Articles of Footwear with Knitted Components and Methods of Manufacturing the Same

This non-provisional patent application claims priority to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/971,309, filed on Oct. 21, 2022, and titled “Articles of Footwear with Knitted Components and Methods of Manufacturing the Same,” which claims priority to U.S. provisional patent app. No. 63/270,987, filed on Oct. 22, 2021, and titled “Articles of Footwear with Knitted Components and Methods of Manufacturing the Same,” and claims priority to co-pending U.S. provisional patent app. No. 63/389,617, filed on Jul. 15, 2022, and titled “Articles of Footwear with Knitted Components and Methods of Manufacturing the Same.” The contents of these aforementioned applications are herein incorporated by reference in the entirety. This application is also related by subject matter to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/970,951, filed concurrently on Oct. 21, 2022, the contents of which are also incorporated herein by reference.

Conventional articles of footwear generally include two primary elements: an upper and a sole structure. The upper is secured to the sole structure and forms a void within the footwear for comfortably and securely receiving a foot. Uppers may be formed by a variety of materials, including knitted textiles. When an athlete moves their foot within a knitted upper, a force may be exerted on the athlete's foot that pushes the foot partially off the sole structure. Performance and comfort may be improved by keeping the foot contained over the sole structure during movement. Various components may be added to a knitted upper through post-knitting processes to keep the foot contained. However, such components added post-knitting may increase the weight of the upper, increase production time, and reduce recyclability of the upper. Similarly, to increase durability and/or water resistance of an upper, additional components (e.g., synthetic leather textiles, laminate film layers) may be added and secured (e.g., glued, stitched) to the textile, but these components may also increase the weight of the upper, increase production time, and reduce recyclability. These additional components may also reduce the ability of the upper to conform with the wearer's foot and provide proprioceptive feedback, which can be particularly useful for athletes during certain sporting activities.

This detailed description is related to knitted components for articles of footwear that provide containment and support while maintaining a light weight of the upper, reducing production time, and improving recyclability, among other benefits. In at least some examples, an upper may be formed with a knitted component with radially-extending courses such that the courses converge towards a common area, e.g., the throat region of the upper, which can arrange courses along desired lines of containment for the upper. Additionally, a fusible yarn, such as a grip yarn, may be knit on at least the exterior-facing surface of a radially-extending containment area of the upper to create additional lock-down or restriction along lines of containment. Additionally, some examples herein also include radially-extending tensile elements within the containment areas, such that the tensile elements can provide strength and lock-down along desired lines of containment while also combining with the strength created by a fusible yarn that is incorporated. In contrast to the subject matter of the present disclosure, conventional footwear can require several post-knitting processes, such as sewing or bonding additional components to a knitted component, so that the footwear can provide a desired amount of containment around a wearer's foot or have other properties, such as water resistance and durability. These components added post-knitting may increase the weight of the upper, increase production time, and reduce recyclability of the upper.

As such, examples of this disclosure include an upper formed with a knitted component with radially-extending courses that may be aligned along desired lines of containment. Additionally, a fusible yarn, such as a grip yarn, may be knit on at least the exterior-facing surface of a radially-extending containment area of the upper. The fusible yarn may be used to create fused areas to create additional lock-down along lines of containment as well as to increase abrasion-resistance, water-resistance, and wear-resistance, among other things. Further, where the fusible yarn is a grip yarn as described herein, the containment area may have a greater coefficient of friction than portions of the knitted component without the fusible grip material, which may provide additional benefits to increase a wearer's ability to effectively control a ball, such as a global football, using the upper.

Further examples include knitted components with tensile elements, such as inlaid tensile elements, that may be within containment areas fused with a fusible yarn, such as a grip yarn. The tensile elements may impart stretch-resistance and lock-down to the upper, which may be enhanced by the fusible material knit with the tensile elements. In some aspects, the tensile elements can be incorporated into a radially-knit upper such that the tensile elements are radially-extending along desired line(s) of containment along the upper.

Additional aspects of this disclosure include applying a polymer layer (e.g., a skin layer) over the exterior-facing surface of the knitted component. In some aspects, the polymer layer includes apertures that expose portions of the exterior-facing surface that include a fusible grip material to maintain touch properties (e.g., a greater coefficient of friction) created by the fusible grip material.

Further aspects of this disclosure include incorporating a tensile element through knitting in a manner that may simulate strength and stretch-resistance provided by an inlaid tensile element but through knitting. For example, the tensile element may be formed with a knit sequence repeated across the course, where the knit sequence is at least one knit stitch and a float stitch spanning a plurality of wales (e.g., needle positions). For example, the tensile element, within one course, may have a repeated sequence of one knit stitch and one float stitch extendingwales.

As described herein, certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to articles of footwear or aspects thereof that are at least partially formed from knit textiles. In an illustrative example, aspects are directed to an upper formed at least partially of a knitted component. As used herein, the term “upper” refers to a footwear component that extends over the instep and toe areas of the foot, along the medial and lateral sides of the foot, and around the heel area of the foot to form a void for receiving a wearer's foot. Illustrative, non-limiting examples of uppers may include uppers incorporated into a basketball shoe, a biking shoe, a cross-training shoe, a global football (soccer) shoe, an American football shoe, a bowling shoe, a golf shoe, a hiking shoe, a ski or snowboarding boot, a tennis shoe, a running shoe, and a walking shoe. Further, in other aspects, the upper may also be incorporated into a non-athletic shoe, such as a dress shoe, a loafer, and a sandal. Accordingly, the concepts disclosed herein with respect to articles of footwear apply to a wide variety of footwear types. Although the figures may illustrate an article of footwear intended for use on only one foot (e.g., a left foot) of a wearer, one skilled in the art will recognize that a corresponding article of footwear for the other foot (e.g., a right foot) would be a mirror image of the right article of footwear.

Positional terms used when describing articles of footwear or aspects thereof, such as top, bottom, front, sides, back, superior, inferior, lateral, medial, right, left, interior, exterior, interior-facing, and exterior-facing and the like, are used with respect to the article of footwear or upper being worn as intended with the wearer standing upright such that the wearer's foot is in the foot-receiving void and the wearer's ankle or leg extends through the ankle opening. For example, an “upwardly-facing surface” and/or an “upper surface” of an upper refers to the surface oriented in the “superior” anatomical direction (i.e., toward the head of a wearer) when the article of footwear is being worn by the wearer. Similarly, the directional terms “downwardly” and/or “lower” refer to the anatomical direction “inferior” (i.e., toward the ground and away from the head of the wearer). “Front” or “forward” means “anterior” (e.g., towards the toes), and “rear” means “posterior” (e.g., towards the heel). “Medial” means “toward the midline of the body,” and “lateral” means “away from the midline of the body.” “Longitudinal axis” refers to a centerline of the article extending between the heel region and the forefoot region. Similarly, a “longitudinal length” refers to a length of the article along the longitudinal axis, and a “longitudinal direction” refers to a direction along the longitudinal axis. It should be understood, however, that use of positional terms do not depend on the actual presence of a human being for interpretative purposes.

The term “knitted component” refers to a textile piece that is formed from at least one yarn that is manipulated (e.g., with a knitting machine) to form a plurality of intermeshed loops that define courses and wales. The term “course,” as used herein, refers to a predominantly horizontal row of knit loops (in an upright textile as it is knit on the knitting machine) that is produced by adjacent needles during the same knitting cycle. The course may comprise one or more stitch types, such as a knit stitch, a missed stitch, a tuck stitch, a transfer stitch, a rib stitch, and the like as these terms are known in the art of knitting. The term “wale,” as used herein, is a predominantly vertical column of intermeshed or interlooped knit loops, generally produced by the same needle at successive (but not necessarily all) courses or knitting cycles.

The term “integrally knit,” as used herein, may mean a knitted component having a yarn from one or more knitted courses in a first area or region being interlooped with one or more knitted courses of another area or region. The interlooping may be through a simple knit stitch, a tuck stitch, a held stitch, a float or miss stitch, and the like. In this way, areas that are integrally knit together have a seamless transition.

In one aspect, a radial knit process or a sequential knit process can be performed such that medial and lateral sides of a knitted component can generally be formed sequentially, rather than simultaneously. For example, instead of forming medial and lateral sides simultaneously, all (or substantially all, e.g., within 5% by length) of the medial side can be formed, then all (or substantially all, e.g., within 5% by length) of the lateral side can be formed next. Alternatively, the lateral side can be formed first and the medial side can be formed subsequently. In some aspects, a portion of a first side (either the medial or lateral) can be formed first, and then the second side (e.g., the other side) can be formed before completing the knitted component by knitting the remaining portion of the first side. In some aspects, a reverse sequence may be used. In this way, a plurality of adjacent courses forming at least part of a first side (e.g., the medial or lateral side) may be knit prior to a plurality of adjacent courses forming at least part of a second side (e.g., the other of the medial or lateral side).

The term “radially extending,” as used herein, refers to an orientation of an elongate structure, such as a knit course and/or an inlaid strand segment, that radiates out from a common portion of the knitted component. Specifically, the knit course and/or inlaid strand may be radially extending if it extends between an outer perimeter of the knitted component and the common portion. In this manner, the courses and/or strand segments may radiate inwards from the outer perimeter towards the common portion and do not, for example, extend continuously across the body of the knitted component from a lateral side edge to a medial side edge of the outer perimeter. The structures of the knitted component may be radially extending from the common portion when the knitted component is laid out in a flat configuration after knitting, but it is also contemplated that determining whether structures are radially extending may be based on the orientation of the structures towards the common portion after the knitted component is folded into the shape of an upper or a portion of an upper.

The term “common portion,” as used herein, refers to an area of the knitted component towards which multiple similar structures (e.g., multiple courses or multiple inlaid strand segments) extend. As such, courses or inlaid strand segments may extend from an outer perimeter to a single common portion rather than extending from the outer perimeter to different portions, e.g., along a common direction. The common portion is spaced-apart from the outer perimeter and, in various aspects, may be relatively centrally located within the knitted component. In this way, the common portion may encompass and/or be directly adjacent to the longitudinal axis of the knitted component. In some examples disclosed herein, the common portion may include a throat region or a portion thereof.

As used herein, the term “throat region” refers to an area on a top (upward-facing) side of an upper generally extending between an ankle opening and a forefoot region. The throat region may include an opening formed between a lateral side and medial side of the upper when formed into the shape of the article of footwear, and in some aspects, the throat region may include a tongue extending across the opening in the throat region. In some aspects, the throat region does not have an opening but, rather, includes a continuous integrally knit area of a knit component extending between the medial and lateral sides, e.g., one that can be formed of elastic yarns, material, and/or other components that include a degree of stretchability.

As used herein, the term “perimeter” refers to an area forming the boundary of the object referred to. For example, a perimeter of a knitted component is the area that extends along the boundary of that structure. The “outer perimeter” may refer to portions of a perimeter of a knitted component that, once formed into an article of footwear, are secured to the sole structure or form a seam between two ends of the outer perimeter (such that they may at least partially extend under the foot of the wearer when the article of footwear is worn. In contrast, an “inner perimeter” may refer to portions of the perimeter of a knitted component that, once formed into an article of footwear, define openings, such as an opening in a throat region and/or the ankle opening. The perimeter (outer perimeter or inner perimeter) may refer to an edge of the knitted component or to a peripheral area adjacent to the edge.

Different aspects are described below with reference to the drawings in which like elements generally are identified by like numerals. The relationship and functioning of the various elements of the aspects may better be understood by reference to the following detailed description. However, aspects are not limited to those illustrated in the drawings or explicitly described below. It also should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale, and in certain instances details may have been omitted that are not necessary for an understanding of aspects disclosed herein, such as conventional assembly. Additionally, there are various measurements provided herein. Unless indicated otherwise, the term “about” or “substantially” with respect to a measurement means within ±10% of the indicated value.

depict a lateral side perspective view and a medial side view, respectively, of an article of footwearand its components, according to aspects hereof. The article of footwearcomprises a sole structureand an upper. The upperis coupled to, and extends from, the sole structureand forms a foot-receiving cavity between the sole structureand the upper. The area of the article of footwearwhere the sole structurejoins the uppermay be referred to as the bite-line. The uppermay be joined to the sole structurein a fixed manner using any suitable technique, such as through the use of an adhesive, by sewing, etc. It is contemplated that the uppermay extend partially or completely around the foot of a wearer, may extend under the foot of a wearer, and/or may be integral with the sole. A sockliner, which may be referred to as a strobel, may or may not be used. The sockliner can comprise various materials including textile, leather, foam, and/or other types of materials.

The article of footwear(and/or its components) can be divided into one or more regions (which can also be referred to as “areas,” or “portions”). For example, in an anterior-to-posterior direction, the article of footwear(and/or its components) can be divided into (and/or include) a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region. The forefoot regionof the article of footwearcan correspond to anterior portions of a foot, including toes and joints connecting metatarsal bones with phalanx bones of the foot. The midfoot regionof the article of footwearcan correspond with an arch area of the foot. The heel regionof the article of footwearcan correspond with posterior portions of the foot, including a calcaneus bone. In a medial-to-lateral direction, the article of footwear(and/or its components) can be divided into a lateral sideand a medial side, both of which extend through the forefoot region, the midfoot region, and the heel region. More particularly, the lateral sidecorresponds with an outside area of the foot (i.e., a side that faces away from the other foot) when the article of footwearis worn, while the medial sidecorresponds with an inside area of the foot (i.e., a side that faces towards the other foot) when the article of footwearis worn. The lateral sideand the medial sideare separated by a longitudinal axis. These regions,, andand sidesandare not intended to demarcate precise areas of the article of footwearbut, rather, are intended to represent general areas of the article of footwearto aid in understanding the various descriptions provided herein.

The sole structuregenerally extends between the foot and the ground when the article of footwearis worn. The sole structuremay include multiple components, such as an outsole, a midsole, and an insole or sockliner. Various materials may be used to form the sole structure, such as rubber, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), thermoplastic elastomer (e.g., polyether block amide), and the like. The sole structuremay also include various other elements, such as a heel counter and a toe cap. The sole structuremay include various other features to attenuate forces, enhance stability, and/or provide traction, such as treads as understood by one skilled in the art. For example, the sole structuremay include cleats as illustrated inas seen in soccer (global football) boots. However, it should be understood that this disclosure may apply to footwear without cleats.

The upperdefines a void within the article of footwearfor receiving and securing a foot relative to the sole structure. Access to the void is provided by an ankle openinglocated in at least the heel region. The upperincludes a throat regiondisposed in the midfoot regionbetween the ankle openingand the forefoot region. The throat regionmay be configured to cover a top side of the wearer's foot and, therefore, form part of a top side (or overfoot region) of the upperbetween the lateral sideand the medial side. The article of footwearcan also include a closure system in the throat regionto adjust the foot-receiving cavity. In this manner, the closure system can be used, for example, to secure and/or release the article of footwearto and/or from a wearer's foot. Example closure systems include laces(as shown in), straps, bands, cables, cords, ratcheting mechanisms, hook-and-loop connections, and the like.

At least a portion of the uppermay include at least one knitted componentformed by a knitting process, such as by a weft-knitting process on a flat knitting machine, for example. In some aspects, the entire or substantially the entire uppermay be formed of the knitted component.depicts another view of the knitted componentprior to being shaped into the uppershown in.

The knitted componentmay incorporate various types of yarn that impart different properties to separate areas of the upper. That is, one area of the knitted componentmay be formed from a first type of yarn that imparts a first set of properties, and another area of the knitted componentmay be formed from a second type of yarn that imparts a second set of properties. With this configuration, properties may vary throughout the upperby selecting specific yarns for different areas of the knitted component. The properties that a particular type of yarn will impart to an area of the knitted componentpartially depend upon the materials that form the various filaments and fibers within the yarn. Cotton, for example, provides a soft hand, natural aesthetics, and biodegradability. Elastane and stretch polyester each provide substantial stretch and recovery, with stretch polyester also providing recyclability. Rayon provides high luster and moisture absorption. Wool also provides high moisture absorption, in addition to insulating properties and biodegradability. Nylon is a durable and abrasion-resistant material with relatively high strength. Polyester is a hydrophobic material that also provides relatively high durability. In addition to materials, other aspects of the yarns selected for the knitted componentmay affect the properties of the upper. For example, a yarn forming the knitted componentmay be a mono-filament yarn or a multi-filament yarn. As such, unless otherwise specified, the term “yarn”, as used herein, does not require multiple filaments or fibers. The yarn may also include separate filaments that are each formed of different materials. In addition, the yarn may include filaments that are each formed of two or more different materials, such as a bi-component yarn with filaments having a sheath-core configuration or two halves formed of different materials. Different degrees of twist and crimping, as well as different deniers, may also affect the properties of the upper. Accordingly, both the materials forming the yarn and other aspects of the yarn may be selected to impart a variety of properties to separate areas of the upper. Additional properties of yarn(s) used in various aspects of this disclosure are described in further detail below.

The knitted componentmay be formed as a single integral one-piece element during a knitting process, e.g., such as weft-knitting or another suitable knitting process. Additional elements, such as an underfoot portion and/or a heel element (including, but not limited to, a heel counter or other elements or components) may be integrally formed with the upperas a one-piece unitary structure, e.g., in a single knitting process performed on a knitting machine. Alternatively, one or more such additional elements may be formed separately from the upperand then later attached, secured, or otherwise assembled and/or integrated as needed. Forming the upperwith the knitted component may provide the upperwith advantageous characteristics including, but not limited to, a particular degree of elasticity, breathability, bendability, strength, moisture absorption, weight, abrasion resistance, and/or a combination of such properties. Further, forming the upperfrom an integrally-knit knitted component may form various features and structures of the upperwithout the need for significant additional manufacturing steps or processes, thereby increasing production efficiency.

Looking atand, knitted componentmay include radially-extending courses. That is, the knitted componentmay include knit courses that extend from an outer perimeter(e.g., as shown in) of the knitted component(which may form or be adjacent to the bite-linewhen the knitted componentis formed into the upperand joined to the sole structure) to a common portion of the knitted component. The common portion may be an area of the knitted componentthat all courses extend towards when the knitted componentis formed into the shape of the upperor otherwise constructed. In some aspects, the common portion is positioned along a longitudinal axis of the upperthat separates the lateral sideand the medial side. In some aspects, the common portion is adjacent to the longitudinal axis. For example, the common portion may include the throat region, which extends along the longitudinal axis between the medial sideand the lateral side. As further described with respect to, radially-extending courses within a knitted component, such as the knitted component, may create courses that align with many different lines of containment such that the knit courses may provide containment around the wearer's entire foot.

illustrates a schematic view of a knitted componenthaving radially-extending courses. The knitted componentofis intended to depict radially-extending courses generally and the details disclosed with respect to the knitted componentmay apply to any of the other knitted components disclosed herein (including the knitted components,,,,, and) unless indicated otherwise. The knitted componenthas radially extending courses, such as courses-, which may collectively be referred to as “courses.” The coursesare depicted as each having a strand of knitted loops in a simplified form, and it should be understood that these strands of loops do not necessarily represent the stitch sequence used. For example, the coursesmay include other types of stitches, such as float stitches, tuck stitches, transfer stitches, and the like. Similarly, only a few courses are depicted throughout the knitted componentas representative of the various directions in which the coursesmay extend, but it should be understood that there may be additional courses located between the coursesdepicted inthat radially extend from a common portion of the knitted componentin a similar manner as described below (as with numerous other aspects depicted herein).

The coursesextend from an outer perimeterto a common portion or region. In the example shown in, the common portion is the throat region, which may include a tongue component, an opening for a tongue component, and/or an inner perimeterof the knitted componentdefining a space through which a tongue component may extend. In some aspects, the throat regionis knit continuously from the lateral sideto the medial sidesuch that there may not be an opening or space for a tongue component.

Each of the forefoot region, the midfoot region, and the heel regionmay include radially-extending courses that extend in different directions such that at least some of the courses are not parallel, e.g., are at an angle, to one another. For example, at least a forefoot course in the forefoot region, such as course, extends in a direction that is not parallel to a midfoot course in the midfoot region, such as course. In other words, at least some courses, including forefoot courseand midfoot course, may be angled relative to each other, where the angle is greater than 0 degrees and less than 180 degrees.

Rather, the coursesmay extend in different directions that may represent different lines or angles of containment once the knitted componentis worn in an article of footwear, such as the article of footwearshown in. The lines of containment may be represented by a knit course extending towards the a common portion of the knitted component while another knit course extends towards the common portion from an opposite direction but at the same or substantially the same angle as the first course. A kitted component knitted in a traditionally manner with all or most courses extending horizontally across the upper, such lines of containment may be limited to the same angle. In contrast, the different courses in a radially-knit knitted component may extend in effectively 360 degrees around the length of the wearer's foot, to form additional lines of containment. At least some containment may be solely due to the radially-extending directions of the knit courses.. In some aspects, greater containment is achieved by utilizing yarns of higher tensile strength, higher tenacity, and/or higher stretch-resistance for courses along certain lines of containment, utilizing certain knit stitches, such as floats, for reducing stretch in courses along certain lines of containment, or a combination thereof. At least some of the knitted components described herein, such as the knitted component, are described as including one or more containment areas in at least some aspects. These containment areas may represent areas within the knitted component that including one or more features, such as a particular yarn type, fused areas, and/or certain knit stitches, that increase containment beyond what may be provided solely through the direction and alignment of radially knit courses.

In example aspects, the knitted componentincludes courses that are parallel to a first diagonal line of containment (shown by a first axis) and courses that are parallel to a second diagonal line of containment (shown by a second axis) that intersects with the first line of diagonal containment in the common portion of the knitted component. The first axismay extend from a portion of the knitted componentconfigured to cover a first metatarsal of the wearer to the heel regionon the lateral side, and the second axismay extend from a portion of the knitted componentconfigured to cover a fifth metatarsal of the wearer to the heel regionon the medial side. These axesandmay collectively form an x-shape and may represent lines of containment that may improve the stability of a wearer's foot within an upper for many types of movements (including turning or changing the direction of movement, side-to-side movements, forward movements, and backward movements). As such, containing the wearer's foot within an upper, such as the upper, through courses limiting stretch or otherwise providing support along these axesandmay enhance performance of the article of footwear, such as the article of footwear.

The knitted componentwith radially-extending coursesmay be achieved through a radial knit process in which the lateral and medial sides,of the knitted componentare formed sequentially, as opposed to simultaneously. As shown in, the knitted componentis formed by a knitting machine(e.g., having a front needle bedand a back needle bed) by starting at the heel regionon the medial sideof the knitted component, knitting in a knit directionfrom the heel regionto the forefoot region, and then knitting the lateral sideof the knitted component starting at the forefoot regionand finishing at the heel regionon the lateral side, as shown by knit direction. In this way, the knitted componentmay be formed by knitting the medial side(or at least a plurality of courses on the medial side), knitting the forefoot regionafter knitting the courses on the medial side, and knitting the lateral side(or at least a plurality of courses on the lateral side) after knitting the forefoot region.

In other aspects, a similar but opposite knitting direction may be utilized to form the knitted component. For example, the knitted componentmay be formed by knitting the lateral side(or at least a plurality of courses on the lateral side), knitting the forefoot regionafter knitting the courses on the lateral side, and knitting the medial side(or at least a plurality of courses on the medial side) after knitting the forefoot region.

This knit process for making the knitted componentmay be performed on a knitting machine, which may include an automated knitting machine. The knitting machineinis intended to be a simplified representation. In example aspects, the knitting machinemay be a flat knitting machine, such as a flat V-bed knitting machine with a front needle bed and a back needle bed. The knitted componentmay be formed by needles from a single needle bed or by needles from both needle beds.

In accordance with this knit process in which the lateral and medial sides,are formed sequentially, at least some of the needles utilized to form the lateral sideare also utilized to form the medial side. In this way, a smaller number of needles on a knitting bed of the knitting machinemay be required to create the knitted componentcompared to a traditional knitting process in which heel and/or midfoot portions of the lateral and medial sides,are formed at the same time. Additionally, the same feeder(s) may be utilized for the yarn forming for both the lateral and medial sides,, rather than requiring duplicate feeders for each side. In this way, the disclosed knitting process may make more needles and/or feeders on the knitting machineavailable to knit a separate article, such as another knitted component for another upper, at the same time that the knitted componentis being knit.

Further, radially-extending courses within the knitted componentmay divide the knitted componentinto wedge-shaped portions. For example, looking in the forefoot region, a wedge-shaped portion between axisand axismay have radially-knit courses, and a wedge-shaped portion between axisandmay have additional radially-knit courses. In some aspects, the courses forming the wedge-shaped portion between axesandis knit before the wedge-shaped portion between the axesand. The rest of the knitted componentmay similarly be divided into various wedge-shaped portions. These wedge-shaped portions may be formed by knitting full-length, radially-extending courses and partial-length, radially-extending courses. A full-length knit course, such as course, may extend from one edge of the knitted component(e.g., at the outer perimeter) to another edge of the knitted component(e.g., at the inner perimeterin a throat region). A partial-length knit course, such as coursesand, may not extend between two edges of the knitted component. One or both ends of a partial-length knit course may end before the edge of the knitted component. However, the partial-length knit courses, such as coursesandmay still be considered radially-extending as they extend in a direction from the outer perimetertowards the common portion (e.g., the throat region). Forming partial-length knit courses distributed between full-length knit courses may create shape and dimension in the knitted componentwhile also enabling the courses to extend radially.

In one aspect, a forefoot region comprises a set of wedges that are configured to form a curved structure with a higher curvature, e.g., a smaller radius of curvature. For example, each of the set of wedges in a forefoot region may have a smaller surface area than the set of wedges in a midfoot area. Additionally, or alternatively, a total number of wedges in the forefoot region may be increased. Thus, by incorporating a plurality of wedges in the forefoot region, the curved structure of the knitted component of the upper in the forefoot region is generated.

In this way, the knitted component can comprise a stack of wedges, such that when knitting from a medial to lateral direction, a first set of wedges are configured to form a medial side of the knitted component, a second set of wedges are configured to form a toe region of the knitted component, and a third set of wedges are configured to form a lateral side of the knitted component. In one aspect, additionally, a fourth set of wedges may be included to form a heel region of the knitted component. In a second example, which optionally includes the first example, a number of wedges in the second set of wedges is greater than a number of wedges in the first set of wedges or a number of wedges in the third set of wedges, in addition to other possibilities.

As described with respect to, an entire side (e.g., the medial side) may be knit before knitting the other side (e.g., the lateral side). However, in other aspects, the areas of a knitted component in which the knitting processes starts and stops may vary. For example, some example knitted components may have other shapes and configurations prior to being formed into an upper, such as where a portion of a medial side in the heel region of the knitted component is integrally knit in a seamless manner with a portion of the lateral side in the heel region. In this way, a seam may be formed on a medial side or a lateral side in the heel region, rather than a central seam in the heel region. Nonetheless, the sequential manner described with respect tomay be maintained for these configurations as the lateral and medial sides of the knitted component are not knit simultaneously. Rather, where the seam of the knitted component will be formed on the medial side, a medial side heel portion may be knit first, then the lateral side (e.g., the heel, midfoot, and forefoot regions on the lateral side), followed by the rest of the medial side (e.g., the forefoot and midfoot regions on the medial side). Where the seam of the knitted component will be formed on the lateral side, a lateral side heel portion may be knit first, then the medial side (e.g., the heel, midfoot, and forefoot regions on the medial side), followed by the rest of the lateral side (e.g., the forefoot and midfoot regions on the lateral side.

Returning to the example knitted componentshown inand, the knitted componentincludes radially-extending knit courses as described with respect to the knitted component. Additionally, the knitted componentincludes radially-extending tensile elements. Similar to the knitted courses of the knitted component, the tensile elementsextend from an outer perimeterto a common portion or region, such as the throat regionin FIGS.A andB, which may include a tongue, an opening for a tongue, and/or an inner perimeterof the knitted component.

Similar to the knit courses, the tensile elementsmay extend along lines of containment. Additionally, tensile elementsmay provide additional strength and structure to the underlying knit structure of the knitted componentdue to the material composition and/or manner of integration of the tensile elements. In this way, the tensile elementsmay be positioned in areas of the knitted componentcorresponding to particular lines of containment desired or suitable for the article of footwear. In the example knitted component, tensile elementsare arranged into groupings of tensile elementsthat, when viewed from the top, collectively have an X-shaped configuration., for example, shows the knitted componentprior to being shaped into the upperand more clearly depicts the X-shaped configuration of the groupings, which may be referred to herein as containment areas (or containment vectors),,, and. The first containment areaincludes tensile elementsand knit courses extending from part of the outer perimeterat least partially in the heel regionon the medial sideto the common portion, or throat regionin the midfoot regionon the medial side. The second containment areaincludes tensile elementsand knit courses extending from part of the outer perimeterat least partially in the forefoot regionon the medial sideto the common portion, or throat regionin the midfoot regionon the medial side. The third containment areaincludes tensile elementsand knit courses extending from part of the outer perimeterat least partially in the heel regionon the lateral sideto the common portion, or throat regionin the midfoot regionon the lateral side. The fourth containment areaincludes tensile elementsand knit courses extending from part of the outer perimeterat least partially in the forefoot regionon the lateral sideto the common portion, or throat regionin the midfoot regionon the lateral side. The distance, which may be measured by the number of courses, between adjacent tensile elementswithin a single containment area (e.g., containment area) is less than the distance between tensile elementsin separate containment areas.

The placement (including density) and orientation of the tensile elementswithin the knitted componentmay vary based on an intended activity for the article of footwear. Generally, containment provided by a tensile elementon one side (e.g., lateral side) may be improved from containment on the other side (e.g., medial side) to serve as an anchor. In this way, the first containment areaof tensile elementsextending towards the heel regionon the medial sidemay anchor the fourth containment areaof tensile elementsextending into the forefoot regionon the lateral side, while the second containment areaof tensile elementsextending towards the forefoot regionon the medial sidemay anchor the third containment areaextending towards the heel regionon the lateral side.

The tensile elementsmay each have the configuration of a multi-filament yarn, a filament (e.g., a mono-filament yarn), thread, rope, webbing, cable, or chain, for example. The tensile elementsmay comprise a material having a property to increase the strength of the knitted componentin areas with the tensile elements. For example, the tensile elementsmay comprise a yarn having a high tenacity, such as a tenacity greater than 5 grams/denier. In some embodiments, the tenacity of the tensile elementsmay be greater than other yarn(s) of the knitted component. In one example, the tensile elementsare formed from a high tenacity polyester yarn, such as Gral, produced by the Coats Group PLC. In another example, the tensile elementsare formed by a high-tenacity nylon yarn. Further, in some examples the tensile elementmay exhibit greater stretch-resistance than the rest of the knitted componentand may be formed from a variety of engineering filaments that are utilized for high tensile strength applications, including glass, aramids (e.g., para-aramid and meta-aramid), ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, and liquid crystal polymer.

The tensile elementsmay be incorporated into the knitted structure of the knitted componentin a variety of ways. For example, the tensile elementsmay each be inlaid within the structure of the knitted component. When tensile elementsare inlaid, the tensile elementsmay each extend, in an unlooped state, along a course formed by knit loops of one or more other yarns. The inlaid tensile elementsmay include a loop at each end of the tensile elementto anchor it into the knitted structure of the knitted componentbut may generally otherwise extend through a course without being interlooped with another strand. For instance, the tensile elementmay alternate between being located behind loops of another yarn and in front of loops of another yarn within a course such that the tensile elementextends through the interlooping structure formed by another yarn of the knitted component. In some aspects, the knitted componentincludes a double-knit textile construction formed with at least two ends of yarns that switch between needles on two needle beds of the knitted component. In this configuration, the tensile elementmay be inlaid so that it generally extends between surfaces formed by loops created on both needle beds. In other examples, the knitted componentincludes a first layer and a second layer that are coextensive and overlap one another to form a channel extending in the course-wise direction, and the tensile elementsmay each extend through a channel.

In other examples, the tensile elementsmay be knit into the knitted structure of the knitted componentusing a knit sequence to simulate an inlaid structure as described above. For example, a course of the tensile elementmay be knit with a repeating sequence of float stitches and knit stitches as the tensile elementextends from the outer perimeterto the inner perimeterof the knitted component. Further details of this knitting technique referred to herein as a mock inlay are discussed with respect to.

At least some of the tensile elementsmay form loops around lace apertures formed in the knitted componentas shown inand, which may strengthen the knitted componentto withstand the additional tension applied to the knitted componentin those areas when lacesare tensioned. In other examples, at least some of the tensile elementsmay extend out of the knitted componentand form loops for receiving laces.

In some examples, the knitted componentmay be at least partially formed with a fusible yarn. For example, the knitted componentmay be formed with a first yarn knit with at least a second yarn, where the first yarn has a first melting temperature and the second yarn has a second temperature that is greater than the first melting temperature of the first yarn, where the second temperature is the lower of a decomposition temperature or melting temperature of the second yarn. As such, the first yarn, which may be referred to as a fusible yarn, may be at least partially melted or softened when heat is applied while the second yarn may retain its solid structure. Once fully melted, partially melted or softened, the fusible yarn may fuse with other portions of the fusible yarn and/or the second yarn. Activation of a fusible yarn within the knitted component may result in certain properties of the upper. For example, the fused areas formed by the fusible yarn may provide increased abrasion-resistance and/or water-resistance in select areas and may limit stretch of the knitted component, thereby imparting stretch-resistance and containment, in select areas. Example fusible yarns in the knitted componentmay have one of the following structures: a multi-filament yarn having some filaments formed from a low-melt material and some filaments formed from a high-melt material, a multi-filament yarn made entirely of filaments with low-melt material, a bi-component yarn having a low-melt material and a high-melt material (arranged either in a core/sheath configuration or a side-by-side configuration), or a mono-filament yarn made entirely of a low-melt material.

As described further below with respect to specific examples, the fusible yarn in the knitted componentmay be activated by being heated to a temperature above the melting temperature of the fusible material, such as a thermoplastic polymer material, in the fusible yarn and the melted fusible material may bond with one or more other knitted strands or structures within the knitted component. For example, the fusible yarn may be a coated yarn (e.g., have a core-sheath configuration) where the coating is a first material (which may comprise a thermoplastic polymer) and has a lower melting temperature than the melting temperature of a second material (which may exclude the thermoplastic polymer from the first material) forming the core. This example fusible yarn may be activated by softening, partially melting, or fully melting the coating while at least the core substantially retains its solid structure. In one example where the fusible yarn is a coated yarn, the coating may be softened so that portions of the coating may be fused with adjacent other portions of the coated yarn (as well as any other yarns or tensile elements) within interlooped courses of the coated yarn. In another example where the fusible yarn is a coated yarn, the coating may be partially melted so that the melted first material of the coating may be reflowed and solidified between adjacent structures within the knitted component. In this way, the partially melted coating may fuse together adjacent portions of the coated yarn, which comprises the core yarn and remaining (non-melted) portions of the coating, as well as fuse to other yarns or tensile elements. In another example where the fusible yarn is a coated yarn, the coating may be fully melted, re-flowed, and solidified so that the re-solidified coating fuses together portions of the remaining core and other yarns or tensile elements. In another example, the fusible yarn is a mono-filament yarn made entirely of a thermoplastic polymer material that may be either heated to partially melt and re-solidified to fuse non-melted portions of the mono-filament yarn to other non-melted portions of the mono-filament yarn and/or to other yarn(s) or tensile elements knit with the fusible yarn or heated to fully melt and re-solidify to fuse together other yarn(s) knit with the fusible yarn.

The knitted componentmay have an exterior-facing surfaceand an opposite interior-facing surface. Although not visible in the views of the knitted componentin, the interior-facing surface of the knitted componentshould be understood to generally face away from the exterior-facing surfaceand towards a foot-receiving opening when the knitted componentis formed into the upper. In some aspects, the exterior-facing surfaceis formed by a first layer of the knitted componentand the interior-facing surface is formed by a second layer that is integrally knit with the first layer. For example, the knitted component may have a double knit structure (e.g., double-knit jacquard structure) such that the exterior-facing surfaceis formed by yarn on a first needle bed (e.g., a front needle bed) and the interior-facing surface is formed by yarn on a second needle bed (e.g., a back needle bed). Further, as described below, the knitted componentmay have a jacquard double knit structure such that yarn(s) knit on the first needle bed to form the exterior-facing surface in some areas of the knitted componentmay selectively be moved to the second needle bed to form the interior-facing surface in other areas of the knitted componentand yarn(s) knit on the second needle bed to form the interior-facing surface in some areas may be selectively moved to the first needle bed to form the exterior-facing surfacein other areas.

At least the exterior-facing surfaceof the knitted componentis formed with fusible yarn in areas having the tensile elements(e.g., containment areas-). The fusible yarn may be knit on an exterior-facing surfaceto form the courses that include the tensile elements. As such, once the fusible yarn is activated (e.g., through heat), the fusible yarn may be at least partially melted to fuse to the tensile elements. Additionally, aspects of this disclosure may include the fusible yarn being knit on the exterior-facing surfaceto form the courses that are positioned between and separating adjacent tensile elementswithin a containment area (e.g.,-) of the tensile elements. When fully melted or partially melted, the fusible material of the fusible yarn may flow to fill in spaces between the remaining knitted structures as described further below. For example, the fusible yarn may be a yarn having a sheath around a core, where the sheath is formed of a material with a lower melting temperature than the material forming the core. In this aspect, the sheath of the fusible yarn may at least partially melt and fill in spaces between knitted loops formed by the remaining core of the fusible yarn. Additionally or alternatively, the fusible material of the fusible yarn may be at least partially melted to fill in spaces between other yarns or structures, such as the tensile elementsand/or the second yarn forming the knitted component. The use of fusible yarn to create fused areas along courses within the containment areas-can help to increase the containment or lock-down provided by the tensile elementsas well as provides other benefits such as increased abrasion resistance and water resistance while minimizing or even eliminating the need of additional layers and post-knitting processes. Minimizing or eliminating the need for additional layers helps the uppermaintain a light weight. For example, aspects of the uppermay have a weight that is about 50 grams or less in some aspects, about 40 grams or less in some aspects, or about 30 grams or less in some aspects.

In other areas of the knitted component, such as areas extending between the containment areas-of the tensile elements, the exterior-facing surfaceof the knitted componentdoes not include the fusible yarn. Instead, the exterior-facing surfacewithin these areas may be formed with the second yarn having a greater melting or decomposition temperature than the fusible yarn. In this way, fused areas on the exterior-facing surfacemay be created in only select portions of the knitted componentwhen heat is applied.