Article of footwear incorporating a knitted component

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024180287-A1
Application number	US-202418441581-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 14, 2024
Priority date	Aug 29, 2013
Publication date	Jun 6, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

An article of footwear with an upper having a knitted component in an instep region extending between a lateral side and a medial side. First lace apertures and second lace apertures are disposed along the instep area on the medial and lateral sides at first and second locations. A lace extends through an first lace aperture of the plurality of first lace apertures, from an exterior surface on the medial side of the upper, along an interior surface of the upper, and then exits the upper through a second lace aperture of the plurality of second lace apertures on the medial side. After exiting the second lace aperture, the lace extends across the instep area along the exterior surface of the upper and extends through a third lace aperture of the plurality of first lace apertures on the lateral side.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An article of footwear, the article of footwear comprising:
an upper having a forefoot region, a midfoot region, a heel region, a medial side, a lateral side, and an instep area extending between the lateral side and the medial side, the upper comprising a knitted component in the instep area; a plurality of first lace apertures disposed on each of the lateral side and the medial side of the upper; a plurality of second lace apertures disposed on each of the lateral side and the medial side of the upper; a lace that extends through a first lace aperture of the plurality of first lace apertures on the medial side of the upper, extends along an interior surface of the upper, and then exits the upper through a second lace aperture of the plurality of second lace apertures on the medial side of the upper, wherein after exiting the upper through the second lace aperture on the medial side of the upper, the lace extends across the instep area along an exterior surface of the upper and extends through a third lace aperture of the plurality of first lace apertures on the lateral side of the upper, extends along the interior surface of the upper, and then exits the upper through a fourth lace aperture of the plurality of second lace apertures on the lateral side of the upper; and a sole structure secured to the upper.

2 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the upper includes a reinforcing element to reinforce at least some of the second lace apertures.

3 . The article of footwear of claim 2 , wherein the reinforcing element is inlaid within the knitted component.

4 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the knitted component includes a first area formed from a first type of yarn having a first set of properties and a second area formed from a second type of yarn having a second set of properties different from the first set of properties.

5 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the knitted component comprises a knitted one-piece element.

6 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the knitted component forms an ankle cuff.

7 . The article of footwear of claim 6 , wherein the instep area extends between an ankle opening and the forefoot region, and wherein the instep area is joined through knitting to the ankle cuff.

8 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the knitted component in the instep area extends continuously between the first lace aperture and the third lace aperture.

9 . The article of footwear of claim 8 , wherein the knitted component in the instep area comprises a stretch knit structure of a unitary knit construction with a remaining portion of the knitted component.

10 . The article of footwear of claim 9 , wherein the remaining portion of the knitted component comprises a different knit structure than the stretch knit structure.

11 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the knitted component includes a polymer layer at one or more areas of the knitted component.

12 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the upper includes a skin layer bonded to at least a portion of the knitted component.

13 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the first lace aperture is located more inward toward a middle of the upper than the second lace aperture.

14 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the knitted component is flat knitted.

15 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the sole structure comprises a plurality of ground-engaging cleat members.

16 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the knitted component comprises a first knit layer forming at least part of the exterior surface of the knitted component and a second knit layer forming at least part of the interior surface of the knitted component.

17 . The article of footwear of claim 16 , wherein the first knit layer comprises a plurality of voids that expose portions of the second knit layer.

18 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first lace apertures extend through the knitted component.

19 . The article of footwear of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of first lace apertures are formed into the knitted component by knitting.

20 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first lace apertures and at least some of the plurality of second lace apertures extend through the knitted component.

21 . The article of footwear of claim 20 , wherein the knitted component has a unitary knit construction.

22 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first lace apertures on the lateral side are offset from the plurality of second lace apertures on the lateral side along the instep area in a longitudinal direction.

23 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first lace apertures on the lateral side and the plurality of second lace apertures on the lateral side form pairs, each pair comprising one first lace aperture and one second lace aperture, wherein the distance between lace apertures within a pair is shorter than the distance between adjacent pairs.

24 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the knitted component forms substantially all of the upper.

25 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the sole structure comprises a midsole comprising a polymer foam material.

26 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the upper comprises a heel counter in the heel region.

27 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the upper comprises a toe guard in the forefoot region.

28 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the knitted component is flat knitted.

29 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the knitted component extends through an underfoot region of the upper.

30 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the knitted component includes comprises an ankle cuff joined through knitting to the instep area of the upper, the ankle cuff exhibiting greater stretch compared to remaining areas of the knitted component.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Dekovic Denis
• Droege John
• Fahmi Windra
• Lee Jeongwoo
• Podhajny Daniel A
• Seamarks Karl
• Wilken Doug D

Classifications

• A43B1/04 Primary

  braided, knotted, knitted or crocheted · CPC title

• A43C1/00

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

• A43B5/02

  Football boots {or shoes, i.e. for soccer, football or rugby} · CPC title

• A43B7/20

  Ankle-joint supports or holders · CPC title

• A43B23/02

  Uppers; Boot legs · CPC title