An attachment system for securing footwear to a wearer, the attachment system including a buckle assembly and a receiver. The buckle assembly may include a clasp adapted to be coupled to a first portion of a footwear upper. The clasp may have an elongated portion with a first pivotable surface. The receiver may be adapted to be coupled to a second portion of the footwear upper. The receiver may have an elongated recess adapted to slideably receive the elongated portion, and the receiver may have a second pivotable surface that is sufficiently complementary shaped to the first surface so that the surfaces pivotably engage each other in a transverse direction of the attachment system when the buckle assembly is locked in the receiver.

The present invention provides a modular shoe adapted to be configured by a wearer comprises: a sole capable of receiving a shoe upper for arrangement over a wearer's foot by at least one channel. In this way the wearer is able to configure multiple shoe arrangements by use of modular parts that are interchangeable to create customised shoes that are lighter and can be packed away smaller than traditional shoes.

A method of chamfering an aperture in a reel member of a tensioning system for an article of footwear is disclosed. The tensioning system includes a reel member configured to rotate about a central axis. The reel member includes a shaft and at least one flange disposed along the shaft. The flange includes an aperture extending through the flange. The aperture is configured to receive a lace. The reel member can tighten the tensioning system by winding the lace around portions of the shaft disposed on both sides of the at least one flange. The method of chamfering the aperture includes drilling through an end flange of the reel member to reach the center flange of the reel member in order to chamfer the aperture. The chamfered aperture can assist with sliding the lace through the aperture and distributing tension.

A method of chamfering an aperture in a reel member of a tensioning system for an article of footwear is disclosed. The tensioning system includes a reel member configured to rotate about a central axis. The reel member includes a shaft and at least one flange disposed along the shaft. The flange includes an aperture extending through the flange. The aperture is configured to receive a lace. The reel member can tighten the tensioning system by winding the lace around portions of the shaft disposed on both sides of the at least one flange. The method of chamfering the aperture includes drilling through an end flange of the reel member to reach the center flange of the reel member in order to chamfer the aperture. The chamfered aperture can assist with sliding the lace through the aperture and distributing tension.

An article with an automatic tensioning system includes a lace guide assembly. The lace guide assembly includes a lower guide member and two upper guide members that include channels for routing a tensioning member. Straps of the upper are attached to the two upper guide members. As the tensioning member is pulled into a tensioning device, the two upper guide members are pulled toward the lower guide member. This pulls on the straps and acts to tighten the upper around a foot.

A position sensing assembly for a tensioning system designed to provide tension to a lace, cord, or other type of strand is disclosed. The tensioning system includes a reel member configured to rotate about a central axis and the position sensing assembly. The position sensing assembly includes a shaft, an indicator tab, and an optical sensing unit. The position sensing assembly assists in controlling the degree to which the strand is tightened and loosened. The position sensing assembly prevents tightening of the strand when the strand is meant to be loosened.

A position sensing assembly for a tensioning system designed to provide tension to a lace, cord, or other type of strand is disclosed. The tensioning system includes a reel member configured to rotate about a central axis and the position sensing assembly. The position sensing assembly includes a shaft, an indicator tab, and an optical sensing unit. The position sensing assembly assists in controlling the degree to which the strand is tightened and loosened. The position sensing assembly prevents tightening of the strand when the strand is meant to be loosened.

A lace routing pattern for a lacing system for an article of footwear is described. The lacing system is moved between opened and closed positions by applying tension to segments of a lace connected to a tensioning assembly of a tensioning system. Each of the lace segments are arranged to extend between opposite sides of a lacing area according to a different lace routing pattern. The lace routing patterns have equal total closure distances for each of the lace segments so that tension applied by the tensioning system will be uniformly distributed through the lacing system and the article of footwear.

A tensioning system for an article of footwear is disclosed. The tensioning system includes a reel member configured to rotate about a central axis. The reel member includes a shaft and at least one flange disposed along the shaft. The flange includes an aperture extending through the flange. The aperture is configured to receive a lace. The reel member can tighten the tensioning system by winding the lace around portions of the shaft disposed on both sides of the at least one flange. In some cases, the aperture can be chamfered to assist with sliding the lace through the aperture.

A tensioning system for an article of footwear is disclosed. The tensioning system includes a reel member configured to rotate about a central axis. The reel member includes a shaft and at least one flange disposed along the shaft. The flange includes an aperture extending through the flange. The aperture is configured to receive a lace. The reel member can tighten the tensioning system by winding the lace around portions of the shaft disposed on both sides of the at least one flange. In some cases, the aperture can be chamfered to assist with sliding the lace through the aperture.