Article of footwear incorporating a knitted component with inlaid tensile elements and method of assembly

• US 9,375,046 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2014
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Meir, Adrian
• Primary Examiner(s): Worrell, Danny
• Application Number:
  US14/535,413
• Publication Number:
  US 20160088893A1
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 661/69.R, 661/70, 661/71, 661/77, 36/45, 36/47, 36/48
• 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: A43B 23/0245 characterised by the constructive form
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/027 with a part of the upper particularly flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion
• 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: D04B 1/225 Elongated tubular articles of small diameter, e.g. coverings or reinforcements for cables or hoses
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/0113 One surface including hollow piping or integrated straps, e.g. for inserts or mountings
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/0241 enhancing mechanical 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

Various articles may include a knitted component formed of multiple knitted component portions. The knitted component is formed of unitary knit construction and includes multiple tubular rib structures and multiple webbed areas. An article of footwear may include an upper incorporating a knitted component. The upper may be assembled through a wrapping process. The upper may comprise areas with tubular rib structures arranged in different orientations over the forefoot region, the midfoot region, the vamp region, and the heel region of the article of footwear. Some regions of the upper may have a greater number of tubular rib structures than other regions, and some tubular rib structures can include tensile elements.

Claims

1. An article comprising:

a plurality of webbed areas that include a plurality of courses formed from a first yarn, the webbed areas having a front surface, the webbed areas configured to move between a neutral position and an extended position, the webbed areas being biased to move toward the neutral position and

a plurality of tubular structures that are adjacent to the webbed areas, the tubular structures including a plurality of courses;

wherein at least one of the webbed areas or tubular structures is configured to stretch to move the webbed areas to the extended position in response to a force applied to the article

wherein in the neutral position, a first area of the front surface is hidden from visual observation from a first viewing perspective, and

wherein in the extended position, the first area of the front surface is revealed for visual observation from the first viewing perspective.

2. The article of claim 1, wherein the article is associated with a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction;

wherein the plurality of webbed areas and the plurality of tubular structures extend along the longitudinal direction,

wherein the plurality of webbed areas and the plurality of tubular structures are spaced apart in the lateral direction, and

wherein the article is configured to stretch in the lateral direction between the neutral position and the stretched position, the article biased toward the neutral position.

3. The article of claim 2, wherein the plurality of webbed areas and the plurality of tubular structures are disposed in an alternating manner across the majority of the article.

4. The article of claim 1, wherein the article further comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion and the second portion include at least one webbed area in common, and wherein the number of courses forming the at least one webbed area of the first portion is less than the number of courses forming the at least one webbed area of the second portion.

5. The article of claim 1, wherein at least one tubular structure of the plurality of tubular structures includes a tensile element disposed in a central unsecured area within the hollow between the two knit layers.

6. The article of claim 1, further comprising:

the plurality of webbed areas including at least a first webbed area and a second webbed area;

the plurality of tubular structures including at least a first tubular structure and a second tubular structure;

wherein the first tubular structure includes a first curved portion and a second curved portion, wherein the first curved portion and the second curved portion are joined along a first edge, and the first curved portion and the second curved portion are joined along a second edge;

wherein the first webbed area is adjacent to the first edge of the first tubular structure;

wherein the second webbed area is adjacent to the second edge of the first tubular structure;

wherein the second tubular structure includes a third curved portion and a fourth curved portion, wherein the third curved portion and the fourth curved portion are joined along a third edge, and the third curved portion and the fourth curved portion are joined along a fourth edge; and

wherein the second webbed area is adjacent to the third edge of the second tubular structure.

7. The article of claim 1, wherein the plurality of webbed areas include one of a front jersey knit pattern and a reverse jersey knit pattern.

16. The article of claim 1, wherein the plurality of tubular structures comprise (i) two co-extensive and overlapping knit layers and (ii) a central area that is generally unsecured to form a hollow between two knit layers.

17. The article of claim 1, wherein the article includes a knitted component, the knitted component comprising the plurality of webbed areas and the plurality of tubular structures.

18. The article of claim 17, wherein the knitted component is formed of unitary knit construction.

8. An upper comprising:

a plurality of webbed areas and a plurality of tubular rib structures;

the plurality of webbed areas having a front side and a back side;

the tubular rib structures being disposed adjacent to the webbed areas;

the tubular rib structures having a first curved portion with a first curve length extending from the front side of the webbed areas, and a second curved portion with a second curve length extending from the back side of the webbed areas, the first curve length being greater than the second curve length;

the webbed areas configured to move between a neutral position and an extended position, the webbed areas being biased to move toward the neutral position; and

at least one of the webbed areas and the tubular rib structures configured to stretch from the neutral position to the extended position in response to a force applied to the upper.

9. The upper of claim 8,

wherein the webbed areas include a plurality of courses formed from a first yarn,

wherein the tubular rib structures include a plurality of courses formed from a second yarn,

wherein the first yarn and the second yarn are different;

and

wherein at least one course of one of the plurality of webbed areas formed with the first yarn is connected with at least one course of one of the plurality of tubular rib structures formed with the second yarn.

10. The upper of claim 8, wherein the upper further includes a vamp region and a medial side, wherein the plurality of webbed areas and the plurality of tubular rib structures disposed along the vamp region are aligned along a first orientation, and the plurality of webbed areas and the plurality of tubular rib structures disposed along the medial side are aligned along a second orientation that is different from the first orientation.

11. The upper of claim 10, wherein the upper further includes a heel region, and the plurality of webbed areas and the plurality of tubular rib structures disposed along the heel region are aligned along a third orientation that is different from the first orientation and the second orientation.

12. The upper of claim 8, wherein the upper further includes a throat portion, a throat opening, a lower region, a first end, and a second end;

wherein the plurality of webbed areas and the plurality of tubular rib structures of the lower region extend from the first end of the upper to the second end of the upper; and

wherein the plurality of webbed areas and the plurality of tubular rib structures of the collar portion extend from the first end of the upper to the area along the throat opening of the upper.

13. The upper of claim 12, further comprising a tensile element disposed within at least one of the plurality of tubular rib structures.

14. The upper of claim 8, wherein the plurality of webbed areas comprises a first webbed area and a second webbed area;

wherein the first webbed area has a first width, and the second webbed area has a second width, the first width being less than the second width.

15. The upper of claim 8, wherein the plurality of webbed areas and the plurality of tubular rib structures are disposed in an alternating manner across the majority of the upper.

19. The upper of claim 8, wherein the upper includes a knitted component, the knitted component comprising the plurality of webbed areas and the plurality of tubular rib structures.

20. An article comprising:

a plurality of webbed areas having a front surface, the webbed areas configured to move between a neutral position and an extended position, the webbed areas being biased to move toward the neutral position, and

a plurality of tubular structures that are adjacent to the webbed areas, the tubular structures;

wherein at least one of the webbed areas or tubular structures is configured to stretch to move the webbed areas to the extended position in response to a force applied to the article.

wherein in the neutral position, a first area of the front surface is hidden from visual observation from a first viewing perspective, and

wherein in the extended position, the first area of the front surface is revealed for visual observation from the first viewing perspective.