US 12,256,806 B2
Lacing architecture for automated footwear platform
Eric P. Avar, Lake Oswego, OR (US); Fanny Yung Ho, Portland, OR (US); Daniel A. Johnson, Portland, OR (US); Peter R. Savage, Aloha, OR (US); and Summer L. Schneider, Beaverton, OR (US)
Assigned to NIKE, Inc., Beaverton, OR (US)
Filed by NIKE, Inc., Beaverton, OR (US)
Filed on Jan. 24, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/100,907.
Application 18/100,907 is a division of application No. 17/092,555, filed on Nov. 9, 2020, granted, now 11,571,043.
Application 17/092,555 is a division of application No. 16/165,023, filed on Oct. 19, 2018, granted, now 10,856,618.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/634,358, filed on Feb. 23, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/574,940, filed on Oct. 20, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2023/0157415 A1, May 25, 2023
Int. Cl. A43C 1/00 (2006.01); A43B 13/14 (2006.01); A43B 23/02 (2006.01); A43B 23/26 (2006.01); A43C 11/16 (2006.01)
CPC A43C 1/003 (2013.01) [A43B 13/14 (2013.01); A43B 23/0265 (2013.01); A43B 23/26 (2013.01); A43C 11/165 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus comprising a floating tongue configured to be disposed within a footwear assembly; and
a tongue lace guide assembly secured to a proximal portion of the floating tongue, the tongue lace guide assembly including a single structure with a rigid connection between two spaced apart opposing lace guides, the two spaced apart opposing lace guides including a first medial facing U-shaped lace guide channel adapted to receive a medial portion of a lace cable from a medial side of the footwear assembly and route the medial portion back along the medial side and a second lateral facing U-shaped lace guide channel adapted to receive a lateral portion of the lace cable from a lateral side of the footwear assembly and route the lateral portion back along the lateral side,
wherein the first medial facing U-shaped lace guide channel and the second lateral facing U-shaped lace guide channel include open lace channels.