OFFSET KNIT TONGUE TAB AND KNIT HEEL TAB

Abstract

Aspects herein are directed to an upper, an article of footwear incorporating the same, and methods of forming the upper, where the upper includes a knit collar, a knit tongue tab that is integrally knit with the collar, and a knit heel tab that is integrally knit with the collar. At least a distal-most extent of the knit tongue tab extends away from a longitudinal midline reference plane of the upper toward a first side of the upper, and at least a distal-most extent of the knit heel tab extends away from the longitudinal midline reference plane of the upper toward a second side of the upper, where the second side is opposite the first side.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application, having attorney docket number 383160/21009US01 and entitled “OFFSET KNIT TONGUE TAB AND KNIT HEEL TAB,” is a Continuation-in-Part application of U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 17/944,803, filed Sep. 14, 2022, and entitled “KNITTED COMPONENTS AND ARTICLES FOR IMPROVED BALL CONTROL AND DURABILITY,” which claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional App. No. 63/244,121, filed Sep. 14, 2021, and entitled “KNITTED COMPONENTS AND ARTICLES FOR IMPROVED BALL CONTROL AND DURABILITY.” This application is also a Continuation-in-Part application of U.S. Design application No. 29/852,631, filed Sep. 8, 2022, and entitled “Shoe.” The entireties of the aforementioned applications are incorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Aspects herein are directed to an upper and an article of footwear incorporating the same that comprise a knit tongue tab and a knit heel tab that are offset from each other with respect to a longitudinal midline reference plane of the article of footwear.

BACKGROUND

Although some traditional articles of footwear include tongue tabs and heel tabs to help with donning, at least one of or both of the tongue tab and heel tab may generally be aligned with a longitudinal midline reference plane of the article of footwear, where the longitudinal midline reference plane extends from a toe area to a heel area of the article of footwear. Stated differently, a reference line that bisects the distal-most extent of one or more of the tongue tab and the heel tab may align with the longitudinal midline reference plane such that an angle formed between the reference line and the plane is generally 0 degrees. This configuration may not be optimal when it comes to donning the article of footwear as it may make it more difficult for a wearer to apply the necessary traction or tension to the tabs when donning the article of footwear, especially in instances where the article of footwear is close-fitting such as, for example, a global football shoe. Moreover, traditional tongue tabs and/or heel tabs may be added in a post-processing step such as by stitching or bonding. In these instances, the tongue tab and the heel tab may be prone to detachment or tearing with repeated used.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Examples of aspects herein are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a top-down view of an example article of footwear having a knit heel tab and a knit tongue tab that are offset from each other with respect to a longitudinal midline reference plane of the article of footwear in accordance with aspects herein;

FIG. 2 illustrates a lateral view of the example article of footwear of FIG. 1 in accordance with aspects herein;

FIG. 3 illustrates a medial view of the example article of footwear of FIG. 1 in accordance with aspects herein;

FIG. 4 illustrates a rear view of the article of footwear of FIG. 1 in accordance with aspects herein;

FIG. 5 illustrates a wearer donning the article of footwear of FIG. 1 in accordance with aspects herein; and

FIG. 6 illustrates a flow diagram of an example method of manufacturing an upper with a knit heel tab and a knit tongue tab that are offset from each other with respect to a longitudinal midline reference plane of the upper in accordance with aspects herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Although some traditional articles of footwear include tongue tabs and heel tabs to help with donning, at least one of or both of the tongue tab and heel tab may generally be aligned with a longitudinal midline reference plane of the article of footwear, where the longitudinal midline reference plane extends from a toe area to a heel area of the article of footwear. Stated differently, a reference line that bisects the distal-most extent of one or more of the tongue tab and the heel tab may align with the longitudinal midline reference plane of the article of footwear such that an angle formed between the reference line and the plane is generally 0 degrees. Using an article of footwear configured for a right foot of a wearer as an example, this configuration may not be optimal when it comes to donning the article of footwear as it may make it more difficult for a wearer to apply the necessary traction or tension with the wearer's left hand when grasping the tongue tab and with the wearer's right hand when grasping the heel tab. This difficulty may be compounded when the article of footwear is close-fitting such as, for example, a shoe designed for global football (also known as soccer). Moreover, traditional tongue tabs and heel tabs may be added in a post-processing step such as by stitching or bonding. In these instances, the tongue tab and/or the heel tab may be prone to detachment or tearing with repeated used.

At a high level, aspects herein are directed to an upper, an article of footwear incorporating the same, and methods of forming the upper, where the upper includes a knit collar, a knit tongue tab that is integrally knit with the collar, and a knit heel tab that is integrally knit with the collar. At least a distal-most extent of the knit tongue tab extends away from a longitudinal midline reference plane of the upper toward a first side of the upper, and at least a distal-most extent of the knit heel tab extends away from the longitudinal midline reference plane of the upper toward a second side of the upper, where the second side is opposite the first side. In example aspects, the first side of the upper is a medial side of the upper, and the second side of the upper is a lateral side of the upper. Stated differently, a reference line that bisects the distal-most extent of the tongue tab and the heel tab forms an angle greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees with respect to the longitudinal midline reference plane. Orienting at least the distal-most extent of the tongue tab such that it extends toward the medial side of the upper and orienting at least the distal-most extent of the heel tab such that it extends toward the lateral side of the upper, capitalizes on the natural movements a wearer carries out when donning an article of footwear, especially one that is close-fitting. For example, using a right shoe as an example, a wearer would naturally reach across her body with her left hand to grasp the tongue tab and use her right hand to grasp the heel tab. Orienting the tongue tab medially and the heel tab laterally reduces the distance the wearer's hands need to travel and improves the overall ease of shoe donning. Further, a wear may not pull on the tongue tab and heel tab directional upwards when donning the article of footwear but, rather, may naturally pull slightly towards the side of the hand doing the pulling. For example, using a right shoe as an example, a wear may pull the tongue tab upwards and to the left using her left hand and may pull the heel tab upwards and to the right using her right hand. Orienting the tongue tab medially and the heel tab laterally aligns with this force to reduce additional tension to where the tongue and heel tabs join the collar.

Additionally, integrally knitting the tongue tab and the heel tab with the collar, as opposed to adding the tongue tab and the heel tab in a post-manufacturing step such as by stitching and/or bonding, creates additional stability and/or durability, making the tongue tab and the heel tab less likely to tear or detach with repeated use. This is especially true as the tongue tab and the heel tab may experience high amounts of tension by the wearer when donning the article of footwear, especially when the article of footwear is close-fitting. Integrally knitting the tongue tab and the heel tab with the collar reduces or eliminates seams around the wearer's ankle, thereby improving comfortability, particularly when the article of footwear is close-fitting. Integrally knitting the tongue tab and the heel tab with the collar, as opposed to adding the tongue tab and the heel tab in a post-manufacturing step also improves manufacturing efficiency by reducing manufacturing steps.

As used herein, an article of footwear generally includes a sole structure secured to an upper. The article of footwear described herein may comprise a running shoe, a baseball shoe, a basketball shoe, a cycling shoe, an American football shoe, a tennis shoe, a global football shoe, a training shoe, a walking shoe, a hiking shoe, and the like. The concepts described herein may also be applied to other footwear types that are considered non-athletic such as dress shoes, loafers, sandals, and work boots. As used herein, the article of footwear may be divided into different general regions. A forefoot region generally includes portions of the article of footwear that correspond to the toes and joints connecting the metatarsals with the phalanges. A midfoot region generally includes portions of the article of footwear corresponding with an arch area and an instep area of the foot. A heel region generally corresponds with rear portions of the foot including the calcaneus bone. The article of footwear described herein may include a lateral side which corresponds with an outside area of the foot (i.e., the surface that faces away from the other foot) and a medial side which corresponds with an inside area of the foot (i.e., the surface that faces toward the other foot). The different regions and sides described above are intended to represent general areas of footwear to aid in the following discussion and are not intended to demarcate precise areas. The different regions and sides may be applied to the article of footwear as a whole, to the upper, and to the sole structure.

Aspects herein refer to a longitudinal midline reference plane of the upper and/or the article of footwear. This is a hypothetical midline plane that extends from the toe area of the upper and/or article of footwear toward the heel area of the upper and/or article of footwear. In example aspects, the longitudinal midline reference plane generally bisects the toe area and the heel area into a medial half and a lateral half of generally equal size or surface area. In other words, the distance between the longitudinal midline reference plane and the lateral edge of the upper and/or biteline on the lateral side is generally equal to the distance between the longitudinal midline reference plan and the medial edges of the upper and/or biteline on the medial side. Additionally or alternatively, with respect to the ankle opening defined by the collar of the upper and/or article of footwear, the longitudinal midline reference plane generally bisects the ankle opening into medial and lateral sides. As used herein, the term “generally” means within ±10% of an indicated value or reference point.

The term “distal-most extent” when referring to the tongue tab and the heel tab refers to the portion of the respective tongue tab and the heel tab that is located at a greatest distance from the collar edge that defines the ankle opening of the article of footwear. In example aspects, the distal-most extent of the tongue tab and/or the heel tab may comprise a discrete point such as an apex, a linear edge, or the distal-most extent may comprise a more rounded shape.

The term “exterior surface” as used herein means a surface of the upper or article of footwear that faces the external environment. In some aspects, the exterior surface may mean the outermost surface of the upper or article of footwear. The term “interior surface” as used herein means a surface of the upper or article of footwear that faces a void for receiving the wearer's foot. In some aspects, the interior surface may mean the innermost surface of the upper or article of footwear. The term “ground-contacting surface” when referring to the article of footwear is with respect to the article of footwear resting flat on a flat surface.

The term “knit” such as used herein to describe at least a knit collar, a knit tongue, a knit tongue tab, and a knit heel tab refers to a textile piece that is formed from at least one yarn that is manipulated (e.g., with a knitting machine) to form a plurality of intermeshed loops (also known as interlooping) that define courses and wales. The term “course,” as used herein, refers to a predominantly horizontal row of knit loops (in an upright textile as it is knit on the knitting machine) that is produced by adjacent needles during the same knitting cycle. The course may comprise one or more stitch types, such as a knit stitch, a missed stitch, a tuck stitch, a transfer stitch, a rib stitch, and the like as these terms are known in the art of knitting. The term “wale,” as used herein, is a predominantly vertical column of intermeshed or interlooped knit loops, generally produced by the same needle at successive (but not necessarily all) courses or knitting cycles.

The term “integrally knit,” as used herein, may mean a knit component having a yarn from one or more knit courses in a first area being interlooped with one or more knit courses of another area. The interlooping may be through a simple knit stitch, a tuck stitch, a held stitch, a float or miss stitch, and the like. In this way, areas that are integrally knit together have a seamless transition.

Forming at least the collar, the tongue tab, and the heel tab of the article of footwear described herein using a knit construction may provide advantages including, but not limited to, a particular degree of elasticity (for example, as expressed in terms of Young's modulus), breathability, bendability, strength, moisture absorption, weight, abrasion resistance, and/or a combination thereof. These characteristics may be accomplished by selecting a particular knit structure (e.g., a single knit construction, a double knit construction, and the like), by varying the size and tension of the knit structure, by using one or more yarns formed of a particular material (e.g., a polyester material, a relatively inelastic material, or a relatively elastic material such as elasticated yarns), by selecting yarns of a particular size (e.g., denier), and/or a combination thereof. Using a knit construction may also provide desirable aesthetic characteristics by incorporating yarns having different colors, textures or other visual properties arranged in a particular pattern. The yarns themselves and/or the knit structure formed by one or more of the yarns may be varied at different locations such that at least the collar, the tongue tab, and/or the heel tab may have different properties. For example, a portion forming the collar may be relatively elastic while another portion forming the tongue tab and the heel tab may be relatively inelastic.

Unless indicated otherwise, all measurements provided herein are taken when the upper and/or article of footwear is at standard ambient temperature and pressure (298.15 K and 100 kPa) and is in a resting (non-tensioned) state.

FIG. 1 depicts a top-down view of an example article of footwear 100. The article of footwear 100 depicted in FIG. 1 is configured for a right foot of a wearer, and the discussion provided herein may also be applied to an article of footwear configured for a left foot of the wearer. The article of footwear 100 includes an upper 110 and a sole structure (not seen in this view) that is secured to the upper 110. The upper 110 includes an exterior surface 111 and an interior surface (not seen in this view). The article of footwear 100 is shown in the form of an athletic shoe but other types of shoes (e.g., sandals, leisure shoes, and the like) are contemplated herein. The article of footwear 100 includes a forefoot region 114 having a toe area 115, a midfoot region 116, and a heel region 118 having a heel area 119. The article of footwear 100 also includes a medial side 120, and a lateral side 122. The article of footwear 100 includes a collar 124 having an ankle opening 125 for receiving a wearer's foot, and a tongue 126 located in a throat area of the article of footwear 100. The article of footwear 100 may further comprise an optional lace 128 that may be threaded through apertures, such as aperture 129, extending through the thickness of the tongue 126, where the lace 128 may be used to adjust the girth of the article of footwear 100 around a wearer's foot. A hypothetical longitudinal midline reference line 130 that lies on a hypothetical longitudinal midline reference plane is shown extending from the toe area 115 to the heel area 119. As depicted, the longitudinal midline reference line 130 generally bisects the toe area 115 and the heel area 119 into medial and lateral sides 120 and 122. The longitudinal midline reference line 130 further bisects the ankle opening 125 into a medial half and a lateral half.

In example aspects, the upper 110 comprises at least a first knit component 131 that forms at least the collar 124, a tongue tab 132, and a heel tab 134. The tongue tab 132 extends between a distal-most extent 140 of the tongue tab 132 and a base (seen as 224 in FIGS. 2-4). The heel tab 134 extends between a distal-most extent 142 of the heel tab 134 and a base (seen as 222 in FIGS. 2-4). The collar 124, tongue tab 132, and heel tab 134 may collectively define the ankle opening 125. Each of the collar 124, the tongue tab 132, and the heel tab 134 comprise a knit construction. The tongue tab 132 is integrally knit with the collar 124 such that the tongue tab 132 and the collar 124 share at least one knit course in common. The heel tab 134 is also integrally knit with the collar 124 such that the heel tab 134 and the collar 124 share at least one knit course in common. In example aspects, the first knit component 131 may further include the tongue 126. The tongue 126, in example aspects, may be integrally knit with at least the collar 124 and with the tongue tab 132 such that the tongue tab 132, the collar 124, and the tongue 126 share at least one knit course in common.

In example embodiments, the tongue 126 is also integrally knit with the medial and lateral sides 120 and 122 of the throat area. Further, the tongue 126 may be integrally knit with the medial and lateral sides 120 and 122 of the throat area along the entire length of the tongue 126 such that the tongue 126 may be not separable from the rest of the first knit component 131. The tongue may have a different knit construction than the portion of the medial side 120 and lateral side 122 adjacent the tongue 126. Alternatively, the tongue 126 may have lateral and medial side edges that are at least partially separable from the rest of the first knit component 131.

As described, the collar 124, the tongue 126, the tongue tab 132, and the heel tab 134 may be formed as an integral one-piece, seamless element during a knitting process, such as a weft knitting process (e.g., with a flat knitting machine with one, two, or more needle beds, or with a circular knitting machine), a warp knitting process, or any other suitable knitting process. That is, a knitting process on a knitting machine may substantially form the first knit component 131 comprising at least the collar 124, the tongue 126, the tongue tab 132, and the heel tab 134 without the need for substantive post-knitting processes or steps. Forming the collar 124, the tongue 126, the tongue tab 132, and the heel tab 134 as an integral one-piece, seamless element enhances the structural stability of the different structures. Stated differently, because there are no seams between the different structures there is a reduced chance of tearing or detachment during repeated use. The lack of seams between the collar 124 and the tongue tab 132 and the heel tab 134 also improves comfort. Moreover, using a knit construction to form the collar 124, the tongue 126, the tongue tab 132, and the heel tab 134 allows for the use of different yarn types during the knitting process. For instance, relatively inelastic yarns may be used to knit the tongue tab 132 and the heel tab 134, while relatively elastic yarns may be used to knit remaining portions of the collar 124 and/or the tongue 126. Because a substantial amount of traction may be applied to the tongue tab 132 and the heel tab 134 during donning, using a relatively inelastic yarn to form these structures reduces the likelihood of the tongue tab 132 and the heel tab 134 stretching when traction is applied. Thus, the traction or force is more effectively transferred to the article of footwear 100 and donning the article of footwear 100 is facilitated. This also reduces the likelihood of the tongue tab 132 and heel tab 134 being over stretched over time through multiple uses. Using relatively elastic yarns to knit the remaining portions of the collar 124 and the tongue 126 allows for stretching of these structures during donning, which also facilitates the donning process.

As depicted in FIG. 1, and as further depicted in FIGS. 2-4, in example aspects at least the distal-most extent 140 of the tongue tab 132 is positioned on the medial side 120 of the longitudinal midline reference line 130, and at least the distal-most extent 142 of the heel tab 134 is positioned on the lateral side 122 of the longitudinal midline reference line 130. Each of the tongue tab 132 and the heel tab 134 have a length between the respective distal-most extent 140 and 142 and the respective base. In example aspects, at least about 55%, at least about 60%, at least about 70%, at least about 80%, at least about 90, or at least about 100% of the length of the tongue tab 132 (i.e., the base, the distal-most extent 140, and the intervening portion between the base and the distal-most extent 140) may be positioned on the medial side 120 of the longitudinal midline reference line 130. As used herein, the term “about” means within ±10% of an indicated value or reference point. In example aspects, at least about 55%, at least about 60%, at least about 70%, at least about 80%, at least about 90, or at least about 100% of the length of the heel tab 134 (i.e., the base, the distal-most extent 142, and the intervening portion between the base and the distal-most extent 142) may be positioned on the lateral side 122 of the longitudinal midline reference line 130.

To describe this differently, a reference line 150 that bisects the distal-most extent 140 of the tongue tab 132 and is located on the medial side 120 of the article of footwear 100 forms an angle 152 that is greater than 0 degrees and less than about 90 degrees, greater than about 5 degrees and less than about 85 degrees, or greater than about 10 degrees and less than about 80 degrees with the longitudinal midline reference line 130. A reference line 154 that bisects the distal-most extent 142 of the heel tab 134 and is located on the lateral side 122 of the article of footwear 100 forms an angle 156 greater than 0 degrees and less than about 90 degrees, greater than about 5 degrees and less than about 85 degrees, or greater than about 10 degrees and less than about 80 degrees with the longitudinal midline reference line 130. This is opposed to a typical tongue and heel tab construction where a reference line that extends through a distal-most extent of the traditional tongue and heel tab would be parallel and in line with (i.e., form a 0 degree angle with) the longitudinal midline reference line 130. In contrast, this configurations of this disclosure may facilitate the donning process as it makes it easier for a wearer's left hand to grasp the tongue tab 132 because the tongue tab 132 is positioned closer to the wearer's left hand. It also makes it easier for the wearer's right hand to grasp the heel tab 134 because the heel tab 134 is positioned closer to the wearer's right hand.

In example aspects, the upper 110 may further include a second knit component 136 where the second knit component 136 may form at least the toe area 115 and a portion of the medial side 120 and the lateral side 122 of the upper 110. In example aspects, the second knit component 136 may form an outer shroud of the upper 1100. As such, the second knit component 136 overlay and/or be secured to the first knit component 131 by way of bonding, stitching, welding, and the like. Alternatively, the second knit component 136 may be integrally knit with the first knit component 131. In example aspects, the second knit component 136 may be formed with yarns that exhibit a higher coefficient of friction compared to yarns that form the first knit component 131 (also known as “grip yarns”). When the article of footwear 100 is used for global football, for example, these yarns may help to provide better ball control when dribbling, passing, kicking, and the like. In an alternative aspect, the upper 110 may be formed entirely of the first knit component 131. Any and all aspects, and any variation thereof, are contemplated as being within aspects herein.

FIG. 2 depicts a lateral view of the article of footwear 100. The article of footwear 100 further includes a sole structure 210 secured to the upper 110. The sole structure 210 is depicted having a plurality of ground-engaging cleats 212 which may be used when the article of footwear 100 is in the form of a global football shoe, a football/rugby shoe, a baseball shoe, and the like. However, alternative sole structures, including those without cleats, also fall within the scope of this disclosure. FIG. 2 further depicts the collar 124 having a top edge 123, the integrally knit tongue tab 132, and the integrally knit heel tab 134. As depicted in FIG. 2, the tongue tab 132 is oriented such that it is substantially located on the medial side 120 of the article of footwear 100. Stated differently, at least the distal-most extent 140 of the tongue tab 132 extends toward the medial side 120 and away from the lateral side 122 of the article of footwear. FIG. 2 further depicts a base 224 of the tongue tab 132. In example aspects, the base 224 of the tongue tab 132 comprises a continuous extension of the top edge 123 of the ankle collar 124. Although not clearly shown in FIG. 2, the heel tab 134 is oriented such that it is substantially located on the lateral side 122 of the article of footwear 100. Stated differently, at least the distal-most extent 142 of the heel tab 134 extends toward the lateral side 122 and away from the medial side 120 of the article of footwear 100. FIG. 2 further depicts a base 222 of the heel tab 134. In example aspects, the base 222 of the heel tab 134 comprises a continuous extension of the top edge 123 of the ankle collar 124. FIG. 2 further depicts the second knit component 136 that, when utilized, extends at least partially along the lateral side 122 of the article of footwear 100.

FIG. 3 depicts a medial view of the article of footwear 100. As depicted in FIG. 3, at least the distal-most extent 140 of the tongue tab 132 extends toward and is located on the medial side 120 of the article of footwear 100. Although not clearly shown in FIG. 2, at least the distal-most extent 142 of the heel tab 134 extends toward and is located on the lateral side 122 of the article of footwear 100. FIG. 3 further depicts the second knit component 136 that, when utilized, extends at least partially along the medial side 120 of the article of footwear 100.

FIG. 4 depicts a rear view of the article of footwear 100. Vertical midline reference line 410, which lies on the hypothetical midline reference plane, generally bisects the heel area 119 and divides the article of footwear 100 into a medial half 412 and a lateral half 414. As depicted, at least the distal-most extent 142 of the heel tab 134 is positioned lateral to the vertical midline reference line 410 and is located in the lateral half 414 of the article of footwear 100. At least the distal-most extent 140 of the tongue tab 132 is positioned medial to the vertical midline reference line 410 and is located on the medial half 412 of the article of footwear 100. In some aspects, the upper 110 includes a heel seam along the vertical midline reference line 410 to join the medial side 120 and the lateral side 122. As such the distal-most extent 142 of the heel tab 134 may be positioned lateral to the heel seam. Further, at least a majority (greater than 50%) of the heel tab 134 may be positioned lateral to the heel seam. For example, at least 60% of the heel tab 134 in some aspects, at least 75% of the heel tab 134 in some aspects, or at least 85% of the heel tab 134 in some aspects is positioned lateral of the heel seam.

To describe this differently, a reference line 416 that bisects the distal-most extent 142 of the heel tab 134 and is located on the lateral side of the reference line 416 forms an angle 418 greater than 0 degrees and less than about 90 degrees, greater than about 5 degrees and less than about 85 degrees, or greater than about 10 degrees and less than about 80 degrees with respect to the vertical midline reference line 410. Further, in some aspects having a heel seam aligned with the vertical midline reference line 410, the reference line 416 may form an angle with the heel seam that is greater than 0 degrees and less than about 90 degrees, greater than about 5 degrees and less than about 85 degrees, or greater than about 10 degrees and less than about 80 degrees. A reference line 420 that bisects the distal-most extent 140 of the tongue tab 132 and is located on the medial side of the reference line 416 forms an angle 422 greater than 0 degrees and less than about 90 degrees, greater than about 5 degrees and less than about 85 degrees, or greater than about 10 degrees and less than about 80 degrees with respect to the vertical midline reference line 410.

FIG. 5 depicts a hypothetical wearer 510 donning the article of footwear 100 configured for a right foot. When donning, the wearer 510 may use her left hand to grasp the tongue tab 132, and the wearer may use her right hand to grasp the heel tab 134. Because the tongue tab 132 is primarily located on the medial side 120 or medial half 412 of the article of footwear 100, the distance the wearer's left hand has to travel before grasping the tongue tab 132 is reduced. Similarly, because the heel tab 134 is primarily located on the lateral side 122 or lateral half 414 of the article of footwear, the distance the wearer's right hand has to travel before grasping the heel tab 134 is reduced. Once grasped, the wearer 510 exerts tension on the tongue tab 132 and the heel tab 134 while pulling the article of footwear 100 over the wearer's foot. Because the tongue tab 132, the heel tab 134, the tongue 126, and the collar 124 are knit as a seamless, one-piece unit, the forces applied to the tongue tab 132 and the heel tab 134 may be transferred to other portions of the article of footwear such as the tongue 126 and the collar 124 which reduces the likelihood of tearing or stretching of the tongue tab 132 and the heel tab 134.

FIG. 6 depicts a flow diagram of an example method 600 of manufacturing an upper, such as the upper 110, in accordance with aspects herein. The steps provided in method 600 are merely illustrative, and method 600 may include additional steps that are not illustrated. At least some of the steps of method 600 are indicated as being performed on a knitting machine, which may be an automated knitting machine. As such, one or more of these steps may be performed and/or controlled using a control unit having a processor or computer communicatively coupled with or integrated into the knitting machine. In example aspects, the knitting machine used to carry out steps of method 600 is a V-bed flat knitting machine having two needle beds—a front needle bed and a back needle bed—that are angled relative to each other to form a V-bed. The front and back needle beds may each include a plurality of individual needles extending across a common plane. A carriage may move feeders, such as standard and/or combination feeders, along the front and back needle beds to supply yarns to needles. Although a flat V-bed knitting machine used for weft-knitting is described herein, it should be understood that this is one example and that other knitting machines may be used be used to form the upper or a portion thereof.

At a step 610 a collar, such as the collar 124, that at least partially defines an ankle opening for receiving a wearer's foot is knit using the knitting machine. At a step 612, a tongue tab, such as the tongue tab 132, is integrally knitted with the collar such that at least a distal-most extent, such as the distal-most extent 140, extends away from a longitudinal midline reference plane that extends from a toe area to a heel area of the upper toward a medial side of the upper. At a step 614, a heel tab, such as the heel tab 134, is integrally knitted with the collar such that at least a distal-most extent, such as the distal-most extent 142, extends away from the longitudinal midline reference plane toward a lateral side of the upper. The method 600 may further include integrally knitting a tongue with at least a portion of the collar and the tongue tab.

The method 600 may additionally include knitting a second knit component, such as the second knit component 136 and securing the second knit component to the collar/tongue/tongue tab/heel tab assembly such that the second knit component helps to form at least the toe area and portions of the medial side and the lateral side of the upper. The second knit component may be secured to the first knit component via bonding, stitching, welding, and the like. Alternatively, the second knit component 136 may be integrally knit with the first knit component 131 such that they share at least one common course.

The following clauses represent example aspects of concepts contemplated herein. Any one of the following clauses may be combined in a multiple dependent manner to depend from one or more other clauses. Further, any combination of dependent clauses (clauses that explicitly depend from a previous clause) may be combined while staying within the scope of aspects contemplated herein. The following clauses are examples and are not limiting.

• • Clause 1: An upper for an article of footwear, the upper comprising: a medial side and a lateral side separated by a longitudinal midline reference plane extending from a toe area to a heel area of the upper; and a first knit component comprising: a knit collar defining an opening for receiving a wearer's foot; a knit tongue tab, a distal-most extent of the knit tongue tab extending toward the medial side of the upper; and a knit heel tab, a distal-most extent of the knit heel tab extending toward the lateral side of the upper.
  • Clause 2: The upper of clause 1, wherein the knit tongue tab is integrally knit with the knit collar such that the knit tongue tab shares at least one knit course in common with the knit collar.
  • Clause 3: The upper of any of clauses 1-2, wherein the knit heel tab is integrally knit with the knit collar such that the knit heel tab shares at least one knit course in common with the knit collar.
  • Clause 4: The upper of any of clauses 1-3, further comprising a knit tongue.
  • Clause 5: The upper of clause 4, wherein at least the knit tongue tab is integrally knit with the knit tongue such that the knit tongue tab shares at least one knit course in common with the knit tongue.
  • Clause 6: The upper of any of clauses 1-5, wherein the knit tongue tab and knit heel tab each have a lower elasticity than the knit collar.
  • Clause 7: The upper of any of clauses 1-6, wherein the upper further comprises a knit tongue that has a greater elasticity than the knit tongue tab and knit heel tab.
  • Clause 8: The upper of any of clauses 1-7, wherein the knit tongue tab is at least partially positioned on the medial side of the upper.
  • Clause 9: The upper of any of clauses 1-8, wherein the knit heel tab is at least partially positioned on the lateral side of the upper.
  • Clause 10: An article of footwear comprising: a knit upper having lateral side and a medial side separated by a longitudinal midline reference plane extending from a toe area to a heel area of the knit upper, the knit upper formed from at least a first knit component, the knit upper comprising: a knit collar defining an opening for receiving a wearer's foot; a knit tongue tab extending away from the longitudinal midline reference plane toward the medial side of the knit upper; and a knit heel tab extending away from the longitudinal midline reference plane toward the lateral side, wherein the knit collar is integrally knit with the knit tongue tab and knit heel tab.
  • Clause 11: The article of footwear of clause 10, further comprising a knit tongue.
  • Clause 12: The article of footwear of any of clauses 10-11, wherein the knit tongue shares at least one knit course in common with the knit tongue tab.
  • Clause 13: The article of footwear of clause 12, wherein the knit tongue shares at least one knit course in common with lateral and medial sides of a throat area of the upper such that the tongue is inseparable from the rest of the throat area.
  • Clause 14: The article of footwear of any of clauses 10-13, further comprises a sole structure secured to the upper.
  • Clause 15: The article of footwear of cause 14, wherein the sole structure comprises cleats.
  • Clause 16: The article of footwear of any of clauses 10-15, wherein one or more of the toe area, at least a portion of the medial side, and at least a portion of the lateral side comprises a second knit component.
  • Clause 17: The article of footwear of any of clauses 10-16, wherein the knit upper comprises a heel seam, and at least a majority of the knit heel tab is positioned lateral to the heel seam.
  • Clause 18: The article of footwear of any of clauses 10-17, wherein a reference line bisecting the distal-most extent of the knit tongue tab forms an angle greater than 0 degrees and less than 90 degrees with the longitudinal midline reference plane.
  • Clause 19: The article of footwear of any of clauses 10-18, wherein a reference line bisecting the distal-most extent of the knit heel tab forms an angle greater than 0 and less than 90 degrees with the longitudinal midline reference plane
  • Clause 20: A method of manufacturing an upper for an article of footwear, the method of manufacturing comprising: knitting a first knit component, wherein knitting the first knit component comprises: knitting a collar that at least partially defines an opening for receiving a wearer's foot; integrally knitting a tongue tab with the collar such that the tongue tab extends away from a longitudinal midline reference plane toward a medial side of the upper, the longitudinal midline reference plane extending from a toe area to a heel area of the upper; and integrally knitting a heel tab with the collar such that the heel tab extends away from the longitudinal midline reference plane toward a lateral side of the upper.
  • Clause 21: The method of manufacturing the upper of clause 20, further comprising integrally knitting a tongue with the tongue tab.
  • Clause 22: The method of manufacturing the upper of any of clauses 20-21, further comprising knitting a second knit component that forms one or more of the toe area, at least a portion of the medial side, and at least a portion of the lateral side of the upper.

Aspects of the present disclosure have been described with the intent to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Alternative aspects will become apparent to those skilled in the art that do not depart from its scope. A skilled artisan may develop alternative means of implementing the aforementioned improvements without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations and are contemplated within the scope of the claims. Not all steps listed in the various figures need be carried out in the specific order described.

Claims

1. An upper for an article of footwear, the upper comprising:

a medial side and a lateral side separated by a longitudinal midline reference plane extending from a toe area to a heel area of the upper; and

a first knit component comprising: a knit collar defining an opening for receiving a wearer's foot; a knit tongue tab, a distal-most extent of the knit tongue tab extending toward the medial side of the upper; and a knit heel tab, a distal-most extent of the knit heel tab extending toward the lateral side of the upper.

2. The upper of claim 1, wherein the knit tongue tab is integrally knit with the knit collar such that the knit tongue tab shares at least one knit course in common with the knit collar.

3. The upper of claim 1, wherein the knit heel tab is integrally knit with the knit collar such that the knit heel tab shares at least one knit course in common with the knit collar.

4. The upper of claim 1, further comprising a knit tongue.

5. The upper of claim 4, wherein at least the knit tongue tab is integrally knit with the knit tongue such that the knit tongue tab shares at least one knit course in common with the knit tongue.

6. The upper of claim 1, wherein the knit tongue tab and knit heel tab each have a lower elasticity than the knit collar.

7. The upper of claim 1, wherein the upper further comprises a knit tongue that has a greater elasticity than the knit tongue tab and knit heel tab.

8. The upper of claim 1, wherein the knit tongue tab is at least partially positioned on the medial side of the upper.

9. The upper of claim 1, wherein the knit heel tab is at least partially positioned on the lateral side of the upper.

10. An article of footwear comprising:

a knit upper having lateral side and a medial side separated by a longitudinal midline reference plane extending from a toe area to a heel area of the knit upper, the knit upper formed from at least a first knit component, the knit upper comprising: a knit collar defining an opening for receiving a wearer's foot; a knit tongue tab extending away from the longitudinal midline reference plane toward the medial side of the knit upper; and a knit heel tab extending away from the longitudinal midline reference plane toward the lateral side, wherein the knit collar is integrally knit with the knit tongue tab and knit heel tab.

11. The article of footwear of claim 10, further comprising a knit tongue.

12. The article of footwear of claim 11, wherein the knit tongue shares at least one knit course in common with the knit tongue tab.

13. The article of footwear of claim 12, wherein the knit tongue shares at least one knit course in common with lateral and medial sides of a throat area of the upper such that the tongue is inseparable from the rest of the throat area.

14. The article of footwear of claim 10, further comprises a sole structure secured to the upper.

15. The article of footwear of claim 14, wherein the sole structure comprises cleats.

16. The article of footwear of claim 10, wherein one or more of the toe area, at least a portion of the medial side, and at least a portion of the lateral side comprises a second knit component.

17. The article of footwear of claim 10, wherein the knit upper comprises a heel seam, and at least a majority of the knit heel tab is positioned lateral to the heel seam.

18. A method of manufacturing an upper for an article of footwear, the method of manufacturing comprising:

knitting a first knit component, wherein knitting the first knit component comprises: knitting a collar that at least partially defines an opening for receiving a wearer's foot; integrally knitting a tongue tab with the collar such that the tongue tab extends away from a longitudinal midline reference plane toward a medial side of the upper, the longitudinal midline reference plane extending from a toe area to a heel area of the upper; and integrally knitting a heel tab with the collar such that the heel tab extends away from the longitudinal midline reference plane toward a lateral side of the upper.

19. The method of manufacturing the upper of claim 18, further comprising integrally knitting a tongue with the tongue tab.

20. The method of manufacturing the upper of claim 18, further comprising knitting a second knit component that forms one or more of the toe area, at least a portion of the medial side, and at least a portion of the lateral side of the upper.