Quick-pull shoe closure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12042017-B2
Application number	US-202117489617-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2021
Priority date	Nov 3, 2016
Publication date	Jul 23, 2024
Grant date	Jul 23, 2024

Abstract

An article of footwear includes a medial support member coupled to a medial portion and having a first rail, a lateral support member coupled to a lateral portion and having a second rail, a plurality of lace-receiving members disposed on and movable along the first and second rails to move the article of footwear between an open configuration and a closed configuration, a lace member extending between the plurality of first lace-receiving members and the plurality of second lace-receiving members, a grip member extending from an upper-most first lace-receiving member of the plurality of first lace-receiving members or from an upper-most second lace-receiving member of the plurality of second lace-receiving members, and a locking member configured for securing the article of footwear in the closed configuration. The locking member has a first side portion and a second side portion forming a notch therebetween configured to receive the grip member.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An article of footwear, comprising:
a medial portion;
a medial support member coupled to the medial portion, wherein the medial support member comprises a first rail;
a lateral portion;
a lateral support member coupled to the lateral portion, wherein the lateral support member comprises a second rail;
a plurality of first lace-receiving members disposed on and movable along the first rail of the medial support member to move the article of footwear between an open configuration and a closed configuration;
a plurality of second lace-receiving members disposed on and movable along the second rail of the lateral support member to move the article of footwear between the open configuration and the closed configuration;
a lace member extending between the plurality of first lace-receiving members and the plurality of second lace-receiving members;
a first grip member extending from an upper-most first lace-receiving member of the plurality of first lace-receiving members, the first grip member comprising a fixed end and a free end, the fixed end of the first grip member coupled to the upper-most first lace-receiving member;
a second grip member extending from an upper-most second lace-receiving member of the plurality of second lace-receiving members, the second grip member comprising a fixed end and a free end, the fixed end of the second grip member coupled to the upper-most second lace-receiving member, wherein the second grip member is separate and spaced apart from the first grip member; and
first and second locking members configured for securing the article of footwear in the closed configuration, wherein each of the first and second locking members comprises a first side portion and a second side portion forming a notch therebetween, wherein the notch of the first locking member is configured to receive and releasably secure the first grip member relative to the first rail thereby locking the plurality of first lace-receiving members relative to the first rail, wherein the notch of the second locking member is configured to receive and releasably secure the second grip member relative to the second rail thereby locking the plurality of second lace-receiving members relative to the second rail, wherein the notch of each of the first and second locking members comprises a V-shape with a wider upper portion oriented toward an upper-most edge of the article of footwear and a narrower lower portion, wherein the wider upper portion is configured for receiving a respective grip member of the first and second grip members, and wherein the narrower lower portion is configured for releasably securing the respective grip member of the first and second grip members within the notch.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the first and second side portions of each of the first and second locking members comprises projections extending therefrom into the notch and configured for engaging a respective grip member of the first and second grip members.

3. The article of footwear of claim 1 , further comprising a first cover and a second cover, wherein the first cover extends from the medial portion toward the lateral portion and covers the first rail, and wherein the second cover extends from the lateral portion toward the medial portion and covers the second rail.

4. The article of footwear of claim 3 , wherein the first locking member is exposed from the first cover, and wherein the second locking member is exposed from the second cover.

5. The article of footwear of claim 1 , further comprising a throat, a tongue, and a collar, wherein the throat extends between a lower section of the medial portion and a lower section of the lateral portion, wherein the tongue extends from the throat between the medial portion and the lateral portion, and wherein the collar extends from an upper section of the medial portion to an upper section of the lateral portion.

6. The article of footwear of claim 5 , further comprising a biasing member extending from the tongue to the throat and configured to move the tongue forward away from the collar when the article of footwear is in the open configuration.

7. The article of footwear of claim 5 , further comprising a biasing member coupled to the collar and configured to expand the collar when the article of footwear is in the open configuration.

8. The article of footwear of claim 5 , further comprising an elastically deformable plate disposed in the tongue and configured to retain the tongue in a folded configuration when the article of footwear is in the open configuration.

9. The article of footwear of claim 8 , wherein the folded configuration comprises a V-shape.

10. The article of footwear of claim 8 , wherein the folded configuration comprises a U-shape.

11. The article of footwear of claim 5 , further comprising an elastically deformable plate disposed in the collar and configured to expand the collar when the article of footwear is in the open configuration.

12. An article of footwear comprising:
a medial portion;
a medial support member coupled to the medial portion, wherein the medial support member comprises a first rail;
a lateral portion;
a lateral support member coupled to the lateral portion, wherein the lateral support member comprises a second rail;
a plurality of first lace-receiving members disposed on and movable along the first rail of the medial support member to move the article of footwear between an open configuration and a closed configuration;
a plurality of second lace-receiving members disposed on and movable along the second rail of the lateral support member to move the article of footwear between the open configuration and the closed configuration;
a lace member extending between the plurality of first lace-receiving members and the plurality of second lace-receiving members;
a grip member comprising a fixed end and a free end, the fixed end coupled to an upper-most first lace-receiving member of the plurality of first lace-receiving members or to an upper-most second lace-receiving member of the plurality of second lace-receiving members; and
a locking member configured for securing the article of footwear in the closed configuration, wherein the locking member comprises a first interior side portion and a second interior side portion forming a notch therebetween, wherein the notch of the locking member is configured to receive the grip member, and wherein the first interior side portion or the second interior side portion comprise one or more projections extending into the notch and configured for engaging and retaining the grip member within the notch.

13. The article of footwear of claim 12 , wherein the notch of the locking member comprises a V-shape with a wider upper portion oriented toward an upper:
most edge of the article of footwear and a narrower lower portion, wherein the wider upper portion is configured for receiving the grip member, and wherein the narrower lower portion is configured for securing the grip member relative to the notch.

14. The article of footwear of claim 12 , wherein the first interior side portion and the second interior side portion of the locking member each comprise a plurality of projections extending therefrom and configured for engaging the grip member.

15. An article of footwear comprising:
a medial portion;
a medial support member coupled to the medial portion, wherein the medial support member comprises a first rail;
a lateral portion;
a lateral support member coupled to the lateral portion, wherein the lateral support member comprises a second rail;
a throat extend

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Hopkins Timothy P
• Weast Aaron B
• Williams Ii Peter P

Classifications

• A43C11/12

  Slide or glide fastenings · CPC title

• A43C3/00

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

• A43C1/06

  tightened by draw-strings · CPC title

• A43C11/22

  Fastening devices with elastic tightening parts between pairs of eyelets, e.g. clamps, springs, bands · CPC title

• A43C11/008 Primary

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