KR102479220B1 - Automated footwear having cable and upper tensioners - Google Patents

Abstract

A shoe assembly may include an upper, a lace cable, a plurality of lace guides, and a tensioner. The tensioner includes an elastic member extending between two of the plurality of string guides, an elastic member extending between the first and second parts of the upper, and between a part of the upper and one of the plurality of string guides. An elongated elastic member, a heel channel connected to the heel portion of the upper and configured to facilitate access to the interior space, and an elastic associated with the shoe assembly that functions to smooth out the torque versus lace displacement curve during tightening of the lace cable. member, a tension member secured to the side of the upper proximate the toe box and lace cable, and a floating overlay attached to the side of the upper proximate the toe box and lace cable.

Description

Automated footwear having cable and upper tensioners {AUTOMATED FOOTWEAR HAVING CABLE AND UPPER TENSIONERS}

claim of priority

This patent application is based on U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 62/471,850, filed March 15, 2017, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety; and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 62/475,105, filed March 22, 2017.

This application generally relates to a tensioning system for footwear. More specifically, this application relates to an upper and lace drive system for controlling shoe fit.

Current shoe uppers generally have fixed dimensions and therefore do not readily allow to conform to the shape of the foot. Accordingly, the wearer generally controls the fit and tension of the upper by means of the lace drive system. However, in a shoe that includes a motorized lace drive engine, the ability of the wearer of the shoe to tighten the upper around the foot by coordinating the lace drive system, along with the feel and tactile feedback that can be obtained from the manual lace drive system, can: can be reduced As such, a need exists to improve the ability of uppers and lace drive systems to conform to the shape of the foot while carrying the required amount of tension, especially when accompanied by an automated lace drive engine.
The background technology of the present invention is disclosed in US 2003-0204938 A1 (2003.11.06).

The following specification is directed to lace drive systems, including motorized or non-motorized lace drive engines, shoe components associated with lace drive engines, shoe assemblies including automated lace driven shoe platforms, and related manufacturing processes. Various aspects are described. More specifically, much of the following specification describes various aspects of lace structure (configuration) for use in a shoe that includes a motorized or non-motorized lace drive engine for centralized lace tightening. The following specification additionally describes various tensioners that may be incorporated into a shoe assembly, such as in a laced upper.

A shoe assembly comprising a shoe upper having a toe box portion, a medial side, a lateral side, and a heel portion, the medial side and the lateral side each extending proximally from the toe box portion to the heel portion. , shoe upper; a braid cable having a first end secured along a distal lateral portion of the medial side and a second end secured along a distal lateral portion of the lateral side; A plurality of lace guides distributed along the medial side and the lateral side, each lace guide of the plurality of lace guides adapted to receive the length of the lace cable, the lace cable comprising the lace guide of the shoe upper. a plurality of string guides extending through each of the plurality of string guides to form a pattern along each of the inner side and the outer side; Routing the lace cable from the pattern formed by the inner portions of the plurality of lace guides to a position that allows the lace cable to engage a lacing engine disposed inside the midsole portion. an inner proximal strap guide; an lateral proximal lace guide routing the lace cable from the position allowing the lace cable to engage the lace drive engine into the pattern defined by the lateral portions of the plurality of lace guides; and a first elastic member extending between a first string guide and a second string guide among the plurality of string guides.

A shoe assembly comprising a shoe upper having a toe box portion, a medial side, a lateral side, and a heel portion, the medial side and the lateral side each extending proximally from the toe box portion to the heel portion. , shoe upper; a braid cable having a first end secured along a distal lateral portion of the medial side and a second end secured along a distal lateral portion of the lateral side; A plurality of lace guides distributed along the medial side and the lateral side, each lace guide of the plurality of lace guides adapted to receive the length of the lace cable, the lace cable comprising the lace guide of the shoe upper. a plurality of string guides extending through each of the plurality of string guides to form a pattern along each of the inner side and the outer side; routing the lace cable from the pattern formed by the inner portions of the plurality of lace guides to a position that allows the lace cable to engage a lacing engine disposed inside the midsole portion; an inner proximal strap guide; an lateral proximal lace guide routing the lace cable from the position allowing the lace cable to engage the lace drive engine into the pattern formed by the lateral portions of the plurality of lace guides; and a first elastic member extending between the first portion and the second portion of the shoe upper.

A shoe assembly comprising a shoe upper having a toe box portion, a medial side, a lateral side, and a heel portion, the medial side and the lateral side each extending proximally from the toe box portion to the heel portion. , shoe upper; a braid cable having a first end secured along a distal lateral portion of the medial side and a second end secured along a distal lateral portion of the lateral side; A plurality of lace guides distributed along the medial side and the lateral side, each lace guide of the plurality of lace guides adapted to receive the length of the lace cable, the lace cable comprising the lace guide of the shoe upper. a plurality of string guides extending through each of the plurality of string guides to form a pattern along each of the inner side and the outer side; Routing the lace cable from the pattern formed by the inner portions of the plurality of lace guides to a position that allows the lace cable to engage a lacing engine disposed inside the midsole portion. an inner proximal strap guide; an lateral proximal lace guide routing the lace cable from the position allowing the lace cable to engage the lace drive engine into the pattern defined by the lateral portions of the plurality of lace guides; and a first elastic member extending between the first portion of the shoe upper and a first string guide of the plurality of string guides.

The shoe assembly includes a sole structure; A shoe upper defining a toe box portion, a medial side surface, a lateral side surface, and a heel portion, the shoe upper connected to the sole structure to form an interior space for receiving a foot, the shoe upper comprising: To form a collar to allow access of the shoe upper; a lace drive engine disposed within the sole structure; A lace drive system comprising: a lace cable having a medial end and a lateral end secured to the shoe upper and a middle portion passing through the lace drive engine; and a plurality of lace guides for routing the lace cable along the shoe upper between the medial and lateral ends and the lace drive engine; and a heel channel coupled to the heel portion and configured to facilitate access to the interior space.

The shoe assembly includes a sole structure; A shoe upper defining a toe box portion, a medial side surface, a lateral side surface, and a heel portion, the shoe upper connected to the sole structure to form an interior space for receiving a foot, the shoe upper comprising: To form a collar to allow access of the shoe upper; a lace drive engine disposed within the sole structure; A lace drive system comprising: a lace cable having a medial end and a lateral end secured to the shoe upper and a middle portion passing through the lace drive engine; and a plurality of lace guides for routing the lace cable along the shoe upper between the medial and lateral ends and the lace drive engine; and an elastic member coupled to the shoe assembly that functions to smooth a torque versus lace displacement curve during tightening of the lace cable.

A shoe assembly comprising a shoe upper having a toe box portion, a medial side, a lateral side, and a heel portion, the medial side and the lateral side each extending proximally from the toe box portion to the heel portion. , shoe upper; a medial tension member secured to the medial side of the upper proximate to the toe box; a lateral tension member secured to the lateral side of the upper proximate to the toe box; a braid cable having a first end attached to the inner tension member and a second end attached to the outer tension member; and a plurality of lace guides distributed along the medial side and the lateral side, wherein each lace guide of the plurality of lace guides is adapted to receive the length of the lace cable, the lace cable comprising a portion of the shoe upper. and a plurality of string guides extending through each of the plurality of string guides to form a pattern along each of the inner side and the outer side.

The shoe assembly includes a sole structure; A shoe upper defining a toe box portion, a medial side surface, a lateral side surface, and a heel portion, the shoe upper connected to the sole structure to form an interior space for receiving a foot, the shoe upper comprising: To form a collar to allow access of the shoe upper; a lace drive engine disposed within the sole structure; a medial floating overlay attached to the medial side of the shoe upper proximate to the toe box portion; a lateral floating overlay attached to the lateral side of the shoe upper proximate to the toe box portion; and a string drive system comprising: a string cable having inner and outer ends secured to the inner and outer floating overlays and an intermediate portion passing through the string drive engine; and a plurality of lace guides for routing the lace cable along the shoe upper between the medial and lateral ends and the lace drive engine.

A shoe assembly comprising: a shoe upper having a toe box portion, a medial side, a lateral side, and a heel portion, the medial side and the lateral side each extending proximally from the toe box portion to the heel portion; and a shoe upper forming a throat region of the shoe upper; a medial tension member secured to the medial side of the upper proximate to the toe box; a lateral tension member secured to the lateral side of the upper proximate to the toe box; a braid cable having a first end attached to the inner tension member and a second end attached to the outer tension member; and a plurality of lace guides distributed along the medial side and the lateral side, wherein the lace cable extends from the first end in the medial tension member across the neck region and one or more lace guides. extends along the outer side through; and the laces cable extends from the second end of the lateral tension member across the neck region and along the medial side through one or more lace guides.

In the drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, like reference numbers may describe like elements in different drawings. Like reference signs with different letter suffixes may represent different instances of like elements. The drawings generally depict various embodiments discussed herein by way of example, but not limitation.
1 is an exploded view of components of a portion of a shoe assembly having a motorized lace drive system, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.
2 is a plan view illustrating a lace structure for use with a shoe assembly that includes a motorized lace drive engine, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.
3A-3C are plan views illustrating a flattened shoe upper having a lace structure for use in a shoe assembly that includes a motorized lace drive engine, in accordance with some example embodiments.
4A illustrates a portion of a shoe upper having a lace structure for use in a shoe assembly that includes a motorized lace drive engine and heel and tongue access control components of the shoe upper, according to some demonstrative embodiments. It is an illustrative drawing.
4B is a diagram illustrating a portion of a shoe upper having a lace structure for use in a shoe assembly that includes a heel and tongue elastic member connected to the lace structure.
5 is a diagram illustrating a portion of a shoe upper having a lace structure for use in a shoe assembly that includes a motorized lace drive engine, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.
6 is a diagram illustrating a portion of a shoe upper having a lace structure for use in a shoe assembly that includes a motorized lace drive engine, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.
7A-7B are diagrams illustrating a portion of a shoe upper having a lace structure for use in a shoe assembly that includes a motorized lace drive engine, according to some example embodiments.
7C-7D are diagrams illustrating deformable lace guides for use in a shoe assembly, according to some demonstrative embodiments.
7E is a graph illustrating various torque versus string displacement curves for deformable string guides, according to some demonstrative embodiments.
8A-8G are diagrams illustrating a lace guide for use in a particular lace configuration, according to some example embodiments.
9 is a flow diagram illustrating a shoe assembly process for assembly of a shoe that includes a lace drive engine, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.
10 is a flow diagram illustrating a shoe assembling process for assembling a shoe that includes a lace drive engine, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments.
11 illustrates a frontal view of a partially cut away shoe upper showing elastic strips connecting the medial and lateral side panels of the upper.
12 is a diagram illustrating a rear view of the shoe upper of FIG. 11 showing a heel strap assembly connecting portions of a lace cable on the medial and lateral sides of the upper.
FIG. 13 illustrates an external view of the shoe upper of FIG. 11 partially cut away to show a lace guide connected to the shoe upper with an elastic strip.
14 is a diagram illustrating the shoe upper of FIG. 13 bent to show a lace guide connected to the shoe upper separate from the elastic strip.
FIG. 15A is a diagram illustrating the shoe upper of FIG. 12 showing the loosened lace cable being pulled from the motorized lace drive engine by the pre-tension strap of the heel strap assembly.
15B is a diagram illustrating the shoe upper of FIG. 15A showing the lace cable being tightened into the motorized lace drive engine and the heel strap of the heel strap assembly being tightened around the heel portion of the shoe upper.
16 is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of a shoe upper showing medial and lateral lacing cable tension straps.
17 is a graph illustrating various force versus lace displacement curves for shoe uppers including various elastic members described herein, in accordance with some example embodiments.
FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating the shoe upper of FIG. 16 laid out flat to show a lace structure including tension straps connected to the laces in a cross-over configuration.
19 is a diagram illustrating the tension strap of FIG. 18 showing a lockout region and an elongation region.
20 is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of a shoe upper that includes a lacing structure that includes tension straps connected to the lacing in a non-traversing configuration.
21 is a plan view illustrating a two-zone lace construction for use with a shoe assembly that includes a motorized or non-motorized lace drive engine, according to some demonstrative embodiments.
22 is a top perspective view of an article of footwear incorporating the upper of FIG. 21 and the two-zone lacing structure, in accordance with some example embodiments.
Any headings provided herein are for convenience only, and do not necessarily affect the scope or meaning of the terms used or discussed under the heading.

The concept of self-tightening shoelaces was first widely popularized by the virtual powered laces Nike® sneakers worn by Marty McFly in the 1989 film Back to the Future II It became. Nike® has since released at least one version of the power laces sneaker that looks similar to the movie prop version from Back to the Future II, but the internal mechanical systems employed and the surrounding shoe platform are not necessarily suitable for mass production or everyday use. did not Additionally, other previous designs for motorized string drive systems have relatively suffered from problems such as high manufacturing cost, complexity, assembly problems, and poor serviceability. The inventors have developed a modular shoe platform for accommodating both motorized and non-motorized lace drive engines that specifically addresses some or all of the problems discussed above. To fully utilize the modular lace drive engine discussed briefly below and in more detail in co-pending application Ser. No. 62/308,686 entitled "Lace Drive Device for Automated Shoe Platforms", the inventors developed the string structure discussed herein. The lace structure discussed herein can address various problems experienced with centralized lace tightening mechanisms, such as non-uniform tightening, fit, comfort and performance. Lace construction provides a number of advantages, including smoothing lace tension over a greater length of lace travel and improving comfort while maintaining fit performance. One aspect of enhanced comfort includes a lacing structure that reduces pressure across the top of the foot. Exemplary lace constructions may also improve fit and performance by manipulating lace tension in an anterior-to-posterior (front to back) direction as well as in a medial-outward direction. Various other advantages of the components described below will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

The lace structures discussed were specifically developed to interface with a modular lace drive engine located within the midsole portion of a shoe assembly. However, this concept can also be applied to motorized and manual lace drive mechanisms that are placed at various locations around the shoe, such as the heel or even the toe of the shoe platform. The lace constructions discussed include the use of string guides, which may be formed from tubular plastics, metal clips, fabric loops or channels, plastic clips, and open U-shaped channels, among other shapes and materials. In some instances, a variety of different types of lace guides may be mixed to perform specific lace routing functions within a lace structure.

The motorized lace driven engine discussed below was developed from the ground up to provide a robust, serviceable and interchangeable component of an automated lace driven shoe platform. The lace drive engine includes unique design elements that enable consumer-level final assembly into a modular shoe platform. The lace drive engine design allows most shoe assembly processes to utilize known assembly techniques while unique adaptations to standard assembly processes can still utilize current assembly resources.

In one example, a modular automated lace driven shoe platform includes a midsole plate secured to a midsole to house a lace driven engine. The design of the midsole plate allows the lace drive engine to be mounted within the shoe platform right at the point of purchase. The midsole plate and other aspects of the modular automated shoe platform allow different types of lace drive engines to be used interchangeably. For example, a motorized string drive engine discussed below could be replaced with a human powered string drive engine. Alternatively, a fully automatic motorized laces drive engine with foot presence sensing or other optional features may be housed inside a standard midsole plate.

The use of motorized or non-motorized centralized lace drive engines to tighten athletic shoes presents several challenges in providing sufficient performance without sacrificing any degree of comfort. The lace structures discussed herein are designed specifically for use with a centralized lace drive engine, and are designed to enable a variety of footwear designs, from casual to high performance.

This initial overview portion is intended to introduce the subject matter of this patent application. It is not intended to provide an exhaustive or exhaustive description of the various inventions disclosed in the more detailed description that follows.

Automated shoe platform

The following discusses various components of an automated shoe platform, including a motorized lace drive engine, a midsole plate, and various other components of the platform. Although much of this disclosure focuses on string structures for use with motorized string driven engines, the designs discussed are human powered string driven engines or other motorized string driven engines with additional or lesser capabilities. is also applicable to Thus, the term "automated" as used in "automated shoe platform" is not intended to encompass only systems that operate without user input. Rather, the term "automated shoe platform" includes a variety of electrically and human-driven, automatically activated and human-activated mechanisms for tightening the laces or restraint systems of a shoe.

1 is an exploded view of components of a motorized lace drive system for a shoe, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments. The motorized strap drive system 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes a strap drive engine 10, a cover 20, an actuator 30, a midsole plate 40, a midsole 50 and an outsole 60 do. 1 shows the basic assembly sequence of the components of an automated lace-driven shoe platform. The motorized lace drive system 1 begins with the midsole plate 40 secured inside the midsole. Next, the actuator 30 is inserted into the opening in the lateral side of the midsole plate opposite the contact buttons that may be embedded in the outsole 60 . Next, lace drive engine 10 is dropped into midsole plate 40 . In one example, the string drive system 1 is inserted under a continuous loop of string cable, and the string cable is aligned with a spool of the string drive engine 10 (discussed below). Finally, the lid 20 is inserted into the groove of the midsole plate 40, secured in a closed position, and latched into a recess in the midsole plate 40. The shroud 20 may capture the string drive engine 10 and help maintain alignment of the string cables during operation.

In one example, the article of footwear or motorized lace drive system 1 includes or is configured to interface with one or more sensors that can monitor or determine a foot presence characteristic. Based on information from one or more foot presence sensors, a shoe incorporating a motorized lace drive system 1 may be configured to perform a variety of functions. For example, a foot presence sensor can be configured to provide binary information regarding whether a foot is present or not present in a shoe. When the binary signal from the foot presence sensor indicates that a foot is present, the motorized lace drive system 1 can be activated to automatically tighten or relax (ie loosen) the lace cable. In one example, an article of footwear includes processor circuitry capable of receiving or interpreting signals from a foot presence sensor. The processor circuitry may optionally be embedded within or with the lace drive engine 10, such as in the sole of an article of footwear.

string structure

2 is a plan view of upper 200 showing an example lacing configuration, in accordance with some example embodiments. In this example, upper 205 includes, in addition to lace 210 and lace drive engine 10 , an outer lace anchor 215 , an inner lace anchor 216 , outer lace guides 222 , and an inner lace anchor 215 . lace guides 220 and brio cable 225. The example shown in FIG. 2 includes a continuous knit textile upper 205 having a diagonal lace pattern with non-overlapping inner and outer lace paths. The lace paths start at the outer lace anchor 215, through the outer lace guides 222, through the lace drive engine 10, through the inner lace guides 220, and back to the inner lace guides. It is created in such a way that it extends to the government 216. In this example, lace 210 forms a continuous loop from outer lace anchor 215 to inner lace anchor 216 . In this example, an inside-out tightening is transmitted through the energizing cables 225 . In another example, the lace path may traverse or incorporate additional features to transmit a tightening force in a medial-outward direction across upper 205 . Additionally, the continuous lace loop concept can be incorporated into more traditional uppers with a center (medial) gap and lace 210 that traverses back and forth across the center gap.

3A-3C are plan views illustrating a flattened shoe upper 305 having a lace structure 300 for use in a shoe assembly that includes a motorized lace drive engine, according to some exemplary embodiments. . For purposes of discussing an exemplary shoe upper, it is assumed that upper 305 is designed to be integrated into a right foot version of a shoe assembly. 3A is a plan view of a flattened shoe upper 305 having lace structure 300 as shown. In this example, shoe upper 305 includes a series of lace guides 320A-320J (collectively lace guide(s) 320 , with lace cable 310 extending through lace guides 320 ). referred to). In this example, lace cable 310 has a lateral lace anchor 345A and a medial lace anchor 345B on each side of upper 305 (collectively referred to as lace anchor points 345). Forming a loop ending at , the middle portion of the loop is routed through a lace drive engine inside the midsole of the shoe assembly. Upper 305 also includes stiffeners associated with each of the series of lace guides 320 . Stiffeners may cover individual lace guides or may extend across multiple lace guides. In this example, the stiffeners include a central stiffener 325, a first outer stiffener 335A, a first inner stiffener 335B, a second outer stiffener 330A, and a second inner stiffener 330B. The middle portion of lace cable 310 is routed to and/or from a lace drive engine through an outer rear lace guide 315A and an inner rear lace guide 315B, and an outer lace outlet 340A. ) and exits from and/or enters upper 300 through inner lace exit 340B.

Upper 305 may include different portions, such as forefoot (toe) portion 307 , midfoot portion 308 , and heel portion 309 . The forefoot portion 307 corresponds to a joint connecting a metatarsal bone and a phalanx of the foot. The midfoot portion 308 may correspond to the arch area of the foot. The heel portion 309 may correspond to the back or heel portion of the foot. The medial heel portion and lateral heel portion 309 may be connected via a heel member 350 , which may include a medial strip 352 and a lateral strip 354 . The medial and lateral sides of the midfoot portion of upper 305 may include a medial portion 306 . In some common shoe designs, central portion 306 may have openings spanned by a criss-crossing (or similar) pattern of laces that allow the fit of the shoe upper around the foot to be adjusted. The central portion 306 with an opening also facilitates entry of the foot into and removal of the foot from the shoe assembly.

Lace guides 320 are tubular or channel-like structures for constraining lace cables 310 while routing lace cables 310 through patterns along each of the lateral and medial sides of upper 305. to be. In this example, lace guides 320 are U-shaped plastic tubes disposed in an essentially sinusoidal pattern that loops up and down along the medial and lateral sides of upper 305 . The number of cycles completed by lace cable 310 may vary depending on shoe size. While smaller sized shoe assemblies may accommodate only 1 1/2 cycles, the exemplary upper 305 may be worn prior to entering either the medial rear lace guide 315B or the lateral rear lace guide 315A. to accommodate 2 and 1/2 cycles. The pattern is described as essentially sinusoidal, at least as in this example, and the U-shaped guides have a wider contour than a true sinusoidal crest or trough. In another example, a pattern that more closely approximates the true sine wave pattern may be utilized (without extensive use of carefully curved string guides, a true sine wave is not easily obtained with a string stretched between string guides). The shape of the lace guide 320 can be varied to create different torque versus lace displacement curves, where the torque is measured at a lace drive engine in the midsole of the shoe. Using string guides with a tighter radius curve, or having a higher frequency wave pattern (e.g., more string guides means a higher number of cycles) can change the torque vs. string displacement curve. can lead to For example, using string guides with tighter radii, the string cable experiences greater friction, which can result in higher initial torque, which can be seen to smooth the torque across the torque versus string displacement curve. . However, in certain implementations, while utilizing a string guide placement pattern or string guide design to help smooth out the torque versus string displacement curve (eg, by keeping friction within the string guides low), a low initial low It may be more desirable to maintain a torque level. One such string guide design is discussed with reference to FIGS. 7A and 7B , as well as other alternative string guide designs with reference to FIGS. 8A to 8G . In addition to the lace guides discussed with reference to these figures, lace guides may be made of plastic, polymer, metal or fabric. For example, layers of fabric can be used to create shaped channels for routing braided cables in a desired pattern. As discussed below, a combination of plastic or metal guides and fabric overlays may be used to create guide components for use in the laced structure discussed.

Returning to FIG. 3A , stiffeners 325 , 335 and 330 are shown in association with different lace guides, such as lace guides 320 . In one example, stiffeners 335 may include a fabric impregnated with a heat activated adhesive that may be attached over the top of lace guides 320G, 320H, a process sometimes referred to as hot melt. to be. The stiffeners may cover multiple lace guides, such as stiffener 325, which in this example covers six upper lace guides located adjacent to a central portion of the shoe, such as central portion 306. In another example, the stiffener 325 is split down the middle of the central portion 306 so that the strap guides along the outer side of the central portion 306 are separate from the strap guides along the inner side of the central portion 306. It is possible to form two pieces covering the guides. In yet another alternative example, stiffener 325 may be split into six individual stiffeners covering individual lace guides. The use of stiffeners can be varied to change the dynamics of interaction between the lace guides and the lower shoe upper, eg upper 305 . Reinforcements may also be attached to upper 305 in a variety of other ways, including sutures, adhesives, or a combination of mechanisms. Regarding the type of fabric or material used for the stiffeners, the manner in which the stiffener is adhered can also affect the friction experienced by the string cable extending through the string guides. For example, a stiffer material hot melted over the otherwise flexible string guides can increase the friction experienced by the string cable. In contrast, a flexible material attached over the string guides may reduce friction by maintaining more string guide flexibility. Reinforcement 325 may also include an elastic mesh covering the neck region of the shoe upper.

As noted above, FIG. 3A illustrates central stiffener 325 , which is a single member extending over medial and lateral upper lace guides 320A, 320B, 320E, 320F, 320I and 320J. Assuming that stiffener 325 is a more rigid material that is less flexible than the underlying shoe upper, ie, upper 305 in this example, the resulting central portion 306 of the shoe assembly is less forgiving. will show fit characteristics. In some applications, a more rigid, less forgiving, central portion 306 may be desirable. However, in applications requiring more flexibility across the central portion 306, the central stiffener 325 may be separated into two or more stiffeners. In certain applications, the separate central stiffeners may be bonded across the central portion 306 using various flexible or resilient materials to enable a more form-fitting central portion 306 . In another example, the central stiffener 325 itself may be resilient. In some examples, upper 305 may have a small gap extending along the length of central portion 306, with one or more elastic members extending across the gap and lace guide 410 and elastic member. Connects a plurality of central stiffeners, as shown at least partially in FIG. 4A with 440 .

The heel member 350 is a device or component that may be used to control access to the shoe upper 305 and, additionally or alternatively, to control the effective spring stiffness of the shoe upper 305. can include In one example, medial strip 352 and lateral strip 354 may include elastic strips that are sewn or otherwise attached to medial and lateral heel portions 309, respectively, and sewn together. there is. In other embodiments, only a single elastic strip is connected to the medial and lateral heel portions 309 . Accordingly, strips 352 and 354 may provide some stretchability to the heel portion of shoe upper 305 . These effects may be used to provide various comfort and performance aspects to upper 305 , as discussed below. For example, elasticity can help heel portion 309 remain engaged with the wearer's heel during use of the article of footwear. Strips 352 and 354 may include elastomer, spandex, rubber, and the like.

In other embodiments, medial strip 352 and lateral strip 354 may include releasably interlocking components to allow a user of the article of footwear to selectively open and close shoe upper 305 . . For example, strips 352 and 354 may include opposing components of hook and loop fastener material, or opposing components of zipper construction. In this embodiment, the heel member 350 may provide entry and exit of the foot into the shoe upper 305 regardless of the state of the lace cable 310 . More specifically, the heel member 350 allows the foot to pull the lace cable 310 into the sole structure even when the lace drive engine pulls the lace cable 310 down onto the shoe upper 305. 305) can be allowed.

3B is another top view of a flattened shoe upper 305 having lace structure 300 as shown. In this example, shoe upper 305 includes a similar lace guide pattern, including lace guides 320 with modifications to the configuration of stiffeners 325 , 330 and 335 . As discussed above, modifications to stiffener construction will result in at least slightly different fit characteristics, and may also alter the torque versus strap displacement curve.

3C is a series of lace structure examples illustrated on a flattened shoe upper in accordance with an illustrative embodiment. Lace structure 300A shows a lace guide pattern, similar to the sinusoidal pattern discussed with reference to FIG. 3A, with individual stiffeners covering each individual lace guide. Lace structure 300B once again shows an undulating lace pattern, also referred to as parachute laces, with elongated stiffeners covering the pair of upper lace guides and the individual lower lace guides extending across the central portion. Lace structure 300C is another wavy lace pattern, with a single central stiffener. Lace structure 300D introduces a triangular shaped laces pattern, with individual stiffeners cut to shape over individual lace guides. Lace structure 300E shows a variation of the reinforcement configuration in a triangular lace pattern. Finally, string structure 300F shows another variation of the reinforcement configuration, including a central stiffener and reinforced bottom stiffeners.

4A is a diagram illustrating a portion of a shoe upper 405 having a lace structure 400 for use in a shoe assembly that includes a motorized lace drive engine, according to some demonstrative embodiments. In this example, a medial portion of upper 405 is shown with lace guides 410 , routing lace cable 430 through lace guide component 415 . Lace guides 410 are enclosed within stiffeners 420 to form lace guide components 415 , with at least some of the lace guide components being repositionable on upper 405 . In one example, lace guide components 415 are supported with hook and loop material, and upper 405 provides a surface to receive the hook and loop material. In this example, lace guide components 415 may be supported with hook portions, with upper 405 providing a knit loop surface for receiving lace guide components 415 . In another example, lace guide components 415 may have a track interface integrated to engage a track, such as track 445 . Track based integration may provide firm, limited movement, motion options for the lace guide components 415 . For example, track 445 extends essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of central portion 450 and allows positioning of string guide components 415 along the length of the track. In some examples, track 445 may extend across from the outer side to the inner side to hold the lace guide component on either side of central portion 450 . Similar tracks can be placed in appropriate locations to hold all lace guide components 415 to allow adjustment in limited directions for all lace guides on shoe upper 405 .

Shoe upper 405 depicts another exemplary lace structure that includes a central elastic member, such as elastic member 440 . In these examples, at least the upper lace guide components along the medial and lateral sides cross the central portion 450 with elastic members that allow for different footwear designs to achieve different levels of fit and performance. can be connected across For example, high-performance basketball shoes that must protect the foot over a wide range of lateral motion may utilize elastic members with a high modulus of elasticity to ensure a snug fit. In another example, a running shoe may utilize elastic members with a low modulus of elasticity as the running shoe may be designed to focus on comfort for long distance road running versus running shoes providing a high level of lateral motion inhibition. In certain examples, the elastic members 440 may be interchangeable with or include a mechanism to allow adjustment of the level of elasticity. As discussed above, in some examples, a shoe upper, such as upper 405 , may have a gap along central portion 450 that at least partially separates a medial side from a lateral side. Even with a small gap along central portion 450 , elastic members, such as elastic member 440 , may be used to extend across the gap.

4A shows only a single track 445 or single elastic member 440, these elements may be replicated for any or all of the lace guides in a particular lace configuration. For example, each lace guide component 415 may be mounted on its own track 445 , extending generally in an in-outward direction across the central portion 450 . The position of each lace guide component 415 can be correlated with the presence of a foot within the shoe upper 405 . When a presence sensor, such as, for example, a contact switch within the sole structure, detects the weight of the foot on the shoe upper 405, the lace guide components 415 guide the shoe upper 405 downward over the foot. In order to tighten the slack of the strapping cable 430 to give a tight fit, it can be pulled closer to the central portion 450. However, if the presence sensor does not detect the weight of the foot inside the shoe upper 405, the lace guide components 415 allow the slack to be introduced into the lace cable 430, thereby preventing the foot from entering the shoe upper 405. To facilitate entry, it may be retracted from the central portion 450 . In this embodiment, the drive mechanism of the strap cable may additionally be used to move the strap guide components 415 on the track 445 . In other embodiments, one or more additional drive mechanisms, such as motors, may be incorporated into the article of footwear. In addition, in this embodiment, the central stiffener 325 may additionally or alternatively open an opening, such as a zipper (eg, zipper 465 ), in the shoe upper 405 to provide an elastic zone. ), can be added to the central part.

FIG. 4B additionally shows heel strap 480 , extending over plurality of elastic members 440 in heel ridge 650 and lace guide components 415 . Heel strap 480 and elastic members 440 may be used to control the effective spring stiffness of shoe upper 405 . As discussed above, the elasticity provided by the various strips, such as heel strap 480 and elastic members 440, can provide shoe upper 405 with a certain degree of stretch capability, and thus upper 405 ) allows various comfort and performance aspects to be controlled. In examples, heel strap 480 may be connected directly to heel strap guide component 615 on the medial and lateral sides of heel ridge 650 . Alternatively, heel strap 480 may be connected to lace guide component 615 at one end and sewn to shoe upper 605 at heel ridge 650 . In this embodiment, a single heel strap 480 may be used on either the medial side or the lateral side of shoe upper 605, or the heel strap 480 may be used on both the medial and lateral sides of shoe upper 605. each can be used. Heel lace guide components 615 can be separated from shoe upper 405 such that they are suspended relative to shoe upper 405 by lace cable 430 and heel strap 480 . Elastic member 440 pre-engages heel lace guide component 615 against the back or heel portion of shoe upper 405 to cause lace cable 430 to be pulled from the lace drive engine in a slack condition. can be tightened. However, when the lace drive engine winds the lace cable 430 into a tightened state, the heel strap 480 allows the lace cable 430 to be clamped downward onto the shoe upper 405 and the shoe upper ( The heel portion of 405) may be elongated to allow it to be pulled downward on the wearer's heel.

Elastic members 440 may provide an additional degree of stretch capability to shoe upper 405 . Elastic members 440 can be attached to lace guide components 415 at one end and to another opposing lace guide component 415 or shoe, such as in central portion 450, at the other end. It may be connected to upper 405 . As with heel strap 480 , elastic members 440 can be used to pull lace cable 430 away from the lace drive engine, but with lace cable 430 downwards on shoe upper 405 . It can be stretched to allow tight clamping.

Heel strap 480, elastic members 440 and elastic central stiffener 325 each provide specific properties to a shoe upper that can introduce different comfort and performance zones within the lace actuation provided by the lace drive mechanism. Each can provide a degree of elongation ability. 17 shows various comfort and performance diagrams for different exemplary shoe uppers incorporating different combinations of lace cable 480, elastic members 440, elastic heel member 350, and elastic central stiffener 325. show the curves.

5 is a diagram illustrating a portion of a shoe upper 405 having a lace structure 400 for use in a shoe assembly that includes a motorized lace drive engine, according to some demonstrative embodiments. In this example, the central portion 450 shown in FIG. 4A is replaced with a central closure mechanism 460, which in this example is shown as a central zipper 465. The central closure mechanism is designed to allow for a wider opening in the shoe upper 405 for easy entry and exit. The center zipper 465 can be easily zipped open to allow foot entry and exit. In other examples, the central closure mechanism 460 can be hook and loop, snaps, clasps, toggles, secondary straps, or any similar closure mechanism.

6 is a diagram illustrating a portion of a shoe upper 405 having a lace structure 600 for use in a shoe assembly that includes a motorized lace drive engine, according to some demonstrative embodiments. In this example, lace structure 600 includes heel lace component 615 , including heel lace guide 610 and heel stiffener 620 as well as heel turn guide 610 and heel exit guide 615 . add Heel deflection guide 610 moves lace cable 430 exiting last lace guide 410 toward heel lace component 615 . Heel lace component 615 is formed into heel lace guide 610 together with heel stiffener 620 . Heel lace guide 610 is shown in a shape similar to lace guides used elsewhere on upper 405 . However, in other examples, heel lace guide 610 may be of other shapes or may include a plurality of lace guides. In this example, heel strap component 615 is shown mounted on heel track 645 , allowing for adjustability of the position of heel strap component 615 . Similar to the adjustable lace guides described above, other mechanisms may be utilized to allow adjustments regarding the positioning of heel lace component 615, such as hook and loop fasteners or similar fastening mechanisms.

In some examples, upper 405 includes heel ridge 650 , which can include a closure mechanism similar to central portion 450 discussed above. In examples having a heel closure mechanism, the heel closure mechanism is designed to provide easy entry and exit from the shoe by expanding the traditional shoe assembly foot opening. Additionally, in some examples, heel lace component 615 may be connected across heel ridge 650 (with or without a heel closure mechanism) to a mating heel lace component on the opposite side. there is. The connecting portion may include an elastic member similar to the elastic member 440 .

7A and 7B are diagrams illustrating a portion of a shoe upper 405 having a lace structure 700 for use in a shoe assembly that includes a motorized lace drive engine, according to some demonstrative embodiments. In this example, lace structure 700 includes lace guides 710 for routing lace 730 . Lace guides 710 may include associated stiffeners 720 . In this example, the strap guides 710 are configured to allow bending of portions of the strap guide 710 from an open initial position shown in FIG. 7A to a flexed closed position shown in FIG. 7B (see FIG. 7B ). with imaginary lines representing opposite positions in each drawing for). In this example, the strap guides 710 have extension portions that exhibit approximately 14° of deflection between the open initial position and the closed position. Other examples may show more or less deflection between the initial and final positions (or shapes) of the lace guide 710 . Bending of the string guides 710 occurs when the string 730 is tightened. The bowing of the lace guide 710 acts to smooth the torque versus lace displacement curve by applying some initial tension to the lace 730 and providing an additional mechanism to dissipate the lace tension during the tightening process. . Thus, in its initial shape or flexed position, the string guide 710 creates some initial tension in the braid cable that also serves to tighten any slack in the braid cable. When tightening of the string cable starts, the string guide 710 is bent or deformed.

In this example, the string guides 710 are plastic or polymeric tubes, and can have different modulus of elasticity depending on the particular composition of the tubes. The modulus of elasticity of the string guides 710 together with the configuration of the stiffeners 720 will control the amount of additional tension induced in the string 730 by bending of the string guides 710 . Elastic deformation of the ends (legs or extensions) of string guides 710 induces sustained tension on string 730 as string guides 710 attempt to return to their original shape. In some examples, the entire string guide is bent evenly over the length of the string guide. In another example, the bowing occurs primarily inside the U-shaped portion of the string guide, while the extensions remain substantially straight. In another example, the extensions accommodate most of the bending while the U-shaped portion remains relatively stationary.

Stiffeners 720 are attached over strap guides 710 in a manner that permits movement of the ends of strap guides 710 . In some examples, the stiffeners 720 are bonded via the hot melt process discussed above, along with the placement of the heat activated adhesive, to allow the opening to allow flexing in the strap guides 710 . In another embodiment, stiffeners 720 may be sewn in place, or use a combination of adhesives and seals. How the stiffeners 720 are attached or structured can affect which portion of the strap guide bends under load from the strap cable. In some instances, the hot melt is concentrated around the U-shaped portion of the string guide so that the extensions (legs) remain freer to bend.

7C and 7D are diagrams illustrating a deformable lace guide 710 for use in a shoe assembly according to some exemplary embodiments. In this example, with reference to FIGS. 7A and 7B , the lace guides 710 introduced above are discussed in additional detail. 7C shows the lace guide 710 in a first (open) state, which can be considered an undeformed state. 7D shows the lace guide 710 in a second (closed/bent) state, which can be considered a deformed state. Lace guide 710 can include three different sections, such as a middle section 712 , a first extension 714 and a second extension 716 . The lace guide 710 may also include a lace receiving opening 740 and a lace exit opening 742 . As discussed above, the string guide 710 may have a different modulus of elasticity, which controls the level of deformation due to a particular applied tension. In some examples, lace guide 710 has different elasticities, such as a middle section 712 having a first modulus of elasticity, a first extension having a second modulus of elasticity, and a second extension having a third modulus of elasticity. It can consist of different sections with coefficients. In certain instances, the second elastic modulus and the third elastic modulus are substantially similar, causing the first extension and the second extension to bend or deform in a similar manner. In this example, substantially similar can be interpreted as elastic moduli falling within a small number of percentage points of each other. In some examples, string guide 710 may have a variable modulus of elasticity that transitions from a high modulus of elasticity at apex 746 to a lower modulus of elasticity toward the outer ends of the first and second extensions. . In these examples, the modulus of elasticity may vary based on the wall thickness of the string guide 710 .

Lace guide 710 defines a number of axes useful for illustrating how a deformable lace guide functions. For example, the first extension 714 can define a first entry string axis 750 that is aligned with at least an outer portion of an inner channel defined inside the first extension 714 . The second extension 716 defines a first advancing string axis 760 that is aligned with at least an outer portion of the inner channel defined inside the second extension 716 . When deformed, the lace guide 710 defines a second entry string axis 752 and a second exit string axis 762 that are aligned with respective portions of the first extension and the second extension, respectively. Lace guide 710 also has a medial shaft 744, which intersects lace guide 710 at apex 746 and lies equidistant from the first and second extensions (shown in FIG. 7C ). assuming a symmetrical string guide in the non-deformed state as

7E is a graph 770 illustrating various torque versus string displacement curves for a deformable string guide, according to some demonstrative embodiments. As discussed above, one of the benefits achieved using lace guides 710 includes modifying the torque (or lace tension) versus lace displacement (or shortening) curve. Curve 776 shows the torque versus displacement curve for a non-deformable string guide used in the exemplary string structure. Curve 776 shows how the laces experience a rapid increase in tension over a short displacement near the end of the tightening process. In contrast, curve 778 shows the torque versus displacement curve for the first deformable string guide used in the exemplary string structure. Curve 778 begins in a similar manner to curve 776, but as the string guides deform with additional string tension, the curve flattens, resulting in increasing tension over larger string displacements. Flattening the curves allows for better control of the shoe's fit and performance for the end user.

The final example can be divided into three segments: initial tightening segment 780, adaptation segment 782, and responsive segment 784. Segments 780, 782, 784 may be utilized in any environment where torque and consequent displacement are desired. However, responsive segment 784 is particularly sensitive to react to unexpected external factors, such as when a motorized lace drive engine suddenly stops moving, for example, causing the wearer to cause a relatively high load on the laces. , it will be able to be utilized in a situation where a sudden change or correction is made regarding the displacement of the string. In contrast, adaptation segment 782 can be used because changes in load on the laces can be predicted, for example, changes in load are less abrupt, or changes in activity are input by the wearer to a motorized lace drive engine. , or when a more gradual displacement of the string could be exploited, as the motorized string drive engine could predict changes in activity through machine learning. The deformable string guide design that results in this final example is designed, through the structural design of the string guide (such as channel shape, material selection or combination parameters), to create adaptive segments 782 and responsive segments 784. do. The lace structure and lace guides that create the final example also create pre-tension in the lace cable to result in the initial tightening segment 780 shown.

8A-8F are diagrams illustrating an exemplary lace guide 800 for use in specific lace configurations according to some example embodiments. In this example, an alternative lace guide having an open lace channel is illustrated. Lace guide 800 includes guide tab 805, suture opening 810, guide top surface 815, lace retainer 820, lace channel 825, channel radius 830, lace access opening 840 , a guide subsurface 845 , and a guide radius 850 . Advantages of open channel lace guides, such as lace guide 800, include the ability to easily route lace cables after installing lace guides on a shoe upper. With tubular lace guides as exemplified in many of the lace construction examples discussed above, routing the lace cable through the lace guides is most easily accomplished prior to attaching the lace guides to the shoe upper (achieved later). Can't say it can't be). Open channel lace guides allow simple lace routing by allowing the lace cable to simply be pushed through lace retainer 820 after lace guides 800 are placed on a shoe upper. String guide 800 may be made of various materials including metal or plastic.

In this example, lace guide 800 may initially be attached to a shoe upper, via sutures or adhesives. The illustrated design includes a stitching opening 810, configured to allow for easy manual or automated stitching of the lace guide 800 onto a shoe upper (or similar material). Once lace guide 800 is attached to a shoe upper, lace cables can be routed by simply pulling a loop of lace cable into lace channel 825 . A lace access opening 840 extends through the lower surface 845 to provide a release recess for allowing a lace cable to pass around the lace retainer 820 . In this example, the channel radius 830 is designed to correspond to, or slightly larger than, the diameter of the braided cable. Channel radius 830 is one of the parameters of lace guide 800 that can control the amount of friction experienced by a lace cable extending through lace guide 800. Other parameters of the lace guide 800 that affect the friction experienced by the lace cable include the guide radius 850 . Guide radius 850 can also affect the frequency or spacing of lace guides disposed on a shoe upper.

8G is a diagram illustrating a portion of a shoe upper 405 having a lace structure 890 using a lace guide 800, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments. In this example, a plurality of lace guides 800 are arranged on a lateral side of shoe upper 405 to form one half of lace structure 890 . Similar to the strap structure discussed above, strap structure 890 uses strap guides 800 to form a wave pattern or parachute strap pattern for routing the strap cable. One of the advantages of this type of lace construction is that the lace tightening can create a front-to-back tightening of the shoe upper 405 as well as a lateral-to-medial tightening.

In this example, lace guides 800 are, at least initially, attached to upper 405 via stitching 860 . The suture 860 is illustrated as over or engaged with the suture opening 810 . One of the lace guides 800 is also shown with a stiffener 870 covering the lace guide. Such stiffeners may be individually disposed over each strap guide 800 . Alternatively, larger stiffeners may be used to cover multiple strap guides. Similar to the stiffeners described above, stiffener 870 may be attached via adhesive, heat activated adhesive, and/or sutures. In some examples, stiffener 870 may be attached using an adhesive (heat activated or not) and a vacuum bagging process that uniformly compresses the stiffener onto the string guide. A similar vacuum packaging process can also be used with the stiffeners and string guides described above. In another example, a mechanical press or similar machine may be used to assist in attaching stiffeners over the strap guides.

Once all of the lace guides 800 are initially placed and attached to the shoe upper 405, the lace cables can be routed through the lace guides. Routing the braid cable may begin with securing the first end of the braid cable to the outer anchor point 470 . A lace cable can then be pulled into each lace channel 825 , starting with the foremost lace guide and working backwards toward the heel of upper 405 . Once the braid cable is routed through all lace guides 800, stiffeners 870 may optionally be attached over each lace guide 800 to secure both the lace guides and the lace cable. .

assembly process

9 is a flow diagram illustrating a shoe assembly process 900 for assembly of a shoe that includes a lace drive engine, according to some demonstrative embodiments. In this example, assembly process 900 includes, at 910 , obtaining a shoe upper, lace guides, and lace cable; routing the braid cable through the tubular lace guides at 920; at 930, securing the first end of the braid cable; At 940, securing the second end of the braid cable; at 950, placing lace guides; At 960, securing the strap guides; and at 970, integrating the upper with the shoe assembly. Process 900, described in more detail below, may include some or all of the process tasks described, and at least some of the process tasks may occur at various locations and/or using different automated tools. there is.

In this example, process 900 begins at 910 by obtaining a shoe upper, a plurality of lace guides, and a lace cable. A shoe upper, such as upper 405 , may be a flattened shoe upper that is separate from the rest of the shoe assembly (eg, sole, midsole, outer cover, etc.). In this example, the lace guides include tubular plastic lace guides as discussed above, but may also include other types of lace guides. At 920 , process 900 continues and the braid cable is routed (or threaded) through a plurality of lace guides. Although the lace cable can be routed through the lace guides at different points in the assembly process 900, when using tubular lace guides, it is preferable to route the lace through the lace guides prior to assembly onto the shoe upper. You will be able to. In some examples, the lace guides may be pre-weaved onto a lace cable, with process 900 beginning with a plurality of lace guides pre-weaved onto the laces acquired during operation at 910. .

At 930 , process 900 continues with the first end of the lace cable secured to the shoe upper. For example, lace cable 430 may be secured along a lateral edge of upper 405 . In some examples, lace cables may be temporarily secured to upper 405 with a more permanent fixation achieved during integration of the shoe upper with the rest of the shoe assembly. At 940 , process 900 may continue with the second end of the lace cable secured to the shoe upper. Like the first end of the lacing cable, the second end may be temporarily secured to the upper. Additionally, process 900 can optionally delay securing the second end until later in the process or during integration with the shoe assembly.

At 950 , process 900 continues with a plurality of lace guides being placed on the upper. For example, lace guides 410 may be placed on upper 405 to create a desired lace pattern. Once the lace guides are placed, process 900 may continue at 960 by securing the lace guides onto a shoe upper. For example, stiffeners 420 may be secured over strap guides 410 to hold them in place. Finally, process 900 can be completed at 970 with the shoe upper integrated into the remainder of the shoe assembly, including the sole. In one example, integration may include placing loops of lace cables to connect the lateral and medial sides of a shoe upper in place to engage a lace drive engine within a midsole of a shoe assembly.

10 is a flow diagram illustrating a shoe assembly process 1000 for assembly of a shoe that includes a plurality of lace guides, according to some demonstrative embodiments. In this example, assembly process 1000 includes, at 1010, obtaining a shoe upper, lace guides, and lace cable; at 1020, securing lace guides on a shoe upper; At 1030, securing the first end of the braid cable; at 1040, routing the laces cable through the lace guides; at 1050, securing the second end of the braid cable; Optionally, at 1060, securing stiffeners over the strap guides; and at 1070, integrating the upper with the shoe assembly. Process 1000, described in more detail below, may include some or all of the process tasks described, and at least some of the process tasks may be performed at various locations and/or using different automated tools. can be performed

In this example, process 1000 begins at 1010 by obtaining a shoe upper, a plurality of lace guides, and a lace cable. A shoe upper, such as upper 405 , may be a flattened shoe upper that is separate from the rest of the shoe assembly (eg, sole, midsole, outer cover, etc.). In this example, the lace guides include open channel plastic lace guides as discussed above, but may also include other types of lace guides. At 1020, process 1000 continues with lace guides being secured to the upper. For example, lace guides 800 may be individually sewn in place on upper 405 .

At 1030 , process 1000 continues with the first end of the lace cable secured to the shoe upper. For example, lace cable 430 may be secured along a lateral edge of upper 405 . In some examples, the lace cable may be temporarily secured to the upper 405 with a more permanent fixation achieved during the integration of the shoe upper and the rest of the shoe assembly. At 1040, process 1000 continues with the lace cable being routed through the open channel lace guide, routing the lace loop between the lateral and medial sides of the shoe upper for engagement with a lace drive engine. (lace loop). The lace loop may be of a predetermined length to ensure that the lace drive engine can properly tighten the assembled shoe.

At 1050 , process 1000 may continue with the second end of the lace cable secured to the shoe upper. Like the first end of the lacing cable, the second end may be temporarily secured to the upper. Additionally, process 1000 can optionally delay securing the second end until later in the process or during integration with the shoe assembly. In certain instances, delaying the securing of the first end and/or the second end of the string cable may allow adjustment of the overall string length, which may be useful during integration of a string drive engine.

At 1060 , process 1000 may optionally include securing textile reinforcements (covers) over the lace guides to further secure them to a shoe upper. For example, string guides 800 may have reinforcements 870 that are hot melted over the string guides to further secure the string guides and string cable. Finally, process 1000 can be completed, at 1070 , with the shoe upper integrated into the remainder of the shoe assembly, including the sole. In one example, integration may include positioning a loop of a lace cable to connect the lateral and medial sides of a shoe upper in place to engage a lace drive engine within a midsole of a shoe assembly.

tension straps

11 is a diagram illustrating a front view of a partially cut away shoe upper 1100 showing an elastic strip 1102 connecting the medial side 1104 and the lateral side 1106 of the shoe upper 1100 . Shoe upper 1100 may be connected to a sole structure 1108 within which a motorized lace drive engine may be disposed. Shoe upper 1100 may include interior layers, such as a medial panel 1110 and an exterior panel 1112 configured to enclose a foot. The inner panel 1110 and outer panel 1112 may include additional layers, such as a lining or filler layer (not shown). Elastic strip 1102 can be connected to both inner panel 1110 and outer panel 1112 .

Shoe upper 1110 may also include lace guides 1114 , lace 1116 and outer layer 1118 . Upper 1100 may include outer layer 1118 configured to cover lace 1116 , elastic strip 1102 and lace guides 1114 . Outer layer 1118 is cut away in FIG. 11 to show inner panel 1110 , outer panel 1112 , elastic strip 1102 , strap guides 1114 and strap 1116 .

Strap guides 1114 may be connected to an inner panel 1110 and an outer panel 1112 . Lace guides 1114 may each have a guide tab 1115 and a lace channel body 1117 . Guide tabs 1115 may be mounted directly to panels 1110 and 1112, for example via adhesive, sutures, riveting, and the like. Lace guides 1114 may be configured similarly to other lace guides described herein. Lace 1116 may be woven through a channel disposed within lace channel body 1117 of lace guides 1114 . Lace 1116 may have distal portions that fasten to the upper towards the toe region and a proximal portion connecting the distal portions and positioned within the lace drive engine.

As discussed herein, operation of the strap drive engine may act to tighten strap 1116 to compress inner panel 1110 and outer panel 1112 . In particular, the proximal portion of lace 1116 is pulled into sole structure 1108 when the lace drive engine is activated, which can cause lace guides 1114 to be pulled toward sole structure 1108. . As lace guides 1114 on medial panel 1110 and exterior panel 1112 are pulled closer to sole structure 1108, elastic strip 1102 is positioned inside shoe upper 1100. can grow around it. Elastic strip 1102 can be made of any type of elastic material other than an elastic such as rubber or spandex. Elastic strip 1102 may be configured to lie at rest in an unstretched or pre-tensioned state when a foot is placed within shoe upper 1100 . In other embodiments, the elastic strips 1102 may be replaced with an elastic mesh material.

12 is a diagram illustrating a rear view of the shoe upper 1100 of FIG. 11 showing heel strap assembly 1120 connecting laces 1116 on medial and lateral sides of upper 1110 . The heel strap assembly 1120 may include a pretension strap 1122 , a heel strap 1124 and anchor points 1126 . Pre-tension strap 1122 can extend from lacing 1116 on the lateral side of shoe upper 1100 shown in FIG. 11 and can extend past heel portion 1128 of shoe upper 1100. and may extend to a medial side of shoe upper 1100 (not shown in FIG. 12 ) for connection to an opposite end of lace 1116 . Pre-tension strap 1122 may be connected to lace 1116 in any suitable manner at splice 1130, for example by using lace guide 1114. In one example, strap 1116 is allowed to slide inside splice 1130 by pre-tension strap 1122 . In one example, pre-tension strap 1122 can be connected to guide tab 1115 of lace guide 1114, and lace 1116 can be connected to lace channel body 1117 of lace guide 1114. there is. The pre-tension strap 1122 can include a resilient elongate member that can be stretched and can recover its original length after stretching. As will be described in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 15A-15B , the pre-tension strap 1122 releases the strap 1116 from the strap drive engine when the strap drive engine spool is unwound to release the strap 1116 . ) can be configured to pull.

Heel strap 1124 may extend from junction 1130 of pre-tension strap 1122 with lace 1116 to anchor point 1126 . In the state shown in FIG. 12 , heel strap 1124 is folded between anchor point 1126 and splice 1130 . As will be described in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 15A-15B , the heel strap 1124 will unfold when the splice 1130 is pulled toward the toe portion of the shoe upper 1100 , ultimately fixing point 1126 ) will cause heel portion 1128 to pull toward the toe portion, helping to hold shoe upper 1100 on the heel of the foot being inserted into upper 1100 . The anchoring points 1126 may comprise any suitable means or device capable of providing a anchoring point on the shoe upper 1100 . In the illustrated embodiment, anchor points 1126 may include threaded fasteners that extend through shoe upper 1100 .

13 is a diagram illustrating a lateral side view of the shoe upper 1100 of FIG. 11 partially cut away to show lace guide 1114 connected to shoe upper 1100 with elastic strip 1102. . FIG. 14 is a view showing the shoe upper 1100 of FIG. 13 bent to show a lace guide 1114 connected to the shoe upper 1100 separate from the elastic strip 1102 . 13 and 14 are discussed concurrently.

Outer layer 1118 is partially cut away to reveal outer panel 1112 independently connected to elastic strip 1102 and lace guide 1114 . Guide tabs 1115 of lace guide 1114 may be connected to outer panel 1112 by any suitable means. In the illustrated embodiment, guide tabs 1115 are connected to outer panel 1112 via seams 1132 . The guide tabs 1115 are spaced apart from the top edge of the outer panel 1112, with the elastic strips 1102 disposed thereon forming a gap between the guide tabs 1115 and the elastic strips 1102.

Elastic strip 1102 may include a single strip, or may include multiple strips aligned end-to-end, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 . Elastic strip 1102 may be connected to outer panel 1112 via any suitable means, such as adhesive or sutures. In the illustrated embodiment, elastic strips 1102 are connected to outer panel 1112 via seams 1134 . Separating the lace guide 1114 from the elastic strip 1102 can allow the elastic strip 1102 to be stretched evenly along the length of the outer panel 1112, and the elastic strip 1102 can allow the laces to be stretched evenly. It may allow to provide a more uniform action on the operation of strap guide 1114 on 1116.

15A is a diagram illustrating the shoe upper 1100 of FIG. 12 , showing loosened lace 1116 being pulled from a motorized lace drive engine by pre-tension strap 1122 . As shown, the distance D1 between the string guide 1114A and the string guide 1114B may lie at the first open length. Similarly, the distance D2 between the junction 1130 and the anchor point 1126 may lie at the first folded length. Distance D1 is greater than distance D3 in FIG. 15B to allow the foot to enter shoe upper 1100 when lace 1116 is loosened. The tension strap 1122 is activated to pull the lace 1116 towards the heel portion 1128 at the junction 1130, thereby pulling the proximal end portion 1131 of the lace 1116 away from the lace drive engine. . As the excess slack from the proximal end portion 1131 allows the tension strap to pull the abutment 1130 toward the anchorage point 1126, the heel strap 1124 connects the abutment 1130 to the anchorage point 1126. ) are buckled or folded between them.

15B is a diagram illustrating the shoe upper 1100 of FIG. 15A , showing lace 1116 being tightened into a motorized lace drive engine and a heel strap being tightened around the heel of the shoe upper 1100 . As shown, the distance D3 between the string guide 1114A and the string guide 1114B may lie at the second folded length. Similarly, distance D4 between abutment 1130 and anchor point 1126 may lie at the second open length. Distance D3 is less than distance D1 because the lace drive engine has been activated to pull the proximal end portion 1131 of lace 1116 into the lace drive engine. This additionally causes tension strap 1122 to be stretched, which was previously contracted, such that distance D4 is greater than distance D2, and heel strap 1124 is flattened and then stretched. Elongation of the heel strap 11124 causes the heel portion 1128 of the shoe upper 1100 to tighten the shoe upper 1100 as the lace 1116 is tightened downward onto the shoe upper 1100 and the foot therein. ) causes it to be pulled toward the heel of the foot, which is located within.

16 is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of a shoe upper 1200, showing medial and lateral lace cable tension straps 1202 and 1204, respectively. Shoe upper 1200 may be connected to a sole structure 1206 within which a motorized lace drive engine may be disposed. Shoe upper 1200 can include a medial panel 1208 , a lateral panel 1210 , and a toe panel 1212 configured to at least partially enclose a foot. The inner panel 1208 and the outer panel 1210 may have additional layers, such as linings or filler layers (not shown). Cable tension straps 1202 and 1204 may be connected to inner panel 1208 and outer panel 1210 at bottom edges, respectively, and strap 1214 at distal end portions 1216A and 1216B, respectively. ) can be connected to Shoe upper 1110 may also include lace guides 1218 and elastic panel 1220 .

Elastic panel 1220 may function similarly to elastic strip 1102 of FIGS. 11-15B to provide shoe upper 1200 with a certain degree of stretch capability. Lace guides 1218 may function similarly to other lace guides described herein, and further description is not provided here for brevity. Lace 1214 may have distal ends that connect to tension straps 1202 and 1204, while a middle portion of lace 1214 may be located within a lace drive mechanism disposed within sole structure 1206. there is. Thus, when the lace drive mechanism winds lace 1214 , lace 1214 is pulled through lace guides 1218 to tighten lace 1214 down against shoe upper 1200 . Tensile straps 1202 and 1204 provide anchoring to end portions 1216A and 1216B of strap 1214 to facilitate the tightening action.

Tensile straps 1202 and 1204 also wrap at least partially around panels 1208 and 1210 of shoe upper 1200 while allowing lace 1214 to be secured to sole structure 1206 . As can be seen, laces 1214 traverse over shoe upper 1200, once at medial panel 1208 and once at lateral panel 1210. This allows some of the force used to tension lace 1214 to be used to apply inward pressure on shoe upper 1200 directly proximate to toe panel 1212 . Tensile straps 1202 and 1204 provide a greater surface area over which tension in string 1214 is distributed to panels 1208 and 1210 . That is, the surface area of straps 1202 and 1204 in contact with panels 1208 and 1210 is the same as when lace 1214 was secured to shoe upper 1200 at sole structure 1206, the panels ( greater than the surface area of string 1214 in contact with 1208 and 1210. In one embodiment, straps 1202 and 1204 are trapezoidal in shape. In another embodiment, straps 1202 and 1204 may be triangular or rectangular in shape. For example, strap 1202 can have a bottom edge region 1222 that is wider than top edge region 1224 . Bottom edge region 1222 may be attached to a bottom portion of medial panel 1208 by, for example, adhesive or sutures or by integration into sole structure 1206 . Top edge region 1224 may be attached to strap 1214 by any suitable method, such as by being attached to a length of strap 1202 by seam 1226 . Straps 1202 and 1204 may be attached to shoe upper 1200 only at sole structure 1206 , so that the straps form flaps. In another embodiment, straps 1202 and 1204 may be attached to shoe upper 1200 along their entire length or only along a portion of their length. Straps 1202 and 1204 can be made of a rigid or inelastic material, or a stretchable (resilient) or elastic material. Trapezoidal or triangular shaped straps 1202 and 1204 can more evenly distribute stress and forces in the toe box of shoe upper 11200 and can provide a comfortable and secure fit. Likewise, straps 1202 and 1204 may have other geometries, which have various advantages, such as distributing stresses and forces uniformly along shoe upper 1200 .

17 illustrates various force versus lace displacement curves 1300A, 1300B, 1300C, 1300D, 1300E, and 1300F for shoe uppers including various elastic or tensile members described herein, according to some example embodiments. It is a graph that represents The bottom X-axis represents displacement in millimeters (mm), and the side Y-axis represents load in Newtons (N). Curves 1300A - 1300F are each associated with a different load on the string. As shown, by adjusting the parameters of the various components described herein (lace cable 480, elastic member 440, elastic heel member 350, elastic central stiffener 325, etc.), different levels A comfort slope of P may be provided before the elastic zones are locked out and the performance zones are initiated. Thus, the comfort slope and performance slope of each curve can be adjusted to provide different effects for different types of shoes or articles of footwear, or for different types of wearers.

18 is a diagram illustrating the shoe upper 1200 of FIG. 16 laid flat to illustrate a lace structure that includes tension straps 1202 and 1204 connected to lace 1214 in a traversing configuration. .

Shoe upper 1200 can include a medial panel 1208, a lateral panel 1210, heel panels 1211A and 1211B, and a toe panel 1212, which heel panel 1211B is the outer Attached to side panel 1210 and configured to at least partially enclose a foot when shoe upper 1200 is attached to a sole structure. The inner panel 1208 and outer panel 1210 may include a lining (not shown), an outer layer 1230 (sole portions 1230A and 1230B), and neck portions 1230C and 1230D. )), and an overlay 1232 (which may include sole portions 1232A and 1232B and neck portions 1232C and 1232D).

The outer layer 1230 may include a layer of material to reinforce the inner panel 1208 and outer panel 1210 . In one example, outer layer 1230 may include a synthetic material such as nylon. Overlay 1232 may include a layer that supports lace guides 1218 . Overlay 1232 may include a semi-rigid but flexible material that may distribute the load of lace guides 1218 to shoe upper 1200 . In one example, overlay 1232 may include a synthetic material, such as Poron® microcellular urethane.

Tensile straps 1202 and 1204 may be connected to inner panel 1208 and outer panel 1210 at bottom edges 1222A and 1222B, respectively, and at top edges 1224A and 1224B, respectively. It may be connected to distal end portions 1216A and 1216B of string 1214 . Shoe upper 1110 may also include lace guides 1218 and elastic panel 1220 .

Proximal ends 1234A and 1234B of string 1214 may be connected to a string drive engine (not shown). Proximal ends 1234A and 1234B may be connected together to form string 1214 . That is, string 1214 may have a single piece structure. Lace 1214 is threaded through lace guides 1218 such that distal end portions 1216A and 1216B extend into tension straps 1202 and 1204 . Distal end portion 1216A is connected to tension strap 1202 at suture 1226 . Similarly, distal end portion 1216B can be connected to tension strap 1204 . As shown, distal end portions 1216A and 1216B intersect the neck region of shoe upper 1200 , eg, formed between neck portions 1230C and 1230D of outer layer 1230 . In this configuration, lace guides 1218 on neck portions 1230C and 1230D may be omitted near toe panel 1212 to prevent interference with lace 1214.

Tensile straps 1202 and 1204 ensure that when lace 1214 is pulled tight, the various layers of shoe upper 1200 (eg, outer layer 1230 and overlay 1232 ) form a loop of lace 1214 . It may be configured to float on top of the shoe upper 1200 to allow for contraction independent of tension. For example, when proximal ends 1234A and 1234B are pulled tight by the lacing drive engine, as neck portions 1230C and 1230D are individually pulled closer to sole portions 1230A and 1230B, neck Portions 1230C and 1230D can slide under tension straps 1202 and 1204 . Thus, in one embodiment, only a portion of each tension strap 1202 and 1204 may be attached to shoe upper 1200 .

Tensile straps 1202 and 1204 can have a variety of shapes to distribute the force of strap 1214 over inner panel 1208 and outer panel 1210 . Straps 1202 and 1204 can be triangular, quadrilateral, trapezoidal, straight, or any other shape. In one example, straps 1202 and 1204 are wider at the bottom near the sole structure and lace 1214 to distribute the force from lace 1214 along the wider width of shoe upper 1200 and sole structure. ) is narrower at the top near the Straps 1202 and 1204 can have the same shape or, as shown in FIG. 20 , can have different shapes.

FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating tension strap 1202 of FIG. 18 showing lockout zone 1240 and stretch zone 1242 . Distal end portion 1216A of lace 1214 may be connected to lockout region 1240 along length L, for example by sutures 1226 .

The bottom edge region 1222 of strap 1202 can be wider than the top edge region 1224 . Bottom edge region 1222 may connect to shoe upper 1200 or a sole structure. In certain embodiments, only a portion of stretch region 1242 , such as bottom edge region 1222 , is connected to shoe upper 1200 or sole structure to allow stretch region 1242 to be stretched. In one embodiment, stretch zone 1242 is comprised of an elastomer, synthetic material, polymer, proprietary material having one or more of these properties, such as a Lunar Fly Strap material, for example, or the like. In another example, most or all of stretch region 1242 is connected to shoe upper 1200 .

Lockout region 1240 can extend from stretch region 1242 to top edge region 1224 . Lockout region 1240 may extend laterally across the entire topmost portion of stretch region 1242 . Lockout region 1240 can include a portion of tension strap 1202 that is less elastic or less extensible than stretch region 1242 . In one example, lockout region 1240 may include a separate piece of material that is attached to the material of stretch region 1242 . In another embodiment, lockout region 1240 is an extension of material in stretch region 1242 that is treated to strengthen the material within lockout region 1240 . For example, seam 1226 along length L of lace 1214 may provide a reinforcing treatment. In one example, the length L may be approximately 15 mm. Additionally or alternatively, lockout region 1240 may be treated with a hot melt material to secure distal end portion 1216A and to strengthen lockout region 1240 . In another embodiment, lockout region 1240 may be treated with a stretch inhibiting coating, such as Terranina, to increase the lockout capability of tensile strap 1202 . The lockout ability may indicate an unwillingness to stretch to allow lace 1214 to be tightened. That is, a lace that is fully locked out will increase the tightness to the foot in proportion to the amount the lace is tightened. In other words, the string cannot be stretched any further. The lockout capability of lockout region 1240 and the stretch capability of stretch region 1242 can be varied in different combinations for different embodiments of tension strap 1202 .

20 is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of a shoe upper 1200 that includes a lacing structure that includes tension straps 1250 and 1252 connected to lacing 1214 in a non-traversing configuration. Shoe upper 1200 of FIG. 20 is shown in FIG. 18 , except that tension straps 1202 and 1204 have been replaced with tension straps 1250 and 1252, and lace guides 1218A and 1218B have been added. It includes the same components as the shoe upper 1200 of . As can be seen in FIG. 20 , distal end portions 1216A and 1216B of lace 1214 are held on the same side of shoe upper 1200 where they connect to the lace drive engine and their respective tension straps, can be configured. That is, the distal end portion 1216B can be connected to the inner tension strap 1250, and the string guide 1218A and other string guides 1218 across the inner panel 1208 for connection to a string drive engine. The distal end portion 1216A, which may extend through, may be connected to an outer tension strap 1252, and a string guide 1218B across the outer panel 1210 for connection to a string drive engine. and other lace guides 1218. Lace guides 1218A and 1218B may be added to facilitate tight tightening of upper 1200 and stretching of elastic panel 1220 along the length of the neck region of upper 1200 . As shown, the relative sizes of tension straps 1250 and 1252 can be varied to provide different performance characteristics to the medial and lateral sides of upper 1200 . For example, tension straps 1250 and 1252, in the non-intersecting embodiment of FIG. 20 , for example to bring distal end portions 1216A and 1216B closer to the sole structure, the tension straps ( 1202 and 1204). Also, the medial tension strap 1250 can be shorter than the lateral tension strap 1252, or vice versa, to vary the forces applied to the cheek, metatarsal and phalanx regions of the foot.

21 is a plan view illustrating a flattened shoe upper 1400 having a lace structure for use with a lace drive engine, in accordance with some demonstrative embodiments. FIG. 22 is a diagram of an exemplary shoe assembly utilizing the two-zone lacing structure discussed with reference to FIG. 21 . In this example, shoe upper 1400 has a medial side 1403 and a lateral side 1404 , as well as a distal (toe) end and a proximal (heel) end. The distal end includes toe box section 1407 and the proximal end includes heel portion 1406 . Shoe upper 1400 may also include a floating fabric layer (optional, not shown), an outer layer 1402 , and a floating tongue 1405 . The floating tongue 1405 is at least proximal to the neck portion 1411 (also referred to as the neck section) formed by a U-shaped cut in the outer layer 1402, through the foot opening 1409 of the outer layer 1402. extends out In some examples, neck portion 1411 varies in configuration, including various cut shapes or alternative material sections. All neck portions allow the portions of the outer and medial sides of the shoe assembly to move relative to each other. In another example, the neck portion 1411 can be incorporated into a covered layer of the outer layer 1402, so that the neck portion 1411 and lace structure are hidden when viewed from the outside. In some examples, neck portion 1411 is also an incision in the floating fabric layer. Shoe upper 1400 may include some or all of the structures discussed with respect to shoe upper 300, but is illustrated in a simpler manner to emphasize the two-zone lacing structure.

In this example, the string structure is divided into two different zones. The first region interacts with the toe or forefoot region of shoe upper 1400 . The second zone interacts with the midfoot region of shoe upper 1400 . The first braid zone braid cable is shown as a dark gray solid line, and the second braid zone braid cable is shown as a black dotted line. These differences are only for illustrative purposes to help distinguish the different braid cable paths, and a braid cable in this detail is a single cable extending from end 1420 to end 1421 (the end is Also referred to as fixed positions or fixed points). Alternatively, even for designs where the first braid section and the second braid section utilize different braid cables, the material used will generally be common between the different sections. The first lace section can include lace guides that guide the lace cable 1410 from the first lace end 1420 . In this example, first lace end 1420 is positioned on a distal-outer portion of eyestay 1408 . A lace cable 1410 is routed from the first lace end 1420 , across the distal end of the neck portion 1411 and through the first inner lace guide 1440 . From the first inner lace guide 1440 , the lace cable 1410 is routed back over the neck portion 1411 and through the first outer lace guide 1430 . From the first outer lace guide 1430, the lace cable 1410 is routed, through the second outer lace guide 1431 and the third outer lace guide 1432. The lace guides are labeled first, second, third, etc. to indicate the order in which they extend from the distal end of the neck portion 1411 proximally toward the foot opening 1409. Optionally, lace cable 1410 can be routed through material guide 1422 en route from first outer lace guide 1430 to third outer lace guide 1432 . From third lateral lace guide 1432, lace cable 1410 passes through outwardly directed tongue lace guide 1417 and down lateral heel lace guide 1451 through optional material guide 1423. , the path is set. The lateral heel lace guide 1451 routes the lace cable 1410 through the lateral lace outlet 1419 and into the midsole plate.

The second braid section includes a set of lace guides that route the lace cable 1410 from the second end 1421 to the inner lace outlet 1418 . In this example, the strap cable 1410 is routed from the second end 1421 on the outer side of the eyestay 1408 over the neck portion 1411 to the second inner strap guide 1441 . From the second inner lace guide 1421 , the lace cable 1410 is routed back over the neck portion 1411 to the second outer lace guide 1431 . The lace cable 1410 is then routed through the second outer lace guide 1431, again over the neck portion 411 a third time, and through the third inner lace guide 1442. Third medial lace guide 1442 routes lace cable 1410 to medial facing tongue lace guide 1416, which routes lace cable towards medial heel lace guide 1450. Set up. En route to the medial heel lace guide 1450, the lace cable may optionally be routed through the material lace guide 1424. From medial heel lace guide 1450, lace cable 1410 is routed through medial lace outlet 1418 and into the midsole plate.

The two-zone braid construction allows non-uniform distribution of braid cable tension between the distal and proximal ends of the neck portion 1411. The first lace section applies the same lace cable tension across fewer lace guides, causing the tension to be distributed over a smaller area. The second strap section, with more strap guides, distributes the strap cable tension over a larger area. The user may experience a tighter, higher performance fit in the toe (forefoot) area of the shoe due to the two-zone lacing construction. Other multi-zone lace structures may be utilized to vary the distribution of lace cable tension as required for a particular footwear application.

In this example, the lace structure includes a tongue string guide assembly 1415 (or simply tongue string guide 1415). Tongue strap guide 1415 can include an inward-facing strap guide 1416 and an outward-facing strap guide 1417 . The inward-facing lace guide 1416 and the outward-facing lace guide 1417 may be molded or formed from a single piece of material, or may be separate structures joined together in some way. In certain instances, the inward-facing and outward-facing lace guides are elastic members, such as elastic member 440, that allow for slight separation between the lace guides when tensioning on the braid cable 1418. can be combined with In certain instances, inward-facing strap guides 1416 and outward-facing strap guides 1417 may be attached to tongue strap guide stiffeners. In another example, the inwardly directed and outwardly directed strap guides are disposed on, wrapped within, or otherwise connected through a webbing material. The tongue string guide stiffener may be a non-extending or limited-extension material, a rigid material, or an elastic material. The tongue string guide stiffener may be glued, sutured, or similarly attached to the floating tongue 1405. In some examples, the tongue strap guide reinforcement may be padded or similarly configured to spread the force applied to the tongue strap guide over a larger area to avoid hot-spots for the user. . In another example, inward-facing lace guide 1416 and outward-facing lace guide 1417 can be connected by an elastic element or webbing, and can float relative to floating tongue 1405 .

Embodiments of the present disclosure may relate to adjusting the effective spring stiffness of a shoe when tightened on a foot. Intentional elastic zones in the lace drive system of a shoe upper may allow for different tightening speeds. For example, strap drive systems that are very stiff can become very fast and very tight, potentially causing discomfort to the wearer. The lace drive system and/or elastic zones strategically added to the shoe upper may manipulate the lockout stiffness, travel, modulus of elasticity, or other parameter of the shoe to adjust the fit of the shoe upper to the foot. As such, elastic zones can be added to the upper and back (or heel) regions of the foot to allow the shoe upper to be pulled down on the foot in a desired manner. For example, elastic zones can facilitate pre-tensioning or placement of loose material in a shoe upper, which can be thought of as parachute material that is clamped down on the foot by the lacing structure. A user may adjust the lace drive mechanism to adjust the article of footwear to have different comfort or performance characteristics, depending on the needs, preferences or use of the article of footwear.

examples

Example 1 is a shoe assembly comprising a shoe upper having a toe box portion, a medial side surface, an lateral side surface, and a heel portion, wherein the medial side surface and the lateral side surface each proximally from the toe box portion. a shoe upper extending into a heel portion; a braid cable having a first end secured along a distal lateral portion of the medial side and a second end secured along a distal lateral portion of the lateral side; A plurality of lace guides distributed along the medial side and the lateral side, each lace guide of the plurality of lace guides adapted to receive the length of the lace cable, the lace cable comprising the lace guide of the shoe upper. a plurality of string guides extending through each of the plurality of string guides to form a pattern along each of the inner side and the outer side; routing the lace cable from the pattern formed by the inner portions of the plurality of lace guides to a position that allows the lace cable to engage a lacing engine disposed inside the midsole portion; an inner proximal strap guide; an lateral proximal lace guide routing the lace cable from the position allowing the lace cable to engage the lace drive engine into the pattern formed by the lateral portions of the plurality of lace guides; and a first elastic member extending between a first lace guide and a second lace guide of the plurality of lace guides, such as a shoe assembly.

Example 2 includes the subject matter of Example 1, or may be selectively combined therewith, and optionally, a first elastic member capable of connecting the first lace guide and the second lace guide across the center line portion of the shoe upper. can include

Example 3 includes, or may be optionally combined with, the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 1 or 2, optionally, a first lace guide and a second lace across the heel portion of a shoe upper. It may include a first elastic member capable of connecting the guide.

Example 4 includes one or any combination of the objects of Examples 1 to 3, or may be optionally combined therewith, optionally between a third string guide and a fourth string guide among a plurality of string guides. It may include a second elastic member that can be extended.

Example 5 includes, or may optionally be combined with, the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 1-4, wherein, optionally, providing a variable modulus of elasticity to change the fit characteristics of a shoe upper. It may include a first elastic member interchangeable with different elastic members.

Example 6 includes, or may optionally be combined with, the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 1-5, optionally to function to smooth a torque versus string displacement curve during tightening of a braid cable. It may include a first elastic member capable of.

Example 7 is a shoe assembly comprising a toe box portion, a medial side, a lateral side, and a heel portion, wherein the medial side and the lateral side are each separated from the toe box portion to the heel portion. a shoe upper extending proximally to; a braid cable having a first end secured along a distal lateral portion of the medial side and a second end secured along a distal lateral portion of the lateral side; A plurality of lace guides distributed along the medial side and the lateral side, each lace guide of the plurality of lace guides adapted to receive the length of the lace cable, the lace cable comprising the lace guide of the shoe upper. a plurality of string guides extending through each of the plurality of string guides to form a pattern along each of the inner side and the outer side; The medial proximal laces route the lace cables from the pattern formed by medial portions of the plurality of lace guides to a location that allows the lace cables to engage a lace drive engine disposed inside the midsole portion. guide; an lateral proximal lace guide routing the lace cable from the position allowing the lace cable to engage the lace drive engine into the pattern defined by the lateral portions of the plurality of lace guides; and a first elastic member extending between the first portion and the second portion of the shoe upper. may contain or use

Example 8 includes, or can optionally be combined with, the subject matter of Example 7, wherein the first elastic member can optionally include at least an elastic centerline portion extending proximally from the toe box portion to the foot opening. It may include, and the first portion and the second portion of the shoe upper may include the inner side and the outer side, respectively.

Example 9 includes the subject matter of one or any combination of examples 7 or 8, which may optionally be combined with, and which may optionally include an elastic heel portion that extends proximate to the foot opening. 1 includes an elastic member, and the first and second portions of the shoe upper may include inner and outer sides of the heel portion, respectively.

Example 10 includes, or may be optionally combined with, the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 7-9, optionally to smooth a torque versus string displacement curve during tightening of the braid cable. It may include a first elastic member capable of functioning.

Example 11 includes, or may optionally be combined with, the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 7-10, optionally open to allow access to an interior space inside the shoe upper, or It may include a first elastic member that can be expanded.

Example 12 is a shoe assembly comprising a shoe upper having a toe box portion, a medial side, a lateral side, and a heel portion, the medial side and the lateral side each proximally from the toe box portion to the heel portion. a shoe upper that extends; a braid cable having a first end secured along a distal lateral portion of the medial side and a second end secured along a distal lateral portion of the lateral side; A plurality of lace guides distributed along the medial side and the lateral side, each lace guide of the plurality of lace guides adapted to receive the length of the lace cable, the lace cable comprising the lace guide of the shoe upper. a plurality of string guides extending through each of the plurality of string guides to form a pattern along each of the inner side and the outer side; The medial proximal laces route the lace cables from the pattern formed by medial portions of the plurality of lace guides to a location that allows the lace cables to engage a lace drive engine disposed inside the midsole portion. guide; an lateral proximal lace guide routing the lace cable from the position allowing the lace cable to engage the lace drive engine into the pattern defined by the lateral portions of the plurality of lace guides; and a first elastic member extending between a first portion of the shoe upper and a first lace guide of the plurality of lace guides. may or may not be used.

Example 13 includes, or can optionally be combined with, the subject matter of example 12, optionally including a first portion of the shoe upper, which can include the heel portion, and wherein the first A lace guide may be positioned proximate to the heel portion.

Example 14 includes, or may be optionally combined with, the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 12 or 13, optionally including either the medial side or the lateral side of the shoe upper. and wherein the first lace guide may be positioned proximate a throat of the upper.

Example 15 includes, or may optionally be combined with, the subject matter of any one or any combination of Examples 12-14, optionally wherein the second portion of the shoe upper and a second one of the plurality of lace guides. It may include a second elastic member extending between the strap guide.

Example 16 includes, or may optionally be combined with, the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 12-15, optionally providing a varying modulus of elasticity to change the fit characteristics of the shoe upper. It may include a first elastic member interchangeable with other elastic members that do.

Example 17 includes, or may optionally be combined with, the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 12-16, optionally to smooth a torque versus string displacement curve during tightening of the braid cable. It may include a first elastic member capable of functioning.

Example 18 is a shoe assembly comprising: a sole structure; A shoe upper defining a toe box portion, a medial side surface, a lateral side surface, and a heel portion, the shoe upper connected to the sole structure to form an interior space for receiving a foot, the shoe upper to the interior space; To form a collar to allow access of the shoe upper; a lace drive engine disposed within the sole structure; A lace drive system comprising: a lace cable having a medial end and a lateral end secured to the shoe upper and an intermediate portion passing through the lace drive engine; and a plurality of lace guides for routing the lace cable along the shoe upper between the medial and lateral ends and the lace drive engine; and a shoe assembly comprising a heel channel coupled to the heel portion and configured to facilitate access to the interior space. there is.

Example 19 includes, or can be optionally combined with, the subject matter of Example 18, including a heel channel that can optionally include an elastic member coupling a medial portion and a lateral portion of the heel portion. can

Example 20 includes, or can be optionally combined with, the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 18 or 19, optionally coupled to the shoe assembly and during tightening of the laces cable. It may include an elastic member, which functions to smooth out the torque versus string displacement curve.

Example 21 includes, or can optionally be combined with, the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 18-20, which can optionally include a heel channel that can include a zipper.

Example 22 includes, or may optionally be combined with, the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 18-21, optionally separately positioned on the medial and lateral portions of the heel portion. , a heel channel, which may include strips of hook and loop fastener material.

Example 23 is a shoe assembly comprising: a sole structure; A shoe upper defining a toe box portion, a medial side surface, a lateral side surface, and a heel portion, the shoe upper connected to the sole structure to form an interior space for receiving a foot, the shoe upper comprising: To form a collar to allow access of the shoe upper; a lace drive engine disposed within the sole structure; A lace drive system comprising: a lace cable having a medial end and a lateral end secured to the shoe upper and a middle portion passing through the lace drive engine; and a plurality of lace guides for routing the lace cable along the shoe upper between the medial and lateral ends and the lace drive engine; and an elastic member coupled to the shoe assembly that functions to smooth a torque versus lace displacement curve during tightening of the lace cable. may contain or use

Example 24 includes, or may be optionally combined with, the subject matter of example 23, which may optionally include an elastic member, which may be configured to stretch after the string drive engine tightens the string cable. there is.

Example 25 includes, or may optionally be combined with, the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 23 or 24, wherein the elastic modulus may optionally have a modulus of elasticity lower than the modulus of elasticity of the shoe upper. may include absences.

Example 26 may include the subject matter of one or any combination of examples 23-25, or may optionally be combined therewith, and may include an elastic member, which may optionally be configured to extend the collar. there is.

Example 27 includes the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 23 to 26, or may be optionally combined with, optionally, a first string guide and a second string guide of the plurality of string guides. It may include an elastic member that can be connected.

Example 28 includes, or may be optionally combined with, the subject matter of any one or any combination of Examples 23-27, wherein, optionally, separately positioned on the medial and lateral portions of the heel portion. It may include a first string guide and a second string guide.

Example 29 includes, or may be optionally combined with, the subject matter of any one or any combination of Examples 23-28, optionally separately positioned on the medial and lateral sides of the shoe upper. It may include a first string guide and a second string guide.

Example 30 includes, or can be optionally combined with, the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 23-29, optionally a first lace guide and a first lace guide that can be immobile with respect to the shoe upper. 2 Can include string guides.

Example 31 includes, or may be optionally combined with, the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 23-30, optionally, a first lace guide of the plurality of lace guides to a first lace guide of the shoe upper It may include an elastic member, connectable to one part.

Example 32 includes, or may be optionally combined with, the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 23-31, which may optionally be positioned on the medial or lateral side of the shoe upper. and a first lace guide positioned thereon and a first portion of the shoe upper that can be positioned on the heel portion.

Example 33 includes, or may be optionally combined with, the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 23-32, which may optionally be positioned on the medial side or the lateral side of the shoe upper. It may include a first lace guide and a first portion of the shoe upper, and the first portion of the shoe upper may be located at a neck portion.

Example 34 includes, or can be optionally combined with, the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 23-33, optionally a first lace guide and a first lace guide that can be immobile with respect to the shoe upper. 2 Can include string guides.

Example 35 includes, or can be optionally combined with, the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 23-35, wherein, optionally, the first portion and the second portion of the shoe upper can be connected; An elastic member may be included.

Example 36 includes, or may be optionally combined with, the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 23-35, wherein a first portion of the shoe upper, which may optionally include a lateral side, and A second portion of a shoe upper, which may include a medial side, wherein the elastic member may extend over the heel portion.

Example 37 includes, or may be optionally combined with, the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 23-36, wherein a first portion of the shoe upper, which may optionally include a lateral side, and A second portion of the shoe upper, which may include a medial side, wherein the elastic member may extend over a neck portion of the shoe upper.

Example 38 includes the subject matter of one or any combination of examples 23-37, or may be optionally combined therewith, wherein the plurality of resilient members optionally may be integrated into the string drive system. can do.

Example 39 is a shoe assembly comprising a shoe upper having a toe box portion, a medial side, a lateral side, and a heel portion, the medial side and the lateral side each proximal from the toe box portion to the heel portion. a shoe upper that extends; a medial tension member secured to the medial side of the upper proximate to the toe box; a lateral tension member secured to the lateral side of the upper proximate to the toe box; a braid cable having a first end attached to the inner tension member and a second end attached to the outer tension member; and a plurality of lace guides distributed along the medial side and the lateral side, wherein each lace guide of the plurality of lace guides is adapted to receive the length of the lace cable, the lace cable comprising a portion of the shoe upper. lace adjustment, which may include a shoe assembly comprising a plurality of lace guides extending through each of the plurality of lace guides to form a pattern along each of the medial side and the lateral side. It may include or use an object such as a device.

Example 40 includes, or may be optionally combined with, the subject matter of example 39, optionally, an elastic member connecting the medial side and the lateral side of the shoe upper along a neck region of the shoe upper. It may include a shoe upper, which may further include.

Example 41 includes, or may optionally be combined with, the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 39 or 40, optionally separately for the medial side and the lateral side of the shoe upper. It may include an inner tension member and an outer tension member, each of which may be at least partially immobilized.

Example 42 includes, or may be optionally combined with, the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 39-41, optionally a lockout zone; and an inner tension member and an outer tension member, each of which may have a stretch zone.

Example 43 includes the subject matter of one or any combination of examples 39-42, or may be optionally combined with, optionally, a lockout region connectable to the laces cable and the shoe upper. It may include an elongation zone that may be present.

Example 44 includes the subject matter of one or any combination of examples 39-43, or may be optionally combined therewith, which may optionally include a bottom edge of a stretch zone, which may be connected to the shoe upper. can

Example 45 includes the subject matter of one or any combination of examples 39-44, or may optionally be combined therewith, optionally comprising a lockout zone that can be fully immobile relative to the shoe upper. can do.

Example 46 may include the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 39-45, or may optionally be combined therewith, and may include a lockout region, which may optionally have a stretch inhibiting coating. there is.

Example 47 includes the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 39-46, or may be optionally combined therewith, wherein the lockout zone and stretch zone, which may optionally consist of a continuous sheet of material. can include

Example 48 includes, or may be optionally combined with, the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 39-47, optionally wherein, in the lockout zone, the inner tension member and the outer tension member are separated, respectively. and a first end and a second end of the braid cable, which may be sutured to a tension member.

Example 49 includes, or may be optionally combined with, the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 39-48, optionally, a lace cable, comprising: a lace cable of the medial side of the shoe upper and the lace cable. a first proximal portion connected to the first end; and a second proximal portion connected to a lateral side of the shoe upper and to a second end of the lace cable; The first end of the braid cable may be connected to the inner tension member, and the second end of the braid cable may be connected to the outer tension member.

Example 50 includes, or may be optionally combined with, the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 39-49, wherein the laces cable is optionally capable of crossing a neck region of the shoe upper. It may include a first end and a second end.

Example 51 includes, or may be optionally combined with, the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 39-50, optionally as a lace cable, comprising: a medial side of the shoe upper and a second portion of the lace cable. a first proximal portion connected to one end; and a second proximal portion connected to a lateral side of the shoe upper and to a second end of the lace cable; The first end of the braid cable may be connected to the outer tension member, and the second end of the braid cable may be connected to the inner tension member.

Example 52 includes, or may be optionally combined with, the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 39-51, optionally, from a pattern formed by inner portions of the plurality of lace guides, wherein the a medial proximal lace guide routing the lace cable into a position allowing the lace cable to engage a lace drive engine disposed within the midsole portion; and an outer proximal strap guide routing the lace cable in a pattern formed by outer portions of the plurality of lace guides from a location permitting the lace cable to engage the lace drive engine. can do.

Example 53 is a shoe assembly comprising: a sole structure; A shoe upper defining a toe box portion, a medial side surface, a lateral side surface, and a heel portion, the shoe upper connected to the sole structure to form an interior space for receiving a foot, the shoe upper to the interior space; To form a collar to allow access of the shoe upper; a lace drive engine disposed within the sole structure; a medial floating overlay attached to the medial side of the shoe upper proximate to the toe box portion; a lateral floating overlay attached to the lateral side of the shoe upper proximate to the toe box portion; and a string drive system comprising: a string cable having an inner end and an outer end secured to the inner and outer floating overlays and an intermediate portion passing through the string drive engine; and a plurality of lace guides for routing the lace cable along the shoe upper between the medial and lateral ends and the lace drive engine. It may include or use an object, such as a shoelace adjuster, which may include.

Example 54 includes, or may be optionally combined with, the subject matter of example 53, optionally wherein the inner end of the braid cable connectable to the inner floating overlay and the inner end of the braid cable connectable to the outer floating overlay. It may include an outer end of the braid cable.

Example 55 includes the subject matter of one or any combination of examples 53 or 54, or may be optionally combined with, optionally, a neck region of the shoe upper between the medial side and the lateral side. It may include an inner end and an outer end of the braid cable, which may cross the .

Example 56 includes the subject matter of one or any combination of examples 53-55, or may be optionally combined with, optionally, an inner end of the braid cable connectable to the outer floating overlay; and and an outer end of the braid cable connectable to the inner floating overlay.

Example 57 includes, or may be optionally combined with, the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 53-56, optionally capable of connecting the medial side and the lateral side of the shoe upper. , may include an elastic member.

Example 58 includes, or may be optionally combined with, the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 53-57, optionally comprising: a lockout zone; and an inner tension member and an outer tension member, each of which may include a stretch zone.

Example 59 includes the subject matter of one or any combination of examples 53-58, or may be optionally combined therewith, optionally, a lockout region connectable to the laces cable and connectable to the shoe upper. It may include an elongation zone that may be present.

Example 60 includes the subject matter of one or any combination of examples 53-59, or may be optionally combined therewith, which may optionally include a bottom edge of a stretch zone, which may be connected to the shoe upper. can

Example 61 includes the subject matter of one or any combination of examples 53-60, or may optionally be combined therewith, optionally comprising a lockout zone that can be completely immobile relative to the shoe upper. can do.

Example 62 may include the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 53-61, or may optionally be combined therewith, and may include a lockout region, which may optionally have a stretch inhibiting coating. there is.

Example 63 includes the subject matter of one or any combination of Examples 53-62, or may be optionally combined therewith, optionally comprising a lockout zone and an extension zone, which may consist of continuous sheets of material. can include

Example 64 includes the subject matter of one or any combination of examples 53-63, or which may be optionally combined with, optionally, in a lockout region, separately the inner tension member and the outer tension member. It may include an inner end and an outer end of the braid cable, which may be sutured to a tension member.

Example 65 is a shoe upper having a toe box portion, a medial side, a lateral side, and a heel portion, wherein the medial side and the lateral side are each positioned proximally from the toe box portion to the heel portion. a shoe upper extending into and forming a neck region of the shoe upper; a medial tension member secured to the medial side of the upper proximate to the toe box; a lateral tension member secured to the lateral side of the upper proximate to the toe box; a braid cable having a first end attached to the inner tension member and a second end attached to the outer tension member; and a plurality of lace guides distributed along the medial side and the lateral side, wherein the lace cable extends from the first end in the medial tension member across the neck region and one or more lace guides. extends along the outer side through; and wherein the lace cable extends from the second end of the lateral tension member across the neck region and along the medial side through one or more lace guides. It may include or use an object such as a shoe lace adjusting device.

Example 66 includes, or may be optionally combined with, the subject matter of example 65, optionally, an elastic member connecting the medial side and the lateral side of the shoe upper along the neck region of the shoe upper. It may include a shoe upper, which may further include.

Example 67 includes the subject matter of one or any combination of examples 65 or 66, or which may optionally be combined with, optionally separately for the medial side and the lateral side of the shoe upper. It may include an inner tension member and an outer tension member, each of which may be at least partially immobile.

Example 68 includes, or may be optionally combined with, the subject matter of one or any combination of examples 65-67, optionally comprising: a rigid lockout region; and an inner tension member and an outer tension member, each of which may have an elastic stretch zone.

Example 69 includes the subject matter of one or any combination of examples 65-68, or may be optionally combined therewith, optionally, a lockout region connectable to the lacing cable and connectable to the shoe upper. It may include an elongation zone that may be present.

Example 70 includes the subject matter of one or any combination of examples 65-68, or may be optionally combined therewith, optionally comprising a lockout zone and an extension zone, which may consist of a continuous sheet of material. can include

additional details

Throughout this specification, plural instances may implement components, operations, or structures that are described as a single instance. Although individual operations of one or more methods are shown and described as separate operations, one or more individual operations may be performed concurrently, and the operations need not be performed in the order shown. Structures and functionality presented as separate components in the example configurations may be implemented as a combined structure or component. Similarly, structures and functionality presented as a single component may be implemented as separate components. These and other variations, modifications, additions and improvements fall within the scope of the present subject matter.

Although an overview of the present subject matter has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments, various modifications and changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the broad scope of the embodiments of the present disclosure. These embodiments of the present subject matter are referred to herein as "the invention" for convenience only and without any intention to voluntarily limit the scope of this application to any single disclosure or inventive concept, even if in fact more than one is disclosed. may be referred to individually or collectively as

The embodiments illustrated herein are described in sufficient detail to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the disclosed teachings. Other embodiments may be used and derived therefrom so that structural and logical substitutions and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure should not be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the various embodiments includes the full range of equivalents to which the disclosed subject matter has rights.

As used herein, the term “or” may be interpreted in an inclusive or exclusive sense. Also, multiple instances may be provided for a resource, operation, or structure described herein as a single instance. Additionally, the boundaries between the various resources, operations, modules, engines, and data stores are somewhat arbitrary, and specific operations are illustrated with respect to specific example configurations. Other allocations of functionality are envisioned and may fall within the scope of various embodiments of the present disclosure. In general, structures and functionality presented as separate resources in the example configurations may be implemented as a combined structure or resource. Similarly, structures and functionality presented as a single resource may be implemented as separate resources. These and other variations, modifications, additions and improvements fall within the scope of the embodiments of the present disclosure as expressed by the appended claims. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than restrictive sense.

Each of these non-limiting examples may exist on its own, or may be combined in various permutations or combinations with one or more other examples.

The above detailed description includes reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the detailed description. The drawings, by way of example, show specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are also referred to herein as "Examples". These examples may include elements other than those shown or described. However, the inventors also contemplate examples in which only those elements shown or described are provided. In addition, the inventors also contend that those elements (or Examples using any combination or permutation of one or more aspects thereof) are contemplated.

In case of any inconsistency of use between any documents so incorporated by reference and this document, the use in this document shall prevail.

In this document, the term "indefinite article" is intended to include one or more than one, regardless of any other instances or usages of "at least one" or "one or more" as commonly used in patent documents. used In this document, the term "or", unless otherwise indicated, refers to non-exclusively or "A or B" means "A but not B", "B but not A" and "A and B". " is used to include In this document, the terms "including" and "in which" are used as the plain English equivalents of the respective terms "including" and "wherein". Also, in the claims that follow, the terms "including" and "comprising" are open ended, i.e., systems that include elements other than those recited after such terms in the claims; A device, article, composition, formulation or process is still considered to fall within the scope of the claims. Also, in the following claims, terms such as “first,” “second,” and “third” are used only as labels and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their purposes.

Method (process) examples described herein, such as shoe assembly examples, may at least partially include mechanical or robotic implementations.

The above description is not intended to be restrictive, but illustrative. For example, the examples described above (or one or more aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. Other embodiments may be used, for example, by one skilled in the art upon reviewing the above description. An abstract, where provided, is included to enable the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. The abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. Also, in the above detailed description, various features have been grouped together to simplify the present disclosure. This is not to be construed as intending that unclaimed disclosure features are essential to all claims. Rather, inventive subject matter may lie in less than all features of a particular disclosed embodiment. Accordingly, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description as examples or embodiments, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment, and it is contemplated that such embodiments may be combined with one another in various combinations or permutations. do. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

Claims (17)

As a shoe assembly,
a shoe upper having a toe box portion, a medial side, a lateral side, and a heel portion, the medial side and the lateral side each extending proximally from the toe box portion to the heel portion;
a braid cable having a first end secured along a distal lateral portion of the medial side and a second end secured along a distal lateral portion of the lateral side;
A plurality of lace guides distributed along the medial side and the lateral side, each lace guide of the plurality of lace guides adapted to receive the length of the lace cable, the lace cable extending along the inner side of the shoe upper. a plurality of string guides extending through each of the plurality of string guides to form a pattern along each side and the outer side;
The medial proximal laces route the lace cables from the pattern formed by medial portions of the plurality of lace guides to a location that allows the lace cables to engage a lace drive engine disposed inside the midsole portion. guide;
an lateral proximal lace guide routing the lace cable from the position allowing the lace cable to engage the lace drive engine into the pattern defined by the lateral portions of the plurality of lace guides; and
A first elastic member extending between a first string guide and a second string guide among the plurality of string guides
Including, shoe assembly. According to claim 1,
Wherein the first elastic member connects the first string guide and the second string guide across the center line portion of the shoe upper, the shoe assembly. According to claim 1,
Wherein the first elastic member connects the first string guide and the second string guide across the heel portion of the shoe upper, the shoe assembly. According to any one of claims 1 to 3,
Further comprising a second elastic member extending between the third and fourth lace guides of the plurality of lace guides, the shoe assembly. According to any one of claims 1 to 3,
wherein the first elastic member is interchangeable with different elastic members having different elastic moduli to change the fit characteristics of the shoe upper. According to any one of claims 1 to 3,
wherein the first elastic member functions to smooth a torque versus lace displacement curve during tightening of the lace cable. As a shoe assembly,
a shoe upper having a toe box portion, a medial side, a lateral side, and a heel portion, the medial side and the lateral side each extending proximally from the toe box portion to the heel portion;
a braid cable having a first end secured along a distal lateral portion of the medial side and a second end secured along a distal lateral portion of the lateral side;
A plurality of lace guides distributed along the medial side and the lateral side, each lace guide of the plurality of lace guides adapted to receive the length of the lace cable, the lace cable extending along the inner side of the shoe upper. a plurality of string guides extending through each of the plurality of string guides to form a pattern along each side and the outer side;
The medial proximal laces route the lace cables from the pattern formed by medial portions of the plurality of lace guides to a location that allows the lace cables to engage a lace drive engine disposed inside the midsole portion. guide;
an lateral proximal lace guide routing the lace cable from the position allowing the lace cable to engage the lace drive engine into the pattern defined by the lateral portions of the plurality of lace guides; and
a first elastic member extending between first and second portions of the shoe upper;
Including, shoe assembly. According to claim 7,
The first elastic member includes at least an elastic centerline portion extending proximally from the toe box portion to the foot opening, wherein the first portion and the second portion of the shoe upper are separately formed on the medial side and the lateral side. To include, a shoe assembly. According to claim 7,
wherein the first elastic member includes an elastic heel portion extending proximate to the foot opening, and the first portion and the second portion of the shoe upper respectively include medial and lateral sides of the heel portion. In, shoe assembly. According to any one of claims 7 to 9,
wherein the first elastic member functions to smooth a torque versus lace displacement curve during tightening of the lace cable. According to any one of claims 7 to 9,
Wherein the first elastic member is open or expandable to allow access to the inner space inside the shoe upper, the shoe assembly. As a shoe assembly,
a shoe upper having a toe box portion, a medial side, a lateral side, and a heel portion, the medial side and the lateral side each extending proximally from the toe box portion to the heel portion;
a braid cable having a first end secured along a distal lateral portion of the medial side and a second end secured along a distal lateral portion of the lateral side;
A plurality of lace guides distributed along the medial side and the lateral side, each lace guide of the plurality of lace guides adapted to receive the length of the lace cable, the lace cable extending along the inner side of the shoe upper. a plurality of string guides extending through each of the plurality of string guides to form a pattern along each side and the outer side;
The medial proximal laces route the lace cables from the pattern formed by medial portions of the plurality of lace guides to a location that allows the lace cables to engage a lace drive engine disposed inside the midsole portion. guide;
an lateral proximal lace guide routing the lace cable from the position allowing the lace cable to engage the lace drive engine into the pattern defined by the lateral portions of the plurality of lace guides; and
A first elastic member extending between a first portion of the shoe upper and a first lace guide of the plurality of lace guides.
Including, shoe assembly. According to claim 12,
wherein the first portion of the shoe upper includes the heel portion, and wherein the first lace guide is positioned proximate the heel portion. According to claim 12,
wherein the first portion of the shoe upper comprises one of the medial side or the lateral side of the shoe upper, and wherein the first lace guide is positioned proximate a throat of the shoe upper. shoe assembly. According to any one of claims 12 to 14,
and a second elastic member extending between a second portion of the shoe upper and a second lace guide of the plurality of lace guides. According to any one of claims 12 to 14,
wherein the first elastic member is interchangeable with different elastic members having different elastic moduli to change the fit characteristics of the shoe upper. According to any one of claims 12 to 14,
wherein the first elastic member functions to smooth a torque versus lace displacement curve during tightening of the lace cable.

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