality of tensioning cables, and the adjacent ones of the plurality of tensioning cables spaced apart from one another by the webbed spacer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An article of footwear comprising:
a sole structure;
an upper secured to the sole structure;
a medial-side flap secured to a medial side wall of the sole structure and extending upward in a midfoot region of the article of footwear;
a plurality of tensioning cables extending upward along a lateral side of the upper;
a plurality of looped cables fixed to at least one of the upper or the medial-side flap;
a strap having a proximal end connected to distal ends of the plurality of tensioning cables, and the strap having a distal end releasably securable to the upper to tighten the tensioning cables; and
wherein the plurality of tensioning cables extends through the plurality of looped cables between proximal ends of the plurality of tensioning cables and the strap.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1 , further comprising:
a webbed spacer secured to the plurality of tensioning cables, the webbed spacer extending between adjacent ones of the plurality of tensioning cables, the adjacent ones of the plurality of tensioning cables spaced apart from one another by the webbed spacer; and
wherein the medial-side flap is fixed to a proximal end of the webbed spacer.

3. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the medial-side flap lays against an outer surface of the upper and covers at least some of the plurality of looped cables when the strap is secured to the upper.

4. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein both the plurality of tensioning cables and the plurality of looped cables extend through the upper.

5. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the medial-side flap is an outer medial-side flap, and further comprising:
an inner medial-side flap secured to the medial side of the upper and disposed between the upper and the outer medial-side flap; and
wherein the plurality of looped cables extends from the inner medial-side flap to the outer medial-side flap.

6. The article of footwear of claim 1 , further comprising:
a lateral-side flap secured to a lateral side of the sole structure and extending upward along the lateral side of the upper in the midfoot region of the article of footwear; and
wherein each of the plurality of tensioning cables is secured to the lateral-side flap and extends from a free edge of the lateral side flap.

7. The article of footwear of claim 6 , wherein:
the lateral-side flap has an inner layer and an outer layer;
the outer layer has an opening; and
at least one of the plurality of tensioning cables extends across and is exposed at the opening.

8. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the medial-side flap is an outer medial-side flap, and further comprising:
an inner medial-side flap disposed between the upper and the outer medial-side flap; wherein the inner medial-side flap is fixed to a foot-facing surface of the sole structure inward of a medial periphery of the foot-facing surface; and
wherein the plurality of looped cables extends from the inner medial-side flap to the outer medial-side flap.

9. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein:
the medial-side flap is configured with a first portion that extends rearwardly and upwardly from the sole structure, and with a second portion that extends forwardly and upwardly from the sole structure; and
the second portion is at least partially rearward of the first portion at the sole structure.

10. The article of footwear of claim 1 , further comprising:
a webbed spacer secured to the plurality of tensioning cables between the looped cables and the strap, the webbed spacer extending between adjacent ones of the plurality of tensioning cables, the adjacent ones of the plurality of tensioning cables spaced apart from one another by the webbed spacer.

11. The article of footwear of claim 10 , wherein:
the webbed spacer rests against the lateral side of the upper when the distal end of the strap is secured to the upper, the plurality of tensioning cables turning in direction at the plurality of looped cables.

12. The article of footwear of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first fastener portion secured to the strap at the distal end of the strap;
a second fastener portion secured to the upper; and
wherein the first fastener portion is configured to secure to the second fastener portion.

13. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein:
the upper includes a front section and a rear section that form a foot-receiving cavity;
the front section is fixed to a forefoot region of the sole structure;
the rear section is operatively secured to the sole structure at least partially rearward of the front section and articulates between an access position and a use position, the foot-receiving cavity being exposed at a heel region of the article of footwear when the rear section is in the access position, and the rear section partially enclosing the heel region when the rear section is in the use position; and
the strap is configured to wrap behind the rear section from the lateral side of the front section to the medial side of the front section, and secure to the medial side of the upper when the rear section is in the use position.

14. The article of footwear of claim 13 , wherein:
the strap has a plurality of fastener portions spaced along an inner side of the strap;
the upper has a plurality of fastener portions secured to rear section, to the lateral side of the front section, and to the medial side of the front section; and
the fastener portions of the strap are configured to secure to the fastener portions of the upper.

15. The article of footwear of claim 14 , wherein the fastener portions of the strap are at least one of a plurality of hooks or a plurality of loops.

16. The article of footwear of claim 14 , wherein:
the rear section of the upper has fastener portions on an inner side of the rear section; and
the fastener portions on the inner side of the rear section secure to the fastener portions on an outer surface of the front section when the rear section is in the use position.

17. The article of footwear of claim 16 , wherein the fastener portions on the inner side of the rear section are at least one of a plurality of hooks or a plurality of loops.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Bell Thomas G
• Spanks Jeffrey C

Classifications

• A43C11/008 Primary

  Combined fastenings, e.g. to accelerate undoing or fastening · CPC title

• A43C9/00

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

• A43C3/00

  Hooks for laces (making from sheet metal B21D53/46); Guards for hooks · CPC title

• A43C1/00

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

• A43B23/0245

  characterised by the constructive form · CPC title