Footwear, and knitting method for knit fabric

• US 9,675,134 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2012
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shima Seiki Manufacturing Limited
• Original Assignee: Shima Seiki Manufacturing Limited
• Inventors: Kino, Takashi, Kosui, Tatsuya, Hamada, Yohji
• Primary Examiner(s): Worrell, Danny
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hall, Griffin
• Application Number:
  US14/371,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20150107307A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,649 Days
• Field of Search: 66177
• CPC Class Codes: A41B 11/005 Hosiery made essentially of a multi-ply construction
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 1/04 braided, knotted, knitted or crocheted
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 13/04 Plastics, rubber or vulcanised fibre
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 17/003 characterised by the material made of wood A43B17/12, made of sponge, rubber or plastic materials A43B17/14
• 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 23/042 Uppers made of one piece one piece slippers A43B3/106; one piece sandals A43B3/124
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/108 Gussets, e.g. pouches or heel or toe portions
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/22 specially adapted for knitting goods of particular configuration
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/26 stockings
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/04 Heat-responsive characteristics
• 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 2501/043 Footwear

Abstract

Provided is a footwear that excels in productivity and shape retaining property. Footwear is knitted seamlessly with a flat knitting machine having at least a pair of a front and a back needle bed and includes a base knit fabric portion having a mixed section knitted using a first knitting yarn and a second knitting yarn interwoven along the first knitting yarn. The first knitting yarn configuring the mixed section of the footwear is a knitting yarn that is not a heat-fusible yarn, and the second knitting yarn is a heat-fusible yarn having thermal adhesiveness and heat-shrinkable properties. The second knitting yarn preferably has a configuration including a core made from a material that contracts by heat, and a sheath made from a material having a lower fusing point than the core.

Claims

1. A footwear knitted seamlessly with a flat knitting machine having at least a pair of a front and a back needle bed, comprising:

a base knit fabric portion including a mixed section and knitted using a first knitting yarn and a second knitting yarn interwoven along the first knitting yarn;

wherein

the first knitting yarn is a knitting yarn that is not a heat-fusible yarn;

the second knitting yarn is a heat-fusible yarn having thermal adhesiveness and heat-shrinkable properties; and

an additional knit fabric portion is arranged on an inner side or an outer side of the base knit fabric portion when wearing the footwear;

wherein

the base knit fabric portion and the additional knit fabric portion are connected seamlessly at a position of a foot-inserting part of the footwear, and wherein

the mixed section of the base knit fabric portion is knitted by plating knitting using the first knitting yarn and the second knitting yarn; and

a surface on which the second knitting yarn is arranged in the mixed section is arranged to face the additional knit fabric portion,

wherein the footwear is retained in a shape corresponding to a last by being thermally processed while being placed over the last;

wherein in the mixed section, the second knitting yarn fused by the thermal processing is integrated with the first knitting yarn; and

wherein the base knit fabric portion and the additional knit fabric portion are also integrated by the fused second knitting yarn.

2. The footwear according to claim 1, wherein the heat-fusible yarn includes a core that contracts by heat and a sheath having a lower fusing point than the core.

3. A knitting method for knitting a footwear seamlessly using a flat knitting machine having at least a pair of a front and a back needle bed facing each other;

wherein

the footwear includes a footwear-shaped base knit fabric portion and a footwear-shaped additional knit fabric portion arranged on an inner side or an outer side of the base knit fabric portion;

the base knit fabric portion and the additional knit fabric portion are integrally knitted so as to be connected seamlessly at a position of a foot-inserting part of the footwear;

when the base knit fabric portion is knitted, a mixed section is knitted in at least a part of the base knit fabric portion by plating knitting using a first knitting yarn, which is not a heat-fusible yarn, and a second knitting yarn, which is a heat-fusible yarn having thermal adhesiveness and heat-shrinkable properties; and

the plating knitting is carried out with a surface on which the second knitting yarn is arranged in the mixed section being arranged to face the additional knit fabric portion,

the footwear is retained in a shape corresponding to a last by being thermally processed while being placed over the last;

in the mixed section, the second knitting yarn fused by the thermal processing is integrated with the first knitting yarn; and

the base knit fabric portion and the additional knit fabric portion are also integrated by the fused second knitting yarn.