Article of footwear having an upper with a matrix layer

• US 8,850,723 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2011
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Greene, Pamela S., Hurd, John, Hoke, John R. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Kavanaugh, Ted
• Application Number:
  US13/274,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20120030965A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,086 Days
• Field of Search: 361/05, 36/501, 36/99, 361/38, 36/45, 36/3.A
• US Class Current: 36/105
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/04 Plastics, rubber or vulcanised fibre
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 19/00 Shoe-shaped inserts; Inserts covering the instep
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/02 Uppers; Boot legs
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0215 Plastics or artificial leather
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0225 Composite materials, e.g. material with a matrix
• 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 23/0275 with a part of the upper particularly rigid, e.g. resisting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0295 Pieced uppers
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/04 Uppers made of one piece; Uppers with inserted gussets
• 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: A43B 23/088 Heel stiffeners A43B23/10, A43B23/14, A43B23/16, A43B23/17 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/17 made of plastics
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/26 Tongues for shoes
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/085 in the upper
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 9/00 Footwear characterised by the assembling of the individual parts
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 1/00 Shoe lacing fastenings garment fastening devices A41F
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 1/006 Rear lacing, i.e. with a lace placed on the back of the foot in place of, or in addition to the traditional front lace
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 1/04 : with rings or loops
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 5/00 : Eyelets machines for setting eyelets A43D100/00
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 8/00 : Machines for cutting, ornamenting, marking or otherwise working up shoe part blanks pulling-over or lasting A43D9/00 - A43D23/00; making or fastening soles, heels or welts A43D25/00 - A43D83/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/126 : Uppers
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/146 : Uppers

Abstract

Articles of footwear, including athletic footwear, include one or more of: (a) a sole structure; (b) an upper having lateral and medial side elements engaged with the sole structure, the upper made from a polymer matrix structure that extends through at least a heel region; (c) a size adjustment mechanism located at the heel region; (d) a heel tongue element located adjacent the size adjustment mechanism; (e) a shoe securing mechanism; (f) an instep tongue member; and/or (g) a bootie member located at least partially within the foot-receiving chamber. Methods of manufacturing such articles of footwear also are disclosed.

Claims

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

a unitary, one-piece polymer matrix element forming a major portion of at least a forefoot portion, a midfoot portion, and a heel portion, including a plurality of openings separated by polymer segments formed from a flat upper member that is symmetrical about an axis extending in a front-to-rear direction of the upper member, and wherein the upper member further includes;

a lateral side element extending through at least a heel region of the footwear, the lateral side element defining a first edge in the heel region and a plurality of first apertures extending along the first edge, and

a medial side element extending through at least the heel region of the footwear, the medial side element defining a second edge in the heel region and a plurality of second apertures extending along the second edge;

a cord extending through the first apertures and the second apertures; and

a fastener receiving a portion of the cord.

2. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the cord alternates between passing through one of the first apertures and one of the second apertures.

3. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the fastener is located adjacent an upper area of the heel region.

4. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, further including a heel element provided in the heel region and adjacent to the first edge, the second edge, and the cord.

5. An article of footwear, comprising:

an upper including a unitary, one-piece polymer matrix element forming a major portion of at least a forefoot portion, a midfoot portion, and a heel portion, having a plurality of openings separated by polymer segments formed from a flat upper member that is symmetrical about an axis extending in a front-to-rear direction of the upper member, wherein the upper member further includes a lateral side element extending through at least a heel region of the footwear and a medial side element extending through at least the heel region of the footwear, and wherein the upper defines, at least in part, a foot-receiving chamber for the article of footwear;

a size adjustment mechanism located at the heel region;

a heel tongue element located adjacent the size adjustment mechanism and the foot-receiving chamber; and

a sole structure engaged with the upper.

6. The article of footwear recited in claim 5, wherein the size adjustment mechanism engages a free end of the lateral side element and a free end of the medial side element.

7. The article of footwear recited in claim 6, wherein the size adjustment mechanism includes a cord that extends between the free ends of the lateral and medial side elements.

8. The article of footwear recited in claim 5, wherein the size adjustment mechanism includes a first engagement element provided at a free end of the lateral side element and a second engagement element provided at a free end of the medial side element.

9. The article of footwear recited in claim 8, wherein the size adjustment mechanism includes an intermediate member that engages the first engagement element and the second engagement element.

10. The article of footwear recited in claim 5, wherein the heel tongue element is removably engaged with at least one of the upper or the sole structure.

11. The article of footwear recited in claim 5, wherein the heel tongue element is structured and positioned so as to at least partially modulate user feel of the size adjustment mechanism.

12. The article of footwear recited in claim 5, further comprising:

a bootie member at least partially provided in the foot-receiving chamber.

13. The article of footwear recited in claim 12, wherein the bootie member is engaged with the heel tongue element.

14. The article of footwear recited in claim 12, wherein the bootie member is releasably engaged with the heel tongue element.

15. An article of footwear, comprising:

an upper including a unitary, one-piece polymer matrix element forming a major portion of at least a forefoot portion, a midfoot portion, and a heel portion, having a plurality of openings separated by polymer segments formed from a flat upper member that is symmetrical about an axis extending in a front-to-rear direction of the upper member, wherein the upper defines, at least in part, a foot-receiving chamber for the article of footwear, and wherein the upper defines a throat area;

a shoe securing mechanism engaged with the upper at the throat area;

a tongue member engaged with the upper and adjacent the foot-receiving chamber at least in the throat area;

a heel tongue element located adjacent a heel portion of the upper; and

a sole structure engaged with the upper.

16. The article of footwear recited in claim 15, wherein the heel tongue element is removably engaged with at least one of the upper or the sole structure.

17. The article of footwear recited in claim 15, further comprising:

a size adjustment mechanism provided in the heel portion.

18. The article of footwear recited in claim 17, wherein the heel tongue element is structured and positioned so as to at least partially modulate user feel of the size adjustment mechanism.

19. The article of footwear recited in claim 15, wherein the tongue member is structured and positioned so as to at least partially modulate user feel of the shoe securing mechanism.

20. The article of footwear recited in claim 15, wherein the tongue member is removably engaged with the upper.

21. The article of footwear recited in claim 20, wherein the heel tongue element is removably engaged with at least one of the upper or the sole structure.

22. The article of footwear recited in claim 15, further comprising:

a bootie member at least partially provided in the foot-receiving chamber.

23. The article of footwear recited in claim 15, wherein apertures defined by the polymer matrix extend radially from the throat area toward a toe area of the upper.

24. The article of footwear recited in claim 15, wherein at least some of the apertures defined by the polymer matrix forward of the throat area are elongated and extend in a transverse direction across the shoe in a direction from a lateral side of the upper toward a medial side of the upper.