Patent Grant
11154110
Conventional articles of footwear generally include two primary elements: an upper and a sole structure. The upper is generally secured to the sole structure and may form a void within the article of footwear for comfortably and securely receiving a foot. The sole structure is generally secured to a lower surface of the upper so as to be positioned between the upper and the ground. In some articles of athletic footwear, for example, the sole structure may include a midsole and an outsole. The midsole may be formed from a polymer foam material that attenuates ground reaction forces to lessen stresses upon the foot and leg during walking, running, and other ambulatory activities. The outsole may be secured to a lower surface of the midsole and may form a ground-engaging portion of the sole structure that is formed from a durable and wear-resistant material.
The upper of the article of footwear generally extends over the instep and toe areas of the foot, along the medial and lateral sides of the foot, and around the heel area of the foot and in some instances under the foot. Access to the void in the interior of the upper is generally provided by an ankle opening in and/or adjacent to a heel region of the footwear. A lacing system is often incorporated into the upper to adjust the fit of the upper, thereby facilitating entry and removal of the foot from the void within the upper. In addition, the upper may include a tongue that extends under the lacing system to enhance adjustability of the footwear, and the upper may incorporate other structures such as, for example, a heel counter to provide support and limit movement of the heel.
The embodiments of the present disclosure may be better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, with emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the figures, like referenced numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views and arrangements.
Various aspects are described below with reference to the drawings in which like elements generally are identified by like numerals. The relationship and functioning of the various elements of the aspects may better be understood by reference to the following detailed description. However, aspects are not limited to those illustrated in the drawings or explicitly described below. It also should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale, and in certain instances details may have been omitted that are not necessary for an understanding of aspects disclosed herein, such as conventional fabrication and assembly.
Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to uppers configured for use in an article of footwear and/or other articles, such as articles of apparel. When referring to articles of footwear, the disclosure may describe basketball shoes, running shoes, biking shoes, cross-training shoes, football shoes, golf shoes, hiking shoes and boots, ski and snowboarding boots, soccer shoes, tennis shoes, and/or walking shoes, as well as footwear styles generally considered non-athletic, including but not limited to dress shoes, loafers, and sandals.
In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a knitted component. The knitted component may have a forefoot portion with a top layer and a bottom layer, where a void is formed between the top layer and the bottom layer, and where the top layer is secured to the bottom layer via at least one common knit structure. A heel area may extend from the bottom layer of the forefoot portion in a longitudinal direction and may be secured to the bottom layer of the forefoot portion via at least one common knit structure. At least one extension may extend from the heel area in a second direction, the second direction being different than the longitudinal direction.
In another aspect, the present disclosure provides an article of footwear. The article of footwear may include a forefoot portion having a top layer and a bottom layer, where a void is formed between the top layer and the bottom layer. A heel area may be secured to the bottom layer of the forefoot portion, and the heel area may form a first portion of a collar. At least one extension may extend from the heel area, where the at least one extension is secured to an edge of the top layer of the forefoot portion, and where the extension forms at least a second portion of the collar.
In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method. The method may include forming a forefoot portion of a knitted component on a knitting machine, the forefoot portion having a top layer and a bottom layer, where a void is formed between the top layer and the bottom layer, and where the top layer is secured to the bottom layer via at least one common knit structure. The method may further include forming a heel area of the knitted component on the knitting machine, the heel area being secured to the bottom layer of the forefoot portion via at least one common knit structure. The method may further include forming at least one extension of the knitted component on the knitting machine, the at least one extension being attached to the heel area, and securing to the extension to an edge of the top layer of the forefoot portion.
In another aspect, the present disclosure provides an article of footwear with a knitted component, the knitted component having a heel area. The heel area may include a medial side, a lateral side, and a rear portion between the medial side and the lateral side, where at least one of the medial side and the lateral side of the knitted component includes a concave area on an outer surface of the knitted component.
In another aspect, the present disclosure provides an article of footwear with a knitted component, the knitted component having a heel area. The heel area may include a medial side, a lateral side, and a rear portion between the medial side and the lateral side, where at least one of the medial side and the lateral side of the knitted component includes a convex area on an inner surface of the knitted component, the inner surface defining a void.
The upper 102 may additionally include a throat area 114 extending from an ankle opening 116 leading to the void 118, and a collar 120 may at least partially surround the ankle opening 116. The void 118 of the article of footwear 100 may be configured (e.g., sized and shaped) to receive and accommodate a foot of a person. The throat area 114 may be generally disposed in a midfoot area 122 of the upper 102. The midfoot area 122 of the upper 102 may be located between a heel area 124 and a toe area 126. In some embodiments, a tongue 128 may be disposed at least partially in the throat area 114. If the tongue 128 is included, the tongue 128 may be any type of tongue, such as a gusseted tongue or a burrito tongue. If a tongue 128 is not included, the lateral and medial sides of the throat area 114 may be joined together.
While the upper 102 is described herein as being formed primarily of the knitted component 104, a knitted component is optional, and it alternatively or additionally could include a textile component formed by a process other than knitting (e.g., weaving) and may also include other materials including, but not limited to, leather, plastics, rubbers, and any other materials. Forming the upper 102 with the knitted component 104 may provide the upper 102 with advantageous characteristics including, but not limited to, a particular degree of elasticity (for example, as expressed in terms of Young's modulus), breathability, bendability, strength, moisture absorption, weight, abrasion resistance, and/or a combination thereof. These characteristics may be accomplished by selecting a particular single layer or multi-layer knit structure (e.g., a ribbed knit structure, a single jersey knit structure, or a double jersey knit structure), by varying the size and tension of the knit structure, by using one or more yarns formed of a particular material (e.g., a polyester material, a relatively inelastic material, or a relatively elastic material such as spandex), by selecting yarns of a particular size (e.g., denier), and/or a combination thereof. The knitted component 104 may also provide desirable aesthetic characteristics by incorporating yarns having different colors, textures or other visual properties arranged in a particular pattern.
Further, the yarns themselves and/or the knit structure of the knitted component 104 may be varied at different locations such that the knitted component 104 has two or more portions with different properties (e.g., a portion forming the throat area 114 of the upper 102 may be relatively elastic while another portion may be relatively inelastic). Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the knitted component 104 may incorporate one or more materials with properties that change in response to a stimulus (e.g., temperature, moisture, electrical current, magnetic field, or light). For example, the knitted component 104 may include yarns formed of one or more thermoplastic polymer materials (including material composites) that transition from a solid state to a softened or liquid state when subjected to certain temperatures at or above the melting point and then transitions back to a solid state when cooled. The thermoplastic polymer material(s) may provide the ability to heat and then cool a portion of the knitted component 104 to thereby form an area of bonded or continuous material (herein referred to as a “fused area”) that exhibits certain advantageous properties including a relatively high degree of rigidity, strength, and water resistance, for example. Non-limiting examples of thermoplastic polymer materials are polyurethanes, polyamides, polyolefins, and/or certain nylons.
The knitted component 104 of the article of footwear 100 may include a forefoot portion 130 having a top layer 132 and a bottom layer 134, and the void 118 may be formed between the top layer 132 and the bottom layer 134. Thus, in the forefoot portion 130, the bottom layer 134 may form an underfoot portion associated with a plantar aspect of the foot (also known as the sole or bottom of the foot), and the top layer 132 may form an overfoot portion associated with the dorsal surface of the foot (also known as the foot's top surface). The bottom layer 134 may extend just above, and/or be secured to, the sole structure 106. In some embodiments, the top layer 132 and the bottom layer 134 may meet at the biteline 112, but that is optional, and they meet at a boundary 136 above the biteline 112 in
The knitted component may additionally include a heel portion 140. A bottom side of the heel portion 140 may be secured to the sole structure 106. As described in more detail below, the heel portion 140 may be secured to the bottom layer 134 of the forefoot portion 130 via a common knit structure, and a first extension 142 and/or second extension 144 may extend from the heel portion 140 and secure to the top layer 132 of the forefoot portion 130 (e.g., via stitching). The heel portion 140 may form a first collar portion 146 of the collar 120, and the first extension 142 and second extension 144 may form a respective second collar portion 148 and third collar portion 150 of the collar 120 on medial and lateral sides of the first collar portion 146.
In some embodiments, the first extension 142 and/or the second extension 144 may extend from the heel area 124 towards the throat area 114, and in some embodiments may extend to a location adjacent to the throat 152. A seam 154 may secure the first extension 142 to the forefoot portion 130, and specifically the top layer 132 of the forefoot portion 130. Optionally, the seam 154 may extend from adjacent to the throat to approximately the biteline 112, but other seam orientations/locations are also contemplated. As described in more detail below, the seam 154 may be formed after the knitted component is formed on a knitting machine.
The void 118 may be formed between the top layer 132 and the bottom layer 134. The top layer 132 and the bottom layer 134 may be formed together on a knitting machine, and may converge at a boundary 136 (e.g., at a sewn seam as described in more detail below). The attachment at the boundary 136 may be provided by a common knit structure, such as a common course, loop, wale, and/or yarn extending between the top layer 132 and the bottom layer 134, and the common knit structure may be formed on the knitting machine when the top layer 132 and the bottom layer 134 are formed. Other attachment devices and/or methods are also contemplated (e.g., the top layer 132 and the bottom layer 134 may be sewn together after the knitting process, secured via an adhesive, etc.).
Other knitting techniques may be additionally or alternatively used to form a multi-layer structure. For example, it is contemplated that both layers could utilize needles from each bed during the knitting process to enhance the ability to integrate functional and/or visual features within each layer. For example, one or more consecutive courses of the top layer 132 may utilize needles from both needle beds to provide the top layer 132 with a particular multi-bed knit structure. Then, prior to or during knitting one or more courses of the bottom layer 134, all loops of the top layer 132 may be transferred to a first needle bed to free the needles on the second needle bed to form the bottom layer 134 (and to prevent the top layer 132 from binding to the bottom layer 134). The bottom layer 134 may then be knitted on the second bed alone or may utilize needles on both needle beds (particularly if the top layer 132 leaves some needles on the first needle bed unoccupied). If the bottom layer 134 is formed on both beds, once it is time to resume knitting courses of the top layer 132, all loops associated with the bottom layer 134 may be transferred to the second bed to free the first bed for again forming the top layer 132 (and to prevent the bottom layer 134 from binding with the top layer 132). This process may be repeated as necessary.
If necessary, when knitting the top layer 132 and/or the bottom layer 134, certain needles on each bed may be skipped by the top layer 132 and/or the bottom layer 134 to leave needles unoccupied for knitting the other layer. Thus, the top layer 132 and/or the bottom layer 134 may have a reduced gauge and/or stitch density when compared to a full gauge portion (e.g., such as the heel portion 140 as described in more detail below). In some embodiments, a gauge of the top layer 132 and/or the bottom layer 134 (defined by the ratio of the number of needles used to the total number of needles available) may be at least 25% less than a gauge of the heel portion 140, at least 50% less, or even less. In one non-limiting embodiment, the gauge of the top layer 132 and the bottom layer 134 is about 50% of the gauge of the heel portion 140.
Additionally or alternatively, the top layer 132 and the bottom layer 134 may include a yarn referred to as a “fusible yarn,” which in this disclosure refers to a yarn having a thermoplastic polymer material with a melting point of less than 120° C. In one exemplary embodiment, the fusible yarn of the top layer 132 and the bottom layer 134 may be a yarn having a polyester yarn surrounded by a thermoplastic polymer material or composite with a melting point of less than 100° C. (e.g., approximately 60° C.). After the knitting process, the knitted component 104 can be heated and then cooled such that the thermoplastic polymer material fuses and rigidifies to provide sufficient structure (e.g., rigidity) to the top layer 132 and bottom layer 134, particularly when the gauge of the top layer 132 and/or the bottom layer 134 is relatively low. In some embodiments, a second yarn may be included in at least one of the top layer 132 and the bottom layer 134 that is not configured to melt or fuse when subjected to the above-described heat (e.g., where melting or decomposition points of the second yarn are higher than the highest processing temperature of the knitted component 104). The second yarn may be any type of yarn, such as a polyester yarn suitable for providing comfort-related characteristics and/or desirable visual characteristics. Further, it may be advantageous to use a relatively thin yarn such that the top layer 132 and/or the bottom layer 134 have a desirable net-like appearance (at least in low-gauge areas), which may be made possible by the inclusion of the above-described fusible yarn.
The heel portion 140 may extend from the bottom layer 134 of the forefoot portion 130 in a longitudinal direction 166. Thus, when the knitted component 104 is initially removed from the knitting machine, the heel portion 140 may be only indirectly attached to the top layer 132 through the bottom layer 134. The heel portion 140 may be secured to the bottom layer of the forefoot portion 130 via at least one common knit structure (e.g., at least one common connecting course).
The knitted component 104 may further include a first extension 142 and a second extension 144 that extend from the heel portion 140. The first extension 142 and the second extension 144 may extend at least partially in a second direction 168 from the heel portion 140 (at least if the knitted component 104 is forced into a flattened state), where the second direction 168 is different than the longitudinal direction 166. For example, the second direction 168 may be approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal direction 166 (e.g., within 30% with respect to true perpendicular, or less, such as within 15%). More specifically, the first extension 142 may extend in a lateral direction and the second extension 144 may extend in a medial direction (or vice versa) with respect to the foot when the knitted component 104 is incorporated into an article of footwear 100. The first extension 142 and the second extension 144 may be formed on the knitting machine with the remainder of the knitted component 104, and thus they may share a common knit structure with the heel portion 140. When the knitted component 104 is initially removed from the knitting machine, the first extension 142 and the second extension 144 may be indirectly secured to the bottom layer 134 by way of the heel portion 140, and indirectly secured to the top layer 132 by way of the heel portion 140 and the bottom layer 134.
When the knitted component 104 is generally knitted in the longitudinal direction 166, the heel portion 140 may be knitted substantially before or substantially after the formation of the top layer 132 and the bottom layer 134 of the forefoot portion 130. The same can be said of the first extension 142 and the second extension 144. Advantageously, this may provide the opportunity for the heel portion 140 and the extensions 142, 144 to utilize the full capacity of both needle beds of the knitting machine during its formation. Thus, the heel portion 140 and the extensions 142, 144 may be fully or primarily formed of a double jersey knit structure. Herein, a “double jersey knit structure” is defined generally as any knit structure formed on two needle beds and utilizing at least one needle from each bed. Utilizing two beds of a flat knitting machine to provide a double jersey knit structure may enhance the ability to include certain knit or non-knit features, particularly since utilizing two beds (instead of one) significantly increases the ability to selectively include visual designs, physical properties, and other features formed by a particular knitted structure, a particular yarn or combination of yarns, or a combination thereof. To illustrate, one yarn type (e.g., a thermoplastic polymer material yarn for forming a rigid fused area) may be located on an outer-facing surface, and a different yarn type (e.g., a polyester yarn) may be located on an opposite-facing surface (i.e., the inner surface) to provide comfort-related characteristics.
Still referring to
Once the securement is complete (or potentially before this securement), the knitted component 104 may be attached to other components of the article of footwear 100. For example, referring back to
Referring to
As shown in
When the knitted component 104 is inverted, the step of inverting the knitted component 104 may occur after the knitted component 104 is removed from the knitting machine, but before the first extension 142 and/or the second extension 144 are secured at the seam 154 (illustrated by arrows) to the top layer 132. Advantageously, the relatively amenable knitted component 104 (before forming the seam) may be more easily inverted and may be less susceptible to damage due to inversion. However, in other embodiments, the seam 154 may be formed prior to the inversion. This may be advantageous when the outer portion of the seam 154 ties or other remnants from its formation that are initially more easily isolated to the outside, but can be flipped inside so they are not wearable when the knitted component 104 is manipulated into its wearable state.
In some embodiments, and as depicted in the embodiment of
The forefoot extension 192 can additionally or alternatively form elements other than a tongue. For example, referring to
As described above, the knitted component 104 may have zonal properties. For example, in one non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the top layer 132 of the forefoot portion may have a first zone 202 in the throat area 114 and a second zone 204 adjacent to the first zone 202. The first zone 202 and the second zone 204 may have different knit structures such that, when subjected to the same stretching force, the first zone 202 stretches less than the amount the second zone 204 stretches. The differences in elasticity can be tested by applying an equal tension force on both zones and then measuring the displacement (per unit of initial length). For example, the first zone 202 may have a knit structure that has a higher gauge than the second zone 204 such that it has a higher stitch density (i.e., knitted loops per unit area), which may provide a lower elasticity.
Additionally or alternatively, the first zone 202 may be formed of yarns with different materials, or may be treated differently during post-knit processing, to provide the first zone with lower elasticity. For example, the first zone 202 may include a thermoplastic polymer material with a relatively low melting point that melts when heat is applied and then cools into a fused state when cooled, thus forming a relatively rigid structure. The thermoplastic polymer material in the first zone 202 may be the same thermoplastic polymer material described above with respect to the “fusible yarn,” but optionally it may be a different thermoplastic polymer material provided by a separate yarn and with a different (e.g., higher) melting point (and the fusible yarns are not necessary excluded from the first zone 202 or the second zone 204 in this embodiment). For example, in one non-limiting exemplary embodiment, both the first zone 202 and the second zone 204 include the above-described fusible yarns. The first zone 202 may additionally include an amount of a second thermoplastic polymer, which may be a thermoplastic polyurethane with a melting point of between about 80° C. and about 200° C., such as from about 100° C. to about 125° C. based on atmospheric pressure at sea level. This second thermoplastic polymer material may provide a relatively high rigidity after heat processing. Any suitable amount of the second thermoplastic polymer material may be included. While zonal properties are primarily described with respect to the depicted zones 202, 204 of the top layer 132, other areas of the knitted component 104 may additionally or alternatively include different zones with different physical and/or visual properties.
Another advantage of forming the heel portion 140 on two needle beds (as described above) is the ability to provide the heel portion 140 with a natural tendency to curve due to a specific knit structure. For example, the heel portion 140 of the knitted component 104 may include a medial heel side 170, a lateral heel side 172, and a rear portion 174 between the medial heel side 170 and the lateral heel side 172, where at least one of the medial heel side 170 and the lateral heel side 172 includes a convex area on the inner surface 176 of the knitted component 104. For example, as shown, the medial heel side 170 includes a first convex area 180 on the inner surface 178 and the lateral heel side 172 includes a second convex area 182 on the inner surface 178. Oppositely, with respect to the outer surface (which is hidden in
The tendency to curve may be formed using any suitable knitting process. For example, in one embodiment, and referring to the medial heel side 170 and the lateral heel side 172 (and opposite the rear portion 174), more tension may be included on the outer surface than on the inner surface 178 of the heel portion 140 during the knitting process. This may be the result of more loops being formed on the inner surface 178 than the outer surface (e.g., in a two-bed knit structure), by varying the tension in the respective yarns/loops with tension-effecting components of the knitting machine, by using yarns having different elasticities and/or deniers, etc. Specific examples of methods of forming a knit structure with a natural tendency to curve are included in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/454,034, filed Mar. 9, 2017, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. Further, the tendency to curve may be amplified through certain post-processing steps such as steaming, which may, for example, tighten the yarns of the knitted component 104, which may enhance the effect of a disparity between the amounts of tension on respective surfaces of the knitted component 104.
All of the structures and methods disclosed and claimed herein can be made and executed without undue experimentation in light of the present disclosure. While this disclosure may be embodied in many different forms, there are described in detail herein specific aspects of the disclosure. The present disclosure is an exemplification of the principles of the disclosure and is not intended to limit the disclosure to the particular aspects illustrated. In addition, unless expressly stated to the contrary, use of the term “a” is intended to include “at least one” or “one or more.” For example, “a yarn” is intended to include “at least one yarn” or “one or more yarns.”
Any ranges given either in absolute terms or in approximate terms are intended to encompass both, and any definitions used herein are intended to be clarifying and not limiting. Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting forth the broad scope of the disclosure are approximations, the numerical values set forth in the specific examples are reported as precisely as possible. Any numerical value, however, inherently contains certain errors necessarily resulting from the standard deviation found in their respective testing measurements. Moreover, all ranges disclosed herein are to be understood to encompass any and all subranges (including all fractional and whole values) subsumed therein.
Furthermore, the disclosure encompasses any and all possible combinations of some or all of the various aspects described herein. It should also be understood that various changes and modifications to the aspects described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure and without diminishing its intended advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/541,495, filed Aug. 4, 2017, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
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