An article of footwear has a tubular structure. The tubular structure may include tab portions that extend away from a tunnel portion of the tubular structure. The tab portions may engage parts of the article of footwear. The tab portions may engage an upper or sole structure along a bite line. The tab portions may be attached to a heel counter, eyestay, or other structure on the article of footwear.

Various embodiments of an improved rotary closure to prevent jamming when rotated in a particular direction and allow de-tensioning of the spool are disclosed herein.

Disclosed is a bidirectional spool apparatus (BSA) and method of use. The BSA comprises a spool apparatus having a plurality of spools, a plurality of cables, and an adjustment knob. When the BSA is in a first mode, rotation of the adjustment knob causes a corresponding rotation of a first spool in a tightening direction and a tightening of a first cable but allows a second cable to rotate substantially freely, and such that when the BSA is in a second mode, rotation of the adjustment knob causes a corresponding rotation of a second spool in a tightening direction and a tightening of a second cable but allows a first cable to rotate substantially freely. Switching of the BSA from a first mode to a second mode and vice versa is accomplished by pulling the adjustment knob out a distance and by pushing the adjustment knob in a distance.

In an example, a lacing engine apparatus can include a housing and a drivetrain. The housing can be securable within a footwear article. The drivetrain can include a motor, a sun gear, a planet gear, a rotating ring gear, and a spool. The spool can be secured to the ring gear and can be rotatable therewith. The spool can be configured to control a lace of the footwear article and can be configured to wind the lace as the ring gear rotates in a first direction.

A reel based closure device includes a housing, a spool positioned within the housing, and a knob that is operably coupled with the spool so that an operation of the knob causes the spool to rotate in a first direction within the housing. The spool has an upper flange, a lower flange, and a cylindrical wall disposed between the upper flange and the lower flange. The spool is rotatable in the first direction to wind a tension member about the spool's cylindrical wall when the spool is rotated in the first direction. The tension member has a first end and a second end positioned opposite the first end. The cylindrical wall has three holes through which the first end of the tension member is inserted to secure the first end of the tension member to the spool.

An article of footwear is disclosed that includes a cinching apparatus that is configured to move the upper between an open position and a closed position. The cinching apparatus includes a spring pad with a first, second, and third portion. The third portion is elastic and configured to deform elastically from a first position toward a second position. The third portion is configured to move the first portion relative to the second portion generally in the longitudinal direction as the third portion deforms between the first position and the second position. Also, the cinching apparatus is configured to move the upper from the open position toward the closed position as the third portion of the spring pad moves from the first position toward the second position.

An article of footwear, lacing engine, and method includes a motor, a transmission operatively coupled to the motor, and a lace spool. The lace spool is operatively coupled to the transmission and includes a top lace groove in a top surface of the lace spool and a circumferential channel, wherein the lace is configured to be inserted in the top lace groove and be taken up around the circumferential channel based on a turning of the lace spool from action by the motor and transmission. A fastener is configured to couple the lace spool to the transmission and is inserted into the lace spool via the top surface, the fastener having a head having a head width sufficient to partially cover the top lace groove, leaving a top gap having a gap width less than a thickness of the lace.

An article of footwear includes a motorized tensioning system, sensors, and a gesture control system. Based on information received from one or more sensors the gesture control system may detect a prompting gesture and enters an armed mode for receiving further instructions. In the armed mode the system may detect a variety of different control gestures that correspond to different tensioning commands.

Systems and apparatus related to footwear including a modular lacing engine are discussed. In an example, a modular footwear apparatus including an upper portion, a lower portion, and a lacing engine is described. The upper portion can include a lace to adjust fit of the upper portion against a foot, the lace adjustable between a first position and a second position based at least in part on manipulation of an effective length of the lace. The lower portion can include a mid-sole and an out-sole, and the lower portion can be coupled to the upper portion at the mid-sole. The lacing engine can include a top-loading lace spool to engage a loop of the lace to enable manipulation of the effective length of the lace through rotation of the lace spool, the lacing engine received within a cavity in the lower portion.

The present invention provides a wire tightening device which is installed in shoes or the like and structured so that a tightening operation for tightening a wire can be performed with ease, and the position of a part winding the wire is lifted inside a housing. The present invention comprises: a winding wheel which is positioned in the inner space of the housing and has a vertical through hole formed in the center; and an ascending/descending member that is positioned in the through hole of the winding wheel and coupled to the winding wheel through ratchet coupling, and is provided with engagement teeth which are formed in the lower portion and interlock with locking teeth of the housing.