Article Of Footwear Having An Upper With Thread Structural Elements

• US 20080022554A1
• Filed: 08/13/2007
• Published: 01/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Thomas, Edward, Meschter, James, Dua, Bhupesh
• Granted Patent: US 7,870,682 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, the first surface facing toward an exterior of the upper, and the second surface facing toward an interior of the upper; and

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, the thread including a plurality of strands with a tensile strength greater than 0.60 gigapascals.

2. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the material of the strands is selected from a group consisting of carbon fiber, aramid fiber, ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, and liquid crystal polymer.

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

5. The article of footwear recited in claim 4, wherein the section of the thread is located between portions of the thread that extend through the base layer.

7. 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.

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

9. The article of footwear recited in claim 7, wherein the plurality of sections cross each other.

10. The article of footwear recited in claim 7, wherein the plurality of sections extend from an upper area to a lower area of the upper.

3. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

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, the thread incorporating a plurality of strands formed of a material with a tensile strength greater than 0.60 gigapascals and a tensile modulus greater than 50 gigapascals.

12. The article of footwear recited in claim 11, wherein the material of the strands has a density less than 2.0 grams per centimeter cubed

13. The article of footwear recited in claim 11, wherein the material of the strands is selected from a group consisting of carbon fiber, aramid fiber, ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, and liquid crystal polymer.

16. The article of footwear recited in claim 11, wherein the section of the thread is secured to the base layer at the first point and the second point.

17. The article of footwear recited in claim 16, wherein the section of the thread extends through the base layer at the first point and the second point.

14-15. -15. (canceled)

18. (canceled)

19. 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,

wherein the thread is formed from a plurality of strands located within a polymer matrix, the strands being formed from a material selected from a group consisting of carbon fiber, aramid fiber, ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, and liquid crystal polymer.

20. The article of footwear recited in claim 19, wherein portions of the sections extend through the textile layer in the first area and the second area.

21-26. -26. (canceled)

27. A method of manufacturing an embroidered element, the method including steps of:

securing a thread to a first point of a base layer, the thread being formed from a plurality of strands secured together with a polymer material, the strands being formed from a material with a tensile strength greater than greater than 0.60 gigapascals and a tensile modulus greater than 50 gigapascals;

extending the thread along a surface of the base layer and from the first point to a second point, a distance between the first point and the second point being at least twelve millimeters; and

securing the thread to the second point of the base layer.

28. The method recited in claim 27, further including a step of selecting the material of the strands to have a density less than 2.0 grams per centimeter cubed.

29. The method recited in claim 27, further including a step of selecting the strands to be one of carbon fiber, aramid fiber, para-aramid fiber, meta-aramid fiber, and ultra high molecular weight polyethylene.

30. The method recited in claim 27, further including a step of selecting the base layer to be a textile material that stretches at least ten percent prior to tensile failure.

31. The method recited in claim 27, wherein the step of securing the thread to the first point includes extending the thread through the base layer at the first point.

32. The method recited in claim 27, further including a step of incorporating the embroidered element into an article of footwear.

33. The method recited in claim 32, wherein the step of incorporating includes orienting the thread to extend in a longitudinal direction of the footwear.

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

embroidering an element of the footwear with a thread having a material with a tensile strength of more than 0.60 gigapascals; and

incorporating the element into the footwear.

35. The method recited in claim 34, wherein the step of incorporating includes locating the element in an upper of the footwear.

36. The method recited in claim 34, wherein the step of incorporating includes orienting the element such that the thread extends in a direction of a longitudinal length of the footwear.

37. The method recited in claim 34, wherein the step of incorporating includes locating the thread adjacent to and parallel to a base layer for a distance of at least twelve millimeters.

38. The method recited in claim 34, wherein the step of incorporating includes locating the thread adjacent to and parallel to a base layer for a distance of at least five centimeters.

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

a base layer that defines a first surface and an opposite second surface, the base layer being formed from a material with a first ultimate strength; and

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, the thread having a second ultimate strength, the second ultimate strength being at least ten times the first ultimate strength.

40. The article of footwear recited in claim 39, wherein the material of the base layer is a one-dimensional material.

41. The article of footwear recited in claim 39, wherein a material of the thread is selected from a group consisting of carbon fiber, aramid fiber, ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, and liquid crystal polymer.

42. The article of footwear recited in claim 39, wherein the section of the thread does not extend through the base layer.

43. The article of footwear recited in claim 42, wherein the section of the thread is located between portions of the thread that extend through the base layer.

44. 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, the yarns having a first ultimate strength; 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 first surface and not extending through the textile layer throughout the distance of at least five centimeters, the sections being separate from the yarns of the textile layer, and the sections having a second ultimate strength that is at least ten times the first ultimate strength.

45. The article of footwear recited in claim 44, wherein the thread is formed from a plurality of strands located within a polymer matrix, the strands being formed from a material selected from a group consisting of carbon fiber, aramid fiber, ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, and liquid crystal polymer.

47. The article of footwear recited in claim 44, wherein portions of the sections extend through the textile layer in the first area and the second area.

49. The article of footwear recited in claim 44, wherein the sections extend in a direction of a longitudinal length of the footwear.

50. The article of footwear recited in claim 44, wherein the sections extend from an upper area to a lower area of the upper.

46. (canceled)

48. (canceled)