PROCESS FOR MAKING AN UPPER FOR SHOES WITH ADVANCED TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a process for making an upper for shoes with advanced technical characteristics.

[0002] As is well known, on the market there are currently numerous types of shoes consisting of a knit upper having different technical characteristics which make them suitable for any user.

[0003] In the technique used to produce the knit upper, knitted with a rectilinear knitting machine, after the formation of the upper it is necessary to cut off the excess yarn, consequently further increasing production times and costs.

[0004] To overcome at least in part these drawbacks, circular knitting machines have been used to make the knit of an upper.

[0005] The task of the present invention is to provide a process for making an upper for shoes with advanced technical characteristics which overcomes the drawbacks of the cited prior art.

[0006] Within the scope of this task, one object of the invention is to provide a process for making an upper for shoes with advanced technical characteristics which optimises the use of the needles used for forming the entire upper.

[0007] It is a further object of the invention to conceive a process for making an upper for shoes with advanced technical characteristics which, thanks to the use of a larger number of needles, increases the comfort and wearability of the upper itself.

[0008] It is a further object of the invention to conceive a process for making an upper for shoes with advanced technical characteristics which allows the possibility of knitting a very large number of yarns together to produce sizes that are larger or smaller than those of standard uppers without ever having to cut them continuously.

[0009] US2005/115284, US2014/137433, EP2875745 and US2004/118018 disclose a method for production of an upper for shoes.

[0010] It is a further object of the invention to conceive a process for making an upper for shoes with advanced technical characteristics which enables the possibility of creating a pouch that simultaneously contains both the tip and the heel of the user's foot.

[0011] It is a further object of the invention to conceive a process for making an upper for shoes with advanced technical characteristics which enables, among other things, eyelets for the passage of laces, the laces themselves, a protective tongue and the heel-counter cover to be made simultaneously.

[0012] It is a further object of the invention to conceive a process for making an upper for shoes with advanced technical characteristics which further enables a counter-upper to be produced simultaneously with the upper.

[0013] It is a further object of the invention to conceive a process for making an upper for shoes with advanced technical characteristics which advantageously enables, depending on the type of sole the upper will be connected to, a closure of the same with an axis aligned with the axis of the sole so as to remain below the underside of the foot and thus totally covered.

[0014] These objects and others that will become more apparent below are achieved by a process for making an upper for shoes as defined in claim 1.

[0015] The present invention also relates to an upper for shoes according to claim 3.

[0016] The dependent claims better clarify additional features of the process disclosed in claim 1. Additional features and advantages will become more apparent from the description of preferred, but non-exclusive, embodiments of the invention, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the appended drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of the needle-bearing cylinder according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of the shoe and of the upper according to the present invention;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the bottom of the upper according to the present invention;

Figures 4 and 5 schematically show, for explanatory purposes, the working steps of the needles of a hypothetical cylinder of 12 needles for the sake of clarity, but it should be understood that there are, for example, 120 working needles for making the upper according to the invention;

Figure 6 is explanatory and graphically represents the two parts of the upper that are knitted according to the technical scheme of figures 4 and 5;

Figures 7 and 8 respectively show the joining of the sole to the upper that has been made and the obtainment of the final shoe according to the invention.

[0017] With particular reference to the above-described figures, the process for making an upper 1 for shoes 2 with advanced technical characteristics, according to the invention, consists in knitting a first part of the upper 1 with a group of needles 3 in a tuck stitch or loop position or in a plain drop stitch position or in a missed stitch position.

[0018] Advantageously, during the process of making the knit of the first part of upper, the maximum number of needles is equal to the number of needles 3 present in a cylinder 5 of a circular knitting machine that is not represented.

[0019] With the process of the invention it is possible to knit a second part of the upper 1 with a group of needles 3 likewise having an overall maximum number of needles 3 in a tuck stitch or loop position or in a plain drop stitch position or in a missed stitch position.

[0020] In this case as well, the maximum number of needles 3 is equal to the number of needles present in the cylinder 5.

[0021] According to the process, the second part of the upper 1 is knitted before or after the first part 1a of the upper 1, but in any case the complete upper is unloaded from the machine with the connection of the first part to the second part 1b, or vice-versa, having already been made simultaneously with the formation thereof, thus obtaining several important advantages.

[0022] First of all, by means of the process conceived it is possible to create an upper that does not require sewing and, as will be illustrated below, it is possible to carry out, with one knitting cycle, all the knitting in order to obtain a part of the upper, using a number of needles 3 equal to those contained in the cylinder 5 for the execution thereof.

[0023] In figs. 4 and 5, by way of explanatory example, a 12-needle-bearing cylinder is represented, but in reality the needles of a cylinder of a circular machine can also be more numerous, for example 120, or ten times as much.

[0024] By means of the process of the invention, the area covering the instep of the foot, the widest part, begins to be created; in row 1, 120 needles (12 in the drawing) are used.

[0025] The selected needles are progressively decreased until arriving at row 7, in the narrowest area associated with the tip of the upper.

[0026] In this area only 50 needles are used.

[0027] Subsequently, the underside area of the foot opposite the instep of the foot is created, arriving at row 13, where the same 120 needles of row 1 are again used. In other words, a complete upper 1, made up of a first and second parts 1a and 1b, can be made, with an enormous advantage from all points of view (time, comfort, wearability, size and technical/physical characteristics), with a maximum number of needles 3 greater than the number of needles 3 present in the needle-bearing cylinder 5 of a circular knitting machine.

[0028] In the case of 120 needles present in the cylinder, it is as if 240 were used.

[0029] During the formation of the first and second parts of the upper, the group of needles 3 (hereinafter indicated only as needles 3) makes a three-dimensional pouch 10 suitable for simultaneously containing the tip and the heel of the user's foot.

[0030] During the formation of the upper, a group of needles is in the drop stitch position in order to pick up the yarn to weave the pouch 10 and another group of needles is in the missed stitch position, so it does not participate in the creation thereof.

[0031] During the formation of the upper, the needles 3 make at least the eyelets 20 for the laces thereof.

[0032] During the formation of the eyelets 20, the needles 3 are in a position for creating the knit without ever increasing in number and work simultaneously before and after forming the eyelets 20.

[0033] In this case, the needles 3 comprise both the needles used to form the eyelets and the needles used in the other areas of the first and second parts of the upper.

[0034] During the formation of the first and second parts of the upper, the needles 3 also make the fastening laces 30 thereof.

[0035] During the formation of the laces 30, the needles 3 are determined by the width of each lace and create the knit without there ever being an increase in the number of needles used for all the rows necessary in order to arrive at the desired length of the lace and simultaneously fix the end of each lace to the first or second part of the upper.

[0036] During the formation of the upper 1, the needles 3 make at least a protective tongue 40 for protecting the user's foot from the tension of the laces.

[0037] During the formation of the protective tongue 40, the needles are in the drop stitch position so as to connect the tongue to the first and second parts of the upper and pick up the yarn to weave the tongue.

[0038] The needles 3 can increase or decrease with every change in direction of the needle-bearing cylinder 5 in order to determine the size of the tongue.

[0039] During the formation of the first and second parts of the upper, the needles 3 make at least an elastic zone 50 made with an elastic yarn.

[0040] During the formation of the elastic zone 50, the needles 3 comprise needles to the right and left of the elastic zone and knit with the elastic yarn.

[0041] In this case, the needles 3 can increase or decrease at every reversal of direction of the needle-bearing cylinder 5.

[0042] During the formation of the first and second parts of the upper, the needles 3 also form the join 60 between the various knitted parts thereof.

[0043] During the formation of the join 60, the needles are in the drop knit position and rise to pick up the right knitting yarn and, alternately, they are in the drop knit position and rise to pick up the left knitting yarn.

[0044] The needles, in this case, can increase or decrease at every change of direction of the needle-bearing cylinder 5.

[0045] During the formation of the first and second parts of the upper, the needles make at least a heel-counter cover 70, during the formation of which the needles are in the drop knit position and pick up the yarn to weave the heel-counter cover and can increase or decrease at every change of direction of the needle-bearing cylinder 5 depending on the size of the heel-counter cover. During this knitting, the needles are also in the missed stitch position and do not participate in the creation of the heel-counter cover.

[0046] During the formation of the upper, the needles 3 make at least additional holes 80 for anchoring the same to a sole or any internal lining of the upper.

[0047] During the formation of the first and second parts of the upper, the needles 3 make at least an opening for forming a seam 90 of the tip of the upper aligned with the axis 91 of the sole 6 itself, since it can increase or decrease at every change of direction of the needle-bearing cylinder 5.

[0048] In this manner, as is easily comprehensible 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 footwear.

[0049] In particular, the seam of the tip 90, according to the process, will be positioned below the underside of the foot and will move away from the tip, thus considerably increasing the resistance of the upper itself and solving any aesthetic problem in an optimal manner.

[0050] By way of example, as already mentioned, up to 120 needles, corresponding to the needles contained in the needle-bearing cylinder, can be used to make the first part of the upper.

[0051] In order to make the second part of the upper as well, it is still possible to use the 120 needles of the cylinder, for a total of 240 needles.

[0052] What has been said means that with this process it is possible to increase the circumference of the knit product in order to make sizes that are larger or smaller than the standard ones, while at the same time increasing comfort and the wearability of the upper.

[0053] The present invention also relates to an upper for shoes with advanced technical characteristics which comprises a first and a second part of the upper 1, each formed by a group of needles 3 which work with a maximum number equal to the number of the needles present in a needle-bearing cylinder 5 of a circular knitting machine, not represented.

[0054] Essentially, according to the invention, the process for making an upper for shoes comprises the following steps: during the movement between successive reversals in the knitting machine, knitting the first part 1a of the upper having a perimeter edge 100 simultaneously with a group of needles 3 of the machine having an overall number of needles in a tuck stitch or loop position or in a plain drop stitch position or in a missed stitch position, which may vary up to the number of needles present in the machine; and, during the movement between successive reversals in the knitting machine, knitting the second part 1b of the upper having a perimeter edge 101 simultaneously with a group of needles 3 of the machine having an overall number of needles in a tuck stitch or loop position or in a plain drop stitch position or in a missed stitch position, which may vary up to the number of needles present in the machine.

[0055] The second part 1b of the upper is knitted before or after the first part 1a of the upper and the complete upper is unloaded from the machine with the connection of the perimeter edge 100 of the first part 1a to the perimeter edge 101 of the second part 1b having already been made simultaneously with the formation thereof.

[0056] So, if the second part 1b is knitted first, the first part 1a is knitted subsequently but during knitting of the first part 1a the perimeter edge 100 under construction of the first part 1a is connected to the perimeter edge 101 of the previously knitted second part 1b.

[0057] Vice versa, if the first part 1a is knitted first, the second part 1b is knitted subsequently but during knitting of the second part 1b the perimeter edge 101 under construction of the second part 1b is connected to the perimeter edge 100 of the previously knitted first part 1a.

[0058] During the connection between the perimeter edges 100 and 101 of the two parts 1a and 1b, homologous rows of knit stitches of the two parts 1a and 1b are reciprocally connected at their ends.

[0059] Given that in order to knit each part 1a, 1b it is possible to use, with the exception of the needles 3 necessary for the connection between the perimeter edges 100 and 101 of the first part 1a and of the second part 1b, all of the remaining needles 3 present in machine; the knit stitches in each row of each part 1a, 1b may vary up to almost the number of needles present in machine.

[0060] In this manner, in the finished upper, each pair of homologous rows of knit stitches of the two parts 1a and 1b can have an overall number of knit stitches that is greater than the number of needles present in machine, and in particular up to almost double the number of needles present in machine.

[0061] Each part 1a and 1b can be entirely made by reversing the movement of the machine, in particular by reversing the direction of rotation of the cylinder in a circular machine , every time that the formation of one row of knit stitches begins and the formation of the subsequent row of knit stitches ends.

[0062] In this case, all the rows of knit stitches in each part 1a and 1b will have an open conformation.

[0063] In this case, it is moreover possible to avoid the formation of the opening in the second part 1b and consequently the seam 90.

[0064] However, it may be envisaged, as illustrated in figure 6, that an area 102, 103 in at least one part 1a and 1b is made without reversing the movement of the machine in order to form some rows that will thus have a closed loop conformation.

[0065] Naturally, if the upper to be made is small in size and does not require the use of more than half of the needles 3 present in the machine, it is possible to knit in parallel two uppers in opposite parts of the cylinder of the circular machine or of the carriage of the rectilinear machine.

[0066] The process for making an upper for shoes according to the invention is susceptible of numerous modifications and variants, all falling within the scope of the inventive concept.

[0067] The materials used, as well as the dimensions, may be of any type according to needs and the state of the art.

Claims

1. A process for making an upper (1) for shoes which is made up of a first part (1a) and a second part (1b); characterised in that it comprises the following steps: during the movement between successive reversals of a direction of rotation of a needle-bearing cylinder (5) in a circular knitting machine, knitting a first part (1a) of the upper comprising an area covering the instep of the foot and having a first perimeter edge (100), simultaneously with a group of needles (3) of said machine having an overall number of needles in a tuck stitch or loop position or in a plain drop stitch position or in a missed stitch position, which may vary up to the number of needles present in said circular knitting machine; and, during the movement between successive reversals of the direction of rotation of the needle-bearing cylinder (5) in the circular knitting machine, knitting a second part (1b) of the upper comprising an underside area of the foot opposite said area covering the instep of the foot and having a second perimeter edge (101), simultaneously with the group of needles (3) of said circular knitting machine having an overall number of needles in a tuck stitch or loop position or in a plain drop stitch position or in a missed stitch position, which may vary up to the number of needles present in said circular knitting machine; in that said second part (1b) of the upper is knitted before or after said first part (1a) of the upper ;
and in that the complete upper is unloaded from said circular knitting machine with the connection of the perimeter edge (100, 101) of the part (1a, 1b) knitted second to the perimeter edge (100, 101) of the part (1a, 1b) knitted first having already been made simultaneously with the formation of the part (1a, 1b) knitted second.

2. The process according to claim 1, characterised in that said first and second part of the upper define a three-dimensional pouch (10) for simultaneously containing the tip and the heel of the user's foot.

3. An upper for shoes made with a process according to any previous claim.

Ansprüche

1. Verfahren zur Herstellung eines Obermaterials (1) für Schuhe, das aus einem ersten Teil (1a) und einem zweiten Teil (1b) besteht, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass es die folgenden Schritte umfasst:

während der Bewegung zwischen aufeinanderfolgenden Umkehrungen einer Drehrichtung einer Nadelträgerwalze (5) in einer Rundstrickmaschine Stricken eines ersten Teils (1a) des Obermaterials, umfassend einen Bereich, der den Spann des Fußes bedeckt und einen ersten Umfangsrand (100) aufweist, simultan mit einer Gruppe von Nadeln (3) der Maschine, aufweisend eine Gesamtzahl von Nadeln in einer Fangmaschen- oder Schlingenposition oder in einer Rechtsfallmaschenposition oder in einer Fehlmaschenposition, die bis zur Anzahl von Nadeln variieren kann, die in der Rundstrickmaschine enthalten sind, und während der Bewegung zwischen aufeinanderfolgenden Umkehrungen der Drehrichtung der Nadelträgerwalze (5) in der Rundstrickmaschine Stricken eines zweiten Teils (1b) des Obermaterials, umfassend einen unterseitigen Bereich des Fußes, der gegenständig zum Bereich angeordnet ist, der den Spann des Fußes bedeckt, und einen zweiten Umfangsrand (101) aufweist, simultan mit der Gruppe von Nadeln (3) der Rundstrickmaschine, aufweisend eine Gesamtzahl von Nadeln in einer Fangmaschen- oder Schlingenposition oder in einer Rechtsfallmaschenposition oder in einer Fehlmaschenposition, die bis zur Anzahl von Nadeln variieren kann, die in der Rundstrickmaschine enthalten sind, wobei der zweite Teil (1b) des Obermaterials vor oder nach dem ersten Teil (1a) des Obermaterials gestrickt wird,

und wobei das komplette Obermaterial von der Rundstrickmaschine mit der Verbindung des Umfangsrands (100, 101) des Teils (1a, 1b) entladen wird, der nach dem Umfangsrand (100, 101) des Teils (1a, 1b) gestrickt wird, der zuerst gestrickt wird, da er bereits simultan mit der Bildung des Teils (1a, 1b) hergestellt wurde, der als zweiter gestrickt wird.

2. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der erste und der zweite Teil des Obermaterials eine dreidimensionale Tasche (10) zum gleichzeitigen Enthalten des Zehenbereichs und des Fersenbereichs des Fußes des Nutzers definieren.

3. Obermaterial für Schuhe, hergestellt mit einem Verfahren nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche.

Revendications

1. Procédé de fabrication d'une empeigne (I) de chaussures étant constituée d'une première partie (1a) et d'une deuxième partie (1b) ; caractérisé en ce qu'il comprend les étapes suivantes :

pendant le mouvement entre des inversions successives d'un sens de rotation d'un cylindre porte-aiguilles (5) dans une machine à tricoter circulaire, tricoter une première partie (1a) de l'empeigne comprenant une zone couvrant le cou-de-pied du pied et comportant un premier bord périphérique (100), simultanément avec un groupe d'aiguilles (3) de ladite machine comportant un nombre total d'aiguilles dans une position de point retenu ou de point bouclette ou dans une position à mailles lâchées unies ou dans une position à mailles flottées, qui peut varier en fonction du nombre d'aiguilles présentes dans ladite machine à tricoter circulaire ; et, pendant le mouvement entre les inversions successives du sens de rotation du cylindre porte-aiguilles (5) dans la machine à tricoter circulaire, tricoter une deuxième partie (1b) de l'empeigne comprenant une zone de dessous du pied opposée à ladite zone couvrant le cou-de-pied du pied et comportant un deuxième bord périphérique (101), simultanément avec le groupe d'aiguilles (3) de ladite machine à tricoter circulaire comportant un nombre total d'aiguilles dans une position de point retenu ou de point bouclette ou dans une position à mailles lâchées unies ou dans une position à mailles flottées, qui peut varier en fonction du nombre d'aiguilles présentes dans ladite machine à tricoter circulaire ; en ce que ladite deuxième partie (1b) de l'empeigne est tricotée avant ou après ladite première partie (1a) de l'empeigne;

et en ce que l'empeigne complète est déchargée de ladite machine à tricoter circulaire avec le raccordement du bord périphérique (100, 101) de la partie (1a, 1b) tricotée en deuxième au bord périphérique (100, 101) de la partie (1a, 1b) tricotée en premier ayant déjà été réalisée simultanément avec la formation de la partie (1a, 1b) tricotée en deuxième.

2. Procédé selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que lesdites première et deuxième parties de l'empeigne définissent une poche tridimensionnelle (10) pour contenir simultanément le bout rapporté et le talon du pied de l'utilisateur.

3. Empeigne de chaussures réalisée par un procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes.

Drawing