WO2021105383A1

WO2021105383A1 - A woven upper

Info

Publication number: WO2021105383A1
Application number: PCT/EP2020/083666
Authority: WO
Inventors: Enrico NERI
Original assignee: Texon Management Limited
Priority date: 2019-11-29
Filing date: 2020-11-27
Publication date: 2021-06-03
Also published as: EP4065757A1; CN114901880B; BR112022010469A2; GB2589378A; GB201917466D0; US20230000199A1; CN114901880A; TW202130291A; KR20220107023A; MX2022006464A

Abstract

The present invention provides a woven upper formed of warp yarns and weft yarns comprising a first area that is elastic in at least one of the warp or weft direction. The warp yarns and/or the weft yarns comprise at least 5% elastic yarns. The woven upper being characterised in that the elastic yarns are woven in tension. The upper may also comprise a second area having a different elasticity to the first area, wherein the the warp yarns and/or weft yarns of the second area comprise at least 5% fewer elastic yarns than the equivalent yarns of the first area. Advantageously the woven upper is woven using a jacquard machine. The present invention also provides a method of weaving the woven upper.

Description

A Woven Upper

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to footwear, in particular woven uppers for forming footwear.

Background to the Invention

A variety of materials are used to form shoe uppers including, but not limited to, leather, suede, canvas, knitted materials, and fabrics. As well as providing different appearance, different materials can provide different physical characteristics such as elasticity, stiffness, wear resistance, and water-proofing. The material from which the upper of a specific shoe is formed are generally chosen to provide the appropriate appearance and material characteristics for that shoe.

Some shoes, particularly shoes intended for specific sports or athletic activities, require different regions of the upper to have different physical characteristics. In particular, it is often desirable to have regions of differing stiffness and/or elasticity. Historically, this has been achieved by forming an upper from regions of different material and/or providing stiffeners within the upper. More recently there have been attempts to form uppers having regions of different physical characteristics from a single material by processing the material of the upper in different manners in different regions.

EP2594146 discloses a sports shoe having an upper formed of a single material in which a portion of the upper comprises a first layer and a second functional layer that is printed onto the first layer, the second functional layer covering only portions of the upper. The tensile strength of the portion printed with the section of the second functional layer is at least doubled compared to the unprinted regions of the upper, and the second layer modifies the elasticity in an anisotropic manner. That is, EP2594146 discloses an upper in which the physical characteristics of the upper are varied by printing a second material onto the material of the upper. The material form which the upper of EP2594146 may be formed include knitted materials. Whilst it is advantageous to provide uppers manufactured from a single material in the manner of EP2594146, the method of EP2494146 is disadvantageous in that it requires further processing and the printing of a second functional layer in order to form regions of different physical characteristics. Therefore, there remains a need for uppers having elastic properties that are formed in a single process. Advantageously, any such upper may have two or more regions of different physical characteristics.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention provides a woven upper formed of warp yams and weft yarns and comprising: a first area; wherein, the first area comprises elastic yarns and non-elastic yams; the warp and/or the weft yams of the first area comprise at least 5% elastic yarns; characterised in that: the elastic yams are woven in tension.

The upper of the present invention is advantageous in that it provides a simple construction for an upper that allows control of the elasticity of the upper in the warp and/or weft directions. In particular, the elasticity of the first area of the upper can be controlled by controlling the proportion of elastic and non-elastic yarns in the warp and weft directions. Increasing the proportion of elastic yarns in the warp and/or weft direction will increase the elasticity of the upper in that direction. The yams of the upper that are not elastic yams will be substantially inelastic yarns. In the context of the present invention an elastic yam is one that is capable of elastically deforming to at least 150% of a rest length. An example of a suitable elastic yarn for use in the present invention is elastane continuous mono-filament yam.

The upper of the present invention is formed of a woven material comprising warp yams and weft yarns. The weaving of the material may be achieved in any appropriate manner. In embodiments of the invention the weaving may be carried out using a jacquard machine or any other similar machine. Weaving using a jacquard machine is advantageous in that it can allow the first area (and any other areas present in the upper) to be formed without difficulty by following an appropriate weaving pattern.

In order to provide suitable elasticity and integrity to the woven upper the elastic yarns of the upper are woven in tension. That is, during weaving the elastic yams are elastically extended such that an elastic tension is present in the elastic yarns. The elastic yarns are woven into the upper under elastic tension. For example, in embodiments of the invention, during weaving the elastic yarns may be extended from a rest length by at least 5%. In embodiments of the invention during weaving the elastic yams may be extended from a rest length by at least 20%, at least 50%, or at least 100%. The rest length of an elastic yarn is the length of the yam at which there is no tension in the yarn.

In embodiments of the invention either the warp yams or the weft yarns of the first area may comprise 5% more elastic yarns than the other of the warp yams and the weft yams of the first area. This is advantageous as it allows the first area of the upper to have anisotropic elasticity, i.e. be more elastic in one of the warp or weft directions.

In embodiments of the invention the warp yarns of the first area comprise at least 20% or at least 50% elastic yarns. Increasing the proportion of elastic yams in the warp yarns increases the elasticity of the upper in the warp direction.

In embodiments of the invention the weft yams of the first area comprise at least 20% or at least 50% elastic yarns. Increasing the proportion of elastic yams in the weft yarns increases the elasticity of the upper in the weft direction.

In embodiments of the invention the upper may further comprise a second area; wherein the first area has a greater elasticity in the warp and/or the weft direction than the second area; and wherein the warp yarns and/or the weft yarns of the first area comprise at least 5% elastic yams; and the warp yarns or the weft yarns of the second area comprise at least 5% fewer elastic yarns than the equivalent yarns of the first area; characterised in that: the elastic yams are in tension.

In these embodiments of the invention the first area and the second area of the upper have differing elasticity. This is achieved by providing a different yarn composition in each area. In particular, the warp yarns and/or the weft yarns of the first area comprise at least 5% elastic yarns and the equivalent yarns of the second area comprise at least 5% fewer elastic yarns.

For example, in embodiments of the invention the warp yarns of the first area will comprise at least 5% elastic yarns and the warp yarns of a second area will have at least 5% fewer elastic yarns such that the warp direction of the first area is more elastic than the warp direction of the second area. As a further example, in embodiments of the invention the weft yams of the first area will comprise at least 5% elastic yams and the weft yams of a second area will have at least 5% fewer elastic yarns such that the weft direction of the first area is more elastic than the weft direction of the second area. As a further example, in embodiments of the invention the warp yams and the weft yarns of the first area will comprise at least 5% elastic yams, the warp direction of a second area will have at least 5% fewer elastic yarns than the warp direction of the first area, and the weft direction of the second area will have at least 5% fewer elastic yarns than the weft direction of the second area, such that the warp and the weft directions of the first area are more elastic than the warp and the weft directions of the second area. That is, the first area may have a greater elasticity than a second area in only the warp direction, only the weft direction, or in both the warp and the weft directions. This greater elasticity is achieved by the first area comprising at least 5% elastic yarns in the relevant direction and having at least 5% more elastic yams than the same direction in a second area.

In embodiments of the invention, the warp yarns and/or weft yams of a second area comprise, at least 10%, at least 15%, or at least 20% fewer elastic yarns the equivalent yarns of the first area. Increasing the difference in the number of elastic yarns in the warp and/or weft yarns between the first and second areas will increase the difference in elasticity between the areas.

In order to achieve good elasticity of the first area in a relevant direction it may be advantageous that the warp yarns of the first area and/or the weft yams of the first area comprise at least 50% elastic yams. This will provide excellent elasticity in the warp and/or the weft direction of the first area.

In embodiments of the invention having a first area and a second area the first area may be significantly more elastic than the second area in the warp and/or the weft direction. For example, in embodiments of the invention the warp direction of the first area may have at least 20%, 30%, 40%, or 50% more elastic yams than the warp direction of the second area and/or the weft direction of the first area may have at least 20%, 30%, 40%, or 50% more elastic yarns than the weft direction of the second area. In embodiments of the invention the first area may be more elastic than the second area in both the warp direction and the weft direction. In embodiments of the invention the first area may be more elastic than the second in area in the warp or weft direction and the second area may be more elastic than the first area in the other of the warp and weft directions. In embodiments of the invention the first area may have the same elasticity as the second area in one of the warp and the weft directions.

Generally, it is to be understood that the elasticity of the warp and weft directions of an upper can be controlled by varying the proportion of elastic yarns in the warp and weft yarns. A greater proportion of elastic yarns in either the warp or the weft direction will provide a greater elasticity in that direction. Further control of the elasticity may be achieved by using different weave patterns in the first and second areas. The control of elasticity in this manner will be readily apparent to the person skilled in the art. Regardless of control of elasticity, in embodiments of the invention having a first area and a second area, it may be preferable that different weave patterns are utilised in the first and second areas such that the first and the second areas can be easily visually differentiated. In many embodiments of the invention the warp yarns and the weft yarns will comprise a mixture of elastic yarns and non-elastic yarns. In embodiments of the invention the warp or the weft direction of the first area may consist entirely of elastic yarns. In embodiments of the invention having a second area one of the warp or weft direction of the second area may consist entirely of elastic yarns. In embodiments of the invention having a second area the warp and/or the weft direction of the second area may consist entirely of inelastic yarns. In embodiments of the invention one of the warp or weft directions of the first area may consist entirely of inelastic yarns. In embodiments of the invention having a first area and a second area both the warp and the weft direction of the first area and the second area may comprise a mix of elastic and inelastic yams.

In embodiments of the invention the first area and/or any second area, the inelastic yarns of the first area and any second area may be formed of polyester, polyamide or polypropylene. In such embodiments the inelastic yams may have between 8 and 12 interlacing points every 10cm.

In order to provide suitably robust uppers that retain appropriate flexibility, in embodiments of the invention the first area and/or any second area may comprise at least 30 warp and weft yarns per cm, preferably at least 60 warp yams/cm, and preferably at least 55 weft yarns/cm. Similarly, in embodiments of the invention the first area and/or any second area may comprise a maximum of 72 warp yarns per cm and a maximum of 70 weft yarns/cm.

Inelastic yarns of the present invention may comprise any suitable yarns. For example, inelastic yarns presently used for weaving woven uppers according to the prior art are suitable for use in the present invention. An example of a suitable yam is polyester continuous flat filament yarn. Other suitable yarns include polyamide (basic and HT), polyester (basic and HT), polypropylene, PET and TPU yams, aramide yarns (meta and para-aramide), HDPE yarns (polyethylene High Density), PTFE yarns, PU and PVC yarns, acrylic and carbon yarns, artificial yams such as viscose, acetate, modal, Tencel, and cellulosic yarns, and natural yarns, such as wool, silk, cotton, linen, yuta, ramie and hemp. For synthetic yams the count of the relevant area of the woven upper may preferably be between 22 dTex and 1100 dTex. For artificial yarns the count of the relevant area of the woven upper may advantageously be between 22 dTex and 550 dTex. For natural yarns the count of the relevant area of the woven upper may advantageously be between 22 dTex and 60 dTex. For elastic yarns formed of elastane, rubber, or silicone, the count of the relevant area of the woven upper may be between 22 dTex and 33 dTex.

A woven upper according to the present invention may comprise more than one first area and/or more than one second area. In addition, a woven upper according to the present invention may comprise additional areas, for example third, fourth, or fifth areas, each with differing elastic properties achieved by controlling the proportion of elastic yarns in the warp and/or weft directions. That is, a woven upper according to the present invention may have any reasonable number of different areas, each with differing elastic properties.

Eyelets are commonly provided on an upper to allow mounting of laces on the upper. In conventional uppers, eyelets are either holes formed through the uppers, that may be reinforced, or loops sewn onto the upper. In embodiments of the invention eyelets may be provided in either conventional manner. In alternative embodiments of the present invention the woven upper may further comprise a plurality of eyelets formed on a surface of the woven upper, the eyelets being formed of either the warp yarns or the weft yarns of the upper. That is, the woven upper of the present invention may be woven in such a manner that the either the warp yarns or the weft yarns form eyelets at appropriate positions on the upper. In particular, at each eyelet a plurality of the warp yarns or the weft yarns will form a loop over a surface of the upper through which a shoe lace may be passed. This is advantageous as it removes the need to provide eyelets in post-processing of the upper. Alternatively, a woven upper according to the present invention may comprise a plurality of eyelets formed on a surface of the woven upper, the eyelets being formed of ribbon woven into the warp or weft of the upper. This is advantageous as it provides a robust construction for the eyelets without the need to provide eyelets in post-processing of the upper. The present invention also provides a method of weaving an upper according to the present invention comprising the steps: providing a first warp yarn and a first weft yarn; weaving a woven upper having a first area, woven from the first warp yarn and the first weft yarn; wherein the first warp yarn and/or the first weft yarn comprise at least 5% elastic yarns; the first warp yarn and the first weft yarn comprise elastic yams and non-elastic yams; characterised in that: the elastic yams are woven in tension.

In embodiments, the method of the present invention further comprises the steps of: providing a second warp yarn and a second weft yarn; and weaving the woven upper having a first area, woven from the first warp yarn and the first weft yarn, and a second area, woven from the second warp yarn and the second weft yarn; wherein: the first warp yarn and/or the first weft yam comprise at least 5% elastic yams and the second warp yarn and/or the second weft yam comprises at least 5% fewer elastic yarns than the equivalent first yam; characterised in that: the elastic yams are woven in tension.

The woven upper can be woven using any suitable machine. Advantageously, the upper is woven using ajacquard machine. This is advantageous as jacquard machines allowthe weaving of different patterns in a single piece of material without difficulty. For example, a jacquard machine may allow the first area and any second area to be woven in different patterns. The patterns of the first area and any second area may be any suitable pattern including, but not limited to simple weaving patterns such as canvas, twill, satin, and piquet, as well as more intricate patterns such as gobelin, and damasco. Weaving in different patterns can further control the elasticity of different areas of the woven upper. For example, it can be used to further control the elasticity of the first area and any second area. In addition, the first area and any second area may be woven in different patterns such that they can be easily visually differentiated.

After weaving, a woven upper according to the present invention may be finished in any appropriate manner. For example, the woven upper may undergo heat settling to fix the size of the upper. Further features and aspects of the invention will be apparent from the embodiments of the invention shown in the Figures and described below.

Drawings

Figure l is a first embodiment of a woven upper according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a second embodiment of a woven upper according to the present invention;

Figure 3 is a schematic of a third embodiment of a woven upper according to the present invention;

Figure 4 is a first image of a fourth embodiment of a woven upper according to the present invention; and Figure 5 is a second image of a fourth embodiment of a woven upper according to the present invention.

A simple embodiment of a woven upper 1 according to the present invention is shown in Figure 1. The woven upper 1 consists of a piece of woven material that has been woven on a jacquard machine. The woven upper consists of a third area 2, a second area 3, and two first areas 4. The third area 2, second area 3, and first areas 4 are woven with different weaving patterns and have different elastic properties. In the third area 2, both warp yarns and weft yarns consist of elastic yarns providing elasticity in both the warp and the weft direction. In the second area 3, the warp yams and the weft yarns consist of inelastic yams such that the second area is not elastic in either the warp direction or the weft direction. In the first area 4, the warp yarns are inelastic and the weft yams are elastic such that the third area is elastic in only the weft direction. In this manner a single woven upper has varying elastic properties.

The elastic yarns of the woven upper 1 are formed of elastane continuous mono-filament yarn with count 44 dTex. The elastic yams have between 11 and 14 interlacing points per 10cm. The inelastic yarns of the woven upper are formed of polyester continuous flat filaments with count 167 dTex/ 48 filaments flat. The inelastic yarns have between 9 and 11 interlacing points per 10cm. During interlacing the elastic yams are stretched to 200% of their rest length. That is, during weaving the elastic yams are extended to twice their rest length and are under tension. After weaving the tension on the elastic yams is released. Finally, the woven upper 1 is heat set using an appropriate method.

A second simple embodiment of a woven upper 1 according to the present invention is shown in Figure 2. The woven upper 1 of Figure 2 comprises a third area 5, two second areas 6, and four first areas 7. As for the embodiment of Figure 1, the third area 5, second areas 6, and first areas 7 are woven with different patterns to visually differentiate the areas. The third area 5, second areas 6, and first areas 7 have differing elastic properties. This is achieved by utilising the different weaving patterns and by providing different composition of elastic yarns in the warp and weft directions between the different the third, second, and first areas 5, 6, 7. Each of the waft and weft directions of the first, second, and third areas comprise inelastic yarns and varying amounts of elastic yams. An increased portion of elastic yams in the warp and weft directions provides greater elasticity in the relevant direction.

As for the first embodiment, the elastic yams of the woven upper 1 of the second embodiment are formed of elastane continuous mono-filament yam with count 44 dTex. The elastic yams have between 11 and 14 interlacing points per 10cm. The inelastic yams of the woven upper are formed of polyester continuous flat filaments with count 167 dTex/ 48 filaments flat. The inelastic yarns have between 9 and 11 interlacing points per 10cm. During interlacing the elastic yarns are stretched to 200% of their rest length. That is, during weaving the elastic yarns are extended to twice their rest length and are under tension. After weaving the tension on the elastic yarns is released. Finally, the woven upper 1 is heat set using an appropriate method.

A third embodiment of a woven upper 1 according to the present invention is shown in Figure 3. The woven upper 1 is formed in the same manner and from the same materials as the first and second embodiments of the invention. The third embodiment comprises first areas 8, second areas 9, third areas 10, and fourth areas 11, each having different elastic properties. The differing elastic properties being provided by differing proportions of elastic yarns being present in the warp and weft directions between the first, second, third, and fourth areas 8, 9, 10, 11. The third embodiment is provided to illustrate the complexity of patterns of woven uppers 1 that can be obtained in embodiments of the present invention. This complexity is achievable due to the unitary woven nature of the uppers 1. Different uppers 1 can be provided for any particular use depending on the requirements of a shoe that the upper will form part of. A fourth embodiment of a woven upper 1 according to the present invention is shown in Figures 4 and 5. As for the first to third embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 3, the woven upper comprises first areas 12, a second areas 13, and third areas 14. The first, second, and third areas 12, 13, 14 have differing elastic properties provided by differing proportions of elastic yarns being present in the warp and weft directions. In addition, the woven upper comprises a plurality of eyelets 15 formed on the upper surface. The eyelets 15 are formed of the weft yarns of the upper and are formed during weaving of the woven upper 1. In particular, the weaving of the upper 1 using a jacquard machine allows the formation of the eyelets 15 during weaving of the upper 1, rather than adding the eyelets in a separate process step after weaving of the upper 1. A shoe lace 16 is positioned through the eyelets 15 to show the function of the eyelets.

Claims

1. A woven upper formed of warp and weft yarns and comprising: a first area; the first area comprises elastic yarns and non-elastic yams; the warp yams and/or the weft yarns of the first area comprise at least 5% elastic yarns; characterised in that: the elastic yams are woven in tension.

2. A woven upper according to claim 1, wherein the warp yarns of the first area comprise at least 5% more elastic yarns than the weft yarns.

3. A woven upper according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the warp yams of the first area comprise at least 20% elastic yarns.

4. A woven upper according to claim 3, wherein the warp yarns of the first area comprise at least 50% elastic yarns.

5. A woven upper according to claim 1 , wherein the weft yarns comprise at least 5% more elastic yarns than the warp yarns.

6. A woven upper according to claim 5, wherein the weft yarns of the first area comprise at least 20% elastic yarns.

7. A woven upper according to claim 6, wherein the weft yarns of the first area comprise at least 50% elastic yarns.

8. A woven upper according to any preceding claim, further comprising a second area; the first area having a greater elasticity in the warp and/or the weft direction than the second area; wherein the warp yarns and/or weft yams of the second area comprise at least 5% fewer elastic yarns than the equivalent yarns of the first area; characterised in that: the elastic yams are woven in tension.

9. A woven upper according to claim 8, wherein the warp yarns and/or the weft yarns of the first area and/or the second area comprise a mixture of elastic yarns and non-elastic yarns.

10. A woven upper according to claim 8, wherein the warp yarns and/or the weft yarns of the second area consist exclusively of non-elastic yams.

11. A woven upper according to any preceding claim, wherein the warp yarns or the weft yarns of the first area consist exclusively of elastic yarns.

12. A woven upper according to any of claims 8 to 11, further comprising a third area having a different elasticity from the first area and the second area in the warp and/or weft directions.

13. A woven upper according to any preceding claim, wherein during weaving of the upper the elastic yams were extended from a rest length by at least 5%.

14. A woven upper according to claim 12, wherein during weaving of the upper the elastic yarns were extended from a rest length by at least 20%

15. A woven upper according to claim 13, wherein during weaving of the upper the elastic yarns were extended from a rest length by at least 50%

16. A woven upper according to claim 14, wherein during weaving of the upper the elastic yarns were extended from a rest length by at least 100%.

17. A woven upper according to any preceding claim, wherein the inelastic yarns of upper comprise one or more of polyester, polyamide (basic or HT), polyester (basic or HT), polypropylene, PET, TPU, aramide (meta and para-aramide), HDPE, PTFE, PU, PVC, acrylic, carbon, viscose, acetate, modal, Tencel, cellulosic yarns, wool, silk, cotton, linen, yuta, ramie or hemp yarns.

18. A woven upper according to any preceding claim, wherein the elastic yarns of the upper comprise one or more of elastane, polyurethane, rubber, or silicone yarns.

19. A woven upper according to any preceding claim, wherein the first area and any second area comprise between 30 and 72 warp yams/cm.

20. A woven upper according to any preceding claim further comprising a plurality of eyelets formed on a surface of the woven upper, the eyelets being formed of either the warp yams or the weft yarns of the upper.

21. A woven upper according to any of claims 1 to 19, further comprising a plurality of eyelets formed on a surface of the woven upper, the eyelets being formed of ribbon woven in the warp or weft of the upper.

22. A method of weaving an upper according to any preceding claim comprising the steps: proving a first warp yarn and a first weft yarn; weaving a woven upper having a first area, woven from the first warp yam and the first weft yarn; wherein the first warp yarn and/or the first weft yarn comprise at least 5% elastic yarns; the first warp yarn and the first weft yarn comprise elastic yams and non-elastic yarns; characterised in that: the elastic yams are woven in tension.

23. A method of weaving an upper according to claim 22, further comprising the steps of: providing a second warp yarn and a second weft yam; and weaving the woven upper having a first area, woven from the first warp yam and the first weft yarn, and a second area, woven rom the second warp yam and the second weft yarn; wherein the first warp yarn and/or the first weft yarn comprise at least 5% elastic yarns and the second warp yarn and/or the second weft yam comprises at least 5% fewer elastic yarns than the equivalent first yarn; characterised in that: the elastic yams are woven in tension.

24. A method according to claim 23, wherein the first area and the second area are woven with different patterns so that they can be visually differentiated.

25. A method according to any of claims 22 to 24, wherein the upper is woven using a jacquard machine.