Articles of footwear comprising a wound component and methods of making the same

Abstract

Articles of footwear and methods of making articles of footwear including one or more continuous threads wound around anchor points. In some embodiments, thread lines of continuous thread(s) may extend tangential to an opening on a thread pattern or an upper. In some embodiments, thread lines of continuous thread(s) may define a portion of an upper and extend through a sole for an article of footwear. In some embodiments, thread patterns defined by the continuous thread(s) may be bonded to each other around a sheet to form an upper material for an upper.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An upper for an article of footwear, the upper comprising:
 an opening comprising a perimeter edge;   a plurality of anchor points disposed around the perimeter edge; and   a continuous thread wound around the plurality of anchor points, the continuous thread comprising a plurality of thread lines with each thread line extending between two respective anchor points and extending tangential to the perimeter edge of the opening.   
     
     
         2 . The upper of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of thread lines extending tangential to the perimeter edge of the opening are not wound around an anchor point located at the perimeter edge of the opening. 
     
     
         3 . The upper of  claim 1 , wherein the opening defines at least a portion of a collar for an article of footwear. 
     
     
         4 . The upper of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of thread lines comprise one or more thread lines located on the medial side of the perimeter edge and one or more thread lines located on the lateral side of the perimeter edge. 
     
     
         5 . The upper of  claim 1 , wherein the perimeter edge of the opening is surrounded by a plurality of the plurality of thread lines. 
     
     
         6 . The upper of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of thread lines comprise:
 a first thread line, and   a second thread line,   wherein the first thread line and the second thread line overlap each other at an overlap point, and   wherein the first thread line is disposed at an angle relative to the second thread line.   
     
     
         7 . The upper of  claim 6 , wherein an angle of intersection at the overlap point of the first thread line and the second thread line is greater than 90°. 
     
     
         8 . The upper of  claim 6 , wherein an angle of intersection at the overlap point of the first thread line and the second thread line is greater than 120°. 
     
     
         9 . The upper of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of anchor points comprise a forefoot anchor point and a rearfoot anchor point, and
 wherein one of the plurality of thread lines extends from the forefoot anchor point to the rearfoot anchor point.   
     
     
         10 . The upper of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of anchor points comprise a medial side anchor point and a lateral side anchor point, and
 wherein one of the plurality of thread lines extends from the medial side anchor point to the lateral side anchor point.   
     
     
         11 . The upper of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of thread lines comprise 10 or more thread lines. 
     
     
         12 . The upper of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of thread lines comprise 20 or more thread lines. 
     
     
         13 . The upper of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of anchor points comprise:
 a first rearfoot anchor point,   a second rearfoot anchor point adjacent to the first rearfoot anchor point,   a first forefoot anchor point, and   a second forefoot anchor point, and   wherein the plurality of thread lines comprise:   a first thread line extending from the first rearfoot anchor point to the first forefoot anchor point, and   a second thread line extending from the second rearfoot anchor point to the second forefoot anchor point.   
     
     
         14 . The upper of  claim 13 , wherein the first thread line and the second thread line overlap each other at an overlap point. 
     
     
         15 . The upper of  claim 14 , wherein the first thread line and the second thread line are directly bonded to each other at the overlap point. 
     
     
         16 . The upper of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of anchor points further comprise:
 a third rearfoot anchor point adjacent to the second rearfoot anchor point, and   a third forefoot anchor point, and   wherein the plurality of thread lines further comprise a third thread line extending from the third rearfoot anchor point to the third forefoot anchor point.   
     
     
         17 . The upper of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of anchor points comprise a first rearfoot anchor point and five adjacent forefoot anchor points,
 wherein one of the plurality of thread lines extends from the rearfoot anchor point to a first one of the five adjacent forefoot anchor points, and
 wherein the continuous thread further comprises a plurality of non-opening-tangential thread lines that are not tangential to the perimeter edge of the opening, the non-opening-tangential thread lines comprising: 
 a first non-opening-tangential thread line extending from the rearfoot anchor point to a second one of the five adjacent forefoot anchor points, 
 a second non-opening-tangential thread line extending from the rearfoot anchor point to a third one of the five adjacent forefoot anchor points, 
 a third non-opening-tangential thread line extending from the rearfoot anchor point to a fourth one of the five adjacent forefoot anchor points, and 
 a fourth non-opening-tangential thread line extending from the rearfoot anchor point to a fifth one of the five adjacent forefoot anchor points. 
   
     
     
         18 . The upper of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of anchor points comprise a second rearfoot anchor point adjacent to the first rearfoot anchor point, and wherein the continuous thread comprises a non-opening-tangential thread line extending from the second rearfoot anchor point to one of the five adjacent forefoot anchor points. 
     
     
         19 . An upper for an article of footwear, the upper comprising:
 an opening comprising a perimeter edge; and   a thread pattern defining at least a portion of the perimeter edge of the opening, the thread pattern comprising a first thread line extending tangential to the perimeter edge of the opening and a second thread line extending tangential to the perimeter edge of the opening,   wherein the first thread line and the second thread line overlap each other at an overlap point, and   wherein the first thread line and the second thread line are directly bonded to each other at the overlap point.   
     
     
         20 . The upper of  claim 19 , wherein the first thread line and the second thread line are directly bonded to each other via a polymeric material of at least one of: the first thread line or the second thread line.