Method of making article with ribbon structure and embroidered edges

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12139835-B2
Application number	US-202318360376-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 27, 2023
Priority date	Jul 3, 2018
Publication date	Nov 12, 2024
Grant date	Nov 12, 2024

Abstract

An article of footwear is formed with an upper including a ribbon structure. Ribbon elements can be laid down in straight and winding sections, and the ribbon elements can be stitched or attached to a backing layer. A periphery of the ribbon structure can be embroidered to tack down any raised portions of the ribbon at the periphery.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An upper for an article of footwear comprising:
a backing layer;
at least one border element that extends along opposing peripheral edge portions of the backing layer;
a ribbon element that extends over a portion of the backing layer to form a ribbon layer on the backing layer, wherein the ribbon element extends between the opposing peripheral edge portions so as to be entirely exposed along the backing layer except at locations in which the ribbon element extends underneath the at least one border element at the opposing peripheral edge portions of the backing layer; and
a securing thread stitched through the ribbon element and the backing layer, the securing thread securing the ribbon element to the backing 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, and a length of the ribbon element is greater than the width of the ribbon element.

2. The upper of claim 1 , wherein the ribbon element includes a straight ribbon section.

3. The upper of claim 1 , wherein the ribbon element includes a plurality of straight ribbon sections.

4. The upper of claim 1 , wherein the ribbon element includes a curved ribbon section.

5. The upper of claim 1 , wherein the ribbon element includes a plurality of curved ribbon sections.

6. The upper according to claim 4 , further comprising an embroidered border element formed over the curved ribbon section.

7. The upper of claim 4 , wherein the curved ribbon section of the ribbon element forms a turn providing a substantial change in the ribbon element direction, thereby allowing the ribbon element to wind back and forth to form the ribbon layer.

8. The upper according claim 1 , further comprising a lace loop including a looped ribbon element extending beyond the backing layer to form an open loop operable to retain a lace.

9. The upper according to claim 8 , wherein:
the looped ribbon element comprises a first straight ribbon section, a curved ribbon section, and a second straight ribbon section; and
the first straight ribbon section, the curved ribbon section, and the second straight ribbon section cooperate to define the open loop.

10. The upper according to claim 9 , further comprising an embroidered portion across the first straight ribbon section and the second straight ribbon section of the looped ribbon element, wherein the curved ribbon section of the looped ribbon element is spaced apart from the embroidered portion.

11. The upper according to claim 1 , wherein the ribbon element is a first ribbon element that forms a first ribbon layer including a straight ribbon section that is oriented in a first direction; and
the upper further comprises another ribbon element positioned onto the backing layer and the first ribbon 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.

12. The upper according to claim 11 , further comprising a third ribbon element positioned onto the backing layer, the first ribbon layer, and the second ribbon layer to form a third ribbon layer, wherein the third ribbon element 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.

13. The upper according to claim 12 , wherein the first ribbon element, the second ribbon element and the third ribbon element are part of a single continuous ribbon element.

14. The upper according to claim 1 , wherein the ribbon element comprises a plurality of curved sections being located along peripheral edges of the upper.

15. An upper for an article of footwear comprising:
a self-supporting embroidered structure formed of thread;
at least one border element that extends along opposing peripheral edge portions of the embroidered structure;
and
a first ribbon layer comprising a first ribbon element, wherein the first ribbon element extends between the opposing peripheral edge portions so as to be entirely exposed along the embroidered structure except at locations in which the ribbon element extends underneath the at least one border element at the opposing peripheral edge portions of the embroidered structure;
wherein the thread possesses 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.

16. The upper of claim 15 , wherein the first ribbon element comprises a plurality of straight ribbon sections.

17. The upper of claim 15 , wherein the first ribbon element comprises a plurality of curved ribbon sections.

18. The upper according to claim 15 , further comprising a second ribbon layer including a second ribbon element that overlaps the first ribbon element.

19. The upper according to claim 18 , wherein the first ribbon element and the second ribbon element are part of a single continuous ribbon element.

20. The upper according to claim 15 , wherein the first ribbon element comprises a looped ribbon element that forms an open loop operable to retain a lace.

Assignees

• Under Armour Inc

Inventors

• Luedecke Tom
• Zhu Carmen

Classifications

• 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

• A43B23/0215

  Plastics or artificial leather · CPC title

• A43B23/025

  assembled by stitching · CPC title

• A43B23/0265

  having different properties in different directions · CPC title