US 12,446,650 B2
Upper for article of footwear incorporating a knitted butterfly workpiece
Samuel Scott Rathburn, Portland, OR (US); Kathryn Carey Fleming, Portland, OR (US); and Mark Francis Murphy, Portland, OR (US)
Assigned to LULULEMON ATHLETICA CANADA INC., Vancouver (CA)
Filed by LULULEMON ATHLETICA CANADA INC., Vancouver (CA)
Filed on Jan. 31, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/428,341.
Application 18/428,341 is a division of application No. 18/332,092, filed on Jun. 9, 2023, granted, now 11,937,662.
Application 18/332,092 is a continuation of application No. 17/932,122, filed on Sep. 14, 2022, granted, now 12,150,513.
Prior Publication US 2024/0164469 A1, May 23, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A43B 1/04 (2022.01); A43B 23/02 (2006.01); D04B 1/10 (2006.01)
CPC A43B 1/04 (2013.01) [A43B 23/02 (2013.01); D04B 1/10 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An upper of an article of footwear including a knitted workpiece, the knitted workpiece comprising:
a throat portion disposed in a midfoot region of the upper extending to a front end of the knitted workpiece;
a collar portion extending rearward from the throat portion at a forward end to a rear end opposite the forward end;
wherein the throat portion extends continuously from the forward end of the collar portion to the front end of the knitted workpiece in a longitudinal direction towards a forefoot region of the upper;
a medial lobe extending from one side of the throat portion;
a lateral lobe extending from an opposite side of the throat portion from the medial lobe;
wherein the throat portion, the collar portion, the medial lobe, and the lateral lobe form a single unified knitted workpiece;
the medial lobe including a front side facing towards the front end of the knitted workpiece and a rear side opposite the front side;
the lateral lobe including a front side facing towards the front end of the knitted workpiece and a rear side opposite the front side;
wherein an outer peripheral edge of the knitted workpiece extends along a front side edge on the front side of the medial lobe, a medial side edge of the medial lobe, and a rear side edge on the rear side of the medial lobe on one side of the upper;
wherein the outer peripheral edge of the knitted workpiece extends along a front side edge on the front side of the lateral lobe, a lateral side edge of the lateral lobe, and a rear side edge on the rear side of the lateral lobe on the opposite side of the upper;
wherein the front side edge of the medial lobe and the front side edge of the lateral lobe are located rearward of the front end of the throat portion in the longitudinal direction towards the collar portion of the upper; and
wherein the rear side edge of the medial lobe and the rear side edge of the lateral lobe are located forward of the forward end of the collar portion in a direction towards the forefoot region of the upper.