Footwear With Reactive Layers
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An article of footwear comprising:
- an upper having a medial side and a lateral side;
a sole having a medial side and a lateral side; and
a strap attached at a medial end to at least one of the medial side of the upper and the medial side of the sole, and at a lateral end to at least one of the lateral side of the upper and the lateral side of the sole;
wherein the strap comprises a reactive material that increases in at least one of thickness and width when the strap is under longitudinal tension.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fastening system for footwear that includes a strap that functions as a restraining element to more tightly secure the footwear to the wearer'"'"'s foot when the strap is under tension. The strap could be a unitary strap made of a material with a negative Poisson'"'"'s ratio. The strap can also have a composite structure, with an outer layer and an inner layer, where the inner layer is made of a material with a negative Poisson'"'"'s ratio. As the strap is placed under tension in a lengthwise direction, the thickness and/or width of the strap may expand to increase support.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. An article of footwear comprising:
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an upper having a medial side and a lateral side; a sole having a medial side and a lateral side; and a strap attached at a medial end to at least one of the medial side of the upper and the medial side of the sole, and at a lateral end to at least one of the lateral side of the upper and the lateral side of the sole; wherein the strap comprises a reactive material that increases in at least one of thickness and width when the strap is under longitudinal tension. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An article of footwear comprising:
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an upper having a medial side and a lateral side; a sole having a medial side and a lateral side; and a unitary strap attached at a medial end to at least one of the medial side of the upper and the medial side of the sole, and at a lateral end to at least one of the lateral side of the upper and the lateral side of the sole; wherein the unitary strap comprises a layer of reactive material; and wherein the layer of reactive material increases in at least one of thickness and width when the strap is under longitudinal tension. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 18, 19, 20)
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14. An article of footwear comprising:
a composite strap having an inner layer formed from reactive material and an outer layer formed from inelastic material such that when the composite strap is under longitudinal tension the reactive material increases in at least one of thickness and width. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. An article of footwear comprising:
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an upper having a medial side and a lateral side; a sole having a medial side and a lateral side; and a composite strap attached at a medial end to at least one of the medial side of the upper and the medial side of the sole, and at a lateral end to at least one of the lateral side of the upper and the lateral side of the sole; wherein the composite strap comprises at least one layer of inelastic material and at least one layer of reactive material; and wherein the at least one layer of reactive material increases in at least one of thickness and width when the strap is under longitudinal tension.
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21. An article of footwear comprising:
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an upper having a medial side and a lateral side; the upper further including a forward portion associated with a forefoot portion of the upper, a rearward portion associated with a heel portion of the upper and an intermediate portion disposed between the forward portion and the rearward portion; and wherein the intermediate portion comprises a reactive material that increases in at least one of thickness and width when the intermediate portion is under longitudinal tension. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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Specification