Footwear Including an Adaptable and Adjustable Lacing System

Abstract

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

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An article of footwear comprising:
 an upper including a heel section, a vamp, a toe cage, a lateral side and a medial side, wherein the upper defines a cavity to receive a foot that is defined between the heel section, the vamp, the toe cage and the medial and lateral sides; and   an adjustable lacing system comprising a plurality of fastener engaging elements located at the medial side and the lateral side, wherein at least one of the medial side and the lateral side includes sets of fastener engaging elements, each set of fastener engaging elements is distanced from another set in a direction transverse a lengthwise direction of the upper, and the fastener engaging elements are configured to engage with and retain a fastener structure that extends between the medial and lateral sides of the upper such that the fastener structure is selectively engageable with different sets of fastener engaging elements to adjust a fit of the upper around a width of the foot disposed within the cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the fastener engaging elements comprise first fastener engaging elements located at one of the medial and lateral sides and second fastener engaging elements located at the other of the medial and lateral sides, and the first fastener engaging elements differ from the second fastener engaging elements. 
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 2 , wherein a portion of the fastener structure engaged by each of the first fastener engaging elements is disposed external to the cavity defined by the upper, and a portion of the fastener structure engaged by each of the second fastener engaging elements is disposed between an interior surface portion of the upper and the cavity defined by the upper. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear of  claim 2 , wherein the sets comprise the second fastener engaging elements, the second fastener engaging elements comprise a plurality of slots extending through the upper at one of the medial and lateral sides, each set includes at least one pair of slots aligned in a linear array that extends the lengthwise direction of the upper, and each slot is suitably dimensioned to receive a portion of the fastener structure when the fastener structure is guided through each slot of a pair. 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 4 , wherein the second fastener engaging elements are configured such that an exterior surface portion of the upper defined between the slots of each pair curves outward and away from the cavity of the upper when the fastener structure is guided through each slot of the pair. 
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear of  claim 4 , wherein the first fastener engaging elements comprise looped segments extending from the other of the medial and lateral sides, and each looped segment is suitably dimensioned to receive a portion of the fastener structure. 
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear of  claim 6 , wherein the looped segments are integral with the other of the medial and lateral sides such that an exterior surface of each looped segment is continuous with an exterior surface of the other of the medial and lateral sides. 
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear of  claim 6 , wherein each pair of slots in each set that is located at one of the medial and lateral sides is aligned with a corresponding looped segment located at the other of the medial and lateral sides to facilitate engagement of at least part of the fastener structure with a pair of slots and a corresponding looped segment as the part of the fastener structure extends between the medial and lateral sides. 
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the fastener engaging elements are configured to receive and retain a shoe lace that is guided through the fastener engaging elements as the shoe lace extends in a zig-zag pattern between the medial and lateral sides. 
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , further comprising an instep cover that is integral with one of the medial and lateral sides and includes a free end, wherein the instep cover is suitably dimensioned to extend toward the other of the medial and lateral sides such that at least the free end of the instep cover extends within the cavity defined by the upper. 
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear of  claim 10 , wherein the instep cover includes at least some of the sets of fastener engaging elements. 
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear of  claim 10 , wherein the upper comprises a knitted textile material. 
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear of  claim 10 , wherein the upper is formed of a unitary member comprising a textile material. 
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , further comprising a sole structure secured with the upper. 
     
     
         15 . An article of footwear comprising:
 an upper including a heel section, a vamp, a toe cage, a lateral side and a medial side, wherein the upper defines a cavity to receive a foot that is defined between the heel section, the vamp, the toe cage and the medial and lateral sides; and   an adjustable lacing system, the adjustable lacing system comprising:
 a first connection configuration located at one of the medial and lateral sides, wherein the first connection configuration engages a fastener structure so as to position at least one portion of the fastener structure exterior to the cavity of the upper; and 
 a second connection configuration located at the other of the medial and lateral sides, wherein the second connection configuration engages the fastener structure so as to position at least another portion of the fastener structure within the cavity of the upper; 
   wherein the adjustable lacing system facilitates selective engagement of the fastener structure with different sets of fastener engaging elements of at least one of the first and second connection configurations so as to adjust a fit of the upper around a width of the foot disposed within the cavity.   
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear of  claim 15 , wherein the fastener structure comprises a shoe lace, and the adjustable lacing system is configured to receive and retain the shoe lace such that the shoe lace is guided through fastener engaging elements of the first and second connection configurations as the shoe lace extends in a zig-zag pattern between the medial and lateral sides. 
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear of  claim 15 , wherein the first connection configuration comprises a plurality of looped segments extending from one of the medial and lateral sides, and each looped segment is suitably dimensioned to receive a portion of the fastener structure. 
     
     
         18 . The article of footwear of  claim 17 , wherein the second connection configuration comprises a plurality of slots extending through the upper at the other of the medial and lateral sides, the plurality of slots being arranged in sets, each set being distanced from another set in a direction transverse a lengthwise direction of the upper and including at least one pair of slots aligned in a linear array that extends the lengthwise direction of the upper, and each slot being suitably dimensioned to receive a portion of the fastener structure when the fastener structure is guided through each slot of a pair. 
     
     
         19 . The article of footwear of  claim 18 , further comprising an instep cover that is integral with one of the medial and lateral sides and includes a free end, wherein the instep cover is suitably dimensioned to extend toward the other of the medial and lateral sides such that at least the free end of the instep cover extends within the cavity defined by the upper. 
     
     
         20 . The article of footwear of  claim 19 , wherein the instep cover includes at least some of the sets of slots of the second connection configuration.