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US-20260125832-A1 - KNIT COMPONENT BONDING

US20260125832A1US 20260125832 A1US20260125832 A1US 20260125832A1US-20260125832-A1

Abstract

An article of footwear includes an upper formed from a textile element having a fusible yarn and a non-fusible yarn. The fusible yarn comprises a sheath-core structure with a fusible portion peripherally surrounding a non-fusible core. In some configurations, the fusible yarn includes filaments with fusible and non-fusible portions having different melting temperatures. The fusible yarn may be located at a bonding surface of the textile element and enables thermal bonding to a bonded component such as a toe guard, heel counter, or indicia. The textile element may define bonding zones with targeted fusible yarn placement. The bonded component may be secured to the upper via heat and pressure. The sole structure is secured to the upper.

Inventors

  • Bhupesh Dua
  • Karen A. Hawkinson
  • Benjamin A. Shaffer

Assignees

  • NIKE, INC.

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20251229

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . An article of footwear, comprising: an upper, comprising: a textile element, comprising: a first region comprising a fusible yarn that is fused, wherein the fusible yarn comprises a sheath-core structure with a fusible portion located peripherally around the core to form the sheath; and a sole structure secured to the upper.
  2. 2 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the textile component comprises a second region that is unfused.
  3. 3 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the fusible yarn that is fused forms a surface of the textile component that forms an outer surface of the upper.
  4. 4 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the textile element comprises a knitted component.
  5. 5 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the fusible yarn that is fused is located at least on an outer surface of the upper.
  6. 6 . The article of footwear of claim 5 , wherein the fusible yarn that is fused is absent from an inner surface of the upper.
  7. 7 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the fusible yarn comprises a plurality of filaments including fusible filaments and non-fusible filaments.
  8. 8 . The article of footwear of claim 7 , wherein the fusible filaments form a sheath, and the non-fusible filaments form a core.
  9. 9 . The article of footwear of claim 7 , wherein the fusible filaments spiral around a core formed by the non-fusible filaments.
  10. 10 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein a component is bonded to a surface of the textile element located in the first region.
  11. 11 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein a component is fused to a surface of the textile element that comprises the first region.
  12. 12 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein a component is bonded to the first region, wherein the component comprises a polymer material.
  13. 13 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the fusible yarn is formed from a thermoplastic polymer material.
  14. 14 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the first surface comprises a bonding area and a peripheral area, the fusible yarn that is fused being present in the bonding area and absent from the peripheral area.
  15. 15 . The article of footwear of claim 14 , wherein a bonded component is thermal bonded to the bonding area.
  16. 16 . The article of footwear of claim 1 , wherein the textile element is a woven textile.
  17. 17 . An article of footwear, comprising: an upper, comprising: a textile element comprising a first surface and an opposite second surface, the first surface comprising a fusible yarn that is fused, the fusible yarn comprising a sheath and a core, wherein the sheath comprises a thermoplastic polymer material; and a sole structure secured to the upper.
  18. 18 . The article of footwear of claim 17 , wherein the first surface comprises another yarn that is not fused.
  19. 19 . The article of footwear of claim 17 , wherein the textile element is knitted.
  20. 20 . The article of footwear of claim 17 , wherein the textile element is woven.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation application which claims priority to U.S. application Ser. No. 18,200/090, entitled “Knit Component Bonding,” filed May 22, 2023. U.S. application Ser. No. 18,200/090 is a divisional application which claims priority to U.S. application Ser. No. 17/521,164, entitled “Knit Component Bonding,” filed Nov. 8, 2021, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 11,692,289. U.S. application Ser. No. 17/521,164 is a continuation application which claims priority to U.S. application Ser. No. 16/129,248, entitled, “Knit Component Bonding,” filed Sep. 12, 2018, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 11,203,823. U.S. application Ser. No. 16/129,248 is a continuation application which claims priority to U.S. application Ser. No. 14/845,979, entitled “Knit Component Bonding”, filed Sep. 4, 2015, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,094,053. U.S. application Ser. No. 14/845,979 is a divisional application which claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/100,689, entitled “Knit Component Bonding”, filed May 4, 2011, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,150,186. The entirety of all the aforementioned applications are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND Knit components having a wide range of knitted structures, materials, and properties may be utilized in a variety of products. As examples, knit components may be utilized in apparel (e.g., shirts, pants, socks, jackets, undergarments, footwear), athletic equipment (e.g., golf bags, baseball and football gloves, soccer ball restriction structures), containers (e.g., backpacks, bags), and upholstery for furniture (e.g., chairs, couches, car seats). Knit components may also be utilized in bed coverings (e.g., sheets, blankets), table coverings, towels, flags, tents, sails, and parachutes. Knit components may be utilized as technical textiles for industrial purposes, including structures for automotive and aerospace applications, filter materials, medical textiles (e.g., bandages, swabs, implants), geotextiles for reinforcing embankments, agrotextiles for crop protection, and industrial apparel that protects or insulates against heat and radiation. Accordingly, knit components may be incorporated into a variety of products for both personal and industrial purposes. SUMMARY A composite structure is disclosed below as including a knit component and a bonded component. The knit component has a first surface and an opposite second surface, and the knit component includes a fusible yarn and a non-fusible yarn that form a knitted structure. The fusible yarn is at least partially formed from a thermoplastic polymer material, and the fusible yarn is located on at least the first surface. The bonded component is positioned adjacent to the first surface, and the bonded component is thermal bonded to the first surface with the thermoplastic polymer material of the fusible yarn. A method of manufacturing a composite element is also disclosed below. The method includes knitting a textile with a fusible yarn and a non-fusible yarn to locate the fusible yarn on at least one surface of the textile. The surface of the textile is located in contact with a bonded component. Additionally, the textile and the bonded component are heated to form a thermal bond between a thermoplastic polymer material of the fusible yarn and the bonded component. The advantages and features of novelty characterizing aspects of the invention are pointed out with particularity in the appended claims. To gain an improved understanding of the advantages and features of novelty, however, reference may be made to the following descriptive matter and accompanying figures that describe and illustrate various configurations and concepts related to the invention. FIGURE DESCRIPTIONS The foregoing Summary and the following Detailed Description will be better understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying figures. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a composite element. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the composite element. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the composite element, as defined by section line 3-3 in FIG. 1. FIGS. 4A-4C are schematic cross-sectional views corresponding with FIG. 3 and depicting further configurations of the composite element. FIGS. 5A-5C are perspective views of various configurations of a fusible yarn from the knit component. FIGS. 6A and 6B depict configurations of a filament of the fusible yarn from the knit component. FIGS. 7A-7J are perspective views corresponding with FIG. 1 and depicting further configurations of the composite element. FIG. 8A-8C are exploded perspective views corresponding with FIG. 2 and depicting further configurations of the composite element. FIGS. 9A-9C are schematic perspective views of a process for performing knit component bonding. FIG. 10 is an elevational view of an article of apparel having a configuration of a shirt. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an article of footwear. FIG. 12 is a lateral sid