GB2278043A

GB2278043A - Sanitised sock

Info

Publication number: GB2278043A
Application number: GB9309745A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter William Ord
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-05-12
Filing date: 1993-05-12
Publication date: 1994-11-23
Anticipated expiration: 2013-05-12
Also published as: GB9309745D0; GB2278043B

Abstract

The sock comprises a tubular body of a synthetic yarn material, said material being impregnated with a sanitising agent and having a toe portion which has a bonded closed end. The socks may be made in pairs and joined at the toes. A continuous series of sock pairs may be stored on a reel 30 after the manufacturing process. The latter comprises subjecting flattened tube material 12, at spaced intervals, to opposed hot blade bonding and perforating devices 22, 24. Thereafter, the reel 30 may be located in a dispenser (40, Fig. 2) whereby sock pairs are severed by a hot air knife (54) on demand. <IMAGE>

Description

SANITISED SOCK The present invention relates to a sanitised sock and to a method and apparatus for the manufacture of a sanitised sock which may be worn by a user on their bare feet or over their personal socks or stockings.

At public sports and entertainment venues such as bowling alleys, skating rinks and the like, specialised footwear is often provided for the user. There is a problem of preventing foot infections being transmitted from one person to another by the use of such footwear.

It is an objective of the present invention to provide a sock which provides a physical and chemical barrier against the transmission of foot infections. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for the economic manufacture of a disposable, sanitised sock. The sock may hereinafter be referred to as a sock or an "oversock", depending on whether it is to be worn on the bare feet or over existing personal socks or stockings.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a sock, the sock comprising a tubular body of a synthetic yarn material, said material being impregnated with a sanitising agent and having a toe portion which has a bonded closed end.

Preferably, the tube is produced by knitting. The tube could be produced by weaving two 'sheets' of material and joining to form a tube or by seaming a single pierce of woven material.

However, knitting is preferred as being the most economic method of making a tube.

The synthetic yarn material may be Nylon (Trade Mark) or polyester for example.

The bonded closed end of the toe portion maybe bonded by adhesive means or by welding.

In one embodiment of the socks of the present invention, they may be provided joined together at their respective toe portions, having been made from a common tube of material. The socks may be joined at their toes by the bonded closed portion which may be provided with perforations to allow separation into individual socks by the user. Alternatively, the socks may be joined by a thinned region of bonded material between the toe portions and torn or cut into two by the user.

The knitted material may also be dyed to improve its aesthetic appearance prior to bonding and severing.

The socks according to the present invention may be disposable and are only intended for use once by an individual.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for the manufacture of a sanitised sock, the method including the steps of providing a tube of a material comprising a synthetic yarn, said material being impregnated with a sanitising agent, bonding opposing walls of said tube together at a desired distance along the length of said tube to form a closure in said tube, said desired distance substantially corresponding to a required length of sock and severing said tube at said closure.

Preferably, the tube is not severed at the closure, but at a further length from said closure, the further length being substantially the same as the first desired distance. Thus, a pair of socks joined at the toes by the bonded closure may be produced.

Preferably, the tube of synthetic yarn material may be in the form of flattened tube on a reel.

The synthetic yarn material provides sufficient stretch to allow the sock to fit a wide variety of foot sizes, the socks being heelless in construction.

The synthetic yarn of which the tube material is made may be any which is suitable for the purpose and which will accept a sanitising agent. Examples of suitable synthetic materials may include Nylon (Trade Mark), polyester and many others.

The bonding of the walls of the tube together may be by any suitable means including high frequency induction heating, friction welding, ultrasonic welding, adhesive means such as gluing and pressure welding with a heated blade for example.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the bonded portion may be of sufficient width to allow perforation thereof such that a pair of joined socks may be provided with a single severing operation; separation into individual socks then being effected by the user by tearing along the perforations.

Alternatively, a pair of joined socks may be produced whereby they are linked only by a thinned region of the bonded portion; the socks then being separated by tearing or cutting through the thinned region.

Severing of the tube may be effected by any suitable means such as mechanical cutting by guillotining for example. However, it is preferred to use severing means such as cutting by hot-wire or blade, or a hot-air knife for example. These latter methods of severing have been found to be preferable due to the sealing effect on the cut edge preventing any substantial fraying of the material.

The production of the sock may be undertaken within a single manufacturing apparatus which receives a reel of flattened tube material and performs the production steps to produce a pair of oversocks. The apparatus may be located at the site where the socks are to be used, e.g. a bowling alley, and produce socks on demand by the user in response to an activating switch for example. Alternatively, the production apparatus may be sited remotely from the place of use of the socks and the socks packed and supplied to the place of use in, for example, "bubble" packs.

In an alternative production sequence, the reel of flattened tube material may have the welded or glued closures, and perforations if appropriate, produced by one piece of manufacturing apparatus, but the pairs of socks are not be severed from the reel; the flattened tube being rewound to form a second reel having substantially regularly spaced apart closures. The rewound reel is then loaded into a second piece of manufacturing apparatus, which may be located at a different site; perhaps the place of use such as a bowling alley; in which the pairs of socks are be severed from the reel. Severing from the reel may be on demand by the user.

In order to cater for different sizes of feet, the severed length may vary depending on the size of sock required.

However, it is envisaged that due to the large amount of stretch inherent in the knitted tube material, two or three different sizes will be sufficient to cater for the complete range of foot sizes.

Where the pairs of socks are produced on a single piece of production apparatus as described above, the apparatus has pitch adjustment means responsive to a size control signal switch selected by the user, to control the sock length either side of the closure portion.

Where production is effected by two separate pieces of manufacturing apparatus, the first piece of apparatus produces closures, and perforations if appropriate, at predetermined spaced apart distances over a single reel. The predetermined spaced apart distance may, however, vary from reel to reel to cater for the different sock sizes required. The reels are then loaded into second pieces of apparatus, perhaps at the site of use, and severed into sock pairs. Each reel is loaded into a second apparatus intended to produce a single sock size.

An advantage of the oversock and method of production of the present invention is that the cost of the resulting socks may be reduced to such a low level that it is economically feasible to provide them in shoe shops, for example, where people try on shoes which they may not eventually purchase. The problem of cross-infections is exacerbated in the summer months when women, particularly, tend not to wear socks or stockings. The risk of foot infections being transmitted by apparently new shoes are greatly increased under these conditions.

In order that the present invention may be more fully understood, examples will now be described by way of illustration only with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 shows a schematic side elevation of a first piece of apparatus for producing closures and perforations in a reel of tube material; and Figure 2 which shows a schematic side elevation of a second piece of apparatus for severing sock pairs from the tube processed by the apparatus shown in Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings and where the same features are denoted by common reference numerals. A reel 10 of flattened tube material 12 comprising a knitted synthetic yarn of, in this case Nylon 66 (Trade Mark) impregnated with a sanitising agent such as TEGO 2000 (Trade Mark of Th. Goldschmidt Ltd.), is fed around a tensioning roller 14 (the tensioning function being indicated by the two-way arrow 16) and two further rollers 18, 20. Between the rollers 18, 20 there is a hot blade device 22 for sealing the opposite walls of the tube 12 together by welding. Associated with the hot blade device 22 is a perforating device 24 for providing a line of perforations (not shown) in the welded portion 26 which is about 4mm to 6mm in width. After welding and perforating, the tube passes around a second tensioning roller 28 and is subsequently rewound onto a second reel 30.Both the first reel 10 and second reel 30 are driven by indexing motors 32, 34, respectively. The motors 32, 34, hot blade device 22 and perforating device 24 are driven in synchronism by a control system 36 which has appropriate control and signal switching (not shown) to produce the welded portions 26 at desired predetermined intervals. Due to the large degree of inherent stretch in the material 12, it is necessary for the reels 10, 30 to be driven so that the positions of the welded portions 26, and hence the sock length is correct in the free state. The tensioning rollers 14, 28 maintain a desired tension in the tube 12 and prevent any unwanted slack from occurring.

The reel 30 of processed tube is removed from the apparatus shown in Figure 1 and placed in the apparatus shown in Figure 2 and which may be physically located at a different site to that of the apparatus in Figure 1. The apparatus shown in Figure 2 may be sited at a place of use of the socks, such as a bowling alley for example. The apparatus comprises a dispenser reel 30 containing the processed tube with closures 26 as produced by the apparatus in Figure 1. The reel 30 is contained within a cabinet 40 and is driven by an indexing motor 42. Motor driven pull-off rollers 44 dispense sufficient tube 12 for a pair of socks having a closure with perforations situated at the mid-point; a tensioning roller 46 is also provided to prevent excessive slack from building up.The reel 30 is rotated and the driven pull-off rollers started by a demand switch 48 associated with the pull-off rollers and actuated by the free end 50 of the tube being pulled downwardly by a user. The demand switch 48 is connected to a sensor device 52 which recognises the closures 26 and is linked to a control system (not shown) which allows sufficient tube through the rollers 44 to make one pair of socks before the rollers 44 and motor 42, which are driven in synchronism, are stopped. A hotair knife 54 is then indexed from position "A" to position "B" to sever the tube at point 56 and is then returned to position "A" to leave a free end of the tube 12 protruding from the apparatus. The whole sequence of events from initiation by the demand switch 48 to the return of the hot-air knife to position "A" is controlled by the control system. A fume extraction flue 58 having an extractor fan (not shown) is provided to remove any fumes generated by the cutting operation. Cutting the tube by a hot-air knife has the advantage that the free ends of the two socks are sealed and prevented from fraying.

Claims

1. A sanitised sock, the sock comprising a tubular body of a synthetic yarn material, said material being impregnated with a sanitising agent and having a toe portion which has a bonded closed end.

2. A sock according to claim 1 wherein the tubular body is of knitted construction.

3. A sock according to either claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the synthetic yarn is nylon or polyester.

4. A sock according to any one preceding claim wherein the closed end is welded.

5. A sock according to any one preceding claim from 1 to 3 wherein the closed end is glued.

6. A sock according to any one preceding claim wherein said sock is joined at the toe to a second sock by the bonded closed end.

7. A sock according to claim 6 wherein said bonded portion between said two socks has perforations.

8. A sock according to claim 6 wherein said two socks are separated by a thinned region of bonded material.

9. A sock according to any one preceding claim wherein the periphery of the open end is sealed to prevent fraying.

10. A sock according to any one preceding claim wherein the tubular body is dyed.

11. A sock according to any one preceding claim which is disposable, only being intended for a single use by an individual.

12. A method for the manufacture of a sanitised sock, the method including the steps of providing a tube of a material comprising a synthetic yarn, said material being impregnated with a sanitising agent, bonding opposing walls of said tube together at a desired distance along the length of said tube to form a closure in said tube, said desired distance substantially corresponding to a required length of sock and severing said tube at said closure.

13. A method for the manufacture of a sanitised sock, the method including the steps of providing a tube of a material comprising a synthetic yarn, said material being impregnated with a sanitising agent, bonding opposing walls of said tube together at a desired distance along the length of said tube to form a closure in said tube, said desired distance substantially corresponding to a required length of sock and severing said tube.

14. A method according to either claim 12 or claim 13 wherein said tube of material is in the form of flattened tube on a reel.

15. A method according to any one of preceding claims 12 to 14 wherein said closure is produced by a technique selected from the group comprising: high frequency induction heating, friction welding, ultrasonic welding, adhesive means, pressure welding and heat welding.

16. A method according to any one of preceding claims 13 to 15 wherein the bonded portion is perforated.

17. A method according to any one preceding claim from 13 to 15 wherein said bonded portion has a thinned region.

18. A method according to any one preceding claim from 12 to 17 wherein said severing step is effected by a hot-air knife.

19. A method according to any one preceding claim from 12 to 17 wherein said severing operation is effected by a hot-wire cutter.

20. A sock substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying description and drawings.

21. A method for the manufacture of a sanitised sock substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying description and drawings.