Patent ID: 9713363
Date: 2017-07-25
CPC Classifications: A43B,A43C

Claim:
1. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the upper comprising: a throat area extending forward from an ankle opening of the upper towards a forefoot region, the throat area including a plurality of lace-receiving elements that include a forward lace-receiving element positioned closer to a forward edge of the article of footwear than other lace-receiving elements, the forward lace-receiving element being centrally positioned and extending between a medial side and a lateral side of the throat area; a lace extending through at least the forward lace-receiving element; a tensile strand element located within the forefoot region of the article of footwear, the tensile strand element including (i) at least one material layer, and (ii) a plurality of strands that lay adjacent to a surface of the material layer, the tensile strand element forming a loop that defines the forward lace-receiving element, the plurality of strands extending at least partially around the loop; and wherein the plurality of strands extend from an area proximal to the forward lace-receiving element on a top portion of the upper located forward of the throat area towards the forward edge of the article of footwear.