Article Of Footwear Incorporating A Knitted Component With Interior Layer Features

Abstract

An article of footwear has an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper. The upper includes a knitted component and, in some configurations, a skin layer secured to the exterior surface of the knitted component. The knitted component may an asymmetric interior layer secured to the interior surface of the knitted component. The asymmetric interior layer has varying medial and lateral portions that provide for different amounts of feel and cushioning along the varying sides of the upper. The asymmetric interior layer includes a lining layer and a connecting layer that join to form the asymmetric interior layer. Other interior layer features are provided, including collar portions and a heel pad that extends along the heel region of the knitted component from a sockliner to an opening on an ankle cuff of the knitted component.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the upper extending through a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region, the upper comprising:
 a knitted component having an exterior surface extending away from the upper and an interior surface surrounding a void within the upper for receiving a foot of a wearer; and   an asymmetric interior layer attached to the interior surface of the knitted component, the asymmetric interior layer including: (1) a medial portion extending a first distance from the forefoot region to a portion of the midfoot region on a medial side of the upper, and (2) a lateral portion extending a second distance from the forefoot region to a portion of the midfoot region on a lateral side of the upper; and wherein the second distance is larger than the first distance.   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 1 , wherein the medial portion of the asymmetric interior layer is substantially continuous with the lateral portion of the asymmetric interior layer through the forefoot region of the upper. 
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 1 , wherein the lateral portion of the asymmetric interior layer further extends a third distance from the forefoot region to a portion of the heel region on the lateral side of the upper, wherein the third distance is larger than the first distance and the second distance. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 3 , wherein the lateral portion of the asymmetric interior layer extends to a collar of the knitted component on the lateral side of the upper. 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 1 , wherein the asymmetric interior layer further comprises at least one collar portion disposed adjacent to a collar of the knitted component. 
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 1 , wherein the asymmetric interior layer further comprises a lining layer and a connecting layer, the connecting layer being made of a thermoplastic polymer material and the lining layer being made of a textile material. 
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 6 , wherein the connecting layer includes an overlapping region, the overlapping region covering at least a portion of the lining layer along a perimeter of the lining layer; and
 wherein the thermoplastic polymer material at least partially infiltrates the lining layer along the overlapping region to join the connecting layer to the lining layer.   
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 1 , wherein the knitted component further comprises: (a) a foot part for covering at least a portion of the foot of the wearer, and (b) an ankle part for covering at least a portion of an ankle of the wearer, the foot part and the ankle part being formed of unitary knit construction; and
 wherein the upper further comprises a heel pad disposed in the heel region that is attached to the interior surface of the knitted component and extends from the foot part of the knitted component to the ankle part of the knitted component.   
     
     
         9 . An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the upper extending through a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region, the upper comprising:
 a knitted component having an exterior surface extending away from the upper and an interior surface surrounding a void within the upper for receiving a foot of a wearer; and   an asymmetric interior layer attached to the interior surface of the knitted component, the asymmetric interior layer comprising a lining layer and a connecting layer, the connecting layer being made of a thermoplastic polymer material and the lining layer being made of a textile material;   wherein the lining layer further comprises a medial portion extending from the forefoot region to a portion of the midfoot region on a medial side of the upper, and a lateral portion extending from the forefoot region to a portion of the midfoot region on a lateral side of the upper; and wherein the lateral portion is larger than the medial portion.   
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 9 , wherein the connecting layer includes an overlapping region, the overlapping region covering at least a portion of the lining layer along a perimeter of the lining layer; and
 wherein the thermoplastic polymer material at least partially infiltrates the lining layer along the overlapping region to join the connecting layer to the lining layer.   
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 9 , wherein the connecting layer further comprises:
 a throat portion that is centrally located within approximately the middle of the asymmetric interior layer; and   at least one extending portion, the extending portion extending from the throat portion to at least one of a medial side and a lateral side of the asymmetric interior layer.   
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 11 , wherein the at least one extending portion of the connecting layer outlines a perimeter of one of the medial portion and the lateral portion of the lining layer. 
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 11 , wherein the throat portion of the connecting layer includes a plurality of apertures, the plurality of apertures being configured to align with and correspond to lace-receiving elements disposed in the knitted component for receiving a lace. 
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 9 , wherein the lateral portion of the lining layer extends to a collar of the knitted component on the lateral side of the upper. 
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 9 , wherein the asymmetric interior layer further comprises at least one collar portion disposed adjacent to a collar of the knitted component. 
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 15 , wherein the at least one collar portion includes a collar portion of the connecting layer that surrounds a collar portion of the lining layer. 
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 9 , wherein the knitted component further comprises: (a) a foot part for covering at least a portion of the foot of the wearer, and (b) an ankle part for covering at least a portion of an ankle of the wearer, the foot part and the ankle part being formed of unitary knit construction; and
 wherein the upper further comprises a heel pad disposed in the heel region that is attached to the interior surface of the knitted component and extends from the foot part of the knitted component to the ankle part of the knitted component.   
     
     
         18 . An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the upper extending through a forefoot region, a midfoot region, and a heel region, the upper comprising a knitted component having an exterior surface extending away from the upper and an interior surface surrounding a void within the upper for receiving a foot of a wearer;
 the knitted component further comprising: (a) a foot part for covering at least a portion of the foot of the wearer, and (b) an ankle part for covering at least a portion of an ankle of the wearer, the foot part and the ankle part being formed of unitary knit construction; and   wherein the upper further comprises a heel pad disposed in the heel region that is attached to the interior surface of the knitted component and extends from the foot part of the knitted component to the ankle part of the knitted component.   
     
     
         19 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 18 , wherein the heel pad comprises a body portion disposed in the foot part of the knitted component and an ascending portion disposed in the ankle part of the knitted component; and
 wherein the body portion is wider than the ascending portion.   
     
     
         20 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 19 , wherein the body portion of the heel pad has a shape configured to correspond with the heel of the wearer; and
 wherein the ascending portion has a shape configured to correspond with an Achilles tendon of the foot of a wearer.   
     
     
         21 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 19 , wherein the body portion of the heel pad has a shape configured to correspond with and surround an ankle of the wearer. 
     
     
         22 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 18 , wherein a skin layer is secured to the knitted component, the skin layer forming a portion of an exterior surface of the upper; and
 wherein the skin layer is absent from an ankle part of the knitted component.   
     
     
         23 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 18 , wherein the ankle part has a continuous structure for extending entirely around the ankle of the wearer. 
     
     
         24 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 23 , wherein the heel pad extends from a top edge adjacent to an opening for receiving the foot of the wearer to a bottom edge adjacent to a sockliner disposed along a bottom of the upper. 
     
     
         25 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 18 , wherein the heel pad comprises at least two layers, including a padding layer and a covering layer, the padding layer being disposed along the interior surface of the knitted component and the covering layer being disposed along the padding layer and at least a portion of the interior surface of the knitted component extending beyond the padding layer. 
     
     
         26 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 25 , wherein the covering layer extends to a bottom edge of the heel pad that is adjacent to a bottom of the upper; and
 wherein the padding layer is disposed at a portion of the heel pad that is located spaced apart from the bottom edge by a first height above the bottom of the upper.   
     
     
         27 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 18 , further including an interior layer secured to the knitted component and forming a portion of an interior surface of the upper.