Article of footwear having an upper with a matrix layer

• US 10,264,854 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2017
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Greene, Pamela S., Hoke, III, John R., Hurd, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Kavanaugh, Ted
• Application Number:
  US15/598,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20170251767A1
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 36 45, 36105
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/04 Plastics, rubber or vulcanised fibre
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 19/00 Shoe-shaped inserts; Inserts covering the instep
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/02 Uppers; Boot legs
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0215 Plastics or artificial leather
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0225 Composite materials, e.g. material with a matrix
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0245 characterised by the constructive form
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0255 assembled by gluing or thermo bonding
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0265 having different properties in different directions
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0275 with a part of the upper particularly rigid, e.g. resisting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0295 Pieced uppers
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/04 Uppers made of one piece; Uppers with inserted gussets
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/042 Uppers made of one piece one piece slippers A43B3/106; one piece sandals A43B3/124
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/07 Linings therefor lining laminated with upper A43B23/026
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/088 Heel stiffeners A43B23/10, A43B23/14, A43B23/16, A43B23/17 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/17 made of plastics
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/26 Tongues for shoes
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/085 in the upper
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 9/00 Footwear characterised by the assembling of the individual parts
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 1/00 Shoe lacing fastenings garment fastening devices A41F
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 1/006 Rear lacing, i.e. with a lace placed on the back of the foot in place of, or in addition to the traditional front lace
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 1/04 : with rings or loops
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 5/00 : Eyelets machines for setting eyelets A43D100/00
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 8/00 : Machines for cutting, ornamenting, marking or otherwise working up shoe part blanks pulling-over or lasting A43D9/00 - A43D23/00; making or fastening soles, heels or welts A43D25/00 - A43D83/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/126 : Uppers
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/146 : Uppers

Abstract

Articles of footwear, including athletic footwear, include one or more of: (a) a sole structure; (b) an upper having lateral and medial side elements engaged with the sole structure, the upper made from a polymer matrix structure that extends through at least a heel region; (c) a size adjustment mechanism located at the heel region; (d) a heel tongue element located adjacent the size adjustment mechanism; (e) a shoe securing mechanism; (f) an instep tongue member; and/or (g) a bootie member located at least partially within the foot-receiving chamber. Methods of manufacturing such articles of footwear also are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear, comprising:

forming a polymer matrix structure that defines a plurality of apertures, wherein the polymer matrix structure extends as a unitary structure from a medial side of the article of footwear through a toe portion to a lateral side of the article of footwear to form a major portion of at least a forefoot portion and a midfoot portion of the article of footwear;

incorporating the polymer matrix structure into an upper, the upper having an edge that defines a throat area that forms an ankle opening of the upper and the throat area having a closure mechanism;

providing a strap that extends from a first side of the upper to a second side of the upper to provide a heel or ankle engaging system; and

securing a sole member to the upper.

2. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the strap includes a first fastener element and at least one of the upper or the sole member includes a second fastener element that engages with the first fastener element to thereby allow the strap to be releasably engaged.

3. The method recited in claim 2, wherein the first fastener element and the second fastener element form a hook-and-loop type connection.

4. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the polymer matrix structure is formed from as a flat structure.

5. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the polymer matrix structure is symmetrical about an axis extending in a front-to-rear direction of the polymer matrix structure.

6. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the step of forming the polymer matrix structure includes forming a plurality of elongated and intersecting segments, the plurality of apertures being formed between the segments.

7. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of apertures has a substantially quadrilateral shape.

8. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the polymer matrix structure is formed by a molding process.

9. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear, comprising:

forming a polymer matrix structure as a flat structure, the matrix structure being formed from a plurality of segments that cross each other to define a plurality of intersections and apertures, at least a portion of the intersections each defining a first angle and a second angle, the first angle being an acute angle oriented in a substantially vertical direction, and the second angle being an obtuse angle oriented in a substantially horizontal direction, wherein the polymer matrix structure to form a major portion of at least a forefoot portion and a midfoot portion of the article of footwear;

incorporating the polymer matrix structure into an upper;

providing a strap that extends from a first side of the upper to a second side of the upper to provide a heel or ankle engaging system; and

securing a sole member to the upper.

10. The method recited in claim 9, wherein the strap includes a first fastener element and at least one of the upper or the sole member includes a second fastener element that engages with the first fastener element to thereby allow the strap to be releasably engaged.

11. The method recited in claim 10, wherein the first fastener element and the second fastener element form a hook-and-loop type connection.

12. The method recited in claim 9, further comprising connecting an intermediate footwear structure to the upper around an ankle opening area.

13. The method recited in claim 9, wherein the polymer matrix structure is symmetrical about an axis extending in a front-to-rear direction of the polymer matrix structure.

14. The method recited in claim 9, wherein the step of forming the polymer matrix structure includes forming a plurality of elongated and intersecting segments, the plurality of apertures being formed between the segments.

15. The method recited in claim 9, wherein the plurality of apertures has a substantially quadrilateral shape.

16. The method recited in claim 9, wherein the polymer matrix structure is formed by a molding process.

17. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear, comprising:

forming a polymer matrix structure that defines a plurality of apertures, wherein the polymer matrix structure is formed as a flat unitary structure using a molding process to form a major portion of at least a forefoot portion and a midfoot portion of the article of footwear, wherein the polymer matrix structure extends as a unitary structure from a medial side of the article of footwear through a toe portion to a lateral side of the article of footwear, and wherein the plurality of apertures has a substantially quadrilateral shape;

incorporating the polymer matrix structure into an upper, the upper having an edge that defines a throat area that forms an ankle opening of the upper and the throat area having a closure mechanism;

providing a strap that extends from a first side of the upper to a second side of the upper to provide a heel or ankle engaging system; and

securing a sole member to the upper.

18. The method recited in claim 17, wherein the strap includes a first fastener element and at least one of the upper or the sole member includes a second fastener element that engages with the first fastener element to thereby allow the strap to be releasably engaged.