Footwear with asymmetrical heel seam

Abstract

An article of footwear, having a first end portion; a second end portion opposite the first end portion; and an upper extending between the first end portion and the second end portion, wherein the second end portion of the upper comprises a medial side and a lateral side opposite the medial side; and a heel portion, comprising: a heel seam coupling the medial side and the lateral side of the upper, the heel seam having an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the upper portion has an asymmetrical bias. The heel seam may have an asymmetrical bias toward the medial side of the upper to improve the comfort while contouring the article of footwear to a foot of the wearer, creating a tighter fitting article of footwear.

1 . An article of footwear, comprising:
 a first end portion;   a second end portion opposite the first end portion; and   an upper extending between the first end portion and the second end portion,   wherein the second end portion of the upper comprises:
 a medial side and a lateral side opposite the medial side; and 
 a heel portion, comprising:
 a heel seam coupling the medial side and the lateral side of the upper, the heel seam having an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the upper portion has an asymmetrical bias. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the heel seam has the asymmetrical bias toward the medial side of the upper. 
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the upper portion is positioned in a first orientation, in which the asymmetrical bias of the heel seam is configured to contour to a foot of a wearer of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a collar portion in the second end portion, the collar portion extending from the medial side to the lateral side, wherein the upper portion of the heel seam is coupled to the collar portion on the medial side.   
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 4 , wherein the upper portion of the heel seam is configured to couple to the collar portion of the article between a medial malleolus bone and an Achilles tendon of a foot of a wearer. 
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the lower portion of the heel seam is a vertical seam, and the vertical seam is symmetric between the medial side and the lateral side of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , the upper further comprising:
 an overlay comprising at least one of a knitted or nonwoven textile material.   
     
     
         8 . The article of footwear of  claim 7 , wherein at least a portion of the overlay has an asymmetrical pattern corresponding to the asymmetrical bias of the heel seam. 
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a sole structure disposed below an upper including an outsole configured to contact a ground surface; and   a plurality of protrusions coupled to the outsole configured to provide traction with the ground surface.   
     
     
         10 . An article of footwear, comprising:
 a first end portion;   a second end portion opposite the first end portion; and   an upper extending between the first end portion and the second end portion,   wherein the second end portion of the upper comprises:
 a medial side and a lateral side opposite the medial side; and 
 a heel portion, comprising:
 a heel seam coupling the medial side and the lateral side of the upper, the heel seam having an asymmetrical bias toward the medial side of the article of footwear. 
 
   
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear of  claim 10 , wherein the heel seam further comprises:
 an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the upper portion of the heel seam has the asymmetrical bias toward the medial side of the upper.   
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear of  claim 12 , wherein the upper portion is positioned in a first orientation, such that the asymmetrical bias of the heel seam is configured to contour to a foot of a wearer of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a collar portion in the second end portion, the collar portion extending from the medial side to the lateral side, wherein the upper portion of the heel seam is coupled to the collar portion on the medial side.   
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear of  claim 14 , wherein the upper portion of the heel seam is configured to couple to the collar portion of the article between a medial malleolus bone and an Achilles tendon of a foot of a wearer. 
     
     
         16 . The article of footwear of  claim 12 , wherein the lower portion of the heel seam is a vertical seam and is symmetrical between the medial side and the lateral side of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear of  claim 12 , wherein the upper portion is positioned in a first orientation, in which the asymmetrical bias of the heel seam is configured to prevent the heel seam from causing irritation to a back of an ankle of a wearer of the article of footwear. 
     
     
         18 . The article of footwear of  claim 10 , the upper further comprising:
 an overlay consisting of at least one of a knitted or nonwoven textile material.   
     
     
         19 . The article of footwear of  claim 18 , wherein at least a portion of the overlay is configured in an asymmetrical pattern corresponding to the asymmetrical bias of the heel seam. 
     
     
         20 . An article of footwear, comprising:
 a first end portion;   a second end portion opposite the first end portion; and   an upper extending between the first end portion and the second end portion,   wherein the second end portion of the upper comprises:
 a medial side and a lateral side opposite the medial side; and 
 a heel portion, comprising:
 a heel seam comprising an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the upper portion has an asymmetrical bias toward the medial side of the article of footwear, and the lower portion comprises a vertical seam that is symmetric between the medial side and the lateral side of the upper and which is centered on the heel portion. 
 
   
     
     
         21 . The article of footwear of  claim 20 , further comprising an upper including an overlay, wherein at least a portion of the overlay has an asymmetrical pattern corresponding to the asymmetrical bias of the heel seam.