Article of footwear incorporating a knitted component

• US 9,538,804 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2014
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Seamarks, Karl, Woodman, Phil, Shaffer, Benjamin A., Toraya, Erin E., Baines, Simon J., Baudouin, Alexandre, Molyneux, James
• Primary Examiner(s): BAYS, MARIE D
• Application Number:
  US14/499,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20150013188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: 36/45, 36/9.R
• 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. An article of footwear having an upper, the upper comprising:

a knitted component having a plurality of tubular structures that define a plurality of protruding areas of the knitted component;

wherein the plurality of tubular structures includes a first tubular structure with an inlaid strand extending through the first tubular structure;

wherein the plurality of tubular structures further includes a second tubular structure with yarn sections extending across the second tubular structure;

wherein the protruding areas extend outward and away from a void within the upper for receiving a foot of a wearer;

wherein the knitted component further includes at least one second area that is continuously surrounded by adjacent ones of the plurality of protruding areas, wherein the adjacent ones of the plurality of protruding areas protrude away from the second area; and

wherein the at least one second area has an elongate shape.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the upper further includes a throat and the article of footwear further comprises a sole structure;

and

wherein the at least one second area is elongated in a direction extending between the throat and the sole structure.

3. The article of footwear of claim 2, wherein the at least one second area includes a plurality of second areas;

wherein the plurality of second areas are substantially aligned in the direction extending between the throat and the sole structure.

4. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the upper includes a medial side, a lateral side, and a forefoot region;

and

wherein the plurality of protruding areas are arranged in a group extending continuously between the medial side and the lateral side, and across the forefoot region.

5. The article of footwear of claim 4, wherein the upper includes a heel region;

and

wherein the plurality of protruding areas is absent from the heel region.

6. The article of footwear of claim 4, wherein the at least one second area is disposed in forefoot region;

and

wherein the at least one second area is elongated in a direction extending between the medial side and the lateral side.

7. The article of footwear of claim 6, wherein the at least one second area includes a plurality of second areas;

and

wherein the plurality of second areas are substantially aligned in the direction extending between the medial side and the lateral side.

8. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the yarn sections extending across the second tubular structure form tuck stitches.

9. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the yarn sections extending across the second tubular structure cross each other.

10. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the knitted component has a first thickness at the plurality of protruding areas;

wherein the knitted component has a second thickness at the second area;

wherein the first thickness is at least two millimeters greater than the second thickness; and

wherein the second thickness is less than four millimeters.

11. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein a skin layer is secured to the knitted component and extends over the plurality of protruding areas and over the at least one second area.

12. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the elongate shape substantially resembles a geometric shape selected from a group consisting of a quadrilateral, a parallelogram, and a hexagon.

13. An article of footwear having an upper, wherein the upper includes a medial side, a lateral side, and a forefoot region, the upper comprising:

a knitted component having an inner surface and an outer surface;

wherein the knitted component has a thickness measured between the inner surface and the outer surface;

wherein the knitted component includes a plurality of tubular structures that define a plurality of protruding areas of the knitted component;

wherein the protruding areas extend outward and away from a void within the upper for receiving a foot of a wearer;

wherein the protruding areas define at least one second area of the knitted component;

wherein the thickness at the second area is less than the thickness at the protruding areas;

wherein the second area has a length measured across the outer surface between adjacent ones of the protruding areas;

wherein the second area has a width measured across the outer surface between adjacent ones of the protruding areas;

wherein the length is greater than the width;

wherein the plurality of tubular structures includes a first tubular structure with an inlaid strand extending through the first tubular structure; and

wherein the first tubular structure of the knitted component extends continuously around a perimeter of the inlaid strand.

14. The article of footwear of claim 13, wherein the at least one second area includes a plurality of second areas;

and

wherein the plurality of second areas are substantially aligned.

15. The article of footwear of claim 14, wherein the upper further includes a throat between the medial side and the lateral side and the article of footwear further comprises a sole structure;

and

wherein the plurality of second areas are substantially aligned in a direction extending between the throat and the sole structure.

16. The article of footwear of claim 14, wherein the plurality of second areas are disposed in the forefoot region;

and

wherein the plurality of second areas are substantially aligned in a direction extending between the medial side and the lateral side.

17. The article of footwear of claim 13, wherein the upper includes a heel region;

and

wherein the plurality of protruding areas is absent from the heel region.

18. The article of footwear of claim 13,

wherein the plurality of tubular structures further includes a second tubular structure with yarn sections extending across the second tubular structure.

19. The article of footwear of claim 18, wherein the yarn sections extending across the second tubular structure form tuck stitches.

20. The article of footwear of claim 18, wherein the yarn sections extending across the second tubular structure cross each other.