Article of footwear with transparent or translucent portions

Abstract

Aspects herein are directed to, among other things, a knitted upper for an article of footwear. The knitted upper includes raised tubular structures having transparent or translucent portions, which may include courses knit with only monofilament yarn, and that may include a tensile element that is visible through the transparent or translucent portion. The raised tubular structures are separated by knit base portions, which may include a plurality of integrally knit openings. The raised tubular structures, inlaid tensile elements, and plurality of integrally knit openings may help to created desired containment with unique visual properties in some aspects while also imparting stretch and breathability, thereby increasing the structural integrity of the knitted upper.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A knitted component, comprising:
 a plurality of raised tubular structures, each having a first knit layer, a second knit layer, and a pocket between the first knit layer and the second knit layer;   a tensile element extending through the pocket of each of the plurality of raised tubular structures; and   wherein the first knit layer of each of the plurality of raised tubular structures comprises a transparent portion, the tensile element in the pocket being visible through the transparent portion of the first knit layer.   
     
     
         2 . The knitted component of  claim 1 , wherein the transparent portion on each raised tubular structure is positioned between two non-transparent portions, each extending along a same plane on the raised tubular structure as the transparent portion. 
     
     
         3 . The knitted component of any of  claim 2 , wherein the transparent portion comprises a plurality of courses knit only with one or more monofilament yarns and the two non-transparent portions each comprise a multifilament yarn. 
     
     
         4 . The knitted component of  claim 1 , wherein the transparent portion on each raised tubular structure is positioned along a top of the raised tubular structure and is positioned between a first non-transparent portion extending along a first side of the raised tubular structure and a second non-transparent portion extending along a second side of the raised tubular structure. 
     
     
         5 . The knitted component of  claim 1 , wherein the transparent portion comprises a plurality of courses knit only with one or more monofilament yarns. 
     
     
         6 . The knitted component of  claim 5 , wherein the second knit layer of each raised tubular structure comprises a multifilament yarn. 
     
     
         7 . The knitted component of  claim 5 , wherein the first knit layer includes a first multifilament portion and a second multifilament portion, each having at least one or more multifilament yarns, wherein the tensile element is not visible through the first and second multifilament portions. 
     
     
         8 . The knitted component of  claim 1 , wherein the first knit layer forms an exterior surface of the knitted component. 
     
     
         9 . The knitted component of  claim 1 , wherein the tensile element is inlaid through the pocket without interlooping with the first knit layer and the second knit layer. 
     
     
         10 . The knitted component of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of knit base portions separating adjacent raised tubular structures within the plurality of raised tubular structures, where at least some of the knit base portions comprise a plurality of integrally knit openings. 
     
     
         11 . The knitted component of  claim 1 , wherein the first knit layer of each of the plurality of raised tubular structures comprises a non-transparent portion through which the tensile element is not visible, wherein the non-transparent portion on one raised tubular structure within the plurality of raised tubular structures is aligned with non-transparent portions on adjacent raised tubular structures. 
     
     
         12 . The knitted component of  claim 11 , wherein the transparent portion is a first transparent portion, each of the raised tubular structures having a second transparent portion, where the non-transparent portion separates the first and second transparent portions. 
     
     
         13 . An article of footwear comprising an upper formed at least partially from the knitted component of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear of  claim 13 , wherein the tensile element extends continuously from a biteline of the article of footwear on a lateral side of the upper, through a throat area of the upper, and to the biteline on a medial side of the upper. 
     
     
         15 . A knitted component, comprising:
 a plurality of raised tubular structures, each having a first knit layer, a second knit layer, and a pocket between the first knit layer and the second knit layer;   a tensile element extending through the pocket of each of the plurality of raised tubular structures; and   wherein the first knit layer of each of the plurality of raised tubular structures comprises a monofilament portion formed of a plurality of courses knit only with one or more monofilament yarns, the tensile element in the pocket being visible through the monofilament portion of the first knit layer.   
     
     
         16 . The knitted component of  claim 15 , wherein the first knit layer forms an exterior surface of the knitted component. 
     
     
         17 . The knitted component of  claim 15 , wherein the first knit layer includes a first multifilament portion and a second multifilament portion, each having at least one or more multifilament yarns, wherein the monofilament portion is positioned between the first and second multifilament portions. 
     
     
         18 . The knitted component of  claim 15 , wherein the second knit layer comprises a multifilament yarn. 
     
     
         19 . The knitted component of  claim 15 , wherein the tensile element is inlaid through the pocket without interlooping with the first knit layer and the second knit layer. 
     
     
         20 . The knitted component of  claim 15 , further comprising a plurality of knit base portions separating adjacent raised tubular structures within the plurality of raised tubular structures, where at least some of the knit base portions comprise a plurality of integrally knit openings. 
     
     
         21 . The knitted component of  claim 15 , wherein the first knit layer of each of the plurality of raised tubular structures comprises a multifilament portion knit with a multifilament yarn, the multifilament portion on a raised tubular structure within the plurality of raised tubular structures being aligned with multifilament portions on adjacent raised tubular structures. 
     
     
         22 . The knitted component of  claim 21 , wherein the monofilament portion is a first monofilament portion, each of the raised tubular structures having a second monofilament portion, where the multifilament portion separates the first and second monofilament portions. 
     
     
         23 . An article of footwear comprising an upper formed at least partially from the knitted component of  claim 15 . 
     
     
         24 . The article of footwear of  claim 23 , wherein the tensile element extends continuously from a biteline of the article of footwear on a lateral side of the upper, through a throat area of the upper, and to the biteline on a medial side of the upper. 
     
     
         25 . A knitted component, comprising:
 a plurality of raised tubular structures, each having a first knit layer, a second knit layer, and a pocket between the first knit layer and the second knit layer;   wherein the first knit layer of each of the plurality of raised tubular structures comprises a monofilament portion comprising a plurality of courses knit only with one or more monofilaments; and   wherein the second knit layer of each of the plurality of raised tubular structures is knit only with one or more multifilament yarns.   
     
     
         26 . The knitted component of  claim 25 , wherein the one or more multifilament yarns of the second knit layer include a polyester yarn. 
     
     
         27 . The knitted component of  claim 25 , further comprising a tensile element extending within the pocket between the first knit layer and the second knit layer. 
     
     
         28 . An article of footwear comprising an upper formed at least partially from the knitted component of  claim 25 . 
     
     
         29 . The article of footwear of  claim 28 , wherein each of the raised tubular structures within the plurality of raised tubular structures extends continuously from a biteline of the article of footwear on a lateral side of the upper, through a throat area of the upper, and to the biteline on a medial side of the upper. 
     
     
         30 . A knitted component, comprising:
 a plurality of raised tubular structures, each having a first knit layer, a second knit layer, a pocket between the first knit layer and the second knit layer;   the first knit layer comprising a monofilament yarn; and   a plurality of knit base portions, each of the plurality of raised tubular structures being separated from adjacent raised tubular structures by a knit base portion within the plurality of knit base portions, wherein each of the knit base portions includes a plurality of integrally knit openings.   
     
     
         31 . The knitted component of  claim 30 , wherein the first knit layer includes one or more monofilament portions knit only with the monofilament yarn. 
     
     
         32 . The knitted component of  claim 30 , wherein the plurality of knit base portions each comprises two yarns knit alternatingly on a front side of the knitted component and a back side of the knitted component to create an interlocking knit structure. 
     
     
         33 . The knitted component of  claim 30 , wherein the plurality of knit base portions each includes one or more courses of a monofilament yarn, the monofilament yarn of the knit base portions being either the same or different as the monofilament yarn of the first knit layer of the raised tubular structures. 
     
     
         34 . An article of footwear comprising an upper formed at least partially from the knitted component of  claim 30 .