Sock with Zones of Varying Layers

• US 20120266362A1
• Filed: 04/20/2011
• Published: 10/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Craig, Kenneth T.
• Granted Patent: US 9,365,960 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 2/239
• CPC Class Codes: A41B 11/005 Hosiery made essentially of a multi-ply construction
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/26 stockings
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/023 Fabric with at least two, predominantly unlinked, knitted or woven plies interlaced with each other at spaced locations or linked to a common internal co-extensive yarn system

Abstract

A sock with zones of varying numbers of layers is formed as a single tube on a circular knitting machine. At least one end of the tube is doubled back over a portion of the remainder of the tube to form a double layer first zone. The sock further includes a single layer zone adjacent to the double layer first zone, where no such folding occurs. Optionally, a second end of the tube may also be folded to create a third zone having two layers of material.

Claims

1. A sock with zones of varying numbers of layers of materials, the sock being formed by:

knitting a sock blank in the form of a single continuous tube of material;

the sock blank including

a first heel and ankle portion, the first heel and ankle portion extending from a first end of the sock blank to a heel end fold line;

a second heel and ankle portion, the second heel and ankle portion being adjacent to the first heel and ankle portion, and extending from the heel end fold line to a first zone division line;

a midfoot portion, the midfoot region extending from the first zone division line to a second zone division line;

a first toe portion, the first toe portion extending from the second zone division line to a toe end fold line; and

a second toe portion, the second toe portion extending from the toe end fold line to a second end of the sock blank;

forming a double-layer first zone of the sock by folding the first heel and ankle portion at the heel end fold line so as to be coextensive with the second heel and ankle portion, such that the first heel and ankle portion corresponds to a first layer of the sock in the first zone and the second heel and ankle portion corresponds to a second layer of the sock in the first zone;

the portion of the sock located between the first zone division line and the second zone division line being a single-layer second zone of the sock; and

forming a double-layer third zone of the sock by folding the second toe portion at the toe end fold line so as to be coextensive with the first toe portion, such that the second toe portion corresponds to a first layer of the sock in the second zone and the first toe portion corresponds to a second layer of the sock in the second zone.

2. The sock according to claim 1, wherein the first end of the sock blank is attached to the second heel and ankle portion at the first zone division line.

3. The sock according to claim 1, wherein the second end of the sock blank is attached to the first toe portion at the second zone division line.

4. The sock according to claim 1, wherein material at the toe end fold line is attached to itself so as to form a closed toe end of the sock.

5. A method for fabricating a sock with zones of varying numbers of layers of material, the method comprising:

knitting a sock blank in the form of a single continuous tube of material on a circular knitting machine, the sock blank being symmetric about a first fold line from a first end of the sock blank to a first zone division line;

folding a first portion of the sock blank at the first fold line so as to be coextensive with a second portion of the sock blank, the first portion extending from the first end of the sock blank to the first fold line, the second portion extending from the first fold line to the first zone division line;

whereby the first portion of the sock blank corresponds to a first layer of the sock in a first zone of the sock and the second portion of the sock blank corresponds to a second layer of the sock in the first zone; and

attaching the first end of the sock blank to the second portion of the sock blank at the first zone division line, the first zone division line being located a predetermined distance away from a second end of the sock blank.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first fold line corresponds to an open end of the sock.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the method further comprises:

attaching material at the first fold line to itself, so as to form a closed toe end of the sock.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein

a third portion of the sock blank located between the first zone division line and a second zone division line corresponds to a second zone of the sock;

and

the method further comprises;

folding a fifth portion of the sock blank at a second fold line so as to be coextensive with a fourth portion of the sock blank, the fifth portion extending from the second end of sock blank to the second fold line, the fourth portion extending from the second fold line to the second zone division line;

whereby the fifth portion of the sock blank corresponds to a first layer of the sock in a third zone of the sock and the fourth portion of the sock blank corresponds to a second layer of the sock in the third zone; and

attaching the second end of the sock blank to the fourth portion of the sock blank at the second zone division line.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises a step of:

attaching material at the second fold line to itself, so as to form a closed toe end of the sock.

10. A sock with zones of varying numbers of layers of material, the sock comprising:

a first zone, the first zone surrounding the circumference of the sock and extending axially along a length of the sock from a first end of the sock to a first zone division line;

the first zone having an inner layer of material and an outer layer of material;

a second zone adjacent to the first zone, the second zone surrounding the circumference of the sock and extending axially along the length of the sock from the zone division line in a direction away from the first zone; and

the second zone having a single layer of material.

11. The sock of claim 10, wherein the first end of the sock is a open end, having an opening for a wearer'"'"'s foot.

12. The sock of claim 10, wherein the first end of the sock is a closed end, that is closed so as to contain a wearer'"'"'s toes.

13. The sock of claim 10, wherein the second zone extends from the first zone division line to a second end of the sock.

14. The sock of claim 10, wherein the first zone division line is located adjacent to a midfoot region of the sock.

15. The sock of claim 10, wherein

the sock further comprises a third zone, the third zone surrounding the circumference of the sock and extending axially along the length of the sock;

the third zone being non-overlapping with either of the first zone and the second zone, and being adjacent to the second zone; and

the third zone having an inner layer of material and an outer layer of material.

16. The sock of claim 15, wherein

the second zone extends from the first zone division line to a second zone division line;

and

the third zone extends from the second zone division line to a second end of the sock.

17. The sock of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the second zone differs from at least a portion of the first zone with respect to at least one physical property selected from the group consisting of:

elasticity, strength, softness, friction, density, thickness, liquid absorption, shock absorption, appearance, color, knitting type, knitting pattern, yarn composition, yarn thickness, and yarn count.

18. The sock of claim 10, wherein the sock is fabricated from a sock blank comprised of a single tube of material.

19. The sock of claim 18, wherein:

the first zone of the sock is formed by folding a first portion of the single tube of material at a fold line, such that the first portion of the single tube of material is coextensive with a second portion of the single tube of material;

the first portion of the single tube of material corresponding to a first layer of the sock in the first zone, the second portion of the single tube of material corresponding to a second layer of the sock in the first zone.

20. The sock of claim 19, wherein the first layer is the inner layer of material in the first zone, and the second layer is the outer layer of material in the first zone.

21. The sock of claim 19, wherein the first layer is the outer layer of material in the first zone, and the second layer is the inner layer of material in the first zone.

22. The sock of claim 19, wherein:

the first layer is connected to the second layer at a first anchor point, and the first layer is connected to the second layer at a second anchor point;

the first layer being continuous with the second layer at the first anchor point, the first anchor point corresponding to the fold line;

the first layer being fixedly attached to the second layer at the second anchor point, the second anchor point being an attachment between a first end of the sock blank and the second portion of the single tube of material.

23. The sock of claim 18, wherein:

the sock further comprises a third zone, the third zone surrounding the circumference of the sock and extending axially along the length of the sock;

the third zone being non-overlapping with either of the first zone and the second zone, the third zone being adjacent to the second zone;

the third zone having an inner layer of material and an outer layer of material;

wherein

the third zone of the sock is formed by folding a first portion of the single tube of material at a fold line, such that the first portion of the single tube of material is coextensive with a second portion of the single tube of material; and

the first portion of the single tube of material corresponding to a first layer of the sock in the third zone, the second portion of the single tube of material corresponding to a second layer of the sock in the third zone.

24. The sock of claim 23, wherein the first layer is the inner layer of material in the third zone, and the second layer is the outer layer of material in the third zone.

25. The sock of claim 23, wherein the first layer is the outer layer of material in the third zone, and the second layer is the inner layer of material in the third zone.