Article of Footwear with Decoupled Upper

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016015125-A1
Application number	US-201514819697-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 6, 2015
Priority date	Feb 4, 2011
Publication date	Jan 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An article of footwear including a connecting member is disclosed. The connecting member provides partial decoupling between the upper and the sole structure. The connecting member can include an upper layer and a lower layer that are attached at a central attachment portion.

First claim

1 - 66 . (canceled)

67 . An article of footwear, comprising:
a longitudinal direction extending along a major axis the article of footwear and a lateral direction extending along a minor axis of the article of footwear; an upper and a sole structure; the upper including an integral strap portion that is continuously formed with the upper, the integral strap portion extending from a lower periphery of the upper to a lacing region of the upper; a connecting member including an upper layer and a lower layer, the upper layer being attached to the lower layer at a central attachment portion that extends longitudinally along the connecting member; the upper layer being attached to the upper and the lower layer being attached to the sole structure; the connecting member including a decoupled portion extending laterally from the central attachment portion and including a first free portion of the upper layer and a second free portion of the lower layer; wherein the first free portion of the upper layer is disposed adjacent to an end portion of the integral strap; the upper layer including a first extended portion; and the first extended portion extending continuously from the first free portion of the upper layer to the lacing region of the upper.

68 . The article of footwear according to claim 67 , wherein the first extended portion is configured to cover the integral strap.

69 . The article of footwear according to claim 67 , wherein the first extended portion has a second end disposed adjacent to the lacing region of the upper, the second end of the first extended portion including a plurality of lacing holes.

70 . The article of footwear according to claim 69 , wherein the integral strap includes a second end portion disposed adjacent to the lacing region of the upper, the second end portion of the integral strap including a plurality of lacing holes.

71 . The article of footwear according to claim 70 , wherein a lace extends through at least one of the plurality of lacing holes of the second end portion of the integral strap and the lace extends through at least one of the plurality of lacing holes of the second end of the first extended portion.

72 . The article of footwear according to claim 67 , wherein the integral strap is capable of moving substantially independently from adjacent portions of the upper.

73 . The article of footwear according to claim 67 , wherein the integral strap is bounded by two slots.

74 . The article according to claim 73 , wherein the first extended portion extends over the two slots.

75 . The article of footwear according to claim 67 , wherein the integral strap can apply tension to the upper layer.

76 . The article of footwear according to claim 67 , wherein the article of footwear comprises a second extended portion that is oriented on an opposite side of the article of footwear from the first extended portion.

77 . The article of footwear according to claim 67 , wherein the end portion is continuously formed with the lower layer.

78 . The article of footwear according to claim 67 , wherein the first extended portion is substantially elastic.

79 . The article of footwear according to claim 67 , wherein the first extended portion extends through a midfoot portion of the article.

80 . The article of footwear according to claim 67 , wherein the upper layer is stitched to the upper.

81 . An article of footwear, comprising:
an upper and a sole structure; a connecting member comprising a substantially planar upper layer and a substantially planar lower layer, the upper layer being directly attached to the lower layer at a central attachment portion that extends longitudinally along the connecting member; the upper layer including peripheral edges on the lateral side and the medial side of the upper layer; the lower layer including peripheral edges on the lateral side and the medial side of the lower layer; the upper layer being attached to the upper and the lower layer being attached to the sole structure; the upper including an integral strap portion that is continuously formed with the upper, the integral strap portion extending from a lower periphery of the upper to a lacing region of the upper; the connecting member including lateral decoupled portions extending laterally from the central attachment portion to a lateral side of the connecting member; the connecting member also including medial decoupled portions extending laterally from the central attachment portion to a medial side of the connecting member; the lateral decoupled portions including free portions of the upper layer and free portions of the lower layer, the free portions of the upper layer being configured to move substantially independently of the free portions of the lower layer; the lateral decoupled portions including a first free portion of the upper layer and a second free portion of the lower layer; wherein the central attachment portion is spaced substantially equidistant from the peripheral edges on the lateral and medial sides of the upper layer, and the central attachment portion is also spaced substantially equidistant from the peripheral edges on the lateral and medial sides of the lower layer; the upper layer including a first extended portion; and the first extended portion extending continuously from the first free portion of the upper layer to the lacing region of the upper.

82 . The article of footwear according to claim 81 , wherein the upper layer has a length and a width, and the lower layer has a length and a width, and the upper layer has a thickness and the lower layer has a thickness;
wherein the lateral decoupled portions and the medial decoupled portions have a lateral width that is substantially greater than a lateral width of the central attachment portion; and wherein the thickness of the upper layer is substantially less than the width of the upper layer and wherein the thickness of the lower layer is substantially less than the width of the upper layer.

83 . The article of footwear according to claim 81 , wherein a second end portion of the integral strap includes lacing holes for receiving a lace and a second end portion of the first extended portion includes lacing holes for receiving a lace.

84 . The article of footwear according to claim 83 , wherein the lace passes through at least one of the lacing holes of the strap and wherein the lace passes through at least one of the lacing holes of the first extended portion.

85 . The article of footwear according to claim 84 , wherein the upper has a first width when the lace is in an untensioned state and the upper has a second width when the lace is tensioned, wherein the first width is greater than the second width.

86 . The article of footwear according to claim 81 , wherein a width of the lower layer is substantially similar to a width of the sole structure.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Farris Bryan N
• Henrichot Olivier
• Pisciotta Jeffrey C

Classifications

• A43B23/0265

  having different properties in different directions · CPC title

• A43C5/00

  Eyelets (machines for setting eyelets A43D100/00) · CPC title

• A43B13/141 Primary

  with a part of the sole being flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion · CPC title

• A43B13/28 Primary

  characterised by their attachment, also attachment of combined soles and heels · CPC title

• A43B23/0245

  characterised by the constructive form · CPC title