# US 10,865,504 B2 · Article of footwear having an upper incorporating a knitted component > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,865,504 B2 - Document ID: US10865504B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/581,509 - Filed: 2017-04-28 - Published: 2017-08-10 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2008-12-18 - Assignees: NIKE, Inc. - Applicants: NIKE, Inc. - Inventors: Bhupesh Dua; Bruce Huffa; Benjamin A. Shaffer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10865504B2 ## CPC - D04B 1/16: synthetic threads - A43B 1/04: braided, knotted, knitted or crocheted - A43B 7/20: Ankle-joint supports or holders - A43B 23/0205: {characterised by the material (material of the lining A43B23/07, material of toe stiffeners or heel stiffeners A43B23/08)} - D04B 1/106: {at a selvedge, e.g. hems or turned welts} - D04B 1/123: {with laid-in unlooped yarn, e.g. fleece fabrics (with elastic weft yarn D04B1/18)} - D04B 1/24: wearing apparel - A43C 1/04: with rings or loops - D10B 2401/041: thermoplastic; thermosetting - D10B 2403/0113: One surface including hollow piping or integrated straps, e.g. for inserts or mountings - D10B 2403/022: Lofty fabric with variably spaced front and back plies, e.g. spacer fabrics - D10B 2403/032: Flat fabric of variable width, e.g. including one or more fashioned panels - D10B 2501/043: Footwear - D04B: KNITTING - A43B: CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR - A43C: FASTENINGS OR ATTACHMENTS OF FOOTWEAR; LACES IN GENERAL - D10B: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBLASSES OF SECTION D, RELATING TO TEXTILES ## Abstract 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An upper for an article of footwear, the upper comprising: a knitted component formed of unitary knit construction, the knitted component including a heel portion and a toe portion, the knitted component comprising a first knitted layer and a second knitted layer that are at least partially coextensive with each other, the first knitted layer comprising a first yarn comprising a thermoplastic polymer material, the second knitted layer comprising a second yarn comprising a second material, wherein a inciting temperature of the thermoplastic polymer material is at least five degrees celsius loser than a melting temperature of second material. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The upper of claim 1, wherein the first knitted layer and second knitted layer extend into a heel portion of the upper. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The upper of claim 1, wherein the first knitted layer and second knitted layer extend into a toe portion of the upper. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The upper of claim 1, wherein at least 95% of the first knitted layer comprises the thermoplastic polymer material. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The upper of claim 2, wherein the thermoplastic polymer material in the first knitted layer is fused in the heel portion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The upper of claim 5, wherein the second yarn contains one or more filaments. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The upper of claim 3, wherein the thermoplastic polymer material in the first knitted layer is fused in the toe portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The upper of claim 7, wherein the second yarn contains one or more filaments. ### Claim 9 An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure, the upper comprising: a knitted component formed of unitary knit construction, the knitted component including a heel portion and a toe portion, the knitted component comprising a first knitted layer and a second knitted layer that are at least partially coextensive with each other, the first knitted layer comprising a first yarn comprising a thermoplastic polymer material, the second knitted layer comprising a second yarn comprising a second material, wherein a melting temperature of the thermoplastic polymer material is at least five degrees celsius lower than a melting temperature of second material. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The article of footwear of claim 9, wherein the first knitted layer and second knitted layer extend into a heel portion of the upper. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The article of footwear of claim 9, wherein the first knitted layer and second knitted layer extend into a toe portion of the upper. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The article of footwear of claim 9, wherein at least 95% of the first knitted layer comprises the thermoplastic polymer material. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The article of footwear of claim 10, wherein the thermoplastic polymer material is fused in the heel portion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The article of footwear of claim 9, wherein the second yarn contains one or more filaments. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The article of footwear of claim 9, wherein the first knitted layer forms an exterior portion of the article of footwear. ### Claim 16 A method of forming an upper for an article of footwear, the method comprising: forming a knitted component having a first knitted layer and a second knitted layer that are at least partially coextensive with each other, the knitted component formed of unitary knit construction, the knitted component including a heel portion and a toe portion, the first knitted layer comprising a first yarn comprising a thermoplastic polymer material, the second knitted layer comprising a second yarn comprising a second material, wherein a melting temperature of the thermoplastic polymer material is at least five degrees celsius lower than a melting temperature of second material. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising heating the first yarn above the melting temperature of the thermoplastic polymer material and below the melting temperature of the second material to form a fused portion of the upper. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the fused portion is in the heel portion of the upper. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the fused portion is in the toe portion of the upper. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising attaching a sole to the upper.