Article with at least two securable inlaid strands

Abstract

The present disclosure, in one aspect, provides an upper for an article of footwear. The upper may include a knitted component. The knitted component may include a knit element, a first tensile strand with an exposed first end, and a second tensile strand with an exposed second end. The first tensile strand may be at least partially inlaid within the knit element, the second tensile strand may be at least partially inlaid within the knit element, and the exposed first end of the first tensile element may be secured to the exposed second end of the second tensile element.

We claim: 
     
       1. An upper for an article of footwear, the upper comprising:
 a knitted component, the knitted component comprising: 
 a knit element, a first tensile strand with an exposed first end, a second tensile strand with an exposed second end, and a third tensile strand with an exposed third end, 
 wherein the first tensile strand is at least partially inlaid within the knit element, 
 wherein the second tensile strand is at least partially inlaid within the knit element, 
 wherein the third tensile strand is at least partially inlaid within the knit element, and 
 wherein the exposed first end of the first tensile strand is secured to the exposed second end of the second tensile strand and the exposed third end of the third tensile strand in a throat area of the upper. 
 
     
     
       2. The upper of  claim 1 , wherein the exposed first end of the first tensile strand is braided to the exposed second end of the second tensile strand. 
     
     
       3. The upper of  claim 1 , wherein the knitted component further comprises a fourth tensile strand with an exposed fourth end and a fifth tensile strand with an exposed fifth end, wherein the fourth end of the fourth end of the fourth tensile strand is secured to the fifth end of the fifth tensile strand. 
     
     
       4. The upper of  claim 3 , wherein the first end and the second end are secured adjacent to a first side of the throat area of the upper, and wherein the fourth end and the fifth end are secured adjacent to a second side of the throat area of the upper. 
     
     
       5. The upper of  claim 3 , wherein the first and second ends form a first braid, and wherein the fourth and fifth ends form a second braid. 
     
     
       6. The upper of  claim 5 , wherein the first braid and the second braid are configured to form a tie to secure the upper to a foot of a wearer. 
     
     
       7. The upper of  claim 1 , wherein the first tensile strand includes a portion that is arranged as a stretch limiter element that is configured to move between a first slack position and a taut position as the knit element moves between a neutral position and a stretched position. 
     
     
       8. The upper of  claim 7 , wherein the first tensile strand has a second slack position, and wherein the first tensile strand is adjustable between the first slack position and the second slack position. 
     
     
       9. An article, the article comprising:
 a knitted component, the knitted component comprising: 
 a knit element, a first tensile strand with a first end, and a second tensile strand with a second end, 
 wherein the first tensile strand is at least partially inlaid within the knit element, 
 wherein the second tensile strand is at least partially inlaid within the knit element, and 
 wherein the first end of the first tensile strand is braided to the second end of the second tensile strand. 
 
     
     
       10. The article of  claim 9 , wherein the first tensile strand includes a portion that is arranged as a stretch limiter element that is configured to move between a first slack position and a taut position as the knit element moves between a neutral position and a stretched position. 
     
     
       11. The article of  claim 10 , wherein the first tensile strand has a second slack position, and wherein the first tensile strand is adjustable between the first slack position and the second slack position. 
     
     
       12. The article of  claim 9 , further comprising a third tensile strand with a third end, wherein the third tensile strand is at least partially inlaid within the knit element, and wherein the third end of the third tensile strand is braided to at least one of the first and of the first tensile strand and the second end of the second tensile strand. 
     
     
       13. The article of  claim 9 , wherein the knitted component further comprises a third tensile strand with an exposed third end and a fourth tensile strand with an exposed fourth end, wherein the third end of the third end of the third tensile strand is secured to the fourth end of the fourth tensile strand. 
     
     
       14. The article of  claim 13 , wherein the first and second ends form a first braid, and wherein the third and fourth ends form a second braid. 
     
     
       15. The article of  claim 14 , wherein the first braid and the second braid are configured to form a tie. 
     
     
       16. The article of  claim 9 , wherein the article is an upper for an article of footwear. 
     
     
       17. An upper for an article of footwear, the upper comprising:
 a knitted component, the knitted component comprising: 
 a knit element, a first tensile strand with an exposed first end, and a second tensile strand with an exposed second end, 
 wherein the first tensile strand is at least partially inlaid within the knit element, 
 wherein the second tensile strand is at least partially inlaid within the knit element, 
 wherein the exposed first end of the first tensile strand are configured to form a tie in a throat area of the upper, and 
 wherein the first end of the first tensile strand at least partially forms a first braid, and wherein the second end of the second tensile strand at least partially forms a second braid. 
 
     
     
       18. The upper of  claim 17 , first comprising a third tensile strand and a fourth tensile strand with respective third and fourth exposed ends, wherein the third exposed end and the fourth exposed end are configured to form a second tie in the throat area. 
     
     
       19. The upper of  claim 17 , wherein the first tensile strand includes a portion that is arranged as a stretch limiter element that is configured to move between a first slack position and a taut position as the knit element moves between a neutral position and a stretched position.