Article of footwear with tongue of varying thickness
First Claim
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1. A method of manufacturing a tongue of an article of footwear, comprising:
- forming a first portion of the tongue having a first thickness that is substantially consistent over the first portion, the first portion being associated with a top portion of the tongue and extends substantially from a medial edge of the tongue to a lateral edge of the tongue and continues along a medial side of the tongue from the top portion to a point adjacent a bottom portion of the tongue and from the medial edge of the tongue toward the lateral edge of the tongue, wherein the first portion continuing along the medial side of the tongue from the medial edge of the tongue toward the lateral edge of the tongue has an interior edge, and wherein the top portion is disposed closest to an ankle when a foot is inserted into the article of footwear;
forming a second portion of the tongue having a second thickness that is substantially less than the first thickness, the second portion extending along a lateral side of the tongue beginning from a distal edge of the top portion and having an interior edge separated from and opposing the interior edge of the first portion; and
forming a third portion of the tongue extending along a central portion of the tongue between the interior edge of the medial side of the first portion and the interior edge of the second portion and beginning from the distal edge of the top portion, the third portion having a third thickness that is substantially less than the second thickness.
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Abstract
An article of footwear includes a tongue. The tongue includes a medial portion, a lateral portion, a central portion, a top portion and an upper perimeter portion. The medial portion and the top portion have similar thicknesses, which are greater than the thicknesses of the lateral portion, the central portion and the upper perimeter portion. The central portion is the thinnest portion of the tongue. Each portion of the tongue corresponds to a different pressure zone along a foot in order to provide differential cushioning and support against pressure applied by a fastening system.
34 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of manufacturing a tongue of an article of footwear, comprising:
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forming a first portion of the tongue having a first thickness that is substantially consistent over the first portion, the first portion being associated with a top portion of the tongue and extends substantially from a medial edge of the tongue to a lateral edge of the tongue and continues along a medial side of the tongue from the top portion to a point adjacent a bottom portion of the tongue and from the medial edge of the tongue toward the lateral edge of the tongue, wherein the first portion continuing along the medial side of the tongue from the medial edge of the tongue toward the lateral edge of the tongue has an interior edge, and wherein the top portion is disposed closest to an ankle when a foot is inserted into the article of footwear; forming a second portion of the tongue having a second thickness that is substantially less than the first thickness, the second portion extending along a lateral side of the tongue beginning from a distal edge of the top portion and having an interior edge separated from and opposing the interior edge of the first portion; and forming a third portion of the tongue extending along a central portion of the tongue between the interior edge of the medial side of the first portion and the interior edge of the second portion and beginning from the distal edge of the top portion, the third portion having a third thickness that is substantially less than the second thickness. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of manufacturing a tongue of an article of footwear, comprising:
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forming a medial portion of the tongue that extends substantially from a proximal end to a distal end of a medial side of the tongue and extends from a medial edge of the tongue in the direction of a lateral side of the tongue ending in an interior edge, the medial portion of the tongue having a first thickness that is uniform along the medial portion; forming a lateral portion of the tongue that extends from a lateral edge of the tongue in the direction of a medial side of the tongue ending in an interior edge separated from and opposing the interior edge of the medial portion and extends substantially from a proximal end to a distal end of the lateral side of the tongue, the lateral portion of the tongue having a second thickness that is uniform along the lateral portion and that is substantially less than the first thickness, such that a thickness profile of the tongue in a medial to lateral direction of the tongue is asymmetrical; forming a central portion of the tongue between the interior edge of the medial portion and the interior edge of the lateral portion, the central portion having a third thickness that is less than the second thickness; and forming a top portion of the tongue, disposed proximally to the central portion, with a fourth thickness that is different from the first thickness, the second thickness, and the third thickness. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification