Method of making an article of footwear including knitting a knitted component of warp knit construction forming a seamless bootie with wrap-around portion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9877536-B2
Application number	US-201414292226-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 30, 2014
Priority date	May 30, 2014
Publication date	Jan 30, 2018
Grant date	Jan 30, 2018

Abstract

An article of footwear incorporates a seamless bootie or textile upper formed from a knitted component removed from a knitted textile element of unitary warp knit construction. The knitted component may include a first knitted component portion in the form of a seamless bootie and a second knitted component portion associated with the first knitted component portion. In some embodiments the second knitted component portion may be tucked-in or folded into a pocket of first knitted component portion, such as a knitted dynamic fit component portion or a knitted tongue component portion. In some embodiments the second kitted component portion may be wrapped around at least part of the first knitted component portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of making an article of footwear, comprising:
knitting a knitted textile element of unitary warp knit construction having
a first knit layer,
a second knit layer that overlays the first knit layer and is continuous with the first knit layer along a common edge of the knitted textile element that extends along a direction of knitting process,
an interlayer knit stitch line that interconnects the first knit layer and the second knit layer,
at least one first knitted indicating portion located along the common edge of the common knit layer,
the common edge and the interlayer knit stitch line defining an outline of a first knitted component portion of a knitted component, the first knitted component portion being configured to form a seamless bootie, and
a second knitted component portion seamlessly associated with the first knitted component portion at the interlayer knit stitch line, the first knitted component portion and the second knitted component portion collectively forming the knitted component;

removing the knitted component from the knitted textile element;
separating the knitted component along the at least one knitted indicating portion to create an opening in the knitted component; and
wrapping the second knitted component portion around at least a portion of the first knitted component portion.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein knitting the knitted textile element comprises knitting a second knitted component portion that includes at least one of a first portion of the first knit layer seamlessly associated with the first knitted component portion at the interlayer knit stitch line and a first portion of the second knit layer seamlessly associated with the first knitted component portion at the interlayer knit stitch line.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein knitting the knitted textile element comprises knitting a second knitted component portion that includes a first portion of the first knit layer seamlessly associated with the first knitted component portion at the interlayer knit stitch line and a first portion of the second knit layer seamlessly associated with the first knitted component portion at the interlayer knit stitch line.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein knitting the knitted textile element comprises knitting a second knitted component portion that includes a first portion of the first knit layer seamlessly associated with the interlayer knit stitch line and a first portion of the second knit layer seamlessly associated with the interlayer knit stitch line, the first portion of the first knit layer having a first configuration and the first portion of the second knit layer having a second configuration that corresponds with the first configuration.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein knitting the knitted textile element comprises knitting a second knitted component portion that includes a first portion of the first knit layer seamlessly associated with the interlayer knit stitch line and a second portion of the first knit layer seamlessly associated with the interlayer knit stitch line, the second portion of the first knit layer being separate from the first portion of the first knit layer.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein knitting the knitted textile element comprises knitting a second knitted component portion that includes a first portion of the first knit layer seamlessly associated with the interlayer knit stitch line, a second portion of the first knit layer associated with the interlayer knit stitch line, the second portion of the first knit layer being separate from the first portion of the first knit layer, a first portion of the second knit layer seamlessly associated with the interlayer knit stitch line, and a second portion of the second knit layer associated with the interlayer knit stitch line, the second portion of the second knit layer being separate from the first portion of the second knit layer.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein knitting the knitted textile element comprises knitting the second knitted component portion associated with the interlayer knit stitch line at one of a forefoot portion of the first knitted component portion, a midfoot portion of the first knitted component portion, and a heel portion of the first knitted component portion.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein knitting the knitted textile element comprises knitting the second knitted component portion associated with the interlayer knit stitch line at at least two of a forefoot portion, a midfoot portion, and a heel portion of the first knitted component portion.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein knitting the knitted textile element comprises knitting at least one knitted indicating portion indicating an outline of the second knitted component portion.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein knitting the knitted textile element comprises knitting at least one second interlayer knit stitch line defining an outline of the second knitted component portion.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein knitting the knitted textile element includes knitting the first knit layer and the second knit layer as a generally single continuous layer.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein knitting a knitted textile element further comprises knitting closure structure associated with the first knitted component portion.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein wrapping the second knitted component structure around at least a portion of the first knitted component portion comprises associating the second knitted component portion with the closure structure of the seamless bootie.

14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein knitting the knitted textile element comprises knitting the second knitted component portion with dynamic fit structure.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein knitting the second knitted component portion with dynamic fit structure includes knitting a dynamic fit finger member.

16. The method according to claim 14 , wherein knitting the second knitted component portion with dynamic fit structure includes knitting at least one knitted hole associated with the dynamic fit structure.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein knitting a knitted textile element comprises knitting the closure structure with at least one knitted hole associated with the closure structure.

18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein wrapping the second knitted component portion around a portion of the first knitted component portion includes associating the at least one knitted hole associated with the dynamic fit structure with the at least one knitted hole associated with the closure structure.

19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the at least one knitted hole associated with the closure structure and the at least one knitted hole associate with the dynamic fit structure are configured to be aligned in registration.

20. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the at least one knitted hole associated with the closure structure and the at least one knitted hole associated with the dynamic fit structure are associated with a common tensioning element.

21. The method according to claim 12 , wherein knitting at least one first knitted indicating portion located along the common edge includes knitting at least one knitted closure member associated with the closure structure.

22. The method according to claim 12 , wherein

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Huffman Julie A
• Lyttle Amy
• Bell Thomas G

Classifications

• A43D9/00

  Devices for binding the uppers upon the lasts (for the toe ends A43D15/00) · CPC title

• A43B23/00

  Uppers; Boot legs; Stiffeners; Other single parts of footwear · CPC title

• A43B23/042

  Uppers made of one piece (one piece slippers A43B3/106; one piece sandals A43B3/124) · CPC title

• A43B23/0245

  characterised by the constructive form · CPC title

• A43C1/04

  with rings or loops · CPC title