Article of footwear having a knitted component with a forefoot portion and a heel portion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12389976-B2
Application number	US-202418612680-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 21, 2024
Priority date	Aug 4, 2017
Publication date	Aug 19, 2025
Grant date	Aug 19, 2025

Abstract

In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a knitted component. The knitted component may have a forefoot portion with a top layer and a bottom layer, where a void is formed between the top layer and the bottom layer, and where the top layer is secured to the bottom layer via at least one common knit structure. A heel area may extend from the bottom layer of the forefoot portion in a longitudinal direction and may be secured to the bottom layer of the forefoot portion via at least one common knit structure. At least one extension may extend from the heel area in a second direction, the second direction being different than the longitudinal direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
forming a forefoot portion of a knitted component on a knitting machine, the forefoot portion having a top layer and a bottom layer, wherein a void is formed between the top layer and the bottom layer, and wherein the top layer is secured to the bottom layer via at least one common knit structure;
forming a heel portion of the knitted component on the knitting machine, wherein the heel portion is secured to the bottom layer of the forefoot portion via at least one common knit structure, wherein the heel portion comprises a medial heel side, a lateral heel side, and a rear portion between the medial heel side and the lateral heel side, wherein at least one of the medial heel side, the lateral heel side, and the rear portion comprises a convex area on an inner surface of the heel portion; and
forming at least one extension of the knitted component on the knitting machine, the at least one extension being attached to the heel portion.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one extension includes a first edge configured for securing to a second edge of the top layer of the forefoot portion.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a first extension and a second extension each extend from the heel portion and are configured for securing to at least one edge of the top layer of the forefoot portion, wherein the first extension extends in a lateral direction from the heel portion, and wherein the second extension extends in a medial direction from the heel portion.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heel portion comprises a knit structure that has a greater density than respective knit structures of the top layer and the bottom layer of the forefoot portion.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming a knitted forefoot extension on the knitting machine, the knitted forefoot extension extending from a boundary located between the top layer and the bottom layer of the forefoot portion.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the knitted forefoot extension comprises multiple separable layers.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the knitted forefoot extension is at least partially coextensive with the top layer and the bottom layer.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the knitted component comprises a side extension extending from a boundary between the top layer and the bottom layer of the forefoot portion.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the side extension forms a strap for surrounding a foot of a wearer when incorporated into an article of footwear.

10. A method of manufacturing an upper for an article of footwear, the method comprising:
forming a forefoot portion on a knitting machine, the forefoot portion having a top layer and a bottom layer, and a void formed between the top layer and the bottom layer; and
forming a heel portion on the knitting machine, the heel portion being secured to the bottom layer of the forefoot portion and indirectly secured to the top layer through the bottom layer of the forefoot portion, the heel portion forming a first portion of a collar, wherein the heel portion comprises a medial heel side, a lateral heel side, and a rear portion between the medial heel side and the lateral heel side, wherein at least one of the medial heel side, the lateral heel side, and the rear portion comprises a convex area on an inner surface of the heel portion.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the top layer is secured to the bottom layer via at least one common knit structure.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising a side extension extending from a boundary located between the top layer and the bottom layer of the forefoot portion.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the heel portion is secured to the bottom layer of the forefoot portion via a common knit structure.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising forming a side extension on the knitting machine, the side extension extending from a boundary located between the top layer and the bottom layer of the forefoot portion.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the side extension forms a strap for surrounding a foot of a wearer when incorporated into the article of footwear.

16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising forming a knitted forefoot extension on the knitting machine, the knitted forefoot extension extending from a boundary between the top layer and the bottom layer of the forefoot portion.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the knitted forefoot extension is a two-layer knitted extension.

18. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear, the method comprising:
forming a forefoot portion of an upper on a knitting machine, the forefoot portion having a top layer and a bottom layer;
forming a heel portion of the upper on the knitting machine, the heel portion secured to the bottom layer of the forefoot portion and indirectly secured to the top layer through the bottom layer of the forefoot portion, the heel portion forming a portion of a collar of the upper, wherein the heel portion comprises a medial heel side, a lateral heel side, and a rear portion between the medial heel side and the lateral heel side, wherein at least one of the medial heel side, the lateral heel side, and the rear portion comprises a convex area on an inner surface of the heel portion; and
attaching the upper to a sole structured.

Assignees

• Nike Inc
• Nike

Inventors

• Berrian Travis J
• Blanche Rory S
• Gong Weibing
• Macgilbert John S

Classifications

• A43B23/26

  Tongues for shoes · CPC title

• A43B23/081

  Toe stiffeners · CPC title

• A43B23/025

  assembled by stitching · CPC title

• A43B23/0215

  Plastics or artificial leather · CPC title

• D10B2403/023

  Fabric with at least two, predominantly unlinked, knitted or woven plies interlaced with each other at spaced locations or linked to a common internal co-extensive yarn system · CPC title