Nike, Inc.

Peter R Savage

Eric P Avar

Summer L Schneider

Fanny Yung Ho

Daniel Akey Johnson

Travis J Berrian

Narissa Y Chang

Elizabeth A Kilgore

Katelyn Ricciardi

Kenneth Link

William C McFarland, Ii

Timothy K Liles

Stephen J Hipp

Bradley S Long

John S MacGilbert

Yang Zhao

Colin M Runkle

Mark Bruce

Nico Tseng

Michael Steen

Atikom Tappatarnpornsuk

Katelyn Bruce

Constantino Dendena

Ajay Chadha

Hirotaka Usui

David W Becker

Systems and apparatus related to footwear including a modular lacing engine are discussed. In this example, the lace guide is deformable to assist in facilitating automated lace tightening. The lace guide can include a middle section, a first extension and a second extension. In this example, the lace guide can be configured to define a first route for a lace cable, the first route including receiving the lace cable along the first incoming lace axis and expelling the lace cable along the first outgoing lace axis. In this example, the lace guide can also deflect, in response to tension on the lace cable, resulting in defining a second route for the lace cable, the second route including receiving the lace cable along a second incoming lace axis and expelling the lace cable along a second outgoing lace axis.

Deformable lace guides for automated footwear platform

Systems and apparatus related to an automated footwear platform including an actuator assembly for controlling a footwear lacing apparatus are discussed. In an example, an Lacing architectures for automated footwear assemblies are discussed. In an example, a footwear assembly can include a floating tongue within an upper assembly. The lacing architecture can include a first plurality or lace guides forming a first lacing zone and a second plurality of lace guides forming a second lacing zone. The lacing architecture can also include a tongue lace guide assembly secure to a proximal portion of the floating tongue.

Lacing architecture for automated footwear platform

Systems and apparatus related to footwear including a modular lacing engine are discussed. In this example, the footwear assembly can include a footwear upper and a lace cable running through a plurality of lace guides. The plurality of lace guides can be distributed along the medial side and the lateral side, and each lace guide of the plurality of lace guides can be adapted to receive a length of the lace cable. The lace cable can extend through each of the plurality of lace guides to form a pattern along each of the medial side and lateral side of the footwear upper. The footwear assembly can also include a medial proximal lace guide routing the lace cable into a lacing engine disposed within a mid-sole portion. Finally, the footwear assembly includes a lateral proximal lace guide to route the lace cable out of the lacing engine.

A lightweight, breathable, translucent and high-strength upper formed from a half-gauge knit, at least in part from a high tenacity yarn and a fusible yarn, is described. The upper may include a knit heel structure. Methods of manufacture, including exposing the upper to steam while in a tensioned state to at least partially melt the fusible yarn to adjacent yarns is also described. Subsequent cooling of the fusible yarn retains the upper in a stretched condition.

Lightweight knitted upper and methods of manufacture

An article of footwear may include a knitted component formed of multiple knitted component portions. The knitted component includes a body portion and a heel portion. The body portion is formed of unitary knit construction and extends through a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and at least partially into a heel region of the article of footwear. The heel portion is formed of unitary knit construction and extends through the heel region and includes a cuff that defines a throat opening of the upper for receiving a foot. The body portion and the heel portion are joined along adjacent edges to form the knitted component. Knitting directions of the knitted component portions vary along the adjacent edges. An overlay element may also be provided to cover a seam attaching the adjacent edges of the knitted component portions.

Article of footwear incorporating a knitted component with body and heel portions

An article of footwear with an outer member including slots that increase flexibility is disclosed. The outer member also includes an inner plate including a set of protective strips. The inner plate is disposed along an inner surface of the outer member so that the protective strips are aligned with and cover the slots in the outer member.

Lightweight and flexible article of footwear

Growing community of inventors

Aloha, OR, United States of America

Peter R Savage