FR2781816A1 - Weft knitted stretch fabric has structured zones with strong and medium and weak holding actions for use in joint bandages and foundation garments for comfort and effective support - Google Patents

Abstract

The weft knitted fabric has a knitted base structure (A) with ground stitches and additional rows of lock stitches with a stretch yarn on the weft, with a second zone (B) formed within the base structure (A), with a medium holding action and/or a zone (C) with a weak holding action. The weft knitted fabric (1), with a weft stretch, has a knitted base structure (A) with ground stitches and additional rows of lock stitches with a stretch yarn on the weft. The stretch material gives a holding action of a given value which is strong in the direction of the rows of stitches and a weak elasticity in the direction of the wales. A second zone (B) is formed within the base structure (A), with a medium holding action and/or a zone (C) with a weak holding action. The inserted zone (B) is formed by the use of long stitches which replace the normal ground stitches and stretch lock stitches and doubled stitches. The weakest zone (C) is formed without a stretch weft, but with rows of ground stitches using an elastic synthetic filament, using normal stitches alternating with floating stitches, with stitch repeats over two to four rows. The zones (B) with a medium holding action are arranged in the knitted bandage product (1) after it has been shaped, to lie at a part of the body with a convex shape durably or temporarily. The zones (C) with the weak holding action are placed where the body has a concave shape and/or forms folds. The zones (B) with a medium holding action are formed by rows of stitches with yarns of a different color, for the zone to be clearly visible. The zones (C) with a weak holding action are formed by a thin synthetic stretch filament together with rows of normal stitches using a synthetic texturized filament. The zones (B) with the medium holding action are in a strength value which is lower than the main body (A) of the fabric, but stronger than at the weak zones (C). An Independent claim is included for a knee bandage, with a circular colored zone (B) in a medium holding action over the kneecap. The zones (C) with a weak holding action extend laterally from the sides of the center zone (B) round the back of the knee. The side edges (1a,1b) are formed from the original weft knitted fabric (1). A further Independent claim is included for a brassiere where the strap round the body under the cups, and the shoulder straps, are of a weft knitted fabric (A) with a strong holding action. The cups are made with the material of a medium holding action (B) for the bottom of the cups and the weak holding action (C) material for the top of the cups. The link between the cups has a weak holding action (C).

Description

The invention relates to an elastic weft knit for making

  of articles, for example of support or of contention, presenting zones

  having different extensibilities.

  It aims to obtain different compression zones in a single piece of knitting to establish greater flexibility in certain places, thus respecting the anatomy and more particularly that linked to the joints. Although it can be applied to articles of

  this knitting is more particularly interesting for orthotics.

  Trauma of the limbs is often accompanied in its final treatment phase by the prescription of elastic orthoses in the form of knee pads, ankle pads, elbow pads, etc. intended to support or hold the joint in place and facilitate its healing. To reinforce most often the guidance of these joints in their projecting parts (examples: elbow, ball joint, etc.) or to facilitate movement, a recess is used, which is a hole made in knitting, and in which comes to engage the projecting part. This device is most often supplemented by an insert which, made either of foam or of silicone, is placed in a pocket. This manufacturing technique has two major drawbacks. The first consists of the sensation of cold perceived by the diseased joint, due to the insert and the recess. The second consists of the formation of microtrauma on the patella, due to the repeated lateral friction on it, during the extension,

  the edges of this recess tending to engage under the ball joint.

  The object of the invention is to remedy these drawbacks by providing a weft knit fabricated on a rectilinear loom and replacing, in the knitted piece, the recess by at least one knitted area providing a different compression, so that, after binding of the edges of the piece, for example by sewing, the article obtained is composed, in certain rows of stitches, of juxtaposed zones having different extensibilities, at least in one direction and for example in the

transverse direction.

  If it is known in circular knitting, for example by French patent application 2 751 668, to produce zones having different extensibilities by modifying, in at least certain rows of stitches, the nature and the length of the stitches , the state of the known technique does not indicate how to transpose this knitting technique to a woven knitted fabric, the weft of which is constituted by a covered gum or an elastic synthetic yarn whose knitting tension and the resistance by the stitches determine an effort restraint to have a substantially constant value. Another object of the invention is to transpose the technique used in circular knitting to rectilinear knitting in order to obtain zones of different extensibility by adapting and supplementing it, so that, in a support or compression article, at least some of the extensibility zones provide restraint efforts, of substantially constant value, while other extensible zones juxtaposed and formed in the same rows of meshes, are not subject to this requirement

  of constant restraint effort.

  According to the invention, the elastic weft knitting is composed of a basic knitting formed by rows of basic stitches and additional rows of stitches blocking elastic threads arranged in weft, providing a so-called strong contention of value defined in the direction of the rows of stitches and having a lower elasticity in the direction of the columns of stitches, basic knitting in which is formed at least one knitting zone with medium compression and / or at least one zone with weak compression, the zone of medium compression knit being formed by replacing, in the rows of basic stitches and in the additional rows, of normal stitches by long stitches and by loads, while the zone of weak contention is formed without elastic thread in weft but with rows of basic stitches made with a fine elastic synthetic thread and comprising normal stitches, alternating with stitches not taken and mesh carryovers out of two to

four rows.

  Thus, a basic knit with strong compression can be juxtaposed on the same row of stitches, either a knit of less strong compression, or a knit offering only a weak compression, but having a great extensibility and airy meshes favoring evacuation of

  sweat, or both types of knitting.

  Advantageously, the zone or zones of medium contention are arranged in the zones of the piece coming, after making the article, above a part of the human body which is convex, permanently or temporarily, while the or the zones of weak contention are arranged in zones of the part coming above a part of the

  body which is concave and / or forms folds.

  This arrangement makes it possible to produce knee pads, elbow pads and even ankle pads which are perfectly adapted to the need for treatment or preventive support and which also have the advantage of having no other seam than that binding the edges of the piece.

  knitted constituting them, therefore providing a pleasant wearing.

  In one embodiment, in the middle contention zone, the additional rows of stitches are alternately of different colors to form, on the face of the fabric, a marking

identifying this area.

  This coloring facilitates the positioning of the zone concerned on a particular part of the body, and for example on a concave part.

  such as the kneecap in a kneepad.

  The invention also relates to certain articles obtained with this knit, and in particular a knee brace and a bra which will be

  described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

  Figure 1 is a front view of an elastic weft knit piece obtained by the method according to the invention and intended for the production of a kneepad, Figure 2 is a perspective view of the kneepad obtained, Figures 3, 4 and 5 represent the shape of the stitches of different zones of an article knitted according to knitwear, the diagrams of which are given in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a sports bra obtained from 'a piece produced in the weft knitting according to the invention. The knitted piece 1 represented in FIG. 1 is therefore composed of a basic knitting A constituting the essential of this piece and in which are formed, on the one hand, a knitting zone with medium compression B and, on the other hand share, two knitting zones with low compression C. Being a knee brace, the medium compression zone B is circular and arranged in the central part of the part intended to come on the patella, in place of the recess usual patella, while the weak compression zones C are arranged laterally, so as to form, after constitution of the kneepad by sewing its longitudinal edges la and 1 b, a band

  posterior D able to cover the popliteal fossa.

  As shown in the knitting diagram in Figure 6

  corresponding to a first embodiment of basic knitting A, this

  ci is composed of a weft thread 2 constituted by a wrapped gum, a bottom thread 3 and a thread 4 forming an additional row of stitches. In the areas of basic knitting A, the weft thread 2 inserted between the needles of the two needle beds of the rectilinear knitting machine is then blocked by the bottom thread 3 forming a stitch (dimension 1/1) going from the front needles to the rear needles , with a ratio of 1/1, then is blocked by the thread 4 passing only on the front needles and making it possible to establish two the frequency of passage of the elastic thread. In zone B, corresponding to the knit having a medium contention, the order of passage of the threads is the same but, as shown in the central part of FIG. 6, the stitches m3 and m4 formed by the threads 3 and 4 are more as long as the neighboring ones

  ml and m2 formed in zone A and are associated with loads 5 and 6.

  Because of this knitting, the weft yarn 2 is less blocked and is therefore freer, which provides a more flexible knitting providing a compression of value less than that provided by the basic knitting A. Figure 3 shows the knitting thus obtained, namely on its left part, the basic knitting A and, in its central part, the knitting zone B having a medium contention and in which the reverse stitches m3 formed by the yarn 3 are longer than those ml formed in the basic knitting and are associated with loads 5. In this representation, in order not to complicate the drawing, the front stitches formed by the yarn 4 have the same length in the two zones, whereas, in reality, they are longer in zone B. FIG. 7 is a variant of the knitting diagram in FIG. 6, insofar as to the three starting rows, an additional row formed by a thread 7 is added. In the basic knitting, this thread 7 forms on the back needles of the m5 stitches, while in the middle contention zone B the m6 stitches are longer and formed between the rear needles and the front needles, and include fillers 8. In the manufacturing process, this additional row is formed before bet

in place of the weft thread 2.

  The yarn 7 is advantageously of a different color from that of the yarns 3 and 4, so as to form, on the face of the knitted fabric, a colored pattern identifying the area B of average compression. This pattern promotes the establishment of this area B on a part of the human body, and for example, on the patella. This additional row also makes it possible to establish at three the

  passage of the elastic thread 3. FIG. 4 illustrates the knitting thus obtained.

  FIG. 8 represents the knitting diagram of knitting C with low compression, that is to say with high extensibility. In this area, the weft gum 2 is replaced by an elastic synthetic thread 9 having a low metric number, (more or less NM150), and which can for example be constituted by the thread 4 forming the additional row in the

  knitting patterns in Figures 6 and 7.

  This yarn is associated with a larger yarn 10, with a softer feel, which, knitted on the inner face, improves touch and comfort by masking the elastic yarn with a rougher feel. This wire can, moreover, be identical to wire 3 used to constitute the bottom wire in the diagrams of

knitting of figures 6 and 7.

  In FIG. 8, the first row of stitches m l in thread 3 corresponds to basic knitting A. The second row represents the stitches m7 of thread 10 which is knitted on the needles of the rear needle bed. The third row represents transfers 11 of stitches and the fourth row of stitches formed by the thread 9 comprising m8 stitches formed between the front and rear stitches with a carryover of 1/1, alternating with m9 stitches not taken by a needle on two of the front needle bed and which are the subject of the following transfer to an anterior row of stitches m8. In FIG. 5 showing the knitted fabric C obtained, the transfers are carried out in two rows but they can be carried out in three or

four rows.

  The replacement of the gum 2 in the weft with a knitted yarn 9 decreases the thickness of the knitted fabric in the area C, while the transfers form,

  in the knitted fabric, holes 13 which ventilate it and allow perspiration to pass through.

  The use of a thin elastic thread at the bottom makes it possible to obtain a knit, elastic in height and in width, and of low compression,

  thus being able to follow the shape of a member, without hampering the movement.

  Another advantage of this type of knitting is that it does not form any

  fold which can hinder the movement of the limb, during significant flexion.

  It should be noted here that the elastic weft 2, which is eliminated, remains immobilized in the knitting zones of strong compression and of weak compression, so that, it is without damage to the compression, that the piece thus knitted can include C zones of high extensibility. These areas of high extensibility are more particularly intended to come into the parts of the body which are concave, or which bend, such as the popliteal hollow for a kneepad, the bending of the arm for an elbow pad, the plant

feet for an ankle brace.

  Such a knit can combine several medium contention zones and several low contention zones C, but also combine medium contention zones B themselves providing different contention values, lower than the value of the contention for knit A,

  but greater than that provided by the low contention zones C.

  By way of example, an elastic woven knit according to the invention and using the threads defined in table 1, was cut from each of its zones A, B, and C into 10 × 5 cm test pieces and each test piece has been the subject of a measurement of its retraction force after having been lengthened by 30% of its length, then has been subjected to a permanent elongation, in each direction, until deterioration, of

  so as to determine the maximum elongation percentage.

TABLE I

  Yarn 2 gum natural gum, fibranne and polyamide, final titration 3985 dtex Yarn 3 3 ends of 2/78 dtex of polyamide 6.6 FT Yarn 4 lycra gimped polyamide final titration 661 dtex Yarn 9 2 ends of 2/78 polyamide 6.6 FT Yarn 10 lycra covered polyamide 661 dtex

  The results of these measurements are given in Table II below.

below. -7

TABLE II

  Area knit% elongation% elongation force elongation horizontal maximum vertical maximum at 30% a 110% 40% 204 Cn / cm b 130% 60% 138 CN / cm c 160% 280% 102 CN / cm This table shows that the part obtained makes it possible to obtain the expected results, since it has, in its basic knitting A a strong compression, in its knitting with medium compression B, a lower compression, and in its zone of weak compression C, a compression lower than the average compression with, on the other hand, a very significant possibility of elongation, as well in the direction of the rows of

  meshes only in the direction of the columns thereof.

  Figure 9 shows the application of this knitted fabric to the one-piece manufacture of a sports bra. In this bra, the strap 20 and the straps 22 are made of knitted fabric A with high compression, while the lower part 23 of each cup is made of knitted fabric with medium compression B and the top of the cups 24 is produced in a knit C, with low compression and high extensibility, as well as the point 21 between the cups. If the strap 20 is associated with a band 25 forming a sort of brassiere, this can be made in whole or in part in knit B of medium compression and in

knit C with low compression.

  This article, which includes on the same knitting line, zones providing different contentions, does not contain any

  couture, and is therefore a pleasant wearing.

  It is specified here that the same is true for the manufacture of support or compression sleeves, of the knee, ankle and elbow type, which may not include any seam, other than that ensuring the connection of the two extreme edges of the part. leaving the profession at

knit straight.

Claims (7)

  1. Elastic weft knitting for the production of articles having zones having different extensibilities, at least in one direction, and in which these differences in extensibility result, in certain rows of stitches, from modifications of the nature and the length stitches, said knit forming a piece (1) which, after binding of its edges (la, lb), constitutes a tubular article, characterized in that it is composed of a basic knit (A) formed by rows of bottom stitches (ml) and additional rows of stitches (m2) blocking elastic threads (2) arranged in a weft, providing a so-called strong contention of defined value in the direction of the rows of stitches and having a low elasticity in the direction of the columns of stitches, basic knitting (A) in which at least one zone (B) of medium compression knitting and / or at least one zone (C) of low compression is formed, the knitting zone (B) medium compression both formed by replacing, in the rows of bottom meshes and in the additional rows, normal meshes (ml, m2) by long meshes (m3, m4) and by loads (5, 6), while the zone of weak contention (C) is formed without elastic weft yarn, but with rows of bottom stitches made with a fine elastic synthetic yarn (9), comprising normal stitches (m8), alternating with stitches   not taken (m9) and transfer of stitches over two to four rows.   2. Weft knit according to claim 1, characterized in that the zone or zones of medium contention (B) are arranged in the zones of the part (1) coming, after making of the article, above a part of the human body which is convex, permanently or temporarily, while the weak compression zone (s) (C) are arranged in zones of the part coming above a part of the body which is concave and / or form folds.   3. Weft knit according to claim 1, characterized in that in the medium contention zone (B), the additional rows of stitches are formed by threads (4 and 7) of different colors for   form, on the right side of the fabric, a marking identifying this area.   4. Weft knit according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the weak compression zone (C), rows of stitches of fine elastic synthetic yarn (9) are associated with rows of stitches   regular (m7) in textured synthetic yarn (10).   5. Weft knit according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises medium contention zones (B) providing restraints of different values, lower than that provided by the basic knit A,   but greater than that provided by knitting C with low compression.   6. Knee restraint made from weft knitting   according to all of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it   comprises, in its part coming above the patella, a circular area of medium colored contention (B) and, in its part coming behind the popliteal fossa, a weak contention zone (C) extending transversely on both sides other of the back seam and formed by abutment of two lateral zones formed near the lateral edges (1 a,   1 b) of the original piece (1) in weft knitting.   7. Bra made from weft knit according to the set   claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the strap under the chest   (20) and the shoulder straps (22) are made in the basic knit (A) with strong compression, while the lower parts (23) of the cups are made in a knit with medium compression (B) and that the upper parts ( 24) cups and the point (21) between cups are made   in a low compression knit (C).