Nike, Inc.

John S MacGilbert

William C McFarland, Ii

Travis J Berrian

Timothy K Liles

Rory S Blanche

Colin M Runkle

Weibing Gong

Bryant Russell Klug

James Molyneux

Patrick Case

Bryan K Youngs

Yoon Jeong Choi

Stephen J Hipp

Yang Zhao

Peter R Savage

Stuart Reinhardt

Mark Bruce

Ajay Chadha

Hirotaka Usui

Footwear upper components include a fabric element and a bladder component that defines a sealed interior chamber. The bladder component includes: (a) a first major surface engaged with the fabric element, wherein this first major surface defines at least part of a first perimeter seam surface and at least part of a first surface of the sealed interior chamber, (b) a second major surface opposite the first major surface, wherein this second major surface defines at least part of a second perimeter seam surface opposite the first perimeter seam surface and at least part of a second surface of the sealed interior chamber opposite the sealed interior chamber's first surface, and (c) and a fluid chamber between the first and second major surfaces. The first major surface (and optionally the second major surface) may include texturing, e.g., texturing corresponding to texture present on a surface of the fabric element.

Footwear uppers including bladders, articles of footwear including bladders in the upper, and methods of forming such uppers and/or articles of footwear

Footwear with integrally knit uppers having features for increasing containment around a wearer's foot, improving strength and durability, and incorporating touch feedback through increased coefficient of friction while removing weight due to traditional additional components. The knitted component may be radially knitted so that courses converge towards a common area, like the throat region of the upper. Additionally, a fusible yarn may be knit on at least the exterior-facing surface of a containment area of the knitted component to create additional lock-down along lines of containment. Further, tensile elements may be incorporated within the containment area to provide strength and lock-down along desired lines of containment. Additionally, the fusible yarn may be a grip yarn that creates areas with greater coefficients of friction.

Articles of footwear with knitted components and methods of manufacturing the same

In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a knitted component. The knitted component may have a forefoot portion with a top layer and a bottom layer, where a void is formed between the top layer and the bottom layer, and where the top layer is secured to the bottom layer via at least one common knit structure. A heel area may extend from the bottom layer of the forefoot portion in a longitudinal direction and may be secured to the bottom layer of the forefoot portion via at least one common knit structure. At least one extension may extend from the heel area in a second direction, the second direction being different than the longitudinal direction.

Article of footwear having a knitted component with a forefoot portion and a heel portion

In one aspect, the present disclosure provides an article of footwear comprising a forefoot portion with a top layer and a bottom layer, where a void is formed between the top layer and the bottom layer. A heel portion is secured to the bottom layer of the forefoot portion and indirectly secured to the top layer through the bottom layer of the forefoot portion, the heel area forming a first portion of a collar. There is at least one extension extending from the heel portion that is secured to an edge of the top layer of the forefoot portion, and the extension forms at least a second portion of the collar.

A knitted textile having a first layer including a first yarn with a thermoplastic composition integrally formed with a second layer including a second yarn, the first yarn forming an array of knitted patterns defining voids through the first layer to the second layer. The first layer may be heat treated to form a film. Treatment of the first layer may change zonal and directional tensile properties of the knitted textile. The Poisson's ratio of the knitted textile may be greater than or equal to zero in a first axis and/or a second axis, before and/or after treatment. Articles of apparel, including articles of footwear and garments incorporating the knitted textile, and methods of forming the knitted textiles and articles are disclosed.

Knitted textile and method of forming

A lightweight, breathable, translucent and high-strength upper formed from a half-gauge knit, at least in part from a high tenacity yarn and a fusible yarn, is described. The upper may include a knit heel structure. Methods of manufacture, including exposing the upper to steam while in a tensioned state to at least partially melt the fusible yarn to adjacent yarns is also described. Subsequent cooling of the fusible yarn retains the upper in a stretched condition.

Lightweight knitted upper and methods of manufacture

A knitted textile () having a first layer () including a first yarn () with a thermoplastic composition integrally formed with a second layer () including a second yarn (), the first yarn () forming an array of knitted patterns () defining voids () through the first layer () to the second layer (). The first layer () may be heat treated to form a film. (). Treatment of the first layer () may change zonal and directional tensile properties of the knitted textile (). The Poisson's ratio of the knitted textile () may be greater than or equal to zero in a first axis () and/or a second axis (), before and/or after treatment. Articles of apparel, including articles of footwear () and garments incorporating the knitted textile (), and methods of forming the knitted textiles () and articles are disclosed.

A method of knitting a knitted component for an upper of an article of footwear is provided. The method may include using a flat knitting machine. The upper may be configured to receive a foot of a wearer. The method may include performing a pass of at least one yarn feeder along the longitudinal axis relative to first and second needle beds, feeding at least one yarn with the at least one feeder during the pass, forming, during the pass, a plurality of first loops with the first needles to define a first portion of the knitted component, and forming, during the pass, a plurality of second loops with the second needles to define a second portion of the knitted component.

Footwear upper with knitted component and method of manufacturing the same

An article of footwear may include an inner knit layer forming a void dimensioned for receipt of at least a portion of a foot, along with an outer knit layer, where the outer knit layer at least partially surrounds the inner knit layer. The outer knit layer may define window for viewing of the inner knit layer, the window being located at an overfoot portion of the article of footwear, and the window exposing a portion of the inner knit layer. The inner knit layer may be movable relative to the outer knit layer at the window.

Article of footwear with multiple layers

The present embodiments generally relate to an article of footwear with multiple layers. The article of footwear may include an inner layer with a void dimensioned for receipt of at least a portion of a foot. The article of footwear may also include an outer layer, where the outer layer at least partially surrounds the inner layer. A midsole may be disposed between the inner and outer layers, where the midsole is secured to the inner layer and the outer layer to thereby form an indirect coupling between the inner layer and the outer layer. The inner layer may be movable relative to the outer layer at one or more locations separate from the indirect coupling.

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Tigard, OR, United States of America

John S MacGilbert