Article of footwear incorporating a knitted component

• US 8,881,430 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2014
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Seamarks, Karl, Woodman, Phil, Shaffer, Benjamin A., Toraya, Erin E., Baines, Simon J., Baudouin, Alexandre, Molyneux, James
• Primary Examiner(s): BAYS, MARIE D
• Application Number:
  US14/273,709
• Publication Number:
  US 20140245638A1
• Time in Patent Office: 186 Days
• Field of Search: 36/45, 36/88, 36/501, 36/9.R
• US Class Current: 36/45
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/04 braided, knotted, knitted or crocheted
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/00 Uppers; Boot legs; Stiffeners; Other single parts of footwear
• 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 23/0235 Different layers of different material
• 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 23/026 Laminated layers
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0275 with a part of the upper particularly rigid, e.g. resisting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/07 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 23/26 Tongues for shoes
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/06 Running shoes; Track shoes
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/12 Special watertight footwear overshoes A43B3/16
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/20 Ankle-joint supports or holders
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 11/20 Fastenings with tightening devices mounted on the tongue
• 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: B29C 65/02 by heating, with or without pressure
• 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 1/22 specially adapted for knitting goods of particular configuration
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/0112 One smooth surface, e.g. laminated or coated
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/0243 : enhancing functional properties
• 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

An article of footwear has an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The upper includes a knitted component and, in some configurations, a skin layer secured to the knitted component. The knitted component may have a plurality of protruding areas that extend outward and away from a void within the upper for receiving a foot of a wearer. The protruding areas may include one or both of (a) a first tubular structure and an inlaid strand extending through the first tubular structure and (b) a second tubular structure and yarn sections extending across the second tubular structure.

Claims

1. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the upper comprising a knitted component having a plurality of protruding areas that extend outward and away from a void within the upper for receiving a foot of a wearer, the protruding areas extending from a throat area of the upper to an area where the sole structure is secured to the upper, and the protruding areas including (a) a first tubular structure and an inlaid strand extending through the first tubular structure and (b) a second tubular structure and yarn sections extending across the second tubular structure.

2. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the yarn sections extending across the second tubular structure form tuck stitches.

3. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the yarn sections extending across the second tubular structure cross each other.

4. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the protruding areas include a third tubular structure that extends from the first tubular structure to the second tubular structure.

5. The article of footwear recited in claim 4, wherein additional yarn sections extend across the third tubular structure.

6. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein a majority of the knitted component has a first thickness and the protruding areas have a second thickness, the first thickness being less than four millimeters, and the second thickness being at least two millimeters greater than the first thickness.

7. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein a skin layer is secured to the knitted component and extends over the protruding areas, the skin layer forming a portion of an exterior surface of the upper.

8. The article of footwear recited in claim 7, wherein the skin layer is absent from an ankle part of the knitted component.

9. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the knitted component includes (a) a foot part for covering at least a portion of the foot of the wearer and including the protruding areas and (b) an ankle part for covering at least a portion of an ankle of the wearer, the foot part and the ankle part being formed of unitary knit construction, and the foot part having less stretch than the ankle part.

10. The article of footwear recited in claim 9, wherein the ankle part has a continuous structure for extending entirely around the ankle of the wearer.

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

a knitted component having a plurality of protruding areas that extend outward and away from a void within the upper for receiving a foot of a wearer, the protruding areas including (a) a first tubular structure and an inlaid strand extending through the first tubular structure and (b) a second tubular structure and yarn sections extending across the second tubular structure; and

a skin layer secured to the knitted component and forming a portion of an exterior surface of the upper, the skin layer extending over the protruding areas.

12. The article of footwear recited in claim 11, wherein the first tubular structure and the second tubular structure extend from a throat area of the upper to an area where the sole structure is secured to the upper.

13. The article of footwear recited in claim 11, wherein the yarn sections extending across the second tubular structure form tuck stitches.

14. The article of footwear recited in claim 11, wherein the yarn sections extending across the second tubular structure cross each other.

15. The article of footwear recited in claim 11, wherein the protruding areas include a third tubular structure that extends from the first tubular structure to the second tubular structure.

16. The article of footwear recited in claim 15, wherein additional yarn sections extend across the third tubular structure.

17. The article of footwear recited in claim 11, wherein a majority of the knitted component has a first thickness and the protruding areas have a second thickness, the first thickness being less than four millimeters, and the second thickness being at least two millimeters greater than the first thickness.

18. The article of footwear recited in claim 11, wherein the skin layer is secured to the protruding areas.

19. The article of footwear recited in claim 18, wherein the skin layer is absent from an ankle part of the knitted component.

20. The article of footwear recited in claim 11, wherein the knitted component includes (a) a foot part for covering at least a portion of the foot of the wearer and including the protruding areas and (b) an ankle part for covering at least a portion of an ankle of the wearer, the foot part and the ankle part being formed of unitary knit construction, and the foot part having less stretch than the ankle part.

21. The article of footwear recited in claim 11, further including an interior layer secured to the knitted component and forming a portion of an interior surface of the upper.

22. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the upper comprising a knitted component having a plurality of protruding areas that extend outward and away from a void within the upper for receiving a foot of a wearer, the protruding areas including a tubular structure and yarn sections extending across the tubular structure.

23. The article of footwear recited in claim 22, wherein the yarn sections extending across the tubular structure form tuck stitches.

24. The article of footwear recited in claim 22, wherein the yarn sections extending across the tubular structure cross each other.

25. The article of footwear recited in claim 22, wherein a majority of the knitted component has a first thickness and the protruding areas have a second thickness, the first thickness being less than four millimeters, and the second thickness being at least two millimeters greater than the first thickness.

26. The article of footwear recited in claim 22, wherein a skin layer is secured to the knitted component and extends over the protruding areas.

27. The article of footwear recited in claim 22, wherein an inlaid strand extends through another tubular structure of the knitted component.

28. The article of footwear recited in claim 27, wherein the inlaid strand extends from a throat area of the upper to an area where the sole structure is secured to the upper.