Shoe upper

Abstract

A knit shoe, shoe upper for a shoe, and a flat-knitted element for a shoe upper, in particular a sports shoe, is provided having a first portion and a second portion that are jointly manufactured as a knitted fabric. A knit shoe may include a three-dimensional upper comprising a one-piece flat-knitted element having a contour defining a collar of the upper and a base area knitted in one piece with the collar. Knit finished edges of the flat-knitted element may be joined such that a three-dimensional upper is formed having a seam on a medial or lateral side of the upper. The base area may include edges that may be coupled to provide a three-dimensional shape to the flat-knitted element. In some embodiments, the flat-knitted element forms an upper that is combined with a sole to form a knitted shoe.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A knitted shoe, comprising:
 a three-dimensional upper comprising a one-piece flat-knitted element comprising:
 an area of the flat-knitted element having a contour defining a collar of the upper; 
 a base area knitted in one piece with the collar, comprising:
 a first edge of the flat-knitted element comprising a first line; 
 a second edge of the flat-knitted element comprising a second line; and 
 a seam coupling the first line of the flat-knitted element to the second line of the flat-knitted element such that the flat-knitted element forms the three-dimensional shoe upper and wherein the seam is positioned on a medial or lateral side of the upper; and 
 
   a sole.   
     
     
         22 . The knitted shoe of  claim 21  wherein the contour of the collar forms a finished edge of the knitted shoe. 
     
     
         23 . The knitted shoe of  claim 21  wherein the contour of the collar is rounded. 
     
     
         24 . The knitted shoe of  claim 21  wherein at least a portion of the base area seam is positioned in at least one of a midfoot section and a forefoot section of the shoe. 
     
     
         25 . The knitted shoe of  claim 21  wherein the collar comprises:
 a first layer; and 
 a second layer connected to the first layer using knit stitches at the contour of the collar. 
 
     
     
         26 . The knitted shoe of  claim 25  wherein the at least one of the first layer or the second layer of the collar comprises one or more gores. 
     
     
         27 . The knitted shoe of  claim 25  wherein the first layer comprises an outer layer of the knitted shoe and the second layer comprises an inner layer of the shoe. 
     
     
         28 . The knitted shoe of  claim 25  further comprising a pocket defined by the first and second layers connected at the contour of the collar and having an open end in at least one layer. 
     
     
         29 . The knitted shoe of  claim 28  further comprising a cushioning material positioned within the pocket. 
     
     
         30 . The knitted shoe of  claim 21  wherein at least one of the first knit stitch or last knit stitch is positioned proximate the sole. 
     
     
         31 . The knitted shoe of  claim 21  further comprising at least one reinforced area comprising at least one of:
 a greater density of stitches than a surrounding knit material; 
 a multi-layered area; 
 a fuse yarn; and 
 a polymer coating. 
 
     
     
         32 . The shoe upper of  claim 31  wherein the at least one reinforced area has a three-dimensional shape. 
     
     
         33 . The knitted shoe of  claim 21  further comprising a multilayer knit portion comprising apertures in the base area of the flat-knitted element and wherein the portion further comprises a synthetic monofilament. 
     
     
         34 . A shoe upper, comprising:
 a flat-knitted element comprising:
 a contour defining a collar of the upper; 
 a base area knitted in one piece with the collar, comprising:
 a first edge of the flat-knitted element comprising a first line; 
 a second edge of the flat-knitted element comprising a second line; and 
 a seam positioned at least in part on a midfoot section of a lateral or a medial side of the upper of the upper coupling the first line to the second line such that the upper is three-dimensional. 
 
   
     
     
         35 . The shoe upper of  claim 34  wherein the collar further comprises:
 a first layer having one or more gores; 
 a second layer having one or more gores connected to the first layer using knit stitches at the contour; and 
 a pocket defined by the first and second layers with an open end opposite the contour in at least one layer. 
 
     
     
         36 . The knitted shoe of  claim 35  wherein the first layer comprises an outer layer of the knitted shoe and the second layer comprises an inner layer of the shoe and wherein the first and second layers are connected at the contour of the collar and at least one of the inner or outer layer has an open end. 
     
     
         37 . The shoe upper of  claim 34  further comprising at least one reinforced area that comprises at least one of:
 a greater density of stitches than a surrounding knit material; 
 a multi-layered area; 
 a fuse yarn; and 
 a polymer coating. 
 
     
     
         38 . The shoe upper of  claim 37  wherein the at least one reinforced area has a three-dimensional shape. 
     
     
         39 . A one-piece flat-knitted element comprising:
 a collar area of the flat-knitted element having one or more contours comprising:
 a first knit layer having one or more gores; and 
 a second knit layer having one or more gores connected to the first layer using knit stitches at the rounded contour; and 
   a base area knitted in one piece with the collar area comprising:
 one or more edge contours formed at edges of the flat-knitted element comprising:
 a first edge of the flat-knitted element comprising a first line; 
 a second edge of the flat-knitted element comprising a second line; and 
 
 a seam positioned within the base area and coupling the first line of the flat-knitted element to the second line of the flat-knitted element such that the flat-knitted element forms a three-dimensional flat-knitted element; and 
 wherein at least one of the one or more contours or the one or more edge contours form a finished edge of the flat-knitted element. 
   
     
     
         40 . The flat-knitted element of  claim 39  wherein the collar further comprises a pocket defined by the first knit layer and the second knit layer wherein the knit layers of the pocket are not enmeshed and are connected at the at least one of the one or more contours of the collar.