# US 10,368,607 B2 · Dynamic lacing system

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- Number: US 10,368,607 B2
- Document ID: US10368607B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/913,342
- Filed: 2018-03-06
- Published: 2018-07-12
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-22
- Assignees: NIKE, Inc.
- Applicants: NIKE, Inc.
- Inventors: Caleb W. Dyer; Peter Lam; Austin Orand; Andrea M. Vinet; Peter Williams; Samantha Young
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10368607B2

## CPC

- A43B 3/00: Footwear characterised by the shape or the use
- A43B 3/26: adjustable as to length or size
- A43B 11/00: Footwear with arrangements to facilitate putting-on or removing, e.g. with straps
- A43B 13/125: {characterised by the midsole or middle layer}
- A43B 23/0245: {characterised by the constructive form}
- A43C 7/00: Holding-devices for laces
- A43C 11/165: {characterised by a spool, reel or pulley for winding up cables, laces or straps by rotation}
- A43C 11/20: Fastenings with tightening devices mounted on the tongue
- Y10T 24/3713: having relatively movable holding components or surfaces
- Y10T 24/3969: Sliding part or wedge
- Y10T 24/3996: Sliding wedge
- A43B: CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
- A43C: FASTENINGS OR ATTACHMENTS OF FOOTWEAR; LACES IN GENERAL
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

An article of footwear includes an upper defining an interior void and a first cable movable in a tightening direction to move the upper into a tightened state and movable in a loosening direction to move the upper into a loosened state. The article of footwear also includes a tightening grip operable to be moved away from the upper in a first direction to move the first cable in the tightening direction and a cable lock operable in a locked state to restrict movement of the first cable in the loosening direction and operable in an unlocked state to permit movement of the first cable in the loosening direction. A release grip is operable to be moved away from the upper in a second direction to move the cable lock from the locked state to the unlocked state, whereby the release grip is separate from the tightening grip.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A cable lock for a cable, the cable lock comprising:
a housing including a first engagement surface and a second engagement surface, the first engagement surface and the second engagement surface converging toward one another;
a lock member slidably disposed within the housing and movable between a locked state and an unlocked state and including a first lock surface and a second lock surface that converge toward one another, the first lock surface operable to pinch a first portion of the cable between the first engagement surface and the first lock surface in the locked state and the second lock surface operable to pinch a second portion of the cable between the second engagement surface and the second lock surface in the locked state to restrict movement of the cable in a first direction relative to the housing;
a biasing spring operable to apply a biasing force and to bias the lock member in the locked state; and
a release cord attached to the lock member and operable to move the lock member from the locked state to the unlocked state when a tensile force exceeding the biasing force of the biasing spring is applied to the release cord in an unlocking direction.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The cable lock of claim 1, wherein the biasing spring is a coil spring.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The cable lock of claim 1, wherein the release cord is attached to the lock member at an opposite end of the lock member than the biasing spring.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The cable lock of claim 1, wherein the lock member includes a retainer operable to selectively engage the housing and to maintain the lock member in the unlocked state.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The cable lock of claim 4, wherein the retainer is disposed at an opposite end of the lock member than the biasing spring.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The cable lock of claim 4, wherein the retainer is formed on a tab portion of the lock member.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The cable lock of claim 6, wherein the tab portion is movable relative to the lock member between a rest state and a flexed state.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The cable lock of claim 7, wherein the tab portion is biased into the rest state.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The cable lock of claim 7, wherein the tab portion is operable to move from the rest state to the flexed state to disengage the retainer from the housing.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The cable lock of claim 9, wherein the release cord attached to the tab portion, the release cord operable to move the tab portion from the rest state to the flexed state.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The cable lock of claim 1, wherein the lock member includes a first recess and a second recess operable to selectively receive a first retainer and a second retainer of the housing to maintain the lock member in the unlocked state.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The cable lock of claim 11, wherein the first retainer and the second retainer are movable between an extended state and a retracted state.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The cable lock of claim 12, wherein the first retainer and the second retainer are biased into the extended state by a first biasing spring and a second biasing spring.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The cable lock of claim 12, wherein the first retainer and the second retainer are integrally formed with the housing.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The cable lock of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first lock surface and the second lock surface includes projections operable to grip the cable when the lock member is in the locked state, the projections being angled relative to a longitudinal axis of the lock member to grip the cable when the lock member is in the locked state and restrict movement of the cable in the first direction relative to the housing.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The cable lock of claim 1, wherein the cable is movable in a second direction opposite the first direction when the lock member is in either of the locked state or the unlocked state.

### Claim 17

A cable lock for a cable, the cable lock comprising:
a housing including a first engagement surface, a second engagement surface, a first retainer, and a second retainer;
a lock member slidably disposed within the housing and movable between a locked state and an unlocked state and including a first lock surface, a second lock surface, a first recess, and a second recess, the first lock surface operable to pinch a first portion of the cable between the first engagement surface and the first lock surface in the locked state, the second lock surface operable to pinch a second portion of the cable between the second engagement surface and the second lock surface in the locked state to restrict movement of the cable in a first direction relative to the housing, the first recess operable to receive the first retainer in the locked state, and the second recess operable to receive the second retainer in the locked state; and
a biasing spring operable to apply a biasing force and to bias the lock member in the locked state.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The cable lock of claim 17, wherein the biasing spring is a coil spring.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The cable lock of claim 17, further comprising a release cord attached to the lock member and operable to move the lock member from the locked state to the unlocked state when a tensile force exceeding the biasing force of the biasing spring is applied to the release cord in an unlocking direction.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The cable lock of claim 19, wherein the release cord is attached to the lock member at an opposite end of the lock member than the biasing spring.

### Claim 21 (depends on 17)

The cable lock of claim 17, wherein the lock member includes a third retainer operable to selectively engage the housing to maintain the lock member in the unlocked state.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The cable lock of claim 21, wherein the third retainer is disposed at an opposite end of the lock member than the biasing spring.

### Claim 23 (depends on 21)

The cable lock of claim 21, wherein the third retainer is formed on a tab portion of the lock member.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The cable lock of claim 23, wherein the tab portion is movable relative to the lock member between a rest state and a flexed state.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The cable lock of claim 24, wherein the tab portion is biased into the rest state.

### Claim 26 (depends on 24)

The cable lock of claim 24, wherein the tab portion is operable to move from the rest state to the flexed state to disengage the third retainer from the housing.

### Claim 27 (depends on 17)

The cable lock of claim 17, wherein the first retainer and the second retainer are biased into an extended state by a first biasing spring and a second biasing spring, respectively.

### Claim 28 (depends on 17)

The cable lock of claim 17, wherein the first retainer and the second retainer are integrally formed with the housing.

### Claim 29

A cable lock for a cable, the cable lock comprising:
a housing including a first engagement surface and a second engagement surface, the first engagement surface and the second engagement surface converging toward one another;
a lock member slidably disposed within the housing and movable between a locked state and an unlocked state and including:
a first lock surface and a second lock surface that converge toward one another, the first lock surface operable to pinch a first portion of the cable between the first engagement surface and the first lock surface in the locked state and the second lock surface operable to pinch a second portion of the cable between the second engagement surface and the second lock surface in the locked state to restrict movement of the cable in a first direction relative to the housing; and
a retainer operable to selectively engage the housing and to maintain the lock member in the unlocked state; and
a biasing spring disposed at an opposite end of the lock member than the retainer and operable to apply a biasing force and to bias the lock member in the locked state.