Method of forming an article of footwear having a multi-part strobel structure and article formed by the method

Abstract

Methods of forming an article of footwear using a multi-part strobel structure and the resulting article of footwear including an upper having a transition strip are described. The transition strip has an outer peripheral edge, an inner peripheral edge, and a width between the outer peripheral edge and the inner peripheral edge, wherein the inner peripheral edge defines an interior opening of the transition strip, and the inner strobel has an outer peripheral edge. The inner strobel is positioned in overlapping relationship with the transition strip and temporarily attached to the transition strip.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 839,574, filed on April 26, 2019, which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] field

[0004] The present disclosure relates to articles of footwear and methods of making the same, and in particular to articles of footwear having a removable strobel and methods for forming the same.

[0005] background

[0006] Articles of footwear may be formed in a variety of ways, including, for example, by attaching a strobel to an upper and securing a sole structure to a lower surface of the strobel. Improvements to conventional construction techniques are desirable to improve the performance of articles of footwear and / or the comfort of the wearer.

[0007] Overview

[0008] The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description made with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Figure 1 An article of footwear including a lasted upper and a sole structure is illustrated.

[0011] Figure 2 Picture shows Figure 1 An article of footwear wherein a lasted upper is coupled to a sole structure.

[0012] Figure 3 An exemplary multipart strobel structure including a transition strip and an inner strobel is illustrated.

[0013] Figure 4 is a top view of a multi-part strobel structure including an inner strobel on a transition strip.

[0014] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Bottom view of the multi-part Stronbel structure.

[0015] Figure 6 Picture shows Figure 4 A multi-part strobel construction with removable stitching securing the inner strobel to the transition strip.

[0016] Figure 7is a bottom view of a multi-part Strobel structure secured to a shoe upper.

[0017] Figure 8 It is a perspective view of the lasted upper and sole structure.

[0018] Fig. 9 is a top view of an article of footwear having a multi-part strobel structure.

[0019] Fig.10 yes Fig. 9 An enlarged view of the multi-part Strobel structure is shown.

[0020] Fig.11 is a top view of the article of footwear with the transition strip secured to the upper.

[0021] Fig.12 yes Fig. 9 A cross-sectional view of an article of footwear is shown.

[0022] Fig.13 yes Fig.11 A cross-sectional view of an article of footwear is shown.

[0023] Fig.14 Exemplary articles of footwear and insoles are illustrated.

[0024] Fig.15 is a top view of an article of footwear having an insole.

[0025] Fig.16 yes Fig.15 A cross-sectional view of an article of footwear is shown.

[0026] Fig.17 An exemplary flow chart outlining an exemplary method for assembling the article of footwear described herein is depicted.

[0027] Fig.18 is a perspective view of the lasted upper and sole construction with the bonding material temporarily attaching the Nestronbel to the transition strip.

[0028] Detailed Description

[0029] General considerations

[0030] The systems and methods described herein and their individual components should not be construed as being limited in any way to the specific uses or systems described herein. Instead, the present disclosure focuses on all novel and non-obvious features and aspects of the various disclosed embodiments, individually and in various combinations and sub-combinations with each other. For example, as recognized by a person of ordinary skill in the relevant art based on the information disclosed herein, any feature or aspect of the disclosed embodiments may be used in various combinations and sub-combinations with each other. In addition, the disclosed systems, methods, and components thereof are not limited to any particular aspect or feature or combination thereof, nor do the disclosed things and methods require the existence of any one or more specific advantages or the resolution of any one or more specific problems.

[0031] As used in this application, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In addition, the term "include" means "comprise". Furthermore, the terms "coupled" or "fixed" encompass mechanical and chemical couplings, as well as other practical ways of coupling or attaching items together, and do not exclude the presence of intermediate elements between the coupled items, unless otherwise indicated, such as by reference to the elements or surfaces thereof being "directly" coupled or fixed. In addition, as used herein, the term "and / or" means any one or combination of terms in the phrase.

[0032] As used herein, the term "exemplary" means serving as a non-limiting example, instance, or illustration. As used herein, the terms "eg" and "for example" introduce a list of one or more non-limiting embodiments, examples, instances, and / or illustrations.

[0033] Although the operations of some of the disclosed methods are described in a specific, sequential order for ease of presentation, it should be understood that unless the specific language stated below requires a specific order, this description includes rearrangement. For example, the operations described in sequence may be rearranged or implemented simultaneously in some cases. In addition, for simplicity, the accompanying drawings may not show the various ways in which the disclosed things and methods can be used in combination with other things and methods. In addition, sometimes the description uses terms such as "providing" and "producing" to describe the disclosed methods. These terms are high-level descriptions of the actual operations performed. The actual operations corresponding to these terms will vary depending on the specific implementation and can be easily discerned by those skilled in the art with the benefits of the present disclosure.

[0034] As used herein, directional terms (e.g., "upper" and "lower") generally correspond to the orientation of an article of footwear or a sole assembly when it is configured to be worn by a wearer. For example, the "upward-facing surface" and / or "upper surface" of a sole assembly refers to a surface that is oriented in an "upper" anatomical direction (i.e., toward the wearer's head) when the article of footwear is worn by a wearer. Similarly, the directional terms "downward" and / or "lower" refer to the anatomical direction "lower" (i.e., toward the ground and away from the wearer's head). "Front" means "front" (e.g., toward the toes), and "rear" means "rear" (e.g., toward the heel). "Medial" means "toward the midline of the body", and "lateral" means "away from the midline of the body". "Longitudinal axis" refers to the centerline of an article from the heel to the toe. Similarly, "longitudinal length" refers to the length of an article along the longitudinal axis, and "longitudinal direction" refers to the direction along the longitudinal axis.

[0035] As used herein, the term "Strobel structure" refers to a structure that is attached along its borders to the body of an upper to form a "lasted upper." The term "multi-part Strobel structure" refers to a Strobel structure that includes two or more discrete structures that can be brought together and temporarily attached, and subsequently separated from each other.

[0036] As used herein, the term "sole structure" refers to any combination of materials that provide support for the wearer's foot and support the surface that comes into direct contact with the ground or playing surface, such as, for example, a single sole; a combination of an outsole and an inner sole; a combination of an outsole, a midsole, and an inner sole, and a combination of an outer covering, an outsole, a midsole, and an inner sole.

[0037] As used herein, the term "fixedly attached" refers to two parts connected in such a way that the parts may not be easily separated from each other without destroying and / or damaging one or both parts. Exemplary forms of fixed attachment may include connection with permanent adhesives, stitches, welding or other thermal bonding and / or other joining techniques. In addition, two parts may be "fixedly attached" by means of, for example, being integrally formed in a molding process. In contrast, the term "temporary attachment" or "temporary fixation" refers to two parts connected in such a way that the parts can be easily separated from each other to return to their individual, discrete forms without destroying and / or damaging either part. Exemplary forms of temporary attachment may include removable stitches or other temporary joining techniques.

[0038] Although the accompanying drawings may illustrate an article of footwear intended for only one foot of a wearer (e.g., the right foot), those skilled in the art will recognize that the corresponding article of footwear for the other foot (e.g., the left foot) will be a mirror image of the right article of footwear.

[0039] Unless otherwise explained, all technical terms and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as those generally understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure belongs. Although methods and materials similar to or equivalent to the methods and materials described herein can be used for the implementation or testing of the present disclosure, suitable methods and materials will be described below. These materials, methods and examples are merely illustrative and are not intended to be limiting. Other features of the present disclosure are apparent from the detailed description, claims, abstract and accompanying drawings.

[0040] Disclosed Technology

[0041] Various methods of forming articles of footwear using a multi-part strobel structure and the resulting articles of footwear including uppers having transition strips are described herein.

[0042] In one embodiment, an exemplary method of forming an article of footwear includes providing a transition strip and a nestrobel. The transition strip has an outer peripheral edge, an inner peripheral edge, and a width between the outer peripheral edge and the inner peripheral edge, wherein the inner peripheral edge defines an inner opening of the transition strip. The nestrobel has an outer peripheral edge. The nestrobel is positioned in an overlapping relationship with the transition strip to provide an overlapping region between the outer peripheral edge of the nestrobel and the inner peripheral edge of the transition strip, and a non-overlapping region extending from the outer boundary of the overlapping region to the outer peripheral edge of the transition strip. The nestrobel is temporarily attached to the transition strip at the overlapping region, and the transition strip is fixed to the bottom portion of the upper. The transition strip is attached to the upper at the non-overlapping region, and wherein the nestrobel faces the interior of the upper. The transition strip and the bottom portion of the upper are fixedly attached to the sole structure, and the nestrobel is subsequently separated and removed from the transition strip.

[0043] In some embodiments, the transition strip has a first width at a first location along its length, and the overlap region has a second width at the first location, and the ratio of the second width to the first width is between 0.25 and 0.85, or between 0.30 and 0.50. The width of the transition strip can be substantially constant along the length of the transition strip, or the width of the transition strip can vary. In some embodiments, the width of the transition strip is between 6 mm and 15 mm, between 8 mm and 13 mm, or between 10.5 mm and 12 mm.

[0044] The Nestron Bell can be temporarily attached to the transition strip with one or more threads using a removable stitch such as a chain stitch, and subsequently separated from the transition strip by removing the thread from the Nestron Bell. In some embodiments, the Nestron Bell and the transition strip can be formed of a substantially non-stretchable material.

[0045] The transition strip may be secured to the bottom portion of the upper by sewing the bottom portion of the upper to an area adjacent to an outer peripheral edge of the transition strip, and fixedly attaching the transition strip and the bottom portion of the upper to the sole structure may include applying a bonding material at the attachment area and contacting the bonding material with an upper surface of the sole structure to secure the upper and the transition strip to the sole structure. The attachment area may include where the transition strip is secured to the bottom portion of the upper and excludes an area where the Nestronbel is temporarily attached to the transition strip, excluding an overlap area.

[0046] In another embodiment, a footwear article is provided, the footwear article includes an upper, a transition strip and a sole structure, the sole structure having an upper surface and a ground contacting surface opposite to the upper surface. The transition strip has an outer peripheral edge, an inner peripheral edge and a width between the outer peripheral edge and the inner peripheral edge, wherein the inner peripheral edge defines an inner opening of the transition strip. The upper surface of the sole structure has a peripheral portion extending along the perimeter of the upper surface and an inner portion surrounded by the peripheral portion. The transition strip is fixed to the bottom portion of the upper along the lower peripheral edge. The lower peripheral edge of the upper and the transition strip are fixed to the peripheral portion of the upper surface of the sole structure, wherein the inner peripheral edge of the transition strip defines the inner boundary of the peripheral portion. The inner portion of the upper surface of the sole structure is exposed by the inner opening of the transition strip.

[0047] In some embodiments, the width of the transition strip can be substantially constant along the length of the transition strip, or the width of the transition strip can vary. The width of the transition strip can be between 6 mm and 15 mm, between 8 mm and 13 mm, or between 10.5 mm and 12 mm. In some embodiments, the transition strip includes stitch holes from removable stitches located adjacent to the inner perimeter edge. The transition strip can be a substantially non-stretchable material.

[0048] In some embodiments, the transition strip is secured to a bottom portion of the upper by stitching the bottom portion of the upper to an area adjacent an outer peripheral edge of the transition strip, and a lower peripheral edge of the upper and the transition strip are secured to a peripheral portion of an upper surface of the sole structure by bonding material.

[0049] The article of footwear may include a sockliner, wherein a bottom surface of the sockliner contacts at least a portion of an upper surface of the transition strip and an exposed interior portion of an upper surface of the sole structure.

[0050] In another embodiment, a method of forming a multi-part strobel structure may include providing a transition strip and an inner strobel. The transition strip has an outer peripheral edge, an inner peripheral edge, and a width between the outer peripheral edge and the inner peripheral edge, wherein the inner peripheral edge defines an interior opening of the transition strip. The inner strobel has an outer peripheral edge and is positioned in an overlapping relationship with the transition strip to provide an overlapping area between the outer peripheral edge of the inner strobel and the inner peripheral edge of the transition strip. The non-overlapping area extends from the outer boundary of the overlapping area to the outer peripheral edge of the transition strip. The inner strobel is temporarily attached to the transition strip at the overlapping area. Additional details of the transition strip and the inner strobel are mentioned above and will be discussed in more detail herein.

[0051] Exemplary embodiments of the disclosed technology

[0052] Figure 1 An article of footwear 100 is illustrated that includes an upper 102 on a last 101 with a sole structure 104 adjacent to the upper 102 for application to the upper. The lasted upper 102 includes an upper 106 and a strobel structure 108 attached to a lower perimeter of the upper 106, such as by stitching 110. The sole structure 104 has a lower surface 112 (e.g., a ground contacting surface) and an upper surface 114. Although the sole structure 104 is illustrated as a unitary structure in the subsequent embodiments, other types of sole structures may be used, such as, for example, any combination of an outsole, a midsole, and an insole. Figure 2 As shown, after the lower surface of lasted upper 102 is coupled to upper surface 114 of sole structure 104 , article of footwear 100 may be removed from last 101 .

[0053] A last, such as last 101, is a tool form around which an article of footwear may be constructed and which may, at least in part, define the contour, shape, style, and other characteristics of the resulting article of footwear. For example, the interior volume of lasted upper 102 is received on last 101 for further processing, such as adding sole structure 104 discussed above or some other component.

[0054] Upper 106 may include one or more material elements (e.g., textiles, foams, leather, and synthetic leather) that may be stitched, adhesively bonded, molded, or otherwise formed to define an interior cavity configured to receive a foot. The material elements may be selected and arranged to selectively impart properties such as durability, breathability, wear resistance, flexibility, and comfort. Figure 1The illustrated upper 106 includes a lacing area 116 including holes 118 (eg, eyelets) for receiving a lace 120 that can be tightened to close the upper around the foot. Upper 106 may alternatively implement any of a variety of other configurations, materials, and / or closure mechanisms.

[0055] Figure 3 An exemplary multi-part strobel structure 108 is illustrated. The strobel structure 108 includes a transition strip 122 and an inner strobel 124. The transition strip 122 and the inner strobel 124 can be formed of a flexible material, such as a woven material, a non-woven material, a knit material, or a combination thereof. Alternatively, one or both of the transition strip 122 and the inner strobel 124 can be at least partially formed of a more rigid material, as long as the materials can be temporarily fixed together, as described in more detail below. The transition strip 122 and the inner strobel 124 can be formed of the same or different materials.

[0056] In some embodiments, the transition strip 122 and the nesting 124 are formed of a substantially non-stretchable material to provide improved structural integrity to the lasted upper during manufacturing. As used herein, the term "non-stretchable material" refers to a material without an elastic component such that the material will not stretch more than 5% in length or width under the force applied during lasting. To determine whether the amount of stretch is less than 5%, ASTM D6614 may be used.

[0057] The transition strip 122 is a closed strip of material that is sized to correspond to the desired perimeter of the lower surface of the upper and defines an interior opening 126. The transition strip 122 has an outer peripheral edge 128, an inner peripheral edge 130, and a width w defined by the distance between the outer peripheral edge 128 and the inner peripheral edge 130. In some embodiments, the width w of the transition strip 122 can be between 6 mm and 15 mm, between 8 mm and 13 mm, between 8 mm and 12.5 mm, or in other embodiments, between 10.5 mm and 12 mm. The width w of the transition strip 122 can be substantially constant along the entire length of the transition strip 122, or alternatively, if desired, the width w of the transition strip 122 can vary along the entire length of the transition strip 122. For example, if desired, the width w can be greater in the heel region 132 than in the midfoot region 134, and / or greater in the forefoot region 136 than in the heel region 132. In some embodiments, the width w of the transition strip 122 does not vary by more than 10% along the entire length of the transition strip. As used herein, "substantially constant" means that the width does not vary by more than 5% along the entire length of the transition strip 122. In addition, a width w of a transition strip that varies from 10.5 mm to 12 mm is a width between 10.5 mm and 12 mm, as the endpoints of the range are included.

[0058] Interior opening 126 has a width that varies along the longitudinal axis of transition strip 122. Thus, for example, width 138 of interior opening 126 at heel region 132 may be different than width 140 at midfoot region 134 and width 142 at forefoot region.

[0059] The Nestron bell 124 can have a shape that generally corresponds to the shape of the interior opening 126; however, the Nestron bell 124 is larger than the interior opening 126 such that when the Nestron bell 124 is aligned with the interior opening 126 (e.g., where the Nestron bell 124 is on top of the transition strip 122), a portion of the Nestron bell 124 overlaps with the transition strip 122.

[0060] For example, Figure 3As shown, the Nestrobel 124 also has a width that varies along its longitudinal axis; however, the Nestrobel 124 has a width 144 at the heel region 132 that is greater than the width 138 of the interior opening 126 at a corresponding area of ​​the heel region, the Nestrobel 124 has a width 146 at the midfoot region 134 that is greater than the width 140 of the interior opening 126 at a corresponding area of ​​the midfoot region 134, and the Nestrobel 124 has a width 148 at the forefoot region 136 that is greater than the width 142 of the interior opening 126 at a corresponding area of ​​the forefoot region 136. Thus, when the Nestrobel 124 is alignedly positioned over the interior opening 126, at least a portion of the outer edge 150 of the Nestrobel 124 overlaps the inner perimeter edge 130 of the transition strip 122. Figure 3 The transition strip 122 has a plurality of gauge marks 149 that illustrate exemplary alignment locations of an outer edge 150 of the nesting bell 124 .

[0061] Since the transition strip 122 remains in the article of footwear after assembly, as described herein, the transition strip desirably has a relatively low profile. For example, in some embodiments, the thickness of the transition strip ( Fig.12 In the embodiment of the present invention, the thickness of the transition strip is less than or equal to 1.2 mm, less than or equal to 1.0 mm, or less than or equal to 0.8 mm. The Nestronbel can have the same thickness as the transition strip. However, since the Nestronbel is removed after assembly, the Nestronbel can have a greater thickness than the transition strip if necessary.

[0062] Figure 4 and Figure 5 The overlap between an area adjacent to an outer edge 150 of the inner strobel 124 and an area adjacent to an inner perimeter edge 130 of the transition strip 122 in an exemplary embodiment is illustrated. Figure 4 A top view of an arrangement is shown in which the Nestron Bell 124 is positioned on top of the transition strip 122 and Figure 5 A bottom view of the same arrangement is shown. The width 152 of the overlap region 154 is less than the width w of the transition strip 122 .

[0063] like Figure 6 As shown, the nesting 124 can be temporarily secured to the transition strip 122 by a removable stitch 156 in the overlap region 154. Therefore, the overlap region 154 should be wide enough to accommodate a temporary attachment element (e.g., a removable stitch). The removable stitch 156 is a type of removable stitch that can secure the two components together with sufficient strength to resist the forces applied during lasting. In some embodiments, the removable stitch 156 can be a chain stitch extending along the length of the overlap region 154, such as Figure 6 shown.

[0064] refer to Figure 6 , the removable stitch 156 may begin at a location in the overlap region 154, such as a first location (starting point) 158, extend along the length of the overlap region 154, and end at a second location (end point) 160 on the Nestron Bell 124 outside of the overlap region 154. The thread of the removable stitch 156 may have a free end at the second location 160 so that the thread may be more easily grasped for removal.

[0065] In some embodiments, the portion of the removable stitch 156 that extends around the length of the overlap region may overlap the beginning of the removable stitch near the first location 158. Figure 6 As shown, a small amount of stitch overlap can help ensure that the Nestron Bell 124 is fully fixed to the transition element. In some embodiments, the overlap can be 10mm to 25mm, 15mm to 20mm, or at least 15mm. The thread can be any suitable thread, such as a 3ply thread of 210 denier.

[0066] Removal of the removable stitch may be accomplished by pulling on the end of the thread (eg, at the second location 160) and reversely unraveling the thread (ie, by pulling the stitch from the second location 160 to the first location 158).

[0067] Other temporary attachment techniques are also possible. For example, a soluble thread, such as a thread that dissolves in water, can be used. As in the example of chain stitching, the soluble thread is able to hold the Nestron Bell 124 and the transition strip 122 together with sufficient strength for lasting, and is subsequently dissolved to remove the Nestron Bell 122, as described in more detail below. Alternatively, or in addition, a bonding material can be used to temporarily secure the Nestron Bell 124 and the transition strip 122. Preferably, to facilitate subsequent separation of the Nestron Bell 124, the bonding material includes an adhesive that forms a reversible bond. Depending on the specific adhesive material, the reversible bond can be deactivated by applying, for example, heat and / or a deactivating material (e.g., a deactivating solution).

[0068] In some cases, the ratio of the width 152 of the overlap region 154 to the width w of the transition strip 122 can be 0.25 to 0.85. In other embodiments, the ratio of the width 152 of the overlap region 154 to the width w of the transition strip 122 is 0.30 to 0.50. For all ratios and ranges described herein, unless otherwise stated, the disclosed range includes the endpoints of the range (e.g., a ratio between 0.30 and 0.50 includes both 0.30 and 0.50).

[0069] For example, the table below illustrates exemplary widths of the overlap area and transition strips measured from the same area of ​​the transition strip, including exemplary embodiments falling within the range of 0.25-0.85 and the range of 0.30-0.50.

[0070]

[0071]

[0072] As described above, the width w of the transition strip 122 may be substantially constant along the entire length of the transition strip 122, or alternatively, if desired, the width w of the transition strip 122 may vary along the entire length of the transition strip 122. Similarly, the width of the overlap region may vary along the length of the overlap region. Thus, for example, while the ratio may be within 0.25-0.85 for the entire length of the overlap region, the ratio may vary at different points along the overlap region due to design or due to minor placement errors.

[0073] like Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, after the transition strip 122 and the inner strobel 124 are coupled together (e.g., temporarily secured) as described above, the multi-part strobel structure 108 is secured to the upper 106. In an exemplary embodiment, the strobel structure 108 is coupled to the upper 106 by stitching 110, which secures the lower edge 162 of the upper 106 along its outer perimeter to the multi-part strobel structure 108. In particular, the stitching 110 couples the lower edge 162 of the upper 106 to the transition strip 122.

[0074] like Figure 7 As shown, after the multi-part strobel structure (transition strip 122 and inner strobel 124) is secured to the upper, the lasted upper 102 can be secured to the sole structure 104. Figure 8 (and Figure 2 ), the lower surface of the lasted upper 102 can be coupled to the upper surface 114 of the sole structure 104 to form the article of footwear 100. The lower surface of the lasted upper 102 can be secured to the sole structure 104 at an area outside the perimeter defined by the removable stitch 156. Thus, for example, the sole structure 104 can be joined to the upper 106 at the bottom edge of the upper 106 and at a portion of the transition strip 122 that is located outside the location of the removable stitch 156. The sole structure 104 can be secured to the upper and the transition strip using a bonding material (such as a bonding agent or adhesive) and / or a mechanical bonding technique (such as stitching or sewing, mechanical attachments, etc.).

[0075] Figure 8Adhesive 164 is shown applied to the bottom perimeter of the lasted upper 102 outside of the location of the removable stitch 156. In some embodiments, a bond guide line may be provided on the lasted upper 102, such as along the transition strip 122 where the transition strip 122 is stitched to the upper. Fig.12 As shown, because the transition strip 122 has a stepped relationship with the nesting bell 124 (i.e., the bottom surface of the transition strip is relatively lower than the bottom surface of the nesting bell), the step of applying bonding material to the transition strip can more easily avoid applying bonding material to the nesting bell.

[0076] After securing the lasted upper 102 to the sole structure 104, the article of footwear may be removed from the last. Fig. 9 is a top view of the inside of the upper of an article of footwear at the heel area after it has been de-lasted. Fig. 9 As shown, the footwear article is formed with a Nestronbare 124 located on top of a transition strip 122 such that an upwardly facing surface of the Nestronbare 124 is exposed and uncovered, while a portion of the upwardly facing surface of the transition strip 122 is covered by a portion of the Nestronbare 124 (i.e., the overlap area 154).

[0077] Fig.10 Shows Fig. 9 An enlarged view of the heel area of ​​the upper is shown. The end of the removable stitch (e.g., the free portion of the thread at end point 160) is pulled to begin removing the stitch. As the thread is pulled, the stitch is removed from the article of footwear and the Nestron Bell 124 is separated from the transition strip 122. Fig.11 As shown, removal of the nesting 124 exposes the upper surface 114 of the sole structure 104 .

[0078] Fig.12 It is along Fig. 9 A cross-sectional view taken along line 12-12 in FIG. 1 , and Fig.13 It is along Fig.11 A cross-sectional view taken along line 13-13 in FIG. Fig.12 , the Nestron Bell 124 is still attached to the transition bar 122, while in Fig.13 , the Nestorbel 124 has been removed and the upper surface 114 of the sole structure is exposed.

[0079] like Fig.12 and Fig.13 As shown, the thickness T1 of the transition strip 122 may be less than the thickness T2 of the upper in the area where the upper 106 is secured to the transition strip 122. The thickness of the Nestor 124 may be Fig.12 It is identified as T3.

[0080] As discussed above, the thickness T1 of the transition strip can be less than or equal to 1.2 mm, less than or equal to 1.0 mm, or less than or equal to 0.8 mm. In some embodiments, T1 is less than T2. ​​For example, in some embodiments, the ratio of T1 / T2 can be equal to or less than 0.7, in some embodiments, equal to or less than 0.5, or in some embodiments, equal to or less than 0.3. In each of these embodiments, the ratio of T1 / T2 can also be greater than or equal to 0.3, such as preferably between 0.3 and 0.6. In some embodiments, the thickness T3 of the Nestron Bell 124 can be the same as the thickness of the transition strip, so the same ratio can apply to the Nestron Bell.

[0081] For example, the following table illustrates exemplary thicknesses of a transition strip and an upper adjacent to the transition strip and their relationship.

[0082]

[0083] As discussed above, sole structure 104 is secured to the bottom edge of upper 106 and the bottom edge of transition strip 122, such as by adhesive. Sole structure 104 may cover stitching 110, such as Fig.12 and Fig.13 In addition, if desired, a heel counter 166 or other surrounding structure can provide further support to the upper in the heel area and / or elsewhere.

[0084] In some embodiments, an insole, such as sockliner 168, may be provided within the cavity of article of footwear 100 to provide additional support and / or cushioning. Sockliner 168 may include one or more layers of material and / or be formed as a unitary structure that may be placed within the article of footwear. The sockliner may have a thickness T4 that is greater than the thickness of the transition strip. In some embodiments, the sockliner is at least twice as thick as the transition strip, at least three times as thick as the transition strip, or at least four times as thick as the transition strip. Fig.14 As shown, the insole 168 can be removed from the shoe.

[0085] like Fig.15 and Fig.16 As shown, when sockliner 168 is provided, sockliner 168 rests directly on top of the sole structure and a portion of transition strip 122 . Fig.15 A top view of the medial side of the upper at the heel area of ​​the article of footwear is shown with sockliner 168 visible and portions of the underlying sole structure and transition strip obscured. Fig.16 It is along Fig.15 16 - 16 , which illustrates the relationship between the bottom surface of the sockliner 168 and the upper surface 114 of the sole structure 104 and the upper surface of the transition strip 122 .

[0086] Fig.16 The sockliner is shown positioned directly over at least a portion of the upper surface 114 of the sole structure 104 without any intermediate structure, so that in use, the sockliner will rest directly on a portion of the upper surface 114. Fig.16 Regions R1 and R2 respectively illustrate the region (R1) where the insole overlaps with the lower portion of the upper 106 and the region (R2) where the insole overlaps with the transition strip 122. Fig.16 As shown, the insole can be flexible to bend and conform to the surface of the upper, the surface of the transition strip, and the surface of the sole structure in contact with the insole. In some embodiments, regions R1 and R2 can be significantly shorter than region R3 (in Fig.16 In this way, region R3 includes a much larger portion of the insole width (and, in turn, the user's foot) than regions R1 and R2. In some embodiments, the width of region R3 taken along the heel section covers more than 60% of the width of the insole at the same heel section. In other embodiments, the coverage of region R3 is 70%, 80%, or 90% greater than the width of the insole. Similarly, in some embodiments, the combined width of regions R1 and R2 is 30%, 20%, or 10% less than the width of the insole.

[0087] Fig.16 A slight gap between the bottom of the insole 168 and some parts of the upper surface 114 of the sole structure 104 (i.e., some parts of the transition strip) is shown. In this article, the term "adjacent" refers to the portion of the upper that is directly adjacent to the stitching 110. This portion will also overlap the insole (e.g., region R1) approximately. Another method of calculating the thickness will be by measuring the thickest part of the upper in region R1. Depending on the thickness of the transition strip and the shape of the insole, the gap can be further reduced and / or completely eliminated. In addition, when a downward force is applied (e.g., the foot of the user) to the insole, any gap that may exist will be further reduced and / or eliminated by the downward force.

[0088] Thus, in some embodiments, the methods and structures described herein provide an article of footwear that reduces the number of layers between a user's foot and the sole structure, and in some embodiments reduces the thickness of the layers between the user's foot and the sole structure. This arrangement can provide improved comfort and reduce the overall weight of the article of footwear.

[0089] In addition, if Fig.16As shown, the structure below the insole can provide a gradient created by the thickness variation (or lack of material) of the materials resting on and / or secured to the upper surface 114 of the sole structure. In particular, the thickness of these materials gradually decreases to provide a smooth transition for the insole. For example, region R1 can have a greater thickness between the upper surface 114 and the insole (T2 of the upper) than R2 or R3. R2 can have a greater thickness between the surface 114 and the insole (T1 of the transition strip) than R3, which has no material (e.g., zero thickness of material) between the insole and the upper surface. As shown in FIG. Fig.16 As shown, the gradient formed by R1, R2, and R3 can provide an improved, comfortable fit by gradually tilting the sockliner to a preferred condition where the sockliner rests directly on the upper surface 114 of the sole structure.

[0090] Fig.17 An exemplary method 200 for assembling an article of footwear 100 is illustrated by forming a multi-part strobel structure and removing a portion of the structure after lasting and coupling the portion to a sole structure. The method 200 may include attaching an inner strobel 124 to a transition strip 122 in a removable manner (such as with a thread and a removable stitch) (process block 202). The transition strip 122 may then be secured to the bottom of the upper along its lower perimeter edge, such as by strobel stitching (process block 204).

[0091] Adhesive or other bonding material may be applied to the bottom surface of transition strip 122 (process block 206). In some embodiments, a mechanical bonding method may be used instead of or in addition to a bonding material. The bonding material (e.g., adhesive) is preferably applied toward the outer perimeter edge of transition strip 122 to avoid contacting the lines of the removable stitching, which may interfere with subsequent removal of Nestron Bell 124.

[0092] After forming the multi-part strobel structure and adding the bonding material, the upper 106 and transition strip 122 can be secured to the sole structure (process block 208). This can be done while the upper 106 is on a last such as a Figure 1 101). After the sole structure is secured to the upper 106 and the transition strip 122, the article of footwear can be unlasted. The Nestron Bell 124 can then be removed by pulling the removable stitch from the interior of the upper and separating the Nestron Bell from the transition strip (process block 210) and removing the Nestron Bell 124 to expose the upper surface 114 of the sole structure 104 (process block 212). If desired, an optional insole member (e.g., sockliner 168) can be positioned over the exposed sole structure (process block 214).

[0093] As discussed above, in some embodiments, a temporary adhesive may be used in addition to, or in place of, temporary stitching. In embodiments where only a temporary adhesive (e.g., an adhesive that can form a reversible bond) is used to secure the Nestron Bell to the transition strip, there will be no stitching between the Nestron Bell and the transition element. Fig.18 The diagram is similar to Figure 8 The embodiment shown, however Fig.18 In some embodiments, temporary attachment is achieved by providing bonding material in the overlapping area rather than removable stitches.

[0094] In view of the many possible embodiments to which the principles of the disclosed invention may be applied, it should be appreciated that the illustrated embodiments are merely preferred examples of the invention and should not be considered to limit the scope of the invention. Rather, the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims. Therefore, we claim that all that fall within the scope and spirit of these claims are our invention.

Claims

1. A method of forming an article of footwear, comprising: providing a closed transition strip for extending from a forefoot region to a heel region of the article of footwear, the transition strip having an outer peripheral edge, an inner peripheral edge, and a width between the outer peripheral edge and the inner peripheral edge, the inner peripheral edge defining an interior opening of the transition strip; Providing a Nestron Bell having an outer perimeter edge; positioning the inner strobel in overlapping relationship with the transition strip to provide an overlap region between the outer perimeter edge of the inner strobel and the inner perimeter edge of the transition strip, and a non-overlap region extending from an outer boundary of the overlap region to the outer perimeter edge of the transition strip; temporarily attaching the inner perimeter edge of the Nestrombel adjacent to the transition strip at the overlap region to the transition strip; securing the transition strip to a bottom portion of an upper, the transition strip being attached to the upper at the non-overlapping region, and wherein the nestrobel faces an interior of the upper; fixedly attaching the transition strip and the bottom portion of the upper to a sole structure; and separating the Nestronbel from the transition strip and removing the Nestronbel from the interior of the upper, wherein the transition strip is secured to the bottom portion of the upper by sewing a lower peripheral edge of the bottom portion of the upper to an area adjacent to the outer peripheral edge of the transition strip, wherein fixedly attaching the transition strip and the bottom portion of the upper to the sole structure comprises: applying a bonding material at an attachment area including where the transition strip is secured to a bottom portion of the upper; as well as contacting the bonding material with an upper surface of the sole structure to secure the upper and the transition strip to the sole structure, Wherein the attachment region does not include an area of ​​the overlap region where the Nestron Bell is temporarily attached to the transition strip.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transition strip has a first width at a first location along its length, and the overlap region has a second width at the first location, and a ratio of the second width to the first width is between 0.25 and 0.

85.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the transition strip has a first width at a first location along its length, and the overlap region has a second width at the first location, and a ratio of the second width to the first width is between 0.30 and 0.

50.

4. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the width of the transition strip is substantially constant along the length of the transition strip.

5. The method of any one of claims 1-3, wherein the width of the transition strip varies along the length of the transition strip.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the width of the transition strip is between 6 mm and 15 mm.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the width of the transition strip is between 8 mm and 13 mm.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the width of the transition strip is between 10.5 mm and 12 mm.

9. The method of any one of claims 1-3, wherein the Nestron Bell is temporarily attached to the transition strip with one or more threads using a removable stitch.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the removable stitch is a chain stitch.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein separating the Nestron Bell from the transition strip comprises removing the one or more wires from the Nestron Bell.

12. The method of any one of claims 1-3 and 10-11, wherein the Nestronbel and the transition strip are formed of a substantially non-stretchable material.

13. The method according to any one of claims 1-3 and 10-11, wherein the transition strip has a first thickness, and a portion of the upper adjacent to the transition strip has a second thickness, and a ratio of the first thickness to the second thickness is equal to or less than 0.

7.

14. The method of any one of claims 1-3 and 10-11, wherein the transition strip has a first thickness and a portion of the upper proximate the transition strip has a second thickness, and a ratio of the first thickness to the second thickness is between 0.3 and 0.

6.

15. The method according to any one of claims 1-3 and 10-11, further comprising removing the upper from a last before separating the Nestrobel from the transition strip and removing the Nestrobel from the interior of the upper, wherein the action of removing the upper from the last exposes a top surface of the Nestrobel.

16. An article of footwear comprising: an upper having a bottom portion including a lower perimeter edge; a closed transition strip for extending from a forefoot region to a heel region of the article of footwear, the transition strip having an outer peripheral edge, an inner peripheral edge, and a width between the outer peripheral edge and the inner peripheral edge, the inner peripheral edge defining an interior opening of the transition strip; a sole structure having an upper surface and a ground contacting surface opposite the upper surface, the upper surface of the sole structure having a perimeter portion extending along a perimeter of the upper surface and an interior portion surrounded by the perimeter portion; wherein the outer peripheral edge of the transition strip is secured to the bottom portion of the upper along the lower peripheral edge of the bottom portion of the upper, the lower peripheral edge of the bottom portion of the upper and the transition strip are secured to the peripheral portion of the upper surface of the sole structure, wherein the inner peripheral edge of the transition strip defines an inner boundary of the peripheral portion, and the interior portion of the upper surface of the sole structure is exposed through the interior opening of the transition strip, wherein the transition strip is secured to the bottom portion of the upper by stitching the bottom portion of the upper to an area adjacent the outer peripheral edge of the transition strip, Wherein the lower peripheral edge of the bottom portion of the upper and the transition strip are secured to the peripheral portion of the upper surface of the sole structure by bonding material.

17. The article of footwear according to claim 16, wherein the width of the transition strip is substantially constant along the length of the transition strip.

18. The article of footwear according to claim 16, wherein the width of the transition strip varies along the length of the transition strip.

19. The article of footwear according to any one of claims 16-18, wherein the width of the transition strip is between 6 mm and 15 mm.

20. The article of footwear according to any one of claims 16-18, wherein the width of the transition strip is between 8 mm and 13 mm.

21. The article of footwear according to any one of claims 16-18, wherein the width of the transition strip is between 10.5 mm and 12 mm.

22. The article of footwear according to any one of claims 16-18, wherein the transition strip includes stitch holes from removable stitching located adjacent the inner perimeter edge.

23. The article of footwear according to any one of claims 16-18, wherein the transition strip is a substantially non-stretchable material.

24. The article of footwear according to any one of claims 16-18, further comprising a sockliner having a bottom surface in contact with at least a portion of an upper surface of the transition strip and an exposed interior portion of the upper surface of the sole structure.

25. The article of footwear according to any one of claims 16-18, wherein the transition strip has a first thickness and a portion of the upper proximate the transition strip has a second thickness, and a ratio of the first thickness to the second thickness is equal to or less than 0.

7.

26. The article of footwear according to any one of claims 16-18, wherein the transition strip has a first thickness and a portion of the upper proximate the transition strip has a second thickness, and a ratio of the first thickness to the second thickness is between 0.3 and 0.6.

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