IP Library Granted Patent US 7,497,098
Granted Patent B1
US 7,497,098 · App. 11/219,566 · Granted Mar 3, 2009

Run prevention methods and garments

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,497,098
App. No.
11/219,566
Granted
Mar 3, 2009
Kind
B1
Abstract

A garment run prevention method includes cutting an opening, for example for a leg, in a portion of a knitted garment approximately parallel to the wales across a minimum number of wales to prevent runs in the direction of knitting. Another aspect of such a method includes knitting a garment from back to front and placing run-prevention stitches, such as float stitches or tuck stitches, in areas where cutting a front leg opening cuts across wales of the garment to prevent runs in the direction of knitting.

Claims (40)

1. An underwear garment blank, comprising:

yarn knit into wales and courses;

a knit direction from a back portion to a front portion;

a front portion sewing mark for designating a location for making a front portion cut-out across wales in the front portion;

run prevention stitches knit in predetermined courses downstream from the front portion sewing mark; and

a back portion sewing mark for designating a location for making a back portion cut-out along an angle substantially parallel to the wales in the back portion,

wherein when the front portion cut-out is made along the front portion sewing mark, runs are prevented downstream from the cut-out in the knit direction up the front portion, and

wherein when the back portion cut-out is made along the back portion sewing mark, runs are prevented downstream from the back portion cut-out.

2. The underwear garment blank of claim 1 , wherein the run prevention stitches comprise float stitches.

3. The underwear garment blank of claim 1 , wherein the run prevention stitches comprise tuck stitches.

4. A method for preventing runs in a garment, comprising:

knitting a garment in a direction from an upstream beginning in a back portion to a downstream ending in a front portion;

marking a location for making a cut-out across wales in the front portion;

knitting run prevention stitches in predetermined courses downstream from the cut-out location; and

making the cut-out along the marked location,

wherein runs are prevented downstream from the cut-out in the direction of knitting up the front portion.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising marking a location for making another cut-out in the back portion along an angle substantially parallel to the wales, and making the back portion cut-out along the marked location, wherein runs are prevented downstream from the back portion cut-out.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein knitting run prevention stitches comprises knitting float stitches.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein knitting run prevention stitches comprises knitting tuck stitches.

8. The method of claim 4 , wherein knitting the garment comprises knitting an underwear garment.

9. The method of claim 4 , wherein knitting the garment comprises knitting the front portion and the back portion separately and sewing together the front portion and the back portion along seams.

10. The method of claim 4 , wherein marking a location for making the cut-out comprises knitting a sewing mark along the cut-out location.

11. The method of claim 5 , wherein marking a location for making the back portion cut-out comprises knitting a sewing mark along the back portion cut-out location.

12. The method of claim 4 , wherein knitting the garment further comprises knitting the garment on a circular knitting machine for making pantyhose.

13. A garment blank, comprising:

yarn knit into wales and courses;

a knit direction from an upstream beginning in a back portion to a downstream ending in a front portion;

a location designated for making a cut-out across wales in the front portion; and

run prevention stitches knit in predetermined courses downstream from the cut-out location,

wherein when the cut-out is made along the designated location, runs are prevented downstream from the cut-out in the knit direction up the front portion.

14. The garment blank of claim 13 , further comprising a location designated for making a cut-out in the back portion along an angle substantially parallel to the wales, wherein when the back portion cut-out is made along the designated location, runs are prevented downstream from the back portion cut-out.

15. The garment blank of claim 13 , wherein the run prevention stitches comprise float stitches.

16. The garment blank of claim 13 , wherein the run prevention stitches comprise tuck stitches.

17. The garment blank of claim 13 , wherein the garment blank comprises a lower body garment.

18. The garment blank of claim 13 , wherein the garment blank comprises a tubular garment blank.

19. The garment blank of claim 13 , wherein the garment blank comprises an underwear garment.

20. The garment blank of claim 19 , wherein the underwear garment comprises fine denier yarn.

21. The garment blank of claim 13 , wherein the garment blank is knit on a circular knitting machine for making pantyhose.

22. The garment blank of claim 13 , wherein the location designated for making the cut-out comprises a sewing mark for designating the cut-out location.

23. The garment blank of claim 14 , wherein the location designated for making the back portion cut-out comprises a sewing mark for designating the back portion cut-out location.

Assignments (12)
RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY INTEREST RECORDED AT R/F 45029/0132 Recorded Dec 15, 2025
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: MAIDENFORM LLC; HBI BRANDED APPAREL ENTERPRISES, LLC
Reel/Frame 074166/0114 →
RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY INTEREST RECORDED AT R/F 59910/0685 Recorded Dec 15, 2025
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: MAIDENFORM LLC; HBI BRANDED APPAREL ENTERPRISES, LLC
Reel/Frame 074165/0634 →
RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY INTEREST RECORDED AT R/F 70521/0523 Recorded Dec 15, 2025
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: HBI BRANDED APPAREL ENTERPRISES, LLC
Reel/Frame 073952/0281 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 14, 2025
From: HBI BRANDED APPAREL ENTERPRISES, LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 070521/0523 →
FOURTH AMENDED AND RESTATED PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 9, 2022
From: HANESBRANDS INC.; ALTERNATIVE APPAREL, INC.; BA INTERNATIONAL, L.L.C.; CC PRODUCTS LLC; CEIBENA DEL, INC.; EVENT 1 LLC; GEARCO LLC; GFSI HOLDINGS LLC; GFSI LLC; GTM RETAIL, INC.; HANES GLOBAL HOLDINGS U.S. INC.; HANES JIBOA HOLDINGS, LLC; HANES MENSWEAR, LLC; HANESBRANDS DIRECT, LLC; HANESBRANDS EXPORT CANADA LLC; HBI BRANDED APPAREL ENTERPRISES LLC; HBI INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS U.S., INC.; HBI SOURCING, LLC; INNER SELF LLC; IT'S GREEK TO ME, INC.; KNIGHTS APPAREL, LLC; KNIGHTS HOLDCO, LLC; MAIDENFORM (BANGLADESH) LLC; MAIDENFORM (INDONESIA) LLC; MAIDENFORM BRANDS LLC; MAIDENFORM INTERNATIONAL LLC; MAIDENFORM LLC; MF RETAIL LLC; PLAYTEX DORADO, LLC; PLAYTEX INDUSTRIES, INC.; SEAMLESS TEXTILES LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 059910/0685 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 9, 2018
From: HBI BRANDED APPAREL ENTERPRISES, LLC; IT'S GREEK TO ME, INC.; MAIDENFORM LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 045029/0132 →
AMENDED AND RESTATED PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 15, 2009
From: HBI BRANDED APPAREL ENTERPRISES, LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 023649/0812 →
RELEASE OF SECOND LIEN SECURITY INTEREST RECORDED AT REEL/FRAMES 018367/0353, 018367/0312, AND 018545/0521 Recorded Dec 10, 2009
From: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: HBI BRANDED APPAREL ENTERPRISES, LLC
Reel/Frame 023627/0842 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (SECOND LIEN) Recorded Oct 10, 2006
From: HBI BRANDED APPAREL ENTERPRISES, LLC
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS THE COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 018367/0353 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (FIRST LIEN) Recorded Oct 10, 2006
From: HBI BRANDED APPAREL ENTERPRISES, LLC
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS THE COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 018367/0333 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 21, 2006
From: SARA LEE CORPORATION
To: HBI BRANDED APPAREL ENTERPRISES, LLC
Reel/Frame 018279/0527 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 29, 2005
From: IMBODEN, WALTER H.
To: SARA LEE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 017292/0980 →