Knitted component for an article of footwear with two or more material compositions

Abstract

A knitted component for an article of footwear may have an overfoot portion and an underfoot portion, a first yarn, where the first yarn at least partially forms the overfoot portion and at least partially forms the underfoot portion, and a second yam, where the second yarn at least partially forms the overfoot portion and at least partially forms the underfoot portion. The first yarn may include a first material composition with a first melting point and the second yam may include a second material composition with a second melting point. The first melting point may be at least 20 degrees Celsius higher than the second melting point.

1 . A knitted component for an article of footwear, the knitted component comprising:
 an overfoot portion comprising a fused area, the overfoot portion of the knitted component configured to form an overfoot portion of the article of footwear, the fused area having at least a first region comprising a plurality of first courses that alternate with a plurality of second courses, each course within the plurality of first courses comprising a first yarn having a first thermoplastic polymer material composition, and each course within the plurality of second courses comprising a second yarn having a second thermoplastic polymer material composition; and   the first thermoplastic polymer material composition having a first melting temperature, and the second thermoplastic polymer material composition having a second melting temperature that is at least 20 degrees Celsius greater than the first melting temperature.   
     
     
         2 . The knitted component of  claim 1 , wherein the first melting temperature is 140 degrees Celsius or less, and wherein the second melting temperature is 195 degrees Celsius or less. 
     
     
         3 . The knitted component of  claim 1 , wherein the overfoot portion further includes a non-fused area comprising a third yarn with a third material composition, wherein the third material composition has a third temperature that is greater than the first melting temperature and the second melting temperature, the third temperature being equal to the lowest of a melting temperature or a decomposition temperature of the third material composition. 
     
     
         4 . The knitted component of  claim 1  further comprising an underfoot portion integrally knit with the overfoot portion. 
     
     
         5 . The knitted component of  claim 1 , wherein the overfoot portion has a double knit jersey structure having an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein the fused area having the first yarn and the second yarn is located on the outer surface, and wherein the inner surface includes a non-fused area. 
     
     
         6 . The knitted component of  claim 5 , wherein the non-fused area comprises a third yarn having a third material composition that has a third temperature, the third temperature being greater than the first melting temperature and the second melting temperature, the third temperature being equal to the lowest of a melting temperature or a decomposition temperature of the third material composition. 
     
     
         7 . The knitted component of  claim 1 , wherein the fused area includes a second region comprising the first yarn and the second yarn, wherein a density of the first thermoplastic polymer material composition and a density of the second thermoplastic polymer material composition each are less in the second region than in the first region. 
     
     
         8 . The knitted component of  claim 7 , wherein the second region comprises a third yarn having a third material composition that has a third temperature equal to the lowest of a melting temperature and a decomposition temperature of the third material composition, the third temperature being 200 degrees Celsius or higher. 
     
     
         9 . An article of footwear comprising:
 a knitted component comprising a fused area, forming at least part of an overfoot portion of the article of footwear, the fused area having a first region and a second region;   the first region comprising a first yarn having a first thermoplastic polymer material composition and a second yarn having a second thermoplastic polymer material composition;   the second region comprises the first yarn and the second yarn, wherein a density of the first thermoplastic polymer material composition and a density of the second thermoplastic polymer material composition each are less in the second region than in the first region; and   the first thermoplastic polymer material composition having a first melting temperature, and the second thermoplastic polymer material composition having a second melting temperature that is at least 20 degrees Celsius greater than the first melting temperature.   
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear of  claim 9 , further comprising an underfoot portion, the fused area, forming at least part of the underfoot portion. 
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear of  claim 10 , wherein the fused area on the underfoot portion has a greater thickness relative to other portions of the knitted component. 
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear of  claim 11 , further comprising a first sole structure and a base element with a first edge, the base element secured to the underfoot portion at the first edge. 
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear of  claim 9 , wherein a ratio of fused thermoplastic polymer material compositions to other material in the first region is at least 90:10 and wherein a ratio of fused thermoplastic polymer material compositions to other material in the second region is 50:50. 
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear of  claim 9 , wherein the overfoot portion has a double knit jersey structure having an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein the fused area having the first yarn and the second yarn is located on the outer surface, and wherein the inner surface includes a non-fused area. 
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear of  claim 9 , wherein the overfoot portion comprises a non-fused area comprising a third yarn having a third material composition having a third temperature that is greater than the first melting temperature and the second melting temperature, the third temperature being equal to the lowest of a melting temperature or a decomposition temperature of the third material composition, the second region further comprising the third yarn. 
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear of  claim 9 , wherein the overfoot portion comprises a non-fused area forming a throat area of the article of footwear, and the fused area forming at least a portion of a lateral side of the article of footwear adjacent the throat area and at least a portion of a medial side of the article of footwear adjacent the throat area, a ratio of courses of the throat area to at least of the portion of the medial side or the portion of the lateral side adjacent the throat area is 0.8:1 or less. 
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear of  claim 9 , wherein the first region comprises a plurality of first courses that alternate with a plurality of second courses, each course within the plurality of first courses comprising the first yarn, and each course within the plurality of second courses comprising the second yarn. 
     
     
         18 . An article of footwear comprising:
 a knitted component comprising a fused area, forming at least part of an overfoot portion, the fused area having a first region and a second region,   the first region comprising a first yarn having a first thermoplastic polymer material composition and a second yarn having a second thermoplastic polymer material composition;   the second region comprising the first yarn, the second yarn, and a third yarn having a third material composition, and   the first thermoplastic polymer material composition having a first melting temperature, and the second thermoplastic polymer material composition having a second melting temperature that is at least 20 degrees Celsius greater than the first melting temperature, and the third material composition having a third temperature equal to the lowest of a melting temperature and a decomposition temperature of the third material composition, the third temperature is 200 degrees Celsius or higher.