Offset knit tongue tab and knit heel tab

Abstract

Aspects herein are directed to an upper, an article of footwear incorporating the same, and methods of forming the upper, where the upper includes a knit collar, a knit tongue tab that is integrally knit with the collar, and a knit heel tab that is integrally knit with the collar. At least a distal-most extent of the knit tongue tab extends away from a longitudinal midline reference plane of the upper toward a first side of the upper, and at least a distal-most extent of the knit heel tab extends away from the longitudinal midline reference plane of the upper toward a second side of the upper, where the second side is opposite the first side.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An upper for an article of footwear, the upper comprising:
 a medial side and a lateral side separated by a longitudinal midline reference plane extending from a toe area to a heel area of the upper; and   a first knit component comprising:
 a knit collar defining an opening for receiving a wearer's foot; 
 a knit tongue tab, a distal-most extent of the knit tongue tab extending toward the medial side of the upper; and 
 a knit heel tab, a distal-most extent of the knit heel tab extending toward the lateral side of the upper. 
   
     
     
         2 . The upper of  claim 1 , wherein the knit tongue tab is integrally knit with the knit collar such that the knit tongue tab shares at least one knit course in common with the knit collar. 
     
     
         3 . The upper of  claim 1 , wherein the knit heel tab is integrally knit with the knit collar such that the knit heel tab shares at least one knit course in common with the knit collar. 
     
     
         4 . The upper of  claim 1 , further comprising a knit tongue. 
     
     
         5 . The upper of  claim 4 , wherein at least the knit tongue tab is integrally knit with the knit tongue such that the knit tongue tab shares at least one knit course in common with the knit tongue. 
     
     
         6 . The upper of  claim 1 , wherein the knit tongue tab and knit heel tab each have a lower elasticity than the knit collar. 
     
     
         7 . The upper of  claim 1 , wherein the upper further comprises a knit tongue that has a greater elasticity than the knit tongue tab and knit heel tab. 
     
     
         8 . The upper of  claim 1 , wherein the knit tongue tab is at least partially positioned on the medial side of the upper. 
     
     
         9 . The upper of  claim 1 , wherein the knit heel tab is at least partially positioned on the lateral side of the upper. 
     
     
         10 . An article of footwear comprising:
 a knit upper having lateral side and a medial side separated by a longitudinal midline reference plane extending from a toe area to a heel area of the knit upper, the knit upper formed from at least a first knit component, the knit upper comprising:
 a knit collar defining an opening for receiving a wearer's foot; 
 a knit tongue tab extending away from the longitudinal midline reference plane toward the medial side of the knit upper; and 
 a knit heel tab extending away from the longitudinal midline reference plane toward the lateral side, 
 wherein the knit collar is integrally knit with the knit tongue tab and knit heel tab. 
   
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear of  claim 10 , further comprising a knit tongue. 
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear of  claim 11 , wherein the knit tongue shares at least one knit course in common with the knit tongue tab. 
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear of  claim 12 , wherein the knit tongue shares at least one knit course in common with lateral and medial sides of a throat area of the upper such that the tongue is inseparable from the rest of the throat area. 
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear of  claim 10 , further comprises a sole structure secured to the upper. 
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear of  claim 14 , wherein the sole structure comprises cleats. 
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear of  claim 10 , wherein one or more of the toe area, at least a portion of the medial side, and at least a portion of the lateral side comprises a second knit component. 
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear of  claim 10 , wherein the knit upper comprises a heel seam, and at least a majority of the knit heel tab is positioned lateral to the heel seam. 
     
     
         18 . A method of manufacturing an upper for an article of footwear, the method of manufacturing comprising:
 knitting a first knit component, wherein knitting the first knit component comprises:
 knitting a collar that at least partially defines an opening for receiving a wearer's foot; 
 integrally knitting a tongue tab with the collar such that the tongue tab extends away from a longitudinal midline reference plane toward a medial side of the upper, the longitudinal midline reference plane extending from a toe area to a heel area of the upper; and 
 integrally knitting a heel tab with the collar such that the heel tab extends away from the longitudinal midline reference plane toward a lateral side of the upper. 
   
     
     
         19 . The method of manufacturing the upper of  claim 18 , further comprising integrally knitting a tongue with the tongue tab. 
     
     
         20 . The method of manufacturing the upper of  claim 18 , further comprising knitting a second knit component that forms one or more of the toe area, at least a portion of the medial side, and at least a portion of the lateral side of the upper.