Footwear upper including variable stitch density

Abstract

An article of footwear includes a sole and an upper at least partially formed of a textile element. The textile element includes a yarn matrix having a plurality of interlocked strands oriented in predetermined directions. A structural element may be captured within the matrix at selected locations. In operation, the matrix is stitched onto a temporary substrate. The substrate is removed and the article coupled to a sole structure to form the article of footwear.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . An upper for an article of footwear, the upper comprising:
 a textile structure including a plurality of yarn rows, each yarn row of the plurality of yarn rows including a first strand aligned with a second strand, the first and second strands being interlocked via stitches disposed at selected locations along a length of the yarn row, wherein:
 a plurality of first yarn rows aligned in a first direction intersect with a plurality of second yarn rows aligned in a second direction that differs from the first direction to define a grid pattern of intersecting first and second yarn rows; and 
 a third yarn row is disposed over and connected with the grid pattern defined by intersecting first and second yarn rows, wherein the third yarn row extends in a third direction that is transverse each of the first direction and the second direction. 
   
     
     
         3 . The upper of  claim 1 , wherein the textile structure includes one or more areas in which the first and second yarn rows are aligned such that the first direction is substantially orthogonal with the second direction. 
     
     
         4 . The upper of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of third yarn rows disposed over and connected with the grid pattern defined by intersecting first and second yarn rows, wherein each third yarn row extends in a third direction that is transverse each of the first direction and the second direction. 
     
     
         5 . The upper of  claim 1 , further comprising a fourth yarn row disposed over and connected with the grid pattern defined by intersecting first and second yarn rows, wherein the fourth yarn row extends in a fourth direction that is transverse each of the first direction, the second direction and the third direction. 
     
     
         6 . The upper of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the stitches of the plurality of yarn rows define a stitch density within the upper, the stitch density being the number of stitches present within a selected area of the upper;   a first selected area of the upper possesses a first stitch density;   a second selected area of the upper possesses a second stitch density; and   the first stitch density is greater than the second stitch density.   
     
     
         7 . The upper of  claim 5 , wherein, in the first stitch density area, the stitches are present every 0.20 mm to 1.50 mm. 
     
     
         8 . The upper of  claim 6 , wherein, in the second stitch density area, the stitches are present every 1.60-3.50 mm. 
     
     
         9 . The upper of  claim 5 , further comprising a third area of the upper, the third area possessing a third stitch density that differs from one or both of the first and second stitch densities. 
     
     
         10 . The upper of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the body of the upper includes a lateral body side, a medial body side and a tongue opening between the lateral body side and the medial body side;   a tongue is coupled to the body of the upper such that the tongue is positioned within the tongue opening; and   the tongue comprises a textile structure including a plurality of intersecting yarn rows, each yarn row of the plurality of yarn rows including a first strand aligned with a second strand, the first and second strands being interlocked via stitches disposed at selected locations along a length of the yarn row.   
     
     
         11 . An upper for an article of footwear, the upper comprising:
 a textile structure comprising an embroidered grid pattern formed of a plurality of first strands intersecting with a plurality of second strands, the first strands extending in a first direction, and the second strands extending in a second direction that is transverse the first direction; and   a plurality of third strands embroidered with the embroidered grid pattern and overlying the first and second strands, wherein the third strands extend transverse each of the first direction and the second direction.   
     
     
         12 . The upper of  claim 10 , further comprising a fourth strand disposed over and connected with the grid pattern defined by intersecting first and second strands, wherein the fourth strand extends in a fourth direction that is transverse each of the first direction, the second direction and the third direction. 
     
     
         13 . The upper of  claim 10 , wherein the textile structure includes one or more areas in which the first and second strands are aligned such that the first direction is substantially orthogonal with the second direction. 
     
     
         14 . The upper of  claim 10 , The upper of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the body of the upper includes a lateral body side, a medial body side and a tongue opening between the lateral body side and the medial body side;   a tongue is coupled to the body of the upper such that the tongue is positioned within the tongue opening; and   the tongue comprises a textile structure including a plurality of strands aligned to intersect with each other to define a grid of intersecting strands.   
     
     
         15 . The upper of  claim 13 , wherein the grid of intersecting strands of the tongue includes some strands intersecting substantially orthogonally with other strands.