IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,680,204
Granted Patent B2
US 12,680,204 · App. 18/584,821 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Knit textiles and uppers, and processes for making the same

Inventors: Giovanni Adami (Montebelluna TV, IT); Sam Amis (Portland, OR); Sergio Cavaliere (Venice, IT); Jessica Green (Hillsboro, OR); Stephen Hipp (Hillsboro, OR); John Hurd (Lake Oswego, OR); James Molyneux (Portland, OR); Thomas J. Rushbrook (Portland, OR); Timothy J. Smith (Portland, OR); Christianna Wincek (Portland, OR)
Assignee: NIKE, Inc.
D04B1/24A41D31/00A43B1/0018A43B13/04A43B23/0215A43B23/026B29C51/004B29C51/02B29C51/26B29C70/44B29D35/068B29D35/126B29D35/142B41M1/12B41M3/001D01F6/62D01F6/82D04B1/12D04B1/16A41D2500/10A43B9/02A43B13/12A43B23/0235A43B23/024A43B23/0255A43B23/0265A43D11/003A43D95/10A43D95/12A43D95/14A43D111/00B29D35/0054B29D35/06B29D35/146B29K2667/00B29K2821/003B29K2823/00B29K2871/00B29K2875/00B29K2877/00B29K2913/00B29L2031/50D10B2401/041D10B2403/0114D10B2501/043
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,680,204
App. No.
18/584,821
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Articles of wear having one or more textiles that include a low processing temperature polymeric composition and a high processing temperature polymeric composition, and methods of manufacturing the same are disclosed. The low processing temperature polymeric composition and the high processing temperature polymeric composition can be selectively incorporated into a textile to provide one or more structural properties and/or other advantageous properties to the article. The textile can be thermoformed to impart such structural and/or other advantageous properties to the article of wear. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

Claims (47)

1 . An article of footwear comprising:

a knit textile comprising:

a first yarn comprising a low processing temperature polymeric composition, the low processing temperature polymeric composition comprising one or more first thermoplastic polymers; and

a second yarn comprising a high processing temperature polymeric composition, the high processing temperature polymeric composition comprising one or more second thermoplastic polymers;

wherein the first and second yarns at least partially form a plurality of interconnected courses on an outer surface of the knit textile, and

wherein the outer surface of the knit textile comprises:

a first textile zone with the first yarn,

a second textile zone with the second yarn, and

two or more transition subzones, each transition subzone comprising a combination of the first yarn and the second yarn;

wherein, in each transition subzone, knit courses comprising loops of the first yarn and loops of the second yarn, located in adjacent courses, are arranged such that a transition from the first yarn to the second yarn in the knit courses is offset by at least one wale in the course-wise direction.

2 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the first textile zone comprises an increased concentration of the first yarn as compared to the second textile zone and the two or more transition subzones.

3 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the second textile zone comprises an increased concentration of the second yarn as compared to the first textile zone and the two or more transition subzones.

4 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the two or more transition subzones comprise a different concentration of the first yarn and the second yarn.

5 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the second textile zone is substantially free of the first yarn, and wherein the first textile zone is substantially free of the second yarn.

6 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the two or more transition subzones are positioned between the first textile zone and the second textile zone.

7 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , further comprising a staggered interface located between the two or more transition subzones.

8 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the two or more transition subzones comprise distinct combinations and/or distinct positioning of the first yarn and the second yarn.

9 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein a concentration of the first yarn is a decreasing gradient from the first textile zone to the second textile zone.

10 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the first textile zone and the second textile zone are positioned such that a first side of the two or more transition subzones is positioned on a side of the first textile zone and an opposing second side of the two or more transition subzones is positioned on a side of the second textile zone, such that the two or more transition subzones are positioned between the first textile zone and the second textile zone.

11 . An upper comprising:

a knit textile comprising:

a first yarn comprising a low processing temperature polymeric composition, the low processing temperature polymeric composition comprising one or more first thermoplastic polymers; and

a second yarn comprising a high processing temperature polymeric composition, the high processing temperature polymeric composition comprising one or more second thermoplastic polymers;

wherein the first and second yarns at least partially form a plurality of interconnected courses on an outer surface of the knit textile, and

wherein the outer surface of the knit textile comprises:

a first textile zone with the first yarn,

a second textile zone with the second yarn, and

two or more transition subzones, each transition subzone comprising a combination of the first yarn and the second yarn;

wherein, in each transition subzone, knit courses comprising loops of the first yarn and loops of the second yarn, located in adjacent courses, are arranged such that a transition from the first yarn to the second yarn in the knit courses is offset by at least one wale in the course-wise direction.

12 . The upper of claim 11 , wherein the first textile zone comprises an increased concentration of the first yarn as compared to the second textile zone and the two or more transition subzones.

13 . The upper of claim 11 , wherein the second textile zone comprises an increased concentration of the second yarn as compared to the first textile zone and the two or more transition subzones.

14 . The upper of claim 11 , wherein the two or more transition subzones each comprise a different concentration of the first yarn and the second yarn.

15 . The upper of claim 11 , wherein the second textile zone is substantially free of the first yarn, and wherein the first textile zone is substantially free of the second yarn.

16 . The upper of claim 11 , wherein the two or more transition subzones are positioned between the first textile zone and the second textile zone.

17 . An article of footwear comprising:

a knit textile comprising:

a first yarn comprising a low processing temperature polymeric composition, the low processing temperature polymeric composition comprising one or more first thermoplastic polymers; and

a second yarn comprising a high processing temperature polymeric composition, the high processing temperature polymeric composition comprising one or more second thermoplastic polymers;

wherein an outer surface of the knit textile comprises:

a first textile zone with the first yarn,

a second textile zone with the second yarn, and

two or more transition subzones, each transition subzone comprising a combination of the first yarn and the second yarn;

wherein, in each transition subzone, knit courses comprising loops of the first yarn and loops of the second yarn, located in adjacent courses, are arranged such that a transition from the first yarn to the second yarn in the knit courses is offset by at least one wale in the course-wise direction; and

wherein the knit textile comprises a ground-facing area and wherein at least a portion of the second yarn is present on the ground-facing area.

18 . The article of footwear of claim 17 , wherein the first textile zone comprises an increased concentration of the first yarn as compared to the second textile zone and the two or more transition subzones.

19 . The article of footwear of claim 17 , wherein the two or more transition subzones are positioned between the first textile zone and the second textile zone.

20 . The article of footwear of claim 17 , further comprising a staggered interface located between the two or more transition subzones.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 29, 2024
From: ADAMI, GIOVANNI; AMIS, SAM; CAVALIERE, SERGIO; GREEN, JESSICA; HIPP, STEPHEN; HURD, JOHN; MOLYNEUX, JAMES; RUSHBROOK, THOMAS J.; SMITH, TIMOTHY J.; WINCEK, CHRISTIANNA
To: NIKE, INC.
Reel/Frame 066606/0173 →
Continuity (6)
Continuation 15808862 · Nov 9, 2017
Provisional Application 62419824 · Nov 9, 2016
Provisional Application 62419851 · Nov 9, 2016
Provisional Application 62419832 · Nov 9, 2016
Provisional Application 62419841 · Nov 9, 2016
Related Publication 20240200242A1 · Jun 20, 2024
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