Knitting Machine with Extreme Racking and Related Knitted Component

Abstract

A method may include knitting a first portion of a knitted component on a first region of a knitting machine, knitting a second portion of the knitted component on a second region of the knitting machine, moving the first portion of the knitted component towards the second portion of the knitted component by moving a first needle bed of the knitting machine relative to a second needle bed of the knitting machine, and knitting at least one course with the knitting machine that connects the first portion of the knitted component to the second portion of the knitted component.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A knitted component, comprising:
 a first portion and a second portion, wherein at least one of the first portion and the second portion   includes a double-jersey knit structure; and   at least one connection course securing the first portion to the second portion, wherein the at least one connection course extends longitudinally in a first direction,   wherein in a flat orientation, the first portion overlaps the second portion at a location immediately adjacent to the connection course in a second direction,   wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction.   
     
     
         2 . The knitted component of  claim 1 , wherein in the location, the first portion includes the double-jersey knit structure and the second portion includes the double jersey knit structure. 
     
     
         3 . The knitted component of  claim 2 , wherein the connection course includes the double-jersey knit structure, and wherein the knitted component forms an upper for an article of footwear. 
     
     
         4 . The knitted component of  claim 3 , wherein the first portion of the knitted component is one of a medial side or a lateral side of the knitted component. 
     
     
         5 . The knitted component of  claim 3 , wherein the second portion of the knitted component is a tongue portion of the knitted component. 
     
     
         6 . The knitted component of  claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the knitted component is knitted with a first feeder, and wherein the second portion of the knitted component is knitted with a second feeder. 
     
     
         7 . The knitted component of  claim 1 , further comprising a third portion of the knitted component, wherein the third portion of the knitted component includes at least one double-jersey knit structure. 
     
     
         8 . An upper for an article of footwear, comprising:
 a knitted component comprising a first portion and a tongue secured with a connection course of the knitted component,   wherein a forward terminus of the tongue is coextensive with the first portion and overlaps the first portion such that it is covered by the first portion from an external perspective.   
     
     
         9 . The upper of  claim 8 , wherein the forward terminus of the tongue includes a double-jersey knit structure, and wherein an area of the first portion that overlaps the forward terminus of the tongue includes the double-jersey knit structure. 
     
     
         10 . The upper of  claim 9 , wherein the connection course includes a double-jersey knit structure. 
     
     
         11 . The upper of  claim 9 , further comprising a second portion including the double-jersey knit structure. 
     
     
         12 . The upper of  claim 11 , wherein the first portion of the knitted component is one of a medial side or a lateral side of the knitted component. 
     
     
         13 . The upper of  claim 12 , wherein the second portion of the knitted component is a tongue portion of the knitted component.