EP0904440B1 - Process for producing three-dimensional knitted fabrics and textile material thus produced - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional knitted fabric, i.e. of a knitted fabric, whose surface is spatially shaped, e.g. with helmets or the heel of socks is the case. The shape is in realized in a known manner that stitches in certain Areas of the knitted fabric are increased and / or reduced.

In other knitted fabrics is a gradual deactivation of needles and subsequent reactivation of needles three-dimensional contour created in the knitted fabric. All known Solutions in common is that the inhomogeneities in the Knitted fabric based on these techniques three-dimensional contour along straight or curved Lines run like this e.g. from DE 39 37 406 A1 or FR-A 631,470 is known. In the border area of these zones This creates inhomogeneities, mainly due to it are due to the fact that the normal, i.e. not spatially knitted knitted fabric in the edge area of the spatially knitted Area is under tension or deformed. This Border areas thus represent a weakened zone, which at mechanical stress is easier to break open tends.

The aim of the present invention is thus a three-dimensional one Knitted fabric to create that relative to its entire area is insensitive to mechanical influences.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a method Claim 1 solved. Advantageous developments of the invention are the subject of the corresponding subclaims. The task is further solved by a textile material according to claim 10. The invention particularly relates to manufacture technical textiles.

According to the invention, the meshes increase or decrease no longer in one or more defined linear areas, but in many Locations in the deformation area preferably as possible are evenly distributed. This way the deformation integrated more homogeneously into the knitted fabric, i.e. it doesn't arise more excessively stressed edges in the marginal area of a narrowly defined one Deformation area resulting in a premature break tend.

The technology according to the invention enables all possible shapes such as. Balls or bowls can be produced without e.g. at there is a line in conventional speckle technology, within which all stitches are removed so that the knitted fabric subject to special loads in the area of this line is. Because on the one hand the invention increases or reduction or inactivation of needles over the entire area to be distributed, causing the deformation of the knitted fabric no longer occurs along a line, but homogeneously in the entire knitted fabric. The deformation is still on every single point of increase or decrease or inactivation / activation of needles not as big anymore because of the increase / decrease / inactivation of the large number of positions every single digit can be smaller. It means that the deformation of the knitted fabric at a point of increase / decrease / inactivation is lower than the previous status of Technology, where in one or a few places the whole for the Shaping necessary increase / decrease / inactivation took place.

The above points are now due to the invention evenly distributed over the area to be deformed, whereby this distribution as evenly as possible, i.e. homogeneous should. The distribution can be regular, i.e. in controlled Be done in such a way that all sites of increase / decrease / inactivation are approximately the same distance apart. However, these points can also be statistically over the deformed Area to be distributed, creating any Texture that could represent a predetermined breaking point is avoided becomes.

The degree of deformation is preferably determined by density, i.e. controlled the mutual distance of the places where the Increase / decrease / inactivation takes place. It's a strong one Deformation desired, so these places are in a higher Density arranged than in areas where there is less Deformation is desired. In this way, homogeneous pieces of textile can be produced in the desired manner less have deformed areas and more deformed areas. In this way, homogeneous knitted fabrics can be made in all the desired ones Make shapes.

In principle, there are two types of three-dimensional creation Textile structures. For one, it becomes a three-dimensional one Form achieved in several areas of the knitted fabric Stitches are increased and / or decreased. The number of to / decreased or split / summarized stitches per Position should not be excessively large, e.g. be no more than ten stitches. If you take several Knit stitches in several places within the knitted fabric you get a bulge of the knitted fabric at the points of the Increase. If you reduce the stitches in the knitted fabric on one Large number of places, so the knitted fabric pulls in this Area together, so that again a bulged area is created. The increase and decrease can be in the desired Combine ways to achieve desired shapes.

Another way of making three-dimensional knitted fabrics is that needles in certain areas of the Knitted fabrics are inactivated while using the needles in the other areas. Through later activation these inactivated needles e.g. after one or more Rows of stitches are achieved in this inactivated area Contracting the knitted fabric, what again in the desired manner can be used to achieve certain shapes. If e.g. with a knitted fabric in the edge areas of the flat knitting machine Needles inactivated and this inactivation at a distance some rows of stitches repeated in different widths, so you get a spherical structure with a very homogeneous Structure. Again, the needles should only be inactivated over a few courses, so that too strong Deformation of the knitted fabric can be avoided at one point. Furthermore, the width (number of needles) of inactivation be changed alternately, so that this also results in a Scattering of the deformed areas in the deformation area can be achieved. These points are at the points an inactivated area to a knitted area Adjacent area.

Both of the above principles for making geometric Knitted fabrics can do this with the method according to the invention be made that increase / decrease the mesh on the one hand or the inactivation of needles on the other many places are distributed in the deformation area. In each Fall becomes a more even structure of the three-dimensional Knitted fabrics achieved, in turn, with improved mechanical Properties.

A distributed increase / decrease in stitches within the Knitted fabrics can be used in a particularly advantageous manner Achieve use of twin needles. For example, with the A and B needles of the twin needle are knitted alternately, which gives you a stitch count that is twice the number corresponds to the active twin needles or conventional needles. If you want to reduce the number of stitches, you knit just continue with one of the A or B needles of the twin needle. This results in a reduction in the number of stitches to Half with the same width of the active area of the Needle bed. This reduction can also be done in other stages be achieved if you reduce to one of the two Needles of the twinned needle not with every twinned needle but e.g. just every second. There is also an increase in Achieve a number of stitches if you start with knitting one of the two needles of the twin needle to knit with passes over two needles, the two needles being the twin needle be operated successively.

Fig. 1

ein Strickschema zum Stricken eines kugelförmigen Gestricks durch Inaktivierung von Nadeln im Randbereich des Gestricks;

Fig. 2

eine Schaffung eines ausgebauchten Bereichs durch Zunahme und Minderung von Maschen in einem Bereich, und

Fig. 3

die Schaffung eines ausgebauchten Bereichs durch Zunahme und Minderung nach der vorliegenden Erfindung.

The invention is described below, for example, using the schematic drawing. In this show:

Fig. 1

a knitting scheme for knitting a spherical knitted fabric by inactivating needles in the edge region of the knitted fabric;

Fig. 2

creating a bulged area by increasing and decreasing stitches in one area, and

Fig. 3

creating a bulged area by increasing and decreasing according to the present invention.

Fig. 1 shows a knitting scheme for producing an approximately spherical Knitted fabric. The figure actually shows that knitted textile surface 10. The shape of the textile is now achieved in that within a mutual area b the textile surface 10 needles partially or completely inactivated be so that in this area over one or more Rows of needles are not knitted. At the later again The needles are then activated with the last ones knitted stitches. This means that while the time of the lack of activation of the needles in the peripheral area b of the knitted fabric 10 certain areas of the course just drop out. The courses before and after the dropped Area are simply knitted together, which the knitted fabric in this area according to the number of not knitted courses are pulled together. The Points at which deformation occurs are the Points 11. At these points 11 the inactivated areas border to the knitted areas. Therefore, it is preferred the width of the inactivated area, i.e. the number of the inactivated needles varies constantly, so that the deformation points 11 evenly within the deformation range b are distributed. In this way you avoid further a defined structuring of the acceptance, which in turn with weakening the knitted fabric. The mutual The distance between the inactivations 12, 14, 16 is relatively constant, so that the deformation points 11 also in the direction of meshing have an approximately uniform distance.

1, the needles are in a first short area 12 inactivated, which for example only goes over 20 needles. In one later section, i.e. a few rows further, the stitches are inactivated in an area 14 which is extends over the entire width b of the shaped region. The In this case, inactivation would e.g. Affect 60 needles. A few rows later, the needles are over activated a width 16 between the two above Widths, e.g. with 40 needles. So the deformation points 11 evenly distributed over the width of deformation b. The inactivated areas 12, 14, 16 are again and again interrupted by knitted areas 18, in which What is knitted over the entire width of the knitted fabric Direction of meshing at approximately uniform intervals Points 21 leads. In the middle of the knitted fabric 10 runs Area 20 where knitting is carried out while continuing outward an area 22 extends in which the knitted fabric in one Distance of several rows of stitches that have not already been knitted having. Take these non-knitted areas towards the outside, as can easily be seen from the drawing leaves. If you keep in mind that the knitted sections 18 joined together at their upper and lower edges are, it is easy to understand that that shown in Fig. 1 Knitted fabric 10 have an approximately spherical shape likely. The inactivation 12, 14, 16 runs in the knitted fabric in each case over two successive courses. Of course it is possible to have different inactivated areas 12, 14, 16 without interleaved areas 18 hang directly together if you have a stronger deformation wants to achieve. The degree of deformation is determined by the distance, i.e. the sequence of inactivations and the breadth of Deactivation areas 12, 14, 16 are set. The wider the inactivation areas and the sequence of inactivations are the greater the deformation.

While Fig. 1 shows a process for producing three-dimensional Describes knitting structures by inactivating needles, 2 and 3 show a knitting method in which a three-dimensional Form by increasing or decreasing stitches will be produced. 2 shows a method in which the three-dimensional shape of the knitted fabric in one defined area 30 takes place. There is namely in one first stage 32 doubles one stitch, i.e. a stitch in split two stitches so that instead of one There are now two wales. At the At point 34, the two are split again Wales in two wales so that now there are four wales, which are still at 36 once split into eight wales. At this The area 30 is the widest. At position 40 two stitches are pulled together in one stitch, i.e. it is removed, leaving only place 40 there are four wales. At positions 42 and 44 another decrease, so that ultimately only again there is a wale. In the area 46 around the three-dimensional shaped area 30, the knitted fabric is under an elevated mechanical load due to the deformation in this Border area. This deformation is associated with an earlier one Wear or fatigue of the material or with an increased Susceptibility to mechanical stress.

In order to avoid this disadvantage, the increase takes place according to the invention not in an area 30 as in FIG. 2, but on five different places 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, at each one stitch divided into two stitches (split) and then can be combined again into a stitch. The The duration of the division is different for the five positions, so that a homogeneous distribution of the increase / decrease points is within the knitted fabric. Furthermore, between the Areas 50, 52, 54, 56, 58 of the increase / decrease knitted through Wales 60 arranged to increase homogeneity serve the knitted fabric in the entire molded area.

It is from this juxtaposition of the known knitting process with the new knitting process it is easy to see that the The shape of the knitted fabric is much more homogeneous than that of the State of the art and that such a knitted fabric is much more resistant against mechanical stress and premature Is material fatigue. The geometry of the three-dimensional molded area can also be better by the invention are controlled and that by the distance between the positions 50, 52, 54, 56, 58 and over the length of the increase or decrease on each single digit 50, 52, 54, 56, 58. In the present example is in the middle range, i.e. the area of greatest bulge the longest increase in existence. In the adjacent ones Digits 52, 56 the increase is less long and in the am Outlying areas 50, 58 the increase is only relatively short, e.g. the increase / splitting extends over one to ten rows of stitches.

The present invention is therefore suitable for generating all possible geometric shapes such as spheres, cones and all types bulges of regular or irregular nature. Both the increase / decrease in the stitches and the partial Inactivation of the needles in a row of stitches can be done in one uneven spacing and to a different extent respectively. It can continue to be controlled or statistical, in order to achieve the highest possible homogeneity. In the Distribution of these sites and the distribution of the size of the increase / decrease / inactivation however, care must be taken that overall an approximately uniform shape of the knitted fabric the entire area is achieved.

Of course, the two basic techniques of Increases / diminishes on the one hand and spitting on the other can be combined with one another as required.

Claims (14)

1. A method of producing a three-dimensional knit (10) whose area is shaped spatially, the deformation being done at multiple locations (11, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58) evenly distributed over the deformed portion (6, 30) and the degree of deformation being controlled over the mutual spacing of said locations (11, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58) at which loop widening, loop narrowing or, in adjoining through-knitted portions, interknitting of the courses occurs on elimination of courses located inbetween, characterized in that said spatial deformation of said knit due to the distribution of said locations (11, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58) and the magnitude of said loop widening, loop narrowing or said interknitting does not occur along a line but is homogenously distributed in the complete deformed portion (6,30).
2. The method as set forth in claim 1,
   characterized in that
   said widening/narrowing locations (11, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58) in a portion of equal deformation are spaced away from each other roughly equal.
3. The method as set forth in any of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that
   said degree of deformation is set via the area-specific density of said locations (11, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58) at which a widening/narrowing occurs.
4. The method as set forth in any of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that said locations (11, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58) are arranged unequally spaced and to a differing extent in said portion (6,30) but so that, in all, a roughly uniform shaping of said knit is achieved in the complete portion (6, 30).
5. The method as set forth in any of the preceding claims,
   characterized in that
   knitting is done with twin needles, the number of activated needles being selected differingly for each twin needle in said widening/narrowing portion and in the remaining knit.
6. The method as set forth in claim 1,
   characterized in that
   needle inactivation is done in said portion (6, 30) equispaced by at least one to thirty courses.
7. The method as set forth in claim 6,
   characterized in that
   the wales at which inactivation is commenced are alternatingly changed within said portion (6) for inactivations in sequence.
8. The method as set forth in any of the preceding claims, employing a flat knitting machine with twin needles,
   characterized in that
   unlike the remaining knit, knitting is done in said widening/narrowing portion with both needles of said twin needle successively.
9. The method as set forth in any of the preceding claims, employing a flat knitting machine with twin needles,
   characterized in that
   in the fashioning or widening/narrowing portion knitting is done with a higher strength than in the remaining portion.
10. The method as set forth in claim 1
    characterized in that
    on a flat knitting machine having single needle drive several fashioning portions distributed over the width of the needle bed are fabricated synchronously.
11. A three-dimensionally shaped knit (10) including multiple locations (11, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58) for deformation evenly distributed over the deformed portion (6, 30) at which loop widening, loop narrowing or, in adjoining through-knitted portions (18) interknitting of the courses (12, 14, 16) occurs on elimination of courses located inbetween, characterized in that the spatial deformation does not occur along a line but is homogenously distributed in the complete deformed portion (6, 30) by the distribution of said locations (11, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58) and the size of said loop widening, loop narrowing or interknitting.
12. The knit as set forth in claim 11, comprising at least two plies/areas
    characterized in that
    the density of said locations (11, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58) for widening/narrowing loops or inactivating needles in one ply/area is higher than in the other ply/area.
13. The knit as set forth in claim 11 or 12,
    characterized in that
    said locations (11, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58) are arranged unequally spaced and to a differing extent in said portion (6,30) but so that, in all, a roughly uniform shaping of said knit is achieved in the complete portion (6, 30).
14. Use of said knit as set forth in claim 11, 12 or 13 for producing the fabric ply for a knitted helmet dome.

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