Article of footwear with reinforced elastic upper
First Claim
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1. An article of footwear including an upper, the article of footwear comprising:
- a sole component having a ground-engaging surface;
an elastic skin material forming at least a portion of an external surface of the upper and attached to the sole component;
a substantially inelastic reinforcing material selectively located adjacent portions of the elastic skin material to form reinforced portions of the elastic skin material and unreinforced portions of the elastic skin material, the unreinforced portions of the elastic skin material forming a substantial majority of the external surface of the upper; and
an additional material selectively placed adjacent to the elastic skin material;
wherein the elastic skin material is more elastic than the substantially inelastic reinforcing material;
wherein the substantially inelastic reinforcing material includes a peripheral strip that is disposed proximate to a junction of the sole component and the elastic skin material;
wherein the substantially inelastic reinforcing material includes a plurality of strips extending from the peripheral strip; and
wherein the additional material and the plurality of strips of reinforcing material are arranged side-by-side such that the additional material extends from one of the plurality of strips of reinforcing material to another of the plurality of strips of reinforcing material.
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Abstract
An article of footwear is provided, which may include an upper and a sole structure. The upper may include an elastic skin material forming at least a portion of an external surface of the upper. In addition, the upper may include substantially inelastic reinforcing material selectively located adjacent portions of the elastic skin material, wherein the elastic skin material is more elastic than the substantially inelastic reinforcing material.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. An article of footwear including an upper, the article of footwear comprising:
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a sole component having a ground-engaging surface; an elastic skin material forming at least a portion of an external surface of the upper and attached to the sole component; a substantially inelastic reinforcing material selectively located adjacent portions of the elastic skin material to form reinforced portions of the elastic skin material and unreinforced portions of the elastic skin material, the unreinforced portions of the elastic skin material forming a substantial majority of the external surface of the upper; and an additional material selectively placed adjacent to the elastic skin material; wherein the elastic skin material is more elastic than the substantially inelastic reinforcing material; wherein the substantially inelastic reinforcing material includes a peripheral strip that is disposed proximate to a junction of the sole component and the elastic skin material; wherein the substantially inelastic reinforcing material includes a plurality of strips extending from the peripheral strip; and wherein the additional material and the plurality of strips of reinforcing material are arranged side-by-side such that the additional material extends from one of the plurality of strips of reinforcing material to another of the plurality of strips of reinforcing material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 22)
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17. A method of making an article of footwear, forming, from an elastic skin material, an externally exposed portion of an upper configured to receive a foot of a wearer;
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fixedly attaching a sole structure having a ground-engaging surface to the upper; assembling, as part of the upper, a substantially inelastic reinforcing material that is less elastic than the elastic skin material, by selectively locating the reinforcing material adjacent portions of the elastic skin material to form reinforced portions of the elastic skin material and unreinforced portions of the elastic skin material, the unreinforced portions of the elastic skin material forming a substantial majority of an external surface of the upper; and assembling, as part of the upper, an additional material adjacent the elastic skin material; wherein assembling the substantially inelastic reinforcing material includes positioning a peripheral strip of the inelastic reinforcing material proximate to a junction of the elastic skin material and the sole structure; and wherein positioning the peripheral strip of inelastic reinforcing material includes extending a plurality of strips of the inelastic reinforcing material from the peripheral strip in a direction away from the ground-engaging surface; and wherein assembling the additional material includes arranging the additional material and the plurality of strips of the inelastic reinforcing material side-by-side such that the additional material extends from one of the plurality of strips of reinforcing material to another of the plurality of strips of reinforcing material. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification