Article of Footwear Incorporating Printed Portions
First Claim
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1. An article of footwear, comprising:
- an upper having a lower peripheral portion, wherein the upper includes an elongated member extending from the lower peripheral portion;
the upper being formed of a first printable material and a second printable material, the first printable material having a higher flexibility than the second printable material;
a sole structure having a top surface and an opposing bottom surface, wherein the top surface is disposed closer to the upper than is the bottom surface;
a perimeter portion of the upper having a first composition including more of the second printable material than the first printable material, wherein the perimeter portion is located adjacent to the sole structure;
a second portion of the upper having a second composition that has more of the first printable material than the first composition, wherein the second portion of the upper is spaced from the sole structure;
the sole structure including a recess disposed in the top surface;
the top surface of the sole structure further including an interior portion, and also including an outer peripheral portion disposed outwardly of the interior portion;
wherein the recess includes a first end portion associated with the outer peripheral portion of the top surface and wherein the recess includes a second end portion associated with the interior portion of the top surface;
wherein the elongated member includes a first end portion and wherein the elongated member includes a second end portion; and
wherein the first end portion of the elongated member engages the first end portion of the recess and wherein the second end portion of the elongated member engages the second end portion of the recess.
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Abstract
An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole structure. The upper includes elongated members extending from a lower peripheral portion that mechanically connect the upper to a sole structure. The sole structure includes several recesses for engaging the elongated members. The upper and/or the elongated members can be printed using a three-dimensional printer.
14 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An article of footwear, comprising:
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an upper having a lower peripheral portion, wherein the upper includes an elongated member extending from the lower peripheral portion; the upper being formed of a first printable material and a second printable material, the first printable material having a higher flexibility than the second printable material; a sole structure having a top surface and an opposing bottom surface, wherein the top surface is disposed closer to the upper than is the bottom surface; a perimeter portion of the upper having a first composition including more of the second printable material than the first printable material, wherein the perimeter portion is located adjacent to the sole structure; a second portion of the upper having a second composition that has more of the first printable material than the first composition, wherein the second portion of the upper is spaced from the sole structure; the sole structure including a recess disposed in the top surface; the top surface of the sole structure further including an interior portion, and also including an outer peripheral portion disposed outwardly of the interior portion; wherein the recess includes a first end portion associated with the outer peripheral portion of the top surface and wherein the recess includes a second end portion associated with the interior portion of the top surface; wherein the elongated member includes a first end portion and wherein the elongated member includes a second end portion; and wherein the first end portion of the elongated member engages the first end portion of the recess and wherein the second end portion of the elongated member engages the second end portion of the recess. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An article of footwear, comprising:
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an upper having a lower peripheral portion, wherein the upper includes an elongated member extending from the lower peripheral portion; a sole structure having a top surface and an opposing bottom surface, wherein the top surface is disposed closer to the upper than is the bottom surface; the sole structure including a recess disposed in the top surface; the top surface of the sole structure further including an interior portion, and also including an outer peripheral portion disposed outwardly of the interior portion; wherein the elongated member is formed of a first printable material and a second printable material, the first printable material being more flexible than the second printable material; wherein the recess includes a first end portion associated with the outer peripheral portion of the top surface and wherein the recess includes a second end portion associated with the interior portion of the top surface; wherein the elongated member includes a first end portion and wherein the elongated member includes a second end portion; and wherein the first end portion of the elongated member engages the first end portion of the recess and wherein the second end portion of the elongated member engages the second end portion of the recess; and wherein a first connecting portion is located between the first end portion of the elongated member and the second end portion of the elongated member, the first connecting portion being formed of a material that has more of the first printable material than the material used to form one of the first end portion of the elongated member and the second end portion of the elongated member. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An article of footwear, comprising:
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an upper formed of a first printable material and a second printable material, the first printable material having a higher flexibility than the second printable material; a sole structure attached to the upper; a perimeter portion of the upper having a first composition; the first composition including a larger percentage of the second printable material than the first printable material, wherein the perimeter portion is located adjacent to the sole structure; a second portion of the upper having a second composition; the second composition including a larger percentage of the first printable material than the percentage of the first printable material in the first composition, wherein the second portion of the upper is spaced from the sole structure; wherein the perimeter portion of the upper is configured to resist stretching. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification