Article of footwear with adjustable sole

• US 9,491,983 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2013
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Rushbrook, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Quinn, Richale
• Assistant Examiner(s): KOZAK, ANNE M
• Application Number:
  US13/970,188
• Publication Number:
  US 20150047222A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,184 Days
• Field of Search: 36/83
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/141 with a part of the sole being flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/16 Pieced soles with several layers of different material A43B13/12
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 1/003 Zone lacing, i.e. whereby different zones of the footwear have different lacing tightening degrees, using one or a plurality of laces laces combined with another system A43C11/008; zone tightening using straps A43C11/14

Abstract

An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole structure. The sole structure includes a gap extending longitudinally through the sole structure. A tensioning member extends through the sole structure and across the gap such that tensioning the tensioning member contracts the gap and pulls opposing sides of the sole structure together. As the sole structure contracts, the upper is pulled down on the foot, thereby tightening the upper around the foot.

Claims

1. An article of footwear, comprising:

a forefoot portion, a midfoot portion and a heel portion;

a longitudinal direction extending from the forefoot portion to the heel portion of the article of footwear;

an upper having an interior cavity;

a sole structure, further comprising;

a first layer having;

a first side portion having a first inner sidewall;

a second side portion having a second inner sidewall facing the first inner sidewall;

a gap extending through the sole structure in the longitudinal direction, wherein the gap separates the first inner sidewall from the second inner sidewall; and

a second layer disposed between the upper and the first layer, wherein the second layer is exposed across the gap;

a cord including a first end portion, a second end portion and an intermediate portion, wherein the intermediate portion extends from the first side portion to the second side portion and across the gap;

wherein the cord is positioned such that applying tension to first and second end portions of the cord contracts the gap from a loosened condition to a tightened condition such that the first side portion and the second side portion of the sole structure are moved closer together in the tightened condition than in the loosened condition; and

wherein the gap extends through a majority of a length of the sole structure;

wherein the gap includes a first gap portion that extends from a first end portion of the gap to a gap vertex portion, and wherein the first gap portion splits into a second gap portion and a third gap portion at the gap vertex portion; and

wherein the first gap portion extends approximately in the longitudinal direction and wherein the second gap portion and the third gap portion are angled with respect to the longitudinal direction such that the gap is y-shaped.

2. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate portion is exposed across the gap.

3. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the gap extends through the forefoot portion and the midfoot portion, and wherein the gap has a first width in the forefoot portion and a second width in the midfoot portion that is substantially smaller than the first width.

4. The article of footwear according to claim 3, wherein the gap extends through the heel portion and wherein the intermediate portion is exposed across the gap in both the forefoot portion and the midfoot portion.

5. The article of footwear according to claim 3, wherein the interior cavity has a smaller volume when gap is in the tightened condition than when the gap is in the loosened condition.

6. The article of footwear according to claim 5, wherein a second end portion of the gap is spaced apart from a rearward most end of the sole structure so that the first layer is continuous across the rearward most edge of the sole structure.

7. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the first side portion of the sole structure includes at least one channel for receiving the cord and the second side portion of the sole structure includes at least one channel for receiving the cord.

8. The article of footwear according to claim 7, wherein the first inner sidewall is spaced apart from and substantially parallel with the second inner sidewall in both the loosened condition and the tightened condition.

9. An article of footwear, comprising:

a forefoot portion, a midfoot portion and a heel portion;

a longitudinal direction extending from the forefoot portion to the heel portion of the article of footwear;

an upper having an interior cavity;

a sole structure, further comprising;

a first side portion having a first ground contacting surface and a first inner surface opposite the first ground contacting surface;

a second side portion having a second ground contacting surface and a second inner surface opposite the second ground contacting surface;

a gap extending through the sole structure in the longitudinal direction, wherein the gap separates the first inner surface from the second inner surface;

a cord including a first end portion, a second end portion and an intermediate portion, wherein the intermediate portion extends from the first side portion to the second side portion and across the gap;

wherein the cord is positioned such that applying tension to first and second end portions of the cord contracts the gap from a loosened condition to a tightened condition, wherein the first side portion and the second side portion of the sole structure are moved closer together in the tightened condition than in the loosened condition; and

wherein the interior cavity has a smaller volume when the gap is in the tightened condition than when the gap is in the loosened condition;

wherein the gap includes a first gap portion that extends from a first end portion of the gap to a gap vertex portion, and wherein the first gap portion splits into a second gap portion and a third gap portion at the gap vertex portion; and

wherein the first gap portion extends approximately in the longitudinal direction and wherein the second gap portion and the third gap portion are angled with respect to the longitudinal direction such that the gap is y-shaped.

10. The article of footwear according to claim 9, wherein the first end portion of the gap is disposed in the forefoot portion, wherein the second gap portion is disposed in the heel portion, wherein the third gap portion is disposed in the heel portion, wherein the second gap portion extends into the first side portion of the sole structure, and wherein the third gap portion extends into the second side portion of the sole structure.

11. The article of footwear according to claim 9, wherein the gap has a first width in the forefoot portion and a second width in the midfoot portion, and wherein the first width is substantially greater than the second width.

12. The article of footwear according to claim 9, wherein the cord includes a first segment that extends across the first width of the gap in the forefoot portion.

13. The article of footwear according to claim 10, wherein the cord includes a second segment that extends across the second width of the gap in the midfoot portion.

14. The article of footwear according to claim 11, wherein the cord includes a third segment that extends across the gap in the midfoot portion and wherein the third segment crosses over the second segment at a point where the second segment and the third segment are both exposed.

15. An article of footwear, comprising:

a forefoot portion, a midfoot portion and a heel portion;

a longitudinal direction extending from the forefoot portion to the heel portion of the article of footwear;

an upper;

a sole structure, further comprising;

a gap extending through the sole structure in the longitudinal direction, wherein the gap separates a first side portion of the sole structure from a second side portion of the sole structure;

a cord including a first end portion, a second end portion and an intermediate portion, wherein the intermediate portion extends from the first side portion to the second side portion and across the gap;

wherein the cord is positioned such that applying tension to first and second end portions of the cord contracts the gap from a loosened condition to a tightened condition, wherein the first side portion and the second side portion of the sole structure are moved closer together in the tightened condition than in the loosened condition; and

wherein the interior cavity has a smaller volume when the gap is in the tightened condition than when the gap is in the loosened condition;

at least one sensor configured to receive information related to contact between the article of footwear and a ground surface;

a tensioning device capable of automatically applying tension to the cord;

a control unit in communication with the sensor and the tensioning device; and

wherein the control unit controls the tensioning device in response to information from the sensor;

wherein the gap includes a first gap portion that extends from a first end portion of the gap to a gap vertex portion, and wherein the first gap portion splits into a second gap portion and a third gap portion at the gap vertex portion; and

wherein the first gap portion extends approximately in the longitudinal direction and wherein the second gap portion and the third gap portion are angled with respect to the longitudinal direction such that the gap is y-shaped.

16. The article of footwear according to claim 15, wherein the control unit controls the tensioning device in response to information from the at least one sensor and in response to information from a tensioning sensor that detects tension in the cord.

17. The article of footwear according to claim 16, wherein the control unit is configured to allow the tensioning device to increase tension in the cord when the control unit determines that the tension in the cord should be increased and when the control unit determines that the article of footwear is not in contact with a ground surface.

18. The article of footwear according to claim 16, wherein the control unit is configured to prevent the tensioning device from increasing tension in the cord when the control unit determines that the tension in the cord should be increased and when the control unit determines that the article of footwear is in contact with a ground surface.