Method of making an article of footwear including knitting a knitted component of warp knit construction forming a seamless bootie with wrap-around portion

• US 9,877,536 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2014
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Huffman, Julie A., Lyttle, Amy, Bell, Thomas G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Worrell, Danny
• Application Number:
  US14/292,226
• Publication Number:
  US 20150342286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,341 Days
• Field of Search: 66170, 66185, 66195, 36 47, 36 45, 36102, 36 3 R
• 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 23/0245 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 1/04 with rings or loops
• CPC Class Codes: A43D 9/00 Devices for binding the uppers upon the lasts for the toe ends A43D15/00
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 21/207 Wearing apparel or garment blanks
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2501/043 Footwear

Abstract

An article of footwear incorporates a seamless bootie or textile upper formed from a knitted component removed from a knitted textile element of unitary warp knit construction. The knitted component may include a first knitted component portion in the form of a seamless bootie and a second knitted component portion associated with the first knitted component portion. In some embodiments the second knitted component portion may be tucked-in or folded into a pocket of first knitted component portion, such as a knitted dynamic fit component portion or a knitted tongue component portion. In some embodiments the second kitted component portion may be wrapped around at least part of the first knitted component portion.

Claims

1. A method of making an article of footwear, comprising:

knitting a knitted textile element of unitary warp knit construction having

a first knit layer,

a second knit layer that overlays the first knit layer and is continuous with the first knit layer along a common edge of the knitted textile element that extends along a direction of knitting process,

an interlayer knit stitch line that interconnects the first knit layer and the second knit layer,

at least one first knitted indicating portion located along the common edge of the common knit layer,

the common edge and the interlayer knit stitch line defining an outline of a first knitted component portion of a knitted component, the first knitted component portion being configured to form a seamless bootie, and

a second knitted component portion seamlessly associated with the first knitted component portion at the interlayer knit stitch line, the first knitted component portion and the second knitted component portion collectively forming the knitted component;

removing the knitted component from the knitted textile element;

separating the knitted component along the at least one knitted indicating portion to create an opening in the knitted component; and

wrapping the second knitted component portion around at least a portion of the first knitted component portion.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein knitting the knitted textile element comprises knitting a second knitted component portion that includes at least one of a first portion of the first knit layer seamlessly associated with the first knitted component portion at the interlayer knit stitch line and a first portion of the second knit layer seamlessly associated with the first knitted component portion at the interlayer knit stitch line.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein knitting the knitted textile element comprises knitting a second knitted component portion that includes a first portion of the first knit layer seamlessly associated with the first knitted component portion at the interlayer knit stitch line and a first portion of the second knit layer seamlessly associated with the first knitted component portion at the interlayer knit stitch line.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein knitting the knitted textile element comprises knitting a second knitted component portion that includes a first portion of the first knit layer seamlessly associated with the interlayer knit stitch line and a first portion of the second knit layer seamlessly associated with the interlayer knit stitch line, the first portion of the first knit layer having a first configuration and the first portion of the second knit layer having a second configuration that corresponds with the first configuration.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein knitting the knitted textile element comprises knitting a second knitted component portion that includes a first portion of the first knit layer seamlessly associated with the interlayer knit stitch line and a second portion of the first knit layer seamlessly associated with the interlayer knit stitch line, the second portion of the first knit layer being separate from the first portion of the first knit layer.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein knitting the knitted textile element comprises knitting a second knitted component portion that includes a first portion of the first knit layer seamlessly associated with the interlayer knit stitch line, a second portion of the first knit layer associated with the interlayer knit stitch line, the second portion of the first knit layer being separate from the first portion of the first knit layer, a first portion of the second knit layer seamlessly associated with the interlayer knit stitch line, and a second portion of the second knit layer associated with the interlayer knit stitch line, the second portion of the second knit layer being separate from the first portion of the second knit layer.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein knitting the knitted textile element comprises knitting the second knitted component portion associated with the interlayer knit stitch line at one of a forefoot portion of the first knitted component portion, a midfoot portion of the first knitted component portion, and a heel portion of the first knitted component portion.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein knitting the knitted textile element comprises knitting the second knitted component portion associated with the interlayer knit stitch line at at least two of a forefoot portion, a midfoot portion, and a heel portion of the first knitted component portion.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein knitting the knitted textile element comprises knitting at least one knitted indicating portion indicating an outline of the second knitted component portion.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein knitting the knitted textile element comprises knitting at least one second interlayer knit stitch line defining an outline of the second knitted component portion.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein knitting the knitted textile element includes knitting the first knit layer and the second knit layer as a generally single continuous layer.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein knitting a knitted textile element further comprises knitting closure structure associated with the first knitted component portion.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein wrapping the second knitted component structure around at least a portion of the first knitted component portion comprises associating the second knitted component portion with the closure structure of the seamless bootie.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein knitting the knitted textile element comprises knitting the second knitted component portion with dynamic fit structure.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein knitting the second knitted component portion with dynamic fit structure includes knitting a dynamic fit finger member.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein knitting the second knitted component portion with dynamic fit structure includes knitting at least one knitted hole associated with the dynamic fit structure.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein knitting a knitted textile element comprises knitting the closure structure with at least one knitted hole associated with the closure structure.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein wrapping the second knitted component portion around a portion of the first knitted component portion includes associating the at least one knitted hole associated with the dynamic fit structure with the at least one knitted hole associated with the closure structure.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the at least one knitted hole associated with the closure structure and the at least one knitted hole associate with the dynamic fit structure are configured to be aligned in registration.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the at least one knitted hole associated with the closure structure and the at least one knitted hole associated with the dynamic fit structure are associated with a common tensioning element.

21. The method according to claim 12, wherein knitting at least one first knitted indicating portion located along the common edge includes knitting at least one knitted closure member associated with the closure structure.

22. The method according to claim 12, wherein knitting the closure structure includes kitting a plurality of knitted indicating portions indicating a plurality of knitted holes associated with the closure structure, and removing the knitted component includes separating the knitted component at the plurality of knitted indication portions to open a corresponding plurality of knitted holes associated with the closure structure.

23. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first knitted indicating portion includes perforations.

24. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one knitted indicating portion is visible only on an exposed side of the first knitted layer and the second knitted layer of the knitted textile element.

25. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

associating the knitted component with a sole structure.

26. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

inserting an insert member between the first knitted component portion and the second knitted component portion.

27. A method of knitting a knitted textile element including a knitted component for use in an article of footwear, the method comprising:

knitting a knitted textile element of unitary warp knit construction having

a first knit layer,

a second knit layer that overlays the first knit layer and is continuous with the first knit layer along a common edge of the knitted textile element,

an interlayer knit stitch line that interconnects the first knit layer and the second knit layer, the common edge and the interlayer knit stitch line collectively defining an outline of a first knitted component portion of the knitted component, the first knitted component portion being configured to form a seamless bootie, and

at least one first knitted indicating portion located along the common edge of the knitted textile element, the at least one first knitted indicating portion being configured to indicate a separating line for creating an opening in the first knitted component portion, and

at least one second knitted indicating portion associated with a portion of the interlayer knit stitch line, the interlayer knit stitch line and the at least one second knitted indicating portion collectively defining a second knitted component portion.

28. An article of footwear, comprising:

a knitted component of unitary warp knit construction, the knitted component comprising;

a first knit layer that forms one of a medial side and a lateral side of a seamless bootie,

a second knit layer that forms the other one of the medial side and the lateral side of the seamless bootie and is continuous with the first knit layer across a continuous upper forefoot portion of the seamless bootie,

an interlayer knit stitch line that interconnects the first knit layer and the second knit layer, the interlayer knit stitch line seamlessly connecting the medial side and the lateral side of the seamless bootie and generally extending along a central line of a heel portion, a bottom portion, and a front toe portion of the seamless bootie, wherein at least one yarn of the first knit layer is interlooped with at least one yarn of the second knit layer at the interlayer knit stitch line,

at least one knitted indicating portion located between the continuous upper forefoot portion and the heel portion of the seamless bootie, the at least one knitted indicating portion collectively defining a separating line of the knitted component for creating an opening of the seamless bootie,

at least one of the first knit layer and the second knit layer further forming at least one second knitted component portion associated with the interlayer knit stitch line of the seamless bootie.

29. The article of footwear according to claim 28, wherein the at least one second knitted component portion forms a dynamic fit structure associated with the seamless bootie.

30. The article of footwear according to claim 28, wherein the at least one second knitted component portion forms a dynamic fit structure associated with a closure system of the seamless bootie.

31. The article of footwear according to claim 30, wherein the closure system includes at least one first knitted hole for receiving a tensioning element, and the dynamic fit structure includes at least one second knitted hole for receiving the tensioning element.

32. The article of footwear according to claim 30, wherein the closure system includes a plurality of first knitted holes, the dynamic fit structure includes a plurality of second knitted holes, and at least one of the plurality of first knitted holes is configured to align in registration with at least one of the plurality of second knitted holes.