Spacer textile material with channels having multiple tensile strands

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9226548-B2
Application number	US-201313741440-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 15, 2013
Priority date	Jan 15, 2013
Publication date	Jan 5, 2016
Grant date	Jan 5, 2016

Abstract

A spacer textile material has at least a portion of multiple tensile strands located together between a first layer and a second layer of the spacer textile material, where the first layer and second layer have been joined together to form channels in which the tensile strands move freely. The tensile strands may be disposed in the spacer textile material together or they may be separated into different portions of the spacer textile. Further, the spacer textile material having channels with multiple tensile strands may be incorporated into an article of footwear.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A spacer textile material comprising:
a first layer;
a second layer;
a plurality of connecting members extending between and joining the first layer and the second layer;
a first channel bounded by portions of the first layer and the second layer that are in direct contact;
a second channel bounded by portions of the first layer and the second layer that are in direct contact;
a third channel bounded by portions of the first layer and the second layer that are in direct contact;
a first tensile strand and a second tensile strand,
wherein a first portion of the first tensile strand and a first portion of the second tensile strand are both disposed within the first channel;
wherein a second portion of the first tensile strand is disposed in the second channel; and
wherein a second portion of the second tensile strand is disposed in the third channel.

2. The spacer textile material according to claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the first tensile strand and the first portion of the second tensile strand are both disposed between the first layer and the second layer in the first channel.

3. The spacer textile material according to claim 1 , wherein the first tensile strand and the second tensile strand move freely in a longitudinal direction of the first channel.

4. The spacer textile material according to claim 3 , wherein the second channel and the third channel share a common weld formed by the portions of the first layer and the second layer that are in direct contact.

5. The spacer textile material according to claim 3 , wherein a third portion of the first tensile strand extends between the first channel and the second channel along an edge of the spacer textile material.

6. The spacer textile material according to claim 4 , wherein a third portion of the second tensile strand extends between the first channel and the third channel along an edge of the spacer textile material.

7. The spacer textile material according to claim 1 , wherein the portions of the first layer and the second layer that are in direct contact are welds.

8. A spacer textile material comprising:
a first layer;
a second layer;
a plurality of connecting members extending between and joining the first layer and the second layer;
a first tensile strand, a second tensile strand and a third tensile strand;
a first channel bounded by portions of the first layer and the second layer that are in direct contact;
wherein a first portion of the first tensile strand, a first portion of the second tensile strand and a first portion of the third tensile strand are disposed within the first channel; and
wherein a second portion of the first tensile strand, a second portion of the second tensile strand and a second portion of the third tensile strand are disposed in a second channel, and wherein the first tensile strand exits the second channel through a first opening, the second tensile strand exits the second channel through a second opening and the third tensile strand exits the second channel through a third opening.

9. The spacer textile material according to claim 8 , wherein the portions of the first layer and the second layer that are in direct contact are welds.

10. The spacer textile material according to claim 8 , wherein the first portion of the first tensile strand, the first portion of the second tensile strand and the first portion of the third tensile strand are braided in the channel.

11. The spacer textile material according to claim 8 , wherein a third portion of the first tensile strand, a third portion of the second tensile strand and a third portion of the third tensile strand extends between the first channel and the second channel along an edge of the spacer textile material.

12. The spacer textile material according to claim 8 , wherein the first portion of the first tensile strand, the first portion of the second tensile strand and the first portion of the third tensile strand is disposed between a first edge of the spacer textile material and a second edge of the spacer textile material.

13. The spacer textile material according to claim 12 , wherein the first opening, the second opening and the third opening are in an outer face of the first layer.

14. The spacer textile material according to claim 13 , wherein the first opening, the second opening and the third opening are spaced apart from one another.

15. An article of footwear comprising:
an upper and a sole structure;
wherein at least a portion of the upper comprises:
a spacer textile material comprising:
a first layer;
a second layer;
a plurality of connecting members extending between and joining the first layer and the second layer;
a first tensile strand and a second tensile strand;
a first channel bounded by portions of the first layer and the second layer that are in direct contact; and

wherein a first portion of the first tensile strand and a first portion of the second tensile strand are disposed in the first channel;

and wherein a second channel of the spacer textile material holds a third portion of the first tensile strand and wherein a third channel of the spacer textile material holds a third portion of the second tensile strand.

16. The article of footwear according to claim 15 , wherein the first channel, the second channel and the third channel extend from the sole structure of the article of footwear towards a lace of the upper.

17. The article of footwear according to claim 16 , wherein a second portion of the first tensile strand forms a loop that is disposed outwardly from the first channel and wherein the lace of the article of footwear engages the second portion of the first tensile strand.

18. The article of footwear according to claim 17 , wherein a second portion of the second tensile strand forms a loop that is disposed outwardly from the first channel and wherein the lace engages the second portion of the second tensile strand.

19. The article of footwear according to claim 15 , wherein a first portion of a third tensile strand also extends through the first channel.

20. The article of footwear according to claim 18 , wherein the portions of the first layer and the second layer that are in direct contact are welds.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Follet Lysandre
• Beye Douglas A
• Podhajny Daniel A

Classifications

• A43B23/0205 Primary

  characterised by the material (material of the lining A43B23/07, material of toe stiffeners or heel stiffeners A43B23/08) · CPC title

• D10B2403/0241

  enhancing mechanical properties · CPC title

• D10B2403/022

  Lofty fabric with variably spaced front and back plies, e.g. spacer fabrics · CPC title

• A43B23/024 Primary

  Different layers of the same material · CPC title

• D04B21/20

  specially adapted for knitting articles of particular configuration · CPC title