U.S. patent application number 14/808072 was filed with the patent office on 2016-01-28 for upper structure for a sports shoe.
The applicant listed for this patent is Mizuno Corporation. Invention is credited to Yuki CHIBA, Kazunori IUCHI, Terumasa KITA.
Application Number | 20160021979 14/808072 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 55165650 |
Filed Date | 2016-01-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160021979 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
IUCHI; Kazunori ; et
al. |
January 28, 2016 |
Upper Structure for a Sports Shoe
Abstract
An upper structure for a sports shoe is provided that can not
only enhance holdability as an upper but also improve wearer's
touch on a foot. In the upper structure for the sports shoe, the
upper is formed of a knitted fabric having thermally fusible yarn
and another knitted fabric having no thermally fusible yarn. In the
knitted fabric having the thermally fusible yarn, the thermally
fusible yarn is disposed on an outer surface side of the upper, and
on an inner surface side of the upper, a front yarn and a back yarn
are arranged in a parallel relationship. The thermally fusible yarn
is fusion-bonded and cured in the knitted fabric by heat treatment
and the outer surface side of the upper 1 is thus hardened than the
inner surface side of the upper.
Inventors: |
IUCHI; Kazunori; (Suita-shi,
JP) ; CHIBA; Yuki; (Toyonaka-shi, JP) ; KITA;
Terumasa; (Kashiba-shi, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Mizuno Corporation |
Osaka-shi |
|
JP |
|
|
Family ID: |
55165650 |
Appl. No.: |
14/808072 |
Filed: |
July 24, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
36/45 ;
156/60 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D04B 1/16 20130101; A43B
23/0255 20130101; D04B 1/04 20130101; A43B 1/04 20130101; D10B
2401/041 20130101; D10B 2501/043 20130101; A43B 23/0215
20130101 |
International
Class: |
A43B 23/02 20060101
A43B023/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 25, 2014 |
JP |
2014-151498 |
Claims
1. An upper structure for a sports shoe that includes an upper for
covering a foot of a shoe wearer, wherein said upper is formed of a
knitted fabric, said knitted fabric includes thermally fusible
yarn, and said thermally fusible yarn is disposed on an outer
surface side of said upper, and wherein said thermally fusible yarn
is fusion-bonded in said knitted fabric by carrying out heat
treatment of said knitted fabric including thermally fusible yarn,
and said knitted fabric including thermally fusible yarn is harder
on said outer surface side of said upper than on an inner surface
side of said upper by said heat treatment.
2. The upper structure according to claim 1, wherein said knitted
fabric including thermally fusible yarn comprises a front yarn and
a back yarn that are arranged in a parallel relationship, said
front yarn and said back yarn disposed on said inner surface side
of said upper.
3. The upper structure according to claim 1, wherein said knitted
fabric including thermally fusible yarn is disposed at a region of
less elasticity that includes either one of a heel outer periphery
portion, a midfoot outer periphery portion, or a forefoot outer
periphery portion of said upper.
4. The upper structure according to claim 2, wherein said knitted
fabric including thermally fusible yarn is disposed at a region of
less elasticity that includes either one of a heel outer periphery
portion, a midfoot outer periphery portion, or a forefoot outer
periphery portion of said upper.
5. A manufacturing method of an upper structure for a sports shoe
that includes an upper for covering a foot of a shoe wearer, said
method comprising: forming said upper of a knitted fabric including
thermally fusible yarn in such a way that said thermally fusible
yarn is disposed on an outer surface side of said knitted fabric of
said upper, and carrying out heat treatment of said knitted fabric
at a temperature equal to or higher than melting point of said
thermally fusible yarn so that said thermally fusible yarn is
fusion-bonded in said knitted fabric, whereby said knitted fabric
including thermally fusible yarn is harder on said outer surface
side of said upper than on an inner surface side of said upper by
said heat treatment.
6. The manufacturing method according to claim 5, wherein said heat
treatment is conducted by heat press of a side surface of said
upper.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to an upper
structure for a sports shoe, and more particularly, to improvement
in structure that can not only enhance holdability or holding
property as an upper but also improve wearer's touch on a foot.
[0002] An upper structure for a sports shoe was shown in
publications such as Japanese patent application publication Nos.
2004-105323 (hereinafter referred to JP'323) and 2006-511306
(hereinafter referred to JP '306).
[0003] JP '323 describes that a first region of an upper is formed
of a first knitted fabric in which a first synthetic resin fiber
having a low softening point is knitted, a second region of an
upper is formed of a second knitted fabric in which a second
synthetic resin fiber having a higher softening point than the
softening point of the first synthetic resin is knitted, and the
first knitted fabric is hardened by heating the upper at a
temperature that is higher than the softening point of the first
synthetic resin but lower than the softening point of the second
synthetic resin (see paras. [0039], [0041], [0047], and FIGS. 1 to
6).
[0004] JP '306 describes that an instep is formed of of a textile
including a fusible strand and a specified region of the instep is
formed with a fusion area of the fusible strand by heating the
specified region of the instep (see paras. [0014], [0015], [0020],
and FIGS. 1, 3A to 3D and 5).
[0005] In the upper structure shown in JP '323, although
holdability of the upper is improved by hardening the first knitted
fabric, in the first region of the upper the hardened first knitted
fabric is distributed not only on an outer surface but also on an
inner surface of the upper. As a result of this, when wearing a
shoe the hardened first knitted fabric contacts a wearer's foot and
thereby wearer's touch on the foot might be deteriorated.
[0006] In the upper structure shown in JP '306, although it recites
that stability and supportability of the instep is improved by
forming the fusion area of the fusible strand at the specified
region of the instep, in the specified region the fusion area is
distributed not only on an outer surface but also on an inner
surface of the instep. As a result of this, when wearing a shoe the
fusion area contacts a wearer's foot and thereby wearer's touch on
the foot is deteriorated.
[0007] The present invention has been made in view of these
circumstances and its object is to provide an upper structure for a
sports shoe that can not only enhance holdability as an upper but
also improve wearer's touch on the foot.
[0008] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will
be obvious and appear hereinafter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] An upper structure for a sports shoe according to the
present invention includes an upper for covering a foot of a shoe
wearer. The upper is formed of a knitted fabric that includes
thermally fusible yarn. The thermally fusible yarn is disposed on
an outer surface side of the upper. The thermally fusible yarn is
fusion-bonded and cured in the knitted fabric by carrying out heat
treatment of the knitted fabric including thermally fusible yarn
and the knitted fabric including thermally fusible yarn is made
harder on the outer surface side of the upper than on an inner
surface side of the upper by the heat treatment.
[0010] According to the present invention, the thermally fusible
yarn is fusion-bonded and cured in the knitted fabric by the heat
treatment and the knitted fabric is thus hardened, thereby
improving holdability of the upper. Moreover, since the thermally
fusible yarn is disposed on the outer surface side of the upper,
the knitted fabric after the heat treatment is made harder on the
outer surface side of the upper than on the inner surface side of
the upper. As a result, wearer's touch on the foot can be improved
with the holdability of the upper maintained. Furthermore, by
hardening the knitted fabric including thermally fusible yarn,
solidity (i.e. three-dimensional shape retainability) of the upper
formed of the knitted fabric can be improved. Also, by hardening
the outer surface side of the upper including thermally fusible
yarn, the surface of the upper can be reinforced.
[0011] The knitted fabric including thermally fusible yarn may
comprise a front yarn and a back yarn that are arranged in a
parallel relationship, and the front yarn and the back yarn may be
disposed on the inner surface side of the upper.
[0012] The knitted fabric including thermally fusible yarn may be
disposed at a region of less elasticity that includes either one of
a heel outer periphery portion, a midfoot outer periphery port ion,
or a forefoot outer periphery portion of the upper.
[0013] A manufacturing method of an upper structure for a sports
shoe having an upper for covering a foot of a shoe wearer according
to the present invention comprises the following steps:
[0014] i) forming the upper of a knitted fabric including thermally
fusible yarn in such a way that the thermally fusible yarn is
disposed on an outer surface side of the knitted fabric of the
upper; and
[0015] ii) carrying out heat treatment of the knitted fabric at a
temperature equal to or higher than melting point of the thermally
fusible yarn so that the thermally fusible yarn is fusion-bonded
and cured in the knitted fabric, whereby the knitted fabric
including thermally fusible yarn is made harder on the outer
surface side of the upper than on an inner surface side of the
upper by the heat treatment.
[0016] According to the present invention, by the heat treatment of
the knitted fabric including the thermally fusible yarn, the
thermally fusible yarn is fusion-bonded and cured in the knitted
fabric and thus hardens the knitted fabric, thereby improving
holdability of the upper. Moreover, since the thermally fusible
yarn is disposed on the outer surface side of the upper, the
knitted fabric after the heat treatment is made harder on the outer
surface side of the upper than on the inner surface side of the
upper. As a result, wearer's touch on the foot can be improved with
holdability of the upper maintained. Furthermore, by hardening the
knitted fabric including the thermally fusible yarn, solidity (i.e.
three-dimensional shape retainability) of the upper formed of the
knitted fabric can be improved. Thereby, workability at the time of
assembly of a sports shoe using such an upper can be improved.
Also, by hardening the outer surface side of the upper including
thermally fusible yarn, the surface of the upper can be
reinforced.
[0017] The heat treatment may be conducted by heat press of a side
surface of the upper.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] For a more complete understanding of the invention,
reference should be made to the embodiments illustrated in greater
detail in the accompanying drawings and described below by way of
examples of the invention. In the drawings, which are not to
scale:
[0019] FIG. 1 is a top plan schematic view of an upper structure
for a sports shoe according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0020] FIG. 2 is a medial side schematic view of the upper
structure of FIG. 1;
[0021] FIG. 3 is a lateral side schematic view of the upper
structure of FIG. 1;
[0022] FIG. 4 is a bottom schematic view of the upper structure of
FIG. 1;
[0023] FIG. 5 is a top plan schematic view of a sports shoe
employing the upper structure of FIG. 1;
[0024] FIG. 6 is a medial side schematic view of the sports shoe of
FIG. 5;
[0025] FIG. 7 is a lateral side schematic view of the sports shoe
of FIG. 5;
[0026] FIG. 8 is a rear side schematic view of the sports shoe of
FIG. 5;
[0027] FIG. 9 illustrates a knitting pattern of pile knitting that
is used as a knitted fabric forming the upper structure of FIG.
1;
[0028] FIG. 9A is an enlarged view of a portion of the knitting
pattern of the pile knitting of FIG. 9;
[0029] FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view of FIGS. 9A, 11A and 12A
taken along line X-X, illustrating a most preferred arrangement of
respective yarns forming the respective knitted fabric;
[0030] FIG. 11 illustrates a knitting pattern of back-thread tuck
stitching that is used as a knitted fabric forming the upper
structure of FIG. 1;
[0031] FIG. 11A is an enlarged view of a portion of the knitting
pattern of the back-thread tuck stitching of FIG. 11;
[0032] FIG. 12 illustrates a knitting pattern of float knitting
that is used as a knitted fabric forming the upper structure of
FIG. 1;
[0033] FIG. 12A is an enlarged view of a portion of the knitting
pattern of the float knitting of FIG. 12;
[0034] FIG. 13 illustrates positional relation of respective yarns
at the time of yarn feeding when knitting a knitted fabric forming
the upper structure of FIG. 1;
[0035] FIG. 14 illustrates a heating process of the upper structure
of FIG. 1;
[0036] FIG. 15 illustrates a heating process of the upper structure
of FIG. 1;
[0037] FIG. 16 is a top plan view of a foot, showing
expansion/contraction data of skin of the foot at the time of
running;
[0038] FIG. 17 is a medial side view of the foot, showing
expansion/contraction data of the skin of the foot at the time of
running; and
[0039] FIG. 18 is a lateral side view of the foot, showing
expansion/contraction data of the skin of the foot at the time of
running.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0040] Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1 to 4 show an upper
structure for a sports shoe according to an embodiment of the
present invention. These drawings illustrate an upper alone. In an
exemplification, the upper structure is applied to a walking shoe
or a running shoe. Of course, it also has an application to shoes
of different kinds.
[0041] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, an upper 1 that covers a foot of a
shoe wearer is formed of a knitted fabric, which is knitted into a
sock-shape. The upper 1 has an opening 1a for entry of the foot
into the upper 1. The knitted fabric of the upper 1 comprises a
knitted fabric region 1A to 1D (see vertical lines) having
thermally fusible yarn that is fusion-bonded, cured and impregnated
into the region 1A to 1D, and a knitted fabric region 1E (see white
void areas defined by outlines) having no thermally fusible yarn.
The thermally fusible yarn is yarn of relatively lower melting
point (e.g. low-melting-point nylon) and it includes "ELDER.RTM."
of TORAY Industries, Inc. but is not limited thereto. Any other
suitable yarn having lower melting point and thermo adhesiveness
can be used.
[0042] The knitted fabric region 1A is disposed at a heel outer
perimeter portion, the knitted fabric region 1B at a
midfoot-medial-side outer perimeter portion, the knitted fabric
region 1C at a midfoot-lateral-side outer perimeter portion, and
the knitted fabric region 1D at a forefoot outer perimeter portion.
The knitted fabric region 1A to 1D is formed integrally with each
other at an area extending from a heel portion through a midfoot
portion to a forefoot portion of the upper 1.
[0043] A position of each of the knitted fabric region 1A to 1D
corresponds to a low elastic region of the upper 1. We will explain
that using FIGS. 16 to 18. These drawings illustrate elongation and
contraction data of skin of a foot during running. In the drawings,
a dark gray region indicates a larger elongation of skin, a light
gray region indicates a larger contraction of skin, and a white
void region indicates a smaller elongation and contraction of skin.
As can be seen from FIGS. 16 to 18, a region of smaller elongation
and contraction of skin of the foot during running is a heel outer
perimeter portion, a midfoot outer perimeter portion, and a
forefoot outer perimeter portion in the ascending order. That is
why we selected the heel outer perimeter portion, the midfoot outer
perimeter portion, and the forefoot outer perimeter portion as the
low elastic region of the upper 1 for locating the knitted fabric
region 1A to 1D.
[0044] Then, we will explain a knitting pattern of pile knitting as
an example of the knitted fabric region 1A to 1D using FIGS. 9, 9A
and 10. In FIGS. 9 and 9A, out of the page indicates outside of the
upper and into the page inside of the upper. As shown in FIGS. 9
and 9A, the knitting pattern of the pile knitting is formed of a
multiple of needle loops n and sinker loops s that are knitted by a
front yarn a and a back yarn b arranged in a parallel relationship
and a thermally fusible yarn c combined therewith. In FIG. 9, each
stitch p constitutes pile. In FIGS. 9 and 9A, for illustration
purpose, the front yarn a is shown with a double line, the back
yarn b with a thin single line, and the thermally fusible yarn c
with a thick single line. Also, as shown in FIG. 10, the front yarn
a and the back yarn b are disposed on the upper inside surface and
the thermally fusible yarn c is disposed on the upper outside
surface.
[0045] In addition, those drawings illustrate a typical knitting
pattern of the pile knitting in which the thermally fusible yarn c
is clearly disposed on the upper outside surface at the entire
stitches p. However, in an actual product, at a part of the
stitches p, the thermally fusible yarn c may possibly be disposed
at a position close to the upper inside surface according to slight
variation of thickness or tension of yarn. The same can be said
about other knitting patterns described later.
[0046] The front yarn a and the back yarn b have a melting point
higher than a melting point of the thermally fusible yarn c. For
example, as the front yarn a, two combined yarns are used, each
yarn formed of two twisted polyester yarns each of which has a
melting point of 250-260.degree. C. and a thickness of 100 denier
(i.e. 100 d). As the back yarn b, a yarn formed of two twisted
polyester yarns, each of which has a melting point of
250-260.degree. C. and a thickness of 100 denier (i.e. 100 d), is
used. As the thermally fusible yarn c, two or four combined nylon
yarns are used, each yarn having a melting point of 215-220.degree.
C. and a thickness of 110 denier (i.e. 110 d). In the case of the
above-mentioned "ELDER.RTM." of TORAY Industries, Inc., the melting
point is 110-120.degree. C. Such combination of the front yarn a,
the back yarn b and the thermally fusible yarn c is applicable to
the other knitting patterns described below.
[0047] Next, a knitting pattern of back-thread tuck stitching will
be explained as another example of the knitted fabric region 1A to
1D using FIGS. 11 and 11A. In these drawings, out of the page
indicates outside of the upper and into the page inside of the
upper, as with the case of the pile knitting.
[0048] As shown in FIGS. 11 and 11A, the knitting pattern of the
back-thread tuck stitching is formed of a multiple of needle loops
n and sinker loops s that are knitted by a front yarn a and a back
yarn b arranged in a parallel relationship and a thermally fusible
yarn c combined therewith. In FIGS. 11 and 11A, for illustration
purpose, the front yarn a is shown with a double line, the back
yarn b with a thin single line, and the thermally fusible yarn c
with a thick single line. In this knitting pattern of the
back-thread tuck stitching as well, the front yarn a and the back
yarn b are disposed on the upper inside surface and the thermally
fusible yarn c is disposed on the upper outside surface (see FIG.
10). The front yarn a and the back yarn b have a melting point
higher than a melting point of the thermally fusible yarn c.
[0049] Then, a knitting pattern of float knitting will be explained
as a further example of the knitted fabric region 1A to 1D using
FIGS. 12 and 12A. In these drawings, out of the page indicates
outside of the upper and into the page inside of the upper, similar
to the cases of the pile knitting and the back-thread tuck
stitching.
[0050] As shown in FIGS. 12 and 12A, the knitting pattern of the
float knitting is formed of a multiple of needle loops n and sinker
loops s that are knitted by a front yarn a and a back yarn b
arranged in a parallel relationship and a thermally fusible yarn c
combined therewith. In FIGS. 12 and 12A, for illustration purpose,
the front yarn a is shown with a double line, the back yarn b with
a thin single line, and the thermally fusible yarn c with a thick
single line. In this knitting pattern of the float knitting as
well, the front yarn a and the back yarn b are disposed on the
upper inside surface and the thermally fusible yarn c is disposed
on the upper outside surface (see FIG. 10). The front yarn a and
the back yarn b have a melting point higher than a melting point of
the thermally fusible yarn c.
[0051] In each of the knitting patterns of the above-mentioned pile
knitting, back-thread tuck stitching, and float knitting, in order
to achieve a knitting pattern in which the thermally fusible yarn c
disposed on the upper outside surface, there is need to feed the
front yarn a, the back yarn b and the thermally fusible yarn c in a
parallel relationship as shown in FIG. 13, in which the fusible
yarn c is disposed on an innermost side at a hook portion 51 of a
latch needle 50, the back yarn b is disposed on an outermost side
at the hook portion 51 of the latch needle 50, and the front yarn a
is disposed between the fusible yarn c and the back yarn b. In
order to feed the front yarn a, the back yarn b and the thermally
fusible yarn c in a parallel relationship, positional relation
between the latch needle 50 and a yarn guide and tension of yarns
should be controlled. Specifically, positional relation of the
three yarns a, b and c can be controlled in such a manner that a
yarn guide which can feed a yarn faster than any other yarn guide
feeds the thermally fusible yarn c and tension of the yarn is
maintained at the highest.
[0052] Also, in a boundary portion between the knitted fabric
region 1A to 1D and the knitted fabric region 1E on the upper
inside surface, pile texture is provided (not shown). The pile
texture functions as a buffer area in the event that the thermally
fusible yarn c is fused to soak into the upper inside surface
through the boundary portion of the knitted fabric and hardens the
upper inside surface at heat treatment mentioned later. By
providing the pile texture in the boundary portion, a foot of a
shoe wearer is prevented from directly touching such a hardened
area on the upper inside surface and thereby wearer's touch on the
foot can be improved.
[0053] A manufacturing method of the above-mentioned upper 1 will
be explained hereinafter.
[0054] When knitting the upper 1, the knitted fabric region 1A to
1D is knitted by the front yarn a and the back yarn b and the
thermally fusible yarn c combined therewith, whereas the knitted
fabric region 1E is knitted by the front yarn a and the back yarn
b, alternatively by the front yarn a and the back yarn b and a yarn
other than the thermally fusible yarn c combined therewith (see
FIGS. 1 to 4).
[0055] The upper 1 that has been knitted in the above manner is
then folded along a longitudinal center line and introduced into a
heat press 100 and 101 shown in FIGS. 14 and 15. The upper 1 is
heated on opposite sides thereof for a predetermined time with the
opposite sides of the upper 1 sandwiched between the heat press 100
and 101 as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15. Here, a side surface (e.g. a
medial side surface 1F) of the upper 1 is heated by the heat press
100 and the other surface (e.g. a lateral side surface 1F') of the
upper 1 is heated by the heat press 101. During heat press, a metal
or plastic plate 110 may be inserted into the upper 1 for holding
the upper 1.
[0056] Heating temperature at the heat press is determined
according to the melting point of the thermally fusible yarn c
included into the knitted fabric of the upper 1 and it is set at a
temperature equal to or higher than the melting point of the
thermally fusible yarn c. In the case of "ELDER.RTM." used as the
thermally fusible yarn c in the present embodiment, the melting
point is 110-120.degree. C. Therefore, the heating temperature at
the heat press is set at a temperature higher than 120.degree. C.
for example. By such heat treatment, the thermally fusible yarn c
is fusion-bonded and cured. As a result, the knitted fabric
including the thermally fusible yarn c is hardened. However,
according to the present invention, since the thermally fusible
yarn c is disposed on the upper outside surface (see FIG. 10),
after the heat treatment, the upper outside surface is made harder
than the upper inside surface in each of the knitted fabric.
[0057] After the heat treatment, as shown in FIGS. 5 to 8, an
outsole 12 is fixedly attached to a bottom surface of the upper 1
via a midsole 11 formed of a soft elastic material such as EVA
(Ethylene Vinyl Acetate Copolymer), PU (polyurethane), and the
like. Also, in the present invention, a reinforcement member 13 is
fitted to a lower portion of the upper 1 along the outer perimeter
thereof. In such a manner, a sports shoe 10 is assembled.
[0058] As mentioned above, according to the upper 1 of the present
embodiment, the knitted fabric region 1A to 1D (see vertical lines)
includes the thermally fusible yarn c and after knitting the upper
1 it is heated at a temperature equal to or higher than the melting
point of the thermally fusible yarn c. Through such heat treatment,
the thermally fusible yarn c disposed on the upper outside surface
in each of the knitted fabric region 1A to 1D is fusion-bonded and
cured in each of the knitted fabric 1A to 1D. As a result, the
upper outside surface is made harder than the upper inside surface
in each of the knitted fabric region 1A to 1D after the heat
treatment. Thereby, holdability of the upper can be improved and
wearer's touch on the foot can be enhanced. Moreover, by hardening
the knitted fabric region 1A to 1D including the thermally fusible
yarn c, solidity (i.e. three-dimensional shape retainability) of
the upper 1 formed of the knitted fabric can be improved. Thereby,
workability at the time of assembly of the sports shoe 10 using the
upper 1 can be improved. Furthermore, by hardening the outer
surface side of the upper 1 including thermally fusible yarn c, the
surface of the upper 1 can be reinforced.
[0059] On the other hand, the knitted fabric region 1E (see white
void areas defined by outlines) having no thermally fusible yarn c
is not hardened even after the heat treatment and a certain degree
of elasticity is thus secured in the knitted fabric region 1E,
thereby maintaining fitness or fitting properties of the upper 1.
Especially, in the event that the knitted fabric region 1E is
formed of float knitting, since the knitted fabric region 1E can
permit a certain degree of elasticity and restrain further
extension after it has extended to some degree, it can secure a
moderate holdability with fitting properties during exercise
maintained.
[0060] In the above-mentioned embodiment, an example was shown in
which the knitted fabric region 1A to 1D extends integrally with
each other in a longitudinal direction from the heel portion
through the midfoot portion to the forefoot portion of the upper 1,
but the present invention is not limited to such an example. The
knitted fabric region 1A to 1D is not necessarily integrated with
each other in the longitudinal direction.
[0061] In the above-mentioned embodiment, as an example of the
knitted fabric region 1A to 1D of the upper 1, pile knitting,
back-thread tuck stitching and float knitting were shown, but
application of the present invention is not limited to these
fabrics and the present invention also has application to other
fabrics of various kinds.
[0062] In the above-mentioned embodiment, knitting patter by
circular knitting was shown, but the present invention also has
application to other knitting patterns such as plain knitting, rib
knitting and the like.
[0063] In the above-mentioned embodiment, as a heating apparatus of
the upper 1, the heat press having a structure shown in FIGS. 14
and 15 was used. However, a heat press having a structure different
from the structure of FIGS. 14 and 15 can be used. Also, not only a
dry-heat type but also a moist-heat type can be used.
[0064] Those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains may
make modifications and other embodiments employing the principles
of this invention without departing from its spirit or essential
characteristics particularly upon considering the foregoing
teachings. The described embodiments and examples are to be
considered in all respects only as illustrative and not
restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by
the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description.
Consequently, while the invention has been described with reference
to particular embodiments and examples, modifications of structure,
sequence, materials and the like would be apparent to those skilled
in the art, yet fall within the scope of the invention.
* * * * *