Article of footwear incorporating floating tensile strands
First Claim
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1. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the upper comprising:
- a first layer and a second layer that each extend from a lace region of the upper to a lower region where the sole structure is secured to the upper, the first layer and the second layer being unsecured to each other for a distance of at least five centimeters in an area between the lace region and the lower region, wherein the second layer is associated with an exterior surface of the upper; and
a plurality of strands located between and in contact with the first layer and the second layer, the strands extending from the lace region to the lower region, and the strands being unsecured to the first layer and the second layer for said distance of at least five centimeters in the area between the lace region and the lower region;
wherein the strands are secured to the upper in the lace region and the lower region;
wherein the strands include a first strand and a second strand, ends of the first strand and the second strand being proximal to each other in the lace region, and opposite ends of the first strand and the second strand being distally spaced from each other in the lower region; and
the upper further comprising at least one additional layer disposed within an interior portion of the upper.
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Abstract
An article of footwear may have a sole structure and an upper that includes at least one layer and a plurality of strands. The layer extends from a lace region of the upper to a lower region of the upper. The strands are located adjacent to the layer and in contact with the layer, and the strands extend from the lace region to the lower region. Additionally, the strands are unsecured to the layer for a distance of at least five centimeters in an area between the lace region and the lower region.
90 Citations
13 Claims
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1. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the upper comprising:
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a first layer and a second layer that each extend from a lace region of the upper to a lower region where the sole structure is secured to the upper, the first layer and the second layer being unsecured to each other for a distance of at least five centimeters in an area between the lace region and the lower region, wherein the second layer is associated with an exterior surface of the upper; and a plurality of strands located between and in contact with the first layer and the second layer, the strands extending from the lace region to the lower region, and the strands being unsecured to the first layer and the second layer for said distance of at least five centimeters in the area between the lace region and the lower region; wherein the strands are secured to the upper in the lace region and the lower region; wherein the strands include a first strand and a second strand, ends of the first strand and the second strand being proximal to each other in the lace region, and opposite ends of the first strand and the second strand being distally spaced from each other in the lower region; and the upper further comprising at least one additional layer disposed within an interior portion of the upper. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the upper comprising:
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a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer that each extend from a lace region of the upper to a lower region of the upper, the second layer being located between the first layer and the third layer, the first layer and the second layer being unsecured to each other for a distance of at least five centimeters in an area between the lace region and the lower region, and the third layer and the second layer being unsecured to each other for said distance of at least five centimeters in the area between the lace region and the lower region; a plurality of first strands located between and in contact with the first layer and the second layer, the first strands extending from the lace region to the lower region, and the first strands being unsecured to the first layer and the second layer for said distance of at least five centimeters in the area between the lace region and the lower region; and a plurality of second strands located between and in contact with the second layer and the third layer, the second strands extending from the lace region to the lower region, and the second strands being unsecured to the second layer and the third layer for said distance of at least five centimeters in the area between the lace region and the lower region. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification