Abstract:
An object includes a body with a first portion having first eyelets and a second portion having second eyelets. The body includes a first surface and a second surface that face in opposite directions. The first surface includes an opening into a void that is defined between the first surface and the second surface. A first lace extends continuously through the plurality of first eyelets and continuously through the plurality of second eyelets. The first lace has a first bridge portion defined between a first pair of the first eyelets and a second bridge portion defined between a second pair of the second eyelets. The first lace includes an end that passes through the opening to be disposed within the void. A second lace engages both the first bridge portion and the second bridge portion.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of co-pending application Ser. No. 12/985,882, filed Jan. 6, 2011, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Many objects include a lacing closure system. For instance, articles of footwear, sports equipment, and other objects include laces used for selectively closing and opening the object. More specifically, in the case of footwear, a first portion of the upper can include eyelets, and a separate second portion of the upper can include eyelets. Typically, a conventional shoelace is threaded through and extends successively between each of the eyelets. Ends of the shoelace can be pulled and tied together to cinch the first and second portions toward each other and to tightly secure the footwear to the wearer&#39;s foot. Other objects, such as footballs, bags, shirts, pants, etc. can include a similar lacing system. 
         [0003]    Also, alternative closure systems can include straps, buckles, snaps, and the like. Like the lacing closure systems, these alternative systems can be operably coupled to two separate portions of the object, and the closure system allows the portions to be strapped, buckled, snapped, cinched or otherwise secured and retained together. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    Accordingly, despite the improvements of known devices described above, there remains a need for a closure system for an object having a first portion and a second portion that are separate from each other. The first portion includes a plurality of first eyelets, and the second portion including a plurality of second eyelets. The closure system includes a first lace that is resiliently flexible. The first lace is operable to extend continuously through the plurality of first eyelets and continuously through the plurality of second eyelets to define a first bridge portion and a second bridge portion of the first lace. The first bridge portion is defined between the plurality of first eyelets, and the second bridge portion is defined between the plurality of second eyelets. Furthermore, the closure system includes a second lace that is substantially inelastic. The second lace engages both the first bridge portion and the second bridge portion to secure the first and second portions of the object together. 
         [0005]    Also, a closure system for an object having a first portion and a second portion that are separate from each other is disclosed. The first portion includes a plurality of first eyelets, and the second portion includes a plurality of second eyelets. The closure system includes a first lace operable to extend through the plurality of first eyelets and through the plurality of second eyelets to define a plurality of first bridge portions and a plurality of second bridge portions of the first lace. The plurality of first bridge portions is defined between respective ones of the plurality of first eyelets, and the plurality of second bridge portions is defined between respective ones of the plurality of second eyelets. The closure system also includes a second lace that continuously extends between and engages plural ones of the first bridge portions and plural ones of the second bridge portions to secure the first and second portions of the object together. 
         [0006]    Moreover, an article of footwear is disclosed that includes an upper having a collar portion that extends about a wearer, a first eyelet portion including a plurality of eyelets, and a second eyelet portion including a plurality of second eyelets. The footwear also includes a first lace having a first terminal end and a second terminal end. The first and second terminal ends are each fixed to the collar portion. The first lace extends continuously through the plurality of first eyelets and continuously through the plurality of second eyelets to define a first bridge portion and a second bridge portion of the first lace. The first bridge portion is defined between the plurality of first eyelets, and the second bridge portion is defined between the plurality of second eyelets. Additionally, the footwear includes a second lace engaging both the first bridge portion and the second bridge portion to secure the first and second eyelet portions together. 
         [0007]    Still further, an object is disclosed that includes a body having a first portion and a second portion that are separate from each other. The first portion includes a plurality of first eyelets. The second portion includes a plurality of second eyelets. The body includes a first surface and a second surface that face in opposite directions. The first surface includes an opening into a void that is defined between the first surface and the second surface. The object also includes a first lace that extends continuously through the plurality of first eyelets and continuously through the plurality of second eyelets. The first lace has a first bridge portion defined between a first pair of the first eyelets. The first lace also has a second bridge portion defined between a second pair of the second eyelets. The first lace includes an end that passes through the opening to be disposed within the void. Moreover, the object includes a second lace that engages both the first bridge portion and the second bridge portion. 
         [0008]    Furthermore, an article of footwear is disclosed that includes an upper having a first portion and a second portion that are separate from each other. The first portion includes a plurality of first eyelets, and the second portion includes a plurality of second eyelets. The upper further includes a first layer and a second layer that overlay each other. The first layer and the second layer cooperate to define a void. The first layer includes an opening. The article of footwear additionally includes a first lace that extends continuously through the plurality of first eyelets and continuously through the plurality of second eyelets. The first lace has a first bridge portion defined between a first pair of the first eyelets. The first lace also has a second bridge portion defined between a second pair of the second eyelets. The first lace includes an end that passes through the opening to be disposed within the void. The end is fixed to the body. Additionally, the article of footwear includes a second lace that engages both the first bridge portion and the second bridge portion to secure the first and second portions of the upper together. 
         [0009]    Moreover, an article of footwear is disclosed that includes an upper having an outer surface and an inner surface. The inner surface defines a cavity configured to receive a foot. The upper further includes a first portion and a second portion that are separated at a distance from each other. The first portion includes a plurality of first eyelets, and the second portion includes a plurality of second eyelets. The article of footwear also includes a first lace that extends continuously through the plurality of first eyelets and continuously through the plurality of second eyelets. The first lace has a first bridge portion defined between a first pair of the first eyelets, and the first lace also has a second bridge portion defined between a second pair of the second eyelets. The first lace includes a first terminal end that is fixed to the upper. An end bridge portion of the first lace is defined between the first terminal end and one of the plurality of first eyelets. The article of footwear further includes a second lace that engages both the first bridge portion and the second bridge portion. The second lace includes a second end, and the second end turns around the end bridge portion to be received between the end bridge portion and the outer surface of the upper. 
         [0010]    This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features. Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a closure system for an article of footwear according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a top view of the closure system of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the closure system taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 . 
       
    
    
       [0015]    Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0017]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , an article of footwear  10  is illustrated according to various exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. The article of footwear  10  can fit about and support a foot  11  ( FIG. 3 ) of a wearer. Although an athletic shoe is illustrated, it will be appreciated that the footwear  10  could be of any other type, such as a boot, a sandal, etc. 
         [0018]    The article of footwear  10  can generally include an upper  12  and a sole assembly  14 , which is operably coupled to the upper  12 . The upper  12  can include one or more layers or panels of material (leather, fabric, etc.) that are interconnected so as to cover and wrap around the foot  11  of the wearer. The sole assembly  14  can include an outsole (not particularly shown), such as a layer rubber or other high-friction material for increasing traction of the footwear  10 . The sole assembly  14  can also include a midsole (not particularly shown), such as a layer of foam, a fluid-filled bladder, or other resiliently flexible material for providing cushioned support for the foot  11 . 
         [0019]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the upper  12  will be discussed in greater detail. Generally, the upper  12  can include an outer surface  41  and an inner surface  43 . The inner surface  43  can face the foot  11 , and the outer surface  41  can be opposite the inner surface  43 . 
         [0020]    As shown, the upper  12  can define a toe box  20  on an anterior and superior portion of the footwear  10 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the toe box  20  can cover the toes and, in some cases, the metatarsal area of the foot  11 . The upper  12  can also define a collar portion  22 . The collar portion  22  can be defined at a superior end of the footwear  10  and can define an opening  15  that receives the foot  11 . For instance, the collar portion  22  can extend at least partially about a leg  13  of the wearer ( FIG. 3 ). Specifically, the collar portion  22  can extend continuously between a medial side  21  and a lateral side  25 . Thus, the medial side  21  can cover the medial side of the leg  13 , and the lateral side  25  can cover the lateral side of the leg  13 . The collar portion  22  can be disposed at any suitable location relative to the foot  11  and leg  13  of the wearer. For instance, the collar portion  22  can extend about the ankle, below the ankle, above the ankle, calf, or about any portion of the leg  13  of the wearer. In some embodiments, the collar portion  22  can be defined by an inner layer  31  and an outer layer  33  of the upper  12 . The outer layer  33  can overlay the inner layer  31 , and the inner layer  31  can be disposed between the outer layer  33  and the wearer&#39;s leg  13 . 
         [0021]    Still further, the upper  12  can include a first eyelet portion  24  that extends between the lateral side  25  of the collar portion  22  and the toe box  20 . Similarly, the upper  12  can include a second eyelet portion  26  that extends between the medial side  23  of the collar portion  22  and the toe box  20 . The first and second eyelet portions  24 ,  26  can be separate from each other and can be separated at a variable distance as will be discussed. 
         [0022]    The upper  12  can also include a tongue  27 . The tongue  27  can be fixed at one end to the toe box  20  and can extend toward the collar portion  22  to cover the space between the first and second eyelet portions  24 ,  26 . The tongue  27  can be disposed between the first and second eyelet portions  24 ,  26  and the wearer&#39;s foot  11  ( FIG. 3 ). 
         [0023]    The first eyelet portion  24  can include a plurality of first eyelets  28 , and the second eyelet portion  26  can include a plurality of second eyelets  30 . Each eyelet  28 ,  30  can be a through-hole extending through the respective eyelet portion  24 ,  26 . In some embodiments, each eyelet  28 ,  30  can be reinforced by a respective rigid, ring-shaped grommet  29 . The first eyelets  28  can be substantially aligned in a row that extends between the toe box  20  and the collar portion  22 . Likewise, the second eyelets  30  can be substantially aligned in a similar row. In other embodiments, the first and second eyelets  28 ,  30  can be misaligned and can be located anywhere on the footwear  10 . Also, it will be appreciated that the footwear  10  can include any number of first and second eyelets  28 ,  30 . 
         [0024]    The article of footwear  10  can additionally include a closure system  32 . As will be discussed, the closure system  32  can be used for selectively securing the first and second eyelet portions  24 ,  26  together to thereby secure the footwear  10  to the wearer&#39;s foot. Also, as will be discussed, the closure system  32  can distribute forces fairly evenly, such that the closure system  32  is unlikely to fail or break prematurely. Moreover, the closure system  32  can conform to the wearer&#39;s foot, without being too tight or too loose, such that the footwear  10  fits comfortably and securely to the foot. 
         [0025]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the closure system  32  can include a first lace  34 . The first lace  34  can be a flexible and elongate cord so as to include a first terminal end  40  and a second terminal end  42  ( FIG. 2 ). In some embodiments, the first lace  34  can be resiliently flexible such that the length of the first lace  34  from the first terminal end  40  to the second terminal end  42  can be stretched and extended, and the first lace  34  can recover to its original, unbiased length. Also, the first lace  34  can be woven from a plurality of resiliently flexible fibers, or the first lace  34  can be a single, monolithic length of resiliently flexible cord. In other embodiments, the first lace  34  can be substantially inelastic such that the length of the first lace  34  from the first terminal end  40  to the second terminal end  42  does not change substantially under normal loading of the footwear  10 . The first lace  34  can be a commercially available lace supplied from Paiho Group, with a head office at No. 575, Ho Kang Rd., Ho Mei Town, Changhua Hsien, Taiwan. 
         [0026]    The closure system  32  can also include a second lace  38 . The second lace  38  can be flexible and elongate so as to include a first terminal end  44  and a second terminal end  46  ( FIG. 2 ). In some embodiments, the second lace  38  can be substantially inelastic such that the length of the second lace  38  from the first terminal end  44  to the second terminal end  46  does not change substantially under normal loading of the footwear  10 . In other embodiments, the second lace  38  can be resiliently flexible. For instance, in some embodiments, in which the first lace  34  is substantially inelastic, the second lace  38  can be resiliently flexible. The second lace  34  can be a commercially available lace supplied from Paiho Group, with a head office at No. 575, Ho Kang Rd., Ho Mei Town, Changhua Hsien, Taiwan. 
         [0027]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , the first lace  34  can extend continuously through the plurality of first eyelets  28  and continuously through the plurality of second eyelets  30 . For instance, in some embodiments, the first lace  34  can extend or thread through adjacent first eyelets  28  in sequence from the collar portion  22  to the toe box  20 . Further along the axis of the first lace  34 , the first lace  34  can also extend from the first eyelet  28  immediately adjacent (closest to) the toe box  20  to the second eyelet  30  immediately adjacent the toe box  20  so as to extend between the first and second eyelet portions  24 ,  26  of the upper  12 . Still further along the axis of the first lace  34 , the first lace  34  can extend or thread through adjacent second eyelets  30  in sequence from the toe box  20  to the collar portion  22  ( FIG. 3 ). 
         [0028]    Also, the first terminal end  40  of the first lace  34  can be operably secured to (e.g., fixed) to the collar portion upper  12 . For instance, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the outer layer  33  of the collar portion  22  can include a first opening  50  (e.g., a slit) located on the lateral side  25  thereof, and the outer layer  33  can include a second opening  52  (e.g., a slit) located on the medial side  23  as well. The first terminal end  40  can be received in the first opening  50  to be disposed between the inner and outer layers  31 ,  33  of the collar portion  22 , and the second terminal end  42  can be received in the second opening  52  to be disposed between the inner and outer layers  31 ,  33 . The first and second ends  40 ,  42  can each be fixed directly to the collar portion  22  of the upper  12  in any suitable fashion. For instance, in some embodiments, the first and second ends  40 ,  42  can be stitched to the upper  12 , between the inner and outer layers  31 ,  33  of the collar portion  22 . It will be appreciated, however, that the first and second ends  40 ,  42  can be disposed and/or attached anywhere on the footwear  10 . For instance, the first and second ends  40 ,  42  can extend downward toward the sole assembly  14  (e.g., to be fixed adjacent the sole assembly  14 ). 
         [0029]    As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , the first lace  34  can extend through the first eyelets  28  in a manner so as to define a plurality of first bridge portions  54 , and the first lace  34  can extend through the second eyelets  30  in a manner so as to define a plurality of second bridge portions  56 . Specifically, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the first bridge portions  54  of the first lace  34  can be defined between immediately adjacent pairs of first eyelets  28 . The first bridge portions  54  can alternate between overlaying the outer surface  41  and the inner surface  43  as shown in  FIG. 3 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the second bridge portions  56  of the first lace  34  can be arranged in a substantially similar manner relative to the second eyelet portion  26 . 
         [0030]    Still further, the second lace  38  can engage at least one of the first and second bridge portions  54 ,  56  to secure the first and second eyelet portions  24 ,  26  together. For instance, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the second lace  38  can extend between the outer surface  41  of the upper  12  and the respective first bridge portion  54  to secure to the respective first bridge portion  54 . Likewise, the second lace  38  can extend between the outer surface  41  of the upper  12  and the respective second bridge portion  56  to secure to the respective second bridge portion  56 . The second lace  38  can alternatingly engage respective ones of the first and second bridge portions  54 ,  56  by criss-crossing over itself as the second lace  38  extends between the toe box  20  and the collar portion  22  of the footwear  10 . For instance, the second lace  38  can engage successive alternating bridge portions  54 ,  56  as the second lace  38  extends between the toe box  20  and the collar portion  22 . The first and second terminal ends  44 ,  46  of the second lace  38  can be pulled tight and tied in a knot, tied in a bow, or otherwise secured directly together adjacent the collar portion  22  as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  to secure the closure system  32 . 
         [0031]    Thus, the footwear  10  can be secured to the foot  11  quickly and effectively using the closure system  32 . Moreover, because of the resiliency of the first and/or second lace  34 ,  38 , the footwear  10  can more easily conform to the foot  11  for better fit and comfort. This resiliency can allow the closure system  32  to be tight enough to secure the footwear  10  to the foot  11  and to also resiliently flex when necessary such that the footwear  10  is unlikely to fit overly tight on the foot  11 . Also, loading (e.g., tension) within the laces  34 ,  38  can be substantially evenly distributed. As such, pressure points are unlikely to develop on the foot  11  for better comfort, and the laces  34 ,  38  are unlikely to prematurely break. 
         [0032]    It will be appreciated that the laces  34 ,  38  can be secured together in various other ways other than those described herein or illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3  without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For instance, the second lace  38  can be secured between the inner surface  43  and the bridge portions  54 ,  56  to secure thereto. Also, the first lace  34  can extend through eyelets  28 ,  30  that are not immediately adjacent. Moreover, the second lace  38  can engage non-successive bridge portions  54 ,  56 . Still further, first lace  34  can extend through any number of the eyelets  28 ,  30 . Additionally, the second lace  38  can engage any number of bridge portions  54 ,  56 . 
         [0033]    Also, the first and second eyelet portions  24 ,  26  as well as the first and second eyelets  28 ,  30  could be disposed on any suitable portion of the footwear  10 . Moreover, the footwear  10  can include any number of eyelets  28 ,  30 . 
         [0034]    Additionally, the closure system  32  could be included and used on an object other than an article of footwear  10 . For instance, the closure system  32  could be used on a football, rugby ball, or other suitable piece of sporting equipment. Also, the closure system  32  can be employed on shirts, pants, or other articles of apparel, or the closure system  32  can be employed on bags or other accessories without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
         [0035]    The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the invention, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention.