US 12,582,191 B2Granted

Article of footwear incorporating a knitted component

AssigneeNIKE, Inc.

InventorsDenis Dekovic, John Droege, Windra Fahmi, Jeongwoo Lee, Daniel A. Podhajny, Karl Seamarks, Doug D. Wilken

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Abstract

An article of footwear with an upper having a knitted component in an instep region extending between a lateral side and a medial side. First lace apertures and second lace apertures are disposed along the instep area on the medial and lateral sides at first and second locations. A lace extends through an first lace aperture of the plurality of first lace apertures, from an exterior surface on the medial side of the upper, along an interior surface of the upper, and then exits the upper through a second lace aperture of the plurality of second lace apertures on the medial side. After exiting the second lace aperture, the lace extends across the instep area along the exterior surface of the upper and extends through a third lace aperture of the plurality of first lace apertures on the lateral side.

Claims46

Dependent claims

An article of footwear, comprising:

an upper comprising a forefoot region, a midfoot region, a heel region, a medial side, a lateral side, and an instep area extending between the lateral side and the medial side, the upper comprising a knitted component incorporated into at least the instep area;
a plurality of lateral-side lace apertures disposed along the lateral side of the upper and extending through the knitted component;
a plurality of medial-side lace apertures disposed along the medial side of the upper and extending through the knitted component;
a lace that enters a first medial-side lace aperture of the plurality of medial-side lace apertures, extends along an interior surface of the upper, and then exits through a second medial-side lace aperture of the plurality of medial-side lace apertures, wherein after exiting the upper through the second medial-side lace aperture, the lace extends across the instep area along an exterior surface of the upper and enters through a first lateral-side lace aperture of the plurality of lateral-side lace apertures, extends along the interior surface of the upper, and then exits the upper through a second lateral-side lace aperture of the plurality of lateral-side lace apertures on the lateral side of the upper,
wherein the knitted component integrally extends across the instep area from the plurality of lateral-side lace apertures to the plurality of medial-side lace apertures;
and
a sole structure secured to the upper.

4 more elements

An article of footwear, comprising:

an upper, comprising:
a first side;
a second side;
an exterior surface;
an interior surface;
an instep area extending between the first side and the second side;
a knitted component incorporated into at least the instep area;
a plurality of first-side lace apertures disposed along the first side of the upper and extending through each of the exterior surface and the interior surface of the upper;
a plurality of second-side lace apertures disposed along the second side of the upper and extending through each of the exterior surface and the interior surface of the upper;
a lace that enters a first first-side lace aperture of the plurality of first-side lace apertures, extends along the interior surface of the upper, and then exits through a second first-side lace aperture of the plurality of first-side lace apertures on the first side of the upper, wherein after exiting the upper through the second first-side lace aperture, the lace continuously extends across the instep area along the exterior surface of the upper and enters through a first second-side lace aperture of the plurality of second-side lace apertures, extends along the interior surface of the upper, and then exits the upper through a second second-side lace aperture of the plurality of second-side lace apertures on the second side of the upper;
and
a sole structure secured to the upper.

9 more elements

An article of footwear, comprising:

an upper, comprising:
a first side;
a second side;
an exterior layer;
an interior layer;
an instep area extending between the first side and the second side;
a knitted component incorporated into at least the instep area;
a plurality of first-side lace apertures disposed along the first side of the upper and extending through each of the exterior layer and the interior layer of the upper;
a plurality of second-side lace apertures disposed along the second side of the upper and extending through each of the exterior layer and the interior layer of the upper;
a lace that enters a first first-side lace aperture of the plurality of first-side lace apertures, extends along an interior surface of the upper, and then exits through a second first-side lace aperture of the plurality of first-side lace apertures on the first side of the upper, wherein after exiting the upper through the second first-side lace aperture, the lace extends across the instep area along an exterior surface of the upper and enters through a first second-side lace aperture of the plurality of second-side lace apertures, extends along the interior surface of the upper, and then exits the upper through a second second-side lace aperture of the plurality of second-side lace apertures on the second side of the upper,
wherein a surface through which the plurality of first-side lace apertures extend is continuous laterally across the instep area with a surface through which the plurality of second-side lace apertures extend;
and
a sole structure secured to the upper.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/628,293Filed 5 Apr 2024 · continuation
Priority: 29 Aug 2013
Published: US 2024/0268506 A115 Aug 2024
Granted: 24 Mar 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification27 codes

A43B 1/04
Made of fibres or fabrics made therefrom: braided, knotted, knitted or crocheted
A43B 5/02
Footwear for sporting purposes: football boots or shoes, i.e. for soccer, football or rugby
A43B 7/20
Joint supports, e.g. instep supports: ankle-joint supports or holders
A43B 23/02
Uppers; Boot legs; Stiffeners; Other single parts of footwear: uppers; Boot legs

Family

Application14/013,446Parent of this continuation · filed 29 Aug 2013
Application15/961,174Parent of this continuation · filed 24 Apr 2018
Application16/907,494Parent of this continuation · filed 22 Jun 2020
US 10,918,155 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 16 Feb 2021
Application17/738,681Parent of this continuation · filed 6 May 2022
US 11,707,105 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 25 Jul 2023
US 2024/0268506 A1Pre-grant publication · published 15 Aug 2024
US 12,622,481 B2Related patent
US 2015/0059209 A1Published application
US 2018/0235307 A1Published application
US 2020/0315284 A1Published application
US 2022/0256963 A1Published application
US 12,582,191 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.