A method may include knitting a first portion of a knitted component on a first region of a knitting machine, knitting a second portion of the knitted component on a second region of the knitting machine, moving the first portion of the knitted component towards the second portion of the knitted component by moving a first needle bed of the knitting machine relative to a second needle bed of the knitting machine, and knitting at least one course with the knitting machine that connects the first portion of the knitted component to the second portion of the knitted component.

A flat knitting machine yarn feeder with variable yarn feeding positions is provided. The flat knitting machine yarn feeder includes a driving mechanism and a yarn feeding mechanism. The driving mechanism is controlled by an electronic signal and includes a driving plate which makes a push stroke after started. The yarn feeding mechanism comprises a joining plate connected with the driving plate and a yarn feeding arm assembled with the joining plate. The joining plate comprises a guide hole. The yarn feeding arm comprises a guide column disposed in the guide hole. The joining plate makes a displacement stroke when the driving plate makes the push stroke. The guide column changes a position in the guide hole when the joining plate makes the displacement stroke. The yarn feeding arm changes a yarn feeding position when the guide column changes the position.

A flat knitting machine yarn feeder with variable yarn feeding positions is provided. The flat knitting machine yarn feeder includes a driving mechanism and a yarn feeding mechanism. The driving mechanism is controlled by an electronic signal and includes a driving plate which makes a push stroke after started. The yarn feeding mechanism comprises a joining plate connected with the driving plate and a yarn feeding arm assembled with the joining plate. The joining plate comprises a guide hole. The yarn feeding arm comprises a guide column disposed in the guide hole. The joining plate makes a displacement stroke when the driving plate makes the push stroke. The guide column changes a position in the guide hole when the joining plate makes the displacement stroke. The yarn feeding arm changes a yarn feeding position when the guide column changes the position.

A feeder for a knitting machine may include: a carrier configured to secure the feeder to a knitting machine such that the feeder is movable along an axis with respect to a rail of the knitting machine; a feeder arm extending from the carrier, the feeder arm including a dispensing area configured for supplying a yarn to a needle bed of the knitting machine; and a cutting device coupled to the feeder arm, where the cutting device includes a cutting edge for cutting the yarn to disengage an upper portion of the yarn from the needle bed of the knitting machine.

A feeder for a knitting machine may include: a carrier configured to secure the feeder to a knitting machine such that the feeder is movable along an axis with respect to a rail of the knitting machine; a feeder arm extending from the carrier, the feeder arm including a dispensing area configured for supplying a yarn to a needle bed of the knitting machine; and a cutting device coupled to the feeder arm, where the cutting device includes a cutting edge for cutting the yarn to disengage an upper portion of the yarn from the needle bed of the knitting machine.

A customized, flat-knit multi-zonal element for a shoe upper and a method of producing such an element that allows for continuous knitting while controlling positioning of individual threads. One or more carriages may move continuously along the needle bed while threads are provided to the needles for a complete stroke. Knit elements may include multiple zones with differing properties. Threads may alter positions within knit structures from zone to zone. A knit element may include a first zone in a first plane that includes at least two merged threads to form a merged knit structure and a second zone in a second plane connected to the first zone seamlessly. Some knit structures may be positioned throughout the knit element such that they control a position of zones relative to each other.

A customized, flat-knit multi-zonal element for a shoe upper and a method of producing such an element that allows for continuous knitting while controlling positioning of individual threads. One or more carriages may move continuously along the needle bed while threads are provided to the needles for a complete stroke. Knit elements may include multiple zones with differing properties. Threads may alter positions within knit structures from zone to zone. A knit element may include a first zone in a first plane that includes at least two merged threads to form a merged knit structure and a second zone in a second plane connected to the first zone seamlessly. Some knit structures may be positioned throughout the knit element such that they control a position of zones relative to each other.

A method of making a loop fastener product features knitting, such as by circular knitting, a pile yarn and one or more ground yarns to form a stretchable knit fabric having loops of the pile yarn extending from a knit ground, with the ground yarns including polymers of differing melt temperatures. The knit fabric is then held in a desired state while the fabric is set by first applying sufficient heat to cause the lower melt temperature resin to flow into interstices of the fabric ground, and then allowing the fabric to cool. The cooled fabric ground is less stretchable in two orthogonal directions after setting than before setting, has a greater air permeability after setting than before setting, and has hook-engageable pile loops extending from bound interstices.

A method of making a loop fastener product features knitting, such as by circular knitting, a pile yarn and one or more ground yarns to form a stretchable knit fabric having loops of the pile yarn extending from a knit ground, with the ground yarns including polymers of differing melt temperatures. The knit fabric is then held in a desired state while the fabric is set by first applying sufficient heat to cause the lower melt temperature resin to flow into interstices of the fabric ground, and then allowing the fabric to cool. The cooled fabric ground is less stretchable in two orthogonal directions after setting than before setting, has a greater air permeability after setting than before setting, and has hook-engageable pile loops extending from bound interstices.

A large-scale additive manufacturing system for printing a structure includes an extrusion system and a knitting system. The extrusion system includes a nozzle configured to receive a supply of structural material and to selectively dispense the structural material in flowable form, and a first gantry configured to move the nozzle along toolpaths defined according to a structure to be printed such that structural material may be dispensed along the toolpaths to print a series of structural layers, wherein the series of structural layers bond together to form all or a portion of the structure. The knitting system includes a tow feeder configured to feed a supply of tow material to a location proximate a current course of loops extending above an upper surface of a current structural layer or extending above a base surface in regions where no structural layer has been printed, and a hooking device configured to engage the tow material and bring it through the current course of loops to form a subsequent course of loops interwoven with the current course of loops. A controller is configured to operate the knitting system to form additional subsequent courses of loops each interwoven with a current course of loops after each of the series of structural layers are printed, wherein the interwoven courses of loops create a reinforcement network of knitted loops embedded in the structure, and wherein the series of structural layers are tied together.