# US 2014/0196310 A1 · Spacer Textile Material With Tensile Strands In Non-Linear Arrangements

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- Number: US 2014/0196310 A1
- Document ID: US20140196310A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/741,433
- Filed: 2013-01-15
- Published: 2014-07-17
- Earliest claimed: 2013-01-15
- Assignees: NIKE, Inc.
- Applicants: Nike, Inc.
- Inventors: Douglas A. Beye; Lysandre Follet
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140196310A1

## CPC

- A43B 23/026: {Laminated layers}
- A43B 23/0205: {characterised by the material (material of the lining A43B23/07, material of toe stiffeners or heel stiffeners A43B23/08)}
- A43B 23/0215: {Plastics or artificial leather}
- A43B 23/0225: {Composite materials, e.g. material with a matrix}
- A43B 23/0235: {Different layers of different material}
- A43B 23/024: {Different layers of the same material}
- A43C 1/00: Shoe lacing fastenings (garment fastening devices A41F)
- A43C 1/04: with rings or loops
- B32B 5/22: characterised by the presence of two or more layers which {are next to each other and are fibrous, filamentary, formed of particles or foamed (layer formed of natural mineral fibres or particles next to a foam layer B32B19/047, next to a layer made of particles B32B19/048, or next to a fibrous or filamentary layer B32B19/06; paper layer or cardboard layer next to a paper layer or cardboard layer B32B29/005, next to a foam layer B32B29/007, next to a fibrous or filamentary layer B32B29/02, or next to a particulate layer B32B29/04)}
- D04B 1/22: specially adapted for knitting goods of particular configuration
- D04B 21/20: specially adapted for knitting articles of particular configuration
- D10B 2403/021: Lofty fabric with equidistantly spaced front and back plies, e.g. spacer fabrics
- D10B 2403/0241: enhancing mechanical properties
- D10B 2501/043: Footwear
- Y10T 428/24628: Nonplanar uniform thickness material
- A43B: CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR
- A43C: FASTENINGS OR ATTACHMENTS OF FOOTWEAR; LACES IN GENERAL
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- D04B: KNITTING
- D10B: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBLASSES OF SECTION D, RELATING TO TEXTILES
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A spacer textile material has at least a portion of a tensile strand located between a first layer and a second layer of the spacer textile material where the first layer and second layer have been joined together to form channels in which the tensile strand moves freely. The tensile strand travels through the spacer textile material in a non-linear direction. Further, the channels may be formed in the spacer textile material in non-linear directions. The spacer textile material with a tensile strand may be incorporated into an article of footwear.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A spacer textile material comprising:
a first layer;
a second layer;
a plurality of connecting members extending between and joining the first layer and the second layer;
a tensile strand,
wherein a first portion of the tensile strand and a second portion of the tensile strand are disposed between the first layer and second layer,
a first channel and a second channel bounded by portions of the first layer and the second layer that are in direct contact;
wherein the first portion of the tensile strand is disposed within the first channel and wherein the second portion of the tensile strand is disposed within the second channel; and
wherein the first channel and the second channel are arranged in a non-linear pattern.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The spacer textile material according to claim 1, wherein the spacer textile material comprises three or more channels.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The spacer textile material according to claim 1, wherein the first channel forms a first angle with an edge of the spacer textile material.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The spacer textile material according to claim 3, wherein the second channel forms a second angle with the edge of the spacer textile material and wherein the second angle is substantially different than the first angle.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The spacer textile material according to claim 4, wherein one of the first angle and the second angle is a right angle.

### Claim 6

A spacer textile material comprising:
a first layer;
a second layer;
a plurality of connecting members extending between and joining the first layer and the second layer;
a tensile strand;
wherein the first layer is joined to the second layer to define a plurality of channels arranged in a non-linear pattern; and
wherein the tensile strand extends through the plurality of channels.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The spacer textile material according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of channels includes a first channel that is oriented at a first angle relative to an edge of the spacer textile material and wherein the plurality of channels includes a second channel that is oriented at a second angle relative to the edge of the spacer textile material and wherein the first angle and the second angle are substantially different.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The spacer textile material according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of channels includes a third channel that is oriented at a third angle relative to the edge of the spacer textile material.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The spacer textile material according to claim 8, wherein the second angle and the third angle are substantially different.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The spacer textile material according to claim 9, wherein none of the first angle, the second angle and the third angle are substantially the same.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The spacer textile material according to claim 9, wherein no adjacent channels are parallel to each other.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The spacer textile material according to claim 8, wherein the tensile strand extends through the first channel, the second channel and the third channel.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The spacer textile material according to claim 8, wherein the tensile strand is a first tensile strand and wherein the first tensile strand extends through the first channel and the second channel and wherein a second tensile strand extends through the third channel.

### Claim 14

An article of footwear comprising:
an upper and a sole structure,
wherein at least a portion of the upper comprises:
a first layer;
a second layer;
a plurality of connecting members extending between and joining the first layer and the second layer;
a tensile strand,
wherein the first layer is joined to the second layer along a plurality of welds and wherein the plurality of welds define a plurality of channels arranged in a non-linear pattern; and
wherein the tensile strand is disposed within the plurality of channels.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The article of footwear according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of welds define a first channel and a second channel.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The article of footwear according to claim 15, wherein the first channel is positioned at first angle relative to the sole structure and the second channel is positioned at a second angle relative to the sole structure, and wherein the first angle is substantially different than the second angle.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The article of footwear according to claim 16, wherein:
a first portion of the tensile strand is disposed in the first channel and a third portion of the tensile strand is disposed in the second channel;
wherein a second portion of the tensile is disposed between the first portion and the second portion;
wherein the second portion extends from a first opening on the outer face of the first layer and a second opening on the outer face of the first layer; and
wherein the first opening is associated with the first channel and the second opening is associated with the second channel.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The article of footwear according to claim 17, wherein the second portion of the tensile strand forms a loop disposed outside of the spacer textile material above the outer face of the first layer.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The article of footwear according to claim 18, wherein a lace of the upper is inserted through the loop formed by the second portion such that tensioning the lace tensions the tensile strand.

### Claim 20 (depends on 14)

The article of footwear according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of channels are disposed on a side of the upper.