Slotted eyelet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019246743-A1
Application number	US-201916244017-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 9, 2019
Priority date	Feb 9, 2018
Publication date	Aug 15, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

An article of footwear includes a sole structure, an upper, a slotted eyelet, an opening, and a tensile strand. The upper is coupled to the sole structure and has a medial portion and a lateral portion. The slotted eyelet is formed in the medial portion or the lateral portion and has a major axis and a minor axis. A length of the slotted eyelet along the major axis is larger than a width of the slotted eyelet along the minor axis. The opening is formed in the medial portion or the lateral portion, and the opening is spaced apart from the slotted eyelet. The tensile strand has a first portion and a second portion. The first portion extends through the opening and defines an aperture adjacent the slotted eyelet, and the second portion extends from the first portion toward the sole structure.

First claim

1 . An article of footwear, comprising:
a sole structure; an upper coupled to the sole structure and having a medial portion and a lateral portion; a slotted eyelet formed in the medial portion or the lateral portion and having a major axis and a minor axis, wherein a length of the slotted eyelet along the major axis is larger than a width of the slotted eyelet along the minor axis; an opening formed in the medial portion or the lateral portion, wherein the opening is spaced apart from the slotted eyelet; and a tensile strand having a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion extends through the opening and defines an aperture adjacent the slotted eyelet, and wherein the second portion extends from the first portion toward the sole structure.

2 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the slotted eyelet is rectangular.

3 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , further comprising a lace member, wherein the lace member extends through the slotted eyelet and the aperture of the tensile strand, and wherein the slotted eyelet and the lace member are configured such that the lace member can move along the major axis of the slotted eyelet.

4 . The article of footwear of claim 3 , wherein the lace member comprises a width, and the width of the lace member is less than the length of the slotted eyelet along the major axis.

5 . The article of footwear of claim 4 , wherein the lace member comprises a thickness, and the thickness of the lace member is slightly less than the width of the slotted eyelet along the minor axis.

6 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the opening is circular, and a diameter of the opening is aligned with the major axis of the slotted eyelet.

7 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the opening is located closer to the sole structure than the slotted eyelet.

8 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the tensile strand forms a loop.

9 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the tensile strand includes a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is spaced toward a forefoot region of the article of footwear relative to the second end.

10 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the tensile strand is V-shaped.

11 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the tensile strand has a first cross-sectional profile, and the second portion of the tensile strand has a second cross-sectional profile, the first and second cross-sectional profiles being different.

12 . The article of footwear of claim 11 , wherein the first cross-sectional profile is circular, and the second cross-sectional profile is rectangular.

13 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the slotted eyelet is one of a plurality of slotted eyelets formed in the medial and lateral portions of the upper, the opening is one of a plurality of openings formed in the medial and lateral portions of the upper, and the tensile strand is one of a plurality of tensile strands, and wherein each of the openings is disposed adjacent a respective slotted opening, and the first portion of each of the tensile strands extends through a respective opening.

14 . An article of footwear, comprising:
a sole structure; an upper coupled to the sole structure having a medial portion and a lateral portion; a plurality of slotted eyelets formed in the medial and lateral portions of the upper, each having a major axis and a minor axis, wherein each slotted eyelet has a width along the major axis that is larger than a thickness along the minor axis; a plurality of openings formed in the medial and lateral portions of the upper, wherein the openings are spaced apart from respective slotted eyelets; and a plurality of tensile strands having first portions and second portions, wherein the first portions extend through respective openings and define apertures adjacent respective slotted eyelets, and wherein the second portions extend from respective first portions toward the sole structure.

15 . The article of footwear of claim 14 , wherein the first portions of the tensile strands form loops, and the article of footwear further comprises a lace, and wherein the lace extends through the slotted eyelets and the loops.

16 . The article of footwear of claim 15 , wherein the tensile strands bias the lace towards an outermost edge of the slotted eyelets when the lace is in a loosened configuration.

17 . The article of footwear of claim 16 , wherein the lace moves the tensile strands and moves away from the outermost edge of the slotted eyelets and toward an innermost edge of the slotted eyelets when the lace is in a tightened configuration.

18 . The article of footwear of claim 15 , wherein a ratio of a width of one or more of the slotted eyelets to a width of the lace is 1.1-4.0 when the lace is in a relaxed configuration.

19 . The article of footwear of claim 15 , wherein a ratio of a width of one or more of the slotted eyelets to a width of the lace is 1.5-3.5 when the lace is in a relaxed configuration.

20 . The article of footwear of claim 15 , wherein a ratio of a thickness of one or more of the slotted eyelets to a thickness of the lace is 0.9-1.1 when the lace is in a relaxed configuration.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Cooper Aaron Ac

Classifications

• A43B23/0245

  characterised by the constructive form · CPC title

• A43B5/06

  Running shoes; Track shoes · CPC title

• A43B5/10

  Tennis shoes · CPC title

• A43C1/04

  with rings or loops · CPC title

• A43C5/00 Primary

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