Shoe Upper Having Multiple Weld Zones

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017367441-A1
Application number	US-201715698201-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 7, 2017
Priority date	Feb 13, 2013
Publication date	Dec 28, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A shoe having a shoe upper including multiple welds in selected locations on the shoe upper. The welds may be selectively located on the upper to provide structure and support to the specific portions of a shoe upper.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A shoe upper, the shoe upper including a base material, the shoe upper comprising:
a lateral side and a medial side; a toe box portion; an ankle portion wherein the ankle portion includes at least one weld zone, wherein the weld zone includes multiple welds within the weld zone, and wherein at least 2 of the welds of the weld zone intersect; and a heel support, wherein the heel support spans from the medial side to the lateral side of the upper, wherein the heel support wraps around a heel of the upper, and wherein the heel support is overlaid on the base material.

2 . The shoe upper according to claim 1 , wherein the lateral side further comprises multiple weld zones, multiple unwelded zones, and multiple eyelet portions overlaid on the base material wherein each of the multiple weld zones includes a plurality of welds; and
wherein the medial side further comprises multiple weld zones, multiple unwelded zones, multiple eyelet portions overlaid on the base material wherein each of the multiple weld zones includes a plurality of welds.

3 . The shoe upper according to claim 1 , wherein the heel support contacts a sole structure.

4 . The shoe upper according to claim 1 , wherein a toe strap is overlaid on the base material.

5 . The shoe upper according to claim 1 , wherein the ankle portion further includes at least one stress point;
wherein the ankle portion further includes a first set of eyelets at a top of the ankle portion; wherein the ankle portion further includes a second set of eyelets below the first set of eyelets; and wherein the at least one stress point is the result of laces being tightened through the second set of eyelets.

6 . The shoe upper according to claim 1 , wherein the ankle portion includes additional material on the medial side of the upper, wherein the additional material is in a form of an ankle strap, and wherein the ankle strap is overlaid on the base material; and
wherein the lateral side of the upper lacks the additional material in the form of an ankle strap.

7 . The shoe upper according to claim 6 , wherein the ankle portion of the lateral side of the upper includes a weld zone.

8 . The shoe upper according to claim 7 , wherein the weld zone is located between an eyelet portion and the heel support; and
wherein the weld zone includes multiple welds that are located in different directions.

9 . The shoe upper according to claim 8 , wherein at least two of the welds of the weld zone intersect.

10 . The shoe upper according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one weld zone spans from the lateral side of the upper to the medial side of the upper;
wherein the welds span around a back of the ankle portion of the upper; and wherein the weld zone includes multiple welds within the weld zone.

11 . The shoe upper according to claim 10 , wherein the welds of the weld zone intersect.

12 . The shoe upper according to claim 10 , wherein the welds of the weld zone intersect at the back of the ankle portion of the upper.

13 . The shoe upper according to claim 10 , wherein the weld zone around the ankle portion of the upper reduces stretching of the base material in a lateral direction and a longitudinal direction.

14 . The shoe upper according to claim 1 , wherein the toe box portion of the shoe upper further includes a first and second weld zone;
wherein the first weld zone includes at least two welds that extend radially across a top of the toe box portion of the shoe upper from the lateral side to the medial side of the shoe upper spanning across a lateral direction of the shoe upper; and wherein a second weld zone includes at least two welds that cross each other at an intersection disposed within the second weld zone.

15 . A shoe, comprising:
an upper, the shoe upper further including a base material, the upper comprising:
a lateral side and a medial side;
a toe box portion;
an ankle portion wherein the ankle portion includes at least one stress point;
a heel support spanning from the medial side to the lateral side of the upper, wherein the heel support wraps around a heel of the upper, and wherein the heel support is overlaid on the base material; and
a sole structure.

16 . The shoe according to claim 15 , wherein the at least one stress point is the result of laces being tightened through a set of eyelets.

17 . The shoe according to claim 15 , wherein the ankle portion includes at least one weld zone, wherein the weld zone includes multiple welds that are located in different directions, and wherein at least two of the welds of the weld zone intersect.

18 . The shoe according to claim 17 , wherein the weld zone surrounds an entire ankle portion of the upper.

19 . The shoe according to claim 17 , wherein the weld zone around the ankle portion of the upper reduces stretching of the base material in a lateral direction and a longitudinal direction.

20 . A shoe, comprising:
an upper including a base material, the upper comprising:
a lateral side having multiple weld zones, multiple unwelded zones, and multiple eyelet portions overlaid on the base material and wherein each of the multiple weld zones includes a plurality of welds;
a medial side having multiple weld zones, multiple unwelded zones, multiple eyelet portions overlaid on the base material, and wherein each of the multiple weld zones includes a plurality of welds;
a toe box portion;
an ankle portion wherein the ankle portion includes additional material on the medial side of the upper, wherein the additional material is in a form of an ankle strap, and wherein the ankle strap overlaid on the base material, and wherein the lateral side lacks the additional material in the form of an ankle strap;
a heel support a heel support spanning from the medial side to the lateral side of the upper, wherein the heel support wraps around a heel of the upper, and wherein the heel support is overlaid on the base material; and
a sole structure.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Berend Thomas
• Beye Douglas A
• Le Tony H

Classifications

• A43B23/0235

  Different layers of different material · CPC title

• A43B23/0275

  with a part of the upper particularly rigid, e.g. resisting articulation or torsion · CPC title

• A43C1/00

  Shoe lacing fastenings (garment fastening devices A41F) · CPC title

• A43B23/0255

  assembled by gluing or thermo bonding · CPC title

• A43B23/0245 Primary

  characterised by the constructive form · CPC title