CN106455754A - Footwear upper having selectively located padding - Google Patents

Abstract

A footwear article is provided, which may include an upper and a sole structure. The upper may include an exposed outer layer forming at least a portion of the outer surface of the upper. The upper may also include a polymeric foam material selectively positioned on the inner side of the exposed outer layer and adjacent to a portion of the exposed outer layer to form a padded portion of the upper. The padded portion of the upper may be located in an area of the footwear article corresponding to a predetermined bone of the wearer's foot.

Description

Footwear upper with selectively positioned liner

Cross References to Related Applications

This application is a document of U.S. Patent No. __________ (now U.S. Patent Application No. 13/777,230, filed February 26, 2013) entitled "Article of Footwear with Reinforced Elastic Upper," issued by Adami et al. Continuation-in-Part (CIP), the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

background

The present disclosure relates to an article of footwear, and more particularly, to an article of footwear having an upper with selectively positioned padding.

Conventional articles of athletic footwear include two primary elements: an upper and a sole structure. The upper provides a covering for the foot, comfortably receives the foot and securely positions the foot relative to the sole structure. The sole structure is secured to the lower portion of the upper and is generally positioned between the foot and the ground. In addition to attenuating ground reaction forces (ie, providing cushioning) during walking, running, and other ambulatory activities, the sole structure can, for example, affect foot motion (eg, by resisting pronation), impart stability, and provide traction. Thus, the upper and sole structure work together to provide a comfortable structure for a variety of athletic activities.

The upper is typically formed from multiple material elements (eg, fabric, polymer sheets, foam layers, leather, and synthetic leather) that are stitched or adhesively bonded together to define the interior of the footwear for comfortably and securely receiving the foot cavities or cavities. More particularly, the upper forms a structure that extends over the instep and toe areas of the foot, along the medial and lateral sides of the foot, and around the heel area of the foot. The upper may also include a lacing system to adjust the fit of the footwear, as well as to allow the foot to enter and remove from the void within the upper. Additionally, the upper may include a tongue that extends below the lacing system to enhance the adjustability and comfort of the footwear, and the upper may include a heel counter or other stabilizing structure.

The upper may also include settings for improved performance, fit, comfort, protection and durability. Material selection and placement can be used to achieve certain desired properties.

overview

In some embodiments, an article of footwear may have an upper that includes features that provide protection and durability. For example, in some embodiments, an upper may be formed from a thin elastic skin and foam padding selectively placed in various portions of the upper. The pad may be disposed in a portion of the upper corresponding to a predetermined portion of the foot. Selective placement of the padding may provide protection to certain portions of the foot and provide added strength and durability to the padded portion of the upper. The unpadded portion of the upper may have a reduced thickness, and thus may provide increased feel (eg, that of a soccer ball) and reduced weight.

In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to an article of footwear that includes a sole structure fixedly attached to an upper configured to receive a foot of a wearer. The upper may include an exposed outer layer forming at least a portion of an outer surface of the upper. The upper also includes a polymeric foam material selectively positioned on a medial side of the exposed outer layer and adjacent to a portion of the exposed outer layer, thereby forming a padded portion of the upper. The padded portion of the upper may be located in a region of the article of footwear that corresponds to a predetermined anatomy of a foot of a wearer of the article of footwear.

In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to an article of footwear that includes a sole structure fixedly attached to an upper configured to receive a foot of a wearer. The upper may include an exposed outer layer forming at least a portion of an outer surface of the upper. The upper may also include a padded portion and an unpadded portion, wherein the padded portion of the upper includes a polymer foam selectively positioned on a medial side of the exposed outer layer and adjacent to the exposed part of the outer layer. The padded portion of the upper may be located in a region of the article of footwear that corresponds to the distal phalanges of a foot of a wearer of the article of footwear. The unpadded portion of the upper may be located in a region of the article of footwear that corresponds to the proximal phalanges of the wearer's foot.

In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to an article of footwear that includes a sole structure fixedly attached to an upper configured to receive a foot of a wearer. The upper may include an exposed outer layer forming at least a portion of an outer surface of the upper. The upper may also include a padded portion and an unpadded portion, wherein the padded portion of the upper includes a polymer foam selectively positioned on a medial side of the exposed outer layer and adjacent to the exposed part of the outer layer. At least one of the unpadded portions of the upper includes one or more transparent portions.

Other systems, methods, features and advantages of the current embodiments will be, or will become, apparent to one with ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and advantages be included within this description and this summary, be within the scope of the present embodiments, and be protected by the following claims.

Brief description of the drawings

The present embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following figures and description. The drawings are schematic. Accordingly, the components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the present embodiments. Furthermore, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views.

1 is a schematic illustration of an embodiment of an article of footwear having an upper formed from an exposed outer layer and including a selectively placed inner liner.

FIG. 2 is a schematic exploded view of the article of footwear shown in FIG. 1 .

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the article of footwear shown in FIG. 1 .

4 is a schematic top view of the article of footwear showing the arrangement of the padded portion of the upper relative to the skeleton structure of the wearer's foot.

5 shows a schematic assembled view of the article of footwear and also shows an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of a toe region of the article of footwear.

6 is a schematic top view of an embodiment of an article of footwear having an upper including a plurality of transparent portions.

7 is a schematic illustration of the article of footwear shown in FIG. 6 with the peeled-off section showing the inner layer of the upper.

8 is a schematic illustration of a medial view of the article of footwear shown in FIG. 6 .

9 is a schematic illustration of a lateral view of the article of footwear shown in FIG. 6 .

detail

The following discussion and drawings disclose sole structures for articles of footwear. Concepts related to footwear disclosed herein are applicable to a variety of athletic footwear types including, for example, soccer shoes, running shoes, baseball shoes, basketball shoes, cross-training shoes, cycling shoes, soccer shoes, golf shoes, tennis shoes, Shoes, walking shoes and hiking shoes and boots. These concepts can also be applied to types of footwear that are generally considered non-athletic, including fashion shoes, loafers, sandals, and work boots. Accordingly, the concepts disclosed herein are applicable to a variety of footwear types.

For consistency and convenience, directional adjectives are used throughout this detailed description corresponding to the illustrated embodiments. The term "longitudinal" as used throughout this detailed description and in the claims refers to a direction extending the length of the sole structure. In some cases, the longitudinal direction may extend from a forefoot portion of the sole to a heel portion. Furthermore, the term "transverse" as used throughout this detailed description and in the claims refers to a direction extending the width of the sole. In other words, the lateral direction may extend between a medial side of the footwear and a lateral side, where the lateral side of the footwear is the surface facing away from the other foot and the medial side is the surface facing toward the other foot.

Furthermore, the term "vertical" as used throughout this detailed description and in the claims refers to a direction generally perpendicular to the transverse and longitudinal directions. For example, with the sole lying flat on a ground surface, the vertical direction may extend upwards from the ground surface. It should be understood that each of these directional adjectives may apply to various components of footwear. Additionally, the terms "upwardly" and "downwardly" as used throughout this detailed description and claims refer to a generally vertical direction. For example, the term "upward" refers to a vertical direction away from the ground surface, while the term "downward" refers to a vertical direction towards the ground surface.

For the purposes of this disclosure, the term fixedly attached shall mean that two components are connected in such a way that the components cannot be easily separated (eg, without destroying one or both of the components). Exemplary forms of fixedly attaching may include joining with permanent adhesives, rivets, sutures, nails, staples, welding or other thermal bonding, and/or other joining techniques.

FIG. 1 depicts an embodiment of an article of footwear 100 that may include an upper 105 and a sole structure 110 secured to upper 105 . Sole structure 110 may include outer member 115 and may be fixedly attached to upper 105 . For reference purposes, footwear 100 may be divided into three general regions: forefoot region 120 , midfoot region 125 , and heel region 130 . Forefoot region 120 generally includes portions of footwear 100 that correspond to the toes and the joints that connect the metatarsals to the phalanges. Midfoot region 125 generally includes a portion of footwear 100 that corresponds to an arch area of the foot. Heel region 130 generally corresponds to the rear portion of the foot including the calcaneus. Forefoot region 120 , midfoot region 125 , and heel region 130 are not intended to delineate precise regions of footwear 100 . Rather, forefoot region 120, midfoot region 125, and heel region 130 are intended to represent generally opposing regions of footwear 100 to aid in the discussion below. Because both sole structure 110 and upper 105 span substantially the entire length of footwear 100, the terms forefoot region 120, midfoot region 125, and heel region 130 apply not only to footwear 100 in general, but also to For sole structure 110 and upper 105 , and individual elements of sole structure 110 and upper 105 .

The disclosed footwear components may be formed from any suitable material. In some embodiments, one or more of the materials disclosed in Lyden et al. (US Patent No. 5,709,954), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, may be used.

Sole structure 110 may be fixedly attached to upper 105 (eg, with adhesives, stitching, welding, and/or other suitable techniques) and may have a configuration that extends between upper 105 and the ground. Sole structure 110 may include provisions for attenuating ground reaction forces (ie, cushioning the foot). Additionally, sole structure 110 may be configured to provide traction, impart stability, and/or limit various foot motions, such as pronation, supination, and/or other motions.

The configuration of sole structure 110 may vary significantly depending on the type or types of ground surfaces upon which sole structure 12 may be used, such as natural turf, artificial turf, dirt, road surfaces (e.g., asphalt, concrete, etc.). and other types of pavements) and interior surfaces such as hardwoods, synthetic rubber surfaces, tiles, and other interior surfaces. Additionally, the configuration of sole structure 110 may vary significantly depending on the type of activity in which footwear 100 is intended to be used (eg, running, walking, soccer, baseball, basketball, and other activities). Footwear 100 is depicted in the drawings as a cleated shoe having a sole structure suitable for natural turf and/or artificial turf. While footwear 100 as depicted may be suitable for soccer, such cleats may be suitable for use in other activities on natural turf and/or artificial turf, such as baseball, soccer, and traction may be enhanced by cleat members. Other such activities of force and grip. However, many of the features of footwear 100 discussed herein may be applicable to other types of footwear, including non-skid footwear.

In some embodiments, sole structure 110 may include a plurality of components that may individually and/or collectively provide footwear 110 with a number of attributes, such as support, stiffness, flexibility, stability, cushioning, comfort, Reduced weight, traction and/or other properties. Outer member 115 of sole structure 110 may be formed of a suitable material for achieving desired performance attributes. The sole component may be formed from any suitable polymer, composite, and/or metal alloy material. Exemplary such materials may include thermoplastic and thermoset polyurethanes, polyesters, nylons, polyether block amides, alloys of polyurethane and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, carbon fibers, polyparaphenylene terephthalamide (paraphenylene terephthalamide) Aramid fibers, for example, ), titanium alloys and/or aluminum alloys. In some embodiments, the outer member 115 can be made of a durable and wear-resistant material (eg, rubber). Other suitable materials will be identified by those skilled in the art.

The outer member 115 may include a ground-engaging lower surface configured to engage the ground. Accordingly, outer member 115 may include one or more ground engaging members extending from the lower surface and configured to provide traction. It should be understood that any type of ground engaging member may be used with sole structure 110 . In some cases, the ground engaging member may be configured to engage a soft ground surface. For example, in one embodiment, the ground engaging member may be configured to engage a soft grass surface. In other cases, the ground engaging member may be configured to engage a hard surface. For example, in one embodiment, the ground engaging member may be configured to engage a hard grass surface or artificial turf. In still other embodiments, any other type of ground engaging member may be used.

Sole structure 110 may also include other components, such as an insole (sockliner), a midsole, and/or a chassis plate. The insole may be a thin compressible member that sits (in some cases removably) within the upper and adjacent the plantar (ie, lower) surface of the foot to provide comfort, support, and stability. The midsole may be secured to the lower surface of the upper and may form the middle layer of the sole structure. Many midsole constructions are primarily formed from a resilient polymer foam such as polyurethane (PU) or ethylene ethyl acetate (EVA) that extends across the length and width of the footwear. The midsole may also contain plates, adjusters, fluid-filled chambers, and/or other elements such as to further attenuate forces, affect foot motion, and/or impart stability.

The insole, midsole, and sole plate may be selected and configured depending on the activity and athlete for which article of footwear 100 is constructed. In some cases, one or more such components may be omitted from sole structure 110 . For example, an article of footwear constructed for soccer balls may omit the midsole. In some embodiments, a sole plate may be incorporated into outer member 115 . Additionally, for soccer configurations, a minimal insole can be implemented to save weight and provide a low to the ground stance that meets soccer shoe requirements.

Upper 105 may include one or more material elements (e.g., textile, foam, leather, and synthetic leather) that may be stitched, adhesively bonded, molded, or otherwise shaped to define a shoe configured to receive inner cavity of the foot. Material elements may be selected and arranged to selectively impart properties such as durability, breathability, abrasion resistance, flexibility and comfort.

In sports like soccer there is a need to provide an upper with a relatively thin structure in order to provide increased feel when controlling the soccer ball by bringing the ball into contact with the foot. However, it may be desirable not only to provide ball feel but also to provide protection to the foot from being stepped on or kicked by, for example, another player. Additionally, it may also be desirable to provide reinforcement to the thin upper. While adding material to the upper can provide protection and reinforcement, it can reduce ball feel because it may increase the thickness of the upper. Further, added materials may increase the weight of the article of footwear. Thus, in order to provide protection and reinforcement, while maintaining a high level of ball feel and minimizing weight, material may be added to the upper in selected locations where protection or reinforcement is desired, while other portions of the upper omit such additional material.

In some embodiments, the upper may include an exposed outer layer. The outer layer can be formed from a generally elastic material that can conform to the contours of the wearer's foot. Additionally, the upper may include selectively placed padding to define padded and unpadded portions of the upper. The padded portion may be located in a region of the upper that corresponds to predetermined anatomical features of the foot. For example, in some embodiments, the padded portion may be located in the area corresponding to the distal phalanx of the foot. In some embodiments that include a padded portion corresponding to the distal phalanx, the unpadded portion may correspond to the proximal phalanx. Also, in some embodiments, the padded portion may include in the heel area of the footwear, around the collar of the opening configured to receive the foot, in the lace area of the footwear, and in the footwear. Padding in a selected portion of the inside or outside. The location where the liner is incorporated into the upper can vary depending on the athletic activity for which the footwear is intended.

In some embodiments, upper 105 may include one or more padded portions 135 . The padded portion 135 may also define one or more unpadded portions 140 . Unpadded portions may include first unpadded portion 145 , which may be disposed in a toe region of footwear 100 . In some embodiments, upper 105 may also include a second unpadded portion 150 and a third unpadded portion 155 that may be disposed on side portions of upper 105 . For example, as shown in FIG. 1 , second unpadded portion 150 and third unpadded portion 155 may be located on the lateral side of footwear 100 . Further, in some embodiments, padded portion 135 may also be included in lace region 160 of footwear 100 . For example, tongue 165 may include padding beneath lace 170 .

FIG. 2 is a schematic exploded view of the article of footwear shown in FIG. 1 showing various layers of upper 105 . For example, in some embodiments, upper 105 may include exposed outer layer 185 that forms at least a portion of an outer surface of upper 105 . Additionally, upper 105 may include cushioning layer 180 , as shown in FIG. 2 . The cushion layer 180 may be disposed inside the outer layer 185 . Cushion layer 180 may be disposed adjacent portions of outer layer 185 that are exposed, thereby forming a padded portion of upper 105 . Additionally, upper 105 may include inner lining material layer 175 . The layer of liner material 175 may be disposed inside the outer layer 185 and inside the cushion layer 180 . That is, in some embodiments, the liner layer 180 may be disposed between the outer layer 185 and the layer of liner material 175 .

Any suitable method may be used to secure lining material layer 175 , cushion layer 180 , and outer layer 185 together to form upper 105 . For example, stitching, adhesives, welding, or any other suitable joining technique may be used. It should also be noted that additional layers may be included in footwear 100, although neither are shown. For example, a waterproof or windproof layer, additional foam layers, additional reinforcement material, and/or additional lining material may be included. Such layers may be full length or partial length.

In some embodiments, the cushioning material of cushioning layer 180 may be layered with, but not attached to, outer layer 185 and lining material layer 175 . In other embodiments, the cushioning material may be at least partially attached to other components of footwear. In some embodiments, reinforcing material may be attached to outer layer 185, for example, by stitching, adhesives, bonding, welding, or any other suitable method of attachment. In some embodiments, the gasket material may be attached to the outer layer 185 only in selected areas. For example, a strip of cushioning material may be attached to the outer layer only at the ends of the strip, leaving the middle portion of the strip separate from the outer layer 185 . This may provide the upper with greater flexibility to conform to the shape of the foot while maintaining the strength benefits of the reinforcing material.

Lining material layer 175 may include any material suitable for providing an interior lining for upper 105 . In some embodiments, the layer of liner material 175 can provide moisture wicking properties. In some embodiments, the layer of liner material 175 may be formed from a hygroscopic material. In such embodiments, the layer of lining material 175 may be configured to wick sweat away from the wearer's foot. In other embodiments, the layer of liner material 175 may be waterproof to prevent the liner 440 from becoming waterlogged.

Additionally, the layer of lining material 175 may provide a smooth and relatively non-abrasive surface configured to contact the wearer's foot (or sock). In some embodiments, the layer of lining material 175 may be formed from leather or synthetic leather. For example, in some embodiments, the layer of lining material 175 may comprise synthetic leather such as Lorica or relatively thin elastic nylon.

Exposed outer layer 185 may be formed from any material suitable for use as an outer layer of footwear 100 . In some embodiments, outer layer 185 may be formed from a relatively thin material. In some embodiments, outer layer 185 may be formed from natural or synthetic materials such as leather. Additionally, in some embodiments, outer layer 185 may be formed from a substantially elastic material. For example, in some embodiments, outer layer 185 may be formed from stretchable polyurethane. In some embodiments, outer layer 185 may be formed from a synthetic leather such as Clarino. Additionally, exemplary elastic materials suitable for use in the disclosed embodiments may include latex, spandex, or elastane (which is typically trademark) and/or any other suitable elastic material.

Stretch material can provide improved fit and comfort. The incorporation of elastic material enables a snug-fitting article of footwear to maintain comfort. In some sports, such as soccer, a specific tight fitting upper is desirable. For example, while some athletic shoes need to be fitted with a small amount of space (e.g., 3/8 inch to 1/2 inch) between the wearer's toes and the inner front of the cavity in the upper, soccer shoes require Fit so that there is little or no space between the toe and the inner front portion of the upper. Any extra length of the soccer boot will tend to catch on the ground when attempting to play soccer. Additionally, soccer shoes require a tight fit around the top and sides of the shoe to prevent the foot from sliding around the inside of the shoe and thereby provide a predictable outer surface that will contact the ball. Further, a relatively thin upper material is also suitable for soccer shoes in order to provide ball feel and reduce weight. Therefore, in order to provide a comfortable and high performance close fitting thin upper, elastic materials may be used in the upper.

In some embodiments, upper 105 may include a resilient skin material that forms at least a portion of an outer surface of upper 105 . Because upper 105 may include a resilient skin material, for a given standard shoe size, the cavity defined by upper 105 and configured to receive the wearer's foot may be formed to have a larger diameter than most wearers with the given standard shoe size. The volume of the user's foot is small. For example, in some embodiments, for a given standard shoe size, the cavity may have a volume that is less than approximately 90% of a wearer's foot with the given standard shoe size. In other embodiments, the percentage of the wearer's foot that the cavity has a smaller volume than can vary, and thus can be greater or less than 90 percent.

With a smaller lumen, upper 105 may have a stretch-to-fit configuration. That is, upper 105 (or portions of upper 105 ) may expand when a foot is inserted into footwear 100 . The result is an upper that fits very much like a sock, conforming to nearly the entire contour of the foot. Additionally, because stretching to fit configuration includes the upper fitting the foot in a stretched manner, this configuration provides an elastic bond of the upper against the foot by virtue of the elastic biasing of the upper. Accordingly, in some embodiments, such uppers are provided without the need for closure mechanisms (eg, laces, straps, or other closure systems). Further, the exposed outer layer 185 can be used as described in Adami et al., U.S. Patent No. __________, entitled "Article of Footwear with Reinforced Elastic Upper," issued on ________ (now U.S. Pat. 13/777,230), the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Cushion layer 180 may be formed from any material suitable for providing protection to, and in some embodiments, reinforcement of upper 105 for a wearer's foot. In some embodiments, cushioning layer 180 may be formed from a foam material. For example, one or more portions of cushioning layer 180 may be formed from a polymer foam material. In some embodiments, the cushioning layer 180 may comprise a substantially incompressible foam material. Although generally incompressible, this material can be flexible so as to conform to the contours of the foot. In some embodiments, the backing layer 180 may comprise a substantially compressible material. Such compressible materials may also be flexible. Both compressibility and flexibility allow the foam to conform to the foot. In some embodiments, backing layer 180 may be formed from a material that has minimal elasticity. For example, in some embodiments, cushioning layer 180 may be relatively inelastic, which may provide support and stability to the wearer's foot, and may provide reinforcement to upper 105 . In some embodiments, cushioning layer 180 may be formed from a thin, lightweight foam produced by PebaxFoam. In some embodiments, materials other than foam may be used in cushioning layer 180 .

In addition to the performance characteristics of the material used for cushion layer 180 , the layout of the pads of cushion layer 180 may be selected to provide protection and/or reinforcement in various areas of upper 105 . As shown in FIG. 2 , cushioning layer 180 may include padding selectively positioned in various portions of upper 105 . For example, cushion layer 180 may include heel cup cushion 190 . Heel cup liner 190 may provide support, stability and protection to the heel area of the foot. In some embodiments, heel cup liner 190 may be formed from a substantially rigid material. Cushion layer 180 may include collar liner 195 , which may be disposed adjacent a throat (ie, an opening into which a wearer's foot may be received) of footwear 100 . The collar pad 195 can provide protection and reinforcement around the ankle, as well as provide comfort and an improved fit around the ankle.

In some embodiments, cushioning layer 180 may include one or more skeletal ribs that may provide generally directional reinforcement to upper 105 . For example, in some embodiments, liner layer 180 may include first rib liner 200, second rib liner 212, third rib liner 215, fourth rib liner 217, and fifth rib liner Liner 218. In the lacing area, the padding layer 180 may include padding surrounding the tongue opening adjacent the eyelet through which the laces pass. For example, padding layer 180 may include eyelet area padding 210 . Eyelet area liner 210 may be formed in a generally U-shaped configuration surrounding a tongue opening of upper 105 .

In some embodiments, one or more of first rib pad 200 , second rib pad 212 , third rib pad 215 , fourth rib pad 217 , and fifth rib pad 218 One can be attached to the eyelet area liner 210. For example, as shown in FIG. 2 , first rib pad 200 , second rib pad 212 , third rib pad 215 , fourth rib pad 217 , and fifth rib pad 218 may be removed from Eyelet area liner 210 extends generally down to the bottom edge of upper 105 . In some embodiments, first rib pad 200 , second rib pad 212 , third rib pad 215 , fourth rib pad 217 , and fifth rib pad 218 may extend to the sole structure. 110 of the outer member 115 (see FIG. 3 ), so that the reinforcement of the eyelet area liner 210 is connected to the firm structure of the outer member 115 to provide stability and reinforcement to the upper 105 . Further, the first rib pad 200 , the second rib pad 212 , the third rib pad 215 , the fourth rib pad 217 , and the fourth rib pad positioned as described above and shown in FIG. The five-rib pad 218 may also provide a degree of protection to the inside and outside of the foot.

Cushioning layer 180 may be disposed in areas of upper 105 that correspond to portions of the foot that may be susceptible to undesired contact. Such regions may be specific to the athletic activity for which the article of footwear is intended. For example, a soccer player's foot can be inadvertently kicked by an opponent. The severity of the impact of this inadvertent kick may increase when two players are kicking the ball simultaneously, in which case the contact is usually between the instep portion of one player's foot and the instep portion of the other player's foot . When two players kick in opposite directions, the severity of the impact increases beyond that of just one of the players kicking. To protect the instep portion of the wearer's foot, footwear 100 may include padding in the lacing area, such as eyelet area pad 210 and tongue pad 205 .

Another type of unwanted contact to which soccer players' feet are susceptible is being stepped on by another player who is also wearing cleats. Parts of the foot that require protection from this type of unwanted contact include the distal phalanges. Accordingly, in some embodiments, cushion layer 180 may include toe liner 220 , as shown in FIG. 2 .

In some embodiments, various portions of liner layer 180 may be formed from the same material. In other embodiments, different materials may be used for one or more of the pad components. For example, in some embodiments, relatively thicker pads may be used for some components and relatively thinner pads may be used for other components. Additionally, in some embodiments, each of the pad components described above may be formed as a separate component, such as toe liner 220 , as shown in FIG. 2 . In other cases, components may be formed as a unitary continuous structure such as rib pad strips and eyelet area pads 210 .

3 is a cross-sectional view of footwear 100 with a portion of outer layer 185 peeled away at wings 225 to illustrate the layers of upper 105 assembled. As shown in FIG. 3 , a liner layer 180 may be disposed between the liner material layer 175 and the outer layer 185 . The padded portion of upper 105 including heel cup pad 190 , collar pad 195 , first rib pad 200 , and second rib pad can define (between) non-slip portions of upper 105 . Padded section. For example, first unpadded portion 145 may be bounded by second rib pad 212 and eyelet area pad 210 (and toe pad 220 ; see FIG. 4 ). As also shown in FIG. 3 , second unpadded portion 150 may be bounded by first rib pad 200 , second rib pad 212 , and eyelet area pad 210 . Similarly, third unpadded portion 155 may be bounded by heel cup pad 190 , collar pad 195 , and first rib pad 200 .

4 is a top view of footwear 100 illustrating the placement of the padded portion of the upper relative to the skeleton structure of the wearer's foot. In FIG. 4 , the backing layer 180 is shown in light shading for illustrative purposes. Further, the bones of the foot are shown in solid lines, and the boundaries of the cushion layer 180 as a covering are shown in dashed lines. Accordingly, padded portions of the upper are shown shaded, and unpadded portions are shown unshaded.

In some embodiments, the padded portion of upper 105 is located in a region of the footwear that corresponds to an intended anatomy of the wearer's foot. In some cases, the padded portion of the upper may be located in a region of the article of footwear that corresponds to the distal phalanx. For example, as shown in FIG. 4 , the toe liner 220 may be placed in contact with the distal phalanx 430 of the big toe or first toe, and the distal phalanx 435 of the second toe, the distal phalanx 440 of the third toe, the distal phalanx of the fourth toe, The positions of the distal phalanx 445 of the toe and the distal phalanx 450 of the fifth toe correspond.

In some embodiments, the unpadded portion of upper 105 may be located in a region corresponding to the proximal phalanx of the wearer's foot. For example, the fourth unpadded portion 147 may be located in the region corresponding to the first proximal phalanx 405 of the big toe (first toe). In addition, the first unpadded portion 145 may be located in relation to the second proximal phalanx 410 of the second toe, the third proximal phalanx of the third toe, the fourth proximal phalanx 415 of the fourth toe, and the fourth proximal phalanx of the fifth toe. In the area corresponding to the five proximal phalanges 450 . Further, the fourth unpadded portion 405 may be located in the area corresponding to the metatarsophalangeal joint 400 of the big toe.

By omitting padding in the first unpadded portion 145 and fourth unpadded portion 147, increased ball feel may be provided in areas of the foot that are used for frequent contact with soccer balls during play. Additionally, by omitting padding in first unpadded portion 145 and fourth unpadded portion 147 , increased flexibility may be provided to upper 105 in areas of significant flexion and extension of the foot.

Also shown in FIG. 4 are second unpadded portion 150 and third unpadded portion 155 on the lateral side of upper 105 , and fifth unpadded portion 148 on the medial side of upper 105 and a sixth unpadded portion 149 . The lateral unpadded portion and medial unpadded portion may provide weight reduction in areas of the foot that are not frequently used as contact balls and are less likely to be stepped on or kicked. The medial unpadded portion may also provide increased ball feel in areas of the foot that are not frequently used for controlling a soccer ball.

FIG. 5 shows an assembled view of footwear 100 and also shows an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the toe region of footwear 100 taken generally along section line 5 - 5 in FIG. 4 . As shown in FIG. 5 , upper 105 may be unpadded in regions corresponding to first proximal phalanx 405 and second proximal phalanx 410 , as indicated by layers of lining material 175 adjoining each other in these regions. and outer layer 185 is shown. As also shown in FIG. 6 , upper 105 may include portions of cushioning layer 180 corresponding to third distal phalanx 440 , fourth distal phalanx 445 , and fifth distal phalanx 450 .

FIG. 6 is a top view of an article of footwear 600 according to another embodiment. In some embodiments, footwear 600 may have selectively placed liners similar to those discussed above. As shown in FIG. 6 , footwear 600 may include upper 605 having a plurality of transparent portions. In some embodiments, the placement of the transparent portion may coincide with the unpadded portion of upper 605 .

The substantially transparent portion may have any suitable transparency. In some embodiments, the upper may be transparent throughout in the substantially transparent portions. This allows the wearer's socks to be seen through the upper. In some sports such as soccer, socks are part of the uniform and may be colored with team colours. Thus, by providing transparency all the way through the upper, portions of the footwear may appear to have the same color as the wearer's socks and thus the team uniform. This may enable unique footwear styles to be created to match teams of all colors, rather than producing several different shoes with different accents. In some embodiments, the layers may be substantially transparent so as to provide complete transparency through the entire thickness of the upper.

In other embodiments, in the substantially transparent portion, one or more layers of the upper may be transparent while other layers are not. This partial transparency may expose various internal structures of the upper, such as reinforcement layers, pads, linings, or other structural elements.

As shown in FIG. 6 , in some embodiments, upper 605 may include padded areas, such as eyelet area pad 610 , collar pad 695 , and toe pad 620 . These padded portions may have properties similar to those discussed above with respect to corresponding components of the other disclosed embodiments.

Disposed between the padded portions of upper 605 may be a plurality of unpadded portions. For example, upper 605 may include first unpadded portion 625 . The first unpadded portion 625 can be positioned to correspond with the proximal phalanges of the foot. Additionally, areas of upper 605 including non-padded portion 625 may include a plurality of substantially transparent portions. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the non-padded portion 625 may include a first plurality of substantially transparent portions including a first substantially transparent portion 801, a second substantially transparent portion An upper transparent portion 802 , a third substantially transparent portion 803 and a fourth substantially transparent portion 804 . In some embodiments, the first plurality of substantially transparent portions can be elongated and arranged generally parallel to each other, as shown in FIG. 6 .

Upper 605 may also include a second unpadded portion 630 . The second unpadded portion 630 may also correspond to the proximal phalanges of the foot. As shown in FIG. 6, the second unlined portion 630 may include a second plurality of substantially transparent portions including a fifth substantially transparent portion 805, a sixth substantially transparent portion An upper transparent portion 806 , a seventh substantially transparent portion 807 and an eighth substantially transparent portion 808 .

In some embodiments, the second plurality of substantially transparent portions can also be elongate and can be arranged generally parallel to each other, as shown in FIG. 6 . Further, in some embodiments, the first plurality of elongated transparent portions can be aligned with the second plurality of elongated transparent portions. For example, as shown in FIG. 6 , first substantially transparent portion 801 may be aligned with fifth substantially transparent portion 805 , as indicated by first dashed line 636 . In some embodiments, the first plurality of transparent portions and the second plurality of transparent portions may be discontinuous. Further, in some embodiments, the padded strip 622 may be disposed between the first unpadded portion 625 and the second unpadded portion 630 .

As shown in FIG. 6 , upper 605 may also include a third unpadded portion 635 . Third unpadded portion 635 can be disposed on the medial side of footwear 600 and can generally correspond with the first metatarsophalangeal joint of the big toe of the foot. This can provide increased ball feel and reduced weight. The third unlined portion 635 may include a third plurality of substantially transparent portions similar to the first plurality of substantially transparent portions in the first unlined portion 625. portion and the second plurality of substantially transparent portions of the second non-padded portion 630 . As shown in FIG. 6 , edges of the third plurality of substantially transparent portions may be substantially aligned with edges of the second plurality of substantially transparent portions, as shown by second dashed lines 637 .

As shown in FIG. 6 , upper 605 may also include a fourth unpadded portion 640 . Fourth unpadded portion 640 may also be disposed on the medial side of footwear 600 . This can provide increased ball feel and reduced weight. The fourth unlined portion 640 may include a fourth plurality of substantially transparent portions similar to the third plurality of substantially transparent portions in the third unlined portion 635 . As shown in FIG. 6 , edges of the fourth plurality of substantially transparent portions may be substantially aligned with edges of the third plurality of substantially transparent portions, as shown by third dashed lines 641 .

Upper 605 may also include fifth unpadded portion 645 . Fifth unpadded portion 645 may also be disposed on the medial side of footwear 600 . This can provide increased ball feel and reduced weight. Fifth unlined portion 645 may include a fifth plurality of substantially transparent portions similar to the fourth plurality of substantially transparent portions in fourth unlined portion 640 . As shown in FIG. 6 , edges of the fifth plurality of substantially transparent portions may be substantially aligned with edges of the fourth plurality of substantially transparent portions, as shown by fourth dashed lines 642 .

As shown in FIG. 6 , upper 605 may also include a sixth unpadded portion 650 . Sixth unpadded portion 650 may be disposed on a lateral side of footwear 600 . This can provide reduced weight. The sixth unlined portion 650 may include a sixth plurality of substantially transparent portions similar to the fifth plurality of substantially transparent portions in the fifth unlined portion 645 . As shown in FIG. 6 , edges of the sixth plurality of substantially transparent portions may be substantially aligned with edges of the first plurality of substantially transparent portions, as shown by fifth dashed lines 651 .

Upper 605 may also include seventh unpadded portion 655 . Seventh unpadded portion 650 may also be disposed on the lateral side of footwear 600 . This can provide reduced weight. Seventh unlined portion 655 may include a seventh plurality of substantially transparent portions similar to the sixth plurality of substantially transparent portions in sixth unlined portion 650 . As shown in FIG. 6 , edges of the seventh plurality of substantially transparent portions may be substantially aligned with edges of the sixth plurality of substantially transparent portions, as shown by sixth dashed line 656 .

7 is a cross-sectional view of footwear 600 with a peeled-off section showing the inner layers of the upper. As shown in FIG. 7 , upper 605 may include exposed outer layer 685 . FIG. 7 shows a section of outer layer 685 peeled away in wing 700 . The wings 700 expose inner layers including the cushion layer 680 and the liner material layer 675 . Liner material layer 675, backing layer 680, and outer layer 685 may have similar properties to the corresponding components of the embodiments discussed above.

As shown in FIG. 7 , toe area pad 620 may extend to the edge of unpadded portion 630 . Similarly, padded strip 622 may extend to opposite edges of non-padded portion 630 . In some embodiments, the substantially transparent portion may be completely transparent through the thickness of upper 605 . In such embodiments, the layer of liner material 675 may include additional substantially transparent portions or may include only openings. The outer layer 685 may be similarly constructed, ie, have transparent portions or openings, as shown in FIG. 7 . Further, portions of liner material layer 675 are shown adjacent fifth substantially transparent portion 805 and sixth substantially transparent portion 806 . In particular, first liner portion 705 , second liner portion 705 , and third liner portion 710 are shown within the generally transparent portion of second unlined portion 630 .

FIG. 8 is a medial view of footwear 600 . FIG. 8 illustrates an arrangement of medially positioned non-padded portions and substantially transparent portions of upper 605 . As shown in FIG. 8 , the third unlined portion 635 may include a ninth substantially transparent portion 809 , a tenth substantially transparent portion 810 , and an eleventh substantially transparent portion 811 . The second dashed line 637 shows that these transparent portions are aligned with those of the second unlined portion 630 .

Additionally, the fourth unlined portion 640 may include a twelfth substantially transparent portion 812, a thirteenth substantially transparent portion 813, a fourteenth substantially transparent portion 814, and a fifteenth substantially transparent portion. 815. It should be noted that the non-padded portion may include a different number of substantially transparent portions. The third dashed line 641 shows that the ninth substantially transparent portion 809 is aligned with the twelfth substantially transparent portion 812 .

The fifth unlined portion 645 may include a sixteenth substantially transparent portion 816 , a seventeenth substantially transparent portion 817 , an eighteenth substantially transparent portion 818 , and a nineteenth substantially transparent portion 819 . The fourth dashed line 642 shows that the twelfth substantially transparent portion 812 is aligned with the seventeenth substantially transparent portion 817 . In some embodiments, one or more substantially transparent portions of a non-padded portion may be misaligned with substantially transparent portions of an adjacent non-padded portion. For example, the fifteenth substantially transparent portion 815 is not aligned with any other substantially transparent portion of the adjacent non-padded portion. In some cases, this may be because adjacent unlined portions have fewer substantially transparent portions, such as third unlined portion 635 . In some cases, this may be due to the offset positioning of a substantially transparent portion of an adjacent unlined portion, such as fifth unlined portion 645 . It should also be noted that in some embodiments, the substantially transparent portion may extend along an arc. Further, in some embodiments, the substantially transparent portions of a given non-padded portion may have different lengths. For example, the medially positioned substantially transparent portion shown in FIG. 8 may have a curved and tapered configuration.

FIG. 9 is a lateral view of footwear 600 . FIG. 8 illustrates an arrangement of laterally located non-padded portions and substantially transparent portions of upper 605 . As shown in Figure 9, in some embodiments, the substantially transparent portion can be substantially linear. As further shown in FIG. 9, in some embodiments, the substantially transparent portions of a given non-padded portion may be staggered, that is, offset from each other along their elongated length, as indicated by the first 7 is shown as the substantially transparent portion of the non-padded portion 655 .

While various embodiments have been described, this description is intended to be exemplary rather than limiting, and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are within the scope of the current embodiments way is possible. Accordingly, the present embodiments are not to be restricted except in light of the appended claims and their equivalents. Features described in one embodiment may or may not be included in other embodiments described herein. Furthermore, various modifications and changes may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (20)

1. a kind of article of footwear, including the footwear sole construction being fixedly attached to vamp, described Upper Configuration becomes to receive wearer's Foot, described vamp includes：

The outer layer exposing, it forms at least a portion of the outer surface of described vamp；With

Polymer foams, it is selectively positioned on the medial surface of the outer layer of described exposure and adjacent to described exposure The part of outer layer, thus form the band liner part of described vamp；

The described foot with the wearer of described article of footwear being located at described article of footwear with liner part of wherein said vamp The predetermined corresponding region of skeleton in.

2. article of footwear according to claim 1, the described band liner part of wherein said vamp is located at and described footwear In the corresponding region of phalanx of the foot of the wearer of article.

3. article of footwear according to claim 2, the described band liner part of wherein said vamp is located at and includes described footwear In the region in the corresponding region of the distal phalanx with the halluces of the foot of the wearer of described article of footwear in face.

4. article of footwear according to claim 3, the non-band liner part of wherein said vamp is arranged in described vamp Between described band liner part；And

Wherein said non-band liner part includes the corresponding region of the Metatarsophalangeal joint with described halluces of described vamp.

5. article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein said vamp also includes outer layer and the institute being arranged in described exposure State the lining within polymer foams.

6. article of footwear according to claim 1, wherein said outer skin material is substantially resilient material.

7. article of footwear according to claim 1, the non-band liner part of wherein said vamp is arranged in described vamp Between described band liner part；And

Wherein said vamp include described vamp one or more of at least one of described non-band liner part thoroughly Bright part.

8. a kind of article of footwear, including the footwear sole construction being fixedly attached to vamp, described Upper Configuration becomes to receive wearer's Foot, described vamp includes：

The outer layer exposing, it forms at least a portion of the outer surface of described vamp；With

Band liner part and non-band liner part, the described band liner part of wherein said vamp includes polymer foams, Described polymer foams are selectively positioned on the medial surface of the outer layer of described exposure and outer adjacent to described exposure The part of layer；

The described foot with the wearer of described article of footwear being located at described article of footwear with liner part of wherein said vamp The corresponding region of distal phalanx in；

The described non-band liner part of wherein said vamp is located at the nearly section toe with the foot of described wearer of described article of footwear In the corresponding region of bone.

9. article of footwear according to claim 8, the described band liner part of wherein said vamp is located at and includes described footwear In the region in the corresponding region of distal phalanx of the halluces of the foot with wearer in face.

10. article of footwear according to claim 9, the described non-band liner part of wherein said vamp includes described vamp The corresponding region of the Metatarsophalangeal joint with described halluces.

11. article of footwear according to claim 8, wherein said vamp also includes outer layer and the institute being arranged in described exposure State the lining within polymer foams.

12. article of footwear according to claim 8, wherein said outer skin material is substantially resilient material.

13. article of footwear according to claim 9, wherein said vamp includes the described non-band cushion part in described vamp Point at least one of one or more of transparent part.

A kind of 14. article of footwear, including the footwear sole construction being fixedly attached to vamp, described Upper Configuration becomes to receive wearer's Foot, described vamp includes：

The outer layer exposing, it forms at least a portion of the outer surface of described vamp；With

Band liner part and non-band liner part, the described band liner part of wherein said vamp includes polymer foams, Described polymer foams are selectively positioned on the medial surface of the outer layer of described exposure and outer adjacent to described exposure The part of layer；

At least one of described non-band liner part of wherein said vamp includes one or more transparent parts.

15. article of footwear according to claim 14, the described non-band liner part of wherein said vamp includes described footwear The corresponding region of Metatarsophalangeal joint with the halluces of the wearer of described article of footwear in face.

16. article of footwear according to claim 14, the first non-band liner part of wherein said vamp is included generally More than arranged parallel to each other first elongated transparent part.

17. article of footwear according to claim 16, also include the second non-band liner part of described vamp, described vamp The second non-band liner part include being substantially parallel to each other more than second elongated transparent parts of arrangement.

Wherein, more than described first elongated transparent part elongated transparent section aligned more than described second；And

Wherein, elongated transparent part more than described first is elongated transparent partly discontinuous more than described second.

18. article of footwear according to claim 14, wherein said vamp also include being arranged in described exposure outer layer and Lining within described polymer foams.

19. article of footwear according to claim 14, wherein said outer skin material is substantially resilient material.

20. article of footwear according to claim 14, the inclusion of wherein said vamp is one or more substantially transparent At least one of partial described non-band liner part is located on inner side or the outside of described article of footwear.