EP1947224B1

EP1947224B1 - Rib fabric and its knitting method

Info

Publication number: EP1947224B1
Application number: EP06782629.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Masao Okuno
Original assignee: Shima Seiki Mfg Ltd
Current assignee: Shima Seiki Mfg Ltd
Priority date: 2005-08-23
Filing date: 2006-08-10
Publication date: 2016-09-21
Anticipated expiration: 2026-08-10
Also published as: JPWO2007023690A1; CN101248228B; JP4848372B2; EP1947224A1; CN101248228A; EP1947224A4; WO2007023690A1

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a rib fabric that is reduced in stretchability through the insertion of an inlay yarn.

BACKGROUND ART

A method of suppressing stretchability in the wale direction (an orientation extending from the beginning of the knitting to the end of the knitting) of a rib fabric by inserting an inlay yarn is known. For example, Patent document 1 proposes a sock formed from a rib fabric having an inserted inlay yarn. However, the inlay yarn (inserted yarn) simply passes through the rib fabric and is not fixed to the rib stitches. Therefore, when the fabric is stretched in a lateral direction (the course direction of the fabric), the inlay yarn appears between the rib stitches and becomes conspicuous. Furthermore, once the inlay yarn has appeared, it does not return to its original state, leading to deterioration of the visual quality.
Patent document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application 2002-88511
Prior art documents GB 393 394 A , US 5 765 400 A , DE 705 541 C and WO 91/00936 A1 disclose knitted fabrics and knitting methods for manufacturing same, in which an inlay yarn is incorporated in the knitted fabric.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a rib fabric and a knitting method for the rib fabric with which:

1) the stretchability of the rib fabric is suppressed using an inlay yarn;
2) the inlay yarn is fixed to the rib stitches such that even when the fabric is stretched, the inlay yarn does not move relative to the rib stitches; and
3) the inlay yarn appears on both the front and rear surfaces of the fabric, thereby improving the design quality.

This and other objects are solved by a rib fabric having the features as set forth in claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the rib fabric are stated in the subclaims 1 to 5.
This and other objects are also solved by a rib fabric knitting method as stated in claim 6. Claim 7 defines a preferred embodiment of the knitting method.
A rib fabric of the present invention comprises a rib weave constituted by a knit stitch and a purl stitch, and an inlay yarn inserted into the rib weave. The inlay yarn passes through the front and rear of the rib weave by intersecting a prolongation connecting adjacent knit and purl stitches of the rib weave, and the inlay yarn surrounds the adjacent knit and purl stitches such that the inlay yarn is partially exposed on an outer side of both the front and rear of the rib weave.
Preferably, as a result of friction between the knit stitch and the inlay yarn in a part surrounding the knit stitch and friction between the purl stitch and the inlay yarn in a part surrounding the purl stitch, stretching of the rib fabric is suppressed and the inlay yarn is constrained within the rib weave.
Also, the inlay yarn and a knitting yarn of the rib weave preferably have different colors.
The rib weave preferably comprises a knit stitch surrounded by the inlay yarn on a front side of the rib weave, a purl stitch surrounded by the inlay yarn on a rear side of the rib weave, and a knit stitch and a purl stitch that are not surrounded by the inlay yarn.
Particularly preferably, a ratio between a total number of knit stitches and purl stitches surrounded by the inlay yarn and a total number of knit stitches and purl stitches not surrounded by the inlay yarn is between 3:1 and 1:3.
A rib fabric knitting method of the present invention is a method of knitting a rib fabric using a flat knitting machine that has a front-rear pair of opposing needle beds and allows free stitch movement between the front and rear thereof. By performing a course for knitting a rib weave through rib knitting, a course for moving adjacent knit and purl stitches to opposing needle beds in at least a part of the stitches of the rib weave, a course for inserting an inlay yarn, and a course for returning the moved adjacent knit and purl stitches to original needle beds thereof, the inlay yarn passes through the front and rear of the rib weave by intersecting a prolongation connecting the adjacent knit and purl stitches, and thus a rib fabric in which the inlay yarn surrounds the adjacent knit and purl stitches such that the inlay yarn is partially exposed on an outer side of both the front and rear of the rib weave is obtained.
Preferably, by moving only a part of the stitches of the rib weave to the opposing needle beds, returning the moved stitches to the original needle beds thereof after inserting the inlay yarn, and not moving the remaining knit and purl stitches of the rib weave, the rib weave is provided with a knit stitch that is surrounded by the inlay yarn on a front side of the rib weave, a purl stitch that is surrounded by the inlay yarn on a rear side of the rib weave, and knit and purl stitches that are not surrounded by the inlay yarn.
In this specification, a course indicates a series of knitting operations performed by the flat knitting machine, and in the case of a flat knitting machine having a carriage, either a single course corresponds to a single movement of the carriage or a plurality of courses corresponds to a single movement of the carriage. Further, the course of the carriage may indicate a single movement of the carriage. The course direction corresponds to a row of stitches connected in a lateral direction, and the wale direction is a perpendicular direction thereto.
Notations such as 1×1, 2x3 and so on relating to the rib fabric indicate that a pattern of knit 1 purl 1 is repeated (a 1×1 rib) and that a pattern of knit 2 purl 3 is repeated (a 2x3 rib).
A rib weave may be considered as a weave in which the knit stitch surface and the purl stitch surface oppose each other. Accordingly, the space between the knit stitch surface and the purl stitch surface is known as the inside of the rib weave or rib fabric, and the other surfaces are known as the front surface or the outside of the rib weave or rib fabric. The term "the inlay yarn surrounds the stitch" means that the inlay yarn passes the outside of the knit stitch and purl stitch on the front surface of the fabric. In this area, the inlay yarn passes through the interior of the fabric, and therefore frictional force acts between the inlay yarn and the surrounded stitch.
In this specification, description relating to the rib fabric applies as is to the rib fabric knitting method, and conversely, description relating to the rib fabric knitting method applies as is to the rib fabric. In the absence of indication to the contrary, description relating to the first embodiment applies as is to the other embodiments and modified examples. To move the stitches between needle beds, transfer is mainly employed in the embodiments, but holding ( Japanese Patent 2946325 , USP6047569 ) or the like may be used instead of transfer. Further, instead of moving the stitches between needle beds, the stitches may be moved between a needle bed and a transfer jack bed ( Japanese Patent 3408735 , EP924327B ). In other words, any method in which the stitches are moved in the front-rear direction of a flat knitting machine so as to pass through a trick gap between needle beds may be employed. Further, in certain cases no distinction is made between transfer and other stitch moving methods such as holding, and in such cases all methods are referred to as transfer.
In the present invention, the inlay yarn passes through the front and rear of the rib weave by intersecting a prolongation between adjacent knit and purl stitches of the rib fabric, and thus the inlay yarn surrounds the adjacent knit and purl stitches on both sides of this intersection position. Also, the inlay yarn is constrained within the rib weave by friction with the adjacent knit and purl stitches. Hence, even when the rib fabric is stretched, the inlay yarn does not rise up from the rib weave and remains integrated with the rib weave. Further, the knit and purl stitches of the rib weave that are surrounded by the inlay yarn are restricted in movement, and therefore a fabric having reduced stretchability is obtained. Moreover, the rib weave provides a fabric that is thicker than a plain-knitted fabric, giving the fabric a sturdy feel. The inlay yarn appears on both the front and rear of the fabric, and since a rib weave is reversible anyway, the inlay yarn may also be used in locations of the fabric in which the rear surface is visible. Further, when the inlay yarn has a different color to the rib weave, for example when a highly decorative yarn such as lame yarn is used as the inlay yarn, a fabric with a high degree of design quality is obtained.
The stretchability of the rib fabric is determined according to the ratio between the number of stitches surrounded by the inlay yarn and the number of stitches not surrounded by the inlay yarn. As the proportion of stitches surrounded by the inlay yarn increases, stretchability is suppressed and a quality approaching soft, thick woven fabric is exhibited, and as the proportion of stitches not surrounded by the inlay yarn increases, the stretchability increases. For example, when substantially all of the stitches of the rib fabric are surrounded by the inlay yarn, shape stability increases such that a sturdy fabric suited for use in all types of clothing is obtained. When the ratio is set between 3:1 and 1:3, preferably between 2:1 and 1:2, and more preferably at substantially 1:1, a fabric that is thicker and more stretchable than that of a case in which all of the stitches are surrounded by the inlay yarn is obtained, and the resulting fabric is suitable for use in the front of a cardigan, the waist of pants or a skirt, a collar, and so on. In this case, the stitches surrounded by the inlay yarn and the non-surrounded stitches appear in dappled form.
In the present invention, adjacent knit and purl stitches are moved in the front-rear direction of the flat knitting machine in at least a part of the rib weave fabric. An inlay yarn is then inserted, whereupon the moved stitches are returned. In relation to the moved stitches, the inlay yarn passes the outside of the stitches instead of passing between the knit stitch and the purl stitch. Hence, when the stitches are returned, the inlay yarn surrounds the moved knit and purl stitches.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a view showing a knitting method according to a first embodiment;
Fig. 2 is a view showing a fabric knitted in accordance with the first embodiment;
Fig. 3 is a pattern diagram showing the disposition of a rib stitch and an inlay yarn according to the first embodiment;
Fig. 4 is a view showing a stitch structure notation according to the first embodiment;
Fig. 5 is a view showing a stretching model of a rib fabric according to a conventional example;
Fig. 6 is a view showing a knitting method according to a second embodiment;
Fig. 7 is a view showing a stitch structure according to the second embodiment;
Fig. 8 is a view showing a knitting method according to a modified example;
Fig. 9 is a view showing a knitting method according to a third embodiment;
Fig. 10 is a view showing a stitch structure according to the third embodiment; and
Fig. 11 is a view showing a stretching model of the fabric according to the embodiments.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

2, 22, 32, 42: rib fabric
4: knit stitch wale
5: knit stitch
6: purl stitch wale
7: purl stitch
8: prolongation
10: inlay yarn
11, 12: exposed portion
13, 14: prolongation
15: knit stitch not surrounded by inlay yarn
17: purl stitch not surrounded by inlay yarn
25: knit stitch surrounded by inlay yarn
27: purl stitch surrounded by inlay yarn
30: left end stitch of rib weave
30f, b: holding stitch
S1, S11, S15: rib knit
S2, S12, S16: transfer
S3, S13, S17: inlay
S4, S14, S18: transfer
S21, S27: rib knit
S22, S28: holding
S23, S29: holding
S24, S30: inlay
S25, S31: taking back
S26, S32: taking back
S42, S47: rib knit
S41, S45, S46: transfer
S44, S49: inlay
S46, 548, S50: transfer

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below.

EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments and modifications thereof are shown in Figs. 1 to 11. Figs. 1 to 4 show a first embodiment, in which a rib fabric is knitted using a universal flat knitting machine that has a front-rear pair of needle beds and allows free transfer between the needle beds. The knitting operation is performed by manipulating the needles of the needle beds using a carriage, but the needles may be manipulated by providing each needle of the needle bed with a linear motor. The weave of Fig. 1 is a 1×1 rib envisaging the front of a cardigan or the like, in which the left end plain-knit part is the weave at the end portion of the front. In a step 1, for example, one course of rib knitting is performed, and in a step 2, each knit stitch, excluding the two end portions of the rib weave, is transferred to the opposing needle bed. Next, in a step 3, an inlay yarn is inserted and fixed to the rib stitch at the right end part of the front by tucking or the like, for example. Next, in a step 4, the transferred stitches are returned to their original needle beds. By repeating this process, a rib fabric 2 shown in Figs. 2 to 4 is obtained.
4 is a knit stitch wale, 6 is a purl stitch wale, 5 denotes individual knit stitches, 7 denotes individual purl stitches, and 8 is a prolongation between the knit stitch 5 and the purl stitch 7. 10 denotes an inlay yarn that passes the outside of the knit stitch 5 and the outside of the purl stitch 7, surrounds the outside of the knit stitch 5 and purl stitch 7 as indicated by exposed portions 11, 12, and connects the knit stitch 5 and purl stitch 7 by a prolongation 13. As shown in Fig. 3, in the rib fabric 2, a surface constituted by a collection of the knit stitches 5 and a surface constituted by a collection of the purl stitches 7 are drawn close together to form a thin rib fabric. The knit stitch 5 and purl stitch 7 contact the exposed portions 11, 12 of the inlay yarn 10 such that friction is generated between them, and as a result, a sturdy fabric that has reduced stretchability and is slightly thicker than a plain-knitted fabric is obtained. Moreover, the front and rear of the rib fabric 2 are symmetrical.
Fig. 5 shows a 1×1 rib fabric according to a conventional example. The surface of the knit stitches 5 and the surface of the purl stitches 7 are removed from each other, leading to an increase in thickness in comparison with the rib fabric 2 of Fig. 3. Furthermore, due to deformation of the prolongation 8, the pitch of the stitches 5 and 7 varies, leading to an increase in stretchability such that the fabric can be stretched as shown in the lower portion of Fig. 5. With the rib fabric 2 of this embodiment, on the other hand, the pitch of the stitches 5 and 7 is kept substantially constant due to the inlay yarn 10, and as a result, a texture approaching that of woven fabric is produced. Fig. 4 shows a simplification of the rib fabric 2 of Fig. 3. Hereafter, the inlay yarn 10 will be indicated by a broken line, and the parts in which the inlay yarn 10 is shown to surround the knit stitch 5 and purl stitch 7 indicate the parts in which the inlay yarn 10 passes the outside of the knit stitch 5 and purl stitch 7.
Figs. 6 and 7 show an embodiment in which approximately half of each of the knit stitches and purl stitches of a 1×1 rib weave are surrounded by an inlay yarn. In a step 11 of Fig. 6, one course of rib knitting is performed, and in a step 12, transfer is performed. At this time, approximately half of the stitches are transferred. In a step 13, the inlay yarn is inserted, and in a step 14, the stitches are returned. Note that adjacent knit and purl stitches are transferred to ensure that the adjacent knit and purl stitches are respectively surrounded by the inlay yarn. In a step 15 to a step 18, similar processing to that of the steps 11 to 14 is performed, but transferred stitches 25, 27 and non-transferred stitches 15, 17 are reversed from their counterparts in the steps 11 to 14. As a result, the stitches 25, 27 surrounded by the inlay yarn and the non-surrounded stitches 15, 17 are reversed on each course, for example, giving the rib fabric a dappled appearance. The obtained rib fabric is shown in Fig. 7, where 15 denotes knit stitches not surrounded by the inlay yarn, 17 denotes purl stitches not surrounded by the inlay yarn, 25 denotes knit stitches surrounded by the inlay yarn, and 27 denotes purl stitches surrounded by the inlay yarn. 14 is a prolongation passing between the stitches 15, 17. Note that in Figs. 4 and 7, the fabric 2, 22 is displayed along a course direction cross-section, and therefore the prolongations 13, 14 and the prolongation 8 appear to intersect at an identical height. In actuality, however, differences exist in the intersection heights.
Fig. 8 shows a modified example of an all-needle rib fabric that employs holding instead of transfer. In holding, a compound needle constituted by a needle main body having a hook and a slider having a tongue is used as the knitting needle, and holding is a process whereby the compound needle holding a stitch by the hook temporarily holds another stitch using the tongue. In steps 21 and 27 of Fig. 8, stitches indicated by black circles are the stitches that are held temporarily during holding.
In a step 21, one course of rib knitting is performed, for example, and in steps 22 and 23, holding is performed. At this time, an adjacent pair of stitches constituted by a knit stitch 30f and a purl stitch 30b is held. In a step 24, an inlay yarn is inserted. Next, in steps 25 and 26, the holding is released such that the stitches are moved to their original needles. As a result, a rib weave in which the stitches 25, 27 that are surrounded by the inlay yarn occur once every four stitches, for example, is obtained on the right side of a left end stitch 30 of the rib-knitted part. Further, the stitches surrounded by the inlay yarn 10 are adjacent knit and purl stitches 25 and 27. Knitting is then performed in a similar manner while varying the position of the stitches surrounded by the inlay yarn 10. For example, in steps 28 to 32, the position of the stitches 25, 27 surrounded by the inlay yarn is shifted by two stitches in relation to the steps 21 to 26. The stitches 25, 27 are surrounded by the inlay yarn once every four stitches, and therefore, by repeating knitting similar to that of the steps 21 to 26 four times while varying the position of the stitches 25, 27 surrounded by the inlay yarn so as to complete a single cycle, the stitches 25, 27 surrounded by the inlay yarn can be distributed evenly over the rib fabric.
Figs. 9 and 10 show an embodiment relating to tubular knitting, in which substantially all of the stitches 25, 27 of a 1×1 rib fabric are surrounded by inlay yarn. A four-bed flat knitting machine having an upper needle bed and a lower needle bed at both the front and rear, for example, is used as the flat knitting machine, and in steps 41 to 45, a rear fabric is knitted. In the step 41, stitches are moved from the lower rear needle bed to the upper front needle bed, and in the step 42, a single course of rib knitting is performed. In the step 43, transfer is performed between the lower rear needle bed and the upper front needle bed, and in the step 44, an inlay yarn is inserted. In the step 45, transfer from the upper front needle bed to the lower rear needle bed is performed. In steps 46 to 50, similar processing is performed on the front fabric, as a result of which a rib fabric 32' shown in Fig. 9 is obtained. A similar rib fabric 32 to the rib fabric 32' is shown in Fig. 10. The rib fabric has reduced stretchability and is both sturdy and thin, and can therefore be used as a basic weave in the knitting of non-sewn clothing, for example.
Fig. 11 shows a stretching model of the fabric. The width of the fabric following finishing is indicated using the width (knitting width) of the fabric during knitting on the needle bed as a reference. As shrinkage from the knitting width increases, the fabric is stretched more easily. In a plain-knitted fabric, slight shrinkage occurs, as shown on the second step of Fig. 11. When the stitches of the plain-knitted fabric are surrounded by inlay yarn in a similar manner to the rib fabric 2 of the embodiments, the fabric becomes even more rigid than the original fabric having limited stretchability. In the case of the rib fabric shown in Figs. 1 to 4, substantially all of the stitches are surrounded by the inlay yarn, and therefore stretchability is suppressed. As shown in Fig. 7, when the stitches 25, 27 surrounded by the inlay yarn and the non-surrounded stitches 15, 17 are provided, the stretchability increases. In the rib fabric of the conventional example, in which inlay yarn is not used, the width of the finished product shrinks dramatically from the knitting width on the needle bed, and even greater stretchability remains.
The embodiments achieve the following effects.

1) By having the inlay yarn surround adjacent knit and purl stitches of the rib, the inlay yarn is forcefully constrained within the rib weave, and therefore the stretchability of the rib weave can be suppressed. Furthermore, the inlay yarn does not appear through the rib weave.
2) The obtained rib fabric has a texture between a normal rib fabric and woven fabric, and its stretchability and thickness can be adjusted in accordance with the ratio between the number of stitches 25, 27 surrounded by the inlay yarn and the number of non-surrounded stitches 15, 17. The rib fabric is thicker than a conventional plain-knitted fabric, and therefore has a sturdy feel.
3) The rib fabric can be used in locations that can be seen from the outside on both the front and rear sides.
4) By varying the type of inlay yarn and the knitting yarn of the rib weave, in particular the color, a fabric having a high degree of design quality is obtained. In this case, when the inlay yarn surrounds only a part of the stitches of the rib weave, a dappled appearance is obtained.

Claims

A rib fabric (2) comprising a rib weave constituted by knit stitches (5, 25) and purl stitches (7, 27), and an inlay yarn (10) inserted into said rib weave,
characterized in that said inlay yarn (10) passes through the front and rear of said rib weave by intersecting a prolongation (8, 13, 14) connecting adjacent knit (5, 25) and purl stitches (7, 27) of said rib weave, and
said inlay yarn (10) surrounds a front side of said adjacent knit stitches (5, 25) on a front side of said rib weave and a rear side of said purl stitches (7, 27) on a rear side of said rib weave such that said inlay yarn (10) is partially exposed on both said front and rear of said rib weave.
The rib fabric (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that as a result of friction between said knit stitch (5) and said inlay yarn (7) in a part surrounding said knit stitch (5) and friction between said purl stitch (7) and said inlay yarn (10) in a part surrounding said purl stitch (7), stretching of said rib fabric (2) is suppressed and said inlay yarn (10) is constrained within said rib weave.
The rib fabric (2) according to claim 2, characterized in that said inlay yarn (10) and a knitting yarn of said rib weave have different colors.
The rib fabric (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that said rib weave comprises a knit stitch (5, 25) surrounded by said inlay yarn (10) on said front side of said rib weave,
a purl stitch (27) surrounded by said inlay yarn (10) on said rear side of said rib weave, and a knit stitch (15) and a purl stitch (17) that are not surrounded by said inlay yarn (10).
The rib fabric (2) according to claim 4, characterized in that a ratio between a total number of knit stitches (25) and purl stitches (27) surrounded by said inlay yarn (10) and a total number of knit stitches (15) and purl stitches (17) not surrounded by said inlay yarn (10) is between 3:1 and 1:3.
A rib fabric knitting method for knitting a rib fabric (2) using a flat knitting machine that has a front-rear pair of opposing needle beds and allows free stitch movement between the front and rear thereof,
characterized in that by performing a course for knitting a rib weave through rib knitting, a course for moving adjacent knit stitches (5, 25) and purl stitches (7, 27) to opposing needle beds in at least a part of the stitches of said rib weave, a course for inserting an inlay yarn (10), and a course for returning said moved adjacent knit stitches (5, 25) and purl stitches (7, 27) to original needle beds thereof,
said inlay yarn (10) passes through the front and rear of said rib weave by intersecting a prolongation (8, 13, 14) connecting said adjacent knit stitches (5, 25) and purl stitches (7, 27), and thus a rib fabric in which said inlay yarn (10) surrounds a front side of said adjacent knit stitches (5, 25) on a front side of said rib weave and a rear side of said purl stitches (7, 27) on a rear side of said rib weave such that said inlay yarn (10) is partially exposed on both said front side and said rear of said rib weave.
The rib fabric knitting method according to claim 6, characterized in that by moving only a part of the stitches (5, 25, 7, 27) of said rib weave to said opposing needle beds, returning said moved stitches (5, 25, 7, 27) to said original needle beds thereof after inserting said inlay yarn (10), and not moving remaining knit and purl stitches (5, 25; 7, 27) of said rib weave,
said rib weave is provided with a knit stitch (25, 27) that is surrounded by said inlay yarn (10) on said front side of said rib weave, a purl stitch (7, 27) that is surrounded by said inlay yarn (10) on said rear side of said rib weave, and knit (15) and purl stitches (17) that are not surrounded by said inlay yarn (10).