Methods Of Manufacturing Articles Of Footwear With Tensile Strand Elements

• US 20130219636A1
• Filed: 02/24/2012
• Published: 08/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Dojan, Frederick J., Kohatsu, Shane S., Hwang, James, Johnson, Daniel A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,925,129 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 12/142.R
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/02 Uppers; Boot legs
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0235 Different layers of different material
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0245 characterised by the constructive form
• 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 23/0275 with a part of the upper particularly rigid, e.g. resisting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 1/00 Shoe lacing fastenings garment fastening devices A41F
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 86/00 Machines for assembling soles or heels onto uppers, not provided for in groups A43D25/00 - A43D83/00, e.g. by welding
• CPC Class Codes: D05B 53/00 Thread- or cord-laying mechanisms; Thread fingers

Abstract

An upper for an article of footwear may have material layers and a plurality of strand segments. The material layers are located adjacent to each other and in an overlapping configuration, and the material layers are located in a lace region and a lower region of the upper. The strand segments extend from the lace region to the lower region. The strand segments may be located and secured between the material layers in the lace region and the lower region. The strand segments may form both an exterior surface of the upper and an opposite interior surface of the upper in an area between the lace region and the lower region. The material layers may define an opening between the lace region and the lower region, and the strand segments extend across the opening.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure, the method comprising:

locating a strand adjacent to a surface of a material layer;

tacking a portion of the strand to the material layer with a first thread;

stitching another portion of the strand to the material layer with a second thread; and

dissolving at least a portion of the first thread.

2. The method recited in claim 1, further including a step of selecting the first thread to be water-soluble, and the step of dissolving includes utilizing water.

3. The method recited in claim 1, further including a step of incorporating the strand, the material layer, and the second thread into the upper, the material layer being positioned in at least a lace region of the upper, and the strand extending from the lace region to a lower region of the upper, the lower region being spaced from the lace region and located proximal to an area where the sole structure is secured to the upper.

4. The method recited in claim 3, further including a step of defining an opening in the material layer between the lace region and the lower region, and the step of locating includes extending the strand across the opening.

5. The method recited in claim 1, further including a step of securing a cover material layer to the material layer, the strand being located between the material layer and the cover material layer.

6. The method recited in claim 5, wherein the step of dissolving is performed prior to the step of securing.

7. The method recited in dam 1, wherein the step of tacking includes extending the first thread through the strand and the material layer.

8. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure, the method comprising:

locating a strand adjacent to a surface of a base material layer, the strand extending from a first area of the base material layer to a second area of the base material layer, the first area being spaced from the second area by an opening, and the strand extending across the opening;

tacking the strand to the base material layer with a first thread having a water-soluble configuration, the first thread securing the strand to the base material layer in the first area and the second area, and the first thread extending along the strand across the opening;

stitching the strand to the base material layer with a second thread having a non-water-soluble configuration;

dissolving the first thread with water; and

joining the base material layer to additional upper elements, the first area being located in a portion of the additional upper elements that form a lace region of the upper, and the second area being located in a portion of the additional upper elements that form a lower region of the upper, the lower region being spaced from the lace region by the opening and located proximal to an area for securing the sole structure to the upper.

9. The method recited in claim 8, wherein the steps of locating and tacking are performed simultaneously.

10. The method recited in claim 8, wherein the step of tacking includes extending the first thread through the strand in the first area and the second area.

11. The method recited in claim 8, wherein the step of joining includes securing a cover material layer of the additional upper elements to the surface of the base material layer, the strand being located between the base material layer and the cover material layer.

12. The method recited in claim 8, wherein the step of locating includes forming a loop of the strand in the first area, and further including a step of defining an aperture through the base material layer and within the loop.

13. The method recited in claim 8, wherein (a) the step of locating includes forming a loop of the strand in the first area, (b) the step of tacking includes joining the loop to the first area, (c) the step of dissolving includes dissolving a portion of the first thread that joins the loop to the first area;

and (d) the step of joining includes locating the loop to form a portion of an exterior surface of the upper.

14. The method recited in claim 8, wherein the step of stitching includes forming a zigzag stitch pattern with the second thread along at least a portion of a length of the strand.

15. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure, the method comprising:

locating a strand adjacent to a surface of a base material layer, the strand extending from a first area of the base material layer to a second area of the base material layer, the first area being spaced from the second area by an opening, and the strand extending across the opening;

stitching the strand to the base material layer with a thread, the thread securing the strand to the base material layer in the first area and the second area, and a portion of the thread extending across the opening;

cutting the thread to remove the portion of the thread extending across the opening; and

incorporating the strand, the base material layer, and the thread into the upper, the first area being located in a lace region of the upper, and the second area being located in a lower region of the upper, the lower region being spaced from the lace region by the opening and located proximal to an area for securing the sole structure to the upper.

16. The method recited in claim 15, wherein the steps of locating and stitching are performed simultaneously.

17. The method recited in claim 15, wherein the step of stitching includes extending the thread through the strand in the first area and the second area.

18. The method recited in claim 15, wherein the step of incorporating includes securing a cover material layer to the surface of the base material layer, the strand being located between the base material layer and the cover material layer.

19. The method recited in claim 15, wherein the step of locating includes forming a loop of the strand in the first area, and further including a step of defining an aperture through the base material layer and within the loop.

20. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure, the method comprising:

positioning a base material layer on an assembly apparatus, a plurality of first pegs of the assembly apparatus protruding through a first area of the base material layer, and a plurality of second pegs of the assembly apparatus protruding through a second area of the base material layer;

locating a strand adjacent to a surface of the base material layer and around the first pegs and the second pegs, the strand extending from the first area of the base material layer to the second area of the base material layer;

securing the strand to the base material layer; and

incorporating the strand and the base material layer into the upper, the first area being located in a lace region of the upper, and the second area being located in a lower region of the upper, the lower region being spaced from the lace region and located proximal to an area for securing the sole structure to the upper.

21. The method recited in claim 20, further including a step of defining apertures in the base material layer, and the step of positioning including extending the pegs through the apertures.

22. The method recited in claim 21, further including a step of extending a lace through the apertures.

23. The method recited in claim 20, wherein the step of positioning includes defining an opening in the base material layer located between the first area and the second area, and the step of locating includes extending the strand across the opening.

24. The method recited in claim 23, wherein the step of incorporating includes positioning the opening in a side area of the upper.

25. The method recited in claim 20, wherein the step of locating includes alternating the strand from (a) passing around one of the first pegs and (b) passing around one of the second pegs.

26. The method recited in claim 20, wherein the step of locating includes alternating the strand from (a) passing around two of the first pegs and (b) passing around at least one of the second pegs.

27. The method recited in claim 20, wherein the step of securing includes stitching portions of the strand to the base material layer.

28. The method recited in claim 20, wherein the step of securing includes bonding a cover material layer to the surface of the base material layer, the strand being located between the base material layer and the cover material layer.

29. The method recited in claim 20, wherein the step of incorporating includes positioning portions of the strand located between the lace region and the lower region on an exterior of the article of footwear.

30. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure, the method comprising:

providing a base material layer having a first area, a second area spaced from the first area, and an opening located between the first area and the second area, and the base material layer defining a plurality of apertures in at least the first area;

positioning the base material layer on an assembly apparatus, a plurality of first pegs of the assembly apparatus protruding through the apertures in the first area of the base material layer, and a plurality of second pegs of the assembly apparatus protruding through the second area of the base material layer;

locating a strand adjacent to a surface of the base material layer and around the first pegs and the second pegs, multiple segments of the strand extending from the first area of the base material layer to the second area of the base material layer, and the segments of the strand extending across the opening;

securing the strand to the base material layer; and

incorporating the strand and the base material layer into a side area of the upper, the first area being located in a lace region of the upper, and the second area being located in a lower region of the upper, the lower region being spaced from the lace region and located proximal to an area for securing the sole structure to the upper.

31. The method recited in claim 30, further including a step of extending a lace through the apertures.

32. The method recited in claim 30, wherein the step of locating includes forming loops of the strand around at least some of the first pegs, and further including a step of extending a lace through the apertures and the loops.

33. The method recited in claim 30, wherein the step of locating includes alternating the strand from (a) passing around one of the first pegs and (b) passing around one of the second pegs.

34. The method recited in claim 30, wherein the step of locating includes alternating the strand from (a) passing around two of the first pegs and (b) passing around at least one of the second pegs.

35. The method recited in claim 30, wherein the step of securing includes stitching portions of the strand to the base material layer.

36. The method recited in claim 30, wherein the step of securing includes bonding a cover material layer to the surface of the base material layer, the strand being located between the base material layer and the cover material layer.

37. The method recited in claim 30, wherein the step of incorporating includes positioning the segments of the strand extending across the opening on an exterior of the article of footwear.

38. The method recited in claim 30, further including a step of providing the strand to have an outer sheath that extends around an inner core, the sheath and the core extending along a length of the strand segments, and each of the sheath and the core being formed from a plurality of intertwined threads.

39. The method recited in claim 30, further including a step of locating another strand adjacent to an opposite surface of the base material layer, the another strand extending from the first area of the base material layer to the second area of the base material layer, and segments of the another strand extending across the opening.

40. The method recited in claim 39, further including a step of angling the segments of the another strand with respect to the segments of the strand.

41. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure, the method comprising:

positioning an upper element on an assembly apparatus, a plurality of pegs of the assembly apparatus protruding through the upper element;

locating a strand adjacent to a surface of the upper element, a plurality of loops of the strand extending and around the pegs;

securing the strand to the upper element;

incorporating the strand and the upper element into the upper; and

extending a lace through the loops.

42. The method recited in claim 41, wherein the step of positioning includes extending the pegs through apertures in the upper element.

43. The method recited in claim 42, wherein the step of locating includes forming the loops around the apertures.

44. The method recited in claim 42, wherein the step of extending includes passing the lace through the apertures and the loops of the strand.

45. The method recited in claim 41 wherein the step of locating includes forming the loops of the strand around one of the pegs.

46. The method recited in claim 41, wherein the step of locating includes forming the loops of the strand around two of the pegs.

47. The method recited in claim 41, wherein the step of securing includes stitching portions of the strand to the upper element.

48. The method recited in claim 41, wherein the step of securing includes bonding a cover material layer to the surface of the upper element, the strand being located between the upper element and the cover material layer.

49. The method recited in claim 41, wherein the step of incorporating includes (a) positioning the loops in a lace region of the upper and (b) positioning portions of the strand in a lower region of the upper, the lower region being spaced from the lace region and located proximal to an area for securing the sole structure to the upper.

50. The method recited in claim 49, wherein the upper element defines an opening between the lace region and the lower region.

51. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure, the method comprising:

providing a base material layer having (a) a first surface and an opposite second surface and (b) a first area and a second area spaced from each other;

locating a first strand adjacent to the first surface and securing the first strand to the first surface, multiple segments of the first strand extending from the first area to the second area;

locating a second strand adjacent to the second surface and securing the second strand to the second surface, multiple segments of the second strand extending from the first area to the second area, and the segments of the second strand being angled with respect to the segments of the first strand; and

incorporating the base material layer, the first strand, and the second strand into a side area of the upper, the first area being located in a lace region of the upper, and the second area being located in a lower region of the upper, the lower region being spaced from the lace region and located proximal to an area for securing the sole structure to the upper.

52. The method recited in claim 51, wherein the step of providing includes defining an opening in the base material layer between the first area and the second area.

53. The method recited in claim 52, wherein the step of locating the first strand includes extending the segments of the first strand across the opening.

54. The method recited in claim 53, wherein the step of locating the second strand includes extending the segments of the second strand across the opening.

55. The method recited in claim 51, further including a step of securing a cover material layer and a backing material layer to the base material layer, the cover material layer being secured to the first surface of the base material layer, and the first strand being located between the cover material layer and the base material layer, the backing material layer being secured to the second surface of the base material layer, and the second strand being located between the backing material layer and the base material layer.

56. The method recited in claim 51, wherein the step of incorporating includes (a) orienting the segments of first strand to have a substantially vertical orientation in an area between the lace region and the lower region (b) orienting the segments of the second strand to extend toward a heel region of the footwear in the area between the lace region and the lower region.