Abstract: A knitted component comprising two yarns, forming at least a heel region of an upper for an article of footwear, where one of the yarns comprises a thermoplastic material. The outer surface may include a fused area comprising a first thermoplastic yarn. The inner surface may be at least partially formed with a second yarn and may substantially exclude the thermoplastic material. There may be a transitional area including a reduced amount of thermoplastic material relative to a fused area. The knitted component may include a cushioning material between layers of the knit element.

Abstract: A knitted component having a first region located adjacent to a perimeter edge of the article, where the first region of the knitted component includes an inner surface and an outer surface. The outer surface may include a fused area formed with a thermoformed thermoplastic material included with a first yarn. The inner surface may be at least partially formed with the second yarn and may substantially exclude the thermoplastic material.

Abstract: Presented are footwear sole structures with pressure-mapped midsole topographies and inlaid wear-mitigating outsoles, methods for making/using such sole structures, and footwear fabricated with such sole structures. An article of footwear includes an upper for receiving and attaching to a foot of a user, and a sole structure attached to the upper for supporting thereon the user's foot. The sole structure includes a midsole that is formed with a first material having a first hardness, and an outsole that is mounted to the midsole and formed with a second material that is harder than the first material. The midsole has a ground-facing surface with multiple cavities, multiple channels interspersed with the cavities, and ground-contacting land segments that separate the cavities from the channels. The outsole is disposed in the channels and positioned between the cavities such that a ground-contacting outsole surface is substantially flush with the midsole's ground-contacting land segments.

Abstract: Footwear includes upper, midsole, and exterior sole components. One side of the upper component includes a first plurality of openings. This first plurality of openings includes two openings separated by a strip of upper component material. The midsole component is received in the upper component and includes a plurality of protrusions extending through the openings of the upper component. The strip of upper component material covers a first portion of the midsole component located in a recess between the first and second protrusions. The exterior sole component is engaged with the midsole component and includes a second plurality of openings. The plurality of protrusions extend through corresponding openings of this second plurality of openings. A strip of exterior sole component material located between two of the second plurality of openings at least partially covers the strip of upper component material.