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US 8,661,712 B2Granted
Article of footwear with tongue having holes
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsMichael A. Aveni, Martine I. V. Mientjes, Kelly McKean
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An article of footwear includes a tongue. The tongue includes a medial portion, a lateral portion, a central portion, a top portion and an upper perimeter portion. The lateral portion, the central portion and the upper perimeter portion include holes. The top portion and medial portion are substantially solid portions without holes. Each portion of the tongue corresponds to a different pressure zone along a foot in order to provide differential cushioning and support against pressure applied by a fastening system.
Claims20
An article of footwear, comprising:
- an upper, the upper including an opening and a fastening region associated with the opening;
- and
- a tongue associated with the fastening region of the upper, the tongue including a first portion and a second portion;
- the first portion being disposed in a lateral direction of the tongue relative to the second portion of the tongue;
- the first portion including a first set of holes arranged in a first pattern and the second portion including a second set of holes arranged in a second pattern;
- and
- the first set of holes comprising holes each of approximately a first constant size and the second set of holes comprising holes each of approximately a second constant size;
- wherein the first size is substantially different from the second size and a material volume of the first portion associated with the first set of holes is substantially different than a material volume of the second portion associated with the second set of holes, such that a material volume of the tongue varies asymmetrically in a medial to lateral direction of the tongue.
5 more elements
An article of footwear, comprising:
- an upper, the upper including an opening and a fastening region associated with the opening;
- and
- a tongue associated with the fastening region of the upper, the tongue including a central portion and an outer portion extending between the central portion and an edge of the tongue;
- the central portion including a first set of holes each having a first constant size and arranged in a first pattern;
- and
- the outer portion including a second set of holes each having a second constant size and arranged in a second pattern;
- wherein the first size is substantially different from the second size and a material volume of the first portion associated with the first set of holes is substantially different than a material volume of the second portion associated with the second set of holes, such that a material volume of the tongue varies asymmetrically in a medial to lateral direction of the tongue.
4 more elements
An article of footwear, comprising:
- an upper, the upper including an opening and a fastening region associated with the opening;
- and
- a tongue associated with the fastening region of the upper, the tongue including a central portion, a lateral portion, and an upper perimeter portion;
- the tongue further including a top portion disposed between the central portion and the upper perimeter portion;
- the central portion including a first set of holes each having a first constant size and arranged in a first pattern, the first set of holes including an upper most hole, the upper most hole having a size characterized by a length;
- the lateral portion including a second set of holes each having a second constant size and arranged in a second pattern;
- the upper perimeter portion including a third set of holes each having a third constant size and arranged in a third pattern;
- and
- the top portion extending a distance from the upper most hole of the central portion to the upper perimeter portion, the distance being greater than two lengths of the upper most hole;
- wherein a material volume of the top portion is greater than a material volume of the central portion, the material volume of the top portion being equal to a material volume of the tongue material in the absence of any holes;
- and
- wherein the first size is substantially different from the second size.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.