Method of making article with ribbon structure and embroidered edges

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11732391-B2
Application number	US-202117526330-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 15, 2021
Priority date	Jul 3, 2018
Publication date	Aug 22, 2023
Grant date	Aug 22, 2023

Abstract

A method of making an article of footwear with an upper including a ribbon structure is disclosed. The method includes laying down ribbon elements in straight and winding sections. The method includes stitching or otherwise attaching the ribbon elements to a backing layer. The method also includes embroidering a periphery of the ribbon structure to tack down any raised portions of the ribbon at the periphery. The method also includes inserting a lace through loops in the ribbon structure.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of making an upper for an article of footwear, comprising:
laying down a ribbon element on a supporting layer to form a first ribbon layer, wherein the ribbon element forming the first ribbon layer includes a plurality of straight ribbon sections oriented in a first direction, and the straight ribbon sections oriented in the first direction are laid down such that a first surface of each straight ribbon section oriented in the first direction is in direct contact with the supporting layer, and at least one portion of a second surface that opposes the first surface of each straight ribbon section oriented in the first direction is exposed along the upper;
stitching a thread through the ribbon element forming the first ribbon layer to attach the ribbon element in place on the supporting layer; and
laying down another ribbon element onto the supporting layer and the first ribbon layer to form a second ribbon layer, wherein the second ribbon layer includes a plurality of straight ribbon sections oriented in a second direction that is different from the first direction;
wherein:
each of the plurality of straight ribbon sections of the first ribbon layer and the plurality of straight ribbon sections of the second ribbon layer has a width that is greater than a thickness to provide a two-dimensional appearance; and
each of the plurality of straight ribbon sections of the first ribbon layer and each of the plurality of straight ribbon sections of the second ribbon layer has a length that is greater than the width.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the ribbon element forming the first ribbon layer includes a plurality of curved sections where the ribbon element changes direction.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the plurality of curved sections are located along peripheral edges of the upper.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second direction is approximately along a longitudinal direction of the upper.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
laying down at least one additional ribbon element to form a third ribbon layer, wherein the third ribbon layer includes a plurality of straight ribbon sections oriented in a third direction that is different from the first direction and the second direction.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the orientations of the plurality of straight ribbon sections of the first ribbon layer, the second ribbon layer, and the third ribbon layer form openings between adjacent straight ribbon sections.

7. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the third ribbon layer is formed by three ribbon elements, including a first ribbon element associated with a forefoot portion of the upper, a second ribbon element associated with a lateral side of the upper, and a third ribbon element associated with a medial side of the upper.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further includes removing the supporting layer after forming the first ribbon layer and the second ribbon layer.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the ribbon element forming the first ribbon layer possesses a width of between approximately 2 millimeters and approximately 6 millimeters.

10. A method of making an upper for an article of footwear comprising:
laying down a planar ribbon element, including a straight ribbon section and a curved ribbon section, onto a supporting layer to form a ribbon layer;
stitching a securing thread through the supporting layer and each of the straight ribbon section and the curved ribbon section, the securing thread securing the ribbon element to the supporting layer;
wherein:
the securing thread has a high ratio of length to diameter to provide a one-dimensional appearance; and
the ribbon element possesses a width that is greater than a thickness to provide a two-dimensional appearance.

11. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising: forming a first turn in the ribbon element at the curved ribbon section to provide a substantial change in the ribbon element direction;
forming a second turn in the ribbon element at another curved ribbon section to provide a substantial change in the ribbon element direction, thereby allowing the ribbon element to wind back and forth within the ribbon layer.

12. The method according claim 10 , further comprising: forming the ribbon element into a lace loop that extends beyond supporting layer to form an open loop operable to retain a lace.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the lace loop comprises a first lace loop straight ribbon section, a lace loop curved ribbon section, and a second lace loop straight ribbon section;
wherein the first lace loop straight ribbon section, the lace loop curved ribbon section, and the second lace loop straight ribbon section cooperate to define the open loop.

14. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising: embroidering an embroidered portion across the first lace loop straight ribbon section and the second lace loop straight ribbon section of the lace loop, wherein the lace loop curved ribbon section of the lace loop is spaced apart from the embroidered portion.

15. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the ribbon element is a first ribbon element and the ribbon layer is a first ribbon layer, the method further comprising:
orienting the straight ribbon section of the first ribbon element in a first direction;
laying down another ribbon element onto the supporting layer to form a second ribbon layer, wherein the second ribbon layer includes a plurality of straight ribbon sections that are oriented in a second direction that is different from the first direction.

16. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising:
laying down an additional ribbon element onto the supporting layer, the first ribbon layer, and the second ribbon layer to form a third ribbon layer, wherein the third ribbon layer includes a plurality of straight ribbon sections that are oriented in a third direction that is different from the first direction and the second direction.

17. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the ribbon element comprises a plurality of curved sections and a plurality of straight sections, the method further comprising:
locating the plurality of curved sections of the ribbon element along peripheral edges of the upper.

18. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising embroidering an embroidered border element over the curved ribbon section.

19. A method of making an upper for an article of footwear comprising:
forming an embroidered structure from thread; and
laying down a planar ribbon element including a straight ribbon section and a curved ribbon section onto the embroidered structure to form a first ribbon layer;
wherein:
the thread forming the embroidered structure possesses a high ratio of length to diameter to provide a one-dimensional appearance; and
each ribbon element possesses a width that is greater than a thickness to provide a two-dimensional appearance.

20. The method according to claim 19 , further comprising laying down another ribbon element having a straight ribbon section and a curved ribbon section to form a second ribbon layer; and
overlapping the first ribbon layer with the second ribbon layer.

21. The method according to claim 19 , wherein each of the straight ribbon section and the curved ribbon section is laid down so as to be in direct contact with the embroidered structure.

Assignees

• Under Armour Inc

Inventors

• Luedecke Tom
• Zhu Carmen

Classifications

• D05C7/08 Primary

  for attaching cords, tapes, bands, or the like · CPC title

• A43B23/025

  assembled by stitching · CPC title

• A43B23/0215

  Plastics or artificial leather · CPC title

• A43B23/0275

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

• D05C17/00

  Embroidered or tufted products; Base fabrics specially adapted for embroidered work; Inserts for producing surface irregularities in embroidered products (layered products B32B; non-woven pile fabrics D04H11/00) · CPC title