Upper for Article of Footwear with Forefoot Airflow Features

Abstract

An upper for an article of footwear includes a three-dimensional engineered textile having an inner section, an outer section, and an intermediate section disposed between the inner section and the outer section. The intermediate section is attached to the inner section on one side and the outer section on an opposite side. The intermediate section extends through at least a forefoot region of the upper. In the forefoot region, the intermediate section includes a plurality of curving portions arranged adjacent to each other such that each curving portion of the plurality of curving portions is spaced apart from neighboring curving portions by one or more gaps. Air is configured to flow from an interior of the upper to an exterior of the upper through the one or more gaps between neighboring curving portions of the plurality of curving portions in the forefoot region of the upper.

1 . An upper for an article of footwear, comprising:
 an engineered textile including an inner section, an outer section, and an intermediate section disposed between the inner section and the outer section along a Z-axis that extends through a thickness of engineered textile, wherein the inner section, the outer section, and the intermediate section are connected to each other by knitting or weaving;   wherein the intermediate section includes at least two curving portions arranged adjacent to each other and spaced apart from each other by one or more gaps; and   wherein the engineered textile is configured to allow airflow between the inner section and the outer section through the one or more gaps of the intermediate section.   
     
     
         2 . The upper according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least two curving portions are arranged in a nested configuration forming a first nested curved portion spaced apart from an adjacent second nested curved portion by the one or more gaps. 
     
     
         3 . The upper according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least two curving portions include a closed loop. 
     
     
         4 . The upper according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least two curving portions include a medial curved portion disposed in a portion of the engineered textile forming a medial side of the forefoot region of the upper, or include a lateral curved portion disposed in a portion of the engineered textile forming a lateral side of the forefoot region of the upper, or include both a medial curved portion disposed in a portion of the engineered textile forming a medial side of the forefoot region of the upper and a lateral curved portion disposed in a portion of the engineered textile forming a lateral side of the forefoot region of the upper. 
     
     
         5 . The upper according to  claim 4 , wherein the medial curved portion or the lateral loop curved portion includes a central opening, or wherein both the medial curved portion and the lateral curved portion include a central opening. 
     
     
         6 . The upper according to  claim 1 , wherein the engineered textile includes a medial curved portion on a medial side of the forefoot region of the upper, a lateral curved portion on a lateral side of the forefoot region of the upper, and a third curved portion positioned between the medial side and the lateral side of the upper. 
     
     
         7 . The upper of  claim 1 , wherein the inner section or the outer section includes a mesh structure, or both the inner section and the outer section include a mesh structure. 
     
     
         8 . An upper for an article of footwear, comprising:
 an engineered textile including an inner section, an outer section, and an intermediate section disposed between the inner section and the outer section along a Z-axis that extends through a thickness of the engineered textile, wherein the inner section, the outer section, and the intermediate section are connected to each other by knitting or weaving;   wherein the intermediate section includes a first curving portion and a second curving portion arranged adjacent to each other with the first curving portion spaced apart from the second curving portion by a gap, and the gap is configured to allow airflow between the inner section and the outer section.   
     
     
         9 . The upper according to  claim 8 , wherein the first curving portion and the second curving portion are arranged in a nested configuration with the first curving portion spaced apart from the second curving portion by the gap. 
     
     
         10 . The upper according to  claim 8 , wherein the engineered textile includes a plurality of ridges, and each ridge of the plurality of ridges is separated from each adjacent ridge by a depression where the foam is absent. 
     
     
         11 . The upper according to  claim 8 , wherein the first curving portion or the second curving portion or both the first and second curving portions is a closed loop. 
     
     
         12 . The upper according to  claim 8 , wherein the first curving portion includes a first bend at a first location and a second bend at a second location, and the second curving portion includes a third bend at a third location and a fourth bend at a fourth location. 
     
     
         13 . The upper according to  claim 8 , wherein a radius of curvature of the first bend is smaller than a radius of curvature of the second bend. 
     
     
         14 . The upper according to  claim 8 , wherein the inner section or the outer section includes a mesh structure, or both the inner section and the outer section include a mesh structure. 
     
     
         15 . An upper for an article of footwear, comprising:
 an engineered textile including an inner section, an outer section, and an intermediate section disposed between the inner section and the outer section along a Z-axis that extends through a thickness of the engineered textile, wherein the inner section, the outer section, and the intermediate section are connected to each other by knitting or weaving;   wherein the intermediate section comprises a plurality of curving portions arranged adjacent to each other such that at least one curving portion of the plurality of curving portions is spaced apart from a neighboring curving portion by one or more gaps; and   wherein at least one of the inner section, the outer section, and the intermediate section comprises a foam.   
     
     
         16 . The upper according to  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of curving portions are arranged in a nested configuration with a first curving portion spaced apart from a second curving portion by the gap. 
     
     
         17 . The upper according to  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of curving portions include a closed loop. 
     
     
         18 . The upper according to  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of curved portions includes curved portion with a central opening. 
     
     
         19 . The upper according to  claim 15 , wherein the engineered textile includes a plurality of ridges, and each ridge of the plurality of ridges is separated from each adjacent ridge by a depression where the foam is absent. 
     
     
         20 . The upper according to  claim 15 , wherein the engineered textile includes a plurality of ridges, and the plurality of ridges include molded ridges.