Granted Patent B2

US 12,270,131 · App. 17/851,791 · Granted Apr 8, 2025

Inventors: Rainer Unnewehr (Herzogenaurach, DE); Stefan Tamm (Herzogenaurach, DE); Claudiu-Ionut Popescu (Herzogenaurach, DE)

Assignee: adidas AG

D04B1/24A43B1/04A43B23/025D04B21/207D10B2501/043

Abstract

Claims (30)

1. A three-dimensionally knitted upper for an article of footwear comprising:

a first region forming a bottom portion of the knitted upper, wherein the bottom portion is configured to attach to a sole of the article of footwear; and

a second region comprising:

a first part comprising a first knitting structure comprising ribs, wherein the first part is an instep region, and wherein each rib extends along a longitudinal axis of the knitted upper in a heel to toe direction,

a second part comprising a second knitting structure different from the first knitting structure,

wherein the second region is an upper portion of the knitted upper,

wherein the knitted upper is a single piece.

2. The knitted upper of claim 1 , wherein the second part is a heel region.

3. The knitted upper of claim 2 , further comprising:

at least one activated shrink yarn,

wherein the at least one activated shrink yarn is knitted into at least one of a forefoot region or the heel region.

4. The knitted upper of claim 1 , wherein the second part is a part surrounding the instep region.

5. The knitted upper of claim 1 , wherein the second region further comprises a third part, the third part comprising a third knitting structure different from the first knitting structure and the second knitting structure.

6. The knitted upper of claim 5 , wherein

the second part is a part surrounding the instep region, and

wherein the third part is a forefoot region.

7. The knitted upper of claim 1 , wherein the first region comprises a first number of knitted layers,

wherein the second region comprises a second number of knitted layers, and

wherein the first number of knitted layers is greater than the second number of knitted layers.

8. The knitted upper of claim 1 , wherein the first region, the first part of the second region, and the second part of the second region comprise different numbers of knitted layers.

9. The knitted upper of claim 1 , wherein the first part comprises a yarn of a first type, and

wherein the second part comprises a yarn of a second type different from the first type.

10. The knitted upper of claim 9 , wherein the yarn of the first type comprises a first number of plies, and

wherein the yarn of the second type comprises a second number of plies different from the first number of plies.

11. The knitted upper of claim 9 , wherein the yarn of the first type comprises a first thickness, and

wherein the yarn of the second type comprises a second thickness different from the first thickness.

12. The knitted upper of claim 9 , wherein the yarn of the first type comprises a first denier, and

wherein the yarn of the second type comprises a second denier different from the first denier.

13. The knitted upper of claim 1 , comprising elastic inlays incorporated into the second knitting structure.

14. The knitted upper of claim 1 , wherein the second part is a forefoot region and comprises an open structure.

Assignments (1)

Priority Claims (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (32)

Cited By (5)

US 1,098,684 US 1,098,723 US 1,099,505 US 1,099,506 US 1,099,507