Knitted component with adjustable knitted portion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11140933-B2
Application number	US-201816046695-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 26, 2018
Priority date	Sep 24, 2013
Publication date	Oct 12, 2021
Grant date	Oct 12, 2021

Abstract

An article may include a base structure with a strand and an adjustment member. The adjustment member may include a course with a plurality of loops, and the strand of the base structure may be inlaid within the course of the adjustment member adjacent to a first loop and a second loop of the plurality of loops. The adjustment member may be configured to slide along the base structure from a first state to a second state such that the first loop and the second loop define a first loop distance in the first state, and the first loop and the second loop define a second loop distance in the second state. The first loop distance may be greater than the second loop distance.

First claim

We claim:

1. An article comprising:
a base structure including a plurality of strand segments extending in a coursewise direction, the plurality of strand segments including a first strand segment and a second strand segment; and
an adjustment member including a course with a plurality of loops, wherein the plurality of strand segments of the base structure are inlaid within the course of the adjustment member adjacent to a first loop and a second loop of the plurality of loops;
wherein a bunched region of the adjustment member is configured to slide along the base structure,
wherein the bunched region of the adjustment member has a first loop height extending from the first strand segment to the second strand segment of the base structure,
wherein a second region of the adjustment member has a second loop height extending from the first strand segment to the second strand segment of the base structure, wherein the second loop height is less than the first loop height such that the first strand segment is further from the second strand segment in the bunched region than in the second region, and
wherein the second region of the adjustment member is adjacent to the bunched region of the adjustment member.

2. The article of claim 1 , wherein the bunched region is at least partially formed by the first loop and the second loop.

3. The article of claim 2 , wherein the bunched region is configured to slide between a first position of the adjustment member to a second position of the adjustment member.

4. The article of claim 1 , wherein the base structure includes a first inlaid portion and a second inlaid portion extending through loops of the adjustment member, wherein the first inlaid portion is a first distance from the second inlaid portion in a first state, wherein the first inlaid portion is a second distance from the second inlaid portion in a second state, and wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance.

5. The article of claim 1 , wherein the adjustment member is slidable between a first state and a second state, wherein the first loop defines the first loop height in the first state, wherein the first loop defines the second loop height in the second state, and wherein the second loop height is greater than the first loop height.

6. The article of claim 1 , wherein the adjustment member is slidable between a first state and a second state, wherein the adjustment member has a first edge, and wherein the first loop is closer to the first edge in the first state than in the second state.

7. The article of claim 1 , wherein a strand of the base structure has a substantially fixed length that limits elongation of the base structure in at least one direction.

8. The article of claim 1 , wherein a strand of the base structure extends in a serpentine pattern between a first edge and a second edge.

9. The article of claim 1 , wherein the base structure and the adjustment member form a knitted component of unitary knit construction.

10. A knitted component comprising:
a first edge, a second edge, and a first length measured between the first edge and the second edge;
an adjustment member with a first loop; and
a base structure with at least one strand, the at least one strand having a first inlaid portion and a second inlaid portion each being inlaid within the adjustment member and extending from the first edge to the second edge;
wherein the adjustment member is configured such that the first loop is slidable by a user from a first position to a second position along the base structure, the first loop being closer to the first edge in the first position than in the second position;
wherein the adjustment member is configured to shift between a first state and a second state, and
wherein the first inlaid portion is a first distance from the second inlaid portion in the first state, wherein the first inlaid portion is a second distance from the second inlaid portion in the second state, and wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance due to a varying loop height.

11. The knitted component of claim 10 , wherein the at least one strand of the base structure includes a first strand portion and a second strand portion, and wherein the first strand portion and the second strand portion are farther apart in the second state than in the first state.

12. The knitted component of claim 10 , wherein the adjustment member further comprises a second loop, and wherein the adjustment member is configured such that the user can shift the first loop and the second loop towards each other to form at least a portion of a bunched region.

13. The knitted component of claim 12 , wherein the bunched region provides more cushioning than a second region of the knitted component.

14. The knitted component of claim 10 , wherein the at least one strand of the base structure has a substantially fixed length that limits elongation of the base structure between the first edge and the second edge.

15. The knitted component of claim 10 , further comprising a supported area and at least one free area, wherein the base structure extends through the supported area, and wherein the base structure is spaced from the at least one free area.

16. The knitted component of claim 10 , wherein the at least one strand of the base structure extends in a serpentine pattern between the first edge and the second edge.

17. The knitted component of claim 10 , wherein the knitted component is of unitary knit construction.

18. A method comprising:
knitting a course of an adjustment member, the course including a first loop and a second loop; and
inlaying a strand of a base structure within the course of the adjustment member at a location adjacent to the first loop and the second loop, such that the adjustment member is configured to slide along the base structure from a first state to a second state, wherein the base structure has a first inlaid portion and a second inlaid portion that is parallel to the first inlaid portion;
wherein the first inlaid portion is a first distance from the second inlaid portion in the first state, wherein the first inlaid portion is a second distance from the second inlaid portion in the second state, and wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance due to a varying loop height.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising knitting a second course of the adjustment member and inlaying the strand within the second course.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein, a bunched region is at least partially formed by the first loop and the second loop in the second state.

Assignees

• Nike Inc

Inventors

• Farris Bryan N
• Huffa Bruce

Classifications

• A43B1/04

  braided, knotted, knitted or crocheted · CPC title

• D10B2501/043

  Footwear · CPC title

• A43B23/0205

  characterised by the material (material of the lining A43B23/07, material of toe stiffeners or heel stiffeners A43B23/08) · CPC title

• D10B2403/0311

  Small thickness fabric, e.g. ribbons, tapes or straps · CPC title

• D04B1/123

  with laid-in unlooped yarn, e.g. fleece fabrics (with elastic weft yarn D04B1/18) · CPC title