US 12,329,236 B2
Article of footwear and method of manufacturing an article of footwear
Tory M. Cross, Portland, OR (US); and Cassidy R. Levy, West Linn, OR (US)
Assigned to NIKE, Inc., Beaverton, OR (US)
Filed by NIKE, Inc., Beaverton, OR (US)
Filed on May 24, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/322,832.
Application 18/322,832 is a continuation of application No. 16/679,560, filed on Nov. 11, 2019, granted, now 11,684,119.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/785,438, filed on Dec. 27, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0292882 A1, Sep. 21, 2023
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A43B 13/28 (2006.01)
CPC A43B 13/28 (2013.01) 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An article of footwear comprising:
a sole structure having a medial side and an opposite lateral side, and having a ground contacting surface and an opposite an inner surface;
an adhesive layer extending across the inner surface of the sole structure;
a guide material secured to a portion of the inner surface of the sole structure via the adhesive layer;
a tensioning component at least partially layered on an opposite side of the guide material from the sole structure and further extending beyond the guide material such that the tensioning component contacts the adhesive layer and is directly secured to a portion of the inner surface of the sole structure via the adhesive layer;
an upper having an outer surface that is secured to the inner surface of the sole structure via the adhesive layer around the guide material such that the guide material is positioned between the outer surface of the upper and the sole structure; and
wherein:
the upper is unadhered to the guide material to form a passage therebetween,
the tensioning component extends across the guide material and out of the passage at the medial side or the lateral side of the sole structure,
the tensioning component is movable in the passage relative to the upper and the guide material in response to an increase in tension in the tensioning component to flexibly conform the sole structure and upper to a foot disposed in the upper; and
wherein the guide material masks a portion of the adhesive layer from contacting the tensioning component within the passage.