Article of Footwear Incorporating a Lenticular Knit Structure

• US 20160088894A1
• Filed: 06/09/2015
• Published: 03/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Meir, Adrian, Podhajny, Daniel A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,070,679 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/04 braided, knotted, knitted or crocheted
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/04 Uppers made of one piece; Uppers with inserted gussets
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/126 with colour pattern, e.g. intarsia fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/22 specially adapted for knitting goods of particular configuration
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/0113 One surface including hollow piping or integrated straps, e.g. for inserts or mountings
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/02411 with a single array of unbent yarn, e.g. unidirectional reinforcement fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2501/043 Footwear

Abstract

An article of footwear including an upper incorporating a knitted component having color-shifting properties is provided. Color-shift properties can be generated by one or more lenticular knit structures disposed across the upper of the article of footwear. The lenticular knit structures are formed of unitary knit construction with the remaining portions of the knitted component. The lenticular knit structures have portions formed with different yarns. The different yarns on the portions of the lenticular knit structures generate a visual effect that changes the color of the article of footwear depending on the viewing angle.

Claims

1. A lenticular knit structure for providing color-shifting properties to a knitted component, the lenticular knit structure comprising:

a first portion disposed on a first side of the lenticular knit structure;

a second portion disposed on a second side of the lenticular knit structure, the second side being disposed opposite the first side; and

wherein the first portion of the lenticular knit structure is associated with a first visual effect when the lenticular knit structure is viewed from a first viewing angle and the second portion of the lenticular knit structure is associated with a second visual effect when the lenticular knit structure is viewed from a second viewing angle that is different than the first viewing angle.

2. The lenticular knit structure according to claim 1, wherein the first portion of the lenticular knit structure is formed using a first yarn and the second portion of the lenticular knit structure is formed using a second yarn, the first yarn and the second yarn having different characteristics.

3. The lenticular knit structure according to claim 2, wherein the first yarn and the second yarn are one or more of different yarn types, different colors, different textures, and different deniers.

4. The lenticular knit structure according to claim 2, wherein the first yarn substantially generates the first visual effect when the lenticular knit structure is viewed from the first viewing angle and the second yarn substantially generates the second visual effect when the lenticular knit structure is viewed from the second viewing angle.

5. A knitted component including the lenticular knit structure according to claim 1.

6. The knitted component according to claim 5, further comprising a plurality of lenticular knit structures.

7. The knitted component according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of lenticular knit structures are disposed across a surface of the knitted component.

8. The knitted component according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of lenticular knit structures extend away from the surface of the knitted component.

9. The knitted component according to claim 7, wherein adjacent lenticular knit structures of the plurality of lenticular knit structures are separated by a base portion.

10. The knitted component according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of lenticular knit structures comprises a first lenticular knit structure and a second lenticular knit structure, the first lenticular knit structure having the first portion formed using a first yarn and the second portion formed using a second yarn, and the second lenticular knit structure having the first portion formed using the first yarn, the second portion formed using the second yarn, and an upper portion disposed between the first portion and the second portion, the upper portion being formed using a third yarn.

11. The knitted component according to claim 7, wherein one or more of the second lenticular knit structures are located in a first area on the knitted component and the remaining portion of the knitted component includes a plurality of the first lenticular knit structures.

12. The knitted component according to claim 7, wherein the first yarn, the second yarn, and the third yarn are different colors.

13. The knitted component according to claim 7, wherein the upper portion generates a third visual effect that is visible from both the first viewing angle and the second viewing angle.

14. The knitted component according to claim 5, wherein the knitted component including the lenticular knit structure is incorporated into an upper of an article of footwear.

15. The knitted component according to claim 14, wherein the lenticular knit structure provides color-shifting properties to the upper of the article of footwear.

16. A method of knitting a lenticular knit structure, the method comprising:

knitting a first portion of the lenticular knit structure using a first yarn;

knitting a second portion of the lenticular knit structure using a second yarn, the second yarn being different from the first yarn;

the lenticular knit structure being formed so that the first portion and the second portion are disposed on opposite sides of the lenticular knit structure; and

wherein the first portion of the lenticular knit structure is associated with a first visual effect when the lenticular knit structure is viewed from a first viewing angle and the second portion of the lenticular knit structure is associated with a second visual effect when the lenticular knit structure is viewed from a second viewing angle that is different than the first viewing angle.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the first portion and the second portion are formed of unitary knit construction during the knitting process.

18. The method according to claim 16, wherein the method further comprises knitting an upper portion of the lenticular knit structure disposed between the first portion and the second portion, the upper portion being knit using a third yarn.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the upper portion generates a third visual effect that is visible from both the first viewing angle and the second viewing angle.

20. The method according to claim 16, further comprising incorporating a plurality of lenticular knit structures into a knitted component.