Patent ID: 11889896
Assignee: NIKE, INC.
Field: Other consumer goods (Other fields)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 17:
18. An article of footwear comprising:
an upper configured to extend over instep and toe areas of the foot, along medial and lateral sides of the foot, and around a heel area of the foot, wherein the upper comprises:
a first fabric layer cut into a first fabric portion and a second fabric portion,
a second fabric layer, and
a foam layer disposed between the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer, wherein the foam layer is cut into a first foam portion and a second foam portion, wherein the first fabric portion is fixed to the first foam portion to form a first cut portion of upper material and the second fabric portion is fixed to the second foam portion to form a second cut portion of the upper material, wherein a first separation is defined between a first edge of the first cut portion and a second edge of the second cut portion such that the first edge of the first cut portion and the second edge of the second cut portion form opposite walls of the first separation extending inward from an outer surface of the upper,
wherein the first edge of the first cut portion follows a first undulate pattern comprising a first plurality of repeating undulations forming a wavy, sinusoidal shape, wherein the second edge of the second cut portion follows a second undulate pattern that matches the first undulate pattern of the first edge and comprises a second plurality of repeating undulations forming a wavy, sinusoidal shape that match the first plurality of repeating undulations such that the first separation has an undulate pattern defined by the first undulate pattern of the first edge and the second undulate pattern of the second edge, and
wherein the first edge and the second edge form a juncture at an innermost point of the first separation such that when the upper is in a flexed configuration, the first edge is separated from the second edge to form the first separation as a V-shaped gap between the first cut portion and the second cut portion, wherein the gap is widest proximate the first fabric layer; and

a sole coupled to the upper.