Article of footwear having a flat knit upper construction or other upper construction
First Claim
1. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear, comprising:
- flat knitting a textile element wherein the flat knitting includes forming during the flat knitting step an area of the textile element with a first layer and a second layer at least partially coextensive with the first layer, the first layer being formed during the flat knitting step of unitary construction with the second layer, and the second layer being joined during the flat knitting step to the first layer at opposite sides of the second layer; and
incorporating the textile element into the article of footwear.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Flat knitting allows production of textile structures (e.g., for use in footwear uppers) of a final desired shape such that textile cutting steps can be avoided. Flat knitted elements also can be formed directly in desired three dimensional shapes, which can help avoid the need to use additional support structures (e.g., in footwear construction). By selectively placing multiple different yarns and/or stitch patterns at multiple different locations in the overall structure during the knitting process, flat knitted products may have multiple different physical properties (e.g., different stretchability, different moisture management capabilities, etc.) at multiple different locations or zones within a single, unitary construction (e.g., different properties at different zones or locations within a single footwear structure). Additionally, flat knitting can be used to produce pockets, tunnels, or other layered structures in the final product.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear, comprising:
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flat knitting a textile element wherein the flat knitting includes forming during the flat knitting step an area of the textile element with a first layer and a second layer at least partially coextensive with the first layer, the first layer being formed during the flat knitting step of unitary construction with the second layer, and the second layer being joined during the flat knitting step to the first layer at opposite sides of the second layer; and incorporating the textile element into the article of footwear. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear, comprising:
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flat knitting a textile element wherein the flat knitting includes forming an area of the textile element with a first layer and a second layer at least partially coextensive with the first layer, the first layer being formed of unitary construction with the second layer, and the second layer being joined to the first layer at opposite sides of the second layer; and incorporating the textile element into the article of footwear, wherein the flat knitting includes forming a lateral channel and a medial channel, the lateral channel being of unitary construction and in a lateral side of the textile element, and the medial channel being of unitary construction and in an opposite medial side of the textile element. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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Specification