Article of footwear incorporating a knitted component with an integral knit ankle cuff
An article of footwear with a knitted component including an upper and an integral knit ankle cuff is provided. The upper and the ankle cuff are formed as a one-piece knit element. The knit element forms a portion of an exterior surface of the upper and an opposite interior surface of the upper, with the interior surface forming a void for receiving a foot. The ankle cuff is formed of unitary knit construction with the upper as a one-piece knit element and extends above a throat area of the upper. The ankle cuff includes malleolus zones on medial and lateral sides to correspond with the ankle bones of a wearer. The knit component further incorporates features to assist with providing entry for a foot of a wear, providing comfort to a wearer, and to assist with orientation of the upper of the article of footwear when being worn.
1 . A soccer shoe having a plurality of ground-engaging cleat members, the soccer shoe comprising:
an upper comprising a knitted component, the knitted component extending through a forefoot region, a midfoot region, a heel region, a lateral side, a medial side, and an instep area extending between the lateral side and the medial side, wherein the instep area is joined through knitting to each of the lateral side and the medial side of the upper and further, wherein the instep area and an ankle cuff of the upper have at least one knit course in common;
a stretch padding zone extending between the lateral side and the medial side at the instep area of the upper, the stretch padding zone having a greater resistance to stretch along a longitudinal direction of the stretch padding zone and having a relatively lesser resistance to stretch in a lateral direction from the medial side to the lateral side, the stretch padding zone comprising a pair of edges, the pair of edges being distinct from a perimeter edge of the knitted component, the pair of edges comprising at least one course in common with the ankle cuff, the pair of edges comprising at least one course in common with each of the lateral side and the medial side, and the pair of edges extending in a non-parallel orientation toward the forefoot region; and
a plurality of lace apertures in the knitted component and disposed along the instep area on each of the lateral side and the medial side of the upper.
2 . The soccer shoe of claim 1 , wherein the stretch padding zone is formed of a unitary knit construction with the instep area.
3 . The soccer shoe of claim 1 , wherein the pair of edges are located adjacent to the plurality of lace apertures.
4 . The soccer shoe of claim 1 , wherein remaining portions of the upper have a different knit structure than the stretch padding zone such that the stretch padding zone has a reduced amount of stretch resistance than the remaining portions of the upper.
5 . The soccer shoe of claim 4 , wherein a combination of a stretch knit structure and an elastic yarn provides the reduced amount of stretch resistance of the stretch padding zone.
6 . The soccer shoe of claim 1 , wherein an elastic yarn is used to form the stretch padding zone.
7 . The soccer shoe of claim 1 , wherein:
the stretch padding zone has a first thickness measured between an exterior surface and an interior surface of the stretch padding zone when in an unstretched condition, and
the stretch padding zone has a second thickness measured between the exterior surface and the interior surface of the stretch padding zone when in a stretched condition, the first thickness greater than the second thickness.
8 . The soccer shoe of claim 1 , wherein:
the stretch padding zone has a first width measured between the medial side and the lateral side when in an unstretched condition, and
the stretch padding zone has a second width measured between the medial side and the lateral side when in a stretched condition, the second width greater than the first width.
9 . The soccer shoe of claim 8 , wherein the second width is at least 25% larger than the first width.
10 . The soccer shoe of claim 8 , wherein the second width is at least 50% larger than the first width.
11 . The soccer shoe of claim 1 , wherein the stretch padding zone has an approximately elongated diamond shape.
12 . The soccer shoe of claim 1 , wherein the stretch padding zone comprises a plurality of knit stitches and tuck stitches.
13 . The soccer shoe of claim 1 , wherein the knitted component includes a polymer layer at one or more areas of the knitted component.
14 . The soccer shoe of claim 1 , wherein the knitted component includes a skin layer at one or more areas of the knitted component.
15 . A soccer shoe having a plurality of ground-engaging cleat members, the soccer shoe comprising:
an upper, comprising:
a knitted component, the knitted component extending into a forefoot region, a midfoot region, a heel region, a lateral side, a medial side, and an instep area extending across an overfoot portion between the lateral side and the medial side, wherein the instep area is joined through knitting to each of the lateral side and the medial side of the upper, and further wherein the instep area and an ankle cuff have at least one knit course in common;
a stretch padding zone extending from the lateral side of the upper to the medial side of the upper at the instep area of the upper, the stretch padding zone having a greater resistance to stretch along a longitudinal direction of the stretch padding zone and having a relatively lesser resistance to stretch in a lateral direction from the medial side to the lateral side, the stretch padding zone sharing at least one course in common with each of the lateral side and the medial side, the stretch padding zone comprising a pair of edges, the pair of edges being distinct from a perimeter edge of the knitted component and extending in a non-parallel orientation toward the forefoot region;
the ankle cuff formed of a unitary knit construction with the knitted component; and
a plurality of lace apertures in the knitted component that are disposed along the instep area on each of the lateral side and the medial side of the upper.
16 . The soccer shoe of claim 15 , wherein the stretch padding zone is formed of a unitary knit construction with the knitted component.
17 . The soccer shoe of claim 15 , wherein remaining portions of the upper have a different knit structure than the stretch padding zone such that the stretch padding zone has a reduced amount of stretch resistance than the remaining portions of the upper.
18 . The soccer shoe of claim 15 , wherein a combination of a stretch knit structure and an elastic yarn provides the relatively lesser resistance to stretch resistance of the stretch padding zone in the lateral direction.
19 . A soccer shoe having a plurality of ground-engaging cleat members, the soccer shoe comprising:
an upper, comprising:
a knitted component, the knitted component extending through a forefoot region, a midfoot region, a heel region, a lateral side, a medial side, and an instep area extending between the lateral side and the medial side on an overfoot portion of the upper, wherein the instep area is joined through knitting to each of the lateral side and the medial side of the upper, and further wherein the instep area and an ankle cuff of the upper have at least one knit course in common;
a stretch padding zone extending from the lateral side of the upper to the medial side of the upper at the instep area of the upper, the stretch padding zone having a greater resistance to stretch along a longitudinal direction of the stretch padding zone and having a relatively lesser resistance to stretch in a lateral direction from the medial side to the lateral side, wherein the stretch padding zone shares at least one course in common with each of the lateral side and the medial side;
the ankle cuff which comprises a unitary knit construction with the knitted component;
a plurality of outer lace apertures located on the lateral side and the medial side of the upper along the instep area; and
a plurality of inner lace apertures located on the lateral side and the medial side of the upper along the instep area, wherein the plurality of inner lace apertures are positioned more towards a center of the instep area than the plurality of outer lace apertures.
20 . The soccer shoe of claim 19 , wherein the plurality of outer lace apertures are offset from the plurality of inner lace apertures along the instep area in the longitudinal direction.