Patent Application
20190153638
The present disclosure relates generally to custom-fit socks, and more particularly to socks having a customized number of stitches in each course.
In general, conventional socks are formed by knitting the hem or welt first, followed by the leg, heel, foot, and then toe. After the toe is knit, a seam is formed to attach the opposite sides of the toe pocket to each other, closing the toe. Conventional socks may be manufactured in a variety of sizes and may be designed for particular ages, genders, activities, and the like. Socks that do not conform to a wearer's foot may cause chafing, blisters, and other painful conditions, particularly for active individuals who spend a lot of time on their feet, such as professional athletes.
The inventor has identified a number of deficiencies and problems associated with the conventional socks and associated methods described above. Through applied effort, ingenuity, and innovation, many of these identified problems have been solved by developing solutions that are included in embodiments of the present invention, many examples of which are described in detail herein.
Embodiments of the invention described herein provide improved socks and methods for making the same. In particular, the inventor has identified a need for socks that are customized to fit the foot of a wearer. Accordingly, embodiments of the socks described herein are formed to conform more exactly to the foot of a wearer to provide an optimal fit.
Accordingly, embodiments of the invention provide a sock formed on a circular knitting machine from at least one yarn. The sock comprises a tubular body formed from a plurality of courses and wales and having a foot portion and a leg portion merging substantially at the ankle of a wearer. The foot portion defines a foot bottom portion and an upper instep portion and further comprises a heel portion positioned adjacent the foot bottom portion at a first end of the foot portion and a toe portion positioned adjacent the foot bottom portion at a second end of the foot portion. A first course comprises a first number of stitches formed using a first number of selected needles of the circular knitting machine, and the first number of selected needles is less than a total number of needles of the circular knitting machine.
According to certain embodiments, non-selected needles of the first course may be non-adjacent to other non-selected needles of the first course. In some embodiments, the first number of stitches may be determined via three-dimensional imaging of the foot of the wearer.
According to certain embodiments, a second course may comprise a second number of stitches formed using a second number of selected needles of the circular knitting machine. In some embodiments, the second number of selected needles may be less than the total number of needles of the circular knitting machine. In certain embodiments, the second course may be adjacent the first course. In further embodiments, the first number of selected needles may be different than the second number of selected needles. In some embodiments, non-selected needles of the second course may be non-adjacent to other non-selected needles of the second course. In further embodiments, the second number of stitches may be determined via three-dimensional imaging of the foot of the wearer.
In another aspect, a method of knitting a sock on a circular knitting machine is provided. In such a method, the sock comprises a tubular body formed from a plurality of courses and wales and having a foot portion and a leg portion merging substantially at the ankle of a wearer such that the foot portion defines a foot bottom portion and an upper instep portion and further comprises a heel portion positioned adjacent the foot bottom portion at a first end of the foot portion and a toe portion positioned adjacent the foot bottom portion at a second end of the foot portion. The method includes selecting a number of needles for each course to achieve a determined circumferential length of the course to custom fit the foot of a wearer, and knitting a first course. The first course comprises a first number of stitches formed using a first number of selected needles of the circular knitting machine, and the first number of selected needles is less than a total number of needles of the circular knitting machine.
According to certain embodiments, the method may further comprise providing a three-dimensional image of the foot of the wearer, and selecting the number of needles for each course to achieve the determined circumferential length of the course as determined by the three-dimensional image of the foot of the wearer. In some embodiments, non-selected needles of the first course may be non-adjacent to other non-selected needles of the first course.
According to certain embodiments, the method may further comprise knitting a second course. In some embodiments, the second course may comprise a second number of stitches formed using a second number of selected needles of the circular knitting machine. In further embodiments, the second number of selected needles may be less than the total number of needles of the circular knitting machine. In certain embodiments, the second course may be adjacent the first course. In further embodiments, the first number of selected needles may be different than the second number of selected needles. In some embodiments, non-selected needles of the second course may be non-adjacent to other non-selected needles of the second course. In certain embodiments, the method may further comprise closing the toe portion.
In yet another aspect, a knit article formed on a circular knitting machine from at least one yarn is provided. The article comprises a tubular body having a plurality of courses and wales such that a first course comprises a first number of stitches formed using a first number of selected needles of the circular knitting machine, and the first number of selected needles is less than a total number of needles of the circular knitting machine.
According to certain embodiments, the article may comprise a sleeve, a cuff, a pant leg, a shirt, a unitard, a waistband, an undergarment, a glove, or a sock. In some embodiments, non-selected needles of the first course may be non-adjacent to other non-selected needles of the first course. In further embodiments, the first number of stitches may be determined via three-dimensional imaging of a body part of a wearer to achieve a desired circumferential length.
According to certain embodiments, a second course may comprise a second number of stitches formed using a second number of selected needles of the circular knitting machine. In some embodiments, the second number of selected needles may be less than the total number of needles of the circular knitting machine. In certain embodiments, the second course may be adjacent the first course. In further embodiments, the first number of selected needles may be different than the second number of selected needles. In some embodiments, non-selected needles of the second course may be non-adjacent to other non-selected needles of the second course. In further embodiments, the second number of stitches may be determined via three-dimensional imaging of a body part of a wearer to achieve a desired circumferential length.
Having thus described the disclosure in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:
The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which some but not all embodiments of the inventions are shown. Indeed, these inventions may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.
Conventional socks may be manufactured in a variety of sizes and may be designed for particular ages, genders, activities, and the like. Socks that do not conform to a wearer's foot may cause chafing, blisters, and other painful conditions, particularly for active individuals who spend a lot of time on their feet, such as professional athletes. Other knit articles, like clothing items such as shirts, undergarments, and the like, may pose similar problems. For example, areas of excess fabric may bunch and apply excess pressure or friction to corresponding areas of contact with the wearer's skin as the wearer moves. Conversely, areas of fabric that are sized too small may cut off circulation or cause irritation to the wearer.
Through applied effort, ingenuity, and innovation, many of these identified problems have been solved by the inventor. Accordingly, embodiments of the invention provide improved custom-fit socks, methods for knitting custom-fit socks, and custom-fit knit articles that are designed to specifically match the configuration (e.g., size and shape) of the corresponding body part of the wearer on which the article is worn.
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In this regard, each course will have a certain number of selected needles and non-selected needles that will vary from course to course. Each course may be knit in the same direction in a circular formation in accordance with the arrangement of the circular knitting machine. The term “non-selected needle(s)”, as used herein, may generally refer to the process of holding back certain needles in a particular course so that these “non-selected needles” do not engage a thread. The non-selected needles may be non-adjacent both between courses and within the same course in order to prevent the visual appearance of a hole.
According to certain embodiments and as mentioned above, the number of selected needles (e.g., the first number of selected needles, the second number of selected needles, etc.) corresponds to the number of stitches in a course. In some embodiments, for example, the number of stitches in each course may be determined by measuring average foot circumference of a wearer at incremental points. In further embodiments, for instance, the number of stitches in each course may be determined via three-dimensional imaging of the foot of the wearer. For example, in some embodiments in which a course corresponds to a larger portion of the foot, the course may require a larger circumferential length. In such embodiments, for instance, a larger number of needles may be selected to remain in the active race. In other embodiments in which a course corresponds to a smaller portion of the foot, for example, the course may require a smaller circumferential length, and fewer needles may be selected to remain in the active race. For example, in a 200-needle knitting machine, reducing the circumference by 1% would remove 2 needles, and reducing the circumference by 5% would remove 10 needles. Such needles would be removed in the area where fabric is not needed. In further embodiments, only part of a course or several courses may use reduced needles to, for example, make a shape on one side of a sock. For instance, the number of stitches in the foot bottom could be reduced without reducing the instep or the sock. In this regard, each course may be tailored to a size of the corresponding portion of the body. The respective size information, as determined by, for example, three-dimensional imaging, may be input into the circular knitting machine, and the number and positioning of the selected and non-selected needles may be chosen accordingly.
In accordance with certain embodiments, the sock 10 may be knit on a conventional circular knitting machine having a cylinder and dial capable of knitting socks. In some embodiments, for example, the sock 10 may be knit on a 4-inch diameter 108-needle cylinder circular knitting machine. Other examples of such machines may include a 4-inch diameter 156-needle cylinder circular hosiery knitting machine with a cooperating dial having needles therein and with or without a LIN-TOE® toe closing device, and a 4-inch diameter 112-needle cylinder circular knitting machine with a cooperating dial and a LIN-TOE® device. Such knitting machines are conventionally provided with two yarn feeds that supply yarns to the cylinder and dial needles at spaced apart locations around the circular knitting machine. Although examples of dual feed circular knitting machines are provided, the sock may be knit on a machine with any needle count or cylinder diameter as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, including, but not limited to, a single feed circular knitting machine, a circular knitting machine without a dial, and/or the like as long as the machine allows for needle-by-needle selection.
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In some embodiments, the heel portion 16 and the toe portion 14 may be made via reciprocated knitting. Reciprocated knitting, according to certain embodiments, may refer to the process of selecting opposite needles to remain in the active race and removing the remaining needles to the inactive race during knitting. In general, because the opposite needles are reciprocating, the swing of the cylinder changes to match the active needles, such that the reciprocated portions (e.g., the heel portion 16 and the toe portion 14) are knit back-and-forth rather than in the conventional circular manner. In other embodiments, however, reciprocated knitting may not be used in knitting the sock. For example, reciprocated knitting may not be used in forming a tube sock in accordance with certain embodiments. After the sock blank has been knit, the toe may be closed, such as by a LIN-TOE® device or seaming machine.
In
The sock 10 may be knit using any of various types of yarn in various weights as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art in light of this disclosure. In some cases, the selection of natural or synthetic yarn, textures, and patterns may depend on the anticipated use to which the socks may be put. For example, the sock 10 may be made thicker by selecting a higher weight yarn. As another example, the foot portion 12, such as the heel portion 16 or the toe portion 14 of the foot portion 12, may be formed using terry loops knit therein.
Further embodiments of the present invention may include a custom-fit knit fabric article. A knit fabric article may be formed on a circular knitting machine from at least one yarn. In some embodiments, for instance, the knit fabric article may comprise a sleeve, a cuff, a pant leg, a shirt, a unitard, a waistband, an undergarment, a sock, a glove, or any article that may be knit from at least one yarn on a circular knitting machine as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art.
According to certain embodiments, the knit fabric article may comprise a tubular body having a plurality of courses and wales. In some embodiments, a first course may comprise a first number of stitches formed using a first number of selected needles of the circular knitting machine. In further embodiments, a second course may comprise a second number of stitches formed using a second number of selected needles of the circular knitting machine. In certain embodiments, each of the first number of stitches and the second number of stitches may be determined via three-dimensional imaging of a body part of a wearer, as described above in more detail. The body part of the wearer that is imaged is dependent upon the desired knit fabric article and how it is meant to be worn (e.g., on what body part), as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. In some embodiments, the non-selected needles of each of the first course and the second course are non-adjacent to other non-selected needles of the first course and the second course respectively. Each of the first number of selected needles and the second number of selected needles may be less than a total number of needles of the circular knitting machine, and the first number of selected needles may be different than the second number of selected needles. Moreover, the second course may be adjacent the first course in the knit fabric article, as described above.
Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these inventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the inventions are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
