Fiber-bound engineered materials formed using zonal scrims

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12490810-B2
Application number	US-202418651008-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2024
Priority date	Feb 3, 2017
Publication date	Dec 9, 2025
Grant date	Dec 9, 2025

Abstract

A fiber bound engineered material is provided that imparts an intended characteristic at an intended relative location. A fiber layer is entangled with additional fibers in a manner to create a non-uniform engineered material. The lack of uniformity of a fiber bound engineered material may be accomplished through manipulation of the fibers and/or through fiber binding a scrim. The fiber layer binds with additional fibers through entanglement such that a mechanical connection between the entangled fibers is provided. This entanglement allows the fibers to bind without supplemental adhesives, interlacing, or connections. Variations in the fibers and/or inclusion of scrim materials prior to entanglement allows for an intended characteristic (e.g., a functional characteristic) at an intended relative location (e.g., a position determined by an article to be formed therefrom).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A footwear article comprising:
an upper comprising a composite textile, wherein the composite textile comprises: a first layer comprising a nonwoven fiber web, which includes first fibers; a second layer comprising a scrim, which includes a mesh structure with positive structures that circumscribe negative openings, wherein the scrim is entangled with the first fibers based on a portion of any fiber of the first fibers extending through the positive structures, and wherein the portion of any fiber and the positive structures comprise a relief that is raised relative to the negative openings; and a third layer comprising a polymeric film coupled to at least the portion of any fiber extending through the positive structures, wherein the second layer is positioned between the third layer and the first layer and wherein the relief is perceivable through the polymeric film at least one of visually and tactilely.

2 . The footwear article of claim 1 , wherein the scrim comprises a knit textile.

3 . The footwear article of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the positive structures of the scrim comprise a first color, wherein the polymeric film is transparent, and wherein the at least the portion of the scrim comprising the first color is visually perceptible through the polymeric film.

4 . The footwear article of claim 3 , wherein the first fibers comprise a second color, which is different from the first color.

5 . The footwear article of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the first fibers comprise fibers that are at least partially split.

6 . The footwear article of claim 5 , wherein the fibers that are at least partially split comprise first split fibers that are split to a first degree and second split fibers that are split to a second degree, which is different from the first degree.

7 . A footwear article comprising:
an upper comprising a composite textile, wherein the composite textile comprises: a first layer comprising a nonwoven fiber web, which includes first fibers; a second layer comprising a scrim, which includes a mesh structure with positive structures that circumscribe negative openings, wherein at least a first portion of the scrim is entangled with the first fibers based on a portion of any fiber of the first fibers extending through the positive structures, and wherein the at least the first portion of the scrim comprises a first color; and a third layer comprising a transparent film overlaying the at least the first portion of the scrim with the first color.

8 . The footwear article of claim 7 , wherein the at least the first portion of the scrim comprising the first color is visually perceptible through the transparent film.

9 . The footwear article of claim 7 , wherein:
the nonwoven fiber web further comprises second fibers; at least a second portion of the scrim is entangled with the second fibers based on any portion of the second fibers extending at least partially through the positive structures; and the second portion of the scrim comprises a second color that is different than the first color.

10 . The footwear article of claim 7 , wherein the scrim comprises a knit textile.

11 . The footwear article of claim 7 , wherein at least some of the first fibers comprise fibers that are at least partially split.

12 . The footwear article of claim 11 , wherein the fibers that are at least partially split comprise first split fibers that are split to a first degree and second split fibers that are split to a second degree, which is different from the first degree.

13 . The footwear article of claim 7 , wherein the portion of any fiber and the positive structures comprise a relief that is raised relative to the negative openings.

14 . The footwear article of claim 13 , wherein the relief is tactilely perceivable through the transparent film.

15 . A footwear article comprising:
an upper comprising a composite textile, wherein the composite textile comprises: a first layer comprising a nonwoven fiber web, which includes first fibers split to a first degree and second fibers split to a second degree, which is less than the first degree; a second layer comprising a scrim, which includes a mesh structure with positive structures that circumscribe negative openings, wherein the scrim is entangled with at least the first fibers based on a portion of any of the first fibers extending through the positive structure; and a third layer comprising a polymeric film coupled to the portion of any of the first fibers extending through the positive structures, wherein the second layer is positioned between the third layer and the first layer.

16 . The footwear article of claim 15 , wherein the scrim comprises a knit textile.

17 . The footwear article of claim 15 , wherein at least a portion of the positive structures of the scrim comprise a first color, wherein the polymeric film is transparent, and wherein the at least the portion of the scrim comprising the first color is visually perceptible through the polymeric film.

18 . The footwear article of claim 17 , wherein first fibers comprise a second color, which is different from the first color, and wherein the portion of any of the fibers is visually perceptible through the polymeric film.

19 . The footwear article of claim 15 , wherein the portion of any fiber and the positive structures comprise a relief that is raised relative to the negative openings.

20 . The footwear article of claim 19 , wherein the relief is perceivable through the polymeric film at least one of visually and tactilely.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Dua Bhupesh
• Greene Pamela S
• Kilgore Bruce J
• Rushbrook Thomas J

Classifications

• B32B2437/02

  Gloves, shoes · CPC title

• B32B2307/54

  Yield strength; Tensile strength · CPC title

• B32B5/028

  Net structure, e.g. spaced apart filaments bonded at the crossing points · CPC title

• B32B5/022

  Non-woven fabric · CPC title

• A43D11/003

  Applying or removing protective coverings · CPC title