Method of knitting a knitted component with an integral knit tongue

• US 9,060,562 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2013
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Podhajny, Daniel A., Tatler, Daren P., Meir, Adrain
• Primary Examiner(s): Worrell, Danny
• Application Number:
  US13/781,551
• Publication Number:
  US 20130239625A1
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• Field of Search: 661/69.R, 661/70, 661/71, 661/77, 2/3 R, 2/3 A, 2 8/4, 211/4, 2 4/7
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: A43B 23/0245 characterised by the constructive form
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/0265 having different properties in different directions
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 23/26 Tongues for shoes
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 9/00 Footwear characterised by the assembling of the individual parts
• CPC Class Codes: A43C 5/00 Eyelets machines for setting eyelets A43D100/00
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/102 with stitch pattern D04B1/06, D04B1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/104 Openwork fabric, e.g. pelerine fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/12 characterised by thread material
• 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 1/126 with colour pattern, e.g. intarsia fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/22 specially adapted for knitting goods of particular configuration
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/24 wearing apparel
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 15/56 for flat-bed knitting machines
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 19/00 Unravelling knitted fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 37/02 with weft knitting machines
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 7/24 for producing patterned fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 7/28 with stitch patterns
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/041 thermoplastic; thermosetting
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/0113 : One surface including hollow piping or integrated straps, e.g. for inserts or mountings
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/0114 : with one or more yarns appearing predominantly on one face, e.g. plated or paralleled yarns for pile fabrics D03D27/00, D04B1/02, D04B21/02; for intarsia fabrics D04B1/126
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/0241 : enhancing mechanical properties
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/02411 : with a single array of unbent yarn, e.g. unidirectional reinforcement fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2403/032 : Flat fabric of variable width, e.g. including one or more fashioned panels
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2501/043 : Footwear

Abstract

Methods of manufacturing a knitted component for an article of footwear that include knitting an upper with an integral knit tongue during a knitting process on a knitting machine are described. The knitting process forms the integral knit tongue of unitary knit construction with the upper so that the integral knit tongue extends through a throat area of the knitted component. The integral knit tongue can include raised elements formed of unitary knit construction with the tongue.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a knitted component for an article of footwear, the method comprising:

knitting a portion of the knitted component defining an upper with a knitting machine, the upper including a portion of at least one of an exterior surface of the knitted component and an opposite interior surface of the knitted component; and

knitting an integral knit tongue that is of unitary knit construction with the upper with the knitting machine, the integral knit tongue extending through a throat area of the knitted component; and

wherein the integral knit tongue is joined by knitting with the knitting machine to;

(1) a forward portion of the throat area, and (2) at least along a portion of both of a lateral side and a medial side of the throat area of the knitted component extending through a portion of a length of the throat area in a longitudinal direction from the forward portion to an ankle opening of the upper.

2. The method recited in claim 1, further including a step of selecting the knitting machine to be a flat knitting machine.

3. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the step of knitting the integral knit tongue includes forming a course of the integral knit tongue to include at least one common yarn with the upper.

4. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the step of joining the integral knit tongue by knitting includes forming a course with the knitting machine that joins the integral knit tongue to the upper.

5. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the integral knit tongue comprises a partially integral portion and a free portion, the method further comprising:

knitting the partially integral portion with the knitting machine of unitary knit construction with the upper at the forward portion of the throat area and at least along the portion of both of the lateral side and the medial side of the throat area of the knitted component extending through the portion of the length of the throat area in the longitudinal direction; and

knitting the free portion with the knitting machines of unitary knit construction with the partially integral portion at a rearward portion of the integral knit tongue and remaining unattached to the remaining portions of the knitted component.

6. The method recited in claim 5, wherein the step of knitting the free portion further comprises:

knitting the free portion of the integral knit tongue with the knitting machine;

holding the free portion on needles of the knitting machine;

knitting a first portion of the upper with the knitting machine while the free portion is held on the needles, the first portion of the upper including at least the rearward portion of the integral knit tongue;

joining the free portion to the integral knit tongue at the rearward portion; and

knitting a second portion of the upper with the knitting machine.

7. The method recited in claim 6, wherein the step of knitting the first portion further comprises holding the free portion stationary with respect to a needle bed of the knitting machine during knitting of the first portion of the upper, and the first portion of the upper moving with respect to the free portion during knitting of the first portion of the upper;

wherein the step of joining the free portion includes forming a course with the knitting machine that joins the free portion to the integral knit tongue; and

wherein the step of knitting the second portion further comprises moving the free portion and the upper together during knitting of the second portion of the upper.

8. A method of manufacturing a knitted component for an article of footwear, the method comprising:

knitting a first portion of the knitted component defining an upper with a first feeder of a knitting machine, the upper including a portion of at least one of an exterior surface of the knitted component and an opposite interior surface of the knitted component;

knitting a second portion of the knitted component defining the upper with a second feeder of the knitting machine; and

knitting an integral knit tongue that is of unitary knit construction with the upper with at least one of the first feeder and the second feeder of the knitting machine, the integral knit tongue extending through a throat area of the knitted component; and

wherein the integral knit tongue is joined by knitting with the knitting machine to;

(1) a forward portion of the throat area, and (2) at least along a portion of both of a lateral side and a medial side of the throat area of the knitted component extending through a portion of a length of the throat area in a longitudinal direction from the forward portion to an ankle opening of the upper.

9. The method recited in claim 8, wherein the step of knitting the first portion further comprises:

knitting the exterior surface of the first portion of the upper with the first feeder;

knitting the opposite interior surface of the first portion of the upper with the first feeder; and

knitting at least a portion of the integral knit tongue with the first feeder.

10. The method recited in claim 9, wherein the step of knitting the second portion further comprises:

knitting the exterior surface of the first portion of the upper with the second feeder;

knitting the opposite interior surface of the second portion of the upper with the second feeder; and

knitting at least a portion of the integral knit tongue with the second feeder.

11. The method recited in claim 8, wherein the first portion of the upper is one of a medial side and a lateral side of the knitted component.

12. The method recited in claim 8, wherein the step of knitting the integral knit tongue includes forming a course of the integral knit tongue to include at least one common yarn with the upper.

13. The method recited in claim 12, further comprising forming at least one course of the first portion of the upper or the second portion of the upper with the knitting machine that is substantially continuous with at least one course of the integral knit tongue at the forward portion of the throat area of the upper.

14. The method recited in claim 12, further comprising:

forming at least one course of the first portion of the upper that is substantially continuous with at least one course of the integral knit tongue along the lateral side of the throat area of the upper; and

forming at least one course of the second portion of the upper that is substantially continuous with at least one course of the integral knit tongue along the medial side of the throat area of the upper.

15. The method recited in claim 8, wherein the integral knit tongue comprises a partially integral portion and a free portion, the method further comprising:

knitting the free portion of the integral knit tongue with at least one feeder of the knitting machine;

holding the free portion on needles of the knitting machine;

knitting the first portion of the upper with the first feeder of the knitting machine and knitting the second portion of the upper with the second feeder while the free portion is held on the needles, the first portion of the upper and the second portion of the upper including at least a rearward portion of the integral knit tongue;

joining the free portion to the integral knit tongue at the rearward portion; and

resuming knitting the first portion of the upper with the first feeder of the knitting machine and resuming knitting the second portion of the upper with the second feeder of the knitting machine.

16. A method of manufacturing a knitted component for an article of footwear, the method comprising:

knitting a first portion of the knitted component defining an upper with a first feeder of a knitting machine, the upper including a portion of at least one of an exterior surface of the knitted component and an opposite interior surface of the knitted component;

knitting a second portion of the knitted component defining the upper with a second feeder of the knitting machine; and

knitting an integral knit tongue that is of unitary knit construction with the upper with a third feeder of the knitting machine, the integral knit tongue extending through a throat area of the knitted component; and

wherein the integral knit tongue is joined by knitting with the knitting machine to;

(1) a forward portion of the throat area, and (2) at least along a portion of both of a lateral side and a medial side of the throat area of the knitted component extending through a portion of a length of the throat area in a longitudinal direction from the forward portion to an ankle opening of the upper.

17. The method recited in claim 16, wherein the upper comprises a first type of yarn;

and

wherein the integral knit tongue comprises a second type of yarn, the second type of yarn being different from the first type of yarn.

18. The method recited in claim 17, wherein the second type of yarn is an elastic yarn.

19. The method recited in claim 16, wherein the step of knitting the integral knit tongue includes forming a course of the integral knit tongue to include at least one common yarn with the upper.

20. The method recited in claim 19, further comprising forming at least one course of the first portion of the upper or the second portion of the upper with the knitting machine that is substantially continuous with at least one course of the integral knit tongue at the forward portion of the throat area of the upper.

21. The method recited in claim 19, further comprising:

forming at least one course of the first portion of the upper that is substantially continuous with at least one course of the integral knit tongue along the lateral side of the throat area of the upper; and

forming at least one course of the second portion of the upper that is substantially continuous with at least one course of the integral knit tongue along the medial side of the throat area of the upper.

22. The method recited in claim 16, wherein the step of knitting the first portion further comprises:

knitting the exterior surface of the first portion of the upper with the first feeder; and

knitting the opposite interior surface of the first portion of the upper with the first feeder.

23. The method recited in claim 22, wherein the step of knitting the second portion further comprises:

knitting the exterior surface of the first portion of the upper with the second feeder;

knitting the opposite interior surface of the second portion of the upper with the second feeder.