Patent ID: 8028440

Claim:
An article of footwear, comprising: an upper member including a first textile element forming at least a major portion of an exterior surface of the upper member and a second textile element forming at least a major portion of an interior surface of the upper member, the first textile element joined to the second textile element in a stitchless manner at a foot-receiving opening of the upper member; the upper member further including a first opening independent of the foot-receiving opening, the first opening extending through the upper member from the exterior surface to the interior surface; a sole member engaged with the upper member; wherein the first opening is spaced apart from the foot-receiving opening and at an instep portion of the upper member between the foot-receiving opening and a forefoot portion of the upper member; and wherein the first opening is defined by a perimeter comprising a plurality of edges in the upper member, the plurality of edges including edges of the first textile element and edges of the second textile element joined together in a stitchless manner along the perimeter of the first opening.