Tension member guides of a lacing system

Abstract

A guide for routing a lace or tension member about an article includes a material strip having a longitudinal length and a lateral width. The material strip is folded along the longitudinal length to form a loop within which the lace or tension member is disposed. The material strip has or defines a center portion and two end portions along the lateral width. The guide includes a pre-curve so that a curvature in the loop is present or defined while the guide is in a relaxed or untensioned state.

1 . A guide for routing a lace or tension member about an article, the guide comprising:
 a strip of woven material having:
 a longitudinal length; and 
 a lateral width; 
   the strip of woven material being folded along the longitudinal length to form a loop within which the lace or tension member is disposed, the strip of woven material defining a center portion and two end portions along the lateral width with the two end portions being disposed on opposite sides of the center portion;   wherein a pre-curved is formed or defined in the guide such that prior to tensioning or application of any load to the guide via the lace or tension member, an upper end of the loop defines a curve that mimics or replicates a natural curve of the guide under load.   
     
     
         2 . The guide of  claim 1 , wherein the center portion is formed of a different material than the two end portions such that the two end portions are more flexible than the center portion and such that the center portion has sufficient strength to resist compression along the lateral width of the guide and thereby prevent the guide from bunching when the lace or tension member is tensioned. 
     
     
         3 . The guide of  claim 2 , wherein the center portion is formed of a thicker and firmer material in comparison with the two end portions. 
     
     
         4 . The guide of  claim 2 , wherein the center portion and two end portions are formed or woven together such that the strip of woven material is a solitary or single fabric material. 
     
     
         5 . The guide of  claim 1 , wherein the guide does not include any materials positioned on or coupled with an inner surface of the loop such that the lace or tension member directly contacts an inner surface of the strip of woven material. 
     
     
         6 . The guide of  claim 1 , wherein the center portion comprises between 55% and 85% of the lateral width of the guide and wherein the two end portions comprise between 15% and 45% of the lateral width of the guide. 
     
     
         7 . The guide of  claim 1 , wherein an angle of the pre-curve that is formed or defined in the guide is between 40 degrees and 80 degrees as measured along a line tangential to one of the opposing ends and a line that is parallel to a side or edge of the loop. 
     
     
         8 . The guide of  claim 1 , wherein the guide further comprises a shim that is positioned within the loop to aid in maintaining the loop in an open configuration. 
     
     
         9 . The guide of  claim 8 , wherein the shim is positioned within the loop so that the shim does not contact the lace or tension member when the lace or tension member is under tension. 
     
     
         10 . A guide for routing a lace or tension member about an article, the guide comprising:
 a material strip having a longitudinal length and a lateral width, the material strip being folded along the longitudinal length to form a loop within which the lace or tension member is disposed, the material strip defining a center portion and two end portions along the lateral width;   wherein the guide includes a pre-curve such that a curvature in the loop is present or defined while the guide is in a relaxed or untensioned state.   
     
     
         11 . The guide of  claim 10 , wherein the center portion is formed of a different material than the two end portions. 
     
     
         12 . The guide of  claim 11 , wherein the center portion is formed of a thicker and firmer material than the two end portions. 
     
     
         13 . The guide of  claim 11 , wherein the center portion and two end portions are formed or woven together such that the material strip is a single fabric material. 
     
     
         14 . The guide of  claim 10 , wherein the guide does not include any materials positioned on or coupled with an inner surface of the loop such that the lace or tension member directly contacts an inner surface of the material strip. 
     
     
         15 . The guide of  claim 10 , wherein the center portion comprises between 55% and 85% of the lateral width of the guide and the two end portions comprise between 15% and 45% of the lateral width of the guide. 
     
     
         16 . The guide of  claim 10 , wherein an angle of the pre-curve is between 40 degrees and 80 degrees as measured along a line tangential to one of the two end portions and a line parallel to a side or edge of the loop. 
     
     
         17 . The guide of  claim 10 , wherein the guide further comprises a shim that is positioned within the loop to aid in maintaining the loop in an open configuration. 
     
     
         18 . The guide of  claim 17 , wherein the shim is positioned within the loop so that the shim does not contact the lace or tension member when the lace or tension member is under tension. 
     
     
         19 . A method of constructing a guide having a pre-curve, the method comprising:
 providing a strip of material having a longitudinal length and a lateral width; and   folding the strip of material along the longitudinal length to form a loop, the folded strip of material having a center portion and two end portions along the lateral width;   inserting a tool having a negative curvature through the loop; and   attaching or coupling a bottom end of the loop together.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein a curvature significantly greater than the pre-curve is applied to the loop prior to attaching or coupling the bottom end of the loop together. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the center portion is formed of a different material than the two end portions, and wherein the method further comprises forming or weaving the center portion and two end portions together such that the strip of material is a single material. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the method further comprises positioning a shim within the loop to aid in maintaining the loop in an open configuration. 
     
     
         23 .- 35 . (canceled)