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 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, the strand segments forming 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; and
wherein a first material layer and a second material layer are located in the lace region, and the strand segments are located and secured between the first material layer and the second material layer in the lace region.
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.
115 Citations
40 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 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, the strand segments forming 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; and wherein a first material layer and a second material layer are located in the lace region, and the strand segments are located and secured between the first material layer and the second material layer in the lace region. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured together, the upper comprising:
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at least two material layers located adjacent to each other and in an overlapping configuration, the material layers being located in (a) a lace region that includes a plurality of lace-receiving elements and (b) a lower region proximal to an area where the sole structure is secured to the upper, and the material layers defining an opening between the lace region and the lower region, 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, the strand segments being located and secured between the material layers in the lace region and the lower region, and the strand segments extending across the opening between the lace region and the lower region. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. 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) a lace region that includes a plurality of lace-receiving elements and (b) a lower region proximal to an area where the sole structure is secured to the upper, 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 being secured to the material elements in the lace region and the lower region; and wherein the material elements include a first material layer and a second material layer in at least one of the lace region and the lower region, and the strand segments are located and secured between the first material layer and the second material layer. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. 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 being located in (a) a forefoot region of the upper, (b) a midfoot region of the upper, and (c) a heel region of the upper, and the material elements defining (a) a lace region that includes a plurality of lace-receiving elements and (b) a lower region proximal to an area where the sole structure is secured to the upper, and the material elements defining an opening that extends from an ankle opening of the upper in the heel region to an area between the lace region and the lower region in the midfoot region, the opening extending from an exterior surface of the upper to the void, and the opening having an area of at least twenty-five square centimeters; and a plurality of strand segments extending from the lace region to the lower region and across the opening, the strand segments being secured to the material elements in the lace region and the lower region; and wherein the material elements include a first material layer and a second material layer in the lace region, and the strand segments are located and secured between the first material layer and the second material layer in the lace region. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification