Lace routing pattern of a lacing system for an article of footwear
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsTiffany A. Beers, Andrew A. Owings
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A lace routing pattern for a lacing system for an article of footwear is described. The lacing system is moved between opened and closed positions by applying tension to segments of a lace connected to a tensioning assembly of a tensioning system. Each of the lace segments are arranged to extend between opposite sides of a lacing area according to a different lace routing pattern. The lace routing patterns have equal total closure distances for each of the lace segments so that tension applied by the tensioning system will be uniformly distributed through the lacing system and the article of footwear.
Claims9
An article of footwear, comprising:
- a sole structure;
- an upper, secured to the sole structure, the upper forming a throat opening and a lacing area bounded by a medial edge of the upper, a lateral edge of the upper, the throat opening, and a forefoot region of the upper;
- a tensioning assembly;
- a lace, comprising a first lace segment and a second lace segment, the lace operatively coupled to the tensioning system, the lace extending across the lacing area in a plurality of lace positions, the plurality of lace positions including a first lace position that is most proximate to the throat opening relative to all other lace positions of the plurality of lace positions;
- wherein the first lace segment enters the lacing area from the tensioning assembly at the first lace position proximate the throat opening and then crosses over a first portion of the lacing area between the throat opening and a midsection of the lacing area at least twice, wherein the first lace segment has an end secured to the upper;
- and
- wherein the second lace segment enters the lacing area, from the tensioning assembly, directly proximate the midsection of the lacing area and crosses over a second portion of the lacing area between the midsection and the forefoot region at least twice, wherein the second lace segment has an end, separate from the end of the first lace segment, secured to the upper separate from the end of the first lace segment, and wherein the first lace segment overlaps the second lace segment on one of a medial side and a lateral side of the lacing area;
- wherein the first and second lace segments are secured to one of a medial side and a lateral side of the forefoot region of the upper.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.