# US 2014/0150296 A1 · Article Of Footwear Incorporating A Knitted Component With A Tongue

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- Number: US 2014/0150296 A1
- Document ID: US20140150296A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/091,367
- Filed: 2013-11-27
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2012-02-20
- Assignees: NIKE, Inc.
- Applicants: Nike, Inc.
- Inventors: Bhupesh Dua; Benjamin A. Shaffer; Bruce Huffa
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140150296A1

## CPC

- D04B 1/24: wearing apparel
- A43B 1/04: braided, knotted, knitted or crocheted
- A43B 23/0205: {characterised by the material (material of the lining A43B23/07, material of toe stiffeners or heel stiffeners A43B23/08)}
- A43B 23/0245: {characterised by the constructive form}
- A43B 23/0265: {having different properties in different directions}
- A43B 23/26: Tongues for shoes
- A43C 5/00: Eyelets (machines for setting eyelets A43D100/00)
- D04B 1/102: {with stitch pattern (D04B1/06, D04B1/08 take precedence)}
- D04B 1/104: {Openwork fabric, e.g. pelerine fabrics}
- D04B 1/12: characterised by thread material
- D04B 1/123: {with laid-in unlooped yarn, e.g. fleece fabrics (with elastic weft yarn D04B1/18)}
- D04B 1/126: {with colour pattern, e.g. intarsia fabrics}
- D04B 1/22: specially adapted for knitting goods of particular configuration
- D04B 7/24: for producing patterned fabrics
- D04B 7/28: with stitch patterns
- D04B 15/56: for flat-bed knitting machines
- D04B 37/02: with weft knitting machines
- D04B 19/00: Unravelling knitted fabrics
- D10B 2401/041: thermoplastic; thermosetting
- D10B 2403/0113: One surface including hollow piping or integrated straps, e.g. for inserts or mountings
- D10B 2403/0114: with one or more yarns appearing predominantly on one face, e.g. plated or paralleled yarns (for pile fabrics D03D27/00, D04B1/02, D04B21/02; for intarsia fabrics D04B1/126)
- D10B 2403/02: Cross-sectional features (for three-dimensional features D10B2403/033)
- D10B 2403/023: Fabric with at least two, predominantly unlinked, knitted or woven plies interlaced with each other at spaced locations or linked to a common internal co-extensive yarn system
- D10B 2403/0241: enhancing mechanical properties
- D10B 2403/032: Flat fabric of variable width, e.g. including one or more fashioned panels
- D10B 2501/043: Footwear
- D04B: KNITTING
- A43B: CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
- A43C: FASTENINGS OR ATTACHMENTS OF FOOTWEAR; LACES IN GENERAL
- D10B: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBLASSES OF SECTION D, RELATING TO TEXTILES

## Abstract

Articles of footwear may have an upper that includes a knit element and a tongue. The knit element defines a portion of an exterior surface and an opposite interior surface of the upper, with the interior surface defining a void for receiving a foot. The tongue is formed of unitary knit construction with the knit element and extends through a throat area of the upper.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the upper comprising:
a knit element defining a portion of at least one of an exterior surface of the upper and an opposite interior surface of the upper, the interior surface defining a void for receiving a foot; and
a tongue formed of unitary knit construction with the knit element such that the tongue and the knit element comprise a one piece element, and wherein the tongue extends through a throat area of the upper;
the tongue comprising:
peripheral areas disposed along each of a lateral edge and a medial edge of the tongue, the lateral edge and the medial edge of the tongue being unsecured to the knit element along a medial side and a lateral side of the throat area of the upper; and
at least two areas having knit apertures disposed adjacent to the peripheral areas and spaced apart from the lateral edge and medial edge of the tongue; and
wherein the tongue is secured to the knit element in a forward portion of the throat area such that the tongue is joined along at least one common course with the knit element to form the one-piece element.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the peripheral areas have an untextured configuration.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The article of footwear recited in claim 2, wherein the untextured configuration includes at least one of: (1) a tubular knit structure, and (2) a tubular and interlock knit structure.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the peripheral areas of the tongue include at least one stretch yarn.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the at least two areas having knit apertures include at least one of: (1) a 1×1 mesh knit zone, (2) a 2×2 mesh knit zone, and (3) a 3×2 mesh knit zone.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The article of footwear recited in claim 1, wherein the tongue further comprises a central area having a padded configuration, the central area including:
a first knitted layer and a second knitted layer, the first knitted layer and the second knitted layer overlapping and at least partially co-extensive so as to form a tubular structure; and
a plurality of floating yarns disposed between the first knitted layer and the second knitted layer within the tubular structure, the plurality of floating yarns being configured to provide the padded configuration to the central area.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The article of footwear recited in claim 6, wherein the at least two areas having knit apertures include a first knit aperture area and a second knit aperture area; and
wherein the central area is disposed between and separates the first knit aperture area and the second knit aperture area.

### Claim 8

An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the upper comprising:
a knit element defining a portion of at least one of an exterior surface of the upper and an opposite interior surface of the upper, the interior surface defining a void for receiving a foot; and
a tongue formed of unitary knit construction with the knit element such that the tongue and the knit element comprise a one piece element, and wherein the tongue extends through a throat area of the upper;
wherein a central area of the tongue includes a first knitted layer, a second knitted layer, and a plurality of free yarn sections, the first knitted layer and the second knitted layer being overlapping and at least partially coextensive through the central area so as to form a tubular structure, and the plurality of free yarn sections being located between the first knitted layer and the second knitted layer within the tubular structure; and
wherein the tongue is secured to the knit element in a forward portion of the throat area such that the tongue is joined along at least one common course with the knit element to form the one-piece element.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The article of footwear recited in claim 8, wherein the plurality of free yarn sections are parallel to surfaces of the first knitted layer and the second knitted layer within an interior of the tubular structure.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The article of footwear recited in claim 8, wherein edges of the first knitted layer are secured to edges of the second knitted layer along opposite sides of the central area to define the tubular structure.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The article of footwear recited in claim 10, wherein the first knitted layer and the second knitted layer are unsecured to each other through the central area of the tongue to form an interior volume within the tubular structure.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The article of footwear recited in claim 11, wherein the plurality of free yarn sections are configured to fill the interior volume within the tubular structure.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The article of footwear recited in claim 8, wherein at least one of the first knitted layer and the second knitted layer includes a stretch yarn.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The article of footwear recited in claim 8, wherein the tongue further comprises peripheral areas disposed along each of a lateral edge and a medial edge of the tongue, the lateral edge and the medial edge of the tongue being unsecured to the knit element along a medial side and a lateral side of the throat area of the upper.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The article of footwear recited in claim 14, wherein the tongue further comprises at least two areas having knit apertures disposed between the central area and the peripheral areas and spaced apart from the lateral edge and medial edge of the tongue.

### Claim 16

An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the upper comprising:
a knit element defining a portion of at least one of an exterior surface of the upper and an opposite interior surface of the upper, the interior surface defining a void for receiving a foot, the knit element having opposite inner edges on a medial side and a lateral side that are spaced apart from each other to define a throat area extending along a longitudinal direction of the upper; and
a tongue formed of unitary knit construction with the knit element such that the tongue and the knit element comprise a one piece element, and wherein the tongue extends through the throat area of the upper;
wherein the tongue comprises a lateral edge and a medial edge, the lateral edge and the medial edge of the tongue being secured to the knit element at a location that is spaced outward from each of the inner edges along the medial side and the lateral side of the throat area of the upper; and
wherein the tongue is secured to the knit element in a forward portion of the throat area such that the tongue is joined along at least one common course with the knit element to form the one-piece element.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The article of footwear recited in claim 16, wherein at least a portion of the tongue includes a plurality of knit apertures.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The article of footwear recited in claim 16, wherein the knit element includes at least one course that is substantially continuous with at least one course of the tongue at the forward portion of the throat area of the upper; and
wherein courses associated with the knit element and courses associated with the tongue are secured to each other at the location that is spaced outward from each of the inner edges along the medial side and the lateral side of the throat area of the upper.

### Claim 19 (depends on 16)

The article of footwear recited in claim 16, wherein the knit element comprises at least a first knitted layer and the tongue comprises at least a second knitted layer; and
wherein the first knitted layer and the second knitted layer are overlapping and at least partially co-extensive: (a) from the inner edge along the medial side of the throat area of the upper to the medial edge of the tongue, and (b) from the inner edge along the lateral side of the throat area of the upper to the lateral edge of the tongue.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The article of footwear recited in claim 16,
wherein the tongue further comprises a central area having a padded configuration, the central area including:
a first knitted layer and a second knitted layer, the first knitted layer and the second knitted layer overlapping and at least partially co-extensive so as to form a tubular structure; and
a plurality of floating yarns disposed between the first knitted layer and the second knitted layer within the tubular structure, the plurality of floating yarns being configured to provide the padded configuration to the central area.