Footwear having a woven portion

Abstract

An article of footwear is constructed from moldable foam and includes a sole portion and an upper. The upper includes a woven portion that is constructed by interweaving a number of vertical bands with a number of horizontal bands. The vertical bands can have beveled edges to reduce a bulging effect resulting from the interwoven bands.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A footwear product, comprising:
 a sole portion; and   an upper having a woven portion, the woven portion comprising:
 (1) a first set of bands, wherein the first set of bands is formed as part of a shell molded from a foam material; and 
 (2) a second set of bands, formed from the foam material, that is interwoven with the first set of bands. 
   
     
     
         2 . The footwear product of  claim 1 , wherein the woven portion extends at least partially between a lower opening defined in the upper and an upper opening defined in the upper. 
     
     
         3 . The footwear product of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first set of bands has a width that is approximately the same as a width of each of the second set of bands. 
     
     
         4 . The footwear product of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first set of bands has a width that is different than a width of each of the second set of bands. 
     
     
         5 . The footwear product of  claim 1 , the woven portion further comprising a plurality of gaps. 
     
     
         6 . The footwear product of  claim 1 , wherein the first set of bands is oriented in a first diagonal direction and the second set of bands is oriented in a second diagonal direction. 
     
     
         7 . The footwear product of  claim 1 , wherein the first set of bands is oriented in a vertical direction and the second set of bands is oriented in a horizontal direction. 
     
     
         8 . The footwear product of  claim 1 , wherein the woven portion comprises an over one-under one type of weave. 
     
     
         9 . The footwear product of  claim 1 , wherein the woven portion comprises an over one-under two type of weave. 
     
     
         10 . The footwear product of  claim 1 , wherein each of first set of bands includes a beveled edge. 
     
     
         11 . The footwear product of  claim 1 , wherein the footwear product comprises at least one of a shoe, a boot, and a sandal. 
     
     
         12 . A method of creating a footwear product, the method comprising:
 molding a shell having a sole portion and an upper, wherein the upper includes a plurality of vertical bands;   molding a plurality of horizontal bands; and   interweaving the plurality of vertical bands with the plurality of horizontal bands.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the upper includes a plurality of vertical grooves defining a plurality of vertical-band portions, the method comprising separating the plurality of vertical-band portions to create the plurality of vertical bands. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of vertical grooves comprises a webbing extending between adjacent vertical-band portions to facilitate beveling of edges of each of the plurality of vertical bands. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein molding the plurality of horizontal bands comprises molding a single, continuous piece having horizontal grooves disposed between adjacent horizontal-band portions, the method further comprising separating the plurality of horizontal-band portions to create the plurality of horizontal bands. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein molding the plurality of horizontal bands comprises molding a plurality of individual horizontal bands. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising attaching a trim portion to a top edge of the upper. 
     
     
         18 . A footwear product comprising:
 a sole portion; and   an upper having a woven portion, the woven portion comprising:
 (1) a plurality of vertical bands, wherein the plurality of vertical bands are formed by separating a plurality of vertical-band portions from one another, wherein the plurality of vertical-band portions are formed as part of a shell molded from a foam material; and 
 (2) a plurality of horizontal bands, formed from the foam material, that are interwoven with the plurality of vertical bands. 
   
     
     
         19 . The footwear product of  claim 18 , wherein each of plurality of vertical bands includes a beveled edge. 
     
     
         20 . The footwear product of  claim 18 , wherein the woven portion comprises at least one of an over one-under one type of weave and an over one-under two type of weave.