Tethered anchor point for footwear lace element

Abstract

A tethered anchor point for a footwear lace element includes various elements. For example, the tethered anchor point includes a tensile strand that attaches to a portion of the footwear article. In addition, the tethered anchor point includes a tensile-strand reinforcement. The tensile-strand reinforcement provides a sliding surface against which the lace element of the footwear article may slide when the lace element is threaded through the tethered anchor point.

1 . A tethered anchor point for a shoelace, the tethered anchor point comprising:
 a tensile strand having an end portion attachable to a footwear article, the tensile strand including a tethering portion that extends away from the end portion and that transitions to a looped portion; and   a tensile-strand reinforcement coupled to the looped portion of the tensile strand, the tensile-strand reinforcement including a channel having a radial wall with an internal surface facing toward the channel and an external surface facing away from the channel,
 wherein the internal surface of the radial wall at least partially circumscribes a central axis of the channel that extends from one terminal end of the channel to an opposing terminal end of the channel; 
 wherein the channel includes a bend between the one terminal end and the opposing terminal end, such that the central axis of the channel extends along a path that bends at least about  180  degrees; 
 wherein the tensile strand is positioned in the channel and is at least partially circumscribed by the internal surface; and 
 wherein the bend of the channel radially extends at least partially around a lace passageway. 
   
     
     
         2 . The tethered anchor point of  claim 1 , wherein the internal surface of the radial wall completely circumscribes the central axis at two or more portions of the channel. 
     
     
         3 . The tethered anchor point of  claim 2 , wherein the two or more portions of the channel are near the one terminal end and the opposing terminal end. 
     
     
         4 . The tethered anchor point of  claim 3 , wherein the two or more portions of channel, which include the internal surface completely circumscribing the central axis, are separated by an open-sided channel portion in which the internal surface only partially circumscribes the central axis. 
     
     
         5 . The tethered anchor point of  claim 1 , wherein the internal surface of the radial wall only partially circumscribes the central axis at at least one portion of the channel. 
     
     
         6 . The tethered anchor point of  claim 1 , wherein an axis of the lace passageway extends substantially perpendicular to the central axis of the channel. 
     
     
         7 . A tethered anchor point for a shoelace, the tethered anchor point comprising:
 a tensile strand having an end portion attachable to a footwear article, the tensile strand including a tethering portion that extends away from the end portion and that transitions to a looped portion; and   a tensile-strand reinforcement coupled to the looped portion of the tensile strand, the tensile-strand reinforcement including a first tubular structure having a first axis and a second tubular structure having a second axis, the first and second tubular structures being positioned on opposing terminal ends of the tensile-strand reinforcement sleeve,
 wherein the first axis and the second axis are substantially parallel, 
 wherein the first tubular structure and second tubular structure are coupled to each other by a channel, the channel having a radial wall with an internal surface facing toward the channel and at least partially circumscribing a central axis of the channel, the central axis being axially aligned with the first axis and the second axis, and 
 wherein the looped portion of the tensile strand extends through both the first tubular structure and the second tubular structure, is positioned in the channel, and is at least partially circumscribed by the internal surface. 
   
     
     
         8 . The tethered anchor point of  claim 7 , wherein the first tubular structure, the channel, and the second tubular channel form a lace passageway. 
     
     
         9 . The tethered anchor point of  claim 8 , wherein an axis of the lace passageway extends substantially perpendicular to the central axis. 
     
     
         10 . The tethered anchor point of  claim 7 , wherein the channel includes an open-sided channel portion in which the internal surface only partially circumscribes the central axis. 
     
     
         11 . The tethered anchor point of  claim 7 , wherein the channel includes a first end coupled to the first tubular structure and a second end coupled to the second tubular structure, and wherein the central axis extends in a u-shaped path between the first end and the second end. 
     
     
         12 . A footwear article comprising:
 a sole;   an upper coupled to the sole;   a set of one or more tethered anchor points, each tethered anchor point comprising:
 a tensile strand having an end portion coupled to the footwear article, the tensile strand including a tethering portion that extends away from the end portion and that transitions into a looped portion; and 
 a tensile-strand reinforcement coupled to the looped portion of the tensile strand, the tensile-strand reinforcement including a channel having a radial wall with an internal surface facing toward the channel and an external surface facing away from the channel,
 wherein the internal surface of the radial wall at least partially circumscribes a central axis of the channel that extends from one terminal end of the channel to an opposing terminal end of the channel; 
 wherein the channel includes a bend between the one terminal end and the opposing terminal end, such that the central axis of the channel extends along a path that bends; 
 wherein the tensile strand is positioned in the channel and is at least partially circumscribed by the internal surface; and 
 wherein the bend of the channel radially extends at least partially around a lace passageway having an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the central axis; and 
 
   a lace element threaded through the lace passageway of each of the tethered anchor points, such that the lace element is interlooped with the looped portion of each tensile strand.   
     
     
         13 . The footwear article of  claim 12 , wherein the end portion is coupled to the sole. 
     
     
         14 . The footwear article of  claim 12 , wherein the end portion is coupled to the upper. 
     
     
         15 . The footwear article of  claim 12 , wherein the internal surface of the radial wall completely circumscribes the central axis at two or more portions of the channel. 
     
     
         16 . The footwear article of  claim 15 , wherein the two or more portions of the channel are near the one terminal end and the opposing terminal end. 
     
     
         17 . The footwear article of  claim 15 , wherein the two or more portions of channel, which include the internal surface completely circumscribing the central axis, are separated by an open-sided channel portion in which the internal surface only partially circumscribes the central axis. 
     
     
         18 . The footwear article of  claim 16 , wherein the tensile-strand reinforcement is constructed of a material having a lower coefficient of friction than the tensile strand.