Vacuum formed knit sole system for an article of footwear incorporating a knitted component

• US 9,848,673 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2015
• Issued: 12/26/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Cross, Tory M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hurley, Shaun R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Bao-Thieu L
• Application Number:
  US14/598,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20160206046A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 36 84
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/04 braided, knotted, knitted or crocheted
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/02 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/223 Profiled soles
• 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 23/042 Uppers made of one piece one piece slippers A43B3/106; one piece sandals A43B3/124
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 15/161 characterised by the attachment to the sole
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 35/122 Soles

Abstract

A vacuum formed knit sole system for an article of footwear incorporating a knitted component is described. The article of footwear includes a knitted component including a lower portion forming the knit sole system and an upper portion forming a portion of the upper of the article of footwear. A method of vacuum forming the knitted component using an insert member to form the knit sole system is also described. The insert member can be used to form the shape of the knit outsole, including the shape of cleat members, as well as remain within the interior of the upper to reinforce the knit sole system.

Claims

1. An article of footwear including an upper and a sole system, the article of footwear comprising:

a knitted component including a knitted component lower portion forming a knit outsole of the sole system and a knitted component upper portion forming at least a portion the upper; and

an insert member disposed within an interior of the upper, the insert member having between 5 and 15 protuberances extending away from a bottom side,

wherein the protuberances extending away from the bottom side of the insert member correspond with between 5 and 15 cleat members extending away from an outsole bottom surface of the knit outsole.

2. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of protuberances fill cavities of the plurality of cleat members on the knit outsole.

3. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the insert member is configured to form the cleat members in the knit outsole through a vacuum forming process with the knitted component.

4. The article of footwear according to claim 3, wherein the insert member is configured to remain within the interior of the upper after the vacuum forming process to provide reinforcing to the cleat members of the knit outsole.

5. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the knitted component lower portion includes at least one fusible yarn, and wherein the at least one fusible yarn is located at least in one or more of the cleat members.

6. The article of footwear according to claim 1, further comprising a cap element covering at least a portion of one or more of the cleat members.

7. The article of footwear according to claim 1, further comprising an outsole cover assembly covering at least one of the cleat members and at least a portion of the outsole bottom surface of the knit outsole.