Article of footwear having multiple braided structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10863794-B2
Application number	US-201414566215-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2014
Priority date	Jun 25, 2013
Publication date	Dec 15, 2020
Grant date	Dec 15, 2020

Abstract

An article of footwear includes an upper with a first braided structure, a second braided structure, and an overlay system. The overlay system is bonded to the first braided structure and the overlay system is bonded to the second braided structure. The overlay system may be more resistant to stretching than the first braided structure and the overlay system may be more resistant to stretching than the second braided structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An article of footwear, comprising:
an upper and a sole system;
wherein the upper comprises a first braided structure, a second braided structure, and an overlay system comprising a first overlay layer and a second overlay layer;
wherein the first braided structure includes a first plurality of edges that form a first angled notch portion extending downward on a medial side of an instep region of the upper and a second angled notch portion extending downward on a lateral side of the instep region of the upper, and the second braided structure includes a second plurality of edges that form a first angled notch portion on the medial side and a second angled notch portion on the lateral side, the first plurality of edges and the second plurality of edges collectively defining a foot-receiving opening;
wherein the first braided structure and the second braided structure each include a lower side that is configured to extend under a foot of a wearer;
wherein the first overlay layer is bonded to a first portion of the first braided structure and wherein the second overlay layer is bonded to a first portion of the second braided structure, the first overlay layer extending continuously from a bottom of the first angled notch portion of the first braided structure downward to the lower side of first braided structure and further continuously from the lower side of the first braided structure upward to a bottom of the second angled notch portion of the first braided structure, the second overlay layer extending continuously from a bottom of the first angled notch portion of the second braided structure downward to the lower side of second braided structure and further continuously from the lower side of the second braided structure upward to a bottom of the second angled notch portion of the second braided structure;
wherein the first portion of the first braided structure is positioned between the first overlay layer and the first portion of the second braided structure, and wherein the first portion of the second braided structure is positioned between the first portion of the first braided structure and the second overlay layer; and
wherein the first overlay layer is more resistant to stretching than a second portion of the first braided structure that is not directly bonded to the first overlay layer and wherein the second overlay layer is more resistant to stretching than a second portion of the second braided structure that is not directly bonded to the second overlay layer.

2. The article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein a substantial portion of the second braided structure is overlapping and directly contacting the first braided structure.

3. The article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the first overlay layer is bonded to the second overlay layer.

4. The article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein an intermediate layer separates the first braided structure and the second braided structure.

5. The article of footwear according to claim 4 , wherein the intermediate layer is foam; and wherein an edge of the intermediate layer is bonded to the overlay system.

6. An article of footwear, comprising:
an upper and a sole system;
the upper comprising:
a first braided structure having a first plurality of edges that form a first angled notch portion extending downward on a medial side of an instep region of the upper and a second angled notch portion extending downward on a lateral side of the instep region of the upper, and having a lower side that is configured to extend under a foot of a wearer;
a second braided structure having a second plurality of edges that form a first angled notch portion on the medial side of the instep region of the upper and a second angled notch portion on the lateral side of the instep region of the upper, and having a lower side that is configured to extend under the foot of the wearer, wherein the first plurality of edges of the first braided structure and the second plurality of edges of the second braided structure collectively define a foot-receiving opening;
a member; and
an overlay system comprising a first overlay layer and a second overlay layer;
wherein the first overlay layer is bonded to a first portion of the first braided structure and wherein the second overlay layer is bonded to a first portion of the second braided structure, the first overlay layer extending continuously from a bottom of the first angled notch portion of the first braided structure downward to the lower side of first braided structure and further continuously from the lower side of the first braided structure upward to a bottom of the second angled notch portion of the first braided structure, the second overlay layer extending continuously from a bottom of the first angled notch portion of the second braided structure downward to the lower side of second braided structure and further continuously from the lower side of the second braided structure upward to a bottom of the second angled notch portion of the second braided structure;
wherein the first portion of the first braided structure is positioned between a first portion of the first overlay layer and the first portion of the second braided structure, and wherein the first portion of the second braided structure is positioned between the first portion of the first braided structure and a first portion of the second overlay layer;
wherein the first overlay layer is more resistant to stretching than a second portion of the first braided structure that is not directly bonded to the first overlay layer and wherein the second overlay layer is more resistant to stretching than a second portion of the second braided structure that is not directly bonded to the second overlay layer;
wherein the member is positioned between the first braided structure and the second braided structure.

7. The article of footwear according to claim 6 , wherein the member directly contacts the first braided structure; and wherein the member directly contacts the second braided structure.

8. The article of footwear according to claim 7 , wherein the overlay system substantially surrounds at least a portion of the member.

9. The article of footwear according to claim 6 , wherein the member is an ankle pad, the ankle pad being positioned in an ankle portion of the article of footwear; and wherein the upper further includes a heel pad, the heel pad being positioned in a heel portion of the article of footwear.

10. The article of footwear according to claim 6 , wherein the member is made of foam and wherein the overlay system is made of thermoplastic.

11. An upper for an article of footwear, the upper comprising:
a first braided structure including a first plurality of edges that form a first angled notch portion extending downward on a medial side of an instep region of the upper and a second angled notch portion extending downward on a lateral side of the instep region of the upper, the first braided structure further including a lower side that is configured to extend under a foot of a wearer;
a second braided structure including a second plurality of edges that form a first angled notch portion on the medial side of the instep region of the upper and a second angled notch portion on the lateral side of the instep region of the upper, the first plurality of edges and the second plurality of edges collectively defining a foot-receiving opening, the second braided structure further including a lower side that is configured to extend under the foot of the wearer;
an overlay system including a first layer and a second layer;
wherein the first layer is bonded to the first plurality of edges of the first braided st

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Bruce Robert M

Classifications

• A43B23/0295

  Pieced uppers · CPC title

• D10B2501/043

  Footwear · CPC title

• A43B23/0235 Primary

  Different layers of different material · CPC title

• A43B23/04

  Uppers made of one piece; Uppers with inserted gussets · CPC title

• A43B23/042

  Uppers made of one piece (one piece slippers A43B3/106; one piece sandals A43B3/124) · CPC title