KR101854053B1 - Braided upper with overlays for article of footwear - Google Patents

Abstract

The footwear article includes a braided upper having an overlay portion. The overlay portion may be attached to the edge of the braided upper. The overlay portion may include an eyelet to receive the strap. The overlay portion may extend around a portion of the upper to reduce elongation and increase support. The overlay portion may facilitate attachment between the braided upper and the sole system.

Description

[0001] BRAIDED UPPER WITH OVERLAYS FOR ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR [0002]

Cross reference of related applications

The present application is related to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 839,097, filed June 25, 2013, entitled " Articles of Footwear with Braided Upper "(Control No. 51-3210) , The entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference and are referred to throughout this specification as "Braided Upper" applications. This application was also filed on January 24, 2014, and is entitled " Article of Footwear with Braided Upper "(Control No. 51-36420) 14/163, 392, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Technical field

This embodiment relates to the upper part of a footwear article, in particular a footwear article.

Athletic shoes often have two main elements: an upper that provides an enclosure for receiving the feet, and a sole that is secured to the upper. The upper may be adjustable using a hook-and-loop fastener or other device to properly secure the shoe against the foot. The sole has main contact with the playing surface. The sole may be designed to absorb the impact when the sole contacts the ground or other surface. The upper may be designed to provide the appropriate type of protection for the foot and to maximize the comfort of the wearer.

In one aspect, the footwear article includes an upper and a sole system, and the upper comprises a braided structure and an overlay portion. The overlay portion is joined to the braided structure and has greater elasticity than the braided structure.

In another embodiment, the footwear article includes an upper and a sole system, and the upper is also associated with a string member. The upper comprises a braided structure and an overlay portion, and the overlay portion includes a plurality of eyelets for receiving a string member.

In another aspect, a method of making an article of footwear comprises the steps of forming a braided structure having an internal cavity, cutting an opening in the braided structure, creating an opening in the braided structure and an edge associated with the opening; And joining an overlay portion including a plurality of eyelets to an edge. The method also includes the steps of inserting the strap through the eyelets, and combining the braid and the sole system to form the footwear article.

Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present invention will become or become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. All such additional systems, methods, features and advantages that fall within this description and summary are within the scope of the present invention and are protected by the claims below.

Embodiments may be better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. The components in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale, but are instead emphasized in explaining the principles of the embodiments. Further, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
1 is a schematic isometric view of an embodiment of a footwear article comprising a braided upper with an overlay;
Figure 2 is an exploded isometric view of the article of footwear of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a schematic isometric view of the footwear article of Figure 1, including an enlarged view of the strands placed against the overlay;
Figure 4 is a schematic isometric view of another embodiment of an arrangement of strands bonded to an overlay;
Figure 5 is a schematic isometric view of the article of footwear of Figure 1, including an enlarged cross-sectional view of an eyelet of the overlay;
Figure 6 is a schematic enlarged view of an embodiment of an overlay in which each eyelet is partially surrounded by a strand of braided upper;
Figure 7 is a schematic enlarged view of another embodiment of the overlay wherein the strands of the braided upper include eyelets that do not surround each eyelet;
8 is a schematic rear isometric view of an embodiment of a footwear article comprising a braided upper with an overlay;
9 is a schematic exploded isometric view of an embodiment of a footwear article comprising a braided upper having a plurality of individual overlays;
Figure 10 is a schematic side view of the article of footwear of Figure 9;
Figure 11 is a schematic plan view of the footwear article of Figure 9;
12 is a schematic isometric view of an embodiment of a footwear article having two different braiding zones and an overlay covering the braiding zone;
Figure 13 is a schematic isometric view of the article of footwear of Figure 12, wherein a braided upper and a portion of the overlay are identified in cross-section;
14 is a schematic side view of an embodiment of a pre-cut knitted structure formed as an upper of a footwear article;
Figure 15 is a schematic view of the step of cutting the braid structure of Figure 14 to form an opening in the upper according to an exemplary process;
Figure 16 is an isometric view of the step of engaging the overlay on the upper of Figure 15 in accordance with an exemplary process;
Figure 17 is an isometric view of an embodiment of a completed footwear article constructed using the exemplary process of Figures 14-16;
18 is an isometric view of an embodiment of a braided upper having an overlay on a lower surface associated with a sole member;
19 is an isometric view of the braided upper of FIG. 18 combined with the sole member.

1 is an isometric view of an embodiment of an article of footwear 100, also referred to simply as article 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the article 100 includes a variety of footwear including but not limited to hiking boots, soccer shoes, football shoes, sneakers, running shoes, cross-training shoes, rugby shoes, basketball shoes, Lt; / RTI > Furthermore, in some embodiments, the article 100 may include, but is not limited to, slippers, sandals, high heel shoes, simplicity, as well as any other type of footwear, apparel and / or sport equipment (e.g., gloves, helmets, etc.) And can be configured for use in various types of non-sports related footwear.

In some embodiments, the footwear article 100 may include an upper 102 and a sole system 110. The sole system 110 is secured to the upper 102 and extends between the feet and the ground when the article 100 is worn. In a different embodiment, the sole system 110 may include various components. For example, the sole system 110 may include outsole, midsole, and / or insole. In some cases, one or more of these components may be optional.

The sole system 110 may provide one or more functions to the article 100. For example, in some embodiments, the sole system 110 may be configured to provide traction to the article 100. In addition to providing traction, the sole system 110 may damp ground reaction forces when compressed between the foot and the ground during walking, running or other walking activity. The configuration of the sole system 110 may be varied considerably in various embodiments to include a wide variety of conventional or unconventional structures. In some cases, the configuration of the sole system 110 may be configured according to one or more of the types of surfaces on which the sole system 110 may be used. Examples of grounds include, but are not limited to, natural grass, synthetic grass, non-canvas scenes, as well as other surfaces.

Generally, upper 102 may be any type of upper. In particular, upper 102 may have any design, shape, size, and / or color. For example, in embodiments where the article 100 is basketball shoes, the upper 102 may be a high tower upper formed to provide high support on the ankle. In embodiments where the article 100 is running, the upper 102 may be a lower tower upper.

Referring to FIG. 1, for reference, components of an article 100, such as upper 102, may be divided into an anterior portion 10, a middle portion 12, and a heel portion 14. The proximal portion 10 is generally associated with the toe, and the joint connecting the metatarsus to the phalanx. The mid portion 12 may be generally associated with the concave portion of the foot. Likewise, the heel portion 14 can be associated with the heel of the foot, including the calcaneus in general. In addition, the upper 102 may include an outer side 16 and an inner side 18. Specifically, the outer side surface 16 and the inner side surface 18 may be both sides of the article 100. Furthermore, both the outer side surface 16 and the inner side surface 18 can extend through the fore and aft portions 10, 12 and heel portion 14.

It will be appreciated that the fore part 12, middle part 12 and heel part 14 are intended for illustrative purposes and are not intended to define the exact area of the upper 102. Likewise, the outer side surface 16 and the inner side surface 18 are intended to represent approximately two sides of the upper 102, rather than accurately defining the upper 102 in two halves.

For consistency and convenience, a directional adjective corresponding to the illustrated embodiment is employed throughout this detailed description. Throughout this specification and as used in the claims, the term "longitudinal direction " refers to a direction extending along the length of the component. For example, the longitudinal direction of the upper 102 may extend from the forefoot portion 10 of the upper 102 toward the heel portion 14. Moreover, throughout this specification and as used in the claims, the term "lateral" refers to a direction extending along the width of the component. For example, the lateral direction of the upper 102 may extend between the outer side 18 and the inner side 16 of the upper 102. Additionally, throughout this specification and as used in the claims, "vertical direction" refers to directions perpendicular to both longitudinal and lateral directions.

In addition, the term "proximal" refers to the portion of the footwear component that is closer to the foot portion when the footwear article is worn. Likewise, the term proximal direction refers to the direction in which the article is oriented towards the foot when worn. The term "distal" refers to the portion of the footwear component that is further from the foot portion when the footwear article is worn. The distal direction refers to the direction away from the feet when the article is worn.

In some embodiments, the upper 102 may comprise a braided structure, such as a braided fabric, or other braided structure. The braided structure may be formed by interwinding three or more strands of yarn, filament, or other fibers together to form a structure. As an example, the upper 102 shown in FIG. 1 is formed from a plurality of strands 130 that are braided together to form a shape similar to the shape of the foot as a whole.

Brading can be used to form a three-dimensional structure by braiding strands of yarn on a molded or last. The strands of the braided structure, such as the plurality of strands 130 of the exemplary embodiment, can be made of fibers such as nylon, carbon, polyurethane, polyester, cotton, aramid (e.g., Kevlar), polyethylene or polypropylene . These strands can be braided to form a three-dimensional structure for a wide range of applications.

The braided structure may be manufactured manually, or may be manufactured according to the methods described in U.S. Patent Nos. 7,252,028; 8,261,648; 5,361, 674; 5,398,586; And 4,275,638, which patents are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Such a three dimensional braid structure may also be manufactured, for example, by TEF Braids of Warrensburg, New York, USA or by A & P Technology of Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.

By using braid, the upper for the footwear article can be configured to have specific features tailored to particular exercise or leisure activities. The braided upper can be very lightweight while closely and comfortably conforming to the wearer's feet. In some embodiments, the fit of the upper may be adjusted to provide a certain degree of tension or tightening that the wearer may prefer. The braided upper features a tight containment over the wearer's foot. In some embodiments, the braided fabric may wrap all around the footwear as shown in the figures. Such a structure has tensile integrity or "tensegrity" because the wearer ' s foot is in compression while the braided strand is in tension in the wearer ' s foot.

Some embodiments may include a braided upper that extends under the foot, thereby providing a 360 degree range in some areas of the foot. However, other embodiments may not include an upper that extends below the foot. In other embodiments, for example, the braided upper may have a sole structure and / or a lower periphery associated with the insole.

Figure 2 shows an exploded isometric view of an embodiment of an article 100 that includes an upper 102 configured with a braid structure. Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the upper 102 is identified as having an opening 120 that can receive a foot. In addition, the upper 102 has a fastening region 124. The fastening region 124 may further include a fastening clearance 125 that separates the outer fastening edge 126 from the inner fastening edge 127 (see FIG. 2).

The fastening region 124 may also be associated with the fastening member 160. In an exemplary embodiment, the fastening member 160 can be a strap. However, in other embodiments, the fastening member 160 can be any type of fastener, including but not limited to, straps, snaps, buttons, zippers, hook and loop fasteners (e.g., Velcro), as well as other types of fasteners Lt; / RTI >

Embodiments utilizing braided uppers may include equipment that contributes to providing additional structures to the upper. In some embodiments, for example, the article may include one or more additional material portions joined or otherwise attached to a particular portion of the braided upper to enhance the various characteristics of the upper. For example, these materials can be used to increase strength and durability, provide stretch resistance at certain points in the upper, and facilitate the joining of the braided structure and other components.

Throughout the description and in the claims, the term "overlay portion ", or simply the overlay, refers to any portion of the material that adheres to the surface of the braid structure, such as braided upper. In some embodiments, the overlay portion is comprised of a separate material from the strand of the braided structure. Moreover, in some embodiments, the overlay portion may have substantially different material properties than the strands of the braided structure. In an exemplary embodiment, the overlay portion can resist stretch compared to a corresponding portion of the braid structure.

In general, the overlay portion may be formed of any material. Exemplary embodiments include, but are not limited to, fabrics (including wovens and nonwovens), leather (including natural and synthetic leather), polymeric materials, as well as other types of materials. In one embodiment, the at least one overlay portion may be made of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU).

In an exemplary embodiment, article 100 may be combined with overlay component 140. The overlay component 140 may also be comprised of several different overlay portions, including a first overlay portion 150, a second overlay portion 152, and a third overlay portion 154. Each overlay portion may be provided on a specific portion of the upper. For example, the first overlay portion 150 may be associated with the fastening region 124 of the upper 102. Likewise, the second overlay portion 152 may be associated with the aperture 120. Finally, the third overlay portion 154 can be associated with both the outer side 16 and the inner side 18 portions of the upper 102 as well as the heel portion 14.

Referring now to FIG. 2, in some embodiments, the first overlay portion 150 extends along the edge of the fastening region 124. Specifically, the first overlay portion 150 includes a first section 181 associated with the outer fastening edge 126 of the fastening region 124. The first overlay portion 150 also includes a second section 182 associated with the outer fastening edge 127 of the fastening region 124. The middle section 183 extends along the forefront edge 129 of the fastening region 124 and couples the first section 181 and the second section 182 of the first overlay section 150 .

With this arrangement, the first overlay portion 150 can form an outer eyestay and an inner eyestay of the upper 102 or form a portion thereof. In particular, the first overlay portion 150 can facilitate attachment of the fastening member 160 and the upper 102. The use of an overlay portion along the edge of the fastening region 124, as described in more detail below, can assist in more evenly distributing the tensile force applied to the upper 102 by the fastening member 160 have.

In at least some embodiments, the first overlay portion 150 includes a braided structure of the upper portion 102 along the outer fastening edge 126, the inner fastening edge 127 and the forefront edge 129 of the fastening region 124 It can help to finish. Specifically, in an embodiment in which the strands of the braided structure can be opened at any of the outer fastening edges 126, the inner fastening edges 127, or the forefront edges 129, Fusing or otherwise retaining the ends of the strands in place to prevent the strands from loosening along the edges.

In some embodiments, the second overlay portion 152 extends along the edge of the opening 120. In particular, the second overlay portion 152 is associated with the opening edge 195. Moreover, in some embodiments, the second overlay portion 152 is substantially continuous with the first overlay portion 150, so that the edge of the upper portion 102 associated with the opening of the opening 120 and / All of which are covered by the first overlay portion 150 or the second overlay portion 152.

This arrangement helps to finish the opening edge 195 by bonding any open strands to the second overlay portion 152. In addition, the second overlay portion 152 can help reinforce the opening 120 so that the braid structure near the opening 120 is not stretched too much. Such reinforcement may be particularly useful in the aperture 120 because the aperture 120 may experience significant amounts of pulling and other stresses when the user inserts and / or removes his / her feet.

The third overlay portion 154 includes a first section 171 extending along the outer side 16 of the upper 102 and a second section 172 extending along the inner side 18, . ≪ / RTI > In addition, the third section 173 of the third overlay portion 154 can extend below the upper portion 102 (e.g., on the lower side of the upper portion) at the heel portion 14. In some embodiments, the third section 173 couples the first section 171 and the second section 172 such that the third overlay section 154 continuously surrounds the sides and bottom of the upper 102 .

In some embodiments, the first section 171 of the third overlay portion 154 extends from the first section 181 of the first overlay portion 150 and is formed continuously with this first section. In addition, in some embodiments, the second section 172 of the third overlay portion 154 extends from the second section 182 of the first overlay portion 150 and is formed continuously with the second section 172 . This configuration allows the first overlay portion 150 (on the foot) and the bottom surface 199 (on the foot) of the heel portion 14 to be in contact with the first overlay portion 150, since the third overlay portion 154 can act to reduce the stretchability along its length 8) can help to increase the support under the heel by resisting the elasticity of the upper.

3 shows an enlarged view of a portion of an article 100 to which some strands may be bonded to a second overlay portion 152. As shown in FIG. Referring to FIG. 3, some strands 304 may be disposed against the inner surface 302 of the second overlay portion 152. In this exemplary embodiment, the strands 304 may form part of the closed weave edge 305 of the upper 102 without any loose or free ends of the strands. In this case, the strands 304 may be joined to the second overlay portion 152 to reinforce the successively woven sections of the braided structure.

In the variant shown in FIG. 4, some strands 470 may be configured to have loose or free ends 472. In this configuration, the open end 472 can be secured to the overlay portion 452 to help keep the strands 470 in place and prevent the strands 470 from loosening or loosening. Thus, in some embodiments, it can be seen that the overlay portion can be used to maintain a loose or free end associated with the edge of the braid structure. Such an arrangement can provide a means of finishing any edge, including the cutting edge of the braid structure, or loose or free ends that can be unwound.

The arrangement described herein provides an overlay portion that can act to reinforce the edges of the braid structure at the opening 120. [ This can help to reduce the elasticity of the upper 102 in the opening 120 to preserve the structural integrity of the upper 102. In addition, the second overlay portion 152 can help secure any loose or open ends of the braid structure to prevent wear of the ends and / or loosening of the braid structure.

Various processes for joining the overlay portion to the braided structure, such as braided upper, are described in more detail below. Exemplary materials used in bonding may include any known adhesives, melts, resins or other bonding agents.

Figure 5 shows an isometric view of the article 100, including a schematic enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the first overlay portion 150 and the fastening member 160. [ Referring to FIG. 5, the first overlay portion 150 includes a plurality of eyelets 400. Specifically, a plurality of eyelets 400, including the eyelets 402 shown in an enlarged cross-sectional view, are openings in the first overlay portion 150 configured to receive a portion of the fastening member 160.

Unlike the variant in which the strands of the upper 102 can directly fix a part of the fastening member, the exemplary embodiment allows the strands of the upper 102 to be fastened to the fastening member 160 through the eyelets of the first overlay portion 400, As shown in FIG. Specifically, the strands 410 are seen to be fixed directly to the first overlay portion 150, and the fastening members 160 are fixed through the plurality of eyelets 400 of the first overlay portion 150. This configuration can more evenly distribute the force exerted by the fastening member 160 over the braided structure of the upper 102. This facilitates better comfort and fit of the article 100 relative to the foot, for example, by preventing the fastening member 160 from being pulled too far from a particular strand.

Figures 6 and 7 show two possible configurations of the strands near the eyelet on the overlay portion. Referring first to Figure 6, in some embodiments, one or more strands may extend around the eyelets, thereby acting to reinforce the eyelets. For example, in FIG. 6, the first strand 512 and the second strand 514 enclose a first eyelet 502 and a second eyelet 504, respectively. This has the effect of reinforcing the first eyelets 502 and the second eyelets 504 as well as providing more direct tensile transmission between the fastening members 160 and the braided strands of the upper 102.

7, the first eyelets 502 and the second eyelets 504 are not surrounded by any strands of the upper. Specifically, it can be seen that the strands 610 are bonded to the first overlay portion 150 without surrounding the first eyelet 502 and the second eyelet 504. [ Of course, in another embodiment, some of the eyelets may be surrounded or reinforced by strands, and the other eyelets may not be enclosed or reinforced.

Figure 8 shows a rear isometric view of upper 102 with strands 130 of upper 102 shown in dashed lines. Referring to FIG. 7, the third overlay component 156 is identified as surrounding the bottom surface 199 of the upper 102 in the heel portion 14. As shown in FIG. In some cases, this configuration allows the third overlay portion 156 to wrap around the heel of the foot. Thus, this configuration can provide additional support for the heel of the foot when the article 100 is worn by reducing the stretchability through the heel portion 14. [0034]

In some embodiments, multiple individual overlay components may be used. In some embodiments, the individual overlay components may be configured to intersect or overlap in a predetermined portion of the upper. Such a configuration that overlays the overlay components may provide a means to improve strength and resistance to stretch over possibly a large portion of the upper, including the entire upper.

Figures 9-11 illustrate an embodiment of a footwear article 800 that includes an upper member 802 and a sole structure 805 (only shown in Figure 10). Referring first to FIG. 9, the upper 802 comprises a braided structure braided from a plurality of strands 830. In addition, multiple overlay components, including a first overlay component 810, a second overlay component 812, a third overlay component 814, and a fourth overlay component 816, .

In an exemplary embodiment, each overlay component is associated with a particular portion of the upper 802. For example, the first overlay component 810 is associated with the edge 870 and fastening region 862 of the opening 860. Thus, in some cases, the first overlay component 810 can be used to finish the plurality of strands 830 along the edge 870. In addition, the first overlay component 810 can provide an elasticity of resistance near the opening 860. [

The second overlay component 812 is associated with the front toe portion 868 of the upper 802. In some embodiments, the second overlay component 812 can contribute to improving the stretch resistance in the front toe portion 868. In addition, in some embodiments, the second overlay component 812 may provide a covering for the front toe portion 868. [ In particular, the presence of the second overlay component 812 can help prevent debris from entering the upper portion 802 through the front toe portion 868.

The third overlay component 814 may be associated with the forehead portion 811 of the upper 802. In some embodiments, the third overlay component 814 may be positioned in front of the fastening region 862. [ Furthermore, as is evident in Figure 9, the third overlay component 814 can completely surround the upper 802 (and the feet within the upper 802). In an exemplary embodiment, the third overlay component 814 is comprised of a first band 817 and a second band 819 that are integrally coupled in an upper crossing zone 815. Thus, this configuration can provide a target in-stretch that enhances the support of the foot in the proximal portion 811 during an operation in which the proximal portion 811 can be pressed firmly against the ground.

The fourth overlay component 816 may be associated with the heel portion 813 of the upper 802. In some embodiments, the fourth overlay component 816 may provide a backbone overlay portion 825, as well as a strapped overlay portion 827. In combination, the overlay portion 825 and the overlay portion 827 can contribute to limiting the stretchability at the heel portion 813 and thereby improve the support of the heel within the upper portion 802.

As can be seen in Figures 10 and 11, when assembled with upper 802, some of the overlay components may overlap each other. For example, it is evident that the third overlay component 814 overlaps with the portion of the first overlay component 810 in the overlap region 902. In addition, it is confirmed that the third overlay component 814 overlaps with the portion of the second overlay component 812 in the overlap region 903. Similarly, it is evident that the fourth overlay component 816 overlaps with the portion of the first overlay component 810 in the overlap region 904. This overlapping configuration can contribute to improving the structural integrity of the upper 802, since portions of one overlay component can enhance the support of the overlapping overlay component. Moreover, by overlapping and engaging portions of the various overlay components together, the overlay component can function as a single frame supporting the braid structure of the upper 802. [

Embodiments utilizing braided zones with different properties may include facilities for reinforcing only a few zones. In some embodiments, the article may comprise an overlay portion configured to cover a predetermined area of the article.

Figures 12 and 13 show an isometric view of an article 1100 configured to have an overlay portion covering two specific areas of upper 1102. [ Specifically, FIG. 12 shows an exploded isometric view of the article 1100, and FIG. 13 shows an isometric view including an enlarged cross-sectional view. Referring to Figures 12 and 13, article 1100 includes an upper 1102 and a sole system 1110. [ The upper portion 1102 is also configured to have at least four separate zones, including a first zone 1151, a second zone 1152, a third zone 1153 and a fourth zone 1154. In an exemplary embodiment, the first zone 1151 is the toe zone of the upper 1102. The second zone 1152 is disposed immediately adjacent to the rear of the first zone 1151. The third zone 1153 is disposed immediately adjacent to the rear of the second zone 1152. Finally, the fourth zone 1154 extends toward the rear of the third zone 1153. Further, the fourth zone 1154 is substantially larger than the remaining zones and includes the entirety of the middle portion 1103 and the heel portion 1105 of the upper portion 1102. Thus, the first zone 1151, the second zone 1152 and the third zone 1153 may have the characteristics of a band of an upper member 1102 extending laterally across the upper member 1102.

Each zone of upper 1102 may be associated with particular material properties such as braiding density. In an exemplary embodiment, both the first zone 1151 and the third zone 1153 are associated with a first braiding density and the second zone 1152 and the fourth zone 1154 are associated with a second braiding density . In some embodiments, the first braiding density may be greater than the second braiding density. Thus, the first zone 1151 and the third zone 1153 can provide more tightly braided and increased strength zones and, in some embodiments, can withstand stretchability.

The article 1100 may also be associated with a first overlay portion 1160 and a second overlay portion 1162. The first overlay portion 1160 can be shaped to cover the first section 1151 of the upper portion 1102. [ The second overlay portion 1162 may be shaped to cover the third section 1153 of the upper 1102. [ For example, as shown in the enlarged cross-sectional view of FIG. 13, the second overlay portion 1162 may be disposed over the strand 1170 of the third zone 1153. This configuration allows the first overlay portion 1160 and the second overlay portion 1162 to further reinforce the first region 1151 and the second region 1153 to enhance support and resistance to stretching in these regions have.

The exemplary embodiment is intended to illustrate some possible configurations for overlay portions only on the upper. It should be understood that several other embodiments may include overlay portions configured in a wide variety of different shapes, sizes, and locations. Moreover, any number of individual overlay components may be used in the variant. The number, shape, size and location of the overlay component or overlay portion may be selected to achieve the desired characteristics, including stretch, strengthened strength, support, comfort or any other desired characteristics at any location on the footwear article.

As described in the braided upper application, the braided upper can be configured to have a variety of different features and functions. It should be appreciated that the overlay portion described in this specification may be used in a variety of different embodiments of braided uppers, which may or may not include some of the features described in braided upper applications. As an example, in some embodiments, strands having different material properties may be braided or otherwise associated with one another to provide a particular portion in one or more zones of the upper. For example, the upper may be made from fibers stretched to a certain extent as the wearer's foot moves through each step taken by the wearer, thereby increasing the comfort of the wearer. In that case, non-stretchable fibers of high tensile strength may be threaded through these specific areas of footwear requiring additional structural support. As another example, the upper may be made of a braid that is more open in some areas to improve breathability or comfort, for example. In that case, the additional fibers may be braided to provide additional support in certain areas of these areas, or to provide increased durability to high impact areas of the footwear. An upper having any of these configurations may also be associated with one or more overlay portions to further control the characteristics and function of the upper, including support and / or resistance to stretching in various regions of the upper.

The upper may also have a floating cable, i.e. a cable that is not braided to the fabric of the upper which can be used to relieve the stress on a particular section of the upper. The floating cable may be made of a different material that is separate from the braided structure and not attached to the braided structure. The cable may also be used as a strap for securing footwear to the foot or for tightening a particular area of footwear, as described below. For example, the cable may be secured at the first end in the sole of the footwear, for example, and at the second end in the eyelet. Such floating cables may also be used to add support and stability to certain areas of the footwear, such as around ankle openings. In some embodiments, the overlay portion may be used for a braided upper incorporating a floating cable, and in some cases, the overlay portion may be used to reinforce a cable-free or cable-free portion. In some embodiments, the overlay portion may be used to help secure the end of the floating cable to the upper.

Combinations of these features, including any of the features described above and in the braided upper applications with the overlay portions shown in the figures, can facilitate the creation of a top customized for particular motion or leisure activities. A braided upper with a combination of these features can be very lightweight, while being tight and comfortable fit to the wearer's foot. In some embodiments, the fit of the upper may be adjusted to provide a certain degree of tension or strain that the wearer may prefer.

Figs. 14-17 illustrate various steps in an exemplary process for forming an article comprised of braided upper and overlay portions. Initially, as shown in Fig. 14, braided upper 1402 can be formed using any kind of braiding process. An exemplary process for forming a braided article is described in the braided upper application previously described and incorporated by reference. Next, as shown in FIG. 15, in some embodiments, the opening 1502 may be cut into the upper 1402. [ This can create a new edge 1504 in contact with aperture 1502. The opening 1502 can be used for insertion of the foot and can provide a space for a fastener such as a string.

In an exemplary embodiment, the overlay portion 1510 may then be joined along the edge 1504 (FIG. 15) of the upper 1402 as shown in FIG. In some embodiments, bonding may be accomplished using a welding process, such as an ultrasonic welding process. Thereby, the exposed strand along the edge 1504 can be fused to the overlay portion 1510 to reinforce and support the edge 1504 when the article is fastened, as well as to finish the end. Finally, as shown in Fig. 17, the string 1602 can be inserted through the eyelet 1610. Fig. In addition, in some embodiments, sole system 1620 may be added to the bottom of upper 1402.

Some embodiments may include a facility that facilitates the coupling of the upper and sole systems. In some embodiments, the overlay portion is provided between the upper and the sole system, thereby facilitating the coupling of the upper and the sole system.

Figures 18 and 19 show an isometric view of an embodiment that may be used to help the overlay portion to attach the sole system to the upper. 18 and 19, the upper 1702 may be associated with an overlay component 1720 and an overlay component 1722. In some embodiments, the overlay component 1720 may be associated with the opening 1716 of the upper 1702. [ The overlay component 1722 may be associated with the lower surface 1703 of the upper 1702. In some embodiments, the overlay component 1722 may extend over the entire lower surface 1703, but in other embodiments, the overlay component 1722 may extend only over a portion of the lower surface 1703 have. Moreover, in some cases, the overlay component 1722 may extend partially around the lower periphery 1705 of the upper portion 1702.

In some embodiments, the sole system 1730 may be associated with the upper 1702. Moreover, in some embodiments, the overlay component 1722 may facilitate joining or engaging the sole system 1730 to the upper 1702. [ 19, the overlay component 1722 is disposed between the sole system 1730 and the lower surface 1703 of the upper 1702 to allow the upper 1702 and the sole system 1730 Can be easily combined.

In some embodiments, the material properties of the overlay component 1722 and the sole system 1730 can be selected such that the overlay component 1722 and the sole system 1730 can be easily joined using an adhesive or other process have. For example, in some embodiments, the overlay component 1722 can be made of a thermoplastic urethane (TPU) material, and the sole system 1730 can be made of a similar material or a material that easily joins the TPU . However, in another embodiment, the overlay component 1722 and the sole system 1730 can be made of a separate adhesive or any other material that can be joined without a separate adhesive.

While various embodiments of the invention have been described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the description is intended to be illustrative, rather than restrictive, and that many more embodiments and implementations are possible within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be restricted except as by the appended claims and their equivalents. In addition, various modifications and changes may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (21)

As footwear articles,
Including upper and sole systems,
The upper is also comprised of a braided structure and an overlay portion,
The overlay portion is bonded to the braid structure,
Wherein the overlay portion has greater elasticity than the braided structure,
The overlay portion includes a first section extending along an outer side of the upper, a second section extending along an inner side of the upper, and a second section extending continuously along a side and a bottom of the upper, And a third section joining the second section. 2. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the overlay portion is disposed on an edge of an upper portion associated with an opening of an upper portion that receives the foot. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the overlay portion includes an eyelet for receiving a fastener. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the overlay portion is disposed on a toe portion of the upper. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the overlay portion includes a section disposed on a lower surface of the upper. The article of footwear of claim 1, wherein the overlay portion is made of a polymeric material. As footwear articles,
Comprising an upper and a sole system, said upper being further associated with a string member,
Wherein the upper comprises a braided structure and an overlay portion,
Wherein the overlay portion includes a plurality of eyelets for receiving a string member,
The overlay portion includes a first section extending along an outer side of the upper, a second section extending along an inner side of the upper, and a second section extending continuously along a side and a bottom of the upper, And a third section joining the second section. 8. The article of claim 7, wherein the overlay portion forms an eyestay for the upper. The footwear assembly of claim 7, wherein the first section of the overlay portion is disposed on an outer edge of a fastening region of the upper, and the second section of the overlay portion is disposed on an inner edge of the fastening region. article. delete 8. The article of footwear of claim 7, wherein the overlay portion is a first overlay portion and the footwear article includes a second overlay portion that is different than the first overlay portion. 12. The article of claim 11, wherein the first overlay portion overlaps the second overlay portion in an overlay region. 12. An article of footwear according to claim 11, wherein the second overlay portion covers the lower surface of the upper. 14. The article of footwear of claim 12 or 13, wherein the second overlay portion can be coupled to the sole system to secure the sole system in place on the footwear article. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear,
Forming a braided structure having an internal cavity;
Creating an opening in the braid structure and an edge associated with the opening by cutting the opening in the braid structure;
Joining an overlay portion including a plurality of eyelets to the edge;
Inserting a string through the eyelet; And
Combining the braid structure and the sole system to form the footwear article
Lt; / RTI >
The overlay portion includes a first section extending along an outer side of the upper portion, a second section extending along an inner side of the upper portion, and a second section extending continuously along the side and bottom circumference of the upper portion, And a third section joining said second section. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein forming the braid structure comprises creating a braid structure having a central cavity. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein forming the braid structure comprises overbraiding the braid structure on a last. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein joining the overlay portion comprises welding the overlay portion to the edge. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein joining the overlay portion comprises securing at least one open end of the strand of the braid structure to the overlay portion. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the overlay portion is a first overlay portion, a second overlay portion is bonded to a bottom surface of the braid structure, and a sole system is attached to the second overlay portion. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the overlay portion is joined such that at least one strand of the braid structure extends around at least one eyelet of the overlay portion.

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