Dynamic lacing system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11058167-B2
Application number	US-201916524624-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 29, 2019
Priority date	Jul 22, 2016
Publication date	Jul 13, 2021
Grant date	Jul 13, 2021

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. A cable lock for a cable, the cable lock comprising:
a housing including a first engagement surface and a second engagement surface, the first engagement surface and the second engagement surface converging toward one another;
a lock member slidably disposed within the housing and movable between a locked state and an unlocked state and including a first lock surface and a second lock surface that converge toward one another, the first lock surface operable to pinch a first portion of the cable between the first engagement surface and the first lock surface in the locked state and the second lock surface operable to pinch a second portion of the cable between the second engagement surface and the second lock surface in the locked state to restrict movement of the cable in a first direction relative to the housing;
a biasing spring operable to apply a biasing force and to bias the lock member in the locked state; and
a retainer (i) disposed proximate to an opposite end of the lock member than the biasing spring and (ii) operable to selectively engage the housing and to maintain the lock member in the unlocked state.

2. The cable lock of claim 1 , wherein the biasing spring is a coil spring.

3. The cable lock of claim 1 , further comprising a release cord attached to the lock member and operable to move the lock member from the locked state to the unlocked state when a tensile force exceeding the biasing force of the biasing spring is applied to the release cord in an unlocking direction.

4. The cable lock of claim 3 , wherein the release cord is attached to the lock member at an opposite end of the lock member than the biasing spring.

5. The cable lock of claim 1 , wherein the retainer is formed on a tab portion of the lock member.

6. The cable lock of claim 5 , wherein the tab portion is movable relative to the lock member between a rest state and a flexed state.

7. The cable lock of claim 6 , wherein the tab portion is biased into the rest state.

8. The cable lock of claim 6 , wherein the tab portion is operable to move from the rest state to the flexed state to disengage the retainer from the housing.

9. The cable lock of claim 8 , further comprising a release cord attached to the tab portion and operable to move the tab portion from the rest state to the flexed state.

10. The cable lock of claim 1 , wherein the retainer includes a first recess and a second recess selectively and respectively receiving a first projection and a second projection of the housing to maintain the lock member in the unlocked state.

11. The cable lock of claim 10 , wherein the first projection and the second projection are movable between an extended state and a retracted state.

12. The cable lock of claim 11 , wherein the first projection and the second projection are respectively biased into the extended state by a first biasing spring and a second biasing spring.

13. The cable lock of claim 11 , wherein the first projection and the second projection are integrally formed with the housing.

14. The cable lock of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first lock surface and the second lock surface includes projections operable to grip the cable when the lock member is in the locked state, the projections being angled relative to a longitudinal axis of the lock member to grip the cable when the lock member is in the locked state and restrict movement of the cable in the first direction relative to the housing.

15. The cable lock of claim 1 , wherein the cable is movable in a second direction opposite the first direction when the lock member is in either of the locked state or the unlocked state.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• A43C11/165 Primary

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

• A43C11/008

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

• A43C1/00

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

• A43C11/20

  Fastenings with tightening devices mounted on the tongue · CPC title

• A43C11/00

  Other fastenings specially adapted for shoes (dress fastenings in general A44B) · CPC title