Article of footwear with gripping pads on a composite upper

Abstract

An article of footwear includes a sole defining a length direction and a width direction of the article of footwear. An upper is connected to the sole and includes at least one panel having a plurality of layers that are secured together by an embroidery stitching pattern. The plurality of layers include a first layer arranged outward from a second layer, wherein a plurality of cells are formed on the first layer by the embroidery stitching pattern such that a perimeter of each cell is defined along the embroidery stitching pattern. An outer surface of the first layer is buckled such that an interior portion defined within the perimeter of each cell bulges outward on the first layer of the upper. A plurality of gripping pads are disposed on the outer surface of the first layer. Each of the gripping pads are arranged on the interior portion of each of the plurality of cells.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An article of footwear comprising:
 a sole defining a length direction and a width direction of the article of footwear; and   an upper connected to the sole, the upper including at least one panel having a plurality of layers that are secured together by an embroidery stitching pattern, the plurality of layers including a first layer arranged outward from a second layer, wherein a plurality of cells are formed on the first layer by the embroidery stitching pattern such that a perimeter of each cell is defined along the embroidery stitching pattern, and wherein an outer surface of the first layer is buckled such that an interior portion defined within the perimeter of each cell bulges outward on the first layer of the upper; and   a plurality of gripping pads disposed on the outer surface of the first layer, each of the gripping pads arranged on the interior portion of each of the plurality of cells.   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of layers is defined by a single maximum elongation for said layer wherein said maximum elongation is oriented in a defined direction, wherein the first layer has a maximum elongation in the length direction of the article of footwear, and wherein the second layer has a maximum elongation in the width direction of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 2  wherein the first layer is an outermost layer of the plurality of layers. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear of  claim 3  wherein the embroidery stitching pattern is provided by embroidered stitches including a top thread exposed on the outermost layer. 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 3  wherein the maximum elongation of the first layer in the length direction is less than 30% and wherein the maximum elongation of the second layer in the width direction is greater than 100%. 
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear of  claim 5  wherein the maximum elongation of the first layer in the length direction is less than 10%. 
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear of  claim 3  wherein the second layer is a resilient layer. 
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear of  claim 7  wherein a recovery of the second layer in both the length direction and the width direction is greater than 80%. 
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear of  claim 2  wherein the length direction is perpendicular to the width direction. 
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear of  claim 1  wherein the embroidery stitching pattern defines an auxetic structure. 
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear of  claim 1  further comprising a reinforcement layer positioned between the first layer and the second layer, the reinforcement layer configured to delimit a degree of stretch of the second layer. 
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear of  claim 1  wherein the gripping pads are comprised of silicone. 
     
     
         13 . An article of footwear comprising:
 a sole; and   an upper connected to the sole, the upper including at least one composite panel including a plurality of layers that are secured together by a stitch network that defines a pattern of cell units on the composite panel, each cell unit including a perimeter defined along the stitch network and an interior portion that bulges outward from the perimeter; and   a plurality of gripping pads positioned on the composite panel, each gripping pad arranged on the interior portion of a cell unit.   
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear of  claim 13  wherein the plurality of gripping pads are comprised of silicone. 
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear of  claim 13  wherein the plurality of gripping pads are at least partially embedded in an outer layer of the plurality of layers of the at least one composite panel. 
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear of  claim 13  wherein the plurality of layers including a resilient layer and a less resilient layer, the resilient layer having four-way stretch capabilities such that the resilient layer is configured to expand from a contracted state to a stretched state, and the less resilient layer coupled to the resilient layer by the stitch network such that each cell unit defines a bulge in the composite panel when the resilient layer is in the contracted state and a height of said bulge is reduced when the resilient layer is in the stretched state. 
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear of  claim 13  wherein the stitch network is an embroidery stitch network provided by embroidered stitches including a top thread exposed on an exterior of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         18 . A method of manufacturing an article of footwear comprising:
 forming a composite panel for an upper of the article of footwear by:
 stretching a resilient first layer from a contracted state to a stretched state; 
 aligning a second layer with the first layer when the first layer is in the stretched state; 
 coupling the first layer to the second layer by embroidery stitching a stitch network to the first layer and the second layer while the first layer is in the stretched state, wherein the stitch network defines a pattern of cell units on the composite panel, each cell unit including a perimeter defined along the stitch network and an interior portion defined within the perimeter; 
 applying a plurality of gripping pads on the composite panel, each gripping pad arranged on the interior portion of a cell unit; 
 releasing the first layer from the stretched state such that it returns to the contracted state and the second layer buckles, wherein bulges are formed in each of the cell units when the second layer buckles; and 
 incorporating the composite panel into the upper of the article of footwear. 
   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein aligning the second layer with the first layer includes placing the second layer in a taut state in proximity of the first layer. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein applying the plurality of gripping pads occurs after releasing the first layer from the stretched state.