Article of footwear having an upper with a structured intermediate layer

• US 8,215,032 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2010
• Issued: 07/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Sokolowski, Susan L., Wolf-Hochdoerffler, Susanne A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patterson, Marie
• Application Number:
  US12/846,908
• Publication Number:
  US 20100287790A1
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• Field of Search: 36/45, 36/55, 361/33, 36/88, 36/93, 36/3.A, 36/3.R, 36/89, 36/71
• US Class Current: 36/45
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0215 Plastics or artificial leather
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0235 Different layers of different material
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/025 assembled by stitching
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0255 assembled by gluing or thermo bonding
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/042 Uppers made of one piece one piece slippers A43B3/106; one piece sandals A43B3/124
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/07 Linings therefor lining laminated with upper A43B23/026
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/146 Uppers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2250/44 Number of layers variable across the laminate
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/02 Synthetic macromolecular fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/554 Wear resistance
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/724 Permeability to gases, adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2437/02 Gloves, shoes
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/12 next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/245 another layer next to it being a foam layer

Abstract

An article of footwear and a method of manufacturing the footwear are disclosed. The footwear has an upper and a sole structure. The upper is secured to sole structure and the upper is formed from three layers: a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer. The second layer is formed from a polymer material and molded to the first layer, but the second layer may alternately be molded to the third layer. The third layer is joined with at least one of the first layer and the second layer such that the second layer is positioned between the first layer and the third layer.

Claims

1. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the upper comprising:

a first layer formed of a first porous textile material;

a second layer formed of a polymer foam material, the second layer including a plurality of disk-shaped protrusions; and

a third layer formed of a second porous textile material, the third layer is joined with at least one of the first layer and the second layer such that the second layer is positioned between the first layer and the second layer.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the first porous textile material and the second porous textile material are substantially the same porous textile material.

3. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the first porous textile material and the second porous textile material are different porous textile materials.

4. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the plurality of protrusions are discrete.

5. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the protrusions are positioned around a foot-receiving opening defined by the upper of the article of footwear.

6. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein a size of the plurality of protrusions varies in different regions of the upper.

7. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein a density of the plurality of protrusions varies in different regions of the upper.

8. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the plurality of protrusions varies in different regions of the upper.

9. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the upper comprising:

a first layer formed of a first porous textile material;

a second layer formed from a polymer material including a plurality of disk-shaped protrusions and having a non-mesh structure; and

a third layer joined with at least one of the first layer and the second layer such that the second layer is positioned between the first layer and the third layer, the third layer being formed of a second porous textile material.

10. The article of footwear recited in claim 9, wherein the first porous textile material is substantially the same as the second porous textile material.

11. The article of footwear recited in claim 9, wherein the first porous textile material is different from the second porous textile material.

12. The article of footwear recited in claim 9, wherein first and third layers are generally planar and the second layer is generally non-planar.

13. An article of footwear comprising:

an upper defining a void for receiving at least one of a foot and an insole, the upper having a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer, the second layer being formed of a non-planar polymer foam material including a plurality of disk-shaped protrusions that is molded to the first layer, and the third layer being joined with at least one of the first layer and the second layer in a substantially stitchless manner such that the second layer is positioned between the first layer and the third layer; and

a sole structure secured to the upper.

14. The article of footwear recited in claim 13, wherein the third layer forms an interior surface of the upper that defines substantially all of the void.

15. The article of footwear recited in claim 13, wherein the first layer and the third layer are a textile material, and the polymer foam material of the second layer infiltrates the textile material of the first layer to secure the second layer to the first layer.

16. The article of footwear recited in claim 13, wherein the protrusions are discrete.