Knit component bonding
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsBhupesh Dua, Karen A. Hawkinson, Benjamin A. Shaffer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A composite structure may include a knit component and a bonded component. The knit component has a first surface and an opposite second surface, and the knit component includes a fusible yarn and a non-fusible yarn that form a knitted structure. The fusible yarn is at least partially formed from a thermoplastic polymer material, and the fusible yarn is located on at least the first surface. The bonded component is positioned adjacent to the first surface, and the bonded component is thermal bonded to the first surface with the thermoplastic polymer material of the fusible yarn.
Claims20
A method of manufacturing an article of footwear comprising:
- providing a knit component having a first yarn and a second yarn, the first yarn being at least partially formed from a thermoplastic polymer material, the knit component having a first surface and an opposite second surface of the knit component, the first yarn being located on at least a portion of the first surface;
- providing a second component that is independent of the knit component;
- thermally bonding the second component and the first surface of the knit component via the thermoplastic polymer material of the first yarn;
- and
- forming at least part of an upper of the article of footwear from the knit component.
A method of manufacturing a composite element, the method comprising:
- providing a textile with a first yarn and a second yarn, the first yarn provided on a first surface of the textile in a first plurality of loops defining at least a part of the first surface, the first yarn provided on a second surface of the textile in a second plurality of loops defining at least a part of the second surface, the first yarn being at least partially formed from a thermoplastic polymer material;
- locating the first surface of the textile in contact with a component;
- heating at least one of the textile and the component;
- and
- forming a thermal bond between the thermoplastic polymer material of the first yarn and the component after heating the at least one of the textile and the component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.