Article of footwear with dynamic tensioning system
First Claim
1. An article of footwear comprising:
- a sole;
an upper coupled to the sole, the upper being configured to receive at least a portion of a human foot;
a guide element comprising a rail disposed on the upper that extends along a lateral side or a medial side of the upper, wherein at least one end of the rail extends from the sole; and
a plurality of carriage members, each carriage member of the plurality of carriage members being movably coupled to the rail such that each carriage member is adapted to move independently of any other carriage member of the plurality of carriage members, each carriage member traveling along a lengthwise portion of the rail;
wherein each carriage member comprises;
a proximal, guide-element-receiving portion configured to slidingly couple the carriage member to the rail anda distal, lacing-element-receiving portion adapted to surround a section of a lacing element that extends between lateral and medial sides of the upper.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An article of footwear includes a fastening system including a guide element and a carriage member slidably coupled to the guide element. A lacing element is coupled to the carriage member such that the position of the lacing element changes as the carriage member moves along the guide element. In an embodiment, the footwear includes a lateral side rail and a medial side rail, each rail including a series of carriage members selectively movable along the rail for a predetermined distance. The lacing element extends repeatedly from the lateral side to the medial side, being captured by the carriage members. In operation, the carriage members move along the rail, adapting the positioning of the lacing element.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. An article of footwear comprising:
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a sole; an upper coupled to the sole, the upper being configured to receive at least a portion of a human foot; a guide element comprising a rail disposed on the upper that extends along a lateral side or a medial side of the upper, wherein at least one end of the rail extends from the sole; and a plurality of carriage members, each carriage member of the plurality of carriage members being movably coupled to the rail such that each carriage member is adapted to move independently of any other carriage member of the plurality of carriage members, each carriage member traveling along a lengthwise portion of the rail; wherein each carriage member comprises; a proximal, guide-element-receiving portion configured to slidingly couple the carriage member to the rail and a distal, lacing-element-receiving portion adapted to surround a section of a lacing element that extends between lateral and medial sides of the upper. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An article of footwear comprising:
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a sole; an upper coupled to the sole, the upper being configured to receive at least a portion of a human foot; a guide element comprising a guide rail disposed on the upper that extends along a lateral side or a medial side of the upper; a plurality of first carriage members movably coupled to the rail such that each carriage member is adapted to move along the rail, wherein each first carriage member is structurally configured to couple with a lacing element that extends between lateral and medial sides of the upper; a plurality of second carriage members, wherein each second carriage member comprises; a guide-rail-receiving portion configured to slidingly couple the second carriage member to the guide rail; a securing-strap-receiving portion; and a securing strap that extends around a heel end of the upper and connects at each end of the securing strap to the securing-strap-receiving portion of a corresponding second carriage member. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. An article of footwear comprising:
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a sole structure; an upper coupled to the sole structure, the upper being configured to receive at least a portion of a human foot; a medial guide rail disposed on a medial side of the upper; a lateral guide rail disposed on a lateral side of the upper, wherein at least one end of one or both of the medial and lateral guide rails extends from the sole; a plurality of individual and separate medial carriage members movably coupled to the medial guide rail such that each medial carriage member is adapted to move independent of every other medial carriage member along a lengthwise portion of the medial guide rail; a plurality of individual and separate lateral carriage members movably coupled to the lateral guide rail such that each lateral carriage member is adapted to move independent of every other lateral carriage member along the lateral guide rail; and a lacing element coupled to the medial carriage members and the lateral carriage members across the upper, wherein each medial and lateral carriage member includes an annular shaped lacing element receiving portion to receive a portion of the lacing element as the lacing element extends between lateral and medial sides of the upper. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification