Upper for a shoe with knitted functional elements

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an upper for a shoe, the upper comprising: an inner layer, arranged in proximity of a foot of a wearer, when the shoe is worn; an outer layer, arranged outside with respect to the inner layer, when the shoe is worn; wherein the inner layer comprises a knitted portion, comprising one or more knitted functional elements, wherein the outer layer at least partially covers the one or more knitted functional elements.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An upper for a shoe, the upper comprising:
 an inner layer, arranged in proximity of a foot of a wearer when the shoe is worn;   an outer layer, arranged outside with respect to the inner layer when the shoe is worn;   wherein the inner layer comprises a knitted portion, comprising one or more knitted functional elements, and   wherein the outer layer at least partially covers the one or more knitted functional elements.   
     
     
         2 . The upper according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more functional elements define one or more protrusions. 
     
     
         3 . The upper according to  claim 2 , wherein the one or more protrusions extend from the inner layer by at least 0.2 mm, and/or by at most 8 mm. 
     
     
         4 . The upper according to  claim 3 , wherein the one or more protrusions comprise a shape of at least one of a rib, a ridge, a lamella, or a fin. 
     
     
         5 . The upper according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more functional elements are arranged on a side of the inner layer facing away from a foot of a wearer, when the shoe is worn, such that the one or more functional elements are substantially sandwiched between the inner layer and the outer layer. 
     
     
         6 . The upper according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more functional elements are arranged on a side of the inner layer facing a foot of a wearer when the shoe is worn. 
     
     
         7 . The upper according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more functional elements define a shape of a fan on at least one of a lateral side region or a medial side region of the upper. 
     
     
         8 . The upper according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more functional elements is arranged at an angle with respect to a neighboring functional element. 
     
     
         9 . The upper according to  claim 1 , wherein the knitted portion is located at a midfoot region of the upper spanning from an instep region to a sole region of the upper. 
     
     
         10 . The upper according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more functional elements has an elongate axis directed substantially from an instep region towards a medial side region and/or lateral side region of the upper. 
     
     
         11 . The upper according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more functional elements are spaced apart from one another by at least 1 mm, and/or by at most 50 mm. 
     
     
         12 . The upper according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more functional elements are configured to allow the upper to be stretched in a first direction. 
     
     
         13 . The upper according to  claim 12 , wherein the one or more functional elements are configured to allow the upper to be stretched in the first direction up to a threshold, beyond which the one or more functional elements are configured to counteract further stretching of the stretched upper in the first direction. 
     
     
         14 . The upper according to  claim 13 , wherein the one or more functional elements are configured to allow the upper to be stretched in a second direction different than the first direction by an amount less than stretching in the first direction up to the threshold,
 wherein the one or more functional elements are configured to counteract stretching of the upper in the second direction.   
     
     
         15 . The upper according to  claim 14 , wherein the first direction is substantially parallel to the direction of a course of the knitted portion, and
 wherein the second direction is substantially parallel to the direction of a wale of the knitted portion.   
     
     
         16 . The upper according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more functional elements extend over an overall length of a course of the knitted portion, and
 wherein the course is arranged so as to pass through an instep region and a medial side region and/or lateral side region in proximity of a sole region of the upper.   
     
     
         17 . The upper according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more functional elements comprise one or more sections, each section extending over a length of a course of the knitted portion of at least 10%, and/or of at most 80% of an overall length of the course of the knitted portion, and
 wherein the course of the knitted portion is arranged so as to pass through an instep region and a medial side region and/or lateral side region in proximity of a sole region of the upper.   
     
     
         18 . The upper according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more functional elements are knitted integrally with the knitted portion. 
     
     
         19 . The upper according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more functional elements are formed by stitches that are different than the stitches of the remaining part of the knitted portion, and
 wherein the one or more functional elements are formed by tuck stitches.   
     
     
         20 . The upper according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more functional elements comprise one or more of an elastic yarn, a fusible yarn, a low-melt temperature fusible yarn, a polyester yarn, a puffy yarn, or a silicone yarn.