Articles of footwear with tensile strand elements
First Claim
1. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured together, the upper comprising:
- a plurality of material elements joined together to define a lace region and a lower region, the material elements including a base material layer located in at least the lace region, the base material layer having a first surface and an opposite second surface, and the base material layer defining an aperture of a lace-receiving element that extends from the first surface to the second surface in the lace region, the lower region being spaced from the lace region and located proximal to an area where the sole structure is secured to the upper; and
a plurality of strand segments extending from the lace region to the lower region, the strand segments including a first strand segment and a second strand segment, the first strand segment being located adjacent to the first surface of the base material layer and extending at least partially around the aperture, and the second strand segment being located adjacent to the second surface of the base material layer and extending at least partially around the aperture.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An upper for an article of footwear may have material layers and a plurality of strand segments. The material layers are located adjacent to each other and in an overlapping configuration, and the material layers are located in a lace region and a lower region of the upper. The strand segments extend from the lace region to the lower region. The strand segments may be located and secured between the material layers in the lace region and the lower region. The strand segments may form both an exterior surface of the upper and an opposite interior surface of the upper in an area between the lace region and the lower region. The material layers may define an opening between the lace region and the lower region, and the strand segments extend across the opening.
126 Citations
38 Claims
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1. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured together, the upper comprising:
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a plurality of material elements joined together to define a lace region and a lower region, the material elements including a base material layer located in at least the lace region, the base material layer having a first surface and an opposite second surface, and the base material layer defining an aperture of a lace-receiving element that extends from the first surface to the second surface in the lace region, the lower region being spaced from the lace region and located proximal to an area where the sole structure is secured to the upper; and a plurality of strand segments extending from the lace region to the lower region, the strand segments including a first strand segment and a second strand segment, the first strand segment being located adjacent to the first surface of the base material layer and extending at least partially around the aperture, and the second strand segment being located adjacent to the second surface of the base material layer and extending at least partially around the aperture. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured together, the upper comprising:
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a plurality of material elements joined together to define (a) a lateral side of the upper, (b) a medial side of the upper located opposite the lateral side, and (c) a void within the upper and between the lateral side and the medial side for receiving at least a foot, the material elements also defining a lace region and a lower region, the material elements including a base material layer located in at least the lace region, the base material layer having a first surface and an opposite second surface, and the base material layer defining an aperture of a lace-receiving element that extends from the first surface to the second surface in the lace region, the lower region being spaced from the lace region and located proximal to an area where the sole structure is secured to the upper, and the material elements forming an opening in an area between the lace region and the lower region, the opening extending from an exterior surface of the upper to the void, and the opening having an area of at least nine square centimeters; and a plurality of strand segments extending from the lace region to the lower region and across the opening, the strand segments including a first strand segment and a second strand segment, the first strand segment being located adjacent to the first surface of the base material layer and forming a loop extending at least partially around the aperture, and the first strand segment having a substantially vertical orientation in the area between the lace region and the lower region, the second strand segment being located adjacent to the second surface of the base material layer and forming a loop extending at least partially around the aperture, and the second strand segment extending toward a heel region of the footwear in the area between the lace region and the lower region. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure, the method comprising:
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locating a first strand segment and a second strand segment adjacent to opposite surfaces of a base material layer, each of the first strand segment and the second strand segment forming loops on the opposite surfaces; incorporating the first strand segment, the second strand segment, and the base material layer into the upper, the base material layer being positioned in at least a lace region of the upper, and the first strand segment and the second strand segment extending from the lace region to a lower region of the upper, the lower region being spaced from the lace region and located proximal to an area where the sole structure is secured to the upper; and angling the first strand segment and the second strand segment, the first strand segment having a substantially vertical orientation in an area between the lace region and the lower region, and the second strand segment extending toward a heel region of the footwear in the area between the lace region and the lower region. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured together, the upper comprising:
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a plurality of material layers located in at least one of (a) a lace region that is spaced from the sole structure and (b) a lower region that is proximal to an area where the sole structure is secured to the upper; a continuous strand that extends repeatedly between the lace region and the lower region to form a plurality of loops in the lace region, the strand being secured to the material layers in the lace region and the lower region, and multiple segments of the strand being unsecured to the material layers for a distance of at least four centimeters in an area between the lace region and the lower region; and a lace that extends through the loops formed by the strand in the lace region. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured together, the upper comprising:
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a lace region including a plurality of lace-receiving elements; a lower region proximal to an area where the sole structure is secured to the upper; and a plurality of strand segments extending from the lace region to the lower region, the strand segments being secured to the upper in the lace region and the lower region, and the strand segments being unsecured for a distance of at least four centimeters in an area between the lace region and the lower region, at least one of the strand segments having an outer sheath that extends around an inner core, the sheath and the core extending from the lace region to the lower region, and each of the sheath and the core being formed from a plurality of intertwined threads. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification