EP3595481A1 - Automated footwear having cable and upper tensioners - Google Patents
Automated footwear having cable and upper tensionersInfo
- Publication number
- EP3595481A1 EP3595481A1 EP18767547.5A EP18767547A EP3595481A1 EP 3595481 A1 EP3595481 A1 EP 3595481A1 EP 18767547 A EP18767547 A EP 18767547A EP 3595481 A1 EP3595481 A1 EP 3595481A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- lace
- footwear
- medial
- lateral
- cable
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Pending
Links
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A43—FOOTWEAR
- A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
- A43B11/00—Footwear with arrangements to facilitate putting-on or removing, e.g. with straps
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A43—FOOTWEAR
- A43C—FASTENINGS OR ATTACHMENTS OF FOOTWEAR; LACES IN GENERAL
- A43C1/00—Shoe lacing fastenings
- A43C1/06—Shoe lacing fastenings tightened by draw-strings
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A43—FOOTWEAR
- A43B—CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
- A43B3/00—Footwear characterised by the shape or the use
- A43B3/34—Footwear characterised by the shape or the use with electrical or electronic arrangements
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A43—FOOTWEAR
- A43C—FASTENINGS OR ATTACHMENTS OF FOOTWEAR; LACES IN GENERAL
- A43C1/00—Shoe lacing fastenings
- A43C1/04—Shoe lacing fastenings with rings or loops
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A43—FOOTWEAR
- A43C—FASTENINGS OR ATTACHMENTS OF FOOTWEAR; LACES IN GENERAL
- A43C11/00—Other fastenings specially adapted for shoes
- A43C11/008—Combined fastenings, e.g. to accelerate undoing or fastening
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A43—FOOTWEAR
- A43C—FASTENINGS OR ATTACHMENTS OF FOOTWEAR; LACES IN GENERAL
- A43C11/00—Other fastenings specially adapted for shoes
- A43C11/16—Fastenings secured by wire, bolts, or the like
- A43C11/165—Fastenings secured by wire, bolts, or the like characterised by a spool, reel or pulley for winding up cables, laces or straps by rotation
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A43—FOOTWEAR
- A43C—FASTENINGS OR ATTACHMENTS OF FOOTWEAR; LACES IN GENERAL
- A43C11/00—Other fastenings specially adapted for shoes
- A43C11/20—Fastenings with tightening devices mounted on the tongue
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A43—FOOTWEAR
- A43C—FASTENINGS OR ATTACHMENTS OF FOOTWEAR; LACES IN GENERAL
- A43C3/00—Hooks for laces; Guards for hooks
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A43—FOOTWEAR
- A43C—FASTENINGS OR ATTACHMENTS OF FOOTWEAR; LACES IN GENERAL
- A43C7/00—Holding-devices for laces
- A43C7/08—Clamps drawn tight by laces
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A43—FOOTWEAR
- A43C—FASTENINGS OR ATTACHMENTS OF FOOTWEAR; LACES IN GENERAL
- A43C9/00—Laces; Laces in general for garments made of textiles, leather, or plastics
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A43—FOOTWEAR
- A43C—FASTENINGS OR ATTACHMENTS OF FOOTWEAR; LACES IN GENERAL
- A43C11/00—Other fastenings specially adapted for shoes
- A43C11/22—Fastening devices with elastic tightening parts between pairs of eyelets, e.g. clamps, springs, bands
Definitions
- the present application relates generally to tensioning systems for footwear. More particularly, the present application relates to uppers and lacing systems for controlling footwear fit.
- the following specification describes various aspects of a footwear assembly involving a lacing system including a motorized or non-motorized lacing engine, footwear components related to the lacing engines, automated lacing footwear platforms, and related manufacturing processes. More specifically, much of the following specifi cation describes various aspects of lacing architectures (configurations) for use in footwear including motorized or non-motorized lacing engines for centralized lace tightening. The following specification additionally describes various tensi oners that can be incorporated into the footwear assembly, such as in the upper of lacing architecture.
- a footwear assembly comprises: a footwear upper including a toe box portion, a medial side, a lateral side, and a heel portion, the medial side and the lateral side each extending proximally from the toe box portion to the heel portion; a lace cable with a first end anchored along a distal outside portion of the medial side and a second end anchored along a distal outside portion of the lateral side; a plurality of lace guides distributed along the medial side and the lateral side, each lace guide of the plurality of lace guides adapted to receive a length of the lace cable, wherein the lace cable extends through each of the plurality of lace guides to form a pattern along each of the medial side and lateral side of the footwear upper; a medial proximal lace guide routing the lace cable from the pattern formed by a medial portion of the plurality of lace guides into a position allowing the lace cable to engage a lacing engine disposed within a mid-sole portion;
- a footwear assembly comprises: a footwear upper including a toe box portion, a medial side, a lateral side, and a heel portion, the medial side and the lateral side each extending proximally from the toe box portion to the heel portion; a lace cable with a first end anchored along a distal outside portion of the medial side and a second end anchored along a distal outside portion of the lateral side; a plurality of lace guides distributed along the medial side and the lateral side, each lace guide of the plurality of lace guides adapted to receive a length of the lace cable, wherein the lace cable extends through each of the plurality of lace guides to form a pattern along each of the medial side and lateral side of the footwear upper, a medial proximal lace guide routing the lace cable from the pattern formed by a medial portion of the plurality of lace guides into a position allowing the lace cable to engage a lacing engine disposed within a mid-sole portion;
- a footwear assembly comprises: a footwear upper including a toe box portion, a medial side, a lateral side, and a heel portion, the medial side and the lateral side each extending proximally from the toe box portion to the heel portion; a lace cable with a first end anchored along a distal outside portion of the medial side and a second end anchored along a distal outside portion of the lateral side; a plurality of lace guides distributed along the medial side and the lateral side, each lace guide of the plurality of lace guides adapted to receive a length of the lace cable, wherein the lace cable extends through each of the plurality of lace guides to form a pattern along each of the medial side and lateral side of the footwear upper, a medial proximal lace guide routing the lace cable from the pattern formed by a medial portion of the plurality of lace guides into a position allowing the lace cable to engage a lacing engine disposed within a mid-sole portion;
- a footwear assembly comprises: a sole structure; a footwear upper defining a toe box portion, a medial side, a lateral side, and a heel portion, the footwear upper connected to the sole structure to form an interior space for receiving a foot, the footwear upper forming a collar to permit access to the interior space; a lacing engine disposed in the sole structure, a lacing system comprising: a lace cable having medial and lateral ends anchored to the footwear upper and a middle portion passing through the lacing engine; and a plurality of lace guides for routing the lace cable along the footwear upper between the medial and lateral ends and the lacing engine, and a heel channel connected to the heel portion and configured to facilitate access to the interior space.
- a footwear assembly comprises: a sole stmcture; a footwear upper defining a toe box portion, a medial side, a lateral side, and a heel portion, the footwear upper connected to the sole structure to form an interior space for receiving a foot, the footwear upper forming a collar to permit access to the interior space; a lacing engine disposed in the sole structure; a lacing system comprising: a lace cable having medial and lateral ends anchored to the footwear upper and a middle portion passing through the lacing engine, and a plurality of lace guides for routing the lace cable along the footwear upper between the medial and lateral ends and the lacing engine, and an elastic member coupled to the footwear assembly that functions to smooth out a torque versus lace displacement curve during tightening of the lace cable.
- a footwear assembly comprises: a footwear upper including a toe box portion, a medial side, a lateral side, and a heel portion, the medial side and the lateral side each extending proximally from the toe box portion to the heel portion, a medial tensioning member secured to the medial side of the upper proximate the toe box; a lateral tensioning member secured to the lateral side of the upper proximate the toe box; a lace cable with a first end attached to the medial tensioning member and a second end attached to the lateral tensioning member; and a plurality of lace guides distributed along the medial side and the lateral side, each lace guide of the plurality of lace guides adapted to receive a length of the lace cable, wherein the lace cable extends through each of the plurality of lace guides to form a pattern along each of the medial side and lateral side of the footwear upper.
- a footwear assembly comprises: a sole structure; a footwear upper defining a toe box portion, a medial side, a lateral side, and a heel portion, the footwear upper connected to the sole structure to form an interior space for receiving a foot, the footwear upper forming a collar to permit access to the interior space; a lacing engine disposed in the sole structure; a medial floating overlay attached to the medial side of the footwear upper proximate the toe box portion; a lateral floating overlay attached to the lateral side of the footwear upper proximate the toe box portion; and a lacing system comprising: a lace cable having medial and lateral ends anchored to the medial and lateral floating overlays and a middle portion passing through the lacing engine, and a plurality of lace guides for routing the lace cable along the footwear upper between the medial and lateral ends and the lacing engine,
- a footwear assembly comprises: a footwear upper including a toe box portion, a medial side, a lateral side, and a heel portion, the medial side and the lateral side each extending proximally from the toe box portion to the heel portion and forming a throat region of the footwear upper; a medial tensioning member secured to the medial side of the upper proximate the toe box; a lateral tensioning member secured to the lateral side of the upper proximate the toe box; a lace cable with a first end attached to the medial tensioning member and a second end attached to the lateral tensioning member; and a plurality of lace guides distributed along the medial side and the lateral side; wherein the lace cable extends from the first end at the medial tensioning member, across the throat region, and through one or more lace guides along the lateral side; and wherein the lace cable extends from the second end at the lateral tensioning member, across the throat region, and through one or more lace guides along the footwear upper;
- FIG. 1 is an exploded view illustration of components of a portion of a footwear assembly with a motorized lacing system, according to some example
- FIG. 2 is a top-view diagram illustrating a lacing architecture for use with footwear assemblies including a motorized lacing engine, according to some example embodiments.
- FIGS. 3 A - 3C are top-view diagrams illustrating a flattened footwear upper with a lacing architecture for use in footwear assemblies including a motorized lacing engine, according to some example embodiments.
- FIG. 4A is a diagram illustrating a portion of a footwear upper with a lacing architecture for use in footwear assemblies including a motorized lacing engine and heel and tongue access control components in the footwear upper, according to some example embodiments.
- FIG. 4B is a diagram illustrating a portion of a footwear upper with a lacing architecture for use in footwear assemblies including heel and tongue elastic members connected to the lacing architecture.
- FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a portion of a footwear upper with a lacing architecture for use in footwear assemblies including a motorized lacing engine, according to some example embodiments.
- FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a portion of a footwear upper with a lacing architecture for use in footwear assemblies including a motorized lacing engine, according to some example embodiments.
- FIGs, 7A - 713 are diagrams illustrating a portion of a footwear upper with a lacing architecture for use in footwear assemblies including a motorized lacing engine, according to some example embodiments.
- FIGs. 7C - 7D are diagrams illustrating deformable lace guides for use in footwear assemblies, according to some example embodiments.
- FIG. 7E is a graph illustrating various torque versus lace displacement curves for deformable lace guides, according to some example embodiments.
- FIGs. 8A - 8G are diagrams illustrating a lacing guide for use in certain lacing architectures, according to some example embodiments.
- FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a footwear assembly process for assembly of footwear including a lacing engine, according to some example embodiments.
- FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a footwear assembly process for assembly of footwear including a lacing engine, according to some example embodiments.
- FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a front view of a partially cut-away footwear upper showing an elastic strip connecting medial and lateral side panels of the upper.
- FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a rear view of the footwear upper of FIG. 1 1 showing a heel strap assembly connecting portions of a lacing cable on medial and lateral sides of the upper.
- FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a lateral view of the footwear upper of FIG. 1 1 partially cut-away to show a lace guide connected to the footwear upper alongside the elastic strip.
- FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating the footwear upper of FIG, 13 flexed to show the lace guide connected to the footwear upper separately from the elastic strip.
- FIG. 15A is a diagram illustrating the footwear upper of FIG, 12 showing a loosened lacing cable being pulled out of a motorized lacing engine by a pre-tensioning strap of the heel strap assembly.
- FIG. 15B is a diagram illustrating the footwear upper of FIG. 15A showing the lacing cable tightened into the motorized lacing engine and a heel strap of the heel strap assembly tightened around a heel portion of the footwear upper.
- FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of a footwear upper showing medial and lateral lacing cable tensioning straps.
- FIG. 17 is a graph illustrating various force versus lace displacement curves for shoe uppers including various elastic members described herein, according to some example embodiments.
- FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating the footwear upper of FIG, 16 laid out flat to show a iacing architecture including tensioning straps connected to a lace in a cross-over configuration
- FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating a tensioning strap of FIG. 18 indicating a lockout region and a stretch region.
- FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of a footwear upper including a iacing architecture including tensioning straps connected to a lace in a non- cross-over configuration.
- FIG. 21 is a top-view diagram illustrating a two-zone iacing architecture for use with footwear assemblies including a motorized or non-motorized lacing engine, according to some example embodiments.
- FIG. 22 is top-view perspective view of an article of footwear incorporating the upper and two-zone lacing architecture of FIG, 21 , according to some example embodiments.
- the lacing architectures provide various benefits, including smoothing out lace tension across a greater lace travel distance and enhanced comfort while maintaining fit performance.
- One aspect of enhanced comfort involves a lacing architecture that reduces pressure across the top of the foot.
- Example lacing architectures can also enhance fit and performance by manipulating lace tension both a medial-lateral direction as well as in an anterior-posterior (front to back) direction.
- Various other benefits of the components described below will be evident to persons of skill in the relevant arts.
- the lacing architectures discussed were developed specifically to interface with a modular lacing engine positioned within a mid-sole portion of a footwear assembly.
- lacing architectures discussed include use of lace guides that can be formed from tubular plastic, metal clip, fabric loops or channels, plastic clips, and open u-shaped channels, among other shapes and materials.
- various different types of lacing guides can be mixed to perform specific lace routing functions within the lacing architecture.
- the motorized lacing engine discussed below was developed from the ground up to provide a robust, serviceable, and inter-changeable component of an automated lacing footwear platform.
- the lacing engine includes unique design elements that enable retail- level final assembly into a modular footwear platform .
- the lacing engine design allows for the majority of the footwear assembly process to leverage known assembly technologies, with unique adaptions to standard assembly processes still being able to leverage current assembly resources.
- the modular automated lacing footwear platform includes a mid-sole plate secured to the mid-sole for receiving a lacing engine.
- the design of the mid-sole plate allows a lacing engine to be dropped into the footwear platform as late as at a point of purchase.
- the mid-sole plate, and other aspects of the modular automated footwear platform allow for different types of lacing engines to be used interchangeably.
- the motorized lacing engine discussed below could be changed out for a human-powered lacing engine.
- a fully automatic motorized lacing engine with foot presence sensing or other optional features could be accommodated within the standard mid-sole plate,
- automated footwear platform includes various components of the automated footwear platform including a motorized lacing engine, a mid-sole plate, and various other components of the platform. While much of this disclosure focuses on lacing architectures for use with a motorized lacing engine, the discussed designs are applicable to a human- powered lacing engine or other motorized lacing engines with additional or fewer capabilities. Accordingly, the term “automated” as used in “automated footwear platform” is not intended to only cover a system that operates without user input. Rather, the term “automated footwear platform” includes various electrically powered and human-power, automatically activated and human activated mechanisms for tightening a lacing or retention system of the footwear.
- FIG. 1 is an exploded view illustration of components of a motorized lacing system for footwear, according to some example embodiments.
- the motorized lacing system 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a lacing engine 10, a lid 20, an actuator 30, a mid- sole plate 40, a mid-sole 50, and an outsoie 60.
- FIG. 1 illustrates the basic assembly sequence of components of an automated lacing footwear platform.
- the motori zed lacing system 1 starts with the mid-sole plate 40 being secured within the mid-sole.
- the actuator 30 is inserted into an opening in the lateral side of the mid-sole plate opposite to interface buttons that can be embedded in the outsoie 60
- the lacing engine 10 is dropped into the mid-sole plate 40.
- the lacing system 1 is inserted under a continuous loop of lacing cable and the lacing cable is aligned with a spool in the lacing engine 10 (discussed below).
- the lid 20 is inserted into grooves in the mid-sole plate 40, secured into a closed position, and latched into a recess in the mid-sole plate 40.
- the lid 20 can capture the lacing engine 10 and can assist in maintaining alignment of a lacing cable during operation,
- the footwear article or the motorized lacing system 1 includes or is configured to interface with one or more sensors that can monitor or determine a foot presence characteristic. Based on information from one or more foot presence sensors, the footwear including the motorized lacing system 1 can be configured to perform various functions.
- a foot presence sensor can be configured to provide binary information about whether a foot is present or not present in the footwear. If a binary signal from the foot presence sensor indicates that a foot is present, then the motorized lacing system 1 can be activated, such as to automatically tighten or relax (i .e., loosen) a footwear lacing cable.
- the footwear article includes a processor circuit that can receive or interpret signals from a foot presence sensor. The processor circuit can optionally be embedded in or with the lacing engine 10, such as in a sole of the footwear article.
- FIG. 2 is a top view diagram of upper 200 illustrating an example lacing configuration, according to some example embodiments.
- the upper 205 includes lateral lace fixation 215, medial lace fixation 216, lateral lace guides 222, medial lace guides 220, and brio cables 225, in additional to lace 210 and lacing engine 10.
- the example illustrated in FIG. 2 includes a continuous knit fabric upper 205 with diagonal lacing pattern involving non-overlapping medial and lateral lacing paths. The lacing paths are created starting at the lateral lace fixation 215 running through the lateral lace guides 222 through the lacing engine 10 up through the medial lace guides 220 back to the medial lace fixation 216.
- lace 210 forms a continuous loop from lateral lace fixation 215 to medial lace fixation 216.
- Medial to lateral tightening is transmitted through brio cables 225 in this example.
- the lacing path may crisscross or incorporate additional features to transmit tightening forces in a medial-lateral direction across the upper 205.
- the continuous lace loop concept can be incorporated into a more traditional upper with a central (medial) gap and lace 210 crisscrossing back and forth across the central gap.
- FIGS. 3 A - 3C are top-view diagrams illustrating a flattened footwear upper 305 with a lacing architecture 300 for use in footwear assemblies including a motorized lacing engine, according to some example embodiments.
- the upper 305 is assumed to be designed for incorporation into a right foot version of a footwear assembly.
- FIG. 3 A is a top-view diagram of a flattened footwear upper 305 with a lacing architecture 300 as illustrated.
- footwear upper 305 includes a series of lace guides 320A - 320J (collectively referred to as lace guide(s) 320) with a lace cable 310 running through the lace guides 320.
- the lace cable 310 forms a loop that is terminated on each side of the upper 305 at a lateral lace fixation 345 A and a medial lace fixation 345B (collectively referred to as lace fixation points 345) with the middle portion of the loop routed through a lacing engine within a mid-sole of the footwear assembly.
- the upper 305 also includes reinforcements associated with each of the series of lace guides 320.
- the reinforcements can cover individual lace guides or span multiple lace guides.
- the reinforcements include a central reinforcement 325, a first lateral reinforcement 335A, a first medial reinforcement 335B, a second lateral reinforcement 330A, a second medial reinforcement 330B.
- the middle portion of the lace cable 310 is routed to and/or from the lacing engine via a lateral rear lace guide 315 A and a medial rear lace guide 315B, and exits and/or enters the upper 300 through a lateral lace exit 340A and a medial lace exit 340B.
- the upper 305 can include different portions, such as a forefoot (toe) portion 307, a mid-foot portion 308, and a heel portion 309.
- the forefoot portion 307 is a forefoot (toe) portion 307, a mid-foot portion 308, and a heel portion 309.
- the mid-foot point 308 may correspond with an arch area of the foot.
- the heel portion 309 may correspond with the rear or heel portions of the foot.
- Medial and lateral heel portions 309 can be connected via heel member 350, which may comprise medial strip 352 and lateral strip 354.
- the medial and lateral sides of the mid-foot portion of the upper 305 can include a central portion 306.
- the central portion 306 can include an opening spanned by crisscrossing (or similar) pattern of laces that allows for the fit of the footwear upper around the foot to be adjusted.
- a central portion 306 including an opening also facilitates entry and removal of the foot from the footwear assembly.
- the lace guides 320 are tubular or channel structures to retain the lace cable 310, while routing the lace cable 310 through a pattern along each of a lateral side and a medial side of the upper 305.
- the lace guides 320 are u-shaped plastic tubes laid out in an essentially sinusoidal wave pattern, which cycles up and down along the medial and lateral sides of the upper 305.
- the number of cycles completed by the lace cable 310 may vary depending on shoe size. Smaller sized footwear assemblies may only be able to accommodate one and one half cycles, with the example upper 305
- the pattern is described as essentially sinusoidal, as in this example at least, the u-shape guides have a wider profile than a true sine wave crest or trough. In other examples, a pattern more closely approximating a true sine wave pattern could be utilized (without extensive use of carefully curved lace guides, a true sine wave is not easily attained with a lace stretched between lace guides).
- the shape of the lace guides 320 can be varied to generate different torque versus lace displacement curves, where torque is measured at the lacing engine in the mid-sole of the shoe.
- lace guides with tighter radius curves or including a higher frequency of wave pattern (e.g., greater number of cycles with more lace guides), can result in a change to the torque versus lace displacement curve.
- a higher frequency of wave pattern e.g., greater number of cycles with more lace guides
- lace guides can be fabricated from plastics, polymers, metal, or fabric. For example, layers of fabric can be used to create a shaped channel to route a lace cable in a desired pattern. As discussed below, combinations of plastic or metal guides and fabric overlays can be used to generate guide components for use in the discussed lacing architectures.
- the reinforcements 325, 335, and 330 are illustrated associated with different lace guides, such as lace guides 320.
- the reinforcements 335 can include fabric impregnated with a heat activated adhesive that can be adhered over the top of lace guides 320G, 320H, a process sometimes referred to as hot melt.
- the reinforcements can cover a number of lace guides, such as reinforcement 325, which in this example covers six upper lace guides positioned adjacent to a central portion of the footwear, such as central portion 306.
- the reinforcement 325 could be split down the middle of the central portion 306 to form two pieces covering lace guides along a medial side of the central portion 306 separately from lace guides along a lateral side of the central portion 306.
- the reinforcement 325 could be split down the middle of the central portion 306 to form two pieces covering lace guides along a medial side of the central portion 306 separately from lace guides along a lateral side of the central portion 306.
- reinforcement 325 could be split into six separate reinforcements covering individual lace guides.
- Use of reinforcements can vary to change the dynamics of interaction between the lace guides and the underlying footwear upper, such as upper 305.
- Reinforcements can also be adhered to the upper 305 in various other manners, including sewing, adhesives, or a combination of mechanisms.
- the manner of adhering the reinforcement in conjunction with the type of fabric or materials used for the reinforcements can also impact the friction experienced by the lace cable running through the lace guides. For example, a more rigid material hot melted over otherwise flexible lace guides can increase the friction
- Reinforcement 325 could also comprise an elastic mesh to cover a throat area of the footwear upper.
- FIG. 3 A illustrates a central reinforcement 325 that is a single member spanning the medial and lateral upper lace guides (320 A, 320B, 320E, 320F, 3201, and 320.!).
- reinforcement 325 is more rigid material with less flexibility than the underlying footwear upper, upper 305 in this example, the resulting central portion 306 of the footwear assembly will exhibit less forgiving fit characteristics. In some applications, a more rigid, less forgiving, central portion 306 may be desirable. However, in applications where more flexibility across the central portion 306 is desired, the central reinforcement 325 can be separated into two or more reinforcements.
- central reinforcements can be coupled across the central portion 306 using a variety of flexible or elastic materials to enable a more form fitting central portion 306.
- central reinforcement 325 can itself be elastic.
- the upper 305 can have a small gap running the length of the central portion 306 with one or more elastic members spanning the gap and connecting multiple central reinforcements, such as is at least partially illustrated in FIG. 4A with lace guide 410 and elastic member 440.
- Heel member 350 can comprise a device or component that can be used to control access to footwear upper 305 and, additionally or alternatively, control the effective spring stiffness of footwear upper 305.
- medial strip 352 and lateral strip 354 can comprise elastic strops that are sewn or otherwise attached to medial and lateral heel portions 309, respectively, and are sewn to each other.
- only a single elastic strip is connected to medial and lateral heel portions 309.
- strips 352 and 354 can provide a degree of stretchabiiity to the heel portion of footwear upper 305. This effect can be used to provide various comfort and perfonnance aspects to upper 305 as described below.
- the elasticity can help heel portions 309 remain engaged with the heel of a wearer during use of the article of footwear.
- Strips 352 and 354 can comprise elastic, spandex, rubber or the like.
- medial strip 352 and lateral strip 354 can comprise components that are releasably engaged so that a user of the article of footwear can selectively open and close footwear upper 305.
- strips 352 and 354 can comprise opposing components of hook and loop fastener material, or opposing
- heel member 350 can provide ingress and egress of a foot into footwear upper 305 regardless of the state of lace cable 310. More specifically, heel member 350 can permit a foot to be withdrawn from footwear upper 305 even if the lacing engine has drawn lace cable 310 into the sole structure to cinch lace cable 310 down onto footwear upper 305.
- FIG. 3B is another top-view diagram of the flattened footwear upper 305 with a lacing architecture 300 as illustrated.
- footwear upper 305 includes a similar lace guide pattern including lace guides 320 with modifications to the configuration of reinforcements 325, 330, and 335.
- the modifications to the reinforcements configuration will result in at least slightly different fit characteristics and may also change the torque versus lace displacement curve.
- FIG. 3C is a series of lacing architecture examples illustrated on flattened footwear uppers according to example embodiments.
- Lace architecture 300A illustrates a lace guide pattern similar to the sine wave pattern discussed in reference to FIG. 3 A with individual reinforcements covering each individual lace guide.
- Lace architecture 300B once again illustrates a wave lacing pattern, also referred to as parachute lacing, with elongated reinforcements covering upper lace guide pairs spanning across a central portion and individual lower lace guides.
- Lace architecture 300C is yet another wave lacing pattern with a single central reinforcement.
- Lace architecture 300D introduces a triangular shaped lace pattern with individual reinforcements cut to form fit over the individual lace guides.
- Lace architecture 300E illustrates a variation in reinforcement configuration in the triangular lace pattern.
- lace architecture 3 OOF illustrates another variation in reinforcement configuration including a central reinforcement and consolidated lower reinforcements.
- FIG. 4A is a diagram illustrating a portion of a footwear upper 405 with a lacing architecture 400 for use in footwear assemblies including a motorized lacing engine, according to some example embodiments.
- a medial portion of upper 405 is illustrated with lace guides 410 routing lace cable 430 through to medial exit guide 415.
- Lace guides 410 are encapsulated in reinforcements 420 to form lace guide components 415, with at least a portion of the lace guide components being repositionable on upper 405.
- the lace guide components 415 are backed with hook-n-loop material and the upper 405 provides a surface receptive to the hook-n-loop material.
- the lace guide components 415 can be backed with the hook portion with the upper 405 providing a knit loop surface to receive the lace guide components 415.
- lace guide components 415 can have a track interface integrated to engage with a track, such as track 445.
- a track-based integration can provide a secure, limited travel, movement option for lace guide components 415.
- track 445 runs essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the central portion 450 and allows for positioning a lace guide component 415 along the length of the track.
- the track 445 can span across from a lateral side to a medial side to hold a lace guide component on either side of central portion 450. Similar tracks can be positioned in appropriate places to hold all of the lace guide components 415, enabling adjustment in restrictions directions for all lace guides on footwear upper 405.
- the footwear upper 405 illustrates another example lacing architecture including central elastic members, such as elastic member 440.
- central elastic members such as elastic member 440.
- at least the upper lace guide components along the medial and lateral sides can be connected across the central portion 450 with elastic members that allow for different footwear designs to attain different levels of fit and performance.
- a high performance basketball shoe that needs to secure a foot through a wide range of lateral movement may utilize elastic members with a high modulus of elasticity to ensure a snug fit.
- a running shoe may utilize elastic members with a low modulus of elasticity, as the running shoe may be designed to focus on comfort for long distance road running versus providing high levels of lateral motion containment.
- the elastic members 440 can be interchangeable or include a mechanism to allow for adjustment of the level of elasticity.
- the footwear upper such as upper 405
- each lace guide component 415 could be mounted to its own track 445 that extends generally in a medial-lateral direction across central portion 450.
- the position of each lace guide component 415 can be correlated to the presence of a foot within footwear upper 405. For example, if a presence sensor, such as a contact switch within a sole structure detects the weight of a foot in footwear upper 405, lace guide components 415 can be drawn closer to central portion 450 to take up slack in lace cable 430 to cinch footwear upper 405 down on the foot.
- lace guide components 415 can be retracted away from central portion 450 to facilitate entry of a foot into footwear upper 405 by causing slack to be introduced in lace cable 430.
- the drive mechanism of the lacing cable can be additionally used to move lace guide components 415 on tracks 445.
- one or more additional drive mechanisms e.g., motors, can be incorporated into the article of footwear.
- central reinforcement 325 can be added at central portion to provide an elastic zone or to, additionally or alternatively, provide an opening, such as a zipper (e.g., zipper 465), to footwear upper 405.
- FIG. 4B additionally shows heel strap 480 that spans heel ridge 650 and multiple elastic members 440 at lace guides 415.
- Heel strap 480 and elastic members 440 can be used to control the effective spring stiffness of footwear upper 405.
- elasticity provided by various strips, such as heel strap 480 and elastic members 440 can provide a degree of stretchability to footwear upper 405, thereby allowing various comfort and performance aspects of upper 405 to be controlled.
- heel strap 480 can be directly connected to a heel lacing component guide 615 on medial and lateral sides of heel ridge 650.
- heel strap 480 can be connected to lacing component guide 615 at one end and sewn into footwear upper 605 at heel ridge 650.
- a single heel strap 480 can be used on the medial or lateral side of footwear upper 605, or a heel strap 480 can be used on each of the medial and lateral sides of footwear upper 605, Heel lacing component guides 615 can be disconnected from footwear upper 405 such that they are suspended relative to footwear upper 405 by lace cable 430 and heel strap 480.
- Elastic member 440 can pre-tension heel lacing component guide 615 to the rear or heel portion of footwear upper 405 to cause lace cable 430 to be pulled out of a lacing engine in a loosened state.
- heel strap 480 can stretch to allow lace cable 430 to be cinched down on footwear upper 405, and the heel portion of the footwear upper 405 to be drawn down on a heel of a wearer.
- Elastic members 440 can provide an additional degree of stretchability to footwear upper 405.
- Elastic members 440 can be attached to lace guide components 415 at one end and at the other end be connected to either another opposite lace guide component 415 or footwear upper 405, such as at central portion 450.
- elastic members 440 can be used to pull lace cable 430 from the lacing engine, but can be stretched to permit lace cable 430 to be cinched down on footwear upper 405.
- Heel strap 480, elastic members 440 and an elastic central reinforcement 325 can each provide a degree of stretchabiiity to a footwear upper that can introduce different comfort and performance zones within the lacing action provided by the lacing mechanism.
- FIG. 17 illustrates various comfort and performance curves of different example footwear uppers incorporating different combinations of lace cable 480, elastic members 440, an elastic heel member 350, and an elastic central reinforcement 325,
- FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a portion of footwear upper 405 with lacing architecture 400 for use in footwear assemblies including a motorized lacing engine, according to some example embodiments.
- the central portion 450 illustrated in FIG. 4A is replaced with a central closure mechanism 460, which is illustrated in this example as a central zipper 465.
- the central closure mechanism is designed to enable a wider opening in the footwear upper 405 for easy entry and exit.
- the central zipper 465 can be easily unzipped to enable foot entry or exit.
- the central closure 460 can be hook and loop, snaps, clasps, toggles, secondary laces, or any similar closure mechanism.
- FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a portion of footwear upper 405 with a lacing architecture 600 for use in footwear assemblies including a motorized lacing engine, according to some example embodiments.
- lacing architecture 600 adds a heel lacing component 615 including a heel lacing guide 610 and a heel reinforcement 620 as well as a heel redirect guide 610 and a heel exit guide 615.
- the heel redirect guide 610 shifts the lace cable 430 from exiting the last lace guide 410 towards a heel lacing component 615
- the heel lacing component 615 is formed from a heel lacing guide 610 with a heel reinforcement 620.
- the heel lacing guide 610 is depicted with a similar shape to lacing guides used in other locations on upper 405, However, in other examples the heel lacing guide 610 can be other shapes or include multiple lace guides.
- the heel lace component 615 is shown mounted on a heel track 645 allowing for adjustability of the location of the heel lace component 615. Similar to the adjustable lace guides discussed above, other mechanisms can be utilized to enable adjustment in positioning of the heel lace component 615, such as hook and loop fasteners or comparable fastening mechanisms.
- the upper 405 includes a heel ridge 650, which like the central portion 450 discussed above can include a closure mechanism.
- the heel closure mechanism is designed to provide easy entry and exit from the footwear by expanding a traditional footwear assembly foot opening.
- the heel lacing component 615 can be connected across the heel ridge 650 (with or without a heel closure mechanism) to a matching heel lacing component on the opposite side.
- the connection can include an elastic member, similar to elastic member 440.
- FIG. 7A - 7B are diagrams illustrating a portion of footwear upper 405 with a lacing architecture 700 for use in footwear assemblies including a motorized lacing engine, according to some example embodiments.
- the lacing architecture 700 includes lace guides 710 for routing lace 730.
- the lace guides 710 can include associated reinforcements 720.
- the lace guides 710 are configured to allow for flexing of portions of the lace guides 710 from an open initial position illustrated in FIG. 7A to a flexed closed position illustrated in FIG 7B (with phantom lines illustrating the opposition positions in each figure for reference).
- the lace guides 710 include extension portions that exhibit flex of approximately 14 degrees between the open initial position and the closed position.
- lace guide 710 can exhibit more or less flex between an initial and final position (or shape) of the lace guide 710.
- the flexing of the lace guides 710 occurs as the lace 730 is tightened.
- the flexing of the lace guides 710 works to smooth out the torque versus lace displacement curve by applying some initial tension to the lace 730 and providing an additional mechanism to dissipate lace tension during the tightening process.
- lace guide 710 creates some initial tension in the lace cable, which also functions to take up slack in the lace cable.
- the lace guide 710 flexes or deforms
- the lace guides 710 are plastic or polymer tubes and can have different modulus of elasticity depending upon the particular composition of the tubes.
- the modulus of elasticity of the lace guides 710 along with the configuration of the reinforcements 720 will control the amount of additional tension induced in the lace 730 by flexing of the lace guides 710.
- the elastic deformation of the ends (legs or extensions) of the lace guides 710 induces a continued tension on the lace 730 as the lace guides 710 attempt to return to original shape.
- the entire lace guide flexes uniformly over the length of the lace guide.
- the flex occurs primarily within the u-shaped portion of the lace guide with the extensions remaining substantially straight.
- the extensions accommodate most of the ilex with the u- shaped portion remaining relatively fixed.
- the reinforcements 720 are adhered over the lace guides 710 in a manner that allows for movement of the ends of the lace guides 710.
- reinforcements 720 are adhered through the hot melt process discussed above, with the placement of the heat activated adhesive allowing for an opening to enable flex in the lace guides 710.
- the reinforcements 720 can be sewed into place or use a combination of adhesives and stitching. How the reinforcements 720 are adhered or structured can affect what portion of the lace guide flexes under load from the lace cable.
- the hot melt is concentrated around the u-shaped portion of the lace guide leaving the extensions (legs) more free to flex.
- FIGs. 7C - 7D are diagrams illustrating deformable lace guides 710 for use in footwear assemblies, according to some example embodiments.
- lace guides 710 introduced above in reference to FIGs. 7A and 7B are discussed in additional detail.
- FIG. 7C illustrates the lace guide 710 in a first (open) state, which can be considered a non-deformed state.
- FIG. 7D illustrates the lace guide 710 in a second (closed/flexed) state, which can be considered a deformed state.
- the lace guide 710 can include three different sections, such as a middle section 712, a first extension 714, and a second extension 716.
- the lace guide 710 can also include a lace reception opening 740 and a lace exit opening 742.
- lace guide 710 can have different modulus of elasticity, which controls the level of deformation with a certain applied tension.
- the lace guide 710 can be constructed with different sections having different modulus of elasticity, such as the middle section 712 having a first modulus of elasticity, the first extension having a second modulus of elasticity and the second extension having a third modulus of elasticity.
- the second and third moduli of elasticity can be substantially similar, resulting in the first extension and the second extension flexing or deforming in a similar manner.
- substantially similar can be interpreted as the moduli of elasticity being within a few percentage points of each other.
- the lace guide 710 can have a variable modulus of elasticity shifting from a high modulus at the apex 746 to a low modulus towards the outer ends of the first extension and the second extension.
- the modulus can vary based on wail thickness of the lace guide 710.
- the lace guide 710 defines a number of axes useful is describing how the deformable lace guide functions.
- the first extension 714 can define an first incoming lace axis 750, which aligns with at least an outer portion of an inner channel defined within the first extension 714.
- the second extension 716 defines an first outgoing lace axis 760, which aligns with at least an outer portion of an inner channel defined within the second extension 716.
- the lace guide 710 defines a second incoming lace axis 752 and a second outgoing lace axis 762, which are each aligned with respective portions of the first extension and the second extension.
- the lace guide 710 also includes a medial axis 744 that intersects the lace guide 710 at the apex 746 and is equidistant from the first extension and the second extension (assuming a symmetrical lace guide in a non-deformed state as illustrated in FIG. 7C).
- FIG. 7E is a graph 770 illustrating various torque versus lace displacement curves for deformable lace guides, according to some example embodiments.
- one of the benefits achieved using lace guides 710 involves modifying torque (or lace tension) versus lace displacement (or shortening) curves.
- Curve 776 illustrates a torque versus displacement curve for a non-deformable lace guide used in an example lacing architecture. The curve 776 illustrates how laces experience a rapid increase in tension over a short displacement near the end of the tightening process.
- curve 778 illustrates a torque versus displacement curve for a first deformable lace guide used in an example lacing architecture.
- the cure 778 begins in a fashion similar to curve 776, but as the lace guides deform with additional lace tension the curve is flattened, resulting in tension increasing over a larger lace displacement. Flattening out the curves allows for more control of fit and performance of the footwear for the end users.
- the final example is split into three segments, an initial tightening segment 780, an adaptive segment 782, and a reactive segment 784.
- the segments 780, 782, 784 may be utilized in any circumstance where the torque and resultant displacement is desired.
- the reactive segment 784 may particularly be utilized in circumstances where the motorized lacing engine makes sudden changes or corrections in the displacement of the lace in reaction to unanticipated external factors, e.g., the wearer has abruptly stopped moving, resulting in a relatively high load on the lace.
- the adaptive segment 782 may be utilized when more gradual displacement of the lace may be utilized because a change in the load on the lace may be anticipated, e.g., because the change in load may be less sudden or a change in activity is input into the motorized lacing engine by the wearer or the motorized lacing engine is able to anticipate a change in activity through machine learning.
- the deformable lace guide design resulting in this final example is designed to create the adaptive segment 782 and reactive segment 784 through lace guide structural design (such as channel shape, material selection, or a combination parameters).
- the lacing architecture and lace guides producing the final example also produce a pretension in the lace cable resulting in the illustrated initial tightening segment 780.
- FIGs. 8A - 8F are diagrams illustrating an example lacing guide 800 for use in certain lacing architectures, according to some example embodiments.
- the lacing guide 800 includes a guide tab 805, a stitch opening 810, a guide superior surface 815, a lace retainer 820, a lace channel 825, a channel radius 830, a lace access opening 840, a guide inferior surface 845, and a guide radius 850
- Advantages of an open channel lace guide, such as lacing guide 800 include the ability to easily route the lace cable after installation of the lace guides on the footwear upper.
- tubular lace guides as illustrated in many of the lace architecture examples discussed above, routing the lace cable through the lace guides is most easily accomplish before adhering the lace guides to the footwear upper (not to say- it cannot be accomplished later).
- Open channel lace guides facilitate simple lace routing by allowing the lace cable to simply be pushed pass the lace retainer 820 after the lace guides 800 are positioned on the footwear upper.
- the lacing guide 800 can be fabricated from various materials including metal or plastics.
- the lacing guide 800 can be initially attached to a footwear upper through stitching or adhesives.
- the illustrated design includes a stitch opening 810 that is configured to enable easy manual or automated stitching of lacing guide 800 onto a footwear upper (or similar material).
- lace cable can be routed by simply pulling a loop of lace cable into the lace channel 825.
- the lace access opening 840 extends through the inferior surface 845 to provide a relief recess for the lace cable to get around the lace retainer 820.
- the channel radius 830 is designed to correspond to, or be slightly larger then, the diameter of the lace cable.
- the channel radius 830 is one of the parameters of the lacing guide 800 that can control the amount of friction experienced by the lace cable running through the lacing guide 800.
- Another parameter of lacing guide 800 that impacts friction experienced by the lace cable includes guide radius 850.
- the guide radius 850 also may impact the frequency or spacing of lace guides positioned on a footwear upper.
- FIG. 8G is a diagram illustrating a portion of footwear upper 405 with a lacing architecture 890 using lacing guides 800, according to some example embodiments.
- multiple lacing guides 800 are arranged on a lateral side of footwear upper 405 to form half of the lacing architecture 890.
- lacing architecture 890 uses lacing guides 800 to form a wave pattern or parachute lacing pattern to route the lace cable.
- lace tightening can produce both later-medial tightening as well as anterior-posterior tightening of the footwear upper 405 ,
- lacing guides 800 are at least initial ly adhered to upper 405 through stitching 860.
- the stitching 860 is shown over or engaging stitch opening 810.
- One of the lacing guide 800 is al so depicted with a reinforcement 870 covering the lacing guide.
- reinforcements can be positioned individually over each of the lacing guides 800. Alternatively, larger reinforcements could be used to cover multiple lacing guides.
- reinforcement 870 can be adhered through adhesives, heat-activated adhesives, and/or stitching.
- reinforcement 870 can be adhered using adhesives (heat-activated or not) and a vacuum bagging process that uniformly compresses the reinforcement over the lacing guide.
- a similar vacuum bagging process can also be used with reinforcements and lacing guides discussed above.
- mechanical presses or similar machines can be used to assist with adhering reinforcements over lacing guides.
- the lace cable can be routed through the lacing guides. Lace cable routing can begin with anchoring a first end of the lace cable at lateral anchor point 470, The lace cable can then be pulled into each lace channel 825 starting with the anterior most lacing guide and working posteriorly towards the heel of upper 405. Once the lace cable is routed through all lacing guides 800, reinforcements 870 can be optionally adhered over each of the lacing guides 800 to secure both the lacing guides and the lace cable.
- FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a footwear assembly process 900 for assembly of footwear including a lacing engine, according to some example embodiments.
- the assembly process 900 includes operations such as; obtaining footwear upper, lace guides, and lace cable at 910; routing lace cable through tubular lace guides at 920; anchoring a first end of the lace cable at 930; anchoring a second end of lace cable at 940; positioning lace guides at 950; securing lace guides at 960; and integrating upper with footwear assembly at 970,
- the process 900 described in further detail below can include some or all of the process operations described and at least some of the process operations can occur at various locations and/or using different automated tools.
- the process 900 begins at 910 by obtaining a footwear upper, a plurality of lace guides, and a lace cable.
- the footwear upper such as upper 405
- the lace guides in this example include tubular plastic lace guides as discussed above, but could also include other types of lace guides.
- the process 900 continues with the lace cable being routed (or threaded) through the plurality of lace guides.
- the lace cable can be routed through the lace guides at a different point in the assembly process 900, when using tubular lace guides routing the lace through the lace guides prior to assembly onto the footwear upper may be preferable.
- the lace guides can be pre-threaded onto the lace cable, with process 900 beginning with multiple lace guides already threaded onto the lace obtained during the operation at 910,
- the process 900 continues with a first end of the lace cable being anchored to the footwear upper.
- lace cable 430 can be anchored along a lateral edge of upper 405.
- the lace cable may be temporary anchored to the upper 405 with a more permanent anchor accomplished during integration of the footwear upper with the remaining footwear assembly.
- the process 900 can continue with a second end of the lace cable being anchored to the footwear upper. Like the first end of the lace cable, the second end can be temporarily anchored to the upper. Additionally, the process 900 can optionally delay anchoring of the second end until later in the process or during integration with the footwear assembly.
- the process 900 continues with the plurality of lace guides being positioned on the upper.
- lace guides 410 can be positioned on upper 405 to generate the desired lacing pattern.
- the process 900 can continue at 960 by securing the lace guides onto the footwear upper.
- the reinforcements 420 can be secured over lace guides 410 to hold them in position.
- the process 900 can complete at 970 with the footwear upper being integrated into the remainder of the footwear assembly, including the sole.
- integration can include positioning the loop of lace cable connecting the lateral and medial sides of the footwear upper in position to engage a lacing engine in a mid-sole of the footwear assembly.
- FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a footwear assembly process 1000 for assembly of footwear including a plurality of lacing guides, according to some example embodiments.
- the assembly process 1000 includes operations such as: obtaining footwear upper, lace guides, and lace cable at 1010; securing lacing guides on footwear upper at 1020; anchoring a first end of the lace cable at 1030; routing lace cable through the lace guides at 1040; anchoring a second end of lace cable at 1050; optionally securing reinforcements over the lace guides at 1060; and integrating upper with footwear assembly at 1070.
- the process 1000 described in further detail below can include some or all of the process operations described and at least some of the process operations can occur at various locations and/or using different automated tools.
- the process 1000 begins at 1010 by obtaining a footwear upper, a plurality of lace guides, and a lace cable.
- the footwear upper such as upper 405
- the lace guides in this example include open channel plastic lacing guides as discussed above, but could also include other types of lace guides.
- the process 1000 continues with the lacing guides being secured to the upper.
- lacing guides 800 can be individually stitched in position on upper 405.
- the process 1000 continues with a first end of the lace cable being anchored to the footwear upper.
- lace cable 430 can be anchored along a lateral edge of upper 405.
- the lace cable may be temporary anchored to the upper 405 with a more permanent anchor accomplished during integration of the footwear upper with the remaining footwear assembly.
- the process 1000 continues with the lace cable being routed through the open channel lace guides, which includes leaving a lace loop for engagement with a lacing engine between the lateral and medial sides of the footwear upper.
- the lace loop can be a predetermined length to ensure the lacing engine is able to properly tighten the assembled footwear.
- the process 1000 can continue with a second end of the lace cable being anchored to the footwear upper. Like the first end of the lace cable, the second end can be temporarily anchored to the upper. Additionally, the process 1000 can optionally delay anchoring of the second end until later in the process or during integration with the footwear assembly. In certain examples, delaying anchoring of the first and/or second end of the lace cable can allow for adjustment in overall lace length, which may be useful during integration of the lacing engine.
- the process 1000 can optionally include an operation for securing fabric reinforcements (covers) over the lace guides to further secure them to the footwear upper.
- lacing guides 800 can have reinforcements 870 hot melted over the lacing guides to further secure the lacing guides and the lace cable.
- the process 1000 can complete at 1070 with the footwear upper being integrated into the remainder of the footwear assembly, including the sole.
- integration can include positioning the loop of lace cable connecting the lateral and medial sides of the footwear upper in position to engage a lacing engine in a mid-sole of the footwear assembly.
- FIG. 1 1 is a diagram illustrating a front view of partially cut-away footwear upper 1100 showing elastic strip 1 102 connecting medial side 1 104 and lateral side 1106 of footwear upper 1100.
- Footwear upper 1100 can be connected to sole structure 1 108 in which a motorized lacing engine can be disposed.
- Footwear upper 1 100 can include internal layers, such as medial panel 1110 and lateral panel 1112, which are configured to surround the foot.
- Medial panel 1 110 and lateral panel 1 1 12 can include additional layers, such as lining or padding layers (not shown).
- Elastic strip 1102 can be connected to both of medial panel 1 110 and lateral panel 1 112.
- Footwear upper 1 110 can also include lace guides 11 14, lace 1 1 16 and outer layer 1118.
- Upper 1 100 can include outer layer 1 118 that is configured to cover lace 1116, elastic strip 1 102 and lace guides 1114.
- Outer layer 1118 is cut-away in FIG. 1 1 to show- medial panel 1110, lateral panel 1112, elastic strip 1102, lace guides 1114 and lace 1116.
- Lace guides 1 1 14 can be connected to medial panel 1 1 10 and lateral panel 1112. Lace guides 1114 can each include guide tab 1115 and lace channel body 1117. Guide tabs 1115 can be mounted directly to panels 1110 and 1 1 12, such as via adhesive, stitching, riveting or the like. Lace guides 1 114 can be configured similarly as other lace guides described herein. Lace 1 116 can be threaded through a channel disposed in lace channel body 1117 of lace gui des 1 1 14. Lace 11 16 can have distal portions that are anchored to upper toward the toe region and a proximal portion that connects the distal portions and that is located within the lacing engine.
- operation of the lacing engine can act to cinch lace 1 1 16 to compress medial panel 1 1 10 and lateral panel 1 1 12.
- the proximal portion of lace 11 16 is drawn into sole structure 1 108 as the lacing engine is operated, which can cause lace guides 1 114 to be drawn toward sole structure 1108.
- elastic strip 1102 can stretch around a foot positioned within footwear upper 1100.
- Elastic strip 1 102 can be made of any type of resilient material besides elastic, such as rubber or spandex and the like.
- Elastic strip 1 102 can be configured to be at rest in an un-stretched state or in a pre-tensioned state when a foot is placed in footwear upper 1100.
- elastic strip 110 2 can be replaced with an elastic mesh material.
- FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a rear view of footwear upper 1100 of FIG. 1 1 showing heel strap assembly 1 120 connecting lace 11 16 on medial and lateral sides of upper 11 10.
- Heel strap assembly 1 120 can include pre-tensioning strap 1122, heel strap 1 124 and anchor point 1 126.
- Pre-tensioning strap 1 122 can extend from lace 1 1 16 on the lateral side of footwear upper 1100 shown in FIG. 1 1, extend past heel portion 1 128 of footwear upper 1100, and extend to the medial side of footwear upper 1 100 (not visible in FIG. 12) to connect to the opposite end of lace 11 16.
- Pre-tensioning strap 1122 can be connected to lace 1116 in any suitable manner at juncture 1 130, such as by using a lace guide 1 1 14.
- lace 1 116 is permitted to slide within juncture 1 130 with pre- tensioning strap 1122.
- pre-tensioning strap 1 122 can be connected to guide tab 1 115 of a lace guide 1114 and lace 1116 can be connected to lace channel body 1117 of the lace guide 1114.
- Pre-tensioning strap 1 122 can comprise a resilient, elongate member that can be stretched and that can regain its original length after stretching. As will be explained in greater detail below with reference to FIGS. 15A and 15B, pre-tensioning strap 1 122 can be configured to pull lace 1116 from the lacing engine when the lacing engine spool is un-wound to release lace 1 1 16.
- Heel strap 1 124 can extend from juncture 1 130 of pre-tensioning strap 1 122 with lace 11 16 to anchor point 1126. In the state shown in FIG. 12, heel strap 1 124 is folded between anchor point 1126 and juncture 1 130. As will be explained in greater detail below with reference to FIGS. 15A and 15B, heel strap 1 124 will unfold as juncture 1 130 is drawn toward the toe portion of footwear upper 1100, eventually causing anchor point 1126 to pull heel portion 1 128 toward the toe portion to help retain footwear upper 1 100 on the heel of a foot inserted into upper 1100.
- Anchor point 1116 can comprise any suitable means or device that can provide a stationary point on footwear upper 1 100. In the erabodiraent shown, anchor point 1126 can comprise a threaded fastener extending through footwear upper 1 100.
- FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a lateral view of footwear upper 1 100 of FIG. 1 1 partially cut-away to show lace guide 11 14 connected to footwear upper 1100 alongside elastic strip 1 102.
- FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating footwear upper 1 100 of FIG. 13 flexed to show lace guide 11 14 connected to footwear upper 1100 separately from elastic strip 1102. FIGS. 13 and 14 are discussed concurrently.
- Outer layer 1118 is partially cut-away to show lateral panel 11 12
- Guide tab 1115 of lace guide 1 1 14 can be connected to lateral panel 1112 by any suitable means. In the illustrated embodiment, guide tab 1115 is connected to lateral panel 11 12 via stitching 1132. Guide tab 1115 is spaced from an upper edge of lateral panel 1 1 12 over which elastic strip 1 102 is positioned to form a gap between guide tab 1115 and elastic strip 1102.
- Elastic strip 1102 can comprise a single strip or, as show in FIGS. 13 and 14, multiple strips aligned end-to-end. Elastic strip 1 102 can be connected to lateral panel
- elastic strip 1 102 is connected to lateral panel 1112 via stitching 1 134. Decoupling of lace guide 1114 from elastic strip 1102 can permit elastic strip 1102 to stretch evenly along the length of lateral panel 1 1 12 and can allow elastic strip 1102 and can provide more uniform action to operation of lace guide 1114 on lace 1116.
- FIG. 15A is a diagram illustrating footwear upper 1100 of FIG. 12 showing a loosened lace 1116 being pulled out of a motorized lacing engine by pre-tensioning strap 1 122.
- the distance Dl between lace guide 11 14A and lace guide 1 114B can be at a first open length.
- the distance D2 between lace guide 1114A and anchor point 1 126 can be at a first collapsed length.
- Distance Dl is large, compared to distance D3 of FIG. 15B, to permit a foot to enter footwear upper 1 100 as lace 1116 is loosened.
- Tensioning strap 1122 is activated to pull lace 1116 toward heel portion 1128 at juncture 1130 to thereby pull proximal end portion 1 131 of lace 1116 out of the lacing engine.
- Heel strap 1124 is buckled or folded between juncture 1 130 and anchor point 1126 as the excess slack from proximal end portion 1131 permits tensioning strap to act to pull juncture 1 130 towards anchor point 1 126.
- FIG. 15B is a diagram illustrating footwear upper 1100 of FIG. 15 A showing lace 1116 tightened into the motorized lacing engine and a heel strap tightened around a heel of footwear upper 1 100.
- the distance D3 between lace guide 1114A and lace guide 1114B can be at a second collapsed length.
- the distance D4 between lace guide 1114A and anchor point 1126 can be at a second open length.
- Distance D3 is small compared to distance Dl as the lacing engine has been activated to draw proximal end portion 1 131 of lace 11 16 into the lacing engine.
- FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of footwear upper 1200 showing medial and lateral lacing cable tensioning straps 1202 and 1204, respectively.
- Footwear upper 1200 can be connected to sole structure 1206 in which a motorized lacing engine can be disposed.
- Footwear upper 1200 can include medial panel 1208, lateral panel 1210 and toe panel 1212, which are configured to at least partially surround the foot.
- Medial panel 1208 and lateral panel 1210 can include additional layers, such as lining or padding layers (not shown).
- Cable tensioning straps 1202 and 1204 can be connected to medial panel 1208 and lateral panel 1210 respectively at bottom edges, and can be connected to lace 1214 at distal end portions 1216A and 1216B, respectively.
- Footwear upper 11 10 can also include lace guides 1218 and elastic panel 1220.
- Elastic panel 1220 can function similarly to elastic strip 1 102 of FIGS. 11 - 15B to provide footwear upper 1200 with a degree of stretchability.
- Lace guides 1218 can function similarly as other lace guides described herein and further description is not provided here for brevity.
- Lace 1214 can have distal ends that are connected to tensioning straps 1202 and 1204, while a middle portion of lace 1214 can be located in a lacing mechanism disposed in sole structure 1206. Thus, as the lacing mechanism winds lace 1214, lace 1214 is pulled through lace guides 1218 to cinch lace 1214 down against footwear upper 1200.
- Tensioning straps 1202 and 1204 provide anchors for end portions 1216A and 1216B of lace 1214 to facilitate the cinching action.
- Tensioning straps 1202 and 1204 allow lace 1214 to be anchored to sole structure 1206 while also at least partially wrapping around panels 1208 and 1210 of footwear upper 1200. As can be seen, lace 1214 crosses over footwear upper 1200 once at medial panel 1208 and once at lateral panel 1210. This permits some of the force used in tensioning lace 1214 to also directly be used to apply inward pressure on footwear upper 1200 proximate toe panel 1212, Tensioning straps 1202 and 1204 provide a greater surface area over which the tension in lace 1214 is distributed to panels 1208 and 1210.
- straps 1202 and 1204 are trapezoidal shaped. In other embodiments, straps 1202 and 1204 can be triangular or rectangular shaped.
- strap 1202 can have bottom edge region 1222 that is wider than top edge region 1224. Bottom edge region 1222 can be attached to a bottom portion of medial panel 1208, such as by adhesive or stitching or by incorporation into sole structure 1206.
- Top edge region 1224 can be attached to lace 1214 by any suitable methods, such as by being attached to a length of strap 1202 by stitching 1226. Straps 1202 and 1204 can be attached to footwear upper 1200 only at sole structure 1206 so that they form flaps. In other embodiments, straps 1202 and 1204 can be attached to fooiwear upper 1200 along their entire length or along only a portion of their length. Straps 1202 and 1204 can be made of a rigid or inelastic material or a stretchable (resilient) or elastic material. The trapezoidal or triangular shaped of straps 1202 and 1204 can distribute the stress and force more evenly in the toe box of footwear upper 1 1200 and make for a fit that is comfortable and secure. Likewise, straps 1202 and 1204 can include other geometries that have various benefits such as distributing the stress and force evenly along footwear upper 1200.
- FIG. 17 is a graph illustrating various force versus lace displacement curves 1300 A, 1300B, 1300C, 1300D, 1300E and 1300F for shoe uppers including various elastic or tensioning members described herein, according to some example embodiments.
- the bottom X axis shows displacement in millimeters and the side Y axis shows Load in Newtons.
- Curves 1300A - 1300F are each associated with a different loading on a lace.
- comfort slope and the performance slope of each curve can be engineered to provide different effects for different types of shoes or articles of footwear, or for different types of wearers.
- FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating footwear upper 1200 of FIG. 16 laid out flat to show a lacing architecture including tensioning straps 1202 and 1204 connected to lace 1214 in a cross-over configuration.
- Footwear upper 1200 can include medial panel 1208, lateral panel 1210, heel panels 1211 A and 121 IB, and toe panel 1212, which are configured to at least partially surround a foot when heel panel 121 IB is attached to lateral panel 1210 and footwear upper 1200 is attached to a sole structure.
- Medial panel 1208 and lateral panel 1210 can include additional layers, such as a lining (not shown), outer layer 1230 (which can include sole portions 123 OA. and 1230B, and throat portions 1230C and 1230D), and overlay 1232 (which can include sole portions 1232A and 1232B, and throat portions 1232C and 1 232D).
- Outer layer 1230 can comprise a layer of material to strengthen medial panel 1208 and lateral panel 1210.
- outer layer 1230 can comprise a synthetic material such as nylon.
- Overlay 1232 can comprise a layer that supports lace guides 1218.
- Overlay 1232 can comprise a semi-rigid, yet pliable material that can distribute loading of lace guides 1218 to footwear upper 1200.
- overlay 1232 can comprise a synthetic material such as Poron® microcellular urethane.
- Tensioning straps 1202 and 1204 can be connected to medial panel 1208 and lateral panel 1210, respectively, at bottom edges 1222A and 1222B, and can be connected to distal end portions 1216A and 1216B of lace 1214, respectively, at outer edges 1224 A and 1224B.
- Footwear upper 1110 can also include lace guides 1218 and elastic panel 1220.
- Proximal ends 1234A and 1234B of lace 1214 can be connected to a lacing engine (not shown). Proximal ends 1234A and 1234B can be connected to each other so as to form lace 1214. That is, lace 1214 can comprise a single-piece structure. Lace 1214 is threaded through lace guides 1218 so that distal end portions 1216A and 1216B extend to tensioning straps 1202 and 1204. Distal end portion 1216A is connected to tensioning strap 1202 at stitching 1226. Likewise, distal end portion 1216B can be connected to tensioning strap 1204.
- distal end portions 1216A and 1216B crossover a throat region of footwear upper 1200 formed between throat portions 1230C and 1230D of outer layer 1230, for example.
- lacing guides 1218 on throat portions 1230C and 1230D can be omitted near toe panel 1212 to prevent interference with lace 1214.
- Tensioning straps 1202 and 1204 can be configured to fl oat on top of footwear upper 1200 to permit the various layers of footwear upper 1200 (e.g., outer layer 1230 and overlay 1232) to contract independently of the tension in lace 1214 when lace 1214 is drawn tight. For example, as throat portions 1230C and 1230D are drawn closer to sole portions 1230A and 1230B, respectively, when proximal ends 1234A and 1234B are drawn tight by a lacing engine, throat portions 1230C and 1230D can slide underneath tensioning straps 1202 and 1204. Thus, in an embodiment, only a portion of each of tensioning straps 1202 and 1204 can be attached to footwear upper 1200.
- Tensioning straps 1202 and 1204 can have a variety of shapes to distribute the force of lace 1214 over medi al panel 1208 and lateral panel 1210. Straps 1202 and 1204 can be triangular, quadrilateral, trapezoidal, rectilinear or any other shape. In an example, straps 1202 and 1204 are wider at the bottom near the sole structure and narrower at the top near lace 1214 in order to distribute forces from lace 1214 along a wide swath of footwear upper 1200 and the sole structure. Straps 1202 and 1204 can have the same shape or, as shown in FIG. 20, can have different shapes.
- FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating tensioning strap 1202 of FIG. 18 indicating lockout region 1240 and stretch region 1242.
- Distal end portion 1216A of lace 1214 can be connected to lockout region 1240, such as by stitching 1226, along length L.
- Bottom edge region 1222 of strap 1202 can be wider than top edge region 1224.
- Bottom edge region 1222 can be connected to footwear upper 1200 or a sole staicture.
- only a portion of stretch region 1242, such as bottom edge region 1222, is connected to footwear upper 1200 or a sole structure in order to permit stretch region 1242 to stretch.
- stretch region 1242 is comprised of elastic, a synthetic material, a polymer, a proprietary material having one or more of those properties, such as Lunar Fly Strap material, or the like. In other examples, a majority or an entirety of stretch region 1242 is connected to footwear upper 1200.
- Lockout region 1240 can extend from stretch region 1242 to top edge region 1224. Lockout region 1240 can extend laterally across the entirety of the top-most portion of stretch region 1242. Lockout region 1240 can compri se a portion of tensioning strap 1202 that is less elastic or stretchable than stretch region 1242. In an example, lockout region 1240 can comprise a separate piece of materi al attached to the material of stretch region 1242. In another embodiment, lockout region 1240 is an extension of the material of stretch region 1242 that is treated so as to stiffen the material in lockout region 1240. For example, stitching 1226 along length L of lace 1214 can provide the stiffening treatment. In an example, length L can be approximately 15 millimeters.
- lockout region 1240 can be treated with hot melt material to secure distal end portion 1216A and stiffen lockout region 1240.
- lockout region 1240 can be treated with a stretch-inhibiting coating, such as Terranina, to increase the lockout capabilities of tensioning strap 1202.
- Lockout capabilities can indicate an unwillingness to stretch in order to allow lace 1214 to be tightened. That is, a completely locked out lace will increase tightening on the foot proportionally to the amount the lace is cinched. In other words, the lace can no longer stretch.
- the lockout capabilities of lockout region 1240 and the stretching capabilities of stretch region 1242 can be varied in different combinations for different embodiments of tensioning strap 1202.
- FIG. 20 is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of footwear upper 1200 including a lacing architecture including tensioning straps 1250 and 1252 connected to lace 1214 in a non-cross-over configuration.
- Footwear upper 1200 of FIG. 20 includes the same components as footwear upper 1200 of FIG. 18, except tensioning straps 1202 and 1204 are replaced with tensioning straps 1250 and 1252, and lacing guides 1218A and 1218B are added.
- distal end portions 1216A and 1216B of lace 1214 can be configured to stay on the same side of footwear upper 1200 where they are connected to the lacing engine and their respective tensioning strap.
- distal end portion 1216B can be connected to medial tensioning strap 1250 and can extend through lacing guide 1218A and other lacing guides 1218 across medial panel 1208 to connect to the lacing engine, while distal end portion 121.6A can be connected to lateral tensioning strap 1252 and can extend through lacing guide 1218B and other lacing guides 1218 across lateral panel 1210 to connect to the lacing engine.
- Lacing guides 1218A and 1218B can be added to facilitate cinching of upper 1200 and stretching of elastic panel 1220 along a length of a throat region of upper 1200.
- the relative sizes of tensioning straps 1250 and 1252 can be varied to provide different performance characteristics on the medial and lateral sides of upper 1200.
- tensioning straps 1250 and 1252 can be shorter than tensioning straps 1202 and 1204 in the non-crossover embodiment of FIG. 20 to, for example, bring distal end portions 1216A and I216B closer to the sole structure.
- medial tensioning strap 1250 can be shorter than lateral tensioning strap 1252, or vice versa, to change the force applied to the bail region, metatarsal region and the phalanges region of the foot.
- FIG. 21 is a top-view diagram illustrating a flattened footwear upper 1400 with a lacing architecture for use with a lacing engine, according to some example embodiments.
- FIG. 22 is a picture of an example footwear assembly utilizing the two-zone lacing architecture discussed in reference to FIG. 21.
- the footwear upper 1400 has a medial side 1403 and a lateral side 1404, as well as a distal (toe) end and a proximal (heel) end.
- the distal end includes a toe box section 1407 and the proximal end includes a heel portion 1406.
- the footwear upper 1400 can also include a floating textile layer (optional, not illustrated), an outer layer 1402, and a floating tongue 1405.
- the floating tongue 1405 extends out of the foot opening 1409 of the outer layer 1402 proximate a throat portion 1411 (also referred to as a throat section) formed from a U- shaped cut-out in at least the outer layer 1402.
- the throat portion 141 1 varies in configuration, including various cut-out shapes or alternative material sections. All throat portions allow for portions of the lateral and medial sides of the footwear assembly to move in reference to each other.
- the throat portion 1411 can be integrated into a covered layer of the outer layer 1402, so the throat portion 1411 and the lacing architecture is concealed from external view.
- the throat portion 1411 is also cut-out of the floating textile layer.
- the footwear upper 1400 can include some or all of the structures discussed in reference to footwear upper 300, but is illustrated in a more simplistic fashion to emphasize the two-zone lacing architecture,
- the lacing architecture is split into two different zones.
- the first zone interacts with the toe or forefoot area of the footwear upper 1400.
- the second zone interacts with the mid-foot area of the footwear upper 1400.
- the first lacing zone lace cable is illustrated as a solid dark grey line, and the second lacing zone lace cable illustrated as a dotted black line.
- the lace cable in these details is a single cable running from termination 1420 to termination 1421 (terminations also referred to as anchor locations or anchor points).
- the material used will typically be common between the different zones.
- the first lacing zone can include lace guides guiding the lace cable 1410 from a first lace termination 1420.
- the first lace termination 1420 is located on a distal -lateral portion of eyestay 1408.
- the lace cable 1410 is routed from the first lace termination 1420 across a distal end of throat portion 1411 and through a first medial lace guide 1440. From the first medial lace guide 1440 the lace cable 1410 is routed back over the throat portion 1411 and through a first lateral lace guide 1430, From the first lateral lace guide 1430, the lace cable 1410 is routed pass a second lateral lace guide 1431 and though a third lateral lace guide 1432.
- the lace guides are labeled first, second, third, etc. to signify an order running proximally from the distal end of the throat portion 411 towards the foot opening 1409.
- the lace cable 1410 can route through a material guide 1422 en route from the first lateral lace guide 1430 to the third lateral lace guide 1432.
- the lace cable 1410 is routed through a lateral facing tongue lace guide 1417 and down to a lateral heel lace guide 1451 through an optional material guide 1422.
- the lateral heel lace guide 1451 routes the lace cable 1410 into a mid-sole plate via lateral lace exit 1419.
- the second lacing zone includes a set of lace guides routing the lace cable 1410 from the second termination 1421 to the medial lace exit 1418.
- the lace cable 1410 is routed from the second termination 1421 on the lateral side of eyestay 1408 over the throat portion 141 1 to the second medial lace guide 1441.
- the lace cable 1410 is routed back over the throat portion 141 1 to the second lateral lace guide 1431 .
- the lace cable 1410 then routes through the second lateral lace guide 1431 back over the throat portion 41 1 for a third time and through the third medial lace guide 1442.
- the third medial lace guide 1442 routes the lace cable 1410 on to the medial facing tongue lace guide 1416, which routes the lace cable on towards the medial heel lace guide 1450, En route to the medial heel lace guide 1450 the lace cable can optionally be routed through a material lace guide 1424. From the medial heel lace guide 1450 the lace cable 1410 is routed into the mid-sole plate via the medial lace exit 1418.
- the two-zone lacing architecture enables an uneven distribution of the lace cable tension between the distal end of the throat portion 141 1 and the proximal end.
- the first lacing zone applies the same lace cable tension across fewer lace guides, resulting the tension being distributed across a smaller area.
- the second lacing zone distributes the lace cable tension over a larger area with more lace guides The user experiences a tighter, higher performance fit in the toe (forefoot) area of the footwear with the two-zone lacing architecture.
- Other multi-zone lacing architectures can be utilized to vary the distribution of lace cable tension as desired for a particular footwear application.
- the lacing architecture includes a tongue lace guide assembly 141 5 (or simply a tongue lace guide 1415).
- the tongue lace guide 1415 can include a medial facing lace guide 1416 and a lateral facing lace guide 1417.
- the medial facing lace guide 1416 and the lateral facing lace guide 1417 can be molded or formed from a single piece of material or be separate structures coupled together in some manner.
- the medial facing lace guide and the lateral facing lace guide can be coupled together with an elastic member, such as elastic member 440, that allows for some separation between the lace guides upon application of tension on the lace cable 1418.
- the medial facing lace guide 1416 and the lateral facing lace guide 141 7 can be adhered to a tongue lace guide reinforcement.
- the medial facing lace guide and the lateral facing lace guide are disposed on, wrapped in, or otherwise connected via a webbing material.
- the tongue lace guide reinforcement can be a no- stretch or limited-stretch material, a rigid material, or an elastic material.
- the tongue lace guide reinforcement can be adhered, stitched, or similarly affixed to the floating tongue 1405.
- the tongue lace guide reinforcement can be padded or similarly constructed to distribute forces applied to the tongue lace guide across a wider area to avoid hot-spots for a user.
- medial facing lace guide 1416 and lateral facing lace guide 1417 can be connected by an elastic element or webbing and can be floating relative to floating tongue 1405.
- Embodiments of the present disclosure can be directed at adjusting the effective spring stiffness of a shoe when it is tightened on a foot.
- Deliberate elastic regions in the lace system of the footwear upper can allow for different tightening rates. For example, very stiff lacing systems can become very tight very quickly, potentially causing discomfort to the wearer.
- Elastic regions strategically added to the lacing system and/or the footwear upper can manipulate the lock out stiffness, travel, modulus or other parameters of the shoe to tune the fit of the footwear upper to the foot. As such, elastic zones can be added to the top and rear (or heel) areas of the foot to permit the footwear upper to pull down on the foot in a desirable manner.
- the elastic zones can facilitate placement or pre-tensioning of an untightened material of the footwear upper, which can be thought of as a parachute of material that is cinched down on the foot by the lacing architecture.
- a user can adjust the lacing mechanism to adjust the article of footwear to have different comfort or performance characteristics, depending on desire, preference or use of the article of footwear.
- Example 1 can include or use subject matter such as a footwear assembly comprising: a footwear upper including a toe box portion, a medial side, a lateral side, and a heel portion, the medial side and the lateral side each extending proximally from the toe box portion to the heel portion; a lace cable with a first end anchored along a distal outside portion of the medial side and a second end anchored along a distal outside portion of the lateral side; a plurality of lace guides distributed along the medial side and the lateral side, each lace guide of the plurality of lace guides adapted to receive a length of the lace cable, wherein the lace cable extends through each of the plurality of lace guides to form a pattern along each of the medial side and lateral side of the footwear upper; a medial proximal lace guide routing the lace cable from the pattern formed by a medial portion of the plurality of lace guides into a position allowing the lace cable to engage a lac
- Example 2 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Example 1 to optionally include, a first elastic member that can connect the first and second lace guides across a centerline portion of the footwear upper.
- Example 3 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 1 or 2 to optionally include, a first elastic member that can connect the first and second lace guides across the heel portion of the footwear upper.
- Example 4 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 1 through 3 to optionally include, a second elastic member that can extend between third and fourth lace guides of the plurality of lace guides.
- Example 5 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 1 through 4 to optionally include, a first elastic member that can be interchangeable with different elastic members providing varying modulus of elasticity to change fit characteristics of the footwear upper,
- Example 6 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples J through 5 to optionally include, a first elastic member that can function to smooth out a torque versus lace displacement curve during tightening of the lace cable.
- Example 7 can include or use subject matter such as a footwear lacing apparatus that can comprise: a housing structure that can comprise: a footwear assembly comprising: a footwear upper including a toe box portion, a medial side, a lateral side, and a heel portion, the medial side and the lateral side each extending proximally from the toe box portion to the heel portion; a lace cable with a first end anchored along a distal outside portion of the medial side and a second end anchored along a distal outside portion of the lateral side; a plurality of lace guides distributed along the medial side and the lateral side, each lace guide of the plurality of lace guides adapted to receive a length of the lace cable, wherein the lace cable extends through each of the plurality of lace guides to form a pattern along each of the medial side and lateral side of the footwear upper, a medial proximal lace guide routing the lace cable from the pattern formed by a medial portion of the plurality of
- Example 8 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Example 7 to optionally include, a first elastic member that can comprise an elastic center! ine portion extending from at least the toe box portion proximally to a foot opening, and the first and second portions of the footwear upper can comprise the medial and lateral sides, respectively.
- Example 9 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 7 or 8 to optionally include, a first elastic member that can comprise an elastic heel portion extending proximate to a foot opening, and the first and second portions of the footwear upper can comprise medial and iateral sides of the heel portion, respectively.
- Example 10 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 1 through 9 to optionally include, a first elastic member that can function to smooth out a torque versus lace displacement curve during tightening of the lace cable.
- Example 1 1 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 7 through 19 to optionally include, a first elastic member that can be opened or expanded to permit access to an interior space within the footwear upper.
- Example 12 can include or use subject matter such as a footwear lacing apparatus that can comprise: a footwear assembly comprising: a footwear upper including a toe box portion, a medial side, a lateral side, and a heel portion, the medial side and the lateral side each extending proximally from the toe box portion to the heel portion; a lace cable with a first end anchored along a distal outside portion of the medial side and a second end anchored along a distal outside portion of the lateral side; a plurality of lace guides distributed along the medial side and the lateral side, each lace guide of the plurality of lace guides adapted to receive a length of the l ace cable, wherein the lace cable extends through each of the plurality of lace guides to form a pattern along each of the medial side and lateral side of the footwear upper; a medial proximal lace guide routing the lace cable from the pattern formed by a medial portion of the plurality of lace guides into a
- Example 13 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Example 12 to optionally include, a first portion of the footwear upper that can comprise the heel portion and the first lace guide is located proximate the heel portion.
- Example 14 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 12 or 13 to optionally include, a first portion of the footwear upper that can comprise either one of the medial side or the lateral side of the footwear upper and the first lace guide is located proximate a throat of the upper.
- Example 15 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 12 through 14 to optionally include, a second elastic member that can extend between a second portion of the footwear upper and a second lace guide of the plurality of lace guides.
- Example 16 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 12 through 15 to optionally include, a first elastic member that can be interchangeable with different elastic members providing varying modulus of elasticity to change fit characteristics of the footwear upper,
- Example 17 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 12 through 16 to optionally include, a first elastic member that can function to smooth out a torque versus lace displacement curve during tightening of the lace cable.
- Example 18 can include or use subject matter such as a footwear lacing apparatus that can comprise: a footwear assembly comprising: a sole structure; a footwear upper defining a toe box portion, a medial side, a lateral side, and a heel portion, the footwear upper connected to the sole structure to form an interior space for receiving a foot, the footwear upper forming a collar to permit access to the interior space, a lacing engine disposed in the sole structure; a lacing system comprising: a lace cable having medial and lateral ends anchored to the footwear upper and a middle portion passing through the lacing engine; and a plurality of lace guides for routing the lace cable along the footwear upper between the medial and lateral ends and the lacing engine; and a heel channel connected to the heel portion and configured to facilitate access to the interior space.
- a footwear lacing apparatus can comprise: a footwear assembly comprising: a sole structure; a footwear upper defining a toe box portion, a medial side, a lateral side, and a heel portion
- Example 19 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Example 18 to optionally include, a heel channel that can comprise an elastic member coupling medial and lateral portions of the heel portion.
- Example 20 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 18 or 19 to optionally include, an elastic member that can be coupled to the footwear assembly and functions to smooth out a torque versus lace displacement curve during tightening of the lace cable.
- Example 21 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 18 through 20 to optionally include, a heel channel that can comprise a zipper.
- Example 22 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 18 through 21 to optionally include, a heel channel that can comprise strips of hook and loop fastener material located on medial and lateral portions of the heel portion, respectively.
- Example 23 can include or use subject matter such as a footwear lacing apparatus that can comprise: a footwear assembly comprising: a sole structure; a footwear upper defining a toe box portion, a medial side, a lateral side, and a heel portion, the footwear upper connected to the sole structure to form an interior space for receiving a foot, the footwear upper forming a collar to permit access to the interior space; a lacing engine disposed in the sole structure; a lacing system comprising: a lace cable having medial and lateral ends anchored to the footwear upper and a middle portion passing through the lacing engine; and a plurality of lace guides for routing the lace cable along the footwear upper between the medial and lateral ends and the lacing engine; and an elastic member coupled to the footwear assembly that functions to smooth out a torque versus lace displacement curve during tightening of the lace cable.
- a footwear lacing apparatus can comprise: a footwear assembly comprising: a sole structure; a footwear upper defining a toe box portion, a medial
- Example 24 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Example 23 to optionally include, an elastic member that can be configured to stretch after the lacing engine has tightened the lace cable.
- Example 25 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 23 or 24 to optionally include, an elastic member that can have a modulus of elasticity lower than that of the footwear upper.
- Example 26 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject m atter of one or any combination of Examples 23 through 25 to optionally include, an elastic member that can be configured to widen the collar.
- Example 27 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 23 through 26 to optionally include, an elastic member that can connect first and second lace guides of the plurality of lace guides.
- Example 28 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 23 through 27 to optionally include, first and second lace guides that can be located on medial and lateral portions of the heel portion, respectively.
- Example 29 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 23 through 28 to optionally include, first and second lace guides that can be located on the medial side and the lateral side of the footwear upper, respectively.
- Example 30 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 23 through 29 to optionally include, first and second lace guides that can be floating relative to the footwear upper.
- Example 31 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 23 through 30 to optionally include, an elastic member that can connect a first lace guide of the plurality of lace guides to a first portion of the shoe upper.
- Example 32 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 23 through 31 to optionally include, a first lace guide that can be located on either the medial or lateral side of the footwear upper and a first portion of the shoe upper that can be located on the heel portion.
- Example 33 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 23 through 32 to optionally include, a first lace guide and a first portion of the shoe upper that can be located on either the medial or lateral side of the footwear upper, and the first portion of the shoe upper can be located at the throat.
- Example 34 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 23 through 33 to optionally include, first and second lace guides that can be floating relative to the footwear upper.
- Example 35 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 23 through 35 to optionally include, an elastic member that can connect first and second portions of the shoe upper.
- Example 36 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 23 through 35 to optionally include, a first portion of the shoe upper that can comprise a lateral side and a second portion of the shoe upper that can comprise a medial side, wherein the elastic member spans the heel portion.
- Example 37 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 23 through 36 to optionally include, a first portion of the shoe upper that can comprise the lateral side and a second portion of the shoe upper that can comprise the medial side, wherein the elastic member can span a throat portion of the footwear upper.
- Example 38 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 23 through 37 to optionally include, a plurality of elastic members that can be incorporated into the lacing system.
- Example 39 can include or use subject matter such as a footwear lacing apparatus that can comprise: a footwear assembly comprising: a footwear upper including a toe box portion, a medial side, a lateral side, and a heel portion, the medial side and the lateral side each extending proximally from the toe box portion to the heel portion; a m edial tensioning member secured to the medial side of the upper proximate the toe box, a lateral tensioning member secured to the lateral side of the upper proximate the toe box; a lace cable with a first end attached to the medial tensioning member and a second end attached to the lateral tensioning member; and a plurality of lace guides distributed along the medial side and the lateral side, each lace guide of the plurality of lace guides adapted to receive a length of the lace cable, wherein the lace cable extends through each of the plurality of lace guides to form a pattern along each of the medial side and lateral side of the
- Example 40 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Example 39 to optionally include, a footwear upper that can further compri se an elastic member connecting the medial and lateral sides of the footwear upper along a throat region of the footwear upper.
- Example 41 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 39 or 40 to optionally include, medial and lateral tensioning members that can each be at least partially floating with respect to the medial and lateral sides of the footwear upper, respectively.
- Example 42 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 39 through 41 to optionally include, medial and lateral tensioning members that can each comprise: a lockout zone; and a stretch zone.
- Example 43 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 39 through 42 to optionally include, a lockout zone that can be connected to the lace cable and a stretch zone that can be connected to the footwear upper.
- Example 44 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 39 through 43 to optionally include, a bottom edge of the stretch zone that can be connected to the footwear upper.
- Example 45 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 39 through 44 to optionally include, a lockout zone that can be completely floating relative to the footwear upper.
- Example 46 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 39 through 45 to optionally include, a lockout zone that can include a stretch-inhibiting coating.
- Example 47 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 39 through 46 to optionally include, a lockout zone and a stretch zone that can be comprised of a contiguous sheet of material.
- Example 48 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 39 through 47 to optionally include, first and second ends of the lace cabl e that can be stitched to the medial and lateral tensioning members, respectively, in the lockout zone.
- Example 49 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 39 through 48 to optionally include, a lace cable that can further comprise: a first proximal portion connected to the medial side of the footwear upper and the first end of the lace cable; and a second proximal portion connected to the lateral side of the footwear upper and the second end of the lace cable; wherein the first end of the lace cable can be connected to the medial tensioning member and the second end of the lace cable is connected to the lateral tensioning member.
- Example 50 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 39 through 49 to optionally include, a first end and a second end of the lace cable that can crossover a throat region of the footwear upper,
- Example 5 1 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 39 through 50 to optionally include, a lace cable that can further comprise: a first proximal portion connected to the medial side of the footwear upper and the first end of the lace cable; and a second proximal portion connected to the lateral side of the footwear upper and the second end of the lace cable; wherein the first end of the lace cable can be connected to the lateral tensioning member and the second end of the lace cable can be connected to the medial tensioning member.
- a lace cable that can further comprise: a first proximal portion connected to the medial side of the footwear upper and the first end of the lace cable; and a second proximal portion connected to the lateral side of the footwear upper and the second end of the lace cable; wherein the first end of the lace cable can be connected to the lateral tensioning member and the second end of the lace cable can be connected to the medial tensioning member.
- Example 52 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 39 through 51 to optionally include, a medial proximal lace guide that can route the lace cable from the pattern formed by a medial portion of the plurality of lace guides into a position allowing the lace cable to engage a lacing engine disposed within a mid-sole portion; and a lateral proximal lace guide to route the lace cable out of the position allowing the lace cable to engage the lacing engine into the pattern formed by a lateral portion of the plurality of lace guides.
- a medial proximal lace guide that can route the lace cable from the pattern formed by a medial portion of the plurality of lace guides into a position allowing the lace cable to engage a lacing engine disposed within a mid-sole portion
- a lateral proximal lace guide to route the lace cable out of the position allowing the lace cable to engage the lacing engine into the pattern formed by a lateral
- Example 53 can include or use subject matter such as a footwear lacing apparatus that can comprise; a footwear assembly comprising; a sole structure, a footwear upper defining a toe box portion, a medial side, a lateral side, and a heel portion, the footwear upper connected to the sole structure to form an interior space for receiving a foot, the footwear upper forming a collar to permit access to the interior space; a lacing engine disposed in the sole structure; a medial floating overlay attached to the medial side of the footwear upper proximate the toe box portion; a lateral floating overlay attached to the lateral side of the footwear upper proximate the toe box portion; and a lacing system comprising; a lace cable having medial and lateral ends anchored to the medial and lateral floating overlays and a middle portion passing through the lacing engine; and a plurality of lace guides for routing the lace cable along the footwear upper between the medial and lateral ends and the lacing engine.
- a footwear lacing apparatus can comprise; a footwear
- Example 54 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 53 to optionally include, a medial end of the lace cable that can be connected to the medial floating overlay and a lateral end of the lace cable that can be connected to the lateral floating overlay.
- Example 55 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject m atter of one or any combination of Examples 53 and 54 to optionally include, medial and lateral ends of the lace cable that can crossover a throat region of the footwear upper between the medial and lateral sides.
- Example 56 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 53 through 55 to optionally include, a medial end of the lace cable that can be connected to the lateral floating overlay and a lateral end of the lace cable that can be connected to the medial floating overlay.
- Example 57 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 53 through 56 to optionally include, an elastic member that can connect the medial and lateral sides of the footwear upper.
- Example 58 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 53 through 57 to optionally include, medial and lateral tensioning members that can each comprise: a lockout zone; and a stretch zone.
- Example 59 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 53 through 58 to optionally include, a lockout zone that can be connected to the lace cable and a stretch zone that can be connected to the footwear upper.
- Example 60 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject m atter of one or any combination of Examples 53 through 59 to optionally include, a bottom edge of a stretch zone that can be connected to the footwear upper.
- Example 61 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 53 through 60 to optionally include, a lockout zone that can be completely floating relative to the footwear upper.
- Example 62 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 53 through 61 to optionally include, a lockout zone that can include a stretch-inhibiting coating.
- Example 63 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 53 through 62 to optionally include, a lockout zone and a stretch zone that can be comprised of a contiguous sheet of material,
- Example 64 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 53 through 63 to optionally include, medial and lateral ends of the lace cable that can be stitched to the medial and lateral tensioning members, respectively, in a lockout zone,
- Example 63 can include or use subject matter such as a footwear lacing apparatus that can comprise: a footwear assembly comprising: a footwear upper including a toe box portion, a medial side, a lateral side, and a heel portion, the medial side and the lateral side each extending proximally from the toe box portion to the heel portion and forming a throat region of the footwear upper, a medial tensioning member secured to the medial side of the upper proximate the toe box; a lateral tensioning member secured to the lateral side of the upper proximate the toe box; a lace cable with a first end attached to the medial tensioning member and a second end attached to the lateral tensioning member; and a plurality of lace guides distributed along the medial side and the lateral side; wherein the lace cable extends from the first end at the medial tensioning member, across the throat region, and through one or more lace guides along the lateral side; and wherein the lace cable extends from the second end
- Example 65 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of Examples 64 to optionally include, a footwear upper that can further comprise an elastic member connecting the medial and lateral sides of the footwear upper along the throat region of the footwear upper,
- Example 66 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 64 and 65 to optionally include, medial and lateral tensioning members that can each be at least partially floating with respect to the medial and lateral sides of the footwear upper, respectively,
- Example 67 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 64 through 65 to optionally include, medial and lateral tensioning members that can each comprise: a stiff lockout zone; and an elastic stretch zone.
- Example 68 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 64 through 67 to optionally include, a lockout zone that can be connected to the lace cable and a stretch zone that can be connected to the footwear upper.
- Example 69 can include, or can optionally be combined with the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 64 through 67 to optionally include, a lockout zone and a stretch zone that can be comprised of a contiguous sheet of material.
- Method (process) examples described herein can include machine or robotic implementations at least in part.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
- Footwear And Its Accessory, Manufacturing Method And Apparatuses (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Claims
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
EP19206673.6A EP3628182B1 (en) | 2017-03-15 | 2018-03-14 | Automated footwear having cable and upper tensioners |
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US201762471850P | 2017-03-15 | 2017-03-15 | |
US201762475105P | 2017-03-22 | 2017-03-22 | |
PCT/US2018/022416 WO2018170116A1 (en) | 2017-03-15 | 2018-03-14 | Automated footwear having cable and upper tensioners |
Related Child Applications (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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EP19206673.6A Division-Into EP3628182B1 (en) | 2017-03-15 | 2018-03-14 | Automated footwear having cable and upper tensioners |
EP19206673.6A Division EP3628182B1 (en) | 2017-03-15 | 2018-03-14 | Automated footwear having cable and upper tensioners |
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EP3595481A1 true EP3595481A1 (en) | 2020-01-22 |
EP3595481A4 EP3595481A4 (en) | 2021-01-13 |
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EP18767547.5A Pending EP3595481A4 (en) | 2017-03-15 | 2018-03-14 | Automated footwear having cable and upper tensioners |
EP19206673.6A Active EP3628182B1 (en) | 2017-03-15 | 2018-03-14 | Automated footwear having cable and upper tensioners |
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EP19206673.6A Active EP3628182B1 (en) | 2017-03-15 | 2018-03-14 | Automated footwear having cable and upper tensioners |
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EP (2) | EP3595481A4 (en) |
JP (6) | JP6902107B2 (en) |
KR (8) | KR102125378B1 (en) |
CN (3) | CN110636772B (en) |
WO (1) | WO2018170116A1 (en) |
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KR20210099188A (en) | 2021-08-11 |
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KR20190131516A (en) | 2019-11-26 |
EP3595481A4 (en) | 2021-01-13 |
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WO2018170116A1 (en) | 2018-09-20 |
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CN114145544A (en) | 2022-03-08 |
CN110636772A (en) | 2019-12-31 |
CN110636772B (en) | 2021-11-19 |
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