Hosiery garments with increased stretch characteristics

Abstract

A sock having a toe section, mid-section, and ankle section, wherein the denier of the toe and ankle sections is significantly less than the denier of the mid-section to provide increased stretch in the mid-section of the sock. To further increase the stretch in the mid-section of the sock, the mid-section is knitted with a longer stitch loop than the toe and ankle sections. A hosiery garment includes a leg section and a control top section. The control top section includes a stretch band that provides increased vertical stretch in that area. The stretch band is knitted in a jersey knit pattern with four courses of spandex yarn, where as the remainder of the control top section and leg sections are knitted with alternating courses of spandex and textured yarns.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sock comprising:
 a toe section knitted with a first yarn having a first denier;   an ankle section knitted with the first yarn having the first denier; and   a mid-section that is disposed between the toe section and the ankle section, the mid-section being knitted with a second yarn having a second denier, the second denier being about 1.75 to about 4.5 times greater than the first denier of the first yarn.   
     
     
         2 . The sock of  claim 1  wherein the first yarn and the second yarn comprise nylon covered with spandex. 
     
     
         3 . The sock of  claim 1  wherein the first denier of the first yarn is about 10 to about 20. 
     
     
         4 . The sock of  claim 1  wherein the second denier of the second yarn is about 35 to about 45. 
     
     
         5 . The sock of  claim 1  wherein the sock is knitted on a machine such that the toe section and ankle section are knitted with a first loop having a first length and the mid-section is knitted with a second loop having a second length that is about 0.75″ to about 1.5″ greater than the first length of the first loop. 
     
     
         6 . A hosiery garment comprising:
 a leg section; and   a control top section further comprising a first stretch band;   wherein, except for the first stretch band, the control top section is knitted in a jersey knit pattern with alternate courses of a first spandex yarn and a first textured yarn; and   wherein the first stretch band is knitted in the jersey knit pattern with four courses of a second spandex yarn.   
     
     
         7 . The hosiery garment of  claim 6  wherein the first spandex yarn is the same as the second spandex yarn. 
     
     
         8 . The hosiery garment of  claim 6  wherein the first stretch band is proximate to a top of the control top section. 
     
     
         9 . The hosiery garment of  claim 6  further comprising a second stretch band that is knitted in the jersey knit pattern with four courses of the second spandex yarn, the second stretch band being proximate to a bottom of the control top section.