Shoe upper having multiple weld zones

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11617417-B2
Application number	US-201715698201-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 7, 2017
Priority date	Feb 13, 2013
Publication date	Apr 4, 2023
Grant date	Apr 4, 2023

Abstract

A shoe having a shoe upper including multiple welds in selected locations on the shoe upper. The welds may be selectively located on the upper to provide structure and support to the specific portions of a shoe upper.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A shoe, comprising:
an upper, the shoe upper further including a base material, the upper comprising:
a lateral side and a medial side;
a toe box portion having a plurality of welds extending radially over the toe box portion;
a sole structure;
an ankle portion wherein the ankle portion includes at least one stress point configured on an outer portion of the base material, and around the ankle portion, and wherein the ankle portion includes a weld zone, wherein the weld zone includes multiple welds that are located in different directions, and wherein at least two of the welds of the weld zone intersect, and wherein the ankle portion includes additional material on the medial side of the upper, wherein the additional material is in a form of an ankle strap, wherein the ankle strap is overlaid on an outer portion of the base material;
a heel support located below the weld zone, the heel support spanning from the medial side to the lateral side of the upper and in contact with the sole structure at a medial contact on the medial side, at a central contact on a back of the shoe, and at a lateral contact on the lateral side, wherein the heel support wraps around a heel of the upper, and wherein the heel support is overlaid on the base material, and wherein the heel support includes a first opening on the medial side between the medial contact and the central contact and a second opening on the lateral side between the lateral contact and the central contact;
wherein the heel support is overlaid on the ankle strap.

2. The shoe according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one stress point is the result of laces being tightened through a set of eyelets.

3. The shoe according to claim 1 , wherein the weld zone surrounds an entire ankle portion of the upper.

4. The shoe according to claim 1 , wherein the weld zone around the ankle portion of the upper reduces stretching of the base material in a lateral direction and a longitudinal direction.

5. A shoe, comprising:
an upper including a base material, the upper comprising:
a lateral side having multiple weld zones, multiple unwelded zones, and multiple eyelet portions overlaid on the base material and wherein each of the multiple weld zones includes a plurality of welds;
a medial side having multiple weld zones, multiple unwelded zones, multiple eyelet portions overlaid on the base material, and wherein each of the multiple weld zones includes a plurality of welds;
a toe box portion having a first weld zone wherein the first weld zone includes at least one weld extending radially over the toe box portion;
a sole structure;
an ankle portion wherein the ankle portion includes additional material on the medial side of the upper, wherein the additional material is in a form of an ankle strap, wherein the ankle strap overlaid on an outer portion of the base material, and wherein the lateral side lacks the additional material in the form of an ankle strap, and wherein the ankle portion includes a second weld zone, wherein the second weld zone includes multiple welds that are located in different directions, and wherein at least two of the multiple welds of the weld zone intersect; and
a heel support located below the weld zone, the heel support spanning from the medial side to the lateral side of the upper and in contact with the sole structure at a medial contact on the medial side, at a central contact on a back of the shoe, and at a lateral contact on the lateral side, wherein the heel support wraps around a heel of the upper, and wherein the heel support is overlaid on the base material, and wherein the heel support includes a first opening between the medial contact and the central contact on the lateral side and a second opening on the medial side;
wherein the heel support is overlaid on the ankle strap and wherein the ankle strap is visible through the first opening of the heel support.

6. The shoe according to claim 1 , wherein the lateral side further comprises multiple weld zones, multiple unwelded zones, and multiple eyelet portions overlaid on the base material wherein each of the multiple weld zones includes a plurality of welds; and
wherein the medial side further comprises multiple weld zones, multiple unwelded zones, multiple eyelet portions overlaid on the base material wherein each of the multiple weld zones includes a plurality of welds.

7. The shoe according to claim 1 , wherein a toe strap is overlaid on the base material.

8. The shoe according to claim 1 , wherein the ankle portion further includes a first set of eyelets at a top of the ankle portion;
wherein the ankle portion further includes a second set of eyelets below the first set of eyelets; and
wherein the at least one stress point is the result of laces being tightened through the second set of eyelets.

9. The shoe according to claim 1 ,
wherein the lateral side of the upper lacks the additional material in the form of an ankle strap.

10. The shoe according to claim 9 , wherein the weld zone of the ankle portion is on the lateral side of the upper.

11. The shoe according to claim 10 , wherein the weld zone is located between an eyelet portion and the heel support.

12. The shoe according to claim 11 , wherein at least two of the welds of the weld zone intersect.

13. The shoe according to claim 5 , wherein the second weld zone spans from the lateral side of the upper to the medial side of the upper; and
wherein the at least two of the multiple welds span around a back of the ankle portion of the upper.

14. The shoe according to claim 13 , wherein the second weld zone around the ankle portion of the upper reduces stretching of the base material in a lateral direction and a longitudinal direction.

15. The shoe according to claim 5 , wherein the toe box portion of the shoe upper further includes a third weld zone;
wherein the third weld zone includes at least two welds that cross each other at an intersection disposed within the third weld zone.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Berend Thomas
• Beye Douglas A
• Le Tony H

Classifications

• A43B23/0255

  assembled by gluing or thermo bonding · CPC title

• A43B23/0275

  with a part of the upper particularly rigid, e.g. resisting articulation or torsion · CPC title

• A43C1/00

  Shoe lacing fastenings (garment fastening devices A41F) · CPC title

• A43B23/0245 Primary

  characterised by the constructive form · CPC title

• A43B23/088 Primary

  Heel stiffeners (A43B23/10, A43B23/14, A43B23/16, A43B23/17 take precedence) · CPC title