Method Including Footwear And Sock Having Aligning Indicia

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016249686-A1
Application number	US-201615148244-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 6, 2016
Priority date	Oct 15, 2012
Publication date	Sep 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A footwear system may include a first article of footwear including a first sole structure and a first upper secured to the first sole structure, the first upper defining a first opening configured to receive a foot of a wearer. The first upper may include a first indicia portion disposed adjacent to the first opening. In addition, the system may include a sock including a second indicia portion, wherein, when the sock is worn by the wearer on a foot received within the upper, one or more features of the second indicia portion are substantially aligned with one or more features of the first indicia portion on the upper to form a first indicia.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for conveying a message through the combination of a sock and an article of footwear, the article of footwear including an interior void configured to receive a foot, the article of footwear including a first portion of a complete indicia, the sock including a second portion of the complete indicia, the method comprising the steps of:
wearing the sock such that a forefoot region of the sock engages a forefoot region of the foot, and a heel region of the sock engages a heel region of the foot, wherein the second portion of the complete indicia is visible; inserting the sock into the interior void of the article of footwear such that the forefoot region of the sock aligns with a forefoot region of the article of footwear and the heel region of the sock aligns with a heel region of the article of footwear; positioning a first portion of the sock within the interior void of the article of footwear, and positioning a second portion of the sock outside of the interior void of the article of footwear; and aligning the second portion of the complete indicia of the sock with the first portion of the complete indicia of the article of footwear, such that the complete indicia is formed and extends from the article of footwear to the sock.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the complete indicia is located in an ankle region of the sock.

3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the first portion of the complete indicia is located in an ankle region of the article of footwear.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the complete indicia is located on the second portion of the sock that is located outside of the interior void.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the article of footwear includes an opening that provides access to the interior void, and wherein the first portion of the complete indicia is located adjacent to the opening.

6 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein the first portion of the complete indicia includes a first edge that extends to the opening.

7 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the second portion of the complete indicia includes a second edge, and wherein the method further comprises the step of aligning the second edge of the second portion of the complete indicia of the sock with the first edge of the complete indicia of the article of footwear.

8 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein the first edge aligns with the second edge on a medial side of the article of footwear.

9 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein the first edge aligns with the second edge on a lateral side of the article of footwear.

10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the complete indicia includes a third edge and the second portion of the complete indicia, wherein when the sock is inserted into the interior void of the article of footwear, the third edge and the fourth edge face each other.

11 . A method for conveying a message through the combination of a sock and an article of footwear, the article of footwear including an interior void configured to receive a foot, the article of footwear including a first portion of the complete indicia, the sock including a base portion and a strap portion, the base portion of the sock including a second portion of the complete indicia, and the strap portion of the sock including a third portion of the complete indicia, the method comprising the steps of:
wearing the sock such that a forefoot region of the sock engages a forefoot region of the foot, and a heel region of the sock engages a heel region of the foot, wherein the second portion of the complete indicia is visible; wrapping the strap portion of the sock around an ankle region of the base portion of the sock; aligning the second portion of the complete indicia with the third portion of the complete indicia; inserting the sock into the interior void of the article of footwear such that the forefoot region of the sock aligns with a forefoot region of the article of footwear and the heel region of the sock aligns with a heel region of the article of footwear; positioning the sock into the interior void of the article of footwear such that a first portion of the sock is located within the interior void of the article of footwear and a second portion of the sock is located outside of the interior void of the article of footwear; covering a portion of the second portion of the complete indicia with the article of footwear; aligning the second portion of the complete indicia and the third portion of the complete indicia with the first portion of the complete indicia of the article of footwear, such that the complete indicia is formed and extends from the article of footwear to the sock.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising aligning a first edge of the second portion of the complete indicia with a second edge of the third portion of the complete indicia.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising aligning a third edge of the second portion of the complete indicia with a fourth edge of the first portion of the complete indicia, wherein the first edge of the second portion of the complete indicia, the second edge of the third portion of the complete indicia, the third edge of the second portion of the complete indicia and the fourth edge of the first portion of the complete indicia align to form a shape.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the complete indicia is located along a medial side of the combination of the sock and the article of footwear.

15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the complete indicia is located along a lateral side of the combination of the sock and the article of footwear.

16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the second portion of the complete indicia is spaced from the third portion of the complete indicia such that alignment of the second portion of the complete indicia and the third portion of the complete indicia occurs when the strap portion is wrapped around the ankle region of the base portion of the sock.

17 . A method for conveying a message by a sock capable of receiving a foot and an article of footwear capable of receiving the foot, the method comprising:
placing the sock on the foot; inserting the foot with the sock into the article of footwear; wherein the article of footwear includes a sole structure and an upper secured to the sole structure, the upper defining an opening configured to receive the foot of a wearer, wherein the upper includes a first indicia portion of a complete indicia disposed adjacent to the opening, the first indicia portion having a first shape, the first indicia portion including a first edge that extends to the opening, the first indicia portion including a second edge that extends to the opening; and wherein the sock includes a second indicia portion of the complete indicia, the second indicia portion being located in an ankle region, the second indicia portion having a second shape, the second indicia portion including a third edge and a fourth edge; aligning the third edge of the second indicia portion with the first edge of the first indicia portion on the upper; aligning the fourth edge of the second indicia portion with the second edge of the first indicia portion on the upper to form the complete indicia; wherein the complete indicia extends from a portion of the upper to the ankle region of the sock.

18 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the complete indicia is a logo.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Spanks Jeffrey C
• Panian Nadia M
• Avar Eric P

Classifications

• A43B17/18

  Arrangements for attaching removable insoles to footwear · CPC title

• A41B11/001 Primary

  Decoration; Marking · CPC title

• A41B2400/38

  Shaping the contour of the body or adjusting the figure · CPC title

• A41B2400/32

  Therapeutic use · CPC title

• A41F1/00

  Fastening devices specially adapted for garments {(for pairing socks A41B11/002; for fur garments A41D5/006)} · CPC title