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US 11,346,028 B2Granted
Footwear article comprising links
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorMichael A. Aveni
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An article of footwear may be constructed of a matrix of beads. For example, by preconfiguring the row length and the number of beads in a given row, the bead matrix may be configured to form a three dimensional shape that pulls towards a centerline or is concave.
Claims18
An article of footwear comprising:
- a plurality of threads arranged side-by-side to form a plurality of rows, the plurality of threads including a first thread and second thread;
- a first double-hole bead including a first hole and a second hole, the first thread being slidably threaded through the first hole and the second thread being slidably threaded through the second hole;
- a single-hole bead that is directly adjacent to the first double-hole bead and that includes a third hole, the first thread being slidably threaded through the third hole;
- and
- a second double-hole bead that is positioned directly adjacent to the single-hole bead and that includes a fourth hole and a fifth hole, the first thread being slidably threaded through the fourth hole and the second thread being slidably threaded the fifth hole, wherein no other bead that is threaded onto the second thread separates the first double-hole bead and the second double-hole bead.
2 more elements
An article of footwear comprising:
- a plurality of threads arranged side-by-side to form a plurality of rows, the plurality of threads including a first thread, a second thread, and a third thread;
- a first set of double-hole beads and single-hole beads,
- wherein each double-hole bead in the first set includes a respective first hole receiving the first thread and a respective second hole receiving the second thread,
- wherein each single-hole bead in the first set includes a respective third hole receiving the first thread,
- wherein the double-hole beads in the first set alternate with the single-hole beads in the first set, and
- wherein along the second thread a respective gap is positioned between each of the double-hole beads;
- and
- a second set of double-hole beads each of which includes a respective fourth hole receiving the second thread and a respective fifth hole receiving the third thread, wherein a double-hole bead of the second set of double-hole beads is positioned in every other respective gap.
5 more elements
An article of footwear comprising:
- a bead matrix comprised of a plurality of threads that form rows in the bead matrix and a plurality of beads that threadably receive the plurality of threads, the bead matrix comprising:
- a first thread having a first set of beads threadably received thereon, the first set of beads including a plurality of double-hole beads that are also coupled to a second thread, the first thread including terminating free ends, and
- the second thread having a second set of beads threadably received thereon, wherein the second thread is shorter than the first thread and includes terminating free ends, at least one terminating free end of the second thread being coupled to at least one terminating free end of the first thread, wherein the second set of beads includes fewer beads than the first set of beads, and wherein the second set of beads includes another plurality of double-hole beads that are also coupled to a third thread.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.