Footwear article having repurposed material with structural-color concealing layer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12150512-B2
Application number	US-202117523631-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 10, 2021
Priority date	Aug 7, 2020
Publication date	Nov 26, 2024
Grant date	Nov 26, 2024

Abstract

In example aspects, materials are repurposed for footwear manufacturing. That is, in some instances, materials in the footwear manufacturing supply chain are potentially subject to disposal. However, aspects of this disclosure sustainably repurpose those materials (that might otherwise be disposed of) to be used in footwear articles. In some aspects, the repurposed materials may be obscured with a concealing layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A footwear article comprising:
an upper comprising a first substrate and a second substrate;
the first substrate having a first externally facing surface and a first internally facing surface opposite the first externally facing surface;
the second substrate having a second externally facing surface and a second internally facing surface opposite the second externally facing surface, wherein the second substrate is a repurposed material;
a first structural color element applied to the first externally facing surface of the first substrate and imparts a first structural color, wherein the first structural color element comprises a first set of layers; and
a second structural color element applied to the second externally facing surface of the second substrate and imparts a second structural color, wherein the second structural color element comprises a second set of layers;
wherein the first structural color and second structural color are visually similar at a first observation angle from outside of the footwear article, and
wherein a portion of the first structural-color element is configured to at least partially abrade such that the first structural color imparted at the portion of the first structural color element that is configured to at least partially abrade and the second structural color are visually different at the first observation angle from outside of the footwear article.

2. The footwear article of claim 1 , wherein the first set of layers comprises a first plurality of constituent layers and a first reflective layer positioned between two or more layers of the first plurality of constituent layers, wherein the second set of layers comprises a second plurality of constituent layers and a second reflective layer positioned between two or more layers of the second plurality of constituent layers.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Bee Jennifer
• Gantz Jeremy
• Kovel Kim

Classifications

• A43B23/07

  Linings therefor {(lining laminated with upper A43B23/026)} · CPC title

• A43B1/0072

  made at least partially of transparent or translucent materials · CPC title

• A43B23/0235

  Different layers of different material · CPC title

• A43B1/0027 Primary

  made at least partially from a material having special colours · CPC title