Article of footwear with a customizable upper

• US 9,894,956 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2015
• Issued: 02/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Baucom, Jim, Gerber, Clifford B., Grove, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Prange, Sharon M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trieu, Timothy K
• Application Number:
  US14/601,548
• Publication Number:
  US 20150189941A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,126 Days
• Field of Search: 36 89, 36113, 36114, 36 48, 36 56, 36101, 36 71 R, 361179, 361181, 361186, 36133
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0235 Different layers of different material
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0245 characterised by the constructive form
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/22 Supports for the shank or arch of the uppers
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/0031 provided with a pocket, e.g. for keys or a card
• 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 3/242 characterised by the upper
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/02 Football boots or shoes, i.e. for soccer, football or rugby
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 11/1493 Strap fastenings having hook and loop-type fastening elements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/1275 for the ankle
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/1283 for the foot

Abstract

An article of footwear with an insert system is disclosed. The insert system can include an insert that may be introduced to a side portion of the upper. The insert is configured to adjust properties of a side portion of an upper.

Claims

1. An article of footwear, comprising:

an upper, including;

a top portion designed to correspond with the top of a wearer'"'"'s foot;

a toe portion designed to correspond with a wearer'"'"'s toes;

a heel portion opposite the toe portion;

a middle portion disposed between the toe portion and the heel portion;

a medial side portion, including;

a first aperture;

a lateral side portion opposite the medial side portion, the lateral side portion, including;

a second aperture;

wherein the medial side portion and the lateral side portion each include an outer surface and an inner surface that is opposite the outer surface,

wherein the medial side portion is bounded by the heel portion, the toe portion, and a medial free edge disposed on the top portion, and

wherein the lateral side portion is bounded by the heel portion, the toe portion, and a lateral free edge disposed on the top portion;

a sole attached to the upper;

a first mesh portion covering the first aperture;

a second mesh portion covering the second aperture;

a medial insert, including;

a first edge;

a second edge opposite the first edge; and

a first raised portion disposed between the first edge and the second edge,

wherein the medial insert is configured to be inserted into the upper on the medial side portion such that (a) the first raised portion fills the first aperture, (b) the first raised portion is covered by the first mesh portion, (c) the first edge, the second edge, and an area of the medial insert immediately surrounding the first raised portion are adjacent to the inner surface of the medial side portion and are covered by the upper, and (d) the first edge and the second edge are both disposed between the medial free edge and the sole;

a lateral insert, including;

a third edge;

a fourth edge opposite the third edge; and

a second raised portion disposed between the third edge and the fourth edge,

wherein the lateral insert is configured to be inserted into the upper such that (a) the second raised portion fills the second aperture, (b) the second raised portion is covered by the second mesh portion, (c) the third edge, the fourth edge, and an area of the lateral insert immediately surrounding the second raised portion are adjacent to the inner surface of the lateral side portion and are covered by the upper, and (d) the third edge and the fourth edge are both disposed between the lateral free edge and the sole, and wherein the medial insert and the lateral insert are each individually replaceable.

2. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the first aperture is a thru-hole.

3. The article of footwear according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first replacement insert configured to replace the medial insert; and

a second replacement insert configured to replace the lateral insert.

4. The article of footwear according to claim 3,

wherein the medial insert has a different thickness and a different rigidity than a thickness and a rigidity of the lateral insert.

5. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein a thickness of the medial insert is different from a thickness of the lateral insert.

6. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein each of the first mesh portion and the second mesh portion is defined by a plurality of interconnected strands forming a net, and the net defines a plurality of holes.

7. An article of footwear, comprising:

an upper, including;

a top portion designed to correspond with the top of a wearer'"'"'s foot,

a toe portion designed to correspond with a wearer'"'"'s toes,

a heel portion opposite the toe portion,

a middle portion disposed between the toe portion and the heel portion,

a medial side portion bounded by the heel portion, the toe portion, and a medial free edge disposed on a medial side of the top portion, wherein the medial side portion includes;

a first aperture; and

a second aperture substantially aligned with the first aperture, and

wherein the first aperture and second aperture are both disposed between the medial free edge and the sole;

a lateral side portion opposite the medial side portion, the lateral side portion being bounded by the heel portion, the toe portion, and a lateral free edge disposed on a lateral side of the top portion, wherein the lateral side portion further includes;

a third aperture; and

a fourth aperture substantially aligned with the third aperture,

wherein the third aperture and fourth aperture are both disposed between the lateral free edge and the sole, and

wherein the medial side portion and the lateral side portion each include an outer surface and an inner surface that is opposite the outer surface,

a first mesh portion covering the first aperture;

a second mesh portion covering the third aperture;

a medial insert configured to be inserted into the medial side portion of the upper such that a portion of the medial insert is adjacent to the inner surface of the medial side portion, the medial insert, including;

a first raised portion configured to fill the first aperture such that the first raised portion is covered by the first mesh portion; and

a second raised portion aligned with the first raised portion, wherein the second raised portion is configured to fill the second aperture such that the second raised portion is covered by the first mesh portion when the medial insert is disposed inside the medial side portion;

a lateral insert that is separate from the lateral side portion and is configured to be inserted into the lateral side portion of the upper such that a portion of the lateral insert is adjacent to the inner surface of the lateral side portion, the lateral insert, including;

a third raised portion configured to fill the third aperture such that the third raised portion is covered by the second mesh portion; and

a fourth raised portion aligned with the third raised portion, wherein the fourth raised portion is configured to fill the fourth aperture such that the fourth raised portion is covered by the second mesh portion when the lateral insert is disposed inside the lateral side portion; and

wherein the medial insert and the lateral insert are each individually replaceable.

8. The article of footwear according to claim 7, further comprising:

a first replacement insert configured to replace the medial insert, wherein the first replacement insert has a different thickness from the medial insert; and

a second replacement insert configured to replace the lateral insert, wherein the second replacement insert has a different thickness from the lateral insert.

9. The article of footwear according to claim 7, wherein a thickness of the medial insert is different from a thickness of the lateral insert.

10. The article of footwear according to claim 7, wherein a rigidity of the medial insert is different from a rigidity of the lateral insert.

11. The article of footwear according to claim 7, wherein the medial side portion is configured to receive the medial insert when the lateral insert is not inserted in the upper.

12. An article of footwear, comprising:

an upper, including;

a top portion designed to correspond with the top of a wearer'"'"'s foot;

a toe portion designed to correspond with a wearer'"'"'s toes;

a heel portion opposite the toe portion;

a middle portion disposed between the toe portion and the heel portion;

a medial side portion, including;

a first aperture, wherein the first aperture is disposed between a medial free edge and a sole;

a lateral side portion opposite the medial side portion, wherein the lateral side portion includes;

a second aperture, wherein the second aperture is disposed between a lateral free edge and the sole;

wherein the medial side portion and the lateral side portion each include an outer surface and an inner surface that is opposite the outer surface,

wherein the medial side portion is bounded by the heel portion, the toe portion, and the medial free edge disposed on the top portion, and

wherein the lateral side portion is bounded by the heel portion, the toe portion, and the lateral free edge disposed on the top portion;

a first mesh portion covering the first aperture;

a second mesh portion covering the second aperture;

a medial insert configured to be inserted into the upper such that a portion of the medial insert is adjacent to the inner surface of the medial side portion, the medial insert including;

a first raised portion that is configured to be inserted through the first aperture and covered by the first mesh portion;

a lateral insert configured to be inserted into the upper such that a portion of the lateral insert is adjacent to the inner surface of the lateral side portion, the lateral insert including;

a second raised portion that is configured to be inserted through the second aperture and covered by the second mesh portion; and

wherein the medial insert and the lateral insert are each individually replaceable.

13. The article of footwear according to claim 12, further comprising:

a first replacement insert configured to replace the medial insert; and

a second replacement insert configured to replace the lateral insert.

14. The article of footwear according to claim 13,

wherein the medial insert has a different thickness and a different rigidity than a thickness and a rigidity of the lateral insert.

15. The article of footwear according to claim 12, wherein the first mesh portion covers both the first aperture and the first raised portion.

16. The article of footwear according to claim 12, wherein the second mesh portion covers the second aperture and the second raised portion.

17. The article of footwear according to claim 12, wherein each of the first aperture and the second aperture is a thru-hole.