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

• US 9,968,156 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2014
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• 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
• Assistant Examiner(s): BRAVO, JOCELYN MARY
• Application Number:
  US14/292,181
• Publication Number:
  US 20150342285A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,446 Days
• Field of Search: 66170, 66178 R, 66185
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/04 braided, knotted, knitted or crocheted
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/024 Different layers of the same material
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0245 characterised by the constructive form
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/025 assembled by stitching
• 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: D04B 1/22 specially adapted for knitting goods of particular configuration
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 21/207 Wearing apparel or garment blanks
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/10 porous
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/03 Shape features
• 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. An article of footwear, comprising:

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

a first knit layer including a first portion that forms a medial side of a first knitted component portion configured as a seamless bootie and a second portion that is continuous with the first portion and forms a medial side of a second knitted component portion;

a second knit layer including a first portion that forms a lateral side of the first knitted component portion configured as the seamless bootie and a second portion that is continuous with the first portion and forms a lateral side of the second knitted component portion, the first portion of the second knit layer being continuous with the first portion of the first knit layer across a continuous upper forefoot portion of the seamless bootie;

a first interlayer knit stitch line that interconnects the medial side of the first knitted component portion configured as the seamless bootie and the lateral side of the first knitted component portion configured as the seamless bootie and extends generally along a central line of a heel portion, a bottom portion, and a front toe portion of the seamless bootie; and

a second interlayer knit stitch line that interconnects the medial side of the first knit layer of the second knitted component portion and the lateral side of the second knit layer of the second knitted component portion.

2. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the second portion of the first knit layer and the second portion of the second knit layer form a single continuous layer across an interior upper forefoot portion of the second knitted component portion.

3. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the second interlayer knit stitch line generally extends along a central line of at least one of an interior heel portion, an interior midfoot bottom portion, and an interior front toe portion of the second component portion.

4. The article of footwear according to claim 1, further comprising:

at least one knitted indicating portion indicating a separating line of the first knitted component portion configured as the seamless bootie.

5. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the second portion of the first knit layer and the second portion of the second knit layer form a second knitted component portion.

6. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the first portion of the first knit layer and the first portion of the second knit layer include a closure structure for the first knitted component portion.

7. The article of footwear according to claim 6, wherein the closure structure for the first knitted component portion includes a first plurality of knitted holes for receiving a first tensioning element.

8. The article of footwear according to claim 7, wherein at least one knitted hole of the first plurality of knitted holes of the closure structure is configured to align in registration with at least one knitted hole of a second plurality of knitted holes formed in the second knitted component portion, and the at least one hole of the first plurality of knitted holes of the closure structure for the first knitted component portion and the at least one knitted hole of the second plurality of knitted holes formed in the second knitted component portion are configured to receive a common tensioning element.

9. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the second portion of the first knit layer and the second portion of the second knit layer form a gusseted tongue of the seamless bootie.

10. The article of footwear according to claim 9, wherein the gusseted tongue includes a first plurality of knitted holes formed in the second portion of the first knit layer and a second plurality of knitted holes fainted in the second portion of the second knit layer.

11. The article of footwear according to claim 10, wherein the first plurality of knitted holes and the second plurality of knitted holes are configured to align in registration.