Article of footwear with interchangeable bootie

• US 8,914,997 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2012
• Issued: 12/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Adami, Giovanni, Droege, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Khoa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Prange, Sharon M
• Application Number:
  US13/455,802
• Publication Number:
  US 20120204359A1
• Time in Patent Office: 972 Days
• Field of Search: 36/99, 361/00, 361/01, 361/33, 36/54
• US Class Current: 36/100
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 19/00 Shoe-shaped inserts; Inserts covering the instep
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/26 Tongues for shoes
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/0047 parts having a male and corresponding female profile to fit together, e.g. form-fit
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/24 Collapsible or convertible
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/02 Football boots or shoes, i.e. for soccer, football or rugby
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/025 characterised by an element which improves the contact between the ball and the footwear
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 1/00 Shoe lacing fastenings garment fastening devices A41F
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 15/00 Non-skid devices or attachments apparatus for climbing poles, trees, or the like A63B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 999/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

An article of footwear can receive a bootie. The article can include an upper to receive the bootie. Ball control elements may be provided on the bootie and the ball control elements can extend through the upper. The ball control elements can be configured to aid kicking or to interact with various surfaces. The upper can receive different booties having different ball control elements.

Claims

1. A method for assembling an article of footwear having a lace area opening defined in an upper of the article, the method comprising:

selecting a bootie from a group of candidate booties, each bootie in the group of candidate booties having a ball control element provided on an outer surface of a tongue of the bootie, wherein the ball control element protrudes from the outer surface of the tongue as a separate element, and wherein the ball control element of at least one bootie in the group of candidate booties has at least one of a rough treaded surface configured to grip a ball and a sticky outer ball contacting surface configured to grip a ball;

associating the selected bootie with an interior of the upper so that the ball control element extends through the lace area opening; and

lacing on the article a shoelace that is attached to the upper and extends along a perimeter of the ball control element so that the ball control element extends through the shoelace.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the ball control element of a first bootie in the group of candidate booties has the rough treaded surface and wherein the ball control element of a second bootie in the croup of candidate booties has the sticky outer ball contacting surface configured to grip a ball.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a shell from a group of candidate shells, wherein the shell forms the upper of the article of footwear.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the ball control element of each bootie is sized and positioned so as to extend through the lace area opening flush with the outer surface of the upper, when the bootie is associated with the interior of the upper.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected bootie is a first bootie, and wherein the method further comprises:

separating the first bootie from the upper;

selecting a second bootie from the group of candidate booties, wherein the ball control element of the second bootie has an outer ball contacting surface that is different from an outer ball contacting surface of the ball control element of the first bootie; and

associating the selected second bootie with the interior of the upper so that the ball control element of the second bootie extends through the lace area opening.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the outer ball contacting surface of the ball control element of the first bootie is stickier with respect to a designated ball than the outer ball contacting surface of the ball control element of the second bootie.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the outer ball contacting surface of the ball control element of the first bootie is rougher than the outer ball contacting surface of the ball control element of the second bootie.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting a fit of the article of footwear by:

separating the first bootie from the upper;

selecting a second bootie from the group of candidate booties, wherein the second bootie has a foot cover thickness different from a foot cover thickness of the first bootie; and

associating the selected second bootie with the interior of the upper so that the ball control element of the second bootie extends through the lace area opening.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a second ball control element is provided on one of a forefoot face, a medial face, and a lateral face of each bootie, wherein a ball control passage is provided on a corresponding forefoot face, medial face, or lateral face of the upper and is configured to receive the second ball control element, and wherein the method further comprises associating the selected bootie with the interior of the upper so that the second ball control element extends through the ball control passage.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising wearing the selected bootie as a shoe separately from the upper while walking or running, before associating the selected bootie with the interior of the upper.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the bootie comprises selecting a bootie with a ball control element best suited for a current weather condition.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein lacing the shoelace comprises lacing the shoelace through a lace element provided on the upper adjacent to the lace area opening and through a lace section provided on the outer surface of the tongue of the bootie adjacent to the ball control element.

13. A method for assembling an article of footwear having a lace area opening defined in an upper of the article, the method comprising:

selecting a bootie from a group of candidate booties, each bootie in the group of candidate booties having a ball control element provided on an outer surface of a tongue of the bootie,

wherein the ball control element is disposed on an isolated portion of the outer surface of the tongue and extends above the isolated portion of the outer surface of the tongue; and

associating the selected bootie with an interior of the upper so that the ball control element extends through the lace area opening,

wherein the ball control element has a sticky outer ball contacting surface configured to grip a ball,

wherein the article of footwear includes a shoelace received by the upper,

wherein the shoelace extends along a perimeter of the ball control element in order to avoid the ball control element, and

wherein associating the selected bootie with the interior of the upper further comprises extending the ball control element through the shoelace.

14. A method for assembling and using an article of footwear having a lace area opening defined in an upper of the article, the method comprising:

selecting a bootie from a group of candidate booties, each bootie in the group of candidate booties having a ball control element provided on an outer surface of a tongue of the bootie, wherein the ball control element is disposed on an interior region of the tongue spaced from the perimeter of the tongue, and wherein the ball control element protrudes from the outer surface of the tongue to define an outer ball contacting surface above the outer surface of the tongue;

associating the selected bootie with an interior of the upper so that the ball control element extends through the lace area opening, wherein the outer ball contacting surface of the ball control element has at least one of a sticky surface configured to grip a designated ball and a rough treaded surface configured to grip the designated ball;

lacing on the article a shoelace that is attached to the upper and to the bootie and extends along a perimeter of the ball control element so that the ball control element extends through the shoelace; and

wearing the article and contacting the designated ball with the outer ball contacting surface of the ball control element to grip and control the designated ball.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the ball control element has a toe side, a medial side, a lateral side, and a heel side, and

wherein lacing the shoelace comprises lacing the shoelace through a lace section provided on the outer surface of the tongue of the bootie adjacent to the toe side of the ball control element, through a first lace element provided on the upper adjacent to the lace area opening and to the medial side of the ball control element, and through a second lace element provided on the upper adjacent to the lace area opening and to the lateral side of the ball control element.

16. A method for assembling an article of footwear having a lace area opening defined in an upper of the article, the method comprising:

selecting a bootie from a group of candidate booties, each bootie in the group of candidate booties having a ball control element provided on an outer surface of a tongue of the bootie, wherein the ball control element is disposed on an isolated portion of the tongue and protrudes from the outer surface of the tongue, and wherein the ball control element of at least one bootie in the croup of candidate booties has at least one of a rough treaded surface configured to grip a ball and a sticky outer ball contacting surface configured to grip a ball; and

associating the selected bootie with an interior of the upper so that the ball control element extends through the lace area opening,

wherein the ball control element comprises a first ball control element,

wherein each bootie has a second ball control element provided on the tongue,

wherein the first ball control element and the second ball control element both extend through the lace area opening, and

wherein the method further comprises lacing on the article a shoelace that is attached to the upper and extends along a perimeter of the first ball control element and the second ball control element, and between the first ball control element and the second ball control element so that the first ball control element and the second ball control element extend through the shoelace.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein lacing the shoelace comprises lacing the shoelace through a lace section provided on the outer surface of the tongue of the bootie between the first ball control element and the second ball control element.

18. A method for assembling and using an article of footwear having a lace area opening defined in an upper of the article, the method comprising:

selecting a first bootie from a group of candidate booties,

wherein each bootie in the group of candidate booties has a ball control element disposed on an outer surface of a tongue of the bootie at a location that is aligned with the lace area opening when the bootie is associated with an interior of the upper,

wherein the ball control element of each bootie is disposed on an interior portion of the outer surface of the tongue surrounded by exterior portions of the outer surface of the tongue,

wherein the ball control element of each bootie protrudes from the outer surface of the tongue to define a ball contacting surface above the outer surface of the tongue,

wherein ball control elements of the group of candidate booties have different ball contacting surfaces, and

wherein the ball control element of at least one bootie in the group of candidate booties has at least one of a rough treaded surface configured to grip a ball and a sticky outer ball contacting surface configured to grip a ball;

lacing on the article a shoelace that is attached to the upper and extends along a perimeter of the ball control element of the first bootie;

aligning the ball control element of the first bootie with the lace area opening;

extending the ball control element of the first bootie through the lace area opening and the shoelace;

wearing the article with the first bootie and contacting a ball with the ball contacting surface of the ball control element of the first bootie;

separating the selected first bootie from the upper;

selecting a second bootie from the group of candidate booties, wherein the ball contacting surface of the ball control element of the second bootie is at least one of rougher and stickier than the ball contacting surface of the ball control element of the first bootie;

associating the selected second bootie with the interior of the upper so that the ball control element of the second bootie extends through the lace area opening; and

wearing the article with the second bootie and contacting the ball with the ball contacting surface of the ball control element of the second bootie to provide a grip on the ball different from a grip provided by the ball control element of the first bootie.

19. A method for assembling and using an article of footwear having a lace area opening defined in an upper of the article, the method comprising:

selecting a bootie from a group of candidate booties,

wherein each bootie in the group of candidate booties has a first ball control element and a second ball control element provided on an outer tongue surface of the bootie,

wherein the first ball control element and the second ball control element protrude from the outer surface of the tongue as separate elements having outer ball contacting surfaces above the outer surface of the tongue, and

wherein the first ball control element and the second ball control element are spaced apart from each other, and

wherein the ball control element of at least one bootie in the croup of candidate booties has at least one of a rough treaded surface configured to grip a ball and a sticky outer ball contacting surface configured to grip a ball;

associating the selected bootie with an interior of the upper so that the first ball control element and the second ball control element extend through the lace area opening;

lacing on the article a shoelace that is attached to the upper and extends between the first ball control element and the second ball control element so that the first ball control element and the second ball control element extend through the shoelace; and

wearing the article and contacting and gripping a ball with the outer ball contacting surfaces of the first ball control element and the second ball control element.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising lacing the shoelace through a lace section on the bootie between the first ball control element and the second ball control element, so as to attach the shoelace to the bootie.