Patent Description:
The patterned compression hosiery of the invention uses a plating technique that includes two different fiber types that alter the appearance of the pattern repeats of the hosiery. The technique enables the inner surface of the hosiery to be smooth without ridges created by the patterning and loose threads and loops on the interior of current types of compression hosiery that can create corresponding indentations on the surface of the legs of the wearer or cause the wearer to catch a toe in one of the loops. Indentations on the leg of a wearer are particularly objectionable when worn by persons with compromised lower body venous capacity.

The invention has the appearance of a hosiery product, such as a sock, patterned on a single-feed knitting machine, but that is made on, for example, a <NUM>-feed compression knitting machine utilizing both elastomer compression yarns and non-elastomer yarns. The method of knitting the hosiery includes creating a pattern using feeds <NUM> and <NUM>, while inlaying compression yarns using feeds <NUM> and <NUM>, In one embodiment of the invention, a computer-generated pattern design is manipulated to create a pattern symmetrical top to bottom and side to side. This is distinct from typical patterns on <NUM>-feed machines which appear elongated along the axis of the leg of the garment.

Another feature of the invention is the ability to create <NUM>-color patterns that have varying textures providing a more interesting and pleasing appearance.

Prior art publications include <CIT>, which discloses a compression article, particularly a compression stocking or compression tights, made of an elastic knitted fabric (<NUM>) with a base knitted fabric (<NUM>), which is made from a knitting thread (S) and inside of which are deposited compression-imparting compression threads (K). In order to obtain a surface pattern, the manner in which the compression threads (K) are deposited alternates area by area.

<CIT> discloses a method of knitting a control top panty hose in which the panty portion is knit with spandex yarn and textured stretch yarn to form an attractive pattern of relatively opaque areas and open lace areas. The panty portion provides sufficient compressive force to control and shape the figure of the wearer and the open lace areas permit the passage of air.

<CIT> discloses a compression lower body garment intended to achieve a surface pattern (<FIG> and <FIG>, and col. <NUM>, lines <NUM>-<NUM>).

British Patent Application <CIT> discloses creation of a patterned knitted fabric by controlled adjustment of cam boxes to influence the needles based on the shape of the cams on two or more cam carriers.

<CIT> discloses a compression hose made of an elastic textile base material for the treatment of leg conditions. A rhombic, i.e., "diamond-shaped" lattice is integrated into the base material, with diagonals of the rhombuses lying in the longitudinal direction of the hose, and with intersecting strips which extend helically and continuously obliquely relative to the longitudinal direction of the hose to form the rhombic lattice.

<CIT> discloses a compression orthosis with a decorative pattern on its surface, where a plating yarn forms a float stitch on the rear surface. <CIT> refers to a knitted sock comprising an isolated compression zone using an elastic yarn, a plaited body yarn, and two pattern yarns. <CIT> teaches a knitting machine adapted to knit an argyle pattern.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a compression hosiery product that has a decorative pattern similar to a non-compression hosiery product,.

It is another object of the invention to provide a compression hosiery product that has a smooth interior surface free of loose threads and ridges.

It is another object of the invention to provide a compression hosiery product that permits a broad range of decorative patterns.

It is another object of the invention to provide a compression hosiery product that has, for example, three yarns-an inlay yarn and two plating yarns.

It is another object of the invention to provide a compression hosiery product that is constructed having two pattern feed yarns and one or more inlay feed yarns.

It is another object of the invention to provide a method of forming a compression hosiery product that has a decorative pattern similar in appearance to a non-compression hosiery product.

It is another object of the invention to provide a method of forming a compression hosiery product that has a smooth interior surface free of loose threads and ridges.

It is another object of the invention to provide a method of forming a compression hosiery product having two pattern feed yarns.

These and other aspects of the invention are achieved by providing a method of constructing a knitted compression hosiery product according to claim <NUM> and a compression hosiery product according to claim <NUM>. The fabric includes an elastomer compression inlay yarn introduced into a predetermined first selection of needles on a first knitting machine finger position, and first and second pattern yarns introduced into a predetermined second selection of needles on second and third knitting machine finger positions, the first selection of needles and the second selection of needles collectively defining a predetermined pattern. When the predetermined second selection of needles is raised to take on the first and second pattern yarns, the elastomer compression inlay yam deflects predetermined ones of the second selection of needles radially inwardly to define an annular space into which the pattern yarns are dropped in an offset relation to the elastomer compression inlay yarn. The first and second pattern yarns are plated to respective outer and inner surfaces of the fabric, and the elastomer compression inlay yarn is inlaid to the inner surface of the fabric.

According to one aspect of the invention, the compression garment, for example, a sock, is formed of a knitted fabric constructed on a four-feed circular knitting machine, and includes an elastomer compression inlay yam knitted on a first machine feed, a non-elastomer pattern yarn and an elastomer plating yarn knitted on a second machine feed, an elastomer compression inlay yarn knitted on a third machine feed, and a non-elastomer pattern yarn and an elastomer plating yarn knitted on a fourth machine feed. The non-elastomer pattern yams of the second and fourth feeds are plated to an outer surface of the fabric and elastomer plating yarns of the second and fourth feeds are plated to an inner surface of the fabric. A pattern is created by predetermined needles on the second and fourth feeds being selected to take on the non-elastomer and elastomer yams.

According to the invention, the compression garment is a compression hosiery product.

According to another aspect of the invention, the non-elastomer yarn is cotton.

According to another aspect of the invention, the elastomer compression inlay yarn is spandex covered with at least one nylon yarn and at least one of the first and second pattern yarns is a non-elastomer yarn.

According to the invention, one of the pattern yarns has a composition that takes on a dye differently that the other pattern yarn takes on dye, resulting in a pattern that is distinguished by a different color appearance of the non-elastomer pattern yarn in relation to the elastomer pattern yarn.

According to another aspect of the invention, the non-elastomer pattern yarns have a color visually-distinct from a color of the elastomer pattern yarns.

According to another aspect of the invention, the elastomer compression inlay yarn is spandex double covered with textured nylon yarn.

According to another aspect of the invention, a compression hosiery product is formed of a knitted fabric constructed on a four-feed circular knitting machine, and includes a spandex elastomer compression inlay yarn covered with a nylon yarn knitted on a first machine feed, a cotton pattern yarn and a spandex elastomer plating yarn covered with a nylon yarn knitted on a second machine feed, a spandex elastomer compression inlay yarn covered with a nylon yarn knitted on a third machine feed, and a cotton pattern yarn and a spandex elastomer plating yarn knitted on a fourth machine feed. The cotton pattern yarns of the second and fourth feeds are plated to an outer surface of the fabric and the spandex elastomer plating yarns covered with a nylon yarn of the second and fourth feeds are plated to an inner surface of the fabric. A pattern is created by predetermined needles on the second and fourth feeds being selected to take on the pattern yarns.

According to another aspect of the invention, the elastomer compression yarns of the first and third machine feeds are <NUM> dtex (<NUM> denier) spandex yarn double covered with <NUM>/<NUM>/<NUM> textured nylon yarn and the elastomer pattern or plating yarns of the second and fourth machine feeds are <NUM> dtex (<NUM> denier) spandex yarn double covered with <NUM>/<NUM>/<NUM> textured nylon yarn.

According to another aspect of the invention, the hosiery product includes a knitted heel pocket.

According to another aspect of the invention, the hosiery product comprises an over-the-calf sock having an integrally-formed cuff, leg, heel, foot and toe.

According to another aspect of the invention, the cuff is non-patterned, the leg includes a color-contrast pattern, the heel is non-patterned, the foot is mesh patterned and the toe is non-patterned.

According to another aspect of the invention, the leg includes a color contrast pattern formed from a plurality of mutually-intersecting diagonal knitted stitch lines collectively defining a repeating diamond pattern.

According to another aspect of the invention, the leg includes a color contrast pattern formed from a plurality of mutually-intersecting diagonal knitted stitch lines collectively defining a plurality of repeating diamonds, and each diamond includes within the diamond at least two distinct and different stitch patterns.

According to the invention, a method of constructing a compression hosiery product is provided and includes the steps of introducing an elastomer compression inlay yarn into a predetermined first selection of needles on a first knitting machine finger position, and introducing first and second pattern yarns into a predetermined second selection of needles on second and third knitting machine finger positions. The first selection of needles and the second selection of needles collectively define a predetermined pattern. The predetermined second selection of needles is raised to take on the first and second pattern yarns. The elastomer compression inlay yarn deflect predetermined ones of the second selection of needles radially inwardly to define an annular space into which the pattern yarns are dropped in an offset relation to the elastomer compression inlay yarn. A non-elastomer pattern yarn and an elastomer pattern or plating yarn are knitted on a fourth machine feed, and the pattern yarns of the second and fourth feeds are plated to an outer surface of the fabric. The elastomer compression inlay yarn is inlaid to the inner surface of the fabric.

According to another aspect of the invention, the steps of feeding the yarns comprise feeding yarns to the four feeds of the knitting machine according to the following specification:.

According to another aspect of the invention, the method includes the step of knitting a heel pocket into the hosiery product.

According to another aspect of the invention, the method includes the step of knitting a toe into the hosiery product.

According to another aspect of the invention, the method includes the steps of knitting an over-the-calf sock having an integrally-formed cuff, leg, heel, foot and toe.

According to another aspect of the invention, the method includes the step of providing a sock wherein the cuff is non-patterned, the leg includes a color-contrast pattern, the heel is non-patterned, the foot is knit using a mesh pattern and the toe is non-patterned.

According to another aspect of the invention, the method includes the step of knitting into the leg a color contrast pattern formed from a plurality of mutually-intersecting diagonal knitted stitch lines collectively defining a repeating diamond pattern.

According to another aspect of the invention, the method includes the step of knitting into the leg a color contrast pattern formed from a plurality of mutually-intersecting diagonal knitted stitch lines collectively defining a plurality of repeating diamonds, and knitting into each diamond at least two distinct and different stitch patterns.

According to another aspect of the invention, the method includes the step of knitting into the leg a color contrast pattern formed from a plurality of mutually-intersecting diagonal knitted stitch lines collectively defining a plurality of repeating symmetrical diamond shapes, and knitting into each symmetrical diamond shape least two distinct and different stitch patterns.

According to another aspect of the invention, the method includes the step of knitting into the leg a color contrast pattern formed from a plurality of mutually-intersecting diagonal knitted stitch lines collectively defining a plurality of repeating geometric patterns, and knitting into each geometric patterns at least two distinct and different stitch patterns.

The present invention is best understood when the following detailed description of the invention is read with reference to the accompanying drawings and photographic images, in which:.

Referring now to the drawings, the image shown in <FIG> is of the interior of a conventional prior art compression sock <NUM> that is designed to give the outward appearance of a typical patterned sock, such as an argyle pattern. As can be seen, the interior surface <NUM> of the prior art sock <NUM> is a tangled mass of loose threads, cut thread ends and loops <NUM>. As described above, these artifacts of the prior art knitting process are particularly objectionable when used by wearers who have compromised lower extremity circulation and the loose threads, cut thread ends and loops <NUM> can cause discomfort and indentations on the surface of the skin of the lower leg. It is also possible that a toe of the wearer can catch in one of the loops when donning the sock.

As shown in <FIG>, a compression sock <NUM> according to an embodiment of the invention includes a cuff <NUM>, leg <NUM>, heel <NUM>, foot <NUM> and toe <NUM>, respectively. The sock <NUM> has the outward appearance of a conventional non-compression, patterned hosiery product. This type of product is often desired by individuals who are required to wear compression hosiery products but wish to avoid the heavy, thick appearance of many compression hosiery products. The sock <NUM> may have characteristics as do conventional socks. For example, the heel <NUM> may be formed by reciprocation, may be heelless, or may include a non-reciprocated heel pocket. Similarly, the cuff <NUM> and/or the foot <NUM> may be patterned or non-patterned.

As shown in <FIG>, the interior surface <NUM> of the sock <NUM> is smooth, even and without any raised or loose threads or loops. This desirable effect is achieved by implementing a new process of plating selected yarns that provide a fully conventional outward appearance while providing medically efficacious compression without the loose threads and loops found in prior art hosiery products.

Design software, such as Photon G616D is used to create the input for a <NUM>-feed compression knitting machine, such as a Merz CC4.

As shown in <FIG>, the design screen template starts with a grid of <NUM> x <NUM> pixels. According to <FIG>, using the graphics software pen, odd numbered pixels on a row from top to bottom are selected by, for example, identifying them by a distinct color, such as white. When this step is completed, the template is resized by deleting the odd numbered rows marked in white, leaving a finished template that is <NUM> pixels wide and <NUM> pixels deep. This template is used for the No. <NUM> yarn feed on the knitting machine.

As shown in <FIG>, using the graphics software pen, even numbered pixels on a row from top to bottom are selected by, for example, identifying them by a distinct color such as white. When this step is completed, the template is resized by deleting the even numbered rows marked in white, leaving a finished template that is <NUM> pixels wide and <NUM> pixels deep. This template is used for the No. <NUM> yarn feed on the knitting machine.

Referring to <FIG>, a <NUM> x <NUM> pixel screen is used to flood fill a predetermined pattern, for example, the argyle pattern shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, with a <NUM> × <NUM> mesh pattern indicated by different colors, with horizontal row No. <NUM> as the starting line indicating the pattern. The remaining pixels are flood filled with the background. This template is used for the No. <NUM> yarn feed. The drop down menu shown in <FIG> indicates that numerous mesh patterns can be created that can then be selected to flood fill the different segments of the <NUM> x <NUM> pixel screen shown in <FIG>. By comparing <FIG> and <FIG> it will be noted that the pattern designs are offset vertically and horizontally by one stitch in each direction.

With the pixel screen of <FIG>, starting with horizontal row No. <NUM>, the argyle pattern is flood filled with a <NUM> × <NUM> pattern. The remainder of the pixels are flood-filled with a lx1 mesh pattern. This template is used for the No, <NUM>-feed.

The knitting machine used for construction of the sock <NUM> is a <NUM>-feed machine with a <NUM> × <NUM> rib selection starting on the <NUM>nd needle for the 1st feed, which is an inlay feed, and a <NUM> × <NUM> rib selection starting on the <NUM>st needle for the <NUM>rd feed, which is also an inlay feed.

An exemplary body yarn construction used to achieve the effects described in this application is as follows:.

According to the above, the cotton yarn is threaded through pattern fingers #<NUM> or #<NUM> on the <NUM>nd and <NUM>th feeds, while the double covered nylon is threaded in fingers #<NUM> or #<NUM> on the <NUM>nd and <NUM>th feeds. This provides the maximum separation for both of these yarns. The pattern fingers, #<NUM> or #<NUM> on the <NUM>nd and <NUM>th feeds are set in the highest and deepest positions possible, but are still able to deliver the yarn to the hooks of the needles in a consistent manner without damaging the needles. Fingers #<NUM> or #<NUM> on the <NUM>nd and <NUM>th feeds are set in a much lower position, This setup gives additional separation of the two yarns. The elastomer pattern yarn <NUM> may be a spandex covered with at least one yarn selected from the group of yarns consisting of synthetic or bio-based yarns, such as nylon, polyester, polypropylene, cotton, rayon, wool and silk.

As best shown in <FIG>, elastomer pattern yarn <NUM> is used as an inner plating yarn, a <NUM> denier spandex yarn double covered with <NUM>/<NUM>/<NUM> textured nylon yarn that knits on all needles and <NUM> percent is present on the outer surface and <NUM> percent on the inner surface (not shown). The elastomer compression inlay yarn cannot be seen on the exterior surface of the sock <NUM>. The non-elastomer pattern yarn <NUM> is a <NUM>/<NUM> Cotton yarn that only knits on the needles that are selected "up" by the pattern. The cotton yarn <NUM> is present on the outer surface relative to the inner surface at an approximate ratio of <NUM> to <NUM>, The plating of both elastomer pattern yarn <NUM> and non-elastomer pattern yarn <NUM> takes place only in the leg <NUM> and foot <NUM> on the <NUM>nd and <NUM>th feeds.

The plating thus includes two yarns being knitted on the same feeds, <NUM>nd and <NUM>th, such that the cotton pattern yarn <NUM> is plated to the outside of the sock <NUM> and the spandex/nylon pattern yarn <NUM> is plated to the inside of the sock <NUM>, without miss-plating. The pattern is created by controlling the needles on the <NUM>nd and <NUM>th feeds that are actually selected "up" to take on the cotton pattern yarn <NUM>.

More specifically, the elastomer compression inlay yarn is introduced to every other needle at tuck height. When the remaining needles are raised to take on the non-elastomer pattern yarns <NUM>, the presence of the inlay yarn deflects the pattern needles inwards, causing every other needle to slightly pull towards the center of the cylinder of the knitting machine. This slight offset, which resembles a "saw tooth" pattern when viewed from above, provides a channel for the non-elastomer pattern yarns <NUM> to drop into, assuring that they will lay in the proper position. This permits the non-elastomer pattern yarns <NUM> to be introduced in a controlled manner, avoiding a more random yarn path that could lead to miss-plating.

According to one embodiment, the sock <NUM> includes a color contrast diamond-shaped pattern <NUM> knitted into the leg <NUM> to form a plurality of mutually-intersecting diagonal knitted stitch lines <NUM> defined by inner plating yarns <NUM> and collectively defining the repeating diamond-shaped pattern <NUM>.

According to a further embodiment, two distinct and different stitch patterns <NUM> and <NUM> are knitted into each pattern <NUM> to provide a further decorative effect. The diamond-shaped pattern <NUM> may be symmetrical or asymmetrical, or may be a different geometric shape altogether.

It is known that various natural and synthetic fibers and yarns take on dye differently. These differences may be the result of the basic constituent natural or synthetic materials, physical characteristics of the yarns, treatments applied to the fibers and/or yarns or a combination of these factors. The factors may result in differential coloring or shading. Accordingly, compression hosiery products of the invention are created using yarns having differential dye take-up characteristics that result in a pattern that is distinguished by a different color and/or shade appearance of one or the other of the pattern yarns in relation to the elastomer compression yarn.

While the disclosure of the invention has been illustrated by explaining the construction of a lower leg and foot garment, i.e., a "sock", the invention is not limited to a sock but is applicable to any knitted compression hosiery such as panties, tights, leggings, panty hose, and anklets.

Claim 1:
A method of constructing a knitted compression hosiery product (<NUM>) having a smooth interior surface (<NUM>) free of loose threads and ridges, comprising the steps of:
(a) introducing an elastomer compression inlay yarn into a predetermined first selection of needles on a first knitting machine finger position at a first machine feed;
(b) raising a predetermined second selection of needles to take on first and second pattern yarns from a second machine feed;
(c) introducing the first and second pattern yarns into the predetermined second selection of needles on second and third knitting machine finger positions at the second machine feed, the first selection of needles and the second selection of needles collectively defining a predetermined pattern;
(d) wherein when the predetermined second selection of needles is raised to take on the first and second pattern yarns, the elastomer compression inlay yarn deflects the raised second selection of needles radially inwardly to define an annular space into which the pattern yarns are dropped in an offset relation to the elastomer compression inlay yarn; and
(e) wherein the first and second pattern yarns are plated to respective outer and inner surfaces of the fabric, and the elastomer compression yarn is inlaid to the inner surface of the fabric and one pattern yarn has a composition that takes on a dye differently than the other pattern yarn takes on dye, resulting in a pattern that is distinguished by a different color appearance of the two yarns.