Knitted component for articles of footwear

Abstract

Aspects herein are directed to a knitted component and articles of footwear that incorporate the same having a heel portion integrally knit with lateral and medial midfoot portions along first and second folding areas. The knitted component is biased to fold along the first and second folding areas so the article of footwear can move between first and second wear configurations. In some aspects, the heel portion has a greater elasticity than the lateral and medial midfoot portions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An article of footwear comprising:
 an upper having a heel region comprising an interior surface and an exterior surface;   the upper comprising a knitted component comprising a heel portion, a lateral midfoot portion, and a medial midfoot portion, the heel portion forming at least part of the interior surface and at least part of the exterior surface in the heel region of the upper, the heel portion being integrally knit with the lateral midfoot portion and with the medial midfoot portion, and   the entire heel portion of the knitted component having a greater elasticity than the lateral midfoot portion and the medial midfoot portion.   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the heel portion of the knitted component comprises courses forming the interior surface and courses forming the exterior surface opposite the interior surface, and a plurality of tuck stiches securing courses forming the interior surface to courses forming the exterior surface. 
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the upper includes a first folding area between the heel portion and the lateral midfoot portion and a second folding area between the heel portion and the medial midfoot portion. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear of  claim 3 , wherein the first folding area and the second folding area each includes a knitted tubular structure extending between a first knit layer and a second knit layer. 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the heel portion consists of one or more elastic yarns. 
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , further comprising a sole structure secured to the upper, wherein the heel portion is integrally knit with the lateral midfoot portion along a first folding area and integrally knit with the medial midfoot portion along a second folding area, wherein in a first configuration, the heel portion extends upward away from the sole structure, and when in a second configuration, the heel portion extends into a foot-receiving void defined by the upper. 
     
     
         7 . An article of footwear comprising:
 an upper comprising a knitted component comprising a heel portion, a lateral midfoot portion, and a medial midfoot portion, the heel portion being integrally knit with the lateral midfoot portion along a first folding area and integrally knit with the medial midfoot portion along a second folding area,   the knitted component defining an ankle opening of the upper, and   the knitted component being configured to move between a first wear configuration where the heel portion extends upwards and a second wear configuration where the heel portion is extended inwards into a foot-receiving void of the upper, wherein the ankle opening defined by the knitted component is larger in the second wear configuration than in the first wear configuration.   
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear of  claim 7 , wherein, in the first wear configuration, the ankle opening has a lateral midpoint and a medial midpoint, wherein the first folding area extends downward from the lateral midpoint of the ankle opening, and the second folding area extends downward from the medial midpoint of the ankle opening. 
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear of  claim 8 , wherein the lateral midpoint is the lower-most point of the ankle opening on the lateral side, and the medial midpoint is the lower-most point of the ankle opening on the medial side. 
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear of  claim 7  further comprising a sole structure secured to the upper along a biteline, wherein the first folding area and the second folding area each extends diagonally upward from the biteline. 
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear of  claim 7 , wherein the heel portion has a greater elasticity than each of the lateral midfoot portion and the medial midfoot portion. 
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear of  claim 7 , wherein the heel portion has a greater density of tuck stitches than the lateral midfoot portion and the medial midfoot portion. 
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear of  claim 7 , wherein the first folding area and the second folding area each comprises a first layer and a second layer integrally knit together, the first layer and the second layer being partially unsecured to form a channel between the first layer and the second layer, wherein a tensioning element extends through the channel. 
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear of  claim 13 , wherein the knitted component is biased to fold along the first folding area and the second folding area between the tensioning element in the channel and the heel portion. 
     
     
         15 . An article of footwear comprising:
 an upper comprising a knitted component comprising:
 a heel portion, a lateral midfoot portion, and a medial midfoot portion; 
 a first knitted tubular structure integrally knitted with and positioned between the heel portion and the lateral midfoot portion; and 
 a second knitted tubular structure integrally knitted with and positioned between the heel portion and the medial midfoot portion, 
   wherein the knitted component lacks knitted tubular structures within the heel portion.   
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear of  claim 15 , wherein the only yarn forming the heel portion is elastic yarn. 
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear of  claim 15 , wherein the knitted component includes courses forming a first surface and courses forming a second surface opposite the first surface, wherein the heel portion includes a first density of tuck stitches securing courses forming the first surface to courses forming the second surface, wherein the lateral midfoot portion and the medial midfoot portion each includes a second density of tuck stitches securing courses forming the first surface to courses forming the second surface, wherein the first density is greater than the second density. 
     
     
         18 . The article of footwear of  claim 15 , wherein the first knitted tubular structure and the second knitted tubular structure each have a channel and a tension element extending through the channel. 
     
     
         19 . The article of footwear of  claim 15 , wherein the first knitted tubular structure and the second knitted tubular structure each extends upward diagonally from a biteline between the upper and the sole structure to a throat region of the upper. 
     
     
         20 . The article of footwear of  claim 15 , wherein the first knitted tubular structure forms a first folding area and the second knitted tubular structure forms a second folding area, wherein when force is applied to an exterior side of the heel portion, the knitted component is biased to fold at the first folding area and the second folding area so that the heel portion is folded down and extends into a foot-receiving void defined by the upper.