Article of apparel with zonal force attenuation properties

• US 20070094892A1
• Filed: 10/28/2005
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Ottens-Wilk, Hagit, Craig, Kenneth, Marchant, Donna
• Granted Patent: US 9,380,831 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 36/10
• CPC Class Codes: A41B 11/02 Reinforcements
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/188 Differential cushioning regions
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/07 Linings therefor lining laminated with upper A43B23/026
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/1415 characterised by the location under the foot
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/142 situated under the medial arch, i.e. under the navicular or cuneiform bones
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/1425 situated under the ball of the foot, i.e. the joint between the first metatarsal and first phalange
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/143 situated under the lateral arch, i.e. the cuboid bone
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 7/144 situated under the heel, i.e. the calcaneus bone

Abstract

An article of apparel, such as a sock or a shoe, is disclosed as having a foot-supporting area for extending adjacent to a plantar surface of a foot. The foot-supporting area has various zones of differing thickness that attenuate forces upon the plantar surface to different degrees. The apparel may be manufactured through a process that includes utilizing a force mapping device to obtain data relating to forces upon the plantar surface of the foot. The sock is then formed to have zones of different thickness located to correspond with the areas of the plantar surface subjected to different magnitudes of forces.

Claims

1. An article of apparel comprising a foot-supporting area for extending adjacent to a plantar surface of a foot, the foot-supporting area having:

a forefoot region having a first zone positioned on a medial side of the foot-supporting area, the first zone having a first thickness;

an arch region having (a) a second zone positioned on a lateral side of the foot-supporting area, the second zone having a second thickness that is less than the first thickness and (b) a third zone positioned on the medial side of the foot-supporting area, the third zone having a third thickness that is less than the second thickness; and

a heel region having a fourth zone positioned on at least the lateral side of the foot-supporting area, the fourth zone having the first thickness.

2. The article of apparel recited in claim 1, wherein the apparel is a sock.

3. The article of apparel recited in claim 2, wherein the first zone, second zone, and third zone are areas of the sock having different types of knit structures.

4. The article of apparel recited in claim 2, wherein yarns with different yarn counts are utilized for each of the first zone, the second zone, and the third zone.

5. The article of apparel recited in claim 2, wherein yarns with different yarn counts and colors are utilized for each of the first zone, the second zone, and the third zone.

6. The article of apparel recited in claim 2, wherein the first zone and the second zone are formed from terry knit structures with different loop heights.

7. The article of apparel recited in claim 1, wherein the apparel is a shoe and the foot-supporting area is a sockliner located within the shoe.

8. The article of apparel recited in claim 7, wherein an upper surface of the sockliner includes a textile material having the first zone, the second zone, the third zone, and the fourth zone.

9. The article of apparel recited in claim 1, wherein the first zone has an L-shaped configuration, a first portion of the first zone extending along the medial side of the foot-supporting area, and a second portion of the first zone extending into a center of the foot-supporting area.

10. The article of apparel recited in claim 1, wherein the forefoot region and the arch region include a fifth zone positioned on the lateral side of the foot-supporting area, the fifth zone having a thickness between the first thickness and the second thickness.

11. The article of apparel recited in claim 1, wherein the heel region includes a sixth zone positioned between the fourth zone and the second zone, the sixth zone having a thickness between the first thickness and the second thickness.

12. An article of apparel comprising a foot-supporting area for extending adjacent to a plantar surface of a foot, the foot-supporting area having:

a forefoot region having a first zone with an L-shaped configuration, a first portion of the first zone extending along a medial side of the foot-supporting area, and a second portion of the first zone extending into a center of the foot-supporting area, the first zone having a first thickness;

an arch region having a second zone and a third zone, the second zone extending along a lateral side of the foot-supporting area, and the third zone extending along the medial side of the foot-supporting area, the second zone having a second thickness and the third zone having a third thickness, the first thickness being greater than the second thickness, and second thickness being greater than the third thickness; and

a heel region having a fourth zone extending along at least the lateral side of the foot-supporting area, the fourth zone having a fourth thickness that is greater than the second thickness.

13. The article of apparel recited in claim 12, wherein the apparel is a sock.

14. The article of apparel recited in claim 13, wherein the first zone, second zone, and third zone are areas of the sock having different types of knit structures.

15. The article of apparel recited in claim 13, wherein yarns with different yarn counts are utilized for each of the first zone, the second zone, and the third zone.

16. The article of apparel recited in claim 13, wherein yarns with different yarn counts and colors are utilized for each of the first zone, the second zone, and the third zone.

17. The article of apparel recited in claim 13, wherein the first zone and the second zone are formed from terry knit structures with different loop heights.

18. The article of apparel recited in claim 12, wherein the apparel is a shoe and the foot-supporting area is a sockliner located within the shoe.

19. The article of apparel recited in claim 18, wherein an upper surface of the sockliner includes a textile material having the first zone, the second zone, the third zone, and the fourth zone.

20. The article of apparel recited in claim 12, wherein the forefoot region and the arch region include a fifth zone positioned on the lateral side of the foot-supporting area, the fifth zone having a thickness between the first thickness and the second thickness.

21. The article of apparel recited in claim 12, wherein the heel region includes a sixth zone positioned between the fourth zone and the second zone, the sixth zone having a thickness between the first thickness and the second thickness.

22. An article of apparel comprising a foot-supporting area for extending adjacent to a plantar surface of a foot, the foot-supporting area having:

a first zone having an L-shaped configuration and corresponding in location with a position of a first proximal phalanx and at least a first metacarpo-phalangeal joint of the foot, a second metacarpo-phalangeal joint of the foot, and a third metacarpo-phalangeal joint of the foot, the first zone having a first thickness;

a second zone corresponding in location with a calcaneus of the foot, the second zone having the first thickness; and

a third zone corresponding in location with areas not corresponding with the first zone and the second zone, the third zone having at least one thickness that is less than the first thickness.

23. The article of apparel recited in claim 22, wherein the third zone includes a first area corresponding in location with at least one of a fourth metatarsal and a fifth metatarsal and a second area corresponding in locations with at least a first metatarsal, a second metatarsal, and a third metatarsal, the second area having a lesser thickness than the first area.

24. The article of apparel recited in claim 22, wherein the apparel is a sock.

25. The article of apparel recited in claim 22, wherein the first zone, second zone, and third zone are areas of the sock having different types of knit structures.

26. The article of apparel recited in claim 22, wherein yarns with different yarn counts are utilized for at least two of the first zone, the second zone, and the third zone.

27. The article of apparel recited in claim 22 wherein yarns with different yarn counts and colors are utilized for at least two of the first zone, the second zone, and the third zone.

28. The article of apparel recited in claim 22, wherein the first zone and at least part of the second zone are formed from terry knit structures with different loop heights.

29. The article of apparel recited in claim 22, wherein the apparel is a shoe and the foot-supporting area is a sockliner located within the shoe, and an upper surface of the sockliner includes a textile material having the first zone, the second zone, and the third zone.

30. A method of manufacturing a sock for receiving a foot, the method comprising steps of:

utilizing a force mapping device to obtain data relating to forces upon a plantar surface of the foot during an ambulatory cycle;

analyzing the data to determine areas of the plantar surface subjected to forces above a threshold value during the ambulatory cycle; and

forming the sock to have zones of different thickness, one of the zones of different thickness being located to correspond with the areas of the plantar surface subjected to the forces above the threshold value.

31. The method recited in claim 30, wherein the step of forming the sock includes defining at least three of the zones of different thickness.

32. The method recited in claim 30, wherein the step of forming the sock includes selecting yarns with different yarn counts for each of the zones of different thickness.

33. The method recited in claim 30, wherein the step of forming the sock includes selecting yarns with different yarn counts and colors for each of the zones of different thickness.

34. The method recited in claim 30, wherein the step of forming the sock includes selecting different terry loop heights for at least two of the zones of different thickness.

35. The method recited in claim 30, further including a step of forming a second sock with zones of different thickness located to correspond with the areas of the plantar surface subjected to the forces above the threshold value, the zones of different thickness of the second sock being a mirror image of the zones of different thickness of the sock.

36. The method recited in claim 35, wherein the steps of forming the sock and forming the second sock include incorporating right foot and left foot identifiers into each of the sock and the second sock.

37. A method of manufacturing a sock for receiving a foot, the method comprising steps of:

utilizing a force mapping device to obtain data relating to forces upon a plantar surface of the foot during an ambulatory cycle;

analyzing the data to determine areas of the plantar surface subjected to;

a first range of forces that are below a first threshold,

a second range of forces that are above the first threshold and below a second threshold, and

a third range of forces that are above the second threshold; and

forming the sock to have;

a first plantar zone corresponding with the areas of the plantar surface subjected to the first range of forces,

a second planter zone corresponding with the areas of the plantar surface subjected to the second range of forces, the second plantar zone having greater thickness than the first plantar zone, and

a third plantar zone corresponding with the areas of the plantar surface subjected to the third range of forces, the third plantar zone having greater thickness than the second plantar zone.

38. The method recited in claim 37, wherein the step of forming the sock includes selecting yarns with different yarn counts for each of the first plantar zone, the second plantar zone, and the third plantar zone.

39. The method recited in claim 37, wherein the step of forming the sock includes selecting yarns with different yarn counts and colors for each of the first plantar zone, the second plantar zone, and the third plantar zone.

40. The method recited in claim 37, wherein the step of forming the sock includes selecting different terry loop heights for at least two of the first plantar zone, the second plantar zone, and the third plantar zone.

41. The method recited in claim 37, further including a step of forming a second sock with zones of different thickness, the zones of different thickness of the second sock being a mirror image of the first plantar zone, the second plantar zone, and the third plantar zone of the sock.

42. The method recited in claim 41, wherein the steps of forming the sock and forming the second sock include incorporating right foot and left foot identifiers into each of the sock and the second sock.

43. A method of manufacturing a sock for receiving a foot, the method comprising steps of:

forming a heel zone of the sock with a circular knitting machine in a reciprocating mode;

forming a midfoot zone of the sock with the circular knitting machine in a circular mode; and

forming a forefoot zone of the sock with the circular knitting machine in the reciprocating mode,

at least one of the heel zone and the forefoot zone including a first area that is thicker than a second area, the first area and the second area being formed with the circular knitting machine in the reciprocating mode.

44. The method recited in claim 43, wherein the first area has a terry-knit structure and the second area has a non-terry-knit structure.

45. The method recited in claim 43, wherein the first area has a terry-knit structure with loops of a first height, and the second area has a terry-knit structure with loops of a second height.

46. The method recited in claim 43, wherein the first area and the second area are formed of yarns with different yarn counts.

47. The method recited in claim 43, wherein the first area is located on a lateral side of the heel zone, and the second area is located on a medial side of the heel zone.

48. The method recited in claim 43, wherein the first area is located on a medial side of the forefoot zone, and the second area is located on a lateral side of the forefoot zone.

49. The method recited in claim 48, wherein the first area is L-shaped.

50. The method recited in claim 48, wherein the first area corresponds in location with a position of a first proximal phalanx and at least a first metacarpo-phalangeal joint, a second metacarpo-phalangeal joint, a third metacarpo-phalangeal joint of the foot.

51. The method recited in claim 43, wherein the first area is located on a lateral side of the heel zone and on a medial side of the forefoot zone, and the second area is located on a medial side of the heel zone and on a lateral side of the forefoot zone.

52. A method of manufacturing a first sock for a right foot and a second sock for a left foot, the method comprising steps of:

utilizing a force mapping device to obtain data relating to forces upon a plantar surface of at least one of the right foot and the left foot during an ambulatory cycle;

analyzing the data to determine areas of the plantar surface subjected to forces above a threshold value during the ambulatory cycle;

forming each of the first sock and the second sock to have zones of different thickness, one of the zones of different thickness being located to correspond with the areas of the plantar surface subjected to the forces above the threshold value, and the zones of different thickness of the first sock being a mirror-image of the zones of different thickness of the second sock; and

incorporating a right foot identifier into the first sock and a left foot identifier into the second sock.

53. The method recited in claim 52, wherein the step of incorporating includes knitting the right foot identifier into the first sock and knitting the left foot identifier into the second sock.

54. The method recited in claim 52, wherein the step of forming defining at least three of the zones of different thickness for each of the first sock and the second sock.

55. The method recited in claim 52, wherein the step of forming includes selecting yarns with different yarn counts for each of the zones of different thickness.

56. The method recited in claim 52, wherein the step of forming includes selecting yarns with different yarn counts and colors for each of the zones of different thickness.

57. The method recited in claim 52, wherein the step of forming the sock includes selecting different terry loop heights for at least two of the zones of different thickness.

58. An article of apparel comprising a foot-supporting area for extending adjacent to a plantar surface of a foot, a forefoot region of the foot-supporting area having a zone with an L-shaped configuration, the zone having a thickness that is greater than a thickness of a remainder of the forefoot region.

59. The article of apparel recited in claim 58, wherein a first portion of the zone extends along a medial side of the foot-supporting area, and a second portion of the first zone extends into a center of the foot-supporting area.

60. The article of apparel recited in claim 58, wherein an arch region of the foot-supporting area has a pair of zones extending longitudinally, and each of the pair of zones have different thicknesses.

61. The article of apparel recited in claim 58, wherein the heel region has another zone with a thickness equal to the zone in the forefoot region.

62. The article of apparel recited in claim 58, wherein the apparel is a sock.