Athletic shoe having a segmented upper

Abstract

An athletic shoe having an improved upper, and method of manufacture are presented herein. The upper is generally comprised of a forefoot panel extending over a portion of the sole corresponding to a forward area of a wearer's foot, a mid-section panel extending over a portion of the sole corresponding to a midfoot area of the wearer's foot, and a rear panel extending over a portion of the sole corresponding to a rearfoot area of the wearer's foot. The upper further comprises a first expansion joint joining the forefoot panel to the mid-section panel, and a second expansion joint joining the mid-section panel to the rearfoot panel.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to athletic footwear, and more specifically to an improved upper for an athletic shoe.[0003]2. Background Art[0004]Athletic footwear must provide stable and comfortable support for the foot. Specifically, it is important that the footwear be comfortable while providing adequate support during various foot movements associated with athletic activity. Athletic footwear typically includes an upper and a sole, and is sold in a variety of sizes according to the length and width of the foot. However, even feet of similar length do not have the same geometry. Therefore, a conventional upper must be adjustable to provide support to various foot contours. Many different products and designs have focused on the need for adjustable upper support. For example, the upper may include an ankle portion which encompasses a portion of the ankle region of the foot and thereby provides support thereto. Other p...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008]Presented herein is an article of footwear having a sole and an upper attached to the sole, wherein the upper is comprised of a forefoot panel extending over a portion of the sole corresponding to a forward area of a wearer's foot, a mid-section panel extending over a portion of the sole corresponding to a midfoot area of the wearer's foot, and a rearfoot panel extending over a portion of the sole corresponding to a rear area of the wearer's foot. The upper further comprises a first expansion joint joining the forefoot panel to the mid-section panel, and a second expansion joint joining the mid-section panel to the rearfoot panel. The first expansion joint and the second expansion joint are formed of a material with a greater stretch characteristic than that of the forefoot panel, mid-section panel, and rearfoot panel. The expansion joints may be formed of a two-way expandable material. Alternatively, the expansion joints may be formed of a four-way expandable material. For example, the expansion joints may be formed of a spandex material, or a spandex material having a polyurethane coating. Further, in one aspect of the invention, an end of the forefoot panel is spaced about 3 to 4 millimeters from a first end of the mid-section panel and a second end of the mid-section panel is spaced about three to four millimeters from an end of the rearfoot panel. Also, in another aspect of the invention, the expansion joints are comprised of a material having a stretch retention of less than about 15%, and more preferably a material having a stretch retention of less than about 5%. The expansion joints may be entirely on a medial side of the article of footwear, entirely on a lateral side of the article of footwear, or extend from a medial side of the article of footwear to a lateral side of the article of footwear.

[0009]In accor

Problems solved by technology

However, even feet of similar length do not have the same geometry.

Lacing alone, however, suffers from several disadvantages, for example, when the shoe laces or straps are drawn too tightly, the fastening system can cause pressure on the instep of the foot.

Such localized pressure is uncomfortable to the wearer and can make it difficult for the shoe to be worn for prolonged periods of time.

Furthermore, while lacing allows the upper of the shoe to be adjustable to accommodate varying foot and ankle configurations, it does not mold the shoe to the contour of the foot.

Moreover, there are areas of the foot which are not supported by the upper, due to the irregular contour of the foot.

Although many products are designed to accommodate the shape of a foot when the foot is static, the problems associated with the fit of an upper during dynamic movement of the foot have not been adequately addressed.

Specifically, the standard design of an athletic shoe, which includes only a continuous upper structure, does not provide adequate mobility between the three main divisions of the foot, i.e., rearfoot 102, midfoot 104, and forefoot 106.

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