KNITTED UPPER FOR A SHOE WITH A MOLDED SOLE AND A SHOE

Abstract

An upper for a shoe and a shoe including an upper and a sole that is connected to the upper may be provided. In one implementation, an upper for a shoe may be provided, the shoe including the upper and a sole connected to a lower edge of the upper via injection molding. The upper may include a first knitted area having a first stitch density, wherein a portion of the first knitted area may be located at the lower edge of the upper and may include a first meltable material having a first melting temperature. The first meltable material may be melted prior to or during the connection of the sole to the upper and may limit the flow of molding material through a melted area of the upper.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. An upper for a shoe, wherein the shoe includes the upper and a sole connected to a lower edge of the upper via injection molding, the upper comprising: a first knitted area having a first stitch density, wherein a portion of the first knitted area is located at the lower edge of the upper and includes a first meltable material having a first melting temperature, wherein the first meltable material is melted prior to or during the connection of the sole to the upper and wherein the first meltable material limits the flow of molding material through a melted area of the upper.

17. The upper according to claim 16, further comprising a second knitted area having a second stitch density.

18. The upper according to claim 17, wherein the first stitch density is higher than the second stitch density.

19. The upper according to claim 16, wherein the first stitch density is a high stitch density having a stitch density above 5-15 stitches per square inch.

20. The upper according to claim 19, wherein the first stitch density is a stitch density above 10-12 stitches per square inch.

21. The upper according to claim 19, wherein the lower edge of the upper has the first stitch density.

22. The upper according to claim 16, wherein the first meltable material defines a continuous surface having no holes or holes that are impenetrable by the molding material

23. The upper according to claim 16, wherein the first meltable material reduces a size of openings in a knitted material of the first knitted area.

24. The upper according to claim 16, wherein the first meltable material closes off openings in a knitted material of the first knitted area.

25. The upper according to claim 16, wherein the lower edge of the upper comprises a polyester material.

26. The upper according to claim 25, wherein the polyester material is compatible with an injection molding material of the sole.

27. The upper according to claim 16, wherein the first meltable material comprises an acrylic material.

28. The upper according to claim 16, wherein the first meltable material has a melting temperature above 160 degrees Celsius.

29. The upper according to claim 16, wherein the melted area of the upper is adjacent to the lower edge of the upper and thereby adjacent to a sole line when the sole is knitted with a higher stitch density.

30. The upper according to claim 16, wherein the entire upper is knitted.

31. The upper according to claim 30, wherein knitted areas on the upper comprise knitted areas with different stitch densities to ensure specific stretch properties of the upper.

32. The upper according to claim 16, wherein the sole is formed by injection molding a molding material directly to the lower edge of the upper.

33. The upper according to claim 16, wherein the upper comprises lacing holes for receiving a shoe lace and wherein the lacing holes are surrounded by a knitting having a high stitch density.

34. The upper according to claim 16, wherein the upper comprises lacing holes for receiving at least one shoe lace and wherein the upper comprises lacing enforcement knitting areas having a high stitch density connecting the lacing holes and the lower edge to be connected to the shoe sole.

35. The upper according to claim 34, wherein the lacing enforcement knitting areas are shaped as lines connecting at least one eyelet and the lower edge of the upper.

36. The upper according to claim 34, wherein the lacing enforcement knitting areas are shaped as areas between at least one eyelet and the lower edge of the upper.

37. The upper according to claim 16, wherein the upper comprises multiple layers of material and wherein one of the layers is knitted.

38. A shoe, comprising: an upper comprising a first knitted area with a first stitch density, wherein a portion of the first knitted area is located at a lower edge of the upper and includes a first meltable material having a first melting temperature, wherein the first meltable material limits the flow of molding material through a melted area of the upper; and a sole that is connected to the melted area of the upper, wherein the first meltable material is melted prior to or during the connection of the sole to the upper.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] In the following, the invention will be described in detail with reference to the embodiments shown in the enclosed figures. It should be emphasized that the embodiments shown are used for example purposes only and should not be used to limit the scope of the invention.

[0044] The following figures are used to describe embodiments of the present invention, wherein

[0045] FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art shoe upper where different zones are marked,

[0046] FIG. 2 illustrates a knitted upper according to the present invention, wherein the lower edge is knitted with a high stitch density,

[0047] FIG. 3 illustrates a shoe sole, which have been mounted to the upper of FIG. 2,

[0048] FIG. 4 illustrates the area between the lacing area and the sole having segments with increased stitch density,

[0049] FIG. 5 illustrates the lacing area of the upper illustrating the density increase around the lacing holes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] When knitting eg using knitting machines, different knitting technics imply different knitting structures and in these structures stitch densities can vary. A high density indicates a high number of stitches pr. square centimeter (high total number of needle loops in a square area) and a low density indicates a low number of stitches pr. square centimeter (low total number of needle loops in a square area). Knitted parts having a high stitch density have a more closed structure, whereas the low density knitting provides an open structure. Throughout this document reference is made to high and low stitch densities, where the high density has/may have a stitch density above 8 stitches pr. inch and more specifically between 10-12 stitches pr. Inch.

[0051] In FIG. 1, a prior art shoe 101 is illustrated and the different zones are marked and named according to the following: [0052] Upper 102 and sole 104, [0053] Lower edge 103 of upper connected to sole, [0054] Sole line area 105 being the area adjacent to the sole line, [0055] Closing mechanism 107 of upper comprising lacing holes 109 for receiving shoelaces, [0056] Area 111 between the lacing area and the sole.

[0057] In the figure, a strengthening rim has been added to the area between the knitted upper and the sole to ensure a good and strong connection between the upper and the sole.

[0058] In FIG. 2, a knitted upper according to the present invention is illustrated, wherein the lower edge 103 is knitted with a higher stitch density 200. The high knitting density at the lower edge ensures that a quite closed knitting structure is obtained at the edge. Thereby, the high stitch density ensures that the sole material, when molding the sole to the upper, cannot pass through the lower edge. Thereby, a good contact is obtained when connecting a sole to the lower edge of the knitted upper. In the example, there are further areas of the upper where the stitch density is lower than 202. Where high stitch density results in the knitted material being more stiff, dense and strong, then a lower stitch density results in a more flexible and open structure.

[0059] When molding the sole to the upper, the sole is connected to overlap the lower edge (eg lower than 2-10 mm of the knitted) of the upper and to avoid or at least to minimize the amount of sole material that flows through the edge of the upper. This part should be knitted with a high stitch density. Alternatively, at least a part of the lower edge onto which the sole is molded has a high stitch density. In FIG. 2, large half-moon like elements are used to illustrate a low stitch density, whereas small half-moon shaped elements are used to illustrate a high stitch density. In the part of the upper away from the lower edge, different patterns are positioned on the upper, these patterns simply being examples. Further, in the example, the entire heel portion is illustrated having a high stitch structure. Again, this is just an example, but at least part of the lower edge of the upper being connected to the sole should have a high stitch density.

[0060] The types of thread used to make a knitted upper may be any type of yearn suitable for an upper and typically, the upper may be knitted by a knitting machine based on a predefined upper design.

[0061] In FIG. 3, a shoe is illustrated, where a shoe sole 301 has been molded to the upper 102. The sole is molded to the lower edge of the upper, whereby the sole covers and overlaps part of the lower edge. The high stitch density of the lower edge ensures that the edge has a dense structure, thereby obtaining a good contact when molding a sole to the edge. Further, in this example, the lower edge 303 also has a high stitch density at the sole line area adjacent to the sole line 103. Thereby, part of the lower edge 303 adjacent to the upper has the strong properties of a high stitch density. Thereby, the knitted upper will not easily be ripped of the sole due to forces used when lacing the shoe. In the illustrated embodiment, the high stitch density is present in a specific area at the edge and in the example; this edge is followed by areas of the upper having a significantly lower stitch. Alternatively, the stitch density may gradually decrease away from the sole line.

[0062] In FIG. 4, an embodiment is illustrated where elongated areas of high stitch density are present in lines 401 between the closing mechanism 107 and the sole. The areas 403 having a low stitch density provide areas in the upper having a more flexible and open structure. The lines 401 provide stability to the upper and further ensures a strong connection between the lacing area and the sole, where the lower end of the lines are connected to the sole material. In FIG. 4, the lines are illustrated having a specific shape; other shapes may of cause be possible depending on required properties and design. Alternatively, it does not have to be a continuous line of high stitch density, but also segments of high stitch density may be positioned between the lacing area and the sole, to increase the strength of the upper.

[0063] In FIG. 5, an embodiment is illustrated where the upper has a closing mechanism with lacings and where the area around the lacing holes is stitched with a high stitch density. In the illustrated example, the area is circular, but as an alternative, the entire closing mechanism area may be stitched with a high stitch density.