# US 11,297,901 B2 · Shoe with composite upper and method 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 11,297,901 B2 - Document ID: US11297901B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/863,305 - Filed: 2020-04-30 - Published: 2020-08-13 - Granted: 2022-04-12 - Earliest claimed: 2011-05-27 - Assignees: NIKE, Inc. - Applicants: NIKE, Inc. - Inventors: Benjamin A. Shaffer; Kevin W. Hoffer; Tony H. Le; YunMi Kang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11297901B2 ## CPC - A43B 23/0235: {Different layers of different material} - A43B 1/0027: {made at least partially from a material having special colours} - A43B 1/0072: {made at least partially of transparent or translucent materials} - A43B 23/0245: {characterised by the constructive form} - A43B 23/026: {Laminated layers} - B32B 27/12: next to a fibrous or filamentary layer - A43B: CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR - B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM ## Abstract Articles of footwear may include uppers having one or more skin layers attached to a base layer, wherein at least one of the skin layers is at least partially transparent or translucent. The transparent or translucent skin layer may be applied over other elements of the upper (e.g., other skin layers, base layers, reinforcing layers, etc.) to provide interesting color change options and color palettes for the upper. Additional aspects of this invention relate to production of curved tongue composite structures and/or footwear having a bonded (hot melt) side seam for forming the upper (and optionally do not include a rear heel seam). ## Claims ### Claim 1 An article of footwear, comprising: a sole structure; and an upper engaged with the sole structure, wherein the upper includes: a base layer, a first skin layer partially covering the base layer, wherein the first skin layer has a first color, and wherein the first skin layer is at least partially transparent or translucent, a second skin layer partially covering the base layer and the first skin layer, wherein the second skin layer has a second color and is at least partially transparent or translucent, wherein at a first portion of the upper, the first skin layer directly contacts the base layer and is covered by the second skin layer such that a first color appearance at the first portion of the upper includes a blend of the first color and the second color, and wherein the upper further includes: (a) a second color appearance that differs from the first color appearance at a second portion of the upper where the first skin layer is present and the first and second skin layers do not overlap, and (b) a third color appearance that differs from the first color appearance and the second color appearance at a third portion of the upper where the second skin layer is present and the first and second skin layers do not overlap, a first eye stay reinforcement component located between the base layer and at least one of the first skin layer or the second skin layer, wherein the first eye stay reinforcement component includes a first opening extending through it for engaging a shoe lace, and wherein the first eye stay reinforcement component is located along a first side of an instep opening of the upper, and a second eye stay reinforcement component located between the base layer and at least one of the first skin layer or the second skin layer, wherein the second eye stay reinforcement component includes a second opening extending through it for engaging a shoe lace, and wherein the second eye stay reinforcement component is located along a second side of the instep opening of the upper. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the upper further includes a rear heel reinforcing element. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the upper further includes a toe reinforcing element. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the first skin layer includes a plurality of openings defined through it. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the first eye stay reinforcement component is located between the first skin layer and the second skin layer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein an exterior of the first skin layer is formed from a thermoset polyurethane material and an interior of the first skin layer is formed from a thermoplastic polyurethane hot melt bonding material. ### Claim 7 An article of footwear, comprising: a sole structure; an upper engaged with the sole structure, wherein the upper includes: (a) a base layer, (b) a first skin layer partially covering the base layer, wherein the first skin layer has a first color, and wherein the first skin layer is at least partially transparent or translucent, and (c) a second skin layer partially covering the base layer and the first skin layer, wherein the second skin layer has a second color and is at least partially transparent or translucent, wherein at a first portion of the upper, the first skin layer directly contacts the base layer and is covered by the second skin layer such that a first color appearance at the first portion of the upper includes a blend of the first color and the second color, wherein the upper further includes: (i) a second color appearance that differs from the first color appearance at a second portion of the upper where the first skin layer is present and the first and second skin layers do not overlap, and (ii) a third color appearance that differs from the first color appearance and the second color appearance at a third portion of the upper where the second skin layer is present and the first and second skin layers do not overlap; and an eye stay reinforcement component located between the first skin layer and the second skin layer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The article of footwear according to claim 7, wherein the first color differs from the second color. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The article of footwear according to claim 7, wherein the base layer includes a mesh layer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The article of footwear according to claim 7, wherein the base layer includes a support layer and a mesh layer at least partially overlaying the support layer, wherein the first skin layer directly contacts the mesh layer at the first portion of the upper and the second skin layer directly contacts the mesh layer at a second portion of the upper. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The article of footwear according to claim 7, wherein the base layer includes a thermoplastic polyurethane material or a synthetic leather material. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The article of footwear according to claim 7, wherein the first skin layer is fuse bonded to the base layer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The article of footwear according to claim 7, wherein the first and second skin layers are fuse bonded to the base layer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The article of footwear according to claim 7, wherein the first and second skin layers are fuse bonded to one another and to the base layer. ### Claim 15 An article of footwear, comprising: a sole structure; and an upper engaged with the sole structure, wherein the upper includes: (a) a base layer, (b) a first skin layer partially covering the base layer, wherein the first skin layer has a first color, wherein the first skin layer is at least partially transparent or translucent, and wherein an exterior of the first skin layer is formed from a thermoset polyurethane material and an interior of the first skin layer is formed from a thermoplastic polyurethane hot melt bonding material, and (c) a second skin layer partially covering the base layer and the first skin layer, wherein the second skin layer has a second color and is at least partially transparent or translucent, wherein at a first portion of the upper, the first skin layer directly contacts the base layer and is covered by the second skin layer such that a first color appearance at the first portion of the upper includes a blend of the first color and the second color, wherein the upper further includes: (i) a second color appearance that differs from the first color appearance at a second portion of the upper where the first skin layer is present and the first and second skin layers do not overlap, and (ii) a third color appearance that differs from the first color appearance and the second color appearance at a third portion of the upper where the second skin layer is present and the first and second skin layers do not overlap. ### Claim 16 An article of footwear, comprising: a sole structure; and an upper engaged with the sole structure, wherein the upper includes: (a) a base layer, (b) a first skin layer partially covering the base layer, wherein the first skin layer has a first color, wherein the first skin layer is at least partially transparent or translucent, and wherein an exterior of the first skin layer is formed from a first thermoplastic polyurethane material and an interior of the first skin layer is formed from a second thermoplastic polyurethane material having a lower melt temperature than the first thermoplastic polyurethane material, and (c) a second skin layer partially covering the base layer and the first skin layer, wherein the second skin layer has a second color and is at least partially transparent or translucent, wherein at a first portion of the upper, the first skin layer directly contacts the base layer and is covered by the second skin layer such that a first color appearance at the first portion of the upper includes a blend of the first color and the second color, wherein the upper further includes: (i) a second color appearance that differs from the first color appearance at a second portion of the upper where the first skin layer is present and the first and second skin layers do not overlap, and (ii) a third color appearance that differs from the first color appearance and the second color appearance at a third portion of the upper where the second skin layer is present and the first and second skin layers do not overlap. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The article of footwear according to claim 16, further comprising: a reinforcement component located between the base layer and at least one of the first skin layer or the second skin layer. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The article of footwear according to claim 17, wherein the reinforcement component is located along an instep opening to provide reinforcement for one or more lace eye stays. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The article of footwear according to claim 17, wherein the reinforcement component is located at a toe area of the upper or in a rear heel area of the upper.