Knitted Footwear Upper With Integrated Tongue and Inlaid Support

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional articles of footwear require multiple material elements for the upper, leading to increased manufacturing time, expense, waste, and reduced recyclability due to stitching and bonding processes.

Innovation Solution

The upper is formed from a unitary knit construction, integrating a knit element and an inlaid strand to provide structural support and adjustability, reducing the need for multiple material elements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple material elements are used for the upper, then the footwear can achieve various properties (stretch-resistance, wear-resistance, flexibility, etc.), but the manufacturing time, expense, and waste increase due to cutting and stitching processes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefunctional properties of upperVSAvoidmanufacturing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple material elements into a single knitted upper component. The knitted structure integrates different functional properties (stretch-resistance, wear-resistance, flexibility) within one continuous material, eliminating the need for separate material elements that would require cutting and stitching. This directly addresses the contradiction by maintaining functional versatility while dramatically improving manufacturing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The knitted upper component serves multiple functions simultaneously. The knit structure provides stretch-resistance in certain areas, wear-resistance through material selection, flexibility where needed, and comfort through the knit texture. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for multiple specialized material elements, resolving the contradiction between achieving various properties and manufacturing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple material elements are used for the upper, then various properties can be imparted to different areas, but the time and expense associated with transporting, stocking, cutting, and joining material elements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproperty distribution across upperVSAvoidmanufacturing cycle time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple material elements into a single knitted component that is manufactured as one piece. This eliminates the time-consuming processes of transporting multiple materials, stocking them, cutting them to shape, and joining them together. The single knitted upper component is ready for assembly in a single manufacturing step, dramatically reducing manufacturing cycle time while maintaining the ability to provide different properties to different areas through the knit structure design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple material elements are used for the upper, then various properties can be achieved, but waste material from cutting and stitching processes accumulates to a greater degree

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefunctional propertiesVSAvoidwaste material

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple material elements into a single knitted upper component that is formed without cutting or stitching. This eliminates waste material generation associated with cutting processes and stitching remnants. The continuous knitted structure utilizes material efficiently, converting what would have been waste from multiple cut pieces into a single integrated component, thereby significantly reducing loss of substance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Device complexity

If multiple material elements are used for the upper, then the upper can be designed with complexity, but the upper becomes more difficult to recycle

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveupper structureVSAvoidrecyclability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple material elements into a single knitted upper component made from one material type. This simplified structure, despite maintaining functional complexity through the knit pattern, is much easier to recycle than multi-material constructions. The single material composition allows for more effective recycling processes, eliminating the complexity of separating and processing multiple different materials, thus improving recyclability while maintaining upper structure complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS12486600B2Article of footwear incorporating a knitted component with a tongue

Publication Date: 2025.12.02 NIKE INC

AI summary

The present disclosure provides an upper for an article of footwear. The upper may include a knit element defining a portion of at least one of an exterior surface of the upper and an opposite interior surface of the upper. An inlaid strand may extend through the knit element, and a tongue and the knit element may have a common yarn at least at a forward portion of the tongue, and the tongue may extend through a throat area of the upper.