JP2022165883A - Leather-tone material, and production method of the same - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a leather-tone material having toughness and resilience while exerting high designability by heightening a degree of freedom in variation of appearances of a leather-tone material.SOLUTION: A leather-tone knitted fabric has a leather-tone inserted string inserted into a weft knitted fabric where the weft knitted fabric is composed of a ground yarn other than a material of the leather-like inserted string, the leather-tone inserted string is composed of a cork string, an apple leather string, or a synthetic leather string, and the leather-tone inserted string is such that a part capable of observing the leather-tone inserted string from a surface side of the weft knitted fabric and a part hiding in the weft knitted fabric are formed alternately by being inserted into a plurality of stitches in a weft direction of the weft knitted fabric.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 17

Description

There is an application for the application of Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Law https://www. nichimou. jp/2021/03/20/Knitting with unique patented technology/“8th Fashion World Tokyo Spring/1st International Sustainable Fashion EXPO” https://prtimes. jp/main/html/rd/p/000000634.000026157. html https://www. fashion-tokyo. jp/ja-jp/to-visit/2021s_feature/tex. html https://fw-apr2021. tems-system. com/exhiSearch/OEM/jp/Details? id=FP7NC8EGYh0%3D&exhibition=4 https://www. eventbiz. net/? p=71247 https://b2b-ch. infomart. co. jp/news/detail. page? IM NEWS4=2469671

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a designable leather-like material and a method for producing the same.

Skins taken from mammals such as goats, cows, and sheep, and reptiles such as crocodiles, snakes, and lizards, are tanned and processed for use as products. In order to clarify the difference between artificial leather (synthetic leather) and artificial leather that is artificially made to resemble leather, it is also called genuine leather (leather), natural leather, natural leather material, etc. Leather materials are used for a variety of purposes such as clothing and accessories, and products made of genuine leather in particular allow the enjoyment of the original texture of leather, giving the product a sense of luxury.

Attempts have been made to process leather materials in combination with other materials to further improve design and functionality. For example, the leather material described in Patent Literature 1 has a plurality of holes in the leather sheet, and yarns or the like are passed through the holes.

Further, the leather material described in Patent Document 2 is described as a leather fabric woven with flat leather straps as warp yarns and thin leather straps as weft yarns.

In recent years, there has been a growing awareness of the problem of a society that consumes a lot of resources, and various industries that consume resources are required to take sustainable measures with a small environmental impact. In the leather industry as well, efforts to effectively utilize leather, such as leather crafts using remnants, are required.

In recent years, ethical materials such as apple leather, cork, and synthetic leather have been attracting attention as leather-like materials to replace leather.

JP-A-2000-169900 Utility Model Registration No. 3098125 Patent No. 6861352

In the leather material described in Patent Document 1, yarns or the like passing through a plurality of holes provided in the leather sheet give a unique change to the appearance of the leather product. In addition, various appearances are given by dyeing and patterns on the surface of the leather material. However, since it is a leather material based on a leather seat, it is not suitable for general-purpose use because it has limited flexibility like conventional leather materials. In addition, in order to give variation to the appearance of the leather material, a processing step such as dyeing and patterning on the surface of the leather material is required as in the case of conventional leather materials, which is time-consuming.

The leather material described in Patent Document 2 has a problem in terms of strength because it is a woven fabric in which leather straps are combined.

In view of the above circumstances, the inventor of the present invention has invented a leather material that is durable and flexible while exhibiting a high degree of designability by increasing the degree of freedom in variation in the appearance of the leather material (Patent Document 3). ). The present invention further improves design by using a cork cord, an apple leather cord, or a synthetic leather cord as the leather insert cord made of the leather material described in Patent Document 3.

In order to achieve the above object, a leather-like material having a leather-like insertion cord inserted into the weft knitted fabric of the present invention is provided, wherein the weft knitted fabric is composed of a ground thread other than the material of the leather-like insertion cord, and the leather The leather-like insertion cord is composed of a cork cord, an apple leather cord, or a synthetic leather cord. A portion where the leather-like insertion string is visible from the surface side) and a portion hidden by the weft knitted fabric are alternately formed.

In addition, in order to achieve the above object, the leather-like material of the present invention has a portion where the leather-like insertion cord is visible from the front side (one side) of the weft knitted fabric, and the back side (the other side) of the weft knitted fabric. side), it is the part hidden in the weft knitted fabric, and the part hidden in the weft knitted fabric from the front side (one side) of the weft knitted fabric is the back side of the weft knitted fabric (the other side) When viewed from the side), the leather-like insertion string is visible.

Further, in order to achieve the above object, the method for producing a leather-like material of the present invention is a method for producing a leather-like material having a plurality of leather-like insertion cords inserted into a weft knitted fabric, wherein the fabric of the weft knitted fabric is The thread is composed of a ground thread other than the material of the leather-like insertion cord, the leather-like insertion cord is composed of a cork cord, an apple leather cord, or a synthetic leather cord, and the weft knitted fabric is mechanically knitted by a weft knitting machine. After being woven, the leather-like insertion cord is supplied to the weft knitting machine by a yarn unwinding device, and the leather-like insertion cord is inserted into a plurality of stitches in the weft direction of the weft knitted fabric, whereby the surface side of the weft knitted fabric is stretched. It is characterized in that a portion where the leather-like insertion string is visible from (one surface side) and a portion where it is hidden by the weft knitted fabric are alternately formed.

As described above, the leather-like material of the present invention provides a strong and flexible leather-like material while exhibiting a high degree of designability by increasing the degree of freedom in variations in appearance of the leather-like material.

Illustration of knitting (weft knitting (horizontal knitting/circular knitting)) Schematic diagram of weft knitted fabric Example of the present invention (work example 1) Example of the present invention (work example 1) Example of the present invention (work example 1) Example of the present invention (work example 2) Example of the present invention (work example 3) Example of the present invention (work example 4) Example of the present invention (work example 5) Illustration of an embodiment of the present invention (work example 6 (logo)) Illustration of an embodiment of the present invention (work example 7 (camouflage pattern)) An example of a work in which the ratio of the part where the leather-like insertion string is visible and the part covered with knit is different An example of a work in which the ratio of the part where the leather-like insertion string is visible and the part covered with knit is different An example of a work in which the ratio of the part where the leather-like insertion string is visible and the part covered with knit is different An example of a work in which the ratio of the part where the leather-like insertion string is visible and the part covered with knit is different Illustration of a bag using the leather-like material of the present invention Cross-section of bi-fold string Cross section of tri-fold string Cross-sectional view of bi-fold cord with core thread Cross-sectional view of tri-fold cord with core thread Comparative example of the present invention (leather fabric) Appearance of weft knitting machine Example using cork string Examples of apple leather Example using synthetic leather cord

Here, embodiments of the present invention will be described according to the following order.
(1) Woven fabric and knitted fabric (2) Structure of the leather-like material of the present invention (3) Work example (4) Variation of the present invention (5) Comparative example of the present invention (6) Manufacturing method of the present invention (7) This Features (effects) of the invention

(1) About woven fabrics and knitted fabrics As shown in Table 1 (textiles column), woven fabrics are warp threads and weft threads (weft threads) that intertwine at approximately right angles and adhere to adjacent threads to form a plane surface. It is woven. On the other hand, knitted fabrics are made by making loops (stitches) as shown in Table 1 (weft knitting column / warp knitting column) or Fig. 1, and hooking the next yarn on the (loop) to form a continuous loop. to form A set of such loops is also called a knitting structure.

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http://www.imaikigyo.ecweb.jp/production/whats_tricot/

(Quoted from the website below)
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Knitting includes weft knitting (horizontal knitting) and warp knitting (vertical knitting). In weft knitting, a knitted fabric is formed while loops advance in the horizontal direction, and the knitted fabric is formed from one yarn. On the other hand, warp knitting (warp knitting) is a fabric in which loops are continuously knitted in the vertical direction. They are called a weft knitted fabric and a warp knitted fabric, respectively. A weft knitted fabric is used for the leather-like material of the present invention.

(2) Construction of the leather-like material of the present invention The present invention is composed of base yarns other than the material of the leather-like insert cord, and the leather-like insert cord is inserted into the stitches (loops) of the weft knitted fabric. The leather-like insertion string is passed from the front to the back and from the back to the front along the horizontal direction of the weft knitted fabric, and the leather-like insertion string is seen from the surface (one side) of the weft knitted fabric. A portion and a portion hidden in the weft knitted fabric are alternately formed. On the other hand, when viewed from the back side (the other side) of the weft knitted fabric, the portion where the leather-like insertion cord is seen from the surface is the portion hidden by the weft knitted fabric, and the portion where the leather-like insertion cord is hidden from the surface. The dovetail leather-like insert string is the part you are looking at. That is, the leather-like insertion cord is inserted into a plurality of stitches in the weft direction of the weft knitted fabric, so that the portion where the leather-like insertion cord is visible from the surface side of the weft knitted fabric and the portion hidden by the weft knitted fabric alternately. formed

A plurality of leather-like insertion cords are inserted into the weft knitted fabric, and all of them are inserted along the lateral direction of the weft knitted fabric. A large number (plurality) of leather-like insertion cords are inserted into the weft knitted fabric, resulting in a leather-like material as a whole. The leather-like insert cord of the present invention is composed of cork cord, apple leather cord or synthetic leather cord. In the present invention, cork (cork sheet), apple leather and synthetic leather are leather-like materials (raw materials).

A cork cord according to the present invention means a cord formed from cork or a cord containing a cork component/cork powder. Cork is generally made from bark harvested from cork oaks. The cork string may be formed by mixing cork powder with a synthetic resin (binder) such as polyester resin and forming a sheet. The cork component contained in the cork cord of the present invention is desirably 10% or more and 80% or less.
Unlike general lumber, cork does not need to be cut down, so cork can be harvested again from the regenerated bark. Approximately 15 to 20 times can be collected). In addition, raw wood from which the bark has been harvested absorbs 3 to 5 times more CO ₂ during regeneration, contributing to the prevention of global warming.
FIG. 17 shows an embodiment using a cork cord as the leather-like insertion cord of the present invention. Due to the characteristics of cork, it is a leather-like material that is lightweight, water-repellent, heat-resistant, heat-insulating, wear-resistant, elastic, insect-repellent, deodorant, deodorant, and noise-reducing.
In the present invention, when a cork string is used as the leather-like insertion string, the title of the invention may be either "leather-like material" or "cork material." A cork string may also be referred to as a string containing cork powder and a binder.

The apple leather cord of the present invention means a cord formed from apple leather. Apple leather is a leather-like material that is formed by drying and pulverizing apple scum and apple skins and mixing them with an appropriate amount of resin (binder). In the present invention, apple leather and apple leather cord may be replaced with apple skin and apple skin cord, respectively. In addition, apple leather may also be referred to as a synthetic leather (artificial leather) obtained by blending apple squeezed residue or apple skin powder with a binder.
The amount of apple ingredients contained in the apple leather used in the present invention is not particularly limited, but the content of apple ingredients is preferably 10% or more and 80% or less.
The apple leather (see FIG. 18) used in the examples of the present invention is a USDA certified product with a bio-based content of 66% (50% of which is apple ingredients), which uses apples without leaving anything, and apples are also used in the backing fabric. are using. We use water-based polyurethane/polyester that is less toxic at the time of manufacturing for the binding agent, and do not contain dimethylformamide, a hazardous substance, or VOCs (volatile organic compounds) that cause photochemical smog in the atmosphere. there is It is a vegan leather with a fine texture reminiscent of genuine leather and a soft, light and smooth touch.
In addition, when an apple leather cord is used as a leather-like insertion cord in the present invention, the title of the invention may be "leather-like material", "apple leather material" or "apple skin material". The apple leather string is not particularly shown, but can be formed by cutting out an appropriate size from the apple leather (apple leather seat) shown in FIG. 18 or the like.

The synthetic leather cord of the present invention means a cord formed from synthetic leather. The synthetic leather of the present invention may be of any kind as long as it is generally called synthetic leather or artificial leather. For example, it may be a synthetic leather obtained by applying a synthetic resin to a natural or synthetic cloth or the like, or an artificial leather obtained by impregnating a cloth such as microfiber (usually a nonwoven fabric) with a synthetic resin. Artificial leather obtained by impregnating a fabric (usually a non-woven fabric) with a synthetic resin and further coating the synthetic resin may be used. These synthetic resins include polyurethane-based resins, polyamide-based resins, polyamino acid-based resins, and the like. Polyurethane-based resins are preferred (see JP-A-2020-122166).
FIG. 19 shows an embodiment using a synthetic leather cord as the leather-like insertion cord of the present invention. The synthetic leather used in this embodiment is an artificial leather that has obtained "Oeko-Tex Standard 100" certification and is friendly to infants under the age of three. The use of recycled polyester in some products reduces the amount of petroleum used and reduces _CO2 emissions. In addition, the binder uses water-based polyurethane, which has little impact on the human body and the environment. It is stain resistant and can be washed with water and dry cleaned. The suede-like high-quality feel of the microfiber creates a sophisticated product.
The Oeko-Tex Standard 100 prohibits or regulates the use of hazardous substances, and certified products contain toxic substances that are harmful to human health as specified in the standard. certify things. In general, organic solvents containing DMF (dimethylformamide) are often used, but in European countries, due to concerns about reproductive toxicity, the use of DMF in industrial processes and the import and sale of products containing DMF are regulated by law.
In the present invention, when a synthetic leather cord is used as the leather-like insertion cord, the title of the invention may be either "leather-like material" or "synthetic leather material."

In order for a material composed of such a weft knitted fabric and a leather-like insertion cord to be established as a leather-like material, it is desirable that the area of the leather-like insertion cord occupies about 30% or more of the entire leather-like material. (The area referred to here is the sum of the areas seen from the front surface and the back surface). It is more preferably 50% or more, more preferably 70% or more, and still more preferably 90% or more. In practice, it is determined according to the product manufactured using the leather-like material.

In the present invention, the interval at which the leather-like insertion cord is passed through the loops of the weft knitted fabric can be arbitrarily set.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing that a leather-like insertion cord is inserted into a weft knitted fabric having 12 loops in the horizontal direction and 6 loops in the vertical direction, for a total of 72 loops. Leather-like insertion cords are inserted in the horizontal direction at positions of vertical loop numbers 2, 3, 4, and 5. When the horizontal direction in which the leather-like insertion string is inserted is called a course, FIG. are present, and the leather-like insertion cords are inserted in the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth courses.

The leather-like insertion string at the position of vertical loop number 2 (second course) is arranged on the front side with respect to the loops of horizontal loop numbers 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12, and the horizontal loop number 1 , 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 are arranged on the back side.

The leather-like insertion string at the position of vertical loop number 3 (third course) is arranged on the front side with respect to the loops of horizontal loop numbers 1, 4, 5, 8, 9, and 12, and the horizontal loop number 2 , 3, 6, 7, 10, 11 are arranged on the back side.

The leather-like insertion string at the position of vertical loop number 4 (fourth course) is arranged on the front side with respect to the loops of horizontal loop numbers 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, and 12, The loops with lateral loop numbers 1, 4, 7 and 10 are arranged on the back side.

The leather-like insertion string at the position of vertical loop number 5 (fifth course) is arranged on the front side with respect to the loops of horizontal loop numbers 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, and 12, The loops of horizontal loop numbers 2, 5, 8 and 11 are arranged on the back side.

In FIG. 2, four leather-like insertion cords are arranged continuously in the vertical direction like the leather-like insertion cords arranged in vertical loop numbers 2 to 5, but the leather-like insertion cords are continuously arranged in the vertical direction. It does not have to be arranged, and the place where it is inserted and the place where it is not inserted can be set arbitrarily.

As described above, various patterns can be expressed by arbitrarily setting the vertical position where the leather-like insertion cord is inserted and the interval at which the leather-like insertion cord is passed through the loops of the weft knitted fabric. FIG. 2 is an illustration to show the relative positional relationship between the leather-like insertion cord and the loop of the weft knitted fabric. Although the leather-like insertion string is expressed to be small with respect to the size of the loop, the leather-like insertion string is actually inserted so as to fit the diameter of the loop as in the example shown in FIG. 3 and the like.

(3) Examples of works Examples of works (working examples) of the present invention are shown below. In some cases, the insertion cord inserted into the weft knitted fabric in the photograph of the actual product is a real leather cord, but a similar design can be achieved when a leather-like insertion cord is used.
(Work example 1)
FIG. 3 is a photograph of the appearance of the leather-like material that is one embodiment of the present invention. Leather-like insertion cords are inserted in all positions in the longitudinal direction of the weft knitted fabric (leather-like insertion cords are inserted in all courses). Therefore, the leather-like insertion string of this embodiment occupies approximately 100% of the area of the entire leather-like material.
The five leather-like insertion cords from the top have the same intervals of passing through the loops of the weft knitted fabric. A leather-like insertion cord is arranged on the front side for two horizontal loops, and a leather-like insertion cord is arranged on the back side for four horizontal loops. Regarding the 6th to 14th leather-like insertion cords from the top in FIG. 3, the positions where the leather-like insertion cords are passed through the loops are misaligned to form a stepped pattern. Figure 4a is an overall image of the work in Figure 3, and Figure 4b is a photograph seen from the back side.

The leather-like insertion string of this embodiment is a flat string. The width of the leather-like insertion string (the length in the longitudinal direction when inserted into the weft knitted fabric) is about 2 mm, and the thickness is about 1 mm. The ground yarn forming the weft knitted fabric (knit) is cotton yarn. The count representing the size of the stitches of the weft knitted fabric (knit) is 10 gauge.

(Work example 2)
FIG. 5 is a photograph of the appearance of the leather-like material that is one embodiment of the present invention. The leather-like insertion cord is inserted in the weft direction of the weft knitted fabric at a ratio of one per three courses (one leather-like insertion cord is inserted per three loops in the longitudinal direction of the weft knitted fabric). The leather-like insertion string of this embodiment occupies approximately 50% of the area of the entire leather-like material (because the course in which the leather-like insertion string is not inserted is narrower than the course in which the leather-like insertion string is inserted). value greater than 1/3).

(Work example 3)
FIG. 6 is a photograph of the appearance of the leather-like material that is one embodiment of the present invention. The leather-like insertion cord of this embodiment is a round cord with a diameter of 2 mm. The leather-like insertion string of this embodiment occupies approximately 60% of the area of the entire leather-like material.

(Work example 4)
FIG. 7 is a photograph of the appearance of the leather-like material that is one embodiment of the present invention. The leather-like insertion cord of this embodiment is a tri-fold flat cord with a width of about 2 mm, and the surface is lacquered. Leather-like insertion cords are inserted in the weft direction of the weft knitted fabric every other course. After inserting the leather-like insertion string into the weft knitted fabric, the amount of heat applied to the entire fabric is adjusted to create a three-dimensional shape (shape having unevenness) utilizing the heat shrinkability of the weft knitted fabric as shown in FIG. can also The leather-like insertion string of this embodiment occupies approximately 70% of the area of the entire leather-like material.

(Work example 5)
FIG. 8 is a photograph of the appearance of the leather-like material that is one embodiment of the present invention. The leather-like insertion string of this embodiment is a three-fold flat string with a width of about 3 mm. The reason why the weft knitted fabric is softer than in other examples is that the amount of heat applied in manufacturing the weft knitted fabric is less than in other examples. By controlling the amount of heat, variations in knit finish are possible. The leather-like insertion string of this embodiment occupies approximately 80% of the area of the entire leather-like material.

(Work example 6)
FIG. 9 is an illustration of a leather-like material that is one embodiment of the present invention. The logo "NM" is expressed with a leather-like insertion string on the weft knitted fabric. A dotted line means a leather-like insertion cord that wraps around the back side of the weft knitted fabric. The design can be further improved by expressing alphanumeric characters, letters, or logos with leather-like insert cords, as in this work example. A leather-like material in which alphanumeric characters, letters, or logos are expressed with a leather-like insertion cord is more preferable.

(Work example 7)
FIG. 10 is an illustration of a leather-like material that is one embodiment of the present invention. Camouflage is expressed by weft knitting. Various colors can be selected for the ground yarn of the weft knitted fabric, and a pattern like the camouflage shown in this figure can be arbitrarily created. In FIG. 10, the stitches forming the weft knitted fabric are omitted. Although FIG. 10 is grayscale and difficult to understand, the camouflage pattern is actually represented by four color areas. In certain color areas, leather-like insert cords are woven so that they can be seen on the surface. The dotted lines in the horizontal direction (sequence of "■") in the figure are the leather-like insertion straps. The design is further improved by forming a pattern with leather-like insert cords, as in this example. Furthermore, by forming a part of the pattern expressed by the weft knitted fabric so that the leather-like insertion cord is visible (by embedding the leather-like insertion cord), the design can be further improved.

(Work example 8)
Figures 11a to 11d show the area where the leather-like insertion string is arranged in the leather-like material (area viewed from the surface), and the part where the leather-like insertion string is visible and the leather-like insertion string are covered with knit. This is an example of a work with a different ratio of the part where it is.
In FIG. 11a, leather-like insertion cords are densely inserted into the weft knitted fabric in 10 rows in the horizontal direction on the drawing (* 10 leather-like insertion cords are lying in 10 rows in the horizontal direction). If the area where the is arranged is 100, the part where the leather-like insert string is seen (black part in the figure) is 50, and the part covered with knit (white part in the figure) is 50. . Therefore, the ratio of visible leather-like insertion cords is 50% of the area where the leather-like insertion cords are arranged.
In FIG. 11b, 10 rows of leather-like insertion cords are densely inserted into the weft knitted fabric. 40 is the part covered by . Therefore, the ratio of visible leather-like insertion cords is 60% of the area where the leather-like insertion cords are arranged.
In FIG. 11c, 10 rows of leather-like insertion cords are densely inserted into the weft knitted fabric. 60 is the portion covered by Therefore, the ratio of visible leather-like insertion cords is 40% of the area where the leather-like insertion cords are arranged.
In FIG. 11b, 10 rows of leather-like insertion cords are densely inserted into the weft knitted fabric. 40 is the part covered by . Therefore, the ratio of visible leather-like insertion cords is 60% of the area where the leather-like insertion cords are arranged.
In FIG. 11d, five rows of leather-like insertion cords are inserted into the weft knitted fabric every other row. The portion covered with dovetail knit is 25 (the knit portion is 75 for the entire leather-like material). Therefore, the percentage of visible leather-like insertion cords is 50% of the area where the leather-like insertion cords are arranged.

Figures 4a and 4b are photographs of samples of the present invention. In the sample shown in FIG. 4a, the ratio of visible leather-like insertion cords is about 25% of the area where the leather-like insertion cords are arranged. In the sample shown in FIG. 4b, the ratio of visible leather-like insertion cords is about 75% of the area where the leather-like insertion cords are arranged.

In the leather-like material of the present invention, the degree of arrangement of the leather-like insertion cords can be arbitrarily adjusted according to the intended design and aesthetics. In addition, how much the leather-like insertion string is exposed when viewed from the surface of the leather-like material (how much it is hidden by the knit) can be arbitrarily adjusted according to the desired design and aesthetics.

On the other hand, the following contrivance is also possible. A leather-like material may have some kind of odor attached during the manufacturing process. In the product using the leather-like material of the invention, part of the leather-like material is covered with knit. In comparison, the smell of leather-like materials can be suppressed. In such applications, it is desirable that the ratio of the visible leather-like insertion cord is 10% to 80% of the area where the leather-like insertion cord is arranged. It is 20% to 60% to suppress the odor more. 25 to 50% is desirable because if too much is covered with knit, the visual impact of the leather-like material is weakened. Here, "visible" means that when the leather-like material is used in each leather-like product, when the user is using the product, it is "visible" to others (persons other than the user). Meaning.
The term "product using the leather-like material of the present invention" as used herein refers to all leather-like products that have a portion that can be seen from the outside (for other users) and a portion that cannot be seen during use. For example, surface materials for bags, bags, accessory cases, wallets, belts, shoes, sneakers, clothes, jackets, coats, hats, pants, bracelets, sofas, cushions, chairs, interior materials, vehicle interior materials, vehicle seats, etc. Such as boxes and packaging containers.

That is, a bag, a bag, or a bag using a leather-like material in which the ratio of the leather-like insertion cord visible from the surface is 30% to 80% of the total area of the leather-like insertion cord arranged in the leather-like material. Accessory cases, wallets, belts, shoes, sneakers, clothes, jackets, coats, hats, pants, bracelets, sofas, cushions, chairs, interior materials, vehicle interior materials, surface materials such as vehicle seats, boxes or packaging containers, etc. It is an embodiment of the present invention. Here, the "surface" is the surface that is visible from the outside (for other users) when the product is in use. For example, in the case of a bag, it is the side on which the luggage is not put (the so-called outer side), and in the case of belts, shoes, sneakers, clothes, etc., it is the side opposite to the side on which you wear it.
Incidentally, even in such an embodiment, it is desirable that the leather-like insertion cord occupies an area of about 40% or more of the entire leather-like material as described above.

(Work example 9)
FIG. 12 is an illustration of a bag using the leather-like material of the present invention. The entire bag is made of weft knitted fabric (knit), and as shown in the figure, the surface is arranged so that the leather-like insert cord is partially visible. The thick line in the horizontal direction in the drawing is the leather-like insertion string. In addition, the bag may have a portion composed only of a conventional leather-like material or only of a weft knitted fabric.

(4) Variations of the present invention (A) Variations for improving design The leather-like material of the present invention can be selected by selecting the material, color, surface treatment, size, and location of insertion into the weft knitted fabric. It is possible to enhance the designability as a finishing material. A plurality of types (two or more types) of leather-like insertion cords to be inserted into one weft knitted fabric may be employed. For example, the design can be further enhanced by adopting leather-like insertion cords in a plurality of colors (two or more colors such as blue and green) or leather-like insertion cords made of different materials.

In addition, different ground yarns constituting the weft knitted fabric may be used depending on the location of the weft knitted fabric. By using a weft knitted fabric (knit) for the leather-like material of the present invention, it is possible to incorporate variations in the design of the weft knitted fabric as the leather-like material.

(B) Variations in the relationship between the weft knitted fabric and the leather-like insertion string The leather-like material of the present invention should be used as a material for various leather-like products, so the leather inserted in the weft knitted fabric It is desirable that the weft knitted fabric and the leather-like insertion cord are firmly combined, such that the tone insertion cord does not deviate greatly from the weft knitted fabric. Therefore, it is necessary to appropriately select the count representing the size of the stitches of the weft knitted fabric (knit) and the width of the leather-like insertion cord (diameter in the case of a round cord). Specifically, the count of the weft knitted fabric should be 7 or more and 12 or less. )) should be 1.5 mm or more and 2.5 mm or less. It is more preferably 1.8 mm or more and 2.2 mm or less. More preferably, the count of the weft knitted fabric is 10, and the width of the leather-like insertion cord is 1.8 mm or more and 2.2 mm or less.
Also, the thickness of the leather-like insertion cord is preferably 0.5 mm or more and 1.5 mm or less. More preferably, it should be 0.8 mm or more and 1.2 mm or less.

(C) Variation of material The ground yarn forming the weft knitted fabric of the present invention may be any yarn other than the material of the leather-like insertion cord, but it is suitable for weft knitting machines (flat knitting machines). Yarns suitable for machine weaving are desirable. For example, cotton, hemp, cashmere, wool, ceramic fiber, gold thread, silver thread, carbon, nylon thread, woolly thread, spun thread, woolly nylon thread, acrylic thread, polyester thread, polyester woolly thread, polyester false twisted thread, polyurethane resin yarn, rayon yarn, synthetic yarn, semi-synthetic yarn, etc.
However, synthetic fibers such as acrylic thread, polyester thread, rayon thread, and nylon thread are desirable considering ease of knitting with the leather-like insert string. Natural fibers such as cotton are easier to knit if they are mixed.

If the leather-like insertion cord of the present invention is a cork cord made of cork, an apple leather cord made of apple leather, or a synthetic leather cord made of synthetic leather, what kind of cord can be inserted into the loop of the weft knitted fabric? Anything is fine.

4 shows a further variation of the leather-like insertion cord of the present invention. The leather-like insertion string is preferably a known flat string or round string, but is not limited to this. For example, a three braided cord, a four braided cord, or the like can be employed. As the flat cord, a slit cord, a double-fold cord, and a tri-fold cord can be used. 13a and 13b show cross-sectional views of a double-folded string and a tri-folded string, respectively. A slit string is made by cutting a leather-like material into slits. A double-folded cord or a tri-folded cord is obtained by folding a slit-shaped cord (flat cord) into two or three along the longitudinal direction of the cord.

When the leather-like insertion cord is woven into the weft knitted fabric with a knitting machine, disconnection of the leather-like insertion cord poses a problem. Therefore, it is desirable to reinforce the strength of the entire cord by inserting a core thread inside the leather-like inserted cord. For example, Figs. 14a and 14b show cross-sectional views when a core thread is inserted into a double-folded string and a tri-folded string. A circle in the figure is a cross section of the core yarn. The material of the core thread is preferably a chemical fiber such as acrylic thread, polyester thread, rayon thread, or nylon thread, and the diameter thereof is approximately 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm. More preferably, it is 0.7 mm to 1.2 mm.

(D) Combination of ground thread and leather-like insertion string In the present invention, as described above, the appearance can be changed depending on the selection of the leather-like insertion string. It is also characterized by the use of leather-like insert cords to improve design. Various known patterns can be used for forming the weft knitted fabric, and even if the pattern of the weft knitted fabric is the same, it is possible to give a completely different impression depending on the selection of the leather-like insertion cord. In addition, as in work examples 6 and 7, by devising the part where the pattern of the weft knitted fabric and the leather-like insertion cord are visible from the surface side (for example, the part visible from the surface of the leather-like insertion cord is part of the pattern of the weft knitted fabric) etc.), it is possible to give various patterns such as camouflage patterns and logos an impact that is difficult to achieve with only the weft knitted fabric.

(5) Comparative Example of the Invention As a comparative example of the present invention, FIG. The present invention is more advantageous in various points such as stretchability, breathability, weight, shock absorption, waterproofness, antibacterial properties, heat resistance, cold resistance, durability, and moisture permeability.

(6) Manufacturing method of the present invention In the present invention, manufacturing is performed so that the leather-like insertion cord passes through the loop of the weft knitted fabric. Specifically, it is mechanically produced by forming a weft knitted fabric with a known weft knitting machine (flat knitting machine or circular knitting machine) and supplying the leather-like inlay cord as an inlay to the weft knitting machine. be able to. If a thread unwinding device is used to supply the leather-like insertion cord, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of twists and kinks in the leather-like insertion cord. In particular, when a flat cord is used as the leather-like insertion cord, it is particularly desirable to use a yarn unwinding device because twisting or kinking of the flat cord deteriorates the design. A flat knitting machine (NSRY123LPC 10) manufactured by Shima Seiki Co., Ltd. was used as a flat knitting machine in the production of the present invention. A yarn unwinding device (UA option AYUD001) manufactured by Shima Seiki Co., Ltd. was used as the yarn unwinding device.
Design-related settings such as the selection of ground threads and leather-like insertion cords, and the position to insert the leather-like insertion cords can be freely adjusted using the design system (SDS-ONE APEX4), for example.
It is also possible to apply steam to the weft knitted fabric. To control the finished state of a weft knitted fabric, the degree of bonding between a weft knitted fabric and a comparison insertion thread, or the reduction of the stitches of a weft knitted fabric by using a heat-shrinkable ground thread or a ground thread of a material whose shape is memorized by heat. can be done.
For reference, FIG. 16 shows the appearance of the weft knitting machine used in the production of the present invention.

When knitting the leather-like insertion cord and the weft knitted fabric with a weft knitting machine, it is necessary to be careful not to break the leather-like insertion cord. In order to suppress breakage of the leather-like insertion string, it is necessary to carefully set the moving speed of the carriage of the weft knitting machine. The findings we have obtained through trial and error are as follows.
(When the width of the leather-like insertion string is 3 mm or more)
It is desirable to move the carriage laterally 120 cm in about 2.5 to 3.0 seconds. That is, the moving speed of the carriage is desirably about 40 cm/sec to 48 cm/sec.
(When the leather-like insertion string is 2 mm or more and less than 3 mm)
It is desirable to move the carriage laterally 120 cm in about 3.0 to 3.5 seconds. That is, the moving speed of the carriage is desirably about 34 cm/sec to 40 cm/sec.
(When the leather-like insertion string is 0.8 mm or more and less than 2 mm)
It is desirable to move the carriage laterally 120 cm in about 3.5 to 4.0 seconds. That is, the moving speed of the carriage is desirably about 30 cm/sec to 34 cm/sec.
In addition, as described above, the risk of disconnection during manufacturing can be further reduced by using a cord with a core thread inserted therein as the leather-like insertion cord.

(7) Features (effects) of the present invention
The features (effects) of the leather-like material of the present invention are not limited to those described above, but also have the following effects.
- The leather-like material of the present invention maintains the soft texture and luxury of the leather-like material while maintaining the flexibility of a weft knitted fabric (knit).
・Because weft knitted fabric is used, it has superior strength compared to woven fabrics that use leather straps. It also has excellent air permeability.
・Because it uses a weft knitted fabric, it is lightweight for a leather-like material.
・It is possible to enhance the design of the leather-like material by selecting the material, color, surface treatment, size, and location of insertion into the weft knitted fabric.
・The design of the weft knitted fabric is incorporated as a leather-like material.
・A synergistic effect of each design can be achieved by selecting the leather-like insert string and the ground thread of the weft knitted fabric.
・By inserting the leather-like insertion cord into a plurality of stitches in the weft direction of the weft knitted fabric, a portion where the leather-like insertion cord is visible from the surface side of the weft knitted fabric and a portion hidden in the weft knitted fabric are alternately formed. Therefore, as a leather-like material, both the front and back sides have a design and can be used on both sides. It can also be used as a reversible material.
In addition, since the material (leather-like insertion string) of the leather-like material of the present invention is a cord, the distribution cost can be kept low when manufacturing leather-like products using the leather-like material of the present invention.
・Furthermore, if organic cotton or the like is used as the ground yarn of the weft knitted fabric of the present invention, it is more ecological and can contribute to sustainable efforts.

The leather-like material of the present invention can be applied to various existing leather-like products. For example, surface materials for bags, bags, accessory cases, wallets, belts, shoes, sneakers, clothes, jackets, coats, hats, pants, bracelets, sofas, cushions, chairs, interior materials, vehicle interior materials, vehicle seats, etc. Such as boxes and packaging containers. FIG. 12 is an illustration of an embodiment of a bag using the leather-like material of the present invention.

Claims (14)

In a leather-like material having a leather-like insertion string inserted in a weft knitted fabric,
The weft knitted fabric is composed of ground threads other than the material of the leather-like insertion string,
The leather-like insertion cord is composed of a cork cord, an apple leather cord, or a synthetic leather cord,
The leather-like insertion cord is inserted into a plurality of stitches in the weft direction of the weft knitted fabric, thereby forming a portion where the leather-like insertion cord is visible from the surface side of the weft knitted fabric and a portion hidden by the weft knitted fabric. are formed alternately,
A leather-like material characterized by The portion where the leather-like insertion string is visible from the surface side of the weft knitted fabric is a portion hidden by the weft knitted fabric when viewed from the back side of the weft knitted fabric,
2. The portion according to claim 1, wherein the portion hidden by the weft knitted fabric from the surface side of the weft knitted fabric is a portion where the leather-like insertion cord is visible when viewed from the back side of the weft knitted fabric. Leather-like material. 3. The leather-like material according to claim 1, wherein said leather-like insertion string occupies approximately 30% or more of the area of the entire leather-like material. 4. The leather-like material according to claim 1, wherein said leather-like insertion string has a width of 1.5 mm or more and 2.5 mm or less. 5. The leather-like material according to claim 1, wherein the count of said weft knitted fabric is 7 or more and 12 or less. 6. The leather-like material according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the leather-like insertion cord is a plurality of types of leather-like insertion cords. 7. The leather-like material according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the type of the ground yarn differs depending on the location of the weft knitted fabric. Bags, bags, glove compartments, wallets, belts, shoes, sneakers, clothes, jackets, coats, hats, pants, bracelets, sofas, cushions, and chairs using the leather-like material according to any one of claims 1 to 7. , interior materials, vehicle interior materials, surface materials such as vehicle seats, boxes or packaging containers. In the leather-like material according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
A bag, a bag, or an accessory using a leather-like material in which the ratio of the leather-like insertion string visible from the surface is 20% to 80% of the total area of the leather-like insertion string arranged in the leather-like material. Cases, wallets, belts, shoes, sneakers, clothes, jackets, coats, hats, pants, bracelets, sofas, cushions, chairs, interior materials, vehicle interior materials, surface materials such as vehicle seats, boxes or packaging containers. In a method for manufacturing a leather-like material having a plurality of leather-like insertion cords inserted into a weft knitted fabric,
The base yarn of the weft knitted fabric is composed of yarns other than the material of the leather-like insertion cord,
The leather-like insertion cord is composed of a cork cord, an apple leather cord, or a synthetic leather cord,
The weft knitted fabric is mechanically knitted by a weft knitting machine,
The leather-like insertion cord is supplied to the weft knitting machine by a yarn unwinding device,
The leather-like insertion cord is inserted into a plurality of stitches in the weft direction of the weft knitted fabric, so that the portion where the leather-like insertion cord is visible from the surface side of the weft knitted fabric and the portion hidden in the weft knitted fabric alternately. It is formed,
A method for producing a leather-like material characterized by: The portion where the leather-like insertion string is visible from the surface side of the weft knitted fabric is a portion hidden by the weft knitted fabric when viewed from the back side of the weft knitted fabric,
11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the portion hidden by the weft knitted fabric from the surface side of the weft knitted fabric is a portion where the leather-like insertion cord is visible when viewed from the back side of the weft knitted fabric. A method for producing a leather-like material. 12. The method of manufacturing a leather-like material according to claim 10, wherein the moving speed of the carriage of said weft knitting machine is 30 mm/sec to 48 mm/sec. 13. The method of manufacturing a leather-like material according to claim 10, wherein said leather-like insertion string is a flat string. 14. The method of manufacturing a leather-like material according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein said leather-like insertion cord occupies approximately 30% or more of the area of the entire leather-like material.

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