Socks having targeted cushioning zones

Abstract

Socks including targeted cushioning zones include various knitted materials disposed within areas of the foot which experience specific conditions during running. Areas of the sock which include cushioning pods correspond to areas of the foot which experience pressure loading. Areas of the sock which include mesh correspond to areas of the foot which produce sweat. Areas of the sock which include ribbing and/or cushioning pods correspond to areas of the foot which have sensitive skin.

1 . A cushioned performance sock, comprising:
 a plurality of cushioning regions each including a plurality of discrete raised cushioning pods disposed on an interior surface of the cushioned performance sock, wherein each discrete raised cushioning pod of the plurality of discrete raised cushioning pods comprises a plurality of terry loops; and   a plurality of mesh regions;   wherein the cushioned performance sock comprises a single seam disposed at a toe of the cushioned performance sock; and   wherein each of the plurality of mesh regions comprise a plurality of mesh windows disposed on an exterior surface of the sock, each mesh window offset from the interior surface by a plurality of yarn loops extending a width of each mesh window.   
     
     
         2 . The cushioned performance sock of  claim 1 , wherein each mesh window of the plurality of mesh windows comprises a floating mesh fabric formed within a knit structure of the cushioned performance sock. 
     
     
         3 . The cushioned performance sock of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of mesh regions corresponds to an arch and a top of a foot when worn. 
     
     
         4 . The cushioned performance sock of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of terry loops of each raised cushioning pod of the plurality of discrete raised cushioning pods are collectively capped by a respective plurality of yarn loops. 
     
     
         5 . The cushioned performance sock of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cushioning regions corresponds to a ball and a heel of a foot when worn. 
     
     
         6 . The cushioned performance sock of  claim 1 , further comprising a ribbed region. 
     
     
         7 . The cushioned performance sock of  claim 6 , wherein the ribbed region is disposed adjacent a toe area of the cushioned performance sock. 
     
     
         8 . The cushioned performance sock of  claim 1 , wherein at least one cushioning region of the plurality of cushioning regions has at least a first portion and a second portion, the first portion configured to receive a higher degree of pressure loading than the second portion. 
     
     
         9 . The cushioned performance sock of  claim 8 , wherein a density of the plurality of discrete raised cushioning pods in the at least one cushioning region is gradated such that the first portion of the at least one cushioning region has a higher density of discrete raised cushioning pods than the second portion of the at least one cushioning region, such that a distance between immediately adjacent discrete raised cushioning pods in the first portion of the at least one cushioning region is less than a distance between immediately adjacent discrete raised cushioning pods in the second portion of the at least one cushioning region. 
     
     
         10 . A cushioned performance sock, comprising:
 a cushioning region corresponding to a ball of a foot when worn, the cushioning region including a plurality of discrete raised cushioning pods disposed on an interior surface of the cushioned performance sock, wherein each discrete raised cushioning pod of the plurality of discrete raised cushioning pods comprises a plurality of terry loops collectively capped by a plurality of looped strands of yarn,   one or more mesh regions, wherein each of the one or more mesh regions comprises a plurality of mesh windows disposed on an exterior surface of the cushioned performance sock, each mesh window being offset from the interior surface by yarn loops extending a width of the each mesh window; and   one or more ribbed regions;   wherein the cushioned performance sock comprises a single seam disposed at a toe of the cushioned performance sock.   
     
     
         11 . The cushioned performance sock of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more mesh regions correspond to an arch of the foot when worn. 
     
     
         12 . The cushioned performance sock of  claim 10 , wherein each mesh window of the plurality of mesh windows comprises a floating mesh fabric formed within a knit structure of the cushioned performance sock. 
     
     
         13 . The cushioned performance sock of  claim 10 , wherein the cushioning region has at least a first portion and a second portion, the first portion configured to receive a higher degree of pressure loading than the second portion. 
     
     
         14 . The cushioned performance sock of  claim 13 , wherein a density of the plurality of discrete raised cushioning pods in the cushioning region is gradated such that the first portion of the cushioning region has a higher density of discrete raised cushioning pods than the second portion of the cushioning region. 
     
     
         15 . The cushioned performance sock of  claim 10 , wherein one or more discrete raised cushioning pods of the plurality of discrete raised cushioning pods are spaced apart from each other by fabric having a thickness less than an average thickness of the plurality of discrete raised cushioning pods. 
     
     
         16 . A cushioned performance sock, comprising:
 a cushioning region corresponding to a ball of a foot when worn, the cushioning region including a plurality of discrete raised cushioning pods disposed on an interior surface of the cushioned performance sock, wherein each discrete raised cushioning pod of the plurality of discrete raised cushioning pods comprises a plurality of terry loops collectively capped by a plurality of looped strands of yarn;   a plurality of mesh windows disposed on a region of an exterior surface of the cushioned performance sock, wherein each mesh window of the plurality of mesh windows is offset from an interior surface of the cushioned performance sock by a plurality of yarn loops extending a width of the each mesh window; and   one or more ribbed regions.   
     
     
         17 . The cushioned performance sock of  claim 16 , wherein the each mesh window of the plurality of mesh windows comprises a floating mesh fabric formed within a knit structure of the cushioned performance sock. 
     
     
         18 . The cushioned performance sock of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more ribbed regions correspond to a region of the cushioned performance sock adjacent a toe area. 
     
     
         19 . The cushioned performance sock of  claim 16 , wherein one or more discrete raised cushioning pods of the plurality of discrete raised cushioning pods are spaced apart from each other by fabric having a thickness less than an average thickness of the plurality of discrete raised cushioning pods. 
     
     
         20 . The cushioned performance sock of  claim 16 ,
 wherein at least one cushioning region of the plurality of cushioning regions has at least a first portion and a second portion, the first portion configured to receive a higher degree of pressure loading than the second portion; and   wherein a density of the plurality of discrete raised cushioning pods in the cushioning region is gradated such that the first portion of the cushioning region has a higher density of discrete raised cushioning pods than the second portion of the cushioning region, such that a distance between immediately adjacent discrete raised cushioning pods in the first portion of the cushioning region is less than a distance between immediately adjacent discrete raised cushioning pods in the second portion of the cushioning region.