Article of footwear with a tensioning system including a guide assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12268282-B2
Application number	US-202217735831-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 3, 2022
Priority date	Mar 15, 2016
Publication date	Apr 8, 2025
Grant date	Apr 8, 2025

Abstract

An article with an automatic tensioning system includes a lace guide assembly. The lace guide assembly includes a lower guide member and two upper guide members that include channels for routing a tensioning member. Straps of the upper are attached to the two upper guide members. As the tensioning member is pulled into a tensioning device, the two upper guide members are pulled toward the lower guide member. This pulls on the straps and acts to tighten the upper around a foot.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An article of footwear, comprising:
an upper forming a throat opening;
a sole structure;
a tensioning member;
a tensioning device including a reel member and a motor, the tensioning device disposed in at least one of the upper and the sole structure, wherein a portion of the tensioning member is joined to the reel member so that the tensioning member can be wound and unwound from the reel member;
a guide member, secured to the upper, configured to guide the tensioning member; and
a plurality of tightening members, secured to the guide member and to the upper, each tightening member of the plurality of tightening members extending across various portions of the throat of the upper;
wherein the tensioning member transmits tension to the tightening members by applying force to the guide member as the tensioning member is wound around the reel member.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the guide member is an elongate guide member having a first end and a second end, wherein a first tightening member of the plurality of tightening members is secured proximate the first end and a second tightening member of the plurality of tightening members is secured proximate the second end.

3. The article of footwear of claim 2 , wherein the guide member comprises a channel, configured to guide the tensioning member, positioned between, at least in part, the first tightening member and the second tightening member.

4. The article of footwear of claim 3 , wherein the channel is a curved channel.

5. The article of footwear of claim 2 , wherein the elongate guide member is a first elongate guide member, and further comprising a second elongate guide member having a first end and a second end, wherein a third tightening member of the plurality of tightening members is secured proximate the first end and a fourth tightening member of the plurality of tightening members is secured proximate the second end.

6. The article of footwear of claim 5 , further comprising a lower guide member positioned between the first and second elongate guide members and the sole structure, wherein the lower guide member comprises a plurality of channels configured to guide the tensioning member.

7. The article of footwear of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of channels comprise: a first channel configured to direct the tensioning member from the tensioning device to the first elongate guide member; a second channel configured to direct the tensioning member from the first elongate guide member to the second elongate guide member; and a third channel configured to direct the tensioning member from the second elongate guide member to tensioning device.

8. An article of footwear, comprising:
an upper forming a throat opening;
a guide member, secured to the upper, configured to guide a tensioning member; and
a plurality of tightening members, secured to the guide member and to the upper, each tightening member of the plurality of tightening members extending across various portions of the throat of the upper;
wherein the tensioning member transmits tension to the tightening members by applying force to the guide member as the tensioning member is wound around a reel member;
wherein the guide member is an elongate guide member having a first end and a second end, wherein a first tightening member of the plurality of tightening members is secured proximate the first end and a second tightening member of the plurality of tightening members is secured proximate the second end;
wherein the elongate guide member is a first elongate guide member, and further comprising a second elongate guide member having a first end and a second end, wherein a third tightening member of the plurality of tightening members is secured proximate the first end and a fourth tightening member of the plurality of tightening members is secured proximate the second end; and
further comprising a lower guide member positioned between the first and second elongate guide members and a sole structure, wherein the lower guide member comprises a plurality of channels configured to guide the tensioning member.

9. The article of footwear of claim 8 , wherein the guide member comprises a channel, configured to guide the tensioning member, positioned between, at least in part, the first tightening member and the second tightening member.

10. The article of footwear of claim 9 , wherein the channel is a curved channel.

11. The article of footwear of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of channels comprise: a first channel configured to direct the tensioning member from the tensioning device to the first elongate guide member; a second channel configured to direct the tensioning member from the first elongate guide member to the second elongate guide member; and a third channel configured to direct the tensioning member from the second elongate guide member to tensioning device.

12. An article of footwear, comprising:
an upper forming a throat opening;
a sole structure;
a tensioning member;
a tensioning device including a reel member and a motor, the tensioning device disposed in at least one of the upper and the sole structure, wherein a portion of the tensioning member is joined to the reel member so that the tensioning member can be wound and unwound from the reel member;
a first elongate guide member and a second elongate guide member, each secured to the upper, configured to guide the tensioning member;
a plurality of tightening members, secured to the first and second elongate guide members and to the upper, each tightening member of the plurality of tightening members extending across various portions of the throat of the upper; and
a lower guide member positioned between the first and second elongate guide members and the sole structure, wherein the lower guide member comprises a plurality of channels configured to guide the tensioning member;
wherein the first elongate guide member has a first end and a second end, wherein a first tightening member of the plurality of tightening members is secured proximate the first end and a second tightening member of the plurality of tightening members is secured proximate the second end;
wherein the second elongate guide member has a first end and a second end, wherein a third tightening member of the plurality of tightening members is secured proximate the first end and a fourth tightening member of the plurality of tightening members is secured proximate the second end; and
wherein the tensioning member transmits tension to the tightening members by applying force to the first and second elongate guide members as the tensioning member is wound around the reel member.

13. The article of footwear of claim 12 , wherein the first and second elongate guide members comprise a channel, configured to guide the tensioning member, positioned between, at least in part, the first tightening member and the second tightening member.

14. The article of footwear of claim 13 , wherein the channel is a curved channel.

15. The article of footwear of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of channels comprise: a first channel configured to direct the tensioning member from the tensioning device to the first elongate guide member; a second channel configured to direct the tensioning member from the first elongate guide member to the second elongate guide member; and a third channel configured to direct the tensioning member from the second elongate guide member to tensioning device.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Beers Tiffany A
• Owings Andrew A

Classifications

• A43B3/34

  with electrical or electronic arrangements · CPC title

• A43C11/008

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

• A43C11/14 Primary

  Clamp fastenings {, e.g. strap fastenings}; Clamp-buckle fastenings; Fastenings with toggle levers · CPC title

• A43C1/003

  Zone lacing, i.e. whereby different zones of the footwear have different lacing tightening degrees, using one or a plurality of laces (laces combined with another system A43C11/008; zone tightening using straps A43C11/14) · CPC title

• A43C1/06

  tightened by draw-strings · CPC title