Patent application number | Description | Published |
20140130373 | Article Of Footwear Incorporating A Knitted Component - An article of footwear has an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The upper includes a knitted component and, in some configurations, a skin layer secured to the knitted component. The knitted component may have a plurality of protruding areas that extend outward and away from a void within the upper for receiving a foot of a wearer. The protruding areas may include one or both of (a) a first tubular structure and an inlaid strand extending through the first tubular structure and (b) a second tubular structure and yarn sections extending across the second tubular structure. | 05-15-2014 |
20140150296 | Article Of Footwear Incorporating A Knitted Component With A Tongue - Articles of footwear may have an upper that includes a knit element and a tongue. The knit element defines a portion of an exterior surface and an opposite interior surface of the upper, with the interior surface defining a void for receiving a foot. The tongue is formed of unitary knit construction with the knit element and extends through a throat area of the upper. | 06-05-2014 |
20140237855 | Knitted Footwear Component With An Inlaid Ankle Strand - An article of footwear may include an upper incorporating a knitted component. An inlaid strand extends through the knitted component. A combination feeder may be utilized to inlay the strand within the knitted component. As an example, the combination feeder may include a feeder arm that reciprocates between a retracted position and an extended position. In manufacturing the knitted component, the feeder inlays the strand when the feeder arm is in the extended position, and the strand is absent from the knitted component when the feeder arm is in the retracted position. | 08-28-2014 |
20140237856 | Article Of Footwear Incorporating A Knitted Component - An article of footwear may have an upper with a knitted component. Alone or in combination, the knitted component may include regions with different degrees of stretch-resistance; the knitted component forms a collar with a half-gauge knit; the upper includes a strand with sections that are inlaid within the knitted component, and the sections are positioned immediately adjacent to each other; the strand forms a plurality of loops, pairs of the loops are positioned immediately adjacent to each other and configured to receive a lace; and the knitted component includes a thermoplastic polymer material, and the strand is unbonded to the thermoplastic polymer material. | 08-28-2014 |
20140245639 | Article of Footwear Having An Upper Incorporating A Knitted Component - An article of footwear has an upper that includes a knitted component and a sole structure secured to the upper. The knitted component may define a tube formed of unitary knit construction, and a strand may extend through a length of the tube. As another example, the knitted component may have a pair of at least partially coextensive knitted layers formed of unitary knit construction, and a plurality of floating yarns may extend between the knitted layers. In some configurations, the knit type or yarn type may vary in different regions of the knitted component to impart different properties. Additionally, the knitted component may incorporate a thermoplastic yarn that is fused in different regions of the knitted component to impart different properties. A flat knitting process or a variety of other knitting processes may be utilized to form the knitted component. | 09-04-2014 |
20140245643 | Article Of Footwear Incorporating A Knitted Component - An article of footwear may include an upper incorporating a knitted component. An inlaid strand extends through the knitted component. A combination feeder may be utilized to inlay the strand within the knitted component. As an example, the combination feeder may include a feeder arm that reciprocates between a retracted position and an extended position. In manufacturing the knitted component, the feeder inlays the strand when the feeder arm is in the extended position, and the strand is absent from the knitted component when the feeder arm is in the retracted position. | 09-04-2014 |
20140352082 | Method of Manufacturing An Article of Footwear Having A Knit Upper With A Polymer Layer - A method of manufacturing an article of footwear with an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper is described. The upper includes a knitted component and a polymer layer. The knitted component is formed of unitary knit construction and extends along a lateral side of the upper, along a medial side of the upper, over a forefoot region of the upper, and around a heel region of the upper. The polymer layer is bonded to the knitted component and may form a majority of an exterior surface of the upper. The polymer layer may be formed from a thermoplastic polymer material. | 12-04-2014 |
20150013188 | Article Of Footwear Incorporating A Knitted Component - An article of footwear has an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The upper includes a knitted component and, in some configurations, a skin layer secured to the knitted component. The knitted component may have a plurality of protruding areas that extend outward and away from a void within the upper for receiving a foot of a wearer. The protruding areas may include one or both of (a) a first tubular structure and an inlaid strand extending through the first tubular structure and (b) a second tubular structure and yarn sections extending across the second tubular structure. | 01-15-2015 |