权利要求：
WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:
1 . An article of footwear, comprising:
an upper;
a tubular structure, the tubular structure including a first end, a second end, and an intermediate portion, wherein the intermediate portion is attached to the upper;
the tubular structure forming a tunnel extending through the tubular structure from the first end to the second end, wherein the intermediate portion of the tubular structure includes a surface with an opening, the opening extending to the tunnel;
a first tensile strand extending through the tunnel of the tubular structure;
a second tensile strand having a first portion attached to an attachment region of the article of footwear;
the second tensile strand also having a second portion engaged with the first tensile strand, wherein a portion of the first tensile strand extends through the opening in the tubular structure to engage the second portion of the second tensile strand; and
wherein applying tension to the first tensile strand also applies tension to the second tensile strand at the second portion of the second tensile strand.
2. The article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the article of footwear includes a sole structure, and wherein the attachment region is part of the sole structure.
3. The article of footwear as in any of claims 1 -2, wherein:
a third portion of the second tensile strand is attached to a second attachment region; and
wherein the second portion of the second tensile strand is disposed between the first portion of the second tensile strand and the third portion of the second tensile strand.
4. The article of footwear as in any of claims 1 -3, wherein:
the tubular structure has an axial direction and a circumferential direction;
wherein the opening is a first opening and wherein the tubular structure includes a second opening;
and wherein a center of the first opening has a different circumferential orientation than a center of the second opening.
5. The article of footwear as in any of claims 1 -4, wherein applying tension across the first tensile strand elastically deforms the intermediate portion of the tubular structure.
6. The article of footwear as in claim 5, wherein the upper includes a base portion proximate the intermediate portion of the tubular structure, the base portion having a geometry, and wherein the geometry of the base portion changes when the tubular structure is elastically deformed.
7. The article of footwear as in claim 1 , wherein the tubular structure includes an adaptive portion corresponding to an anatomical feature of a foot.
8. The article of footwear as in claim 7, wherein the anatomical feature is a lateral malleolus of the foot.
9 The article of footwear as in claim 7, wherein the anatomical feature is a medial malleolus of the foot.
10. The article of footwear as in claim 7, wherein the anatomical feature is a calcaneus bone of the foot.
1 1 . The article of footwear as in claim 7, wherein the anatomical feature is an arch of the foot.
12. The article of footwear as in any of claims 8-1 1 , wherein:
the adaptive portion of the tubular structure is attached to the upper at least at a plurality of anchoring portions that provide the adaptive portion with a default geometry when no tension is applied along the first tensile strand; and
wherein the adaptive portion changes from the default geometry to a conforming geometry when tension is applied along the first tensile strand such that the adaptive portion conforms more closely to the anatomical feature.
13. The article of footwear as in claim 12, wherein the adaptive portion includes:
a first anchoring portion, a second anchoring portion and a first adaptive segment extending between the first anchoring portion and the second anchoring portion;
a third anchoring portion and a second adaptive segment extending between the second anchoring portion and the third anchoring portion;
wherein the first adaptive segment forms an angle with the second adaptive segment at the second anchoring portion, the angle being less than one hundred and eighty degrees when no tension is applied along the first tensile strand; and
wherein the angle between the first adaptive segment and the second adaptive segment causes the adaptive portion to conform more closely to the anatomical feature as tension is applied along the first tensile strand.
14. The article of footwear as in claim 1 , wherein at least some of the intermediate portion of the tubular structure is anchored to a heel counter.
15. The article of footwear as in claim 1 , wherein at least some of the intermediate portion of the tubular structure is anchored to a lace stay.
16. The article of footwear as in claim 1 , wherein the second tensile strand is anchored to a heel counter.
17. The article of footwear as in claim 1 , wherein the second tensile strand is anchored to a lace stay.
18. The article of footwear as in claim 1 , wherein:
the intermediate portion is further comprised of a first tubular structure and a second tubular structure;
wherein the first tubular structure includes the first end, the second end, and a first tunnel portion of the tunnel extending between the first end and the second end;
wherein the second tubular structure includes a third end and a fourth end, and a second tunnel portion of the tunnel extending between the third end and the fourth end; wherein the intermediate portion further includes a connecting portion extending from the second end of the first tubular structure to the third end of the second tubular structure; and
wherein the first tensile strand extends through the first tunnel portion, between the first tunnel portion and the second tunnel portion and through the second tunnel portion.
19. An article of footwear, comprising:
an upper;
a tubular structure, the tubular structure including a first end, a second end, a first intermediate portion and a second intermediate portion, the first intermediate portion being attached to the upper and the second intermediate portion being attached to the upper; the tubular structure forming a tunnel extending through the tubular structure from the first end to the second end;
wherein the first intermediate portion of the tubular structure includes a first surface with a first opening extending to the tunnel and wherein the second intermediate portion of the tubular structure includes a second surface with a second opening extending to the tunnel;
a first tensile strand extending through the tunnel of the tubular structure;
a second tensile strand having a first portion engaging the first tensile strand adjacent the first opening and the second tensile strand having a second portion engaging the first tensile strand adjacent the second opening; and
wherein applying tension along the second tensile strand applies tension between two different portions of the first tensile strand.
20. The article of footwear according to claim 19, wherein the tubular structure includes at least one non-linear portion between the first intermediate portion and the second intermediate portion.
21 . The article of footwear as in any of claims 19-20, wherein the second tensile strand extends over a top portion of the upper.
22. The article of footwear as in any of claims 19-20, wherein the second tensile strand extends beneath a lower portion of the upper.
23. The article of footwear as in any of claims 19-22, wherein the second tensile strand has a different diameter than the first tensile strand.
24. The article of footwear as in any of claims 19-23, wherein the first intermediate portion is on one of a lateral side or a medial side of the upper; and wherein the second intermediate portion is on the other of the lateral side or the medial side of the upper.
25. The article of footwear as in any of claims 19-24, wherein:
the article of footwear further includes a sole structure;
wherein the first intermediate portion has a third opening;
wherein a third tensile strand engages the first tensile strand adjacent the third opening; and
wherein the third tensile strand is anchored to the sole structure.
26. A method of making an article of footwear, comprising:
receiving foot geometry information corresponding to a foot;
determining a custom contoured path for a tubular structure, the custom contoured path being a path over a surface of an upper in the article of footwear;
printing a material onto the upper to form the tubular structure having the custom contoured path; and
wherein the tubular structure includes a tunnel.
27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the method further includes
incorporating a tensile strand within the tubular structure as the tubular structure is printed such that the tensile strand passes through the tubular structure.
28. The method according to claim 26, wherein the method further includes inserting a tensile strand into the tunnel of the tubular structure after the tubular structure has been printed onto the upper.
29. The method as in any of claims 26-28, wherein the method further includes capturing the foot geometry information by scanning the foot with a three-dimensional scanning system.
30. The method as in any one of claims 26-29, wherein the custom contoured path is designed to curve around a predetermined region of the upper, and wherein the predetermined region of the upper corresponds to an anatomical feature of the foot.
31 . The method as in any one of claims 26-29, wherein the custom contoured path is designed to curve around a predetermined region of the upper, and wherein the predetermined region of the upper corresponds to a bony structure of the foot when the article of footwear is worn by a user.
32. The method as in any one of claims 26-27, wherein the tubular structure has a first end, a second end, and an intermediate portion and wherein at least one opening is formed in the tubular structure during printing.