Article of footwear with upper having member with support arm

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9713362-B2
Application number	US-201314025394-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 2013
Priority date	Sep 12, 2013
Publication date	Jul 25, 2017
Grant date	Jul 25, 2017

Abstract

An article of footwear includes a sole structure. The article of footwear further includes a first member that extends away from the sole structure. The first member at least partially defines a medial side and a lateral side of the article of footwear. Moreover, the second member has a body, a first support arm, and a second support arm. The body is attached to the first member such that the first member and the body cooperate to define a void that is configured to receive a foot. The body is also attached to the sole structure. The first support arm is attached to the first member on the medial side, and the second support arm is attached to the first member on the lateral side.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An article of footwear having a medial side, a lateral side, a forefoot region, and a heel region, the article of footwear comprising:
a sole structure; and
an upper that includes:
a first member that extends away from the sole structure, the first member at least partially defining the medial side and the lateral side, the first member including a lower peripheral edge that is adjacent the sole structure; and
a second member that is monolithic, the second member consisting essentially of: (a) a body, (b) a first support arm extending away from the body, (c) a second support arm extending away from the body, (d) a third support arm extending away from the body, and (e) a fourth support arm extending away from the body,
the body being attached to the first member continuously along the lower peripheral edge such that the first member and the body cooperate to define a void that is configured to receive a foot, the body configured to extend underneath the foot,
the body being layered on the sole structure and attached to the sole structure,
the first support arm attached to the first member on the medial side,
the second support arm attached to the first member on the lateral side, the third support arm attached to the first member at the forefoot region, and the fourth support arm attached to the first member at the heel region,
wherein each of the first support arm, the second support arm, the third support arm, and the fourth support arm is layered on an exterior surface of the first member.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the first support arm is located in a midfoot region of the article of footwear and provides arch support, and wherein the second support arm is located at an area of the article of footwear for supporting a joint between a metatarsal and a phalange of a small toe of a wearer's foot.

3. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein each of the third support arm and the fourth support arm is elongate and includes a longitudinal axis that extends away from the body.

4. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the first member includes a first throat edge and a second throat edge, wherein the first member includes a throat opening that is defined between the first throat edge and the second throat edge, and wherein the article of footwear further comprises:
a tongue disposed within the throat opening, and
a closure member that is coupled to the first member and that is configured to selectively vary a size of the throat opening, the first member including a first opening, the tongue including a second opening, the closure member received in both the first opening and the second opening.

5. The article of footwear of claim 4 , wherein the tongue includes a first cavity that receives the first throat edge, and wherein the tongue also includes a second cavity that receives the second throat edge.

6. The article of footwear of claim 4 , wherein the tongue includes a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer that lie generally over each other in a cross section of the tongue, wherein a first cavity is defined between the first layer and the second layer, wherein the first cavity receives one of the first throat edge and the second throat edge, wherein the tongue includes the second opening in the first layer, wherein the tongue also includes a third opening in the second layer, and wherein the closure member is received in the first opening, the second opening, and the third opening.

7. An article of footwear having a medial side, a lateral side, a forefoot region, and a heel region, the article of footwear comprising:
a sole structure; and
an upper that includes:
a first member that extends away from the sole structure, the first member having a lower peripheral edge that is adjacent the sole structure; and
a second member that is monolithic, the second member consisting essentially of: (a) a body, (b) a first support arm extending away from the body, (c) a second support arm extending away from the body, (d) a third support arm extending away from the body, and (e) a fourth support arm extending away from the body,
the body being attached continuously along the lower peripheral edge such that the body and the first member cooperate to define a void that is configured to receive a foot, the body configured to extend underneath the foot,
the body being layered on the sole structure and attached to the sole structure,
the first support arm extending away from the sole structure and being, layered on and attached to the first member on the medial side, the second support arm extending away from the sole structure and being layered on and attached to the first member on the lateral side, the third support arm extending away from the sole structure and being layered on and attached to the first member at the forefoot region, and the fourth support arm extending away from the sole structure and being layered on and attached to the first member at the heel region.

8. The article of footwear of claim 7 , wherein the first support arm is located in a midfoot region of the article of footwear and provides arch support, and wherein the second support arm is located at an area of the article of footwear for supporting a joint between a metatarsal and phalange of a small toe of a wearer's foot.

9. The article of footwear of claim 7 , wherein the heel region includes a seam of the first member, and wherein the fourth support arm overlaps the seam.

10. The article of footwear of claim 7 , wherein the first member includes a rim that defines an ankle opening into the void, wherein the fourth support arm includes a terminal end, wherein the terminal end projects away from the rim beyond the ankle opening and forms a pull tab extending beyond the rim.

11. The article of footwear of claim 7 , wherein the second member is made from leather, suede, or fabric.

12. The article of footwear of claim 11 , wherein the body of the second member is attached to the first member by stitching.

13. The article of footwear of claim 11 , wherein the first member includes a throat opening with a forward end that is adjacent the forefoot region, and wherein the third support arm includes a terminal end, wherein the terminal end is disposed adjacent the forward end of the throat opening.

14. The article of footwear of claim 7 , wherein each of the first support arm, the second support arm, the third support arm, and the fourth support arm is layered on an exterior surface of the first member.

15. The article of footwear of claim 7 , wherein the first member includes a first throat edge and a second throat edge, wherein the first member includes a throat opening that is defined between the first throat edge and the second throat edge, wherein the first member further comprises a tongue disposed within the throat opening, and wherein the article of footwear further comprises:
a closure member that is coupled to the first member and that is configured to selectively vary a size of the throat opening, the first member including a first opening, the tongue including a second opening, the closure member received in both the first opening and the second opening.

16. The article of footwear of claim 15 , wherein the tongue includes a first cavity that receives the first throat edge, and wherein the tongue also includes a second cavity that receives the second throat edge.

17. The article of footwear of claim 15 , wherein the tongue includes a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer that lie generally over each other in a cross section of the t

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Farris Bryan N
• Hatfield Tobie D
• Avar Eric P

Classifications

• A43B23/0245 Primary

  characterised by the constructive form · CPC title

• A43C5/00

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

• A43B13/41

  combined with heel stiffener, toe stiffener, or shank stiffener · CPC title

• A43B23/088

  Heel stiffeners (A43B23/10, A43B23/14, A43B23/16, A43B23/17 take precedence) · CPC title

• A43B13/14 Primary

  characterised by the constructive form · CPC title