Article of footwear having an upper incorporating a knitted component
An article of footwear has an upper that includes a knitted component and a sole structure secured to the upper. The knitted component may define a tube formed of unitary knit construction, and a strand may extend through a length of the tube. As another example, the knitted component may have a pair of at least partially coextensive knitted layers formed of unitary knit construction, and a plurality of floating yarns may extend between the knitted layers. In some configurations, the knit type or yarn type may vary in different regions of the knitted component to impart different properties. Additionally, the knitted component may incorporate a thermoplastic yarn that is fused in different regions of the knitted component to impart different properties. A flat knitting process or a variety of other knitting processes may be utilized to form the knitted component.
1. An upper for an article of footwear, the upper comprising a knitted component formed of unitary knit construction, the knitted component comprising a first knitted layer and a second knitted layer that are at least partially coextensive with each other, the first knitted layer comprising a first yarn comprising a thermoplastic polymer material, the second knitted layer comprising a second yarn comprising a second material, wherein a melting temperature of the thermoplastic polymer material is at least five degrees celsius lower than a melting temperature of second material; and one or more apertures extending from the first knitted layer and through the second knitted layer.
2. The upper of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer material is fused at the one or more apertures.
3. The upper of claim 2 , wherein the second material is not a thermoplastic polymer material.
4. The upper of claim 1 , wherein the one or more apertures are located in the forefoot region of the upper.
5. The upper of claim 1 , wherein at least 95% of the first knitted layer comprises the thermoplastic polymer material.
6. The upper of claim 1 , wherein the second yarn contains one or more filaments.
7. An article of footwear having an upper, the upper comprising: a knitted component formed of unitary knit construction, the knitted component comprising a first knitted layer and a second knitted layer that are at least partially coextensive with each other, the first knitted layer comprising a first yarn comprising a thermoplastic polymer material, the second knitted layer comprising a second yarn comprising a second material, wherein a melting temperature of the thermoplastic polymer material is at least five degrees celsius lower than a melting temperature of second material, and one or more apertures extending from the first knitted layer and through the second knitted layer.
8. The article of footwear of claim 7 , Wherein the thermoplastic polymer material is fused at the one or more apertures.
9. The article of footwear of claim 8 , wherein the second material is not a thermoplastic polymer material.
10. The article of footwear of claim 7 , wherein the one or more apertures are located in the forefoot region of the article of footwear.
11. The article of footwear of claim 7 , Wherein at least 95% of the first knitted layer comprises the thermoplastic polymer material.
12. The article of footwear of claim 7 , wherein the second yarn contains one or more filaments.
13. A method of forming an upper for an article of footwear, the method comprising: forming a knitted component having a first knitted layer and a second knitted layer that are at least partially coextensive with each other, the knitted component formed of unitary knit construction, the first knitted layer comprising a first yarn comprising a thermoplastic polymer material, the second knitted layer comprising a second yarn comprising a second material, wherein a melting temperature of the thermoplastic polymer material is at least five degrees celsius lower than a melting temperature of second material, and forming one or more apertures extending from the first knitted layer and through the second knitted layer.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising heating the upper above the melting temperature of the thermoplastic polymer material to fuse the thermoplastic polymer material.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the second yarn is filamentous.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer material is fused around the apertures.