Process for realizing an upper for shoes and an upper for a shoe

Abstract

The process for realizing an upper for shoes consists of using at least a first and second group of needles of a needle-bearing cylinder of a circular knitting machine, each needle of said first group and of said second group of needles being used in a tuck stitch or loop position and/or in a plain drop stitch position and/or in a missed stitch position at least during the forward rotation of said needle-bearing cylinder, said at least first and second group of needles being used alternatively in said at least forward rotation of said needle-bearing cylinder so as to knit several yarns together without having to continuously cut them.

Claims

1. A process for realizing a tip of an upper for shoes, comprising the steps of: using at least a first group and a second group of needles of a needle-bearing cylinder of a circular knitting machine to respectively knit a left hand portion of the tip using a left hand yarn and a right hand portion of the tip using a right hand yarn, each needle of said first group and of said second group of needles being used in a jersey stitch position and/or in a missed stitch position at least during a forward rotation of said needle-bearing cylinder, wherein a joining between the left hand portion of the tip and the right hand portion of the tip is made by one and the same needle in the jersey stitch position, the one and the same needle passing from the first group to the second group, or vice versa, the needle-bearing cylinder performing at least a first plurality of alternate forward and return rotations at each change of rotation direction of said needle-bearing cylinder, wherein with said first and second group of needles, during the formation of the tip of the upper, realizing at least one opening for arranging a seam of the tip of the upper aligned with an axis of a sole to which the upper is to be anchored, said at least one opening longitudinally developing in the area of the upper delimited by the sole along a center line axis of said area oriented from the tip to a heel of the upper and wherein said at least one opening is obtained with said one and the same needle in the missed stitch position at each change of rotation direction of said needle-bearing cylinder when the needle-bearing cylinder performs a second plurality of alternate forward and return rotations and with respective needles of the first group and the second group of needles that are adjacent to the one and the same needle and are in the missed stitch position, wherein, when the second plurality of the alternate forward and return rotations is performed, the number of needles in the jersey stitch position decreases and the number of needles in the missed stitch position on both sides of the left hand portion of the tip and on both sides of the right hand portion of the tip increases.

2. A method for realizing a tip of an upper for shoes, comprising the steps of: using at least a first group and a second group of needles of a needle-bearing cylinder of a circular knitting machine to respectively knit a left hand portion of the tip using a left hand yarn and a right hand portion of the tip using a right hand yarn, each needle of said first group and of said second group of needles being used in a jersey stitch position and/or in a missed or bridle stitch position at least during a forward rotation of said needle-bearing cylinder, wherein a joining between the left hand portion of the tip and the right hand portion of the tip is made by one and the same needle in the jersey stitch position, the one and the same needle passing from the first group to the second group, or vice versa, at each change of rotation direction of said needle-bearing cylinder, the needle-bearing cylinder performing at least a first plurality of alternate forward and return rotations, wherein with said first and second group of needles, during the formation of the tip of the upper, realizing at least one opening for arranging a seam of the tip of the upper aligned with an axis of a sole to which the upper is to be connected, said at least one opening longitudinally developing in the area of the upper delimited by the sole along a center line axis of said area oriented from the tip to a heel of the upper and wherein said at least one opening is obtained with said one and the same needle in the missed or bridle stitch position at each change of rotation direction of said needle-bearing cylinder when the needle-bearing cylinder performs a second plurality of alternate forward and return rotations and with respective needles of the first group and the second group of needles that are adjacent to the one and the same needle and are in the missed or bridle stitch position, wherein, when the second plurality of the alternate forward and return rotations is performed, the number of needles in the jersey stitch position decreases and the number of needles in the missed or bridle stitch position on both sides of the left hand portion of the tip and on both sides of the right hand portion of the tip increases.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said upper is connected to the sole, and the seam is covered by the sole.

4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of: connecting said upper to the sole, wherein the seam is hidden by the sole.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Additional features and advantages will become more apparent from the description of preferred but non-exclusive embodiments of the invention that are illustrated by way of indicative and non-limiting example in the appended drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the knitting process and of the needles used for its formation in the realization of the pouch for the heel and the tip according to the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the knitting process and of the needles used for its formation in the realization of the slot according to the present invention;

(4) FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the knitting process and of the needles used for its formation in the realization of the laces according to the present invention;

(5) FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the knitting process and of the needles used for its formation in the realization of a comfortable tongue according to the present invention;

(6) FIG. 5 is a perspective schematic view of the knitting process and of the needles used for its formation in the realization of an elastic zone according to the present invention;

(7) FIG. 6 is a perspective schematic view of the knitting process and of the needles used for its formation in the realization of a join between the various processed parts of the upper according to the present invention;

(8) FIG. 7 is a perspective schematic view of the knitting process and of the needles used for its formation in the realization of a heel-counter cover according to the present invention;

(9) FIG. 8 is a perspective schematic view of the knitting process and of the needles used for the formation of the knitted item during the realization of additional holes according to the present invention;

(10) FIG. 9 is a perspective schematic view of the knitting process and of the needles used for the formation of the knitted item during the realization of an opening for arranging the seam at the axis of the sole according to the present invention;

(11) FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view of the needle-bearing cylinder according to the present invention;

(12) FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view of the shoe and of the upper according to the present invention; and

(13) FIG. 12 is a plan view of the upper according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(14) With particular reference to the figures described above, the process for realizing an upper 1 for shoes 2, according to the invention, uses at least a first and a second group of needles 3 and 4 of a needle-bearing cylinder 5 of a circular knitting machine not shown.

(15) Advantageously, each needle of the first group 3 and of the second group 4 of needles is used in a tuck-stitch or loop position and/or in a plain drop stitch position and/or in a missed or bridle stitch position during the forward rotation of the needle-bearing cylinder 5.

(16) During this forward rotation of the needle-bearing cylinder the first and second group of needles 3 and 4 are used one alternatively to the other so as to be able to knit several yarns together without having to continuously cut them and, therefore, providing the possibility to be able to perform further processes at the same time as the formation of the upper, as will be highlighted below.

(17) The above allows a substantial amount of time to be saved for realizing an upper, eliminating most of the manual processes with respect to processes of the known type.

(18) Furthermore, the upper thus produced, right after being knitted, is ready for fixing to the sole 6 of the shoe 2.

(19) Advantageously, during the return rotation of the needle-bearing cylinder 5 at least a third and a fourth group of needles 7 and 8 are used.

(20) Also in this case, each needle of the third and fourth group of needles 7 and 8 is used in a tuck-stitch or loop position and/or in a plain drop stitch position and/or in a missed or bridle stitch position.

(21) Also in this case the third and fourth group of needles 7 and 8 are used alternatively during the return rotation of the needle-bearing cylinder 5.

(22) Obviously in the return step of the needle-bearing cylinder, the third group of needles 7 selected may be the same or different or partially different from the first and/or second group of needles 3 and 4.

(23) The same is also valid for the fourth group of needles 8 or for a fifth or sixth group of needles.

(24) As represented in FIG. 1 the needles of the first and second groups of needles 3 and 4, during the formation of the upper 1, realize at least one three-dimensional pouch 10 for containing the tip and/or the heel of the user's foot.

(25) During the formation of the pouch 10 the needles of the first group of needles 3 are in a drop stitch position and take the yarn for knitting said pouch while the needles of the second group of needles 4 are in a missed or bridle position and do not take part in the creation of the pouch 10 and can be increased or decreased at each change of direction of the needle-bearing cylinder.

(26) As represented in FIG. 2 the needles of the first and second groups of needles 3 and 4, during the formation of the upper, realize at least the slots 20 for the laces thereof.

(27) During the formation of the slots 20 the needles of the first group of needles 3 are in position for creating the knitting of the upper without ever increasing the number of needles used while the needles of the second group of needles 4 work previously and subsequently to the processing of the slots themselves and comprise the needles used for the formation of the slots and the needles used in the other zones of the upper.

(28) As represented in FIG. 3 the needles of the first and second groups of needles, during the formation of the upper, realize at least the tying laces 30 thereof.

(29) In particular, during the formation of the laces, the needles of the first group of needles 3 are determined by the width of each lace and create the knitting without ever increasing the number of needles used for all the rows necessary, represented in FIG. 3, for reaching the desired length of each lace 30.

(30) During the formation of the laces 30 the needles of the second group of needles 4 fix the end of each of the laces to the upper.

(31) As represented in FIG. 4 the needles of the first and second group of needles, during the formation of the upper, realize a protective tongue 40 for protecting the user's foot from the tension of the laces 30 and allowing the user to widen the passage of the upper for inserting the user's foot therein.

(32) During the formation of the protective tongue 40 the needles of the first group of needles 3 are in a drop stitch position for connecting the tongue to the upper while the needles of the second group of needles 4 are in a drop stitch position and take the yarn for knitting the tongue.

(33) The second group of needles, during this step, increases or decreases at each change of direction of the needle-bearing cylinder 5 to determine the dimensions of the tongue.

(34) As represented in FIG. 5 the needles of the first and second group of needles 3 and 4, during the formation of the upper, realize an elastic zone 50 made using an elastic yarn.

(35) During the formation of the elastic zone the needles of the first group of needles 3 comprise needles to the right and left of the elastic zone 50.

(36) Simultaneously, the needles of the second group of needles 4 knit with said elastic yarn.

(37) Advantageously, the needles of the first and second group of needles 3 and 4 can increase or decrease at each inversion of direction of the needle-bearing cylinder. As represented in FIG. 6 the needles of the first and second group of needles, during the formation of the upper, realize at least the join 60 between the various processed parts of the upper with alternating motion allowing the various knitting groups without cutting the yarns.

(38) During the formation of the join 60 the needles of the first group of needles 3 are in a drop stitch position and rise to take the yarn of the right-hand process while the needles of the second group of needles 4 are also in a drop stitch position but rise to take the left-hand yarn.

(39) Also in this case the needles of the first and second group of needles 3 and 4 can increase or decrease at each change of direction of the needle-bearing cylinder. As represented in FIG. 7 the needles of the first and second group of needles, during the formation of the upper, realize a heel-counter cover 70 adapted to cover the presence of any reinforcements made on the heel zone that could be inserted manually after the creation of the upper itself.

(40) The heel-counter can, for example, cover the collar start zone of the upper to improve the aesthetics and/or increase the abrasion resistance of the collar itself. During the formation of the heel-counter cover 70 the needles of the first group of needles are in a drop stitch position and take the yarn to knit the heel-counter cover 70.

(41) The needles of the first group of needles can increase or decrease at each change of direction of the needle-bearing cylinder according to the dimensions to be given to the heel-counter cover.

(42) During this step, the needles of the second group of needles 4 are in a missed or bridle position and do not take part in the creation of the heel-counter cover.

(43) As represented in FIG. 8 the needles of the first and second group of needles, during the formation of the upper, realize additional holes 80 that are used for anchoring the upper to the sole 6 or are also used for any internal lining 81 of the upper itself.

(44) In this case the needles of the first group 3 rise to take the yarn and create the left-hand process of the additional hole by selecting a first pre-chosen needle while the needles of the second group 4 rise to take the yarn of the right-hand process starting from the needle subsequent to the first pre-chosen needle until a second pre-chosen needle subsequent to the first, (FIG. 8).

(45) As shown in FIG. 9 the needles of the first and second group of needles, during the formation of the upper, realize a preparation for arranging a seam 90 of the tip of the upper aligned with the axis 91 of the sole itself as the number of needles can increase or decrease at each change of direction of the needle-bearing cylinder 5.

(46) In particular, in the conclusive part of the upper an open mouth remains, which must be sewn using a sewing machine or a linking machine.

(47) Thanks to the process according to the present invention in which, as can be seen, the needles of the first and of the second group of needles can increase or decrease at each change of direction, it is possible to realize the pouches of the tip that have a direction aligned with the sole 6 of the shoe 2.

(48) In this way, as can be easily understood, when the upper 1 is connected to the sole 6 the seam 90 will be totally hidden and covered by the sole guaranteeing a perfect aesthetic effect for the shoe.

(49) The formation of a mouth aligned with the axis of the sole requires a first and second group of needles.

(50) The first group of needles follows the right-hand side of the tip of the upper and the second group the left-hand side.

(51) The needles of both groups can increase or decrease as can be seen in FIG. 9 at each change of direction of the needle-bearing cylinder according to the dimensions of the pouch and the direction of the mouth that must then be closed.

(52) In all the processes described above, it is always possible to use further groups of needles each in a tuck-stitch or loop position to vary the resistance of the knitted item for example to abrasion. Also in this further group of needles, the latter can increase or decrease at each change of direction of the needle-bearing cylinder. Thanks to the process according to the invention, it is also possible to realize a double upper or counter-upper.

(53) In particular, such solution can be obtained through a doubling in series by inverting the first part from the tip to the ankle and leaving the second part unchanged from the ankle to the tip of the various processes described above, realizing two uppers connected to each other which in the assembly step will be inside each other.

(54) The internal upper protects the foot and the external one can assume the technical and aesthetic characteristics required.

(55) Not least, it is also possible to realize an open upper by inverting the order of the processes described. In this case the upper remains open and after the knitting it is connected directly to the sole.

(56) The subject matter of the present invention is also an upper for shoes performed according to one or more of the steps of the process described above.

(57) In fact, the upper for shoes according to the invention has, according to requirements, one or more of the characteristics according to the process described above.

(58) The process for realizing an upper for shoes according to the invention is susceptible to many modifications and variations, all falling within the scope of the inventive concept; furthermore, all the details are replaceable by technically equivalent elements.

(59) The materials used, as well as the dimensions, can be any according to the needs and the state of the art.