Method of manufacturing an article of footwear incorporating a tensile element
First Claim
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1. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear, the method comprising:
- locating a plurality of strands between a base layer and a cover layer, at least the base layer including a thermoplastic polymer material;
heating the thermoplastic polymer material to join the cover layer to the base layer and thereby forming a tensile element that comprises the base layer, the plurality of strands, and the cover layer;
placing the base layer of the tensile element adjacent to a foundation element of an upper of the article of footwear, the foundation element having an interior surface and an opposite exterior surface, the interior surface defining at least a portion of a void within the upper for receiving a foot of a wearer; and
joining the base layer of the tensile element to the exterior surface of the foundation element with the thermoplastic polymer material, at least a portion of the exterior surface of the foundation element being exposed beyond the tensile element to form an exposed surface of the upper.
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Abstract
An article of footwear may have a sole structure and an upper that includes a foundation element and a tensile element. The tensile element may include a base layer and a plurality of strands, with the base layer being joined to an exterior surface of the foundation element. In manufacturing the footwear, a thermoplastic polymer material in the base layer may be utilized to bond or otherwise join the tensile element to the foundation element.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear, the method comprising:
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locating a plurality of strands between a base layer and a cover layer, at least the base layer including a thermoplastic polymer material; heating the thermoplastic polymer material to join the cover layer to the base layer and thereby forming a tensile element that comprises the base layer, the plurality of strands, and the cover layer; placing the base layer of the tensile element adjacent to a foundation element of an upper of the article of footwear, the foundation element having an interior surface and an opposite exterior surface, the interior surface defining at least a portion of a void within the upper for receiving a foot of a wearer; and joining the base layer of the tensile element to the exterior surface of the foundation element with the thermoplastic polymer material, at least a portion of the exterior surface of the foundation element being exposed beyond the tensile element to form an exposed surface of the upper. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear, the method comprising:
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locating a plurality of strands between a base layer and a cover layer, at least the base layer including a thermoplastic polymer material; heating the thermoplastic polymer material to join the cover layer to the base layer and thereby forming a tensile element that comprises the base layer, the plurality of strands, and the cover layer; placing the base layer of the tensile element adjacent to a foundation element of an upper of the article of footwear, the foundation element having an interior surface and an opposite exterior surface, the interior surface defining at least a portion of a void within the upper for receiving a foot of a wearer, and orienting a first group of the plurality of strands to extend between a lace area of the upper and an area where a sole structure joins to the upper, and orienting a second group of the plurality of strands to extend between a heel region and a forefoot region of the upper; joining the base layer of the tensile element to the exterior surface of the foundation element with the thermoplastic polymer material; and forming an exposed surface of the upper of the article of footwear from at least the cover layer of the tensile element and the exterior surface of the foundation element.
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8. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear, the method comprising:
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forming a tensile element comprising a plurality of strands located between a base layer and a cover layer, at least the base layer including a thermoplastic polymer material, and heating the thermoplastic polymer material to join the cover layer to the base layer; providing a foundation element having an interior surface and an opposite exterior surface, the interior surface defining at least a portion of a void within an upper for receiving a foot of a wearer within the article of footwear; placing the base layer of the tensile element adjacent to the exterior surface of the foundation element; and joining the base layer of the tensile element to the exterior surface of the foundation element with the thermoplastic polymer material, wherein an area of the tensile element is less than an area of the exterior surface of the foundation element, and portions of the exterior surface of the foundation element form an exposed surface of the upper of the article of footwear. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification