I 1111111111111111 11111 111111111111111 IIIII IIIII IIIII IIIII lll111111111111111
`US007774956B2
`
`c12) United States Patent
`Dua et al.
`
`(IO) Patent No.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`US 7,774,956 B2
`Aug. 17, 2010
`
`(54) ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR HAVING A FLAT
`KNIT UPPER CONSTRUCTION OR OTHER
`UPPER CONSTRUCTION
`
`(75)
`
`Inventors: Bhupesh Dua, Portland, OR (US);
`Edward Nathaniel Thomas, Portland,
`OR (US)
`
`(73) Assignee: NIKE, Inc., Beaverton, OR (US)
`
`( *) Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term ofthis
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 929 days.
`
`(21) Appl. No.: 11/558,499
`
`(22) Filed:
`
`Nov. 10, 2006
`
`(65)
`
`Prior Publication Data
`
`US 2008/0110048 Al
`
`May 15, 2008
`
`(51)
`
`Int. Cl.
`A43C 11100
`(2006.01)
`A43B 23102
`(2006.01)
`(52) U.S. Cl. ............................... 36/50.1; 36/45; 36/9 R
`(58) Field of Classification Search .................. 36/50.1,
`36/45, 9 R, 58.5, 54
`See application file for complete search history.
`
`(56)
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`2,330,199 A
`2,376,399 A *
`2,904,980 A *
`3,402,323 A
`3,583,081 A *
`3,603,006 A *
`4,646,727 A *
`4,785,558 A
`4,878,504 A *
`4,998,722 A *
`
`9/ 1943 Basch
`5/1945 Yandell ......................... 36/10
`9/1959 Stinson
`....................... 66/171
`9/ 1968 Longstreth
`6/1971 Hayashi ......................... 36/45
`9/1971 Davenportetal. ........... 36/11.5
`3/ 1987 Chambers .. ... ... ... ... ... .. ... 602/3
`1111988 Shiomura
`11/1989 Nelson ........................ 602/27
`3/ 1991 Scott . ... ... ... .. ... ... ... ... .. . 482/79
`
`5,067,260 A *
`5,257,969 A
`D346,686 S
`5,377,430 A *
`6,754,983 B2 *
`6,931,762 Bl*
`2005/0115284 Al
`2005/0193592 Al
`2005/0284000 Al
`
`................ 36/7.1 R
`
`11/1991 Jenkins, Jr.
`1111993 Mance
`5/ 1994 Hatfield
`1/1995 Hatfield et al. ................. 36/51
`6/2004 Hatfield et al. ................. 36/45
`8/2005 Dua ............................. 36/9 R
`6/2005 Dua
`9/2005 Dua et al.
`12/2005 Kerns
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`International Search report in corresponding PCT application, Inter(cid:173)
`national Application No.PCT/US2007/084013, mailed Apr. 4, 2008.
`International Preliminary Report on Patentability in corresponding
`PCT Application, International Application No. PCT/US2007/
`084013, mailed May 22, 2009.
`U.S. Office Action for U.S. Appl. No. 11/558,501.
`
`* cited by examiner
`
`Primary Examiner-Ted Kavanaugh
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Banner & Witcoff, Ltd.
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`Flat knitting allows production of textile structures (e.g., for
`use in footwear uppers) of a final desired shape such that
`textile cutting steps can be avoided. Flat knitted elements also
`can be formed directly in desired three dimensional shapes,
`which can help avoid the need to use additional support
`structures (e.g., in footwear construction). By selectively
`placing multiple different yarns and/or stitch patterns at mul(cid:173)
`tiple different locations in the overall structure during the
`knitting process, flat knitted products may have multiple dif(cid:173)
`ferent physical properties ( e.g., different stretchability, differ(cid:173)
`ent moisture management capabilities, etc.) at multiple dif(cid:173)
`ferent locations or zones within a single, unitary construction
`( e.g., different properties at different zones or locations
`within a single footwear structure). Additionally, flat knitting
`can be used to produce pockets, tunnels, or other layered
`structures in the final product.
`
`10 Claims, 18 Drawing Sheets
`
`13
`
`12
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`US 7,774,956 B2
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`1
`ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR HAVING A FLAT
`KNIT UPPER CONSTRUCTION OR OTHER
`UPPER CONSTRUCTION
`
`BACKGROUND
`
`Conventional articles of athletic footwear include two pri(cid:173)
`mary elements, an upper and a sole structure. The upper
`provides a covering for the foot that securely receives and
`positions the foot with respect to the sole structure. In addi(cid:173)
`tion, the upper may have a configuration that protects the foot
`and provides ventilation, thereby cooling the foot and remov(cid:173)
`ing perspiration. The sole structure is secured to a lower
`surface of the upper and is generally positioned between the
`foot and the ground. In addition to attenuating ground reac(cid:173)
`tion forces, the sole structure may provide traction and con(cid:173)
`trol foot motions, such as pronation. Accordingly, the upper
`and the sole structure operate cooperatively to provide a com(cid:173)
`fortable structure that is suited for a wide variety of ambula(cid:173)
`tory activities, such as walking and running. The general
`features and configuration of the conventional upper are dis(cid:173)
`cussed in greater detail below.
`The upper forms a void on the interior of the footwear for
`receiving the foot. The void has the general shape of the foot,
`and access to the void is provided by an ankle opening.
`Accordingly, the upper extends over the instep and toe areas
`of the foot, along the medial and lateral sides of the foot, and
`around the heel area of the foot. A lacing system is often
`incorporated into the upper to selectively increase the size of
`the ankle opening and permit the wearer to modify certain
`dimensions of the upper to accommodate feet with varying
`proportions. In addition, the upper may include a tongue that
`extends under the lacing system and a heel counter to limit
`movement of the heel.
`The materials forming the upper may be selected based
`upon the properties of wear-resistance, flexibility, stretchabil(cid:173)
`ity, and air-permeability, for example. With regard to the
`exterior layer, the toe area and the heel area may be formed of
`leather, synthetic leather, or a rubber material to impart a
`relatively high degree of wear-resistance. Leather, synthetic
`leather, and rubber materials, however, may not exhibit the
`desired degree of flexibility and air-permeability. Accord(cid:173)
`ingly, various other areas of the exterior layer of the upper
`may be formed from a synthetic or natural textile material.
`The exterior layer of the upper may be formed, therefore,
`from numerous material elements that each impart different
`properties to specific portions of the upper.
`The intermediate layer of the upper may be formed from a
`lightweight polymer foam material that provides cushioning.
`Similarly, the interior layer of the upper may be formed of a
`moisture-wicking textile that removes perspiration from the
`area immediately surrounding the foot. In some articles of
`athletic footwear, the various layers may be joined with an
`adhesive, and stitching may be utilized to join elements
`within a single layer or to reinforce specific areas of the upper. 55
`Although the materials selected for the upper vary signifi(cid:173)
`cantly, textile materials often form at least a portion of the
`exterior layer and interior layer. A textile may be defined as a
`structure manufactured from fibers, filaments, or yams char(cid:173)
`acterized by flexibility, fineness, and a high ratio oflength to 60
`thickness. Textiles generally fall into two categories. The first
`category includes textiles produced directly from webs of
`filaments or fibers by randomly interlocking to construct non(cid:173)
`woven fabrics and felts. The second category includes textiles
`formed through a mechanical manipulation of yarn (e.g., by 65
`interlacing or interlooping), thereby producing a woven fab-
`ric or a knit fabric, for example.
`
`2
`Yarn is the raw material utilized to form textiles in the
`second category. In general, yam is defined as an assembly
`having a substantial length and relatively small cross-section
`that is formed of at least one filament or a plurality of fibers.
`5 Fibers have a relatively short length and require spinning or
`twisting processes to produce a yam of suitable length for use
`in textiles. Common examples of fibers are cotton and wool.
`Filaments, however, have an indefinite length and may merely
`be combined with other filaments to produce a yarn suitable
`10 for use in textiles. Modern filaments include a plurality of
`synthetic materials such as rayon, nylon, polyester, and poly(cid:173)
`acrylic, with silk being the primary, naturally-occurring
`exception. Yam may be formed of a single filament, which is
`conventionally referred to as a "monofilament yam," or a
`15 plurality of individual filaments grouped together. Yam may
`also include separate filaments formed of different materials,
`or the yarn may include filaments that are each formed of two
`or more different materials. Similar concepts also apply to
`yarns formed from fibers. Accordingly, yams may have a
`20 variety of configurations that generally conform to the defi(cid:173)
`nition provided above.
`The various techniques for mechanically manipulating
`yarn into a textile include interweaving, intertwining and
`twisting, and interlooping. Interweaving is the intersection of
`25 two yarns that cross and interweave at right angles to each
`other. The yams utilized in interweaving are conventionally
`referred to as "warp" and "weft." Intertwining and twisting
`encompasses procedures such as braiding and knotting where
`yarns intertwine with each other to form a textile. Interloop-
`30 ing involves the formation of a plurality of colunms of inter(cid:173)
`meshed loops, with knitting being the most common method
`of interlooping.
`The textiles utilized in footwear uppers generally provide a
`lightweight, air-permeable structure that is flexible and com-
`35 fortably receives the foot. In order to impart other properties
`to the footwear, including durability and stretch-resistance,
`additional materials are commonly combined with the textile,
`including leather, synthetic leather, or rubber, for example.
`With regard to durability, U.S. Pat. No. 4,447,967 to Zaino
`40 discloses an upper formed of a textile material that has a
`polymer material injected into specific zones to reinforce the
`zones against abrasion or other forms of wear. Regarding
`stretch resistance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,158 to Brown and U.S.
`Pat. No. 4,756,098 to Boggia both disclose a substantially
`45 inextensible material that is secured to the upper, thereby
`limiting the degree of stretch in specific portions of the upper.
`U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006-0048413 describes, inter
`alia, a rubber/foam web sandwiched between two textile
`structures to provide support, and this structure also allows
`50 for regional breathability, stretchability, and durability.
`
`SUMMARY
`
`One example structure according to this invention relates
`to an article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure
`secured to the upper. The upper includes a knitted element
`formed from at least one mechanically manipulated yam. The
`knitted element of this example structure has an area with a
`first layer and a coextensive second layer. The first layer is
`formed as a unitary construction with the second layer, and
`the second layer is joined to the first layer at opposite sides of
`the second layer.
`Another example aspect of the invention relates to a
`method of manufacturing an article of footwear. The method
`includes steps of flat knitting a textile element and incorpo(cid:173)
`rating the textile element into the article of footwear. The step
`of flat knitting may include forming an area of the textile
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`US 7,774,956 B2
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`4
`FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an article of footwear
`having yet another upper configuration in accordance with
`this invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`
`3
`element with a first layer and a coextensive second layer. The
`two layers may be utilized to form a channel, for example. In
`some configurations, the step of flat knitting may include
`forming a first area and a second area, with one or both of a
`stitch type and a yam type of the first area being different than 5
`a stitch type and a yam type of the second area.
`Yet another example structure according to this invention
`relates to an article of footwear having a knitted element that
`includes a foot-receiving portion and one or more straps
`formed of unitary construction with the foot-receiving por- 10
`tion. The foot-receiving portion defines a void for receiving
`the foot, and the strap or straps extend outward from one or
`more sides of the foot-receiving portion.
`The advantages and features of novelty characterizing vari(cid:173)
`ous aspects of the invention are pointed out with particularity 15
`in the appended claims. To gain an improved understanding
`of the advantages and features of novelty, however, reference
`may be made to the following descriptive matter and accom(cid:173)
`panying drawings that describe and illustrate various embodi(cid:173)
`ments and concepts related to the aspects of the invention.
`
`DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`The following discussion and accompanying figures dis-
`close various uppers for articles of footwear, the uppers ( or at
`least portions thereof) being at least partially formed from a
`material produced through a flat knitting process. The uppers
`are disclosed in combination with footwear suitable for
`activities that include running and yoga. Concepts associated
`with the footwear and the uppers are not limited solely to
`footwear designed for running and yoga, but they may be
`applied to a wide range of athletic footwear styles, including
`baseball shoes, basketball shoes, cross-training shoes,
`cycling shoes, football shoes, tennis shoes, soccer shoes,
`walking shoes, and hiking boots, for example. The concepts
`also may be applied to footwear styles that are generally
`20 considered to be non-athletic, including dress shoes, loafers,
`sandals, and work boots. The concepts disclosed herein apply,
`therefore, to a wide variety of footwear styles. Also, aspects of
`this invention may be used in conjunction with other portions
`of a footwear structure, such as a layer within an upper mem(cid:173)
`ber structure, an interior lining for a footwear product ( such as
`a sock liner), a bootie member (optionally for inclusion in a
`footwear structure), etc.
`Flat knitting, when used in example structures according to
`this invention, can provide various advantages. For example,
`30 flat knitting can be used to provide textile structures for use in
`footwear uppers of a final desired shape such that textile
`cutting steps can be avoided (which eliminates waste, avoids
`the need to finish cut edges, saves time, saves money, etc.).
`Flat knitted elements also can be formed directly in desired
`three dimensional shapes, which can help avoid the need to
`use additional support structures in the overall footwear con(cid:173)
`struction (which also saves time, money, etc.; produces a
`lighter and/or more flexible product; may eliminate seams
`and at least some sewing, etc.; etc.). By selectively placing
`40 multiple different yams and/or stitch patterns at multiple
`different locations in the overall structure during the knitting
`process, flat knitted products may have multiple different
`physical properties (e.g., different stretchability, different
`moisture management capabilities, etc.) at multiple different
`45 locations or zones within a single, unitary construction (e.g.,
`different properties at different zones or locations within a
`single footwear structure). Additionally, flat knitting can be
`used to produce pockets, turmels, or other layered structures
`in the final product. These and other features, aspects, and
`50 advantages of structures and methods in accordance with
`examples of this invention will be described in more detail
`below in conjunction with the various example structures
`illustrated in FIGS. 1-13.
`
`FIG. 1 is a lateral side elevational view of an article of
`footwear having a first upper in accordance with the inven- 25
`tion.
`FIG. 2 is a medial side elevational view of the article of
`footwear.
`FIG. 3 is top plan view of the article of footwear.
`FIGS. 4A-4C are cross-sectional views of the article of
`footwear, as defined by section lines 4A-4C in FIG. 3.
`FIG. 5 is a plan view ofa lateral textile element of the first
`upper.
`FIG. 6 is a plan view of a medial textile element of the first 35
`upper.
`FIG. 7 is a plan view ofa central textile element of the first
`upper.
`FIG. SA is a perspective view depicting a first step in
`assembling the article of footwear.
`FIG. SB is a perspective view depicting a second step in
`assembling the article of footwear.
`FIG. SC is a perspective view depicting a third step in
`assembling the article of footwear.
`FIG. SD is a perspective view depicting a fourth step in
`assembling the article of footwear.
`FIG. SE is a perspective view depicting a fifth step in
`assembling the article of footwear.
`FIG. 9A is a plan view of another configuration for the
`lateral textile element.
`FIG. 9B is a plan view of yet another configuration for the
`lateral textile element.
`FIG. lOA is a perspective view of a textile element of a
`second upper in accordance with the invention.
`FIG. 10B is a top plan view of the textile element of the
`second upper.
`FIG. l0C is a side elevational view of the textile element of
`the second upper.
`FIG. llA is a perspective view of an article of footwear
`having a third upper in accordance with the invention.
`FIG. 11B is a side elevational view of the third upper in
`combination with a foot.
`FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an article of footwear 65
`having another upper configuration in accordance with this
`invention.
`
`55 General Footwear Structure
`An article of footwear 10 is depicted in FIGS. l-4C as
`including a sole structure 20 and an upper 30. For reference
`purposes, footwear 10 may be divided into three general
`regions: a forefoot region 11, a midfoot region 12, and a heel
`60 region 13, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Footwear 10 also
`includes a lateral side 14 and a medial side 15. Forefoot region
`11 generally includes portions of footwear 10 corresponding
`with the toes and the joints connecting the metatarsals with
`the phalanges. Midfoot region 12 generally includes portions
`of footwear 10 corresponding with the arch area of the foot,
`and heel region 13 corresponds with rear portions of the foot,
`including the calcaneus bone. Lateral side 14 and medial side
`
`Skechers EX1029-p.21
`Skechers v Nike
`
`

`

`US 7,774,956 B2
`
`5
`15 extend through each of regions 11-13 and correspond with
`opposite sides of footwear 10. Regions 11-13 and sides 14-15
`are not intended to demarcate precise areas of footwear 10.
`Rather, regions 11-13 and sides 14-15 are intended to repre(cid:173)
`sent general areas of footwear 10 to aid in the following 5
`discussion. In addition to footwear 10, regions 11-13 and
`sides 14-15 may also be applied to sole structure 20, upper 30,
`and individual elements thereof.
`Sole structure 20 is secured to upper 30 and extends
`between the foot and the ground when footwear 10 is worn. In
`addition to providing traction, sole structure 20 may attenuate
`ground reaction forces when compressed between the foot
`and the ground during walking, running, or other ambulatory
`activities. As depicted in the figures, one suitable configura(cid:173)
`tion for sole structure 20 includes a midsole 21, an outsole 22, 15
`and an insole 23. Midsole 21 is secured to a lower surface of
`upper 30 and is primarily formed from a polymer foam ele(cid:173)
`ment ( e.g., a polyurethane or ethylvinylacetate foam, phylon,
`phylite, etc.) that imparts the ground reaction force attenua(cid:173)
`tion properties to sole structure 20. Midsole 21 may incorpo- 20
`rate a fluid-filled bladder that supplements the ground reac(cid:173)
`tion force attenuation properties. Outsole 22 is secured to a
`lower surface of midsole 21 and may be formed from textured
`rubber or other materials that impart a relatively high degree
`of wear resistance and/or traction properties. Insole 23 is 25
`located within upper 30 and is positioned to extend under a
`lower surface of the foot. Although this configuration for sole
`structure 20 provides a suitable example for a sole structure
`that may be used in connection with upper 30, a variety of
`other conventional or nonconventional configurations for 30
`sole structure 20 may also be utilized without departing from
`this invention.
`Upper 30 defines a void within footwear 10 for receiving
`and securing the foot relative to sole structure 20. More par(cid:173)
`ticularly, the void is shaped to accommodate a foot and 35
`extends along the lateral side of the foot, along the medial side
`of the foot, over the foot, and under the foot. Access to the
`void is provided by an ankle opening 31 located in at least heel
`region 13. A lace 32 extends through various lace elements 33
`and permits the wearer to modify dimensions of upper 30, 40
`thereby accommodating feet with varying proportions. Lace
`32 also permits the wearer to loosen upper 30 and facilitate
`removal of the foot from the void. Lace elements 33 in this
`example footwear structure 10 are formed from a flexible
`material, and each has a pair of loops 35 formed on opposite
`ends of a central section 36, with loops 35 having a configu(cid:173)
`ration that receives lace 32. In addition, upper 30 includes a
`heel counter 34 that extends around heel region 13 and limits
`movement of the heel. A wide variety of other lace engaging
`elements and/or other footwear securing systems may be 50
`provided, if desired.
`
`Textile Elements
`The void in this example footwear structure 10 is primarily
`defined by a lateral textile element 40, a medial textile ele(cid:173)
`ment 50, and a central textile element 60. Lateral textile
`element 40 forms portions of upper 30 corresponding with
`lateral side 14. Medial textile element 50 forms portions of
`upper 30 corresponding with medial side 15. In addition,
`central textile element 60 forms portions of upper 30 extend(cid:173)
`ing under the foot, over forward portions of the foot, and
`around the heel of the foot. Textile elements 40, 50, and 60
`extend around the foot and are the primary elements of foot(cid:173)
`wear 10 that make contact with the foot or a sock worn over
`the foot. In general, and as described in greater detail below,
`upper 30 is substantially assembled by joining edges of textile
`elements 40, 50, and 60 to impart a general shape of the void.
`
`6
`In addition, assembling upper 30 in this example structure 10
`involves incorporating lace 32, lace elements 33, and heel
`counter 34 into footwear 10.
`Textile elements 40, 50, and 60 are depicted as forming
`portions of both an exterior surface and an opposite interior
`surface of footwear 10. In further configurations, textile ele(cid:173)
`ments 40, 50, and 60 may form only the exterior surface or
`only the interior surface ( e.g., as an interior liner or bootie for
`the footwear structure). Textile elements 40, 50, and 60 may
`10 also be located between other footwear elements so as to form
`non-visible or non-exposed portions of footwear 10. In addi(cid:173)
`tion, textile elements 40, 50, and 60 are depicted as extending
`through each ofregions 11-13, but they may be limited to a
`smaller portion of footwear 10.
`Lateral textile element 40 is depicted individually in FIG. 5
`and is formed of unitary (i.e., one-piece) construction through
`a flat knitting process. That is, a flat knitting process is utilized
`to mechanically manipulate one or more yarns in a manner
`that forms an upper edge 41, a lower edge 42, a rear edge 43,
`and four channels 44 in lateral textile element 40. As depicted
`in the cross-section of FIG. 4B, channels 44 are formed from
`two at least partially coextensive layers of the material form(cid:173)
`ing lateral textile element 40, and the two layers are formed of
`unitary (i.e., one piece) construction through the flat knitting
`process. When viewed from the side of footwear 10, as in FIG.
`1, channels 44 are oriented in a substantially vertical direction
`or are angled with respect to a vertical direction.
`Medial textile element 50 is depicted individually in FIG. 6
`and is similar in shape and configuration to lateral textile
`element 40. Accordingly, medial textile element 50 is formed
`of unitary (i.e., one-piece) construction through a flat knitting
`process. That is, a flat knitting process is utilized to mechani(cid:173)
`cally manipulate one or more yarns in a marmer that forms an
`upper edge 51, a lower edge 52, a rear edge 53, and four
`channels 54 in medial textile element 50. As depicted in the
`cross-section of FIG. 4B, channels 54 are formed from two at
`least partially coextensive layers of the material forming
`medial textile element 50, and the two layers are formed of
`unitary (i.e., one piece) construction through the flat knitting
`process. When viewed from the side of footwear 10, as in FIG.
`2, channels 54 are oriented in a substantially vertical direction
`or are angled with respect to the vertical direction. Charmels
`54 are, therefore, similar in configuration and orientation to
`45 channels 44 oflateral textile element 40.
`Central textile element 60 is depicted individually in FIG.
`7 and includes a forward portion 61, a center portion 62, and
`a rearward portion 63 formed of unitary (i.e., one piece)
`construction. Forward portion 61 is primarily located in a
`throat area of footwear 10 (i.e., under lace 32) and has an
`elongate configuration defined by a lateral edge 64a and a
`medial edge 64b. As depicted in FIG. 3, and as described in
`greater detail below, at least a portion of lateral edge 64a is
`joined to lateral textile element 40 and at least a portion of
`55 medial edge 64b is joined to medial textile element 50. Center
`portion 62 is primarily located adjacent sole structure 20 (i.e.,
`in an area extending under the foot) to form a lower portion of
`the void within upper 30. Center portion 62 has a shape that
`approximates a shape of the foot and is defined by a lateral
`60 edge 65a and a medial edge 65b. As described in greater detail
`below, lateral edge 65a is joined to lateral textile element 40
`and medial edge 65b is joined to medial textile element 50.
`Rearward portion 63 is primarily located in heel region 13 and
`has a generally Y-shaped configuration defined by a lateral
`65 edge 66a, a medial edge 66b, and an ankle edge 66c. As
`described in greater detail below, lateral edge 66a is joined to
`lateral textile element 40, medial edge 66b is joined to medial
`
`Skechers EX1029-p.22
`Skechers v Nike
`
`

`

`7
`textile element 50, and ankle edge 66c forms a portion of an
`upper edge of ankle opening 31.
`
`US 7,774,956 B2
`
`8
`unraveling. Also this feature reduces waste and saves time
`and money in the manufacturing process.
`The yarn forming textile elements 40, 50, and 60 may
`include cotton and wool fibers, natural filaments such as silk,
`5 and synthetic filaments that include rayon, nylon, polyester,
`and acrylic. Other materials also may be used without depart(cid:173)
`ing from this invention. The yarn may be a mono filament yam
`or a plurality of individual filaments. The yam may also be
`formed of separate filaments formed of different materials, or
`10 the yarn may be formed of filaments that are each formed of
`two or more different materials. Similar concepts also apply
`to yams formed from fibers. In order to provide the stretch and
`recovery properties to upper 30, and particularly textile ele(cid:173)
`ments 40, 50, and 60, a yam that incorporates an elastane fiber
`15 may be utilized. Elastane fibers are available from E.I. duPont
`de Nemours Company under the LYCRA® trademark. Such
`fibers may have the configuration of covered LYCRA®,
`wherein the fiber includes a LYCRA® core that is surrounded
`by a nylon sheath. One suitable yarn, for example, includes a
`70 denier elastane core that is covered with nylon having a 2
`ply, 80 denier, 92 filament structure. Other fibers or filaments
`exhibiting elastic properties may also be utilized.
`The characteristics of the yarn selected for textile elements
`40, 50, and 60 depend primarily upon the materials that form
`the various filaments and fibers. Cotton, for example, pro(cid:173)
`vides a soft hand, natural aesthetics, and biodegradability.
`Elastane fibers, as discussed above, provide substantial
`stretch and recoverability. Rayon provides drape and mois-
`ture absorption. Wool also provides high moisture absorption,
`in addition to insulating properties. Polytetrafluoroethylene
`coatings may provide a low friction contact between the tex(cid:173)
`tile and the skin. Nylon is a durable and abrasion-resistant
`material with high strength, and polyester is a hydrophobic
`material that dries quickly and also provides relatively high
`35 durability. The flat filaments of nylon/polyester may provide
`luster whereas textured filaments may provide bulk and a
`matte luster. Accordingly, the materials comprising the yarn
`may be selected to impart a variety of physical properties to
`textile elements 40, 50, and 60, and the physical properties
`40 may include, for example, strength, stretch, support, stiffne