Article of footwear having an upper with thread structural elements
First Claim
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1. A method of manufacturing an embroidered element, the method comprising:
- bonding a polymer layer to a textile layer;
embroidering the polymer layer and the textile layer with a thread such that a section of the thread lies adjacent to the textile layer and substantially parallel to the textile layer throughout a distance of at least five centimeters; and
cutting the polymer layer, the textile layer, and the thread such that an end of the section of the thread is located at an edge of the textile layer.
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Abstract
An article of footwear includes an upper that is at least partially formed from a base layer and thread sections that lie adjacent a surface of the base layer. The thread sections are positioned to provide structural elements that, for example, restrain stretch in directions corresponding with longitudinal axes of the thread sections. In some configurations of the footwear, a first portion of the thread sections may extend between forefoot and heel regions of the footwear, and a second portion of the thread sections may extend vertically. An embroidering process may be utilized to position the thread sections on the base layer.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of manufacturing an embroidered element, the method comprising:
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bonding a polymer layer to a textile layer; embroidering the polymer layer and the textile layer with a thread such that a section of the thread lies adjacent to the textile layer and substantially parallel to the textile layer throughout a distance of at least five centimeters; and cutting the polymer layer, the textile layer, and the thread such that an end of the section of the thread is located at an edge of the textile layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear, the method comprising:
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joining a polymer material to a textile layer; embroidering the polymer layer and the textile layer with a thread such that a plurality of thread sections lie adjacent to the textile layer and are substantially parallel to the textile layer throughout a distance of at least five centimeters; heating the polymer material to bond the plurality of thread sections to the polymer material; and incorporating the embroidered element into an upper of the footwear. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear, the method comprising:
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joining a polymer layer to a textile layer that stretches at least ten percent prior to tensile failure; embroidering the polymer layer and the textile layer with a thread such that a plurality of thread sections lie adjacent to the textile layer and are substantially parallel to the textile layer throughout a distance of at least five centimeters; and incorporating the textile layer, the polymer layer, and the thread into an upper of the footwear, the thread sections extending from a lace-receiving area of the upper to a lower area of the upper. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification