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US 12,490,793 B2Granted
Apparel and other products incorporating a thermoplastic polymer material
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsBhupesh Dua, Carrie L. Davis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A yarn or thread may include a plurality of substantially aligned filaments, with at least ninety-five percent of a material of the filaments being a thermoplastic polymer material. Various woven textiles and knitted textiles may be formed from the yarn or thread. The woven textiles or knitted textiles may be thermal bonded to other elements to form seams. A strand that is at least partially formed from a thermoplastic polymer material may extend through the seam, and the strand may be thermal bonded at the seam. The woven textiles or knitted textiles may be shaped or molded, incorporated into products, and recycled to form other products.
Claims21
An article of footwear, comprising:
- an upper including a textile that defines at least a front area, a rear area, a top area, and a lateral area of the upper, wherein the textile is formed of a plurality of yarn knitted together to form the textile, the textile including:
- (i) a first fused region forming a heel counter at the rear area;
- and
- (ii) a second fused region forming a predefined indicia at the lateral area;
- (iii) a plurality of lace apertures positioned adjacent to the top area in a linear arrangement relative to one another, the plurality of lace apertures extending between an ankle opening of the upper and the front area;
- (iv) a third set of fused regions positioned around the plurality of lace apertures;
- and
- (v) a tongue filling a void in the upper at the top area;
- a sockliner disposed in the upper;
- a midsole including a foam and a chamber formed in the foam, wherein the foam is thermally bonded to the upper and excludes any adhesives between the upper and the midsole;
- an outsole coupled to the midsole on an opposite side of the midsole relative to the upper, the outsole comprises a lower surface that is textured;
- and
- a lace coupled to the upper and received through the plurality of lace apertures;
- wherein at least a portion of the textile positioned between the top area and the lateral area of the upper extends laterally outwards to form a seam that includes a longitudinal length extending parallel to the linear arrangement of the plurality of lace apertures such that the seam is positioned between and separates the plurality of lace apertures positioned adjacent to the top area from the lateral area positioned relatively below the seam, wherein at least a portion of the top area positioned adjacent to the seam is raised laterally outwards relative to the lateral area based on the seam extending laterally outwards;
- wherein each of the textile of the upper, the foam of the midsole, the sockliner, the outsole, and the lace is formed of a thermoplastic polymer material such that substantially all of the article of footwear is formed of the thermoplastic polymer material, wherein the thermoplastic polymer material comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane, and at least a portion of the article of footwear is formed from thermoplastic polyurethane that was extracted or recycled from another article of footwear;
- and
- wherein the textile has a smaller thickness at the first fused region, the second fused region, and the third fused region relative to remaining regions of the upper, and the plurality of yarn positioned at the first fused region, the second fused region, and the third fused region are fused together to form non-filamentous portions along the upper.
14 more elements
An article of footwear, comprising:
- an upper including a textile defined by a plurality of filaments spun together to form yarn, and the yarn is knitted to form the textile, wherein the textile forms an ankle opening, and the plurality of filaments are formed of a thermoplastic polymer material;
- a first set of fused regions formed on the textile and positioned along a rear area of the upper, the first set of fused regions forms a heel counter at the rear area that is configured to resist movement of the upper at the rear area;
- and
- a second set of fused regions formed on the textile and positioned along a side area of the upper, the second set of fused regions comprises a shape that is configured to display a name or a logo at the side area;
- an edge formed from at least a portion of the textile that protrudes radially outwards between a top area of the upper and the side area of the upper, such that the edge is positioned between and separates the top area from the side area, the edge has a longitudinal length that extends from the ankle opening towards a front area of the upper, and a portion of the top area positioned adjacent to the longitudinal length of the edge is raised laterally relative to the side area based on the edge protruding radially outwards;
- a midsole including a compressible foam formed of the thermoplastic polymer material, wherein the midsole is thermally bonded to the upper without any adhesive positioned between the midsole and the upper;
- and
- an outsole coupled to the midsole on an opposing side from the upper, the outsole is formed of the thermoplastic polymer material;
- wherein the thermoplastic polymer material includes a thermoplastic polyurethane such that a majority of the article of footwear by weight is formed of the thermoplastic polyurethane.
6 more elements
An article of footwear, comprising:
- an upper defined by a textile that is formed of a plurality of filaments spun together to generate yarn, and the yarn is knitted together to form the textile, wherein the plurality of filaments is formed of a first thermoplastic polymer material, wherein the textile includes a first set of fused regions positioned at a rear of the upper, a second set of fused regions positioned at a side of the upper, and wherein at least a portion of the textile comprises an edge that protrudes radially outwards from the textile, the edge includes a longitudinal length that extends parallel to a top of the upper, the edge is positioned at a location along the upper between the top and the side of the upper, such that the top and the side of the upper are separated from one another along the upper by the edge disposed therebetween and at least a portion of the top positioned adjacent to the longitudinal length of the edge is raised laterally relative to the side based on the edge protruding radially outwards from the textile, wherein the edge comprises the first thermoplastic polymer material;
- a midsole defined by a compressible foam that is formed of a second thermoplastic polymer material, the midsole is coupled to the upper without an adhesive positioned between the midsole and the upper;
- an outsole coupled to the midsole opposite from the upper, wherein the outsole is formed of a third thermoplastic polymer material;
- and
- a lace formed of a fourth thermoplastic polymer material, wherein the lace is coupled to the upper and extends at least partially through the textile;
- wherein the first thermoplastic polymer material, the second thermoplastic polymer material, the third thermoplastic polymer material, and the fourth thermoplastic polymer material comprises a single material, and a percentage of a combined mass of the upper, the midsole, the outsole, and the lace that are formed of the single material equals at least ninety percent.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.