Article of footwear incorporating a knitted component with a tongue

• US 8,621,891 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2012
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fabdesigns, Inc., Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Dua, Bhupesh, Shaffer, Benjamin A., Huffa, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Worrell, Danny
• Application Number:
  US13/474,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20130212907A1
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: 661/69.R, 661/70, 661/71, 36/3.R, 36/3.A, 36/84, 361/14, 36/47
• US Class Current: 66/177
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/04 braided, knotted, knitted or crocheted
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0205 characterised by the material material of the lining A43B23/07, material of toe stiffeners or heel stiffeners A43B23/08
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0245 characterised by the constructive form
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0265 having different properties in different directions
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/26 Tongues for shoes
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 9/00 Footwear characterised by the assembling of the individual parts
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 5/00 Eyelets machines for setting eyelets A43D100/00
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/102 with stitch pattern D04B1/06, D04B1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/104 Openwork fabric, e.g. pelerine fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/12 characterised by thread material
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/123 with laid-in unlooped yarn, e.g. fleece fabrics with elastic weft yarn D04B1/18
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/126 with colour pattern, e.g. intarsia fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/22 specially adapted for knitting goods of particular configuration
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/24 wearing apparel
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 15/56 for flat-bed knitting machines
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 19/00 Unravelling knitted fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 37/02 with weft knitting machines
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 7/24 for producing patterned fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 7/28 with stitch patterns
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/041 thermoplastic; thermosetting
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/0113 : One surface including hollow piping or integrated straps, e.g. for inserts or mountings
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/0114 : with one or more yarns appearing predominantly on one face, e.g. plated or paralleled yarns for pile fabrics D03D27/00, D04B1/02, D04B21/02; for intarsia fabrics D04B1/126
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/023 : Fabric with at least two, predominantly unlinked, knitted or woven plies interlaced with each other at spaced locations or linked to a common internal co-extensive yarn system
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/0241 : enhancing mechanical properties
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/02411 : with a single array of unbent yarn, e.g. unidirectional reinforcement fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/032 : Flat fabric of variable width, e.g. including one or more fashioned panels
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2501/043 : Footwear

Abstract

Articles of footwear may have an upper that includes a knit element and a tongue. The knit element defines a portion of an exterior surface and an opposite interior surface of the upper, with the interior surface defining a void for receiving a foot. The tongue is formed of unitary knit construction with the knit element and extends through a throat area of the upper.

Claims

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

a knit element defining a portion of at least one of an exterior surface of the upper and an opposite interior surface of the upper, the interior surface defining a void for receiving a foot; and

a tongue formed of unitary knit construction with the knit element such that the tongue and the knit element comprise a one piece element, and wherein the tongue extends through a throat area of the upper;

wherein the tongue comprises a lateral edge and a medial edge, the lateral edge and the medial edge of the tongue being unsecured to the knit element along a medial side and a lateral side of the throat area of the upper; and

wherein the tongue is secured to the knit element in a forward portion of the throat area such that the tongue is joined along at least one common course with the knit element to form the one-piece element.

2. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the tongue extends to an ankle opening of the upper.

3. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the knit element and at least a portion of the tongue are formed from a common yarn.

4. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the knit element and at least a portion of the tongue are formed from a common knit structure.

5. The article of footwear recited in claim 1,

wherein the tongue comprises a first knitted layer and a second knitted layer;

and

wherein at least a portion of the tongue includes the first knitted layer, the second knitted layer, and a plurality of free yarn sections, the first knitted layer and the second knitted layer being adjacent to each other and formed of unitary knit construction along each of the medial edge and the lateral edge of the tongue, and the free yarn sections being located between the first knitted layer and the second knitted layer.

6. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the tongue includes a plurality of knit apertures.

7. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the knit element extends from the throat area to a lower area of the upper, and an inlaid strand extends through the knit element from the throat area to the lower area.

8. The article of footwear recited in claim 7, wherein the inlaid strand extends at least partially around apertures in the throat area.

9. The article of footwear recited in claim 8, wherein the inlaid strand is located between the exterior surface and the interior surface in the throat area.

10. The article of footwear recited in claim 7, wherein the inlaid strand repeatedly extends from the throat area to the lower area.

11. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the knit element and the tongue include at least one course in common only along the forward portion of the throat area.

12. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein at least one course associated with the knit element is joined with at least one course associated with the tongue only along the forward portion of the throat area;

and

wherein a plurality of courses associated with the tongue are joined only to each other along each of the medial edge and the lateral edge of the tongue.

13. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the knit element includes at least one course that is substantially continuous with at least one course of the tongue at the forward portion of the throat area of the upper;

and

wherein courses associated with the knit element and courses associated with the tongue remain unsecured along the medial side and the lateral side of the throat area of the upper.