Article of footwear incorporating a knitted component with integrally knit contoured portion

• US 9,936,757 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2013
• Issued: 04/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Podhajny, Daniel A.
• Primary Examiner(s): BAYS, MARIE D
• Application Number:
  US14/026,589
• Publication Number:
  US 20140245633A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,670 Days
• Field of Search: 36 84, 36 45, 36 48, 36 47, 36 54
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/04 braided, knotted, knitted or crocheted
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/042 Uppers made of one piece one piece slippers A43B3/106; one piece sandals A43B3/124
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/26 Tongues for shoes
• 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: D04B 1/123 with laid-in unlooped yarn, e.g. fleece fabrics with elastic weft yarn D04B1/18
• 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 includes an upper with a knitted component formed of unitary knit construction. The knitted component has a first edge and a second edge. The knitted component also includes a base portion configured to be disposed adjacent the sole structure and to be disposed under a foot. The knitted component further includes a heel portion, a forefoot portion, a medial portion, and a lateral portion. The knitted component additionally includes a collar with a rim. The second edge is joined to the first edge at a seam. The seam has a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is located generally at the rim of the collar on one of the medial side and the lateral side of the upper. The second end is spaced from the first end.

Claims

1. An article of footwear comprising:

a sole structure; and

an upper that is coupled to the sole structure, the upper including a knitted component formed of unitary knit construction, the knitted component having an asymmetrical shape about a longitudinal axis when in a generally flat unassembled configuration, the knitted component including;

a first edge and a second edge,

a base portion defining the shape of the sole structure when in a generally flat unassembled configuration, the base portion disposed adjacent the sole structure,

a heel portion,

a forefoot portion,

a medial portion and a lateral portion that are each formed of unitary knit construction with the base portion, and

a collar with a rim, the collar extending from at least one of the medial portion and the lateral portion,

the second edge being joined to the first edge at a seam of the knitted component causing the base portion, the heel portion, the forefoot portion, the medial portion, and the lateral portion to cooperatively define a void for receiving a foot, the seam having a first end and a second end, the first end located at the rim of the collar on the medial side of the upper the second end being spaced from the first end.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the seam includes a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion extends from the first end and downward toward the base portion, and wherein the second portion extends continuously from the first portion and toward the forefoot portion.

3. The article of footwear of claim 2, wherein the upper further includes a forefoot region at least partially defined by the forefoot portion of the knitted component, wherein the second end of the seam is located generally in the forefoot region adjacent the lateral side, wherein the seam further includes a third portion and a fourth portion, and wherein the first portion extends from the first end and downward toward the base portion, wherein the second portion extends continuously from the first portion and toward the forefoot region between the base portion and the medial portion, wherein the third portion extends continuously from the second portion and upward and away from the base portion, and wherein the fourth portion extends continuously from the third portion along the forefoot region to terminate at the second end of the seam.

4. The article of footwear of claim 3, wherein the second portion of the seam has an arched curvature that substantially nests with an anatomical arch of the foot received within the void.

5. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the upper also includes a forefoot region at least partially defined by the forefoot portion of the knitted component, and wherein the second end of the seam is located in the forefoot region.

6. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the knitted component includes a knit element and a tensile strand that is formed of unitary knit construction with at least a portion of the knit element, wherein the knit element substantially defines the base portion, the heel portion, the forefoot portion, the medial portion, and the lateral portion, wherein the tensile strand includes a first portion that extends along the knit element toward the seam, and wherein the tensile strand includes a second portion that is substantially aligned with the seam.

7. The article of footwear of claim 6, wherein the first portion is inlaid within the knit element, wherein the second portion is exposed from the knit element, wherein the tensile strand further includes a third portion that is inlaid within the knit element, and wherein the second portion extends continuously between the first portion and the third portion.

8. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the knitted component includes a knit element, a first tensile strand that is formed of unitary knit construction with the knit element, and a second tensile strand that is formed of unitary knit construction with the knit element, wherein the first tensile strand includes a first portion that extends transverse relative to the seam, wherein the second tensile strand includes a second portion that extends transverse relative to the seam, wherein the first portion and the second portion are disposed on opposite sides of the seam, and wherein the first portion and the second portion are substantially aligned.

9. The article of footwear of claim 8, wherein the sole structure includes a flex groove, wherein the first portion and the second portion are substantially aligned in a longitudinal direction with each other, and wherein the first portion and the second portion are substantially aligned in a vertical direction with the flex groove.

10. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the base portion includes a plurality of openings and the base portion includes a substantially continuous border that encompasses the plurality of openings.

11. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the knitted component further includes a throat area that is defined between the medial portion and the heel portion, and wherein the throat area is integrally attached to and formed of unitary knit construction with both the lateral side and the medial side of the upper.

12. A knitted component forming an upper for an article of footwear, the upper attached to a sole structure, the knitted component having an asymmetrical shape about a longitudinal axis when in a generally flat unassembled configuration, the knitted component comprising:

a base portion with a first side that is at least partially defined by a first edge of the knitted component, the base portion defining the shape of the sole structure when in a generally flat unassembled configuration, the base portion disposed adjacent the sole structure;

a heel portion and a forefoot portion that are formed of unitary knit construction with the base portion; and

a medial portion and a lateral portion that extend from a second side of the base portion, the second side being opposite from the first side, one of the medial portion and the lateral portion being at least partially defined by a second edge of the knitted component, the second edge joined to the first edge at a seam to locate the one of the medial portion and the lateral portion adjacent the first side of the base portion and the other of the medial portion and the lateral portion adjacent the second side of the base portion, and wherein the second edge is joined to the first edge such that the base portion, the heel portion, the forefoot portion, the medial portion, and the lateral portion cooperatively define a void that is configured to receive a foot.

13. The knitted component of claim 12, wherein at least one of the heel portion and the forefoot portion includes a surface having three dimensional curvature that defines a cavity.

14. The knitted component of claim 13, wherein the heel portion includes the surface having three dimensional curvature to define a heel cavity.

15. The knitted component of claim 12, further comprising a collar with a rim that defines an opening into the void, the first edge and the second edge joined at a first end of the seam, the first end disposed generally at the rim of the collar.

16. The knitted component of claim 12, further comprising a knit element and a tensile strand, the knit element substantially defining the base portion, the forefoot portion, the heel portion, the medial portion, and the lateral portion, wherein the tensile strand is formed of unitary knit construction with at least a portion of the knit element, wherein the tensile strand includes a first portion that extends along the knit element toward one of the first edge and the second edge, and wherein the tensile strand includes a second portion that is substantially aligned with the one of the first edge and the second edge.

17. The knitted component of claim 16, wherein the first portion is inlaid within the knit element, wherein the second portion is exposed from the knit element, wherein the tensile strand further includes a third portion that is inlaid within the knit element, and wherein the second portion is disposed between the first portion and the third portion.

18. The knitted component of claim 12, further comprising a knit element, a first tensile strand, and a second tensile strand, wherein the knit element substantially defines the base portion, the forefoot portion, the heel portion, the medial portion, and the lateral portion, wherein the first tensile strand and the second tensile strand are formed of unitary knit construction with the knit element, wherein the first tensile strand includes a first portion that extends transverse relative to the first edge, wherein the second tensile strand includes a second portion that extends transverse relative to the second edge, and wherein the first portion and the second portion are disposed on opposite sides of the seam and are substantially aligned with each other.