Footwear with aligned tensile restraints

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11425964-B2
Application number	US-202017107706-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2020
Priority date	Dec 2, 2016
Publication date	Aug 30, 2022
Grant date	Aug 30, 2022

Abstract

A shoe may include an upper and a sole structure. The upper may include a shell and first, second, third, and fourth sets of tensile restraints. Each of the sets may have one or more tensile restraints extending over and/or through a corresponding portion of the shell. The shell may be engaged with the sole structure and define an interior void configured to receive insertion of a user's foot. The first, second, third, and fourth sets of tensile restraints may be configured so that, upon securing of one or more structures to tighten the upper and connect the sets of tensile restraints, two linear axes of tension with anchors located in the forefoot and heel region extend diagonally across the article from one side to the other.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An article of footwear, comprising:
a sole structure; and
an upper including a shell and first, second, third, and fourth sets of tensile restraints, each of the sets having one or more tensile restraints extending over and/or through a corresponding portion of the shell, and wherein
the shell is engaged with the sole structure and defines an interior void configured to receive insertion of a user's foot,
the one or more tensile restraints of the first set are coupled to a first anchor region located in a medial forefoot portion of the article and to a forward part of a medial side of an instep region of the upper,
the one or more tensile restraints of the second set are coupled to a second anchor region located in a lateral forefoot portion of the article and to a forward part of a lateral side of the instep region,
the one or more tensile restraints of the third set are coupled to a third anchor region located in a medial heel portion of the article and to a rear part of the medial side of the instep region,
the one or more tensile restraints of the fourth set are coupled to a fourth anchor region located in a lateral heel portion of the article and to a rear part of the lateral side of the instep region,
the tensile restraints of the first and third sets are the only tensile restraints extending between the sole structure and the medial side of the instep region, and
the tensile restraints of the second and fourth sets are the only tensile restraints extending between the sole structure and the lateral side of the instep region.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the forward part of the medial side of the instep region does not overlap with the rear part of the medial side of the instep region, and wherein the forward part of the lateral side of the instep region does not overlap with the rear part of the lateral side of the instep region.

3. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein each of the first anchor region, the second anchor region, the third anchor region, and the fourth anchor region is located under a footbed of the article.

4. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the tensile restraints of the first and third sets are the only tensile restraints on a medial side of the upper, and wherein the tensile restraints of the second and fourth sets are the only tensile restraints on a lateral side of the upper.

5. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein each of the tensile restraints is formed from a material that is less extensible than material forming the corresponding portion of the shell over and/or through which the tensile restraint extends.

6. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein each of the tensile restraints has a length along a lengthwise axis, a cross section perpendicular to its lengthwise axis, and a largest dimension across the cross section that is no greater than one tenth of the length.

7. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein each of the tensile restraints is a strand comprising one or more filaments and/or fibers.

8. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the tensile restraints is bonded to the shell.

9. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the tensile restraints extends through a corresponding tunnel formed in the shell.

10. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein no tensile restraint of the first set intersects a tensile restraint of the third set, and wherein no tensile restraint of the second set intersects a tensile restraint of the fourth set.

11. An upper for an article of footwear, the upper comprising a shell and first, second, third, and fourth sets of tensile restraints, each of the sets having one or more tensile restraints extending over and/or through a corresponding portion of the shell, and wherein
the one or more tensile restraints of the first set extend from a medial phalangeal and/or medial tarso-phalangeal region of the shell to an instep region of the shell, the one or more tensile restraints of the second set extend from a lateral phalangeal and/or lateral tarso-phalangeal region of the shell to the instep region of the shell, the one or more tensile restraints of the third set extend from a medial heel region of the shell to the instep region of the shell, and the one or more tensile restraints of the fourth set extend from a lateral heel region of the shell to the instep region of the shell,
a rearward-most tensile restraint of the first set and a forward-most tensile restraint of the third set bound a region of the shell medial side lacking any tensile restraints extending between a bottom edge of the shell and the instep region, and
a rearward-most tensile restraint of the second set and a forward-most tensile restraint of the fourth set bound a region of the shell lateral side lacking any tensile restraints extending between the bottom edge of the shell and the instep region.

12. An article of footwear comprising the upper of claim 11 and a sole structure engaged with the upper.

13. An article of footwear, comprising:
a sole structure; and
an upper including a shell and first, second, third, and fourth sets of tensile restraints, each of the sets having one or more tensile restraints extending over and/or through a corresponding portion of the shell, and wherein
the shell is engaged with the sole structure and defines an interior void configured to receive insertion of a user's foot, and
the first, second, third, and fourth sets of tensile restraints are configured so that, upon securing of one or more laces to tighten the upper and connect the sets of tensile restraints, two linear axes of tension with anchors located in the forefoot and heel region extend diagonally across the article from one side to the other.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Amis Sam
• Amos Michael S
• Hurd John
• Molyneux James

Classifications

• A43B23/0245

  characterised by the constructive form · CPC title

• A43C1/00

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

• A43B5/02 Primary

  Football boots {or shoes, i.e. for soccer, football or rugby} · CPC title

• A43C15/162

  characterised by the shape · CPC title

• A43B23/0265 Primary

  having different properties in different directions · CPC title