CN113163901A

CN113163901A - Article of footwear with comfortable and protective toe cap

Info

Publication number: CN113163901A
Application number: CN201980080956.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 马克·J·史密斯; 亚当·R·韦利弗
Original assignee: Nike Inc
Current assignee: Nike Inc
Priority date: 2018-12-07
Filing date: 2019-11-08
Publication date: 2021-07-23
Anticipated expiration: 2039-11-08
Also published as: EP3890547B1; US20200178647A1; CN113163901B; WO2020117425A1; EP3890547A1

Abstract

An article of footwear includes an upper having a toe box and a forefoot portion adjacent the toe box. The forefoot portion has a first zone having a first stiffness. The article of footwear also includes a transition zone including an elastic transition layer disposed on and partially covering the first zone. The transition zone has a second stiffness greater than the first stiffness. The article of footwear also includes a toe box disposed over and partially covering the elastic transition layer at the toe box.

Description

Article of footwear with comfortable and protective toe cap

Cross Reference to Related Applications

This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. provisional patent application No. 62/776,542, filed on 7.12.2018, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to an article of footwear including a toe cap (toe cap).

Background

Articles of footwear are generally configured to protect the foot from contact with a running surface and/or objects, and often include two primary elements: an upper and a sole structure. The upper may be formed from several material elements that are stitched or adhesively bonded together, such as textiles (textile), polymer sheets, foam layers, leather, synthetic leather, and the like. The upper may form a structure that extends over and protects the instep and toe areas of the foot, the medial and lateral sides of the foot, and the heel area of the foot.

The sole structure is generally attached to a lower portion of the upper and is positioned between the foot and the running surface. In many articles of footwear, including athletic footwear, the sole structure may be a layered construction that generally incorporates a comfort-enhancing insole, an impact-attenuating midsole, and a surface-contacting outsole.

Brief Description of Drawings

The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only, are schematic in nature and are intended to be exemplary and not limiting of the scope of the present disclosure.

Fig. 1 is a schematic illustration of a perspective view of a lateral side of an article of footwear including an upper having a toe box and a forefoot portion adjacent the toe box.

Fig. 2 is a schematic illustration of a perspective view of the forefoot portion and the top side of the toe cap of fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a schematic illustration of a perspective view of a medial side of the article of footwear of fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a schematic illustration of a perspective view of a rear portion of a heel portion of the article of footwear of fig. 1-3.

Fig. 5 is a schematic illustration of a perspective view of a portion of an ankle collar (ankle Collar) at least partially connected to the heel portion of fig. 4.

Description of the invention

The present disclosure relates generally to an article of footwear including a toe box configured to comfortably protect a toe region of a foot. The article of footwear includes an upper having a forefoot portion adjacent a toe box, and a toe box is disposed on an exterior of the article of footwear at the toe box. The toe cap is formed of a stiff, non-metallic material. The article of footwear also includes a transition zone including an elastic transition layer disposed between the upper and the toe box. The elastic transition layer is located below the edge or border of the forefoot and thus ensures a comfortable transition from the forefoot to the forefoot portion.

The article of footwear may also include a strap (tape) adhered to a bite line at an interface of the upper and the sole structure. The band may be reflective and/or waterproof, and thus may enhance visibility of the article of footwear and mitigate transmission of moisture through the bite line.

In addition, the article of footwear includes a heel portion and an ankle collar that together define a seam channel. The entire ankle collar is spaced apart from the heel portion on the lateral side by a seam channel; a first portion of the ankle collar is spaced apart from the heel portion on the medial side by a seam channel; and a second portion of the ankle is connected to the heel portion on the medial side. In this way, the particular configuration of the heel portion, seam channel, and ankle collar provides excellent ankle support for the user while allowing smooth, flexible movement of the ankle.

In an example, an article of footwear may include an upper having a toe cap and a forefoot portion adjacent the toe cap. The forefoot portion may have a first zone having a first stiffness. The article of footwear may also include a transition zone including an elastic transition layer disposed on and partially covering the first zone. The transition zone may have a second stiffness greater than the first stiffness. In addition, the article of footwear may include a toe box disposed over and partially covering the elastic transition layer at the toe box.

In an aspect, the front toe cap may have a third stiffness that is greater than the second stiffness.

In a further aspect, the resilient transition layer may partially cover the first region and partially underlie the toe cap.

In one or more configurations, the upper may have a heel portion spaced apart from the toe cap such that the forefoot portion is disposed between the heel portion and the toe cap. Further, the toe box may have an arcuate edge facing the heel portion, the arcuate edge not contacting the first region.

In further aspects, the resilient transition layer may have a first thickness and the toe cap may have a second thickness greater than the first thickness.

In one or more configurations, the upper may have a medial side, a lateral side opposite the medial side, and a second region adjacent the first region and disposed along at least one of the medial side and the lateral side. The second zone may have a fourth stiffness that is less than the first stiffness.

In an aspect, the second region may have a stiffening pattern (stiffening pattern) including a plurality of stiffening portions and a non-stiffened portion disposed between adjacent stiffening portions of the plurality of stiffening portions.

In further aspects, the forefoot portion may be formed of a fusible yarn having variable stiffness, and the first zone and the plurality of reinforcement portions may include fused thermoplastic material.

In one or more configurations, the upper may have an exterior, and the article of footwear may further include an ankle collar defining a foot-receiving cavity (foot-receiving cavity) spaced from the exterior; a sole structure attached to the upper at a bite line disposed along an exterior; and a band adhered to the sole structure and the upper and covering the bite line.

In one aspect, the band may be adhered to the entire bite line such that the band encircles the sole structure at the bite line and covers a portion of the toe box.

In further aspects, the strap may be formed of at least one of a reflective material and a waterproof material configured to inhibit fluid transfer through the bite line to the foot-receiving cavity.

In an example, an article of footwear may include an upper having a medial side, a lateral side opposite the medial side, a toe cap, a heel portion spaced apart from the toe cap, and a forefoot portion disposed between the toe cap and the heel portion. The forefoot portion may have a first zone having a first stiffness. The article of footwear may also include a transition zone including an elastic transition layer disposed on and partially covering the first zone. The transition zone may have a second stiffness greater than the first stiffness. The article of footwear may also include a toe box disposed over and partially covering the elastic transition layer at the toe box, and an ankle collar defining a foot-receiving cavity. The ankle collar and the heel portion may define a seam channel therebetween such that the entire ankle collar is spaced apart from the heel portion on the lateral side by the seam channel; a first portion of the ankle collar is spaced apart from the heel portion on the medial side by a seam channel; and a second portion of the ankle collar is connected to the heel portion on the medial side.

In one aspect, the ankle collar may be spaced from the forefoot portion on the lateral side and the medial side by a seam channel.

In further aspects, the heel portion may be spaced from the forefoot portion on the lateral side and the medial side by a seam channel.

In yet another aspect, the seam channel may not completely encircle the ankle collar.

In one or more configurations, the ankle collar may be a unitary structure that is attached to the forefoot portion at the seam channel, such that the article of footwear does not include a tongue that is connected to the forefoot portion.

In one aspect, the heel portion may include a padded heel cup (padded heel cup) having a contour, disposed within the foot-receiving chamber, and extending from the medial side to the lateral side.

In another aspect, the seam channel may abut the profile on the lateral side such that the seam channel completely separates the ankle collar from the heel portion on the lateral side. The seam channel may abut the contour on the medial side such that the ankle collar is partially attached to the heel portion on the medial side.

In yet another aspect, the upper may have an exterior spaced from the foot-receiving cavity. The toe box may be formed of non-metal and may be provided on the outside at the toe box.

In one or more configurations, the article of footwear may also include a sole structure attached to the upper at the bite line, and a strap externally adhered to the sole structure and the upper. The band may cover the entire bite line such that the band encircles the sole structure.

The above features and advantages and other features and advantages of the present teachings are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the modes for carrying out the present teachings when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers refer to like elements, an article of footwear 10 is generally shown in FIG. 1. The article of footwear 10 may be used in applications requiring good protection of the toe area of the foot. In particular, the article of footwear 10 includes a toe box 12, the toe box 12 being configured to enhance both protection and comfort to the user's toes. As such, by way of non-limiting example, the article of footwear 10 may be used in athletic footwear and industrial footwear configured for walking, running, and/or working in environments where objects or obstacles may otherwise contact the toe area of the user. The article of footwear 10 illustrated herein is generally depicted as athletic footwear configured for activities such as walking and running, but the article of footwear 10 and the toe cap 12 are not limited to running shoes or other athletic shoes. Rather, the toe cap 12 and other features of the article of footwear 10 may also be used in footwear for a variety of other activities, such as, but not limited to, tennis, american football (football), soccer (soccerr), basketball, or in other types of footwear, such as protective shoes (sneakers), casual shoes, dress shoes, work shoes, sandals, slippers, boots, or in any other type of footwear.

Referring again to fig. 1, the article of footwear 10 includes an upper 14, the upper 14 having a toe cap 16 and a forefoot portion 18 adjacent the toe cap 16. The upper 14 may also have a heel portion 20 spaced from the toe cap 16 such that the forefoot portion 18 is disposed between the heel portion 20 and the toe cap 16. More specifically, upper 14 may also include a midfoot portion 22 disposed between heel portion 20 and forefoot portion 18. In addition, article of footwear 10 may include an ankle collar 24 that defines a foot-receiving chamber 26. Upper 14 may have an exterior 28 spaced apart from foot-receiving cavity 26 and may contain a lace or fastening system 30 to adjust the fit of article of footwear 10 on the foot.

In one embodiment, article of footwear 10 may not include a sock liner (sock liner). Instead, article of footwear 10 may be formed using a strobel construction, in which upper 14 may be stitched to a padded surface. For example, the padded surface may be relatively thicker than the average thickness, i.e., include a relatively large amount of padding, may be formed from ethylene vinyl acetate, and may be adhered to the midsole and stitched to upper 14 to define an edge seam. Furthermore, the edge seam may not be perceptible to the user (such as a stitch that may contact the foot within foot-receiving cavity 26), but may instead be a smooth seam. With this configuration, the upper surface of the midsole may also be contoured for comfort and support of the foot.

Forefoot portion 18, midfoot portion 22, heel portion 20, and ankle collar 24 are not intended to demarcate precise areas of footwear 10, but are instead intended to represent general areas of footwear 10 to aid in the following discussion. That is, the toe cap 16 may generally include the portion of the article of footwear 10 corresponding with the toe. Forefoot portion 18 may generally include portions of article of footwear 10 corresponding with the joints connecting the metatarsals with the phalanges. Midfoot portion 22 may generally include portions of article of footwear 10 corresponding with the arch area and instep of the foot. An instep portion 32, also referred to as a top portion, of upper 14 may extend over the top of the foot in forefoot portion 18 and midfoot portion 22. Heel portion 20 may correspond to a rear portion of the foot that includes the calcaneus bone. Ankle collar 24 may correspond to an ankle.

Thus, the article of footwear 10 and the toe box 12 provide comfort and good protection of the toe region. In particular, the transition region 34 includes an elastic transition layer 36 that may cooperate with the toe box 12, the transition region 34 may enhance comfort and protection of the toe and/or foot of the user, as set forth in more detail below.

Referring now to fig. 2, forefoot portion 18 has a first zone 38, where first zone 38 has a first stiffness 40. In particular, forefoot portion 18 and first zone 38 may be formed from a fabric that is disposed or fused to first stiffness 40. For example, forefoot portion 18 may be formed from a fusible yarn having a variable stiffness, and first zone 38 may include a molten thermoplastic material. That is, as used herein, the term fusible yarn may refer to a relatively low melt multi-filament yarn (multi-filament yarn) formed from, for example, a relatively low melt thermoplastic material such as polyamide or polyester, which may be stitched into a textile or fabric, such as forefoot portion 18. When heat is applied to a particular area of a textile or fabric formed from fusible yarns, the particular area may melt, stiffen (stiff), or harden.

Thus, as best shown in fig. 2, first zone 38 of forefoot portion 18 may include a molten thermoplastic material and may therefore be stiffer than other zones that have not been heated or melted or fused to the same extent as first zone 38. For example, as shown in fig. 1-3, upper 14 may have a medial side 44, a lateral side 46 opposite medial side 44, and a second region 48 adjacent first region 38 and disposed along at least one of medial side 44 and lateral side 46. The second region 48 may have a fourth stiffness 50 that is less than the first stiffness 40. That is, the first region 38 may be stiffer than the second region 48.

As described with reference to fig. 1 and 3, in one non-limiting example, the second zone 48 may include a reinforcing pattern 52, the reinforcing pattern 52 including a plurality of reinforcing portions 54 and a non-reinforcing portion 42 disposed between adjacent ones of the plurality of reinforcing portions 54. That is, the reinforcing pattern 52 may include regions or zones of relatively stiff material, i.e., a plurality of reinforcing portions 54, which may include a molten thermoplastic material as set forth above. Although shown as extending along both medial side 44 and lateral side 46 of article of footwear 10, reinforcement pattern 52 may extend along only one of medial side 44 and lateral side 46, may extend along the entire medial side 44 and/or lateral side, and/or may extend along only a portion of medial side and/or lateral side 46.

The reinforcing patterns 52 may be arranged in any configuration. For example, the non-reinforced sections 42 may extend between a plurality of reinforced sections 54 to form a mesh or matrix, as best shown in fig. 1 and 3. Alternatively or additionally, the plurality of reinforced portions 54 may be configured as protrusions extending from the non-reinforced portion 42, as shown in the instep portion 32 of FIG. 2. In another configuration, although not shown, the reinforcing pattern 52 may be arranged as a logo or branding or other shape.

Referring again to fig. 1, article of footwear 10 also includes a transition zone 34, where transition zone 34 includes an elastic transition layer 36 disposed over first zone 38 and partially covering first zone 38. In particular, the transition zone 34 has a second stiffness 56 that is greater than the first stiffness 40. That is, the resilient transition layer 36 may increase the stiffness of the transition region 34 such that the transition region 34 is stiffer than the first region 38.

In one example, the elastic transition layer 36 may be formed from a flexible, stretchable band that may be adhered to at least a portion of the first region 38. For example, the elastic transition layer 36 may be formed from a thermoplastic polyurethane layer that may be shaped to adhere to and extend from the medial side 44 to the lateral side 46 at the toe cap 16. The resilient transition layer 36 may have a first thickness 58, the first thickness 58 being sufficient to withstand the wrinkling and puckering of the resilient transition layer 36 as the foot flexes and the user's weight pivots within the article of footwear 10 to the toe.

Referring again to fig. 2, the article of footwear 10 also includes a toe box 12, the toe box 12 being disposed over the resilient transition layer 36 at the toe box 16 and partially covering the resilient transition layer 36. That is, the resilient transition layer 36 may partially cover the first region 38 and partially underlie the toe cap 12. The front shell 12 may have a third stiffness 60 that is greater than the second stiffness 56. That is, the toe cap 12 may be stiffer than the transition region 34. Additionally, the front shell 12 may have a second thickness 82 that is greater than the first thickness 58. That is, the toe cap 12 may be thicker than the resilient transition layer 36.

The toe cap 12 may be formed of a non-metal and may be disposed on the outer portion 28 at the toe cap 16. For example, the toe cap 12 may be formed of rubber, vinyl, leather, and the like, and may be configured to protect the toe cap 16 and the user's toe from objects or obstacles. The toe cap 12 may be formed of an electrically insulating material that does not conduct electrical energy to the article of footwear 10. In one example, the front shell 12 may be formed of a rubber having a hardness of from 70 to 100 on the Shore a hardness scale (Shore a hardness scale), such as 75 or 80 or 85 or 90 or 95 on the Shore hardness scale. For example, such stiffness may protect the user's toe from contact with objects or obstacles during walking or running. Thus, the article of footwear 10 may be used in urban or rugged or industrial applications where enhanced but comfortable toe protection is desired.

As best shown in fig. 1 and 3, the toe cap 12 may have an arcuate edge 62 facing the heel portion 20, and the arcuate edge 62 may not contact the first region 38. That is, the transition 34 may soften the feel of the arcuate edge 62 as the user bends the foot at the toe. More specifically, during use, when the toe abuts the upper 14 at the toe 16 within the foot-receiving cavity 26, the resilient transition layer 36 may cushion or soften the relatively hard arcuate edge 62. That is, because the transition region 34 is stiffer than the first region 38, the transition region 34 may protect the toe from contact with the arcuate edge 62. Although the toe box 12 may be formed of a material that is sufficiently hard to protect the toe from contact with objects or obstacles and may therefore include a relatively hard arcuate edge 62, the article of footwear 10 may be comfortable for the user because the resilient transition layer 36 protects the toe and forefoot portions 18 from contact with the arcuate edge 62.

Referring again to fig. 1 and 3, the article of footwear 10 may also include a sole structure 64, the sole structure 64 being attached to the upper 14 at a bite line 66 disposed along the exterior 28. Sole structure 64 may be configured to provide lower support for the foot. Sole structure 64 may be attached to a lower portion of upper 14 generally at a bite line 66 and may be positioned between the foot and the ground. As such, the bite line 66 may represent a boundary or boundary between the upper 14 and the sole structure 64, and may encircle the article of footwear 10.

Although not shown in detail, in general, sole structure 64 may be a layered construction that may include a comfort-enhancing insole, an impact-attenuating midsole, and a surface-contacting outsole. An insole (not shown) may be located partially or entirely within upper 14 and may be a thin and compressible member that provides a contact surface for the underside of the foot. A midsole (not shown) may be installed beneath the insole and may form a middle layer of sole structure 64. In addition to attenuating ground reaction forces, the midsole may also help control foot motions and impart stability. An outsole (not shown) may form the ground-contacting portion of article of footwear 10 and may be formed of a durable and wear-resistant material that includes features for improving traction.

As described with continued reference to fig. 1 and 3, the article of footwear 10 may also include a strap 68, the strap 68 being adhered to the sole structure 64 and the upper 14 and covering the bite line 66. That is, the band 68 may be adhered to the entire bite line 66 such that the band 68 encircles the sole structure 64 at the bite line 66 and covers a portion 70 of the toe cap 12. In other words, the band 68 may be adhered to the sole structure 64 and the upper 14 on the exterior 28 and may cover the entire bite line 66 such that the band 68 encircles the sole structure 64. That is, the band 68 may encircle the outer portion 28 along the bite line 66.

Strap 68 may be formed of at least one of a reflective material and a waterproof material configured to inhibit fluid transfer through bite line 66 to foot-receiving chamber 26. That is, the band 68 may be a reflective band and/or a waterproof band. In one example, the band 68 may be a heat-fused band. In another example, the band 68 may be a self-fluxing silicone rubber band or a self-vulcanizing silicone rubber band. In yet another example, the band 68 may be a self-fluxing ethylene propylene rubber band. Further, the band 68 may include an additive such as iron oxide, and may have a relatively high thermal conductivity. As such, article of footwear 10 may be suitable for use in wet, dark, and/or high vehicle traffic areas (high vehicular traffic areas), such as in urban or industrial environments.

Referring now to fig. 1, 3, and 4, in one example, ankle collar 24 and heel portion 20 may define a seam channel 72 therebetween. The particular configuration of heel portion 20, seam channel 72, and ankle collar 24 set forth below may provide excellent ankle support for the user while allowing smooth, flexible movement of the ankle.

Seam channel 72 may be an indentation or recess or depression defined between heel portion 20 and ankle collar 24. In particular, ankle collar 24 and heel portion 20 may define a seam channel 72 therebetween such that the entire ankle collar 24 is spaced apart from heel portion 20 on lateral side 46 by seam channel 72; a first portion 74 (fig. 3) of ankle collar 24 is spaced apart from heel portion 20 on medial side 44 by seam channel 72; and a second portion 76 (fig. 3) of ankle collar 24 is connected to heel portion 20 on medial side 44.

That is, as described by comparing fig. 1, 3, and 4, the seam channel 72 may completely separate the ankle collar 24 from the heel portion 20 on the lateral side 46, as shown in fig. 1 and 4. However, as shown in fig. 3 and 4, seam channel 72 may extend along only a portion of medial side 44 such that first portion 74 of ankle collar 24 is separated from heel portion 20 and second portion 76 of ankle collar 24 is connected to heel portion 20.

Additionally, ankle collar 24 may be spaced from forefoot portion 18 on lateral side 46 and medial side 44 by seam channel 72. Similarly, heel portion 20 may be spaced apart from forefoot portion 18 on lateral side 46 and medial side 44 by seam channel 72. Thus, as shown in fig. 3, the seam channel 72 may not completely encircle the ankle collar 24. Further, as shown in fig. 2, ankle collar 24 may be a unitary structure that is attached to forefoot portion 18 at seam channel 72 such that article of footwear 10 does not include a tongue that is connected to forefoot portion 18. That is, ankle collar 24 may form a complete, uninterrupted, generally circular, or elongated foot entry point.

Referring now to fig. 5, the heel portion 20 may also include a padded heel cup 78 having a contoured portion 80. A padded heel cup 78 may be disposed within foot-receiving chamber 26 and may extend from medial side 44 to lateral side 46. The padded heel cup 78 may support and cradle the ankles of the foot during use to enhance the comfort of the article of footwear 10 and to provide protection for the ankles from lateral impact. In particular, the seam channel 72 may abut the contour 80 on the lateral side 46 such that the seam channel 72 completely separates the ankle collar 24 from the heel portion 20 on the lateral side 46. Further, the seam channel 72 may abut the profile 80 on the medial side 44 such that the ankle collar 24 is partially attached to the heel portion 20 on the medial side 44. In this manner, the padded heel cup 78 and ankle collar 24 may provide excellent flexibility and ease of mobility for the article of footwear 10 on the medial side 44.

Further, referring to lacing or fastening system 30 generally shown in fig. 1-3, lacing or fastening system 30 may include four or more lace loops spaced apart from one another along each of medial side 44 and lateral side 46 of article of footwear 10. For example, lace or fastening system 30 may include seven lace loops extending from reinforcement portion 54 of midfoot portion 22 toward instep portion 32 on each of medial side 44 and lateral side 46. A lace may extend through each lace loop, the lace loops configured to secure article of footwear 10 to the foot.

As described in more detail with reference to fig. 1 and 3, the top lace loop may extend through ankle collar 24, and the bottom lace loop may be disposed near the top edge of strap 68 at the front of article of footwear 10. More specifically, referring to lateral side 46 of article of footwear 10 shown in fig. 1, a first end of the top lace loop may extend through ankle collar 24 toward heel portion 20, and a second end of the top lace loop may be fastened to heel portion 20 on lateral side 46. Similarly, referring to medial side 44 shown in fig. 3, a first end of the top lace loop may extend through ankle collar 24 toward heel portion 20, and a second end of the top lace loop may be fastened to heel portion 20 on medial side 44. That is, each top lace loop may form a continuous loop that extends from heel portion 20 to ankle collar 24 and through ankle collar 24. Likewise, when the lace is tightened, the top lace loops may pull the tongue portion of the ankle collar 24 downward toward the top portion of the ankle while simultaneously causing the padded heel cups 78 (fig. 5) to tighten inward over the user's calcaneus to opposite sides of the user's achilles tendon. Thus, the top lace loop provides a customizable, secure fit for article of footwear 10, while also allowing for athletic flexibility.

Thus, article of footwear 10 enhances comfort, toe protection, and athletic flexibility. That is, article of footwear 10 enhances comfort via transition region 34 and elastic transition layer 36, protects the foot via toe box 12 and padded heel cup 78, and provides flexibility of motion via heel portion 20 connected at least partially on medial side 44 to ankle collar 24. The article of footwear 10 may be particularly suited for urban environments where a user may encounter a) objects or obstacles that may impact the toe box 12, b) moisture that may enter the foot-receiving chamber 26 elsewhere at the bite line 66 in addition to the strap 68, and/or c) uneven surfaces that require flexible and agile bending at the ankle.

The following clauses provide example configurations of the article of footwear disclosed herein.

Clause 1: an article of footwear comprising: an upper having a toe cap and a forefoot portion adjacent the toe cap; wherein the forefoot portion has a first zone having a first stiffness; a transition zone comprising an elastic transition layer disposed on and partially covering the first zone; wherein the transition zone has a second stiffness that is greater than the first stiffness; and a toe cap disposed on the elastic transition layer at the toe cap and partially covering the elastic transition layer.

Clause 2: the article of footwear of clause 1, wherein the toe cap has a third stiffness that is greater than the second stiffness.

Clause 3: the article of footwear of clause 1, wherein the elastic transition layer partially covers the first region and partially underlies the toe box.

Clause 4: the article of footwear of clause 1, wherein the upper has a heel portion spaced apart from the toe cap such that the forefoot portion is disposed between the heel portion and the toe cap, and further wherein the toe cap has an arcuate edge facing the heel portion, the arcuate edge not contacting the first region.

Clause 5: the article of footwear of clause 1, wherein the resilient transition layer has a first thickness and the toe cap has a second thickness greater than the first thickness.

Clause 6: the article of footwear of clause 1, wherein the upper has a medial side, a lateral side opposite the medial side, and a second zone adjacent the first zone and disposed along at least one of the medial side and the lateral side, and further wherein the second zone has a fourth stiffness that is less than the first stiffness.

Clause 7: the article of footwear of clause 6, wherein the second zone has a reinforcement pattern including a plurality of reinforced portions and non-reinforced portions disposed between adjacent reinforced portions of the plurality of reinforced portions.

Clause 8: the article of footwear of clause 7, wherein the forefoot portion is formed from a fusible yarn having a variable stiffness, and the first zone and the plurality of reinforcement portions comprise a molten thermoplastic material.

Clause 9: the article of footwear of clause 1, wherein the upper has an exterior, and the article of footwear further comprises: an ankle collar defining a foot-receiving cavity spaced from the exterior; a sole structure attached to the upper at a bite line disposed along the exterior; and a band adhered to the sole structure and the upper and covering the bite line.

Clause 10: the article of footwear of clause 9, wherein the band is adhered to the entirety of the bite line such that the band encircles the sole structure at the bite line and covers a portion of the toe box.

Clause 11: the article of footwear of clause 9, wherein the strap is formed from at least one of a reflective material and a waterproof material configured to inhibit fluid transfer through the bite line to the foot-receiving cavity.

Clause 12: an article of footwear comprising: an upper having a medial side, a lateral side opposite the medial side, a toe cap, a heel portion spaced apart from the toe cap, and a forefoot portion disposed between the toe cap and the heel portion; wherein the forefoot portion has a first zone having a first stiffness; a transition zone comprising an elastic transition layer disposed on and partially covering the first zone; wherein the transition zone has a second stiffness that is greater than the first stiffness; a toe cap disposed on the elastic transition layer at the toe cap and partially covering the elastic transition layer; and an ankle collar defining a foot-receiving cavity; wherein the ankle collar and the heel portion define a seam channel therebetween such that: the entire ankle collar is spaced apart from the heel portion on the lateral side by the seam channel; a first portion of the ankle collar is spaced from the heel portion on the medial side by the seam channel; and a second portion of the ankle collar is connected to the heel portion on the medial side.

Clause 13: the article of footwear of clause 12, wherein the ankle collar is spaced from the forefoot portion on the lateral side and the medial side by the seam channel.

Clause 14: the article of footwear of clause 13, wherein the heel portion is spaced apart from the forefoot portion on the lateral side and the medial side by the seam channel.

Clause 15: the article of footwear of clause 14, wherein the seam channel does not completely encircle the ankle collar.

Clause 16: the article of footwear of clause 12, wherein the ankle collar is a unitary structure attached to the forefoot portion at the seam channel such that the article of footwear does not include a tongue connected to the forefoot portion.

Clause 17: the article of footwear of clause 12, wherein the heel portion comprises a padded heel cup having a contour disposed within the foot-receiving chamber and extending from the medial side to the lateral side.

Clause 18: the article of footwear of clause 17, wherein the seam channel abuts the contour on the lateral side such that the seam channel completely separates the ankle collar from the heel portion on the lateral side, and further wherein the seam channel abuts the contour on the medial side such that the ankle collar is partially attached to the heel portion on the medial side.

Clause 19: the article of footwear of clause 12, wherein the upper has an exterior spaced from the foot-receiving cavity, and further wherein the toe box is formed of a non-metal and is disposed on the exterior at the toe box.

Clause 20: the article of footwear of clause 19, further comprising: a sole structure attached to the upper at a bite line; and a band adhered to the sole structure and the upper at the exterior and covering the entire bite line such that the band encircles the sole structure.

To facilitate and clarify the description of the various embodiments, various terms are defined herein. The following definitions apply throughout this specification (including the claims) unless otherwise indicated.

The "article of footwear 10" and "footwear" may be considered both a machine and an article of manufacture. The assembled article of footwear 10 (e.g., shoe, sandal, boot, etc.) and discrete components of the article of footwear 10 (such as the midsole, outsole, upper 14, etc.) are considered and may alternatively be referred to herein in the singular or plural as "article of footwear 10" prior to final assembly into the article of footwear 10 that is ready for wear.

"a", "an", "the", "at least one" and "one or more" may be used interchangeably to indicate that there is at least one of the items. There may be a plurality of such items unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Unless otherwise expressly or clearly indicated by the context, all numbers expressing quantities or conditions of parameters (e.g., amounts or conditions) used in this specification, including the appended claims, are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term "about" whether or not "about" actually appears before the number. "about" indicates that the numerical value allows some slight imprecision (with some approach to exactness in the value; about or reasonably close to the value; nearly). If the imprecision provided by "about" is not otherwise understood in the art with this ordinary meaning, then "about" as used herein indicates at least variations that may result from ordinary methods of measuring and using the parameters. As used in this specification and the appended claims, a value is considered "approximately" equal to a stated value if it is neither greater than the stated value by more than 5 percent nor less than the stated value by more than 5 percent. Additionally, disclosure of ranges should be understood to specifically disclose all values within the range and further divided ranges.

The terms "comprising", "including" and "having" are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, or components. The order of the steps, processes, and operations may be altered when possible and additional or alternative steps may be employed. As used in this specification, the term "or" includes any and all combinations of the associated listed items. The term "any" is understood to include any possible combination of the referenced items, including "any one of the referenced items. The term "any" is understood to include any possible combination of the recited claims of the appended claims, including "any one of the recited claims.

Directional adjectives may be employed throughout this detailed description corresponding to the illustrated embodiments for consistency and convenience. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that terms such as "above," "below," "upward," "downward," "top," "bottom," and the like can be used descriptively with respect to the figures, and do not represent limitations on the scope of the disclosure, as defined by the claims.

The term "longitudinal" refers to a direction extending along the length of a component. For example, the longitudinal direction of the shoe extends between the forefoot portion 18 and the heel portion 20 of the shoe. The terms "forward" or "forward" are used to refer to a general direction from heel portion 20 toward forefoot portion 18, and the terms "rearward" or "rearward" are used to refer to the opposite direction, i.e., from forefoot portion 18 toward heel portion 20. In some cases, a component may be identified with a longitudinal axis and forward and rearward longitudinal directions along the axis. The longitudinal direction or longitudinal axis may also be referred to as an anterior-posterior direction or an anterior-posterior axis.

The term "transverse" refers to a direction extending along the width of the component. For example, the lateral direction of the footwear extends between the lateral side 46 and the medial side 44 of the footwear. The lateral direction or axis may also be referred to as a lateral direction or axis or a medial direction or axis.

The term "vertical" refers to a direction that is generally perpendicular to both the lateral and longitudinal directions. For example, where sole structure 64 is positioned flat on a ground or travel surface, the vertical direction may extend upward from the ground or travel surface. It will be understood that each of these directional adjectives may be applied to a separate component of sole structure 64. The terms "upward" or "upwardly" refer to a vertical direction that is directed toward the top of a component that may include the instep portion 32, the fastening area, and/or the throat of the upper 14. The terms "downward" or "downward" refer to a vertical direction opposite the upward direction, pointing toward the bottom of the component, and may generally point toward the bottom of the sole structure 64 of the article of footwear 10.

The "interior" of an article of footwear 10, such as a shoe, refers to the portion of the space occupied by the wearer's foot when the shoe is worn. The "inner side" of a component refers to the side or surface of the component that is oriented toward (or will be oriented toward) the component or the interior of the article of footwear 10 in the assembled article of footwear 10. The "outer side" or "outer" of a component refers to the side or surface of the component that is oriented away from (or will be oriented away from) the interior of the shoe in the assembled shoe. In some cases, other components may be located between the interior side of the component and the interior in the assembled article of footwear 10. Similarly, other components may be located between the exterior side of the component and the space outside of the assembled article of footwear 10. Further, the terms "inwardly" and "inwardly" refer to a direction toward an interior of the component or article of footwear 10 (such as a shoe), while the terms "outwardly" and "outwardly" refer to a direction toward an exterior 28 of the component or article of footwear 10 (such as a shoe). Further, the term "proximal" refers to a direction that is closer to the center of the footwear component or closer to the foot when the foot is inserted into the article of footwear 10 when the article of footwear 10 is worn by a user. Likewise, the term "distal" refers to a relative position that is further away from the center of the footwear component or further away from the foot when the foot is inserted into the article of footwear 10 when the article of footwear 10 is worn by a user. Thus, the terms proximal and distal may be understood to provide generally opposite terms to describe relative spatial locations.

While various embodiments have been described, the description is intended to be exemplary, rather than limiting and it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible that are within the scope of the embodiments. Any feature of any embodiment may be used in combination with or instead of any other feature or element in any other embodiment, unless specifically limited. Accordingly, the embodiments are not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents. Also, various modifications and changes may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

While several modes for carrying out many aspects of the present teachings have been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which these teachings relate will recognize various alternative aspects for practicing the present teachings that are within the scope of the appended claims. It is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and exemplary of the full scope of alternative embodiments as would be recognized by a person of ordinary skill, whether implied by, structurally and/or functionally equivalent to, or otherwise made apparent from, the contained content, and not be limited to only those explicitly depicted and/or described.

Claims

1. An article of footwear comprising:

an upper having a toe cap and a forefoot portion adjacent the toe cap;

wherein the forefoot portion has a first zone having a first stiffness;

a transition zone comprising an elastic transition layer disposed on and partially covering the first zone;

wherein the transition zone has a second stiffness that is greater than the first stiffness; and

a toe cap disposed on the elastic transition layer at the toe cap and partially covering the elastic transition layer.

2. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the toe cap has a third stiffness that is greater than the second stiffness.

3. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the elastic transition layer partially covers the first region and partially underlies the toe box.

4. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the upper has a heel portion spaced apart from the toe cap such that the forefoot portion is disposed between the heel portion and the toe cap, and further wherein the toe cap has an arcuate edge facing the heel portion, the arcuate edge not contacting the first region.

5. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the resilient transition layer has a first thickness and the toe cap has a second thickness greater than the first thickness.

6. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the upper has a medial side, a lateral side opposite the medial side, and a second zone adjacent the first zone and disposed along at least one of the medial side and the lateral side, and further wherein the second zone has a fourth stiffness that is less than the first stiffness.

7. The article of footwear according to claim 6, wherein the second zone has a reinforcement pattern that includes a plurality of reinforced portions and non-reinforced portions disposed between adjacent ones of the plurality of reinforced portions.

8. The article of footwear of any of claims 6-7, wherein the forefoot portion is formed from a fusible yarn having a variable stiffness, and the first zone and the plurality of reinforcement portions include a molten thermoplastic material.

9. The article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein the upper has an exterior, and the article of footwear further includes:

an ankle collar defining a foot-receiving cavity spaced from the exterior;

a sole structure attached to the upper at a bite line disposed along the exterior; and

a strap adhered to the sole structure and the upper and covering the bite line.

10. The article of footwear according to claim 9, wherein the band is adhered to the entire bite line such that the band encircles the sole structure at the bite line and covers a portion of the toe box.

11. The article of footwear according to claim 9, wherein the strap is formed of at least one of a reflective material and a waterproof material configured to inhibit fluid transmission through the bite line to the foot-receiving cavity.

12. An article of footwear comprising:

an upper having a medial side, a lateral side opposite the medial side, a toe cap, a heel portion spaced apart from the toe cap, and a forefoot portion disposed between the toe cap and the heel portion;

wherein the forefoot portion has a first zone having a first stiffness;

wherein the transition zone has a second stiffness that is greater than the first stiffness;

a toe cap disposed on the elastic transition layer at the toe cap and partially covering the elastic transition layer; and

an ankle collar defining a foot-receiving cavity;

wherein the ankle collar and the heel portion define a seam channel therebetween such that:

the entire ankle collar is spaced apart from the heel portion on the lateral side by the seam channel;

a first portion of the ankle collar is spaced from the heel portion on the medial side by the seam channel; and is

A second portion of the ankle collar is connected to the heel portion on the medial side.

13. The article of footwear according to claim 12, wherein the ankle collar is spaced from the forefoot portion on the lateral side and the medial side by the seam channel.

14. The article of footwear of any of claims 12-13, wherein the heel portion is spaced from the forefoot portion on the lateral side and the medial side by the seam channel.

15. The article of footwear of any of claims 12-14, wherein the seam channel does not completely encircle the ankle collar.

16. The article of footwear of claim 12, wherein the ankle collar is a unitary structure attached to the forefoot portion at the seam channel such that the article of footwear does not include a tongue connected to the forefoot portion.

17. The article of footwear of claim 12, wherein the heel portion includes a padded heel cup having a contour disposed within the foot-receiving chamber and extending from the medial side to the lateral side.

18. The article of footwear according to claim 17, wherein the seam channel abuts the contour on the lateral side such that the seam channel completely separates the ankle collar from the heel portion on the lateral side, and further wherein the seam channel abuts the contour on the medial side such that the ankle collar is partially attached to the heel portion on the medial side.

19. The article of footwear according to claim 12, wherein the upper has an exterior spaced from the foot-receiving cavity, and further wherein the toe box is formed of a non-metal and is disposed on the exterior at the toe box.

20. The article of footwear of claim 19, further comprising:

a sole structure attached to the upper at a bite line; and

a band adhered to the sole structure and the upper on the exterior and covering the entire bite line such that the band encircles the sole structure.