Article of footwear with dynamic tensioning system

Abstract

An improved article of footwear is disclosed herein. The footwear includes a sole, an upper, laces, and an adaptable/repositionable eyelet system. The upper of the footwear is disposed on the sole, where the upper contains a cavity that is configured to receive a foot. The eyelet system includes a cord and at least one eyelet. The cord is partially disposed between the upper and the sole, and the at least one eyelet is slidably coupled to the cord. The laces are slidably coupled to the at least one eyelet, such that the laces, the eyelet, and the cord are disposed proximate to the surface of the upper. As the laces are tightened, the at least one eyelet is repositioned along the cord to a location that is optimal for a foot disposed within the cavity formed by the upper.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An article of footwear comprising:
 a sole;   an upper coupled to the sole, the upper being configured to receive at least a portion of a human foot;   a plurality of tethering elements, each tethering element of the plurality including:
 a strand defining a first end portion, a second end portion, and a free run portion between the first and second end portions, and 
 a carriage member movably coupled to the strand such that the carriage member is adapted to move along the strand; and 
   a lacing element movably coupled to the carriage members, wherein engaging the lacing element repositions each carriage member along the strand to which the carriage member is coupled.   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the upper includes a medial quarter and a lateral quarter, and the upper defines a cavity. 
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 2 , wherein the medial quarter includes a plurality of openings aligned in a longitudinal direction of the article of footwear and the lateral quarter includes a plurality of openings aligned in the longitudinal direction. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear of  claim 3 , wherein each strand is inserted through at least one of the openings so that the first end portion and second end portion of each strand is disposed within the cavity of the upper, and the free run portion is disposed outside of the cavity of the upper. 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein each carriage member comprises:
 a central hub;   a plurality of arms extending outwardly from the central hub; and   a channel extending through the central hub, wherein both the lacing element and the strand are threaded through the channel.   
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein each carriage member comprises:
 a channel extending through a first end of the carriage member, the channel configured to receive a portion of the lacing element; and   a curved flange disposed on a second end of the carriage member, the curved flange defining a receiving portion configured to receive the strand.   
     
     
         7 . An article of footwear comprising:
 a sole having a bottom surface and a top surface;   an upper having a top surface and a bottom surface, the bottom surface of the upper being disposed on the top surface of the sole;   an eyelet system including:
 a cord at least partially disposed between the bottom surface of the upper and the top surface of the sole, and 
 an eyelet slidably coupled to the cord; and 
   a string slidably coupled to the eyelet proximate to the upper, wherein tightening or loosening of the string causes the eyelet to be repositioned along the cord with respect to the upper.   
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear of  claim 7 , wherein the cord of the eyelet system is a forward cord disposed proximate a toe end of the article of footwear, and the eyelet system further comprises:
 a rearward cord disposed proximate a heel end of the article of footwear; and   a middle cord disposed between the forward cord and the rear cord.   
     
     
         9 . The article of the footwear of  claim 8 , wherein the forward cord forms a first loop, the middle cord forms a second loop, and the rearward cord forms a third loop. 
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear of  claim 9 , wherein the eyelet of the eyelet system is a first eyelet slidably coupled to the first loop, and the eyelet system further comprises:
 a second eyelet slidably coupled to the second loop; and   a third eyelet slidably coupled to the third loop.   
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear of  claim 10 , wherein the eyelet system further includes a base element including a bottom portion and a plurality of upwardly extending members, the bottom portion being disposed between the bottom surface of the upper and the top surface of the sole. 
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear of  claim 11 , wherein the forward cord, the middle cord, and the rearward cord extend through the plurality of upwardly extending members of the base element. 
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear of  claim 11 , wherein the base element is constructed from a resilient material. 
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear of  claim 12 , wherein the eyelet system is a first eyelet system, and further comprising a second eyelet system, the first eyelet system being disposed on a medial side of the article of footwear and the second eyelet system being disposed on a lateral side of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         15 . An article of footwear comprising:
 an eyelet system including:
 a cord having a first end and a second end, the first and second ends of the cord being rotatably coupled to an upper, and 
 an eyelet slidably coupled to the cord; and 
   a string slidably coupled to the eyelet proximate to the upper, wherein tightening or loosening of the string causes the eyelet to be repositioned along the cord with respect to the upper.   
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 an upper; and   a plurality of coupling elements disposed longitudinally along the upper proximate to the coupling of the upper to a midsole.   
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear of  claim 16 , wherein each of the plurality of coupling elements comprises:
 a circular base;   a post including a first end and a second end, the first end being coupled to the circular base, and the post extending outward from the base; and   a flange coupled to the second end of the post.   
     
     
         18 . The article of footwear of  claim 17 , wherein both the first end and the second end of the cord include a coupling member, each coupling member is annular and includes a central opening configured to receive and rotate about the post of the coupling element of the upper. 
     
     
         19 . The article of footwear of  claim 15 , wherein the cord of the eyelet system is a forward cord disposed proximate a toe end of the article of footwear, and the eyelet is first eyelet slidably coupled to the forward cord, the eyelet system further comprises:
 a rearward cord disposed proximate a heel end of the article of footwear;   a middle cord disposed between the forward cord and the rear cord;   a second eyelet slidably coupled to the middle cord; and   a third eyelet slidably coupled to the rearward cord.   
     
     
         20 . The article of footwear of  claim 19 , wherein each eyelet comprises:
 a channel extending through a first end of the eyelet, the channel configured to receive a portion of the string; and   a curved flange disposed on a second end of the eyelets, the curved flange defining a receiving portion configured to receive the cord.