Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
This invention pertains to shoes having knit uppers.
One aspect of the invention is a shoe comprising a knit upper and a sole secured to the knit upper. The knit upper has a knitted element. The knitted element is formed of a unitary one-piece construction during a knitting process on a knitting machine. The knitted element comprises a knitted upper heel region, a knitted upper lateral midfoot region, a knitted upper medial midfoot region, a knitted upper metatarsal region, a knitted upper lateral ball region, a knitted upper medial ball region, and a knitted upper toe region. The knitted upper metatarsal region includes a knitted upper lateral metatarsal region and a knitted upper medial metatarsal region. The knit upper has a knitted upper lateral side region and a knitted upper medial side region. The knitted upper lateral side region includes the knitted upper lateral midfoot region, the knitted upper lateral metatarsal region and the knitted upper lateral ball region. The knitted upper medial side region includes the knitted upper medial midfoot region, the knitted upper medial metatarsal region and the knitted upper medial ball region. The knitted upper toe region is seamlessly knitted with the knitted upper medial and lateral ball regions during the knitting process. The knitted upper medial and lateral ball regions are seamlessly knitted with the knitted upper metatarsal region during the knitting process. The knitted upper metatarsal region is seamlessly knitted with the knitted upper lateral and medial midfoot regions during the knitting process. The knitted element includes a wingtip pattern. The wingtip pattern comprises portions of at least the knitted upper toe region, the knitted upper lateral and medial ball regions, and the knitted upper lateral and medial metatarsal regions. The knitted upper toe region, the knitted upper lateral and medial ball regions, and the knitted upper lateral and medial metatarsal regions collectively are knitted with the wingtip pattern during the knitting process.
Another aspect of the invention is a shoe comprising a knit upper and a sole secured to the knit upper. The knit upper has a knitted element formed of a unitary one-piece construction during a knitting process on a knitting machine. The knitted element comprises a knitted upper heel region, a knitted upper lateral midfoot region, a knitted upper medial midfoot region, a knitted upper metatarsal region, a knitted upper lateral ball region, a knitted upper medial ball region, and a knitted upper toe region. The knitted upper metatarsal region includes a knitted upper lateral metatarsal region and a knitted upper medial metatarsal region. The knit upper has a knitted upper lateral side region and a knitted upper medial side region. The knitted upper lateral side region includes the knitted upper lateral midfoot region, the knitted upper lateral metatarsal region and the knitted upper lateral ball region. The knitted upper medial side region includes the knitted upper medial midfoot region, the knitted upper medial metatarsal region and the knitted upper medial ball region. The knitted upper toe region is seamlessly knitted with the knitted upper medial and lateral ball regions during the knitting process. The knitted upper medial and lateral ball regions are seamlessly knitted with the knitted upper metatarsal region during the knitting process. The knitted upper metatarsal region is seamlessly knitted with the knitted upper lateral and medial midfoot regions during the knitting process. The knitted element includes a line of broguing. The knitted upper toe region is knitted with the line of broguing during the knitting process. The line of broguing comprises a line of holes. The knitted element comprises a first area of a first type of knit structure and a second area of a second type of knit structure. The second type of knit structure is different from the first type of knit structure. The first area is at least in the knitted upper toe region. The second area is at least in the knitted upper lateral and medial metatarsal regions. The line of broguing being adjacent a rear boundary of the first area. The line of broguing being adjacent a forward boundary of the second area.
Another aspect of the invention is a method of manufacturing an upper for an article of footwear. The method comprises knitting with a knitting machine to form a knitted element of the knit upper such that the knitted element is of a unitary one-piece construction comprising a knitted upper heel region, a knitted upper lateral midfoot region, a knitted upper medial midfoot region, a knitted upper metatarsal region, a knitted upper lateral ball region, a knitted upper medial ball region, and a knitted upper toe region. The knitted upper metatarsal region includes an upper lateral metatarsal region and an upper medial metatarsal region. The knitted element has an upper lateral side region and an upper medial side region. The knitted upper lateral side region includes the knitted upper lateral midfoot region, the knitted upper lateral metatarsal region and the knitted upper lateral ball region. The knitted upper medial side region includes the knitted upper medial midfoot region, the knitted upper medial metatarsal region and the knitted upper medial ball region. The knitted element includes a line of broguing. The line of broguing comprises a line of holes. The knitted element comprises a first area of a first type of knit structure and a second area of a second type of knit structure. The second type of knit structure is different from the first type of knit structure. The first area is at least in the knitted upper toe region. The second area is at least in the knitted upper lateral and medial metatarsal regions. The line of broguing being adjacent a rear boundary of the first area. The line of broguing being adjacent a forward boundary of the second area. The knitted upper toe region is seamlessly knitted with the knitted upper medial and lateral ball regions during the knitting step. The knitted upper medial and lateral ball regions are seamlessly knitted with the knitted upper metatarsal region during the knitting step. The knitted upper metatarsal region is seamlessly knitted with the knitted upper lateral and medial midfoot regions during the knitting step. The knitted upper toe region is knitted with the line of broguing during the knitting step. The first and second areas are knitted during the knitting step.
Another aspect of the invention is a method of manufacturing an article of footwear having a knitted upper and a sole. The method comprises knitting with a knitting machine to form a knitted element of the knit upper such that the knitted element is of a unitary one-piece construction comprising a knitted upper heel region, a knitted upper lateral midfoot region, a knitted upper medial midfoot region, a knitted upper metatarsal region, a knitted upper lateral ball region, a knitted upper medial ball region, and a knitted upper toe region. The knitted upper metatarsal region includes an upper lateral metatarsal region and an upper medial metatarsal region. The knitted element has an upper lateral side region and an upper medial side region. The knitted upper lateral side region includes the knitted upper lateral midfoot region, the knitted upper lateral metatarsal region and the knitted upper lateral ball region. The knitted upper medial side region includes the knitted upper medial midfoot region, the knitted upper medial metatarsal region and the knitted upper medial ball region. The knitted element comprises a first area of a jersey stitch knit and a second area of a pointelle stitch knit. The first area is at least in the knitted upper toe region. The second area is at least in the knitted upper lateral and medial metatarsal regions. The method further comprises attaching the sole to the knitted upper. The knitted upper toe region is seamlessly knitted with the knitted upper medial and lateral ball regions during the knitting step. The knitted upper medial and lateral ball regions are seamlessly knitted with the knitted upper metatarsal region during the knitting step. The knitted upper metatarsal region is seamlessly knitted with the knitted upper lateral and medial midfoot regions during the knitting step. The first and second areas are knitted during the knitting step.
Further features and advantages, as well as the operation, are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Reference numerals in the written specification and in the figures indicate corresponding items.
An embodiment of a shoe in accordance with the present invention is indicated by reference numeral 10 in
The knitted element 20 is formed of a unitary one-piece construction during a knitting process on a knitting machine (not shown). The knitted element 20 comprises a knitted upper heel region 24, a knitted upper lateral midfoot region 26a, a knitted upper medial midfoot region 26b, a knitted upper metatarsal region 28, a knitted upper lateral ball region 30a, a knitted upper medial ball region 30b, and a knitted upper toe region 32. The upper heel region 24 includes a knitted upper lateral heel region 24a and a knitted upper medial heel region 24b. The upper metatarsal region 28 includes a knitted upper lateral metatarsal region 28a and a knitted upper medial metatarsal region 28b. The knitted upper toe region 32 includes a knitted upper lateral toe region 32a and a knitted upper medial toe region 32b. The upper 14 has a knitted upper lateral side region 14a and a knitted upper medial side region 14b. The upper lateral side region 14a includes the upper lateral heel region 24a, the upper lateral midfoot region 26a, the upper lateral metatarsal region 28a, the upper lateral ball region 30a, and the upper lateral toe region 32a. The upper medial side region 14b includes the upper medial heel region 24b, the upper medial midfoot region 26b, the upper medial metatarsal region 28b, the upper medial ball region 30b, and the upper medial toe region 32b. The upper toe region 32 is seamlessly knitted with the upper lateral and medial ball regions 30a, 30b during the knitting process. The upper lateral and medial ball regions 30a, 30b are seamlessly knitted with the upper lateral and medial metatarsal regions 28a, 28b during the knitting process. The upper lateral and medial metatarsal regions 28a, 28b are seamlessly knitted with the upper lateral and medial midfoot regions 26a, 26b during the knitting process.
The knitted element includes a first wingtip pattern, generally indicated at 36, and a second wingtip pattern, generally indicated at 38. Each of the first and second wingtip patterns 36, 38 comprises portions of at least the upper toe region 32, the upper lateral and medial ball regions 30a, 30b, and the upper lateral and medial metatarsal regions 28a, 28b. The upper toe region 32, the upper lateral and medial ball regions 30a, 30b, and the upper lateral and medial metatarsal regions 28a, 28b collectively are knitted with the first and second wingtip patterns 36, 38 during the knitting process.
The first wingtip pattern 36 comprises a line of broguing 40 comprising a lateral line of broguing 40a and a medial line of broguing 40b. The upper toe region 32, the upper lateral and medial ball regions 30a, 30b, and the upper lateral and medial metatarsal regions 28a, 28b collectively are knitted with the lateral and medial lines of broguing 40a, 40b. The lateral line of broguing 40a comprises a wing-shaped curved line of holes 42a. The lateral line of broguing 40a comprises a lateral side broguing portion 44a extending forward from at least the upper lateral metatarsal region 28a to the upper toe region 32, and a central broguing portion 46a extending rearward from the upper toe region 32. The lateral side broguing portion 44a and the central broguing portion 46a are each comprised of some of the holes 42a of the lateral line of broguing 40a. The medial line of broguing 40b comprises a wing-shaped curved line of holes 42b. The medial line of broguing 40b comprises a medial side broguing portion 44b extending forward from at least the upper medial metatarsal region 28b to the upper toe region 32, and a central broguing portion 46b extending rearward from the upper toe region 32. The medial side broguing portion 44b and the central broguing portion 46b are each comprised of some of the holes 42b of the medial line of broguing 40b. The central broguing portions 46a, 46b converge rearwardly toward each other, and meet to constitute a rearwardly pointing apex 48. The upper 14 further comprises a throat 50. The apex 48 points rearwardly toward the throat 50 of the upper 14. Preferably, the holes 42a, 42b of the lateral and medial lines of broguing 40a, 40b are in the knitting element via the knitting process as opposed to being formed by removal of material such as by cutting or punching.
The knitted element 20 comprises a first area, generally indicated at 52, of a first type of knit structure and a second area, generally indicated at 54, of a second type of knit structure. The second type of knit structure is different from the first type of knit structure. The first area 52 is generally forward of the second area 54. The first area 52 has a rear boundary 56 and the second area 54 has a forward boundary 58. The rear boundary 56 of the first area 52 and the forward boundary 58 of the second area 54 is coincident and coextensive with each other and define a boundary line 60 between the first and second areas 52, 54. The second wingtip pattern 38 comprises the boundary line 60. The first wingtip pattern 36 is forward of and adjacent the second wingtip pattern 38. Also, the lateral and medial lines of broguing 40a, 40b are adjacent the boundary line 60. As such the lateral and medial lines of broguing 40a, 40b are adjacent the rear boundary 56 of the first area 52, and adjacent the forward boundary 58 of the second area 54. The boundary line 60 has a lateral boundary line 60a and a medial boundary line 60b. The lateral boundary line 60a comprises a wing-shaped curved line having a lateral side portion 62a extending forward from at least the upper lateral metatarsal region 28a to the upper toe region 32, and a central portion 64a extending rearward from the upper toe region 32. The medial boundary line 60b comprises a wing-shaped curved line having a medial side portion 62b extending forward from at least the upper medial metatarsal region 28b to the upper toe region 32, and a central portion 64b extending rearward from the upper toe region 32. The central portions 64a, 64b of the lateral and medial boundary lines 60a, 60b converge rearwardly toward each other, and meet to constitute a rearwardly pointing apex 66. The apex 66 points rearwardly toward the throat 50 of the upper 14.
The first type of knit structure (that is, the knit structure of the first area 52) may be more tightly knit than the second type of knit structure (that is, the knit structure of the second area 54). In this embodiment, the first type of knit structure is a jersey stitch knit and the second type of knit structure is a pointelle stitch knit. The knitted element 20 may be knitted with one or more yarns, such as polyester yarns, nylon yarns, cotton yarns, and spandex yarns. In one embodiment, the knitted element 20 is knitted of polyester covered spandex yarn and hot melt yarn, such that in the finished knitted element, the polyester covered spandex yarn constitutes at least 50% by mass (and more preferably at least 60% by mass), and the hot melt yarn constitutes at least 15% by mass (and more preferably at least 20% by mass but not more than 30% by mass). The hot melt yarn is knitted with the polyester covered spandex yarn during the knitting process. Preferably, the polyester covered spandex yarn has a linear density of between about 120 denier and about 180 denier, and the hot melt yarn has a linear density of between about 80 denier and about 120 denier. In addition to the polyester covered spandex yarn and the hot melt yarn, the knitted element 20 may be knitted with stretch yarn, with the stretch yarn preferably constituting at least 5% by mass of the knitted upper. If stretch yarn is included, it is preferably limited (but need not be limited) to the topline area of the knitted element 20 to provide a stretch function primarily in the ankle region of the upper 14 of the shoe 10. Preferably, the polyester covered spandex yarn includes a double layer of polyester. Also preferably, the stretch yarn is spandex yarn. In another embodiment, the knitted element 20 is formed by knitting hot melt yarn with polyester yarn during the knitting process such that polyester yarn constitutes at least 50% by mass of the knitted element and the hot melt yarn constitutes at least 15% by mass of the knitted element.
The knitted element 20 is also knitted with a multiple of different types of knit structures during the knitting step. As described above, the first area 52 is of the first type of knit structure (e.g., jersey stitch knit) and the second area 54 is of the second type of knit structure (e.g., pointelle stitch knit). Also, the holes 42a, 42b of the lateral and medial lines of broguing 40a, 40b are formed via the knitting step, as opposed to being formed via removal of material (e.g., punching, cutting, etc.) after the knitting step. As shown in
After the knitted element 20 is knitted via the knitting step 100, the knitted element is pressed with a hot press during a pressing step, indicated at reference number 102 in
An inner surface of the knitted element 20 (i.e., the surface facing the inside of the shoe 10) may be lined or unlined. In an unlined configuration, the inner surface of the knitted element 20 is devoid of a lining (other than the heel counter 82 or eyelet reinforcement adjacent the throat) and such inner surface of the knitted element defines at least a majority of a foot receiving cavity of the shoe. In a completely lined configuration, a lining is between the inner surface of the knitted element and the foot receiving cavity of the shoe such that the foot receiving cavity of the shoe is in part defined by the lining (instead of by the inner surface of the knitted element).
In view of the foregoing, it should be appreciated that the invention has several advantages over the prior art.
It should also be understood that when introducing elements of the present invention in the claims or in the above description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, the terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be open-ended and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Additionally, the term “portion” should be construed as meaning some or all of the item or element that it qualifies. Moreover, use of identifiers such as first, second, and third should not be construed in a manner imposing any relative position or time sequence between limitations.
As various modifications could be made in the constructions and methods herein described and illustrated without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims appended hereto and their equivalents.
This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/409,970, filed May 13, 2019; which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/205,672, filed Jul. 8, 2016, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 16409970 | May 2019 | US |
Child | 16577697 | US | |
Parent | 15205672 | Jul 2016 | US |
Child | 16409970 | US |