Upper including dynamic supports

Abstract

An upper for an article of footwear includes an upper body having a first side and a second side opposite the first side. The upper body defines a throat between the first side and the second side. Further, the upper body defines an opening extending through the second side. The upper includes a lace extending across the throat between the first side and the second side. The upper further includes a dynamic support coupled to the upper body at the first side. The dynamic support extends across the throat from the first side to the second side. The dynamic support extends through the opening formed in the second side. The lace is attached to the dynamic support at the second side to apply tension on the dynamic support toward the second side when the lace is tightened.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An upper for an article of footwear, comprising:
 an upper body having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the upper body defining a throat between the first side and the second side, and the upper body defining an opening extending through the second side;   a lace extending across the throat between the first side and the second side;   a dynamic support coupled to the upper body at the first side, the dynamic support extending across the throat from the first side to the second side, and the dynamic support extending through the opening formed in the second side; and   
       wherein the lace is attached to the dynamic support at the second side to apply tension on the dynamic support toward the second side when the lace is tightened. 
     
     
         2 . The upper of  claim 1 , wherein the dynamic support is a first dynamic support, the upper further includes a second dynamic support coupled to the second side, the second dynamic support extends across the throat from the second side to the first side, the opening is a first opening, the upper body defines a second opening extending through the first side, the second dynamic support extends through the second opening formed in the first side, and the lace is attached to the second dynamic support at the first side to apply tension on the second dynamic support toward the first side when the lace is tightened. 
     
     
         3 . The upper of  claim 1 , wherein the dynamic support is attached to the upper body at a bite line of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         4 . The upper of  claim 3 , wherein the dynamic support includes a first support end and a second support end opposite the first support end, the first support end is attached to the upper body at the bite line of the article of footwear, the second support end defines a loop configured to receive the lace, and the loop receives the lace to apply tension on the dynamic support toward the second side when the lace is tightened. 
     
     
         5 . The upper of  claim 1 , wherein the upper body includes an outer layer and an inner layer coupled to the outer layer, and the dynamic support is disposed between the inner layer and the outer layer. 
     
     
         6 . The upper of  claim 5 , wherein the opening extends through the outer layer of the upper body. 
     
     
         7 . The upper of  claim 6 , wherein the upper body defines a first plurality of eyelets and a second plurality of eyelets, the first plurality of eyelets is disposed on the first side, the second plurality of eyelets is disposed on the second side, the first plurality of eyelets and the second plurality of eyelets extend through the outer layer, the first plurality of eyelets and the second plurality of eyelets are sized to receive the lace, the lace extends across the throat and through the first plurality of eyelets and the second plurality of eyelets, the first plurality of eyelets is aligned along a first eyelet axis, and the second plurality of eyelets is aligned along a second eyelet axis. 
     
     
         8 . The upper of  claim 7 , wherein the opening is spaced apart from the second eyelet axis along a transverse direction. 
     
     
         9 . The upper of  claim 8 , wherein the opening is larger than each of the first plurality of eyelets and the second plurality of eyelets. 
     
     
         10 . The upper of  claim 1 , wherein the dynamic support is a first dynamic support, the upper further includes a second dynamic support coupled to the second side, the second dynamic support extends across the throat from the second side to the first side, the opening is a first opening, the upper body defines a second opening extending through the first side, the second dynamic support extends through the second opening formed in the first side, the lace is attached to the second dynamic support at the first side to apply tension on the second dynamic support toward the first side when the lace is tightened, each of the first dynamic support and the second dynamic support includes a first support end and a second support end opposite the first support end, the first support end is attached to the upper body at a bite line of the article of footwear, the second support end defines a loop configured to receive the lace, and the loop receives the lace to apply tension on each of the first dynamic support and the second dynamic support toward the second side and the first side, respectively, when the lace is tightened. 
     
     
         11 . An article of footwear, comprising:
 a sole structure;   an upper coupled to the sole structure, the article of footwear having a bite line at an interface of the sole structure and the upper, wherein the upper includes:
 an upper body having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the upper body defining a throat between the first side and the second side, and the upper body defining an opening extending through the second side; 
 a lace extending across the throat between the first side and the second side; 
 a dynamic support coupled to the upper body at the first side, the dynamic support extending across the throat from the first side to the second side, and the dynamic support extending through the opening formed in the second side; and 
   wherein the lace is attached to the dynamic support at the second side to apply tension on the dynamic support toward the second side when the lace is tightened.   
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear of  claim 11 , wherein the dynamic support is a first dynamic support, the upper further includes a second dynamic support coupled to the second side, the second dynamic support extends across the throat from the second side to the first side, the opening is a first opening, the upper body defines a second opening extending through the first side, the second dynamic support extends through the second opening formed in the first side, and the lace is attached to the second dynamic support at the first side to apply tension on the second dynamic support toward the first side when the lace is tightened. 
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear of  claim 11 , wherein the dynamic support is attached to the upper body at the bite line of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear of  claim 13 , wherein the dynamic support includes a first support end and a second support end opposite the first support end, the first support end is attached to the upper body at the bite line of the article of footwear, the second support end defines a loop configured to receive the lace, and the loop receives the lace to apply tension on the dynamic support toward the first side when the lace is tightened. 
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear of  claim 11 , wherein the upper body includes an outer layer and an inner layer coupled to the outer layer, and the dynamic support is disposed between the inner layer and the outer layer. 
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear of  claim 15 , wherein the opening extends through the outer layer of the upper body. 
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear of  claim 16 , wherein the upper body defines a first plurality of eyelets and a second plurality of eyelets, the first plurality of eyelets is disposed on the first side, the second plurality of eyelets is disposed on the second side, the first plurality of eyelets and the second plurality of eyelets extend through the outer layer, the first plurality of eyelets and the second plurality of eyelets are sized to receive the lace, the lace extends across the throat and through the first plurality of eyelets and the second plurality of eyelets, the first plurality of eyelets is aligned along a first eyelet axis, and the second plurality of eyelets is aligned along a second eyelet axis. 
     
     
         18 . The article of footwear of  claim 17 , wherein the opening is spaced apart from the second eyelet axis along a transverse direction. 
     
     
         19 . The article of footwear of  claim 18 , wherein the opening is larger than each of the first plurality of eyelets and the second plurality of eyelets. 
     
     
         20 . The article of footwear of  claim 11 , wherein the dynamic support is a first dynamic support, the upper further includes a second dynamic support coupled to the second side, the second dynamic support extends across the throat from the second side to the first side, the opening is a first opening, the upper body defines a second opening extending through the first side, the second dynamic support extends through the second opening formed in the first side, the lace is attached to the second dynamic support at the first side to apply tension on the second dynamic support toward the second side when the lace is tightened, each of the first dynamic support and the second dynamic support includes a first support end and a second support end opposite the first support end, the first support end is attached to the upper body at the bite line of the article of footwear, and the second support end defines a loop configured to receive the lace, and the loop receives the lace to apply tension on each of the first dynamic support and the second dynamic support toward the first side and the second side, respectively, when the lace is tightened.