Construction of a gripping fabric

A method for constructing a gripping sock to cover a foot of a user and be worn inside a footwear, the method comprising:

• providing a sock comprising an inner surface and an outer surface made of a fabric, said sock defining a heel portion corresponding to a heel of the user when the user is wearing said sock, said sock defining a forefoot portion corresponding to a forefoot of the user when the user is wearing said sock, wherein said inner surface is proximal to the foot of the user and distal to an inside surface of the footwear when the user is wearing said sock, and wherein said outer surface is distal to-the foot of the user and proximal to said inside surface of the footwear when the user is wearing said sock;
• and
• applying a plurality of shapes of non-slip material on said inner surface and said outer surface of said heel portion and said forefoot portion of said sock, said plurality of shapes of non-slip material applied on said inner surface substantially coincident with said plurality of shapes of non-slip material applied on said outer surface, said plurality of shapes of non-slip material providing simultaneous non-slip contact between said foot and said inner surface of said sock, and between said outer surface of said sock and said inside surface of the footwear, wherein when the user is wearing said sock and the shoe said plurality of shapes of non-slip material applied on said outer surface of the sock have a resistance to sliding movement of said sock with respect to the shoe and said plurality of shapes of non-slip material applied on said inner surface of the sock have a resistance to sliding movement of the foot with respect to said sock.

A method of donning a shoe to reduce sliding movement of a foot of a user within the shoe, the method comprising:

• a. donning a sock composed of a knitted fabric and having an inside surface and an outside surface, the knitted fabric comprising gripping threads interwoven with supplementary threads, wherein a first plurality of shapes of a non-slip material is disposed on said inside surface of said sock, wherein a second plurality of shapes of said non-slip material is disposed on said outside surface of said sock, said first plurality of shapes of said non-slip material disposed on said inside surface of said sock providing non-slip contact between the sock and the foot when said sock is on the foot;
• b. donning the shoe over said sock, said second plurality of shapes of non-slip material on said outside surface of said sock providing a non-slip contact between the outside surface of the sock and an inside surface of the shoe, whereby when the user is donning said sock and the shoe, said second plurality of shapes of non-slip material on said outside surface of the sock defines a resistance to sliding movement of said sock with respect to the shoe and said first plurality of shapes of non-slip material on said inside of the sock defines said resistance to sliding movement of the foot with respect to the sock wherein each of said shapes of non-slip material on said inside surface of said sock substantially coincide with one or more shapes of non-slip material on said outside surface of said sock.

A two-step method for manufacturing a sock with enhanced grip, comprising:

• a first step comprising manufacturing a gripping sock, comprising:
• providing a plurality of gripping threads and supplementary threads, said gripping threads made of a non-slip material;
• separating each of said gripping threads into a first gripping thread and a second gripping thread;
• separating each of said supplementary threads into a first supplementary thread and a second supplementary thread;
• grouping said first gripping thread and said first supplementary thread into a first pair;
• grouping said second gripping thread and said second supplementary thread into a second pair;
• and
• knitting said first pair with said second pair to form said gripping sock, said gripping sock having an inner surface and an outer surface, said first pair defining said inner surface, said second pair defining said outer surface, wherein said first gripping thread of said first pair is exposed on said inner surface, and wherein said first gripping thread of said first pair is not exposed on said outer surface, and wherein said second gripping thread of said second pair is exposed on said outer surface, and wherein said second gripping thread of said second pair is not exposed on said inner surface, whereby said inner surface defined by said first pair provides grip between a foot of a user and said gripping sock, and said outer surface defined by said second pair provides grip between said gripping sock and said inside surface of a shoe;
• a second step comprising manufacturing said sock with enhanced grip, comprising:
• applying a plurality of shapes of non-slip material on said inner surface of said plurality of shapes of non-slip material applied on said inner and said outer surface of said gripping sock simultaneously, wherein each surface of said gripping sock has a substantially coincident shape of non-slip material that is applied on said outer surface of said gripping sock, and wherein said plurality of shapes of non-slip material applied on said inner surface and said outer surface of said gripping sock provide said enhanced grip.