METHOD OF MAKING A KNIT SOCK/HEEL

Abstract

A method of making a sock having a leg portion, a gusset, a foot and a toe includes knitting a tubular member having a cylindrical body with a closed end, using, preferably a conventional circular knitting machine. The circular body is shaped to look like a sock and then subjected to heat and/pressure causing the fibers of the body to set. The circular body is knit from standard fiber yarns, including yarns made from natural and artificial fibers.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

a. Field of Invention

This invention pertains to a method of making a sock by a knitting a tubular sock, mounting it on a suitable form and then pressing it. b. Description of the Prior Art

Socks come in a large variety of styles and can be made from various materials and by various methods. However most of them have the same construction. A typical sock has four main portions: the toe, the foot, the gusset and the leg body. Each method of making socks has its advantages and disadvantages. One of the most common methods of making socks is knitting. One of the big advantages of this method is that it is very efficient because it can be used to make a large number of socks very economically using an automated knitting machine. Knitting is very versatile because it can be used to make socks in virtually any size or shape. Another advantage is that it is easy to make socks with almost any kind of decorative design in any desirable color using various yarns.

One disadvantage of knitting is that it is very difficult to make the gusset (or at least the portions covering the heel, normally referred to as the turned heel and the heel flap) using more than one yarn. As a result, regardless of what color and/or pattern combinations are used to make them, ail socks have a heel portion that has a solid color because it is made from a single yarn.

The present invention overcomes this problem and provides a method that can be used to make socks having patterns and color combinations that cover even the heel portions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly, the present invention pertains to a method of making a sock. The method includes knitting a tubular sock including a cylindrical body from fibers;shaping said cylindrical body into a sock-shaped body; and setting said fibers to cause said sock-shaped body to maintain its shape.

The step of shaping includes drawing said cylindrical body over a foot shaped-form to make said foot-shaped body. The setting step is preferably performed while said cylindrical body is disposed on the form.

The cylindrical body is knit on a standard circular knitting machines from blends of natural or artificial fibers, including acrylic, polyester, cotton, nylon and rayon Optionally, a component with spandex may also be used.

The cylindrical body may be shaped by drawing it over a form made of metal, foam or cardboard.

The cylindrical body is set by applying heat and/or pressure to the cylindrical body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a typical angle-length sock;

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of a knit tubular sock constructed in accordance with this invention; and

FIG. 3 shows diagrammatically a device used to set the sock of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to FIG. 1, a typical sock 10 includes a toe 12, foot 14, gusset 16 (including a heel portion 18) and leg body 20. The top portion 22 of leg body 20 is elasticized to form a cuff that prevents the sock from slipping off the foot. The problems associated with making this conventional sock 10 pertain to the gusset 16 and in most conventional socks the gusset 16 has a different texture then the rest of the sock due to the fact that a different knitting then the rest of the sock.

According to this invention, a sock is made as follows. First, a tubular member 100 is knit using standard 120-200 needle tubular sock knitting techniques. Because a gusset for the heal is no longer required, this sock has only a cylindrical body except a closed end 112 at the bottom, as shown in FIG. 2. The cylindrical body includes two sections, a top section 102, and a bottom section 104. The cylindrical body is knit as a whole using various colored yarns to generate substantially any desired pattern or color combination.

After the knitting is done, the sock is then shaped using the apparatus shown in FIG. 3. Apparatus 300 includes several upright tubes 302 terminating in a foot-shaped form 304. Of course any number of such tubes 302 may be provided. Apparatus 300 is a well-known commercially available device that is used to press regular socks, such as the one shown in FIG. 1. However in the present invention, sock 100 is pulled over L-shaped forms 304 made of foam, cardboard or other similar material and having the size and shape of a foot. Then heat is applied to the sock 100 internally through the form 304 and/or externally, using or example steam at a pressure of about 1.8 lbs. This steam pressure is higher than what is used to during the process of making standard socks. The heat causes the yarns of the sock to set thereby resulting in a sock having the same shape as the sock in FIG. 1.

More specifically, the upper section 102 forms the leg portion 120. A top segment 122 of the leg portion 120 can be elasticized to prevent the sock from slipping off a person's foot. The lower section 104 is shaped to form the foot 114, and the gusset 116. The closed end 112 forms the toe 112.

After the setting step is completed, the sock is removed from the form and treated just like the regular sock of FIG. 1.

Preferably, the sock 100 is made of yarns that are responsive to heat setting and do not lose their shape after the sock is allowed to cool and retains its shape even after the sock has been worn for an extended period of time. Some typical fibers used to make sock 100 include acrylic, polyester, cotton, nylon, rayon or blends of two or more of these fibers, including, optionally a spandex component.

Sock 300 is described as being ankle length, but, of course, other types or lengths of socks may be made as well using the described technique.

Obviously numerous modifications may be made to this invention without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method of making a sock comprising: knitting a tubular sock including a cylindrical body from fibers;shaping said cylindrical body into a sock-shaped body; andsetting said fibers to cause said sock-shaped body to maintain its shape.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said shaping includes drawing said cylindrical body over a foot shaped-form to make said foot-shaped body.

3. The method of claim, 2 wherein said setting is performed while said cylindrical body is disposed on said form.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said fibers selected from the group consisting of acrylic, polyester, cotton, nylon, rayon and spandex.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said cylindrical body is knit from a blend of said fibers.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said fibers are set by heating said fibers.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said fibers are set by steaming said fibers.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said fibers are set using steam at a pressure of about 1.8 lbs/sq. in.

9. A method of making a sock having a toe, a foot, gusset, and leg body, said method comprising: knitting a tubular member on a circular knitting machine from fibers, said tubular member having a cylindrical body open at one end and closed at the opposite end; andshaping said cylindrical body into the shape of a sock; andsetting the fibers causing said sock to retain its shape.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said cylindrical body includes a first section and a second section, and wherein after said setting, said first section is formed into said leg body and said second section is shaped to form said foot and said gusset.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said cylindrical body is set with said closed end forming the toe.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein said step of shaping includes drawing said cylindrical body over a form, said form having an outer foot-shaped surface.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein said step of setting includes applying heat to said cylindrical body.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein said fibers are made from at least one of acrylic, polyester, cotton, nylon, rayon and spandex.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said fibers are a blend of at least two of acrylic, polyester, cotton, nylon, rayon and spandex.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein said step of setting includes one of heating and applying pressure to said cylindrical body.