Article of footwear with a knitted net layer

Abstract

Aspects herein are directed to, among other things, a knitted component for an article of footwear. The knitted component includes a knitted base layer secured to a knitted net layer. The knitted net layer may have a yarn defining cells with openings through which the knitted base layer is exposed. A thermoplastic polymer material, which may initially form yarn that forms the knitted net layer or the knitted base layer, may at least partially fuse the knitted base layer to the knitted net layer. In some aspects, the knitted component further includes one or more inlaid strands at least partially arranged between the knitted base and net layers. The inlaid strands may also include a thermoplastic polymer material that is at least partially melted during heating of the knitted component and, when cooled, fuses the inlaid strands to the knitted base layer and knitted net layer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An article of footwear comprising a knitted component, the knitted component comprising:
 a knitted base layer;   a knitted net layer integrally knitted with the knitted base layer; and   one or more inlaid strands extending between the knitted base layer and the knitted net layer.   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear  claim 1 , wherein one or more yarns forming the knitted net layer form a plurality of polygon cells, wherein adjacent polygon cells share at least one common vertex. 
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 2 , wherein each polygon cell has a width between a first vertex and a second vertex, wherein the width is at least a width of five wales of the knitted base layer. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear of  claim 3 , wherein the width between the first vertex and the second vertex is seven wales of the knitted base layer. 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of polygon cells are quadrilaterals. 
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear of  claim 2 , wherein each polygon cell includes at least one inlaid strand extending across the polygon cell. 
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear of  claim 2 , wherein each polygon cell includes at least two inlaid strands spaced apart from each other. 
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear of  claim 7 , wherein the at least two inlaid strands are asymmetrically positioned within the polygon cell. 
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear of  claim 2 , wherein each polygon cell is defined by floating sections of yarn of the knitted net layer extending between one or more vertices, wherein the one or more inlaid strands intersect the floating sections. 
     
     
         10 . An article of footwear comprising a knitted component, the knitted component comprising:
 a knitted base layer formed with one or more first yarns; and   a knitted net layer formed with one or more second yarns that at least partially overlay the one or more first yarns of the knitted base layer,   wherein a thermoplastic polymer material at least partially fuses the one or more second yarns of the knitted net layer and the one or more first yarns of the knitted base layer.   
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more second yarns each comprise a core yarn, the thermoplastic polymer material having a lower melting temperature than the core yarn. 
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear of  claim 11 , wherein the core yarn is at least partially covered by a sheath of the thermoplastic polymer material. 
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear of  claim 10 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer material has a melting temperature that is lower than a melting temperature or decomposition temperature of the one or more first yarns. 
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear of  claim 10 , wherein the knitted base layer is integrally knit with the knitted net layer. 
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear of  claim 10 , wherein the knitted component further includes one or more inlaid strands positioned between the knitted base layer and the knitted net layer, wherein the thermoplastic polymer material at least partially fuses the one or more inlaid strands to the one or more second yarns of the knitted net layer. 
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear of  claim 10 , wherein the knitted net layer is joined to the knitted base layer through stitching and/or bonding. 
     
     
         17 . An article of footwear comprising a knitted component, the knitted component comprising:
 a first knitted base layer comprising one or more first yarns;   a knitted net layer comprising one or more second yarns that at least partially overlay the one or more first yarns; and   a second knitted base layer comprising one or more third yarns that at least partially overlay the one or more second yarns,   wherein a thermoplastic polymer material at least partially fuses the one or more first yarns, the one or more second yarns, and the one or more third yarns.   
     
     
         18 . The article of footwear of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more second yarns each comprise a core yarn, the thermoplastic polymer material having a lower melting temperature than the core yarn. 
     
     
         19 . The article of footwear of  claim 18 , wherein the core yarn is at least partially covered by a sheath of the thermoplastic polymer material. 
     
     
         20 . The article of footwear of  claim 18 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer material has a melting temperature that is lower than a melting temperature or decomposition temperature of the one or more first yarns. 
     
     
         21 . The article of footwear of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more first yarns and the one or more third yarns have the same material composition. 
     
     
         22 . The article of footwear of  claim 17 , wherein the knitted net layer is integrally knit with the first knitted base layer and the second knitted base layer. 
     
     
         23 . The article of footwear of  claim 17 , wherein the knitted component further includes one or more inlaid strands positioned between the first knitted base layer and the knitted net layer, wherein the thermoplastic polymer material at least partially fuses the one or more inlaid strands to the one or more second yarns of the knitted net layer. 
     
     
         24 . The article of footwear of  claim 23 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer material further fuses the one or more inlaid strands to portions of the first knitted base layer and the second knitted base layer that extend across an opening of a cell of the knitted net layer. 
     
     
         25 . The article of footwear of  claim 17 , wherein the first knitted base layer and the second knitted base layer have different knit densities. 
     
     
         26 . The article of footwear of  claim 25 , wherein the first knitted base layer has a greater knit density than the second knitted base layer.