Nike, Inc.

Nike Innovate C.v.

Andreas I Schoppel

Erick Ikeda

Seth M Wiberg

Erin C Stevens

Eric Y Lee

Ashleigh S Brinkman

Michael C Gorski

Alexander S Clemens

Shannon J Basa

An article of footwear includes an integrally-knitted footwear upper and sole, the sole including reflowed polymeric material of a grip yarn. The ground contact surface of the sole may include the reflowed polymeric material. The footwear upper and the sole are a one-piece, unitary knit construction. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear includes integrally knitting a footwear upper and a sole of an article of footwear, the sole including a grip yarn. The method further includes thermoforming the grip yarn such that the sole includes reflowed polymeric material of the grip yarn.

Article of footwear with integrally-knitted upper and sole including grip yarn and method of manufacturing

Shoe

A knitted component may include a loft zone having at least one first loft portion that is integrally knit. The loft portion may include a first knitted layer, a second knitted layer having an elasticated first material, a void between the first knitted layer and the second knitted layer, and at least one course of a second material that is knitted within the void and causes the first knitted layer to extend away from the second knitted layer by a first distance of about 2-5 mm. Each loft portion has a width of about 4-10 mm between connection points between the first and second knitted layers.

Knitted loft zones

A knitted component includes a first yarn and a second yarn, where the first yarn comprises a thermoplastic material having a melting temperature. The first yarn is used to create window openings of different shapes and sizes within the knitted component. This is achieved by using the first yarn to releasably secure adjacent edges of a window opening. The first yarn is then heated to release, at least in part, the first yarn from the edges of the window opening, allowing the edges to separate and thereby form a window opening.

Knitted component including knit openings formed with releasable yarn

A knitted component may include a loft zone having at least one first loft portion that is integrally knit. The loft portion may include a first knitted layer having an elasticated first material, a second knitted layer, a void between the first knitted layer and the second knitted layer, and at least one course of a second material that is knitted within the void and causes the second knitted layer to extend away from the first knitted layer by a first distance. The at least one course of the second material may include at least one float and may project into the void. The second material may have a greater resistance to bending than the elasticated first material.

In one aspect, the present disclosure is related to an upper for an article of footwear. The upper may include a knitted component with a first yarn, the first yarn forming a plurality of intermeshed loops of the knitted component. The upper may further include a surface formed by the plurality of intermeshed loops. The upper may further include a first structure at least partially forming a first aperture, the first structure extending from the surface, the first structure having a first end and a second end adjacent to the surface, and the first structure having a central portion extending from the first end to the second end. The first structure may include the first yarn.

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Beaverton, OR, United States of America

Andreas I Schoppel