# US 2018/0020776 A1 · Footwear with tactile-feedback members > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0020776 A1 - Document ID: US20180020776A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/215,789 - Filed: 2016-07-21 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-21 - Assignees: NIKE, Inc. - Applicants: NIKE, Inc. - Inventors: ELMAR ARIOLA; CORY B. McCULLAGH; TIM SITES - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180020776A1 ## CPC - A43B 23/0245: {characterised by the constructive form} - A43B 5/025: {characterised by an element which improves the contact between the ball and the footwear} - A43B 5/12: Dancing shoes - A43B 13/04: Plastics, rubber or vulcanised fibre - A43B 13/12: Soles with several layers of different materials - A43B 13/181: {Resiliency achieved by the structure of the sole} - A43B 13/187: {Resiliency achieved by the features of the material, e.g. foam, non liquid materials} - A43B 23/02: Uppers; Boot legs - A43B 23/0215: {Plastics or artificial leather} - A43B: CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF FOOTWEAR; PARTS OF FOOTWEAR ## Abstract An upper for an article of footwear comprises one or more tactile-feedback members. The tactile-feedback members include a first ridge and a second ridge formed in one or more textile elements of the upper. The first ridge and the second ridge protrude from an outward-facing surface of the textile elements and away from the inward-facing surface of the textile elements and extend toward a midfoot region of the upper from a rear-foot region. The first ridge and the second ridge further comprise an arch shape, and the first ridge is superior to the second ridge. The upper may further include other tactile-feedback members, including a finger pad on the heel side of the upper, the finger pad comprising a non-textile material, and a forefoot grip extending over at least a portion of the superior surface of the upper in the forefoot region. ## Claims ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The upper of claim 1, wherein the first ridge includes a first-ridge setoff, the first-ridge setoff being a distance between the outward-facing surface of the one or more textile elements and an outward-facing surface of a middle portion of the first ridge, and wherein the second ridge includes a second-ridge setoff, the second-ridge setoff being a distance between the outward-facing surface of the one or more textile elements and an outward-facing surface of a middle portion of the second ridge. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The upper of claim 2, wherein the first-ridge setoff is greater than the second-ridge setoff. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The upper of claim 2, wherein the first-ridge setoff is in a range of about 3.0 millimeters to 5.0 millimeters and the second-ridge setoff is in a range of about 2.0 millimeters to 4.0 millimeters. ### Claim 5 (canceled) ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The upper of claim 2, wherein the first-ridge first end includes a first-ridge first-end setoff that is less than the first-ridge setoff at the middle portion of the first ridge and wherein the second-ridge first end includes a second-ridge first-end setoff that is less than the second-ridge setoff at the middle portion of the second ridge. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The upper of claim 6, wherein the first-ridge set off at the middle portion of the first ridge gradually decreases to the first-ridge first-end setoff at the first-ridge first end and wherein the second-ridge set off at the middle portion of the second ridge gradually decreases to the second-ridge first-end setoff at the second-ridge first end. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The upper of claim 2, wherein the first-ridge second end includes a first-ridge second-end setoff that is less than the first-ridge setoff at the middle portion of the first ridge and wherein the second-ridge second end includes a second-ridge second-end setoff that is less than the second-ridge setoff at the middle portion of the second ridge. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The upper of claim 8, wherein the first-ridge set off at the middle portion of the first ridge gradually decreases to the first-ridge second-end setoff at the first-ridge second end and wherein the second-ridge setoff at the middle portion of the second ridge gradually decreases to the second-ridge second-end setoff at the second-ridge second end. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The upper of claim 1, wherein the first ridge and the second ridge are formed in the textile element by high frequency welding. ### Claim 11 (canceled) ### Claim 12 An article of footwear for providing tactile feedback, the article of footwear comprising: a sole structure having at least an outsole; and an upper secured to the sole structure, the upper comprising: one or more textile elements coupled together, the one or more textile elements including a lateral side, a medial side, a heel side, a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a rear-foot region, the one or more textile elements having an inward-facing surface and an outward-facing surface; one or more ridges, each of the one or more ridges protruding from the outward-facing surface and away from the inward-facing surface and extending the midfoot region from the rear-foot region; and a forefoot grip extending over at least a portion of a superior surface of the forefoot region, the forefoot grip comprising one or more layers of non-textile material, the forefoot grip having a curved protruding edge that is offset in a lateral direction from a central midline of the upper. ### Claim at position 12 13-16. (canceled) ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The article of footwear of claim 12, wherein the one or more layers of the forefoot grip comprises a base layer, an intermediate layer and a top layer, the base layer being underneath the intermediate layer and the intermediate layer being underneath the top layer, wherein a portion of the base layer is not covered by the intermediate layer and the top layer and wherein a portion of the intermediate layer is not covered by the top layer. ### Claim 18 An upper for an article of footwear, the upper comprising: one or more textile elements coupled together, the one or more textile elements including a lateral side, a medial side, a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a rear-foot region, the one or more textile elements having an inward-facing surface and an outward-facing surface; a first ridge on the lateral side, the first ridge protruding from the outward-facing surface and away from the inward-facing surface, the first ridge extending from a first-ridge first end in the midfoot region to a first-ridge second end in the rear-foot region and including a first-ridge first portion and a first-ridge second portion, the first-ridge first portion being positioned more superiorly than the first-ridge first portion; and a second ridge on the lateral side, the second ridge protruding from the outward-facing surface and away from the inward-facing surface, the second ridge extending from a second-ridge first end in the midfoot region to a second-ridge second end in the rear-foot region and including a second-ridge first portion and a second-ridge second portion, the second-ridge first portion being positioned more superiorly than the second-ridge second portion, wherein the first ridge and the second ridge do not extend into the forefoot region of the upper. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The upper of claim 18, wherein the first-ridge first portion and the first-ridge second portion form a first arch shape and wherein the second-ridge first portion and the second-ridge second portion form a second arch shape. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The upper of claim 18, wherein an outward-facing surface for each of the first ridge and the second ridge comprise a rounded curve that is convex with respect to the outward-facing surface of the one or more textile elements. ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) The article of footwear of claim 12, wherein the upper further comprises a finger pad on the heel side of the upper, the finger pad comprising a non-textile material, wherein the finger pad is at least partially positioned on an upper portion of the heel side of the upper. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The article of footwear of claim 21, wherein the non-textile material of the finger pad comprises a rubber material. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The article of footwear of claim 21, wherein the finger pad comprises an extension of the outsole from a lower portion of the heel side to an upper portion. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The article of footwear of claim 21, the finger pad comprises a rectangular shape.