Various articles, such as footwear, apparel, athletic equipment, watchbands, and the like, and methods of forming those articles are presented. The articles are generally formed, in whole or in part, using rapid manufacturing techniques, such as laser sintering, stereolithography, solid deposition modeling, and the like. The use of rapid manufacturing allows for relatively economical and time efficient manufacture of customized articles. The articles may include one or more reinforcements configured to provide added durability to various regions of the articles. In addition, the articles may be formed from two or more materials in a single rapid manufacturing process. The rapid manufacturing additive fabrication technique may also include using of varying intensities of the laser to fuse material to form the articles.

An article of footwear includes a sole structure, an upper, a slotted eyelet, an opening, and a tensile strand. The upper is coupled to the sole structure and has a medial portion and a lateral portion. The slotted eyelet is formed in the medial portion or the lateral portion and has a major axis and a minor axis. A length of the slotted eyelet along the major axis is larger than a width of the slotted eyelet along the minor axis. The opening is formed in the medial portion or the lateral portion, and the opening is spaced apart from the slotted eyelet. The tensile strand has a first portion and a second portion. The first portion extends through the opening and defines an aperture adjacent the slotted eyelet, and the second portion extends from the first portion toward the sole structure.

An article of footwear includes a sole structure, an upper, a slotted eyelet, an opening, and a tensile strand. The upper is coupled to the sole structure and has a medial portion and a lateral portion. The slotted eyelet is formed in the medial portion or the lateral portion and has a major axis and a minor axis. A length of the slotted eyelet along the major axis is larger than a width of the slotted eyelet along the minor axis. The opening is formed in the medial portion or the lateral portion, and the opening is spaced apart from the slotted eyelet. The tensile strand has a first portion and a second portion. The first portion extends through the opening and defines an aperture adjacent the slotted eyelet, and the second portion extends from the first portion toward the sole structure.

A lace fitting structure for fitting an upper 3 wrapping around an instep of a foot to the instep, the structure including: a medial side portion 31 covering the instep and a medial side surface of a big toe; a lateral side portion 32 covering the instep and a lateral side surface of a little toe; first shoelace means 1 placed to extend in a longitudinal direction Y of the foot and engaged with the medial side portion 31 and the lateral side portion 32 along central edge portions 33 of the medial side portion 31 and the lateral side portion 32; placement means for placing a portion of the first shoelace means 1 so that the first shoelace means 1 is exposed in a plurality of exposed areas 1.sub.i, which are separated from one another in the longitudinal direction Y; and second shoelace means 2 engaging, in a transverse direction X of the foot, with the first shoelace means 1 in the plurality of exposed areas 1.sub.i so as to bring the medial side portion 31 and the lateral side portion 32 closer to each other, wherein a length L of the exposed areas 1.sub.i in the longitudinal direction Y is greater than a thickness and a width of the second shoelace means 2.

A lace fitting structure for fitting an upper 3 wrapping around an instep of a foot to the instep, the structure including: a medial side portion 31 covering the instep and a medial side surface of a big toe; a lateral side portion 32 covering the instep and a lateral side surface of a little toe; first shoelace means 1 placed to extend in a longitudinal direction Y of the foot and engaged with the medial side portion 31 and the lateral side portion 32 along central edge portions 33 of the medial side portion 31 and the lateral side portion 32; placement means for placing a portion of the first shoelace means 1 so that the first shoelace means 1 is exposed in a plurality of exposed areas 1.sub.i, which are separated from one another in the longitudinal direction Y; and second shoelace means 2 engaging, in a transverse direction X of the foot, with the first shoelace means 1 in the plurality of exposed areas 1.sub.i so as to bring the medial side portion 31 and the lateral side portion 32 closer to each other, wherein a length L of the exposed areas 1.sub.i in the longitudinal direction Y is greater than a thickness and a width of the second shoelace means 2.

The invention relates to a shoe upper (1) for a shoe (2), especially for a sports shoe. To create an upper which allows an optimal lacing at a pleasant appearance the invention proposes that the upper comprises: a plane base layer (3) of material, a structured layer (4) being arranged on the outer surface (5) of the base layer (3) facing away from the foot of the wearer of the shoe (2), wherein the structured layer (4) comprises a plurality of tunnel sections (6), wherein each tunnel section (6) has at least one tunnel (7) which extends from a first side (8) to a second side (9) of the tunnel section (6) and wherein the tunnel section (6) comprises at least one connecting channel (10) which connects the tunnel (7) with the outer surface (11) of the tunnel section (6).

A shoe quick tightening system includes two shoelace segments with aglets at the ends threaded through openings on the shoe, a pull-tab is connected to an aglet clip with at least two aglet channels to receive the two shoelace segments and aglets, and a clip cover engaged with the clip and enclosing the aglets within the clip and cover, the pull tab including hook and loop fastener portion adapted to couple with a mating hook and loop fastener portion on a surface of the shoe.

A shoe quick tightening system includes two shoelace segments with aglets at the ends threaded through openings on the shoe, a pull-tab is connected to an aglet clip with at least two aglet channels to receive the two shoelace segments and aglets, and a clip cover engaged with the clip and enclosing the aglets within the clip and cover, the pull tab including hook and loop fastener portion adapted to couple with a mating hook and loop fastener portion on a surface of the shoe.

A shoe fastening device and/or technique used to fasten a shoe is disclosed herein. A shoelace can be laced into a shoe in any number of lacing patterns. The two ends of the shoelace may be secured to the shoe. An overhand knot may be present when the shoelace is in a loosened configuration.

A shoe fastening device and/or technique used to fasten a shoe is disclosed herein. A shoelace can be laced into a shoe in any number of lacing patterns. The two ends of the shoelace may be secured to the shoe. An overhand knot may be present when the shoelace is in a loosened configuration.