Article Of Footwear Incorporating A Knitted Component With Interior Layer Features

• US 20140245637A1
• Filed: 05/09/2014
• Published: 09/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Fahmi, Windra, Seamarks, Karl
• Application Number:
  US14/273,591
• Publication Number:
  US 20140245637A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/84
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/04 braided, knotted, knitted or crocheted
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/00 Uppers; Boot legs; Stiffeners; Other single parts of footwear
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0205 characterised by the material material of the lining A43B23/07, material of toe stiffeners or heel stiffeners A43B23/08
• 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 23/0255 assembled by gluing or thermo bonding
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/026 Laminated layers
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0275 with a part of the upper particularly rigid, e.g. resisting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/07 Linings therefor lining laminated with upper A43B23/026
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/088 Heel stiffeners A43B23/10, A43B23/14, A43B23/16, A43B23/17 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/26 Tongues for shoes
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/06 Running shoes; Track shoes
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/12 Special watertight footwear overshoes A43B3/16
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/20 Ankle-joint supports or holders
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 11/20 Fastenings with tightening devices mounted on the tongue
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 8/00 Machines for cutting, ornamenting, marking or otherwise working up shoe part blanks pulling-over or lasting A43D9/00 - A43D23/00; making or fastening soles, heels or welts A43D25/00 - A43D83/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/02 by heating, with or without pressure
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/123 with laid-in unlooped yarn, e.g. fleece fabrics with elastic weft yarn D04B1/18
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/22 specially adapted for knitting goods of particular configuration
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/0112 One smooth surface, e.g. laminated or coated
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/0243 : enhancing functional properties
• 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

An article of footwear has an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The upper includes a knitted component and, in some configurations, a skin layer secured to the exterior surface of the knitted component. The knitted component may an asymmetric interior layer secured to the interior surface of the knitted component. The asymmetric interior layer has varying medial and lateral portions that provide for different amounts of feel and cushioning along the varying sides of the upper. The asymmetric interior layer includes a lining layer and a connecting layer that join to form the asymmetric interior layer. Other interior layer features are provided, including collar portions and a heel pad that extends along the heel region of the knitted component from a sockliner to an opening on an ankle cuff of the knitted component.

Claims

1. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the upper extending through a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region, the upper comprising:

a knitted component having an exterior surface extending away from the upper and an interior surface surrounding a void within the upper for receiving a foot of a wearer; and

an asymmetric interior layer attached to the interior surface of the knitted component, the asymmetric interior layer including;

(1) a medial portion extending a first distance from the forefoot region to a portion of the midfoot region on a medial side of the upper, and (2) a lateral portion extending a second distance from the forefoot region to a portion of the midfoot region on a lateral side of the upper; and

wherein the second distance is larger than the first distance.

2. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the medial portion of the asymmetric interior layer is substantially continuous with the lateral portion of the asymmetric interior layer through the forefoot region of the upper.

3. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the lateral portion of the asymmetric interior layer further extends a third distance from the forefoot region to a portion of the heel region on the lateral side of the upper, wherein the third distance is larger than the first distance and the second distance.

4. The article of footwear recited in claim 3, wherein the lateral portion of the asymmetric interior layer extends to a collar of the knitted component on the lateral side of the upper.

5. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the asymmetric interior layer further comprises at least one collar portion disposed adjacent to a collar of the knitted component.

6. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the asymmetric interior layer further comprises a lining layer and a connecting layer, the connecting layer being made of a thermoplastic polymer material and the lining layer being made of a textile material.

7. The article of footwear recited in claim 6, wherein the connecting layer includes an overlapping region, the overlapping region covering at least a portion of the lining layer along a perimeter of the lining layer;

and

wherein the thermoplastic polymer material at least partially infiltrates the lining layer along the overlapping region to join the connecting layer to the lining layer.

8. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the knitted component further comprises:

(a) a foot part for covering at least a portion of the foot of the wearer, and (b) an ankle part for covering at least a portion of an ankle of the wearer, the foot part and the ankle part being formed of unitary knit construction; and

wherein the upper further comprises a heel pad disposed in the heel region that is attached to the interior surface of the knitted component and extends from the foot part of the knitted component to the ankle part of the knitted component.

9. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the upper extending through a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region, the upper comprising:

a knitted component having an exterior surface extending away from the upper and an interior surface surrounding a void within the upper for receiving a foot of a wearer; and

an asymmetric interior layer attached to the interior surface of the knitted component, the asymmetric interior layer comprising a lining layer and a connecting layer, the connecting layer being made of a thermoplastic polymer material and the lining layer being made of a textile material;

wherein the lining layer further comprises a medial portion extending from the forefoot region to a portion of the midfoot region on a medial side of the upper, and a lateral portion extending from the forefoot region to a portion of the midfoot region on a lateral side of the upper; and

wherein the lateral portion is larger than the medial portion.

10. The article of footwear recited in claim 9, wherein the connecting layer includes an overlapping region, the overlapping region covering at least a portion of the lining layer along a perimeter of the lining layer;

and

wherein the thermoplastic polymer material at least partially infiltrates the lining layer along the overlapping region to join the connecting layer to the lining layer.

11. The article of footwear recited in claim 9, wherein the connecting layer further comprises:

a throat portion that is centrally located within approximately the middle of the asymmetric interior layer; and

at least one extending portion, the extending portion extending from the throat portion to at least one of a medial side and a lateral side of the asymmetric interior layer.

12. The article of footwear recited in claim 11, wherein the at least one extending portion of the connecting layer outlines a perimeter of one of the medial portion and the lateral portion of the lining layer.

13. The article of footwear recited in claim 11, wherein the throat portion of the connecting layer includes a plurality of apertures, the plurality of apertures being configured to align with and correspond to lace-receiving elements disposed in the knitted component for receiving a lace.

14. The article of footwear recited in claim 9, wherein the lateral portion of the lining layer extends to a collar of the knitted component on the lateral side of the upper.

15. The article of footwear recited in claim 9, wherein the asymmetric interior layer further comprises at least one collar portion disposed adjacent to a collar of the knitted component.

16. The article of footwear recited in claim 15, wherein the at least one collar portion includes a collar portion of the connecting layer that surrounds a collar portion of the lining layer.

17. The article of footwear recited in claim 9, wherein the knitted component further comprises:

(a) a foot part for covering at least a portion of the foot of the wearer, and (b) an ankle part for covering at least a portion of an ankle of the wearer, the foot part and the ankle part being formed of unitary knit construction; and

wherein the upper further comprises a heel pad disposed in the heel region that is attached to the interior surface of the knitted component and extends from the foot part of the knitted component to the ankle part of the knitted component.

18. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the upper extending through a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region, the upper comprising a knitted component having an exterior surface extending away from the upper and an interior surface surrounding a void within the upper for receiving a foot of a wearer;

the knitted component further comprising;

(a) a foot part for covering at least a portion of the foot of the wearer, and (b) an ankle part for covering at least a portion of an ankle of the wearer, the foot part and the ankle part being formed of unitary knit construction; and

wherein the upper further comprises a heel pad disposed in the heel region that is attached to the interior surface of the knitted component and extends from the foot part of the knitted component to the ankle part of the knitted component.

19. The article of footwear recited in claim 18, wherein the heel pad comprises a body portion disposed in the foot part of the knitted component and an ascending portion disposed in the ankle part of the knitted component;

and

wherein the body portion is wider than the ascending portion.

20. The article of footwear recited in claim 19, wherein the body portion of the heel pad has a shape configured to correspond with the heel of the wearer;

and

wherein the ascending portion has a shape configured to correspond with an Achilles tendon of the foot of a wearer.

21. The article of footwear recited in claim 19, wherein the body portion of the heel pad has a shape configured to correspond with and surround an ankle of the wearer.

22. The article of footwear recited in claim 18, wherein a skin layer is secured to the knitted component, the skin layer forming a portion of an exterior surface of the upper;

and

wherein the skin layer is absent from an ankle part of the knitted component.

23. The article of footwear recited in claim 18, wherein the ankle part has a continuous structure for extending entirely around the ankle of the wearer.

24. The article of footwear recited in claim 23, wherein the heel pad extends from a top edge adjacent to an opening for receiving the foot of the wearer to a bottom edge adjacent to a sockliner disposed along a bottom of the upper.

25. The article of footwear recited in claim 18, wherein the heel pad comprises at least two layers, including a padding layer and a covering layer, the padding layer being disposed along the interior surface of the knitted component and the covering layer being disposed along the padding layer and at least a portion of the interior surface of the knitted component extending beyond the padding layer.

26. The article of footwear recited in claim 25, wherein the covering layer extends to a bottom edge of the heel pad that is adjacent to a bottom of the upper;

and

wherein the padding layer is disposed at a portion of the heel pad that is located spaced apart from the bottom edge by a first height above the bottom of the upper.

27. The article of footwear recited in claim 18, further including an interior layer secured to the knitted component and forming a portion of an interior surface of the upper.