Article of footwear having an upper with a structured intermediate layer

• US 20060048413A1
• Filed: 09/03/2004
• Published: 03/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Wolf-Hochdoerffer, Susanne Amalie, Sokolowski, Susan L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,793,434 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/45
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0215 Plastics or artificial leather
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0235 Different layers of different material
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/025 assembled by stitching
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0255 assembled by gluing or thermo bonding
• 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: B29D 35/146 Uppers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2250/44 Number of layers variable across the laminate
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/02 Synthetic macromolecular fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/554 Wear resistance
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/724 Permeability to gases, adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2437/02 Gloves, shoes
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/12 next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/245 another layer next to it being a foam layer

Abstract

An article of footwear and a method of manufacturing the footwear are disclosed. The footwear has an upper and a sole structure. The upper is secured to sole structure and the upper is formed from three layers: a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer. The second layer is formed from a polymer material and molded to the first layer, but the second layer may alternately be molded to the third layer. The third layer is joined with at least one of the first layer and the second layer such that the second layer is positioned between the first layer and the third layer.

Claims

1. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the upper comprising:

a first layer;

a second layer formed from a polymer material, the second layer being molded to the first layer; and

a third layer joined with at least one of the first layer and the second layer such that the second layer is positioned between the first layer and the third layer.

2. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the first layer is a textile material, and the polymer material of the second layer infiltrates the textile material of the first layer to secure the second layer to the first layer.

3. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the third layer is joined with at least one of the first layer and the second layer in a stitchless manner.

4. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the third layer is adhesively-bonded to the first layer and the second layer.

5. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the second layer has a mesh structure.

6. The article of footwear recited in claim 5, wherein the mesh structure is a silicone material.

7. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the second layer is a plurality of polymer foam protrusions.

8. The article of footwear recited in claim 7, wherein at least a portion of the polymer foam protrusions are discrete.

9. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the sole structure includes a midsole and an outsole.

10. The article of footwear recited in claim 9, wherein the first layer and the second layer extend between the midsole and the outsole.

11. The article of footwear recited in claim 10, wherein and at least one of the first layer and the second layer extend under the midsole.

12. The article of footwear recited in claim 9, wherein the third layer extends over the midsole.

13. The article of footwear recited in claim 9, wherein the first layer and the second layer extend between the midsole and the outsole and under the midsole, and the third layer extends over the midsole.

14. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the upper forms a void for receiving at least one of a foot and an insole, and the third layer forms an interior surface of the upper that defines substantially all of the void.

15. An article of footwear comprising:

an upper defining a void for receiving at least one of a foot and an insole, the upper having a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer, the second layer being formed from a polymer material and molded to the first layer, and the third layer being joined with at least one of the first layer and the second layer such that the second layer is positioned between the first layer and the third layer; and

a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure including a midsole and an outsole, at least one of the first layer and the second layer extending between the midsole and the outsole, and the third layer extending over the midsole.

16. The article of footwear recited in claim 15, wherein the third layer forms an interior surface of the upper that defines substantially all of the void.

17. The article of footwear recited in claim 15, wherein the first layer and the third layer are textile materials, and the polymer material of the second layer infiltrates the textile material of the first layer to secure the second layer to the first layer.

18. The article of footwear recited in claim 15, wherein the third layer is joined with at least one of the first layer and the second layer in a stitchless manner.

19. The article of footwear recited in claim 15, wherein the third layer is adhesively-bonded to the first layer and the second layer.

20. The article of footwear recited in claim 15, wherein the second layer has a mesh structure.

21. The article of footwear recited in claim 20, wherein the mesh structure is a silicone material.

22. The article of footwear recited in claim 15, wherein the second layer is a non-planar polymer foam material.

23. An article of footwear comprising:

an upper defining a void for receiving at least one of a foot and an insole, the upper having a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer, the second layer having a mesh structure formed from a polymer material that is molded to the first layer, and the third layer being joined with at least one of the first layer and the second layer such that the second layer is positioned between the first layer and the second layer; and

a sole structure secured to the upper.

24. The article of footwear recited in claim 23, wherein the third layer forms an third surface of the upper that defines substantially all of the void.

25. The article of footwear recited in claim 23, wherein the first layer and the third layer are a textile material, and the polymer material of the second layer infiltrates the textile material of the first layer to secure the second layer to the first layer.

26. An article of footwear comprising:

an upper defining a void for receiving at least one of a foot and an insole, the upper having a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer, the second layer being formed of a non-planar polymer foam material that is molded to the first layer, and the third layer being joined with at least one of the first layer and the second layer in a substantially stitchless manner such that the second layer is positioned between the first layer and the third layer; and

a sole structure secured to the upper.

27. The article of footwear recited in claim 26, wherein the third layer forms an third surface of the upper that defines substantially all of the void.

28. The article of footwear recited in claim 26, wherein the first layer and the third layer are a textile material, and the polymer foam material of the second layer infiltrates the textile material of the first layer to secure the second layer to the first layer.

29. The article of footwear recited in claim 26, wherein the non-planar polymer foam material is a plurality of protrusions.

30. The article of footwear recited in claim 29, wherein the protrusions are discrete.

31. An article of footwear comprising:

an upper defining a void, the upper having a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer, the third layer being joined with at least one of the first layer and the second layer such that the second layer is positioned between the first layer and the third layer; and

a sole structure secured to the upper, the sole structure including an insole positioned with the void,

the third layer forming an third surface of the upper that defines substantially all of the void, edges of the third layer being joined together to form seams, the insole being positioned between;

each of the seams except a substantially vertical heel seam; and

a portion of the void that receives the foot.

32. The article of footwear recited in claim 31, wherein the second layer is formed from a polymer material and molded to the first layer.

33. The article of footwear recited in claim 32, wherein the sole structure includes a midsole and an outsole, at least one of the first layer and the second layer extending between the midsole and the outsole, and the third layer extending over the midsole.

34. The article of footwear recited in claim 31, wherein the first layer and the third layer are textile materials, and the polymer material of the second layer infiltrates the textile material of the first layer to secure the second layer to the first layer.

35. The article of footwear recited in claim 31, wherein the third layer is adhesively-joined with at least one of the first layer and the second layer.

36. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear, the method comprising steps of:

providing a first layer of an upper of the article of footwear;

molding a second layer of the upper to the first layer; and

joining a third layer of the upper with at least one of the first layer and the second layer such that the second layer is positioned between the first layer and the third layer.

37. The method recited in claim 36, wherein the step of providing includes selecting the first layer to be a textile.

38. The method recited in claim 37, wherein the step of molding includes inducing a polymer material to infiltrate a portion of the first layer.

39. The method recited in claim 36, further including a step of positioning the first layer to be an first layer of the article of footwear, and positioning the third layer to be an third layer that defines a void for receiving a foot.

40. The method recited in claim 39, further including a step of extending the first layer and the second layer under a midsole of the article of footwear, and extending the third layer over the midsole of the article of footwear.

41. The method recited in claim 39, further including a step of joining edges of the third layer to form seams, and including a step of positioning an insole within the void, the insole being positioned between:

each of the seams except a substantially vertical heel seam; and

a portion of the void that receives the foot.