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US 11,717,054 B2Granted
Footwear including textile element
AssigneeUnder Armour, Inc.
InventorsJason Berns, Julian Ellis, Tom Luedecke, Thomas White
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An article of footwear includes a sole and an upper at least partially formed of a textile element. The textile element includes a yarn matrix having a plurality of interlocked strands oriented in predetermined directions. A structural element may be captured within the matrix at selected locations. In operation, the matrix is stitched onto a temporary substrate. The substrate is removed and the article coupled to a sole structure to form the article of footwear.
Claims13
A method of forming an article of footwear, the method comprising:
- forming an upper having a lateral portion, a medial portion and a vamp, the upper formed by:
- securing a temporary substrate to a support,
- connecting a first crossing yarn to the temporary substrate by positioning a first strand along a first side of the temporary substrate, positioning a second strand along a second side of the temporary substrate and piercing the temporary substrate to interlock the first strand with the second strand at selected locations along a length of the first crossing yarn,
- connecting a second crossing yarn to the temporary substrate by positioning a first strand along the first side of the temporary substrate, positioning a second strand along the second side of the temporary substrate and piercing the temporary substrate to interlock the first strand with the second strand at selected locations along a length of the second crossing yarn, wherein the first crossing yarn, the second crossing yarn, or both the first and second crossing yarns include a fusible strand that softens when exposed to heat of a predetermined temperature and hardens upon cooling,
- removing the temporary substrate to form a self-supporting textile including the lateral upper portion, medial upper portion and the vamp, and
- applying heat to the upper to soften the fusible strand;
- and
- coupling the upper to a sole structure to form the article of footwear;
- wherein:
- each interlocked first stand and second strand defines a stitch,
- the first crossing yarn includes a first stitch adjacent a second stitch, and
- a distance between the first stitch and the second stitch is less than five mm.
9 more elements
A method of forming an article of footwear, the method comprising:
- forming an embroidered upper component including a lace eyelet by embroidering a plurality of yarn layers onto a dissolvable substrate, wherein each layer of the plurality of layers comprises a plurality of crossing yarns, each crossing yarn of the plurality of crossing yarns including a first strand and a second strand interlocked via a plurality of stitches at selected locations along a length of the crossing yarn, wherein the first stand and the second strand of plurality of crossing yarns comprises fusible strands and nonfusible strands, the fusible strands softening at a predetermined temperature;
- positioning a structural element within the layers of crossing yarns, wherein the structural element comprises a strand having a tensile strength of at least 1000 MPa;
- dissolving the substrate;
- after dissolution, applying heat to the crossing yarns effective to soften the fusible strands;
- discontinuing heat to permit the softened strands to harden, thereby fusing crossing yarns;
- incorporating the embroidered upper component into an article of footwear;
- and
- encapsulating the structural element within a channel by embroidering a plurality of channel strands in side-by-side relation, each channel strand including secured ends positioned along lateral sides of the element and further being unsecured between the secured ends.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.