Method of manufacturing a knitted component
First Claim
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1. A method of knitting comprising:
- providing a knitting machine having a first feeder that dispenses a yarn, a second feeder that dispenses a strand, and a needle bed that includes a plurality of needles;
wherein a first portion of the plurality of needles being located on a first plane, and a second portion of the plurality of needles being located on a second plane, the plurality of needles being movable from a first position to a second position, the plurality of needles being spaced from an intersection of the first plane and the second plane when in the first position, and the plurality of needles passing through the intersection of the first plane and the second plane when in the second position;
moving at least the first feeder along the needle bed to form a first course of a knit component from the yarn; and
moving the first feeder and the second feeder along the needle bed to (a) form a second course of the knit component from the yarn and (b) inlay the strand into the knit component, the second feeder being located in front of the first feeder, and a dispensing tip of the second feeder being located below a dispensing tip of the first feeder; and
wherein inlaying the strand into the knit component further comprises moving the dispensing tip of the second feeder from a retracted position that is located above the intersection of the first plane and the second plane to an extended position that is located below the intersection of the first plane and the second plane to inlay the strand.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An article of footwear and a variety of other products may incorporate a knitted component. An inlaid strand extends through the knitted component. A combination feeder may be utilized to inlay the strand within the knitted component. As an example, the combination feeder may include a feeder arm that reciprocates between a retracted position and an extended position. In manufacturing the knitted component, the feeder inlays the strand when the feeder arm is in the extended position, and the strand is absent from the knitted component when the feeder arm is in the retracted position.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of knitting comprising:
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providing a knitting machine having a first feeder that dispenses a yarn, a second feeder that dispenses a strand, and a needle bed that includes a plurality of needles; wherein a first portion of the plurality of needles being located on a first plane, and a second portion of the plurality of needles being located on a second plane, the plurality of needles being movable from a first position to a second position, the plurality of needles being spaced from an intersection of the first plane and the second plane when in the first position, and the plurality of needles passing through the intersection of the first plane and the second plane when in the second position; moving at least the first feeder along the needle bed to form a first course of a knit component from the yarn; and moving the first feeder and the second feeder along the needle bed to (a) form a second course of the knit component from the yarn and (b) inlay the strand into the knit component, the second feeder being located in front of the first feeder, and a dispensing tip of the second feeder being located below a dispensing tip of the first feeder; and wherein inlaying the strand into the knit component further comprises moving the dispensing tip of the second feeder from a retracted position that is located above the intersection of the first plane and the second plane to an extended position that is located below the intersection of the first plane and the second plane to inlay the strand. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of knitting comprising:
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providing a knitting machine having; (a) a first feeder including a first feeder arm with a first dispensing tip for supplying a yarn, (b) a second feeder including a second feeder arm with a second dispensing tip for supplying a strand, and (c) a plurality of needles; manipulating the yarn with the needles to form a first course of a knit component, the second dispensing tip of the second feeder being in a retracted position during formation of the first course, the retracted position being at or above the first dispensing tip; placing the second dispensing tip in an extended position to locate the strand adjacent to at least a portion of the knit component, the extended position being below the elevation of the first dispensing tip; and manipulating the yarn with the needles to form a second course of the knit component and inlay the strand; wherein the step of providing the knitting machine further includes locating a first portion of the plurality of needles on a first plane and locating a second portion of the plurality of needles on a second plane, the plurality of needles being movable from a first position to a second position, the plurality of needles being spaced from an intersection of the first plane and the second plane when in the first position, and the plurality of needles passing through the intersection of the first plane and the second plane when in the second position; and wherein the step of placing the second dispensing tip in the extended position further comprises reciprocating the second dispensing tip from the retracted position disposed on one side of the intersection of the first plane and the second plane and to the extended position disposed on an opposite side of the intersection of the first plane and the second plane. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of knitting comprising:
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providing a knitting machine having; (a) a needle bed that includes a plurality of needles, a first portion of the needles being located on a first plane, and a second portion of the needles being located on a second plane, the needles being movable from a first position to a second position, the needles being spaced from an intersection of the first plane and the second plane when in the first position, and the needles passing through the intersection of the first plane and the second plane when in the second position, (b) a first feeder that is movable along the needle bed, the first feeder including a first feeder arm with a first dispensing tip for supplying a yarn, the first dispensing tip being located above the intersection of the first plane and the second plane, and (c) a second feeder that is movable along the needle bed, the second feeder including a second feeder arm with a second dispensing tip for supplying a strand, the second dispensing tip being movable from a retracted position that is located above the intersection of the first plane and the second plane to an extended position that is located below the intersection of the first plane and the second plane; forming a first course of a knit component by (a) moving the first feeder along the needle bed and in a direction that is parallel to the intersection of the first plane and the second plane, (b) manipulating the yarn with the needles to form a plurality of first loops in the yarn, and (c) placing the second dispensing tip in the retracted position; and forming a second course of the knit component and inlaying the strand by (a) moving the first feeder and the second feeder along the needle bed and in the direction that is parallel to the intersection of the first plane and the second plane, the second feeder being located in front of the first feeder, (b) manipulating the yarn with the needles to form a plurality of second loops in the yarn, the second loops being intermeshed with the first loops, and (c) placing the second dispensing tip in the extended position; wherein the strand is inlaid into the knit component between the plurality of first loops and the plurality of second loops when the second dispensing tip is in the extended position below the intersection of the first plane and the second plane. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification