Articles of footwear with knitted components and methods of manufacturing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12396512-B2
Application number	US-202217971309-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 21, 2022
Priority date	Oct 22, 2021
Publication date	Aug 26, 2025
Grant date	Aug 26, 2025

Abstract

Footwear with integrally knit uppers having features for increasing containment around a wearer's foot, improving strength and durability, and incorporating touch feedback through increased coefficient of friction while removing weight due to traditional additional components. The knitted component may be radially knitted so that courses converge towards a common area, like the throat region of the upper. Additionally, a fusible yarn may be knit on at least the exterior-facing surface of a containment area of the knitted component to create additional lock-down along lines of containment. Further, tensile elements may be incorporated within the containment area to provide strength and lock-down along desired lines of containment. Additionally, the fusible yarn may be a grip yarn that creates areas with greater coefficients of friction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An upper, comprising:
a knitted component forming at least a forefoot region and a midfoot region of the upper and having an outer perimeter, the forefoot region being integrally knit with the midfoot region, the knitted component having an exterior-facing surface and an interior-facing surface opposite to the exterior-facing surface,
each course of the knitted component in the forefoot region and in the midfoot region extending in a direction from the outer perimeter towards a common portion of the knitted component such that courses in the forefoot region extend diagonally relative to courses in the midfoot region, the common portion being a throat area, and
the knitted component comprising a containment area extending from the outer perimeter towards the common portion, the containment area comprising a first material that is at least partially fused to one or more interlooped yarns of the knitted component, the first material comprising a thermoplastic elastomer.

2. The upper of claim 1 , wherein the first material is located on the exterior-facing surface of the knitted component.

3. The upper of claim 1 , wherein the containment area has a different coefficient of friction than portions of the knitted component without the first material.

4. The upper of claim 1 , wherein the containment area has a greater coefficient of friction than portions of the knitted component without the first material.

5. The upper of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer is a thermoplastic polyurethane, or wherein the thermoplastic elastomer is a styrene ethylene/butylene styrene (SEBS).

6. The upper of claim 1 , wherein the throat area extends along a longitudinal axis of the upper and between a medial side and a lateral side of the upper.

7. The upper of claim 1 , wherein the knitted component forms a heel region of the upper and each course within the heel region extends in a direction towards the common portion.

8. The upper of claim 1 , wherein the containment area includes a plurality of adjacent courses and extends from the outer perimeter in the forefoot region to the common portion in the midfoot region.

9. The upper of claim 1 , wherein the containment area is a first containment area positioned on a lateral side of the upper, wherein the upper further comprises a second containment area extending from the outer perimeter in the forefoot region on a medial side of the upper to the common portion in the midfoot region on the medial side of the upper, the first containment area and the second containment area each having a greater coefficient of friction than a portion of the knitted component without the thermoplastic elastomer.

10. The upper of claim 9 , wherein the upper further comprises a third containment area extending from the outer perimeter in a heel region on a lateral side of the upper to the common portion in the midfoot region on the lateral side of the upper, and a fourth containment area extending from the outer perimeter in the heel region on a medial side of the upper to the common portion in the midfoot region on the medial side, the third containment area and the fourth containment area each having a greater coefficient of friction than a portion of the knitted component without the first material.

11. The upper of claim 10 , wherein the first containment area, the second containment area, the third containment area, and the fourth containment area are each separated from one another by portions of the knitted component without the first material on the exterior-facing surface.

12. The upper of claim 11 , wherein the exterior-facing surface of the knitted component includes one or more areas along the outer perimeter of the knitted component that comprise the thermoplastic elastomer that is at least partially fused to the one or more interlooped yarns, wherein the one or more areas along the outer perimeter are located between the first containment area and the third containment area, between the first containment area and the second containment area, and between the second containment area and the fourth containment area, wherein the one or more areas along the outer perimeter extend from the outer perimeter and terminate below the common portion.

13. The upper of claim 1 , wherein the one or more interlooped yarns at least partially fused to the first material include a core yarn having a second material that excludes the thermoplastic elastomer and has a higher melting temperature than the first material.

14. The upper of claim 1 , wherein the one or more interlooped yarns at least partially fused to the first material include a coated yarn having a core with a coating comprising the first material.

15. The upper of claim 1 , wherein the one or more interlooped yarns at least partially fused to the first material comprise at least one tensile element extending from the outer perimeter towards the common portion.

16. The upper of claim 15 , wherein the one or more interlooped yarns include a core yarn and a second yarn, each having a higher melting temperature than the first material, the at least one tensile element comprising a strand inlaid along a course formed by loops of the core yarn and the second yarn.

17. The upper of claim 15 , wherein the at least one tensile element comprises a strand forming a repeating sequence of knitted stitches and float stitches along a course within the containment area.

18. The upper of claim 1 , wherein the one or more interlooped yarns comprise a high-tenacity yarn and a core yarn, each having a higher melting temperature than the first material, the high-tenacity yarn having a tenacity of at least 5 grams per denier.

19. The upper of claim 18 , wherein a portion of the exterior-facing surface of the knitted component adjacent to the containment area excludes the first material and comprises the high-tenacity yarn.

20. The upper of claim 1 , further comprising a polymer layer extending over at least part of an exterior surface of the knitted component, the polymer layer comprising a polymer material with a lower melting temperature than the first material.

21. The upper of claim 20 , wherein the polymer layer extends over at least part of the containment area and includes a plurality of apertures exposing portions of the containment area.

22. An article of footwear comprising the upper of claim 1 , wherein the upper is secured to a sole structure.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Berrian Travis J
• Macgilbert John S
• Reinhardt Stuart D
• Runkle Colin

Classifications

• A43B23/0265

  having different properties in different directions · CPC title

• A43B5/025

  characterised by an element which improves the contact between the ball and the footwear · CPC title

• A43B23/0205

  characterised by the material (material of the lining A43B23/07, material of toe stiffeners or heel stiffeners A43B23/08) · CPC title

• D04B1/22 Primary

  specially adapted for knitting goods of particular configuration · CPC title

• D10B2501/043

  Footwear · CPC title