Upper for an article of footwear with a cuff

• US 10,669,654 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2017
• Issued: 06/02/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Zavala, Roberto
• Primary Examiner(s): Worrell, Danny
• Application Number:
  US15/454,034
• Publication Number:
  US 20170258169A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,181 Days
• Field of Search: 66183-188, 36 47, 36 49, 36 11
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/04 braided, knotted, knitted or crocheted
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/024 Different layers of the same material
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0265 having different properties in different directions
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/027 with a part of the upper particularly flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion
• 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 7/20 Ankle-joint supports or holders
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/104 Openwork fabric, e.g. pelerine fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/106 at a selvedge, e.g. hems or turned welts
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/0114 with one or more yarns appearing predominantly on one face, e.g. plated or paralleled yarns for pile fabrics D03D27/00, D04B1/02, D04B21/02; for intarsia fabrics D04B1/126
• 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

In one aspect, an upper for an article of footwear may include a knit element, a collar area configured to form an ankle opening, and a cuff in the collar area. The cuff may be at least partially formed by the knit element and may include a ribbed knit structure of the knit element. In another aspect, an upper for an article of footwear may include a knit element with a first area, the first area including a first side and a second side opposite the first side. The first side may be formed of at least 30% more material than the second side such that the first area is configured to curve convexly away from the first side.

Claims

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

a knit element, wherein the knit element forms at least a collar area and a throat area of the upper,

wherein the collar area is configured to form an ankle opening; and

a cuff in the collar area,

wherein the cuff is at least partially formed by the knit element,

wherein the cuff comprises a ribbed knit structure of the knit element, and

wherein at least one rib of the ribbed knit structure extends from the cuff and through the throat area of the upper.

2. The upper of claim 1, wherein the knit element comprises a second knit structure that forms a medial area and a lateral area of the upper, wherein the throat area is located between the medial area and the lateral area.

3. The upper of claim 1, wherein the at least one rib has a length extending along a longitudinal direction of the cuff.

4. The upper of claim 1, wherein the ribbed knit structure includes a yarn formed of an elastic material.

5. The upper of claim 1, wherein the cuff includes at least one opening, and wherein the opening is formed on a knitting machine by skipping a series of consecutive needles on a needle bed occupying a distance at least three times as large as an unstretched width of the opening.

6. The upper of claim 1, wherein the cuff includes at least one yarn that is substantially hidden from view from a viewpoint directed at an outer surface of the cuff when the cuff is in an unstretched state, and wherein the at least one yarn is revealed at the viewpoint when the cuff is in a stretched state.

7. The upper of claim 1, wherein the cuff is configured to form an inverted state where an end portion of the cuff is inverted to form an overlapping portion.

8. The upper of claim 1, wherein the knit element includes at least one inlaid strand in a toe region of the upper.

9. The upper of claim 1, wherein the cuff includes an inverted portion with a secured inverted end portion.

10. The upper of claim 9, wherein at least one rub of the ribbed knit structure extends from the inverted portion of the cuff to a non-inverted portion of the cuff.