Article of footwear having an upper incorporating a knitted component

• US 10,364,517 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2017
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Dua, Bhupesh, Huffa, Bruce, Shaffer, Benjamin A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Worrell, Danny
• Application Number:
  US15/581,525
• Publication Number:
  US 20170224045A1
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/04 braided, knotted, knitted or crocheted
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0205 characterised by the material material of the lining A43B23/07, material of toe stiffeners or heel stiffeners A43B23/08
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/20 Ankle-joint supports or holders
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 1/04 with rings or loops
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/106 at a selvedge, e.g. hems or turned welts
• 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 1/16 synthetic threads
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/24 wearing apparel
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/041 thermoplastic; thermosetting
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/0113 One surface including hollow piping or integrated straps, e.g. for inserts or mountings
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/022 Lofty fabric with variably spaced front and back plies, e.g. spacer fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/032 Flat fabric of variable width, e.g. including one or more fashioned panels
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2501/043 Footwear

Abstract

An article of footwear has an upper that includes a knitted component and a sole structure secured to the upper. The knitted component may define a tube formed of unitary knit construction, and a strand may extend through a length of the tube. As another example, the knitted component may have a pair of at least partially coextensive knitted layers formed of unitary knit construction, and a plurality of floating yarns may extend between the knitted layers. In some configurations, the knit type or yarn type may vary in different regions of the knitted component to impart different properties. Additionally, the knitted component may incorporate a thermoplastic yarn that is fused in different regions of the knitted component to impart different properties. A flat knitting process or a variety of other knitting processes may be utilized to form the knitted component.

Claims

1. An upper for an article of footwear, the upper comprising:

a knitted component formed of unitary knit construction,

the knitted component comprising a first knitted layer and a second knitted layer that are at least partially coextensive with each other,

the first knitted layer comprising a first yarn comprising a thermoplastic polymer material, the second knitted layer comprising a second yarn comprising a second material,

wherein a melting temperature of the thermoplastic polymer material is at least five degrees celsius lower than a melting temperature of second material; and

a component secured to the knitted component.

2. The upper of claim 1, wherein the component is secured to the upper by a thermal bond between the first knitted layer and the component.

3. The upper of claim 1, wherein at least 95% of the first knitted layer is formed from the thermoplastic polymer material.

4. The upper of claim 1, wherein the first knitted layer and second knitted layer extend into a heel portion.

5. The upper of claim 4, wherein the component is a heel counter.

6. The upper of claim 5, wherein the heel counter is secured to the heel portion by a thermal bond between the first knitted layer of the heel portion and the heel counter.

7. The upper of claim 5, wherein the heel counter comprises a second thermoplastic polymer material.

8. The upper of claim 1, wherein the second yarn contains one or more filaments.

9. An article of footwear having an upper, the upper comprising:

a knitted component formed of unitary knit construction,

the knitted component comprising a first knitted layer and a second knitted layer that are at least partially coextensive with each other,

the first knitted layer comprising a first yarn comprising a thermoplastic polymer material, the second knitted layer comprising a second yarn comprising a second material,

wherein a melting temperature of the thermoplastic polymer material is at least five degrees celsius lower than a melting temperature of second material, and

a component secured to the knitted component.

10. The article of footwear of claim 9, wherein the first knitted layer and second knitted layer extend into a heel portion of the article of footwear.

11. The article of footwear of claim 9, wherein at least 95% of the first knitted layer comprises the thermoplastic polymer material.

12. The article of footwear of claim 10, wherein the thermoplastic polymer material in the first knitted layer is fused in the heel portion.

13. The article of footwear of claim 9, wherein the component is secured to the upper by a thermal bond between the first knitted layer and the component.

14. The article of footwear of claim 12, wherein the component is a heel counter.

15. The article of footwear of claim 9, wherein the second yarn contains one or more filaments.

16. The article of footwear of claim 9, wherein the first knitted layer forms an exterior portion of the article of footwear.

17. A method of forming an upper for an article of footwear, the method comprising:

forming a knitted component having a first knitted layer and a second knitted layer that

are at least partially coextensive with each other, the knitted component formed of unitary knit construction,

the first knitted layer comprising a first yarn comprising a thermoplastic polymer material, the second knitted layer comprising a second yarn comprising a second material,

wherein a melting temperature of the thermoplastic polymer material is at least five degrees celsius lower than a melting temperature of second material,

attaching a component to the first knitted layer by forming a heatbond between the first knitted layer and the component.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising extending the first knitted layer and second knitted layer into a heel portion of the upper.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising heating the heel portion above the melting temperature of the thermoplastic polymer material to fuse the thermoplastic polymer material.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the component is a heel counter.