Shoe with Knit Upper

Abstract

A shoe including a knit upper and a sole secured to the upper. The knit upper has a knitted element formed of a unitary one-piece construction during a knitting process on a knitting machine. The knitted element includes a circular vamp oxford pattern. The upper toe region, the upper lateral and medial ball regions, and the upper lateral and medial metatarsal regions of the knit upper collectively are knitted with the circular vamp oxford pattern during the knitting process. The circular vamp oxford pattern is knit with a first knit structure, a second knit structure, and a third knit structure. The first knit structure has a smaller gauge than the second and third knit structures, and the third knit structure has a larger gauge than the second knit structure. The first and third knit structures are separated by the second knit structure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A shoe comprising:
 a knit upper;   a sole secured to the upper;   the knit upper having a knitted element, the knitted element being formed of a unitary one-piece construction during a knitting process on a knitting machine, the knitted element comprising a knitted tongue region, a knitted upper heel region, a knitted upper lateral midfoot region, a knitted upper medial midfoot region, a knitted upper metatarsal region, a knitted upper lateral ball region, a knitted upper medial ball region, and a knitted upper toe region, the upper metatarsal region including a knitted upper lateral metatarsal region and a knitted upper medial metatarsal region, the upper having a knitted upper lateral side region and a knitted upper medial side region, the upper lateral side region including the upper lateral midfoot region, the upper lateral metatarsal region and the upper lateral ball region, the upper medial side region including the upper medial midfoot region, the upper medial metatarsal region, and the upper medial ball region, the upper toe region being seamlessly knitted with the upper medial and lateral ball regions during the knitting process, the upper medial and lateral ball regions being seamlessly knitted with the upper metatarsal region during the knitting process, the upper metatarsal region being seamlessly knitted with the upper lateral and medial midfoot regions during the knitting process, the knitted element including a circular vamp oxford pattern, the circular vamp oxford pattern being portions of at least the upper toe region, the upper lateral and medial ball regions, the upper lateral and medial metatarsal regions, and the upper lateral and medial midfoot regions;   the upper toe region, the upper lateral and medial ball regions, and the upper lateral and medial metatarsal regions collectively being knitted with the circular vamp oxford pattern during the knitting process;   the circular vamp oxford pattern being knit with a first knit structure, a second knit structure, and   a third knit structure, the first knit structure having a smaller gauge than the second and third knit structures, the third knit structure having a larger gauge than the second knit structure, the first knit structure being seamlessly knit with the second knit structure, the second knit structure being seamlessly knit with the third knit structure;   the first knit structure being present in the upper toe region, the upper lateral and medial ball regions, the upper lateral and medial metatarsal regions, and the upper lateral and medial midfoot regions, the third knit structure being present in the upper heel region, the upper lateral and medial midfoot regions, and the upper lateral and medial metatarsal regions, the first and third knit structures being separated by the second knit structure.   
     
     
         2 . A shoe as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the circular vamp oxford pattern comprises a medial band of stitching and a lateral band of stitching, the upper metatarsal region, and the upper lateral and medial midfoot regions collectively being knitted with the medial and lateral band of stitching, the medial band of stitching comprising a curved line having two inflection points and extending rearward and downward from the knitted tongue region, the lateral band of stitching comprising a curved line having two inflection points and extending rearward and downward from the knitted tongue region. 
     
     
         3 . A shoe as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein both the medial and lateral band of stitching are knitted to comprise broguing. 
     
     
         4 . A shoe as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the medial and lateral band of stitching meet at a forward most portion adjacent the knitted tongue region. 
     
     
         5 . A shoe as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the medial and lateral band of stitching comprise the second knit structure. 
     
     
         6 . A shoe as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the second knit structure comprises a jersey stitch. 
     
     
         7 . A shoe as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the first and third knit structures comprise pointelle stitches. 
     
     
         8 . A shoe as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising a heel counter, a chassis member, and an outsole, the chassis member being coupled to the outsole and being coextensive with the outsole, the chassis member including a heel portion extending over a portion of the heel counter, the heel counter extending over a portion of the knitted upper heel region, wherein the heel portion of the chassis member and the heel counter are adapted and configured to stiffen the upper in the knitted upper heel region. 
     
     
         9 . A method of manufacturing an upper for an article of footwear, the method comprising:
 knitting with a knitting machine to form a knitted element of the upper such that the knitted element is of unitary one-piece construction comprising a knitted tongue region, a knitted upper heel region, a knitted upper lateral midfoot region, a knitted upper medial midfoot region, a knitted upper metatarsal region, a knitted upper lateral ball region, a knitted upper medial ball region, and a knitted upper toe region, the upper metatarsal region including a knitted upper lateral metatarsal region and a knitted upper medial metatarsal region, the upper having a knitted upper lateral side region and a knitted upper medial side region, the upper lateral side region including the upper lateral midfoot region, the upper lateral metatarsal region and the upper lateral ball region, the upper medial side region including the upper medial midfoot region, the upper medial metatarsal region and the upper medial ball region, the upper toe region being seamlessly knitted with the upper medial and lateral ball regions during the knitting process, the upper medial and lateral ball regions being seamlessly knitted with the upper metatarsal region during the knitting process, the upper metatarsal region being seamlessly knitted with the upper lateral and medial midfoot regions during the knitting process, the knitted element including a circular vamp oxford pattern, the circular vamp oxford pattern being portions of at least the upper toe region, the upper lateral and medial ball regions, the upper lateral and medial metatarsal regions, and the upper lateral and medial midfoot regions;   the upper toe region, the upper lateral and medial ball regions, and the upper lateral and medial metatarsal regions collectively being knitted with the circular vamp oxford pattern during the knitting process;   the circular vamp oxford pattern being knit during the knitting step with a first knit structure, a second knit structure, and a third knit structure, the first knit structure having a smaller gauge than the second and third knit structures, the third knit structure having a larger gauge than the second knit structure, the first knit structure being seamlessly knit with the second knit structure, the second knit structure being seamlessly knit with the third knit structure;   the first knit structure being present in the upper toe region, the upper lateral and medial ball regions, the upper lateral and medial metatarsal regions, and the upper lateral and medial midfoot regions, the third knit structure being present in the upper heel region, the upper lateral and medial midfoot regions, and the upper lateral and medial metatarsal regions, the first and third knit structures being separated by the second knit structure.   
     
     
         10 . A method as set forth in  claim 9 , comprising knitting the upper such that the circular vamp oxford pattern comprises a medial band of stitching and a lateral band of stitching, the upper metatarsal region, and the upper lateral and medial midfoot regions collectively being knitted with the medial and lateral band of stitching, the medial band of stitching comprising a curved line having two inflection points and extending rearward and downward from the knitted tongue region, the lateral band of stitching comprising a curved line having two inflection points and extending rearward and downward from the knitted tongue region. 
     
     
         11 . A method as set forth in  claim 10 , comprising knitting the upper such that both the medial and lateral band of stitching are knitted to comprise broguing. 
     
     
         12 . A method as set forth in  claim 10 , comprising knitting the upper such that the medial and lateral band of stitching meet at a forward most portion adjacent the knitted tongue region. 
     
     
         13 . A method as set forth in  claim 10 , comprising knitting the upper such that the medial and lateral band of stitching comprise the second knit structure. 
     
     
         14 . A method as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein the second knit structure comprises a jersey stitch. 
     
     
         15 . A method as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the first and third knit structures comprise pointelle stitches. 
     
     
         16 . A method as set forth in  claim 9  wherein the upper is knitted during the knitting step with at least first and second yarns, the first yarn being of a hot melt yarn, the second yarn being of a yarn other than a hot melt yarn. 
     
     
         17 . A method as set forth in  claim 16  further comprising:
 placing the upper around a last; 
 applying heat to the upper while the upper is around the last to cause the hot melt yarn to affix to the second yarn. 
 
     
     
         18 . A method as set forth in  claim 17  further comprising:
 coupling a heel counter to the upper such that the heel counter stiffens the heel region of the upper; and 
 coupling a chassis member to the upper, the chassis member comprising a body portion and a heel portion extending upwardly from the body portion, wherein coupling the chassis member to the upper comprises coupling the chassis member to the upper such that the body portion is coextensive with the upper and the heel portion overlays the heel counter. 
 
     
     
         19 . A shoe comprising:
 a knit upper having a toe end and a heel end;   a sole secured to the upper;   the knit upper having a knitted element, the knitted element being formed of a unitary one-piece construction during a knitting process on a knitting machine, the knitted element comprising a knitted tongue region, a knitted upper heel region, a knitted upper lateral midfoot region, a knitted upper medial midfoot region, a knitted upper metatarsal region, a knitted upper lateral ball region, a knitted upper medial ball region, and a knitted upper toe region, the upper metatarsal region including a knitted upper lateral metatarsal region and a knitted upper medial metatarsal region, the upper having a knitted upper lateral side region and a knitted upper medial side region, the upper lateral side region including the upper lateral midfoot region, the upper lateral metatarsal region and the upper lateral ball region, the upper medial side region including the upper medial midfoot region, the upper medial metatarsal region, and the upper medial ball region, the upper toe region being seamlessly knitted with the upper medial and lateral ball regions during the knitting process, the upper medial and lateral ball regions being seamlessly knitted with the upper metatarsal region during the knitting process, the upper metatarsal region being seamlessly knitted with the upper lateral and medial midfoot regions during the knitting process, the knitted element including a circular vamp oxford pattern, the circular vamp oxford pattern being portions of at least the upper toe region, the upper lateral and medial ball regions, the upper lateral and medial metatarsal regions, and the upper lateral and medial midfoot regions;   the upper toe region, the upper lateral and medial ball regions, and the upper lateral and medial metatarsal regions collectively being knitted with the circular vamp oxford pattern during the knitting process, the circular vamp oxford pattern comprising a medial band of stitching and a lateral band of stitching, the upper metatarsal region, and the upper lateral and medial midfoot regions collectively being knitted with the medial and lateral band of stitching;   the circular vamp oxford pattern being knit with a first knit structure, a second knit structure, and a third knit structure, the first knit structure being seamlessly knit with the second knit structure, the second knit structure being seamlessly knit with the third knit structure, the first knit structure being adjacent to the second knit structure, and the third knit structure being adjacent to the second knit structure opposite the first knit structure, the first knit structure differing from the second knit structure at a boundary with the second knit structure and being closer to the toe end than the second knit structure, the third knit structure differing from the second knit structure at a boundary with the second knit structure and being closer to the heel end than the second knit structure;   the first knit structure being present in the upper toe region, the upper lateral and medial ball regions, the upper lateral and medial metatarsal regions, and the upper lateral and medial midfoot regions, the third knit structure being present in the upper heel region, the upper lateral and medial midfoot regions, and the upper lateral and medial metatarsal regions, the first and third knit structures being separated by the second knit structure, the second knit structure being present in the medial and lateral band of stitching.   
     
     
         20 . A shoe as set forth in  claim 19 , wherein the first knit structure varies from the second knit structure in one or more of gauge, color, yarn diameter, or stitch type, and wherein the third knit structure varies from the second knit structure in one or more of gauge, color, yarn diameter, or stitch type.