Knitted component for an article of footwear

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11412808-B2
Application number	US-201815994046-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2018
Priority date	May 31, 2017
Publication date	Aug 16, 2022
Grant date	Aug 16, 2022

Abstract

A knitted component may have a first portion, where the first portion has a first layer and a second layer, and where the first layer and the second layer each have opposite-facing surfaces. The first layer and the second layer may be secured via at least one knit structure of the knitted component at a boundary of the first portion. The first layer may form at least one of: (a) an overfoot portion of an article of footwear such that the pocket forms a void of the article of footwear for receiving a foot and such that the first layer forms a top surface of the void, and (b) an underfoot portion of the article of footwear such that the first layer forms a bottom surface of the void of the article of footwear.

First claim

I claim:

1. A knitted component for an upper for an article of footwear, the upper comprising:
a first portion forming a toe area, a midfoot area, and a heel area of the upper, the first portion having a first layer and a second layer, where the first layer and the second layer each have opposite-facing surfaces, the first layer forming an overfoot portion of the upper, the second layer at least partially forming an underfoot area of the upper, and the first layer and the second layer forming a void therebetween for receiving a foot, and the first layer and the second layer being secured via a first knit structure of the knitted component at a boundary of the first portion, wherein the first layer and the second layer each has a single jersey knit structure;
a second portion extending from the boundary of the first portion and secured at the boundary via a second knit structure of the knitted component, wherein the second portion has a double jersey knit structure that forms an outer surface of the upper on at least one of a medial and lateral side, the second portion continuously extending from within the toe area to within the heel area of the upper and overlapping at least part of the first portion; and
a heel portion extending from the boundary of the first portion in the heel area, wherein the heel portion overlaps the first portion such that a heel area of the knitted component includes at least two knit layers,
wherein the second portion has an edge and the heel portion has an edge, the edge of the second portion and the edge of the heel portion converging at the boundary of the first portion in the heel area.

2. The knitted component of claim 1 , wherein the first layer of the first portion has a first modulus of elasticity and the second layer of the first portion has a second modulus of elasticity, wherein the second modulus of elasticity is greater than the first modulus of elasticity.

3. The knitted component of claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the knitted component forms a surface on the lateral side of the article of footwear, and the knitted component further comprising:
a third portion, the third portion extending from the first portion, wherein the third portion forms a surface on the medial side of the article of footwear, and wherein the third portion is secured to the first portion via a third knit structure of the knitted component.

4. An article of footwear comprising:
an upper comprising a knitted component comprising:
a first portion forming a toe area, a midfoot area, and a heel area of the upper, the first portion having a first layer with two opposite-facing surfaces and a second layer with two opposite-facing surfaces, the first layer forming an overfoot portion of the upper, the second layer at least partially forming an underfoot area of the upper, and the first layer and the second layer forming a void there between, and the first layer and the second layer being secured via a first knit structure of the knitted component at a boundary of the first portion, wherein the first layer and the second layer each include a single jersey knit structure;
a second portion extending from the boundary of the first portion and secured at the boundary via a second knit structure of the knitted component;
a heel portion extending from the boundary of the first portion in the heel area, wherein the heel portion overlaps the first portion such that a heel area of the knitted component includes at least two knit layers; and
a sole structure secured to the upper,
wherein the second portion of the knitted component includes a double jersey knit structure that forms an outer surface on at least one of a lateral side and a medial side of the upper, the second portion continuously extending from within the toe area to within the heel area of the upper and overlapping at least part of the first portion, and
wherein the second portion has an edge and the heel portion has an edge, the edge of the second portion and the edge of the heel portion converging at the boundary of the first portion in the heel area.

5. The article of footwear of claim 4 , wherein the first layer of the first portion of the knitted component has a modulus of elasticity that is lower than a modulus of elasticity of the second portion of the knitted component.

6. The article of footwear of claim 4 , wherein a gauge of at least one of the first layer and the second layer is at least 25% less than a gauge of the second portion of the knitted component.

7. The article of footwear of claim 4 , wherein the second portion includes at least one lace receiving element for receiving a lace.

8. The article of footwear of claim 4 ,
wherein the second portion of the knitted component forms a surface on the lateral side of the article of footwear, and
the knitted component further comprising a third portion, the third portion extending from the first portion forming a surface on the medial side of the article of footwear, wherein the third portion is secured to the first portion via a third knit structure of the knitted component.

9. The knitted component of claim 1 , wherein the heel portion is secured to the second portion via at least one knitted loop.

10. The article of footwear of claim 4 , wherein the heel portion of the knitted component is secured to the second portion via at least one knitted loop.

11. The knitted component of claim 1 , wherein the heel portion further comprises a lateral extension, the lateral extension secured to the second portion along the edge of the heel portion and the edge of the second portion, thereby forming an upper edge of the heel portion.

12. The article of footwear of claim 4 , wherein the heel portion of the knitted component further comprises a lateral extension, the lateral extension secured to the second portion along the edge of the heel portion and the edge of the second portion, thereby forming an upper edge of the heel portion.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Hancock Walter M

Classifications

• D10B2501/043

  Footwear · CPC title

• A43B23/0265

  having different properties in different directions · CPC title

• A43B23/042

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

• A43B23/024

  Different layers of the same material · CPC title

• D10B2403/0332

  with gussets folding into three dimensional shape, e.g. seat covers · CPC title