Footwear incorporating a tensile element with a deposition layer

• US 9,801,430 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2014
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Dojan, Frederick J., Huang, Chin-Chen, Johnson, Daniel A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mohandesi, Jila M
• Application Number:
  US14/527,903
• Publication Number:
  US 20150113834A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,097 Days
• Field of Search: 36 45
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/0027 made at least partially from a material having special colours
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/02 Uppers; Boot legs
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0225 Composite materials, e.g. material with a matrix
• 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 23/0265 having different properties in different directions
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0275 with a part of the upper particularly rigid, e.g. resisting articulation or torsion
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/24 Ornamental buckles; Other ornaments for shoes without fastening function
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/0084 Arrangement of flocked decoration on shoes
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/26 adjustable as to length or size
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/06 Running shoes; Track shoes
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 111/00 Shoe machines with conveyors for jacked shoes or for shoes or shoe parts

Abstract

An article of footwear may have an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The upper includes a base layer, a plurality of strand segments, and a deposition layer. The base layer has a first surface and an opposite second surface. The strand segments are located adjacent to the first surface and extend substantially parallel to the first surface for a distance of at least five centimeters. The deposition layer is deposited upon the first surface and the strand segments, and the deposition layer is joined with the first surface and the strand segments. The deposition layer is applied using a screen printing process. Different inks can be used during the screen printing process to form the deposition layer and an indicia layer.

Claims

1. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, at least a portion of the upper comprising:

a base layer having a first surface and an opposite second surface;

a plurality of strand segments located adjacent to the first surface and extending substantially parallel to the first surface for a distance of at least five centimeters; and

a screen print layer that is deposited upon the first surface and the strand segments, the screen print layer being joined with the first surface and the strand segments

wherein the screen print layer comprises at least a partially liquid material that is built up and cured directly upon the first surface and strand segments.

2. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the screen print layer forms at least a portion of an exterior surface of the upper.

3. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the strand segments extend from a lace area of the upper to an area where the sole structure joins the upper.

4. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the screen print layer includes (a) a first ink with a first color and (b) a second ink with a second color, the second ink defining indicia.

5. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein screen print layer is bonded and secured to both the base layer and the strand segments.

6. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the screen print layer comprises multiple coats of the at least partially liquid material.

7. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the at least partially liquid material comprises an ink.

8. The article of footwear recited in claim 1, further including lace apertures and two or more strand segments which radiate outwardly from each aperture, wherein the strands have a tensile strength of at least 3.1 kilograms,

wherein the strand segments include at least one first strand segment extending lengthwise of the upper and at least one second strand segment intersecting the path of the first strand segment.

9. The article of footwear recited in claim 1 wherein the strand segments are formed of a material that stretches less than the base layer and screen print layer.

10. The article of footwear recited in claim 1 wherein at least some of the strand segments are formed from a bonded nylon and some strand segments have a tensile strength greater than other strand segments.

11. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, at least a portion of the upper comprising:

a base layer having a first surface and an opposite second surface;

a plurality of strand segments located adjacent to the first surface and extending substantially parallel to the first surface for a distance of at least five centimeters; and

a screen print layer formed upon the first surface and the strand segments, the screen print layer being joined to both the first surface and the strand segments;

the screen print layer comprising at least two sub-layers of liquid material built up directly and cured upon the first surface and strand segments.

12. The article of footwear recited in claim 11, wherein the screen print layer includes:

(a) a first ink with a first color and (b) a second ink with a second color.

13. The article of footwear recited in claim 12, wherein the first ink comprises a deposition layer bonded and secured to both the base layer and the strand segments.

14. The article of footwear recited in claim 13, wherein the second ink comprises an indicia layer defining indicia on an exterior of the article of footwear.

15. The article of footwear recited in claim 11, wherein the screen print layer is present in an area of the base layer where the strand segments are present;

and

wherein the screen print layer is absent in an area of the base layer between the strand segments.

16. The article of footwear recited in claim 11, wherein the screen print layer has a greater thickness in areas where the strand segments are present than in areas where the strand segments are absent.

17. The article of footwear recited in claim 11, wherein the screen print layer forms a first portion of an exterior surface of an upper of the article of footwear and the base layer forms a second portion of the exterior surface of the upper.