Article of footwear including a monofilament knit element with peripheral knit portions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9745678-B2
Application number	US-201514657379-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 13, 2015
Priority date	Feb 3, 2014
Publication date	Aug 29, 2017
Grant date	Aug 29, 2017

Abstract

An article of footwear including a knitted component having a monofilament knit element with peripheral knit portions is described. The knitted component includes a monofilament knit element formed by knitting with a monofilament strand. The monofilament knit element is formed of unitary knit construction with the remaining portions of the knitted component, including peripheral portions that are knit using a natural or synthetic twisted fiber yarn. An inlaid tensile element can extend through the knitted component, including portions of the monofilament knit element. The monofilament knit element may be knitted with a monofilament strand according to a variety of knit structures.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the upper including a knitted component comprising: a monofilament knit element formed by at least one monofilament strand, the monofilament knit element forming a substantial majority of the upper and extending through at least a portion of each of a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region of the article of footwear; and a peripheral portion formed by a first yarn, the first yarn being a natural or synthetic twisted fiber yarn; wherein the peripheral portion comprises a collar portion and a throat portion, the throat portion extending over an instep region from a lateral side to a medial side of the upper; wherein the monofilament knit element is formed of unitary knit construction with the peripheral portion of the knitted component such that the knitted component is a one-piece element; the knitted component further comprising a boundary zone disposed between the monofilament knit element and the peripheral portion, the boundary zone defining a transition in the knitted component between the monofilament knit element and the peripheral portion, wherein the monofilament knit element is joined with the peripheral portion at the boundary zone.

2. The article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the boundary zone includes at least one wale formed using the at least one monofilament strand that is continuous with at least one wale formed using the first yarn.

3. The article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the collar portion extends around and defines an opening of the upper of the article of footwear.

4. The article of footwear according to claim 3 , wherein the throat portion extends outwardly from the collar portion through an instep area of the upper; and wherein the collar portion and the throat portion are formed of unitary knit construction with each other and the monofilament knit element.

5. The article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one monofilament strand comprises a first monofilament strand and a second monofilament strand.

6. The article of footwear according to claim 5 , wherein the first monofilament strand and the second monofilament strand each have a diameter of approximately 0.08 mm.

7. The article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one monofilament strand comprises a single monofilament strand.

8. The article of footwear according to claim 7 , wherein the single monofilament strand has a diameter of approximately 0.125 mm.

9. The article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein at least one course of the monofilament knit element includes a fusible strand.

10. The article of footwear according to claim 1 , further comprising an inlaid tensile element extending through at least a portion of the monofilament knit element.

11. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the upper including a knitted component, the method comprising: knitting a monofilament knit element using at least one monofilament strand, the monofilament knit element forming a substantial majority of the upper and extending through at least a portion of each of a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region of the article of footwear; knitting a peripheral portion using a first yarn, the first yarn being a natural or synthetic twisted fiber yarn; wherein knitting the peripheral portion comprises knitting a collar portion and a throat portion, the throat portion extending over an instep region from a lateral side to a medial side of the upper; knitting the monofilament knit element of unitary knit construction with the peripheral portion of the knitted component so as to form the knitted component as a one-piece element; and knitting a boundary zone disposed between the monofilament knit element and the peripheral portion, the boundary zone defining a transition in the knitted component between the monofilament knit element and the peripheral portion, wherein knitting the boundary zone includes joining the monofilament knit element and the peripheral portion.

12. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising knitting at least one wale fainted using the at least one monofilament strand that is continuous with at least one wale formed using the first yarn.

13. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the step of knitting the peripheral portion further comprises: knitting the collar portion of the knitted component using the first yarn, the collar portion extending around an opening of the upper of the article of footwear.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the step of knitting the peripheral portion further comprises: knitting the throat portion of the knitted component extending outwardly from the collar portion through an instep area of the upper; and knitting the collar portion and the throat portion of unitary knit construction with each other and the monofilament knit element so as to form the knitted component as a one-piece element.

15. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the step of knitting the monofilament knit element using the at least one monofilament strand further comprises: knitting the monofilament knit element using a first monofilament strand and a second monofilament strand.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the first monofilament strand and the second monofilament strand each have a diameter of approximately 0.08 mm.

17. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the step of knitting the monofilament knit element using the at least one monofilament strand comprises knitting using a single monofilament strand.

18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the single monofilament strand has a diameter of approximately 0.125 mm.

19. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the step of knitting the monofilament knit element includes knitting at least one course of the monofilament knit element using a fusible strand.

20. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises: inlaying an inlaid tensile element within at least a portion of the monofilament knit element during the step of knitting the monofilament knit element.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Podhajny Daniel A

Classifications

• A43C1/04

  with rings or loops · CPC title

• A43B23/0205

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

• A43B23/024

  Different layers of the same material · CPC title

• D10B2403/032

  Flat fabric of variable width, e.g. including one or more fashioned panels · CPC title

• D04B1/123 Primary

  with laid-in unlooped yarn, e.g. fleece fabrics (with elastic weft yarn D04B1/18) · CPC title