Article of footwear having a closure mechanism

Abstract

An article of footwear having a sole structure and an upper attached to the sole structure. The upper has a vamp disposed at a forefoot region and a mid-foot region of the article of footwear; an ankle opening; a throat extending from the ankle opening toward the vamp; and a closure mechanism to adjust the maximum size of the ankle opening and tightness of the upper. The closure mechanism has an adjustable lace with a first end adjacent the ankle opening and a second end adjacent the vamp, the adjustable lace connects a lateral portion of the article of footwear and a medial portion of the article of footwear. The closure mechanism also includes: a first toggle; a second toggle; a loosening portion to transition the upper to the loosening position, and a tightening portion to transition the upper to the tightening position.

1 . An article of footwear comprising:
 a sole structure;   an upper fixedly attached to the sole structure, the upper configured to transition between at least one tightening configuration and at least one loosening configuration, and the upper comprising:
 a vamp disposed at a forefoot region and a mid-foot region of the article of footwear; 
 an ankle opening operative to allow a wearer to extend a foot into an interior volume of the upper; 
 a throat extending from the ankle opening toward the vamp; 
 a closure mechanism configured to adjust the maximum size of the ankle opening and tightness of the upper, the closure mechanism comprising:
 an adjustable lace having a first end disposed adjacent the ankle opening and a second end disposed adjacent the vamp and opposite the first end, wherein the adjustable lace operatively connects a lateral portion of the article of footwear and a medial portion of the article of footwear along the throat; 
 a first toggle coupled to the adjustable lace at the first end; 
 a second toggle coupled to the adjustable lace at the second end; 
 a loosening portion coupled to the first end of the adjustable lace, the loosening portion configured to transition the upper to the loosening position via pulling the loosening portion in a first pulling direction; and 
 a tightening portion coupled to the second end of the adjustable lace, the tightening portion configured to transition the upper to the tightening position via pulling the tightening portion in a second pulling direction. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the closure mechanism further includes:
 a plurality of lace guides, wherein the plurality of lace guides are disposed on each of the medial portion of the article of footwear and the lateral portion of the article of footwear, wherein the adjustable lace is routed through the plurality of lace guides.   
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the first toggle is disposed adjacent the ankle opening and fixedly attached to the upper. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the second toggle is disposed adjacent the vamp. 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the loosening portion is a pull tab. 
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the tightening portion is a pull tab. 
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the loosening portion is configured to transition the upper to the tightening configuration via pulling the tightening portion in the second pulling direction. 
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear of  claim 7 , wherein the tightening portion is configured to transition the upper to the loosening position via pulling the tightening portion in the first pulling direction. 
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the first pulling direction is substantially perpendicular to an axis extending from a posterior end of the article of footwear to an anterior end of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear of  claim 9 , wherein the second pulling direction is substantially parallel to the axis. 
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the first toggle includes one or more apertures, wherein the second toggle includes one or more apertures, and wherein the adjustable lace is routed through the one or more apertures of the first toggle and the one or more apertures of the second toggle. 
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear of  claim 11 , wherein the one of more apertures of the first toggle includes at least two apertures, the first end of the adjustable lace routed through the at least two apertures of the first toggle forming a loop, and wherein the one or more apertures of the second toggle includes at least two apertures, the second end of the adjustable lace routed through the at least two apertures of the second toggle forming a second loop. 
     
     
         13 . An article of footwear comprising:
 an upper configured to transition between at least one tightened configuration and at least one loosened configuration, and the upper comprising:
 a vamp disposed at a forefoot region and a mid-foot region of the article of footwear; 
 an ankle opening operative to allow a wearer to extend a foot into an interior volume of the upper; 
 a tongue extending from the vamp to the ankle opening; 
 a closure mechanism configured to transition the upper between the tightening position and the loosening position, the closure mechanism comprising:
 an adjustable lace having a first end disposed adjacent the ankle opening and a second end disposed adjacent the vamp and opposite the first end, wherein the adjustable lace operatively connects a lateral portion of the article of footwear and a medial portion of the article of footwear; 
 a plurality of lace guides including an anchor end and a loop end, the adjustable lace routed through the loop end of the plurality of lace guides; 
 a first toggle coupled to the adjustable lace at the first end; 
 a second toggle coupled to the adjustable lace at the second end; 
 a loosening portion disposed at the first end of the adjustable lace; and 
 a tightening portion disposed at the second end of the adjustable lace. 
 
   
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear of  claim 13 , wherein the tightening portion is configured to transition the upper to the tightening position via pulling the tightening portion in a first pulling direction, the first pulling direction being any direction away from the upper. 
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear of  claim 13 , wherein the loosening portion is a loop formed by the second end of the adjustable lace. 
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear of  claim 15 , wherein the loosening portion is configured to transition the upper to the loosening position via pulling the tightening portion in a second pulling direction, the second pulling direction being any direction away from the upper. 
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of loop guides are disposed on each of a lateral side of the article of footwear and a medial side of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         18 . The article of footwear of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of loop guides on the lateral side of the article of footwear includes three loop guides extending along the tongue, and wherein the plurality of loop guides on the medial side of the article of footwear includes three loop guides extending along the tongue. 
     
     
         19 . A closure mechanism comprising:
 an adjustable lace extending from a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the adjustable lace forming a closed loop between the first end and the second;   a first toggle coupled to the adjustable lace at the first end;   a second toggle coupled to the adjustable lace at the second end;   a loosening portion coupled to the first end of the adjustable lace, the loosening portion configured pull the adjustable lace in a first pulling direction; and   a tightening portion coupled to the second end of the adjustable lace, the tightening portion configured to pull the adjustable lace in a second pulling direction.   
     
     
         20 . An article of footwear including the closure mechanism of  claim 19 .