Present aspects are directed to a braided upper comprising a tubular braided structure, which comprises an internal cavity and a plurality of apertures. The yarn of the tubular braided structure surrounds a perimeter of each of the plurality of apertures. The braided upper comprises a midsole positioned within the internal cavity and comprising a plurality of braid-receiving features mated with the yarn of the tubular braided structure. The braided upper and the midsole are keyed to one another when the yarn is mated with the plurality of braid-receiving features.

Systems and apparatus related to an automated footwear platform including an actuator assembly for controlling a footwear lacing apparatus are discussed. In an example, an Lacing architectures for automated footwear assemblies are discussed. In an example, a footwear assembly can include a floating tongue within an upper assembly. The lacing architecture can include a first plurality or lace guides forming a first lacing zone and a second plurality of lace guides forming a second lacing zone. The lacing architecture can also include a tongue lace guide assembly secure to a proximal portion of the floating tongue.

A warp knit component that includes a first front weft inlaid yarn that extends through one or more loops in a first warp knit course, and after extending through the one or more loops, the first front weft inlaid yarn extends as a float positioned on a technical face or front side of the warp knit component. After extending as the float, the first front weft inlaid yarn extends through one or more loops in a second warp knit course that is offset in the material flow direction from the first warp knit course. Using floats facilitates the advancement of the first front weft inlaid yarn in the material flow direction.

Presented are automated manufacturing systems for fabricating engineered textiles, footwear and apparel formed with such engineered textiles, methods for making such engineered textiles, and memory-stored, processor-executable instructions for operating such manufacturing systems. An automated manufacturing system constructs engineered textiles from workpieces composed of superposed, unwoven wires. The system includes a movable end effector bearing a stitching head and an image capture device. The stitching head has a thread feeder and sewing needle to generate stitches. The image capture device captures images of the workpiece and outputs data indicative thereof. A system controller receives this image capture device data and locates, from the captured image of the workpiece, gaps defined between quadrangles of the superposed wires. The controller commands the end effector to sequentially move the stitching head and thereby align the sewing needle with the gaps, and commands the stitching head to insert a succession of stitches within these gaps.

The present disclosure provides a knitted component, the knitted component with a knit element that forms at least a portion of an upper for an article of footwear and defines an interior void for receiving a foot. A lower perimeter edge of the knit element may extend between a lateral side and a medial side of the upper. At least one strand of the knitted component may extend through the lower perimeter edge on opposite sides of the knitted component so as to extend between the lateral side and the medial side of the upper. The knitted component may be formed on a knitting machine, and the at least one strand may be configured to be tensioned to tighten the upper around a last.

An article of footwear includes a sole structure and an upper that is attached to the sole structure. The upper defines a cavity that is configured to receive a foot of a wearer. The upper is at least partially defined by a textile. The textile includes a first area that is substantially smooth. The first area defines a reference boundary that conforms to the cavity. The textile includes a second area. The second area includes a plurality of projection structures that project away from the reference boundary and outwardly from the cavity at varying heights. The second area includes a plurality of recess structures that recess away from the reference boundary and inwardly toward the cavity. The plurality of projection structures and the plurality of recess structures are in an alternating arrangement across the textile.

A knitted component may include a base portion formed with a plurality of courses extending generally in a course-wise direction of the knitted component. A tubular knit structure of the knitted component may form a raised structure located on a first side of the base portion, where the raised structure includes a plurality of uninterrupted consecutive loops of a first course. The first course of the raised structure may be angled at least 5 degrees relative to the course-wise direction of the knitted component.

The present disclosure provides footwear with an internal metatarsal guard and a related manufacturing method. In the depicted embodiment, the metatarsal guard is internal in that it is located under the outer layer of the footwear. In the depicted embodiment, the existence of the metatarsal guard can be visually detected from the outside of the footwear being that the metatarsal guard is located in a raised area in vamp of the footwear. The footwear is constructed such that the metatarsal guard does not impinge into the foot volume of the footwear, and the metatarsal protection also is arranged and configured to maintain a high degree of flexibility in the footwear.

A knitted component including a first knit layer of a first yarn and a second knit layer of a second yarn. The second knit layer and the first knit layer are at least partially coextensive with each other and form a pocket between the first and second knit layers. A third yarn is at least partially positioned within the pocket and between the first and second knit layer. The third yarn includes first and second strands having at least one different property. The third yarn is secured to the first knit layer at a first location within the pocket and to the second knit layer at a second location within the pocket, and forms an x-shape configuration.

Articles of footwear and methods of making articles of footwear including one or more continuous threads wound around anchor points. In some embodiments, thread lines of continuous thread(s) may extend tangential to an opening on a thread pattern or an upper. In some embodiments, thread lines of continuous thread(s) may define a portion of an upper and extend through a sole for an article of footwear. In some embodiments, thread patterns defined by the continuous thread(s) may be bonded to each other around a sheet to form an upper material for an upper.