Article with multiple layers and method of manufacture

Abstract

One general aspect of the present disclosure includes an article having a first zone, the first including a first region of a knitted base layer and a knitted second layer, where the second layer is disposed primarily on one side of the base layer. The article may further include a second zone that may include a second region of the base layer, where the second region of the base layer and the first region of the base layer have a common yarn, and where the second region of the base layer and the second layer have a common yarn. The first zone may have a first degree of elasticity such that it has a first elongation when subjected to a tensile load, and the second zone may have a second degree of elasticity such that it has a second elongation when subjected to the tensile load.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An article, the article comprising:
 a first zone, the first zone including a first region of a knitted base layer and a knitted second layer, wherein the second layer is disposed primarily on one side of the base layer; and   a second zone including a second region of the base layer, wherein the second region of the base layer and the first region of the base layer have a common yarn, and wherein the second region of the base layer and the second layer have a common yarn,   wherein the first zone has a first degree of elasticity such that it has a first elongation when subjected to a tensile load, and   wherein the second zone has a second degree of elasticity such that it has a second elongation when subjected to the tensile load, the first elongation being at least 5% greater than the second elongation.   
     
     
         2 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the first elongation is at least 20% greater than the second elongation. 
     
     
         3 . The article of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first region of the base layer is at least partially formed with a first yarn and the second layer is at least partially formed with a second yarn, the first yarn having a characteristic different than that characteristic of the second yarn,   wherein the first yarn is the common yarn of the first and second region of the base layer, and   wherein the second yarn is the common yarn of the second layer and the second region of the base layer.   
     
     
         4 . The article of  claim 3 , wherein the first yarn is primarily disposed on a first side of the base layer in the second zone, and wherein the second yarn is primarily disposed on an opposite second side of the base layer in the second zone. 
     
     
         5 . The article of  claim 1 , further comprising a third zone including a third portion of the base layer, wherein the second layer terminates adjacent to the third portion of the base layer, and wherein the third zone includes a third elongation when subjected to the tensile load, the third elongation being at least 5% greater than both the first elongation and the second elongation. 
     
     
         6 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the second layer includes a first region in a first portion of the first zone and a second region in a second portion of the first zone, wherein the first region has at least one property being different than the second region. 
     
     
         7 . The article of  claim 6 , wherein the first region of the first zone has an elongation being at least 5% greater than an elongation of the second region of the first zone when subjected to a tensile load. 
     
     
         8 . The article of  claim 6 , wherein the first and second regions of the second layer are each disposed primarily on the same side of the base layer. 
     
     
         9 . The article of  claim 6 , wherein the first and second regions of the second layer are spaced apart on the base layer. 
     
     
         10 . The article of  claim 6 , wherein the first region of the second layer includes a first structure and a second structure each forming their own respective cells, and wherein the cells of the first structure are offset with respect to the cells of the second structure. 
     
     
         11 . The article of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one property of the first region includes a first cell size, and wherein the at least one property of the second region of the second layer includes a second cell size, and wherein at least one dimension of the first cell size is larger than the same at least one dimension of the second cell size. 
     
     
         12 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the article is an upper for an article of footwear, and wherein the second layer extends from a biteline of the upper to a throat area of the upper. 
     
     
         13 . An article comprising:
 a first zone, the first zone including a knitted base layer and a first region of a knitted second layer disposed primarily on one side of the base layer; and   a second zone, the second zone including the base layer and a second region of the second layer disposed primarily on one side of the base layer,   wherein the first zone has a first degree of elasticity such that it has a first elongation when subjected to a tensile load, and   wherein the second zone has a second degree of elasticity such that it has a second elongation when subjected to the tensile load, the first elongation being at least 5% greater than the second elongation.   
     
     
         14 . The article of  claim 13 , wherein the first and second regions of the second layer are each disposed primarily on the same side of the base layer. 
     
     
         15 . The article of  claim 13 , further comprising a third zone, wherein the base layer is isolated with respect to the second layer in the third zone. 
     
     
         16 . The article of  claim 15 , wherein the third zone has a third degree of elasticity such that it has a third elongation when subjected to the tensile load, the third elongation being at least 20% greater than the second elongation. 
     
     
         17 . The article of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one property of the first region includes a first cell size, and wherein the at least one property of the second region of the second layer includes a second cell size, and wherein at least one dimension of the first cell size is larger than the same at least one dimension of the second cell size. 
     
     
         18 . A method comprising:
 knitting a pass of a base layer with a first yarn on a knitting machine, the knitting machine having a first needle bed and a second needle bed, wherein the base layer is at least partially formed on the second needle bed;   knitting at least one pass of a second layer with a second yarn at least partially on the first needle bed of the knitting machine; and   transferring the second yarn from the first needle bed to the second needle bed.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 ,
 wherein during the step of knitting a pass of the base layer, the first yarn is knitted on at least two consecutive needles of the second needle bed, and   wherein during the step of knitting a pass of the second layer, the second yarn is knitted on a needle of the first needle bed and on a needle of the second needle bed.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising knitting at least two passes of the base layer on the second needle bed after the step of knitting the pass of the second layer and before the step of transferring the second yarn from the first needle bed to the second needle bed.