US 10,517,354 B2Granted

Segmented tunnels on articles

AssigneeNIKE, Inc.

InventorsStefan E. Guest, Matthew J. Holmes, Yoav Sterman

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Abstract

Collapsible tunnel systems or segmented tubular structures may be printed on or otherwise attached to base layers on articles of apparel, articles of footwear, or other articles of manufacture. The collapsible tunnel systems have two or more tubular structures attached to the base layer, with tunnels extending through the tubular structures. A tensile strand may be laced through the tunnels in the tubular structure such that when tension is applied to the tensile strand, the tunnels may collapse into a structure with a continuous tunnel through two or more tubular structures. In some embodiments, two or more segmented tubular structures each have two spaced-apart tubular structures joined by a connecting portion, and a tensile strand extending through tunnels in the tubular structures.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An article of apparel comprising:

a flexible base layer that is moveable between a first configuration and a second configuration;
a plurality of tunnel structures sequentially arranged and attached to the flexible base layer, the plurality of tunnel structures defining a plurality of tunnel paths that extend from a first opening to a second opening, the plurality of tunnel paths being at least partially enclosed, at least some of the plurality of tunnel structures being spaced apart from adjacent ones of the plurality of tunnel structures with respective intermediate regions of the flexible base layer therebetween;
and
a tensile strand that has a tensile strand path that extends along the plurality of tunnel paths and across the intermediate regions of the flexible base layer,
wherein applying tension to the tensile strand causes the flexible base layer to move from the first configuration to the second configuration, the first configuration being an unstressed configuration and the second configuration being a stressed configuration in which the spaced-apart tunnel structures are closer together than when in the unstressed configuration,
wherein the tensile strand path has one or more curved portions, and
wherein one or more of the plurality of tunnel structures has an interior surface that extends between the first opening and the second opening in a non-linear manner such that the interior surface is curved in a direction extending from the first opening to the second opening to define a curved tunnel path between the first opening and the second opening.

4 more elements

An article of apparel with a collapsible tunnel system attached to a base layer of the article of apparel, the collapsible tunnel system comprising:

a plurality of tunnel structures sequentially arranged and attached to the base layer, the plurality of tunnel structures defining a plurality of tunnel paths that extend from a first opening to a second opening, the plurality of tunnel paths being at least partially enclosed, the plurality of tunnel structures including a first tunnel structure spaced apart from a second tunnel structure, the first tunnel structure having a first end, a second end, and a first tunnel path and the second tunnel structure having a third end, a fourth end, and a second tunnel path extending from the third end to the fourth end, and
a tensile strand extending along a tensile strand path with at least one curved portion, the tensile strand path extending along the first tunnel path, the second tunnel path, and across a flexible intermediate region of the base layer between the second end of the first tunnel structure and the third end of the second tunnel structure;
wherein the flexible intermediate region of the base layer extends a first distance between the second end of the first tunnel structure and the third end of the second tunnel structure when the collapsible tunnel system is in an uncollapsed configuration, and applying tension to the tensile strand causes the collapsible tunnel system to move to a collapsed configuration in which the flexible intermediate region of the base layer extends a second distance between the second end of the first tunnel structure and the third end of the second tunnel structure, the second distance being shorter than the first distance, and
wherein one or more of the plurality of tunnel structures has an interior surface that extends between the first opening and the second opening in a non-linear manner such that the interior surface is curved in a direction extending from the first opening to the second opening to define a curved tunnel path between the first opening and the second opening.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/028,306Filed 5 Jul 2018 · continuation
Priority: 7 Dec 2015
Published: US 2018/0326652 A115 Nov 2018
Granted: 31 Dec 2019
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification35 codes

A43C 1/06
Shoe lacing fastenings: tightened by draw-strings
A43B 3/26
Footwear characterised by the shape or the use: adjustable as to length or size
A43B 13/181
Resilient soles: resiliency achieved by the structure of the sole
A43B 13/22
Characterised by the constructive form: soles made slip-preventing or wear-resisting, e.g. by impregnation or spreading a wear-resisting layer

Family

Application62/263,891Us provisional application · filed 7 Dec 2015
Application62/263,916Us provisional application · filed 7 Dec 2015
Application62/263,923Us provisional application · filed 7 Dec 2015
Application62/263,898Us provisional application · filed 7 Dec 2015
Application62/263,834Us provisional application · filed 7 Dec 2015
Application15/370,893Parent of this continuation · filed 6 Dec 2016
US 2018/0326652 A1Pre-grant publication · published 15 Nov 2018
US 10,144,173 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2017/0156447 A1Published application
US 10,517,354 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.