Footwear Having An Upper With Forefoot Tensile Strand Elements
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorFrederick J. Dojan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Articles of footwear may include an upper with a forward lace-receiving element and a plurality of strands that extend forward from the lace-receiving element. In some configurations, the strands are located between a pair of material layers and lay substantially parallel to the material layers. In other configurations, the material layers form a loop structure, and the strands may extend at least partially around the loop structure.
Claims20
An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the upper comprising:
- a throat area that includes a plurality of lateral lace-receiving elements extending along a lateral side of the upper, a plurality of medial lace-receiving elements extending along a medial side of the upper, and a forward lace-receiving element located between the lateral side and the medial side;
- a lace extending through the lateral lace-receiving elements, the medial lace-receiving elements, and the forward lace-receiving element;
- and
- a tensile strand element located within a forefoot region of the footwear, the tensile strand element including a plurality of strands that extend from an area proximal to the forward lace-receiving element and toward a forward edge of the footwear.
An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the upper comprising:
- a throat area that includes a plurality of lateral lace-receiving elements extending along a lateral side of the upper, a plurality of medial lace-receiving elements extending along a medial side of the upper, and a forward lace-receiving element located between the lateral side and the medial side;
- a lace extending through the lateral lace-receiving elements, the medial lace-receiving elements, and the forward lace-receiving element;
- and
- a tensile strand element located within a forefoot region of the footwear, the tensile strand element including a first layer, a second layer, and a plurality of strands located between the first layer and the second layer, at least the first layer and the second layer forming a loop that defines the forward lace-receiving element, the strands extending at least partially around the loop.
An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the upper comprising:
- a first layer and a second layer that lay adjacent to each other, the first layer and the second layer defining a tab area where the first layer and the second layer overlap to define a loop structure;
- a plurality of strands located between the first layer and the second layer and substantially parallel to surfaces of the first layer and the second layer for a distance of at least five centimeters, portions of the strands extending around the loop structure;
- and
- a lace extending through the loop structure.
An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the upper comprising:
- a throat area having a plurality of lace-receiving elements that include a forward lace-receiving element positioned closer to a forward edge of the upper than other lace-receiving elements;
- a lace extending through at least the forward lace-receiving element;
- and
- a tensile strand element that includes a first layer, a second layer, and a plurality of strands located between the first layer and the second layer, the strands laying substantially parallel to surfaces of the first layer and the second layer for a distance of at least five centimeters, and the strands extending from an area proximal to the forward lace-receiving element towards the forward edge of the footwear.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.