Article of footwear having an upper with thread structural elements

• US 20070271822A1
• Filed: 05/25/2006
• Published: 11/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Meschter, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,574,818 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/45
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0225 Composite materials, e.g. material with a matrix
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0235 Different layers of different material
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/025 assembled by stitching
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0265 having different properties in different directions
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/14 with foot-supporting parts
• CPC Class Codes: D05C 17/00 Embroidered or tufted products; Base fabrics specially adapted for embroidered work; Inserts for producing surface irregularities in embroidered products layered products B32B; non-woven pile fabrics D04H11/00
• CPC Class Codes: D06C 13/00 Shearing, clipping or cropping surfaces of textile fabrics; Pile cutting; Trimming seamed edges for making patterns or designs D06C23/02

Abstract

An article of footwear includes an upper that is at least partially formed from a base layer and thread sections that lie adjacent a surface of the base layer. The thread sections are positioned to provide structural elements that, for example, restrain stretch in directions corresponding with longitudinal axes of the thread sections. In some configurations of the footwear, a first portion of the thread sections may extend between forefoot and heel regions of the footwear, and a second portion of the thread sections may extend vertically. An embroidering process may be utilized to position the thread sections on the base layer.

Claims

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

a base layer defining a first surface and an opposite second surface;

a thread having a section that lies adjacent to the first surface and is substantially parallel to the first surface for a distance of more than twelve millimeters; and

a securing element that joins the thread to the base layer.

2. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the section of the thread does not extend through the base layer.

3. The article of footwear recited in claim 2, wherein the section of the thread is located between portions of the thread that extend through the base layer.

4. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the base layer is a textile material that stretches at least ten percent prior to tensile failure.

5. The article of footwear recited in claim 4, wherein the thread substantially restrains stretch of the base layer in a direction corresponding with a longitudinal axis of the thread.

6. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the thread includes a plurality of sections that each lie adjacent to the first surface and are substantially parallel to the first surface for a distance of more than twelve millimeters.

7. The article of footwear recited in claim 6, wherein the plurality of sections extend in a direction of a longitudinal length of the footwear.

8. The article of footwear recited in claim 6, wherein the plurality of sections cross each other.

9. The article of footwear recited in claim 6, wherein the plurality of sections extend from an upper area to a lower area of the upper.

10. The article of footwear recited in claim 6, wherein the upper includes:

a first zone wherein the plurality of sections are absent from the first surface;

a second zone wherein the plurality of sections are substantially parallel to each other and the threads do not cross each other; and

a third zone wherein the plurality of sections are oriented such that a first portion of the threads extend in a first direction and a second portion of the threads extend in a second direction, the first portion crossing the second portion, and the first direction being offset by at least sixty degrees from the second direction.

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

a base layer having a first surface and an opposite second surface, the base layer defining a first point and a second point spaced apart by a distance of at least five centimeters; and

a thread extending from the first point to the second point, the thread having a section that is located between the first point and the second point, the section lying adjacent to the first surface and substantially parallel to the first surface throughout the distance of at least five centimeters.

12. The article of footwear recited in claim 11, wherein the section of the thread does not extend through the base layer.

13. The article of footwear recited in claim 11, wherein the base layer is a textile material that stretches at least ten percent prior to tensile failure.

14. The article of footwear recited in claim 13, wherein the thread substantially restrains stretch of the base layer in a direction corresponding with a longitudinal axis of the thread.

15. The article of footwear recited in claim 11, wherein the thread includes a plurality of sections that each lie adjacent to the first surface and are substantially parallel to the first surface for a distance of more than five centimeters.

16. The article of footwear recited in claim 15, wherein the plurality of sections extend in a direction of a longitudinal length of the footwear.

17. The article of footwear recited in claim 15, wherein the plurality of sections cross each other.

18. The article of footwear recited in claim 15, wherein the plurality of sections extend from an upper area to a lower area of the upper.

19. The article of footwear recited in claim 11, wherein a securing element joins the section to the base layer, and the securing element is a layer of polymer material.

20. The article of footwear recited in claim 11, wherein a securing element joins the section to the base layer, and the securing element is an adhesive applied to at least the base layer.

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

a textile layer at least partially formed from a plurality of yarns, the textile layer having a first surface and an opposite second surface, and the textile layer defining a first area and a second area spaced apart by a distance of at least five centimeters;

at least one thread with a plurality of sections that extend from the first area to the second area, the sections lying adjacent to the first surface and not extending through the textile layer throughout the distance of at least five centimeters, and the sections being separate from the yarns of the textile layer; and

a securing element that joins the sections to the textile layer.

22. The article of footwear recited in claim 21, wherein portions of the sections extend through the textile layer in the first area and the second area.

23. The article of footwear recited in claim 21, wherein the textile layer stretches at least ten percent prior to tensile failure, and the sections substantially restrain stretch of the textile layer in directions corresponding with longitudinal axes of the sections.

24. The article of footwear recited in claim 21, wherein the sections extend in a direction of a longitudinal length of the footwear.

25. The article of footwear recited in claim 21, wherein the sections cross each other.

26. The article of footwear recited in claim 21, wherein the sections extend from an upper area to a lower area of the upper.

27. The article of footwear recited in claim 21, wherein the upper includes:

a first zone wherein the sections are absent from the first surface;

a second zone wherein the sections are substantially parallel to each other and the sections do not cross each other; and

a third zone wherein the sections are oriented such that a first portion of the sections extend in a first direction and a second portion of the sections extend in a second direction, the first portion crossing the second portion, and the first direction being offset by at least sixty degrees from the second direction.

28. The article of footwear recited in claim 21, wherein the securing element is at least one of a layer of polymer material and an adhesive applied to at least the textile layer.

29. The article of footwear recited in claim 21, wherein the first surface defines at least a portion of an exterior surface of the footwear, and the second surface defines an interior surface that forms a void within the upper for receiving a foot.

30. The article of footwear recited in claim 21, wherein at least two of the sections are formed of different materials.

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

a base layer defining a first area and a second area spaced from the first area; and

at least one thread with a plurality of sections that extend from the first area to the second area, the sections lying adjacent to the base layer and separate from the base layer, a spacing between the thread sections being less in the first area than in the second area.

32. The article of footwear recited in claim 31, wherein the first area includes a lace aperture for receiving a lace of the footwear.

33. The article of footwear recited in claim 31, wherein portions of the sections extend through the base layer in the first area and the second area, and the portions do not extend through the base layer in an area between the first area and the second area.

34. The article of footwear recited in claim 31, wherein the first area is in a midfoot region of the footwear and the second area is in one of a forefoot region and a heel region of the footwear.

35. The article of footwear recited in claim 34, wherein the sections cross each other in the first area.

36. The article of footwear recited in claim 31, further including a securing element that joins the sections to the base layer.

37. The article of footwear recited in claim 36, wherein the securing element is at least one of a layer of polymer material and an adhesive applied to at least the base layer.

38. The article of footwear recited in claim 31, wherein at least two of the sections are formed of different materials.