IP Library Granted Patent US 12667167
Granted Patent B2
US 12667167 · App. 18/376,943 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Article of footwear having a twist fastener

Inventors: Reinhold Sussmann (Scheinfeld, DE); Andreas Siegismund (Rueckersdorf, DE)
Assignee: PUMA SE
A43C11/16A43C5/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12667167
App. No.
18/376,943
Granted
Jun 30, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An article of footwear has an upper and a fastener. The upper is attached to a sole structure. The fastener includes a handle disposed within a first cavity formed at a heel end of the sole structure. The handle is operably coupled to a cable that extends along the sole structure from a heel region to a midfoot region of the footwear. When the handle is rotated, the article of footwear is tightened or loosed within the midfoot region.

Claims (20)

1 . An article of footwear, comprising:

an upper attached to a sole structure; and

a fastener including an actuator mechanism disposed within a first cavity formed at a heel end of the sole structure, wherein the actuator mechanism is operably coupled to a plurality of cables including a first cable that extends along the sole structure from a heel region to a midfoot region of the article of footwear and extends from the sole structure to a portion of the upper,

wherein the fastener includes a winding assembly having a first core and a second core that are configured to store a portion of the plurality of cables, and wherein rotation of the actuator mechanism is configured to rotate the first cable within the first core and the second core to tighten or loosen the article of footwear within the midfoot region.

2 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the upper is operably coupled to a panel with a plurality of eyelets.

3 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the actuator mechanism is configured to rotate about a first axis.

4 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the actuator mechanism further comprises a cylindrical body and a release mechanism.

5 . The article of footwear of claim 4 , wherein the actuator mechanism comprises a plurality of grips that project from an outer surface that are configured to facilitate a rotation of the actuator mechanism about the first axis.

6 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the fastener further comprises a shaft that is at least one of a braided shaft or a rigid shaft.

7 . The article of footwear of claim 6 , wherein the shaft comprises a plurality of wires embedded in the sole structure that are configured to extend from the winding assembly along a second axis.

8 . The article of footwear of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of cables extend from a plurality of eyelets to a plurality of first openings located on a first surface of the midsole.

9 . The article of footwear of claim 6 , wherein the winding assembly comprises an intermediate portion that is disposed between and connects the first core and the second core.

10 . The article of footwear of claim 9 , wherein the first core has a first diameter which is greater than a second diameter of the intermediate portion.

11 . An article of footwear, comprising:

an upper attached to a sole structure; and

a fastener including an actuator mechanism disposed at a heel end of the sole structure and a plurality of cables including a first cable extending from the sole structure to a portion of the upper, wherein the actuator mechanism is operably connected to the first cable, wherein the fastener includes a toggle that is configured to be rotated to selectively adjust the fastener between a locked configuration and an unlocked configuration,

wherein the fastener includes a winding assembly having a shaft that operably connects the actuator mechanism to the first cable, and wherein rotation of the actuator mechanism in a first direction causes rotation of the shaft that applies a tensioning force on the first cable.

12 . The article of footwear of claim 11 , wherein the fastener further comprises a housing in which the shaft is disposed.

13 . The article of footwear of claim 12 , wherein the shaft comprises a plurality of wires that are configured to extend from the winding assembly along a second axis embedded in the sole structure.

14 . The article of footwear of claim 13 , wherein the housing comprises an intermediate portion that includes a plurality of openings configured to receive the plurality of cables and a cavity configured to receive the shaft, wherein a third axis is defined by the housing and intersects the shaft, and wherein the plurality of openings are perpendicular with respect to the third axis.