Footwear with internal harness

• US 10,278,454 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2014
• Issued: 05/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Kohatsu, Shane S., Baudouin, Alexandre
• Primary Examiner(s): Gracz, Katharine
• Application Number:
  US14/468,834
• Publication Number:
  US 20140360050A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,715 Days
• Field of Search: 36 501, 36 505, 36 585, 36 586, 36170, 36 89, 36 91
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0245 characterised by the constructive form
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/26 adjustable as to length or size
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/00 Footwear for sporting purposes non-skid devices, e.g. ice-spurs or studs for football shoes, A43C15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/1495 with arch-supports of the bracelet type
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/18 Joint supports, e.g. instep supports
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 1/04 with rings or loops
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 11/008 Combined fastenings, e.g. to accelerate undoing or fastening
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 11/1493 Strap fastenings having hook and loop-type fastening elements

Abstract

An article of footwear may include one or more harnesses to restrain a wearer foot from transverse movement within an upper during a rapid sideways maneuver. One harness may be located in a lateral forefoot region. Another harness may be located in medial region and may include a midfoot and/or a hindfoot region.

Claims

1. An article of footwear comprising:

a sole structure;

an upper attached to the sole structure and defining an interior above the sole structure, the interior including a footbed;

a first strap located in the interior and having a first fixed portion, a first pulling portion and a first wrapping portion extending between the first fixed and pulling portions, wherein the first fixed portion is attached to the sole structure in a midfoot region of the footbed at a bottom of the interior such that an end of the first fixed portion is positioned at a longitudinal centerline of the sole structure, the longitudinal centerline being positioned centrally between lateral and medial sides of the sole structure, and is substantially immovable relative to the sole structure, wherein the first wrapping portion is unattached to the upper or sole structure, wherein the first strap is positioned entirely above a bottom of the interior of the upper, and wherein the first strap extends from the first fixed portion, across the footbed along the bottom of the interior toward a medial interior side of the footbed, and upward along the medial interior side of the upper;

a second strap located in the interior and having a second fixed portion, a second pulling portion and a second wrapping portion extending between the second fixed and pulling portions, wherein the second fixed portion is attached to the sole structure in a hindfoot region of the footbed at a bottom of the interior such that an end of the second fixed portion is positioned at the longitudinal centerline of the sole structure, and is substantially immovable relative to the sole structure, wherein the second wrapping portion is unattached to the upper or sole structure, wherein the second strap is positioned entirely above a bottom of the interior of the upper, and wherein the second strap extends from the second fixed portion, across the footbed along the bottom of the interior toward the medial interior side of the footbed, and upward along the medial interior side of the upper; and

a tensioning element coupled to the first and second pulling portions;

wherein the end of the first fixed portion positioned along the longitudinal centerline of the sole structure is spaced from the end of the second fixed portion positioned along the longitudinal centerline of the sole structure.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein a separation between the first and second straps decreases in a medial transverse direction from the first and second fixed portions.

3. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the tensioning element comprises a strap end though which a lace passes.

4. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the tensioning element comprises an exterior strap.

5. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the first and second straps are connected to a main strap, and wherein the main strap includes an anchor portion fixed to at least one of the upper and the sole structure.

6. The article of footwear of claim 5, wherein the tensioning element comprises an external strap having a first portion coupled to the first and second pulling portions and a second portion configured for releasable attachment to an outer surface of the upper located on a lateral side of the upper.

7. The article of footwear of claim 6, further comprising at least one ring coupling the first portion to the first and second pulling portions, wherein the external strap includes a third portion having lace eyes, and wherein the first portion is between the second and third portions.

8. The article of footwear of claim 6, wherein the external strap includes a third portion having at least one lace eye, and wherein the first portion is between the second and third portions.

9. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the first and second pulling portions are coupled to a midfoot harness anchor portion located on an exterior of the article and attached to at least one of the upper and the sole structure.

10. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the first and second pulling portions are located above a bite line of the article when the article is worn by a wearer.

11. An article of footwear comprising:

a sole structure;

an upper attached to the sole structure and defining an interior above the sole structure, the interior including a footbed;

a forward strap having a fixed portion and extending across the footbed from the fixed portion, along a bottom of the interior toward an interior medial side of the upper, and upward along the interior medial side of the upper, through a medial side opening of the upper, and to an exterior of the article, wherein the fixed portion of the forward strap is laterally displaced inwardly along the bottom of the interior from a medial edge of the footbed such that an end of the fixed portion of the forward strap is positioned at a longitudinal centerline of the footbed, the longitudinal centerline being positioned centrally between lateral and medial sides of the footbed, and is immovable relative to the sole structure in a midfoot region, wherein the forward strap is positioned entirely above the bottom of the interior, and wherein a portion of the forward strap between the fixed portion and the medial side opening is unattached to the upper or sole structure; and

a rear strap having a fixed portion and extending across the footbed from the fixed portion, along a bottom of the interior toward the interior medial side of the upper, and upward along the interior medial side of the upper, through the medial side opening of the upper, and to the exterior of the article, wherein the fixed portion of the rear strap is laterally displaced inwardly along the bottom of the interior from the medial edge of the footbed such that an end of the fixed portion of the rear strap is positioned at the longitudinal centerline of the footbed and is immovable relative to the sole structure in a hindfoot region, wherein the forward strap is positioned entirely above the bottom of the interior, and wherein a portion of the rear strap between the fixed portion and the medial side opening is unattached to the upper or sole structure;

wherein the end of the forward strap fixed portion positioned at the longitudinal centerline of the footbed is spaced from the end of the rear strap fixed portion positioned at the longitudinal centerline of the footbed.

12. The article of footwear of claim 11, wherein a location of the medial side opening along the length of the article is between a location of forward strap fixed portion and a location of the rear strap fixed portion.

13. The article of footwear of claim 11, wherein a separation between the forward and rear straps decreases in a medial transverse direction from the forward strap fixed portion and the rear strap fixed portion.

14. The article of footwear of claim 11, wherein the forward strap fixed portion and the rear strap fixed portion pass under an insole.

15. The article of footwear of claim 11, further comprising an external strap having a first portion coupled to the forward and rear straps and a second portion configured for releasable attachment to a lateral side outer surface of the upper.

16. The article of footwear of claim 15, further comprising at least one ring coupling the first portion to the forward and rear straps, wherein the external strap includes a third portion having lace eyes, and wherein the first portion is between the second and third portions.

17. The article of footwear of claim 15, wherein the external strap includes a third portion having at least one lace eye, and wherein the first portion is between the second and third portions.