Fabric and method for manufacturing sock

Abstract

Fabrics, socks, and methods are described in which conductive traces are integrally knit into fabric for making a sock. In some cases, certain stitches are selected for knitting conductive yarn in addition to or in place of the main body yarn of the sock. The conductive yarn creates a conductive trace in a wale-wise and/or a course-wise direction, with the conductive trace extending from a first connection point (such as a sensor pad) to a second connection point (such as an electrical contact for connecting a device). The conductive trace is designed to transmit an electrical signal between the first and second connection points, such that data collected at the first connection point may be transmitted via the pathway provided by the conductive trace to the second connection point and the connected device, where the data can be analyzed and/or displayed to the wearer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A weft knit fabric comprising:
 at least one non-conductive yarn; and   at least one conductive yarn that is weft knit with the at least one non-conductive yarn by selectively incorporating the conductive yarn at predefined locations for at least one stitch over a plurality of adjacent courses or wales to form a fabric having a plurality of wales and courses,   wherein the at least one conductive yarn defines a conductive trace in at least one of a wale-wise or a course-wise direction, respectively, of the fabric,   wherein the conductive trace extends from a first connection point to a second connection point and is configured to transmit an electrical signal between the first and second connection points.   
     
     
         2 . The weft knit fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the first connection point comprises a device selected from the group consisting of a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a pressure sensor, and a heart rate monitor. 
     
     
         3 . The weft knit fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the second connection point includes an electrical contact configured to allow a device to be connected to the conductive trace and to receive the electrical signal from the first connection point. 
     
     
         4 . The weft knit fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the conductive trace comprises a plurality of adjacent wales. 
     
     
         5 . The weft knit fabric of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one non-conductive yarn comprises a first non-conductive yarn and a second non-conductive yarn, wherein the second non-conductive yarn is selectively replaced with the at least one conductive yarn at predetermined locations to define the conductive trace. 
     
     
         6 . The weft knit fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one conductive yarn defines a plurality of conductive traces along respective wales, wherein each conductive trace is isolated from other conductive traces. 
     
     
         7 . The weft knit fabric of  claim 1 , wherein consecutive courses include stitches of the conductive yarn of a respective conductive trace that are shifted with respect to adjacent courses. 
     
     
         8 . The weft knit fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-conductive yarn defines an inner layer having wales and courses and an outer layer having wales and courses, wherein the inner and outer layers are connected together at spaced apart wales and courses by one of the non-conductive yarns extending between the layers, and wherein the at least one conductive yarn is knit between the inner and outer layers, such that each conductive trace formed by the conductive yarn is isolated from at least an inner surface of the fabric. 
     
     
         9 . The weft knit fabric of  claim 8 , wherein the conductive yarn forms at least part of the outer layer. 
     
     
         10 . A double layer sock formed on a circular knitting machine from a first non-conductive yarn, a second non-conductive yarn, and at least one conductive yarn, the sock comprising:
 a tubular inner layer having at least a foot portion knit of at least a first non-conductive yarn and having wales and courses; and   a tubular outer layer surrounding the inner layer knit of at least a second non-conductive yarn and a conductive yarn and having wales and courses, wherein the outer layer has at least a foot portion aligning with the foot portion of the inner layer,   wherein the inner and outer layers are connected together at spaced apart wales and courses by one of the first or second non-conductive yarns extending between the layers,   wherein the at least one conductive yarn defines a conductive trace in a course-wise direction,   wherein the conductive trace extends from a first connection point to a second connection point and is configured to transmit an electrical signal between the first and second connection points, such that each conductive trace formed by the conductive yarn is isolated from at least an inner surface of the sock.   
     
     
         11 . The sock of  claim 10 , wherein the second course of the outer layer includes the second non-conductive yarn and the conductive yarn. 
     
     
         12 . The sock of  claim 10 , wherein the first non-conductive yarn extends between the layers, is knit predominantly in the inner layer, and is knit only for connection purposes in the outer layer, and wherein the conductive yarn is weft knit between the inner and outer layers. 
     
     
         13 . The sock of  claim 12 , wherein the first non-conductive yarn extending between the inner and outer layers is knit in the outer layer as tuck stitch loops. 
     
     
         14 . The sock of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the first connection points forms part of the inner layer. 
     
     
         15 . A method of knitting a sock on a circular knitting machine comprising:
 knitting a first non-conductive yarn into courses and wales;   knitting a second non-conductive yarn into courses and wales; and   selectively incorporating a conductive yarn at predefined locations for at least one stitch over a plurality of adjacent courses or wales,   wherein the at least one conductive yarn defines a conductive trace in at least one of a wale-wise or a course-wise direction, respectively,   wherein the conductive trace extends from a first connection point to a second connection point and is configured to transmit an electrical signal between the first and second connection points.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein selectively incorporating the conductive yarn comprises selectively replacing the second non-conductive yarn of the outer layer with the conductive yarn at the predefined locations. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein
 knitting the first non-conductive yarn comprises knitting the first non-conductive yarn into courses and wales to form an inner layer of the sock;   knitting the second non-conductive yarn comprises knitting the second non-conductive yarn into courses and wales to form an outer layer of the sock in surrounding relation to said inner layer;   selectively incorporating the conductive yarn comprises plating the conductive yarn between the inner and outer layers by selecting at least one stitch in a plurality of adjacent courses to receive the at least one conductive yarn; and   the method further comprising connecting the inner and outer layers together at spaced apart wales and courses by causing one of the at least one first or second non-conductive yarns to extend between the inner and outer layers, such that each conductive trace formed by the conductive yarn is isolated from at least an inner surface of the fabric.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein selectively incorporating the conductive yarn comprises replacing the second non-conductive yarn of the second course of the outer layer with the conductive yarn. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein selectively incorporating the conductive yarn comprises adding the conductive yarn to the second course of the outer layer, such that the second course of the outer layer includes the second non-conductive yarn and the conductive yarn. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising attaching at least one of the first connection points to the inner layer and connecting the at least one first connection point to a corresponding conductive trace.