Knitted component with adjustable knitted portion

• US 10,045,579 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2016
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Farris, Bryan N., Huffa, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Hurley, Shaun R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Bao-Thieu L
• Application Number:
  US15/174,502
• Publication Number:
  US 20160278462A1
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: 66170, 66177, 66171, 66190
• CPC Class Codes: A41B 2500/10 Knitted
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 2500/10 Knitted
• CPC Class Codes: A41F 15/002 separable or adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A41F 9/002 Free belts
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/04 braided, knotted, knitted or crocheted
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0205 characterised by the material material of the lining A43B23/07, material of toe stiffeners or heel stiffeners A43B23/08
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/10 Patterned fabrics or articles
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/123 with laid-in unlooped yarn, e.g. fleece fabrics with elastic weft yarn D04B1/18
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/24 wearing apparel
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/0311 Small thickness fabric, e.g. ribbons, tapes or straps
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/0331 with one or more convex or concave portions of limited extension, e.g. domes or pouches
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2501/043 Footwear

Abstract

An article may include a base structure with a strand and an adjustment member. The adjustment member may include a course with a plurality of loops, and the strand of the base structure may be inlaid within the course of the adjustment member adjacent to a first loop and a second loop of the plurality of loops. The adjustment member may be configured to slide along the base structure from a first state to a second state such that the first loop and the second loop define a first loop distance in the first state, and the first loop and the second loop define a second loop distance in the second state. The first loop distance may be greater than the second loop distance.

Claims

1. An article comprising:

a base structure including a strand, the strand having a first end, a second end, and a middle portion extending from the first end to the second end; and

an adjustment member including a course with a plurality of loops, wherein the strand of the base structure is inlaid within the course of the adjustment member adjacent to a first loop and a second loop of the plurality of loops;

wherein the first end of the base structure is fixed to a first end of the adjustment member,

wherein the second end of the base structure is fixed to a second end of the adjustment member,

wherein the middle portion of the base structure is movable relative to the adjustment member, and

wherein the middle portion of the adjustment member is configured to slide along the base structure from a first state to a second state, the first state and the second state being resting states, such that the first loop and the second loop define a first loop distance in the first state, and the first loop and the second loop define a second loop distance in the second state, wherein the first loop distance is greater than the second loop distance.

2. The article of claim 1, wherein the article is configured such that when the adjustment member is in the second state, a bunched region is at least partially formed by the first loop and the second loop.

3. The article of claim 2, wherein the bunched region is configured to slide between a first position of the adjustment member to a second position of the adjustment member.

4. The article of claim 2, wherein the bunched region provides more cushioning than a second region of the article.

5. The article of claim 1, wherein the first loop defines a first loop height in the first state, wherein the first loop defines a second loop height in the second state, and wherein the second loop height is greater than the first loop height.

6. The article of claim 1, wherein the adjustment member has a first edge, and wherein the first loop is closer to the first edge in the first state than in the second state.

7. The article of claim 1, wherein the strand of the base structure has a substantially fixed length that limits elongation of the base structure in at least one direction.

8. The article of claim 1, wherein the strand of the base structure extends in a serpentine pattern between a first edge and a second edge.

9. The article of claim 1, wherein the base structure and the adjustment member form a knitted component of unitary knit construction.

10. A knitted component comprising:

a first edge, a second edge, and a first length measured between the first edge and the second edge;

an adjustment member with a first loop; and

a base structure with at least one strand, the at least one strand being inlaid within the adjustment member and extending from the first edge to the second edge, the at least one strand being fixed to the first edge and the second edge, and the at least one strand being movable with respect to the adjustment member between the first edge and the second edge;

wherein the adjustment member is configured such that the first loop is slidable by a user from a first position to a second position along the base structure, the first loop being closer to the first edge in the first position than in the second position; and

wherein the adjustment member is configured to shift between a first state and a second state, the first state and the second state being resting states, wherein the first loop has a first loop height in the first state and a second loop height in the second state, and wherein the first loop height is less than the second loop height.

11. The knitted component of claim 10, wherein the at least one strand of the base structure includes a first strand portion and a second strand portion, and wherein the first strand portion and the second strand portion are farther apart in the second state than in the first state.

12. The knitted component of claim 10, wherein the adjustment member further comprises a second loop, and wherein the adjustment member is configured such that a user can shift the first loop and the second loop towards each other to form at least a portion of a bunched region.

13. The knitted component of claim 12, wherein the bunched region provides more cushioning than a second region of the knitted component.

14. The knitted component of claim 10, wherein the at least one strand of the base structure has a substantially fixed length that limits elongation of the base structure between the first edge and the second edge.

15. The knitted component of claim 10, further comprising a supported area and at least one free area, wherein the base structure extends through the supported area, and wherein the base structure is spaced from the at least one free area.

16. The knitted component of claim 10, wherein the at least one strand of the base structure extends in a serpentine pattern between a first edge and a second edge.

17. The knitted component of claim 10, wherein the knitted component is of unitary knit construction.

18. A method comprising:

knitting a course of an adjustment member, the course including a first loop and a second loop;

inlaying a strand of a base structure within the course of the adjustment member at a location adjacent to the first loop and the second loop, such that the adjustment member is configured to slide along the base structure from a first state to a second state, the first state and the second state being resting states; and

fixing a first end of the strand to a first end of the adjustment member and fixing a second end of the strand to a second end of the adjustment member,

wherein the first loop and the second loop define a first loop distance in the first state; and

wherein the first loop and the second loop define a second loop distance in the second state, the first loop distance being greater than the second loop distance.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising knitting a second course of the adjustment member and inlaying the strand within the second course.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein, a bunched region is at least partially formed by the first loop and the second loop in the second state.