Patent Grant
11253023
The present teachings generally relate to an upper component for an article of footwear. More specifically, the present teachings relate to an upper component including a foldable portion.
Traditionally, placing footwear on a foot often requires the use of one of both hands to stretch the ankle opening of a footwear upper, and hold the second portion during foot insertion, especially in the case of a relatively soft upper and/or an upper that does not have a heel counter secured to a flexible fabric rearward of the ankle opening.
The present disclosure describes an upper component for an article of footwear that allows easy entry of the foot into the article of footwear. The upper component includes a heel body. In one or more embodiments, the heel body includes a first portion partially defining an ankle opening. The heel body further includes a second portion coupled to the first portion. The second portion is foldable and partially defines the ankle opening. Further, the second portion is movable relative to the first portion between an unfolded configuration and a folded configuration. The upper component further includes at least one tension member coupled to the second portion. The tension member is movable relative to the first portion to move the second portion from the unfolded configuration to the folded configuration. The ankle opening is larger when the second portion is in the unfolded configuration than when the second portion is in the folded configuration to allow easy entry of the foot into the article of footwear.
In one or more embodiments, the upper component may further include a tube partly disposed inside the first portion. The tension member is disposed in the tube to minimize friction between the at least one tension member and the heel body when the tension member moves relative to the first portion.
In one or more embodiments, the second portion may include a medial foldable side and a lateral foldable side. The tension member may include a first string segment coupled to the second portion at the foldable lateral side. The tension member may include a second string segment coupled to the second portion at the foldable medial side. The tension member may include a third string segment interconnecting the first string segment and the second string segment. The third string segment may be disposed outside the heel body to allow a wearer to manually pull the third string segment to move the second portion from the unfolded configuration to the folded configuration.
In one or more embodiments, the upper component can be combined with a sole structure. The sole structure may include a spool assembly coupled to the sole structure. The spool assembly may be coupled to the tension member to move the second portion between the unfolded configuration and the folded configuration.
In one or more embodiments, the sole structure may include a sole forefoot portion, a sole heel portion, and a sole midfoot portion between the sole forefoot portion and the sole heel portion. The spool assembly may be coupled to the sole midfoot portion.
In one or more embodiments, the spool assembly may include a spool rotatable about an axis to wind and unwind the tension member. The spool assembly may further include an electric motor coupled to the spool. As such, the spool rotates about the axis upon activation of the electric motor. In one or more embodiments, a remote control may be in wireless communication with the electric motor to control an operation of the electric motor.
In one or more embodiments, the upper component may include a biasing member coupled to the second portion to bias the second portion toward the unfolded configuration.
In one or more embodiments, a sensor may be included to sense a wearer's foot inside the heel body. The sensor may be a pressure sensor coupled to the sole heel portion to sense a pressure exerted by a foot when the foot is inside the heel body.
In one or more embodiments, the heel body includes textile layers and a padding disposed in the textile layers to act as a heel counter and hold a foot when the second portion is in the folded configuration. The second portion may include a plurality of fold areas to allow the second portion to move between the unfolded configuration and the folded configuration. The second portion may include a plurality of panels. The fold areas may be disposed between the panels. The fold areas may be thinner than the panels.
In one or more embodiments, the second portion may include a plurality of fold areas to allow the second portion to move between the unfolded configuration and the folded configuration. The second portion may include panels. The fold areas may be disposed between the panels. The fold areas may be more flexible than the panels.
In one or more embodiments, the second portion may include a plurality of fold areas to allow the second portion to move between the unfolded configuration and the folded configuration. Each of the fold areas may have a substantially linear shape. The second portion may include a plurality of panels. The heel body may further include a plurality of elongated polymeric bodies coupled to the panels. Each of the elongated polymeric bodies may be disposed adjacent a respective one of the fold areas. Each of the elongated polymeric bodies is substantially parallel to the respective one of the fold areas.
The second portion may include a plurality of panels and a base layer. The panels are coupled to the base layer. The second portion further includes a filler disposed between the base layer and the panels. The base layer defines a plurality of fold areas between adjacent one of the panels.
The present disclosure also describes an article of footwear. In one or more embodiments, the article of footwear includes a sole structure and an upper coupled to the sole structure. The upper component includes a heel body. The heel body includes may include a first portion partially defining an ankle opening. The heel body further includes a second portion coupled to the first portion. The second portion is foldable and partially defines the ankle opening. The second portion is movable relative to the first portion between an unfolded configuration and a folded configuration. The heel body further includes at least one tension member coupled to the second portion. The tension member is movable relative to the first portion to move the second portion from the unfolded configuration to the folded configuration. The ankle opening is larger when the second portion is in the unfolded configuration than when the second portion is in the folded configuration to allow easy entry of the foot into the article of footwear.
In one or more embodiments, the upper component may further include a tube partly disposed inside the first portion. The tension member is disposed in the tube minimize friction between the at least one tension member and the heel body when the tension member moves relative to the first portion.
In one or more embodiments, the second portion may include a medial foldable side and a lateral foldable side. The tension member may include a first string segment coupled to the second portion at the foldable lateral side. The tension member may include a second string segment coupled to the second portion at the foldable medial side. The tension member may include a third string segment interconnecting the first string segment and the second string segment. The third string segment may be disposed outside the heel body to allow a wearer to manually pull the third string segment to move the second portion from the unfolded configuration to the folded configuration.
In one or more embodiments, the article of footwear may further include a spool assembly coupled to the sole structure. The spool assembly may be coupled to the tension member to move the second portion between the unfolded configuration and the folded configuration.
In one or more embodiments, the sole structure may include a sole forefoot portion, a sole heel portion, and a sole midfoot portion between the sole forefoot portion and the sole heel portion. The spool assembly may be coupled to the sole midfoot portion.
In one or more embodiments, the spool assembly may include a spool rotatable about an axis to wind and unwind the tension member. The spool assembly may further include an electric motor coupled to the spool such that the spool rotates about the axis upon activation of the electric motor. In one or more embodiments, a remote control may be in wireless communication with the electric motor to control an operation of the electric motor.
In one or more embodiments, the heel body may include a biasing member coupled to the second portion to bias the second portion toward the unfolded configuration.
In one or more embodiments, a sensor may be included to sense a wearer's foot inside the heel body. The sensor may be a pressure sensor coupled to the sole heel portion to sense a pressure exerted by a foot when the foot is inside the heel body.
In one or more embodiments, the heel body includes a textile layers. The textile layers may be partially stuffed with padding to act as a heel counter and hold a foot when the second portion is in the folded configuration. The second portion may include a plurality of fold areas to allow the second portion to move between the unfolded configuration and the folded configuration. The second portion may include a plurality of panels. The fold areas may be disposed between the panels. The fold areas may be thinner than the panels.
In one or more embodiments, the second portion may include a plurality of fold areas to allow the second portion to move between the unfolded configuration and the folded configuration. The second portion may include panels. The fold areas may be disposed between the panels. The fold areas may be more flexible than the panels.
In one or more embodiments, the second portion may include a plurality of fold areas to allow the second portion to move between the unfolded configuration and the folded configuration. Each of the fold areas may have a substantially linear shape. The second portion may include a plurality of panels. The heel body may further include a plurality of elongated polymeric bodies coupled to the panels. Each of the elongated polymeric bodies may be disposed adjacent a respective one of the fold areas. Each of the elongated polymeric bodies is substantially parallel to the respective one of the fold areas.
The second portion may include a plurality of panels and a base layer. The panels are coupled to the base layer. The second portion further includes a filler disposed between the base layer and the panels. The base layer defines a plurality of fold areas between adjacent one of the panels.
The above features and advantages and other features and advantages of the present teachings are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best modes for carrying out the teachings when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
“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.
Those having ordinary skill in the art will recognize that terms such as “above,” “below,” “upward,” “downward,” “top,” “bottom,” etc., are used descriptively relative to the figures, and do not represent limitations on the scope of the invention, as defined by the claims. The invention illustratively disclosed herein may be practiced in the absence of any element which is not specifically disclosed herein.
For consistency and convenience, directional adjectives are employed throughout this detailed description corresponding to the illustrated embodiments. The term “longitudinal” as used throughout this detailed description and in the claims refers to a direction extending a length of a component (e.g., an upper or sole structure). In some cases, the longitudinal direction may extend from a forefoot portion to a heel portion of the component. Also, the term “lateral” as used throughout this detailed description and in the claims refers to a direction extending along a width of a component. In other words, the lateral direction may extend between a medial side and a lateral side of a component. Furthermore, the term “vertical” as used throughout this detailed description and in the claims refers to a direction generally perpendicular to a lateral and longitudinal direction. For example, in cases where an article is planted flat on a ground surface, the vertical direction may extend from the ground surface upward. Additionally, the term “inner” refers to a portion of an article disposed closer to an interior of an article, or closer to a foot when the article is worn. Likewise, the term “outer” refers to a portion of an article disposed farther from the interior of the article or from the foot. Thus, for example, the inner surface of a component is disposed closer to an interior of the article than the outer surface of the component. This detailed description makes use of these directional adjectives in describing an article and various components of the article, including an upper component, a midsole structure and/or an outer sole structure.
Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers correspond to like or similar components throughout the several figures, and beginning with
With continuing reference to
The sole structure 12 may be divided into the sole forefoot portion 20, the sole midfoot portion 22, and the sole heel portion 24. The sole midfoot portion 22 is between the sole heel portion 24 and the sole forefoot portion 20. The sole forefoot portion 20 may be generally associated with the toes and joints connecting the metatarsals with the phalanges. The sole midfoot portion 22 may be generally associated with the arch of a foot. The sole heel portion 24 may be generally associated with the heel of a foot, including the calcaneus bone. In addition, the sole structure 12 may include a sole lateral side 26 and a sole medial side 28. In particular, the sole lateral side 26 and the sole medial side 28 may be opposing sides of the sole structure 12. Furthermore, both the sole lateral side 26 and the sole medial side 28 may extend through the sole forefoot portion 20, the sole midfoot portion 22, and the sole heel portion 24. As used herein, a lateral side of a component for the article of footwear 10, including the sole lateral side 26, is a side that corresponds with an outside area of the human foot (i.e., the side closer to the fifth toe of the wearer). The fifth toe is commonly referred to as the little toe. A medial side of a component for an article of footwear 10, including the sole medial side 28, is the side that corresponds with an inside area of the human foot (i.e., the side closer to the hallux of the foot of the wearer). The hallux is commonly referred to as the big toe. Both the sole lateral side 26 and the sole medial side 28 extend from a foremost extent 25 to a rearmost extent 27 of a periphery of the sole structure 12.
As discussed above, the sole structure 12 is coupled to the upper component 14. The upper component 14 may have any design, shape, size and/or color. For example, in embodiments where the article of footwear 10 is a basketball shoe, the upper component 14 could be a high top upper component that is shaped to provide high support on an ankle. In embodiments where article of footwear 10 is a running shoe or golf shoe, the upper component 14 could be a low top upper component. The upper component 14 defines an ankle opening 42 that provides entry for the foot into an interior cavity of upper component 14. In some embodiments, the upper component 14 may also include a tongue 30 that provides cushioning and support across the instep of the foot. Some embodiments may include fastening provisions, including, but not limited to: laces, cables, straps, buttons, zippers as well as any other provisions known in the art for fastening articles. Some embodiments may include uppers components 14 that extend beneath the foot, thereby providing three hundred sixty degrees coverage at some regions of the foot. However, other embodiments need not include uppers components 14 that extend beneath the foot. In other embodiments, for example, the upper component 14 could have a lower periphery joined with a sole structure and/or a strobel or sock liner.
The longitudinal direction of the sole structure 12 extends along a length of the sole structure 12, e.g., from the sole forefoot portion 20 to the sole heel portion 24 of the sole structure 12. The term “forward” is used to refer to the general direction from the sole heel portion 24 toward the sole forefoot portion 20, and the term “rearward” is used to refer to the opposite direction, i.e., the direction from the sole forefoot portion 20 toward the sole heel portion 24.
The upper component 14 includes a main upper body 34 and a heel body 36 coupled to the main upper body 34. The main upper body 34 may be coupled to and disposed over the sole forefoot portion 20 and the sole midfoot portion 22, whereas the heel body 36 is coupled to and disposed over the sole heel portion 24. As a non-limiting example, stitching may be used to couple the main upper body 34 to the heel body 36. The main upper body 34 may include a first upper material. In other words, the main upper body 34 may be wholly or partly made of the first upper material. The first upper material may be a fused polymeric material with limited (or virtually no) elasticity. The heel body 36 may include a second upper material. In other words, the heel body 36 may be wholly or partly made of a second upper material. The second upper material may be a polymeric material capable of providing elasticity to the upper component 14. As non-limiting examples, the second upper material may be of braided construction, a knitted (e.g., warp-knitted) construction or a woven construction. Regardless of the specific material employed, the first upper material may have a first elastic modulus, and the second upper material may have a second elastic modulus, which may be less than the first elastic modulus.
The heel body 36 includes a first portion 38 and a second portion 40 coupled to the first portion. The second portion 40 is foldable and movable relative to the first portion 38 between an unfolded configuration (
The article of footwear 10 may include one or more tubes 45 at least partially disposed inside the heel body 36 to minimize the friction between the tension member 44 and the heel body 36 when the tension member 44 moves relative to the upper component 14. To minimize this friction, the tube 45 may be made of a polymeric material with an anti-friction coating on its inner surface. In the depicted embodiment, the article of footwear 10 includes two tubes 45. One tube 45 is disposed on an upper lateral side 46, and another tube 45 is disposed on the upper medial side 48. Further, in the depicted embodiment, the tubes 45 are partially disposed inside the heel body 36 and the main upper body 34. The heel body 36 may include one or more tension member opening 51 to receive the tension member 44. The tension member opening 51 leads to at least one of the tubes 45. The tube 45 partly receives the tension member 44 to minimize friction between the tension member 44 and the upper component 14 (including the heel body 36) when the tension member 44 moves relative to the first portion 38. In other words, the tension member 44 is disposed in the tube 45.
The second portion 40 includes a foldable lateral side 50 and a foldable medial side 52. In the depicted embodiment, the tension member 44 includes a first string segment 44a and a second string segment 44b. The first string segment 44a is coupled (anchored) to the second portion 40 at the foldable lateral side 50, and the second string segment 44b coupled (anchored) to the second portion 40 at the foldable medial side 52. In the embodiment depicted in
With specific reference to
The spool assembly 56 further includes a remote control 64 in wireless communication with the electric motor 60. The term “wireless” refers to communications, monitoring, or control system in which electromagnetic or acoustic waves carry a signal through atmospheric space rather than along an electrically conductive structural object, such a wire or any other physical metal contact. Thus, the remote control 64 is in wireless communication with the electric motor 60 to control an operation of the electric motor 60.
With reference again to
Aside from the biasing member 66, the article of footwear 10 may further include a sensor 68 to sense a wearer's foot inside the heel body 36. The sensor 68 is in communication (e.g., electronic communication) with the electric motor 60. As such, when the sensor 68 senses the wearer's foot inside the heel body 36, the sensor 68 sends a signal to the electric motor 60. In response to this signal, the electric motor 60 activates to wind the tension member 44 around the spool 58, thereby moving the second portion 40 from the unfolded position to the folded position. As a non-limiting example, the sensor 68 is a pressure sensor coupled to the sole heel portion 24 to sense a pressure exerted by a foot on the sole structure 12 when the foot is inside the heel body 36.
With reference to
The second portion 40 includes a plurality of fold areas 70 to allow the second portion 40 to move between the unfolded configuration (
With reference again to
With reference to
With reference to
To remove the foot from the article of footwear 10, the wearer may simply activate the electric motor 60 to unwind the tension member 44 from the spool 58. Once the electric motor 60 allows slack in the tension member 44, the biasing member 66 can bias the second portion 40 toward the unfolded position (
While the best modes for carrying out the teachings have been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which this disclosure relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the teachings within the scope of the appended claims. The article of footwear 10 and upper component 14 illustratively disclosed herein may be suitably practiced in the absence of any element which is not specifically disclosed herein. Furthermore, the embodiments shown in the drawings or the characteristics of various embodiments mentioned in the present description are not necessarily to be understood as embodiments independent of each other. Rather, it is possible that each of the characteristics described in one of the examples of an embodiment can be combined with one or a plurality of other desired characteristics from other embodiments, resulting in other embodiments not described in words or by reference to the drawings.
The present disclosure is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/793,346, filed on Oct. 25, 2017, which claims priority to, and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/413,185, filed on Oct. 26, 2016, each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| 20200146391 A1 | May 2020 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62413185 | Oct 2016 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 15793346 | Oct 2017 | US |
| Child | 16738256 | US |
