Article of footwear including a monofilament knit element with a fusible strand

1. An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the upper including a knitted component comprising:

a monofilament knit element formed by at least one monofilament strand, the monofilament knit element forming a substantial majority of the upper and extending through at least a portion of each of a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region of the article of footwear;

at least one course of the monofilament knit element including a fusible strand;

wherein the monofilament knit element comprises alternating courses including (1) the at least one monofilament strand and the fusible strand, and (2) the at least one monofilament strand without the fusible strand in the upper such that a first course comprising the at least one monofilament strand and the fusible strand is continuous with a second course comprising the at least one monofilament strand without the fusible strand, and the second course is continuous with a third course comprising the at least one monofilament strand and the fusible strand; and

wherein the second course is disposed between the first course and the third course.

2. The article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one monofilament strand is made of a thermoset polymer material and the fusible strand is made of a thermoplastic polymer material.

3. The article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one monofilament strand consists of a single monofilament strand and the fusible strand consists of a single monofilament strand formed from thermoplastic polymer material.

4. The article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein a first monofilament strand of the at least one monofilament strand and the fusible strand are adjacent to each other and run together along a course of the monofilament knit element in an unheated configuration of the knitted component.

5. The article of footwear according to claim 4 , wherein the first monofilament strand of the at least one monofilament strand and the fusible strand are at least partially combined together along a course of the monofilament knit element to form a combined strand in a heated configuration of the knitted component.

6. The article of footwear according to claim 5 , wherein the combined strand comprises an outer layer of the fusible strand surrounding a portion of the first monofilament strand.

7. The article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the knitted component further comprises a peripheral portion formed by a first yarn, the first yarn being a natural or synthetic twisted fiber yarn;

wherein the monofilament knit element is formed of unitary knit construction with the peripheral portion of the knitted component such that the knitted component is a one-piece element.

8. The article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one monofilament strand and the fusible strand are formed of compatible materials.

9. The article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the monofilament knit element defines substantially all of an exterior surface of the upper and an opposite interior surface of the upper, the interior surface defining a void for receiving a foot; and

wherein the monofilament knit element extends (a) through each of a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region of the article of footwear, and (b) across a top of the upper between a medial side and a lateral side of the article of footwear.

10. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the upper including a knitted component, the method comprising:

knitting a monofilament knit element using at least one monofilament strand, the monofilament knit element forming a substantial majority of the upper and extending through at least a portion of each of a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region of the article of footwear;

knitting at least one course of the monofilament knit element including a fusible strand with the at least one monofilament strand;

wherein the step of knitting the monofilament knit element further comprises:

knitting alternating courses including (1) the at least one monofilament strand and the fusible strand, and (2) the at least one monofilament strand without the fusible strand in the upper such that a first course comprising the at least one monofilament strand and the fusible strand is continuous with a second course comprising the at least one monofilament strand without the fusible strand, and the second course is continuous with a third course comprising the at least one monofilament strand and the fusible strand; and

wherein the second course is disposed between the first course and the third course.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one monofilament strand is made of a thermoset polymer material and the fusible strand is made of a thermoplastic polymer material.

12. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the method is performing using a knitting machine; and

wherein the step of knitting the at least one course of the monofilament knit element using the fusible strand further comprises:

knitting a course of the monofilament knit element using a first monofilament strand and the fusible strand that run together from a dispending tip of a feeder of the knitting machine.

13. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising heating the knitted component including the fusible strand.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the step of heating the knitted component further comprises providing an amount of heat sufficient to reach a glass transition temperature of a thermoplastic polymer material forming the fusible strand; and

wherein the first monofilament strand of the at least one monofilament strand and the fusible strand are at least partially combined together along a course of the monofilament knit element to form a combined strand after the thermoplastic polymer material cools from the glass transition temperature.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the combined strand comprises an outer layer of the fusible strand surrounding a portion of the first monofilament strand.

16. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises:

knitting a peripheral portion of the knitted component using a first yarn, the first yarn being a natural or synthetic twisted fiber yarn; and

knitting the monofilament knit element of unitary knit construction with the peripheral portion of the knitted component so as to form the knitted component as a one-piece element.

17. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises:

inlaying an inlaid tensile element within at least a portion of the monofilament knit element during the step of knitting the monofilament knit element.

18. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the step of knitting the monofilament knit element further comprises:

knitting the monofilament knit element to form substantially all of an exterior surface of the upper and an opposite interior surface of the upper, the interior surface defining a void for receiving a foot; and

wherein the monofilament knit element extends (a) through each of a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region of the article of footwear, and (b) across a top of the upper between a medial side and a lateral side of the article of footwear.

19. The article of footwear according to claim 1 , wherein loops of the second course are bonded to: (a) loops of the first course by the fusible strand, and (b) loops of the third course by the fusible strand.

20. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising heating the upper such that loops of the second course are bonded to: (a) loops of the first course by the fusible strand, and (b) loops of the third course by the fusible strand.