Article of footwear incorporating a knitted component with a tongue

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an upper for an article of footwear. The upper may include a knit element defining a portion of at least one of an exterior surface of the upper and an opposite interior surface of the upper. An inlaid strand may extend through the knit element, and a tongue and the knit element may have a common yarn at least at a forward portion of the tongue, and the tongue may extend through a throat area of the upper.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An article of footwear, comprising:
 an upper, comprising:
 a knit element forming at least part of:
 a forefoot region of the upper; and 
 a tongue comprising a multi-layer knit structure, wherein the tongue tapers inward towards a longitudinal midline of the upper as the tongue extends towards the forefoot region, 
 wherein the tongue is integrally knitted with the forefoot region at a forward portion of the tongue, and 
 wherein the knit element extends continuously across and over the forefoot region between a medial side and a lateral side of the upper; and 
 
   a sole structure attached to the upper.   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the knit element comprises a mesh knit zone. 
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein a polymer sheet is joined to the knit element. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear of  claim 3 , wherein the polymer sheet and the knit element are joined with adhesive bonding. 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the knit element comprises an inner perimeter edge and an outer perimeter edge, wherein the tongue overlaps the inner perimeter edge on the medial side of the upper and overlaps the inner perimeter edge on the lateral side of the upper. 
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein, in a heel region of the upper, the knit element comprises a plurality of wedge-shaped structures each formed with knit courses of varying length. 
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the tongue is compressible. 
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the tongue is padded. 
     
     
         9 . An article of footwear, comprising:
 an upper, comprising:   a knitted component that integrally extends from a medial side of the upper, over a forefoot region of the upper, and to a lateral side of the upper and into a throat area of the upper, wherein the knitted component extends around at least a portion of a collar area of the upper, and wherein the knitted component comprises a first knit layer and a second knit layer that are overlapping and at least partially coextensive with each other,   a polymer sheet joined to the knitted component; and   a sole structure attached to the upper.   
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear of  claim 9 , wherein the polymer sheet and the knitted component are joined with adhesive bonding. 
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear of  claim 9 , wherein the knitted component is compressible. 
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear of  claim 11 , wherein the knitted component that is compressible comprises a plurality of floating yarns extending between the first knit layer and the second knit layer. 
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear of  claim 9 , wherein, in a heel region of the upper, the knitted component comprises a plurality of wedge-shaped structures each formed with knit courses of varying length. 
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear of  claim 9 , further comprising a heel counter incorporated into a heel region of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear of  claim 9 , wherein the knitted component comprises a rib knit textile. 
     
     
         16 . An article of footwear, comprising:
 an upper, comprising:
 a knit element forming at least part of:
 a lateral side of the upper, 
 a medial side of the upper, 
 a forefoot region of the upper, and 
 a pair of flaps that integrally extend from the lateral side of the upper and the medial side of the upper, wherein the pair of flaps cooperatively form a portion of the upper that extends under a sockliner of the upper; 
 
 wherein the knit element extends between a medial side of the forefoot region and a lateral side of the forefoot region; 
 a sole structure secured to the upper. 
   
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear of  claim 16 , wherein the portion of the upper that extends under the sockliner is secured to a midsole. 
     
     
         18 . The article of footwear of  claim 16 , wherein the knit element forms a tongue that integrally extends from the forefoot region of the upper and into a throat region of the upper. 
     
     
         19 . The article of footwear of  claim 16 , wherein the knit element forms a tongue of the upper. 
     
     
         20 . The article of footwear of  claim 19 , wherein the tongue comprises a plurality of floating yarns that are compressible. 
     
     
         21 . The article of footwear of  claim 19 , wherein the tongue comprises a foam that is compressible. 
     
     
         22 . The article of footwear of  claim 16 , wherein the knit element comprises a stretch yarn. 
     
     
         23 . The article of footwear of  claim 19 , wherein the tongue comprises a stretch yarn. 
     
     
         24 . An article of footwear, comprising:
 an upper, comprising:
 a knit element that forms at least part of:
 a collar portion of the upper; 
 a throat portion of the upper; 
 a forefoot portion of the upper, wherein the collar portion, the throat portion, and the forefoot portion are formed of a unitary knit construction and/or share at least one common yarn; and 
 a heel region of the upper comprising a plurality of wedge-shaped portions each comprising knit courses of varying length such that knit courses in the heel region extend non-parallel to each other; and 
 a sole structure secured to the upper. 
 
   
     
     
         25 . The article of footwear of  claim 24 , wherein a polymer sheet is joined to the knit element. 
     
     
         26 . The article of footwear of  claim 25 , wherein the polymer sheet and the knit element are joined together with adhesive bonding. 
     
     
         27 . The article of footwear of  claim 24 , wherein the knit element comprises a stretch yarn. 
     
     
         28 . The article of footwear of  claim 24 , wherein the collar portion comprises a stretch yarn. 
     
     
         29 . The article of footwear of  claim 24 , wherein the knit element further forms a tongue comprising a first knit layer and a second knit layer, wherein at least one yarn present in the first knit layer is excluded from the second knit layer.