Shoe upper

Abstract

A shoe upper for a shoe, in particular a sports shoe, is provided having a first portion and a second portion that are jointly manufactured as a knitted fabric, wherein only one of the first portion and the second portion the knitted fabric is reinforced by a coating of a polymer material applied to the shoe upper.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shoe upper for a shoe comprising:
 a first portion and a second portion which are jointly manufactured as a knitted fabric;   wherein only one of the first portion and the second portion of the knitted fabric is reinforced by a coating of a polymer material applied to the shoe upper.   
     
     
         2 . The shoe upper according to  claim 1 , wherein the knitted fabric is weft-knitted. 
     
     
         3 . The shoe upper according to  claim 1 , wherein yarns of the knitted fabric are positioned by the coating of the polymer material applied to the shoe upper. 
     
     
         4 . The shoe upper according to  claim 1 , wherein the polymer material comprises fibers or pigments. 
     
     
         5 . The shoe upper according to  claim 1 , wherein the polymer material is applied to the inside of the shoe upper. 
     
     
         6 . The shoe upper according to  claim 1 , wherein the polymer material is applied in at least one layer with a thickness of about 0.2-1 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The shoe upper according to  claim 1 , wherein the polymer material is applied in several layers. 
     
     
         8 . The shoe upper according to  claim 7 , wherein at least two layers have different thicknesses. 
     
     
         9 . The shoe upper according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first portion and the second portion of the knitted fabric comprises a first textile layer and a second textile layer, wherein the first textile layer comprises a yarn, and wherein the second textile layer comprises a monofilament. 
     
     
         10 . The shoe upper according to  claim 9 , wherein the knitted fabric further comprises a fuse yarn comprising a thermoplastic material. 
     
     
         11 . The shoe upper according to  claim 10 , wherein the fuse yarn is arranged between the first textile layer and the second textile layer. 
     
     
         12 . The shoe upper according to  claim 1 , wherein the polymer material comprises a non-woven polymer material. 
     
     
         13 . A method of manufacture of a shoe upper for a shoe, in particular a sports shoe, wherein the shoe upper comprises a first portion and a second portion which are jointly manufactured as a knitted fabric, comprising the step of:
 applying a polymer material as a coating in only one of the first portion and the second portion of the shoe upper.   
     
     
         14 . The method of manufacture of a shoe upper according to  claim 13 , wherein the polymer material is applied by dipping the knitted fabric at least in part into a polymer solution. 
     
     
         15 . The method of manufacture of a shoe upper according to  claim 13 , wherein the polymer material comprises a non-woven polymer material, and wherein the step of applying involves heat pressing the non-woven polymer material onto the knitted fabric. 
     
     
         16 . The method of manufacture of a shoe upper according to  claim 13 , wherein the knitted fabric comprises a first textile layer and a second textile layer, wherein the first textile layer comprises a yarn and wherein the second textile layer comprises a monofilament, further comprising the steps of:
 applying the polymer material to the second textile layer; and   pressing the shoe upper under pressure and temperature, wherein the polymer material melts and then penetrates the second textile layer and substantially coats portions of the first textile layer.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the polymer material is applied to the inside of the shoe upper.