Article of footwear incorporating a knitted component
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsBhupesh Dua, Benjamin A. Shaffer, Bruce Huffa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An article of footwear may include an upper incorporating a knitted component. An inlaid strand extends through the knitted component. A combination feeder may be utilized to inlay the strand within the knitted component. As an example, the combination feeder may include a feeder arm that reciprocates between a retracted position and an extended position. In manufacturing the knitted component, the feeder inlays the strand when the feeder arm is in the extended position, and the strand is absent from the knitted component when the feeder arm is in the retracted position.
Claims20
An upper for an article of footwear, the upper comprising:
- a knitted component comprising a knit element and an inlaid strand, wherein the inlaid strand is inlaid within, and extends through, at least one course of the knit element,
- wherein the knit element comprises a first perimeter edge and a second perimeter edge, wherein the knit element defines a lace aperture proximate the second perimeter edge and a portion of at least one of an exterior surface of the upper and an interior surface of the upper, and
- wherein a first portion of the inlaid strand extends continuously from the first perimeter edge of the knit element toward the second perimeter edge of the knit element, around the lace aperture while remaining between the exterior surface and the interior surface of the upper proximate the second perimeter edge, and back to the first perimeter edge of the knit element, the lace aperture being structured to receive a lace as the inlaid strand extends around the lace aperture.
An upper for an article of footwear, the upper comprising:
- a knitted component comprising a knit element and an inlaid strand, wherein the inlaid strand is inlaid within, and extends through, at least one course of the knit element,
- wherein the knit element defines a portion of at least one of an exterior surface of the upper and an interior surface of the upper,
- wherein a first portion of the inlaid strand extends from a first perimeter edge of the upper, around a first lace aperture of the knit element while remaining between the exterior surface and the interior surface of the upper proximate a second perimeter edge of the upper, and back to the first perimeter edge of the upper, the first lace aperture being structured to receive a lace as the inlaid strand extends around the first lace aperture, and
- wherein a second portion of the inlaid strand, continuous with the first portion, extends from the first perimeter edge of the upper and turns in an area adjacent, and between, the first lace aperture and a second lace aperture proximate the second perimeter edge of the upper while remaining between the exterior surface and the interior surface, and extends back to the first perimeter edge of the upper, without extending around a lace aperture.
An article of footwear, comprising:
- an upper, comprising:
- an inner perimeter edge;
- an outer perimeter edge;
- an interior surface;
- an exterior surface;
- and
- a knit element forming at least part of the upper, the knit element comprising:
- a lace aperture proximate the inner perimeter edge;
- and
- a strand inlaid into the knit element, wherein the strand extends from the outer perimeter, around the lace aperture, and back toward the outer perimeter while remaining within the knit element between the interior surface and the exterior surface;
- and
- a sole structure attached to the upper.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.