Footwear upper with inlaid strand lace apertures

Abstract

A knitted component of an upper for a shoe is described. The knitted component includes an inlaid strand that runs through a course of the knitted component that runs in a toe-heel direction. The inlaid strand may be doubled over within the course so that two segments of the same inlaid strand run alongside each other. Along at least one portion of the course, the inlaid strand is exposed, and the segments of the inlaid strand may form loops through which the laces of the shoe's lacing system can be threaded. The inlaid strand has sufficient tensile strength to allow the laces to be tightened without damaging the strand or other parts of the knitted component.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An upper for an article of footwear, the upper comprising:
 a knitted component comprising a first course and a first edge that at least partially defines a medial side or a lateral side of a throat opening of the upper; and   an inlaid strand comprising:
 an inlaid segment that is inlaid within at least a portion of the first course of the knitted component; and 
 an exposed segment where the inlaid strand exits and reenters the knitted component at least once along the first course. 
   
     
     
         2 . The upper of  claim 1 , wherein the exposed segment is a first exposed segment configured into a first loop extending out from the knitted component. 
     
     
         3 . The upper of  claim 2 , wherein the inlaid strand includes a second exposed segment configured into a second loop extending out from the knitted component. 
     
     
         4 . The upper of  claim 3 , wherein the knitted component further comprises an edge portion between the first edge and the first course, and the first loop and the second loop are positioned on opposite sides of the edge portion. 
     
     
         5 . The upper of  claim 4 , wherein the inlaid segment is secured within the first course. 
     
     
         6 . The upper of  claim 5 , wherein the inlaid strand is secured within the first course via an embroidering strand. 
     
     
         7 . The upper of  claim 6 , wherein the inlaid strand further comprises a bend between a first end and a second end of the inlaid strand, and wherein the bend is located within the first course. 
     
     
         8 . The upper of  claim 1 , wherein the at least a portion of the first course is substantially parallel to the first edge of the knitted component. 
     
     
         9 . An article of footwear comprising an upper and a sole structure attached to the upper along a biteline, the upper comprising:
 a knitted component having a first edge that at least partially defines a medial side or a lateral side of a throat opening of the upper, the knitted component having a first course extending in a toe-heel direction; and   an inlaid strand comprising an inlaid segment that is inlaid within at least a portion of the first course of the knitted component, the inlaid strand further comprising an exposed segment, wherein the inlaid strand exits and reenters the knitted component at least once along the first course.   
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear of  claim 9 , wherein the inlaid strand has a first end and a second end, wherein the first course has a first end opening along a perimeter edge of the knitted component, and the first end and the second end of the inlaid strand exit the first course through the first end opening. 
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear of  claim 10 , wherein the first end and the second end of the inlaid strand extend to the biteline. 
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear of  claim 11 , wherein the first end and the second end of the inlaid strand are secured to the sole structure. 
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear of  claim 9 , wherein the knitted component is a first knitted component and the upper further comprises a tongue comprising a second knitted component attached to the first knitted component. 
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear of  claim 13 , further comprising a third knitted component attached to the second knitted component, wherein the first edge of the first knitted component defines the medial side of the throat opening and the third knitted component comprises a second edge that defines the lateral side of the throat opening, the third knitted component further comprising a second course and a second inlaid strand inlaid within at least a portion of the second course. 
     
     
         15 . A method of forming a knitted component of an upper for an article of footwear, the method comprising:
 knitting a plurality of courses together to form at least part of the knitted component that defines at least one of a medial edge or a lateral edge of a tongue opening of the upper, including at least a first course; and   during the knitting, inlaying a first inlaid segment of an inlaid strand within the first course such that the inlaid strand further comprises a first exposed segment, wherein the inlaid strand exits and re-enters the knitted component at least once along the first course.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the inlaying further comprises inlaying a second inlaid segment of the inlaid strand alongside the first inlaid segment within the first course. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising arranging the first exposed segment of the inlaid strand into a first loop positioned outside the first course. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising shrinking the first loop by pulling on the inlaid strand after knitting. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising arranging a second exposed segment of the inlaid strand into a second loop positioned outside the first course. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising stitching an embroidery strand along an exterior of the first course to secure the first inlaid segment within the first course.