Method of Forming A Unitary Knit Article Using Flat-knit Construction

Content Provider	The Lens
Related Links	https://www.lens.org/lens/patent/009-590-978-382-113/frontpage
Language	English
Publisher Date	2019-10-02
Access Restriction	Open
Alternative Title	Verfahren Zur Herstellung Eines Einheitlichen Strickartikels Unter Verwendung Einer Flachstrickkonstruktion Procédé De Formation D'un Article En Tricot Unitaire À L'aide D'une Structure De Tricot Rectiligne
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Patent
Date Applied	2015-02-24
Agent	Beattie, Alex Thomas Stewart
Applicant	Nike Innovate Cv
Application No.	15709578
Claim	A method for manufacturing an article of apparel (100), the method comprising: forming a first region (310) comprised of a first tubular flat knit element (318); forming a second region (312) comprised of a first set of multiple tubular flat knit elements (307), wherein the second region (312) is adjacent to the first region (310) and extends outward from the first region (310) and the first and second regions (310, 312) are produced in a continuous line and thus of a singular knit construction, such that there are no breaks in the knitting process, and no seams required to maintain their adjacency, and wherein the first region (310) and the second region (312) together form a first knit component (300); cutting off at least a portion of the first set of multiple tubular flat knit elements (307) to create a pair of arm holes (106); cutting off a top portion (414) of the first region (310) to create a pair of shoulder regions (108, 308); and cutting a center portion of the first region to create a neck hole (110). The method according to claim 1, further comprising: forming a third region adjacent to the second region, the third region comprised of a second tubular flat knit element; forming a fourth region comprised of a second set of multiple tubular flat knit elements, wherein the fourth region is adjacent to the third region and extends outward from the third region and is formed of a singular knit construction, and wherein the third region and the fourth region together form a second knit component (200, 210). The method according to claim 2, wherein the first knit component (300) and the second knit component (200, 210) comprise at least a portion of a knitted component run (400) including a plurality of knit components (200, 210, 300). The method according to claim 2, further comprising separating the first knit component (300) from the second knit component (200, 210). The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of forming the first region (310) comprised of the first tubular flat knit element (318) includes joining a top portion (414) of the first region (310) to create a pair of shoulder seams (308, 309). The method according to claim 5, wherein the pair of shoulder seams (308, 309) are created by joining a first side of the first tubular flat knit element (318) to a second side of the first tubular flat knit element (318) and preferably further comprising incorporating reinforced stitches on at least a portion of the first knit component (200, 210, 300). The method according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the first region (310) and at least a portion of the second region (312) includes diamond-shaped stitch elements (602) or wherein at least a portion of the second region (312) includes vertical stitch elements (604). A method of manufacturing multiple articles (100), the method comprising: forming a plurality of knit components (200, 210, 300) on a flat knitting machine, wherein each of the plurality of knit components (200, 210, 300) is manufactured according to the method of claim 1; wherein the method further comprises the step of separating each of the plurality of knit components (200, 210, 300) into a plurality of individual knit components (200, 210, 300); and, for each individual knit component (200, 210, 300), once the first and second regions (310, 312) have been formed, creating a pair of arm holes (106), a pair of shoulder regions (108) and a neck hole (110) in accordance with the method of claim 1 for each of the plurality of individual knit components (200, 210, 300). The method according to claim 8, wherein the multiple articles comprise shirt-type articles (100). The method according to claim 8, wherein the steps of forming a first region (318) for each of the plurality of knit components (200, 210, 300) and joining the top portion (414) of the first region (318) for each of the plurality of knit components (200, 210, 300) are performed together. The method according to claim 8, wherein forming each first region (318) of each of the plurality of knit components (200, 210, 300) further comprises joining a top portion (414) of each first region (318) to create a pair of shoulder seams (308, 309) on each first region (318) and preferably wherein the pair of shoulder seams (308, 309) on each first region (318) are created by joining a first side of each first tubular flat knit element (307) to a second side of each first tubular flat knit element (307). The method according to claim 8, further comprising incorporating reinforced stitches on at least a portion of each of the plurality of knit components (200, 210, 300). The method according to claim 8, wherein at least a portion of each first region (310) and at least a portion of each second region (312) includes diamond-shaped stitch elements (602) or wherein at least a portion of each second region (612) includes vertical stitch elements (604). The method according to claim 1, wherein the article of apparel comprises a football jersey, wherein: the first region (310) comprises an upper torso region; and the second region (312) comprises a lower torso region. The method according to claim 14, wherein the step of forming the upper torso region (310) comprised of the first tubular flat knit element (318) includes joining a top portion (414) of the upper torso region to create a pair of shoulder seams (308, 309) and preferably wherein the pair of shoulder seams (308, 309) are created by joining a first side of the first tubular flat knit element (318) to a second side of the first tubular flat knit element (318).
CPC Classification	KNITTING
Extended Family	199-434-850-329-466 021-898-090-037-822 063-481-287-734-453 157-873-179-485-358 101-728-861-006-249 128-168-881-171-521 009-590-978-382-113 120-094-664-456-934 055-959-053-173-200 065-658-209-286-011 080-322-787-109-388 015-980-486-018-068 182-593-168-734-304
Patent ID	3126557
Inventor/Author	Turner David
IPC	D04B1/24
Status	Active
Simple Family	199-434-850-329-466 021-898-090-037-822 063-481-287-734-453 157-873-179-485-358 101-728-861-006-249 128-168-881-171-521 009-590-978-382-113 120-094-664-456-934 055-959-053-173-200 065-658-209-286-011 080-322-787-109-388 015-980-486-018-068 182-593-168-734-304
CPC (with Group)	D04B1/246 D04B1/102 D04B21/207
Issuing Authority	United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
Kind	Patent/Patent 1st level of publication/Inventor's certificate