GB2386382A

GB2386382A - Knitted seamless bra

Info

Publication number: GB2386382A
Application number: GB0205839A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michel Bonnin; Fernando Fonseca
Original assignee: DIM SA
Current assignee: DIM SA
Priority date: 2002-03-13
Filing date: 2002-03-13
Publication date: 2003-09-17
Anticipated expiration: 2022-03-13
Also published as: GB2386382B; EP1605787A2; US20050277352A1; AU2003209509A1; GB0205839D0; CA2518300A1; CN1758859A; WO2003096780A3; WO2003096780A2; JP2006514164A; AU2003209509A8

Abstract

A knitted blank for a bra is in the form of a tubular body, the tubular body being formed of a body fabric comprising a plurality of courses of ground yam 60 extending circumferentially about the tubular body, the tubular body including discrete regions 70 of reinforcement defined by reinforcement yams which are incorporated into the body fabric. The blank may have a first portion 12 knitted from textured non-elastomeric yarn which lies inside the portion 16 when the bra is worn and a turned welt 14 which forms an elasticated band. The ground yarn in portion 16 may have an elastomeric component and the reinforced regions 70 may include thermosetting yarn which shrinks or rigidifies on heat treatment.

Description

SEAMLESS BRA

The present invention relates to a seamless tubular blank for producing a garment such as a brassiere and to a method of producing such a blank.

In particular, the invention relates to a seamless knitted blank which integrally incorporates areas of reinforcement.

In the manufacture of brassieres it is known to incorporate support wires below the breast cups of the brassiere in order to provide the necessary support to the breasts; this is particularly so for medium to large breasts.

Incorporation of separate support wires is undesirable as it necessarily complicates the manufacturing process and can prove uncomfortable for the wearer, particularly should the support wire protrude from the pocket in which it is accommodated.

In accordance with a general aim of the present invention, an area of reinforcement is integrally knitted into the blank so as to provide the support function of a support wire and thereby obviate the need to incorporate a separate additional support wire.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a knitted blank in the form of a tubular body, the tubular body being formed of a body fabric comprising a plurality of courses of ground yarn extending circumferentially about the tubular body, the tubular body including discrete regions of reinforcement defined by reinforcement yarns which are incorporated into the body fabric.

Preferably, in each region of reinforcement, the ground yarn is of a miss-

knit stitch structure with the same needles on immediately adjacent courses knitting, the reinforcement yarn being knit on the same courses as the ground yarn, the reinforcement yarn being of a miss-knit stitch structure with different needles on immediately adjacent needles knitting.

Preferably the ground yarn is a plated yarn comprising a non-elastomeric ground yarn plated with an elastomeric yarn.

Preferably the non-elastomeric ground yarn is a thermosetting ground yarn such as a polyamide.

Preferably the reinforcement yarn is a thermosetting reinforcement yarn having different thermosetting properties to the thermosetting ground yarn.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of producing a knitted blank in the form of a tubular body having discrete regions of reinforcement, the method including knitting a plurality of courses of ground yarn to define a body fabric wherein said courses extend circumferentially about the tubular body, and incorporating into the ground fabric reinforcement yarns to define said regions of reinforcement.

Preferably the reinforcement yarns are formed from a therrnosettable plastics and the method further includes heat treating the blank to cause said reinforcement yarns to shrink and/or stiffen in order to provide said regions of reinforcement with a desired degree of reinforcement.

Various aspects of the present invention are hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a tubular blank according to an embodiment of the invention suitable for forming a brassiere; 2;

Figure 2 is a schematic illustration of a stitch notion for forming the blank of Figure 1;.

Figure 3 is a schematic side vievv of a brassiere formed from the blank of Figure 1.

In Figure 1 there is illustrated a seamless tubular blank 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention which is preferably knit on a circular knitting machine such as a Santoni SM8 having a Winch needle cylinder with 8 yarn feed stations.

The blank 10 is intended to form a brassiere 50 as illustrated in Figure 3 and preferably includes a first tubular body portion 12, a turned welt portion 14 and a second tubular body portion 16.

When constructing the brassiere 50, the first body portion 12 is turned inwardly to underlie the second body portion 16. Accordingly the first body portion 12 forms an inner layer of body fabric of the brassiere which in use contacts the user's skin whereas the second body portion 16 forms an outer layer of body fabric.

The turned welt portion 14 is located at the junction between the first and second tubular portions and in the brassiere 50 defines a lower, body encircling band 51.

Preferably the first tubular body portion 12 is knit from a body ground yarn 30 (Figure 2) which produces a body ground fabric 20 having the desired characteristics such as suppleness and softness and providing a desired fit to the body of the wearer.

Suitably the fabric of the first body portion 12 is knit from a textured non-

elastomeric yarn, such as a textured polyamide yarn which is preferably knit as a plain jersey knit construction. A suitable yarn is a 2/22 dtex 7 filament polyamide 6.6 yarn which is fed in at each of the 8 feed stations.

The turned welt portion 14 is preferably knit to define an elasticated fabric which in the finished brassiere 50 provides the band 51 with a desired degree of elastication.

For example, it is preferred to knit the turned welt portion 14 so as to have a ground fabric 45 composed of knitted stitches of a non-elastomeric welt ground yarn 31 plaited with an elastomeric yarn 32 and to incorporate into the welt ground fabric a powerful elastomeric yarn 34. Preferably the powerful elastomeric yarn 34 is incorporated into the welt ground fabric 45 by being laid into the courses of stitches of the plaited yarns 31,32.

The non-elastomeric yarn 31 is preferably a 90 dtex 102 filament polyamide 6.6 and the elastomeric yarn 32 is preferably a covered elastomeric yarn such as 17 dtex LYCRA (RTM) covered with a non- elastomeric yarn such as a 22 dtex 14 filament polyamide.

Preferably the powerful elastomeric yarn 34 is a covered elastomeric yarn such as a 265 dtex GLOBE (TM) double covered with a 22 dtex 7 filament polyamide 6.6 yarn.

The second body portion 16 is knit to produce a body ground fabric 60 which integrally incorporates regions of reinforcement 70.

Preferably the body ground fabric 60 is a plain jersey knit construction wherein a body ground yarn 65 is knit on every needle. Preferably the body

ground yarn 65 is a non-elastomeric yarn 66 plaited with an elastomeric yarn 67 and is knit so as to provide the body ground fabric 60 with desired characteristics such as suppleness and fit to the wearer.

The non-elastomeric yarn 66 is preferably a 90 dtex 102 filament polyamide 6.6 and the elastomeric yarn 67 is preferably a covered elastomeric yarn such as 17 dtex LYCRA (RIM) covered with a non- elastomeric yarn such as a 22 dtex 14 filament polyamide.

By suitably operating the knitting machine to produce larger sized stitches in predefined zones, the body ground fabric 60 is knit to produce breast accommodating pockets 68.

Regions of reinforcement 70 are integrally provided within the body ground fabric 60 by the introduction of a reinforcement yarn 71. The reinforcement

yarn 71 is preferably a thermosetting yarn which when exposed to an elevated temperature shrinks and/or rigidifies whilst still retaining a degree of flexibility. At the time of knitting of the body portion 16 the yarn 71 is relatively soft/flexible and so can be knitted relatively easily.

Preferably the reinforcement yarn is formed from a polyvinylchloride plastics as this material exhibits the desired characteristics of being relatively soft/flexible for knitting and yet sufficiently rigid to provide the desired degree of reinforcement when heat treated. Preferably the reinforcement yarn is a flat yarn.

Preferably the reinforcement yarn is a multifilament yarn. This enables a relatively high weight of yarn to be used whilst retaining a sufficient degree of flexibility for ease of knitting

Typically, it is envisaged that the number of filaments may vary within the range of 10 to 30 filaments.

The weight of the reinforcement yarn is chosen bearing in mind the degree of reinforcement required. Typically it is envisaged that the weight of the reinforcement yarn may vary within the range of 120-140 dtex.

A suitable yarn is a 132 dtex 22 filament polyvinylchloride yarn.

The shape of the regions of reinforcement 70 is predefined in order to provide desired reinforcement in the finished garment at predetermined locations. As shown in Figure 1, three regions 70 are provided. Of these, two regions 70 define band-like forms 74 each of which is shaped to follow the lower contour of a breast accommodating pocket 68. In this way, in the finished garment, the band-like forms 74 define a location of reinforcement similar to that of a conventional brassiere support wire.

The third region 70 is of trapezoidal form 75 and is located inbetween the breast pockets 68. In the finished garment 50 the trapezoidal form defines a reinforced zone which acts as a separator to improve the separation between the breasts during wear and also improve the fit of the garment.

Shaping of the regions of reinforcement 70 is achieved during knitting by suitable control of the pattern selection means of the knitting machine. In this way the reinforcement yarn 71 may be knitted on selected needles on selected courses in order to produce a region of any desired shape.

Preferably the reinforcement yarn 71 is incorporated into the body ground fabric by being formed into knitted stitches on selected needles which are also knitting the plaited body ground yarn.

Preferably as seen in Figure 2, in each region 70 the body ground yarn is knit in a miss-knit stitch structure with the same needles knitting on successive courses.

Preferably the reinforcement yarn is knit as a miss-knit stitch structure with the same needle knitting on alternate courses.

As illustrated in Figure 2, the body ground yarn is knit with a 'knit one; miss one' notation. It is envisaged that other miss-knit notations may be adopted in order to alter the performance of the reinforcement. For example a 'knit one; miss two' or a 'knit one; miss three' notation may be adopted.

Preferably the reinforcement yarn is cut after knitting each course of reinforcement and so define a series of partial courses only.

Preferably cutting lines 80 are knitted in a conventional manner into the second body portion 16 by suitable selection of knitted stitches on selected courses and wales.

Normally the blank 10 will be knitted in one piece on the knitting machine by knitting in succession the first portion 12, the fumed welt portion 14 and finally the second portion 16. It will be appreciated that this sequence may be reversed.

It is also envisaged that both the first portion 12 and turned welt portion 14 are optional.

It is also envisaged that the blanks lO may be knitted independently as single pieces or may be knitted in succession as a string of blanks which are subsequently separated after removal from the knitting machine.

After- a blank 10 has been knitted, it is necessary to activate the reinforcement yarn 71 in order to create the desired degree of reinforcement. This is preferably done by exposing the blank or garment to a heat treatment in order to cause the reinforcement yarn 71 to shrink and/or .. rgdfy. Preferably the thermosetting properties of the reinforcement yarn 71 is preferably chosen to be different to that of the body ground yarn 65 so as to bring about a differential shrinkage and/or rigidification when exposed to the heat treatment.

Advantageously, the choice of yarns is such that the necessary heat treatment of the reinforcement yarns 71 may be achieved during the dyeing process wherein the blank is elevated to a temperature of about 98 C for about 0.5 to 1 hour.

Claims

1. A knitted blank in the form of a tubular body, the tubular body being formed of a body fabric comprising a plurality of courses of ground yarn extending circumferentially about the tubular body, the tubular body including discrete regions of reinforcement defined by reinforcement yarns which are incorporated into the body fabric.

2. A knitted blank according to Claim 1 wherein in each region of

reinforcement, the ground yarn is of a miss-knit stitch structure with the same needles on immediately adjacent courses knitting, the reinforcement yarn being knit on the same courses as the ground yarn, the reinforcement yarn being of a miss-knit stitch structure with different needles on immediately adjacent needles knitting.

3. A knitted blank according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein the ground yarn is a plated yarn comprising a non-elastomeric ground yarn plated with an elastomeric yarn.

4. A knitted blank according to Claim 3 wherein the non-elastomeric ground yarn is a thermosetting ground yarn such as a polyamide.

5. A knitted blank according to any preceding claim wherein the reinforcement yarn is a thernosetting reinforcement yarn having different thermosetting properties to the thermosetting ground yarn.

6. A knitted blank according to Claim 5 wherein the thermosetting yarn is formed from a polyvinylcholoride plastics.

7. A knitted blank according to Claim 6 wherein said thermosetting yarn is a multifilament yarn.

8. A knitted blank according to Claim 7 wherein the number of filaments of the multifilament yarn is in the range of 10 to 30 filaments.

9. A knitted blank according to Claim 7 or 8 wherein the weight of the reinforcement yarn is in the range of 120 to l4O dtex.

10. A knitted blank according to any preceding claim for forming brassiere, the blank having a pair of circumferentially spaced regions for defining breast accommodating pockets and band-like regions of reinforcement formed by said reinforcement yarns which follow the lower contour of each breast accommodating pocket.

11. A method of producing a knitted blank in the form of a lobular body having discrete regions of reinforcement, the method including knitting a plurality of courses of ground yarn to define a body fabric wherein said courses extend circumferentially about the tubular body, and incorporating into the ground fabric reinforcement yams to define said regions of reinforcement.

12. A method according to Claim 11 wherein the reinforcement yarns are formed from a thermosettable plastics and the method further includes heat treating the blank to cause said reinforcement yarns to shrink and/or stiffen in order to provide said regions of reinforcement with a desired degree of reinforcement.