Patent Publication Number: US-10314365-B2

Title: Article of footwear having adjustable sole structure

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/729,692, filed Dec. 28, 2012, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Articles of athletic footwear often include two primary elements, an upper and a sole structure. The upper provides a comfortable covering for the foot and securely positions the foot with respect to the sole structure. The sole structure is secured to a lower portion of the upper (for example, through adhesive bonding) and is generally positioned between the foot and the ground. In addition to attenuating ground reaction forces (that is, providing cushioning) during walking, running, and other ambulatory activities, the sole structure may influence foot motions (for example, by resisting pronation), impart stability, and provide traction. Accordingly, the upper and the sole structure operate cooperatively to provide a comfortable structure that is suited for a wide variety of athletic activities. 
     The upper is often formed from a plurality of material elements (for example, textiles, polymer sheets, foam layers, leather, and/or synthetic leather) that are stitched and/or adhesively bonded together to form a void on the interior of the footwear for receiving a foot. More particularly, the upper forms a structure that extends over instep and toe areas of the foot, along medial and lateral sides of the foot, and around a heel area of the foot. The upper may also incorporate a lacing system to adjust fit of the footwear, as well as permitting entry and removal of the foot from the void within the upper. In addition, the upper may include a tongue that extends under the lacing system to enhance adjustability and comfort of the footwear. Further, the upper may incorporate a heel counter to provide stability, rigidity, and support to the heel and ankle portion of the foot. 
     The sole structure may include one or more components. For example, the sole structure may include a ground-contacting sole component. The ground-contacting sole component may be fashioned from a durable and wear-resistant material (such as rubber or plastic), and may include ground-engaging members, tread patterns, and/or texturing to provide traction. 
     In addition, in some embodiments, the sole structure may include a midsole and/or a sockliner. The midsole may be secured to a lower surface of the upper and forms a middle portion of the sole structure. Many midsole configurations are primarily formed from a resilient polymer foam material, such as polyurethane or ethylvinylacetate, that extends throughout the length and width of the footwear. The midsole may also incorporate fluid-filled chambers, plates, moderators, or other elements that further attenuate forces, influence the motions of the foot, or impart stability, for example. The sockliner is a thin, compressible member located within the upper and positioned to extend under a lower surface of the foot to enhance footwear comfort. 
     Sole structures have been developed that utilize a plurality of support members, which, in some cases, may be generally cylindrical, to provide attenuation of ground reaction forces. Such systems can include support members of various sizes distributed about the midsole to provide cushioning and stability that is tailored to each region of the foot including, for example, the forefoot and/or heel region. However, these systems are not adjustable. While a user may, in some cases, substitute a different insole to provide a different cushioning and/or stability characteristics, the majority of cushioning and/or stability attributes are often provided by the midsole rather than the insole. Therefore, once the article of footwear is manufactured, the performance characteristics of the sole structure are substantially fixed because the characteristics of the midsole are not adjustable. It may be desirable to provide some adjustability for the attributes of the midsole in order to provide a higher level of customizability of the performance characteristics of footwear. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to an article of footwear having an upper for receiving a foot and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure may include at least one support member. In addition, the sole structure may include a tensile member associated with the at least one support member and a tensioning device configured to selectively alter one or more properties of the at least one support member, by tightening and loosening the tensile member. 
     In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to an article of footwear having an upper for receiving a foot and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure may include a void having a first surface and an opposite second surface, the first surface being positioned adjacent to the upper, and the lower surface being positioned adjacent to a ground-engaging portion of the footwear. The sole structure may further include a plurality of support members located within the void and secured to the first surface and the second surface, and a tensile member extending adjacent to each of the support members. In addition, the article of footwear may include a tensioning device coupled to the tensile member and configured to selectively alter properties of the support members by tightening and loosening the tensile member. 
     In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to an article of footwear having an upper for receiving a foot and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure may include a void extending from a lateral side to a medial side of the sole structure in a heel region of the sole structure, the void forming an aperture extending entirely through the sole structure, and the void having a first surface and an opposite second surface, the first surface being positioned adjacent to the upper, and the lower surface being positioned adjacent to a ground-engaging portion of the footwear. The sole structure may further include a plurality of support members located within the void and secured to the first surface and the second surface, the support members including (a) a first support member located adjacent to the lateral side, (b) a second support member located adjacent to the lateral side and forward of the first support member, (c) a third support member located adjacent to the medial side, and (d) a fourth support member located adjacent to the medial side and forward of the third support member, and the support members defining indentations located between the first surface and the second surface. Also, the article of footwear may include a tensile member extending at least partially around each of the support members, the tensile member including a wire and a housing, the wire being located within the housing, and the housing being at least partially located within the indentations of the support members. In addition, the article of footwear may include a tensioning device coupled to the tensile member and configured to selectively alter properties of the support members by tightening and loosening the wire. 
     In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to an article of footwear having an upper for receiving a foot and a sole structure secured to the upper. The sole structure may include a row of flexible elongate members extending substantially horizontally, each elongate member having a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion between the first portion and the second portion. The sole structure may also include at least one tensile member attached to a substantially rigid member at a first end of the row of elongate members. In addition, the article of footwear may include a wire tensioning device at a second end of the row of elongate members, the wire tensioning device being configured to pull the substantially rigid member toward the wire tensioning device, thereby pulling the third portion of each elongate member closer to the wire tensioning device, while the first and second portions of each elongate member remain substantially the same distance from the wire tensioning device, causing the first and second portions of each elongate member to become closer to one another, thereby narrowing the adjustable width component. 
     In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to an article of footwear having an upper for receiving a foot and a sole structure secured to the upper. The adjustable width component may include an adjustable width component, which may include a row of flexible elongate members extending substantially horizontally, each elongate member having a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion between the first portion and the second portion. The sole structure may also include at least one tensile member attached to a substantially rigid member at a first end of the row of elongate members. In addition, the article of footwear may include a tensioning device at a second end of the row of elongate members, the tensioning device being configured to pull the substantially rigid member toward the tensioning device, thereby pulling the third portion of each elongate member closer to the tensioning device, while the first and second portions of each elongate member remain substantially the same distance from the tensioning device, causing the first and second portions of each elongate member to become closer to one another, thereby narrowing the adjustable width component. 
     In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a sole system for an article of footwear. The sole system may include a chamber configured to contain pressurized fluid. The chamber may include a base portion and a plurality of peripheral subchambers extending upward from the base portion. The sole system may also include a mating component including a central portion and a plurality of peripheral portions extending substantially radially from the central portion of the mating component, wherein the peripheral portions of the mating component extend between the peripheral subchambers. Further, the sole system may include an adjustment system including a tensile member anchored to the peripheral portions of the mating component, and a tensioning device configured to apply tension to the tensile member and thereby alter one or more performance characteristics of the sole system by applying pressure to the peripheral subchambers between the peripheral portions of the mating component. 
     In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a sole system for an article of footwear. The sole system may include at least one support member having a top portion, a sidewall surface, and a through hole extending from a first opening in a first area of the sidewall surface to a second opening in a second area of the sidewall surface. The sole system may also include an adjustment system including a tensile member extending through the through hole of the support member, and a tensioning device configured to selectively alter one or more performance characteristics of the support member by adjusting tension in the tensile member. 
     The advantages and features of novelty characterizing aspects of the invention are pointed out with particularity in the appended claims. To gain an improved understanding of the advantages and features of novelty, however, reference may be made to the following descriptive matter and accompanying figures that describe and illustrate various configurations and concepts related to the invention. 
    
    
     
       FIGURE DESCRIPTIONS 
       The foregoing Summary and the following Detailed Description will be better understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying figures. 
         FIG. 1  is a side elevation view of an exemplary article of footwear having a midsole adjustment system. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a midsole adjustment system for an article of footwear. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view corresponding with  FIG. 2  and showing the midsole adjustment system in a deflected position. 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded, perspective view of an exemplary article of footwear having a midsole adjustment system. 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded, perspective view of another exemplary article of footwear having a midsole adjustment system. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an exemplary article of footwear having a midsole adjustment system. 
         FIG. 7  is a bottom view of the article of footwear shown in  FIG. 6 , with a ground-engaging sole component removed. 
         FIG. 8  is an enlarged perspective view of an arch region of the article of footwear shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . 
         FIG. 9  is a bottom plan view of another exemplary article of footwear having a midsole adjustment system with a ground-engaging sole component removed. 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the article of footwear shown in  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 11  is a rear elevation view of the article of footwear shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 . 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of another midsole adjustment system. 
         FIG. 13  is a schematic bottom plan view of an article of footwear having a width adjustment system. 
         FIG. 14  is a schematic bottom plan view corresponding with  FIG. 13  and depicting the article of footwear in an adjusted configuration. 
         FIG. 15  is a perspective view of a sole system for an article of footwear in an assembled configuration. 
         FIG. 16  is a perspective, exploded view of components of the sole system shown in  FIG. 15 . 
         FIG. 17  is a perspective view of a sole system for an article of footwear. 
         FIG. 18A  is a side elevation view corresponding with  FIG. 17 , showing the sole system in an uncompressed condition. 
         FIG. 18B  is a side elevation view corresponding with  FIG. 17 , showing the sole system in a compressed condition. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following discussion and accompanying figures disclose systems and methods for manufacturing an article of footwear. Concepts associated with the disclosed systems and methods may be applied to a variety of footwear types, including athletic shoes, dress shoes, casual shoes, or any other type of footwear. 
     For consistency and convenience, directional adjectives are employed throughout this detailed description corresponding to the illustrated embodiments. The term “longitudinal,” as used throughout this detailed description and in the claims, refers to a direction extending a length of an article of footwear, that is, extending from a forefoot portion to a heel portion. The term “forward” is used to refer to the general direction in which the toes of a foot point, and the term “rearward” is used to refer to the opposite direction, i.e., the direction in which the heel of the foot is facing. 
     The term “lateral direction,” as used throughout this detailed description and in the claims, refers to a side-to-side direction extending a width of the footwear. In other words, the lateral direction may extend between a medial side and a lateral side of an article of footwear, with the lateral side of the article of footwear being the surface that faces away from the other foot, and the medial side being the surface that faces toward the other foot. 
     The term “horizontal,” as used throughout this detailed description and in the claims, refers to any direction substantially parallel with the ground, including the longitudinal direction, the lateral direction, and all directions in between. Similarly, the term “side,” as used in this specification and in the claims, refers to any portion of a component facing generally in a lateral, medial, forward, and/or rearward direction, as opposed to an upward or downward direction. 
     The term “vertical,” as used throughout this detailed description and in the claims, refers to a direction generally perpendicular to both the lateral and longitudinal directions. For example, in cases where a sole is planted flat on a ground surface, the vertical direction may extend from the ground surface upward. The term “upward” refers to the vertical direction heading away from a ground surface, while the term “downward” refers to the vertical direction heading towards the ground surface. Similarly, the terms “top,” “upper,” and other similar terms refer to the portion of an object substantially furthest from the ground in a vertical direction, and the terms “bottom,” “lower,” and other similar terms refer to the portion of an object substantially closest to the ground in a vertical direction. 
     For purposes of this disclosure, the foregoing directional terms, when used in reference to an article of footwear, shall refer to the article of footwear when sitting in an upright position, with the sole facing groundward, that is, as it would be positioned when worn by a wearer standing on a substantially level surface. Further, it will be understood that each of these directional terms may be applied to, not only a complete article of footwear, but also to individual components of an article of footwear. 
     In addition, for purposes of this disclosure, the term “fixedly attached” shall refer to two components joined in a manner such that the components may not be readily separated (for example, without destroying one or both of the components). Exemplary modalities of fixed attachment may include joining with permanent adhesive, rivets, stitches, nails, staples, welding or other thermal bonding, and/or other joining techniques. In addition, two components may be “fixedly attached” by virtue of being integrally formed, for example, in a molding process. 
     Footwear Structure 
       FIG. 1  depicts an article of footwear  110 . The configuration of an article of footwear may vary significantly according to the type of activity for which the article of footwear is anticipated to be used. For example, in some embodiments, footwear may be anticipated to be used for athletic activities, such as running, jogging, and participating in sports. In some embodiments, the article of footwear may be configured for casual wear, such as running errands, attending school, or participating in a social event. In addition, the configuration of an article of footwear may vary significantly according to one or more types of ground surfaces on which the footwear may be used. For example, the footwear may be configured to have certain features and/or attributes depending on whether the footwear is anticipated to be used on natural outdoor surfaces, such as natural turf (e.g., grass), synthetic turf, dirt, snow; synthetic outdoor surfaces, such as rubber running tracks; or indoor surfaces, such as hardwood flooring/courts, rubber floors; and any other type of surface. 
     Footwear  110  is depicted in  FIG. 1  as a high top sneaker, suitable for wear playing basketball, for example. However, the disclosed manufacturing apparatuses and methods may be applicable for manufacturing any type of footwear, including other types of athletic shoes, such as running shoes or cleated shoes; dress shoes, such as oxfords or loafers; casual shoes; or any other type of footwear. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , footwear  110  may include a sole structure  112  and an upper  114 . For reference purposes, footwear  110  may be divided into three general regions: a forefoot region  116 , a midfoot region  118 , and a heel region  120 . Forefoot region  116  generally includes portions of footwear  110  corresponding with the toes and the joints connecting the metatarsals with the phalanges. Midfoot region  118  generally includes portions of footwear  110  corresponding with an arch area of the foot. Heel region  120  generally corresponds with rear portions of the foot, including the calcaneus bone. Regions  116 ,  118 , and  120  are not intended to demarcate precise areas of footwear  110 . Rather, regions  116 ,  118 , and  120  are intended to represent general relative areas of footwear  110  to aid in the following discussion. Since sole structure  112  and upper  114  both span substantially the entire length of footwear  110 , the terms forefoot region  116 , midfoot region  118 , and heel region  120  apply not only to footwear  110  in general, but also to sole structure  112  and upper  114 , as well as the individual elements of sole structure  112  and upper  114 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , upper  114  may include an ankle opening  122  in heel region  120  provides access to the interior void or cavity configured to receive a foot. In addition, upper  114  may include a lace  124 , which may be utilized to modify the dimensions of the interior void, thereby securing the foot within the interior void and facilitating entry and removal of the foot from the interior void. Lace  124  may extend through apertures in upper  120 , and a tongue portion  126  of upper  114  may extend between the interior void and lace  124 . Upper  114  may alternatively implement any of a variety of other configurations, materials, and/or closure mechanisms. For example, upper  114  may include sock-like liners instead of a more traditional tongue; alternative closure mechanisms, such as hook and loop fasteners (for example, straps), buckles, clasps, cinches, or any other arrangement for securing a foot within the void defined by upper  114 . 
     An upper of an article of footwear may be formed of one or more panels. In embodiments that combine two or more panels, the panels may be fixedly attached to one another. For example, upper panels may be attached to one another using stitching, adhesive, welding, and/or any other suitable attachment technique. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , upper  114  may include one or more upper panels  138 . For example, in some embodiments, upper  114  may be made from a single panel. In other embodiments, upper  114  may be formed of multiple panels. For example, upper  114  may include a first upper panel  140  and a second upper panel  142 . The shape and size of upper panels  138  may have any suitable form, and those skilled in the art will recognize various possible shapes and sizes for upper panels  138  other than those shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     Upper  114  may be formed out of any suitable materials. For example, upper panels  138  may be formed of such materials as leather, textiles, canvas, foam, rubber, polyurethane, vinyl, nylon, synthetic leathers, and/or any other suitable material. In some cases, footwear  110  may be formed out of multiple panels in order to facilitate assembly of footwear  110 . In some embodiments, multiple panels may be used for upper  114  in order to enable different materials to be used in different parts of upper  114 . Different materials may be chosen for different panels of footwear  110  based on factors such as strength, durability, wear-resistance, flexibility, breathability, elasticity, and comfort. 
     Sole structure  112  may be fixedly attached to upper  114  (for example, with adhesive, stitching, welding, and/or other suitable techniques) and may have a configuration that extends between upper  114  and the ground. Sole structure  112  may include provisions for attenuating ground reaction forces (that is, cushioning the foot). In addition, sole structure  112  may be configured to provide traction, impart stability, and/or limit various foot motions, such as pronation, supination, and/or other motions. 
     In some embodiments, sole structure  112  may include multiple components, which may individually and/or collectively provide footwear  110  with a number of attributes, such as support, rigidity, flexibility, stability, cushioning, comfort, reduced weight, and/or other attributes. In some embodiments, sole structure  112  may include an insole  127 , a midsole  128 , and a ground engaging sole component  130 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . In some embodiments, midsole  128  may include a support plate  132 . Insole  127  and support plate  132  are shown in broken lines in order to illustrate hidden boundaries of these components, not visible from the exterior of footwear  110 . In some cases, one or more of these components of sole structure  112  may be omitted. Further, footwear  110  may also include a heel counter  134  affixed to or incorporated within upper  114 . 
     Insole  127  may be disposed in the void defined by upper  114 . Insole  127  may extend through each of regions  116 ,  118 , and  120  and between the lateral and medial sides of footwear  110 . Insole  127  may be formed of a deformable (for example, compressible) material, such as polyurethane foams, or other polymer foam materials. Accordingly, insole  127  may, by virtue of its compressibility, provide cushioning, and may also conform to the foot in order to provide comfort, support, and stability. 
     In some embodiments, insole  127  may be removable from footwear  110 , for example, for replacement or washing. In other embodiments, insole  127  may be integrally formed with the footbed of upper  114 . In other embodiments, insole  127  may be fixedly attached within footwear  110 , for example, via permanent adhesive, welding, stitching, and/or another suitable technique. In some embodiments of footwear  110 , upper  114  may include a bottom portion defining a lower aspect of the void formed by upper  114 . Therefore, in such embodiments, insole  127  may be disposed above the bottom portion of upper  114 , inside the void formed by upper  114 . In other embodiments, upper  14  may not extend fully beneath insole  127 , and thus, in such embodiments, insole  127  may rest atop midsole  128  (or sole component  30  in embodiments that do not include a midsole). 
     Footwear  110  is depicted in  FIG. 1  as having a midsole  128 . The general location of midsole  128  has been depicted in  FIG. 1  as it may be incorporated into any of a variety of types of footwear. Midsole  128  may be fixedly attached to a lower area of upper  114  (for example, through stitching, adhesive bonding, thermal bonding (for example, welding), and/or other techniques), or may be integral with upper  114 . Midsole  128  may extend through each of regions  116 ,  118 , and  120  and between the lateral and medial sides of footwear  110 . 
     In some embodiments, portions of midsole  128  may be exposed around the periphery of footwear  110 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . For example, one or more support members  150 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , support members  150  may, for example, be embodied as substantially cylindrical columns configured to provide cushioning and stability. In other embodiments, midsole  128  may be completely covered by other elements, such as material layers of upper  114 . 
     Midsole  128  may be formed from any suitable material having the properties described above, according to the activity for which footwear  110  is intended. In some embodiments, midsole  128  may include a foamed polymer material, such as polyurethane (PU), ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA), or any other suitable material that operates to attenuate ground reaction forces as sole structure  112  contacts the ground during walking, running, or other ambulatory activities. 
     In some embodiments, a midsole may include, in addition (or as an alternative) to cushioning components, such as support members  150  discussed above, features that provide support and/or rigidity. In some embodiments, such features may include a support plate that extends at least part of the length of footwear  110 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 1 , midsole  128  may include support plate  132 . In some embodiments, support plate  132  may extend a portion of the length of footwear  110 . In other embodiments, support plate  132  may extend substantially the entire length of footwear  110 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     Support plate  132  may be a substantially flat, plate-like platform. Support plate  132 , although relatively flat, may include various anatomical contours, such as a relatively rounded longitudinal profile, a heel portion that is higher than the forefoot portion, a higher arch support region, and other anatomical features. 
     Support plate  132  may be formed of a relatively rigid plastic, carbon fiber, or other such material, in order to maintain a substantially flat surface upon which the forces applied by a foot during ambulatory activities may be distributed. Support plate  132  may also provide torsional stiffness to sole structure  112 , in order to provide stability and responsiveness. 
     A ground-engaging sole component may include features that provide traction, grip, stability, support, and/or cushioning. For example, a sole component may have ground-engaging members, such as treads, cleats, or other patterned or randomly positioned structural elements. A sole component may also be formed of a material having properties suitable to provide grip and traction on the surface upon which the footwear is anticipated to be used. For example, a sole component configured for use on soft surfaces, may be formed of a relatively hard material, such as hard plastic. For instance, cleated footwear, such as soccer shoes, configured for use on soft grass may include a sole component made of hard plastic, having relatively rigid ground engaging members (cleats). Alternatively, a sole component configured for use on hard surfaces, such as hardwood, may be formed of a relatively soft material. For example, a basketball shoe configured for use on indoor hardwood courts may include a sole component formed of a relatively soft rubber material. 
     Ground-engaging sole components may be formed of suitable materials for achieving the desired performance attributes. Sole components may be formed of any suitable polymer, composite, and/or metal alloy materials. Exemplary such materials may include thermoplastic and thermoset polyurethane (TPU), polyester, nylon, polyether block amide, alloys of polyurethane and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, carbon fiber, poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide (paraaramid fibers, e.g., Kevlar®), titanium alloys, and/or aluminum alloys. In some embodiments, sole components may be formed of a composite of two or more materials, such as carbon-fiber and poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide. In some embodiments, these two materials may be disposed in different portions of the sole component. Alternatively, or additionally, carbon fibers and polyparaphenylene terephthalamide fibers may be woven together in the same fabric, which may be laminated to form the sole component. Other suitable materials and composites will be recognized by those having skill in the art. 
     The sole component may be formed by any suitable process. For example, in some embodiments, the sole component may be formed by molding. In addition, in some embodiments, various elements of the sole component may be formed separately and then joined in a subsequent process. Those having ordinary skill in the art will recognize other suitable processes for making the sole components discussed in this disclosure. As shown in  FIG. 1 , sole component  130  may be disposed at a bottom portion of footwear  110  and may be fixedly attached to midsole  128 . 
     In addition, in some embodiments, footwear may include other footwear components, such as a heel counter. In some cases, components such as heel counters may, themselves, be upper panels. In other cases, heel counters, and other such components, may be separate components added to an upper. 
     In some embodiments, an article of footwear may include a heel counter to provide support and stability to the heel and ankle regions of the foot. In some embodiments, the heel counter may be disposed on an outside portion of the upper. In other embodiments, the heel counter may be disposed in between layers of the upper. The heel counter may be formed of a relatively rigid material, configured to stiffen the rear section of an article of footwear, including the heel region. In some embodiments, the heel counter may include a U-shaped structure configured to wrap around the lateral, rear, and medial portions of the heel region of the footwear. In some embodiments, the heel counter may also include a bottom portion configured to be disposed under the heel region of the upper. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , footwear  110  may include heel counter  134 . Heel counter  134  may be fixedly attached to upper  114  in heel region  120  of footwear  110 . For example, heel counter  134  may wrap around the lateral, rear, and medial sides of heel region  120 . Heel counter  134  may be formed of a suitably rigid material, such as hard plastic, carbon fiber, stiff cardboard, or any other type of relatively rigid material. In some embodiments, heel counter  134  may be attached to an exterior of upper  114  with adhesive, stitching, welding, or another suitable fastening technique. Heel counter  134  may have a pre-formed shape, or may be shaped/molded in conjunction with its attachment to upper  114 , as will be discussed in greater detail below. 
     Midsole Adjustment System 
     Midsole  128  of sole structure  112  may include one or more support members  150 . Support members  150  may include substantially cylindrical support columns disposed, for example, in heel region  120  of footwear  110 . In some embodiments, support members  150  may have other configurations and/or shapes. For example, in some embodiments, support members may have a rectangular, oval, square, or other cross-sectional shape. In addition, sidewalls of support members may be curved, for example in either a convex (bulged) manner, as shown in  FIG. 1 , or a concave (hourglass) manner. Support members  150 , as part of midsole  128 , may provide cushioning and stability to footwear  110 . Accordingly, support members  150  may be formed of any suitable material, such as rubber, foam, plastics, and any other suitable materials. In some embodiments, support members  150  may be hollow, whereas, in other embodiments, support members  150  may be solid. In still other embodiments, support members  150  may contain a fluid medium, such as a liquid, gel, or gas. Support members  150  may be compressible to absorb and control ground reaction forces, and may be resilient such that, when any loads applied to support members  150  are released, support members  150  may return to an uncompressed/undeformed shape. 
     Various wearers may have different preferences as to the performance characteristics of their footwear. For example, when choosing footwear, wearers may consider characteristics such as weight, fitment, comfort, and traction. In some cases, one wearer may favor lightweight at the expense of fit, whereas another wearer may favor traction over lightweight. Similarly, wearers may also consider characteristics such as cushioning, stability, responsiveness, and control. Like the characteristics above, these characteristics are also weighed differently by different wearers. In some cases, differences in the physical characteristics of the wearers and/or differences in the activities performed by the wearers while wearing the footwear may influence the wearers&#39; preferences. For example, heavier wearers may prefer a relatively softer midsole that offers more cushioning, whereas a lighter wearer may prefer a relatively harder midsole that is more responsive. Similarly, a wearer that is performing a power intensive exercise, such as a football lineman, may want a stiffer sole structure to provide support and stability, whereas a wearer that is performing an exercise that involves more speed and quickness, such as a football wide receiver, may prefer lightweight footwear, with high levels of responsiveness. In addition, two similarly sized athletes performing the same activity may have different preferences regarding footwear characteristics. Further, athletes may have conditions (for example, injuries) that influence their footwear selection. For example, two similarly sized athletes may play the same sport, but one has an injured knee and, therefore, favors footwear with more cushioning. 
     The performance characteristics of footwear may be tailored based on shoe size. That is, each size of footwear may be provided with performance characteristics that are based on the average weight of wearers of that size. However, not all wearers of that size may be the same weight. Further, many other factors discussed above may lead to wearers having varied preferences as to the performance characteristics of footwear. Accordingly, footwear that is mass produced may not be tuned precisely to the preferences of each wearer when the footwear leaves the factory. Accordingly, it may be desirable to have a way to alter the performance characteristics of a midsole via a wearer adjustment built into (or onto) the footwear. 
     The present disclosure is directed to adjustment systems for adjusting performance characteristics of midsole components.  FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary midsole adjustment system  155 . Adjustment system  155  may include, in addition to support members  150 , a tensile member  160 , which may at least partially surround support members  150 . Tensile member  160  may serve as a cinch, and thus, tensile member  160  may be tightened (cinched) around support members  150  to alter the performance characteristics of midsole  128  by altering one or more properties of support members  150 . For example, tightening tensile member  160  may squeeze support members  150 , which may alter the shape of support members  150 , such as by increasing the height of support members  150  and/or decreasing the width of support members  150 , as discussed in greater detail below. Further, tightening tensile member  160  about support members  150  may alter the vertical compliance or compressibility and/or the horizontal stiffness of support members  150 , as well as other properties of support members  150 . In some configurations, multiple tensile members may be associate with a support member (for example in a parallel fashion), which may increase the surface area over which the compression is applied to the support member by the tensile members. 
     In some embodiments, support members  150  may be hollow, gas-filled chambers formed, for example, by bladders. In such embodiments, tightening tensile member  160  may alter the compressibility, or other performance characteristics, of support members  150 . For example, tightening tensile member  160  may increase the pressure of the gas within the chambers, thus altering the compressibility, support, rigidity, shape, height, and/or other characteristics of support members  150 . In some embodiments, support members  150  may be filled with gases at substantially atmospheric pressure. Bladders filled with gases at substantially atmospheric pressure may be made with significantly less cost than more highly pressurized chambers. However, atmospheric pressure is typically not suitable for supporting the weight of a wearer. Accordingly, tightening tensile member  160  may pressurize support members  150  to a supportive pressure, and such pressure may be adjusted by the wearer according to their performance preferences. 
     Support member chambers may be formed from a polymer or other bladder material that provides a sealed barrier for enclosing a fluid. As noted above, the bladder material may be transparent. A wide range of polymer materials may be utilized for such chambers. In selecting materials for chambers, engineering properties of the material (e.g., tensile strength, stretch properties, fatigue characteristics, dynamic modulus, and loss tangent) as well as the ability of the material to prevent the diffusion of the fluid contained by the chambers may be considered. When formed of thermoplastic urethane, for example, the outer barrier of the chambers may have a thickness of approximately 1.0 millimeter, but the thickness may range from 0.25 to 2.0 millimeters or more, for example. 
     In addition to thermoplastic urethane, examples of polymer materials that may be suitable for support member chambers include polyurethane, polyester, polyester polyurethane, and polyether polyurethane. Chambers may also be formed from a material that includes alternating layers of thermoplastic polyurethane and ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,713,141 and 5,952,065 to Mitchell, et al. A variation upon this material may also be utilized, wherein a center layer is formed of ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer, layers adjacent to the center layer are formed of thermoplastic polyurethane, and outer layers are formed of a regrind material of thermoplastic polyurethane and ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer. Another suitable material for chambers is a flexible microlayer membrane that includes alternating layers of a gas barrier material and an elastomeric material, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,082,025 and 6,127,026 to Bonk, et al. Additional suitable materials are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,183,156 and 4,219,945 to Rudy. Further suitable materials include thermoplastic films containing a crystalline material, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,936,029 and 5,042,176 to Rudy, and polyurethane including a polyester polyol, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,013,340; 6,203,868; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,321,465 to Bonk, et al. The patents listed in this paragraph are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     The fluid within chambers may range in pressure from zero to three-hundred-fifty kilopascals (i.e., approximately fifty-one pounds per square inch) or more. In some configurations of sole structure  30 , a suitable pressure for the fluid may be a substantially ambient pressure. That is, the pressure of the fluid may be within five kilopascals of the ambient pressure of the atmospheric air surrounding footwear  10 . The pressure of fluid within chambers may be selected to provide desirable performance attributes. For example, higher pressures may provide a more responsive cushioning element, whereas lower pressures may provide more ground force attenuation (a softer cushion). The pressure of fluid within chambers may be selected to work in concert with other cushioning elements of footwear  10 , such as foam members and/or an insole (not shown). 
     In some configurations, support member chambers may be inflated with substantially pure nitrogen. Such an inflation gas promotes maintenance of the pressure within chambers through diffusion pumping, whereby the deficiency of other gases (besides nitrogen), such as oxygen, within chambers biases the system for inward diffusion of such gasses into chambers. Further, bladder materials, such as those discussed above, may be substantially impermeable to nitrogen, thus preventing the escape of the nitrogen from chambers. 
     In some configurations, relatively small amounts of other gases, such as oxygen or a mixture of gasses, such as air, may be added to the nitrogen occupying most of the volume within support member chambers. In addition to air and nitrogen, the fluid contained by chambers may include octafluorapropane or be any of the gasses disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,340,626 to Rudy, such as hexafluoroethane and sulfur hexafluoride, for example. In some configurations, chamber  50  may incorporate a valve that permits the individual to adjust the pressure of the fluid. In other configurations, chambers may be incorporated into a fluid system, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,210,249 to Passke, et al., as a pump chamber or a pressure chamber. In order to pressurize chambers or portions of chambers, the general inflation methods disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2009-0151195 (entitled “Method For Inflating A Fluid-Filled Chamber” and filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on 17 Dec. 2007), and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2009-0151196 (entitled “Article Of Footwear Having A Sole Structure With A Fluid-Filled Chamber” and filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on 17 Dec. 2007), may be utilized. The patents and published patent applications listed in this paragraph are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     Upon inflation, chambers experience pressure that is evenly distributed to all portions of the inner surface of the bladder material from which the chamber is formed. Accordingly, the tendency is for chambers, when inflated, to take on an outwardly rounded shape. In order to maintain a relatively flat shape, that is, with the upper and lower surfaces of the chamber being relatively parallel to one another, one or more tensile members may be attached to the upper and lower surface, which may restrict the distance to which the chamber may be expanded by pressurized gases in a particular direction, such as the vertical direction. Exemplary tensile member configurations are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,837,951, issued Jan. 4, 2005, and entitled “Method of Thermoforming a Bladder Structure,” and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/571,749, filed Aug. 10, 2012, entitled “Methods for Manufacturing Fluid-Filled Chambers Incorporating Spacer Textile Materials,” each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Other tensile member configurations are also possible, and those having skill in the art will recognize alternative tensile member configurations that may be suitable for the support member structures described in the present disclosure. 
     Tensile member  160  may have any suitable construction. In some embodiments, tensile member  160  may include a wire, cable, rope, or other elongate, flexible (or semi-flexible) member. In some embodiments, tensile member  160  may be configured to contact support members  150  in a larger surface area. For example, in some configurations, tensile members  160  having relatively round cross-sectional shapes may have larger diameters. In some configurations, tensile member  160  may include a ribbon, strap, or other type of elongate structure having a relatively flat or flattened cross-sectional shape. In some configurations, tensile member  160  may be a wire or ribbon formed of a single filament. In other embodiments, tensile member  160  may be a cable, rope, or strap formed of multiple filaments, which may be either wound or woven together to form a single tensile member  160 . In some embodiments, tensile member  160  may be relatively inelastic in tension. In other embodiments, tensile member  160  may have a certain amount of elasticity in tension. Relatively inelastic tensile members may facilitate more significant and/or precise changes in performance characteristics, while relatively elastic tensile members may enable more subtle changes in performance characteristics and/or may provide performance characteristics that include more compliance generally. 
     Since the performance characteristics of an adjustable midsole component are based on a combination of the characteristics of the support member and the tensile member surrounding it, tensile members and support members may be selected according to the desired combined effect. For example, relatively compressible support members may be paired with relatively inelastic tensile members, which may be used to substantially stiffen the relatively compressible support members. In other cases, a high level of compressibility may still be desired within the range of adjustments. In such cases, it may be desirable to pair a relatively compressible support member with a relatively elastic tensile member. Although tightening an elastic tensile member around a compressible support member may increase the stiffness and/or decrease the compressibility of the support member, the elasticity of the tensile member still allows deformation of the support member under loads, whereas an inelastic tensile member may provide a substantially strict limitation on the amount of deformation the support member is allowed to undergo, thereby creating a potentially higher level of variation in performance characteristics. 
     In addition to having various structural configurations, the tensile members may be formed of a variety of suitable materials in order to achieve the desired characteristics discussed above. For example, in some configurations, the tensile member may be a semi-flexible, mono-filament, metal wire. In other configurations, the tensile member may be a semi-flexible, multi-filament, metal cable. In other configurations, the tensile member may be formed of synthetic materials, such as polymers and composites. In some embodiments, mono-filament plastics, for example, similar to fishing line, may be utilized. In other embodiments, wound or woven synthetic materials, such as poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide (para-aramid fibers, e.g., Kevlar® may be utilized to form the tensile member. 
     In some embodiments, system  155  may include a wire housing  170 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . Wire housing  170  may provide a smooth, clean, low friction environment in which tensile member  160  may slide. In addition, tubular wire housing enclosing at least part of tensile member  160  may be configured to maintain positioning of tensile member  160  and distribute forces applied to support member  150  by tensile member  160  by contacting support member  150  over a surface area that is larger than one half the circumference of tensile member  160 . Details of wire housing design are well-known to artisans in the field of bicycle shifting and brake cables. Technologies, such as friction-reducing polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) inner coatings, that may be used in bicycle shifter and brake cable housings may also be applicable to the presently disclosed embodiments. 
     In addition, adjustment system  155  may include a tensioning device  165 . Tensioning device  165  may include, for example, a dial-type device configured to wind tensile member  160 , in order to shorten the amount of wire wrapped around support members  150 , to thereby tighten tensile member  160 , thus altering the performance characteristics of support members  150 . Further details regarding exemplary tensioning devices, and exemplary adjustment systems in general, are provided below in reference other disclosed embodiments. The factors, considerations, and details discussed above with regard to  FIG. 1 , may also be applicable to the embodiments discussed below. 
       FIGS. 2 and 3  illustrate the alteration in shape of a support member when squeezed by the tightening of a tensile member at least partially surrounding the support member.  FIG. 2  shows a midsole adjustment system  200 , including a support member  202 .  FIG. 2  shows support member  202  in an unloaded condition. In  FIG. 2 , support member  202  has a substantially convex shape. Adjustment system  200  may include a tensile member  205 , which may be slidably disposed within a housing  210 . Tensile member  205  and/or housing  210  may be disposed within an indentation, such as a groove  215  in support member  202 , which may maintain the vertical placement of housing  210  and, therefore the vertical placement of tensile member  205 , relative to support member  202 . In the unloaded condition, support member  202  may have a first diameter  220 , and a first height  225 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates the effect of tightening tensile member  205  on the shape of support member  202 . Notably, under the radially inward force applied by tightening tensile member  205 , support member  202  compresses radially to have a smaller second diameter  230 , while increasing its vertical dimension to a second height  235 . Support member  205  may be formed of a resilient material, as discussed above, and, accordingly, may return to its original shape when loads applied by tensile member  205  are released. 
     These changes in shape of support member  202  by tensile member  205  may be used to tailor footwear to a wearer. In some embodiments, this type of shape alteration of support member  202  may be utilized to slightly change the form of the footbed on which the wearer stands. For example, if support member  202  is mounted in a heel region of an article of footwear, the amount of heel raise may be varied according to the wearer&#39;s preference. In some cases, a heel height may be raised in an athletic shoe in order to alleviate or prevent symptoms of an injury. For example, it may be desirable to raise the heel of an athlete who has, or wishes to prevent, an Achilles tendon injury, or other type of injury that could be affected by the amount of ankle flexion in a person&#39;s gait. This type of shape alteration could also be used to provide a higher or lower footbed toward the medial or lateral side of the footwear. This may be utilized to treat or prevent injuries or conditions such as pronation and/or supination. 
     In some embodiments, footwear may be constructed such that tightening may not result in a significant increase in height of support member  202 . In such embodiments, the more significant effect of the tightening may be to prevent the expansion in the radial direction caused by vertical loads that are applied to support member  202 . By preventing or limiting radial expansion of support member  202  under vertical loads, the compressibility of support member  202  may be reduced. Thus, tightening tensile member  205  about support member  202  may be utilized to preload support member so it does not react as significantly (that is, it will not compress as much) under loads. Limiting the compressibility of support members may provide a less compliant, but more responsive midsole, which may be preferred by some wearers. 
     In addition, tightening tensile member  205  about support member  202  may also affect the lateral stiffness of support member  202 . Under lateral loads (for example, that may result from an athlete cutting from side-to-side), support member  202  may be subjected to shear forces, which may cause the side profile of support member  202  to appear substantially like a parallelogram, as the top portion of support member  202  may translate more laterally (with the upper of the footwear) than a bottom portion of support member  202  (which is more closely affixed to the ground engaging sole component). The more of this shear strain that is allowed by support member  202 , the less responsive an article of footwear will be to lateral loading, such as during cutting by an athlete. Accordingly, tensile member  205  may be tightened about support member  202  to increase the lateral stiffness of support member  202 , thereby increasing the responsiveness of the article of footwear. 
     Exemplary Midsole Adjustment System Configurations 
     The following embodiments illustrate possible implementations of the concepts discussed above. For example, as discussed in greater detail below, the alterations in support member characteristics provided by tightening tensile members around support members may be implemented at various locations of footwear sole structure (forefoot, heel, medial, and lateral). The following embodiments also illustrate exemplary implementations of tensioning devices to effectuate tensile member tightening. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates an implementation of support member  202  as a single heel support member in an article of footwear  240 . Footwear  240  may include an upper  245  configured to receive a foot of a wearer. In addition, footwear  240  may also include a ground-engaging sole component  250 . FIG. is an exploded view, showing sole component  250  as separated from the bottom of footwear  240 . Although not shown, a similar, large support member and associated adjustment system could also be incorporated into the forefoot region of footwear  240 . A suitable tensioning device may be used with this embodiment. Exemplary such devices are discussed in detail below with regard to other embodiments. It will be understood that the details of such tensioning devices discussed below may be applicable to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     In some embodiments, a midsole adjustment system may include multiple support members substantially surrounded by a single tensile member. In such embodiments, the characteristics for all of the support members may be collectively altered by tensioning the single tensile member. In some embodiments, a similar configuration may utilize plural tensile members, wherein each tensile member substantially surrounds all of the support members. In some embodiments, some support members of the system may be surrounded by more than one tensile member, whereas other support members may be surrounded by only one tensile member. In this manner, some support members in the system may be adjusted more than others. This may be beneficial, for example, to adjust high impact support members, such as those at the far rear of the footwear, where initial footstrike may occur. Other various combinations of multiple tensile members and multiple support members are also envisaged, and will be appreciated by those having ordinary skill in the art. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates an article of footwear  540 , including an upper  545  and a sole structure  512 . Sole structure may include a ground engaging sole component  550 . In addition, footwear  540  may include a midsole adjustment system  500 . System  500  may include multiple support members  502 . Further, system  500  may include a tensile member  505 , which may be disposed within a housing  510 . In order to resist the tendency of support members  502  deflecting toward a center of the arrangement upon application of tension to tensile member  505 , system  500  may include a spacer  555 . 
     Spacer  555  may be disposed between support members  502 . Exemplary placement for such a spacer is illustrated in more detail with regard to other embodiments. Spacer  555  may be configured to buttress support members  502  against forces applied to support members by tensile member  505 . Accordingly, spacer  555  may be configured to cradle portions of support members  502 . For example, spacer  555  may include one or more indentations  560  configured to receive support members  502 . In some embodiments, spacer  555  may be formed of a relatively compressible/compliant material. In other embodiments, spacer  555  may be formed of a substantially rigid material. A substantially rigid spacer may be configured to resist compression, thereby causing a substantial majority of the deformation of support members  502  to be elongation in the direction substantially perpendicular to the radial direction in which compression forces are applied by tensile member  505 . 
     The rigidity/compressibility of spacer  555  may be a significant factor in determining how much adjustment to performance properties of support members  502  will be created by the tensioning of tensile members  505 . The more rigid the spacer, the more adjustment (stiffness) will be created by tensioning tensile members about the support members. In some embodiments, spacer  555  may have a horizontal compliance that is substantially different from the horizontal compliance of support members  502 . In other embodiments, spacer  555  may have a horizontal compliance that is substantially the same as the horizontal compliance of support members  502 . 
       FIG. 6  illustrates an additional embodiment including a midsole adjustment system in a heel region of an article of footwear. As shown in  FIG. 6 , an article of footwear  600  may include an upper  605  and a sole structure  610 . Sole structure may include a ground engaging sole component  615  and a midsole adjustment system  620 . 
     In some embodiments, adjustment system  620  may include a plurality of support members  625  in a heel region of footwear  600 . In addition, system  620  may include a tensile member  630  substantially surrounding support members  625 . Tensile member  630  may be slidably disposed in a wire housing  635 . In some embodiments, as shown in  FIG. 6 , sole structure  610  may include a void  626  defined by a first surface  627  and a second surface  628  opposite first surface  627 . In some embodiments, support members  625  may be located within void  626 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 6 , support members  625  may be secured to first surface  627  and second surface  628 . In addition, wire member  630  may extend at least partially around support members  625  at a location between first surface  627  and second surface  628 . 
     Tensile member  630  may be associated with a tensioning device  640 . In some embodiments, tensioning device  640  may include a dial  645 , which may be rotated in order to tighten tensile member  630 . In some embodiments, dial  645  may be depressed and then twisted in order to apply tension. The internals of tensioning device  640  may include a ratcheting mechanism, so that incremental increases in tension may be applied, without slippage of tensile member  630  that can cause unwanted loosening. In some embodiments, dial  645  may be pressed or pulled upward in order to release the tension on tensile member  630 . In other embodiments, tensioning device  640  may be rotated in an opposite direction from the tightening direction in order to loosen tensile member  630 . Tensioning device  640  may include an arrow  650 , which may be single-headed or double-headed, in order to indicate the direction in which dial  645  may be turned in order to tension tensile member  630 . In some embodiments, dial  645  may also include indicia  655 , providing, for example, instructions regarding usage of dial  645  to tighten and/or loosen tensile member  630 . 
     Dial-type wire lacing systems are known in the art. Exemplary such systems have been developed by Boa Technology Inc. Additional details regarding exemplary Boa lacing systems may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,934,599; 6,202,953; and 6,689,558, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. The present disclosure does not, however, propose implementing dial-type wire tensioning systems for lacing an article of footwear. Rather, the present disclosure proposes to implement such tensioning devices for altering the performance characteristics of midsole components of an article of footwear. 
     In some embodiments, tensioning device  640  may be located on an exterior of footwear  600 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 6 , tensioning device  640  may be located on an instep region of footwear  600 . For example, tensioning device  640  may be disposed on or near conventional shoe laces. In some embodiments, however, alternative closure systems may be used, such as straps, hook and loop fasteners, and any other suitable closure system. In addition to providing tension around support members  625 , in some embodiments, placement of tensioning device  640  in the instep region may have the additional benefit of tightening the top of footwear  600  against the wearer&#39;s instep. In some embodiments, however, use of wire housing and housing ferrules may limit the degree to which this tension is transmitted to the instep region via housing  635 . As such, variations in the components of footwear  600  may affect the degree to which wire  630  and tensioning device  640  may be used to tighten the upper against the foot. 
     In order to wrap tensile member  630  substantially around support members  625 , and provide an improved angle of tension, housing  635  may be routed in a lateral direction, in front of support members  625  before proceeding up around upper  605  to the instep region. In this wire routing configuration, tensile member  630  and housing  635  may crisscross in front of support members  625 , in an opening  660  provided in an arch region  665  of footwear  600 . Accordingly, tensile member  630  may extend from tensioning device  640  disposed on the instep of footwear  600  around support members  625  disposed in the heel region of footwear  600  and may crisscross under arch region  665  of footwear  600  between tensioning device  640  and support members  625  in arch region  665 . 
       FIG. 7  is a bottom view of the embodiment of  FIG. 6  with ground engaging sole component  615  removed for purposes of illustration. As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , housing  635  crisscrosses through opening  660  in arch region  665 . In order to facilitate this crisscrossing, the midsole may include a grooved plate  675 . 
     As also shown in  FIG. 7 , adjustment system  620  may include a spacer  670  that operates similarly to spacer  555 . Spacer  670  may include one or more indentations  672  configured to receive support members  625 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 7 , in some embodiments, each of support members  625  may be located within one of a plurality of indentations  672 . In some embodiments, support member  670  may fit between support members  625  with a small space between support members  625  and spacer  670 . This may allow for deformation of support members  625  caused by compression during use. In other embodiments, spacer  670  may fit relatively snugly between support members  625 . This may impart more control and influence over the adjustability that can be achieved with system  620 . In some embodiments, spacer  670  may be absent. 
       FIG. 8  is an enlarged view of grooved plate  675  in arch region  665  of footwear  600 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , footwear  600  may be provided with crisscrossing grooves that enable housing  635  to crisscross in arch region  665  without causing binding of tensile member  630  at the intersection. For example, plate  675  may include a first groove  680  and a second groove  685 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , first groove  680  may be deeper than second groove  685  in order to allow overlap of housing  635  with itself without binding. It should also be noted that, while in some embodiments, housing  635  may be exposed, as shown in  FIGS. 6-8 , in other embodiments, part or all of housing  635  may be encased within other shoe components. Accordingly, in some embodiments, plate  675  may include crisscrossing through holes (tunnels) through which housing  635  may pass. 
     For reasons discussed above, it may be desirable to provide independent adjustability for different parts of a sole structure. For example, it may be desirable to provide a different adjustment for a heel region than a forefoot region. It may be further desirable to provide different adjustments for medial and lateral sides of an article of footwear. For example,  FIGS. 9-11  illustrate an exemplary embodiment having three separate midsole adjustment systems, including a heel system, a medial forefoot system, and a lateral forefoot system. 
       FIG. 9  is a bottom side view of an article of footwear  900  with the ground engaging sole component removed, exposing various components of a sole structure  903 . Footwear  900  may include a heel region  905 , a midfoot region  910 , and a forefoot region  915 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 9 , footwear  900  may include a heel adjustment system  920  disposed in heel region  905 . Heel adjustment system  920  may include a plurality of support members, including a first support member  922 , a second support member  924 , a third support member  926 , and a fourth support member  928 . Heel adjustment system  920  may also include a tensile member  930 , which may be slidably disposed in a housing  932 . Further, heel adjustment system  920  may include a tensioning device  934 . In some embodiments, tensioning device  934  may be disposed on a rear (heel) portion of the upper of footwear  900 , as shown in  FIG. 9 . In some embodiments, tensioning device  934  may be rotated, as indicated by an arrow  936 , in order to tighten tensile member  930 . In addition, heel adjustment system  920  may include a spacer  938 . These components of heel adjustment system may be substantially similar to the components of system  620  discussed above and shown in  FIGS. 6-8 , with the exception of tensioning device  934  being located on a heel portion of footwear  900  instead of on an instep portion. 
     Footwear  900  may also include a medial adjustment system  940 , which may be disposed in forefoot region  915 . In some embodiments, portions of system  940  may be disposed in midfoot region  910 , as shown in  FIG. 9 . Medial adjustment system  940  may include a plurality of support members, including, for example, a fifth support member  942 , a sixth support member  944 , and a seventh support member  946 . In addition, medial adjustment system  940  may include a tensile member  950 , which may be configured to substantially surround support members  942 ,  944 , and  946 . Tensile member  950  may be slidably disposed within a housing  952 . Tensile member  950  may be tightened with a tensioning device  954 . In some embodiments, tensioning device may include a dial  955 , which may be rotated, for example, in a direction of an arrow  956  in order to tighten tensile member  950  about support members  942 ,  944 , and  946 . 
     In some embodiments, medial adjustment system  940  may also include a guide block  958 . Guide block  958  may be configured to receive tensile member  950  and housing  952  and route these components to a medial side of the upper of footwear  900 . 
     Footwear  900  may also include a lateral adjustment system  960 . Lateral adjustment system  960  may include a plurality of support members, including an eighth support member  962 , a ninth support member  964 , and a tenth support member  966 . Lateral adjustment system  960  may also include a tensile member  970 , which may be slidably disposed in a housing  972 . In addition, lateral adjustment system  960  may include a tensioning device  974 . In some embodiments, tensioning device  974  may include a dial  975 , which may be rotated in a direction  976  to effectuate adjustments in tension of tensile member  970 . 
     Tensile members  950  and  970  and housings  952  and  972  may crisscross in between two or more of the support members. Such crisscross routing may be facilitated in a manner similar to the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 6-8  regarding the crisscrossing of tensile members in an arch region  665  of footwear  600 . Alternatively, housings  952  and  972  may be substantially enclosed within other footwear components. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 9 , the support members may have different sizes in different regions of the footwear. For example, heel region support members may be larger than forefoot support members. In addition, certain forefoot support members may be larger than other forefoot support members, in order to tailor the midsole&#39;s properties to the loads produced by a foot. As shown in  FIG. 9 , first support member  922  may have a first diameter  980 , fifth support member  942  may have a fifth diameter  982 , sixth support member  944  may have a sixth diameter  984 , and eighth support member  962  may have an eighth diameter  986 . In some embodiments, diameters  980 ,  982 ,  984 , and  962  may all be different from one another. This may be based on the general loading of a human foot. A large amount of weight may be placed on sixth support member  944 , compared to eighth support member  962 , which is disposed near the fifth phalanx. These differences in support member sizing may influence the effect tightening the tensile members may have on the support members. 
     In some embodiments, all support members on an article of footwear may have substantially the same structural properties. Alternatively, or additionally, different support members of an article of footwear may have different structural properties. As examples, the height, width, circumference, and other dimensions may vary between support members. Moreover, support members may be formed from different materials, or different densities of the same materials. In addition, some support members may be hollow, whereas others may be solid. Further, the performance characteristics of the support members may vary. For example, compressibility, stiffness, hardness, and other characteristics may vary from support member to support member. 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view of footwear  900 . As shown in  FIG. 10 , footwear  900  may include an upper  902  and sole structure  903 . Sole structure  903  may include a ground engaging sole component  904 . As illustrated in  FIG. 10 , tensioning device  974  may be disposed on a lateral side of footwear  900 , with housing  972  routed to tensioning device  974  from an opening  917  in an arch region  918  of footwear  900 . 
       FIG. 11  is a rear view of footwear  900 . As shown in  FIG. 11 , tensioning device  934  may be disposed on a rear heel portion of footwear  900 .  FIG. 11  also shows housing  932  proceeding laterally across the back of support members  926  and  928 , around a housing guide  939 , and up toward tensioning device  934 . In some embodiments, housing  932  may terminate short of tensioning device  934 , exposing a portion of tensile member  930 , as shown in  FIG. 11 . In other embodiments, housing  932  may fully enclose tensile member  930 . 
     Another midsole adjustment system  1200  that may be utilized in place of adjustment system  155  in footwear  110  is depicted in  FIG. 12 . Midsole adjustment system  1200  may include a plurality of support members  1205 . As also shown in  FIG. 12 , in some embodiments, support members  1205  may be hollow, and thus, may define an internal cavity  1207 . Support members  1205  may be disposed on a support plate  1209 . In some embodiments, support plate  1209  may be substantially rigid, in order to distribute ground reaction forces from and between the plurality of support members  1205 . System  1200  may include a tensile member  1210 , which may be disposed in a housing  1215 . 
     Adjustment system  1200  may include a differently shaped, spacer  1220 . For example, spacer  1220  may extend further around the circumference of each support member  1205 . This may provide additional control of the adjustment, additional stability, and/or additional stiffness, both in terms of vertical compliance and lateral stiffness. A further feature of midsole adjustment system  1200  relates to the routing of housing  1215 , which extends through spacer  1220 . More particularly, housing  1215  may enter and/or exit spacer  1220  at junctions  1225  and  1230 . This configuration may be utilized to secure housing  1215  at a desired location relative to the height of the support members. Although depicted as being secured about halfway up the sidewall of support members  1205 , housing  1225  and tensile member  1210  may be located in other positions. In addition, in some embodiments, housing  1225  and tensile member  1210  may be oriented at an angle with respect to the horizontal. For example, in some cases, it may be desirable to provide more or less cushion at an edge of support members that face an outer edge of the sole component. For instance, it may be desirable to provide more (or less) compliance at a rearmost edge of a heel portion of a sole structure. Similarly, different levels of compliance may be desired at forward, medial, and/or lateral edges of footwear. Accordingly, an angled orientation of housing and tensile members may provide a support member with compliance that has a gradient (increasing or decreasing with distance from the edge of the footwear). 
     Adjustable Width Component 
     In some cases, it may be desirable for a wearer to be able to customize the width and, therefore, the fit of their footwear. In some embodiments, a plurality of elongate members may be deformed, using wire tension forces, to narrow the structure. 
       FIG. 13  illustrates a bottom view of an alternative implementation of tensile members configured to be tightened in order to alter the configuration of a sole structure.  FIG. 13  shows a schematic illustration of a sole structure of an article of footwear  1300 . Footwear  1300  may include an upper  1302  configured substantially as described elsewhere in this disclosure. As shown in  FIG. 13 , a portion of upper  1302  may wrap at least partially in a horizontal direction under the cavity formed by upper  1302 . In addition, footwear  1300  may include a sole structure  1305 , including an adjustable width component  1310 . Adjustable width component  1310  may include at least one row of flexible elongate members  1315  extending substantially horizontally. In some embodiments, elongate members  1315  may extend in a lateral direction. Elongate members  1315  may each include a first portion  1320 , a second portion  1330 , and a third portion  1325  between first portion  1320  and second portion  1330 . 
     Elongate members  1315  may be formed of any suitably flexible material. In some embodiments, elongate members  1315  may serve as cushioning components for footwear  1300 , configured to attenuate ground forces. Accordingly, in some embodiments, elongate members  1315  may be formed of a resilient foam, for example. In some embodiments, elongate members  1315  may include fluid-filled portions containing, for example, liquids, gels, and/or gases. 
     Adjustable width component  1310  may also include additional elongate members  1317 . Additional elongate members  1317  may also serve as cushioning components. Accordingly, additional elongate members  1317  may have similar features and may be formed of similar materials to elongate members  1315 , as discussed above. In some embodiments, the elongate members  1315  and additional elongate members  1317  may be differently configured. In some embodiments, elongate members  1315  and additional elongate members  1317  may alternate to form adjustable width component  1310 . For example, in some embodiments, elongate members  1315  may be fluid filled components and additional elongate members  1317  may be foam components, and the two types of components may alternate, as shown in  FIG. 13 . In some embodiments, the medial and lateral ends of elongate members  1315  may be fixedly attached to upper  1302 , for example at the horizontally extending portions shown in  FIG. 13 . 
     In addition, sole structure  1305  may include a substantially rigid member  1335  at one end of the row of elongate members. Rigid member  1335  may be fixedly attached to at least one tensile member  1355 , which may, in turn, be connected to a tensioning device  1340  at an opposite end of the row of elongate members. For example, in some embodiments rigid member  1335  may be disposed at a forward portion of footwear  1300  and tensioning device  1340  may be disposed at a rear portion of footwear  1300 , with tensile member  1355  extending in a substantially longitudinal direction, spanning the distance between these two components. Thus, in some embodiments, adjustable width component  1310  may extend substantially the entire length of footwear  1300 , as shown in  FIG. 13 . In other embodiments, adjustable width component  1310  may extend over shorter segments of footwear  1300 , such as the forefoot region or the heel region. 
     Tensioning device  1340  may include, for example, a dial  1345 , which may be turned (as indicated by an arrow  1350 ) to retract tensile member  1355 . Accordingly, tensioning device  1340  may be configured to pull substantially rigid member  1335  toward tensioning device  1340  via tensile member  1355 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 14 , tensioning device  1340  may be operated to pull tensile members  1355 , which pulls rigid member  1335  toward tensioning device  1340 .  FIG. 14  illustrates longitudinal translation of rigid member  1355  by a distance  1360 . Rigid member  1335  may have a lateral width that is shorter than elongate members  1315  so that only the central portion of each elongate member is pulled toward tensioning device  1340 . For example, in some embodiments, rigid member  1335  may include a pointed portion oriented toward tensioning device  1340 , configured to focus the pulling forces generated by tensioning device  1340  and tensile member  1355  against the central portions of elongate members  1315 . Accordingly, pulling rigid member  1335  toward tensioning device  1340  may, in turn, pull third portion  1325  of each elongate member  1315  closer to tensioning device  1340 . 
     First and second portions  1320  and  1330  of each elongate member  1315  may be fixedly attached to a peripheral portion of the sole structure. In some embodiments, first and second portions  1320  and  1330  of each elongate member  1315  may be fixedly attached to the portions of upper  1302  that wrap around the bottom portion of the cavity defined by upper  1302 . Accordingly, first and second portions  1320  and  1330  of each elongate member  1315  may remain in place, and thus, substantially the same distance from tensioning device  1340  while third portion  1325  is translated longitudinally. This may result in first and second portions  1320  and  1330  of each elongate member  1315  becoming closer to one another (as the V configuration of elongate members  1315  become deeper, that is, more acutely angled). By drawing first and second portions  1320  an  1330  closer to one another, adjustable width component  1310  may be narrowed, which may reduce the width of the foot receiving cavity defined by upper  1302 . As illustrated in  FIG. 14 , the central portion of elongate member  1315  may be moved toward tensioning device a distance indicated by a dimension  1365 . This may result in movement of the medial edge of elongate member  1315  laterally by a distance indicated by a dimension  1370  in  FIG. 14 . 
     Since elongate support members  1315  may be resilient, when the tension provided by tensioning device  1340  is released, elongate support members  1315  may return to the undeformed configuration, allowing the width of adjustable width component  1310  to increase back to the original size. In some embodiments, tensioning device  1340  may be configured to allow the release of tensile members to be controlled, for example, by turning dial  1345  in the opposite direction to the tightening direction. In other embodiments, the tension on tensile member  1355  may be fully released, for example, by simply by pushing or pulling dial  1345 . Thus, a tensioning system may be implemented to adjust the width of an article of footwear. Such a system may include, for example, an elongate member may have a first end, a second end, and a central portion. By pulling on the central portion in a direction transverse to the long axis of the elongate member, the elongate member may be deformed to have a “V” shape, with the first end and the second end at the two top parts of the “V,” and the central portion at the bottom of the “V.” Accordingly, in the deformed configuration, the first and second ends are closer to one another than when the elongate member is fully extended. By fastening the first and second ends of the elongate members to the medial and lateral portions, respectively, of an article of footwear, the width of the article of footwear may be adjusted by applying tension longitudinally on the central portions of the elongate members. 
       FIG. 15  illustrates a sole system  1500  for an article of footwear. Sole system  1500  may have any suitable shape and/or size. For example, in some configurations, sole system  1500  may be configured to be located in a heel region of the article of footwear, as shown in  FIG. 15 . In some cases, sole system  1500  may have a full-length configuration, essentially extending through forefoot, midfoot, and heel regions of the footwear. In other configurations, sole system  1500  may extend a partial length of the footwear, such as through only a heel region and midfoot region, or only through a heel region and forefoot region. 
     Sole system  1500  may include a chamber  1510  configured to contain pressurized fluid. Chamber  1510  may be formed of bladder material and pressurized in configurations similar those described above. Chamber  1510  may include a base portion  1512  and a plurality of peripheral subchambers  1514  extending upward from base portion  1512 . The size and/or shape of peripheral subchambers  1514  may be configured to provide various desired performance characteristics. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 15 , sole system  1500  may also include a mating component  1520 . Mating component  1520  may be configured to mate with the contours of chamber  1510 . For example, mating component  1520  may include a central portion  1522  and a plurality of peripheral portions  1524  extending substantially radially from central portion  1522  of mating component  1520 . As shown in  FIG. 15 , peripheral portions  1524  may extend between peripheral subchambers  1514 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 15 , peripheral portions  1524  may include projecting members that project substantially radially from central portion  1522  of mating component  1520 . 
     In some configurations, mating component  1520  may include a substantially incompressible material, such as a relatively hard plastic, carbon fiber, or other composite material. In some configurations, mating component  1520  may include a minimally compressible material, such as a relatively hard rubber or moderately compressible rubber. In some configurations mating component  1520  may include a relatively compressible material, such as a relatively soft rubber, gel-filled chamber, or a foam material. For example, in some configurations, mating component  1520  may include a compressible foam material, such as ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA) or other such foam materials. 
     In some configurations, sole system  1500  may include an adjustment system  1530  configured to vary one or more performance characteristics of sole system  1500 . For example, adjustment system  1530  may be configured to vary the compressibility (cushioning), responsiveness, stability, and/or other performance characteristics of sole system  1500 . 
     Adjustment system  1530  may include a tensile member  1532  anchored to the peripheral portions of mating component  1520 . In addition, adjustment system  1530  may include a tensioning device  1536  configured to apply tension to tensile member  1532  and thereby alter one or more performance characteristics of sole system  1500  by applying pressure to peripheral subchambers  1514  between peripheral portions  1524  of mating component  1520 . Tensioning device  1536  may be configured to apply tension in tensile member  1532  in a direction indicated by arrow  1538 , as shown in  FIG. 15 . 
     Exemplary features and configurations of tensile member  1532  and tensioning device  1536  are described above in conjunction with other disclosed embodiments. For example, tensile member  1532  may include an elongate member, such as a wire, chord, rope, cable, ribbon, or other such tensile member. Also for example, tensioning device  1536  may include a dial or other control input device configured to vary the tension on tensile member  1532 . For example, tensioning device  1536  may be configured to wind an end of tensile member  1532  to thereby apply tension to tensile member  1532 . 
     Tensile member  1532  may be fixedly attached to peripheral portions  1524  of mating component  1520  in any suitable manner. For example, tensioning member  1532  may be secured to peripheral portions  1524  at anchor points  1534  using adhesive, mechanical fasteners, or other attachment structures. Anchor points  1534  are illustrated schematically in  FIG. 15 . As shown in  FIG. 15 , anchor points  1534  may secure tensile member  1532  to the ends of peripheral portions  1524  of mating component  1520 . 
     Tensioning device  1536  is also shown schematically in  FIG. 15 . Tensioning device  1536  may be fixedly attached to the article of footwear in any suitable manner. In some configurations, tensioning device  1536  may be fixedly attached to sole system  1500 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 15 , tensioning device  1536  may be located in a rearward-most position. In other configurations, tensioning device  1536  may be located elsewhere, such as on a medial or lateral side of sole system  1500 . Also, tensioning device  1536  may be secured to chamber  1510 , as shown in  FIG. 15 , or secured to mating component  1520 . In still other configurations, tensioning device  1536  may be fixedly attached to other portions of the footwear incorporating sole system  1500 . For example, it may be advantageous to secure tensioning device  1536  to an upper of the article of footwear. In some configurations, it may be beneficial to fixedly attach tensioning device  1536  to a relatively rigid component of the footwear, such as a heel counter. 
       FIG. 16  is an exploded view of portions of sole system  1500 .  FIG. 16  illustrates chamber  1510  and mating component  1520 , but omits adjustment system  1530 . With chamber  1510  and mating component  1520  separated, as shown in  FIG. 16 , the interlocking structures of these two components are shown. For example, recesses  1516  may be provided between subchambers  1514 . Peripheral portions  1524  of mating component  1520  may extend into recesses  16  between peripheral subchambers  1514 . 
     In addition, peripheral portions  1524  may include downwardly projecting peripheral portions  1526 , which may extend downward between peripheral subchambers  1514  when assembled. In some configurations, downwardly projecting peripheral portions  1526  may extend the full height of sole system  1500 , as shown in  FIGS. 15 and 16 . Similarly, peripheral subchambers  1514  may also extend a full height of sole system  1500 . 
     It will be noted that, in some configurations, sole system  1500  may be incorporated into footwear in the illustrated orientation. In other configurations, sole system  1500  may be inverted, when incorporated into footwear. That is, chamber  1510  may be located on the top, and mating member  1520  may be located on the bottom. Therefore, downwardly projecting peripheral portions  1526  may, in some configurations, project upwardly. Similarly, the locations of other upper and lower components may be reversed. 
     In some configurations, chamber  1510  may include a base portion  1518 , as shown in  FIG. 16 . Peripheral subchambers  1514  may extend upward from base portion  1512 . In addition, peripheral subchambers  1514  may extend substantially radially from a central portion  1518  of chamber  1510 . 
     In some configurations, base portion  1512  may be configured to contain a pressurized fluid. In some such configurations, the interior of base portion  1512  may be in fluid communication with at least one of peripheral subchambers  1514 . In some configurations, the interior of base portion  1512  may be is isolated from peripheral subchambers  1514 . In some configurations, base portion  1512  may not contain a fluid. In such configurations, base portion  1512  may simply be a carrier for peripheral subchambers  1514 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 16 , central portion  1518  of chamber  1510  and central portion  1522  of mating component  1520  may be located substantially proximate to a central vertical axis  1540 . Central portion  1518  and central portion  1522  may also be located substantially along a central longitudinal axis  1550 . 
     The sizes and/or shapes of chamber  1510  and mating component  1520  may be varied to achieve desired performance characteristics. For example, the combination of a fluid-filled bladder and foam material member provides particular cushioning, stability, and responsiveness to the sole system. Some portions of sole system  1500  may include sections in which chamber  1510  extends a full height of sole system  1500 , some portions may include sections where mating component  1520  extends a full height of sole system  1500 , and some portions may include both chamber  1510  and mating component  1520  are combined to form the height of sole system  1500 . By varying the sizing, shapes, and distribution of the subsections of chamber  1510  and mating component  1520 , the performance characteristics may be tuned to take advantage of desirable aspects of the materials from which these two components are formed. 
       FIG. 17  illustrates a sole system  1700 . As shown in  FIG. 17 , sole system  1700  may include at least one support member  1710 . Support member  1710  may be a part of a sole structure, such as a midsole. Accordingly, support member  1710  may be configured to control ground reaction forces. For example, support member  1710  may be configured to provide cushioning and/or stability. Support member  1710  may include features and characteristics of support members discussed above. For example, support member  1710  may be a compressible member. Accordingly, support member  1710  may be formed of a suitable compressible material, such as foam or rubber. Further support member  1710  may be a chamber configured to contain a pressurized fluid, or a chamber including a gel. 
     Support member  1710  may have any suitable shape. For example, as shown in  FIG. 17 , support member  1710  may have a substantially cylindrical shape. In other configurations, support member  1710  may have other shapes, such as a rectangular prism or a frustoconical shape. Further details provided above with respect to other support member embodiments are applicable to support member  1710 . 
     Support member  1710  may include a top portion  1718 , a bottom portion  1719 , and a sidewall surface  1715 . In some configurations, support member  1710  may also include a through hole  1712  extending from a first opening  1713  in a first area of sidewall surface  1715  to a second opening  1714  in a second area of sidewall surface  1715 , as shown in  FIG. 17 . 
     As also shown in  FIG. 17 , sole system  1700  may include an adjustment system  1720 , which may include a tensile member  1730  extending through the through hole  1712  of support member  1710 , and a tensioning device (not shown in  FIG. 17 , but shown and described elsewhere herein in conjunction with other embodiments). Adjustment system  1720  may be configured to selectively alter one or more performance characteristics of support member  1710  by adjusting tension in tensile member  1730 . Tensile member  1730  and the tensioning device may have similar features and characteristics of tensile members and tensioning devices discussed above. 
     Adjustment system  1720  may also include a compression member  1722 . Compression member  1722  may include an upper member  1724  located above support member  1710 , a lower member  1726  located below support member  1710 , and a side member  1728  connecting upper member  1724  and lower member  1726  and located along, but spaced from, sidewall surface  1715  of support member  1710 . At least one of upper member  1724  and lower member  1726  may include a substantially flat panel configured to apply pressure against support member  1710  over a surface area. In some configurations, the surface area over which upper member  1724  or lower member  1726  applies pressure to support member  1710  may be less than a surface area of a corresponding upper surface ( 1718 ) or lower surface ( 1719 ) of support member  1710 . 
     Tensile member  1730  may be connected to side member  1728  such that increasing tension in tensile member  1730  applies a force to side member  1728  in a direction toward sidewall surface  1715  of support member  1710  (the direction being indicated in  FIG. 17  by an arrow  1732 ). As shown in  FIG. 17 , side member  1728  may include a hinge portion  1734  proximate to a point at which tensile member  1730  is connected to side member  1728 . In some configurations, hinge portion  1734  may include a living hinge. Accordingly, applying this tension may thereby apply an upward force to lower member  1726  and a downward force to upper member  1724 , thus altering one or more performance characteristics of support member  1710  by applying a vertical compressive force against support member  1710 . 
     Sole system  1700  may be configured such that the application of a vertical compressive force against support member  1710  compresses support member  1710 . This may change a height of support member  1710 . Compressing the height of support member  1710  may also alter the performance characteristics of support member  1710 , such as compressibility, stability, and other attributes. For example, the application of a vertical compressive force against support member  1710  to reduce the height of support member  1710  may change the compressibility of support member  1710 , for instance by reducing the compressibility. Thus, the adjustment system may be configured to apply vertical compressive forces to support member  1710 , thereby reducing the compressibility of support member  1710  by preloading support member  1710 . 
       FIG. 18A  illustrates an elevation view of sole system  1700  in an uncompressed condition. As shown in  FIG. 18A , when sole system  1700  is in an uncompressed condition, upper member  1724  and lower member  1726  may be substantially parallel to one another and side member  1728  may be in a substantially straight configuration. 
       FIG. 18B  illustrates sole system  1700  in a compressed condition. As shown in  FIG. 18B , when tensile member  1730  is pulled by a tensioning device in the direction of arrow  1732 , tensile member  1730  may pull a central portion of side member  1728  toward sidewall surface  1715  of support member  1710 . When side member  1728  is pulled toward sidewall surface  1715 , side member  1728  may articulate at hinge portion  1734 . Further, when side member  1728  is pulled toward sidewall surface  1715 , upper surface  1724  and lower surface  1726  may be pulled toward one another by the articulation of side member  1728 , as shown in  FIG. 18B . 
     The compression of support member  1710  is illustrated in  FIG. 18B , by dashed lines  1716 , which show the location of upper surface  1718  and lower surface  1719  when support member  1710  is in an uncompressed condition. 
     While various embodiments of the invention have been described, the description is intended to be exemplary, rather than limiting, and it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible that are within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents. Features of any embodiment described in the present disclosure may be included in any other embodiment described in the present disclosure. Also, various modifications and changes may be made within the scope of the attached claims.