Method of knitting a knitted component with an integral knit tongue

• US 9,420,844 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2015
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nike, Inc.
• Inventors: Meir, Adrian, Podhajny, Daniel A., Tatler, Daren P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Worrell, Danny
• Application Number:
  US14/684,521
• Publication Number:
  US 20150216257A1
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 661/69.R, 661/70, 661/71, 661/77, 36/3.R, 36/3.A, 36/84, 361/14, 36/47, 36/54
• 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 using 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 an integral knit tongue that is of unitary knit construction with the upper using the knitting machine, the integral knit tongue extending through a throat area of the knitted component;

wherein the integral knit tongue is joined by knitting using the knitting machine to a forward portion of the throat area and at least along a portion of a lateral side and a medial side of the throat area of the knitted component extending from the forward portion to an ankle opening of the upper; and

inlaying at least one tensile element within a knit structure disposed on the knitted component, the at least one tensile element including at least one lace loop configured to receive a lace, the at least one lace loop extending out from the knit structure adjacent to the integral knit tongue along one or both of the lateral side and the medial side of the throat area.

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 step of knitting the integral knit tongue further comprises knitting at least one raised element extending away from the exterior surface of the knitted component.

6. The method recited in claim 5, wherein the at least one lace loop of the at least one tensile element is adjacent to the at least one raised element.

7. The method recited in claim 5, wherein the step of inlaying the tensile element further comprises inlaying a plurality of tensile elements within a plurality of knit structures such that each tensile element is inlaid within a respective knit structure;

and

wherein the plurality of tensile elements and the plurality of knit structures are disposed along each of the lateral side and the medial side of the throat area.

8. The method recited in claim 7, wherein the step of knitting at least one raised element includes knitting a lateral raised element on the lateral side of the throat area and a medial raised element on the medial side of the throat area;

wherein each of the plurality of tensile elements include a lace loop configured to receive a lace to define a plurality of lace loops; and

wherein the plurality of lace loops are disposed adjacent to the lateral raised element and the medial raised element along the lateral side and the medial side of the throat area.

9. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising knitting a lace aperture in the knitted component.

10. The method recited in claim 9, wherein the at least one lace loop of the tensile element coordinates with the lace aperture in the knitted component to receive the lace.

11. 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 using 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 at least a portion of the upper from multiple knit element layers;

knitting an integral knit tongue using the knitting machine, the integral knit tongue being formed of unitary knit construction with at least one of the multiple knit element layers of the upper, the integral knit tongue extending through a throat area of the knitted component; and

wherein the integral knit tongue is joined by knitting using the knitting machine to a forward portion of the throat area and at least along a portion of a lateral side and a medial side of the throat area of the knitted component extending from the forward portion to an ankle opening of the upper.

12. The method recited in claim 11, wherein the integral knit tongue is joined to at least one of the multiple knit element layers along the lateral side and the medial side of the throat area of the knitted component.

13. The method recited in claim 11, wherein the step of knitting at least a portion of the upper from multiple knit element layers further includes knitting a first knit element layer that is associated with at least a portion of the exterior surface of the knitted component and knitting a second knit element layer that is associated with at least a portion of the interior surface of the knitted component.

14. The method recited in claim 13, wherein the first knit element layer and the second knit element layer are at least partially decoupled from each other along the throat area of the knitted component.

15. The method recited in claim 14, wherein the first knit element layer and the second knit element layer are configured to move independently of one another.

16. The method recited in claim 13, wherein the first knit element layer and the second knit element layer are formed using different types of yarn.

17. The method recited in claim 13, wherein the step of knitting the integral knit tongue further comprises knitting at least one raised element extending away from the exterior surface of the knitted component.

18. The method recited in claim 17, further comprising joining the first knit element layer and the second knit element layer where the at least one raised element begins to extend away from the exterior surface of the knitted component.

19. The method recited in claim 18, further comprising inlaying at least one tensile element within a knit structure disposed on the knitted component, the at least one tensile element including at least one lace loop configured to receive a lace, the at least one lace loop extending out from the knit structure adjacent to the integral knit tongue along one or both of the lateral side and the medial side of the throat area.

20. The method recited in claim 19, wherein the first knit element layer and the second knit element layer are joined at a location that coincides with a location of the at least one lace loop.