Footwear Incorporating Angled Tensile Strand Elements

• US 20120023778A1
• Filed: 07/30/2010
• Published: 02/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Dojan, Frederick J., Meschter, James C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,973,288 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/58.5
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0235 Different layers of different material
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0265 having different properties in different directions
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0275 with a part of the upper particularly rigid, e.g. resisting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/227 fixed on the outside of the shoe
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 11/002 Fastenings using stretchable material attached to cuts in the uppers

Abstract

An article of footwear may include various first strands and second strands. The cutting and second strands may extend from an area proximal to lace-receiving elements to an area proximal to the sole structure. The first strands may have a substantially vertical orientation and the second strands may have a rearwardly-angled orientation. The first strands may be located in a midfoot region of the footwear and the second strands may be located in both the midfoot region and a heel region of the footwear. Angles between the first strands and the second strands may be at least 40 degrees. Additionally, the second strands may have at least fifty percent greater tensile strength than the first strands.

Claims

1. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, at least a portion of the upper comprising:

a plurality of lace-receiving elements;

a base layer extending from the lace-receiving elements to the sole structure, the base layer having at least one surface;

a plurality of first strands having a substantially vertical orientation and extending from an area proximal to the lace-receiving elements to an area proximal to the sole structure, the first strands laying substantially parallel to the surface of the base layer in a region between the lace-receiving elements and the sole structure, and the first strands having a first tensile strength; and

a plurality of second strands having a rearwardly-angled orientation and extending from the area proximal to the lace-receiving elements to the area proximal to the sole structure, the second strands laying substantially parallel to the surface of the base layer in the region between the lace-receiving elements and the sole structure, and the second strands having a second tensile strength that is at least fifty percent greater than the first tensile strength.

2. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the lace-receiving elements are apertures that extend through the base layer.

3. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein angles formed between the cutting stands and the second strands are greater than 40 degrees.

4. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein a majority of the first strands are substantially located in a midfoot region of the article of footwear.

5. The article of footwear recited in claim 4, wherein a majority of the second strands extend from the midfoot region to a heel region of the article of footwear.

6. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first strands and at least one of the second strands lays substantially parallel to the surface of the base layer for a distance of at least five centimeters.

7. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein a cover layer forms at least a portion of an exterior surface of the upper and is bonded to the base layer, and the first strands and the second strands are located between the cover layer and the base layer.

8. The article of footwear recited in claim 7, wherein the base layer is a textile and the cover layer is a polymer sheet.

9. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, at least a portion of the upper comprising:

a plurality of lace-receiving elements;

a plurality of first strands extending from an area proximal to the lace-receiving elements to an area proximal to the sole structure, a majority of the first strands being wholly located in a midfoot region of the article of footwear, and the first strands having a first tensile strength; and

a plurality of second strands extending from the area proximal to the lace-receiving elements to the area proximal to the sole structure, a majority of the second strands having a reawardly-angled orientation and extending from the midfoot region to a heel region of the article of footwear, and the second strands having a second tensile strength that is at least fifty percent greater than the first tensile strength.

10. The article of footwear recited in claim 9, wherein the upper further includes a base layer extending from the lace-receiving elements to the sole structure, and the first strands and the second strands lay substantially parallel to a surface of the base layer for a distance of at least five centimeters.

11. The article of footwear recited in claim 10, wherein a cover layer is bonded to the base layer, and the first strands and the second strands are located between the cover layer and the base layer.

12. The article of footwear recited in claim 10, wherein the lace-receiving elements are apertures that extend through the base layer.

13. The article of footwear recited in claim 9, wherein the first strands have a substantially vertical orientation.

14. The article of footwear recited in claim 9, wherein angles formed between the first stands and the second strands are greater than 40 degrees.

15. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, at least a portion of the upper comprising:

a pair of layers that lay adjacent to each other, the layers defining at least one aperture for receiving a lace; and

a first strand and a second strand that are located between the layers and lay substantially parallel to surfaces of the layers for a distance of at least five centimeters, the first strand and the second strand extending from the aperture to an area proximal to the sole structure, the second strand having a rearwardly-angled orientation that forms an angle with the first strand of at least 40 degrees, and the second strand having at least fifty percent greater tensile strength than the first strand.

16. The article of footwear recited in claim 15, wherein the first strand has a substantially vertical orientation.

17. The article of footwear recited in claim 15, wherein the first strand is wholly located in a midfoot region of the article of footwear.

18. The article of footwear recited in claim 17, wherein the second strands extends from the midfoot region to a heel region of the article of footwear.