INTEGRATED KNIT LOOP CLOSURE
A knit article having an integrated loop portion of a hook and loop fastener. The integrated loop portion is knitted and integrated into the knit article.
1 . A knit article with an integrated loop fastener portion that is configured to be attached to and detached from a hook fastener, the article comprising:
a knit section forming a body of the article; and
a loop section, wherein the loop section comprises dropped stitches of the knit section, and wherein the knit section and the loops of the integrated loop fastener portion are knit from a single, uninterrupted, textile.
2 . The knit article of claim 1 , wherein individual loops of the loop section are plated to lock the individual loops of the loop section.
3 . The knit article of claim 2 , wherein the loop section forms a portion of the knit section.
4 . The knit article of claim 1 , wherein the loop fastener portion is plated via a second uninterrupted textile.
5 . The knit article of claim 1 , wherein the loop fastener portion is knitted from the same material as the knit article.
6 . The knit article of claim 2 , wherein the knit section forms a flap of a sandal and the loop fastener portion is configured to be disconnectedly connected to a hook portion of the sandal.
7 . The knit article of claim 2 , wherein the knit section is formed by weft-knitting.
8 . A method of forming a knitted article with an integrated loop fastener portion that is configured to be attached to and detached from a hook fastener portion, the method comprising:
knitting a knit section of the article via a first yarn feeder suppling a first yarn;
knitting the integrated loop fastener portion by forming dropped loops of the first yarn supplied by the first yarn feeder.
9 . The Method of claim 8 , further comprising: plating at least the integrated loop portion of the article to lock individual dropped stitches of the loop section.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the plating is formed via a second yarn feeder supplying a second yarn and the first yarn feeder supplying the first yarn.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first yarn provided by the first yarn feeder is an uninterrupted length of yarn forming the dropped knit section and the dropped loops.
12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the plating is formed via an uninterrupted length of the second yarn.
13 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising a kicking step for passing the first yarn from a first needle to a second needle during a knitting process.
14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the knitted section and the dropped knit section are formed of the same material.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the plating is formed of the same material as the dropped knit section and the knitted section.
16 . The method of claim 10 , wherein article is formed using an automated knitting machine.
17 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the article is connected to a sandal sole.