Article of footwear incorporating upper assembly

Abstract

Aspects herein relate to an upper assembly for an article of footwear that includes a knit element extending from a throat region to a lower region of the upper assembly along at least a medial side and a lateral side of the upper assembly. The knit element includes a first plurality of aperture groups. The upper assembly also includes a tongue extending across the throat region and along at least a portion of the medial and / or lateral side of the upper assembly to a lower region of the upper assembly. The tongue includes a second plurality of aperture groups. The orifices in the second plurality of orifice groups are axially aligned with at least a portion of the orifices in the first plurality of orifice groups.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Aspects of the present disclosure relate to a knitted upper assembly for a footwear article. Background Art

[0002] Conventional footwear articles typically include an upper and a sole structure. The upper is secured to the sole structure and forms an enclosure within the footwear for comfortably and securely receiving a foot. Conventional uppers including knitted uppers can stretch and wear over time, which can reduce their useful life. In some cases, multiple material elements may be laminated to one another to limit stretching and / or provide abrasion resistance to selected regions of the upper. However, delamination of the material elements may reduce the breathability of the upper, which can cause discomfort to the wearer. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0003] Aspects of the present disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0004] Figure 1 A top plan view of a knitted element forming part of an upper assembly for a footwear article in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure is illustrated;

[0005] Figure 2A A top plan view of a first exemplary tongue forming part of an upper assembly for a footwear article in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure is illustrated;

[0006] Figure 2B A top plan view of a second exemplary tongue forming part of an upper assembly for a footwear article in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure is illustrated;

[0007] Figure 3A Illustrated is Figure 2A a top plan view of a first exemplary tongue, the first exemplary tongue positioned within Figure 1 the knitted element to form an upper assembly for a footwear article in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure;

[0008] Figure 3B Illustrated is Figure 2B a top plan view of a second exemplary tongue, the second exemplary tongue positioned within Figure 1 the knitted element to form an upper assembly for a footwear article in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure;

[0009] Figure 4 Illustrated is a cross-section taken along cutting line 4-4 of Figure 3A and depicting an axial alignment of apertures in the knitted element and the tongue in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure;

[0010] Figure 5 Illustrated is a knitted element including Figure 1 in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure and Figure 2APerspective view of a footwear article with a tongue; and

[0011] Figure 6 Illustrated is a process flow for laminating a tongue and a knitted element onto a shoe last to form a shoe upper assembly in accordance with various aspects herein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] Conventional footwear articles typically include a shoe upper and a sole structure. The shoe upper is secured to the sole structure and forms an enclosure within the footwear for comfortably and securely receiving a foot. Conventional shoe uppers including knitted shoe uppers can stretch and wear over time, which can reduce their useful life. In some instances, multiple material elements can be laminated to one another to limit stretching and / or provide abrasion resistance to selected areas of the shoe upper in order to increase the useful life of the footwear article. However, the lamination of material elements can reduce the breathability of the shoe upper, which can cause discomfort to the wearer.

[0013] At a high level, various aspects herein relate to a shoe upper assembly for a footwear article that increases support and fit in selected areas of the shoe upper, as well as increases durability and abrasion resistance while maintaining permeability and breathability for wearer comfort. The shoe upper assembly includes a knitted element that defines at least a portion of the outer surface of the shoe upper assembly. The knitted element extends from a throat region of the shoe upper assembly to a lower region along at least an inner side, an outer side, and a toe region of the shoe upper assembly. The knitted element includes a first plurality of orifice groupings that extend from the throat region to the lower region along the inner side and the outer side of the shoe upper assembly. The shoe upper assembly further includes a tongue that can also include a knitted construction that includes elastic yarns. The tongue defines at least a portion of the inner surface of the shoe upper assembly. The tongue extends across the throat region and further extends along at least a portion of the inner side and the outer side of the shoe upper assembly to the lower region of the shoe upper assembly. The tongue includes a second plurality of orifice groupings that also extend from the throat region to the lower region along the inner side and the outer side of the shoe upper assembly. The orifices in the second plurality of orifice groupings are at least partially axially aligned with the orifices in the first plurality of orifice groupings such that a fluid communication path is formed between the interior of the footwear article and the environment external to the footwear article. As used herein, the term "axially aligned" with respect to orifices means that the orifices on the tongue and the knitted element are spatially aligned along a common axis that extends through the width of the tongue and the knitted element, as described in more detail with respect to Figure 4 more particularly described.

[0014] The tongue and the knitted element are selectively fixed to each other. For example, the tongue and the knitted element can be fixed to each other at the lower region of the upper assembly on each of the inner and outer sides. In another exemplary aspect, the tongue and the knitted element can be fixed to each other at the front portion of the throat region. The remaining portion of the tongue is not fixed to the knitted element, which allows some movement or displacement of the tongue relative to the knitted element. This can enhance the wearer's comfort by reducing the tension force on the wearer's foot during certain mobility activities that cause the foot to shift within the upper. To reduce the likelihood that the apertures in the knitted element and the tongue become misaligned due to the displacement between the two layers, in an exemplary aspect, the number of apertures per unit area in the tongue is greater than the number of apertures per unit area in the knitted element. This increases the likelihood that at least some of the apertures in the tongue are axially aligned with at least some of the apertures in the knitted element. Additionally, by minimizing the number of apertures in the knitted element relative to those in the tongue, the knitted element is given greater structural integrity and resistance to environmental elements (such as dust, pebbles, rain, etc.).

[0015] The positioning of the tongue and the use of its elastic yarns create an additional level of fit and support along the inner and outer sides of the upper assembly, at least in the midfoot region of the footwear. The layered configuration can also make the upper assembly more resistant to abrasion and wear, thereby increasing the useful life of the footwear. The axially aligned apertures in the tongue and the knitted element minimize heat and moisture, which improves the wearer's comfort.

[0016] As used herein, a footwear typically includes a sole structure fixed to an upper or an upper assembly. The footwear described herein can include running shoes, baseball shoes, basketball shoes, cycling shoes, football shoes, tennis shoes, soccer shoes, training shoes, walking shoes, hiking shoes, etc. The concepts described herein can also be applied to other types of footwear considered non - athletic, such as dress shoes, loafers, sandals, and work boots. As used herein, the footwear and / or the upper assembly can be divided into different general regions. The forefoot region generally includes the portion of the footwear and / or the upper assembly corresponding to the toes and the joints connecting the metatarsals and phalanges. The midfoot region generally includes the portion of the footwear and / or the upper assembly corresponding to the arch region and the dorsal region of the foot. The heel region generally corresponds to the posterior portion of the foot including the calcaneus. The upper assembly and the footwear described herein can include an outer side and an inner side, where the outer side corresponds to the external region of the foot (i.e., the surface facing away from the other foot), and the inner side corresponds to the internal region of the foot (i.e., the surface facing the other foot). The above - mentioned different regions and different sides are intended to represent the general regions of the footwear to facilitate the following discussion and are not intended to demarcate precise regions. The different regions and different sides can be applied as a whole to the footwear, to the upper assembly, and to the sole structure.

[0017] As used herein, the term "outer" means the surface of the upper assembly or footwear article that faces the external environment. In some aspects, the outer surface can mean the outermost surface of the upper assembly or footwear article. As used herein, the term "inner" means the surface of the upper assembly or footwear article that faces the void for receiving the wearer's foot. In some aspects, the inner surface can mean the innermost surface of the upper assembly or footwear article.

[0018] As used herein, the term "aperture" means a hole or perforation that extends through the thickness of a material or layer to form a through-passage. When the term "aperture" is used with respect to a knitted structure, the aperture is formed by altering the knitting pattern to intentionally form an aperture or by forming one or more of the apertures in a post-knitting step, such as punching, melting, dissolving, etc., the knitted material. For aspects herein, the term "aperture" does not mean the space between interlacing yarns that is inherently and unintentionally formed by standard knitting processes. As used herein, the term "aperture grouping" means two or more apertures arranged in a pattern, where the pattern can include an aperture band (e.g., one or more aperture lines) and other shapes, such as circles, triangles, squares, etc.

[0019] As used herein, the term "elastic yarn" refers to a yarn that stretches in response to a tension force and returns to its resting state once the tension force is removed (e.g., spandex, thermoplastic polyurethane, elastane, etc.). In exemplary aspects, these yarns can stretch about 100% to 200% of their resting length.

[0020] Unless otherwise specified, all measurements provided herein are made when the upper assembly and / or footwear article is at standard ambient temperature and pressure (298.15K and 100 kPa) and in a resting (unstretched) state.

[0021] Figure 1 Depicted is a knitted element 100 that is part of an upper assembly. The knitted element 100 is formed from at least one yarn that is manipulated (e.g., with a knitting machine) to form a plurality of interlooping loops that define various courses and wales. The knitted element 100 can be formed from an integral knitted structure. As used herein, the term "integral knitted structure" means a single-piece element formed by a knitting process, where the knitting process substantially forms the various features and structures of the knitted element 100 without the need for significant additional manufacturing steps or processes. Aspects herein contemplate that portions of the knitted element 100 can be joined to each other after the knitting process (e.g., the edges of the knitted element 100 are joined together).

[0022] The knitted element 100 has a generally U-shaped configuration defined by a peripheral edge 110, a pair of heel edges 112, and an inner edge 114. When incorporated into a footwear article, the peripheral edge 110 can be positioned against the upper surface of the sole structure and, in an exemplary aspect, can be coupled to the midsole. As such, the peripheral edge 110 can be adjacent to the stitch line where the upper assembly meets the sole structure (e.g., Figure 5 the stitch line 524). In other aspects, the knitted element 100 can include an underfoot portion. In this instance, the footwear article may not include a midsole. When incorporated into a footwear article, the peripheral edge 110 and the region adjacent to the peripheral edge 110 can be referred to as the lower region 111 of the knitted element 100 and / or the upper assembly. In an exemplary aspect, the pair of heel edges 112 are coupled to each other and extend generally vertically in the heel region of the footwear article. The inner edge 114 forms an ankle opening 116 and extends forward to define a throat region 118. The knitted element 100 has a first surface 121 and an opposite second surface ( Figure 1 not shown in Figure 4 but depicted in

[0023] As discussed below, the first surface 121 forms a part of the outer surface of the upper assembly and, in an exemplary aspect, can form a part of the outermost surface of the upper assembly. The opposite second surface forms a part of the inner surface of the upper assembly and, in an exemplary aspect, can form a part of the innermost surface of the upper assembly.

[0023] The knitted element 100 includes a toe region 122, a medial side 124, and a lateral side 126. In an exemplary aspect, the knitted element 100 extends from the throat region 118 to the lower region 111 along at least the medial side 124, the lateral side 126, and the toe region 122. The knitted element 100 also optionally includes a lace aperture 128 that is positioned adjacent to the throat region 118 and is configured to receive a lace for adjusting the girth of the footwear article that includes the knitted element 100. In an exemplary aspect, the toe region 122 can include one or more structures / yarns that provide reinforcement or stiffness to the region. For example, the toe region 122 can include a yarn that includes a thermoplastic elastomer that can be heated and re-cured to produce a thermoformed network of interwoven yarns. In other instances, the toe region 122 can include high-tenacity yarns for abrasion resistance. In yet another instance, a polymer surface layer or other material layer can be applied to the toe region 122 to obtain reinforcement and / or stiffness. Additional ways of imparting reinforcement and / or abrasion resistance to the toe region 122 known in the art are contemplated herein.

[0024] In an example, the knitting element 100 includes a first plurality of orifice groupings 130, such as orifice groupings 130a, 130b, and 130c on the inner side 124 of the knitting element 100, and orifice groupings 130d, 130e, and 130f on the outer side 126 of the knitting element 100. Each of the orifice groupings 130a to 130c on the inner side 124 is separated from an adjacent orifice grouping on the inner side 124 by an insertion portion of knitting material without orifices, and the orifice groupings 130d to 130f on the outer side 126 are separated from an adjacent orifice grouping on the outer side 126 by an insertion portion of knitting material without orifices. Thus, the orifice groupings 130a to 130f are visually distinct from each other. The orifice groupings 130a to 130c generally extend on the inner side 124 from the throat region 118 to the lower region 111, and the orifice groupings 130d to 130f generally extend on the outer side 126 from the throat region 118 to the lower region 111. Each of the orifice groupings 130a to 130f includes a first set of orifices, such as orifice 131, that extends through the thickness of the knitting element 100 to form a through-passage. Different from the shoelace orifices 128, the orifices within the first plurality of orifice groupings 130 are not used to accommodate shoelaces.

[0025] Each orifice grouping, such as orifice grouping 130a, includes a first quantity of orifices per unit area, as indicated by unit area 132. The unit area 132 can be, for example, 1×1 square centimeter. The size of the orifice 131 can range from about 0.5 mm to about 5 mm. As used herein, the term "about" means within ±10% of the indicated value. The description of the number of orifice groupings, the spacing of the orifices within a given orifice grouping, the number of orifices within a given orifice grouping, the size of an individual orifice, and the spacing between adjacent orifice groupings is illustrative, and different configurations are contemplated in various aspects herein.

[0026] Figure 2ADepicts a first exemplary tongue 200 as part of a shoe upper assembly. In an exemplary aspect, the tongue 200 is also formed from at least one yarn that is knitted to form a plurality of interlooping loops defining various courses and wales. The tongue 200 may also include an integral knitted construction. Aspects herein contemplate that one or more elastic yarns may be used to knit the tongue 200 such that the tongue 200 is elastic. Aspects herein contemplate that the tongue 200 may be knitted in a knitting event separate from the knitting element 100 and subsequently joined to the knitting element 100 in a post-knitting processing step. Other aspects herein contemplate that the tongue 200 and the knitting element 100 may be knitted together in a single knitting event such that the tongue 200 and the knitting element 100 share at least one common knitting course. Aspects herein also contemplate that the tongue 200 may be formed from non-knitted elements (e.g., woven elements, polymeric elements, non-woven elements, etc.).

[0027] The tongue 200 is depicted as having a generally T-shaped configuration with a shank 210 and arms 212. As described below, when incorporated into a footwear article, the shank 210 of the T-piece of the tongue 200 generally extends across the throat region 118 of the knitting element 100 and extends in the direction toward the ankle opening 116. The arms 212 of the T-piece of the tongue 200 include an inner arm 214 terminating at an inner arm edge 216 and an outer arm 218 terminating at an outer arm edge 220. When the tongue 200 and the knitting element 100 are joined or otherwise incorporated into the shoe upper assembly, the inner arm 214 of the tongue 200 extends on the medial side 124 to the lower region 111 and / or the peripheral edge 110 of the knitting element 100, and the outer arm 218 of the tongue 200 extends on the lateral side 126 to the lower region 111 and / or the peripheral edge 110 of the knitting element 100. In an exemplary aspect, the inner arm edge 216 is secured on the medial side 124 to the lower region 111 and / or the peripheral edge 110 of the knitting element 100, and the outer arm edge 220 is secured on the lateral side 126 to the lower region 111 and / or the peripheral edge 110 of the knitting element 100. In another example, the inner arm edge 216 and the outer arm edge 220 of the tongue 200, as well as the peripheral edge 110 and / or the lower region 111 of the knitting element 100, are all directly joined to an insole or other sole structure, and the tongue 200 and the knitting element 100 are not directly joined together.

[0028] The tongue 200 includes a first surface 222 and an opposite second surface ( Figure 2A not shown in the Figure 4(depicted in). The first surface 222 of the main body 210 forms part of the outer surface of the shoe upper assembly and can form part of the outermost surface of the shoe upper assembly in the throat region 118. The opposite second surface of the tongue forms part of the inner surface of the shoe upper assembly and, in an exemplary aspect, can form part of the innermost surface of the shoe upper assembly that is located in the throat region 118 and along portions of the medial 124 and lateral 126 that extend along the medial arm 214 and the lateral arm 218.

[0029] In an exemplary aspect, the tongue 200 includes a second plurality of orifice groupings 224, such as orifice groupings 224a, 224b, and 224c on the medial arm 214 of the tongue 200, and orifice groupings 224d, 224e, and 224f on the lateral arm 218 of the tongue 200. Each of the orifice groupings 224a through 224c is separated from an adjacent orifice grouping on the medial arm 214 by an insertion portion of knit material without orifices, and each of the orifice groupings 224d through 224f is separated from an adjacent orifice grouping on the lateral arm 218 by an insertion portion of knit material without orifices. The orifice groupings 224a through 224c generally extend from the main body 210 to a region adjacent the medial arm edge 216 on the medial arm 214, and the orifice groupings 224d through 224f generally extend from the main body 210 to a region adjacent the lateral arm edge 220 on the lateral arm 218.

[0030] Each of the orifice groupings 224a through 224f includes a second set of orifices, such as orifice 226, that extends through the thickness of the tongue 200 to form a through-passage. Unlike the lace orifices 128, the orifices within the second plurality of orifice groupings 224 are not used to receive laces. Each orifice grouping, such as orifice grouping 224d, includes a second number of orifices per unit area, as indicated by unit area 132. In an exemplary aspect, the second number of orifices per unit area in the tongue 200 is greater than the first number of orifices per unit area of the knit element 100. The size of the orifice 226 can be in the range from about 0.5 mm to about 5 mm and can be the same as or different from the size of the orifice 131. The description of the number of orifice groupings, the spacing of the orifices within a given orifice grouping, the size of the orifices, the number of orifices within a given orifice grouping, and the spacing between adjacent orifice groupings is illustrative, and various configurations are contemplated in aspects herein. As explained in more detail below with reference to Figure 4 The second plurality of orifice groupings 224 of the tongue 200 are at least partially axially aligned with at least a portion of the first plurality of orifice groupings 130 such that one or more through-passages are maintained between the interior (where the wearer's foot is located) and the external environment of the shoe upper assembly to permit the discharge of heat and moisture from the wearer's foot to the external environment.

[0031] The arm 212 of the tongue 200 can include a central portion 228 between the medial arm 214 and the lateral arm 218. When arranged with the knit element 100 to form a shoe upper assembly, the central portion 228 of the arm 212 can be located in the throat region 118 and can thus form part of the outer surface of the shoe upper assembly. For example, when arranged with the knit element 100, the knit element 100 can cover the medial arm 214 and the lateral arm 218 of the tongue 200, while the central portion 228 can be uncovered by the knit element 100 such that the central portion 228 can form the outer surface of the shoe upper assembly.

[0032] In an example aspect, the central portion 228 can further include orifice groupings, such as orifice groupings 230a, 230b, and 230c, each of which includes an orifice extending through the thickness of the tongue 200. In an example aspect, the orifice grouping 230a can be linearly aligned with the orifice groupings 224a and 224d, the orifice grouping 230b can be linearly aligned with the orifice groupings 224b and 224e, and the orifice grouping 230c can be linearly aligned with the orifice groupings 224c and 224f along the length of the arm 212. Other aspects contemplate that the orifice groupings 230a through 230c may not be linearly aligned with the orifice groupings 224a through 224f. Any and all aspects and any variations thereof are contemplated to be within the scope of this disclosure. Because the throat region 118 of the shoe upper assembly includes a single layer of material (i.e., the central portion 228 of the tongue 200), the orifice groupings 230a through 230c form a fluid communication path between the interior and exterior environments of the shoe upper assembly and provide additional exit points for discharging heat and moisture to the exterior environment. In other instances, the tongue 200 includes orifices only on the medial arm 214 and the lateral arm 218, where the central portion 228 lacks orifices.

[0033] In an example aspect, the central portion 228 can optionally include one or more lace channels 232. For example, the lace channel 232 can be integrally knit as it is formed by coextensive knit layers within the tongue 200, where the knit layers are at least partially separable to form the channel 232. A portion of the lace extending over the central portion of the tongue 200 can extend through the channel 232, which can help maintain the proper placement of the lace. Although FIG. 2 depicts only one channel 232, it is contemplated that the arm 212 of the tongue 200 can include multiple channels 232 linearly aligned along the length of the arm 212. In other aspects, the arm 212 can include one or more lace loops formed by embedded yarns exposed along a first surface 222. In an example aspect, the tongue 200 can not include lace apertures, such as lace aperture 128, within the tongue 200 structure.

[0034] Figure 2BDepicts a second exemplary tongue 250 having a cross-shaped configuration with a vertical strip 252 and a horizontal strip 254. The vertical strip 252 includes a proximal portion 256 that extends across the throat region 118 of the knitted element 100 and extends in the direction toward the ankle opening 116. The vertical strip 252 also includes a distal portion 258 that extends into the toe region 122 of the knitted element 100 and is configured to be positioned inside the knitted element 100. The distal portion 258 can provide additional reinforcement and abrasion resistance to the toe region 122 of the knitted element 100 and can increase the useful life of a footwear article incorporating the upper assembly. Additionally, in some aspects, the tongue 250 can include another set of apertures within the distal portion 258, where the apertures in the distal portion 258 can be axially aligned with apertures within the knitted element 100 to maintain a through-passage between the interior (where the wearer's foot is located) of the upper assembly and the external environment to allow heat and moisture within the toe region to be discharged from the wearer's foot to the external environment.

[0035] The horizontal strip 254 corresponds to the arm 212 of the tongue 200 and includes the aperture groupings and optional coils discussed above with respect to the tongue 200. For the sake of brevity, the discussion of the aperture groupings with respect to the tongue 250 will be omitted.

[0036] Figure 3A Depicts an upper assembly 300 including a knitted element 100 and a tongue 200. The tongue 200 is positioned inside the knitted element 100 (i.e., closer to the wearer's foot), and the portion of the tongue 200 that is not visible when viewing the outer surface of the upper assembly 300 is shown in dashed lines. As depicted, the backbone 210 and the central portion 228 of the tongue 200 extend across the throat region 118 and form a part of the outer surface 310 of the upper assembly 300. The remainder of the outer surface 310 of the upper assembly 300 is formed by the first surface 121 of the knitted element 100. In an exemplary aspect, the channel 232 of the tongue 200 is positioned along the centerline of the tongue 200 and the centerline of the upper assembly 300, as indicated by the centerline axis 312, which extends in the direction from the ankle opening 116 of the knitted element 100 to the toe region 122.

[0037] The medial arm 214 and the lateral arm 218 of the tongue 200 are positioned inside the knitted element 100 and extend along each of the medial 124 and lateral 126 from the throat region 118 of the knitted element 100 to the lower region 111. In an exemplary aspect, the medial arm 214 and the lateral arm 218 are generally located in the midfoot region of the upper assembly 300 and help provide support to the areas of the wearer's foot located in the midfoot region. For example, the medial arm 214 and the lateral arm 218 can provide support to the dorsal region as well as the outer and inner sides of the wearer's foot in the midfoot region. Additionally, having multiple layers of material (i.e., at least one layer from the knitted element 100 and at least one layer from the tongue 200) in the midfoot region of the upper assembly 300 increases abrasion resistance and can help limit stretching and wear, thereby increasing the useful life of the footwear product incorporating the upper assembly 300. The medial arm 214 and the lateral arm 218 of the tongue 200 form part of the inner surface of the upper assembly in the midfoot region. The remainder of the inner surface of the upper assembly 300 is generally formed by the second surface of the knitted element 100.

[0038] In an exemplary aspect, the tongue 200 can be selectively secured to the knitted element 100. For example, the medial arm edge 216 of the tongue 200 can be secured to the peripheral edge 110 of the knitted element 100 on the medial 124 of the upper assembly 300, as indicated by the "X" mark 314. The lateral arm edge 220 of the tongue 200 can be secured to the peripheral edge 110 of the knitted element 100 on the lateral 126 of the upper assembly 300, also as indicated by the "X" mark 314. In another exemplary aspect, as an addition or alternative to securing along the peripheral edge 110, the tongue 200 can be secured to the knitted element 100 at the front portion 316 of the throat region 118, as indicated by the "X" mark 314. The tongue 200 can be secured to the knitted element 100 by stitching, bonding, welding, adhesives, etc. In an exemplary aspect, the remainder of the tongue 200 is not directly secured to the knitted element 100. As a result, the unsecured portion of the tongue 200 is able to shift relative to the knitted element 100. This can help reduce the tension force on the skin of the wearer's foot during use, especially during movements that may cause sudden changes in direction. Additionally, leaving the remainder of the tongue 200 unsecured relative to the knitted element 100 provides greater flexibility in positioning the tongue 200 when the wearer puts on the footwear incorporating the tongue 200 and the knitted element 100.

[0039] As depicted, the tongue 200 is positioned inside the lace aperture 128 of the knitted element 100. When the lace (not shown in FIG. 2 but depicted in Figure 5 ) passes through the lace aperture 128, the tongue 200 prevents the lace from directly contacting the wearer's foot. This can improve the wearer's comfort by reducing the pressure of the lace on the wearer's skin surface.

[0040] As Figure 3A depicted and as further Figure 4 depicted, at least a portion of the first plurality of orifice groupings 130 of the knitted element 100 is substantially axially aligned with at least a portion of the second plurality of orifice groupings 224 of the tongue 200 such that at least a portion of the orifices 131 of the knitted element 100 and at least a portion of the orifices 226 of the tongue 200 form a continuous through-passage extending from the interior of the upper assembly 300 to the external environment. This through-passage facilitates the discharge of heat and moisture from the interior of the upper assembly 300 to the external environment.

[0041] As stated above, aspects herein contemplate that there are a greater number of orifices per unit area in the second plurality of orifice groupings 224 as compared to the first plurality of orifice groupings 130. This can serve a variety of purposes. For example, a greater number of orifices per unit area in the second plurality of orifice groupings 224 increases the likelihood that at least a portion of the orifices 226 will be axially aligned with at least a portion of the orifices 131, even when the tongue 200 is displaced relative to the knitted element 100. Having a lesser number of orifices per unit area on the knitted element 100 as compared to the tongue 200 enables the knitted element 100 to more effectively prevent environmental debris (such as dust, pebbles, rain, etc.) from entering the interior of the upper assembly 300. Additionally, having a lesser number of orifices per unit area on the knitted element 100 as compared to the tongue 200 can increase the structural integrity and durability of the knitted element 100 due to an increased number of interlaced yarns per unit area. This can be particularly important when considering that the knitted element 100 forms a majority of the external surface of the upper assembly 300.

[0042] Figure 3B An upper assembly 350 including a knitted element 100 and a tongue 250 is depicted. The inclusion of Figure 3B is for purposes of illustrating the placement of the tongue 250 relative to the knitted element 100 and, thus, for clarity, the description regarding orifice groupings has been omitted. However, aspects herein contemplate that the description regarding orifice groupings provided for the upper assembly 300 is equally applicable to the upper assembly 350.

[0043] The positioning of the proximal portions 256 of the horizontal bar 254 and the vertical bar 252 is similar to that of the tongue 200. As depicted, the distal portion 258 of the vertical bar 252 extends into the toe region 122 of the knitted element 100 and is positioned within the knitted element 100. This configuration can provide additional reinforcement and increase the durability of the toe region 122 of the upper assembly 350.

[0044] Similar to the tongue 200, the tongue 250 can be fixed to the knitted element 100 at the inner side 124 and the outer side 126 in the lower region 111 and / or the peripheral edge 110, and can also be fixed to the knitted element 100 at the front part 352 of the throat region 118, as illustrated by the "X" mark 354. Aspects herein contemplate that the distal portion 258 of the tongue 250 can be fixed to the lower region 111 and / or the peripheral edge 110 of the knitted element 100 in the toe region 122, as further indicated by the "X" mark 354. The remaining regions of the tongue 250 can be unfixed to the knitted element 100 to allow some displacement between the tongue 250 and the knitted element 100 during the movement of the wearer.

[0045] Figure 4 Depicts an exemplary cross-section taken along Figure 3A cutting line 4-4. The cross-section is taken at a region where the orifice grouping 130f of the knitted element 100 is positioned above the orifice grouping 224f of the tongue 200. As depicted by the axis 410, the orifice 131 of the knitted element 100 is axially aligned with the orifice 226 of the tongue 200 to form a fluid communication path. Although the orifices 131 and 226 are depicted as being fully aligned (i.e., 100% overlap), aspects herein contemplate that there can be partial overlap between the orifices 131 and 226. For example, the individual orifices 131 and 226 can overlap from about 0% to at most about 99%. In one instance, the amount of overlap of the individual orifices 131 and 226 is in the range of about 10% and about 95%. In another instance, the amount of overlap of the individual orifices 131 and 226 is in the range of about 20% and about 90%. In another instance, the amount of overlap of the individual orifices 131 and 226 is in the range of about 30% and about 75%.

[0046] Figure 4 Also depicted are different surfaces of the knitted element 100 and the tongue 200. The knitted element 100 includes a first surface 121 and an opposite second surface 123, and the tongue 200 includes a first surface 222 and an opposite second surface 223. The first surface 121 of the knitted element 100 forms the outer surface 310 of the shoe upper assembly 300 in the region where the cross-section is taken. The second surface 123 of the knitted element 100 is in a face-sharing relationship with the first surface 222 of the tongue 200. The second surface 223 of the tongue 200 forms the inner surface 412 of the shoe upper assembly 300 in the region where the cross-section is taken.

[0047] Figure 5Depicts a perspective view of a footwear article 500, which includes an upper assembly 300 and a sole structure 510 fixed to the upper assembly 300. The upper assembly 300 includes a knitted element 100 and a tongue 200 positioned inside the knitted element 100. The footwear article 500 is shown in the form of a sports shoe, but other types of shoes (such as sandals, casual shoes, etc.) are also contemplated herein. The footwear article 500 includes a forefoot region 512, a midfoot region 514, a heel region 516, a medial side 520, and a lateral side 522. A shoelace 518 for adjusting the girth of the footwear article 500 is depicted as extending through shoelace apertures 128 and further extending through a channel 232 that is generally located at the midline of the tongue 200.

[0048] As described above, the tongue 200 is selectively fixed to the knitted element 100 at the lower region of the upper assembly 300 on each of the medial side 520 and the lateral side 522, as shown by the "X" markings 314. In an exemplary aspect, the fixation positions between the tongue 200 and the knitted element 100 can generally (e.g., within ±1 cm to 2 cm) correspond to the bite line 524 of the footwear article 500. As used herein, the term "bite line" is the edge where the upper assembly 300 and the sole structure 510 intersect on the finished footwear article 500. The tongue 200 can be further fixed to the knitted element 100 at the front portion 316 of the throat region 118, while the remaining regions of the tongue 200 can not be directly fixed to the knitted element 100 to allow for displacement between the two layers during the movement of the wearer.

[0049] As described above, the configuration of the tongue 200 and its selective attachment to the knitted element 100 provide additional and adjustable support and stability for the medial side 520 and the lateral side 522 of the footwear article 500 at least in the midfoot region 514 of the footwear article 500. In addition, the additional layer of material provided by the tongue 200 in the midfoot region 514 can increase the overall durability and abrasion resistance of the footwear article 500.

[0050] Figure 5 Also depicted is a first plurality of aperture groupings 130 on the knitted element 100, which are positioned above a second plurality of aperture groupings 224 (shown in dashed lines to indicate that the aperture groupings 224 are generally hidden from view) of the tongue 200. Also depicted is an aperture grouping 230 present on the central portion 228 of the tongue 200. The aperture groupings 130, 224, and 230 of the knitted element 100 and the tongue 200 cooperate together to increase the wearer's comfort by providing exit points for transferring heat and / or moisture from the interior of the footwear article 500 to the environment outside the footwear article 500.

[0051] Although not depicted, envisioned herein is a footwear article that includes a tongue 250 combined with a knit element 100. The footwear article will have a configuration similar to that of the footwear article 500 and will additionally include a distal portion 258 of the tongue 250 in the toe region 122.

[0052] Figure 6 Depicted is a schematic diagram of a process flow for manufacturing a footwear upper assembly such as the footwear upper assembly 300 described herein. In step 610, a tongue such as tongue 200 or tongue 250 is positioned on a shoe last 612. In step 614, a knit element such as knit element 100 is positioned over the tongue 200 / 250 on the shoe last 612. In an example aspect, the knit element 100 can be positioned such that the midline of the throat region 118 is aligned with the midline of the tongue 200 / 250. The positioning of the knit element 100 over the tongue 200 / 250 can also include a registration step in which a first plurality of orifice groupings 130 of the knit element 100 are axially aligned with a second plurality of orifice groupings 224 of the tongue 200 / 250.

[0053] In step 616, the shoe last 612 is flipped and an insole fabric 618 is stitched to the peripheral edge 110 of the knit element 100, as depicted by stitch line 620. In an example aspect, insole fabric stitches (e.g., stitch line 620) can also be used to secure the medial arm edge 216 and the lateral arm edge 220 of the tongue 200 / 250 to the lower region 111 and / or the peripheral edge 110 of the knit element 100. Then, a sole structure such as sole structure 510 can be secured to the footwear upper assembly 300 to form the footwear article 500. In additional steps not depicted, the tongue 200 / 250 can also be secured to the knit element 100 at the front portion 316 of the throat region 118. When the tongue has the configuration of tongue 250, insole fabric stitches (e.g., stitch line 620) can also be used to secure the distal portion 258 of the vertical strip 252 of the tongue 250 to the toe region 122 of the knit element 100. When the tongue has the configuration of tongue 200, a separate stitch or coupling mechanism can be used to secure the front edge 215 of the arm 212 of the tongue 200 to the front portion 316 of the throat region 188 of the knit element 100. Other ways of securing the knit element 100 and the tongue 200 / 250 to form the footwear upper assembly 300 are envisioned within the aspects herein.

[0054] The following clauses represent example aspects of concepts envisioned herein. Any of the following clauses can be combined in a variety of subordinate ways to be subordinate to one or more other clauses. Additionally, any combination of subordinate clauses (clauses that are explicitly subordinate to a previous clause) can be combined while remaining within the scope of the aspects envisioned herein. The following clauses are examples and are not restrictive.

[0055] Clause 1. An article of footwear having an upper assembly and a sole structure secured to the upper assembly, the upper assembly including: a knitted element defining at least a portion of an outer surface of the upper assembly, the knitted element extending from a throat region of the upper assembly to a lower region along at least an inner side, an outer side, and a toe region of the upper assembly, the knitted element including a first plurality of groupings of apertures located on at least one of the inner side and the outer side; and a tongue defining at least a portion of an inner surface of the upper assembly, the tongue extending across the throat region and further along at least a portion of the inner side and the outer side of the upper assembly to the lower region of the upper assembly, the tongue including a second plurality of groupings of apertures located on at least one of the inner side and the outer side, the second plurality of groupings of apertures being axially aligned with at least a portion of the first plurality of groupings of apertures.

[0056] Clause 2. The article of footwear according to Clause 1, wherein the knitted element and the tongue are secured to each other at the lower region of the upper assembly.

[0057] Clause 3. The article of footwear according to any one of Clauses 1 to 2, wherein the tongue is secured to the knitted element at a front portion of the throat region.

[0058] Clause 4. The article of footwear according to any one of Clauses 2 to 3, wherein the remainder of the tongue is not secured to the knitted element.

[0059] Clause 5. The article of footwear according to any one of Clauses 1 to 4, wherein the tongue includes a knitted construction.

[0060] Clause 6. The article of footwear according to any one of Clauses 1 to 5, wherein the tongue extends to an ankle opening of the upper assembly.

[0061] Clause 7. The article of footwear according to any one of Clauses 1 to 6, wherein the number of apertures per unit area in the second plurality of groupings of apertures is greater than the number of apertures per unit area in the first plurality of groupings of apertures.

[0062] Clause 8. The article of footwear according to any one of Clauses 1 to 7, wherein the tongue includes one or more elastic yarns.

[0063] Clause 9. The article of footwear according to any one of Clauses 1 to 8, wherein the first plurality of groupings of apertures and the second plurality of groupings of apertures are each located on the inner side and the outer side.

[0064] Clause 10. An upper assembly for a footwear article, the upper assembly comprising: a knitted element defining at least a portion of an outer surface of the upper assembly, the knitted element extending from a throat region of the upper assembly to a lower region along at least an inner side, an outer side, and a toe region of the upper assembly, the knitted element including a first set of apertures located on one or more of the inner side and the outer side; and a tongue defining at least a portion of an inner surface of the upper assembly, the tongue extending across the throat region and further along at least a portion of the inner side and the outer side of the upper assembly to the lower region of the upper assembly, the tongue including a second set of apertures on one or more of the inner side and the outer side, wherein at least a portion of the second set of apertures is axially aligned with at least a portion of the first set of apertures.

[0065] Clause 11. The upper assembly according to Clause 10, wherein the first set of apertures is arranged in a first plurality of apertures grouped on one or more of the inner side and the outer side of the upper assembly.

[0066] Clause 12. The upper assembly according to any one of Clauses 10 to 11, wherein the second set of apertures is arranged in a second plurality of apertures grouped on one or more of the inner side and the outer side of the upper assembly.

[0067] Clause 13. The upper assembly according to any one of Clauses 10 to 12, wherein the first set of apertures and the second set of apertures are each located on the inner side and the outer side.

[0068] Clause 14. The upper assembly according to any one of Clauses 11 to 13, wherein the second plurality of apertures grouped is axially aligned with at least a portion of the first plurality of apertures grouped.

[0069] Clause 15. The upper assembly according to any one of Clauses 10 to 14, wherein the tongue includes a T-shaped member, and wherein a stem of the T-shaped member extends across the throat region, and an arm of the T-shaped member extends across the throat region and along each of the inner side and the outer side of the upper assembly to the lower region of the upper assembly.

[0070] Clause 16. The upper assembly according to any one of Clauses 10 to 15, wherein the knitted element and the tongue are fixed to each other at the lower region of the upper assembly.

[0071] Clause 17. The upper assembly according to any one of Clauses 10 to 16, wherein the tongue is fixed to the knitted element at a front portion of the throat region.

[0072] Clause 18. The upper component according to any one of Clauses 16 to 17, wherein the remainder of the tongue is not fixed to the knitted element.

[0073] Clause 19. The upper component according to any one of Clauses 10 to 18, wherein the knitted element includes a plurality of lace apertures adjacent to the throat region.

[0074] Clause 20. The upper component according to any one of Clauses 10 to 19, wherein the tongue includes one or more integral knitted channels configured to receive laces, the one or more integral knitted channels being positioned along the midline of the tongue, the midline extending in a direction from the ankle opening of the upper component to the toe region of the upper component.

[0075] Clause 21. A method of manufacturing an upper component for a footwear article, the method comprising: knitting a knitted element that includes a throat region, a medial side, a lateral side, and a toe region, the knitted element including a first set of apertures; knitting a tongue that includes a second set of apertures; positioning the tongue inside the knitted element such that the tongue extends across the throat region and further extends internally to at least a portion of the medial side and the lateral side of the knitted element, wherein positioning the tongue further includes positioning the second set of apertures such that the second set of apertures is axially aligned with at least a portion of the first set of apertures; and securing the tongue to the knitted element at one or more locations.

[0076] Clause 22. The method of manufacturing an upper component according to Clause 21, wherein the knitted element and the tongue are knitted in two separate knitting events.

[0077] Clause 23. A knitted tongue for a footwear article, the tongue extending across the throat region of the upper component and further extending along at least a portion of the medial side and the lateral side of the upper component to the lower region of the upper component.

[0078] Clause 24. The knitted tongue according to Clause 23, wherein the knitted tongue includes a T-shaped member, and wherein the stem of the T-shaped member extends across the throat region of the upper component, and the arms of the T-shaped member extend across the throat region and along each of the medial side and the lateral side of the upper component to the lower region of the upper component.

[0079] Clause 25. The knitted tongue according to any one of Clauses 23 to 24, wherein the knitted tongue includes a first set of apertures.

[0080] Clause 26. The knitted tongue according to Clause 25, wherein the first set of apertures is located in the arms of the T-shaped member.

[0081] Clause 27. An upper assembly comprising a knitted tongue according to any one of Clauses 23 to 26 and a knitted element defining at least a portion of the outer surface of the upper assembly, the knitted element extending from a throat region of the upper assembly to a lower region along at least an inner side, an outer side, and a toe region of the upper assembly, the knitted element at least partially covering the knitted tongue.

[0082] Clause 28. The upper assembly according to Clause 27, wherein the knitted tongue includes a first set of apertures, and the knitted element includes a second set of apertures located on one or more of the inner side and the outer side, wherein at least a portion of the second set of apertures is axially aligned with at least a portion of the first set of apertures.

[0083] Clause 29. The upper assembly according to any one of Clauses 27 to 28, wherein the knitted tongue is fixed to the knitted element at a front portion of the throat region.

[0084] Clause 30. The upper assembly according to any one of Clauses 27 to 29, wherein the remainder of the knitted tongue is not fixed to the knitted element.

[0085] Clause 31. A footwear article comprising an upper assembly fixed to a sole structure, the upper assembly including a knitted tongue according to any one of Clauses 23 to 26.

[0086] Clause 32. A footwear article comprising an upper assembly according to any one of Clauses 27 to 30 and a sole structure fixed to the upper assembly.

[0087] Aspects of the present disclosure have been described as illustrative and not restrictive. Alternative aspects will become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from its scope. Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, those skilled in the art may develop alternative means for achieving the above improvements.

[0088] It should be understood that certain features and sub-combinations are useful and may be employed without reference to other features and sub-combinations and are contemplated to be within the scope of the claims. Not all steps listed in the various figures need to be performed in the specific order described.

Claims

1. A footwear article having an upper assembly and a sole structure secured to the upper assembly, the upper assembly comprising: a knitted element defining at least a portion of an outer surface of the upper assembly, the knitted element extending from a throat region of the upper assembly to a lower region along at least an inner side, an outer side, and a toe region of the upper assembly, the knitted element including a first plurality of groupings of apertures located on one or more of the inner side and the outer side; and a tongue defining at least a portion of an inner surface of the upper assembly, the tongue extending across the throat region and further along at least a portion of the inner side and the outer side of the upper assembly to the lower region of the upper assembly, the tongue including a second plurality of groupings of apertures located on one or more of the inner side and the outer side, at least a portion of the second plurality of groupings of apertures being axially aligned with at least a portion of the first plurality of groupings of apertures.

2. The footwear article according to claim 1, wherein the knitted element and the tongue are secured to each other at the lower region of the upper assembly.

3. The footwear article according to claim 2, wherein the tongue is secured to the knitted element at a front portion of the throat region.

4. The footwear article according to claim 3, wherein the remainder of the tongue is not secured to the knitted element.

5. The footwear article according to claim 1, wherein the tongue comprises a knitted construction.

6. The footwear article according to claim 1, wherein the tongue extends to an ankle opening of the upper assembly.

7. The footwear article according to claim 1, wherein the number of apertures per unit area in the second plurality of groupings of apertures is greater than the number of apertures per unit area in the first plurality of groupings of apertures.

8. The footwear article according to claim 1, wherein the tongue comprises one or more elastic yarns.

9. An upper assembly for a footwear article, the upper assembly comprising: a knitted element defining at least a portion of an outer surface of the upper assembly, the knitted element extending from a throat region of the upper assembly to a lower region along at least an inner side, an outer side, and a toe region of the upper assembly, the knitted element including a first set of apertures located on one or more of the inner side and the outer side; and a tongue defining at least a portion of an inner surface of the upper assembly, the tongue extending across the throat region and further along at least a portion of the inner side and the outer side of the upper assembly to the lower region of the upper assembly, the tongue including a second set of apertures on one or more of the inner side and the outer side, at least a portion of the second set of apertures being axially aligned with at least a portion of the first set of apertures.

10. The upper assembly according to claim 9, wherein the first set of apertures is arranged in a first plurality of groupings of apertures located on one or more of the inner side and the outer side of the upper assembly.

11. The upper assembly according to claim 10, wherein the second set of apertures is arranged in a second plurality of grouped apertures located on one or more of the medial and lateral sides of the upper assembly.

12. The upper assembly according to claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the second plurality of grouped apertures is axially aligned with at least a portion of the first plurality of grouped apertures.

13. The upper assembly according to claim 9, wherein the tongue includes a T-shaped member, and wherein the stem of the T-shaped member extends across the throat region, and the arms of the T-shaped member extend across the throat region and along each of the medial and lateral sides of the upper assembly to the lower region of the upper assembly.

14. The upper assembly according to claim 9, wherein the knitted element and the tongue are fixed to each other at the lower region of the upper assembly.

15. The upper assembly according to claim 14, wherein the tongue is fixed to the knitted element at the front portion of the throat region.

16. The upper assembly according to claim 15, wherein the remainder of the tongue is not fixed to the knitted element.

17. The upper assembly according to claim 9, wherein the knitted element includes a plurality of lace apertures adjacent to the throat region.

18. The upper assembly according to claim 17, wherein the tongue includes one or more integral knitted channels configured to receive laces, the one or more integral knitted channels being positioned along the midline of the tongue, the midline extending in a direction from the ankle opening of the upper assembly to the toe region of the upper assembly.

19. A method of manufacturing an upper assembly for a footwear article, the method comprising: knitting a knitted element including a throat region, a medial side, a lateral side, and a toe region, the knitted element including a first set of apertures; knitting a tongue including a second set of apertures; positioning the tongue inside the knitted element such that the tongue extends across the throat region and further extends internally to at least a portion of the medial and lateral sides of the knitted element, wherein positioning the tongue further includes positioning the second set of apertures such that at least a portion of the second set of apertures is axially aligned with at least a portion of the first set of apertures; and fixing the tongue to the knitted element at one or more locations.

20. The method of manufacturing an upper assembly according to claim 19, wherein the knitted element and the tongue are knitted in two separate knitting events.

Images