# US 10,370,785 B2 · Article of footwear with upper having stitched polymer thread pattern and methods of making the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,370,785 B2 - Document ID: US10370785B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/591,972 - Filed: 2017-05-10 - Published: 2018-09-13 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-03-07 - Assignees: adidas AG - Applicants: adidas AG - Inventors: Jason Daniel McGinnity; Janette P. Atkins; Elise Marie Hall; Carl Arnese - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10370785B2 ## CPC - D05C 17/02: Tufted products - A43B 9/02: Footwear stitched or nailed through - A43B 23/025: {assembled by stitching} - A43B 23/0255: {assembled by gluing or thermo bonding} - A43B 23/027: {with a part of the upper particularly flexible, e.g. permitting articulation or torsion} - A43B 23/028: {Resilient uppers, e.g. shock absorbing} - A61B 5/0205: Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition - A41D 31/00: Materials specially adapted for outerwear - A43B 3/34: with electrical or electronic arrangements - A43B 7/06: ventilated - A43B 23/0205: {characterised by the material (material of the lining A43B23/07, material of toe stiffeners or heel stiffeners A43B23/08)} - A43B 23/0215: {Plastics or artificial leather} - A43B 23/0235: {Different layers of different material} - A43B 23/0265: {having different properties in different directions} - A43B 23/0295: {Pieced uppers} - A43D 3/04: Pneumatic lasts; Elastic lasts - A43D 2200/60: Computer aided manufacture of footwear, e.g. CAD or CAM - A61B 5/01: Measuring temperature of body parts {; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue} (clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20) - A61B 5/02438: {with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient} - A61B 5/1038: {Measuring plantar pressure during gait} - A61B 5/11: Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor or mobility of a limb {(A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721)} - A61B 5/14542: {for measuring blood gases (A61B5/14551 takes precedence)} - A61B 5/14546: {for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes} - A61B 5/6807: {Footwear} - B29D 35/0054: {by compression moulding, vulcanising or the like; Apparatus therefor} - B29D 35/0072: {Last constructions; Mountings therefor} - B29D 35/126: {Uppers} - B29D 35/128: {Moulds or apparatus therefor} - B29D 35/146: {Uppers} - D05C: EMBROIDERING; TUFTING (making non-woven fabrics D04H; sewing D05B) - A43B: CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - A41D: OUTERWEAR; PROTECTIVE GARMENTS; ACCESSORIES - A43D: MACHINES, TOOLS, EQUIPMENT OR METHODS FOR MANUFACTURING OR REPAIRING FOOTWEAR - B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00) ## Abstract An upper for an article of footwear, the upper including a base layer defining a least a portion of the upper and polymer threads stitched to the base layer. The polymer threads may include a core composed of a first material and a coating composed of a second material, where the melting point of the first material is higher than the melting point of the second material. The polymer threads may be bonded to the base layer by the coating of the polymer threads. The polymer threads may include one or more polymer thread sets stitched in pattern(s) on area(s) of an outer surface of the base layer to provide targeted characteristics to area(s) on the upper. In some embodiments, the polymer threads may be bonded to the base layer with heat and/or pressure. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of making an article of footwear, the method comprising: stitching polymer thread in a first pattern on an outer surface of a base layer for at least a portion of an upper of the article of footwear, the first pattern comprising polymer thread lines oriented in a first direction and secured to the base layer at a plurality of stitch points with backing thread disposed on a back surface of the base layer opposite the outer surface; stitching polymer thread in a second pattern on the outer surface of the base layer, the second pattern comprising polymer thread lines oriented in a second direction that is different from the first direction and secured to the base layer at a plurality of stitch points with backing thread disposed on the back surface of the base layer opposite the outer surface; thermally fusing the polymer thread of the first pattern and the second pattern to the base layer by heating the polymer thread of the first pattern and the second pattern to a minimum temperature to thereby directly bond the polymer thread of the first pattern and the second pattern to the base layer; and coupling the base layer to one or more footwear components to form the article of footwear, wherein at least a portion of the second pattern overlaps at least a portion of the first pattern in an overlap area on the outer surface of the base layer, and wherein the distance between adjacent stitch points in thread lines for at least one of the first pattern and the second pattern varies. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein thermally fusing the polymer thread of the first pattern and the second pattern to the base layer comprises thermally fusing the polymer thread to the outer surface of the base layer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, comprising thermally fusing the polymer thread of the first pattern to the polymer thread of the second pattern in the overlap area by heating the polymer thread of the first pattern and the second pattern to a minimum temperature. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the distance between adjacent stitch points in thread lines for at least one of the first pattern and the second pattern varies randomly. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein thermally fusing the polymer thread of the first pattern and the second pattern to the base layer comprises thermally fusing the polymer thread to the outer surface and the back surface of the base layer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first pattern and the second pattern comprise oscillating patterns with apexes defined by thread lines of the first pattern and the second pattern, respectively, and wherein the varying distance between adjacent stitch points in thread lines for at least one of the first pattern and the second pattern creates thread lines with adjacent apexes positioned in an undulating arrangement. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the polymer thread of the first pattern and the second pattern comprises a thermoplastic material. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the polymer thread of at least one of the first pattern and the second pattern comprises a core comprising a first material and a thermoplastic coating comprising a second material, wherein the melting point of the first material is higher than the melting point of the second material. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein thermally fusing the polymer thread of the first pattern and the second pattern to the base layer comprises heating the second material to the minimum temperature. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the minimum temperature is in the range of 180 degrees C. to 80 degrees C. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein thermally fusing the polymer thread of the first pattern and the second pattern comprises pressing to the polymer thread to the base layer. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the base layer defines at least a portion of an outermost surface of an upper of the article of footwear. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first pattern imparts a first directional characteristic to a first area of the base layer and the second pattern imparts a second directional characteristic to a second area of the base layer, and wherein the first directional characteristic and the second directional characteristic are selected from the group consisting of: directional stretchability and directional strength. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more footwear components are selected from the group consisting of: a sole, a heel counter, and a lace component. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the polymer thread of the first pattern and the second pattern are stitched to the base layer with a computer numerical controlled stitching machine. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first pattern and the second pattern is based on a biometric data profile for an individual. ### Claim 17 A method of making an article of footwear, the method comprising: stitching one or more polymer threads in one or more patterns on an outer surface of a base layer for at least a portion of an upper for the article of footwear, the one or more polymer threads comprising a core comprising a first material and a coating comprising a second material, wherein the melting point of the first material is higher than the melting point of the second material; thermally fusing the one or more polymer threads to the base layer by heating the second material of the one or more polymer threads to a minimum temperature to thereby directly bond the one or more polymer threads to the base layer; and coupling the base layer to one or more footwear components to form the article of footwear, wherein stitching the one or more polymer threads comprises stitching the one or more polymer threads through the base layer and securing the one or more polymer threads to the base layer with a backing thread disposed on a back surface of the base layer opposite the outer surface, wherein the one or more polymers threads are secured to the base layer with the backing thread at a plurality of stitch points, and wherein the distance between adjacent stitch points in thread lines for at least one of the first pattern and the second pattern varies. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein thermally fusing the one or more polymer threads to the base layer comprises pressing the one or more polymer threads and the base layer. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the minimum temperature is equal to or above the melting point of the second material. ### Claim 20 A method of making at least a portion of an upper for an article of footwear, the method comprising: stitching polymer thread in a first pattern on an outer surface of a base layer, the first pattern comprising polymer thread lines oriented in a first direction; stitching polymer thread in a second pattern on the outer surface of the base layer, the second pattern comprising polymer thread lines oriented in a second direction that is different from the first direction, stitching polymer thread in a third pattern on the outer surface of the base layer, the third pattern comprising polymer thread lines oriented in a third direction that is different from the first direction and the second direction; and thermally fusing the polymer thread of the first pattern, the second pattern, and the third pattern to the base layer by heating the polymer thread of the first pattern, the second pattern, and the third pattern to a minimum temperature to thereby directly bond the polymer thread of the first pattern, the second pattern, and the third pattern to the base layer, wherein at least a portion of the second pattern overlaps at least a portion of the first pattern in a first overlap area on the outer surface of the base layer and at least a portion of the third pattern overlaps at least a portion of at least one of the first pattern and the second pattern in a second overlap area on the outer surface of the base layer, and wherein the base layer defines at least a portion of the upper for an article of footwear.