Foot support systems (and articles of footwear including them) include: (a) a medial side member having one or more medial side supports (e.g., ribs); (b) a lateral side member having one or more lateral side supports (e.g., ribs); and (c) structure (such as a hinge system) configured to move the foot support system (e.g., the medial side support(s) with respect to the lateral side support(s)) between: (a) a foot-insertion configuration and (b) a foot-containing configuration. In moving from the foot-insertion configuration to the foot-containing configuration, the foot support system can be changed between an open condition and a closed condition.

Systems and apparatus related to an automated footwear platform including an actuator assembly for controlling a footwear lacing apparatus are discussed. In an example, an Lacing architectures for automated footwear assemblies are discussed. In an example, a footwear assembly can include a floating tongue within an upper assembly. The lacing architecture can include a first plurality or lace guides forming a first lacing zone and a second plurality of lace guides forming a second lacing zone. The lacing architecture can also include a tongue lace guide assembly secure to a proximal portion of the floating tongue.

The invention relates to gum shoe-type footwear and a mechanism both for fixing the shoes and for fastening normal footwear provided with this mechanism which allows a person to perform this operation without leaning and without using their hands. According to the invention, the device comprises a Subassembly (A) drive mechanism and a Subassembly (B) of lower fastening of the Subassembly (A), a Subassembly (C) of upper fastening of the Subassembly (A) and footwear positioning and a pneumatic Subassembly (D).

An article of footwear can include provisions for facilitating the installation of various components such as a lighting apparatus. During manufacture of the article of footwear, the upper and/or sole structure can include a chamber designed to receive the lighting apparatus. The lighting apparatus can be installed in the chamber after manufacture of the article of footwear. In some cases, the lighting apparatus can include provisions for facilitating the installation of the lighting apparatus in the chamber, including a removable handle portion that can help guide the lighting apparatus within the chamber.

A system, recharge apparatus, and method includes transmit coils positioned in a pattern to allow at least one of the transmit coils to establish a wireless link with a receive coil positioned in proximity of the recharge apparatus. A power source is coupled to the transmit coils and configured to selectively energize ones of the transmit coils to transfer power to the receive coil. An energy efficiency detection circuit is configured to detect an electrical response of each one of the transmit coils when energized by the power source, the electrical response indicative of an energy efficiency between the one of the transmit coils and the receive coil. The power source selectively energizes ones of the transmit coils, selected according to a statistical analysis of an historical record and the electrical response indicative of the energy efficiency meeting a minimum efficiency criterion for energy transfer to the receive coil.

A tensioning system for articles of footwear and articles of apparel is disclosed. The tensioning system includes a spool system that can be engaged or disengaged from a driveshaft through the use of a cam device. The motorized tensioning device includes a torque transmitting system that allows for incremental tightening, incremental loosening and full loosening of the tensile element.

An article of footwear has a flexible upper, a sole, a bite line, a heel region, a forefoot region, a medial side, a lateral side, and a flap. The article of footwear is secured using a closure system that may be tightened and loosened. The flap is coupled to the article of footwear proximate the bite line and is configured to interact with the closure system. The closure system secures the flap to the upper when the closure system is tightened.

An automatic lacing system for an article of footwear includes a motor, a gear train coupled to the motor, a speaker, and a speaker controller in communication with the speaker and the motor. The speaker controller is configured to instruct the speaker to output a damping sound wave in response to activation of the motor to reduce or cancel sound generated by the motor or the gear train.

A lace tensioning device includes a housing component having an interior region, a first aperture, and a second aperture, and a spool component that is rotatably positionable within the interior region of the housing component. The spool component has a central cylindrical member and a lumen that extends through the central cylindrical portion. The spool component is rotatable within the interior region of the housing component to align one end of the lumen with the first aperture and to align an opposite end of the lumen with the second aperture to enable a lace to be inserted through the first aperture, the lumen, and the second aperture so that opposing ends of the lace are positioned exterior to the housing component. A knot may then be tied in the lace and the lace retracted to couple the lace with the housing component and spool component.

An apparatus for fastening a shoelace threaded in a shoe includes a wheel bin having a receptacle on its top surface, a toothed ring inside the receptacle, and protrusions configured for coupling with mating orifices, a winding wheel having a central cylinder with protruding load ribs, a channel for storing shoelace and orifices through which the shoelace is threaded, a pawl ring with ratcheted ends that engage the toothed ring, a base including a curved surface and a receptacle having mating orifices for coupling with the protrusions of the wheel bin, a screw cap configured for placement on top of the wheel bin, the screw cap having a ring structure configured for coupling with the protruding load ribs of the winding wheel, wherein when the screw cap is rotated, the winding wheel tightens the shoelace and stores excess length of shoelace in the channel.