Footwear Including an Adaptable and Adjustable Lacing System

Abstract

An article of footwear includes an upper and an adjustable lacing system. The adjustable lacing system includes a plurality of fastener engaging elements located at the medial and lateral sides of the upper, where at least one of the medial side and the lateral side includes sets of fastener engaging elements. Each set of fastener engaging elements is distanced from another set in a direction transverse a lengthwise direction of the upper, and the fastener engaging elements are configured to engage with and retain a fastener structure that extends between the medial and lateral sides of the upper such that the fastener structure can be selectively engaged with different sets of fastener engaging elements to adjust a fit of the upper around a width of the foot disposed within the cavity.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates to an article of footwear and, in particular, footwear including an upper with a knit construction and an adjustable lacing system.BACKGROUND[0002]Articles of footwear typically include an upper and a sole structure attached to the upper. A variety of different materials can be used to form the upper. Athletic footwear, for example, often includes an upper having textiles that are stitched or adhesively bonded to a foam layer. Similarly, hiking boots and work boots often include a durable outer shell formed of leather and an inner lining formed of a textile joined with foam materials. Footwear uppers formed from textiles are generally lightweight and flexible structures designed to provide comfort to the user and provide other desirable features. Other materials, such as leather, synthetic leather, rubber and / or other components can also be incorporated with a textile to form an upper having desirable aesthetic and functional...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes an article of footwear with an adjustable lacing system. This system allows the user to selectively engage different parts of the lacing with each other to adjust the fit of the shoe to their foot. The system includes a first connection configuration and a second connection configuration, which can be positioned on either side of the shoe. This makes it easy to adjust the fit of the shoe and ensure a snug fit around the foot. The technical effect of this system is improved comfort and fit for the user, as they can adjust the shoe to their specific needs and preferences.

Problems solved by technology

Providing such features in an upper, however, can increase the complexities associated with manufacture of the upper.

Furthermore, the incorporation of materials such as leather or rubber into the upper to increase the strength and durability of the upper can also incorporate other undesirable properties into the upper, such as a reduction in air permeability of the upper resulting in trapping of moisture (e.g., perspiration) within the upper during use.

However, the lacing system can be limited based upon the size of the upper in relation to the wearer's foot.

In addition, it can be difficult to suitably characterize a shoe size for all different foot sizes.

While conventional shoe sizes take into consideration heel-to-toe length and foot girth or width, such length and width dimensions are typically standardized and cannot accommodate all possible variations of foot sizes.

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