ZONAL DYNAMIC LACING SYSTEM

Abstract

An article of footwear includes an upper defining an interior void and having a first region and a second region. The article of footwear also includes a sole structure attached to the upper. The article of footwear includes a cable including a first fastening segment extending across the first region to a first terminal end anchored on one of the upper and the sole structure, a second fastening segment extending across the second region to a second terminal end anchored on one of the upper and the sole structure. The article of footwear further includes a cable lock attached to one of the upper and the sole structure, the cable lock configured to receive the first fastening segment and the second fastening segment and operable to secure a position of each of the first fastening segment and the second fastening segment independently from one another.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This non-provisional U.S. patent application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/756,130, filed Nov. 6, 2018, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to articles of footwear having a dynamic lacing system for moving footwear between a constricted state and a relaxed state.

BACKGROUND

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.

Articles of footwear conventionally include an upper and a sole structure. The upper may be formed from any suitable material(s) to receive, secure and support a foot on the sole structure. A bottom portion of the upper, proximate to a bottom surface of the foot, attaches to the sole structure. Sole structures generally include a layered arrangement extending between an outsole providing abrasion-resistance and traction with a ground surface and a midsole disposed between the outsole and the upper for providing cushioning for the foot.

The upper may cooperate with laces, straps, or other fasteners to adjust the fit of the upper around the foot. For instance, laces may be tightened to close the upper around the foot and tied once a desired fit of the upper around the foot is attained. Care is required to ensure that the upper is not too loose or too tight around the foot each time the laces are tied. Moreover, the laces may loosen or become untied during wear of the footwear. While fasteners such as hook and loop fasteners are easier and quicker to operate than traditional laces, these fasteners have a propensity to wear out over time and require more attention to attain a desired tension when securing the upper to the foot.

Known automated tightening systems typically include a tightening mechanism, such as rotatable knob, that can be manipulated to apply tension to one or more cables that interact with the upper for closing the upper around that foot. While these automated tightening systems can incrementally increase the magnitude of tension of the one or more cables to achieve the desired fit of the upper around the foot, they require a time-consuming task of manipulating the tightening mechanism to properly tension the cables for securing the upper around the foot, and when it is desired to remove the footwear from the foot, the wearer is required to simultaneously depress a release mechanism and pull the upper away from the foot to release the tension of the cables. Furthermore, these automated tightening systems provide a constant tensioning along the lengths of the one or more cables, whereby rotation of the rotatable knob causes the entire cable to be tightened uniformly. In instances where it may be desirable to tighten a first region of the upper at a different rate than a second region of the upper, additional cables and tightening mechanisms must be incorporated and controlled separately.

Thus, known automated tightening systems lack suitable provisions for both quickly and variably adjusting the tension of the cables to close the upper around the foot and quickly releasing the tension applied to the cables so that the upper can be quickly loosened for removing the footwear from the foot. Moreover, the tightening mechanism employed by these known automated tightening systems is required to be incorporated onto an exterior of the upper so that the tightening mechanism is accessible to the wearer for adjusting the fit of the upper around the foot, thereby detracting from the general appearance and aesthetics of the footwear.

DRAWINGS

The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected configurations and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a lateral side elevation view of an article of footwear having a cable lock movable between a locked state to restrict movement of a cable and an unlocked state to permit movement of the cable in accordance with principles of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a medial side elevation view of the article of footwear of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the article of footwear of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4A is a top perspective view of the article of footwear of FIG. 1, showing the cable in a relaxed state;

FIG. 4B is a top perspective view of the article of footwear of FIG. 1, showing the cable in a constricted state having a lateral side of the article of footwear tightened more than a medial side of the article of footwear;

FIG. 4C is a top perspective view of the article of footwear of FIG. 1, showing the cable in another constricted state having the lateral side of the article of footwear tightened less than the medial side of the article of footwear;

FIG. 5 is a lateral side elevation view of another article of footwear having a cable lock movable between a locked state to restrict movement of a cable and an unlocked state to permit movement of the cable in accordance with principles of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is a medial side elevation view of the article of footwear of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a bottom perspective view of the article of footwear of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8A is a top perspective view of the article of footwear of FIG. 5, showing the cable in a relaxed state;

FIG. 8B is a top perspective view of the article of footwear of FIG. 5, showing the cable in a constricted state having a lateral side of the article of footwear tightened more than a medial side of the article of footwear;

FIG. 8C is a top perspective view of the article of footwear of FIG. 5, showing the cable in another constricted state having the lateral side of the article of footwear tightened less than the medial side of the article of footwear;

FIG. 9 is a lateral side elevation view of another article of footwear having a cable lock movable between a locked state to restrict movement of a cable and an unlocked state to permit movement of the cable in accordance with principles of the present disclosure;

FIG. 10 is a medial side elevation view of the article of footwear of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a top perspective view of the article of footwear of FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a lateral side elevation view of another article of footwear having a cable lock movable between a locked state to restrict movement of a cable and an unlocked state to permit movement of the cable in accordance with principles of the present disclosure;

FIG. 13 is a medial side elevation view of the article of footwear of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a top perspective view of the article of footwear of FIG. 12;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a cable lock and cable according to the principles of the instant disclosure;

FIG. 16 is an exploded view of the cable lock and cable of FIG. 15, showing a housing and a locking member of the cable lock;

FIG. 17 is a top view of the cable lock of FIG. 15, showing a housing having a lid removed to expose a locking member slidably disposed within the housing when the locking member is in a locked state;

FIG. 18 is a top view of the cable lock of FIG. 15, showing a housing having a lid removed to expose a locking member slidably disposed within the housing when the locking member is in an unlocked state;

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the of the cable lock of FIG. 15, showing a housing of the cable lock;

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a cable lock and cable according to the principles of the instant disclosure;

FIG. 21 is an exploded view of the cable lock and cable of FIG. 20, showing a housing and a locking member of the cable lock;

FIG. 22 is a top view of the cable lock of FIG. 20, showing a housing having a lid removed to expose a locking member slidably disposed within the housing when the locking member is in a locked state;

FIG. 23 is a top view of the cable lock of FIG. 20, showing a housing having a lid removed to expose a locking member slidably disposed within the housing when the locking member is in an unlocked state;

FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view of the cable lock of FIG. 20 taken along section line 24-24 of FIG. 22, and showing an interface between a pulley and a prong of the cable lock;

FIG. 25 is a perspective view of a housing of the cable lock of FIG. 20, whereby the housing includes a prong for interfacing with the pulley of the cable lock;

FIG. 26 is a perspective view of another example of a housing of the cable lock of FIG. 20, whereby the housing does not include a prong for interfacing with the pulley of the cable lock; and

FIG. 27 is a perspective view of a pulley of the cable lock of FIG. 20.

Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Example configurations will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. Example configurations are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those of ordinary skill in the art. Specific details are set forth such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, to provide a thorough understanding of configurations of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example configurations may be embodied in many different forms, and that the specific details and the example configurations should not be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular exemplary configurations only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular articles “a,” “an,” and “the” may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “including,” and “having,” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. Additional or alternative steps may be employed.

When an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “engaged to,” “connected to,” “attached to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected, attached, or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly engaged to,” “directly connected to,” “directly attached to,” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

The terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections. These elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example configurations.

One aspect of the disclosure provides an article of footwear. The article of footwear includes an upper defining an interior void and having a first region and a second region. The article of footwear also includes a sole structure attached to the upper. The article of footwear further includes a cable including a first fastening segment extending across the first region to a first terminal end anchored on one of the upper and the sole structure and a second fastening segment extending across the second region to a second terminal end anchored on one of the upper and the sole structure. The article of footwear also includes a cable lock attached to one of the upper and the sole structure, the cable lock configured to receive the first fastening segment and the second fastening segment and operable to secure a position of each of the first fastening segment and the second fastening segment independently from one another.

Implementations of the disclosure may include one or more of the following optional features. In some implementations either or both of the first region and the second region include an elastic material. The first region is disposed on a medial side of the upper and the second region is disposed on a lateral side of the upper. The first region may also be disposed closer to an ankle opening of the upper than is the second region, and the second region is disposed closer to a toe region of the upper than is the first region. In some examples, the first terminal end is anchored to a medial side of the upper and the second terminal end is anchored to a lateral side of the upper.

In some configurations, the cable lock is disposed within the sole structure. Here, the cable lock further includes a release cable operable to move the cable lock from a locked state to an unlocked state.

In some implementations, at least one of the first region and the second region includes an upper edge including a first series of cable guides and a lower edge including a second series of cable guides, at least one of the first fastening segment and the second fastening segment being alternatingly routed between the first series of cable guides and the second series of cable guides along a length of the at least one of the first region and the second region. The cable may include a first control segment connected to the first fastening segment through the cable lock and a second control segment connected to the second fastening segment through the cable lock. A tensile force applied to the first control segment induces a first tightening force to the first fastening segment and a second tightening force to the second fastening segment. The first tightening force is one of either greater than or less than the second tightening force.

Another aspect of the disclosure provides an article of footwear. The article of footwear includes an upper defining an interior void and having a first region and a second region and a sole structure attached to the upper. The article of footwear also includes a cable including a first fastening segment extending across the first region to a first terminal end anchored to the upper, a second fastening segment extending across the second region to a second terminal end anchored to the upper, and a control portion operable to provide at least one of a first tightening force to the first fastening segment and a second tightening force to the second fastening segment, the first tightening force being one of either greater than or less than the second tightening force. The article of footwear further includes a cable lock attached to one of the upper and the sole structure and receiving a portion of the cable therein, the cable lock operable between a locked state to prevent movement of the cable and an unlocked state to permit movement of the cable.

Implementations of the disclosure may include one or more of the following optional features. In some implementations the first fastening segment and the second fastening segment are connected to the control portion at the cable lock. The cable lock may be disposed within the sole structure. The cable lock further includes a release cable operable to move the cable lock from the locked state to the unlocked state.

In some implementations, the first region is disposed on a medial side of the upper and the second region is disposed on a lateral side of the upper. Here, at least one of the first region and the second region extends from an ankle opening to a forefoot region of the upper. The first region may also be disposed closer to an ankle opening of the upper than is the second region, and the second region is disposed closer to a toe region of the upper than is the first region.

In other examples, at least one of the first region and the second region includes an upper edge including a first series of cable guides and a lower edge including a second series of cable guides, whereby at least one of the first fastening segment and the second fastening segment is alternatingly routed between the first series of cable guides and the second series of cable guides along a length of the at least one of the first region and the second region. In other examples, the first terminal end is disposed on a medial side of the upper and the second terminal end is disposed on a lateral side of the upper.

In some configurations, the control portion includes a first control segment connected to the first fastening segment at the sole structure and a second control segment connected to the second fastening segment at the sole structure. A tensile force applied to the first control segment induces a first tightening force to the first fastening segment and a second tightening force to the second fastening segment.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, an example of an article of footwear 10 including a system providing for variable tension is disclosed. In some implementations, the article of footwear 10 includes an upper 100 and a sole structure 200 attached to the upper 100. The article of footwear 10 further includes a cable lock 300 and fastening system 400 integrated into at least one of the upper 100 and the sole structure 200. The fastening system 400 includes a cable 402 that cooperates with the cable lock 300 to move the article of footwear 10 between a constricted state and a relaxed state, as detailed below. Particularly, the cable 402 is movable in a tightening direction D_T to move the article of footwear 10 into the constricted state. In some implementations, the upper 100 and the sole structure 200 cooperate to provide passages and guides for routing portions of the cable 402 through the cable lock 300. The cable lock 300 is configured to selectively secure the cable 402 in the constricted state.

The article of footwear 10 may be divided into one or more regions. The regions may include a forefoot region 12, a midfoot region 14 and a heel region 16. The forefoot region 12 may correspond with toes and joints connecting metatarsal bones with phalanx bones of a foot. The midfoot region 14 may correspond with an arch area of the foot, and the heel region 16 may correspond with rear regions of the foot, including a calcaneus bone. The footwear 10 may further include an anterior end 18 associated with a forward-most point of the forefoot region 12, and a posterior end 20 corresponding to a rearward-most point of the heel region 16. As shown in FIG. 3, a longitudinal axis A_F of the footwear 10 extends along a length of the footwear 10 from the anterior end 18 to the posterior end 20, and generally divides the footwear 10 into a lateral side 22 and a medial side 24. Accordingly, the lateral side 22 and the medial side 24 respectively correspond with opposite sides of the footwear 10 and extend through the regions 12, 14, 16.

The upper 100 includes interior surfaces that define an interior void 102 configured to receive and secure a foot for support on the sole structure 200. An ankle opening 104 in the heel region 16 may provide access to the interior void 102. For example, the ankle opening 104 may receive a foot to secure the foot within the void 102 and facilitate entry and removal of the foot to and from the interior void 102. The upper 100 may include a tongue portion 106 that extends between the lateral side 22 and the medial side 24 and covers the interior void 102. The upper 100 may include one or more grip features 108 formed adjacent the ankle opening 104 for pulling the footwear 10 onto and off of the foot.

The upper 100 may be formed from one or more materials that are stitched or adhesively bonded together to define the interior void 102. Suitable materials of the upper 100 may include, but are not limited to, textiles, foam, leather, and synthetic leather. The example upper 100 may be formed from a combination of one or more substantially inelastic or non-stretchable materials and one or more substantially elastic or stretchable materials disposed in different regions of the upper 100 to facilitate movement of the upper 100 between the constricted state and the relaxed state. The one or more elastic materials may include any combination of one or more elastic fabrics such as, without limitation, spandex, elastane, rubber or neoprene. The one or more inelastic materials may include any combination of one or more of thermoplastic polyurethanes, nylon, leather, vinyl, or another material/fabric that does not impart properties of elasticity.

For example, one or both of the lateral side 22 and the medial side 24 of the upper 100 may include an inelastic region 110 formed from the one or more inelastic materials, and one or more adjustment regions 112, 114 formed from the one or more elastic materials. The adjustment regions 112, 114 may be partially bounded by the inelastic region 110 to provide resilient zones of the upper 100. Each of the adjustment regions 112, 114 extends from a first end 116 to a second end 118 within one of the forefoot region 12 and the midfoot region 14, and includes an upper edge 120 and a lower edge 122 formed on an opposite side of the adjustment region 112, 114 from the upper edge 120 and extending between the first end 116 and the second end 118. In some examples, the first ends 116 may be formed at the ankle opening 104. Accordingly, the first ends 116 of the adjustment regions 112, 114 define a portion of the ankle opening 104 and provide the ankle opening 104 with a degree of stretch to accommodate reception of a foot.

In the example shown, the upper 100 includes a first adjustment region 112 disposed on the lateral side 22 of the upper 100 and a second adjustment region 114 disposed on the medial side 24 of the upper 100. Generally, the first adjustment region 112 extends from the first end 116 at the ankle opening 104 and along the lateral side 22 of the upper 100 to the second end 118 at the forefoot region 12, while the second adjustment region 114 extends from the first end 116 at the ankle opening 104 and along the medial side 24 of the upper 100 to the second end 118 in the forefoot region 12 or the midfoot region 14.

In one example of the upper 100, shown in FIGS. 1-4, the first adjustment region 112 extends from the first end 116 at the ankle opening 104 on the lateral side 22 of the upper 100 and along the lateral side 22 through the midfoot region 14 to the second end 118 on the lateral side 22 of the upper 100 in the forefoot region 12. Likewise, the second adjustment region 114 extends from the first end 116 at the ankle opening 104 on the medial side 24 of the upper 100, and along the medial side 24 of the upper 100 through the midfoot region 14 to the second end 118 adjacent the forefoot region 12. The upper and lower edges 120, 122 of at least one of the adjustment regions 112, 114 of the upper 100 may be formed with a serpentine profile, whereby a width of the adjustment regions 112, 114 from the upper edge 120 to the lower edge 122 is variable along at least a portion of a length of the adjustment region 112, 114 from the first end 116 to the second end 118. In some examples, a portion of the lower edge 120 of at least one of the adjustment regions 112 may be coincident with and extend along the sole structure 200.

In some implementations, the sole structure 200 includes an outsole plate 202. The outsole plate 202 includes a ground-engaging surface 204 and an opposite inner surface 206 formed on an opposite side of the outsole plate 202 from the ground-engaging surface 204. A peripheral side surface 208 extends between the ground-engaging surface 204 and the inner surface 206 and defines an outer periphery of the outsole plate 202. In the illustrated examples, the outsole plate 202 extends from the anterior end 18 to the posterior end 20 of the footwear 10. The outsole plate 202 may be attached to the upper 100 using stitching or adhesives. The outsole plate 202 generally provides abrasion resistance and traction with the ground surface, and may be formed from one or more materials that impart durability and wear resistance, as well as enhance traction with the ground surface. In some examples, the sole structure 200, may be formed with one or more cushioning layers, including a midsole and/or a strobel, and the outsole may be formed of a resilient polymeric material, such as rubber.

As shown in FIG. 3, the sole structure 200 may include a cavity 210 for receiving the cable lock 300 therein. In the example shown, the cavity 210 is formed through the ground-engaging surface 204 of the outsole plate 202 such that the cable lock 300 is exposed along the ground-engaging surface 204. Other configurations may include the cavity 210 formed into the inner surface 206 without extending through ground-engaging surface 204. In some examples, the sole structure 200 may further include a plurality of conduits 212 extending from the cavity 210 to the peripheral side surface 208 for routing various cables and cords between the cable lock 300 to an exterior of the upper 100. In some examples, the conduits 212 may be formed of a different material than outsole plate 202. For example, the conduits 212 may be tubular inserts formed of a material having a lower coefficient of friction than the material forming the outsole plate 202 to minimize friction between the cable 402 and the sole structure 200.

With reference to the example shown in FIG. 3, the ground-engaging surface 204 of the outsole plate 202 includes a plurality of traction elements 214a, 214b extending therefrom. The traction elements 214a, 214b include integral traction elements 214a and attached traction elements 214b. The integral traction elements 214a are formed from the same material as the outsole plate 202, and are formed unitary with the ground-engaging surface 204 during a molding process.

In contrast to the integral traction elements 214a, the attached traction elements 214b are initially formed separately from the outsole plate 202, and are fixed to the outsole plate 202 during or after the molding process. As shown in FIG. 3, the attached traction elements 214b may include a flange 216 and a spike 218 extending from the flange 216. In some examples, the flange 216 may include a plurality of radially arranged tabs configured to engage the material of the outsole plate 202 to prevent rotation of the traction elements 214b. The spike 218 may be conical, and protrudes from the ground-engaging surface 204 of the outsole plate 202.

In some examples, the flanges 216 of the attached traction elements 214b are encapsulated within the outsole plate 202, intermediate the inner surface 206 and the ground-engaging surface 204. For example, during the molding process for forming the outsole plate 202, the attached traction elements 214b may be initially provided to an outsole plate mold such that the spike 218 is received through the mold surface corresponding to the ground-engaging surface 204 of the outsole plate 202, while the flange 216 is spaced apart from the mold surface corresponding to the ground-engaging surface 204 of the outsole plate 202. Molten material is then provided to the forefoot plate mold and encapsulates the flange 216 within the outsole plate 202, while the spike 218 extends through the outsole plate 202 and protrudes from the ground-engaging surface 204, as shown in FIG. 3.

Additionally or alternatively, the spike 218 may be removably attached to the outsole plate 202, such that the spikes 218 can be replaced. For example, the outsole plate 202 may have threaded bushings 220 including the flanges 216 that are encapsulated within the outsole plate 202 in a similar fashion as described above with respect to the traction elements 214b. The threaded bushing 220 may be exposed through the ground-engaging surface 204 of the outsole plate 202, such that corresponding threads of a spike 218 can engage the threaded bushing 220 to removably secure the spike 218. In contrast to the exemplary embodiments shown in FIGS. 1-3, however, not all embodiments of the invention comprise footwear that include either an outsole plate 202 and/or traction spikes 218, but may instead comprise a cushioned midsole and a rubber outsole, or a unitary midsole/outsole structure, for example.

As best shown in FIG. 4A, the fastening system 400 includes the cable 402 and a tracking system 404 formed on or in the upper 100 and the sole structure 200 for routing the cable 402 and distributing tension of the cable 402 along the article of footwear 10. As illustrated in FIG. 1, application of each of the tightening force F_T and the loosening force F_L to the respective control portion 406 and fastening portion 408 causes a tensile force to be imparted along the length of the cable 402. Generally, as one of a tightening force F_T or a loosening force F_L is applied to the cable 402, the tracking system 404 distributes the tension of the cable 402 along a plurality of points along the upper and lower edges 120, 122 of the adjustment regions 112, 114 to cause the adjustment regions 112, 114 to contract or to allow the adjustment regions 112, 114 to relax, as discussed in greater detail below.

The cable 402 may be highly lubricous and/or may be formed from one or more fibers having a low modulus of elasticity and a high tensile strength. For instance, the fibers may include high modulus polyethylene fibers having a high strength-to-weight ratio and a low elasticity. Additionally or alternatively, the cable 402 may be formed from a molded monofilament polymer and/or a woven steel with or without other lubrication coating. In some examples, the cable 402 includes multiple strands of material woven together.

In the illustrated examples, the cable 402 includes a control portion 406 extending in a first direction from the cable lock 300, a fastening portion 408 extending in a second direction from the cable lock 300, and a locking portion 410 connecting the control portion 406 and the fastening portions 408. The control portion 406 is configured to have a tightening force F_T applied thereto to move the cable 402 in the tightening direction D_T. When incorporated into the article of footwear 10, the control portion 406 may be arranged on the article of footwear 10 so that it can be easily grasped by the user to pull the cable 402 in the tightening direction D_T. The fastening portion 408 is configured to cooperate with the tracking system 404 to tighten the article of footwear 10 when the tightening force F_T is applied to the control portion 406. Conversely, the fastening portion 408 is also configured to have a loosening force F_L applied thereto to move the cable 402 in a loosening direction D_L. The locking portion 410 is disposed within the cable lock 300 and interfaces with the cable lock to secure the position of the cable 402, as described in greater detail below.

With reference to FIG. 4A, the cable 402 may include various segments defined in relation to the cable lock 300. For example, the control portion 406 may be referred to as including a first control segment 412 and a second control segment 414. As shown, first control segment 412 extends from the cable lock 300 on the bottom of the sole structure 200 and along the lateral side 22 of the upper 100, while the second control segment 414 extends from the cable lock 300 and along the medial side 24 of the upper 100.

Likewise, the fastening portion 408 may include a first fastening segment 416 and a second fastening segment 418. The first fastening segment 416 extends from the cable lock 300 on the bottom of the sole structure 200 and is routed along the first adjustment region 112. Similarly, the second fastening segment 418 extends from the cable lock 300 and is routed along the second adjustment region 114. The first control segment 412 is connected to the first fastening segment 416 by a first locking segment 420 extending through the cable lock 300, while the second control segment 414 is connected to the second fastening segment 418 by a second locking segment 422 extending through the cable lock 300.

In the illustrated example, the first control segment 412 and the second control segment 414 are connected to each other and define a continuous length of the cable 402 extending from the cable lock 300, around the tongue portion 106 of the upper 100, and back to the cable lock 300. In contrast to the continuously formed control portion 406, the fastening portion 408 is not continuous such that each of the fastening segments 416, 418 include terminal ends 424. As discussed in greater detail below, the terminal ends 424 may attach to the inelastic region 110 of the upper 100 at discrete locations from each other. Alternatively, the terminal ends 424 may connect to one another at another area of the footwear 10.

While an overall length of the cable 402 is constant, effective lengths of the control portion 406 and the fastening portion 408 of the cable 402 depend upon the position of the cable 402 with respect to the cable lock 300. For example, when the control portion 406 is pulled and the cable 402 moves in the tightening direction D_T through the cable lock 300, the effective length of the control portion 406 will increase and the effective length of the fastening portion 408 will decrease. Conversely, when the fastening portion 408 is pulled and the cable 402 moves in the loosening direction D_L through the cable lock 300, the effective length of the fastening portion 408 will increase to loosen the article of footwear 10 and the effective length of the control portion 406 will decrease. As provided above, the locking portion 410 refers to the portion of the cable 402 that is contained within the cable lock 300, regardless of the position of the cable 402. Accordingly, the control portion 406, fastening portion 408, and the locking portion 410 are not a fixed sections of the cable 402 itself, but depend on the position of the cable 402 with respect to the cable lock 300.

The cable 402 of the fastening system 400 is configured to cooperate with the cable lock 300 to move the article of footwear 10 between a constricted state and a relaxed state, as described in greater detail below. In an exemplary embodiment, the cable lock 300 and the fastening system 400 are configured to cooperate with the upper 100 to provide zonal tightening, whereby a tightening force F_T1, F_T2 or a loosening force F_L1, F_L2 applied to a portion of the cable 402 associated with the lateral side 22 of the footwear 10 is different from a tightening force F_T1, F_T2 or loosening force F_L1, F_L2 applied to a portion of the cable 402 associated with the medial side 24 of the footwear 10. Accordingly, the lateral side 22 and the medial side 24 of the upper 100 may be adjusted to have different tightness along different portions of the foot. For example, a tightening force F_T1 having a first magnitude may be applied to the first control segment 412 while a tightening force F_T2 having a second magnitude is applied to the second control segment 414. Accordingly, the first tightening force F_T1 will be applied to the first locking segment 420 while the second tightening force F_T2 will be applied to the second locking segment 422, thereby causing the first locking segment 420 to be pulled through the cable lock 300 at a greater rate than the second locking segment 422. Because the terminal ends 424 of the fastening segments 416, 418 are separate from each other, the first tightening force F_T1 will be applied to the first fastening segment 416 and the second tightening force F_T2 will be applied to the second fastening segment 418.

In some examples, at least one of the lateral side 22 and the medial side 24 of the upper 100 include a series of the cable guides 426 that route the cable 402 from the conduits 212 of the outsole plate 202 and along the upper 100. In the illustrated examples, the cable guides 426 of the tracking system 404 are formed by fabric or mesh loops defining a passage for slidably receiving the cable 402 therethrough. In other examples, the cable guides 426 may include apertures (e.g., eyelets) formed through the inelastic regions 110 of the upper 100, or fabric or mesh loops attached to the inelastic regions 110 of the upper 100 to receive the fastening segments 416, 418. Fabric or mesh loops/webbing may generate friction with the cable 402 when the cable 402 moves in the tightening direction D_T.

A maximum number of fabric or mesh loops for use as the cable guides 426 may be selected to not exceed a threshold number of turns of the cable 402 so that cumulative friction does not detrimentally inhibit movement by the cable 402 in the tightening direction D_T. In some examples, the cable guides 426 may be formed of a rigid, low-friction material (e.g., high density polyethylene, etc.) and have an arcuate inner surface for receiving the cable 402. In some examples, the inner (i.e., cable contacting) surfaces of the cable guides 426 are lined or coated with a low friction material, such as a lubricous polymer (e.g., polytetrafluoroethylene, etc.), that facilitates movement of the cable 402 therein. By coating the cable guides 426 with a low friction material, the number of turns taken by each lacing pattern can be increased without incurring a detrimentally high (e.g., function impairing) level of friction throughout the cable path.

With continued reference to FIG. 4A, the first fastening segment 416 and the second fastening segment 418 route through a plurality of the cable guides 426 disposed along the adjustment regions 112, 114 of the upper 100. After routing through the cable guides 426, the terminal ends 424 of the first fastening segment 416 and the second fastening segment 418 are attached to the inelastic region 110 of the upper 100. In the illustrated examples, the terminal ends 424 are attached to the upper 100 at discrete attachment points 428 adjacent the second ends 118 of the adjustment regions 112, 114. In other examples, the terminal ends 424 may operatively connect to one another at a single attachment point. For instance, a connector may connect the terminal ends 424 to one another or the terminal ends 424 may be knotted together, adhesively bonded to each other, or fused together.

With reference to FIG. 4A, each of the lateral side 22 and the medial side 24 of the upper 100 include a first series of the cable guides 426 disposed along the upper edge 120 of the adjustment region 112, 114 and a second series of the cable guides 426 arranged along the lower edge 122 of the respective adjustment region 112, 114. Accordingly, the adjustment regions 112, 114 are disposed between the upper and lower series of the cable guides 426. As shown, the cable guides 426 are alternatingly arranged along the upper and lower edges 120, 122 such that the cable 402 is routed in a serpentine manner between the upper and lower edges 120, 122 along the length of the adjustment regions 112, 114 by the cable guides 426.

The number of cable guides 426 may be chosen to provide a low level of friction when the cable 402 moves in the tightening direction D_T or the loosening direction D_F. While the illustrated examples show the cable guides 426 on each of the lateral side 22 and the medial side 24 including two cable guides along the upper edge 120 and two cable guides 426 along the lower edge 122, other configurations may include each set having a greater or lesser number of cable guides 426. In some examples, the upper edge 120 includes a greater number of cable guides 426 than the lower edge 122. In yet another example, the upper edge 120 and the lower edge 122 each include the same number of cable guides 426. Moreover, the placement of the cable guides 426 upon the upper 100 may be selected so that each section of the cable 402 extending between the upper edge 120 and the lower edge 122 is substantially straight to reduce friction when the cable moves in the tightening and loosening directions D_T, D_L.

As shown in FIG. 3, the fastening system 400 may incorporate the conduits 212a-212e formed in the sole structure 200. The conduits 212a-212e are configured to receive and route the ends of the cable 402 and a release cable 384 that extend out of the cable lock 300 and through the outsole plate 202. Here, a first conduit 212a may receive the end of the first control segment 412 extending between the cable lock 300 and the lateral side 22, and a second conduit 212b may receive the end of the second control segment 414 extending between the cable lock 300 and the medial side 24. Likewise, a third conduit 212c receives the end of the first fastening segment 416 extending between the cable lock 300 and the lateral side 22, and a fourth conduit 212d receives the end of the second fastening segment 418 extending between the cable lock 300 and the medial side 24. A release conduit 212e is configured to receive and route portions of the release cable 384 that extends out of the cable lock 300. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the release conduit 212e extends from the cable lock 300, towards the posterior end 20 of the sole structure 200.

The fastening system 400 may further include one or more passages 430 for routing the cable 402 and/or the release cable 384 along the upper 100. The passages 430 may be formed within the upper 100, or alternatively, the passages 430 may be defined by a sheath or cover attached to an outer surface of the upper 100. In the illustrate examples, the footwear 10 includes a release passage 430 extending vertically along the upper 100 from a first end adjacent the opening of release conduit 212e formed in the peripheral side surface 208 to a second end adjacent the ankle opening 104. The release passage 430 is configured to route the release cable 384 from the outsole plate 202 to an area of the upper 100 that is easily reachable by the wearer.

In the example of the footwear 10 shown in FIGS. 1-4, the release passage 430 extends vertically along the posterior end 20 of the upper 100 from the first end adjacent the release conduit 212e to the second end at the posterior portion of the ankle opening 104. Accordingly, the release cable 384 is routed from the cable lock 300 through the release conduit 212e and exits the peripheral side surface 208 of the outsole plate 202 at the posterior end 20. The release cable 384 then passes up through the first end of the release passage 430 and extends from the second end. Accordingly, the portion of the release cable 384 extending from the release passage 430 can be grasped by the wearer to apply the release force F_R for moving the cable lock 300 to the unlocked state.

As provided above, the control portion 406 of the cable 402 is a continuous loop extending from the cable lock 300. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 5, and 6, the control portion 406 extends around the tongue portion 106 proximate to the ankle opening 104 (i.e., proximate to an area above an instep of a wearer's foot). The portion of the control portion 406 that extends around the tongue portion 106 may be enclosed within one or more sheaths 432. Each sheath 432 may additionally be formed from a material and/or a weave that allows the sheath 432 and control portion 406 of the cable 402 to move from a relaxed state to a stretched or expanded state when the control portion 406 is moved in a direction away from the upper 100 by way of the tightening force F_T (i.e., when the cable 402 is moved in the tightening direction D_T). When the tightening force F_T is removed, the material and/or weave of the sheath 432 automatically causes the sheath 432 to contract to the relaxed state and accommodate bunching by the cable 402 therein.

In the example shown, a separate control portion grip 434 operatively connects to the sheath 432 at an attachment location proximate to the tongue portion 106 to allow a user to apply the tightening force F_T to pull the control portion 406 away from the upper 100, and thereby constrict the adjustment regions 112, 114 by simultaneously drawing the upper and lower edges 120, 122 toward one another to move the upper 100 into the constricted state. Other configurations may include operatively connecting the control portion grip 434 to other portions of the sheath 432 along the length of the control portion 406. In some implementations, the control portion grip 434 is omitted and the sheath 432 corresponds to the control portion 406 by allowing a user to grasp and apply the tightening force F_T to pull the control portion 406 away from the upper 100.

In the example of the footwear 10 shown in FIGS. 1-4, the tracking system 404 further includes a closure 436 for securing the control portion grip 434 to the upper 100 during use. For example, when in the constricted state, the control portion 406 may have more slack than can be accommodated by the take-up of the sheath 432, and may need to be restrained against the upper 100. Alternatively, the footwear 10a may not include a closure in examples where the sheath 432 has sufficient take-up to maintain the control portion 406 tightly against the upper.

With reference to FIGS. 4A-4C, the use of the cable lock 300 and fastening system 400 in conjunction with the upper 100 and sole structure 200 is illustrated. FIG. 4A shows examples of the footwear 10 in a relaxed state, whereby the first fastening segment 416 and the second fastening segment 418 are provided with slack and the adjustment regions 112, 114 are in a relaxed state. In the relaxed state, a foot of a wearer can be inserted into the interior void 102 of the upper 100 via the ankle opening 104. The slack within the fastening segments 416, 418 allows the adjustment regions 112, 114 to move to a stretched or expanded state, thereby increasing an effective volume of the interior void 102 to accommodate the foot of the wearer. The adjustment regions 112, 114 may be formed of elastic materials to provide a first degree of constriction to the foot of the wearer to maintain the footwear 10 on the foot prior to transitioning the footwear to the constricted state.

As shown in FIG. 4B, the footwear 10 can be moved to a first constricted state by pulling the control portion 406 toward one of the lateral side 22 and the medial side 24. For example, the control portion 406 is shown being pulled toward the medial side 24 to transition the upper 100 to the first constricted state. More particularly, as the control portion 406 is pulled toward the medial side 24, the first tightening force F_T1 is applied to the first control segment 412 while a lesser, second tightening force F_T2 is applied to the second control segment 414. The first tightening force F_T1 causes the first locking segment 420 of the cable 402 to be pulled through the cable lock 300 a first distance as the first tightening force F_T1 is transmitted from the first control segment 412 to the first fastening segment 416. Application of the first tightening force F_T1 to the first fastening segment 416 causes the cable guides 426 along the upper edge 120 to move towards the opposing cable guides 426 along the lower edge 122 of the first adjustment region 112 on the lateral side 22. As a result, the upper edge 120 and the lower edge 122 of the first adjustment region 112 are pulled towards each other, as indicated by the arrows T1, thereby constricting the first adjustment region 112 around the foot of the wearer. By constricting the first adjustment region 112, the amount that the elastic material of the adjustment region 112 is able to stretch is effectively limited by the first fastening segment 416. A magnitude of the first tightening force F_T1 can be selected based on a desired amount of stretch to be allowed in the first adjustment region 112.

Simultaneously, pulling the control portion 406 toward the medial side 24 causes the second tightening force F_T2 that is less than the first tightening force F_T1 to be applied to the second control segment 414. The second tightening force F_T2 causes the second locking segment 422 of the cable 402 to be pulled through the cable lock 300 a second distance as the second tightening force F_T2 is transmitted from the second control segment 414 to the second fastening segment 418. Application of the second tightening force F_T2 to the second fastening segment 418 causes cable guides 426 along the upper edge 120 of the second adjustment region 114 to move towards the cable guides 426 along the lower edge 122 of the second adjustment region 114 of the upper 100. As a result, the upper edge 120 and the lower edge 122 are pulled towards each other, as indicated by the arrows T2, thereby constricting the second adjustment region 114 around the foot of the wearer. The second tightening force F_T2 is less than the first tightening force F_T1, such that the first adjustment region 112 will be constricted by the first fastening segment 416 to a greater degree than the second adjustment region 114 will be constricted by the second fastening segment 418. Accordingly, the second adjustment region 114 will have a greater degree of elasticity than the first adjustment region 112. As with the first tightening force F_T1, the magnitude of the second tightening force F_T2 can be selected by the wearer based on a desired amount of stretch to be allowed in the second adjustment region 114. In some instances, the second tightening force F_T2 may be non-existent or may not be substantial enough to move the cable 402 in the tightening direction D_T, whereby the second adjustment region 114 will not be constricted at all.

As shown in FIG. 4C, the footwear 10 can be moved to a second constricted state by pulling the control portion 406 toward the lateral side 22. For example, as the control portion 406 is pulled toward the lateral side 22, the first tightening force F_T1 is applied to the second control segment 414 while the lesser, second tightening force F_T2 is applied to the first control segment 412. The first tightening force F_T1 causes the second locking segment 422 of the cable 402 to be pulled through the locking channel 332 a first distance as the first tightening force F_T1 is transmitted from the second control segment 414 to the second fastening segment 418. Application of the first tightening force F_T1 to the second fastening segment 418 causes the cable guides 426 along the upper edge 120 of the second adjustment region 114 to be pulled towards the cable guides 426 along the lower edge 122 of the second adjustment region 114. As a result, the upper edge 120 and the lower edge 122 of the second adjustment region 114 are pulled towards each other, as indicated by the arrows T1, thereby constricting the second adjustment region 114 around the foot of the wearer. By constricting the second adjustment region 114, the amount that the elastic material of the adjustment region 114 is able to stretch is effectively limited by the second fastening segment 418. A magnitude of the first tightening force F_T1 can be selected based on a desired amount of stretch to be allowed in the second adjustment region 114.

Simultaneously, pulling the control portion 406 toward the lateral side 22 causes the second tightening force F_T2 that is less than the first tightening force F_T1 to be applied to the first control segment 412. The second tightening force F_T2 causes the first locking segment 420 of the cable 402 to be pulled through the locking channel 332 a second distance as the second tightening force F_T2 is transmitted from the first control segment 412 to the first fastening segment 416. Application of the second tightening force F_T2 to the first fastening segment 416 causes cable guides along the upper edge 120 of the first adjustment region 112 to be pulled towards the cable guides 426 along the lower edge 122 of the first adjustment region 112. As a result, the upper edge 120 and the lower edge 122 of the first adjustment region 112 may be pulled towards each other, as indicated by the arrows T2, thereby constricting the first adjustment region 112 around the foot of the wearer. Here, the second tightening force F_T2 is less than the first tightening force F_T1, such that the first adjustment region 112 will be constricted by the first fastening segment 416 to a lesser degree than the second adjustment region 114 will be constricted by the second fastening segment 418. Accordingly, the first adjustment region 112 will have a greater degree of elasticity than the second adjustment region 114. As with the first tightening force F_T1, the magnitude of the second tightening force F_T2 can be selected by the wearer based on a desired amount of stretch to be allowed in the first adjustment region 112. In some instances, the second tightening force F_T2 may be non-existent or may not be substantial enough to move the cable 402 in the tightening direction D_T such that the first adjustment region 112 will not be constricted at all.

In some examples, the first tightening force F_T1 and the second tightening force F_T2 may be substantially the same. Accordingly, each of the first adjustment region 112 and the second adjustment region 114 will be constricted to the same degree, whereby the elastic material of the first adjustment region 112 and the elastic material of the second adjustment region 114 are allowed to stretch to the same extent over the foot of the wearer.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 2, the closure 436 includes a base 438 attached to the upper 100 adjacent to the ankle opening 104, and a flap 440 extending from a first end of the base 438 to a free-hanging distal end. Accordingly, the closure 436 includes a living hinge at the first end of the base 438, whereby the flap 440 is operable between an open position and a closed position by moving the distal end of the flap 440 with respect to the first end of the base 438. The closure 436 includes one or more fasteners 442 so that the distal end of the flap 440 can be removably coupled to the base 438 in the closed position. For example, the base 438 may include a first fastener portion 442a and the flap 440 may include a corresponding second fastener portion 442b. In the closed position, the second fastener portion 442b of flap 440 is removably attached to the first fastener portion 442a of the base 438. Here, the flap 440 and the base 438 define a passage 444 between the base 438 and the flap 440 for receiving and securing the control portion 406. In the open position, the second fastener portion 442b is removed from the first fastener portion 442a so that the flap 440 can be pulled away from the base 438, allowing the control portion 406 to be removed from the closure 436.

Referring now to FIGS. 5-8C, an article of footwear 10a is provided and includes an upper 100a and a sole structure 200a attached to the upper 100a. In view of the substantial similarity in structure and function of the components associated with the article of footwear 10a with respect to the article of footwear 10, like reference numerals are used hereinafter and in the drawings to identify like components while like reference numerals containing letter extensions are used to identify those components that have been modified.

Referring to FIG. 5, an example of an article of footwear 10a including a system providing for variable tension is disclosed. In some implementations, the article of footwear 10a includes an upper 100a and a sole structure 200a attached to the upper 100a. The article of footwear 10a further includes a cable lock 300 and fastening system 400a integrated into at least one of the upper 100a and the sole structure 200a. The fastening system 400a includes a cable 402 that cooperates with the cable lock 300 to move the article of footwear 10a between a constricted state and a relaxed state, as detailed below. Particularly, the cable 402 is movable in a tightening direction D_T to move the article of footwear 10a into the constricted state. In some implementations, the upper 100a and the sole structure 200a cooperate to provide passages and guides for routing portions of the cable 402 through the cable lock 300. The cable lock 300 is configured to selectively secure the cable 402 in the constricted state.

The upper 100a includes interior surfaces that define an interior void 102 configured to receive and secure a foot for support on the sole structure 200a. An ankle opening 104 in the heel region 16 may provide access to the interior void 102. For example, the ankle opening 104 may receive a foot to secure the foot within the void 102 and facilitate entry and removal of the foot to and from the interior void 102. The upper 100a may include a tongue portion 106 that extends between the lateral side 22 and the medial side 24 and covers the interior void 102. The upper 100a may include one or more grip features 108 formed adjacent the ankle opening 104 for pulling the footwear 10a onto and off of the foot.

The upper 100a may be formed from one or more materials that are stitched or adhesively bonded together to define the interior void 102. Suitable materials of the upper 100a may include, but are not limited to, textiles, foam, leather, and synthetic leather. The example upper 100a may be formed from a combination of one or more substantially inelastic or non-stretchable materials and one or more substantially elastic or stretchable materials disposed in different regions of the upper 100a to facilitate movement of the upper 100a between the constricted state and the relaxed state. The one or more elastic materials may include any combination of one or more elastic fabrics such as, without limitation, spandex, elastane, rubber or neoprene. The one or more inelastic materials may include any combination of one or more of thermoplastic polyurethanes, nylon, leather, vinyl, or another material/fabric that does not impart properties of elasticity.

For example, one or both of the lateral side 22 and the medial side 24 of the upper 100a may include an inelastic region 110a formed from the one or more inelastic materials, and one or more adjustment regions 112a, 114a formed from the one or more elastic materials. The adjustment regions 112a, 114a may be partially bounded by the inelastic region 110a to provide resilient zones of the upper 100a. Each of the adjustment regions 112a, 114a extends from a first end 116 to a second end 118 within one of the forefoot region 12 and the midfoot region 14, and includes an upper edge 120 and a lower edge 122 formed on an opposite side of the adjustment region 112a, 114a from the upper edge 120 and extending between the first end 116 and the second end 118. In some examples, the first ends 116 may be formed at the ankle opening 104. Accordingly, the first ends 116 of the adjustment regions 112a, 114a define a portion of the ankle opening 104 and provide the ankle opening 104 with a degree of stretch to accommodate reception of a foot.

In the example shown, the upper 100a includes a first adjustment region 112a disposed on the lateral side 22 of the upper 100a and a second adjustment region 114a disposed on the medial side 24 of the upper 100a. Generally, the first adjustment region 112a extends from the first end 116 at the ankle opening 104 and along the lateral side 22 of the upper 100a to the second end 118 at the forefoot region 12, while the second adjustment region 114a extends from the first end 116 at the ankle opening 104 and along the medial side 24 of the upper 100a to the second end 118 in the forefoot region 12 or the midfoot region 14.

In the example shown in FIGS. 5-8, the first adjustment region 112a extends from the first end 116 at the ankle opening 104 on the lateral side 22 of the upper 100a, along the lateral side 22 through the midfoot region 14, and to the second end 118 on the medial side 24 of the upper 100a in the forefoot region 12. Accordingly, the first adjustment region 112a extends across the upper from the medial side 24 to the lateral side 22. The second adjustment region 114a of the upper 100a extends from the first end 116 at the ankle opening 104 on the medial side 24 of the upper 100a, along the medial side 24 of the upper 100a through the midfoot region 14, and to the second end 118 on the medial side 24 within the midfoot region 14. In this example, the upper and lower edges 120, 122 of the adjustment regions 112a, 114a are arcuate and curve along a single direction, as opposed to the serpentine edges 120, 122 described above. Furthermore, the upper and lower edges 120, 122 may converge with each other in a direction from the first end 116 to the second end 118. Accordingly, at least one of the first adjustment region 112a and the second adjustment region 114a may have a generally arcuate shape and taper in width along a length from the first end 116 to the second end 118.

In some implementations, the sole structure 200a includes an outsole plate 202a. The outsole plate 202a includes a ground-engaging surface 204 and an opposite inner surface 206 formed on an opposite side of the outsole plate 202a from the ground-engaging surface 204. A peripheral side surface 208 extends between the ground-engaging surface 204 and the inner surface 206 and defines an outer periphery of the outsole plate 202a. In the illustrated examples, the outsole plate 202a extends from the anterior end 18 to the posterior end 20 of the footwear 10a. The outsole plate 202a may be attached to the upper 100a using stitching or adhesives. The outsole plate 202a generally provides abrasion resistance and traction with the ground surface, and may be formed from one or more materials that impart durability and wear resistance, as well as enhance traction with the ground surface. In some examples, the sole structure 200a, may be formed with one or more cushioning layers, including a midsole and/or a strobel, and the outsole may be formed of a resilient polymeric material, such as rubber.

As shown in FIG. 7, the sole structure 200a may include a cavity for receiving the cable lock 300 therein. In the example shown, the cavity 210a is formed through the ground-engaging surface 204 of the outsole plate 202a such that the cable lock 300 is exposed along the ground-engaging surface 204. Other configurations may include the cavity 210a formed into the inner surface 206 without extending through ground-engaging surface 204. In some examples, the sole structure 200a may further include a plurality of conduits 212 extending from the cavity 210a to the peripheral side surface 208 for routing various cables and cords between the cable lock 300 to an exterior of the upper 100a. In some examples, the conduits 212 may be formed of a different material than outsole plate 202a. For example, the conduits 212 may be tubular inserts formed of a material having a lower coefficient of friction than the material forming the outsole plate 202a to minimize friction between the cable 402 and the sole structure 200a.

With reference to FIG. 7, the ground-engaging surface 204 of the outsole plate 202a can include a plurality of the traction elements 214a, 214b, as discussed above with respect to the outsole plate 202. The traction elements can include integral traction elements 214a and attached traction elements 214b. The integral traction elements 214a are formed from the same material as the outsole plate 202a, and are formed unitary with the ground-engaging surface 204 during a molding process, for example. In contrast to the exemplary embodiments shown in FIGS. 6-7, however, not all embodiments of the invention comprise footwear that includes an outsole plate 202 and/or traction elements 214a, 214b, but may instead comprise a cushioned midsole and a rubber outsole, for example.

As best shown in FIG. 8A, the fastening system 400a includes the cable 402 and a tracking system 404a formed on or in the upper 100a and the sole structure 200a for routing the cable 402 and distributing tension of the cable 402 along the article of footwear 10a. Generally, as one of the tightening force F_T or the loosening force F_L is applied to the cable 402, the tracking system 404a distributes the tension of the cable 402 along a plurality of points along the upper and lower edges 120, 122 of the adjustment regions 112a, 114a to cause the adjustment regions 112a, 114a to contract or to allow the adjustment regions 112a, 114a to relax, as discussed in greater detail below.

In the illustrated examples, the cable 402 includes the control portion 406 extending in a first direction from the cable lock 300, the fastening portion 408 extending in a second direction from the cable lock 300, and a locking portion 410 connecting the control portion 406 and the fastening portions 408. The control portion 406 is configured to have a tightening force F_T applied thereto to move the cable 402 in the tightening direction D_T. When incorporated into the article of footwear 10a, the control portion 406 may be arranged on the article of footwear 10a so that it can be easily grasped by the user to pull the cable 402 in the tightening direction D_T. The fastening portion 408 is configured to cooperate with the tracking system 404a to tighten the article of footwear 10a when the tightening force F_T is applied to the control portion 406. Conversely, the fastening portion 408 is also configured to have a loosening force F_L applied thereto to move the cable 402 in a loosening direction D_L. The locking portion 410 is disposed within the cable lock 300 and interfaces with the cable lock 300 to secure the position of the cable 402, as described in greater detail below.

With reference to FIG. 8A, the cable 402 may include various segments defined in relation to the cable lock 300. For example, the control portion 406 may be referred to as including a first control segment 412 and a second control segment 414. As shown, first control segment 412 extends from the cable lock 300 on the bottom of the sole structure 200a and along the lateral side 22 of the upper 100a, while the second control segment 414 extends from the cable lock 300 and along the medial side 24 of the upper 100a.

Likewise, the fastening portion 408 may include a first fastening segment 416 and a second fastening segment 418. The first fastening segment 416 extends from the cable lock 300 on the bottom of the sole structure 200a and is routed along the first adjustment region 112a. Similarly, the second fastening segment 418 extends from the cable lock 300 and is routed along the second adjustment region 114a. The first control segment 412 is connected to the first fastening segment 416 by a first locking segment 420 extending through the cable lock 300, while the second control segment 414 is connected to the second fastening segment 418 by a second locking segment 422 extending through the cable lock 300.

In the illustrated example, the first control segment 412 and the second control segment 414 are connected to each other and define a continuous length of the cable 402 extending from the cable lock 300, around the tongue portion 106 of the upper 100a, and back to the cable lock 300. In contrast to the continuously formed control portion 406, the fastening portion 408 is not continuous such that each of the fastening segments 416, 418 include terminal ends 424. As discussed in greater detail below, the terminal ends 424 may attach to the inelastic region 110a of the upper 100a at discrete locations from each other. Alternatively, the terminal ends 424 may connect to one another at another area of the footwear 10a.

While an overall length of the cable 402 is constant, effective lengths of the control portion 406 and the fastening portion 408 of the cable 402 depend upon the position of the cable 402 with respect to the cable lock 300. For example, when the control portion 406 is pulled and the cable 402 moves in the tightening direction D_T through the cable lock 300, the effective length of the control portion 406 will increase and the effective length of the fastening portion 408 will decrease. Conversely, when the fastening portion 408 is pulled and the cable 402 moves in the loosening direction D_L through the cable lock 300, the effective length of the fastening portion 408 will increase to loosen the article of footwear 10a and the effective length of the control portion 406 will decrease. As provided above, the locking portion 410 refers to the portion of the cable 402 that is contained within the cable lock 300, regardless of the position of the cable 402. Accordingly, the control portion 406, fastening portion 408, and the locking portion 410 are not fixed sections of the cable 402 itself, but depend on the position of the cable 402 with respect to the cable lock 300.

The cable 402 of the fastening system 400a is configured to cooperate with the cable lock 300 to move the article of footwear 10a between a constricted state and a relaxed state, as described in greater detail below. Generally, the cable lock 300 and the fastening system 400a are configured cooperate with the upper 100a to provide zonal tightening, whereby a tightening force F_T1 or loosening force F_L1 applied to a portion of the cable 402 associated with the lateral side 22 of the footwear 10a is different from a tightening force F_T2 or loosening force F_L2 applied to a portion of the cable 402 associated with the medial side 24 of the footwear 10a. Accordingly, the lateral side 22 and the medial side 24 of the upper 100a may be adjusted to have different tightness around the foot. For example, a tightening force F_T1 having a first magnitude may be applied to the first control segment 412 while a tightening force F_T2 having a second magnitude is applied to the second control segment 414. Accordingly, the first tightening force F_T1 will be applied to the first locking segment 420 while the second tightening force F_T2 will be applied to the second locking segment 422, thereby causing the first locking segment 420 to be pulled through the cable lock 300 at a greater rate than the second locking segment 422. Because the terminal ends 424 of the fastening segments 416, 418 are separate from each other, the first tightening force F_T1 will be applied to the first fastening segment 416 and the second tightening force F_T2 will be applied to the second fastening segment 418.

In some examples, at least one of the lateral side 22 and the medial side 24 of the upper 100a include a series of the cable guides 426 that route the cable 402 from the conduits 212 of the outsole plate 202a and along the upper 100a. In the illustrated examples, the cable guides 426 of the tracking system 404a are formed by fabric or mesh loops defining a passage for slidably receiving the cable 402 therethrough. In other examples, the cable guides 426 may include apertures (e.g., eyelets) formed through the inelastic regions 110a of the upper 100a, or fabric or mesh loops attached to the inelastic regions 110a of the upper 100a to receive the fastening segments 416, 418.

With continued reference to FIG. 8A, the first fastening segment 416 and the second fastening segment 418 route through a plurality of the cable guides 426 disposed along the adjustment regions 112a, 114a of the upper 100a. After routing through the cable guides 426, the terminal ends 424 of the first fastening segment 416 and the second fastening segment 418 are attached to the inelastic region 110a of the upper 100a. In the illustrated examples, the terminal ends 424 are attached to the upper 100a at discrete attachment points 428 adjacent the second ends 118 of the adjustment regions 112a, 114a. In other examples, the terminal ends 424 may operatively connect to one another at a single attachment point. For instance, a connector may connect the terminal ends 424 to one another or the terminal ends 424 may be knotted together, adhesively bonded to each other, or fused together.

With reference to FIG. 8A, each of the lateral side 22 and the medial side 24 of the upper 100a include a first series of the cable guides 426 disposed along the upper edge 120 of the adjustment region 112a, 114a and a second series of the cable guides 426 arranged along the lower edge 122 of the respective adjustment region 112a, 114a. Accordingly, the adjustment regions 112a, 114a are disposed between the upper and lower series of the cable guides 426. As shown, the cable guides 426 are alternatingly arranged along the upper and lower edges 120, 122 such that the cable 402 is routed in a serpentine manner between the upper and lower edges 120, 122 along the length of the adjustment regions 112a, 114a by the cable guides 426.

The number of cable guides 426 may be selected to minimize friction when the cable 402 moves in the tightening direction D_T or the loosening direction D_F. While the illustrated examples show the cable guides 426 on each of the lateral side 22 and the medial side 24 including two cable guides 426 along the upper edge 120 and two cable guides 426 along the lower edge 122, other configurations may include each set including a greater or lesser number of cable guides 426. In some examples, the upper edge 120 includes a greater number of cable guides 426 than the lower edge 122. In yet another example, the upper edge 120 and the lower edge 122 each include the same number of cable guides 426. Moreover, the placement of the cable guides 426 upon the upper 100a may be selected so that each section of the cable 402 extending between the upper edge 120 and the lower edge 122 is substantially straight to reduce friction when the cable moves in the tightening and loosening directions D_T, D_L.

As shown in FIG. 7, the fastening system 400a may incorporate the conduits 212a-212e formed in the sole structure 200a. The conduits 212a-212e are configured to receive and route the segments 412, 414, 416, 418 of the cable 402 and a release cable 384 that extend out of the cable lock 300 and through the outsole plate 202a. Here, a first conduit 212a may receive the end of first control segment 412 extending between the cable lock 300 and the lateral side 22, and a second conduit 212b may receive the end of the second control segment 414 extending between the cable lock 300 and the medial side 24. Likewise, a third conduit 212c receives the end of the first fastening segment 416 extending between the cable lock 300 and the lateral side 22, and a fourth conduit 212d receives the end of the second fastening segment 418 extending between the cable lock 300 and the medial side 24.

With continued reference to FIG. 7, a release conduit 212e is configured to receive and route portions of the release cable 384 that extends out of the cable lock 300. In the example shown in FIG. 7, the release conduit 212e extends from the cable lock 300, towards the anterior end 18 of the footwear, and to the peripheral side surface 208 of the outsole plate 202a at the lateral side 22 of the sole structure 200a.

The fastening system 400a may further include one or more release passages 430a for routing the cable 402 and/or the release cable 384 along the upper 100a. The release passages 430a may be formed within the upper 100a, or alternatively, the release passages 430a may be defined by a sheath or cover attached to an outer surface of the upper 100a. In the illustrated examples, the footwear 10a includes a release passage 430a extending vertically along the upper from a first end adjacent the opening of release conduit 212e formed in the peripheral side surface 208 to a second end adjacent the ankle opening 104. The release passage 430a is configured to route the release cable 384 from the outsole plate 202a to an area of the upper 100a that is easily reachable by the wearer.

As best shown in FIG. 5, the release passage 430a extends vertically along the lateral side 22 of the upper 100a from a first end adjacent the release conduit 212e to the second end at the lateral side of the ankle opening 104. Accordingly, the release cable 384 is routed from the cable lock 300 through the release conduit 212e and exits the peripheral side surface 208 of the outsole plate 202a at the lateral side 22. The release cable 384 then passes up through the first end of the release passage 430a and extends from the second end. Accordingly, the portion of the release cable 384 extending from the release passage 430a can be grasped by the wearer to apply the release force F_R for moving the cable lock 300 to the unlocked state. As shown, the release passage 430a is disposed in the midfoot region 14 of the lateral side 22. In other examples, the release passage 430a may be disposed on the medial side 24 of the upper 100a, and may be situated in the heel region 16 or the forefoot region 12.

As provided above, the control portion 406 of the cable 402 is a continuous loop extending from the cable lock 300. As shown in FIG. 8A, the control portion 406 extends around the tongue portion 106 proximate to the ankle opening 104 (i.e., proximate to an area above an instep of a wearer's foot). The portion of the control portion 406 that extends around the tongue portion 106 may be enclosed within one or more sheaths 432. Each sheath 432 may additionally be formed from a material and/or a weave that allows the sheath 432 and control portion 406 of the cable 402 to move from a relaxed state to a stretched or expanded state when the control portion 406 is moved in a direction away from the upper 100a by way of the tightening force F_T (i.e., when the cable 402 is moved in the tightening direction D_T). When the tightening force F_T is removed, the material and/or weave of the sheath 432 automatically causes the sheath 432 to contract to the relaxed state and accommodate bunching by the cable 402 therein.

In the example shown, a separate control portion grip 434 operatively connects to the sheath 432 at an attachment location proximate to the tongue portion 106 to allow a user to apply the tightening force F_T to pull the control portion 406 away from the upper 100a, and thereby constrict the adjustment regions 112a, 114a by simultaneously drawing the upper and lower edges 120, 122 toward one another to move the upper 100a into the constricted state. Other configurations may include operatively connecting the control portion grip 434 to other portions of the sheath 432 along the length of the control portion 406. In some implementations, the control portion grip 434 is omitted and the sheath 432 corresponds to the control portion 406 by allowing a user to grasp and apply the tightening force F_T to pull the control portion 406 away from the upper 100a.

With reference to FIGS. 8A-8C, the use of the cable lock 300 and fastening system 400a in conjunction with the upper 100a and sole structure 200a is illustrated. FIG. 8A shows examples of the footwear 10a in a relaxed state, whereby the first fastening segment 416 and the second fastening segment 418 are provided with slack and the adjustment regions 112a, 114a are in a relaxed state. In the relaxed state, a foot of a wearer can be inserted into the interior void 102 of the upper 100a via the ankle opening 104. The slack within the fastening segments 416, 418 allows the adjustment regions 112a, 114a to move to a stretched or expanded state, thereby increasing an effective volume of the interior void 102 to accommodate the foot of the wearer. The adjustment regions 112a, 114a may be formed of elastic materials to provide a first degree of constriction to the foot of the wearer to maintain the footwear 10a on the foot prior to transitioning the footwear to the constricted state.

As shown in FIG. 8B, the footwear 10a can be moved to a first constricted state by pulling the control portion 406 toward one of the lateral side 22 and the medial side 24. For example, the control portion 406 is shown being pulled toward the medial side 24 to transition the upper 100a to the first constricted state. More particularly, as the control portion 406 is pulled toward the medial side 24, the first tightening force F_T1 is applied to the first control segment 412 while a lesser, second tightening force F_T2 is applied to the second control segment 414. The first tightening force F_T1 causes the first locking segment 420 of the cable 402 to be pulled through the cable lock 300 a first distance as the first tightening force F_T1 is transmitted from the first control segment 412 to the first fastening segment 416. Application of the first tightening force F_T1 to the first fastening segment 416 causes the cable guides 426 along the upper edge 120 to move towards the opposing cable guides 426 along the lower edge 122 of the first adjustment region 112a on the lateral side 22. As a result, the upper edge 120 and the lower edge 122 of the first adjustment region 112a are pulled towards each other, as indicated by the arrows T1, thereby constricting the first adjustment region 112a around the foot of the wearer. By constricting the first adjustment region 112a, the amount that the elastic material of the adjustment region 112a is able to stretch is effectively limited by the first fastening segment 416. A magnitude of the first tightening force F_T1 can be selected based on a desired amount of stretch to be allowed in the first adjustment region 112a.

Simultaneously, pulling the control portion 406 toward the medial side 24 causes the second tightening force F_T2 that is less than the first tightening force F_T1 to be applied to the second control segment 414. The second tightening force F_T2 causes the second locking segment 422 of the cable 402 to be pulled through the cable lock 300 a second distance as the second tightening force F_T2 is transmitted from the second control segment 414 to the second fastening segment 418. Application of the second tightening force F_T2 to the second fastening segment 418 causes cable guides 426 along the upper edge 120 of the second adjustment region 114a to move towards the cable guides 426 along the lower edge 122 of the second adjustment region 114a of the upper 100a. As a result, the upper edge 120 and the lower edge 122 are pulled towards each other, as indicated by the arrows T2, thereby constricting the second adjustment region 114a around the foot of the wearer. The second tightening force F_T2 is less than the first tightening force F_T1, such that the first adjustment region 112a will be constricted by the first fastening segment 416 to a greater degree than the second adjustment region 114a will be constricted by the second fastening segment 418. Accordingly, the second adjustment region 114a will have a greater degree of elasticity than the first adjustment region 112a. As with the first tightening force F_T1, the magnitude of the second tightening force F_T2 can be selected by the wearer based on a desired amount of stretch to be allowed in the second adjustment region 114a. In some instances, the second tightening force F_T2 may be non-existent or may not be substantial enough to move the cable 402 in the tightening direction D_T such that the second adjustment region 114a will not be constricted at all.

As shown in FIG. 8C, the footwear 10a can be moved to a second constricted state by pulling the control portion 406 toward the lateral side 22. For example, as the control portion 406 is pulled toward the lateral side 22, the first tightening force F_T1 is applied to the second control segment 414 while the lesser, second tightening force F_T2 is applied to the first control segment 412. The first tightening force F_T1 causes the second locking segment 422 of the cable 402 to be pulled through the locking channel 332 a first distance as the first tightening force F_T1 is transmitted from the second control segment 414 to the second fastening segment 418. Application of the first tightening force F_T1 to the second fastening segment 418 causes the cable guides 426 along the upper edge 120 of the second adjustment region 114a to be pulled towards the cable guides 426 along the lower edge 122 of the second adjustment region 114a. As a result, the upper edge 120 and the lower edge 122 of the second adjustment region 114a are pulled towards each other, as indicated by the arrows T1, thereby constricting the second adjustment region 114a around the foot of the wearer. By constricting the second adjustment region 114a, the amount that the elastic material of the adjustment region 114a is able to stretch is effectively limited by the second fastening segment 418. A magnitude of the first tightening force F_T1 can be selected based on a desired amount of stretch to be allowed in the second adjustment region 114a.

Simultaneously, pulling the control portion 406 toward the lateral side 22 causes the second tightening force F_T2 that is less than the first tightening force F_T1 to be applied to the first control segment 412. The second tightening force F_T2 causes the first locking segment 420 of the cable 402 to be pulled through the locking channel 332 a second distance as the second tightening force F_T2 is transmitted from the first control segment 412 to the first fastening segment 416. Application of the second tightening force F_T2 to the first fastening segment 416 causes cable guides 426 along the upper edge 120 of the first adjustment region 112a to be pulled towards the cable guides 426 along the lower edge 122 of the first adjustment region 112a. As a result, the upper edge 120 and the lower edge 122 of the first adjustment region 112a may be pulled towards each other, as indicated by the arrows T2, thereby constricting the first adjustment region 112a around the foot of the wearer. The second tightening force F_T2 is less than the first tightening force F_T1, such that the first adjustment region 112a will be constricted by the first fastening segment 416 to a lesser degree than the second adjustment region 114b will be constricted by the second fastening segment 418. Accordingly, the first adjustment region 112a will have a greater degree of elasticity than the second adjustment region 114a. As with the first tightening force F_T1, the magnitude of the second tightening force F_T2 can be selected by the wearer based on a desired amount of stretch to be allowed in the first adjustment region 112a. In some instances, the second tightening force F_T2 may be non-existent or may not be substantial enough to move the cable 402 in the tightening direction D_T such that the first adjustment region 112a will not be constricted at all.

In some examples, the first tightening force F_T1 and the second tightening force F_T2 are substantially the same. Accordingly, each of the first adjustment region 112a and the second adjustment region 114a will be constricted to the same degree, whereby the elastic material of the first adjustment region 112a and the elastic material of the second adjustment region 114a are allowed to stretch to the same extent over the foot of the wearer.

As discussed below with respect to the operation of the cable lock 300, the footwear 10a is maintained in any one of the constricted states when the cable lock 300 is in a locked state (e.g., as the cable 402 is prevented from passing through the cable lock 300 in the loosening direction D_L. Accordingly, when the wearer wishes to remove the footwear 10a from the foot, the cable lock 300 must be moved towards an unlocked state by applying the release force F_R to the release cable 384. The cable lock 300 may be moved only partially towards the unlocked state, whereby the cable lock 300 automatically returns to the locked state when the release force F_R is ceased. Alternatively, the cable lock 300 may be pulled to a fully unlocked state, whereby the cable lock 300 remains unlocked until the tightening force F_T is applied to the control portion 406.

Referring now to FIGS. 9-11, an article of footwear 10b is provided and includes an upper 100b and a sole structure 200b attached to the upper 100b. In view of the substantial similarity in structure and function of the components associated with the article of footwear 10b with respect to the article of footwear 10, like reference numerals are used hereinafter and in the drawings to identify like components while like reference numerals containing letter extensions are used to identify those components that have been modified.

Referring to FIG. 11, an example of an article of footwear 10b including a system providing for variable tension is disclosed. In some implementations, the article of footwear 10b includes an upper 100b and a sole structure 200b attached to the upper 100b. The article of footwear 10b further includes a cable lock 300 and fastening system 400b integrated into at least one of the upper 100b and the sole structure 200b. The fastening system 400b includes a cable 402 that cooperates with the cable lock 300 to move the article of footwear 10b between a constricted state and a relaxed state, as detailed below. Particularly, the cable 402 is movable in a tightening direction D_T to move the article of footwear 10b into the constricted state. In some implementations, the upper 100b and the sole structure 200b cooperate to provide passages and guides for routing portions of the cable 402 through the cable lock 300. The cable lock 300 is configured to selectively secure the cable 402 in the constricted state.

Unlike the examples of the footwear 10, 10a provided above, which provide lateral and medial zonal tightening, the footwear 10b is configured to provide upper and lower zonal tightening to the upper. In the illustrated example, one or both of the lateral side 22 and the medial side 24 of the upper 100b may include an inelastic region 110b formed from the one or more inelastic materials, and one or more adjustment regions 112b, 114b formed from resilient, elastic materials. The adjustment regions 112b, 114b may be partially bounded by the inelastic region 110b to provide resilient zones of the upper 100b.

In the illustrated example, the adjustment regions 112b, 114b define a lower, first adjustment region 112b and an upper, second adjustment region 114b arranged along the instep region of the upper 100b. In some examples, the first adjustment region 112b and the second adjustment region 114b are continuously formed with each other to define a single, continuous adjustment region 115 extending from a first end 116 adjacent to the ankle opening 104 to a second end 118 within one of the forefoot region 12 and the midfoot region 14. The adjustment region 115 includes a pair of edges 124, 126 formed on opposite sides of the upper 100b and extending between the first end 116 and the second end 118. In some examples, the first end 116 may be formed proximate to the ankle opening 104. Accordingly, the first end 116 of the second adjustment region 114b defines a portion of the ankle opening 104 and provides the ankle opening 104 with a degree of stretch to accommodate reception of a foot. As shown, a first one of the edges 124 extends along the lateral side 22 of the upper 100b, while the second one of the edges 126 extends along the medial side 24 of the upper 100b. Accordingly, the adjustment regions 112b, 114b extend across the instep region of the upper 100b.

Referring to FIG. 9, the cable lock 300 is disposed on the instep region of the upper 100b, adjacent to the ankle opening 104. Accordingly, the cable lock 300 may be disposed on or over the adjustment region 115. As described in greater detail below, the cable lock 300 is generally configured to interface with the cable 402 of the fastening system to selectively secure a position of the cable 402 relative to the upper 100b.

As best shown in FIG. 11, the fastening system 400b includes the cable 402 and a tracking system 404b formed on or in the upper 100b for routing the cable 402 and distributing tension of the cable 402 along the article of footwear 10b. Generally, as one of the tightening force F_T or the loosening force F_L is applied to the cable 402, the tracking system 404b distributes the tension of the cable 402 along a plurality of points along the lateral and medial edges 124, 126 of the first adjustment region 112b and the second adjustment region 114b to cause the respective adjustment regions 112b, 114b to contract or to allow the adjustment regions 112b, 114b to relax, as discussed in greater detail below

In the illustrated examples, the cable 402 includes the control portion 406 extending in a first direction from the cable lock 300, the fastening portion 408 extending in a second direction from the cable lock 300, and a locking portion 410 connecting the control portion 406 and the fastening portion 408. The control portion 406 is configured to have a tightening force F_T applied thereto to move the cable 402 in the tightening direction D_T. When incorporated into the article of footwear 10b, the control portion 406 may be arranged on the article of footwear 10b so that it can be easily grasped by the user to pull the cable 402 in the tightening direction D_T. The control portion 406 may also be disposed within one or more retractable sheaths and be provided with a control grip, as described above with respect to the articles of footwear 10, 10a. The fastening portion 408 is configured to cooperate with the tracking system 404b to tighten the article of footwear 10b when the tightening force F_T is applied to the control portion 406. Conversely, the fastening portion 408 is also configured to have a loosening force F_L applied thereto to move the cable 402 in a loosening direction D_L. The locking portion 410 is disposed within the cable lock 300 and interfaces with the cable lock to secure the position of the cable 402, as described in greater detail below.

With reference to FIG. 11, the cable 402 may include various segments defined in relation to the cable lock 300. For example, the control portion 406 may be described as including a first control segment 412 and a second control segment 414, which are independently operable to control a tension of corresponding segments 416, 418 of the fastening portion 408, as discussed below. In the illustrated example, the first control segment 412 and the second control segment 414 each extend from an end of the cable lock 300 and towards the ankle opening 104. In some examples, the control portion 406 is formed as a continuous loop, whereby respective “ends” of the first control segment 412 and the second control segment 414 are joined to each other such that the control portion 406 forms a continuous length of the cable 402 extending from the cable lock 300. In the example of FIG. 11, where the cable lock 300 is disposed on the tongue portion 106 of the upper 100b, the first control segment 412 is generally disposed along the lateral side 22 of the upper 100b while the second control segment 414 is generally disposed along the medial side 24 of the upper 100b and attaches or joins to the first control segment 412 in a central portion of the upper 100b, adjacent to the ankle opening 104.

Likewise, the fastening portion 408 may include a first fastening segment 416 and a second fastening segment 418. The first fastening segment 416 extends from the cable lock 300 on the tongue portion 106 of the upper 100b and is routed in a serpentine manner along the first adjustment region 112b. The second fastening segment 418 extends from the cable lock 300 on the tongue portion 106 of the upper 100b and is routed in a serpentine manner along a second adjustment region 114b. Generally, the first fastening segment 416 is configured to adjust a fit of the upper 100b along the first adjustment region 112b while the second fastening segment 418 is configure to adjust a fit of the upper 100b along the second adjustment region 114b. In contrast to the continuously formed control portion 406, the fastening portion 408 is not continuous such that each of the fastening segments 416, 418 include terminal ends 424 anchored to the inelastic region 110b of the upper 100b. As discussed in greater detail below, the terminal ends 424 may attach to the inelastic region 110b of the upper 100b at discrete locations from each other. Alternatively, the terminal ends 424 may connect to one another at another area of the footwear 10b.

While an overall length of the cable 402 is constant, effective lengths of the control portion 406 and the fastening portion 408 of the cable 402 depend upon the position of the cable 402 with respect to the cable lock 300. For example, when the control portion 406 is pulled and the cable 402 moves in the tightening direction D_T through the cable lock 300, the effective length of the control portion 406 will increase and the effective length of the fastening portion 408 will decrease. Conversely, when the fastening portion 408 is pulled and the cable 402 moves in the loosening direction D_L through the cable lock 300, the effective length of the fastening portion 408 will increase to loosen the article of footwear 10b and the effective length of the control portion 406 will decrease. As provided above, the locking portion 410 refers to the portion of the cable 402 that is contained within the cable lock 300, regardless of the position of the cable 402. Accordingly, the control portion 406, fastening portion 408, and the locking portion 410 are not a fixed sections of the cable 402 itself, but depend on the position of the cable 402 with respect to the cable lock 300.

The cable 402 of the fastening system 400b is configured to cooperate with the cable lock 300 to move the article of footwear 10b between a constricted state and a relaxed state, as described in greater detail below. Generally, the cable lock 300 and the fastening system 400b are configured cooperate with the upper 100b to provide zonal tightening, whereby a tightening force F_T or loosening force F_L applied to a portion of the cable 402 associated with the first adjustment region 112b is different from a tightening force F_T or loosening force F_L applied to a portion of the cable 402 associated with the second adjustment region 114b. Accordingly, the first adjustment region 112b and the second adjustment region 114b of the upper 100b may be adjusted to have different tightness around the foot. For example, a tightening force F_T1 having a first magnitude may be applied to the first control segment 412 while a tightening force F_T2 having a second magnitude is applied to the second control segment 414. Accordingly, the first tightening force F_T1 will be applied to the first locking segment 420 while the second tightening force F_T2 will be applied to the second locking segment 422, thereby causing the first locking segment 420 to be pulled through the cable lock 300 at a greater rate than the second locking segment 422. Because the terminal ends 424 of the fastening segments 416, 418 are independently anchored to the upper 100b, the first tightening force F_T1 will be applied to the first fastening segment 416 and the second tightening force F_T2 will be applied to the second fastening segment 418.

In some examples, the lateral side 22 and the medial side 24 of the upper 100b include a series of the cable guides 426 that route the cable 402 from the cable lock 300 and along the adjustment regions 112b, 114b. In some examples, the cable guides 426 may be formed of a rigid, low-friction material and have an arcuate inner surface for receiving the cable 402. In other examples, the cable guides 426 may include apertures (e.g., eyelets) formed through the inelastic regions 110b of the upper 100b, or fabric or mesh loops attached to the inelastic regions 110b of the upper 100b to receive the fastening segments 416, 418. Fabric or mesh loops/webbing may generate friction with the cable 402 when the cable 402 moves in the tightening direction D_T.

With continued reference to FIG. 11, the first fastening segment 416 and the second fastening segment 418 route through a plurality of the cable guides 426 disposed along the adjustment region 115 of the upper 100b. After routing through the cable guides 426, the terminal ends 424 of the first fastening segment 416 and the second fastening segment 418 are attached to the inelastic region 110b of the upper 100b.

In the illustrated example, the first fastening segment 416 is configured to control a tightness of the lower, first adjustment region 112b. As shown, the first fastening segment 416 extends from the cable lock 300 to a first one of the cable guides 426 disposed on the lateral side 22 adjacent to or within the forefoot region 12. From the first one of the cable guides 426, the first fastening segment 416 extends across the first adjustment region 112b to a second one of the cable guides 426 adjacent to the edge 126 on the medial side 24 of the first adjustment region 112b. The first fastening segment 416 then extends back across the first adjustment region 112b to a third one of the cable guides 426 adjacent to the edge 124 on the lateral side 22 of the first adjustment region 112b, and then returns back across the first adjustment region 112b to a terminal end 424. As shown, the terminal end 424 of the first fastening segment 416 is located adjacent to the edge 126 on the medial side 24 of the first adjustment region 112b, and at the second end 118. Accordingly, when the first fastening segment 416 is moved in the tensioning direction D_T by applying the tightening force F_T to the first control segment 412, the first fastening segment 416 draws the cable guides 426 on opposing edges 124, 126 of the first adjustment region 112b towards each other, causing the first adjustment region 112b to tighten.

The second fastening segment 418 is configured to control a fit of the upper, second adjustment region 114b. As shown, the second fastening segment 418 extends from the cable lock 300 to a fourth one of the cable guides 426 on the inelastic region 110b in the midfoot region 14 of the upper. The second fastening segment 418 then extends from the fourth one of the cable guides 426 across the upper, second adjustment region 114b to a fifth one of the cable guides 426 adjacent to the edge 124 of the second adjustment region 114b on the lateral side 22. From there, the second fastening segment 418 extends back across the second adjustment region 114b to a sixth one of the cable guides adjacent to the edge 126 on the medial side 24, and returns across the second adjustment region 114b to a terminal end 424 adjacent to the edge 124 on the lateral side 22. As shown, the second fastening segment 418 is disposed between the first fastening segment 418 and the cable lock 300 along the upper, second adjustment region 114b. Accordingly, when the second fastening segment 418 is moved in the tensioning direction D_T by applying the tightening force F_T to the second control segment 414, the second fastening segment draws the cable guides 426 on opposing edges 124, 126 of the second adjustment region 114b towards each other, causing the second adjustment region 114b to tighten.

Referring now to FIGS. 12-14, an article of footwear 10c is provided and includes an upper 100c and a sole structure 200c attached to the upper 100c. In view of the substantial similarity in structure and function of the components associated with the article of footwear 10c with respect to the article of footwear 10, like reference numerals are used hereinafter and in the drawings to identify like components while like reference numerals containing letter extensions are used to identify those components that have been modified.

Referring to FIG. 14, an example of an article of footwear 10c including a system providing for variable tension is disclosed. In some implementations, the article of footwear 10c includes an upper 100c and a sole structure 200c attached to the upper 100c. The article of footwear 10c further includes a cable lock 300 and fastening system 400c integrated into at least one of the upper 100c and the sole structure 200c. The fastening system 400c includes a cable 402 that cooperates with the cable lock 300 to move the article of footwear 10c between a constricted state and a relaxed state, as detailed below. Particularly, the cable 402 is movable in a tightening direction D_T to move the article of footwear 10c into the constricted state. The cable lock 300 is configured to selectively secure the cable 402 in the constricted state.

The article of footwear 10c is similar to the article of footwear 10b described above, in that it is configured to provide upper and lower zonal tightening along an instep region of the upper. In the illustrated example, one or both of the lateral side 22 and the medial side 24 of the upper 100c may include an inelastic region 110c formed from the one or more inelastic materials, and one or more adjustment regions 112c, 114c formed from resilient, elastic materials. The adjustment regions 112c, 114c may be partially bounded by the inelastic region 110c to provide resilient zones of the upper 100c.

In the illustrated example, the adjustment regions 112c, 114c define a lower, first adjustment region 112c and an upper, second adjustment region 114c arranged along the instep region of the upper 100c. In some examples, the first adjustment region 112c and the second adjustment region 114c are continuously formed with each other to define a single, continuous adjustment region 115c extending from a first end 116 adjacent to the ankle opening 104 to a second end 118 within one of the forefoot region 12 and the midfoot region 14. The adjustment region 115c includes a pair of edges 124, 126 formed on opposite sides of the upper 100c and extending between the first end 116 and the second end 118. In some examples, the first end 116 may be formed proximate to the ankle opening 104. Accordingly, the first end 116 of the second adjustment region 114c defines a portion of the ankle opening 104 and provides the ankle opening 104 with a degree of stretch to accommodate reception of a foot. As shown, a first one of the edges 124 extends along the lateral side 22 of the upper 100c, while the second one of the edges 126 extends along the medial side 24 of the upper 100c. Accordingly, the adjustment regions 112c, 114c extend across the instep region of the upper 100c.

Referring to FIG. 12, the cable lock 300 is disposed on the on the posterior end 20 of the upper 100c, adjacent to the ankle opening 104. As described in greater detail below, the cable lock 300 is generally configured to interface with the cable 402 of the fastening system 400 to selectively secure a position of the cable 402 relative to the upper 100c.

As best shown in FIG. 14, the fastening system 400c includes the cable 402 and a tracking system 404c formed on or in the upper 100c for routing the cable 402 and distributing tension of the cable 402 along the article of footwear 10c. Generally, as one of the tightening force F_T or the loosening force F_L is applied to the cable 402, the tracking system 404c distributes the tension of the cable 402 along a plurality of points along the lateral and medial edges 124, 126 of the first adjustment region 112c and the second adjustment region 114c to cause the respective adjustment regions 112c, 114c to contract or to allow the adjustment regions 112c, 114c to relax, as discussed in greater detail below

In the illustrated examples, the cable 402 includes the control portion 406 extending in a first direction from the cable lock 300, the fastening portion 408 extending in a second direction from the cable lock 300, and a locking portion 410 connecting the control portion 406 and the fastening portion 408. The control portion 406 is configured to have a tightening force F_T applied thereto to move the cable 402 in the tightening direction D_T. When incorporated into the article of footwear 10c, the control portion 406 may be arranged on the article of footwear 10c so that it can be easily grasped by the user to pull the cable 402 in the tightening direction D_T. The control portion 406 may also be disposed within one or more retractable sheaths and be provided with a control grip, as described above with respect to the articles of footwear 10, 10a. The fastening portion 408 is configured to cooperate with the tracking system 404c to tighten the article of footwear 10c when the tightening force F_T is applied to the control portion 406. Conversely, the fastening portion 408 is also configured to have a loosening force F_L applied thereto to move the cable 402 in a loosening direction D_L. The locking portion 410 is disposed within the cable lock 300 and interfaces with the cable lock 300 to secure the position of the cable 402, as described in greater detail below.

With reference to FIG. 14, the cable 402 may include various segments defined in relation to the cable lock 300. For example, the control portion 406 may be described as including a first control segment 412 and a second control segment 414, which are independently operable to control a tension of corresponding segments 416, 418 of the fastening portion 408, as discussed below. In the illustrated example, the first control segment 412 and the second control segment 414 each extend from an end of the cable lock 300 and towards the ankle opening 104. In some examples, the control portion 406 is formed as a continuous loop, whereby respective “ends” of the first control segment 412 and the second control segment 414 are joined to each other such that the control portion 406 forms a continuous length of the cable 402 extending from the cable lock 300. In the example of FIG. 14, where the cable lock 300 is disposed on the tongue portion 106 of the upper 100c, the first control segment 412 is generally disposed along the lateral side 22 of the upper 100c while the second control segment 414 is generally disposed along the medial side 24 of the upper 100c and attaches or joins to the first control segment 412 in a central portion of the upper 100c, adjacent to the ankle opening 104.

Likewise, the fastening portion 408 may include a first fastening segment 416 and a second fastening segment 418. The first fastening segment 416 extends from the cable lock 300 on the posterior end 20 of the upper 100c and is routed in a serpentine manner along the first adjustment region 112c. The second fastening segment 418 extends from the cable lock 300 on the posterior end 20 of the upper 100c and is routed in a serpentine manner along a second adjustment region 114c. Generally, the first fastening segment 416 is configured to adjust a fit of the upper 100c along the first adjustment region 112c while the second fastening segment 418 is configure to adjust a fit of the upper 100c along the second adjustment region 114c. In contrast to the continuously formed control portion 406, the fastening portion 408 is not continuous such that each of the fastening segments 416, 418 include terminal ends 424 anchored to the inelastic region 110c of the upper 100c. As discussed in greater detail below, the terminal ends 424 may attach to the inelastic region 110c of the upper 100c at discrete locations from each other. Alternatively, the terminal ends 424 may connect to one another at another area of the footwear 10c.

While an overall length of the cable 402 is constant, effective lengths of the control portion 406 and the fastening portion 408 of the cable 402 depend upon the position of the cable 402 with respect to the cable lock 300. For example, when the control portion 406 is pulled and the cable 402 moves in the tightening direction D_T through the cable lock 300, the effective length of the control portion 406 will increase and the effective length of the fastening portion 408 will decrease. Conversely, when the fastening portion 408 is pulled and the cable 402 moves in the loosening direction D_L through the cable lock 300, the effective length of the fastening portion 408 will increase to loosen the article of footwear 10c and the effective length of the control portion 406 will decrease. As provided above, the locking portion 410 refers to the portion of the cable 402 that is contained within the cable lock 300, regardless of the position of the cable 402. Accordingly, the control portion 406, fastening portion 408, and the locking portion 410 are not a fixed sections of the cable 402 itself, but depend on the position of the cable 402 with respect to the cable lock 300.

The cable 402 of the fastening system 400c is configured to cooperate with the cable lock 300 to move the article of footwear 10c between a constricted state and a relaxed state, as described in greater detail below. Generally, the cable lock 300 and the fastening system 400c are configured cooperate with the upper 100c to provide zonal tightening, whereby a tightening force F_T or loosening force F_L applied to a portion of the cable 402 associated with the first adjustment region 112c is different from a tightening force F_T or loosening force F_L applied to a portion of the cable 402 associated with the second adjustment region 114c. Accordingly, the first adjustment region 112c and the second adjustment region 114c of the upper 100c may be adjusted to have different a tightness around the foot. For example, a tightening force F_T having a first magnitude may be applied to the first control segment 412 while a tightening force F_T having a second magnitude is applied to the second control segment 414. Accordingly, the first tightening force F_T will be applied to the first locking segment 420 while the second tightening force F_T will be applied to the second locking segment 422, thereby causing the first locking segment 420 to be pulled through the cable lock 300 at a greater rate than the second locking segment 422. Because the terminal ends 424 of the fastening segments 416, 418 are independently anchored to the upper 100c, the first tightening force F_T1 will be applied to the first fastening segment 416 and the second tightening force F_T2 will be applied to the second fastening segment 418.

In some examples, the lateral side 22 and the medial side 24 of the upper 100c include a series of the cable guides 426 that route the cable 402 from the cable lock 300 and along the adjustment regions 112c, 114c. In other examples, the cable guides 426 may include apertures (e.g., eyelets) formed through the inelastic regions 110 of the upper 100c, or fabric or mesh loops attached to the inelastic regions 110 of the upper 100c to receive the fastening segments 416, 418. Fabric or mesh loops/webbing may generate friction with the cable 402 when the cable 402 moves in the tightening direction D_T.

With continued reference to FIG. 14, the first fastening segment 416 and the second fastening segment 418 route through a plurality of the cable guides 426 disposed along the adjustment region 115c of the upper 100c. After routing through the cable guides 426, the terminal ends 424 of the first fastening segment 416 and the second fastening segment 418 are attached to the inelastic region 110c of the upper 100c.

In the illustrated example, the first fastening segment 416 is configured to control a tightness of the lower, first adjustment region 112c. As shown, the first fastening segment 416 extends from the cable lock 300 to a first one of the cable guides 426 disposed on the lateral side 22 adjacent within the midfoot region 14, adjacent to the heel region 16. From the first one of the cable guides 426, the first fastening segment 416 extends across the first adjustment region 112c to a second one of the cable guides 426 adjacent to the edge 126 on the medial side 24 of the first adjustment region 112c. The first fastening segment 416 then extends back across the first adjustment region 112c to a third one of the cable guides 426 adjacent to the edge 124 on the lateral side 22 of the first adjustment region 112c, and then returns back across the first adjustment region 112c to a terminal end 424. As shown, the terminal end 424 of the first fastening segment 416 is located adjacent to the edge 126 on the medial side 24 of the first adjustment region 112c, and at the second end 118. Accordingly, when the first fastening segment 416 is moved in the tensioning direction D_T by applying the tightening force F_T to the first control segment 412, the first fastening segment 416 draws the cable guides 426 on opposing edges 124, 126 of the first adjustment region 112c towards each other, causing the first adjustment region 112c to tighten.

The second fastening segment 418 is configured to control a fit of the upper, second adjustment region 114c. As shown, the second fastening segment 418 extends from the cable lock 300 to a fourth one of the cable guides 426 on the inelastic region 110c in the heel region 14 of the upper. The second fastening segment 418 then extends from the fourth one of the cable guides 426 across the upper, second adjustment region 114c to a fifth one of the cable guides 426 adjacent to the edge 124 of the second adjustment region 114c on the lateral side 22. From there, the second fastening segment 418 extends back across the second adjustment region 114c to a sixth one of the cable guides adjacent to the edge 126 on the medial side 24, and returns across the second adjustment region 114c to a terminal end 424 adjacent to the edge 124 on the lateral side 22. As shown, the second fastening segment 418 is disposed between the first fastening segment 418 and the cable lock 300 along the upper, second adjustment region 114c. Accordingly, when the second fastening segment 418 is moved in the tensioning direction D_T by applying the tightening force F_T to the second control segment 414, the second fastening segment draws the cable guides 426 on opposing edges 124, 126 of the second adjustment region 114c towards each other, causing the second adjustment region 114c to tighten.

As discussed above, either one of the first fastening segment 416 and the second fastening segment 418 may be provided with any number of cable guides 426 to route the fastening segments 416, 418 along the upper 100c. For example, additional cable guides 426 may be provided between the cable lock 300 and the adjustment region 115c. Furthermore, the fastening segments 416, 418 may have additional passes over the adjustment regions 112c, 114c may be formed by including additional cable guides along the edges 124, 126 of the adjustment region 115c.

Referring to FIGS. 15-24, examples of the cable lock 300, 300a according to the instant disclosure are provided. Each example of the cable lock 300, 300a includes an enclosure 302, 302a having a housing 304, 304a, 304b and a cover 306, 306a, and a locking member 308 disposed within the enclosure 302, configured to selectively engage the cable 402. In some examples, the cable lock 300a may include one or more cable guides 310, as shown in FIG. 21. As described in greater detail below, the cable guides 310 cooperate with cable 402 and the enclosure 302a to provide at least one of an audible feedback and a tactile feedback when the cable 402 passes through the cable lock 300a. The cable lock 300, 300a further includes a first biasing member 312 configured to bias the locking member 308 towards an engaged or locked state, and a pair of second biasing members 314 configured to cooperate with the housing 304, 304a, 304b to retain the locking member 308 in a disengaged or unlocked state, as described below with respect to FIGS. 18, 19, 22, and 23.

With reference to FIGS. 19, 25, and 26, several examples of a housing 304, 304a, 304b are provided. The housing 304, 304a, 304b defines a length extending between a first end 316 and a second end 318. The housing 304, 304a, 304b includes a base portion 320 having an outer surface 322 and cable-receiving inner surface 324 formed on an opposite side of the base portion 320 from the outer surface 322. A peripheral wall 326, 326a extends from the inner surface 324 and cooperates with the base portion 320 and the cover 306, 306a to define a main cavity 328 of the enclosure 302, 302a, configured to receive the cable 402, the locking member 308, and the cable guides 310. In the illustrated example, the peripheral wall 326, 326a includes a pair of end walls 327a at each of the first end 316 and the second end 318, and an opposing pair of sidewalls 327b extending between the end walls 327a. In other examples, the peripheral wall may be continuous and define an annular peripheral wall of a circular enclosure 302, or may be multi-faceted and define a polygonal enclosure 302.

The peripheral wall 326, 326a may include a plurality of cable openings 330a, 330b formed therethrough for providing communication between the main cavity 328, 328a and an exterior of the enclosure 302, 302a. In the illustrated example, the openings 330a, 330b include a first pair of openings 330a proximate to the first end 316 for receiving a first end of the cable 402, and a second pair of openings 330b proximate to the second end 318 for receiving a second end of the cable 402. In the example of the housing 304 shown in FIG. 19, the openings 330a, 330b are formed in the sidewalls 327b of the housing. However, the openings 330a, 330b may be formed through corners of the housing 304a, 304b, as shown in FIGS. 25 and 26. In other examples the openings 330a, 330b may be formed entirely in the end walls 327a of the housing.

With continued reference to FIGS. 19, 25, and 26, the housing 304, 304a, 304b includes a locking channel 332 defined by an opposing pair of engagement or engagement surfaces 334 that converge toward one another such that the locking channel 332 is associated with a wedge-shaped configuration tapering along a direction toward the second end 318 of the housing 304, 304a, 304b. Accordingly, the engagement surfaces 334 are defined by corresponding sidewalls of the housing 304, 304a, 304b converging toward one another and extending between the inner surface 324 of the base portion 320 and the cover 306, 306a to define the locking channel 332. As described in greater detail below, the engagement surfaces 334 cooperate with the locking member 308 to secure the cable 402.

With reference to FIGS. 25 and 26, in some examples the housing 304a, 304b may further include one or more shafts 336 configured to be received by the cable guides 310, and to act as an axle, or spindle, about which a cable guide 310 co-axially rotates. In the illustrated examples, the housing 304a, 304b includes a pair of the shafts 336 respectively disposed between the locking channel 332 and each of the second openings 330b at the second end 318. Accordingly, the shafts 336 are positioned within the housing 304a, 304b such that the cable guides 310 will be engaged by the cable 402 as the cable 402 passes between the locking channel 332 and the second openings 330b, as shown in FIGS. 22 and 23. However, the shafts 336 may be positioned in other areas of the housing 304, such that the cable guides 310 are arranged along a path of the cable 402.

With continued reference to FIGS. 25 and 26, each of the shafts 336 may include a shoulder portion 338 protruding a first distance from the inner surface 324 of the base portion 320 and having a first diameter. The shaft 336 further includes a neck portion 340 extending a second distance from a distal end of the shoulder portion 338 and having a second diameter. The differences in diameters between the shoulder portion 338 and the neck portion 340 define a planar bearing surface 341 for rotatably supporting the cable guides 310, as shown in FIG. 24. An annular recess 342 configured to rotatably receive one of the cable guides 310 is formed in the inner surface 324 of the base portion 320 and is concentric with the shaft 336. Accordingly, as discussed below, the cable guides 310 are configured to rotate about the shafts 336 and within the recesses 342 when the cable 402 passes through the cable lock 300a.

As shown in FIGS. 22-25, in some examples the housing 304a may include a pair of prongs 344 having a first end 346 fixed to the housing 304a and a free-hanging distal end 348 configured to intermittently engage the cable guides 310 to produce an incremental feedback corresponding to movement of the cable 402 through the housing 304b by a predetermined distance. In the illustrated example, the first end 346 of each of the prongs 344 is attached to a side of a boss that extends from the inner surface 324 of the base portion 320. In other examples, the prong 344 may be attached directly to the base portion 320 or one of the sidewalls 327 of the housing 304b. In another example, the housing 304b may be formed without the prongs, as shown in FIG. 26.

Each prong 344 extends along a longitudinal axis A_P from the first end 346 in a direction towards a respective one of the shafts 336. In some examples, the longitudinal axis A_P of each prong 344 intersects a central axis A_S of a respective one of the shafts 336. The prong 344 is configured to resiliently flex along the longitudinal axis A_P, such that the distal end 348 of the prong 344 is operable between an interference position and a clearance position. In the interference position, the distal end 348 of the prong 344 extends into a rotational path of an outer periphery of the cable guide 310, whereas the distal end 348 of the prong 344 is disposed outside of the outer periphery of the cable guide 310 when the prong 344 is in the clearance position. Accordingly, as the cable 402 is pulled through the cable lock 300a, the cable guides 310 are caused to rotate about the shafts 336 to intermittently engage the distal ends 348 of the prongs 344, thereby causing an audible and tactile feedback to be provided to the user to indicate movement of the cable 402. Accordingly, the cooperation of the pulleys 310 and the prongs 344 may define a feedback mechanism 349 of the cable lock 300a. As provided above, the housing 304b may be formed without the prongs, as shown in FIG. 26. When the housing 304b is formed without the prongs, the pulleys 310 may rotate freely within the housing 304b without providing feedback to the user.

With continued reference to FIGS. 19, 25, and 26, the housing 304, 304a, 304b includes a pair of retention features 350 configured to selectively engage the locking member 308 to secure the locking member 308 in the unlocked state, as shown in FIGS. 18 and 23. The retention features 350 associated with the housing 304, 304a, 304b may include a first retention feature 350 and a second retention feature 350 disposed on opposite sides of the housing 304, 304a, 304b, whereby the retention features 350 are biased inward toward the locking member 308 by the second biasing members 314. In the illustrated example, the retention features 350 each include a flexible tab 352 integrally formed with the housing 304, 304a, 304b such that the retention features 350 act as living hinges movable between an engaged state and a disengaged state for allowing the locking member 308 to pass therebetween. Accordingly, each tab 352 extends along a longitudinal axis A_T from a fixed first end 354 to a detached distal end 356. As shown, the distal ends 356 of each tab 352 may partially define a path of the cable 402 between the locking channel 332 and the openings 330a at the first end 316 of the housing 304. Accordingly, the distal end 356 may include a convex inner guide surface 358 along which the cable 402 passes between the locking channel 332 and a respective one of the first openings 330a.

Each of the retention features 350 further includes a projection 360 extending laterally into the locking channel 332 from the distal end 356 of the tab 352. A width of the projection 360 may taper along a direction from the first end 316 to the second end 318, such that the projection 360 includes a retention surface 362 facing the first end 316 of the housing 304 and a biasing surface 364 formed on the opposite side of the projection 360 from the retention surface 362. Each of the retention surface 362 and the biasing surface 364 may be formed at an oblique angle with respect to a longitudinal axis A_H of the housing 304, 304a, 304b. However, an angle of the retention surface 362 with respect to the longitudinal axis A_H may be greater than the angle of the biasing surface 364, such that the retention surface 362 is configured to prove greater resistance to movement of the locking member 308 towards the second end 318 (i.e. the locked state) than towards the first end 316 (i.e. the unlocked state). In the illustrated example, the projection 360 is spaced apart from the distal end 356 of the tab 352, and cooperates with the distal end 356 to define a track 366 or passage for guiding the cable 402 from the locking channel 332 to one of the first openings 330a.

With continued reference to FIGS. 18, 19, 22, and 23 the cable lock 300 includes a pair of the second biasing members 314 configured to bias the distal ends 356 and, consequently, the projections 360 of the retention features 350 inwards toward the locking channel 332. In the illustrated example, the biasing members 314 are compression springs that apply a continuous biasing force F_B to the distal ends 356 of the tabs 352. In other examples, the biasing force F_B may be applied by other types of biasing members 314, such as tension springs, coil springs, or by forming the first end 354 of the tab 352 as a resilient living hinge.

Referring to the examples of FIGS. 18, 19, 22, and 23, the locking member 308 is configured to be slidably received within the locking channel 332 of the housing 304. As provided above, the locking member 308 is operable between a locked state and an unlocked state to selectively secure a position of the cable 402. The locking member 308 includes a first end 368, a second end 370, and a pair of lock surfaces 372 formed on opposite sides of the locking member between the first end 368 and the second end 370. In some examples, the lock surfaces 372 converge toward one another along a direction from the first end 368 to the second end 370, such that the lock surfaces 372 are parallel to respective ones of the engagement surfaces 334 of the housing 304 when the locking member 308 is disposed within the locking channel 332. In the example shown, the lock surfaces 372 include projections or teeth 373 configured to permit movement by the cable 402 towards the first end 316 of the housing 304 while restricting movement by the cable 402 towards the second end 318 of the housing 304 by gripping the cable 402 when the locking member 308 is in the locked state.

The first end 368 of the locking member 308 may include a tab portion 374 having flared protuberances 376 extending outwardly therefrom, and a pair of detents 378 formed between the protuberances 376 and the lock surfaces 372. Generally, the protuberances 376 include a biasing surface 380 facing toward the first end 368 of the locking member 308 and a retention surface 382 facing in an opposite direction from the biasing surface 380. The retention surface 382 defines a portion of the detent 378. The biasing surfaces 380 of the protuberances 376 are configured to interface with the biasing surfaces 364 of the retention features 350 to spread the projections 360 apart from each other as the protuberances 376 pass between the projections 360 when the locking member 308 is moved towards the first end 316 of the housing 304. The retention surfaces 382 of the protuberances 376 are configure to interface with the retention surfaces 362 of the retention features 350 to secure the locking member 308 in the unlocked state, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 17.

With continued reference to FIGS. 18, 19, 22, and 23, the locking member 308 includes the first biasing member 312 attached to the second end 370 and a release cable 384 attached to the first end 368. As shown, the first biasing member 312 is a tension spring having a first end attached to the second end 370 of the locking member 308 and a second end attached to the second end 318 of the housing 304. Accordingly, the first biasing member 312 is configure to apply a continuous engaging force F_E to the locking member 308 to bias the locking member 308 towards the locked state. Conversely, the release cable 384 is attached to the tab 374 at the first end 368 of the locking member 308 and is configured to transmit a selectively-applied release force F_R to the first end 368 of the locking member 308. As discussed below, when the release force F_R is greater than the engaging force F_E, the locking member 308 will move from the locked state towards the unlocked state.

With reference to the example of the cable lock 300a shown in FIG. 21, the cable guides 310 are a pair of pulleys 310 rotatably coupled to the shafts 336 of the housing 304. As shown in FIG. 27, each pulley 310 includes an upper surface 386 a lower surface 388 defining a thickness of the pulley 310, and an aperture 390 extending through the thickness of the pulley 310 and configured to rotatably receive the shaft 336 of the housing 304. The aperture 390 may include an inwardly extending flange 391 having an inner surface for rotatably receiving the neck portion 340 of the shaft 336, and a lower surface supported by the bearing surface 341 of the shoulder portion 338 of the shaft 336, as shown in FIG. 24. An outer wall 392 of the pulley 310 extends between the upper surface 386 and the lower surface 388 and defines a minor diameter of the pulley.

Referring to FIG. 27, each pulley 310 includes an upper flange 394a and a lower flange 394b. The upper flange 394a is collectively formed by a plurality of upper protrusions 396a spaced evenly around the outer wall 392 of the pulley 310, adjacent to the upper surface 386. The upper protrusions 396a each extend a first length L1 around the outer wall 392 of the pulley 310, and are spaced apart by a first distance D1. Similarly, the lower flange 394b is collectively formed by a plurality of lower protrusions 396b spaced evenly about the outer wall 392 of the pulley 310, adjacent to the lower surface 388. The lower protrusions 396b extend a second length L2 around the outer wall 392 of the pulley, and are spaced apart by a second distance D2.

In the illustrated example, the first length L1 of the upper protrusions 396a is the same as the second distance D2 between the lower protrusions 396b and the second length L2 of the lower protrusions 396b is the same as the first distance D1 between the upper protrusions 396a. Furthermore, each of the upper protrusions 396a is axially aligned with the spaces formed between adjacent ones of the lower protrusions 396b. Accordingly, the upper protrusions 396a and the lower protrusions 396b are alternatingly arranged around the outer wall 392 and do not overlap in an axial direction of the pulley 310. In other examples, different lengths and spaces may be used so that the protrusions 396a, 396b overlap each other in the axial direction.

The upper protrusions 396a and the lower protrusions 396b cooperate with the outer wall 392 of the pulley 310 to define a groove 398 configured to receive a portion of the cable 402 therein. As described above, when the flanges 394a, 394b are defined by the protrusions 396a, 396b, the groove 398 may be intermittently and alternatingly defined by the protrusions 396a, 396b. Accordingly, the cable 402 will be continuously supported within the groove 398 by at least one of the upper protrusions 396a and the lower protrusions 396b.

With reference to the cross-sectional view of FIG. 24, each of the pulleys 310 are configured to be received within a respective one of the annular recesses 342 of the housing 304a, 304b such that the distal end 348 of one of the prongs 344 extends into the spaces formed between adjacent ones of the lower protrusions 396b. Accordingly, the distal ends 348 of the prongs 344 interfere with a rotational path of the lower protrusions 396b. As the pulley 310 rotates, the lower protrusions 396b intermittently engage the distal ends 348 of the prongs 344. This intermittent engagement provides both an audible feedback, in the form of a clicking noise, and a tactile feedback in the form of intermittent increases in resistance. Accordingly, the cooperation of the pulley 310 and the prongs 344 may be referred to as forming the feedback mechanism 349 of the cable lock 300.

FIGS. 17 and 22 provide top views of the cable lock 300, 300a with the cover 306, 306a removed to show the locking member 308, release cable 384, and cable 402 disposed within the locking channel 332 of the housing 304, 304a, 304b while in the locked state. In some examples, the locking member 308 is biased into the locked state by the first biasing member 312. For instance, FIGS. 17 and 22 show the first biasing member 312 exerting the engaging force F_E upon the locking member 308 to urge the second end 370 of the locking member 308 toward the second end 318 of the housing 304, 304a, 304b, and thereby bias the locking member 308 into the locked state.

While in the locked state, the locking member 308 restricts movement of the cable 402 relative to the housing 304, 304a, 304b by pinching the cable 402 between the engagement surfaces 334 and the lock surfaces 372. Accordingly, the locked state of the locking member 308 restricts the cable 402 from moving in the loosening direction D_L when the loosening force F_L is applied to the cable 402. In the example shown, the locking member 308 permits movement of the cable 402 when the tightening force F_T is applied to the control portion 406, as this direction causes the cable 402 to apply a force on the locking member 308 due to the generally wedge shape of the locking member 308, thereby moving the locking member 308 towards the unlocked state. The locking member 308 automatically returns towards the locked state once the force applied to the control portion 406 is released due to the forces imparted on the locking member 308 by the first biasing member 312.

FIGS. 18 and 23 provide a top views of the cable lock 300 with the cover 306, 306a removed to show the locking member 308 disposed within the locking channel 332 of the housing 304, 304a, 304b while in the unlocked state. In some examples, the release cable 384 attached to the tab 374 of the locking member 308 applies the release force F_R upon the locking member 308 to move the locking member 308 away from the engagement surfaces 334. Here, the release force F_R is sufficient to overcome the engaging force F_E of the first biasing member 312 to permit the locking member 308 to move relative to the housing 304 such that the pinching upon the locking segments 420, 422 of the cable 402 between the lock surfaces 372 and the engagement surfaces 334 is released. In some examples, the engaging force F_E causes the locking member 308 to transition back toward the locked state when the release force F_R applied by the release cable 384 is removed.

While in the unlocked state, the locking member 308 permits movement of the cable 402 relative to the housing 304, 304a, 304b by allowing the locking segments 420, 422 of the cable 402 to freely move between the respective lock surfaces 372 and the engagement surfaces 334. The unlocked state of the locking member 308 permits movement of the cable 402 in both the tightening direction D_T and the loosening direction D_L when the pulling forces F_T, F_L are applied to respective ones of the control portion 406 and the fastening portion 408. Movement of the cable 402 in the tightening direction D_T causes the an effective length of the fastening portion 408 to decrease to constrict the adjustment regions 112, 114 of the upper 100 and thereby move the upper 100 into the constricted state for closing the interior void 102 around the foot, while movement of the cable 402 in the loosening direction D_L causes an effective length of the fastening portion 408 to increase to allow adjustment regions 112, 114 to revert back to their flat relaxed states and thereby facilitate a transition of the upper 100 from the constricted state to the relaxed state such that the foot can be removed from the interior void 102.

In some examples, a sufficient magnitude and/or duration of the release force F_R applied to the release cable 384 causes the release cable 384 to apply the release force F_R upon the locking member 308 in a direction opposite the direction of the engaging force F_E such that the locking member 308 moves away from the engagement surfaces 334 relative to the housing 304, 304a, 304b and toward the first end 316 of the housing 304, 304a, 304b. At least one of the retention features 350 of the housing 304, 304a, 304b may engage the detent 378 of the locking member 308 when release force F_R moves the locking member 308 a predetermined distance away from the engagement surfaces 334 of the housing 304, as shown in FIGS. 18 and 23. Here, engagement between the detents 378 of the locking member 308 and the at least one retention feature 350 of the housing 304, 304a, 304b maintains the locking member 308 in the unlocked state once the release force F_R is released. The engaging force F_E of the first biasing member 312 and the forces exerted by the pair of second biasing members 314 on the retention features 350 lock the projections 360 of the retentions features 350 into engagement with the detents 378 of the locking member 308 after the locking member 308 moves the predetermined distance and the release force F_R is no longer applied.

In some scenarios, a release force F_R associated with a first magnitude may be applied to the release cable 384 to move the locking member 308 away from the engagement surfaces 334 by a distance less than the predetermined distance such that the retention features 350 do not engage. In these scenarios, the release force F_R associated with the first magnitude can be maintained when it is desirable to move the cable 402 in the loosening direction D_L (e.g., by applying the loosening force F_L to the fastening portion 408) or the tightening direction D_T (e.g., by applying the tightening force F_T to the control portion 406) for adjusting the fit of the interior void 102 around the foot. Once the desired fit of the interior void 102 around the foot is achieved, the release force F_R can be released to cause the locking member 308 to transition back to the locked state so that movement of the cable 402 is restricted in the loosening direction D_L and the desired fit can be sustained. It should be noted that even when the locking member 308 is in the locked state, the cable 402 can be moved in the tightening direction D_T. As such, once the loosening force F_L is released and a desired fit is achieved, the locking member 308 automatically retains the desired fit by locking a position of the cable 402 relative to the housing 304, 304a, 304b.

In other scenarios, a release force F_R associated with a second magnitude greater than the first magnitude can be applied to the release cable 384 to move the locking member 308 the predetermined distance away from the engagement surfaces 334 to cause the corresponding retention features 350 to engage the detents 378. Engagement of the retention features 350 is facilitated by providing the projections 360 of the retention features 350 with a tapered biasing surface 364 that opposes the locking member 308 to allow the locking member 308 to more easily move the retention features 350 against the biasing force F_B imparted thereon by the second biasing members 314 when the release cable 384 is pulled the predetermined distance. In these scenarios, engagement between the corresponding retention features 350 and the detents 378 maintains the locking member 308 in the unlocked state when the release force F_R is released.

The locking member 308 is returned to the locked state when a tightening force F_T is applied to the control portion 406. Namely, when the tightening force F_T is applied to control portion 406, the first control segment 412 and the second control segment 414 are placed in tension which, in turn, exerts a force on the second biasing members 314 via the distal ends 356 of the tab 352 of the retention features 350, as the first control segment 412 and the second control segment 414 pass through the first openings 330a, as shown in FIGS. 17 and 22. In so doing, the distal ends 356 of the retention features 350 compress the second biasing members 314 and, as such, cause the projections 360 of the retention features 350 to move away from one another and disengage the detents 378 of the locking member 308, thereby allowing the first biasing member 312 to return the locking member 308 to the locked state.

The following Clauses provide exemplary configurations for an article of footwear and a cable lock in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure.

Clause 1: An article of footwear comprising an upper defining an interior void and having a first region and a second region and a sole structure attached to the upper. The article of footwear further includes (i) a cable having a first fastening segment extending across the first region to a first terminal end anchored on one of the upper and the sole structure and a second fastening segment extending across the second region to a second terminal end anchored on one of the upper and the sole structure and (ii) a cable lock attached to one of the upper and the sole structure, the cable lock configured to receive the first fastening segment and the second fastening segment and operable to secure a position of each of the first fastening segment and the second fastening segment independently from one another.

Clause 2: The article of footwear of Clause 1, wherein either or both of the first region and the second region include an elastic material.

Clause 3: The article of footwear of any of the preceding clauses, wherein the cable lock is disposed within the sole structure.

Clause 4: The article of footwear of any of the preceding clauses, wherein the cable lock further includes a release cable operable to move the cable lock from a locked state to an unlocked state.

Clause 5: The article of footwear of any of the preceding clauses, wherein the first region is disposed on a medial side of the upper and the second region is disposed on a lateral side of the upper.

Clause 6: The article of footwear of any of the preceding clauses, wherein at least one of the first region and the second region includes an upper edge including a first series of cable guides and a lower edge including a second series of cable guides, at least one of the first fastening segment and the second fastening segment being alternatingly routed between the first series of cable guides and the second series of cable guides along a length of the at least one of the first region and the second region.

Clause 7: The article of footwear of any of the preceding clauses, wherein the first terminal end is anchored to a medial side of the upper and the second terminal end is anchored to a lateral side of the upper.

Clause 8: The article of footwear of any of the preceding clauses, wherein the cable includes a first control segment connected to the first fastening segment through the cable lock and a second control segment connected to the second fastening segment through the cable lock.

Clause 9: The article of footwear of Clause 8, wherein a tensile force applied to the first control segment induces a first tightening force to the first fastening segment and a second tightening force to the second fastening segment.

Clause 10: The article of Clause 9, wherein the first tightening force is one of either greater than or less than the second tightening force.

Clause 11: The article of footwear of any of Clauses 1-4 and 8-10, wherein the first region is disposed closer to an ankle opening of the upper than is the second region, and the second region is disposed closer to a toe region of the upper than is the first region.

Clause 12: An article of footwear comprising an upper defining an interior void and having a first region and a second region and a sole structure attached to the upper. The article of footwear further includes (i) a cable having a first fastening segment extending across the first region to a first terminal end anchored to the upper, a second fastening segment extending across the second region to a second terminal end anchored to the upper, and a control portion operable to provide at least one of a first tightening force to the first fastening segment and a second tightening force to the second fastening segment, the first tightening force being one of either greater than or less than the second tightening force and (ii) a cable lock attached to one of the upper and the sole structure and receiving a portion of the cable therein, the cable lock operable between a locked state to prevent movement of the cable and an unlocked state to permit movement of the cable.

Clause 13: The article of footwear of Clause 12, wherein the first fastening segment and the second fastening segment are connected to the control portion at the cable lock.

Clause 14: The article of footwear of any of the preceding clauses, wherein the cable lock is disposed within the sole structure.

Clause 15: The article of footwear of any of the preceding clauses, wherein the cable lock further includes a release cable operable to move the cable lock from the locked state to the unlocked state.

Clauses 16: The article of footwear of any of the preceding clauses, wherein the first region is disposed on a medial side of the upper and the second region is disposed on a lateral side of the upper.

Clause 17: The article of footwear of any of the preceding clauses, wherein at least one of the first region and the second region extends from an ankle opening to a forefoot region of the upper.

Clause 18: The article of footwear of any of the preceding clauses, wherein at least one of the first region and the second region includes an upper edge including a first series of cable guides and a lower edge including a second series of cable guides, at least one of the first fastening segment and the second fastening segment being alternatingly routed between the first series of cable guides and the second series of cable guides along a length of the at least one of the first region and the second region.

Clause 19: The article of footwear of any of the preceding clauses, wherein the first terminal end is disposed on a medial side of the upper and the second terminal end is disposed on a lateral side of the upper.

Clause 20: The article of footwear of any of the preceding clauses, wherein the control portion includes a first control segment connected to the first fastening segment at the sole structure and a second control segment connected to the second fastening segment at the sole structure.

Clause 21: The article of footwear of Clause 20, wherein a tensile force applied to the first control segment induces a first tightening force to the first fastening segment and a second tightening force to the second fastening segment.

Clause 22: The article of footwear of any one of Clauses 12-15 and 19-21, wherein the first region is disposed closer to an ankle opening of the upper than is the second region, and the second region is disposed closer to a toe region of the upper than is the first region.

The foregoing description has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular configuration are generally not limited to that particular configuration, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected configuration, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.

Claims

1. An article of footwear comprising:

an upper defining an interior void and having a first region and a second region;

a sole structure attached to the upper;

a cable including a first fastening segment extending across the first region to a first terminal end anchored on one of the upper and the sole structure, a second fastening segment extending across the second region to a second terminal end anchored on one of the upper and the sole structure; and

a cable lock attached to one of the upper and the sole structure, the cable lock configured to receive the first fastening segment and the second fastening segment and operable to secure a position of each of the first fastening segment and the second fastening segment independently from one another.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein either or both of the first region and the second region include an elastic material.

3. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the cable lock is disposed within the sole structure.

4. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the cable lock further includes a release cable operable to move the cable lock from a locked state to an unlocked state.

5. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the first region is disposed on a medial side of the upper and the second region is disposed on a lateral side of the upper.

6. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first region and the second region includes an upper edge including a first series of cable guides and a lower edge including a second series of cable guides, at least one of the first fastening segment and the second fastening segment being alternatingly routed between the first series of cable guides and the second series of cable guides along a length of the at least one of the first region and the second region.

7. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the first terminal end is anchored to a medial side of the upper and the second terminal end is anchored to a lateral side of the upper.

8. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the cable includes a first control segment connected to the first fastening segment through the cable lock and a second control segment connected to the second fastening segment through the cable lock.

9. The article of footwear of claim 8, wherein a tensile force applied to the first control segment induces a first tightening force to the first fastening segment and a second tightening force to the second fastening segment.

10. The article of footwear of claim 9, wherein the first tightening force is one of either greater than or less than the second tightening force.

11. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the first region is disposed closer to an ankle opening of the upper than is the second region, and the second region is disposed closer to a toe region of the upper than is the first region.

12. An article of footwear comprising:

an upper defining an interior void and having a first region and a second region;

a sole structure attached to the upper;

a cable including a first fastening segment extending across the first region to a first terminal end anchored to the upper, a second fastening segment extending across the second region to a second terminal end anchored to the upper, and a control portion operable to provide at least one of a first tightening force to the first fastening segment and a second tightening force to the second fastening segment, the first tightening force being one of either greater than or less than the second tightening force; and

a cable lock attached to one of the upper and the sole structure and receiving a portion of the cable therein, the cable lock operable between a locked state to prevent movement of the cable and an unlocked state to permit movement of the cable.

13. The article of footwear of claim 12, wherein the first fastening segment and the second fastening segment are connected to the control portion at the cable lock.

14. The article of footwear of claim 12, wherein the cable lock is disposed within the sole structure.

15. The article of footwear of claim 12, wherein the cable lock further includes a release cable operable to move the cable lock from the locked state to the unlocked state.

16. The article of footwear of claim 12, wherein the first region is disposed on a medial side of the upper and the second region is disposed on a lateral side of the upper.

17. The article of footwear of claim 12, wherein at least one of the first region and the second region extends from an ankle opening to a forefoot region of the upper.

18. The article of footwear of claim 12, wherein at least one of the first region and the second region includes an upper edge including a first series of cable guides and a lower edge including a second series of cable guides, at least one of the first fastening segment and the second fastening segment being alternatingly routed between the first series of cable guides and the second series of cable guides along a length of the at least one of the first region and the second region.

19. The article of footwear of claim 12, wherein the first terminal end is disposed on a medial side of the upper and the second terminal end is disposed on a lateral side of the upper.

20. The article of footwear of claim 12, wherein the control portion includes a first control segment connected to the first fastening segment at the sole structure and a second control segment connected to the second fastening segment at the sole structure.

21. The article of footwear of claim 20, wherein a tensile force applied to the first control segment induces a first tightening force to the first fastening segment and a second tightening force to the second fastening segment.

22. The article of footwear of claim 12, wherein the first region is disposed closer to an ankle opening of the upper than is the second region, and the second region is disposed closer to a toe region of the upper than is the first region.