Methods of forming an article of footwear with a multipart strobel structure and articles formed by the same

Abstract

Methods of forming an article of footwear using a multipart strobel structure and a resulting article of footwear comprising an upper with a transition strip are described. The transition strip that has an outer perimeter edge, an inner perimeter edge, and a width between the outer perimeter edge and the inner perimeter edge, with the inner perimeter edge defining an internal opening of the transition strip, and the inner strobel that has an outer perimeter edge. The inner strobel is positioned in an overlapping relationship with the transition strip and temporarily attached.

We claim: 
     
         1 . An article of footwear, comprising:
 an upper having a bottom portion that includes a lower perimeter edge of the upper;   a transition strip that has an outer perimeter edge, an inner perimeter edge, and a width between the outer perimeter edge and the inner perimeter edge, the inner perimeter edge defining an internal opening of the transition strip;   a sole structure with an upper surface and a ground-contacting surface opposite the upper surface, the upper surface of the sole structure having a perimeter portion that extends along a perimeter of the upper surface and an internal portion that is surrounded by the perimeter portion;   wherein the transition strip is secured to the bottom portion of the upper along the lower perimeter edge, the lower perimeter edge of the upper and the transition strip are secured to the perimeter portion of the upper surface of the sole structure with the inner perimeter edge of the transition strip defining an inner boundary of the perimeter portion, and the internal portion of the upper surface of the sole structure is exposed by the internal opening of the transition strip.   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the width of the transition strip is substantially constant along a length of the transition strip. 
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the width of the transition strip varies along a length of the transition strip. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the width of the transition strip is between 6 mm and 15 mm. 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the width of the transition strip is between 8 and 13 mm. 
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the width of the transition strip is between 10.5 and 12 mm. 
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the transition strip comprises stitch holes adjacent the inner perimeter edge from a removable stitch. 
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the transition strip is a generally non-stretchable material. 
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the transition strip is secured to the bottom portion of the upper by stitching the bottom portion of the upper to an area adjacent the outer perimeter edge of the transition strip. 
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the lower perimeter edge of the upper and the transition strip are secured to the perimeter portion of the upper surface of the sole structure by a bonding material. 
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , further comprising a sockliner, a bottom surface of the sockliner being in contact with at least a portion of an upper surface of the transition strip and the exposed internal portion of the upper surface of the sole structure. 
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the transition strip has a first thickness and a portion of the upper immediately adjacent to the transition strip has a second thickness, and a ratio of the first thickness to the second thickness is equal or less than 0.7. 
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the transition strip has a first thickness and a portion of the upper immediately adjacent to the transition strip has a second thickness, and a ratio of the first thickness to the second thickness is between 0.3 and 0.6. 
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the transition strip extends along a bottom portion of an upper from a forefoot region of the upper to a heel region of the upper. 
     
     
         15 . An article of footwear, comprising:
 an upper having a bottom portion that includes a lower perimeter edge of the upper;   a transition strip that is a closed strip of material with an outer perimeter edge, an inner perimeter edge, and a width between the outer perimeter edge and the inner perimeter edge, the inner perimeter edge defining an internal opening of the transition strip; and   a sole structure with an upper surface and a ground-contacting surface opposite the upper surface, the upper surface of the sole structure having a perimeter portion that extends along a perimeter of the upper surface and an internal portion that is surrounded by the perimeter portion,   wherein the outer perimeter edge of the transition strip is secured to the bottom portion of the upper along the lower perimeter edge, the lower perimeter edge of the upper and the transition strip are secured to the perimeter portion of the upper surface of the sole structure with the inner perimeter edge of the transition strip defining an inner boundary of the perimeter portion, and the internal portion of the upper surface of the sole structure is exposed by the internal opening of the transition strip,   wherein the transition strip is secured to the bottom portion of the upper by stitching the bottom portion of the upper to an area adjacent the outer perimeter edge of the transition strip, and   wherein the lower perimeter edge of the upper and the transition strip are secured to the perimeter portion of the upper surface of the sole structure by a bonding material.   
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear of  claim 15 , wherein the width of the transition strip is substantially constant along a length of the transition strip. 
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear of  claim 15 , wherein the width of the transition strip varies along a length of the transition strip. 
     
     
         18 . The article of footwear of  claim 15 , wherein the width of the transition strip is between 6 mm and 15 mm. 
     
     
         19 . The article of footwear of  claim 15 , wherein the width of the transition strip is between 8 and 13 mm. 
     
     
         20 . The article of footwear of  claim 15 , wherein the width of the transition strip is between 10.5 and 12 mm.