Patent Application
20250064173
The present disclosure generally relates to a closure mechanism for an article of footwear.
Articles of footwear generally include two primary elements, namely an upper and a sole structure. The sole structure is configured to be located under a wearer's foot, to space the foot away from the ground and to further provide stability and cushioning. The sole structure may include an outsole, a midsole, and an insole. In instances wherein a midsole, outsole, and insole are each present, the midsole may provide support and cushioning, the outsole may provide improved traction with the ground, and the insole may provide increased comfort for the foot.
A footwear upper may be attached to the sole structure and at least partially surround an interior volume that receives a foot of a wearer. The upper is often formed from a plurality of material elements (e.g., textiles, polymer sheet layers, foam layers, leather, synthetic leather, etc.) that are stitched or adhesively bonded together to form the interior volume. More particularly, the upper may form a structure that extends over the instep and toe areas of the foot, along medial and lateral sides of the foot, and around a heel area of the foot. In many designs, the upper may also incorporate a closure system to adjust the fit of the article of footwear. The closure system is controllable to transition between at least an open configuration to permit entry of the foot into and removal of the foot from the interior volume, and a closed configuration that secures the foot in the interior volume of the article of footwear.
Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
While the present disclosure may be described with respect to specific applications or industries, those skilled in the art will recognize the broader applicability of the disclosure.
The terms “a”, “an”, “the”, “at least one”, and “one or more” are used interchangeably to indicate that at least one of the items is present. A plurality of such items may be present unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. All numerical values of parameters (e.g., of quantities or conditions) in this specification, unless otherwise indicated expressly or clearly in view of the context, including the appended claims, are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about” whether or not “about” actually appears before the numerical value. “About” indicates that the stated numerical value allows some slight imprecision (with some approach to exactness in the value; approximately or reasonably close to the value; nearly). If the imprecision provided by “about” is not otherwise understood in the art with this ordinary meaning, then “about” as used herein indicates at least variations that may arise from ordinary methods of measuring and using such parameters. In addition, a disclosure of a range is to be understood as specifically disclosing all values and further divided ranges within the range.
The terms “comprising”, “including”, and “having” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, or components. Orders of steps, processes, and operations may be altered when possible, and additional or alternative steps may be employed. As used in this specification, the term “or” includes any one and all combinations of the associated listed items. The term “any of” is understood to include any possible combination of referenced items, including “any one of” the referenced items. The term “any of” is understood to include any possible combination of referenced claims of the appended claims, including “any one of” the referenced claims.
Features shown in one figure may be combined with, substituted for, or modified by, features shown in any of the figures. Unless stated otherwise, no features, elements, or limitations are mutually exclusive of any other features, elements, or limitations. Furthermore, no features, elements, or limitations are absolutely required for operation. Any specific configurations shown in the figures are illustrative only and the specific configurations shown are not limiting of the claims or the description.
For consistency and convenience, directional adjectives are employed throughout this detailed description corresponding to the illustrated embodiments. Those having ordinary skill in the art will recognize that terms such as “above”, “below”, “upward”, “downward”, “top”, “bottom”, etc., may be used descriptively relative to the figures, without representing limitations on the scope of the invention, as defined by the claims. Any numerical designations, such as “first” or “second” are illustrative only and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure in any way.
The term “longitudinal”, as used throughout this detailed description and in the claims, refers to a direction extending a length of a component. For example, a longitudinal direction of an article of footwear extends between a forefoot region and a heel region of the shoe. The term “forward” or “anterior” is used to refer to the general direction from a heel region toward a forefoot region, and the term “rearward” or “posterior” is used to refer to the opposite direction, i.e., the direction from the forefoot region toward the heel region. In some cases, a component may be identified with a longitudinal axis as well as a forward and rearward longitudinal direction along that axis. The longitudinal direction or axis may also be referred to as an anterior-posterior direction or axis.
The term “transverse”, as used throughout this detailed description and in the claims, refers to a direction extending a width of a component. For example, a transverse direction of an article of footwear extends between a lateral side and a medial side of the shoe. The transverse direction or axis may also be referred to as a lateral direction or axis or a mediolateral direction or axis.
The term “vertical”, as used throughout this detailed description and in the claims, refers to a direction generally perpendicular to both the lateral and longitudinal directions. For example, in cases where a sole is planted flat on a ground surface, the vertical direction may extend from the ground surface upward. It will be understood that each of these directional adjectives may be applied to individual components of a sole. The term “upward” or “upwards” refers to the vertical direction pointing towards a top of the component, which may include an instep, a fastening region and/or a throat of an upper. The term “downward” or “downwards” refers to the vertical direction pointing opposite the upwards direction, toward the bottom of a component and may generally point towards the bottom of a sole structure of an article of footwear.
In addition, the term “proximal” refers to a direction that is nearer a center of a footwear component or is closer toward a foot when the foot is inserted in the article of footwear as it is worn by a user. Likewise, the term “distal” refers to a relative position that is further away from a center of the footwear component or is further from a foot when the foot is inserted in the article of footwear as it is worn by a user. Thus, the terms proximal and distal may be understood to provide generally opposing terms to describe relative spatial positions.
To assist and clarify the subsequent description of various embodiments, various terms are defined herein. Unless otherwise indicated, the following definitions apply throughout this specification (including the claims). An “article of footwear”, a “footwear article of manufacture”, and “footwear” may be considered to be both a machine and a manufacture. Assembled, ready to wear footwear articles (e.g., shoes, sandals, boots, etc.), as well as discrete components of footwear articles (such as a midsole, an outsole, an upper component, etc.) prior to final assembly into ready to wear footwear articles, are considered and alternatively referred to herein in either the singular or plural as “article(s) of footwear”.
The following discussion and accompanying figures disclose various footwear configurations. Although an article of footwear 10 is depicted as athletic footwear configured for sports, such as sneakers, in the associated Figures, concepts associated with the configurations and methods may be applied to various other types of athletic footwear articles, such as hiking boots and shoes, soccer shoes, football shoes, running shoes, cross-training shoes, rugby shoes, basketball shoes, etc. However, the article of footwear 10 is not limited to sneakers or other sports shoes. In some embodiments, the disclosed provisions may be configured for use with various kinds of non-sports-related footwear, including but not limited to, boots, leisure shoes, dress shoes, work shoes, sandals, slippers, or any other category of footwear, which may also incorporate concepts discussed herein.
Referring to
The article of footwear 10 includes a sole structure 100 and an upper 104 attached to the sole structure 100. The article of footwear 10 may be divided into one or more regions. The regions may include a forefoot region 12, a mid-foot region 14, and a heel region 16. The forefoot region 12 may be further described as including a toe portion 12T corresponding to the phalanges of the foot, and a ball portion 12B corresponding to a metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint. The mid-foot region 14 may correspond with an arch area of the foot, and the heel region 16 may correspond with rear portions of the foot, including a calcaneus bone. The article of footwear 10 may further include an anterior end 18 associated with a forward-most point of the forefoot region 12, and a posterior end 20 corresponding to a rearward-most point of the heel region 16. A longitudinal axis A10 of the article of footwear 10 extends along a length of the article of footwear 10 from the anterior end 18 to the posterior end 20, and generally divides the article of footwear 10 into a medial side (medial portion) 22 and a lateral side (lateral portion) 24, as shown in
The upper 104 includes interior surfaces that define a foot-receiving interior cavity or opening configured to receive and secure a foot. The upper 104 may be formed from one or more materials that are stitched, adhesively bonded, or otherwise joined together to form the foot-receiving interior cavity. Suitable materials of the upper 104 may include, but are not limited to, mesh, textiles, foam, leather, and synthetic leather. In some aspects, the materials are configured and located to impart properties of durability, air-permeability, wear-resistance, flexibility, and/or comfort.
In examples of article of footwear 10, the upper 104 includes a strobel having a bottom surface opposing the sole structure 100, and an opposing top surface defining a footbed of the foot-receiving interior cavity. Stitching or adhesives secure the strobel to the upper. The footbed is contoured to conform to a profile of the bottom surface (e.g., plantar) of the foot. In other examples of articles of footwear 10, the upper 104 may incorporate additional layers, such as an insole or sockliner that are disposed on the strobel and reside within the foot-receiving interior cavity of the upper to receive a plantar surface of the foot to enhance the comfort of the article of footwear. An ankle opening 103 disposed in the heel region 16 provides access to the foot-receiving interior cavity. For example, the ankle opening 103 receives a foot to secure the foot within the void and facilitates entry and removal of the foot into and from the foot-receiving interior cavity.
The upper 104 may comprise a vamp 108. The upper 104 may further define the vamp 108 that extends into the forefoot region 12 and the mid-foot region 14. A throat 110 may extend from the ankle opening 103 toward the vamp 108 and between lateral and medial portions 22, 24 of the article of footwear 10.
The sole structure 100 may include provisions for attenuating ground reaction forces (i.e., cushioning and stabilizing the foot during vertical and horizontal loading). In addition, sole structure 100 may be configured to help provide traction, impart stability, and/or control or limit various foot motions, such as pronation, supination, or other motions. For example, the disclosed concepts may be applicable to articles of footwear configured for use on any of a variety of surfaces, including indoor surfaces or outdoor surfaces. In some embodiments, the sole structure 100 may be configured to provide traction and stability on hard indoor surfaces (such as hardwood); soft, natural turf surfaces; or on hard, artificial turf surfaces.
In different embodiments, the sole structure 100 may include different components, which may, individually or collectively, provide the article of footwear 10 with a number of attributes, such as support, rigidity, flexibility, stability, cushioning, comfort, reduced weight, or other attributes. For example, the sole structure 100 may include a midsole, an outsole, and a cushioning layer and/or insole. The compressible polymer element of the sole structure 100 attenuates ground reaction forces (i.e., provides cushioning) when compressed between the foot and the ground during walking, running, or other ambulatory activities.
The midsole may be a single, one-piece midsole, or could be multiple components integrated as a unit. In some embodiments, the midsole may be integrated with the outsole as a unisole. The outsole may be one-piece, or may be several outsole components, and may be formed from a wear-resistant rubber material that may be textured to impart traction and/or may include traction elements, such as cleats, secured to the midsole.
When the foot is positioned within the foot-receiving interior cavity of the article of footwear 10, the foot is supported on a foot-facing surface of the midsole. Optionally, the foot-facing surface of the midsole may be covered by a strobel secured to a lower region of the upper 104. Also, optionally, an insole may rest on the strobel or directly on the sole structure 100 in embodiments without a strobel, in which case the foot is supported by both the sole structure 100 and the insole.
It may be appreciated, however, that the sole structure 100 is not limited to incorporating traditional sole components and may incorporate various different kinds of elements arranged at the outermost, innermost, and intermediate ‘layers’, or locations, of the sole. Thus, the sole structure 100 can include an outer sole member or element, which may or may not coincide with a conventional ‘outsole’. Likewise, the sole structure 100 may include an inner sole member or element, which may or may not be an ‘insole’. Further, the sole structure 100 can include any number of intermediate and/or middle sole members or elements, which may or may not be a ‘midsole’.
The sole structure 100 may be permanently and/or fixedly attached to one or more portions of the upper 104 (for example, with adhesive, stitching, welding, or other suitable techniques). For example, the sole structure 100 may be attached to one or more portions of the upper 104 at a bite line and may have a configuration that extends between the upper 104 and the ground.
The upper 104 includes a tongue 106 and the closure mechanism 102. The tongue 106 may extend over an instep region of the foot. The tongue 106 may be integrated with or separately secured at the vamp 108. The closure mechanism 102 includes an adjustable lace 200, a first toggle 202, a second toggle 204, a tightening portion 206, a loosening portion 208, and one or more lace guides 210. The closure mechanism 102 may be coupled to the tongue 106, and the closure mechanism 102 may be positioned over and/or across the tongue 106. The closure mechanism 102 may extend along the throat 110. The closure mechanism 102 helps to provide an ability to adjust the girth of the upper 104 and the maximum size of the ankle opening 103.
In an example, the first toggle 202 may be disposed adjacent the ankle opening 103. The second toggle 204 may be disposed nearer the anterior end 18 than the first toggle 202. The second toggle 204 may be disposed adjacent the vamp 108. In some examples, the closure mechanism 102 may include a unitary closure panel. The unitary closure panel may allow for each of the loosening and tightening of the article of footwear to be integrated into the upper 104. In other examples, such as those having ‘tension fit’ upper construction, the closure mechanism 102 may not include a unitary closure panel.
Referring to
The first toggle 202 is slidably coupled with the first end 200a of the adjustable lace 200, such that the adjustable lace 200 is movable or slidable through the first toggle 202, but the first toggle 202 itself is not movable along the adjustable lace 200. In some examples, the first toggle 202 is further fixedly attached to the tongue 106 adjacent the ankle opening 103. In other examples, the first toggle 202 may not be fixedly attached to the tongue 106. The tightening portion 206 is operatively coupled to the first end 200a forming a loop capable of receiving one or more human fingers. In an example, the tightening portion 206 is a pull tab. In other examples, the tightening portion 206 may be a loop formed only by the first end 200a of the adjustable lace 200, for example, a portion of the adjustable lace 200 that extends toward the ankle opening 103, posteriorly of the first toggle 202. In some other examples, the first toggle 202 may include a button.
The second toggle 204 is slidably coupled with the second end 200b of the adjustable lace 200, such that the adjustable lace 200 is movable or slidable through the second toggle 204, but the second toggle 204 itself is not movable along the adjustable lace 200. In some examples, the second toggle 204 is further fixedly attached to the tongue 106 adjacent the vamp 108. In other examples, the second toggle 204 may not be fixedly attached to the tongue 106. The loosening portion 208 is operatively coupled to the second end 200b forming a loop capable of receiving one or more human fingers. In an example, the loosening portion 208 is a pull tab. In other examples, the loosening portion 208 may be a loop formed by the second end 200b of the adjustable lace 200, for example, a portion of the adjustable lace 200 that extends toward the vamp 108, anteriorly of the second toggle 204. In some other examples, the second toggle 204 may include a depressible button. In some examples, one or both of the first toggle 202 and the second toggle 204 may include a button. In some examples, neither of the first toggle 202 nor the second toggle 204 includes a button. When present, the button may be used to loosen the article of footwear 10, for example, by depressing the button.
In an example, the adjustable lace 200 extends in a crisscross pattern between the one or more lace guides 210 extending from the ankle opening 103 to the vamp 108 and extending from the medial portion 22 to the lateral portion 24. The adjustable lace 200 forms a closed loop such that the adjustable lace 200 is prevented from fully passing through either the first toggle 202 or the second toggle 204.
Referring to
Transitioning the article of footwear 10 from the tightened configuration to the loosened configuration is facilitated by a single motion application of a force (e.g., a traction force) upon the loosening portion 208 in a pulling direction D2. Said another way, the pulling direction D2 of the force may be any direction away from the upper 104, for example, at 45 degrees from the second toggle 204, at 90 degrees from the second toggle 204, or in another outward direction. Loosening the article of footwear 10 relaxes the lateral and medial portions 22, 24 of the article of footwear 10 along the throat 110. The application of the force in the pulling direction D2 lengthens a length of the adjustable lace 200 between adjacent cable guides 210, moving the medial and lateral portions 22, 24 apart from one another. In examples where the first toggle 202 includes the locking mechanism, applying the force to the loosening portion 208 in the direction D2 overcomes the locking force of the first toggle 202 to allow the adjustable lace 200 to be pulled anteriorly of the second toggle 204. In some examples, the second toggle 204 may not include a locking mechanism to secure the adjustable lace 200 such that the adjustable lace 200 can pass through the second toggle 204 allowing the medial and lateral portions 22, 24 to spread apart.
In some examples, the tightening portion 206 may instead be used to loosen the article of footwear 10 such that the tightening portion 206 is pulled in the direction D1 to loosen the article of footwear 10. In some examples, the loosening portion 208 may instead be used to tighten the article of footwear 10 such that the loosening portion 208 is pulled in the direction D2 to tighten the article of footwear 10. For example, the second toggle 204 may include a locking mechanism to secure the adjustable lace 200 and the first toggle 202 may not include a locking mechanism.
The single motion application of a force upon the tightening portion 206 to tighten and upon the loosening portion 208 to release the closure mechanism 102 allows wearer's having limited dexterity or mobility to tighten and release their own footwear 10 with limited fine motor use of the hands and fingers, as well as reduced required force. The single motion application of the force upon the tightening portion 206 to tighten and upon the loosening portion 208 to release the closure mechanism 102 also allows parents, teachers, guardians, and other caregivers to secure and/or loosen (e.g., to remove) the footwear from a patient, young child, or other charge in a simple motion with the use of only one hand.
Each of the one or more lace guides 210 may comprise a semi-stretchable material, such as a textile webbing or the like. With reference to
With continued reference to
As shown in
The adjustable lace 200 may be received by the respective apertures 202a, 202b, 204a, and 204b, such that the first toggle 202 and the second toggle 204 respectively receive portions of the adjustable lace 200. The apertures 202a, 202b, 204a, and 204b may be from about 2.0 millimeters to about 5.0 millimeters or more in diameter. In some examples, the apertures 202a, 202b, 204a, and 204b may be from about 2.5 millimeters in diameter to about 3.5 millimeters in diameter. In some examples, the 202a, 202b, 204a, and 204b may include a diameter necessary for movably receiving the adjustable lace 200 therethrough.
The closure mechanism 102 of the present disclosure is designed to facilitate ease of use for the wearer with a single motion, one-handed, transition from the loosened configuration to the tightened configuration. The closure mechanism 102 of the present disclosure is also designed to facilitate ease of use for the wearer with a single motion, one-handed, transition from the tightened configuration to the loosened configuration. Due to the positioning of the one or more lace guides 210, traction forces may be applied to the adjustable lace 200. The traction forces applied by the one or more lace guides 210 may help to secure the adjustable lace 200 when in the tightened configuration.
The sole structure 100 may be formed from a compressible polymer element, such as a thermoset or a thermoplastic, for example, a cross-linked thermosetting plastic, a cross-linked thermosetting resin, or a crosslinked thermosetting elastomer (e.g., rubber), a polyurethane foam, ethylvinylacetate (EVA) foam, an ionomeric polymer foam, or the like. In further configurations, the midsole may incorporate fluid-filled chambers, plates, moderators, or other elements that further attenuate forces, enhance stability, or influence the motions of the foot.
The adjustable lace 200 may comprise a textile or fabric material, elastomeric material, polymeric materials, or the like and may be embodied as a lace, cord, wire, cable, or the like. More particularly, the adjustable lace 200 may comprise a stretchable material. In one example, the adjustable lace 200 may comprise a fully elastomeric material. In yet another example, the adjustable lace 200 may comprise a mixture of one or more elastomeric materials and one or more non-elastomeric materials. In one example, the adjustable lace 200 further comprises an elastomeric core to permit the adjustable lace 200 to stretch. In such an embodiment, the adjustable lace 200 may further comprise a woven cover or outer portion disposed about the elastomeric core. The woven cover may be a textile woven cover having elastic or stretchable properties. Still further, the adjustable lace 200 may further comprise a coating disposed on one or more portions of the woven cover, for example, to increase a frictional engagement between the adjustable lace 200 and one or more of 202, 204, 206, 208, or 210.
The the tightening portion 206 and the loosening portion 208 may comprise a variety of materials, such as leather, textiles, polymers, cotton, foam, composites, etc. and may be further coated with a coating to enhance the grip and/or frictional characteristics of the tightening portion 206 and loosening portion 208. In one example, the tightening portion 206 and the loosening portion 208 comprise a Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) material. In another example, the tightening portion 206 and the loosening portion 208 comprise an Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) S) plastic material.
The first toggle 202 and the second toggle 204 may comprise a polymeric material, Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) material, or another suitable material. One or more of the first toggle 202 and the second toggle 204 may include a clutch, a gear, a spring-loaded mechanism, or other mechanism to releasably secure a portion of the adjustable lace 200 relative to the first toggle 202 and/or the second toggle 204. In one example, one or more of the first toggle 202 and the second toggle 204 include an internal spring element that causes the toggle to mechanically engage the adjustable lace 200 or a non-spring-loaded toggle that is simply frictionally engaged with the adjustable lace 200.
The detailed description and the drawings or figures are supportive and descriptive of the present teachings, but the scope of the present teachings is defined solely by the claims. While some of the best modes and other embodiments for carrying out the present teachings have been described in detail, various alternative designs and embodiments exist for practicing the present teachings defined in the appended claims.
While various embodiments have been described, the description is intended to be exemplary, rather than limiting and it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible that are within the scope of the embodiments. Any feature of any embodiment may be used in combination with or substituted for any other feature or element in any other embodiment unless specifically restricted. Accordingly, the embodiments are not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents. Also, various modifications and changes may be made within the scope of the attached claims. Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems, and any element or elements that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced, however, are not to be construed as critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all of the claims, unless such benefits, advantages, solutions, or elements are expressly stated in such claims.
The following clauses provide an exemplary configuration for an article of footwear and sole structure described above.
Clause 1. An article of footwear comprising: a sole structure; an upper fixedly attached to the sole structure, the upper configured to transition between at least one tightening configuration and at least one loosening configuration, and the upper comprising: a vamp disposed at a forefoot region and a mid-foot region of the article of footwear; an ankle opening operative to allow a wearer to extend a foot into an interior volume of the upper; a throat extending from the ankle opening toward the vamp; a closure mechanism configured to adjust the maximum size of the ankle opening and tightness of the upper, the closure mechanism comprising: an adjustable lace having a first end disposed adjacent the ankle opening and a second end disposed adjacent the vamp and opposite the first end, wherein the adjustable lace operatively connects a lateral portion of the article of footwear and a medial portion of the article of footwear along the throat; a first toggle coupled to the adjustable lace at the first end; a second toggle coupled to the adjustable lace at the second end; a loosening portion coupled to the first end of the adjustable lace, the loosening portion configured to transition the upper to the loosening position via pulling the loosening portion in a first pulling direction; and a tightening portion coupled to the second end of the adjustable lace, the tightening portion configured to transition the upper to the tightening position via pulling the tightening portion in a second pulling direction.
Clause 2. The article of footwear of Clause 1, wherein the closure mechanism further includes: a plurality of lace guides, wherein the plurality of lace guides are disposed on each of the medial portion of the article of footwear and the lateral portion of the article of footwear, wherein the adjustable lace is routed through the plurality of lace guides.
Clause 3. The article of footwear of Clause 1, wherein the first toggle is disposed adjacent the ankle opening and fixedly attached to the upper.
Clause 4. The article of footwear of Clause 1, wherein the second toggle is disposed adjacent the vamp.
Clause 5. The article of footwear of Clause 1, wherein the loosening portion is a pull tab.
Clause 6. The article of footwear of Clause 1, wherein the tightening portion is a pull tab.
Clause 7. The article of footwear of Clause 1, wherein the loosening portion is configured to transition the upper to the tightening configuration via pulling the tightening portion in the second pulling direction.
Clause 8. The article of footwear of Clause 7, wherein the tightening portion is configured to transition the upper to the loosening position via pulling the tightening portion in the first pulling direction.
Clause 9. The article of footwear of Clause 1, wherein the first pulling direction is substantially perpendicular to an axis extending from a posterior end of the article of footwear to an anterior end of the article of footwear.
Clause 10. The article of footwear of Clause 9, wherein the second pulling direction is substantially parallel to the axis.
Clause 11. The article of footwear of Clause 1, wherein the first toggle includes one or more apertures, wherein the second toggle includes one or more apertures, and wherein the adjustable lace is routed through the one or more apertures of the first toggle and the one or more apertures of the second toggle.
Clause 12. The article of footwear of Clause 11, wherein the one of more apertures of the first toggle includes at least two apertures, the first end of the adjustable lace routed through the at least two apertures of the first toggle forming a loop, and wherein the one or more apertures of the second toggle includes at least two apertures, the second end of the adjustable lace routed through the at least two apertures of the second toggle forming a second loop.
Clause 13. An article of footwear comprising: an upper configured to transition between at least one tightened configuration and at least one loosened configuration, and the upper comprising: a vamp disposed at a forefoot region and a mid-foot region of the article of footwear; an ankle opening operative to allow a wearer to extend a foot into an interior volume of the upper; a tongue extending from the vamp to the ankle opening; a closure mechanism configured to transition the upper between the tightening position and the loosening position, the closure mechanism comprising: an adjustable lace having a first end disposed adjacent the ankle opening and a second end disposed adjacent the vamp and opposite the first end, wherein the adjustable lace operatively connects a lateral portion of the article of footwear and a medial portion of the article of footwear; a plurality of lace guides including an anchor end and a loop end, the adjustable lace routed through the loop end of the plurality of lace guides; a first toggle coupled to the adjustable lace at the first end; a second toggle coupled to the adjustable lace at the second end; a loosening portion disposed at the first end of the adjustable lace; and a tightening portion disposed at the second end of the adjustable lace.
Clause 14. The article of footwear of Clause 13, wherein the tightening portion is configured to transition the upper to the tightening position via pulling the tightening portion in a first pulling direction, the first pulling direction being any direction away from the upper.
Clause 15. The article of footwear of Clause 13, wherein the loosening portion is a loop formed by the second end of the adjustable lace.
Clause 16. The article of footwear of Clause 15, wherein the loosening portion is configured to transition the upper to the loosening position via pulling the tightening portion in a second pulling direction, the second pulling direction being any direction away from the upper.
Clause 17. The article of footwear of Clause 13, wherein the plurality of loop guides are disposed on each of a lateral side of the article of footwear and a medial side of the article of footwear.
Clause 18. The article of footwear of Clause 17, wherein the plurality of loop guides on the lateral side of the article of footwear includes three loop guides extending along the tongue, and wherein the plurality of loop guides on the medial side of the article of footwear includes three loop guides extending along the tongue.
Clause 19. A closure mechanism comprising: an adjustable lace extending from a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the adjustable lace forming a closed loop between the first end and the second; a first toggle coupled to the adjustable lace at the first end; a second toggle coupled to the adjustable lace at the second end; a loosening portion coupled to the first end of the adjustable lace, the loosening portion configured pull the adjustable lace in a first pulling direction; and a tightening portion coupled to the second end of the adjustable lace, the tightening portion configured to pull the adjustable lace in a second pulling direction.
Clause 20. An article of footwear including the closure mechanism of Clause 19.
This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to Provisional U.S. Patent Application No. 63/578,274, filed Aug. 23, 2023, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63578274 | Aug 2023 | US |
