Nike patents shoe uppers with knit pieces held together by melted plastic
Nike describes a footwear upper made of separate knit sections that are connected by a molded thermoplastic polymer. This plastic material fuses the borders of the individual knit elements together to create a single component. The design also includes a second layer containing elastic threads for stretch.
In the filing’s own words
An upper may include a plurality of knit elements linked together by a molded thermoplastic polymer element comprising a thermoplastic polymer, each of the knit elements being discrete, where each of the knit elements comprises a border that is at least partially surrounded by the molded thermoplastic polymer element. Further, an article of footwear may include a plurality of knit elements linked together by a molded thermoplastic polymer element comprising a thermoplastic polymer, each of the knit elements being discrete, where each of the knit elements comprises a border that is at least partially surrounded by the molded thermoplastic polymer element.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A knitted component for an article of footwear, the knitted component comprising: a first layer forming a first side; and a second layer forming a second side opposite to the first side; wherein the first layer comprises a plurality of knit elements linked together by a thermoplastic polymer material that is fused, and wherein each of the plurality of knit elements comprises a perimeter that is at least partially surrounded by the thermoplastic polymer material; and wherein the second layer comprises a knit element that comprises an elastomeric filament.
Facts
- Company
- Nike (NIKE, Inc.)
- Official title
- Knitted component having at least one thermoplastic polymer element
- Patent number
- US12753535B2
- Application number
- 19205466
- Filed
- May 12, 2025
- Granted
- Oct 6, 2026
- Inventors
- 2
- Claims
- 27
Classified under
D04B 1/24 Textiles & paperA43B 1/028 Human necessitiesA43B 1/04 Human necessitiesD04B 1/16 Textiles & paperMore from Nike in Clothing & sport
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.