METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AN ARTICLE OF FOOTWEAR

• US 20090211306A1
• Filed: 02/27/2008
• Published: 08/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Felix Designs, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Liana Roberts
• Inventors: Roberts, Liana
• Granted Patent: US 7,882,714 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 66/186
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/26 stockings
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 7/34 gloves

Abstract

A method of forming an article of footwear by forming the article on a glove machine. An article of footwear formed on a glove machine, wherein the article includes a body that includes a leg portion, an ankle portion, and a foot portion.

Claims

1. A method of forming an article of footwear by:

forming the article on a machine capable of forming a sock having a width at a toe section that is greater than a width at a foot section.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said forming step includes knitting the article on the machine.

3. The method according to claim 2, further including forming apertures at a toe end of the article.

4. The method according to claim 1, further including separately forming toe sheaths and attaching the toe sheaths to the article.

5. The method according to claim 1, further including forming toe sheaths as part of the article.

6. An article of footwear formed on a machine capable of forming a sock having a width at a toe section that is greater than a width at a foot section.

7. The article of footwear according to claim 6, wherein said article is a knitted article.

8. The article of footwear according to claim 6, wherein said article is formed of a material selected from the group consisting essentially of cotton, nylon, spandex, and combinations thereof.

9. The article of footwear according to claim 6, wherein said article comprises:

a body, said body including a leg portion, an ankle portion, and a foot portion.

10. The article of footwear according to claim 9, wherein said article includes a plurality of flexible toe sheaths fitted to said foot portion of said body, each of said sheaths including a body portion and a tip portion, said tip portion being movable between an extended unfolded position and a folded position, whereby the toe is substantially covered by said sheath when said sheath is in said extended unfolded position.

11. The article of footwear according to claim 10, wherein said body and said sheaths are composed of a stretchable material.

12. The article of footwear according to claim 10, wherein said body is composed of a first material and said sheaths are composed of a second material, said first and second materials being different.

13. The article of footwear according to claim 10, wherein said sheath is formed from sufficient material so as to substantially cover the toe when said sheath is in said extended position.

14. The article of footwear according to claim 10, wherein said tip portion is positioned adjacent said body portion when said tip portion is folded thereover.

15. The article of footwear according to claim 9, wherein said foot portion includes an underside and wherein said underside is fitted with means for gripping.

16. The article of footwear according to claim 15, wherein said means for gripping is defined by a plurality of grips fitted to said underside of said foot portion.

17. The article of footwear according to claim 16, wherein said means for gripping is a sole portion which substantially covers said underside of said foot portion.

18. The article of footwear according to claim 17, wherein said sole portion further substantially covers said sheaths.