Back to results
US 2012/0234052 A1Published application
Method Of Manufacturing A Knitted Component
AssigneeNIKE, Inc.
InventorsBruce Huffa, Bhupesh Dua
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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.
Claims40
A method of knitting comprising:
- producing a knit component by manipulating at least one yarn to form a plurality of courses and wales;
- and
- reciprocating a feeder arm of a feeder between an extended position and a retracted position, the feeder inlaying a strand along one of the courses when the feeder arm is in the extended position, and the strand being absent from the courses when the feeder arm is in the retracted position.
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;
- 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.
1 more element
A method of knitting comprising:
- providing a knitting machine having a first feeder that supplies a first yarn, a second feeder that supplies a second yarn, and a needle bed that includes a plurality of needles;
- positioning a dispensing tip of the second feeder below an elevation of a dispensing tip of the first feeder;
- moving the first feeder and the second feeder along the needle bed to (a) form a first portion of a course of a knit component from the first yarn and (b) inlay the second yarn into the first portion of the course;
- positioning the dispensing tip of the second feeder at the elevation of the dispensing tip of the first feeder;
- and
- moving at least the second feeder along the needle bed to form a second portion of the course from the second yarn.
3 more elements
A method of knitting comprising:
- 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.
5 more elements
A method of knitting comprising:
- providing a knitting machine having:
- (a) a first feeder including a first feeder arm with a first dispensing tip for supplying a first yarn,
- (b) a second feeder including a second feeder arm with a second dispensing tip for supplying a second yarn,
- (c) a third feeder including a third feeder arm with a third dispensing tip for supplying a strand, and
- (d) a plurality of needles;
- manipulating the first yarn and the second yarn with the needles to form a first course of a knit component, the third dispensing tip of the third 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 third dispensing tip in an extended position to locate the strand adjacent to at least a portion of the first course, the extended position being below the elevation of the first dispensing tip;
- and
- manipulating the first yarn and the second yarn with the needles to form a second course of the knit component and inlay the strand.
6 more elements
A method of knitting comprising utilizing a combination feeder to supply a yarn for knitting, tucking, and floating, and utilizing the combination feeder to inlay the yarn.
A method of knitting comprising:
- 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 a 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.
4 more elements
A method of knitting comprising:
- providing a knitting machine having a first feeder that supplies a first yarn, a second feeder that supplies a second yarn, and a needle bed that includes a plurality of needles, the needle bed defining an intersection where planes upon which the needles lay cross each other;
- positioning a dispensing tip of the first feeder above the intersection and positioning a dispensing tip of the second feeder below the intersection;
- moving the first feeder and the second feeder along the needle bed to (a) form at least a portion of a first course of a knit component from the first yarn and (b) inlay the second yarn into the portion of the first course;
- positioning the dispensing tip of the second feeder above the intersection;
- and
- moving at least the second feeder along the needle bed to form at least a portion of a second course.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.