Upper for an article of footwear with first and second knitted portions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12426663-B2
Application number	US-202117408168-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 20, 2021
Priority date	May 5, 2017
Publication date	Sep 30, 2025
Grant date	Sep 30, 2025

Abstract

An upper may include a first knitted portion configured to form an outer surface of the upper, a second knitted portion configured to form an inner surface of the upper, where the second knitted portion is at least partially coextensive with the first knitted portion, an interstitial space between the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion, and a knitted connection structure connecting the first knitted portion to the second knitted portion. The knitted connection structure may extend at least partially along at least one of a tongue and a collar of the upper, and the second knitted portion may include at least one double jersey knit structure that is coextensive with the first knitted portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A knitted component forming a heel area and a tongue portion of an upper of an article of footwear, the knitted component comprising:
a first knitted portion that forms part of an outer surface of the heel area and the tongue portion of the upper, the first knitted portion comprising a double jersey knit structure, and the first knitted portion including an inlaid bulking yarn; a second knitted portion that forms part of an inner surface of the heel area and the tongue portion of the upper, the second knitted portion at least partially coextensive with the first knitted portion, wherein the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion are formed as an integral one-piece knitted element, wherein the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion are connected by a knitted connection structure that is at least partially coextensive with an intersection of the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion, wherein the knitted connection structure is located at the tongue portion of the upper, wherein the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion are folded about the knitted connection structure into a folded state; and
an interstitial space located between the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion,
wherein the upper includes a lateral heel area and a medial heel area connected at a heel seam.

2. The knitted component of claim 1 , wherein the first knitted portion includes a first plurality of courses, wherein the second knitted portion includes a second plurality of courses, and wherein the knitted connection structure is located between the first plurality of courses and the second plurality of courses.

3. The knitted component of claim 2 , wherein at least one course of the first plurality of courses and at least one course of the second plurality of courses includes a double jersey knit structure.

4. The knitted component of claim 1 , wherein one of the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion is inverted with respect to the other of the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion.

5. The knitted component of claim 1 , wherein a connection of the lateral heel area and the medial heel area is sewn, adhesively bonded, or heat bonded.

6. The knitted component of claim 1 , wherein the knitted connection structure further extends along an ankle collar of the upper.

7. The knitted component of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion includes an inlaid tensile strand that is distinct from the inlaid bulking yarn.

8. A knitted component forming a heel area and a tongue portion of an upper of an article of footwear, the knitted component comprising:
a first knitted portion that forms an outer surface of the heel area and the tongue portion of the upper, the first knitted portion comprising a double jersey knit structure; a second knitted portion that forms an inner surface of the heel area and the tongue portion of the upper, the second knitted portion at least partially coextensive with the first knitted portion, wherein the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion are formed as an integral one-piece knitted element, wherein the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion are connected by a knitted connection structure that is at least partially coextensive with an intersection of the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion, wherein the knitted connection structure is located at the tongue portion of the upper, wherein the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion are folded about the knitted connection structure into a folded state; and
an interstitial space located between the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion,
wherein the upper includes a lateral heel area and a medial heel area that are connected at a heel seam.

9. The knitted component of claim 8 , wherein the first knitted portion includes a first plurality of courses, wherein the second knitted portion includes a second plurality of courses, and wherein the knitted connection structure is located between the first plurality of courses and the second plurality of courses.

10. The knitted component of claim 9 , wherein at least one course of the first plurality of courses and at least one course of the second plurality of courses includes a double jersey knit structure.

11. The knitted component of claim 8 , wherein one of the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion is inverted with respect to the other of the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion.

12. The knitted component of claim 8 , wherein a connection of the lateral heel area and the medial heel area is sewn, adhesively bonded, or heat bonded.

13. The knitted component of claim 9 , wherein the knitted connection structure extends along an ankle collar of the upper.

14. The knitted component of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion includes an inlaid tensile strand.

15. An article of footwear with an upper comprising a knitted component that forms at least a heel area and a tongue portion of the upper, the knitted component comprising:
a first knitted portion that forms at least part of an outer surface of the heel area and the tongue portion of the upper, the first knitted portion comprising a double jersey knit structure, and the first knitted portion including an inlaid bulking yarn; a second knitted portion that forms an inner surface of the heel area and the tongue portion of the upper, the second knitted portion at least partially coextensive with the first knitted portion, wherein the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion are formed as an integral one-piece knitted element, wherein the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion are connected by a knitted connection structure that is at least partially coextensive with an intersection of the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion, wherein the knitted connection structure is located at least at the tongue portion of the upper, wherein the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion are folded about the knitted connection structure into a folded state; and
an interstitial space located between the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion,
wherein the upper includes a lateral heel area and a medial heel area that are connected at a heel seam.

16. The article of footwear of claim 15 , wherein one of the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion is inverted with respect to the other of the first knitted portion and the second knitted portion.

17. The article of footwear of claim 15 , wherein a connection of the lateral heel area and the medial heel area is sewn, adhesively bonded, or heat bonded.

18. The article of footwear of claim 15 , wherein the knitted connection structure further extends along an ankle collar of the upper.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Dealey Stuart W

Classifications

• D10B2403/032

  Flat fabric of variable width, e.g. including one or more fashioned panels · CPC title

• D10B2501/061

  Piped openings (pockets) · 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

• D04B1/22

  specially adapted for knitting goods of particular configuration · CPC title

• A43B23/0295

  Pieced uppers · CPC title