Nike patents shoes with motor that tightens laces in two separate zones
This filing describes a shoe with a motor that winds laces onto a spool to tighten or loosen the fit. The system uses a split spool design to apply different levels of tightness to the front and back parts of the shoe independently.
In the filing’s own words
A tensioning system for articles of footwear and articles of apparel is disclosed. The tensioning system includes a tensioning member that is tightened or loosened using a motorized tensioning device for winding and unwinding the tensioning member on a spool. The motorized tensioning device includes a torque transmitting system that allows for incremental tightening, incremental loosening and full loosening of the tensioning member.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. An article of footwear, comprising: a sole structure; and a motorized tensioning device; the motorized tensioning device including a first lace member and a second lace member; wherein the first lace member includes a first tensioning portion and a second tensioning portion; wherein the second lace member includes a third tensioning portion and a fourth tensioning portion; wherein the motorized tensioning device is configured to cause the first tensioning portion and the second tensioning portion to have a first amount of tension; wherein the motorized tensioning device is configured to cause the third tensioning portion and the fourth tensioning portion to have a second amount of tension; and wherein the first amount of tension is different than the second amount of tension.
Facts
- Company
- Nike (NIKE, Inc.)
- Official title
- ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR COMPRISING MOTORIZED TENSIONING DEVICE WITH SPLIT SPOOL SYSTEM
- Publication number
- US20260305767A1
- Application number
- 19709317
- Filed
- Jun 16, 2026
- Published
- Oct 8, 2026
- Inventors
- 2
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
A43C 11/165 Human necessitiesA43B 3/34 Human necessitiesA43B 11/00 Human necessitiesA43C 1/003 Human necessitiesA43C 7/08 Human necessitiesMore from Nike in Wearables
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.