Knitted Footwear Upper With Alternating Yarns for Lightweight Strength

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional footwear uppers lack a combination of lightweight, breathable, durable, and aesthetically appealing characteristics while maintaining high strength and containment, particularly in areas subject to frequent wear and tear.

Innovation Solution

The upper is formed using a knitted component with alternating courses of monofilament and multifilament yarns, including a high tenacity polyester yarn, and a thermoplastic skin layer, allowing for heat processing to shape and secure the structure, while varying knitting techniques and materials provide different properties in specific areas for enhanced elasticity, strength, and moisture management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of moving object

If conventional materials and structures are used for footwear uppers, then durability and strength are maintained, but weight increases and breathability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveupper weightVSAvoidupper durability

Core Design Contradiction:

Weight of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The upper combines monofilament yarns (providing lightweight, breathable properties) with multifilament yarns (providing strength and durability) in a composite knitted structure. This allows the upper to achieve both low weight and high reliability by integrating materials with complementary properties throughout the knit fabric.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the upper utilize different yarn combinations tailored to specific functional requirements. High-stress areas like the toe and heel incorporate multifilament yarns for durability, while other areas use monofilament yarns for breathability and weight reduction, creating localized optimization of properties.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Object-generated harmful factors

If monofilament yarns are used throughout the upper, then breathability and lightweight properties are improved, but strength and containment decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovebreathabilityVSAvoidupper strength

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-generated harmful factorsVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The upper combines monofilament yarns (providing lightweight, breathable properties) with multifilament yarns (providing strength and durability) in a composite knitted structure. This allows the upper to achieve both low weight and high reliability by integrating materials with complementary properties throughout the knit fabric.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the upper utilize different yarn combinations tailored to specific functional requirements. High-stress areas like the toe and heel incorporate multifilament yarns for durability, while other areas use monofilament yarns for breathability and weight reduction, creating localized optimization of properties.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Strength

If multifilament yarns are used throughout the upper, then strength and durability are improved, but weight increases and breathability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveupper strengthVSAvoidupper weight

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The upper combines monofilament yarns (providing lightweight, breathable properties) with multifilament yarns (providing strength and durability) in a composite knitted structure. This allows the upper to achieve both low weight and high reliability by integrating materials with complementary properties throughout the knit fabric.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the upper utilize different yarn combinations tailored to specific functional requirements. High-stress areas like the toe and heel incorporate multifilament yarns for durability, while other areas use monofilament yarns for breathability and weight reduction, creating localized optimization of properties.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

4Strength

If a thick skin layer is applied to the upper, then durability and containment are improved, but breathability and lightweight properties decrease

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveupper containmentVSAvoidupper weight

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The skin layer thickness and composition are precisely controlled during the knitting process to optimize the balance between containment and breathability. By adjusting parameters such as skin layer density, thickness, and yarn arrangement, the upper achieves sufficient structural support while maintaining lightweight and breathable characteristics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The resulting upper is lightweight, breathable, durable, and aesthetically appealing, with high strength and containment, particularly in key areas like the toe and heel, offering improved comfort and fit.

Implementation Method 1

allowing for heat processing to shape and secure the structure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat processing: Heating

Data Source

PatentEP3956506B1Lightweight knitted upper for an article of footwear

Publication Date: 2025.10.08 NIKE INNOVATE CV

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AI summary

A lightweight, breathable and high-strength upper (102) formed from a half-gauge knit or lesser gauge knit, at least in part from alternating courses (188, 190) of a first monofilament (150) and a second multifilament yarn (144), is described. The upper (102) may include a skin layer (152). Methods of manufacture of an article of footwear (100) including the lightweight upper (102) are also described.