Strobel-Free Knitted Footwear Upper With Tensioned Lasting

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional footwear manufacturing methods require the use of a strobel, which increases material costs and limits design flexibility, while also necessitating additional manufacturing steps and potential seams.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a knitted upper with a lower perimeter edge secured to a lasting element, where the lasting element is fed through a channel in the knitted component and tensioned to tighten the upper around a last, allowing for securement to a sole structure without a strobel, thereby eliminating the need for a strobel and reducing manufacturing complexity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a strobel is used in conventional footwear manufacturing, then the upper can be secured to the sole structure, but material costs increase and design flexibility is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing processVSAvoidmaterial cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the strobel component from the footwear construction by directly integrating the lasting element into the knitted upper's perimeter edge. This extraction eliminates the need for a separate strobel layer, reducing material costs while maintaining the functional capability of securing the upper to the sole structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The lasting element is merged directly with the knitted upper's perimeter edge, creating an integrated structure where the lasting element becomes part of the upper itself. This merging eliminates the need for separate components (strobel and lasting element) and simplifies the manufacturing process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Strength

If a strobel is used in conventional footwear manufacturing, then the upper can be secured to the sole structure, but additional manufacturing steps and seams are required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecurement strengthVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The lasting element is merged directly with the knitted upper's perimeter edge, creating an integrated structure. This merging reduces the number of separate components and assembly steps required, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining securement strength through the direct integration of the lasting function into the upper itself.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of operation

If a lasting element is inlaid in the knit structure, then the upper can be tightened around the last, but the knitting process becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveupper tighteningVSAvoidknitting process

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The lasting element is inlaid into the knit structure during the knitting process itself, rather than being added as a separate post-knitting step. This preliminary action integrates the tightening function directly into the manufacturing process, allowing the upper to be tightened around the last while the knitted component maintains structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4056068B1Article of footwear and system comprising a last, a knitted component, and a lasting element

Publication Date: 2025.09.10 NIKE INNOVATE CV

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3

AI summary

In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a method. The method may include placing an upper on a last, where the upper includes a lower perimeter edge secured to a lasting element, and where the last includes an opening for receiving the lasting element. The method may further include feeding the lasting element at least partially through an opening of the last and tensioning the lasting element to tighten the upper around the last by pulling the tensioning element at least partially through the opening.