Footwear with asymmetrical collar

Abstract

An article of footwear, having a first end portion, and a second end portion opposite the first end portion, an opening disposed adjacent to the second 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 collar portion disposed adjacent to the opening, wherein the collar portion is asymmetrical between the medial side of the upper and the lateral side of the upper. The collar portion may further comprise an outer collar lining adjacent to the opening, and an inner collar lining opposite the outer collar lining, comprising: a collar foam, wherein the collar foam is asymmetrical between the medial side of the upper and the lateral side of the upper.

1 . An article of footwear, comprising:
 a first end portion;   a second end portion opposite the first end portion;   an opening disposed adjacent to the second 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 collar portion disposed adjacent to the opening, wherein the collar portion is asymmetrical between the medial side of the upper and the lateral side of the upper, the collar portion including a collar foam having separate portions positioned in a same layer and separated by a gap, the gap non-parallel to a vertical axis that is centered in a heel portion of the article of footwear and which extends vertically when the article of footwear is positioned on a horizontal surface, at least a portion of the gap located at a rearmost location of the heel portion. 
   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , the collar portion further comprising:
 an outer collar lining adjacent to the opening; and   an inner collar lining opposite the outer collar lining, comprising:
 a collar foam, wherein the collar foam is asymmetrical between the medial side of the upper and the lateral side of the upper. 
   
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 2 , wherein the collar foam has a uniform thickness. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear of  claim 2 , the collar foam further comprising:
 a top foam layer comprising a first layer low density polyurethane foam;   a middle layer comprising a thermoplastic polyurethane foam; and   a bottom foam layer comprising a second layer of low density polyurethane foam,   wherein the middle layer is between the top foam layer and the bottom foam layer.   
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 2 , wherein the inner collar lining comprises a synthetic suede material. 
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear of  claim 2 , wherein the collar foam has a mesh overlay configured to contact a heel of a wearer. 
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the medial side of the collar portion is larger than the lateral side of the collar portion. 
     
     
         8 . 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, the second end portion of the upper comprising:
 a medial side and a lateral side opposite the medial side; and 
 an asymmetrical collar foam configured to contour to a foot of a wearer, wherein the asymmetrical collar foam has a top edge extending between lateral and medial sides of the asymmetrical collar foam, the top edge including a convex portion between two concave portions, and a height of an uppermost portion of the medial side is greater than a height of an uppermost portion of the lateral side and greater than a height of the convex portion of the asymmetrical collar foam. 
   
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear of  claim 8 , wherein the asymmetrical collar foam is asymmetrical between the medial side of the upper and the lateral side of the upper such that the medial side of the asymmetrical collar foam is larger than the lateral side of the asymmetrical collar foam. 
     
     
         10 . The article of footwear of  claim 9 , wherein the asymmetrical collar foam has a uniform thickness. 
     
     
         11 . The article of footwear of  claim 8 , wherein the height of the uppermost portion of the convex portion is greater than the height of the uppermost portion of the lateral side. 
     
     
         12 . The article of footwear of  claim 8 , the asymmetrical collar foam further comprising:
 a top foam layer comprising a first layer low density polyurethane foam;   a middle layer comprising a thermoplastic polyurethane foam; and   a bottom foam layer comprising a second layer of low density polyurethane foam,   wherein the middle layer is between the top foam layer and the bottom foam layer.   
     
     
         13 . The article of footwear of  claim 12 , wherein the medial side of the asymmetrical collar foam is larger than the lateral side of the asymmetrical collar foam. 
     
     
         14 . The article of footwear of  claim 12 , wherein the asymmetrical collar foam has a mesh overlay configured to contact a heel of a wearer. 
     
     
         15 . The article of footwear of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 an inner collar lining, wherein the inner collar lining comprising a knit base textile material.   
     
     
         16 . 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, the second end portion of the upper comprising:
 a medial side and a lateral side opposite the medial side; and 
 a collar portion disposed at the second end portion, wherein the collar portion comprises:
 a top foam layer comprising a low density polyurethane foam, wherein the top foam layer includes a lateral side portion and a medial side portion separate from one another by a gap; 
 a middle layer comprising a thermoplastic polyurethane foam; and 
 a bottom foam layer comprising the low density polyurethane foam of the top foam layer. 
 
   
     
     
         17 . The article of footwear of  claim 16 , wherein the top foam layer has a first thickness and the bottom foam layer has a second thickness, wherein the second thickness is at least twice the first thickness. 
     
     
         18 . The article of footwear of  claim 16 , wherein density of the low density polyurethane foam is 0.05 to 0.09 pounds per cubic feet. 
     
     
         19 . The article of footwear of  claim 16 , wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane foam of the middle layer has a melting point of 60 to 75 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         20 . The article of footwear of  claim 16 , wherein the medial side of the collar portion is configured to have a larger area of cushion compared to the lateral side of the collar portion and configured to contact a foot below a medial malleolus bone.