Upper for an article of footwear with first and second knitted portions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11375767-B2
Application number	US-201815969994-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 3, 2018
Priority date	May 5, 2017
Publication date	Jul 5, 2022
Grant date	Jul 5, 2022

Abstract

An upper may include a first knitted portion configured to form an outer surface of the upper, a second knitted portion configured to form an inner surface of the upper, where the second knitted portion is at least partially coextensive with the first knitted portion, an interstitial space between the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion, and a knitted connection structure connecting the first knitted portion to the second knitted portion. The knitted connection structure may extend at least partially along at least one of a tongue and a collar of the upper, and the second knitted portion may include at least one double jersey knit structure that is coextensive with the first knitted portion.

First claim

I claim:

1. An upper for an article of footwear, the upper comprising:
a first knitted portion configured to form an outer surface of the upper, the first knitted portion comprising a first double jersey knit structure;
a second knitted portion configured to form an inner surface of the upper, wherein the second knitted portion is at least partially coextensive with the first knitted portion, the second knitted portion comprising a second double jersey knit structure;
an interstitial space between the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion such that the interstitial space is located between the first double jersey knit structure and the second double jersey knit structure; and
a knitted connection structure connecting the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion around a collar of the upper, wherein the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion are folded about the knitted connection structure so that the first knitted portion forms the outer surface of the upper and the second knitted portion forms the inner surface of the upper, wherein the first knitted portion, the second knitted portion, and the knitted connection structure comprise an integral one-piece knitted element,
wherein the upper includes a lateral heel area and a medial heel area that are configured to be coupled together at a heel seam, and
wherein the integral one-piece knitted element extends between the lateral heel area of the upper and the medial heel area of the upper and continuously through a toe area of the upper along a bite line.

2. The upper for an article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the first knitted portion includes a first plurality of courses, wherein the second knitted portion includes a second plurality of courses, and wherein the knitted connection structure is located between the first plurality of courses and the second plurality of courses with respect to a knitting direction.

3. The upper for an article of footwear of claim 2 , wherein at least one course of the first plurality of courses and at least one course of the second plurality of courses each include a double jersey knit structure.

4. The upper for an article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the first knitted portion is secured to the second knitted portion along the bite line.

5. The upper for an article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the first knitted portion includes a window, wherein an area of the second knitted portion is visible through the window, and wherein the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion comprise a color contrast that is visible through the window.

6. The upper for an article of footwear of claim 5 , wherein relative movement of the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion provides a dynamic visual effect through the window.

7. The upper for an article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion includes at least one inlaid tensile strand.

8. The upper for an article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion includes a tubular knitted structure forming a pocket.

9. An upper for an article of footwear, the upper comprising:
a first knitted portion forming an outer surface of the upper, the first knitted portion comprising a first double jersey knit structure;
a second knitted portion forming an inner surface of the upper, the second knitted portion comprising a second double jersey knit structure; and
a connection structure securing the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion around a collar of the upper, wherein the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion are folded about the connection structure so that the first knitted portion forms the outer surface of the upper and the second knitted portion forms the inner surface of the upper, wherein the first knitted portion, the second knitted portion, and the connection structure comprise an integral one-piece knitted element,
wherein the connection structure includes at least one loop incorporated into a course of the first knitted portion and at least one loop incorporated into a course of the second knitted portion,
wherein the upper includes a lateral heel area and a medial heel area that are configured to be coupled together at a heel seam, and
wherein the integral one-piece knitted element extends between the lateral heel area of the upper and the medial heel area of the upper and continuously through a toe area of the upper along a biteline.

10. The upper for an article of footwear of claim 9 , wherein the first knitted portion includes a first plurality of courses, wherein the second knitted portion includes a second plurality of courses, and wherein the connection structure is located between the first plurality of courses and the second plurality of courses with respect to a knitting direction.

11. The upper for an article of footwear of claim 10 , wherein at least one course of the first plurality of courses and at least one course of the second plurality of courses includes a double jersey knit structure.

12. The upper for an article of footwear of claim 9 , wherein the connection structure extends at least partially around a throat area of the upper.

13. The upper for an article of footwear of claim 9 , wherein the first knitted portion includes a window, wherein an area of the second knitted portion is visible through the window, and wherein the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion comprise a color contrast that provides a dynamic visual effect in the window when the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion move relative to each other.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Dealey Stuart W

Classifications

• D10B2501/061

  Piped openings (pockets) · CPC title

• D10B2501/043

  Footwear · CPC title

• D10B2403/032

  Flat fabric of variable width, e.g. including one or more fashioned panels · CPC title

• D10B2403/023

  Fabric with at least two, predominantly unlinked, knitted or woven plies interlaced with each other at spaced locations or linked to a common internal co-extensive yarn system · CPC title

• D04B1/24

  wearing apparel · CPC title