Knit component bonding

• US 9,150,986 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2011
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Dua, Bhupesh, Hawkinson, Karen A., Shaffer, Benjamin A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Worrell, Danny
• Application Number:
  US13/100,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20120279260A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,616 Days
• Field of Search: 662/02, 661/71, 661/70, 661/69.R, 442/310, 442/311, 442/318, 36/45, 36/57
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: D04B 1/12 characterised by thread material
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/16 synthetic threads
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/24 wearing apparel
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 21/08 characterised by thread material
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 21/16 incorporating synthetic threads
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/041 thermoplastic; thermosetting
• 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 2501/043 Footwear
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/40 Knit fabric [i.e., knit strand or strip material]

Abstract

A composite structure may include a knit component and a bonded component. The knit component has a first surface and an opposite second surface, and the knit component includes a fusible yarn and a non-fusible yarn that form a knitted structure. The fusible yarn is at least partially formed from a thermoplastic polymer material, and the fusible yarn is located on at least the first surface. The bonded component is positioned adjacent to the first surface, and the bonded component is thermal bonded to the first surface with the thermoplastic polymer material of the fusible yarn.

Claims

1. A composite structure comprising:

a knit component having a first surface and an opposite second surface, the knit component incorporating a fusible yarn and a non-fusible yarn that form a knitted structure, the fusible yarn being at least partially formed from a thermoplastic polymer material, the fusible yarn forming a plurality of first interlocked loops that substantially define the first surface and a plurality of second interlocked loops that substantially define the second surface; and

a bonded component positioned adjacent to the first surface, the bonded component being thermal bonded to the first surface with the thermoplastic polymer material of the fusible yarn.

2. The composite structure recited in claim 1, wherein the fusible yarn includes a core and a sheath extending at least partially around the core, the core being formed from a non-fusible material, and the sheath being formed from the thermoplastic polymer material.

3. The composite structure recited in claim 1, wherein the non-fusible yarn extends from the first surface to the second surface.

4. The composite structure recited in claim 1, wherein the fusible yarn and the non-fusible yarn are located (a) at the first surface, (b) at the second surface, and (c) between the first surface and the second surface.

5. The composite structure recited in claim 1, wherein the fusible yarn and the non-fusible yarn are plated and run parallel to each other in at least a portion of the knit component.

6. The composite structure recited in claim 1, wherein the first surface includes a first area and a second area, the fusible yarn being present in the first area, and the fusible yarn being absent from the second area.

7. The composite structure recited in claim 6, wherein the bonded component has a shape of the first area and is thermal bonded to the first area.

8. The composite structure recited in claim 1, wherein the bonded component is one of a textile material, a polymer foam element, and a polymer sheet.

9. The composite structure recited in claim 1, wherein the non-fusible yarn is formed from at least one of a natural fiber and a thermoset polymer material.

10. The composite structure recited in claim 1, wherein the knit component and bonded component are incorporated into an article of apparel.

11. The composite structure recited in claim 10, wherein the article of apparel is an article of footwear.

31. The composite structure of claim 1, wherein the knit component is flat knitted.

32. The composite structure of claim 1, wherein the knit component is substantially flat, and wherein the bonded component is a substantially flat sheet.

33. The composite structure of claim 1, wherein the bonded component at least partially defines one of:

an elbow pad for an article of apparel;

a toe guard for an article of footwear; and

a heel counter for an article of footwear.

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

a knit component extending through at least a portion of a length of the footwear, the knit component having a first surface and an opposite second surface, and the knit component incorporating a fusible yarn and a non-fusible yarn that are knitted together to form a knitted structure, the fusible yarn being at least partially formed from a thermoplastic polymer material, and the fusible yarn being located on at least the first surface; and

a bonded component that is independent of the knitted structure of the knit component, the bonded component overlaid on and thermal bonded to the first surface via thermoplastic polymer material of the fusible yarn.

13. The article of footwear recited in claim 12, wherein the first surface forms at least a portion of an exterior surface of the article of footwear.

14. The article of footwear recited in claim 13, wherein the bonded component is a heel counter extending from a lateral side to a medial side of the article of footwear in a heel region of the article of footwear.

15. The article of footwear recited in claim 13, wherein the bonded component is a toe guard extending from a lateral side to a medial side of the article of footwear in a forefoot region of the article of footwear.

16. The article of footwear recited in claim 13, wherein the bonded component is indicia located on a side of the article of footwear.

17. The article of footwear recited in claim 12, wherein the first surface forms at least a portion of an interior surface of the article of footwear, the interior surface defining at least a portion of a void within the upper for receiving a foot of a wearer.

18. The article of footwear recited in claim 17, wherein the bonded component is a heel counter located in a heel region of the article of footwear.

19. The article of footwear recited in claim 12, wherein the fusible yarn includes a core and a sheath extending at least partially around the core, the core being formed from a non-fusible material, and the sheath being formed from the thermoplastic polymer material.

20. The article of footwear recited in claim 12, wherein the non-fusible yarn extends from the first surface to the second surface.

21. The article of footwear recited in claim 12, wherein the fusible yarn and the non-fusible yarn are located (a) at the first surface, (b) at the second surface, and (c) between the first surface and the second surface.

22. The article of footwear recited in claim 12, wherein the fusible yarn and the non-fusible yarn are plated and run parallel to each other in at least a portion of the knit component.

23. The article of footwear recited in claim 12, wherein the first surface includes a first area and a second area, the fusible yarn being present in the first area, and the fusible yarn being absent from the second area.

24. The article of footwear recited in claim 23, wherein the bonding element has a shape of the first area and is thermal bonded to the first area.

25. The article of footwear recited in claim 12, wherein the bonded component is one of a textile material, a polymer foam element, and a polymer sheet.

26. The article of footwear recited in claim 12, wherein the non-fusible yarn is formed from at least one of a natural fiber and a thermoset polymer material.

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

a base component extending through a length of the article of footwear and defining an exterior surface and an opposite interior surface, the exterior surface facing outward from the article of footwear, and the interior surface defining at least a portion of a void within the upper for receiving a foot of a wearer; and

a knit component having a first surface and an opposite second surface, the knit component incorporating a fusible yarn and a non-fusible yarn that are knitted together to form a knitted structure that is independent of the base component, the fusible yarn being located on at least the first surface, and the fusible yarn being at least partially formed from a thermoplastic polymer material, the first surface of the knit component being overlaid on and thermal bonded to the base component via the thermoplastic polymer material of the fusible yarn.

28. The article of footwear recited in claim 27, wherein the knit component is a heel counter extending from a lateral side to a medial side of the article of footwear in a heel region of the article of footwear.

29. The article of footwear recited in claim 27, wherein the knit component is a toe guard extending from a lateral side to a medial side of the article of footwear in a forefoot region of the article of footwear.

30. The article of footwear recited in claim 27, wherein the bonded component is indicia located on a side of the article of footwear.