Article of Footwear Incorporating Composite Element With a Polymer Connecting Layer

Abstract

An article of footwear incorporates a composite element that includes a base or textile layer, a thermoplastic polymer material, a thread, and a cover layer. The base layer has a first surface and an opposite second surface. The polymer material is separate from the base layer, extends into the base layer, and is at least partially located at the first surface. The thread has a section lying adjacent to the first surface layer and substantially parallel to the first surface throughout a distance of at least five centimeters, and the thread is bonded to the base layer with the polymer material. The cover layer is located adjacent to the first surface and bonded to the base layer with the polymer material, and the section of the thread is located between the cover layer and the base layer.

1 . An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, at least a portion of the upper incorporating a composite element, the composite element comprising:
 a textile layer with a first surface and an opposite second surface;   a thermoplastic polymer material separate from the textile layer, the thermoplastic polymer material extending into and infiltrating the textile layer, at least a portion of the thermoplastic polymer material extending through the textile layer to be located at both the first surface and the second surface;   a thread having a section laying adjacent to the first surface of the textile layer and substantially parallel to the first surface of the textile layer throughout a distance of at least five centimeters; and   a cover layer located adjacent to the first surface of the textile layer and secured to the textile layer with the thermoplastic polymer material, the section of the thread being located between the cover layer and the textile layer.   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 1 , wherein the thread is secured to the textile layer with the thermoplastic polymer material. 
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 1 , wherein the thread extends from a first area of the upper to a second area of the upper, the first area including a lace aperture for receiving a lace, and the upper being secured to the sole structure in the second area. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 1 , wherein the thread extends from a first area of the upper to a second area of the upper, the first area being a forefoot region of the upper, and the second area being a heel region of the upper. 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 1 , wherein the section of the thread is located between portions of the thread that extend through the textile layer. 
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 1 , wherein an end of the section of the thread is located at an edge of the textile layer. 
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 1 , wherein the thread includes a plurality of additional sections that lay adjacent to the first surface of the textile layer and are substantially parallel to the first surface of the textile layer throughout the distance of at least five centimeters. 
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 7 , wherein the additional sections are oriented to be substantially parallel to each other. 
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 7 , wherein the additional sections are oriented to cross each other. 
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the thermoplastic polymer material being located at the first surface of the textile layer is approximately equal to a portion of the thermoplastic polymer material being located at the second surface. 
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer material infiltrates the first surface of the textile layer and passes through the textile layer to be located at the second surface of the textile layer. 
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer material comprises at least two sheets of thermoplastic polymer material. 
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 12 , wherein the at least two sheets of thermoplastic polymer material are located adjacent to the first surface and the opposite second surface of the textile layer. 
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 1 , the composite element further comprising a backing layer; and
 wherein the backing layer is located adjacent to the second surface of the textile layer and secured to the textile layer with the thermoplastic polymer material.   
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 14 , wherein the backing layer forms at least a portion of an interior surface of the upper of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         16 . An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, at least a portion of the upper incorporating a composite element, the composite element comprising:
 a textile layer with a first surface and an opposite second surface, the textile layer defining a lace aperture;   a thermoplastic polymer material separate from the textile layer, the thermoplastic polymer material infiltrating the first surface of the textile layer and passing through the textile layer such that at least a first portion of the thermoplastic polymer material is located at the first surface of the textile layer and at least a second portion of the thermoplastic polymer material is located at the second surface of the textile layer;   a plurality of thread sections laying adjacent to the first surface of the textile layer and substantially parallel to the first surface of the textile layer throughout a distance of at least five centimeters, the thread sections extending from an area proximal to the lace aperture to an area where the sole structure is secured to the upper;   a cover layer forming at least a portion of an exterior surface of the article of footwear, the cover layer being located adjacent to the first surface of the textile layer and secured to the textile layer with the first portion of the thermoplastic polymer material, and the thread sections being located between the cover layer and the textile layer; and   a backing layer forming at least a portion of an interior surface of the article of footwear, the backing layer being located adjacent to the second surface of the textile layer and secured to the textile layer with the second portion of the thermoplastic polymer material.   
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 16 , wherein the thread sections are secured to the textile layer with the thermoplastic polymer material. 
     
     
         18 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 16 , wherein the first portion of the thermoplastic polymer material being located at the first surface of the textile layer is approximately equal to the second portion of the thermoplastic polymer material being located at the second surface. 
     
     
         19 . The article of footwear recited in  claim 16 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer material comprises at least two sheets of thermoplastic polymer material.