Footwear article including circular knit structures

• US 10,316,441 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2016
• Issued: 06/11/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: North Face Apparel Corporation (V.F. Corporation)
• Original Assignee: North Face Apparel Corporation (V.F. Corporation)
• Inventors: Ly, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Worrell, Danny
• Application Number:
  US15/382,001
• Publication Number:
  US 20180168271A1
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/04 braided, knotted, knitted or crocheted
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0235 Different layers of different material
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/042 Uppers made of one piece one piece slippers A43B3/106; one piece sandals A43B3/124
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/02 Pile fabrics or articles having similar surface features
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/108 Gussets, e.g. pouches or heel or toe portions
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/123 with laid-in unlooped yarn, e.g. fleece fabrics with elastic weft yarn D04B1/18
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/26 stockings
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 7/32 tubular goods
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 9/46 stockings, or portions thereof
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/023 Fabric with at least two, predominantly unlinked, knitted or woven plies interlaced with each other at spaced locations or linked to a common internal co-extensive yarn system
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2501/043 Footwear

Abstract

An aspect of the disclosure is a footwear article. The footwear article includes a double layer knitted upper having a foot bed, an upper portion continuous with the foot bed, an ankle opening, and an inner void for receiving a foot of a wearer. The double layer knitted upper has an outer knit layer defining an exterior surface of the double layer knitted upper. The double layer knitted upper also has an inner knit layer monolithically knit to the outer knit layer. The inner knit layer has a plurality of inner knit regions that spatially correspond to the plurality of outer knit regions of the outer knit layer. The outer knit layer and the inner knit layer substantially define the foot bed and the upper portion of the double layer knitted upper.

Claims

1. A footwear article, comprising:

a double layer knitted upper having a foot bed, an upper portion continuous with the foot bed, an ankle opening, and an inner void for receiving a foot of a wearer, the double layer knitted upper having;

a) an outer knit layer defining an exterior surface of the double layer knitted upper, the outer knit layer having a plurality of outer knit regions; and

b) an inner knit layer monolithically knit to the outer knit layer, the inner knit layer forming the inner void, wherein the inner knit layer has a plurality of inner knit regions each having a different knit construction that spatially correspond to the plurality of outer knit regions of the outer knit layer when folded into the outer knit layer, and

wherein the outer knit layer and the inner knit layer is a monolithic circular knitted fabric,

wherein the outer knit layer and the inner knit layer substantially define the foot bed and

the upper portion of the double layer knitted upper; and

a sole attached to at least the foot bed of the double layer knitted upper.

2. The footwear article of claim 1, further comprising a mid-sole positioned between the outer knit layer and the inner knit layer along the foot bed.

3. The footwear article of claim 1, wherein the outer knit layer and the inner knit layer each define a tubular knitted shape.

4. The footwear article of claim 1, wherein the inner knit layer is monolithically knit to the outer knit layer around at least a portion of the ankle opening.

5. The footwear article of claim 4, wherein the outer knit layer and the inner knit layer define a welted edge along at least a portion of the ankle opening.

6. The footwear article of claim 1, wherein the outer knit layer and the inner knit layer include a binding along at least a portion of the ankle opening.

7. The footwear article of claim 1, further comprising at least one attachment member that consolidates the outer knit layer and the inner knit layer together.

8. The footwear article of claim 7, wherein the at least one attachment member bonds yarns of the outer knit layer to yarns of the inner knit layer, and wherein the at least one attachment member is an adhesive film or a low melt adhesive web, or a combination of both.

9. The footwear article of claim 7, wherein at least one of the plurality of outer knit regions comprise the at least one attachment member.

10. The footwear article of claim 9, wherein the double layer knitted upper has a toe portion,

wherein a first outer knit region of the plurality of outer knit regions in the outer knit layer extends across the upper portion rearward of the toe portion,

wherein the first outer knit region comprises the at least one attachment member.

11. The footwear article of claim 7, wherein at least one of the plurality of inner knit regions comprise the at least one attachment member.

12. The footwear article of claim 11, wherein a second outer knit region of the plurality of outer knit regions extends across the toe portion.

wherein a second inner knit region of the plurality of inner knit regions underlies the second outer knit region,

wherein at least one of the second outer knit region and the second inner knit region comprises the at least one attachment member.

13. The footwear article of claim 1, wherein the double layer knitted upper has a heel portion that joins the foot bed to the ankle portion, wherein the heel portion has a cushioned knit construction.

14. The footwear article of claim 1, wherein the double layer knitted upper has a toe portion, wherein the toe portion has a cushioned knit construction.

15. The footwear article of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of tabs extending upwardly from the sole along a medial side and a lateral side of the footwear article, wherein the plurality of tabs include securing members that are configured to receive a cord.

16. A circular knitted blank used to form an article of footwear and having a first terminal end and a second terminal end, the circular knitted blank comprising:

a first circular knit section having a first toe portion defining the first terminal end of the circular knitted blank, a first upper portion, a first lower portion coupled to the first upper portion, a first heel portion, and a first ankle portion coupled to the first heel portion, wherein the first circular knit section has a first plurality of knit regions each having a different knit construction; and

a second circular knit section having a second ankle portion that is monolithically knit to the first ankle portion and an opening located where the first ankle portion and the second ankle portion are joined, a second heel portion coupled to the second ankle portion, a second upper portion coupled to the second ankle portion, a second lower portion coupled to the second upper portion and the second heel portion, and a second toe portion defining the second terminal end of the circular knitted blank that is opposite to the first end of the circular knitted blank, wherein the second circular knit section includes a second plurality of knit regions each having a different knit construction;

wherein the first plurality of knit regions correspond to the second plurality of knit regions, such that, when the first circular knit section is folded into the second circular knit section, the first plurality of knit regions and the second plurality of knit regions overly.

17. The circular knitted blank of claim 16, further comprising at least one attachment member that is configured to bond the first circular knit section and the second circular knit section together.

18. A method for forming a footwear article, comprising:

circular knitting a tubular knitted blank having a first knit section and a second knit section, wherein a) the first knit section includes a first toe portion, a first lower portion, a first upper portion, a first heel portion adjacent to the first lower portion, and a first ankle portion adjacent to the first heel portion and the first upper portion, wherein the first knit section has a first plurality of knit regions each having a different knit construction and b) the second knit section includes a second toe portion, a second lower portion, a second upper portion, a second heel portion adjacent to the second lower portion, and a second ankle portion adjacent to the second heel portion and the second upper portion, wherein the second knit section includes a second plurality of knit regions each having a different knit construction;

folding the first knit section into the second knit section to form a double layer knitted upper of the footwear article, the double layer knitted upper comprising an outer knit layer defined by the second knit section and an inner knit layer defined by the first knit section, wherein one or more of the wherein the inner knit layer defines an inner void of the double layer knitted upper, wherein the first plurality of knit regions correspond to the second plurality of knit regions, such that, when the first knit section is folded into the second knit section, the first plurality of knit regions and the second plurality of knit regions overly; and

attaching a sole directly to the outer knit layer of the double layer knitted upper.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein circular knitting includes, in sequence:

a. knitting the first toe portion of the first knit section;

b. knitting the first upper portion and the first lower portion of the first knit section;

c. knitting the first heel portion the first knit section adjacent to the first lower portion;

d. knitting the first ankle portion of the first knit section adjacent to the first heel portion and the first upper portion;

e. knitting the second ankle portion of the second knit section adjacent to the first heel portion;

f. knitting the second heel portion adjacent to the second ankle portion of the second knit section;

g. knitting the second upper portion and the second lower portion of the second knit section; and

h. knitting the second toe portion of the second knit section adjacent to the second upper portion and the second lower portion.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein attaching to sole to the outer knit layer comprises:

positioning the double layer knitted upper over a positioning member of an injection molding device;

injection molding the sole to the outer knit layer of the double layer knitted upper; and

injection molding a plurality of tabs along medial and lateral sides of the double layered knitted upper, wherein the plurality of tabs are configured to receive a cord.