JP6649537B2 - Article of footwear incorporating a knitted component having a monofilament section - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an article of footwear incorporating a knit component having a monofilament section.

  Conventional footwear products generally include two main components, an upper and a sole structure. The upper and sole structures at least partially define a foot receiving cavity accessible to the user's foot via the foot receiving opening. The sole structure is secured to the lower area of the upper, thereby being located between the upper and the ground.

  For example, in athletic footwear, the sole structure may include a midsole and an outsole. Midsoles often include a polymeric foam material that reduces the ground reaction and reduces stress on the feet and legs during walking, running, and other gait activities. In addition, the midsole may include a fluid-filled chamber, plate, moderator, or other element that further reduces force, increases stability, or affects foot movement. The outsole is fixed to the lower surface of the midsole, and forms a ground engaging portion of a sole structure made of a durable wear-resistant material such as rubber. The sole structure may also include an insole located within the cavity and proximate the lower surface of the foot to enhance comfort of the footwear.

  Conventionally, when manufacturing the upper, various material elements (for example, fabric, polymer foam, polymer sheet, leather, and synthetic leather) are used. In athletic footwear, for example, the upper may have multiple layers, each containing various joining material elements. By way of example, the material elements may be selected to impart stretch resistance, abrasion resistance, flexibility, breathability, compressibility, comfort and quick drying to different areas of the upper. To impart different properties to different areas of the upper, the material elements are often cut together into the desired shape and then joined together, usually by sewing or gluing. Further, the material elements are often joined in a layered structure to impart multiple properties to the same area.

  Reducing the number and type of material elements incorporated into the upper may reduce the time and expense associated with shipping, storing, cutting, and joining material elements. Waste material from the cutting and sewing process can also be reduced as the number and type of material elements incorporated into the upper are reduced. Also, an upper having a lower number of material elements may facilitate recyclability than an upper formed from a greater number of types and numbers of material elements. Further, fewer pieces sewn together may reduce the concentration of forces in some areas, and fewer stitched joints may improve comfort when worn . Thus, advantageously, reducing the number of material elements utilized in the upper can result in reduced waste while improving the manufacturing efficiency, comfort, performance and recyclability of the upper. it can.

US Patent No. 6,931,762 US Patent No. 7,347,011 U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0110048 US Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0154256 US Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0233882

  In one aspect, the article of footwear comprises a knit component. The knitted component comprises at least one monofilament section consisting of monofilament strands, the at least one monofilament section having a shape. The first multi-fiber section can be adjacent to at least one single-fiber section, the first multi-fiber section comprising at least two overlapping knit layers of multi-fiber yarn, and at least two overlapping knit layers. The existing knit layers form a first non-fixed area between them. The second multifilament section can be adjacent to at least one monofilament section. The first multi-fiber section and the second multi-fiber section can define at least a portion of the shape of the at least one monofilament section. The first extensible element can extend through at least a portion of the first non-fixed area.

  In another aspect, the second multi-fiber section can comprise at least two overlapping knit layers of multi-fiber yarn, wherein at least two overlapping knit layers have a second knit layer therebetween. Form a non-fixed area.

  In another aspect, the second extensible element can extend through at least a portion of the second non-fixed area.

  In another aspect, the article can further comprise an instep boundary and a sole boundary, and the instep boundary and the sole boundary further comprise at least one shape of at least one monofilament section. Part can be defined.

  In another aspect, at least two overlapping layers of the first multi-fiber section can include an inner layer and an outer layer, wherein the inner layer and the outer layer are at least partially connected to each other, One non-fixed area can be formed.

  In another aspect, the first unsecured area can comprise a tubular structure through which the first extensible element can extend.

  In another aspect, the inner and outer layers of the first non-fixed area can provide a barrier between the first extensible element and the at least one monofilament area.

  In another aspect, the first multi-fiber section can be disposed on at least a portion of an outer surface of the at least one single-fiber section.

  In another aspect, the outer surface can include a first number of courses, the inner layer can include a second number of courses, and the first number of courses includes a second number of courses. More than the course.

  In another aspect, the at least one monofilament section can be located in a first plane, and the outer surface of the first multi-fiber section can be located in a second plane.

  In another aspect, a first extensible element can extend from a first non-fixed area to a second non-fixed area to form a loop.

  In another aspect, the at least one monofilament section can define a width, the first multifilament section can define a width, and the width of the at least one monofilament section is It can be less than or equal to the width of the first multi-fiber section.

  In another aspect, the at least one monofilament section can define a width, the first multifilament section can define a width, and the width of the at least one monofilament section is It can be larger than the width of the first multi-fiber section.

  In another aspect, an article of footwear comprises a knit component. The knitted component can include a plurality of monofilament sections of monofilament strands, the plurality of monofilament sections having a shape. The knit component may further comprise a plurality of multi-fiber sections comprising at least two overlapping knit layers of multi-fiber yarn, wherein the at least two overlapping knit layers comprise an inner layer and an outer layer. The plurality of multi-fiber sections can comprise at least a portion of the shape of the plurality of single-fiber sections. The plurality of single fiber sections can be located in a first plane, and at least the outer layer of the plurality of multi-fiber sections can be located in a second plane.

  In another aspect, the second surface can be provided radially outward of the first surface.

  In another aspect, the knitted component can further include a toe region, a metatarsal region, and a heel region, and the plurality of monofilament regions include a toe region, a metatarsal region, and a heel region. Each can be provided.

  In another aspect, the shape and directionality of the plurality of single fiber sections provided in the toe region are different from the shape and directionality of the plurality of single fiber sections provided in the middle foot region and the heel region. Can be.

  In another aspect, at least a portion of the plurality of monofilament regions provided in the heel region can comprise an elongated shape, and at least a portion of the plurality of monofilament regions provided in the midfoot region. Can have an elongated shape.

  In another aspect, the plurality of monofilament regions provided in each of the toe region, the midfoot region and the heel region can have a selected shape and orientation, and the selected monofilament regions of the plurality of monofilament regions can be provided. Shape and orientation can impart different stretch characteristics to different regions.

1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an article of footwear. FIG. 2 is an outer side view of an embodiment of an article of footwear. FIG. 2 is an inside side view of an embodiment of an article of footwear. 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of an article of footwear. FIG. 2 is a plan view of an embodiment of a knitted component incorporated into an upper of an article of footwear. FIG. 3 is an exploded view of components of an embodiment of an article of footwear with an upper incorporating a knit component. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of an article of footwear having a single fiber portion and a multiple fiber portion. FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of a part of FIG. 7. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of footwear having a single fiber section and a multi-fiber section. FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of a part of FIG. 8. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of footwear having a single fiber section and a multi-fiber section. 10 is a schematic diagram of a looping of a portion of the article of footwear of FIG. 9; FIG. 6 is an outer side view of an alternative embodiment of an article of footwear incorporating a monofilament section. FIG. 9 is an outer side view of another alternative embodiment of an article of footwear incorporating a monofilament section. FIG. 9 is an outer side view of another alternative embodiment of an article of footwear incorporating a monofilament section. FIG. 9 is an outer side view of another alternative embodiment of an article of footwear incorporating a monofilament section. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of footwear having a single fiber section and a multi-fiber section. 15 is a schematic illustration of looping of a portion of the article of footwear of FIG. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of an article of footwear. Figure 16 is a view of the outer side of the article of footwear of Figure 15; Figure 16 is a view of the inside side of the article of footwear of Figure 15; FIG. 16 is a rear view of the article of footwear of FIG. 15. FIG. 16 is a plan view of an embodiment of a knitted component incorporated into the upper of the article of footwear of FIG. 15. FIG. 16 is a plan view of an embodiment of a heel portion of the article of footwear of FIG. 15. FIG. 16 is a plan view of an embodiment of the body portion of the knitted component of the article of footwear of FIG. 15. FIG. 16 is an exploded view of the components of the article of footwear of FIG. 15. FIG. 16 is a side view of the embodiment of the article of footwear of FIG. 15. It is a partially enlarged view of FIG. FIG. 16 is a plan view of the embodiment of the article of footwear of FIG. 15. FIG. 25 is an enlarged view of the toe region of FIG. 24. FIG. 16 is a rear view of the embodiment of the article of footwear of FIG. 15. It is a partially enlarged view of FIG. FIG. 4 is a plan view of an embodiment of a heel portion of a footwear product under tension. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of an article of footwear. FIG. 28 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a part of FIG. 27. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of an article of footwear. FIG. 29 is a schematic diagram of a looping of a portion of the knit structure for the product of FIG. 28. FIG. 2 is a plan view of a heel of an embodiment of an article of footwear. FIG. 30 is an enlarged view of a part of FIG. 29. 30 is a schematic diagram of looping of a portion of the knit structure for the product of FIG. 29. FIG. 3 is a rear view of the heel of an embodiment of an article of footwear. FIG. 31 is an enlarged sectional view of a part of FIG. 30. FIG. 3 is a rear view of the heel of an embodiment of an article of footwear. FIG. 32 is a schematic view of looping of a part of the knit structure of FIG. 31.

  The following discussion and the accompanying drawings disclose various concepts relating to knit components and the manufacture of knit components. While knit components can be used in a variety of products, footwear products incorporating such knit components are disclosed below as examples. Knitted components, in addition to footwear, include other types of clothing (eg, shirts, pants, socks, jackets, underwear), sports equipment (eg, golf bags, baseball and football gloves, soccer ball control structures). ), Containers (e.g., rucksacks, bags) as well as furniture decorations (e.g., chairs, couches, vehicle seats). Knitted components may also be used for bed coverings (eg, sheets, blankets), table coverings, towels, flags, tents, sails, and parachutes. Knitted components can be used in automotive and aerospace applications, filter materials, medical textiles (eg, bandages, swabs, implants), civil engineering fiber sheets, agricultural fiber sheets for crop protection, and protection from heat and radiation. It may be used as an industrial technical fabric, including insulating industrial clothing. Thus, the knit components and other concepts disclosed herein can be incorporated into a variety of products for both personal and industrial purposes.

  For consistency and convenience, and throughout the description, directional adjectives are used throughout the description, corresponding to the illustrated embodiment. The term "longitudinal" as used throughout this description and claims refers to the direction in which the length or major axis of the product extends. Optionally, the longitudinal direction may extend from the toe region of the product to the heel region. Also, the term "lateral" as used throughout this description and claims refers to the direction in which the width or short axis of the product extends. In other words, the lateral direction may extend between the inner and outer sides of the product. Furthermore, the term "perpendicular," as used throughout this description and claims, refers to directions generally perpendicular to the lateral and longitudinal directions. For example, if the product is laid flat on the ground, the vertical direction may extend upward from the ground. It will be understood that each of the adjectives representing those directions may apply to one or more individual components of the product, including the upper, knitted components and parts thereof, and / or the sole structure. There will be.

Footwear Configuration FIGS. 1 and 15 illustrate an exemplary embodiment of an article of footwear 100, also referred to simply as product 100. FIG. Further, alternative embodiments of the product 100 shown in FIG. 1 are shown in FIGS. 10 (identified as product 1004), FIG. 11 (identified as product 1108), FIG. 12 (identified as product 1212), and FIG. 13 (identified as product 1306). In some embodiments, product 100 may include a sole structure 110 and an upper 120. While the product 100 shown in FIGS. 1-14A is shown having a general configuration suitable for running, the product 100 shown in FIGS. 15-31A has a general configuration suitable for basketball. Concepts illustrated and associated with product 100 are also illustrated in various other types of exercise, including, for example, baseball shoes, soccer shoes, cycling shoes, football shoes, tennis shoes, training shoes, walking shoes, and hiking boots. It may be applied to footwear for sports. The concept may also apply to footwear of the type generally considered non-exercise, including dress shoes, loafers, sandals, and work boots. Thus, the concepts disclosed with respect to product 100 may apply to a wide variety of footwear.

  For reference, the product 100 includes three general regions, a toe region 10, a midfoot region 12, and a heel region 14, as shown in FIGS. And can be divided into The toe region 10 generally includes portions of the product 100 corresponding to the toes and the joint connecting the metatarsals and the phalanges. The midfoot region 12 generally includes a portion of the product 100 corresponding to the foot arch area. The heel region 14 generally corresponds to the back of the foot, including the calcaneus.

  The product 100 also includes an outer side 16 and an inner side 18 that extend through each of the toe region 10, the midfoot region 12, and the heel region 14, and correspond to opposite sides of the product 100. . More specifically, the outer side 16 corresponds to the outer area of the foot (ie, the surface facing away from the other foot) and the inner side 18 corresponds to the inner area of the foot (ie, the other side). Face facing the foot). The forefoot region 10, the midfoot region 12 and the heel region 14, and the outer and inner sides 16 and 18 are not intended to define the exact area of the product 100. Rather, the toe region 10, the midfoot region 12 and the heel region 14, as well as the lateral and medial sides 16 and 18 are intended to represent a general area of the product 100, as will be useful in the following discussion. I have. In addition to the product 100, the forefoot region 10, the midfoot region 12 and the heel region 14, as well as the outer and inner sides 16 and 18, also apply to the sole structure 110, upper 120 and their individual elements. Is also good.

  In the exemplary embodiment, the sole structure 110 is secured to the upper 120, as generally illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 22, and between the foot and the ground when the product 100 is worn. Extends to. In some embodiments, sole structure 110 may include one or more components, including a midsole, outsole, strobel, and / or insole or insole. The sole structure 110 may include an outsole 112 fixed to the lower surface of the upper 120 and / or a base for fixing the sole structure 110 to the upper 120. Outsole 112 may be formed from a wear-resistant rubber material that is textured to impart traction to a particular surface. Although this configuration for sole structure 110 illustrates an example of a sole structure that may be used with upper 120, various other configurations for sole structure 110 may be used. Accordingly, the configuration of sole structure 110 or any sole structure used with upper 120 may vary.

  In other embodiments, the sole structure 110 may include a midsole, strobel and / or insole. The midsole can be secured to the underside of the upper and, optionally, during walking, running or other walking activities, reduce the ground reaction when compressed between the foot and the ground (ie, (Providing cushioning) may be formed from a compressible polymer foam element (eg, polyurethane or ethyl vinyl acetate foam). In another embodiment, a strobel, typically consisting of a thin sheet of material such as EVA, may be attached to the midsole, after which the upper is stitched to the strobel material, often at the periphery of the midsole. Can be In other cases, the midsole may incorporate plates, moderators, fluid-filled chambers, lasting elements, or motion control members that further reduce force, improve stability, or affect foot movement. Good. In still other cases, the midsole may be formed predominantly from a fluid-filled chamber provided in the upper and extending to the underside of the foot to enhance product comfort.

  Upper 120 defines a cavity in product 100 for receiving and securing a foot to sole structure 110. The cavity is shaped to accommodate the foot, and extends along the outer side of the foot, along the inner side of the foot, over the foot, around the heel, and below the foot . As shown in FIGS. 1 and 15, upper 120 includes an outer surface 121 and an opposite inner surface 122. The outer surface 121 faces radially outward, away from the wearer's foot of the product 100, while the inner surface 122 faces inward, and the main or relatively large portion of the cavity in the product 100 for receiving the foot. It defines a large part. Further, the inner surface 122 may contact the foot or socks over the foot. Access to the cavity is provided by a throat opening 140 provided in at least the heel region 14. More specifically, the foot can be inserted into the upper 120 through the throat opening 140, and the foot can be withdrawn from the upper 120 through the throat opening 140. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 15, the instep area 150 extends from the throat opening 140 in the heel area 14 beyond the area corresponding to the instep area and adjacent to the toe area 10. Extending to

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the lace 154 may extend through a plurality of loops 158 provided in the upper 120. Loop 158 allows the wearer to change the size of upper 120 to accommodate the proportions of the foot. More specifically, lace 154 allows the wearer to tighten upper 120 around the foot, and lace 154 allows the wearer to loosen upper 120 and remove That is, it makes it possible to easily put the foot in and out (through the throat opening 140). As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the lace 154 may additionally pass through the loop 158, which further allows the wearer to tighten the upper 120 around the foot. I do. In addition, as shown in FIG. 22, the tongue 152 extends from the front of the upper 120 in the forefoot region 10 to the top of the upper 120 adjacent the throat opening 140 in the heel region 14. Extends through. The tongue 152 may extend below the lace 154 to enhance the comfort of the product 100. Additionally or alternatively, instead of loop 158 and / or lace opening 156, product 100 may include other lace receiving elements, such as D-rings, hooks or various loop-type extensible elements. In a further configuration, the upper 120 may include additional elements, such as (a) a heel counter in the heel region 14 that enhances stability, (b) a toe guard in the toe region 10 formed of a wear resistant material, And (c) a tag with a logo, a trademark, and a note or material information.

  The footwear upper may be formed from a number of material elements (eg, fabrics, polymer foams, polymer sheets, leather, synthetic leather) that are joined, for example, by sewing or gluing. As exemplarily illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 15, the upper 120 may be formed from a knit component 130 described in more detail below. The knit component 130 may be manufactured, for example, by a flat knitting process. The knit component 130 passes through each of the toe region 10, the midfoot region 12, and the heel region 14, along both the outer side 16 and the inner side 18, over the toe region 10, and the heel. It may extend around region 14. In the exemplary embodiment, knit component 130 forms at least a portion of upper 120, including outer surface 121 and / or inner surface 122, and may form substantially all of the upper, Defines a portion of the cavity in the upper 120. Also, the knit component 130 may extend beneath the foot and / or the knit component 130 may be secured to the upper surface 114 of the sole structure 110. However, in other embodiments, the knitted configuration is such that the material of the straw insole or thin sole forms the base of the upper 120 that extends below the foot for attachment to the sole structure 110. Fixed to element 130.

  In one non-limiting example, as illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 and 15, knit component 130 may be formed from a number of knit components. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 15-17, knit component 130 may include a body portion 124 and a heel portion 126. The body portion 124 may be formed from a knit fabric material and extend longitudinally along the product 100 from the toe region 10 of the upper 120, through the midfoot region 12, and around the instep of the wearer's foot. May be extended over the bump portion of the upper 120 corresponding to. In the exemplary embodiment, at least a portion of body portion 124 may further extend rearward from midfoot region 12 toward heel region 14. Further, the main body 124 may extend continuously between the outer side portion 16 and the inner side portion 18 around the toe region 10 of the upper 120. In this configuration, body portion 124 of knit component 130 may be configured to substantially cover the wearer's foot.

  In some embodiments, the heel 126 may be formed from a knitted fabric material, as generally illustrated in FIGS. 15-18, and at the heel region 14, from the sole structure 110 to the throat. It may extend along the product 100 vertically towards the top of the opening 140. In the exemplary embodiment, the heel 126 may further extend at least partially into the midfoot region 12 of the upper 120 along the length of the product 100. Further, the heel 126 may extend continuously around the heel region 14 of the upper 120 between the outer side 16 and the inner side 18. In this configuration, the heel 126 of the knit component 130 may be configured as a cuff that covers at least a portion of the wearer's ankle. As will be described in more detail below, body portion 124 and heel portion 126 may be joined together along a corresponding edge to form knit component 130. For example, the edge 127 of the body 124 may be connected to the heel 126 along the edge 128 of the heel 126. In some embodiments, the edges 127 and 128 may extend generally diagonally in the heel region 14 from the instep area 150 toward the rear of the product 100. Alternatively, body portion 124 and heel portion 126 may not be joined after being formed separately; rather, body portion 124 and heel portion 126 may be formed as a single unitary knit component 130.

  As shown in FIGS. 1-14A, the upper 120 shown in FIGS. 15-31 not only covers the wearer's feet, but also extends upwards, and also has a portion of the ankle. Covering. For reference, the upper 120 is described as being divided into two general regions, a foot region 20 and an ankle region 30, as shown in FIGS. The foot region 20 extends through each of the forefoot region 10, the midfoot region 12 and the heel region 14, and substantially surrounds the portion of the upper 120 corresponding to the foot. In many configurations of the product 100, the foot region 20 is located on a portion of the upper 120 that is intended to be under the wearer's outer and inner ankles (ie, the bone protruding sites on each side of the ankle). Yes, it is. The ankle region 30 is located primarily in the heel region 14 and generally surrounds the portion of the upper 120 corresponding to the ankle. The ankle region 30 may correspond to a portion of the upper 120 that is intended to extend over and over the outer and inner ankles.

  In the embodiment of FIGS. 15-31, the body portion 124 of the knitted component 130 is substantially substantially coupled to the foot region 20 of the upper 120, and the heel portion 126 is at least a portion of the foot region 20. And a significant portion of the ankle region 30. As can be seen in FIG. 18, the heel 126 extends from a lower area of the upper 120 adjacent the sole structure 110 to an upper edge of the upper 120 that extends around the throat opening 140.

  As described above, the heel 126, when provided within the upper 120 via the throat opening 140, surrounds and substantially surrounds the ankle of the wearer, thereby providing an ankle of the wearer of the product 100. The front perimeter may form a cuff having a C-shape extending along both sides of the instep area 150 to provide support for the cuff. The heel 126 is left open along the front of the product 100 in the instep area 150 to accommodate the tongue 152, as shown in FIG. Around the heel region 14 includes an upper edge forming a cuff that extends continuously around the throat opening 140 from the outer side 16 to the inner side 18. In an exemplary embodiment, the tongue 152 may fit between the front perimeters on both sides of the heel 126.

  Upper 120 may include separate areas with different characteristics. In some embodiments, a portion of upper 120 may include a multi-fiber yarn and / or may include a single-fiber strand. The monofilament strand may be formed from a plastic or polymer material that is extruded to form a monofilament strand. In general, the monofilament strands can be lightweight and have a high tensile strength, i.e., the monofilament strands can be subjected to tensile fracture or breakage to provide the bulk or high elongation resistance to the upper 120. Prior to failure, large stresses can be sustained. In an exemplary embodiment, the portion of upper 120 that includes the monofilament strands may be provided in one or more monofilament sections. The term "single fiber strand" is used to refer to that portion of the upper 120 that is formed substantially entirely of knitted single fiber strands.

  Various portions of upper 120 may also include single fibers. The term monofilament group is used to refer to the general area of the group consisting of monofilament sections. In other words, the single fiber group may have a plurality of single fiber sections. In one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 4, 16 and 17, the inner monofilaments 160 are disposed on the inner side 18 of the upper 120 and the outer monofilaments 164 include It is located on the outer side 16 of the upper 120. The inner monofilament group 160 and the outer monofilament group 164 may be substantially arranged in the midfoot region 12. In some embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 19 and 21, the group of single toe fibers 162 is provided in the forefoot region 10 of the upper 120 in front of the instep area 150. Also, in some embodiments, the heel region 14 may include a single fiber group 166, as shown in FIGS.

  The single fiber group may include single fiber sections arranged in a specific direction. For example, referring to the outer monofilament group 164, some of the monofilament sections are similarly diagonally oriented. Similarly, the heel monofilament group 166 may include monofilament sections that are largely horizontally oriented. The single fibers may include similarly arranged single fiber sections, but in other embodiments, the single fibers may include single fiber sections oriented in various directions.

  As described above, the knit component 130 is operated (eg, using a knitting machine) to form a plurality of intermesh loops defining various courses and wale to form a knit fabric. Formed from two yarns. The knit component 130 of the upper 120 may be a one-piece element, or in other words, the upper 120 may be formed of a single integral component or a piece of knit fabric. Alternatively, upper 120 may include one or more knit component portions, including body portion 124 and heel portion 126, as described above. In one embodiment, with reference to FIGS. 19-22, the body portion 124 and the heel portion 126 of the knitted component 130 are each depicted individually and independently of the rest of the product 100. The individual component portions of the knit component 130, including the body portion 124 and / or the heel portion 126, are each formed of a unitary knit construction. Although knit components 130 may have seams, most of the knit component portions (eg, body portion 124 and heel portion 126) have a substantially seamless structure.

  A knit component (eg, body portion 124 and / or heel portion 126 and / or knit component 130) as used herein, when formed as a one-piece element via a knitting process, is a “one-piece knit structure”. Is defined as That is, the knitting process substantially forms the various configurations and structures of the knit components without requiring significant additional manufacturing steps or processes. A unitary knitted structure is a structure or element that includes one or more courses of yarn, or such that the structure or element includes at least one course in common (ie, shares a common yarn), and And / or may be used to form a knit component or portion having other knit materials joined to include a substantially continuous course between each of its structures or elements. In this configuration, a one-piece element of an integral knit construction is formed.

  The respective knitted components forming the knitted components 130 may be joined together after the knitting process (eg, the edge 127 of the body 124 and the edge 128 of the heel 126 , Joined together), since each individual knitted component part is formed as a one-piece knitted element, it still remains formed in a unitary knit construction. As shown in FIG. 15, the knit component 130 includes a body portion 124 that forms part of an outer surface 121 and an opposing inner surface 122 of the upper 120. The knit component 130 further includes a heel 126 that also forms a portion of the outer surface 121 and the opposite inner surface 122 of the upper 120. Also, body portion 124 and heel portion 126 may be joined together to form substantially the majority of outer surface 121 and opposite inner surface 122 of upper 120. Also, the knitted component portion is still a unitary knitted structure if other elements (eg, laces, logos, trademarks, tags with notes or material information, structural elements) are added after the knitting process. It remains in the state formed by.

  Examples of various configurations of knit components, including configurations that include inlaid strands or extensible elements that may be used with and / or to one or more component portions of knit component 130, are as follows: , Dua et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,099, Dua et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,077,027, and Dua et al., U.S. Pat. It is.

Construction of the Knit Component and its Manufacture The knitting process of forming the knit component 130 and / or the knit component portion may be performed by hand, but the entire knit component 130, body portion 124 and / or heel portion 126 Commercial production of a plurality of knit components 130 and / or knit component parts, including, will generally be performed by a knitting machine. As shown in FIG. 5, the knitted component 130 can be largely formed as a two-dimensional structure that, when assembled, can assume a shape consisting of a three-dimensional structure. In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, when the knit component 130 has a generally two-dimensional structure, the monofilament sections of the inner monofilament group 160 extend in the lateral direction, and The single fiber section of the single fiber group 164 extends largely in the lateral direction. As a result, as shown in FIG. 6, the single fiber section extends substantially vertically when the upper 120 is formed in a three-dimensional structure.

  Generally, knitting involves forming a course and wale consisting of an intermesh loop of one yarn or multiple yarns. During production, the knitting machine can be programmed to mechanically manipulate one or more yarns into a knit component 130 or a configuration of knit component portions, for example, body portion 124 and heel portion 126. That is, knit component 130 may be formed by mechanically manipulating one or more yarns to form a one-piece fabric element having the shape and configuration of body portion 124 and heel portion 126. Thus, the knit component 130 may be formed in a unitary knit structure utilizing a knitting machine.

  The knit components 130 and / or the respective body portions 124 and heel portions 126 form a knit component portion by a variety of different knitting processes and including the knit components 130 and / or body portions 124 and heel portions 126. A variety of different knitting machines having the ability to form may be used to form the various configurations described above. Generally, weft knitting involves forming multiple courses and wales. By way of example, the course is a row of intermesh loops of knit material extending substantially transversely across each of body portion 124 and heel portion 126. That is, the course may extend along the width of body portion 124 and along the width of heel portion 126. The wale is a vertical array of loops extending at right angles to the course and extending generally along the length of each of body portion 124 and heel portion 126.

  In one embodiment, a flat knitting process may be used to form the knit component 130 and / or the knit component portion including the body portion 124 and the heel portion 126. In other embodiments, circular knitting (ie, utilizing a circular knitting machine) may be used to form the knit component 130 and / or the knit component portion including the body portion 124 and the heel portion 126. A general or conventional knitting process may be used to form the knit component 130 and / or the knit component portion including the body portion 124 and the heel portion 126, but specific knitting processes that may be used. Typical examples include, but are not limited to, flat knit or circular knit, wide tube circular knit, narrow tube circular knit, narrow tube circular knit jacquard, single knit circular knit jacquard, double knit circular knit jacquard and warp knit Including warp knitting or weft knitting, including jacquard.

  Knit component 130 may be formed from a single type of yarn that imparts common properties to each of the separate knit component portions, including body portion 124 and / or heel portion 126. However, different yarns may be used for different component parts of the knit component 130 to change the properties of the knit component 130. That is, the body portion 124 and / or the heel portion 126 and the different local areas of the body portion 124 and / or the heel portion 126 may be between each portion 124, 126 or of a single portion of the knit component 130. It may be formed from different yarns to change properties between local areas. In addition, the knit component 130 may also include monofilament sections formed from monofilament strands, thereby imparting different properties within the monofilament sections as compared to other sections of the knit component 130. .

  In some embodiments, the monofilament section may be formed using a single monofilament strand. In other embodiments, the monofilament sections may be formed using monofilament strands and fused thermoplastic yarns. The fused thermoplastic yarn and monofilament strand can be in the flat direction. The thermoplastic yarn can stabilize or reinforce the monofilament section or portions of the monofilament section. Further, one portion of the knit component 130 may be formed from a first type of yarn or combination of yarns that confer a first set of properties, and another portion of the knit component 130 may include: It may be formed from a second type of yarn or a combination of yarns that provides a second set of properties. Properties may be varied across knit component 130 by selecting specific yarns for different portions of knit component 130. Examples of properties that can be varied by yarn selection include color, pattern, gloss, stretch, resilience, loft, hand, moisture absorption, biodegradability, abrasion resistance, durability and thermal conductivity. It is also noted that, for example, if the yarns are flat or form different courses in the same area, two or more yarns may be used in combination to take advantage of the properties from both yarns. Should be.

  The properties that a particular type of yarn will impart to the knitted component 130 or to the body portion 124 and / or the heel portion 126 will depend, in part, on the various fibers within the yarn and the materials that make up the fibers. I do. For example, cotton provides a soft hand, natural beauty and biodegradability. Elastane and stretch polyester each have considerable stretch and resilience, and stretch polyester also has recyclability. Rayon has excellent gloss and hygroscopicity. In addition, wool has high hygroscopicity in addition to heat insulation and biodegradability. Nylon is durable, abrasion resistant, and has relatively high strength. Polyester is a hydrophobic material that also has relatively high durability. Yarn incorporating a thermoplastic material also allows portions or areas of the knitted component 130 to be fused or stabilized by the application of heat.

  In addition to the material from which the yarn is formed, other aspects of the yarn selected for the portion or area of the knit component 130 can affect properties. For example, the yarn forming the knit component 130 including the body portion 124 and / or the heel portion 126 may be a monofilament strand or a multifilament yarn. Also, the yarn may include separate fibers, each formed of a different material. The yarn may also include fibers each formed of two or more different materials, such as a sheath-core structure or a composite yarn having two halves formed of different materials. . Different degrees of twist and crimp, as well as different deniers, can also affect the properties of the knit component 130 and its individual parts. Thus, the material from which the yarn is formed, and other aspects of the yarn, together impart various properties to the knit component 130 and / or to certain portions of the knit component, including the body portion 124 and / or the heel portion 126. May be selected.

  While portions of the knitted component 130 may be formed from monofilament strands, other portions of the knitted component 130 may be formed from multifilament yarns, such that the multifilament yarns are May have different properties than the part. In one embodiment, a multi-fiber yarn may be used to form part of the knitted component 130, where the multi-fiber yarn provides a higher abrasion resistance than a single fiber strand. Further, some sections of the knitted component 130 may be formed from different strands or yarns, and the knitted component 130 may still consist of a unitary knit construction. For example, the area of the knit component 130 formed of a monofilament yarn may be knitted adjacent to the area of the knit component formed of a multi-fiber yarn, thereby forming an upper 120 consisting of a unitary knit structure. ing.

  As described above, the monofilament section refers to the portion of the knit component 130 formed of monofilament strands. In one embodiment, the monofilament section may not include multifilament yarn. As shown in FIGS. 7-9A, FIGS. 14 and 14A, and FIGS. 23-31A, the monofilament section may be adjacent to the multi-fiber section of the knit component 130, and / or It may be bordered by those multifilament areas.

  In some embodiments, the monofilament section may be adjacent to a tunnel or channel formed in the knit component 130. These tunnels or channels are schematically illustrated herein in FIGS. 7 and 27 and are illustrated in more detail in FIGS. 8, 9, 14, and 27, 28, and 30. It is sometimes called "welt". The welt 170 of FIG. 7 is shown in an enlarged view in FIG. 7A, where it is identified as the welt 700. Welt 700 is shown in more detail in cross-section in FIG. 8A, and is shown in FIG. 9A and is accompanied by a loop diagram for knitting welt 700 of FIG. 9 described in more detail below. . Similarly, the welt 170 shown in connection with the product 100 of FIG. 27 is shown in enlarged cross-sectional view in FIG. 27A, where it is identified as the welt 1400. A loop diagram for knitting the welt 1400 of FIG. 27 is illustrated in FIG. 28A and described in further detail below. In an alternative embodiment of the product 100, identified as the product 1306 shown in FIG. 14, the welt 170 is shown in enlarged cross-sectional view in FIG. 14A and is identified as welts 1301 and 1303.

  In general, the welt 170 can be an area of the knit component 130 configured with two or more coextensive and overlapping knit layers, for example, an inner layer and an outer layer. The knit layer may be part of a knit component 130 that is formed from a knit material, for example, threads, yarns or strands. The two or more knit layers may be formed in a unitary knit construction so as to form a welt within the knit component 130. The sides or edges of the knit layers forming the welt 170 may be fixed to other layers, but the central area is between the two layers of knit material forming each knit layer. It is not substantially fixed so as to form a hollow or tunnel. In some embodiments, the central non-fixed area of the welt 170 allows another element (eg, an extensible element) to be disposed between the two layers of knit material, and the other element , May extend through the hollow or channel between the two knit layers of the welt 170. In the exemplary embodiment, each of the knit layers forming the welt 170 may bond to one of the outer side 121 and the inner side 122 of the knit component 130. For example, in one embodiment, the welt 170 includes an inner layer coupled to the inner surface 122 and an outer surface positioned radially outward from the inner surface 122, as schematically illustrated in FIG. 27A. 121 and an outer layer associated therewith.

  In some embodiments, the welt 170 may be formed from a multi-fiber yarn. Welt 170 may include inlaid strands or extensible elements extending through tunnels formed by the welt. Mesh knit constructions, mock mesh knit constructions, and other suitable knit constructions with accompanying looping schematics for knitting such knit constructions used in this embodiment are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. Huffa et al., US Pat.

  The welt 170 may be provided on the entire upper 120 of the product 100. In one embodiment, the welt 170 may be provided adjacent to the single fiber section. In one embodiment of the product 100 as illustrated in FIG. 8, the welt 170 may include an inner layer or portion 802 and an outer layer or portion 800. In another embodiment of the product 100 shown in FIG. 27, an inner layer or portion 172 and an outer layer or portion 173 may be provided. The inner portions 172, 802 may be provided adjacent to the user's foot, while the outer portions 173, 800 may extend radially outward away from the user's foot. Outer portion 173,800 is formed along the edges of inner portion 172,802 to form an unsecured opening or channel between outer portion 173,800 and inner portion 172,802. It may be connected to the inner parts 172, 802.

  As exemplarily illustrated in FIG. 27A, the monofilament section may be provided toward the inner surface 122 of the knitted component 130. That is, the single fiber section may be provided on a plane toward the user's foot. In some embodiments, the monofilament section may be aligned with the inner portion 172 of the welt 170 (or the inner portion 802 of FIG. 8A). That is, the monofilament section may extend along a plane in which the inner portions 172, 802 are aligned in a manner similar to the plane along which it is formed. Accordingly, the monofilament section may be recessed from the outer portion 173 of the welt 170 (or the outer portion 800 of FIG. 8A). In some embodiments, such a configuration reduces the likelihood that the outer portion 173,800, which may be provided radially outward of the inner portion, and the monofilament section will come into contact before the monofilament section is contacted. May be used to enhance. In this way, the single fiber sections may be protected from wear.

  The width of any one or more monofilament sections can reduce the likelihood that the monofilament sections will wear. The monofilament area may be relatively narrow, for example, about 1 to 4 courses wide. In other embodiments, the monofilament sections may be wider. Alternatively, the welt 170 may be about the same width as the single fiber section, or the welt 170 may be wider or narrower than the single fiber section. If the welt 170 and the monofilament area are approximately the same width, about 50% or more of the area of the knitted component 130 surrounded by the welt 170 may have a simple monofilament structure. That is, about half or more of the surface area of the knitted component 130 may be comprised of single fiber sections. This allows the product 100 to have a see-through or translucency over a large area of the knit component 130. However, in other embodiments, less than 50% of the area of the knit component 130 surrounded by the welt 170 may have a simple monofilament structure. The large areas of the knitted component 130 may include monofilament areas, but those monofilament areas may be relatively narrow and may be recessed from the outer portions 173,800 of the welt 170, , Monofilament areas can be protected from abrasion.

  The spacing between the single fiber section and the multi-fiber section including the welt 170 may vary, and the single fiber section may be of variable width. For example, as described above, some single fiber sections may be about 1 to 4 courses wide, and other single fiber sections may be 4 to 8 courses or more. Similarly, some multi-fiber sections adjacent to the monofilament section, including the welt, may be about 1-4 courses wide, while other welts may have about 4-8 courses or more. It may be wide. Further, the width of the individual multi-fiber sections, including the welt, may vary across the knit component 130. The combination of different widths of the multi-fiber section, including the welt 170, and different widths of the single-fiber section is illustrated in some non-limiting examples of the product 100 of FIGS. 1, 10-13 and 15. As may be provided, a variable spacing of single fiber sections may be provided. In the case of a multi-fiber section that includes a welt 170 that is provided generally adjacent and / or between the single-fiber sections, the size and shape of the multi-fiber section that includes the welt 170 is It can affect the size and spacing and direction of the area.

  The height of the welt may provide additional protection for the single fiber area. The height 812 of one embodiment of the welt 700 of FIG. 8A and the height 1412 of another embodiment of the welt 1400 (of FIG. 27A) are defined by the outer portions 173,800 of the respective welts 1400, 700 and the single fiber section. To the outer surface 121 (see FIG. 27A). In other words, height 812 and height 1412 are the distances that the outer portion of each welt extends radially outward away from the inner surface of the welt. The welt 170 may have additional courses on the outer portions 173,800 and fewer courses on the inner portions 172,802. The outer portions 173,800 and the respective inner portions 172,802 are attached to each other at the edges as shown in FIGS. May be formed. The protrusions or bumps may extend radially outward away from the inner portions 172, 802 and single fiber sections 703 and 705 of FIG. 8A and the single fiber sections 1408, 1410 of FIG. 27A. In addition, larger bumps or protrusions can protect each single fiber section from abrasion. Larger bumps or protrusions can be formed by including more courses in the outer portions 173,800 and less courses in the inner portions 172,802. The greater height of the welt 170, as well as the respective narrow monofilament section, can limit the likelihood of the collision because the collision between the object and the monofilament section can be absorbed by the welt.

  In some embodiments, the welt 170 may include inlaid strands or extensible elements. The extensible element may be used as a loop 158 configured to receive a lace 154, as shown in FIG. Further, the loop 158, together with the lace 154, can assist in adjusting the fit and feel of the product 100. In some embodiments, the extensible element provides support for the welt 170, which can also support adjacent monofilament sections. In addition, the extensible element allows for greater support when used as loop 158 because the extensible element allows tension from laces 154 to extend over portions of upper 120.

  In some embodiments, the monofilament area may be formed from a translucent material and / or may be substantially transparent to allow light to pass through the monofilament area. Further, the monofilament section allows for an internal cavity of the product 100 that is visible through the knit component 130. Also, the monofilament areas may include coloring or may be given a particular hue. For example, the monofilament areas may be tinted in black or grey, or any other color. In yet another embodiment, the single fiber sections may be of a dark opaque color such that light does not pass from the outer side 121 to the inner side 122 of the single fiber sections. The permeability of the single fiber sections can be affected by the permeability or lack of permeability of the single fiber strands used to form each single fiber section.

  In one example, the permeability of one or more monofilament sections can be affected by the diameter of the monofilament strand. In some embodiments, a single monofilament strand can have a diameter ranging from about 0.08 mm to about 0.125 mm, while a single monofilament strand has a smaller or larger diameter. May be provided. Larger diameter single fiber strands can suppress the passage of light through the single fiber strands. Further, various stitch densities may be utilized in forming the monofilament section. A relatively high density stitch configuration can reduce light transmission from the outer surface 121 of the product 100 to the interior cavity formed by the knit component 130.

  One or more monofilament sections within a monofilament group can be oriented in a particular direction. For example, the single fiber sections may be oriented in a generally vertical direction. That is, the monofilament section may extend from the sole structure 110 toward the instep area 150. Alternatively, the single fiber section may extend diagonally. That is, the single fiber sections may be oriented such that the single fiber sections do not extend vertically. The vertical and / or diagonal monofilament sections are schematically and schematically illustrated in FIGS. 6, 15 and 19. Further, in other embodiments, the monofilament sections may extend longitudinally. For example, the monofilament section of the heel monofilament group 166 is illustrated in FIGS. 25 and 26 as extending substantially longitudinally. Each monofilament section of the various embodiments described above may be parallel to one another, or may be oriented at right angles to one another, and / or may be oriented independently of one another.

  In some embodiments, the monofilament sections may be of various shapes. Referring to FIGS. 5, 7 and 15-17 and 19, the monofilament sections of the outer monofilament group 164 and / or the inner monofilament group 160 may be substantially trapezoidal, rectangular and / or elongated rectangular. It may have a shape. For example, the single fiber section of FIG. 23A may be elongated and generally rectangular in shape. As shown, the shape of the monofilament section 181 is defined by an end welt 184 located proximate to the heel region 14 and by an end welt 185 located proximate to the toe region 20. You may. Also, the shape of the single fiber section 181 may be further defined by the instep border line 186. The instep rim 186 may be an area of the upper 120 surrounding the instep area 150. In some embodiments, the instep border line 186 may include a lace opening 156 and / or a loop 158. The shape of the monofilament section 181 may be further defined by a sole border line 187. The sole border line portion 187 may be provided adjacent to the sole structure 110. Further, portions of the sole border line 187 may be covered by the sole structure 110 for aesthetic or other purposes. The sole border 187 may extend below the user's foot and may be attached to the center of the sole structure 110. As such, the shape of the single fiber section 181 is defined by the welt 184, the welt 185, the instep border line 186, and the sole border line 110, as shown in FIG. Therefore, when the shape and directionality of the welt 184, the welt 185, the instep border line portion 186, and the sole border line portion 187 change, the shape of the single fiber section 181 may also change. It should be appreciated that the monofilament section 181 may occupy the space surrounded or bordered by the welt 184, the welt 185, the instep border 186 and the sole border 187.

  In another example, the monofilament section 705 shown in FIG. 7A may be elongate trapezoidal in shape, and may be adjacent to the instep area 150 (of the angled end 704 of the adjacent monofilament section). (Eg) may have an angled end or termination point. As shown, the shape of the monofilament section 705 may be defined by a welt 700 on at least one side. Further, the shape of the monofilament section 705 may be defined by an instep border line 186 and a sole border line 187. As such, the shape of the monofilament section 705 is defined at least in part by the welt 702, the welt 700, the instep border line 186, and the sole border line 187, as shown in FIG. Therefore, when the shape and directionality of the welt 702, the welt 700, the instep border line portion 186, and the sole border line portion 187 change, the shape of the single fiber section 705 may also change. Thus, many, including triangles shaped as schematically illustrated in FIGS. 10-13, rectangles and / or elongated rectangles shaped as illustrated in FIGS. 15-18 and 23. Monofilament sections of different shapes are possible. Alternatively, other monofilament sections may be elliptical, circular, shark tooth shaped, and / or as generally illustrated in FIGS. 19 and 23-26 and described in further detail herein. Such irregularly shaped single fiber sections may be used.

  In some embodiments, the welt surrounding the monofilament sections may include an extensible element extending at least partially through those welts. For example, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the welt 700 includes extensible elements 804 and / or 806 extending therethrough. In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 27, the welt 1400 includes an extensible element 1402 extending therethrough. Some welts have extensible elements that extend through at least a portion thereof, while other multi-fiber sections or welts are illustrated, for example, in welt 702 and / or FIG. 23 of FIG. It may not include an extensible element extending therethrough, such as a welt 188 being provided. Further, the extensible element may enter and exit a particular welt multiple times. That is, the extensible elements may be exposed along various portions of the welt.

  As described above, the monofilament section may be an oval or triangular or shark tooth shape, for example, a monofilament section 182. As shown in FIG. 23A, the monofilament area 182 is bounded by welts 185 and 188. The single fiber section 182 may be disposed at an edge of the inner single fiber group 160. That is, the single fiber section 182 may not obstruct or enlarge the shape of other single fiber sections in the group. In other embodiments, the boundaries of the single fiber section 182 may share some boundaries of the elongated single fiber section 189. As shown in FIG. 23A, the single fiber section 182 is provided near the sole edging line 187. Further, the single fiber section 182 is provided adjacent to the single fiber section 189. Accordingly, the border line of the single fiber section 182 may share the boundary 190 with the single fiber section 189. In such a case, the length of the single fiber section 189 is affected by the boundaries of the single fiber section 182, as opposed to the sole edging line 187.

  The boundary 190 may be configured in a similar manner as the welt 170. That is, the boundary 190 may be a multi-fiber section that includes an outer portion and an inner portion. Thus, boundary 190 may project or extend beyond the plane of single fiber section 189 and / or single fiber section 182. Alternatively, boundary 190 may be configured differently than welt 170. For example, boundary 190 may be formed along the same substantially planar plane along which single fiber section 189 and single fiber section 182 are configured.

  As shown in FIGS. 15-17, the monofilament sections may be variously disposed on the knitted component 130, including being disposed in the toe region 10 of the product 100. As shown therein, the monofilament section may be surrounded by a multifilament section in which the shape of the monofilament section may be defined by a border line of the multifilament yarn. The multi-fiber sections between and surrounding the single-fiber sections may be configured similarly to the welts described above. That is, the multi-fiber section may include an inner layer or portion and an outer layer or section, wherein the outer layer extends radially outward beyond the monofilament section. In other embodiments, the multi-fiber sections may be configured along the same plane as the single-fiber sections.

  As shown in FIGS. 24 and 24A, the toe single fiber group 162 in the toe region 10 includes a plurality of single fiber sections 200. In the exemplary embodiment, each of the monofilament sections 200 may have a generally triangular shape including a wide base narrowing toward the tip of one end. Specifically, referring to one single fiber section 202, the appearance is triangular. Also, the single fiber section 200 may be similarly oriented. For example, the bottom 204 of the monofilament section 202 may be oriented along a lateral direction. Further, the bottom side 204 may be disposed to face the heel region 14. In some embodiments, the tip 206 of the monofilament section 202 may be oriented opposite the base 204. Thus, the monofilament section 202 may be generally triangular and may resemble the shape of a shark tooth. Various other monofilament sections 200 may be similarly shaped. However, other geometric or non-geometric shapes of the single fiber section 200 may be used. The single fiber sections 200 may be arranged such that strength and stability are imparted to the toe region 10. As compared to the inner monofilament group 160 of the midfoot region 12 (see FIG. 23), the toe monofilament group 162 of the toe region 10 includes a smaller area of monofilament strands.

  In some embodiments, the multi-fiber yarn may help support the product 100 to maintain its shape and also provide abrasion resistance. For example, the toe region 10 may include a greater percentage of multifilament yarn, as it may potentially result in greater potential for increased wear and force on the knit component 130. For example, the user may move laterally or “cut”, which may result in pressing the foot against the toe region 10 of the product. Further, the user may encounter larger obstacles or objects in the toe area 10 compared to other areas of the product 100.

  In addition, the location, orientation, design and / or shape of the monofilament section can be useful for force distribution throughout the product 100. For example, referring to FIG. 24A, the triangular or shark tooth design of the monofilament section 200 allows the force to be distributed through the toe region 10 at many different angles. The offset properties of the monofilament sections 200 allow multi-filament yarns to be oriented between the monofilament sections 200. The orientation of the multi-fiber yarn allows for transmission of force through the multi-fiber yarn along a plurality of different angles. The specific design of the area of the multifilament yarn allows any force to be split or distributed through the different channels of the multifilament yarn. For example, the transverse force can be distributed indirectly through a multi-fiber yarn. That is, the lateral force can simply be dispersed into the lateral and longitudinal components, thereby reducing the stress along any one direction of the toe region 10. In other embodiments, shark tooth shaped monofilament sections 200 may be combined with different shaped monofilament sections. For example, in some embodiments, shark tooth shaped monofilament sections 200 may be used with elliptical monofilament sections or rectangular or elongated monofilament sections as described above. The shark tooth design of the monofilament section 200 may provide strength to the toe region 10 and may also be added to the design of the product 100.

  Referring to FIGS. 25 and 26, one embodiment of the heel 126 of the product 100 is illustrated. The heel monofilament group 166 includes an elongated monofilament section 300 provided between the outer side 16 and the inner side 18 of the heel 126. As shown, the elongated monofilament section 300 extends toward the back 302. The back 302 may be located at a central location between the outer side 16 and the inner side 18 or the back 302 may be such that the back 302 is proximate to either the outer side 16 or the inner side 18. May be offset. The back 302 may act as a barrier or separation area between the outer side 16 and the inner side 18 of the heel 126. As FIG. 25A shows, an elliptical monofilament section 304 may be provided along the length of the back 302. Accordingly, the elliptical single fiber section 304 may be provided adjacent to the elongated single fiber section 300. In other embodiments, the elliptical shaped monofilament sections 304 may be provided at different locations within the heel 126. For example, the elliptical shaped single fiber section 304 may be provided adjacent to the collar 306.

  The orientation and layout of the elliptical monofilament sections 304 and elongate monofilament sections 300 may help to deter or limit stretch of the product 100. For example, heel 126 is shown receiving the pulling force of FIG. As the heel 126 is extended, the back 302 can absorb a significant portion of its force. That is, the force can be directed to pass along the back 302, thereby minimizing the amount of force experienced by the monofilament section. As shown, the force may be directed along the back 302 and along a multi-fiber section 308 that surrounds or surrounds the elliptical monofilament section 304. By forming multi-fiber sections or paths through which forces are transmitted, stresses and other forces experienced by adjacent single-fiber sections may be reduced thereby. In addition, this design allows a large area of the heel 126 to be a monofilament structure, while providing a durable, stylish, and stretch resistant heel 126.

  As shown in FIG. 26, the monofilament sections 300 may be oriented horizontally or laterally. In other embodiments, the monofilament sections 300 may be oriented vertically, or may be oriented in other directions. The multi-fiber sections 308 disposed between and / or surrounding the single-fiber sections 300 may be configured similarly to the welts 170 (see FIG. 27), as described above. That is, in some embodiments, the multi-fiber section 308 may include an inner layer or portion and an outer layer or portion. The inner and outer portions of multifilament section 308 lie in different planes (with an inner portion in a plane near the user's foot and an outer portion in a plane located radially outward from the user's foot). And there may be a space between the inner and outer portions of the multi-fiber section 308. Alternatively, the inner and outer portions of the multi-fiber section 308 may be secured and / or adhered at least partially together such that there is little or no space between them. In another embodiment, the multi-fiber section 308 may have a similar structure to the single-fiber section 300 and the single-fiber section 304. That is, the multi-fiber section 308 may be provided in the same plane as the single-fiber section 300. For example, the multi-fiber section 308 may not include an outer section, and the absence of the outer section indicates that in the same plane between the single-fiber section and an adjacent section formed of multi-fiber yarn, It can result in a uniform continuous surface.

  The multi-fiber section 308 may be similar to the extensible elements 804 and 806 extending through the respective welts 820, 822 of FIG. 8A, or the extensible elements 1402 may be shown in FIG. 27A. It may include an extensible element extending through the multi-fiber section 308, as well as extending through the welt 1400. Alternatively, the multi-fiber section 308 may be hollow or unfilled with extensible elements extending therethrough.

  Referring to FIGS. 8 and 27, welt 700 and welt 170 are illustrated in cross-sectional views as welt 700 and welt 1400, respectively, in FIGS. 8A and 27A. As described above, the welts 700, 1400 are generally hollow structures formed by two overlapping and at least partially coextensive layers of knit material. The sides or edges of one layer of knit material forming the welts 700, 1400 may be fixed to the other layer, but the central area is a separate element where the two elements are made of knit material. It is not substantially fixed so that it may be located between the layers and may extend through the welt. As FIG. 8A shows, the welt 700 may include two adjacent welts 820 and 822. Another example of a knitted component for a footwear upper having overlapping or at least partially coextensive layers can be found in US Pat. .

  As mentioned above, the welt may include an extensible element extending therethrough. For example, extensible elements 804 and 806 extend through welts 820 and 822, respectively, and extensible element 1402 extends through welt 1400. In some embodiments, the extensible element may extend between one welt and another welt. For example, with reference to welt 700, extensible element 804 passes through welt 820 and extensible element 806 passes through welt 822. The extensible elements 804 and 806 may be a single continuous piece, but each section of the extensible element is a separate area or portion (sections 804 and 806, respectively) for ease of reference. It is named as The extensible element section 804 and the extensible element section 806 may be connected to form a loop 158. More specifically, the extensible element section 804 extends through the welt 820 and outward from the top of the welt to form a loop 158, and then extends down through the welt 822. The loop 158 is exposed, but the remainder of the extensible element sections 804 and 806 may be at least partially surrounded by the welt 700, which generally includes an outer portion 800, an outer portion 801 and It is defined by an inner portion 802. Individual welts 820 may be defined by outer portion 801, middle portion 830, and inner portion 802, and individual welts 822 may be defined by outer portion 800, middle portion 830, and inner portion 802. In other embodiments, the extensible element may extend twice along the length of a single welt. For example, the extensible element section 804 extends outwardly from the upper end of the welt 700 to form a loop 158 outside the upper 120, and the extensible element section 806 extends back through the welt 700.

  In a further embodiment, the extensible element may extend from one welt to another. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 27, after extending upward through the welt 1400 to form a loop, it may return to the upper end of the second welt 1404 and extend downward. The extensible element 1402 may extend through the second welt 1404 and exit from the second welt 1404 through the lower end. In some embodiments, the extensible element 1402 may enter and exit the same welt multiple times. In some embodiments, the extensible element 1402 may extend toward and through other welts. In other embodiments, separate strands or extensible elements may extend through additional welts.

  As mentioned above, the welts may be composed of natural or synthetic twisted multifilament yarns. For example, the welt 820 shown in FIG. 8A consists of multi-fiber strands 810, while the welt 1400 shown in FIG. 27A consists of multi-fiber strands 1406. In one embodiment, schematically illustrated in FIG. 8A, the welt 700 comprises, for example, a monofilament strand including a monofilament strand 808 that has been used to form adjacent monofilament sections 703 and 705. It may be hollow. Similarly, welt 1400 may be a cavity consisting of monofilament strands, including monofilament strands used to form adjacent monofilament sections 1408 and 1410 and any other monofilament sections. Good. In some embodiments, the extensible elements may extend through the welt without contacting the monofilament strands used to define adjacent monofilament sections. Specifically, the extensible element 806 may extend through the welt 822 without contacting the monofilament section 703. Similarly, the extensible element 804 may extend through the welt 820 without contacting the monofilament section 705. The extensible element 1402 may extend through the welt 1400 without contacting the monofilament strands used to construct the monofilament sections 1408 and 1410. That is, in some embodiments, the extensible elements, including but not limited to the exemplary extensible elements 804, 806 and 1402, can be separated from or otherwise isolated from adjacent monofilament sections. You may.

  As exemplarily illustrated in FIG. 8A, the extensible element portion 806 contacts the inner portion 802, the middle portion 830, and the outer portion 800 of the welt 822, which is shown by a solid sinusoidal curve. The extensible element portion 804 contacts the inner portion 802, the middle portion 830, and the outer portion 801 and the welt 820 is also entirely composed of the multi-filament yarn 810. The monofilament strand 808 is shown as a dashed sine curve and is absent in the inner portion 802, middle portion 830 and / or outer portions 800,801 of the welts 820 and 822.

  Similarly, as exemplarily illustrated in FIG. 27A, the extensible element 1402 contacts the inner and outer portions 172 and 173 of the welt 1400, and the welt 1400 is a solid sine curve. The whole is composed of fiber yarns 1406. Further, the monofilament strand 1408, shown as a dashed sine curve, is not present in the inner portion 172 or outer portion 173 of the welt 1400. Thus, the extensible elements 804, 806 and / or 1402 may not contact the single fiber strands used to define the single fiber sections adjacent to the respective welts 820, 822, 1400. As such, when the extensible elements 804, 806 and / or 1402 are tightened or moved, they may only contact the multifilament yarns 810, 1406, thereby receiving the monofilament strands Wear amount that can be reduced.

  Referring to FIGS. 9A and 28A, there are illustrated schematic looping diagrams 900 and 1500 depicting portions of the knit component 130 of the product 100 illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 28, respectively. The looping schematics 900 and 1500 are performed by a knitting machine, eg, a flat knitting machine, to form a portion of the monofilament section 705 and welt 700 (see FIG. 8) and the monofilament section 1410 and welt 1400 (see FIG. 27). Shows the order of the knitting and movement to be performed. The spaced dots represent the needles of the knitting machine, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 28A, and the steps shown are the yarns between the needles on each of the front and back floors of the knitting machine. Or, it indicates the direction of movement of the strand.

  The needle provided on the front floor may be referred to as a “front needle”, and the needle provided on the rear floor may be referred to as a “rear needle”. Also, the term "pass" is used to refer to the movement of a feeder of a knitting machine in which a strand or yarn moves across a needle bed as it contacts and / or is operated by a needle in the needle bed. Can be The term "course" refers to a yarn or strand after the yarn or strand has formed a loop with another yarn or strand. The path across the needle bed may be associated with a course consisting of interloop strands or yarns. Alternatively, multiple passes, eg, two passes, may be used to form a single course of knit material. A method of making a product utilizing a knitting machine with a combination feeder is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,037,045 to Huffa et al., Which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

  As shown in FIG. 9A, the monofilament strands 808 may be used to knit portions of the monofilament section 705. The looping diagram is not intended to be a specific layout or orientation of the strands and is an exemplary diagram. As shown, the first pass forms monofilament elements 902 on alternating needles on the front and back floors of the knitting machine. That is, the first pass can form two course portions, one for each of the front and rear needles. Monofilament elements 904 are also formed on alternating needles on the front and back floors, and on similar portions of two courses, one on each of the front and back needles, during a single pass. You. Further, single fiber elements 906 and single fiber elements 908 are formed in a similar manner. As shown, each of the monofilament courses of those elements skips the needle position between each loop of the front and back needle beds. The configuration allows for an increase in the strength and stability of the monofilament section. Further, each single fiber course does not have to form a loop with an adjacent course. For example, a loop on the front needle bed of the single fiber element 902 is aligned with the needle opening at the corresponding position of the single fiber element 904. However, the loop of the single fiber element 902 on the front needle bed may contact the course of the single fiber element 906 on the front bed. Similar contact between the course of the single fiber element 908 and the single fiber element 904 can occur. Further, similar contact can occur between loops provided on the rear needle. The multifilament element 910 is knitted using multifilament yarns 810 on the back and front needles forming two courses in one pass. In contrast to monofilament elements, the course of multifilament elements 910 does not skip needles on the front or back floor. Accordingly, the front needle bed portion of the multi-fiber element 910 contacts the front fiber needle portions of the single fiber element 908 and the single fiber element 906 to form a loop. Similarly, the rear needle bed portion of the multi-fiber element 910 contacts the single fiber element 908 and the rear needle section of the single fiber element 906 to form a loop. In some embodiments, the rear needle portion of the multi-fiber element 910 may be considered the origin of the inner portion 802 of the welt 700. The front floor needle portion of the multi-fiber element 910 may be considered the starting point of the outer portion 801 of the welt 700. The multi-fiber element 912 is formed on the back needle bed to form a single course during a single pass to form a loop with the back needle portion of the multi-fiber element 910.

  In some embodiments, multiple multifilament courses may be formed on the posterior needle bed after formation of the multifilament element 912. An additional pass on the trailing needle bed by the feeder may be performed to form a similar additional course to adjust the shape and size of the inner portion 802 of the welt 700. For example, embodiments that include four additional courses on the posterior needle bed after the multi-fiber element 912 may produce an inner portion that is larger than the inner portion 802 shown in FIG. 8A.

  In some embodiments, the extensible element portion 804 may be located within the partially completed welt 700. The extensible element portion 804 may be inserted between the back and front floors. In some embodiments, multi-fiber elements 914 may be formed during one pass of the feeder using multi-fiber yarns that contact needles on the front and back floors. Multi-fiber element 914 and multi-fiber element 916 may skip alternating needles as described with respect to the single-fiber element above. Like the single fiber element, the multi-fiber element 914 and the multi-fiber element 916 may contact corresponding loops on the front and back needle beds. For example, the back needle bed portion of multi-fiber element 914 and multi-fiber element 916 may contact multi-fiber element 912. In some embodiments, the multi-fiber element 914 and the anterior portion of the multi-fiber element 916 may be considered as part of the middle section 830. In some embodiments, a portion of the second extensible element 806 may be inserted between the front and back floors.

  In some embodiments, the extensible element portion 804 may contact the multi-fiber element 912, and the extensible element portion 806 may contact the multi-fiber element 916. In some embodiments, the feeder may perform an additional pass to knit the multi-fiber course 918 on the front floor. An additional course may be formed on the anterior floor that contacts the multi-fiber course 918 to form a loop. By increasing the number of courses formed on the anterior floor after the multi-fiber course 918, the size of the outer portion 800 may be increased. Further, the size of the outer portion 801 may be increased by increasing the number of courses formed on the front floor after the multi-fiber element 910.

  Similarly, as shown in FIG. 28A, single fiber strands 1408 may be used to knit portions of single fiber sections 1410. The looping diagram of FIG. 28A is not meant to imply a particular layout or orientation of the strands, but is an exemplary diagram. As shown, the first pass of the feeder may form a knit of monofilament course 1502 using monofilament strands 1408 on the back floor of the knitting machine. As shown, the monofilament course 1502 does not contact all the needles on the back needle bed. Rather, the monofilament course 1502 contacts every other needle on the trailing needle bed. In some embodiments, such an arrangement may increase the strength of the single fiber section as compared to a single fiber section utilizing a flat jersey knit in contact with each needle. Further, the second pass of the feeder forms a monofilament course 1504 that is knitted using monofilament strands 1408 on the back floor. The single fiber course 1504 may also utilize knit stitches that contact every other needle on the back needle bed. In the exemplary embodiment, each of the monofilament course 1502 and monofilament course 1504 may contact every other alternating needle. Therefore, the single fiber course 1502 and the single fiber course 1504 do not have to form a loop with each other. Rather, the monofilament course 1502 may contact other courses that have already been formed. In some embodiments, the monofilament strand 1408 may be used to knit on the back needle of a knitting machine. By knitting on the back needle, the knit structure formed can extend toward the inner surface 122 of the product 100. Further, the portion of the knit component 130 that is knitted on the back needle can extend substantially away from the portion of the knit component that is knitted on the front needle.

  The third pass of the feeder may be used to form both a multifilament course 1506 on the back needle bed and a multifilament course 1508 on the front needle bed. Thus, two courses may be formed from one pass of the feeder. The multifilament course 1506 is knitted with multifilament yarn 1406 on the back needle, and the multifilament course 1508 is knitted with multifilament yarn 1406 on the front needle. In some embodiments, the multi-fiber course 1508 may be considered the origin of the outer portion 173 of the welt 1400. As shown, multifilament course 1506 and multifilament course 1508 are formed using the same multifilament yarn 1406, but do not loop with each other, but rather each are formed on a different set of needle beds. Is done. Since the multi-fiber course 1506 is formed on the back needle bed, the multi-fiber course 1506 may be in contact with the single-fiber course 1504 to form a loop. The multifilament course 1506 may be considered the starting point of the welt 1400. The fifth pass of the feeder may form a multifilament course 1512 on the trailing needle bed that forms a loop with the multifilament course 1506.

  In some embodiments, a plurality of multifilament courses may be formed on the front needle bed after formation of the multifilament course 1510. Additional courses on the front needle bed may be formed to adjust the shape and size of the outer portion 173 of the welt 1400. For example, an embodiment that includes four additional courses on the front needle bed after the multi-fiber course 1510 may form an outer portion that is larger than the outer portion 173 shown in FIG. 27A.

  As shown in FIG. 28A, the extensible element 1402 may be disposed within a partially completed welt 1400. The extensible element 1402 may be inserted between the back and front floors. In one embodiment, the extensible element 1402 may be inserted with a separate feeder. In some embodiments, the extensible element 1402 may contact the multifilament course 1508 and the multifilament course 1510. In some embodiments, an additional course, for example, a multi-fiber course 1512, may be formed on the back floor. In some embodiments, an additional pass of the feeder may be performed on the back floor with the multifilament yarn 1406 to form a course that contacts the multifilament course 1512 to form a loop. . Increasing the number of courses formed on the back floor after the multi-fiber course 1512 may increase the size of the inner portion 172 of the welt 1400.

  In some embodiments, the course remaining on the anterior floor (e.g., the multi-fiber course 918 in FIG. 9A and the multi-fiber course 1510 in FIG. 28A) is such that the preferred number of courses is After being formed on the floor, it may be transferred to the rear floor. After such an operation, the last course on the front floor may form a loop in contact with the course formed on the rear floor. This operation may complete the formation of a welt, such as welt 700 and welt 1400. As such, welt 700 may surround or surround a substantial portion of extensible element portion 804 and extensible element portion 806, and welt 1400 may surround or surround a substantial portion of extensible element 1402. can do.

  Referring now to FIG. 29B, a schematic diagram of the looping of the heel 126 portion of the product 100 shown in FIGS. 29 and 29A is shown. In some embodiments, the monofilament strands from the monofilament section 1602 may not extend into the seam border 1600, and they may be less present. The seam border line 1600 may be an area of the heel 126 provided adjacent the body 124 of the product 100 when assembled. The seam border line 1600 may be adjacent the edge 128 of the heel 126. Further, in some embodiments, the seam border 1600 may be adjacent to the edge 127 when the heel 126 is assembled to the body 124 (FIGS. 15 and 19).

  Referring to the enlarged area 1604 of FIG. 29A, a monofilament area 1602 is shown with a seam border 1600. As shown, a portion of the monofilament section 1602 is located substantially to the left of the seam edging line 1606. The seam border 1606 is not intended to be the exact boundary of an area; rather, the seam border 1606 indicates a rough boundary between the monofilament area 1602 and the seam border 1600. It is used for As shown in the expanded area 1604, the monofilament section 1602 does not extend into the seam edging line 1600, and in some embodiments, the monofilament strands are placed within the seam edging line 1600. It may extend. That is, although not visible in FIG. 29A, some loops of monofilament strands 1610, 1612, 1614, 1616 may be present at the seam edging 1600, as described in more detail below. There is.

  In addition, the edge 127 of the main body 124 may not include almost any single fiber strand, or may not include any single fiber strand. Thus, most of the seam area (see FIGS. 15 and 19) between the heel 126 and the body 124 may be free of monofilament strands. Thus, when the heel portion 126 and the body portion 124 are sewn or joined together, the single fiber strand may not have a sewn or joined portion. Therefore, the stress or force transmitted to the single fiber strand can be reduced.

  Referring to the looping schematic 1608 of FIG. 29B, the monofilament course formed from the monofilament strands 1408 may be inserted into every other needle in the needle bed in a manner similar to that described with respect to the looping schematic 1500 of FIG. 28A. May be skipped. The first pass may be used to form a monofilament course 1610 that may extend beyond the seam edging line 1606 of the monofilament section 1602. As described with respect to the looping diagram 1608, each course may be formed from a single pass. As shown, the monofilament course 1610 may include two loops formed beyond the seam edging line 1606. In other embodiments, the monofilament course 1610 may extend a greater number of loops into the seam edging line 1600 or a smaller number of loops into the seam edging line 1600. In some embodiments, the monofilament course 1610 may extend to the edge 128 of the heel 126, but in an exemplary embodiment, the monofilament strand extends to the edge 128 of the heel 126 May not be required. As shown, the monofilament course 1612 may extend a single loop beyond the seam edging line 1606. The monofilament course 1614 may extend beyond the seam edging line 1606. In some embodiments, the monofilament course 1614 may form a tax stitch between the monofilament course 1614 and the monofilament course 1616.

  As shown in FIG. 29B, the monofilament course 1610 may contact the monofilament course 1612 to form a loop, and the monofilament course 1612 contacts the monofilament course 1614 to form a loop. And the single fiber course 1614 may contact the single fiber course 1616 to form a loop. That is, the single fiber courses may contact each other to form a single fiber section 1602 as shown in the enlarged views of FIGS. 29 and 29A. As shown, the tax stitch is used to transition from the monofilament course 1614 to the monofilament course 1616 during the next pass of the feeder.

  Due to the lack of a course across the edge 128 of the heel 126, additional courses may be introduced to form the edge or complete the heel 126. A multi-fiber course 1618 and a multi-fiber course 1620 formed on the front needle bed by multi-fiber yarn 1406 may be introduced into contact with the single-fiber course. In this sense, the multifilament course may form a coherent, continuous edge of the heel 126. The arrangement of the multifilament yarn 1406 with the monofilament course allows the edge of the heel 126 to include the multifilament yarn and allows the monofilament strand to be removed from the edge. Thus, when joined, joined or sewn together with the edge 128 of the body portion 124, the connecting yarn need not contact the monofilament strand. In order to avoid stresses or other forces exerted on the monofilament strand via the splicing mechanism, it may be advantageous to separate the monofilament strand from the splicing mechanism.

  The monofilament strands may also be restricted in other areas of the product 100 that may be subject to greater stress or force. For example, the instep border line 186 may be configured in a manner similar to the heel edge 128. The instep border line 186 may include a lace opening 156 which may include the lace 154, so that the instep border line 186 may be subject to additional stress or force in some areas. . Thus, to avoid or limit the exposure of the monofilament strands to additional stress, the instep border line 186 may include little or no monofilament strands in a manner similar to that described above. It may not be included.

  Referring to FIG. 30A, a cross-sectional view of the welt 1700 provided on the heel 126 of FIG. 30 is illustrated. Welt 1700 is disposed between single fiber section 1706 and single fiber section 1708. In the illustrated embodiment, the welt 1700 is made up mostly of multifilament yarns, while the single fiber sections are mostly made up of single fiber strands. The welt 1700 may surround the extensible element, but as shown in FIG. 30A, the welt 1700 extends therethrough, as opposed to the welt 1400 of FIG. 27A. Does not contain Welt 1700 does not include an extensible element, but welt 1700 may also form a protrusion or bump along outer surface 121 of heel 126 as shown in FIG. 30A. . As mentioned above, the bumps or protrusions on the outer surface 121 of the multifilament yarn can protect the single fiber sections from contact and wear. For example, outer portion 1702 of welt 1700 may extend radially outward from inner portion 1704 of welt 1700. Outer portion 1702 and inner portion 1704 may form a hollow or tunnel-like structure.

  In some embodiments, the configuration of the inner portion 1704 and the outer portion 1702 can help maintain the shape of the outer portion 1702. For example, the inner portion 1704 may be of a shorter or smaller overall length than the outer portion 1702, and the edges or ends of the inner portion 1704 and the outer portion 1702 are joined or fixed in a fixed relationship relative to one another. It may be held. With this configuration and configuration, outer portion 1702 can extend outward from inner portion 1704. Further, if the outer portion 1702 is pressed or exerted a force on the outer portion 1702, the outer portion 1702 can withstand that force and return to a large shape when the force is released. Can be. Similarly, other multi-fiber sections and / or welts provided throughout other portions of the product 100 may further protect the single-fiber section from external forces that may damage the single-fiber section. The entire upper 120 may be used.

  Referring to FIG. 31A, there is illustrated a schematic 1800 of looping depicting the embodiment of the welt 1700 of FIG. 31 that does not include an extensible element extending through the welt. As shown, single fiber course 1802 and single fiber course 1804 are knitted using single fiber strands 1408 on the rear needle bed in a configuration using every other needle of the rear needle bed. In the exemplary embodiment, each of the monofilament courses 1802 and 1804 may alternately contact every other needle. The single fiber course 1802 may be formed from a single pass, and the single fiber course 1804 may be formed during another pass. The single fiber course 1804 is also knitted using the single fiber strand. Therefore, the single fiber course 1802 and the single fiber course 1804 do not have to form a loop with each other. Rather, the monofilament course 1802 may contact another path that has already been formed.

  Multiple multifilament courses may be formed during a single pass. For example, multifilament course 1806 and multifilament course 1808 are both formed during the same single pass of the feeder. Multifilament course 1806 is knitted using multifilament yarn 1406 on the back needle, and multifilament course 1808 is knitted using multifilament yarn 1406 on the front needle. The multifilament course 1806 may be considered as the origin of the inner portion 1704 of the welt 1700 (see FIG. 30A). As shown, multifilament course 1806 and multifilament course 1808 are formed using the same multifilament yarn 1406, but do not form a loop with each other, but rather each have a different set of needle beds. Is formed. Since the multi-fiber course 1806 is formed on the back needle bed, the multi-fiber course 1806 may be in contact with the single-fiber course 1804 to form a loop. Therefore, the multifilament course 1806 may remove the single fiber strands such that the single fiber course 1804 forms a loop with the multifilament course.

  The multifilament course 1808 may be considered a starting point for the outer portion 1702 of the welt 1700 (see FIG. 30A). Multifilament course 1810 is knitted using multifilament yarn 1406 on the front needle bed to form a loop with multifilament course 1808. In some embodiments, after the multi-fiber pass 1810, multiple multi-fiber courses may be formed on the front needle bed. Additional courses on the front needle bed may be formed to adjust the shape and size of the outer portion 1702 of the welt 1700. For example, an embodiment that includes four additional courses on the front needle bed after the multi-fiber course 1810 may form an outer portion that is larger than the outer portion 1702 of FIG. 30A.

  In some embodiments, the additional multifilament course 1812 may be knitted with multifilament yarns 1406 on the back floor. An additional course may be formed on the back floor that contacts the multi-fiber course 1812 to form a loop. By increasing the number of courses formed on the back floor after the multi-fiber course 1812, the size of the inner portion 1704 may be increased. The course remaining on the back floor may be transferred to the front floor after a suitable number of courses have been formed on the back and front floors. After such an operation, the last course on the back floor may contact the course on the front floor to form a loop. This operation may complete the formation of a welt, such as welt 1700 in FIGS. 30-31A. As such, the welt 1700 can be predominantly composed of multifilament yarns, thereby reducing the likelihood that the monofilament strands will experience wear or other forces.

Configuration of Additional Knitted Components Referring now to FIGS. 10-14A, various additional embodiments of products incorporating monofilament sections are illustrated. With particular reference to FIG. 10, an embodiment of the product 1004 is shown with a relatively large monofilament section. In this embodiment, the monofilament section 1000 and monofilament section 1002 are relatively large relative to the surface area of the outer side 16 of the product 1004 as compared to the embodiment of the product 100 illustrated in FIG. I have. Multifilament section 1006 may surround single fiber section 1000 and single fiber section 1002. In some embodiments, multi-fiber section 1006 may include one or more welts, for example, welts 1008, as described above. An extensible element 1010 may extend through at least a portion of the welt 1008.

  In one embodiment, the multi-fiber section 1006 adjacent to the single-fiber sections 1000, 1002 may be similarly aligned with the plane in which the multi-fiber section 1006 is disposed. For example, a multi-fiber section between the welt 1008 and the single-fiber section 1002 may extend along a similarly aligned plane of the single-fiber section 1002. Alternatively, other portions of the monofilament sections 1000, 1002 of the product 1004 may be adjacent to portions of the multifilament section 1006 extending along different planes.

  Referring to FIG. 11, an embodiment of a product 1108 is illustrated that includes a plurality of triangular and relatively small monofilament sections. The monofilament section of the product 1108 may form the majority in a manner similar to that described with respect to the embodiment shown in FIG. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the single fiber section 1104 and the single fiber section 1102 may be disposed adjacent to the welt 1106. Welt 1106 may be formed from multifilament yarn 1100 as described with respect to the welt configuration above.

  The multifilament yarn 1100 may surround or border the monofilament area of the product 1108, or the monofilament area of the product 1108 may border the welt, or It may border a combination of multifilament areas and welts. Without limitation, the monofilament section of the product 1108, including monofilament sections 1102 and 1104, borders a multifilament yarn 1100 that is oriented along a similarly aligned plane as the monofilament section. You may. That is, in some embodiments, there may be a relatively uniform transition between a single fiber section and an adjacent multi-fiber section. For example, if the multi-fiber section and the single-fiber section are disposed in substantially the same plane, there may be no bumps or protrusions formed by the multi-fiber section.

  Referring to FIG. 12, an embodiment of a product 1212 including a plurality of monofilament sections 1200, 1202, 1204 and 1206 is illustrated. In this embodiment, each monofilament section may be partially bounded by a welt, and the extensible element may be at least partially surrounded within the welt. The shape of the monofilament section 1200, monofilament section 1202, monofilament section 1204, and monofilament section 1206 may each be partially defined by a welt and an extensible element extending therethrough. In one non-limiting example, monofilament section 1202 is at least partially defined by welt 1208 and welt 1210. Each of those welts may include an extensible element extending therethrough, as described in the previous embodiment. In some embodiments, the extensible element 1214 may be a continuous strand extending between each welt. In other embodiments, multiple extensible elements may be used in each welt. In still additional embodiments, some welts may not include an extensible element. As shown in FIG. 12, the wider portions of the single fiber sections 1200, 1202, 1204 and 1206 are disposed adjacent to the instep rim 186. In other embodiments, such as the embodiment shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the wider portion or base of the monofilament section may be disposed adjacent the sole border line 187.

  Referring to FIGS. 13 and 14, yet another alternative embodiment of the product 100 is illustrated and identified as product 1306. As in the previous embodiment, the monofilament areas, such as 1300, 1302, 1304, are at least partially defined by welts. In this particular embodiment, the monofilament section is also generally triangular. The single fiber sections 1300, 1302, 1304 may be variously arranged on the product 1306. In particular, the monofilament section 1300 extends such that the base of the triangle is disposed adjacent to the sole structure 110 of the product 1306. Conversely, the single fiber section 1302 is oriented such that the base of the triangle is disposed adjacent the instep border line 186. Further, the monofilament section 1304 and monofilament section 1300 are largely similarly oriented, with the base of the triangle oriented adjacent the sole structure 110. Thus, the sides of adjacent single fiber sections of this embodiment are substantially aligned with one another.

  In some embodiments, the extensible element 1308 may function as a divider between single fiber sections. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the extensible elements 1308 are largely staggered V-shaped. The single fiber section 1300 is partially surrounded by an inverted V-shaped portion of the extensible element 1308. That is, the bottom of the single fiber section 1300 is disposed adjacent to the sole structure 110. In contrast, the monofilament section 1302 is partially surrounded by an upstanding V-shaped portion of the extensible element 1308. Accordingly, the single fiber section 1302 is oriented in a direction opposite to the direction in which the single fiber section 1300 is oriented.

  The extensible element 1308 also divides the monofilament area into a plurality of sections. In some embodiments, the compartments may be oriented in a similar manner. For example, all monofilament sections disposed over the extensible element 1308 (ie, disposed toward the instep border line 186) are oriented in a similar manner. Similarly, the monofilament sections disposed below the extensible element 1308 (ie, disposed toward the sole structure 110) are oriented in a similar manner to one another. The product 1306 shows monofilament sections shaped in a similar manner, but correctly states that monofilament sections shaped in various shapes may be used with extensible elements oriented in different ways. You should be aware.

  In some embodiments, the layout and path of the extensible element 1308 allows a majority of the product 1306 to include a monofilament section. For example, the monofilament section 1304 is adjacent the welt 1303 toward the toe region 10. Further, the monofilament section 1302 is adjacent to the welt 1303 toward the heel region 14. The single fiber section 1304 and the single fiber section 1302 are oriented in opposite directions, but both may be adjacent to a single welt. This orientation and layout allows more areas of product 1306 to be surrounded by monofilament areas, while maintaining the integrity and structural support that extensible element 1308 may provide.

  The welt separating the monofilament areas may include an extensible element. For example, as FIG. 13 shows, welts 1301 and 1303 may include extensible elements 1308. In some embodiments, the extensible elements extending through welt 1301 and welt 1303 may be the same extensible element, eg, extensible element 1308. Thus, in this embodiment, the extensible elements 1308 may extend through each welt surrounding each single fiber section. Also, each monofilament section is at least partially adjacent to the welt.

  Referring to FIGS. 14 and 14A, a cross-sectional view of a portion of an embodiment of a product 1306 is shown. As shown therein, welts 1301 and 1303 are provided adjacent a plurality of single fiber sections. As mentioned above, the welt is a generally hollow structure formed by two overlapping and at least partially coextensive layers of knit material. The sides or edges of one layer of knit material forming the welt may be fixed to the other layer, but the central area is between the two layers of knit material passing through the welt. Are not substantially fixed to form a tunnel-like structure, so that another element can be arranged or another element can extend. In some embodiments, portion 1408 of extensible element 1308 extends through welt 1301. The extensible element portion 1408 may extend through the welt 1301 and may enter an adjacent welt 1303. For convenience, the portion of the extensible element 1308 that enters the welt 1303 may be referred to as the extensible element portion 1410. The extensible element 1308 may extend into other welts disposed in the article of footwear, but the other welts may remain hollow, as described above, and have no extensible elements. You may.

  As shown in FIG. 14A, the welt 1301 may include an outer portion 400 and an inner portion 402. Similarly, welt 1303 may include outer portion 404 and inner portion 406. As described with respect to the previous embodiment, the portions of the welt 1301 and the welt 1303 may be comprised substantially entirely of the multifilament yarn 810. Also, the single fiber section may be substantially entirely composed of single fiber strands 808. However, as described with respect to the other embodiments described above, the extensible element portions 408 and 410 may be mostly in contact with the multi-fiber yarn 810. That is, the extensible element portion 408 and the extensible element portion 410 may be substantially separated from the monofilament strands 808 used to form the monofilament sections 1300 and 1304. Accordingly, as the extensible element portions 408 and 410 translate or move within the welts 1301 and 1303, the extensible element portions 408 and 410 may contact the monofilament strands 808. Rather, it may contact the multi-fiber yarn 810, thereby reducing the wear and wear of the single-fiber strands.

  While various embodiments have been described, the description is intended to be illustrative rather than limiting, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that more are within the scope of the embodiments. It will be clear that the embodiments and implementations of are possible. Accordingly, the embodiments should not be limited except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents. Also, various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (16)

At least one monofilament section comprising monofilament strands, the at least one monofilament section having a shape;
A multi-fiber section, adjacent to the at least one single-fiber section, in a plane direction, the multi-fiber section comprising at least two overlapping knit layers of multi-fiber yarns; and the at least two overlapping knit layers A knit layer comprising a multi-fiber section, forming a non-fixed area therebetween.
The multi-fiber section defines at least a portion of the shape of the at least one single-fiber section;
An article of footwear comprising a knitted component comprising an extensible element extending through at least a portion of the non-fixed area.   Further comprising an instep edging line and a sole edging line, wherein the instep edging line and the sole edging line further define at least a portion of the shape of the at least one monofilament section. Item 1. The product according to Item 1.   The at least two overlapping layers of the multi-fiber section comprise an inner layer and an outer layer, wherein the inner layer and the outer layer are at least partially connected to each other to form the non-fixed area. The product of claim 1, wherein   4. The article of claim 3, wherein the non-fixed area comprises a tubular structure through which the extensible element extends.   4. The article of claim 3, wherein the inner and outer layers of the non-fixed area provide a barrier between the extensible element and the at least one monofilament area.   The claim that the outer layer includes a first number of courses, the inner layer includes a second number of courses, and the first number of courses is greater than the second number of courses. The product of item 3.   The product of claim 3, wherein the at least one monofilament section is provided in a first plane and the outer layer of the multi-fiber section is provided in a second plane.   The product of claim 1, wherein the extensible element extends through the non-fixed area to form a loop.   2. The multifilament section of claim 1, wherein the at least one monofilament section defines a width, the multifilament section defines a width, and the width of the at least one monofilament section is less than or equal to the width of the multifilament section. Product.   The multifilament section of claim 1, wherein the at least one monofilament section defines a width, the multifilament section defines a width, and the width of the at least one monofilament section is greater than the width of the multifilament section. Product. A plurality of monofilament sections comprising monofilament strands, the plurality of monofilament sections comprising a shape;
A plurality of multi-fiber area and a knit layer has at least two superimposed consisting multifilament yarn, knit layer that overlaps of at least two is provided with a inner-side layer and the outer side layer, and the plurality A plurality of multifilament sections defining at least a portion of the shape of at least one of the plurality of monofilament sections;
An article of footwear comprising a knitted component comprising:
The plurality of multi-fiber sections are provided adjacent to at least one of the plurality of single-fiber sections in a surface direction of the knit component,
The plurality of monofilament sections are provided in a first plane of the knitted component , and at least the outer layer of the plurality of multifiber sections is disposed in a second plane different from the first plane. Are footwear products. The second surface, the first is disposed on the outer side surface, products of claim 11. The knitted component comprises a foot region, a midfoot region, e Bei a heel region, said plurality of single fiber zone, the forefoot region, said in provided in each of the foot area and the heel area The product of claim 11, wherein   The shape and directionality of the plurality of single fiber sections provided in the toe area are the same as the shape and directionality of the plurality of single fiber sections provided in the middle foot area and the heel area. 14. The product of claim 13, which is different.   At least a part of the plurality of single fiber sections provided in the heel region has an elongated shape, and at least a part of the plurality of single fiber sections provided in the middle foot region has an elongated shape. 14. The product of claim 13.   The plurality of single fiber sections provided in each of the toe area, the midfoot area and the heel area have a selected shape and directionality, and the selected shape of the plurality of single fiber sections and 14. The product of claim 13, wherein the orientation imparts different stretch characteristics to different regions of the product.

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