Article of footwear upper incorporating a textile component with tensile elements
First Claim
1. An article of footwear configured to receive a foot of a wearer and configured to support a securement device, the securement device being configured to selectively vary a fit of the article of footwear on the foot, the article of footwear comprising:
- a sole structure; and
an upper with a lower portion that is attached to the sole structure, the upper further including a heel region, a first side, and a second side, the upper further including a textile component, wherein the textile component of the upper includes;
a textile element that at least partially defines the heel region, the first side, and the second side of the upper; and
a tensile element that is attached to the textile element,wherein the tensile element defines a first segment disposed on the first side of the upper;
wherein the first segment of the tensile element is configured to attach the securement device to the textile element on the first side of the upper;
wherein the tensile element further includes a second segment that is disposed proximate the lower portion of the upper on the second side;
wherein the second segment is fixed relative to the lower portion of the upper on the second side;
wherein the tensile element further includes an intermediate segment that extends continuously from the first segment, across the heel region, to the second segment; and
wherein the tensile element is configured to transfer at least a portion of an input force applied to the first side of the upper across the heel region, to the lower portion of the upper on the second side;
wherein the textile component is a knitted component formed of unitary knit construction;
wherein the textile element is a knit element; and
wherein the tensile element is formed of unitary knit construction with the knit element.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An article of footwear includes a textile component. The textile component of the upper includes a textile element and a tensile element. The tensile element defines a first segment disposed on a first side of the upper. The first segment of the tensile element is configured to attach the securement device to the textile element on the first side of the upper. The tensile element further includes a second segment that is disposed proximate the lower portion of the upper on the second side. The second segment is fixed relative to the lower portion of the upper on the second side. The tensile element further includes an intermediate segment that extends continuously from the first segment, across the heel region, to the second segment.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. An article of footwear configured to receive a foot of a wearer and configured to support a securement device, the securement device being configured to selectively vary a fit of the article of footwear on the foot, the article of footwear comprising:
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a sole structure; and an upper with a lower portion that is attached to the sole structure, the upper further including a heel region, a first side, and a second side, the upper further including a textile component, wherein the textile component of the upper includes; a textile element that at least partially defines the heel region, the first side, and the second side of the upper; and a tensile element that is attached to the textile element, wherein the tensile element defines a first segment disposed on the first side of the upper; wherein the first segment of the tensile element is configured to attach the securement device to the textile element on the first side of the upper; wherein the tensile element further includes a second segment that is disposed proximate the lower portion of the upper on the second side; wherein the second segment is fixed relative to the lower portion of the upper on the second side; wherein the tensile element further includes an intermediate segment that extends continuously from the first segment, across the heel region, to the second segment; and wherein the tensile element is configured to transfer at least a portion of an input force applied to the first side of the upper across the heel region, to the lower portion of the upper on the second side; wherein the textile component is a knitted component formed of unitary knit construction; wherein the textile element is a knit element; and wherein the tensile element is formed of unitary knit construction with the knit element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An article of footwear configured to receive a foot of a wearer and configured to support a securement device, the securement device being configured to selectively vary a fit of the article of footwear on the foot, the article of footwear comprising:
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a sole structure; an upper that defines a cavity configured to receive the foot, the upper including a lower portion that is attached to the sole structure, the upper including a heel region, a first side, and a second side, the upper further including a knitted component formed of unitary knit construction; wherein the upper defines an opening configured to provide passage of the foot into the cavity; wherein the upper further includes a throat that is disposed between the first and second sides, and wherein the throat extends away from the opening; wherein the knitted component of the upper includes; a knit element that at least partially defines the heel region, the first side, and the second side of the upper; a first tensile element that is formed of unitary knit construction with the knit element, wherein the first tensile extends continuously from the throat on the first side, across the heel region, to the lower portion on the second side; and a second tensile element that is formed of unitary knit construction with the knit element, wherein the second tensile element extends continuously from the throat on the second side to the lower portion on the second side; wherein the first tensile element defines at least one first segment that is disposed at the throat on the first side and that is configured to receive the securement device on the first side; and wherein the second tensile element defines at least one second segment that is disposed at the throat on the second side and that is configured to receive the securement device on the second side. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A knitted component configured to define an upper for an article of footwear, the upper including a forefoot region, a heel region, a first side that extends between the forefoot and heel regions, and a second side that extends between the forefoot and heel regions, the knitted component comprising:
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a knit element; and a tensile stand formed of unitary knit construction with the knit element; wherein the knit element includes a front surface and a back surface; wherein the knit element includes a first end and a second end; wherein the knit element further includes a tubular rib structure that extends generally between the first end and the second end; wherein the tubular rib structure includes an open end disposed proximate the second end; wherein the tensile element includes a first segment that is received within the tubular rib structure; wherein the tensile element further includes a second segment that extends from the first segment and out of the open end; wherein the tensile element further includes a third segment that extends from the first segment, out of the knit element from the front surface, and back into the knit element through the front surface; wherein the first end of the knit element is configured to be fixed at the second side of the upper; wherein the second end of the knit element is configured to be fixed at the second side of the upper; wherein the first segment is configured to extend through the tubular rib structure from the first side, across the heel region, to the second side of the upper; wherein the second segment is configured to be fixed relative to the knit element on the second side of the upper; and wherein the first segment is configured to be disposed on the first side of the upper. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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23. A method of forming an upper for an article of footwear, the method comprising:
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forming a textile component that includes a textile element and a tensile element, wherein the textile element includes a front surface and a back surface, wherein the textile element includes a first end and a second end, and wherein the textile element further includes a tubular rib structure that extends generally between the first end and the second end; routing the tensile element such that a first segment of the tensile element is received within the tubular rib structure; routing the tensile element such that a second segment of the tensile element extends from the first segment and out of an open end of the tubular rib structure; routing the tensile element such that a third segment of the tensile element extends from the first segment, out of the textile element from the front surface, and back into the textile element through the front surface; assembling the textile component to define a first side, a forefoot region, a second side, and a heel region of the upper; wherein assembling the textile component includes wrapping the textile component from the second side, across the forefoot region, across the first side, across the heel region, and back to the second side; wherein assembling the textile component includes providing the first end of the textile element at the second side of the upper, and providing the second end of the textile element at the second side of the upper; wherein assembling the textile component includes extending the first segment through the tubular rib structure from the first side, across the heel region, to the second side of the upper; wherein assembling the textile component includes fixing the second segment relative to the textile element on the second side of the upper; and wherein assembling the textile component includes providing the first segment on the first side of the upper. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification