HK1245031B - Braided upper with multiple materials - Google Patents

Description

Multi-material woven upper

Technical Field

The present embodiments relate generally to articles of footwear, and more particularly to articles of footwear having uppers.

Background of the Invention

Articles of footwear typically include an upper and one or more sole structures. The upper may be formed from a variety of materials that are stitched or adhesively bonded together to form a cavity within the footwear for comfortably and securely receiving the foot. The sole structure may include a midsole structure that provides cushioning and shock absorption.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, an article of footwear having a braided upper includes a first braided strand and a second braided strand. The first braided strand includes a first set of tensile elements. The second braided strand includes a second set of tensile elements. The first braided strand is different from the second braided strand. The first braided strand and the second braided strand are braided together to form the braided upper.

In some embodiments, the first set of tensile elements have a first cross-sectional shape and the second set of tensile elements have a second cross-sectional shape, and wherein the first cross-sectional shape is different from the second cross-sectional shape.

In some embodiments, the first set of tensile elements are made of a first material and the second set of tensile elements are made of a second material, and wherein the first material is different from the second material.

In some embodiments, the first group of tensile elements have a first cross-sectional diameter, the second group of tensile elements have a second cross-sectional diameter, and wherein the first cross-sectional diameter is different from the second cross-sectional diameter.

In some embodiments, the first set of tensile elements has a first elasticity and the second set of tensile elements has a second elasticity, and wherein the first elasticity is different from the second elasticity.

In some embodiments, the first group of tensile elements has a first tensile strength, the second group of tensile elements has a second tensile strength, and the first tensile strength is different from the second tensile strength. In another aspect, an article of footwear with a woven upper includes a first woven strand and a second woven strand. The first woven strand includes the first group of tensile elements. The second woven strand includes the second group of tensile elements. The first group of tensile elements has a first cross-sectional area. The second group of tensile elements has a second cross-sectional area. The first cross-sectional area is different from the second cross-sectional area. The first woven strand and the second woven strand are woven together to form the woven upper. In another aspect, the article of footwear with a woven upper includes: a first woven strand including the first group of tensile elements; a second woven strand including the second group of tensile elements; wherein the first group of tensile elements has a first cross-sectional shape; wherein the second group of tensile elements has a second cross-sectional shape; wherein the first cross-sectional shape is different from the second cross-sectional shape; and wherein the first woven strand and the second woven strand are woven together to form the woven upper.

In some embodiments, the first set of tensile elements are made of a first material and the second set of tensile elements are made of a second material, and wherein the first material is different from the second material.

In some embodiments, the first group of tensile elements have a first cross-sectional diameter, the second group of tensile elements have a second cross-sectional diameter, and wherein the first cross-sectional diameter is different from the second cross-sectional diameter.

In some embodiments, the first set of tensile elements has a first elasticity and the second set of tensile elements has a second elasticity, and wherein the first elasticity is different from the second elasticity.

In some embodiments, the first set of tensile elements has a first tensile strength and the second set of tensile elements has a second tensile strength, and wherein the first tensile strength is different from the second tensile strength.

In another aspect, an article of footwear having a braided upper includes a first braided strand and a second braided strand. The first braided strand includes a first group of tensile elements. The second braided strand includes a second group of tensile elements. The first group of tensile elements is made of a first material. The second group of tensile elements is made of a second material. The first material is different from the second material. The first braided strand and the second braided strand are braided together to form the braided upper.

In some embodiments, the first set of tensile elements have a first cross-sectional shape and the second set of tensile elements have a second cross-sectional shape, and wherein the first cross-sectional shape is different from the second cross-sectional shape.

In some embodiments, the first group of tensile elements have a first cross-sectional diameter, the second group of tensile elements have a second cross-sectional diameter, and wherein the first cross-sectional diameter is different from the second cross-sectional diameter.

In some embodiments, the first set of tensile elements has a first elasticity and the second set of tensile elements has a second elasticity, and wherein the first elasticity is different from the second elasticity.

In another aspect, a method of manufacturing an article of footwear includes braiding a first set of tensile elements into a first braided strand. Braiding a second set of tensile elements into a second braided strand. Inserting a last through a central braiding region of an over-braiding device, wherein the over-braiding device is configured with the first braided strand and the second braided strand. Over-braiding is performed on the last to form a braided upper having the first braided strand and the second braided strand. The last is removed from the braided upper.

In some embodiments, the first set of tensile elements have a first cross-sectional shape and the second set of tensile elements have a second cross-sectional shape, and wherein the first cross-sectional shape is different from the second cross-sectional shape.

In some embodiments, the first set of tensile elements are made of a first material and the second set of tensile elements are made of a second material, and wherein the first material is different from the second material.

In some embodiments, the first set of tensile elements has a first elasticity and the second set of tensile elements has a second elasticity, and wherein the first elasticity is different from the second elasticity.

In some embodiments, the first group of tensile elements have a first cross-sectional diameter, the second group of tensile elements have a second cross-sectional diameter, and wherein the first cross-sectional diameter is different from the second cross-sectional diameter.

Other systems, methods, features and advantages of the various embodiments will be or will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the accompanying drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and advantages be included within this description and this summary, be within the scope of the embodiments, and be protected by the following claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The embodiments may be better understood with reference to the accompanying drawings and descriptions. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, but emphasis is placed on the principles of the illustrated embodiments. In addition, in the drawings, like reference numerals represent corresponding parts throughout the different views.

FIG1 is a schematic isometric view of an embodiment of an article of footwear having a woven upper, showing an enlarged view of the woven structure;

FIG2 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of different braided strands made of different materials in a first configuration;

FIG3 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of different braided strands made of different materials in a second configuration;

FIG4 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of different braided strands made of different materials, showing an enlarged view of the braided structure;

FIG5 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of different braided strands having different overall cross-sectional shapes, showing an enlarged view of the braided structure;

FIG6 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of different braided strands having different cross-sectional diameter sizes, showing an enlarged view of the braided structure;

7 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of different braided strands having different cross-sectional shapes, showing an enlarged view of a braided structure having a biaxial braid;

FIG8 is a schematic diagram of various embodiments of multiple tensile elements that may be used to form a braided structure;

FIG9 is a schematic diagram of a process of forming a braided shoe upper from different braided strands;

FIG10 is a schematic diagram of a braided strand being configured onto a spool member;

FIG11 is a schematic isometric view of a shoe last being inserted through a braiding apparatus having a spool member configured with braiding strands to form a braided shoe upper;

12 is a schematic isometric view of a shoe last being inserted through a knitting apparatus showing an enlarged view of knitting strands used to construct a knitted upper formed on the shoe last; and

13 is a schematic isometric view of a shoe last being inserted through a knitting apparatus showing an enlarged view of the knitting strands used to construct a knitted upper formed on the shoe last.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Fig. 1 illustrates a schematic isometric view of an embodiment of an article of footwear with a braided upper, wherein an enlarged view of the braided structure is shown. In some embodiments, article of footwear 100, also referred to as article 100, is in the form of a sports shoe. In some other embodiments, the structure (provision) discussed herein for article 100 can be incorporated into various other types of footwear, including but not limited to: basketball shoes, hiking shoes, English soccer shoes, American football shoes, rubber-soled sports shoes, running shoes, cross-training shoes, rugby shoes, baseball shoes and other types of shoes. In addition, in some embodiments, the structure discussed herein for article of footwear 100 can be incorporated into various other types of non-sports related footwear, including but not limited to: slippers, sandals, high-heeled footwear, flat shoes (loafer) and other types of footwear.

In some embodiments, article 100 can be characterized by various directional adjectives and references to parts. These directions and references to parts can help describe various parts of the article of footwear. In addition, these directions and references to parts can also be used to describe various subcomponents of the article of footwear (e.g., directions and/or parts of the midsole structure, the external sole structure, the upper, or any other component).

For consistency and convenience, directional adjectives are used throughout this detailed description corresponding to the illustrated embodiments. The term "longitudinal," as used throughout this detailed description and in the claims, may refer to a direction extending the length of article 100. In some cases, the longitudinal direction may extend from the forefoot region to the heel region of article 100. Furthermore, the term "lateral," as used throughout this detailed description and in the claims, may refer to a direction extending along the width of article 100. In other words, the lateral direction may extend between the lateral and medial sides of article 100. Furthermore, the term "vertical," as used throughout this detailed description and in the claims, may refer to a direction generally perpendicular to the lateral and longitudinal directions. For example, in some cases where article 100 is placed flat on a ground surface, the vertical direction may extend upward from the ground surface. Furthermore, the term "proximal" may refer to a portion of article 100 that is closer to some portion of the foot when article 100 is worn, for example. Similarly, the term "distal" may refer to a portion of article 100 that is farther from a portion of the foot when article 100 is worn. It should be understood that each of these directional adjectives may be used to describe individual components of article 100 , such as the upper, outsole member, midsole member, and other components of the article of footwear.

For reference purposes, article 100 can be divided into a forefoot portion 104, a midfoot portion 106, and a heel portion 108. As shown in FIG1 , article 100 can be associated with a right foot; however, it should be understood that the following discussion can also apply to a mirror image of article 100 intended for use with a left foot. Forefoot portion 104 can be generally associated with the toes and the joints connecting the metatarsal bones to the phalanges. Midfoot portion 106 can be generally associated with the arch of the foot. Similarly, heel portion 108 can be generally associated with the heel of the foot, including the calcaneus. Article 100 can also include an ankle portion 110 (which can also be referred to as a cuff portion). In addition, article 100 can include a lateral side 112 and a medial side 114. In particular, lateral side 112 and medial side 114 can be opposite sides of article 100. Generally, lateral side 112 can be associated with the lateral side of the foot, while medial side 114 can be associated with the medial side of the foot. Furthermore, lateral side 112 and medial side 114 may both extend through forefoot portion 104 , midfoot portion 106 , and heel portion 108 .

It should be understood that forefoot portion 104, midfoot portion 106, and heel portion 108 are intended for descriptive purposes only and are not intended to delineate precise areas of article 100. Likewise, lateral side 112 and medial side 114 are intended to generally represent two sides, rather than to divide article 100 precisely into two halves.

In some embodiments, article 100 may be configured with an upper 102 and a sole structure 116. Upper 102 may include an opening 118 to provide access to an interior cavity 120. In some embodiments, upper 102 may include multiple material elements (e.g., fabric, polymer sheets, foam layers, leather, synthetic leather) that are stitched or bonded together to form an interior cavity for securely and comfortably receiving a foot. In some cases, the material elements may be selected to impart properties such as durability, breathability, wear resistance, flexibility, and comfort to specific areas of upper 102.

In some embodiments, the upper 102 may be a woven upper. The following description uses the terms tensile element, braided strand, and braided structure and variations thereof. As used herein, the term "tensile element" refers to any type of thread, yarn, string, silk, fiber, line, cable, and any other possible types of tensile elements described below or known in the art. As used herein, a tensile element may describe a generally elongated material whose length is much greater than its corresponding diameter. In some embodiments, a tensile element may be approximately one-dimensional. In some other embodiments, a tensile element may be approximately two-dimensional (e.g., having a thickness much smaller than its length and width). Tensile elements may be joined to form a braided strand. As used herein, the term "braided strand" and variations thereof refer to any strand formed by interweaving three or more tensile elements together. A braided strand may take the form of a braided rope, a braided thick rope, or any other elongated braided structure. As with a tensile element, the length of a braided strand may be significantly greater than the width and/or thickness (or diameter) of the braided strand. Finally, as discussed in further detail below, braided strands may also be combined to form a braided structure. As used herein, the term "braided structure" may refer to any structure formed by interweaving three or more braided strands. The braided structure may take the form of a braided rope, a braided rope, or braided strands. Alternatively, the braided structure may be configured as a two-dimensional structure (e.g., a flat braid) or a three-dimensional structure (e.g., a braided tube), for example, where the length and width (or diameter) are significantly greater than its thickness.

Braiding can be used to form a three-dimensional structure by braiding tensile elements onto a former or last, also known as overbraiding. Braided structures can be made manually or using automated braiding machines, such as those disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 7,252,028, 8,261,648, 5,361,674, 5,398,586, and 4,275,638, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

The braided upper can be attached to the sole structure using adhesives, welding, molding, fusion stitching, nailing or other suitable methods. The sole may include an insole made of a relatively soft material to provide cushioning. The outsole is usually made of a harder, more wear-resistant material such as rubber or EVA. The outsole may have ground engaging structures on its bottom surface, such as cleats or spikes, to provide increased traction.

With reference to the enlarged view in Figure 1, in some embodiments, a plurality of or a group of different tensile elements or a plurality of different braided strands can be woven to form a larger braided structure. For the sake of clarity, in some embodiments, a biaxial braid includes a single tensile element arranged in two directions. In some embodiments, the first direction is relative to the second direction. In some embodiments, this angle is also referred to as the "braiding angle" or "fiber angle" or "skew angle" and can be in the range of about 15 degrees to about 75 degrees. In some other embodiments, a triaxial braid changes the biaxial braid by adding a third tensile element. The third tensile element can be referred to as an axial or warp tensile element. In some embodiments, the axial tensile element can be used to stabilize, increase strength, or reduce the elongation of the braided structure. In an exemplary embodiment, the first braided strand 150, the second braided strand 152, and the third braided strand 154 produced by the braided tensile element are subsequently woven together to produce a triaxial braided structure 160. In this exemplary arrangement, the first braided strand 150 can be regarded as the axial component of the triaxial braided structure 160.

In some embodiments, the braided strands include individual tensile elements 170. In some embodiments, tensile elements 170 may be uniform in shape, size, or some other physical property. In some other embodiments, tensile elements 170 may be different when used to form the braided strands. In one embodiment, first tensile element 162 has been braided to form first braided strand 150. Additionally, second tensile element 164 has been braided to form second braided strand 152. Additionally, third tensile element 166 has been braided to form third braided strand 154.

Some embodiments may include configurations that allow each braided strand to impart different physical properties to various portions of braided structure 160. In some embodiments, tensile elements 170 may impart different properties to the braided strands regarding shape, size, or cross-section. For example, in one embodiment, first tensile element 162 may be made of leather and thus have a generally square shape and cross-sectional shape. Consequently, first braided strand 150, when braided, may have a generally square cross-sectional shape. Furthermore, second tensile element 164 may be made of a different material than first tensile element 162 or third tensile element 166. Using different materials may impart unique physical properties to second braided strand 152 and braided structure 160 as a whole. Furthermore, third tensile elements 166, each having a generally circular cross-sectional shape, may further form a generally circular cross-sectional shape for third braided strand 154. It should be understood that individual tensile elements from first tensile element 162 can be braided together with individual tensile elements from second tensile element 164 made of a different material, and further braided together with individual tensile elements from third tensile element 166 to form braided strands with a generally circular cross-sectional shape. These braided strands can then be used to create a larger braided structure 160. It should also be understood that, in some embodiments, interweaving these thicker braided strands to form a braided structure or upper will result in a thicker braided structure or upper than would be formed by braiding individual tensile elements.

In some embodiments, various properties of the tensile elements 170 used to form each braided strand can be selected to modify the overall braided structure 160. In some embodiments, different tensile elements 170 having different properties—materials, shapes, sizes—can be combined to form a braided strand, which in turn is used to create a braided structure. Combining different tensile elements 170 to create various braided strands and braided structures will be described in further detail below.

Fig. 2 to Fig. 3 illustrate the embodiment of three braided strands with different physical properties respectively.In some embodiments, physical property can relate to the material property discussed above.In some embodiments, the tensile element for forming the braided strand for producing larger braided structure can be manufactured by fiber such as nylon, carbon, polyurethane, polyester, cotton, aramid (for example, ), polyethylene or polypropylene.These braided strands can be woven into and form a three-dimensional braided structure for various applications.

In some embodiments, the braided upper of the shoe can be provided with specific features using the tensile element made of different materials, and these specific features can be customized for specific sports or recreational activities. In some embodiments, the braided strand made of the material with larger tensile strength can be used in those sections of footwear that are subjected to higher stress during a specific activity. Softer and more flexible braided strand can be used in the sections that do not bear high stress of footwear, to provide a more comfortable and closely fitting upper in those sections. The braided strand of wear-resistant material can be used for the specific area of footwear that may experience frequent contact with rough surfaces such as concrete or sand. The braided strand of more durable material can be used in those districts where the experience of the upper is frequently contacted with the surface of other surfaces such as American football or soccer.

As shown in FIG2 , in some embodiments, first braided strand 180, second braided strand 182, and third braided strand 184 can each have different physical properties based on their tensile elements. In one embodiment, first braided strand 180, which includes first tensile element 186, is more rigid than second braided strand 182. Second braided strand 182, which includes second tensile element 188, can have greater elasticity than first braided strand 180. Additionally, third braided strand 184, which includes third tensile element 190, can have greater elasticity than first braided strand 180 and second braided strand 182. In FIG2 , all three braided strands are shown in first position 192.

3 , the elastic properties of the three braided strands are shown in an extended or second position 194, as all three braided strands are experiencing stretch in a first direction 196. In some embodiments, third braided strand 184 has greater elasticity than second braided strand 182 or first braided strand 180. Thus, third braided strand 184 stretches the furthest from its first position 192. Furthermore, second braided strand 182 has greater elasticity than first braided strand 180. Thus, second braided strand 182 stretches further than first braided strand 180, but not as far as third braided strand 184. First braided strand 180 has less elasticity than third braided strand 184 and second braided strand 182. Thus, first braided strand 180 stretches less than third braided strand 184 and second braided strand 182.

It should be noted that in other embodiments, the physical properties of the tensile elements may be related to their tensile strength. Thus, first tensile element 186 may have a first tensile strength. Second tensile element 188 may have a second tensile strength that is different from the first tensile strength. Furthermore, third tensile element 190 may have a third tensile strength that is different from the first tensile strength or the second tensile strength.

Referring to FIG4 , another embodiment of a tensile element 200 comprising different braided strands of different materials is illustrated. The braided strands are braided to create a braided structure 202, a portion of which is shown in an enlarged view. As with the embodiments shown in FIG2 and FIG3 , these embodiments in FIG4 are constructed from different materials and may have different material properties, including but not limited to stiffness, tensile strength, compressive strength, shear strength, elasticity, etc.

In one embodiment, braided structure 202 may include first braided strand 210, second braided strand 212, and third braided strand 214. First braided strand 210 may be fabricated from first tensile element 204 made from a first material. Second braided strand 212 may be fabricated from second tensile element 206 made from a second material. Third braided strand 214 may be fabricated from third tensile element 208 made from a third material. For this exemplary embodiment, braided strand 214, which is considered the most stretchable, will provide increased stretch along an axis parallel to the braided strands. In some other embodiments, the braided structure may include additional braided strands made from additional tensile elements composed of a material different from the first, second, or third materials. In still other embodiments, braided strand 214 may be created by interweaving a single first tensile element 204 with a single second tensile element 206 and a single third tensile element 208. This braided strand may then be used to form braided structure 202.

Some embodiments can provide braided structures with different physical properties because different tensile elements are used to form different braided strands. In some embodiments, the tensile elements can have different physical properties related to their geometry or the shape of their cross-sectional area. In some embodiments, the tensile elements can have a square cross-sectional shape. In some other embodiments, the tensile elements can have a round or circular cross-sectional shape. Using tensile elements or braided strands with different cross-sectional shapes to form a braided structure can impart unique physical properties to the upper.

In some embodiments, using tensile elements with different cross-sectional shapes to form different braided strands can provide a braided upper with different characteristics. In some embodiments, the different cross-sectional shapes can provide advantages in terms of liquid absorption, elasticity, heat shielding, insulation, and reduction in material or bulk. For example, in some embodiments, interweaving tensile elements with square cross-sectional shapes with tensile elements with circular or toroidal cross-sectional shapes can provide interstices between the tensile elements, which in turn can produce a braided structure with improved liquid absorption and rapid drying without any reduction in tensile strength.

5 illustrates different braided strands made from tensile element 300, each having a different cross-sectional shape due to the different cross-sectional shapes of the tensile element. The braided strands can be braided to create a larger braided structure 302, a portion of which is shown in an enlarged view.

In one embodiment, braided structure 302 may include a first braided strand 310, a second braided strand 312, and a third braided strand 314. First braided strand 310 may be comprised of a first tensile element 304 having a generally square cross-sectional shape. Thus, first braided strand 310 will have a primarily square overall first cross-sectional shape 320. Second braided strand 312 may be comprised of a second tensile element 306 having a circular cross-sectional shape. Thus, second braided strand 312 may have a more circular overall second cross-sectional shape 322. Third braided strand 314 may be comprised of a third tensile element 308 also having a circular cross-sectional shape, but having a different cross-sectional diameter size. Furthermore, due to their diameter sizes, the number of third tensile elements 308 forming third braided strand 314 may be greater than the number of tensile elements used to form first braided strand 310 or second braided strand 312. Thus, third braided strand 314 may have a hexagonal overall third cross-sectional shape 324.

In some other embodiments, other braided strands can be configured into other shapes with different cross-sections. In still other embodiments, multiple braided strands can be created by interweaving first tensile element 304 with second tensile element 306 and third tensile element 308 to form braided strands. These braided strands can then be braided to form braided structure 302.

Fig. 6 illustrates the embodiment of the various combinations of the braided strands woven to produce a larger braided structure. Using the concept discussed above, a braided structure or a braided shoe upper can be formed by braiding a group of braided strands formed by different tensile elements 400 with different cross-sectional diameter sizes. In other words, tensile elements can have the same shape (for example, circular), but they can have different cross-sectional diameter sizes. Therefore, the braided structure formed by a group of braided strands with a cross-sectional diameter size that varies can be inhomogeneous, and can be different along the different districts of the braided shoe upper. It should be understood that in some other embodiments also, the braided strand can be made up of tensile elements that can have different cross-sectional diameter sizes and also have different materials.

Referring to FIG. 6 , in one embodiment, braided structure 402 may include first braided strand 410, second braided strand 412, and third braided strand 414. First braided strand 410 may be comprised of first tensile element 404. Second braided strand 412 may be comprised of second tensile element 406. Third braided strand 414 may be comprised of third tensile element 408. In some embodiments, the diameters of the tensile elements used to create the braided strands may vary. For example, in some embodiments, first tensile elements 404 may each have a first diameter 415 that is larger than the diameter of second tensile element 406. Second tensile elements 406 may each have a second diameter 416 that is different from the diameter of third tensile element 408. Third tensile elements 408 may each have a third diameter 417 that is smaller than first diameter 415 and second diameter 416. In an exemplary embodiment, the first diameter may be in the range of 50 microns to 100 microns. The second diameter may be in the range of 30 microns to 50 microns. The third diameter dimension may be in the range of 10 microns to 30 microns.In some other embodiments, the cross-sectional diameter dimensions of the tensile element may be different.

In still other embodiments, the number of first tensile elements 404 used to create first braided strand 410 can be different from the number of second tensile elements 406 used to create second braided strand 412, which can be different from the number of third tensile elements 408 used to create third braided strand 414. Thus, the size or cross-sectional diameter of each of the braided strands can be different relative to one another. The varying size diameters of the braided strands can provide braided structure 402 with greater density in areas where greater density is desired and less density in areas where less density is desired.

In some embodiments, the braided structure can be formed using a biaxial braid, as discussed above. Forming the braided structure with braided strands arranged in a biaxial braid as opposed to a triaxial braid can impart a lighter structure due to the absence of axial components.

Referring to FIG. 7 , in one embodiment, a braided structure 420 is formed by braiding a first braided strand 422 with a second braided strand 424 in a biaxial braid 426. As illustrated, the first braided strand 422 may include a first tensile element 428 having a square cross-sectional shape. The first braided strand 422 may be further oriented in a first direction 430. The second braided strand 424 may include a second tensile element 432 having a circular cross-sectional shape. The second braided strand 424 may be further oriented in a second direction 434. In some embodiments, the first braided strand 422 oriented in the first direction 430 may be at an offset angle relative to the second braided strand 424 oriented in the second direction. In one embodiment, the offset angle is 45 degrees. Furthermore, as described above, the first tensile element 428 and the second tensile element 430 may also have different material properties. For example, the first tensile element 428 may be more elastic than the second tensile element 430.

Some embodiments may include configurations for constructing a braided upper using a tensile element comprising multiple components. In some embodiments, a braided structure may be formed from a tensile element, where the tensile element is not a single tensile element, but rather a multi-component element. In some other embodiments, the tensile element may undergo a heating process to alter the physical properties of the tensile element prior to forming the braided strands.

8 , in some embodiments, a plurality of tensile elements 600 can be used to form braided strands to create a braided structure. In some embodiments, the plurality of tensile elements 600 can include a first plurality of tensile elements 602 formed as the typical braided strands 604 discussed above. The braided strands 604 can then be braided with another plurality of tensile elements 600 to form a braided structure 650.

In some other embodiments, the plurality of tensile elements 600 can include a second plurality of tensile elements 610 comprising a two-component yarn. In some embodiments, the two-component yarn can include a tensile element having a sheath/core configuration, wherein a sheath component 612 surrounds a core component 614, forming a sheath/core structure 615. In some other embodiments, the sheath/core structure 615 can be a coaxial embodiment. For example, the sheath component 612 can be an outer member covering the core component 614. The core component 614 can be a separate material from the sheath component 612, and the sheath component 612 can be any coating known in the art.

In another embodiment, the two-component yarn can include tensile elements having a side-by-side configuration, wherein a first side component 616 is positioned adjacent to a second side component 618 to form a single, unitary side-by-side structure 620. In some cases, the first side component 616 can be a different material than the second side component 618.

In some embodiments, the second plurality of tensile elements 610 , whether they are a shell/core tensile structure 615 , a coaxial embodiment structure, and/or a side-by-side structure 620 , can then be used to form a braided structure 650 .

In another embodiment, multiple tensile elements 600 can include a third tensile element 622 comprising hybrid yarns. As shown, the hybrid yarn can include at least three tensile elements 623 that are twisted or non-woven together. Third tensile element 622 can then be used to create braided structure 650 after being twisted together.

In some other embodiments, the plurality of tensile elements 600 used to form a braided structure may include a fourth tensile element 624. The fourth tensile element 624 may comprise a fusible or thermoplastic yarn. The fusible yarn may comprise a plurality of tensile elements that have been braided together and then heated within a desired temperature range as known in the art. In one embodiment, the fusible yarn may comprise a first fusible element 626, a second fusible element 628, and a third fusible element 630. When heated, the first fusible element 626, the second fusible element 628, and the third fusible element 630 fuse in a braided configuration to form a braided strand. This braided strand may then be used to create the braided structure 650.

In yet another embodiment, the plurality of tensile elements 600 used to form a braided structure may include a fifth plurality of tensile elements 632. Fifth plurality of tensile elements 632 may include first-direction tensile elements 634, some of which are arranged in a parallel formation in a first direction before being braided with second tensile elements 638 arranged in a parallel formation in a second direction. This is in contrast to the braided strands previously discussed, in which a single tensile component is arranged in both the first and second directions as explained above. In some embodiments, fifth plurality of tensile elements 640 may include axial tensile elements 642.

FIG9 illustrates a general process for forming a braided shoe upper. In some embodiments, the following steps can be performed by a control unit (not shown) associated with the braiding process. In some other embodiments, these steps can be performed by additional equipment such as a coated braiding device. It should be understood that in other embodiments, one or more of the following steps can be optional, or additional steps can be added.

During step 710, a first braided strand is created. In some embodiments, the first braided strand can be created using some of the concepts discussed above. For example, in some embodiments, the first braided strand can be formed using a first tensile element having a square cross-sectional shape. In some other embodiments, the first tensile element can have different physical properties associated with the first type of material.

In step 720, a second braided strand is created that is different from the first braided strand created in step 710. As discussed above, the second braided strand can differ from the first braided strand in terms of material properties, cross-sectional shape, cross-sectional diameter size, etc. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the second braided strand can be different by using tensile elements arranged in a non-braided arrangement as illustrated in FIG.

In step 730, in some embodiments, the first braided strand is then braided with the second braided strand. In some other embodiments, a third braided strand can be combined with the first and second braided strands. In some embodiments, using the concepts discussed previously, the third braided strand can be different from the first and second braided strands.

In step 740, a braided upper is constructed using the plurality of braided strands constructed in the previous steps. Some embodiments may utilize overbraiding techniques to produce some or all of the braided upper. For example, in some cases, an overbraiding machine or apparatus may be used to form the braided upper. Specifically, in some cases, a footwear last may be inserted through the braiding portion of the braiding apparatus, thereby allowing one or more braided material layers to be formed on the footwear last. These concepts will be explained in more detail below.

After a set of tensile elements have been braided into a braided strand, the braided strand can then be wound onto a spool member to prepare for forming a braided structure. Referring to FIG10 , in one embodiment, a braided strand 760 is formed from a set of tensile elements. Specifically, a first tensile element 762, a second tensile element 764, and a third tensile element 766 are interwoven to form the braided strand 760. The braided strand 760 is then wound onto a spool member 770, which can then be used in a coated braiding apparatus to form a braided structure.

With reference to Figure 11, illustrated is the step of shoe last 802 being inserted through coated braiding device 804 to form braided shoe upper 806.Usually, coated braiding device can be any machine, system and/or device that can apply one or more braided strands or multi-component elements to form braided structure on footwear last or other model.Knitting machine can generally include the spool or shuttle (bobbin) that moves or passes along various paths on machine.When spool is wound away, the braided strand extending from spool toward the center of machine can converge at "braiding position" or braiding area.Knitting machine can be characterized according to the various features including spool control and spool orientation.In some braiding machines, spool can be independently controlled so that each spool can travel on a variable path in the whole braiding process, hereinafter referred to as "independent spool control".However, other braiding machines can lack independent spool control so that each spool is constrained to travel around the machine along a fixed path.In addition, in some braiding machines, the central axis of each spool point is in a common direction so that the spool axes are all parallel, which is referred to as "axial configuration" at this. In other braiding machines, the central axis of each spool is oriented toward the braiding location (eg, radially inward from the periphery of the machine toward the braiding location), referred to herein as a "radial configuration."

For clarity, the overbraiding apparatus 804 is shown schematically in the figure. In some embodiments, the overbraiding apparatus 804 can include an outer frame portion 820. In some embodiments, the outer frame portion 820 can house a spool member 808, which can include the spool member 770 from FIG. 10 . The spool member 808 can include a set of braided strands 810 extending from the outer frame portion 820 toward a central braiding region 812. As discussed below, a braided upper can be formed by moving the shoe last 802 through the central braiding region 812.

In some embodiments, the shoe last 802 can be manually fed through the overbraiding apparatus 804 by a human operator. In other embodiments, a continuous last feeding system can be used to feed the shoe last 802 through the overbraiding apparatus 804. This embodiment can use any of the methods, systems, processes, or components for forming a braided upper disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication No. 20150007451, published on January 8, 2015, to Bruce, and entitled “Article of Footwear with Braided Upper” (currently U.S. Patent Application No. 14/495,252, filed on September 24, 2014), the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference and hereinafter referred to as the “Braided Upper Application.” In addition, the present embodiment may use any method, system, process or component disclosed in U.S. patent application No. 14/565,682 filed by Bruce on December 10, 2014 and entitled "Last System for Braiding Footwear", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference and are hereinafter referred to as the "Last System Braiding Application".

As shown in FIG11 , as the shoe last 802 is fed through the overbraiding apparatus 804, a braided structure 814 is formed on the surface of the shoe last 802. In some embodiments, the braided structure 814 is formed as a unitary piece of the braided upper 806. In some embodiments, the braided upper 806 will conform to the geometry and shape of the shoe last 802. In some embodiments, once the braided upper 806 has been formed on the shoe last 802, the shoe last 802 can then be removed from the braided upper 806 (not shown).

In this illustration, the toe area 850 of the upper has been formed, and the overbraiding apparatus 804 is forming the forefoot area 852 of the upper. By, for example, feeding the toe area 850 of the last through the overbraiding apparatus 804 more slowly while the toe area 850 is being formed (to produce a relatively high-density braid) than while the forefoot area 852 is being formed (to produce a relatively low-density braid), the density of the braid can be varied. In some other embodiments, the last can also be fed and/or twisted at an angle to form the braided upper. In still other cases, the last can also be fed through the overbraiding apparatus two or more times to form a more complex structure, or can alternatively be fed through two or more overbraiding apparatuses. In some embodiments, once the overbraiding process is complete, the braided upper can be removed from the footwear last. In some cases, one or more openings (eg, a throat opening) may be opened from the resulting overwoven upper to form a final upper for use in an article of footwear.

Some embodiments may include a braided upper made from a set of braided strands discussed previously. As shown in Figure 12, in one embodiment, when a shoe last 903 is inserted through a covered braiding device 904 configured with multiple braided strands 906, a braided upper 902 is formed. Referring to the enlarged view of Figure 12, in one embodiment, the braided upper 902 is shown as being composed of a first braided strand 908 and a second braided strand 910. In some embodiments, the braided upper 902 may have a first braided strand 908 and a second braided strand 910 braided in a biaxial braid structure 912. In some other embodiments, the braided strands may have different types of braiding structures. In some cases, as explained above, the first braided strand 908 and the second braided strand 910 may differ in having different materials or physical properties of their respective tensile elements. In some other embodiments, the first braided strand 908 and the second braided strand 910 may differ in using multiple tensile elements shown in Figure 8.

In some other embodiments, a braided upper can be formed from a set of braided strands, each of which is composed of a different material. Referring to FIG13 , in one embodiment, a braided upper 1002 is formed when a shoe last 1004 is inserted through a covered braiding device 1006 configured with a set of braided strands 1008. As shown in the enlarged view, in one embodiment, a first braided strand 1010 is interwoven with a second braided strand 1012 and a third braided strand 1014 in a triaxial braid 1016 to form the braided upper 1002. In some embodiments, the first braided strand 1010 comprising the first tensile element 1020 can be made of a first material. In some embodiments, the second braided strand 1012 comprising the second tensile element 1022 can be made of a second material different from the first material. In some embodiments, the third braided strand 1014 comprising the third tensile element 1024 can be made of a third material different from the first and second materials. In still other embodiments, first braided strand 1010 , second braided strand 1012 , and third braided strand 1014 can differ in their cross-sectional shapes or other properties previously explained above.

Although the embodiments of the accompanying drawings depict articles with low shoe collars (e.g., low top configurations), other embodiments may have other configurations. In particular, the methods and systems described herein can be used to manufacture a variety of different article configurations, including articles with higher shoe collars or ankle portions. For example, in another embodiment, the systems and methods discussed herein can be used to form a woven upper with a shoe collar that extends upward along the wearer's leg (i.e., above the ankle). In another embodiment, the systems and methods discussed herein can be used to form a woven upper with a shoe collar that extends to the knee. In another embodiment, the systems and methods discussed herein can be used to form a woven upper with a shoe collar that extends above the knee. Therefore, such a configuration can allow the manufacture of boots comprising a braided structure. In some cases, articles with long shoe collars can be formed by utilizing a braiding machine using a shoe last (e.g., by using a boot last) with a long shoe collar portion (or leg portion). In this case, the shoe last can be rotated when it moves relative to the braiding position, thereby always presenting a roughly circular and narrow cross-section of the shoe last at the braiding position.

Although various embodiments have been described, the description is intended to be exemplary rather than restrictive, and it is apparent to those skilled in the art that many more embodiments and implementations within the scope of the embodiments are possible. Any feature in any embodiment can be used in combination with or in place of any other feature or element in any other embodiment, unless otherwise specified. Therefore, the present invention is not limited except in accordance with the appended claims and their equivalents. Moreover, various modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (20)

1. A footwear article having a woven upper, said footwear article comprising: The first braided strand includes a first set of tension elements having a square cross-sectional shape; The second braided strand includes a second set of tension elements having a circular cross-sectional shape; The first braided strand is different from the second braided strand; and The first and second braided strands are woven together to form the woven upper. 2. The footwear article according to claim 1, wherein the number of stretching elements in the first group of stretching elements is different from the number of stretching elements in the second group of stretching elements. 3. The footwear article of claim 2, wherein the first set of stretching elements is made of a first material, the second set of stretching elements is made of a second material, and wherein the first material is different from the second material. 4. The footwear article of claim 1, wherein the footwear article further comprises a third braided strand, the third braided strand comprising a third set of tension elements having a circular cross-sectional shape, the second set of tension elements having a first cross-sectional diameter, the third set of tension elements having a second cross-sectional diameter, and wherein the first cross-sectional diameter is different from the second cross-sectional diameter. 5. The footwear article according to claim 1, wherein the first set of stretching elements has a first elasticity, the second set of stretching elements has a second elasticity, and wherein the first elasticity is different from the second elasticity. 6. The footwear article according to claim 1, wherein the first set of tensile elements has a first tensile strength, the second set of tensile elements has a second tensile strength, and wherein the first tensile strength is different from the second tensile strength. 7. A footwear article having a woven upper, said footwear article comprising: A first braided strand, the first braided strand including a first set of tensioning elements having a circular cross-sectional shape; The second braided strand includes a second set of tension elements having a hexagonal cross-sectional shape; The first and second braided strands are woven together to form the woven upper. 8. The footwear article of claim 7, wherein the first set of stretching elements is made of a first material, the second set of stretching elements is made of a second material, and wherein the first material is different from the second material. 9. The footwear article of claim 7, wherein the footwear article further comprises a third braided strand, the third braided strand comprising a third set of stretching elements having a circular cross-sectional shape, the first set of stretching elements having a first cross-sectional diameter, the third set of stretching elements having a second cross-sectional diameter, and wherein the first cross-sectional diameter is different from the second cross-sectional diameter. 10. The footwear article of claim 7, wherein the first set of stretching elements has a first elasticity, the second set of stretching elements has a second elasticity, and wherein the first elasticity is different from the second elasticity. 11. The footwear article of claim 10, wherein the first set of tensile elements has a first tensile strength, the second set of tensile elements has a second tensile strength, and wherein the first tensile strength is different from the second tensile strength. 12. A footwear article having a woven upper, said footwear article comprising: The first braided strand includes a first set of tension elements having a square cross-sectional shape; The second braided strand includes a second set of tension elements having a circular cross-sectional shape; The first set of tensile elements is made of a first material; the second set of tensile elements is made of a second material; the first material is different from the second material; and The first and second braided strands are woven together to form the woven upper. 13. The footwear article of claim 12, wherein the number of stretching elements in the first group of stretching elements is different from the number of stretching elements in the second group of stretching elements. 14. The footwear article of claim 12, wherein the footwear article further comprises a third braided strand, the third braided strand comprising a third set of tension elements having a circular cross-sectional shape, the second set of tension elements having a first cross-sectional diameter, the third set of tension elements having a second cross-sectional diameter, and wherein the first cross-sectional diameter is different from the second cross-sectional diameter. 15. The footwear article of claim 12, wherein the first set of stretching elements has a first elasticity, the second set of stretching elements has a second elasticity, and wherein the first elasticity is different from the second elasticity. 16. A method for manufacturing footwear, comprising: The first set of stretching elements with a square cross-section shape are braided into the first braided strand; The second set of stretching elements with a circular cross-sectional shape are braided into a second braided strand. The shoe last is inserted into the central weaving area of the covering weaving device; wherein the covering weaving device is equipped with the first weaving strand and the second weaving strand; The shoe last is overlaid with knitting to form a knitted upper having the first knitting strands and the second knitting strands; and Remove the last from the woven upper. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the number of tension elements in the first group of tension elements is different from the number of tension elements in the second group of tension elements. 18. The method of claim 16, wherein the first set of tensile elements is made of a first material, the second set of tensile elements is made of a second material, and wherein the first material is different from the second material. 19. The method of claim 16, wherein the first set of tensioning elements has a first elasticity, the second set of tensioning elements has a second elasticity, and wherein the first elasticity is different from the second elasticity. 20. The method of claim 16, wherein the footwear article further comprises a third braided strand, the third braided strand comprising a third set of stretching elements having a circular cross-sectional shape, the second set of stretching elements having a first cross-sectional diameter, the third set of stretching elements having a second cross-sectional diameter, and wherein the first cross-sectional diameter is different from the second cross-sectional diameter.