Patent Application
20190116932
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.
In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to an article of footwear. The article of footwear may include an inner element, the inner element having an overfoot portion and an underfoot portion. The article of footwear may further include an outer element at least partially formed by a first knitted component, the outer element covering the throat area of the inner element. The article of footwear may further include a fastening element secured to the inner element in a throat area, where the fastening element is located between the inner element and the outer element, and where adjustment of the fastening element adjusts the fit of the inner element when the article of footwear is in use. The article of footwear may further include a sole structure, where the sole structure at least partially covers the underfoot portion of the inner element.
In another aspect, the present disclosure related to another embodiment of an article of footwear. The article of footwear may include a first knitted component defining an outer element, the outer element forming an outer surface of the article of footwear in a throat area, and the first outer element extending from the throat area to a biteline of the article of footwear. The article of footwear may further include a second knitted component defining an inner element, where the inner element includes a collar surrounding an ankle opening leading to a void of the article of footwear. The article of footwear may further include a fastening element located in the throat area between the first knitted component and the second knitted component.
In another aspect, the present disclosure provides a method. The method may include knitting a first knitted component on a flat knitting machine, where the first knitted component forms an outer element of an article of footwear, the outer element defining an outer surface of the article of footwear. The method may further include knitting a second knitted component on a circular knitting machine, where the second knitted component forms an inner element of an article of footwear, the inner element defining the void of the article of footwear.
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.
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.
As shown, the upper 102 may be secured to a sole structure 108. The area where the sole structure 108 joins the upper 102 may be referred to as a biteline 116. The upper 102 may be joined to the sole structure 108 in a fixed manner using any suitable technique, such as through the use of an adhesive, by sewing, etc. The sole structure 108 may define the bottom surface of a void 118 for receiving and accommodating a user's foot. The void 118 may be accessible through an ankle opening 120, which may be surrounded by a collar 122.
The upper 102 may include a lateral side 110 and a medial side 112. A throat area 114 may be included between the lateral side 110 and the medial side 112, and the throat area 114 may be positioned to cover the top (dorsal) surface of the foot during typical use. A midfoot area 124 of the upper 102 may be located between a heel area 126 and a toe area 128. The throat area 114 may be primarily located in the midfoot area 124. In some embodiments, an optional tongue may be disposed at least partially in the throat area 114. The tongue may be any type of tongue, such as a gusseted tongue or a burrito tongue. If a tongue is not included (or in combination with a tongue), the lateral and medial sides of the throat area 114 may be joined together.
As stated above, at least a portion of the upper 102 may be formed with a knitted component (or another suitable textile component). In the present embodiment, the outer element 104 is primarily formed of a first knitted component 130, and the inner element 106 is primarily formed of a second knitted component 132. Each of the knitted components 130, 132 may be formed as an integral one-piece element during a knitting process, such as a weft knitting process (e.g., with a flat knitting machine or circular knitting machine), a warp knitting process, or any other suitable knitting process. That is, the knitting process on the knitting machine may substantially form the knit structure of the knitted components without the need for significant post-knitting processes or steps. Alternatively, two or more portions of at least one of the knitted components 130, 132 may be formed separately as distinct integral one-piece elements and then the respective elements attached (e.g., via sewing).
Forming the outer element 104 and the inner element 106 with the respective knitted components 130, 132 may provide the outer element 104 and the inner element 106 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 weight of the upper 102, and thus the overall weight of the article of footwear 100, may be reduced with respect to alternative components typically used in footwear. The knitted components 130, 132 (and particularly the first knitted component 130 of the exposed outer element 104) may also provide desirable aesthetic characteristics by incorporating yarns having different colors, textures or other visual properties arranged in a particular pattern. The yarns themselves and/or the knit structure formed by one or more of the yarns of the knitted components may be varied at different locations to provide different knit portions with different properties (e.g., a portion forming the throat area 114 of the first knitted component 130 may be relatively elastic while a portion forming the heel area 126 or another area may be relatively inelastic).
In some embodiments, the first knitted component 130 and/or the second knitted component 132 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, as described in more detail below, the first knitted component 130 may include yarns formed of a thermoplastic polymer material (e.g., a polyurethane, polyamide, polyolefin, and/or nylon) that transitions from a solid state to a softened or liquid state when subjected to certain temperatures at or above its melting point and then transitions back to the solid state when cooled. The thermoplastic polymer material may provide the ability to heat and then cool a portion of the first knitted component 130 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. Similar materials and processes could be used when forming the second knitted component 132.
The first knitted component 130 may be formed as a continuous and integral one-piece element using any suitable knitting process. In certain non-limiting exemplary embodiments, the first knitted component 130 if formed using a flat-knitting process (e.g., through weft or warp knitting on a multi-bed flat knitting machine). In this disclosure, a knit structure formed on a flat knitting machine is referred to as a “flat-knit structure.” One skilled in the art can typically detect a flat-knit structure upon examination of the structural characteristics of a sample.
In particular, it may be advantageous to form the first knitted component 130 on a flat knitting machine with two needle beds, thereby enhancing the capability of forming complex knit structures with desirable characteristics. For example, a two-bed flat knitting machine may be able to create a variety of double-jersey knit structures providing a variety of characteristics. 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, including (but not limited to) a full rib knit structure, a 1×1, 2×1, and 3×1 rib structure, an interlock knit structure, a half and full cardigan knit structure, a half and full milano structure, etc. In one exemplary embodiment, a double jersey full interlock structure may be used, which may provide the first knitted component 130 with a relatively low elasticity when compared to certain other knitted components, particularly when the first knitted component 130 is formed with yarns that are relatively rigid/inelastic.
Forming the first knitted component 130 on a two-bed flat knitting machine may also allow for the incorporation of certain features that are more difficult or impossible to achieve on other types of machines. For example, the first knitted component 130 may be formed with inlaid components, such as inlaid tensile strands for increasing rigidity as described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0359290, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0237861, and U.S. Pat. No. 9,145,629, which are incorporated into the present application in their entirety. Additionally or alternatively, the flat knitting machine may provide the ability to form the first knitted component with a multi-layer knit structure such that an outer surface of the first knitted component 130 has different characteristics than its inner surface. One example is that the outer surface 140 of the first knitted component 130 may include a fused area formed by heat-processed yarns including at least one thermoplastic polymer material, such as thermoplastic polyurethane, while an inner surface is formed of a softer material (such as a polyester). Similar features and several related advantages are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0245582, which is incorporated into the present application in its entirety. Using a two-bed flatting knitting machine may also provide the ability to form the first knitted component 130 with complex visual patterns and other visual affects due to the types of double-jersey and other knit structures available, which is particularly desirable since the first knitted component 130 may form the outer, visible surface of the article of footwear.
In some embodiments, different zones of the first knitted component 130 may have different characteristics. The different characteristics may be provided by using different knit structures, different yarn types, by processing the zones differently after knitting (e.g., by heat processing some zones and not others), or a combination thereof. For example, a first zone 142 located in the throat area 114 and/or the collar 122 may be highly elastic due to the use of an elastic knit structure and/or the use of a relatively elastic yarn. Advantageously, the first knitted component 130 may be capable of stretching in a desirable manner around the top (dorsal) surface of the foot to provide a comfortable fit (and, as described below, such that it can stretch around a fastening system). Other zones may be formed to be less elastic. For example, a second zone 144 in the heel area 126 of the first knitted component 130 may have a relatively low elasticity to provide structural integrity in the heel area 126. Other areas, such a third zone 146 in the midfoot area 124, may have a different elasticity than that of the first zone 142 and/or the second zone 144. Relative elasticities of the zones (and also of different knitted components) may be determined by applying a known tensile force (e.g., on a tensometer) to the respective zones (or components) and then measuring the degree of stretch or displacement. For example, when one zone or component stretches twice as much under as another under the same tensile force (e.g., 20 pounds), it is said to have twice the elasticity.
The zones of the first knitted component 130 may also, or alternatively, vary in certain characteristics other than elasticity. In some embodiments, for example, certain zones may have different surface characteristics than other zones. Referring to
The first knitted component 130 and the second knitted component 132 may be formed separately using different knit processes. For example, the first knitted component 130 may be formed on a flat knitting machine (which is described in more detail above with reference to
The second knitted component 132 may include an overfoot portion 150 and an underfoot portion 152. The underfoot portion 152 may be located on the bottom side of the second knitted component 132 (e.g., when the article of footwear 100 is placed on the ground in a typical orientation), and therefore the underfoot portion 152 may be associated with a plantar aspect of the foot (also known as the sole or bottom of the foot). In some embodiments, the underfoot portion 152 of the second knitted component 132 may contact the foot (or sock) of a wearer when the foot is placed in the void, and thus it is contemplated that the materials and knit structure used to form the underfoot portion 152 may be selected for softness, compliability, elasticity, and other characteristics associated with comfort. In other embodiments, a secondary element (such as a cushioning insert) may be placed on top of the underfoot portion 152. The second knitted component 132 may also include an overfoot portion 150 on its top side, where the overfoot portion 150 is associated with the dorsal surface of the foot (also known as the foot's top surface). Thus, a single course in the forefoot portion 153 of the second knitted component 132 may wrap completely around the perimeter of a user's forefoot.
The circular/tubular structure of the second knitted component 132 may be accomplished by knitting the second knitted component 132 using a circular knitting machine. A circular knitting machine may have a plurality of needles arranged in a circular pattern such that, as a yarn feeder moves around the circular pattern as it feeds yarn to the needless, the circular knitting machine forms a tubular structure having a perimeter surrounding a void (which may correspond with the void 118 surrounded by the second knitted component 132). Without limitation, specific examples of knitting processes that may be used on a circular knitting machine include wide tube circular knitting, narrow tube circular knitting, narrow tube circular knit jacquard, single knit circular knit jacquard, double knit circular knit jacquard, and the like. It is contemplated that certain circular-knitting machines may be able to form knit structures similar to the double-jersey structures described above, but not all circular knitting machines are capable of forming double-jersey structures. Herein, when a circular knitting machine is used to form a knit structure, that knit structure is referred to as a “circular-knit structure.” A circular-knit structure can typically be recognized by one skilled in the art upon examination of the structure of the sample.
Any one of the above-described circular-processes (or other suitable circular-knit processes), or a combination of more than one, can be used to form the second knitted component 132. If the second knitted component 132 is initially formed as a tubular structure with two open ends, one end can be closed by forming a seam 148 (e.g., by sewing, using an adhesive, etc.). The other opening may be left open to form the ankle opening 120 to provide access to the void 118.
As shown in
The inner element 106 may include a set of openings 156 for receiving the fastening system, but other suitable element(s) may alternatively be used. The openings 156 may be formed through any suitable process. In some embodiments, a piece of the second knitted component 132 may be cut away, punched away, or otherwise removed to form the openings 156 after the knitting process. In other embodiments, the openings 156 may be formed by a particular knit structure of the second knitted component 132. For example, during a knitting process on a knitting machine with at least one needle bed, one or more of needles of the needle bed(s) may be skipped while forming certain courses such that a void is formed, and that void may eventually define the openings 156. Other suitable knit structures may additionally or alternatively be used to form the openings 156. When the openings 156 are formed by particular knit structures rather than by removing a portion of the second knitted component 132 through cutting, punching, or another method, the openings 156 are said to be “knit-formed” in this disclosure. While not shown, the outer element 104 may also have openings to provide a user with additional access to the fastening system 154.
Still referring to
This embodiment may be particularly advantageous because it does not require a lot of space (and thus it can fit easily between the outer element 204 and the inner element 206 without creating too much bulk), and because it is relatively easy to adjust (thus decreasing the impact of interference during fastening due to hand-contact with the outer element 204). For example, one of the user's hands could be used to pull away on outer element 204 to create space, and the other of the user's hands could reach into the space to adjust the fastening system 254. Other suitable fastening systems are also contemplated.
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.
