Article of footwear incorporating a knitted component

• US 9,398,784 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2013
• Issued: 07/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Baudouin, Alexandre, Molyneux, James
• Primary Examiner(s): DODDS, SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US13/944,675
• Publication Number:
  US 20140130270A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• Field of Search: 156/583.3, 121/46.C, 121/46.CK, 36 47- 49
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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. A method for manufacturing an upper for an article of footwear, the method comprising:

positioning a skin layer adjacent to a knitted component and in an overlapping configuration, the knitted component being formed of unitary knit construction, the knitted component including a first tubular protrusion, a second tubular protrusion, and a third protrusion that protrude from an adjacent area of the knitted component, the third protrusion extending between and intersecting both the first tubular protrusion and the second tubular protrusion, a junction being defined where the third protrusion joins with one of the first and second tubular protrusions, the first and second tubular protrusions, the third protrusion, and the junction each protruding to a same height from the adjacent area;

locating the skin layer and the knitted component between a first surface and a second surface of a press, the first surface including a first material, and the second surface including a second material, the first material having greater compressibility than the second material; and

compressing the skin layer and the knitted component between the first surface and the second surface to join the skin layer to the knitted component;

wherein compressing the skin layer and the knitted component includes protruding each of the first tubular protrusion, the second tubular protrusion, the third protrusion, the junction, and the skin layer together into the first surface; and

wherein compressing the skin layer and the knitted component includes protruding the knitted component into the second surface.

2. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the step of locating includes selecting (a) the first material to have a first hardness and (b) the second material to have a second hardness, the first hardness being less than the second hardness.

3. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the step of locating includes selecting (a) the first material to have a first thickness and (b) the second material to have a second thickness, the first thickness being greater than the second thickness.

4. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the step of locating includes selecting the first material to be silicone.

5. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the step of locating includes selecting each of the first material and the second material to be silicone.

6. The method recited in claim 1, further including a step of heating the skin layer and the knitted component.

7. The method recited in claim 1, further including a step of incorporating the skin layer and the knitted component into the upper of the article of footwear following the step of compressing.

8. The method recited in claim 7, wherein the step of incorporating includes positioning the skin layer to form a portion of an exterior surface of the article of footwear.

9. The method recited in claim 1, further including a step of selecting the skin layer to include a thermoplastic polymer material.

10. A method of manufacturing an element, the method comprising:

knitting a knitted component to include a first tubular protrusion, a second tubular protrusion, a third protrusion, and a fourth region;

positioning a skin layer adjacent to the knitted component and in an overlapping configuration;

locating the skin layer and the knitted component between a first surface and a second surface of a press, the skin layer being located adjacent to the first surface, and the knitted component being located adjacent to the second surface, the first surface including a first material, and the second surface including a second material, the first material having greater compressibility than the second material, and each of the first surface and the second surface having a substantially planar configuration;

heating the skin layer and the knitted component; and

compressing the skin layer and the knitted component between the first surface and the second surface such that (a) the skin layer, the first tubular protrusion, and the second tubular protrusion protrude into the first surface to a first depth, (b) the skin layer and the fourth region protrude into the first surface to a second depth, the first depth being greater than the second depth, and (c) the first tubular protrusion and the second tubular protrusion protrude into the second surface;

wherein knitting the knitted component includes knitting the first tubular protrusion, the second tubular protrusion, and the third protrusion to have greater thickness than the fourth region;

wherein knitting the knitted component includes disposing the fourth region between the first tubular protrusion, the second tubular protrusion, and the third protrusion;

wherein knitting the knitted component includes extending the third protrusion from the first tubular protrusion to the second tubular protrusion;

wherein the knitted component includes an inlaid strand that extends along the first tubular protrusion, the knitted component includes a first plurality of yarn sections that are within the second tubular protrusion and that extend across the second tubular protrusion, and the knitted component includes a second plurality of yarn sections that are within the third protrusion and that extend across the third protrusion.

11. The method recited in claim 10, wherein the step of locating includes selecting (a) the first material to have a first hardness and (b) the second material to have a second hardness, the first hardness being less than the second hardness.

12. The method recited in claim 10, wherein the step of locating includes selecting (a) the first material to have a first thickness and (b) the second material to have a second thickness, the first thickness being greater than the second thickness.

13. The method recited in claim 10, wherein the step of locating includes selecting the first material to be silicone.

14. The method recited in claim 10, wherein the step of locating includes selecting each of the first material and the second material to be silicone.

15. The method recited in claim 10, further including a step of incorporating the skin layer and the knitted component into an article of footwear following the step of compressing.

16. The method recited in claim 15, wherein the step of incorporating includes positioning the skin layer to form a portion of an exterior surface of the article of footwear.

17. The method recited in claim 10, further including a step of selecting the skin layer to include a thermoplastic polymer material.

18. The method recited in claim 10, wherein knitting the knitted component includes joining the third protrusion with the first tubular protrusion at a junction;

and

wherein compressing the skin layer and the knitted component includes protruding each of the first tubular protrusion, the third protrusion, the junction, and the skin layer together into the first surface to the first depth.

19. The method recited in claim 10, wherein forming the knitted component includes forming a throat area of the knitted component and an attachment area of the knitted component, the attachment area configured to be attached to a sole structure, the first tubular protrusion and the second tubular protrusion extending from the throat area to the attachment area.

20. The method recited in claim 10, wherein compressing the skin layer and the knitted component includes compressing the skin layer and the knitted component between the first surface and the second surface such that the skin layer and the third protrusion together protrude into the first surface.