Articles of footwear with printed material deposited thereon

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11925237-B2
Application number	US-202017115473-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 8, 2020
Priority date	May 30, 2018
Publication date	Mar 12, 2024
Grant date	Mar 12, 2024

Abstract

An article of footwear can include a sole structure, an upper, and a printed layer. The upper can be coupled to the sole structure. The printed layer can be disposed on the upper and include a plurality of printed materials each having a different hardness than an adjacent printed material. The plurality of printed materials can be arranged on the upper such that a stiffness of the upper is gradated from a toe portion of the upper to a heel portion of the upper, and a stiffness of the heel portion is greater than a stiffness of the toe portion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An article of footwear comprising:
a sole structure;
an upper coupled to the sole structure; and
a layer disposed only on the upper, wherein the layer includes a plurality of materials each having a different hardness than an adjacent material,
wherein the plurality of materials is arranged on the upper such that a stiffness of the upper is gradated from a toe portion of the upper to a heel portion of the upper, wherein a stiffness of the heel portion is greater than a stiffness of the toe portion, and wherein the layer has a continuous and even gradation that extends along the entire length of the upper.

2. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the layer is a second layer, and the article of footwear further comprises a first layer on which the second layer is disposed.

3. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the upper further comprises first and second side portions, wherein the plurality of materials is arranged on the upper such that stiffnesses of either or both of the first and second side portions is less than the stiffness of the heel portion and greater than the stiffness of the toe portion.

4. The article of footwear of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of materials includes:
a first material disposed on the toe portion of the upper, wherein the first material has a first hardness;
a second material disposed on the first side portion of the upper, wherein the second material has a second hardness;
a third material disposed on the second side portion of the upper, wherein the third material has a third hardness; and
a fourth material disposed on the heel portion of the upper, wherein the fourth material has a fourth hardness,
wherein the first hardness is less than the second hardness, the third hardness, and the fourth hardness,
wherein the second hardness is less than the third hardness and the fourth hardness, and
wherein the third hardness is less than the fourth hardness.

5. The article of footwear of claim 4 , wherein the first, second, third, and fourth materials have a uniform thickness.

6. The article of footwear of claim 5 , wherein the first hardness of the toe portion is within a range of 15 A-49 A on a Shore A durometer scale, and wherein the fourth hardness of the heel portion is within a range of 50 A-100 A on the Shore A durometer scale.

7. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the layer has a uniform color.

8. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the layer has a uniform appearance.

9. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the layer has a uniform thickness.

10. The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of materials includes a first material and a second material disposed on the toe portion of the upper, wherein the first material has a plurality of spaced-apart first segments and a first hardness, wherein the second material has a plurality of spaced-apart second segments and a second hardness, wherein the second hardness is greater than the first hardness, wherein the first segments and the second segments are arranged in an alternating pattern from a first side of the upper to a second side of the upper, and wherein each adjacent pair of second segments comprises a first segment disposed therebetween.

11. An article of footwear comprising:
a sole structure;
an upper coupled to the sole structure and comprising a toe portion, a midfoot portion, and a heel portion; and
a layer disposed on the upper, wherein the layer terminates at a junction of the upper and the sole structure, wherein the layer includes a first material comprising a first hardness, a second material comprising a second hardness, and a third material comprising a third hardness, wherein the second material is harder than the first material, and wherein the third material is harder than the first material and the second material,
wherein the toe portion of the upper comprises a first region and a second region disposed farther toward the heel portion than the first region, wherein the first region has the first material disposed thereon, wherein the second region has a first mixture of the first material and the second material disposed thereon, and wherein the first mixture is harder than the first material,
wherein the midfoot portion of the upper comprises a third region and a fourth region disposed farther toward the heel portion than the third region, wherein the third region has the second material disposed thereon, wherein the fourth region has a second mixture of the second material and the third material disposed thereon, and wherein the second mixture is harder than the second material and the first mixture,
wherein the heel portion of the upper comprises a fifth region and a sixth region disposed farther toward the heel portion than the fifth region, wherein the fifth region has a third mixture of the second material and the third material disposed thereon, wherein the third mixture is harder than the second mixture and softer than the third material, and wherein the sixth region has the third material disposed thereon, and
wherein a hardness of the layer is gradated, and the layer has a continuous and even gradation that extends along the entire length of the upper.

12. The article of footwear of claim 11 , wherein the layer is a second layer, and the article of footwear further comprises a first layer on which the second layer is disposed.

13. The article of footwear of claim 11 , wherein the layer has a uniform appearance and a uniform thickness.

14. The article of footwear of claim 11 , wherein the first hardness is 15 A on a Shore A durometer scale, wherein the second hardness is 40 A on the Shore A durometer scale, and wherein the third hardness is 70 A on the Shore A durometer scale.

15. The article of footwear of claim 11 , wherein the layer is at least partially absorbed into a surface of the upper.

16. An article of footwear comprising:
a sole structure;
an upper coupled to the sole structure and comprising a toe portion, a midfoot portion, and a heel portion; and
a printed layer disposed on the upper, wherein the printed layer is at least partially absorbed into a surface of the upper, wherein the printed layer includes a first printed material comprising a first hardness, a second printed material comprising a second hardness, and a third printed material comprising a third hardness, wherein the second printed material is harder than the first printed material, and wherein the third printed material is harder than the first printed material and the second printed material,
wherein the toe portion of the upper has the first printed material disposed thereon,
wherein the midfoot portion of the upper comprises a first region and a second region disposed farther toward the heel portion than the first region, wherein the first region has a first mixture of the first printed material and the second printed material disposed thereon, wherein the first mixture is harder than the first printed material and softer than the second printed material, wherein the second region has a second mixture of the second printed material and the third printed material disposed thereon, and wherein the second mixture is harder than the second printed material and softer than the third printed material,
wherein the heel portion of the upper has the third printed material disposed thereon, and
wherein a hardness of the printed layer is gradated, and the printed layer has a continuous and even gradation that extends along the entire length of the upper.

17. The article of footwear of claim

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Larson Ryan R
• Miller Todd W

Classifications

• A43B23/0265 Primary

  having different properties in different directions · CPC title

• A43B3/0078

  provided with logos, letters, signatures or the like decoration (A43B23/24 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A43B23/0215

  Plastics or artificial leather · CPC title

• A43B23/0235

  Different layers of different material · CPC title

• A43B23/026

  Laminated layers · CPC title