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US 2022/0248808 A1Published application
Article with Directional Tensioning
AssigneeUnder Armour, Inc.
InventorTom Luedecke
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An article of footwear with an upper including a ribbon structure is disclosed. The ribbon structure comprises ribbon sections running in at least two different directions. Ribbon sections are connected at nodes that may move substantially independently of other nodes. The ribbon structure can provide strength along one of the directions and may simultaneously remain slack in the other direction.
Claims17
An article of footwear comprising:
- a sole structure;
- and
- an upper coupled to the sole structure, the upper defining a sole edge facing the sole structure, wherein the upper comprises:
- a backing layer;
- a border element extending along the sole edge of the upper, the border element comprising a plurality of threads stitched to the backing layer, each thread of the plurality of threads having a one-dimensional appearance;
- and
- a ribbon structure extending through at least 50% of the upper, the ribbon structure comprising:
- a first ribbon layer including a first flexible ribbon having a width that is greater than its thickness to give the first flexible ribbon a two-dimensional appearance;
- a second ribbon layer including a second flexible ribbon having a width that is greater than its thickness to give the second flexible ribbon a two-dimensional appearance;
- wherein the first flexible ribbon crosses the second flexible ribbon at a first crossing location and a second crossing location;
- and
- wherein the first flexible ribbon is stitched to the second flexible ribbon at the first crossing location to form a first node, and wherein the first flexible ribbon is stitched to the second flexible ribbon at the second crossing location to form a second node.
9 more elements
A method of forming an article of footwear, the method comprising:
- forming an upper by:
- obtaining a backing layer;
- forming a border element by stitching a plurality of threads to the backing layer to form an interlocking matrix of threads, wherein each thread of the plurality of threads possesses a one-dimensional appearance;
- laying down a first ribbon layer, the first ribbon layer comprising a first flexible ribbon having a width that is greater than its thickness to give the first flexible ribbon a two-dimensional appearance;
- laying down a second ribbon layer, the second ribbon layer comprising a second flexible ribbon having a width that is greater than its thickness to give the second flexible ribbon a two-dimensional appearance;
- positioning the second ribbon layer such that the first flexible ribbon of the first ribbon layer overlaps the second flexible ribbon of the second ribbon layer at a node;
- and
- coupling the upper to a sole structure.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.