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

Claim 10:
11. An article of footwear comprising:
an upper including:
a first fabric layer cut into a plurality of fabric portions,
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 plurality of foam portions, wherein each of the fabric portions corresponds to and is connected to a corresponding one of the foam portions to form a plurality of cut portions of upper material with a plurality of separations between the cut portions, wherein the plurality of separations includes a first separation defined between a first edge of a first cut portion of the plurality of cut portions and a second edge of a second cut portion of the plurality of cut portions 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,
wherein, in an unflexed configuration, the first edge of the first cut portion abuts the second edge of the second cut portion, and, in a flexed configuration, the first edge is separated from the second edge,
wherein the first fabric layer forms the outer surface of the upper, the second fabric layer forms an intact substrate that supports the plurality of cut portions, and
wherein the first fabric layer, the second fabric layer, and the foam layer extend over a heel region, a midfoot region, and a forefoot region of the upper on medial and lateral sides of the upper, and wherein the plurality of separations includes separations that extend within the heel region, the midfoot region, and the forefoot region of the upper on the medial and lateral sides of the upper; and

a sole coupled to the upper.