ARTICLE HAVING A KNITTED COMPONENT WITH A STRAP

• US 20170280817A1
• Filed: 03/29/2017
• Published: 10/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Hutchinson, Helene, Langvin, Elizabeth, Minami, Tetsuya T.
• Granted Patent: US 11,122,850 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 2500/10 Knitted
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 27/10 Sleeves; Armholes
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 27/205 Pockets adapted to receive a mobile phone or other electronic equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/04 braided, knotted, knitted or crocheted
• 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 23/0265 having different properties in different directions
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/027 with a part of the upper particularly flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0275 with a part of the upper particularly rigid, e.g. resisting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/26 Tongues for shoes
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/0031 provided with a pocket, e.g. for keys or a card
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/025 characterised by an element which improves the contact between the ball and the footwear
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 1/04 with rings or loops
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 11/14 Clamp fastenings , e.g. strap fastenings; Clamp-buckle fastenings; Fastenings with toggle levers
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 7/02 Flaps; Pockets
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/22 specially adapted for knitting goods of particular configuration
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/024 soluble
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/0113 One surface including hollow piping or integrated straps, e.g. for inserts or mountings
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2501/043 Footwear
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2501/061 : Piped openings (pockets)

Abstract

In one aspect, the present disclosure provides an article formed of a knitted component. The article may be an upper for an article of footwear. The knitted component may have a first portion and a second portion, where the first portion of the knitted component at least partially forms a foot-receiving portion of the upper, where the second portion of the knitted component at least partially forms a strap of the upper, where the strap includes a first edge and a second edge secured to the first portion of the knitted component, and where the strap includes a third edge that extends from the first edge to the second edge.

Claims

1. An upper for an article of footwear, the upper comprising:

a knitted component having a first portion and a second portion,

wherein the first portion of the knitted component at least partially forms a foot-receiving portion of the upper,

wherein the second portion of the knitted component at least partially forms a strap of the upper,

wherein the strap includes a first edge and a second edge secured to the first portion of the knitted component, and

wherein the strap includes a third edge that extends from the first edge to the second edge.

2. The upper of claim 1, wherein the third edge is a free edge.

3. The upper of claim 1, wherein the strap includes a fourth edge that extends from the first edge to the second edge.

4. The upper of claim 1, wherein the third edge of the strap extends from a lateral side of the upper over a throat area of the upper, and to a medial side of the upper.

5. The upper of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the knitted component and the second portion of the knitted component are formed together as an integral one-piece element on a knitting machine.

6. The upper of claim 1, wherein the knitted component comprises a first layer including the first portion and a second layer including the second portion.

7. The upper of claim 6, wherein the knitted component further comprises a third layer, wherein the first and second layers are formed on a first needle bed of a knitting machine and the third layer is formed on a second bed of the knitting machine.

8. The upper of claim 1, wherein the upper further comprises at least one tension element located in a pocket defined between the foot-receiving portion of the upper and the strap of the upper.

9. The upper of claim 8, wherein the tension element is inserted within the knitted component, and wherein slack of the tension element is pulled into the pocket to form at least one loop.

10. The upper of claim 9, wherein tension element is associated with a fastening system, and wherein the strap covers at least a portion of the fastening system.

11. A method for forming an article, the method comprising:

knitting a first portion of a knitted component, wherein the first portion is configured to at least partially form a base portion of the article;

knitting a second portion of the knitted component, wherein the second portion is configured to at least partially form a strap of the article, the strap including a first edge secured to the base portion; and

releasing the first edge of the strap from the base portion after knitting the first portion and the second portion.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a pocket located between the strap and the base portion is accessible from adjacent the first edge of the strap after the step of releasing the first edge of the strap from the base portion.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first portion of the knitted component and the second portion of the knitted component are formed on a knitting machine as an integral one-piece element.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising a step of knitting a third portion of the knitted component, wherein the third portion of the knitted component is secured to the first portion of the knitted component.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first and second portions of the knitted component are knitted on a first needle bed, and wherein the third portion of the knitted component is formed on a second needle bed.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the first portion of the knitted component is knitted on a first needle bed, and wherein the second portion of the knitted component is knitted on a second needle bed.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of releasing the first edge of the strap from the base portion includes releasing a releasable yarn.

18. An article, the article comprising:

a knitted component with a first portion and a second portion, wherein a pocket is located between the first portion and the second portion,

wherein the first portion comprises a releasable edge secured to the first portion and configured to release from the first portion, the releasable edge having at least one releasable yarn.

19. The article of claim 18, wherein the releasable yarn has a lower tensile strength than a second yarn of the knitted component when it is released.

20. The article of claim 18, wherein the second portion of the knitted component further comprises a second edge that is configured to remain permanently secured to the first portion of the knitted component.