WO2012004603A1

WO2012004603A1 - Fabric

Info

Publication number: WO2012004603A1
Application number: PCT/GB2011/051275
Authority: WO
Inventors: Miles Stephen Cain
Original assignee: Stretchline Intellectual Properties Limited
Priority date: 2010-07-07
Filing date: 2011-07-07
Publication date: 2012-01-12
Also published as: GB201014496D0; GB2481867A

Abstract

A stretchable textile fabric article comprises a piece of fabric defining an opening, a portion (16) of the piece of fabric being folded to define a hem (12) along the edge of the opening, the hem (12) being secured by means of one or more continuous bands of silicone elastomer (14) sandwiched between folded portions (16,18) of the piece of fabric.

Description

FABRIC

The invention relates to a stretchable textile fabric article, a garment comprising at least one said stretchable textile fabric article and a method of manufacturing the stretchable textile fabric article.

During the manufacture of garments and other textile fabric articles sewing is conventionally used to finish edges of fabric, create hems and seams, and to generally secure components of textile fabric articles together. However the use of sewing results in the creation of stitches, which are often undesirable in the fashion industry and can create discomfort in garments where the stitches lay directly against a wearer's skin. Consequently, so as to improve the aesthetic appearance and, where appropriate, the comfort of textile fabric articles, it is becoming increasingly desirable to use adhesives as an alternative to sewing.

One such method includes the use of polyurethane film which is laid between pieces of textile fabric and heated so as to melt the film. The melted film then sets so as to adhere to the pieces of textile fabric and thereby adhere the pieces of textile fabric together. However a drawback with the use of polyurethane film resides in the fact that, once set, the film locks the individual yarns in the pieces of textile fabric in place. As a consequence the set film inhibits the natural stretch of the textile fabric, which is undesirable in the manufacture of stretchable textile fabric articles.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a stretchable textile fabric article comprising a piece of fabric defining an opening, a portion of the piece of fabric being folded to define a hem along the edge of the opening, the hem being secured by means of one or more continuous bands of silicone elastomer sandwiched between folded portions of the piece of fabric. The provision of at least one continuous band of silicone elastomer between folded portions of a fabric to define a hem about an opening of the fabric improves the stretch and elastic recovery of textile fabric articles having one or more openings when compared to a conventional hem based on the use of a hot melt adhesive film, such as polyurethane. Such articles may include, for example, waist bands, garment sleeves, undergarments and stockings. The use of silicone elastomer in the form of a continuous band, i.e. a band having no breaks in the silicone elastomer, not only ensures that the hem is properly secured about the opening in the piece of fabric but also ensures uniform elasticity of the hem about the opening in the piece of fabric. If a continuous band of silicone elastomer was not used, it would be necessary to form a length of silicone elastomer and join the two ends of the length of silicone elastomer before forming the hem about the opening of the fabric. This would lead to a risk of detachment of the joined ends and non-recovery of the fabric at the detached ends of the length of silicone elastomer after being stretched. The use of silicone elastomer also eliminates the need for stitches to hold the hem together, and the need for a separate elastic band within the hem to provide the hem with desired elasticity. This not only leads to improvements in the aesthetic appearance of the fabric article and the comfort of a wearer weariing the fabric article, but also simplifies the manufacture of stretchable textile fabric articles. This in turn leads to reductions in cost.

In addition the silicone elastomer may act to maintain the structural integrity of the resultant hem by finishing the hem edge and thereby preventing unravelling of the fabric at the hem edge. As such, it may be unnecessary to form a full-turn hem or to use any other method to secure the edge of the hem fabric.

Preferably the hem is a half-turn hem or a full-turn hem. The characteristics of the hem outlined above are compatible with both half-turn and full-turn hems. In embodiments of the invention, the opening may be circular, oval, elliptical or polyhedral in shape. The characteristics of the hem outlined above are applicable to openings of different shapes.

The silicone elastomer is preferably RTV834.

Preferably the silicone elastomer minimises the penetration of the silicone elastomer into the fabric upon application.

Additionally the silicone elastomer preferably demonstrates a degree of elasticity that not only allows the fabric or garment to be stretched, but also to allow the garment to retain its shape after being stretched. Such characteristics allow fabrics or garments having hems with sufficient elasticity to accommodate a wider range of body sizes. According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a garment comprising at least one stretchable textile fabric article according to any preceding embodiment. According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a stretchable textile fabric article according to any preceding embodiment of the stretchable textile fabric using an apparatus comprising a mount having a primary support for carrying a piece of fabric and an silicone dispensing unit having a dispensing head for dispensing silicone elastomer, wherein the primary support is movable so as to effect rotational movement of the primary support relative to the dispensing head of the silicone dispensing unit, the method including the steps of: mounting a piece of fabric onto the primary support, the fabric defining an opening; dispensing at least one layer of silicone elastomer onto the piece of fabric; rotating the primary support relative to the dispensing head of the silicone dispensing unit during the dispensing of the or each layer of silicone elastomer onto the piece of fabric; and folding a portion of the piece of fabric to sandwich the or each layer of silicone elastomer between folded portions of the fabric so as to define a hem along the edge of the opening.

The abovementioned step of rotating the primary support during the dispensing of the or each layer of silicone elastomer leads to the formation of a continuous band of silicone elastomer about the opening of the fabric, and thereby permits the manufacture of the stretchable textile fabric article as described above.

The use of a rotatable primary support also improves the quality of application of silicone elastomer onto the fabric. For example, penetration of the silicone elastomer into the fabric during deposition can be minimised by varying the rotational and translation speeds of the primary support to affect the speed of application of the silicone elastomer to the fabric. Preferably the method includes the step of translating the primary support relative to the dispensing head of the silicone dispensing unit during the dispensing of the or each layer of silicone elastomer onto the piece of fabric, wherein the primary support is movable to effect translational movement of the primary support relative to the dispensing head of the silicone dispensing unit. The provision of a rotatable and translatable primary support means the apparatus also allows the formation of hems of different shapes and sizes to conform to the size and shape of the opening of the fabric. Preferably the mount of the apparatus includes a driven arm, the primary support being mounted on the driven arm and the driven arm including at least one motor to effect rotational movement of the primary support.

In such embodiments, the driven arm preferably includes at least one motor to effect translational movement of the primary support.

The above arrangement provides fine control over the motion capabilities of the primary support, which can also be automated through the use of algorithms that can be readily incorporated into the operation of the driven arm.

In other embodiments, the method may include the step of dispensing the or each layer of silicone elastomer onto the piece of fabric by directing the or each layer of silicone elastomer onto the piece of fabric using a curtain of air, wherein the silicone dispensing unit is operably associated with an air jet to selectively direct the curtain of air towards the dispensing head of the silicone dispensing unit.

The provision of the air curtain allows for silicone elastomer deposition without the need for contact between the silicone dispensing unit and the surface of the fabric by using a curtain of air to blow the dispensed silicone elastomer onto the fabric surface. This manner of application minimises penetration of the deposited silicone elastomer into the fabric structure and thereby prevents lock up of the fabric caused by chemical bonding between the deposited silicone elastomer and the fabric fibres.

In further embodiments, the apparatus may further include a folding device for folding the portion of the piece of fabric to sandwich the or each layer of silicone elastomer between folded portions of the piece of fabric.

In such embodiments the folding device may include a ring element slidably mounted on the primary support.

The folding of the fabric to form the hem may be automated so as to minimise the involvement of an operator to manually fold the fabric to form the hem. In embodiments of the invention, the method may further include the step of curing the or each layer of silicone elastomer subsequent to the step of folding of the portion of the fabric, wherein the apparatus further includes a curing station.

In such embodiments, the method may further include the step of rotating the primary support relative to the curing station, preferably during curing of the or each layer of silicone elastomer. In such embodiments employing the use of a translatable primary support, the primary support may be translated relative to the curing station during curing of the or each layer of silicone elastomer. Such a curing station preferably includes a heater.

The motion capabilities of the primary support allow the silicone elastomer to be cured evenly so as to ensure uniform elasticity throughout the hem.

In other embodiments, the fabric may be a garment and the garment may be folded inside-out before being mounted on the primary support.

This manner of forming a hem along the edge of an opening may be applied to garments with sub-sections having an opening, such as stockings, shirts and waistbands, so as to provide the respective subsection with desirable elastic properties.

The invention also relates to apparatus for applying adhesive onto a piece of fabric and a method of applying adhesive onto a piece of fabric using such an apparatus.

Factors that influence the choice of garment typically include comfort and aesthetics. Certain garments, such as hosiery garments, may however sag when worn, which can be a source of discomfort and embarrassment to the wearer. Such sagging however can be prevented by depositing adhesive material around the inner surface of the garment to allow the garment to adhere to the skin of the wearer's body.

Conventionally, the adhesive is applied using a printing process. This typically involves adhesive being printed onto opposite sides of the garment opening when the garment opening is laid flat on a support surface. This process inevitably leads to breaks in the resultant adhesive extending about the garment opening. According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for applying adhesive onto a piece of fabric, the apparatus comprising at least one mount having a primary support to carry a piece of fabric and at least one adhesive dispensing unit having a dispensing head to dispense adhesive, wherein the or each primary support is movable so as to effect rotational and translational movement of the primary support relative to the dispensing head of the or at least one adhesive dispensing unit.

In its simplest application, the apparatus allows one or more annular bands to be formed on the inner surface of a garment, about an opening in the garment. This is achieved by placing the garment on a tubular form and rotating the tubular form beneath the dispensing head to deposit adhesive material onto the garment. It therefore allows the formation of continuous bands of adhesive, i.e. bands with no breaks in the adhesive.

The provision of at least one rotatable and translatable primary support means the apparatus also allows adhesive layers of different shapes and sizes to be formed on a piece of fabric. Such adhesive layers may be decorative or may be customized to incorporate specific characteristics to confirm to a person's specific body features.

The apparatus therefore provides means for coating garments having multiple openings and/or complex shapes. It avoids the need to adjust the position of a garment on the form after each deposition step when coating multiple sites on the garment and thereby greatly improves the efficiency of the coating process, which in turn helps to reduce manufacturing lead times and reduce the manufacturing cost per garment. In the absence of such a primary support, it would be necessary to design the or each dispensing head to incorporate motion capabilities to form adhesive layers of different shapes and sizes. In such a setup, the required range of motion of the dispensing head is dictated by the complexity of the shape of the fabric or garment which may, for example, range from a wristband to a full-body suit. Such a setup increases the design complexity of the manufacturing apparatus because it is necessary to consider the various positions of the dispensing head and adhesive dispensing unit in terms of the flow characteristics of the adhesive from the adhesive dispensing unit during deposition. In addition, a heavy and bulky dispensing head, such as an extruder head, will not only be difficult to move efficiently over a wide range of motion, but will also result in a manufacturing apparatus with a large and complicated layout to accommodate the motion of the entire extruder unit. The rotational and translational capabilities of the or each primary support relative to the dispensing head of the or at least one adhesive dispensing unit therefore simplifies hardware design by minimizing the required movement of the or each dispensing head and thereby eliminating the above-mentioned problems associated with a moving dispensing head.

The apparatus eliminates the need to attach a separate length of lace having adhesive printed on its inner surface to the top of a hold-up stockings to provide the required "holdup" function of the stocking. The stocking may instead be knit to include a patterned top formed integrally with the remainder of the stocking leg, one or more continuous, annular bands of adhesive then being applied to the inner surface of the patterned top towards the opening of the stocking.

Preferably the apparatus further includes at least one curing station, the or each primary support being movable so as to effect rotational and translational movement relative to the or at least one curing station. In such embodiments, the or each curing station may include a heater.

The motion capabilities of the or each primary support allow the curing station to be located in various positions around the or each primary support. This results in a flexible arrangement in which the relative position of the curing station within the apparatus may be varied to conform to different sites having different footprints.

In embodiments of the invention the apparatus may further include at least one barrier dispensing unit having a dispensing head to dispense a barrier material, the or each primary support being movable so as to effect rotational and translational movement of the primary support relative to the dispensing head of the or at least one barrier dispensing unit. The provision of a barrier dispensing unit allows the dispensing of a barrier material layer, which acts to limit the penetration of the uncured adhesive layer into the fabric.

This reduces the risk of the adhesive, once cured, locking up the fabric structure and thereby limiting the stretch of the fabric. It therefore helps to improve the stretch and recovery of the fabric when compared with that achieved via printing. In other embodiments, the or each mount may include a driven arm, the primary support being mounted on the driven arm and the driven arm including at least one motor to effect rotational and translational movement of the primary support. The above arrangement provides fine control over the motion capabilities of the or each primary support, which can also be automated through the use of algorithms that can be readily incorporated into the operation of the driven arm. Such fine control over the motion capabilities of the or each primary support can be used to improve the quality of application of adhesive onto the fabric. For example, penetration of the adhesive into the fabric during deposition can be minimised by varying the rotational and translation speeds of the primary support to affect the speed of application of the adhesive to the fabric.

Preferably the apparatus further includes at least one holder configured to releasably retain at least one support, wherein: the or each primary support is releasably attached to the respective mount; the or each primary support is movable so as to effect rotational and translational movement of the primary support relative to the or at least one holder; and the or each primary support is movable to an unloading position for transfer from the respective mount to the or at least one holder.

The provision of the or at least one holder leads to a reduction in manufacturing lead time by allowing automatic removal of the primary support from the respective mount as opposed to manual removal of the fabric from the primary support. In embodiments employing at least one holder, the or at least one holder may include at least one secondary support, the or each secondary support carrying in use a piece of fabric, and the or at least one mount may be configured to receive the secondary support or one of the secondary supports from the or at least one holder. In such embodiments, the or at least one holder is controllable to selectively move the secondary support or one of the secondary supports to a loading position for transfer to the respective mount.

The above arrangement results in the automatic replacement of the primary support with another support carrying a piece of fabric, which allows the coating of different fabrics in quick succession. Otherwise it would be necessary to manually replace the fabric on the primary support mounted on the driven arm, which leads to longer manufacturing lead times. In contrast the above arrangement allows replacement of the fabric on one support which fabric on another support is coated.

The apparatus preferably further includes at least one flocking station, the or each primary support being movable so as to effect rotational and translational movement of the primary support relative to the or at least one flocking station.

The provision of the or at least one flocking station allows the modification of the adhesion characteristics of the dispensed adhesive layers. For example, the introduction of fibre particles via the flocking process reduces the grip of the adhesive layer on the fabric and thereby increases the comfort of the wearer of the fabric.

Preferably the apparatus further includes at least one cutting tool, the or each primary support being movable so as to effect rotational and translational movement of the primary support relative to the or at least one cutting tool. In such embodiments, the or at least one cutting tool may be a laser.

The cutting tool may be used to define a specific size and shape of the fabric having an adhesive layer. For example, the cutting tool may be used to remove uncoated portions of partially coated fabric in order to provide a fabric surface which is completely coated with adhesive. This is particularly useful in overcoming difficulties in coating fabric edges.

In addition, the motion capabilities of the primary support allows the cutting tool to remain stationary during cutting of the fabric, which greatly simplifies the design and hardware requirements of the cutting tool.

The provision of a cutting tool allows the production of welt-less, hold-up stockings, providing improved comfort for a wearer.

This is because it allows removal of the welt from each hold-up stocking following the application of one or more continuous annular bands of adhesive about the opening of the stocking. The adhesive acts to maintain the structural integrity of the resultant stocking and prevent unraveling of the fabric once the welt is removed.

In further embodiments, the apparatus may further include a primary controller to control rotational and translational movement of the or each primary support. This allows the operator to use remote control instead of direct manipulation of the or each primary support so as to dictate the movement of the or each primary support. In such embodiments, the primary controller may be programmable to control rotational and translational movement of the or each primary support so as to follow a predetermined program of movement.

The provision of a programmable primary controller not only makes it straightforward to control the apparatus so as to form adhesive layers having complex shapes and styles, but also allows the primary support to easily switch between different programs of movements depending on the layout of the apparatus, which may vary depending on the available space at the manufacturing site. In embodiments employing the use of a programmable primary controller, the apparatus may include two or more mounts; the primary controller may be programmable to control rotational and translational movement of each support so as to follow a predetermined program of movement; and the apparatus may further include a secondary controller to monitor the positions of the primary supports relative to each other and provide a feedback signal to the primary controller to facilitate real time adjustment of the program of movement of each support.

This minimises the risk of collision between two or more concurrently moving supports and thereby prevents hardware damage and unnecessary downtime to carry out maintenance and repairs.

In embodiments employing the use of a programmable primary controller and having at least one curing station, the primary controller may be programmable to control rotational and translational movement of the or each primary support so as to follow a predetermined program of movement relative to the dispensing head of the or at least one adhesive unit followed by a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one curing station.

In embodiments employing the use of a programmable primary controller and having at least one flocking station and at least one curing station, the primary controller may be programmable to control rotational and translational movement of the primary support so as to follow a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one adhesive dispensing unit followed by a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one flocking station followed by a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one curing station. In each of the two preceding embodiments having at least one holder, the primary controller is programmable to control rotational and translational movement of the primary support so as to follow a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one holder followed by a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one adhesive dispensing unit.

In embodiments employing the use of a programmable primary controller and having at least one barrier dispensing unit, the primary controller may be programmable to control rotational and translational movement of the primary support so as to follow a predetermined program of movement relative to the dispensing head of the or at least one barrier dispensing unit followed by a predetermined program of movement relative to the dispensing head of the or at least one adhesive dispensing unit.

In such embodiments employing the use of a programmable primary controller and having at least one holder, the primary controller may be programmable to control rotational and translational movement of the primary support so as to follow a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one holder followed by a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one barrier dispensing unit. In embodiments employing the use of a programmable primary controller, at least one curing station and at least one holder, the primary controller may be programmable to control rotational and translational movement of the primary support so as to follow a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one curing station followed by a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one holder.

In other embodiments employing the use of a programmable primary controller and at least one curing station and having at least one cutting tool, the primary controller may be programmable to control rotational and translational movement of the primary support so as to follow a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one curing station followed by a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one cutting tool. In such embodiments having at least one holder, the primary controller may be programmable to control rotational and translation movement of the primary support so as to follow a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one cutting tool followed by a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one holder.

In embodiments of the invention, the or each adhesive dispensing unit may be operably associated with an air jet to selectively direct a curtain of air towards the dispensing head of the adhesive dispensing unit.

In embodiments employing the use of a barrier layer, the or each barrier dispensing unit may be operably associated with an air jet to selectively direct a curtain of air towards the dispensing head of the barrier dispensing unit. The provision of the air curtain allows for adhesive and/or barrier material deposition without the need for contact between the respective dispensing unit and the surface of the fabric by using a curtain of air to blow the dispensed material onto the fabric surface. This manner of application minimises penetration of the deposited adhesive or barrier material into the fabric structure and thereby prevents lock up of the fabric caused by chemical bonding between the deposited material and the fabric fibres.

In other embodiments, the or each adhesive dispensing unit may include a pump and the apparatus may further include a pump controller to control the pump to selectively dispense adhesive via the or each respective dispensing head.

In further embodiments employing the use of at least one barrier dispensing unit, the or each barrier dispensing unit may include a pump and the apparatus may further include a pump controller to control the pump to selectively dispense barrier material via the or each respective dispensing head.

The provision of a pump allows material to be continuously supplied via the respective dispensing unit. The pump controller allows dispensing of two or more types of adhesive or barrier material via the respective dispensing head to form mixtures with different characteristics or to dispense distinct layers having different properties.

Preferably the or each dispensing head has an asymmetrical opening at its dispensing end. The asymmetrical opening results in the deposition of adhesive layers having an asymmetrical cross-sectional area. This may be used to form an adhesive layer having parallel ribs along its length as opposed to a flat adhesive layer. For example, such ribs may be formed near the openings of stockings, the rib closest to the opening being thicker and therefore having a greater modulus of elasticity than the or each rib spaced furthest from the opening, to prevent the top of each stocking from rolling over and causing discomfort to the wearer. The or each dispensing head is preferably an extruder head.

The function of the extruder head is to provide thin film adhesive layers, which allow the fabric to adhere to the wearer's body whilst minimising the increase in overall thickness of the fabric.

According to a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing an adhesive fabric using an apparatus according to any of the above-mentioned embodiments, the method comprising the steps of: mounting a fabric on at least one primary support; dispensing a first adhesive layer onto the or each fabric; and rotating and/or translating the or each primary support relative to the respective adhesive dispensing unit.

As outlined above, rotating and/or translating the or each primary support relative to the adhesive dispensing unit simplifies hardware design by minimising the need for a moving dispensing head.

In embodiments of the invention, the method may further include the step of dispensing a second adhesive layer on top of the first adhesive layer. The provision of such a step results in an adhesive fabric having the combined characteristics of the first and second adhesive layers. For example, the first adhesive layer may have a specified degree of elasticity to retain the shape of the fabric while the second adhesive layer may possess increased tackiness to improve adhesion of the fabric to a wearer's body.

When the method includes the step of depositing a barrier material layer, such a barrier material layer may be a silicone elastomer, preferably RTV830. The barrier layer preferably has a high viscosity to minimise the penetration of the barrier layer into the fabric upon application. The degree of elasticity of the barrier material layer is preferably such that the barrier material layer does not inhibit the fabric or garment from being stretched. The barrier material layer may also have substantially similar elastic properties to that of the adhesive layer.

The or each adhesive layer may be a silicone elastomer, preferably RTV834. Preferably the adhesive is capable of adhering to the skin of a wearer's body. Such an adhesive may be permanently tacky i.e. the adhesive may adhere to and be removed from a surface many times. This allows the adhesive fabric or garment to be used many times over without degradation of the adhesive. Additionally the adhesive preferably demonstrates a degree of elasticity that not only allows the fabric or garment to be stretched, but also to allow the garment to retain its shape after being stretched. Such characteristics allow fabrics or garments having adhesive layers with sufficient elasticity to accommodate a wider range of body sizes. In embodiments of the invention the or each fabric may be a garment; and the or each garment may be folded inside-out before being mounted on the respective support. This enables the inner surface of the or each garment to be coated with an adhesive layer.

The or each adhesive layer may be dispensed around the circumference of an opening in the respective fabric. Such an opening may be circular, oval, elliptical or polyhedral in shape. This manner of dispensing adhesive layers may be applied to garments with substantially tubular sub-sections, such as stockings, shirts and waistbands, so that the garment adheres to the wearer's body along the circumference of the opening. According to a sixth aspect of the invention there is provided a hold-up stocking comprising a leg portion and a decorative top defining an opening, the decorative top being integrally knit with the leg portion and the decorative top including one or more continuous, annular bands of adhesive extending about the opening. According to a seventh aspect of the invention there is provided a welt-less, hold-up stocking comprising a welt-less leg portion defining an opening and one or more continuous, annular bands of adhesive extending about the opening. Omission of a welt about the opening of the leg portion increases the stretch of the stocking and also improves the comfort of a wearer. The inclusion of one or more annular bands of adhesive about the opening of the leg portion acts to finish the fabric of the stocking about the opening of the leg portion, thereby acting to maintain the structural integrity of the resultant stocking and prevent unravelling of the fabric.

In such embodiments, the adhesive preferably extends immediately adjacent the fabric edge of the opening of the leg portion.

The provision of the adhesive immediately adjacent the fabric edge of the opening of the leg portion resists any tendency of the top of the stocking to roll-over.

According to an eighth embodiment of the invention there is provided a hold-up stocking comprising a leg portion defining an opening and at least one continuous, annular band of adhesive extending about the opening, the annular band of adhesive being graduated in thickness so as to be thickest closest to the opening of the leg portion.

The provision of an annular band of adhesive about the opening of the leg portion that is thickest closest to the opening of the leg portion improves the comfort of a wearer in that the thicker portion of adhesive prevents the top of the stocking from rolling over.

Other advantageous features of the invention are described in the other, dependent claims.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of non-limiting examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a stretchable textile fabric article according to an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 shows a subsection of the waistband, where the subsection extends between lines A-A' and B-B' of the waistband of Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 shows an apparatus for forming the stretchable textile fabric article shown in Figure 1 ;

Figure 4a shows a waistband having a continuous band of silicone elastomer coated on a target site situated adjacent to the circumference of the opening;

Figure 4b shows the folding of the waistband of Figure 4a to form a half-turn hem; Figure 5 shows the deposition of a layer of silicone elastomer onto the fabric of the waistband directly from the dispensing head of the silicone dispensing unit;

Figure 6 shows the deposition of a layer of silicone elastomer onto the fabric of the waistband using an air curtain;

Figure 7a shows a waistband having a continuous band of silicone elastomer coated on a target site situated away from the circumference of the opening;

Figure 7b shows the folding of the waistband of Figure 7a to form a half-turn hem;

Figures 8a and 8b show a folding device according to an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 9 shows an apparatus according to another embodiment of the invention;

Figure 10 shows a plurality of deposited adhesive layers having different shapes; Figure 11 shows a plurality of adhesive layers coated on multiple target sites on a garment.

Figure 12 shows the deposition of a first adhesive layer onto the fabric directly from the nozzle of the adhesive dispensing unit;

Figure 13 shows the deposition of a first adhesive layer onto the fabric using an air curtain;

Figure 14 shows a welt-less stocking having a continuous, annular band of adhesive extending about the opening of the stocking; and

Figure 15 shows an apparatus according to a further embodiment of the invention.

A stretchable textile fabric article 10 according to an embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 1.

The stretchable textile fabric article 10 is in the form of a waistband having a half-turn hem 12 along the edge of its opening. The fabric of the waistband may be, for example, knitted or woven. It is envisaged that in other embodiments, the stretchable textile fabric article may be the form of a substantially annular band or may be a subsection of a garment having one or more openings, such as, for example, a shirt or stocking.

The half-turn hem 12 is formed by applying a continuous band of silicone elastomer 14, i.e. a band having no breaks in the silicone elastomer, about the opening of the waistband and folding a portion 16 of the waistband over the silicone elastomer 14 so that the half-turn hem 12 is secured by means of the continuous band of silicone elastomer 14 sandwiched between folded portions 16,18 of the waistband, as shown in Figure 2.

The continuous band of silicone elastomer 14 not only ensures that the half-turn hem is properly secured about the opening of the waistband, but also ensures the uniform elasticity of the half-turn hem about the opening of the waistband.

The provision of a continuous band of silicone elastomer 14 between folded portions 16,18 of a waistband to define a half-turn hem 12 about an opening of the waistband improves the stretch and elastic recovery of the waistband. In comparison, a conventional hem based on the use of a hot melt adhesive film, such as polyurethane, tend to exhibit relatively poor elastic recovery after being stretched as a result of the tendency of the holt melt adhesive film to break upon stretching of the fabric. The formation of the half-turn hem 12 in this manner removes the need for stitches to hold the hem together or an elastic band within the hem to provide the hem with a desired elasticity. This not only leads to improvements in the aesthetic appearance of the waistband and the comfort of the wearer using the waistband, but also simplifies the manufacture of the waistband, which leads to reductions in cost.

In addition the silicone elastomer 14 acts to maintain the structural integrity of the resultant half-turn hem 12 by finishing the hem edge and thereby preventing unravelling of the fabric of the waistband at the hem edge. In other embodiments, it is envisaged that the hem may be a full-turn hem instead of a half-turn hem.

The waistband of Figure 1 is manufactured using the apparatus shown in Figure 3. The apparatus 20 comprises a silicone dispensing unit 22, a mount 24 and a curing station (not shown).

The silicone dispensing unit 22 includes a dispensing head 26 for dispensing silicone elastomer, while the mount includes a primary support 28 and a driven arm 30.

The primary support 28 is mounted onto the driven arm 30, which includes a motor to effect rotational and translational movement of the primary support 28. The driven arm 30 may be modified to be rotatable in two or three dimensions and translate in one, two or three dimensions at varying speeds to suit the needs of the manufacturing process. Such use of a driven arm 30 improves the efficiency of the manufacturing process by providing fine control over the motion capabilities of the primary support 28.

The apparatus 20 further includes a primary controller to operate the driven arm 30. In order to operate the driven arm 30, the primary controller is programmable to control rotational and translational movement of the primary support 28 so as to follow a predetermined program of movement. This predetermined program of movement allows the primary support 28 to rotate and translate relative to the dispensing head 26 of the silicone dispensing unit 22.

To apply silicone elastomer onto the waistband, the waistband 10 is mounted on the primary support 28 and the driven arm 30 is controlled to position the primary support 28 relative to the dispensing head 26 of the silicone dispensing unit 22 so as to permit formation of a layer of silicone elastomer onto the waistband 10.

In use, the silicone dispensing unit 22 is controllable to dispense silicone elastomer in the form of a continuous thin film.

It is envisaged that in embodiments of the invention, the silicone dispensing unit may include an extruder having an extruder head which produces thin films of silicone elastomer for application to the fabric of the waistband. The silicone dispensing unit 22 is operably associated with an air jet to selectively direct a curtain of air towards the dispensing head 26 of the silicone dispensing unit 22. This allows any dispensed silicone elastomer to be blown by the air curtain to form a layer of silicone elastomer on the waistband 10. The provision of the air curtain allows for silicone elastomer deposition without the need for contact between the silicone dispensing unit and the fabric surface of the waistband. This manner of application minimises penetration of the deposited silicone elastomer into the fabric structure of the waistband and thereby prevents lock up of the fabric structure caused by chemical bonding between the silicone elastomer and the fabric fibres.

The curing station includes a heater, which may be in the form of a stream of hot air or heating elements, to cure the layer of silicone elastomer on the waistband 10. To perform the curing operation, the driven arm 30 is controlled to position the primary support 28 relative to the curing station so as to permit curing of the dispensed layer of silicone elastomer on the waistband 10. Using the formation of a hem about an opening of a waistband as an example, the apparatus may be operated as follows.

Initially the waistband is folded inside out before being mounted on a tubular primary support. This exposes the inner surface of the waistband and thereby permits coating of the inner surface. Alternatively the step of folding the waistband inside out may be omitted if it is desirable to form the hem on the outer surface of the waistband.

In this instance, the target site intended for coating is the inner surface adjacent to the circumference of the waistband's opening.

To deposit the layer of silicone elastomer onto the waistband, the primary support follows a predetermined program of movement to position the target site relative to the dispensing head of the silicone dispensing unit so as to enable the dispensing of silicone elastomer onto the target site on the waistband.

The silicone dispensing unit is operated to dispense the layer of silicone elastomer onto the fabric. The primary support is rotated during dispensing of the silicone elastomer 14 so that the silicone elastomer 14 forms an continuous, annular band on the target site 32 near the circumference of the opening of the waistband 10, as shown in Figure 4a.

It is envisaged that in embodiments of the invention, the primary support may be additionally rotated and/or translated during the dispensing of silicone elastomer onto the fabric to produce layers having different shapes and sizes so as to conform to openings having different shapes and sizes, such as, for example, a V-shaped neck opening of a shirt.

Figure 5 shows the direct deposition of the layer of silicone elastomer 14 from the dispensing head 26 of the silicone dispensing unit without the use of the air curtain. This however requires contact between the dispensing head 26 and the fabric surface of the waistband 10, which may lead to penetration of the layer of silicone elastomer 14 into the fabric structure of the waistband 10 when the dispensing head 26 presses onto the waistband 10. Figure 6 shows the deposition of the layer of silicone elastomer 14 from the dispensing head 26 of the silicone dispensing unit with the use of the air curtain 34. The air curtain 34 is positioned between the dispensing head 26 of the silicone dispensing unit and the waistband 10, which allows the air curtain 34 to blow the thin film of silicone elastomer 14 dispensed from the dispensing head 26 onto the fabric surface of the waistband 10. This arrangement eliminates the need for contact between the dispensing head 26 and the waistband 10. The silicone elastomer preferably demonstrates a degree of elasticity that not only allows the waistband to be stretched, but also to allow the waistband to retain its shape after being stretched. Such characteristics allow the waistband having sufficient elasticity to accommodate a wider range of body sizes. Such a silicone elastomer having the above-mentioned desired elasticity may in the form of RTV834. The adhesive dispensing unit may therefore be configured to dispense RTV834.

Preferably the silicone elastomer is a fast curing material, for example having a cure time of less than ten seconds. A fast cure time minimises the risk of the uncured silicone elastomer penetrating the fabric of the waistband during and after deposition of the silicone elastomer onto the waistband.

It is envisaged that, in embodiments of the invention, other adhesive materials having the elasticity and cure time may be used in place of silicone elastomer, which ensures elastic recovery of the textile fabric.

After the continuous band of silicone elastomer 14 is formed on the target site, the portion 16 of the waistband defining the target site is folded over the silicone elastomer 14, as shown in Figure 4b. This results in the formation of a half-turn hem along the edge of the opening of the waistband, the half-turn hem being secured by means of the silicone elastomer 14 sandwiched between folded portions 16,18 of the waistband.

Alternatively, in Figure 7a, the target site 32 may be situated further from the edge of the opening of the waistband 10 so as to define an uncoated portion between the edge of the opening and the dispensed continuous band of silicone elastomer 14. The uncoated portion 16 adjacent to the edge of the opening may then be folded over the layer of silicone elastomer 14, as shown in Figure 7b. This also results in the formation of a half-turn hem along the edge of the opening of the waistband, the half-turn hem being secured by means of the silicone elastomer 14 sandwiched between folded portions 16,18 of the waistband.

The folding of the fabric of the waistband may be performed manually by an operator. Alternatively the apparatus may be modified to further include a folding device to fold the waistband in the above manner. The provision of a folding device allows the folding step to be automated so as to minimise the involvement of an operator to manually perform the necessary folding.

A folding device 36 according to an embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 8a and 8b. The folding device 36 is mounted on the primary support 28 of the apparatus shown in Figure 3.

The folding device 36 defines a stepped outer surface with the primary support 28, the primary support 28 defining an outer surface having a first outer diameter D (Figure 8b) and the folding device 36 including first and second ring portions 38,40, the first ring portion 38 defining an outer surface having a second outer diameter D' and the second ring portion 40 defining an outer surface having a third outer diameter D". The second outer diameter D' is greater than the first outer diameter D and the third outer diameter D" is greater than the second outer diameter D'. The folding device 36 is slidably mounted on the primary support 28 so as to allow sliding movement of the first and second ring portions 38,40 relative to the primary support 28, illustrated in Figure 8b by arrows X.

In such embodiments, the waistband is turned inside out and mounted on the primary support 28 so that the target site intended for coating on the inner surface surrounds the outer surface of the primary support 28 adjacent the first ring portion 38 of the folding device 36 and the outermost circumferential edge of the waistband surrounds the outer surface of the first ring portion 38 of the folding device. Following coating of the target site, the folding device 36 is slidable relative to the primary support 28, toward the outermost edge of the primary support 26, so as to fold the uncoated portion 16 over the layer of silicone elastomer 14. During such sliding movement, the shoulder 42 of the second ring portion 40 adjacent the first ring portion 38 pushes the uncoating portion 16 so as to facilitate folding and prevent sliding of the folding device 36 underneath the waistband. The use of the folding device 36 allows the folding of the fabric of the waistband in a single step so as to allow efficient folding and ensure the creation of a smooth waistband surface. It will be appreciated that the folding device 36 will work in a similar manner when used in the creation of a hem about other openings in a piece of fabric. After formation of the half-turn hem, the waistband is removed from the primary support and reverted to its original state such that the hem of the waistband faces inwards instead of outwards.

The apparatus may also be operated in the above manner to form an hem about an opening of other fabrics or garments having tubular sub-sections such as sleeves, bands and knee-braces. It is envisaged that the coating process may also be used to form continuous bands of silicone elastomer around the circumference of circular, oval, elliptical or other non-circular openings. Omitting the step of rotating the primary support during dispensing of the silicone elastomer means that to form a band of silicone elastomer, it would be necessary to form a length of silicone elastomer and join the two ends of the length of silicone elastomer before forming the hem about the opening of the fabric. This leads to a risk of detachment of the joined ends and thereby non-recovery of the fabric at the detached ends of the length of silicone elastomer after being stretched.

The speed of rotation of the primary support during the coating step influences the quality of the deposited silicone elastomer. For example, the rotation and/or translation of the primary support may be adjusted during the coating process to affect the speed of application of the silicone elastomer to the waistband and thereby prevent the deposited layer of silicone elastomer from penetrating the fabric of the waistband. This maintains the aesthetic quality and elastic properties of the waistband.

In this case, the use of a driven arm in the apparatus allows for high coating speeds, which in turn minimises the penetration of the silicone elastomer into the fabric structure of the waistband. After the formation of the half-turn hem, the primary support follows a predetermined program of movement to position the half-turn hem relative to the curing station so as to enable the curing of the silicone elastomer within the hem and thereby secure the half- turn hem.

During the curing process, the waistband may be rotated and/or translated to ensure that the silicone elastomer is cured evenly. The curing speed may be configured to complete the curing step before the silicone elastomer begins to penetrate the fabric structure of the waistband. Additionally the curing speed may be configured to vary the elastic properties of the silicone elastomer depending on the function of the waistband.

The aforementioned method of applying silicone elastomer onto a fabric also simplifies the manufacturing process by eliminating a pre-stretching step commonly associated with adhesive fabric manufacture.

Conventionally the fabric or garment is pre-stretched during the deposition of the adhesive layer to prevent the deposited adhesive layer from inhibiting stretch of the fabric or garment resulting from penetration of the adhesive into the fabric or garment. This is because penetration of the adhesive into the fabric or garment leads to the adhesive chemically bonding with the fibres of the fabric or garment and thereby prevents the fabric or garment from returning to its relaxed condition. Pre-stretching is therefore conventionally used to impart stretchability to the finished adhesive fabric or garment. Pre-stretching the fabric or garment however leads to a decline in aesthetic quality due to the difference in length between the adhesive layer and the fabric.

The motion capabilities of the primary support provide fine control over the coating and curing speeds of the silicone elastomer so as to prevent penetration of the silicone elastomer into the fabric structure of the waistband. Additionally, as outlined earlier, the provision of an air curtain prevents contact between the dispensing head of the silicone dispensing unit and the fabric surface of the waistband which would have caused the dispensing head of the silicone dispensing unit to press the adhesive into the fabric structure of the waistband. The combination of high coating and curing speeds, contact-free deposition of silicone elastomer onto the surface of the waistband leads to the elimination of the pre-stretching step during the manufacture of the adhesive fabric. As a result of eliminating the need for pre-stretching, the aforementioned method produces a waistband that is both aesthetically pleasing and stretchable.

An apparatus for applying adhesive onto a piece of fabric 110 according to another embodiment of the invention is shown in Figure 9.

The term "fabric" in this description includes stand-alone fabrics and fabrics that form part of a finished or partially finished garment. The apparatus comprises an adhesive dispensing unit, a barrier dispensing unit, a mount and a curing station.

Each of the adhesive and barrier dispensing units includes a dispensing head 112 for dispensing adhesive and barrier material respectively, while the mount includes a primary support 114 and a driven arm 116.

The primary support 114 is mounted onto the driven arm 116, which includes a motor to effect rotational and translational movement of the primary support 114. The driven arm 116 may be modified to be rotatable in two or three dimensions and translate in one, two or three dimensions at varying speeds to suit the needs of the manufacturing process. Such use of a driven arm 116 improves the efficiency of the manufacturing process by providing fine control over the motion capabilities of the primary support 1 14.

The apparatus further includes a primary controller to operate the driven arm 116. In order to operate the driven arm 116, the primary controller is programmable to control rotational and translational movement of the primary support 1 14 so as to follow a predetermined program of movement. This predetermined program of movement allows the primary support 114 to rotate and translate relative to the dispensing head 112 of each dispensing unit.

To apply either adhesive or barrier material onto the mounted fabric 110, the driven arm 116 is controlled to position the primary support 114 relative to the dispensing head 112 of the respective dispensing unit so as to permit formation of a adhesive or barrier material layer onto the fabric 110.

Preferably each dispensing unit is controllable in use to dispense adhesive in the form of a thin film, which may be continuous or discontinuous. Such flexibility in operation of each dispensing unit allows the apparatus to manufacture adhesive fabrics with different characteristics. For example, as seen in Figure 10, a continuous layer of adhesive 1 18a allows the load to be distributed along the adhesive layer when being used to adhere and support the fabric or garment 110 to the wearer's body, while a discontinuous layer of adhesive may be used to minimise material cost or for deposition onto a fabric with perforations such as lace.

It is envisaged that in embodiments of the invention, each dispensing unit may include an extruder having an extruder head which produces thin films of adhesive for application to the fabric.

Each dispensing unit is operably associated with an air jet to selectively direct a curtain of air towards the dispensing head 112 of the respective dispensing unit. This allows any dispensed adhesive or barrier material to be blown by the air curtain to form an layer on the fabric 110.

The provision of the air curtain allows for adhesive and barrier material deposition without the need for contact between the respective dispensing unit and the surface of the fabric by using a curtain of air to blow the dispensed material onto the surface of the fabric. This manner of application minimises penetration of the deposited adhesive and barrier material into the fabric structure and thereby prevents lock up of the fabric caused by chemical bonding between the adhesive and the fabric fibres.

The dispensing head of each dispensing unit may have a symmetrical or asymmetrical opening at its dispensing end. The use of a dispensing head with an asymmetrical opening at its dispensing end enables the dispensing of adhesive films having one or more ribs 118c along the length of each adhesive film, as seen in Figure 10. These ribs 118c may be positioned near the fabric opening to prevent the fabric 110 from rolling over when being worn.

Each dispensing unit includes a pump and a pump controller to control the pump to selectively dispense adhesive via the respective dispensing head 112.

This provision of the pump and pump controller not only provides the adhesive dispensing unit with a continuous supply of adhesive or barrier material and thereby removes the need to place the dispensing unit in an offline state to replenish the adhesive or barrier material stock, but also permits the dispensing of different materials. The pump controller also allows dispensing of two or more types of adhesive or barrier material via the respective dispensing head 1 12 to form mixtures with different characteristics or to dispense distinct layers having different properties. The curing station includes a heater, which may be in the form of a stream of hot air or heating elements, to cure the dispensed layers on the fabric 110. To perform the curing operation, the driven arm 116 is controlled to position the primary support 114 relative to the curing station so as to permit curing of the dispensed adhesive or barrier material layer on the fabric 110.

The provision of a movable support and a programmable primary controller allows the positions of the dispensing units, the mount and the curing station to be varied relative to the other components of the apparatus so as to conform to different sites having different footprints.

It is envisaged that, in other embodiments, the apparatus may include a plurality of mounts so as to improve the efficiency of the manufacturing process by allowing a plurality of mounted fabrics or garments to be coated simultaneously or in quick succession. In such embodiments, the primary controller may be programmable to control rotational and translational movement of each support so as to follow a predetermined program of movement; and the apparatus further includes a secondary controller to monitor the positions of the primary supports relative to each other and provide a feedback signal to the primary controller to facilitate real time adjustment of the program of movement of each support. This minimises the risk of collision between two or more concurrently moving supports and thereby prevents hardware damage and unnecessary downtime to carry out maintenance and repairs.

Using a coating of a stocking as an example, the apparatus may be operated as follows:- The apparatus is used to deposit one or more annular bands around the inner surface near the circumference of a stocking's opening. The provision of such annular bands allows the stocking to adhere to the skin of a wearer's leg and thereby prevent sag of the worn stocking. Initially the stocking is folded inside out before being mounted on a tubular primary support, such as a mandrel, which may resemble a human leg. This exposes the inner surfaces of the stocking and thereby allows coating of these inner surfaces. In this instance, the target site intended for coating is the inner surface near the circumference of the stocking's opening. As shown in Figure 11 , when there are multiple target sites on the garment 110, it is necessary to rotate and/or translate the primary support after each coating step to move the next target site to the dispensing position before depositing each barrier material or adhesive material layer 118 onto the garment 110.

To deposit a barrier material layer onto the fabric, the primary support follows a predetermined program of movement to position the target site relative to the dispensing head of the barrier dispensing unit so as to enable the dispensing of barrier material onto the target site on the stocking.

The barrier dispensing unit is operated to dispense a barrier material layer onto the target site. The primary support is rotated and/or translated during dispensing of the barrier material layer so that the barrier material layer forms an annular band around the circumference of the opening. The barrier material layer acts to limit the penetration of any subsequently dispensed adhesive layer into the fabric before the curing of the adhesive layer.

The barrier layer preferably has a high viscosity to minimise the penetration of the barrier layer into the fabric upon application. The degree of elasticity of the barrier material layer is preferably such that the barrier material layer does not inhibit the fabric or garment from being stretched. The barrier material layer may also have substantially similar elastic properties to that of the adhesive layer.

Such a barrier material layer may be a silicone elastomer such as RTV8130.

RTV8130 is formed by mixing two components, RTV8130A and RTV8130B. It is possible to vary the weight ratio of RTV8130A and RTV8130B in order to vary the mechanical properties of the barrier material layer to match that of the silicone elastomer. For example, these components may be combined in a 78:122 weight ratio of RTV8130A and RTV8130B to produce a RTV8130 silicone elastomer with a Young's modulus of 0.118 MPa and a tensile strength of 1.5 MPa, which are similar to the corresponding mechanical properties of RTV834. To deposit the first adhesive layer onto the fabric, the primary support follows a predetermined program of movement to position the target site relative to the dispensing head of the adhesive dispensing unit so as to enable the dispensing of adhesive onto the target site on the stocking.

The adhesive dispensing unit is operated to dispense a first adhesive layer onto the barrier material layer. The primary support is rotated and/or translated during dispensing of the first adhesive layer so that the first adhesive layer forms an annular band around the circumference of the opening.

It is envisaged that in embodiments of the invention, the primary support may be rotated and translated during dispensing of the barrier material and adhesive onto the fabric to produce layers having different shapes and sizes. For example, the first adhesive layer 118b may have a sinusoidal or serpentine shape, as seen in Figure 10. This is useful for incorporating decorative features into the garment or to customize the garment to conform to a wearer's specific body features.

Figure 12 shows the direct deposition of the first adhesive layer 118 from the dispensing head 116 of the adhesive dispensing unit without the use of the air curtain. This however requires contact between the dispensing head 112 and the fabric surface, which may lead to penetration of the first adhesive layer 118 into the fabric 110 when the dispensing head 1 12 presses onto the fabric 110.

Figure 13 shows the deposition of the first adhesive layer from the dispensing head 112 of the adhesive dispensing unit with the use of the air curtain 122. The air curtain 122 is positioned between the dispensing head 116 of the adhesive dispensing unit and the fabric 110, which allows the air curtain 122 to blow the thin adhesive film dispensed from the dispensing head 112 onto the fabric surface. This arrangement eliminates the need for contact between the dispensing head 112 and the fabric 110.

Preferably the adhesive is capable of adhering to the skin of a wearer's body. Such an adhesive may be permanently tacky i.e. the adhesive may adhere to and be removed from a surface many times. This allows the adhesive fabric or garment to be used many times over without degradation of the adhesive.

The adhesive preferably demonstrates a degree of elasticity that not only allows the fabric or garment to be stretched, but also to allow the garment to retain its shape after being stretched. Such characteristics allow fabrics or garments having adhesive layers with sufficient elasticity to accommodate a wider range of body sizes.

Such an adhesive having the above-mentioned desired adhesiveness and elasticity may in the form of a silicone elastomer such as RTV834, which is a tacky material suitable for coating fabrics to form adhesive fabrics. The adhesive dispensing unit may therefore be configured to dispense silicone elastomer.

Preferably the silicone elastomer is a fast curing material, for example having a cure time of less than ten seconds. A fast cure time minimises the risk of the uncured silicone elastomer penetrating the fabric during and after deposition of the silicone elastomer onto the fabric.

It is envisaged that, in embodiments of the invention, other adhesive materials having the desired tackiness, elasticity and cure time may be used in place of silicone elastomer.

After dispensing of the barrier material and first adhesive layers onto the fabric, the stocking is removed from the form and reverted to its original state such that the coated surface of the stocking faces inwards instead of outwards.

The apparatus may also be operated in the above manner to coat an opening of other fabrics or garments having tubular sub-sections such as sleeves, bands and knee- braces. It is envisaged that the coating process may also be used to form adhesive layers around the circumference of oval, elliptical or other non-circular openings or at other sites on the fabric or garment.

In further embodiments, it is also envisaged that the fabric or garment may be mounted onto the primary support such that the outer surface of the fabric or garment is exposed to the adhesive dispensing unit. This allows the coating of the outer surface of the fabric or garment. For example, the outer surface of surgical bandages may be coated with adhesive layers to improve the adherence between different layers of bandages wrapped around part of the patient's body.

The motion capabilities of the primary support therefore may be used to form adhesive layers on a wide range of fabrics and garments having different shapes and sizes, such as wristbands, knee braces and full-body suits. The speed of rotation of the primary support during the coating step influences the quality of the deposited adhesive layer. For example, the rotation and/or translation of the primary support be adjusted during the coating process to affect the speed of application of the adhesive to the fabric and thereby prevent the deposited adhesive layer from penetrating the fabric. This maintains the aesthetic quality and elastic properties of the fabric or garment.

In this case, the use of a driven arm in the apparatus allows for high coating speeds, which in turn minimises the penetration of the adhesive layer into the fabric structure.

To cure the barrier material layer or the first adhesive layer, the primary support follows a predetermined program of movement to position the target site relative to the dispensing curing station after the respective dispensing step so as to enable the curing of the dispensed layer onto the target site on the stocking.

During the curing process, the coated fabric or garment may be rotated and/or translated to ensure that the barrier material or first adhesive layer is cured evenly. The curing speed may be configured to complete the curing step before the dispensed layer begins to penetrate the fabric. Additionally the curing speed may be configured to vary the elastic properties of the dispensed layer depending on the function of the fabric.

In other embodiments, the apparatus may be operated to manufacture a stocking having a lace portion attached about the opening of a stocking. The stocking is mounted on a tubular primary support, which is rotated and/or translated relative to the dispensing head of the adhesive dispensing unit to position a target site of the stocking so as to enable the dispensing of adhesive material onto the target site. In this instance, the target site of the stocking is an inner surface about the opening of the stocking.

After the target site has been coated, a lace ring is stretched so as to surround the coated surface about the opening of the stocking. The lace ring is arranged to adhere to the stocking by partially or completely overlapping the coated surface of the stocking. This is followed by the rotation and/or translation of the primary support to follow a predetermined program of movement relative to the curing station so as to cure the adhesive layer between the stocking and the lace ring. After the adhesive layer has been cured, the uncoated side of the lace ring is coated with an additional adhesive layer to enable adherence of the lace ring to the wearer's skin when worn.

The manufacture of the stocking in this manner may improve the stretch of the lace portion when compared with a lace portion stitched to the leg portion, particularly when a polyurethane adhesive is used. This is because such adhesives allow the lace to stretch with the leg portion and thereby improves comfort for the wearer.

The aforementioned method of applying adhesive onto a fabric also simplifies the manufacturing process by eliminating a pre-stretching step commonly associated with adhesive fabric manufacture.

The motion capabilities of the primary support provide fine control over the coating and curing speeds of the adhesive so as to prevent penetration of the adhesive into the fabric. Additionally, as outlined earlier, the provision of an air curtain prevents contact between the dispensing head of the adhesive dispensing unit and the surface of the fabric or garment which would have caused the dispensing head of the adhesive dispensing unit to press the adhesive into the fabric. The combination of high coating and curing speeds, contact-free deposition of adhesive onto the fabric and the use of a suitable adhesive such as RTV834 leads to the elimination of the pre-stretching step during the manufacture of the adhesive fabric. As a result of eliminating the need for pre-stretching, the aforementioned method produces an adhesive fabric or garment that is both aesthetically pleasing and stretchable. Adhesive fabrics manufactured using the method according to the invention exhibit a greater amount of stretch when compared to conventional adhesive fabrics or garments, which allows fitment of the adhesive fabrics to a wider range of sizes. For example, during testing, an adhesive fabric manufactured using the method according to the invention and having a non-extended length of 15 cm exhibited a 1 130% extension to an extended length of 35 cm when stretched. In comparison, pre-stretched adhesive fabrics having non-extended lengths of 122.5 cm and 123 cm respectively exhibited a 63% extension and a 65% extension up to extended lengths of 36 cm and 38 cm when stretched.

Additionally, during testing, an adhesive fabric that was manufactured by coating an elastic material with adhesive exhibited a 134% extension from a non-extended length of 120 cm to an extended length of 41 cm, which is comparable to the extension exhibited by the adhesive fabric manufactured using the method according to the invention. However, this is not applicable to adhesive fabrics based on materials with limited elasticity such as knitted hosiery.

In embodiments of the invention, the deposition of the first adhesive layer may be followed by the deposition of a second adhesive layer on top of the first adhesive layer. This results in an adhesive fabric which combines the different characteristics of the first and second adhesive layers. For example, the first adhesive layer may have a specified degree of elasticity to retain the shape of the fabric while the second adhesive layer may possess increased tackiness to improve adhesion of the fabric or garment to a wearer's body.

It is envisaged that in other embodiments, the apparatus may further include a flocking station, the primary support being movable so as to effect rotational and translational movement of the primary support relative to the flocking station.

The provision of the flocking station allows the modification of the adhesion characteristics by introducing particles into the dispensed adhesive layer subsequent to the dispensing of the dispensed adhesive layer and prior to the curing of the dispensed adhesive layer. For example, the introduction of fibre particles via the flocking process reduces the grip of the adhesive layer on the fabric and thereby increases the comfort of the wearer of the fabric. To enable flocking of the dispensed adhesive layer, the primary support follows a predetermined program of movement to position the target site relative to the flocking station subsequent to a predetermined program of movement relative to the dispensing head of the adhesive dispensing unit and followed by a predetermined program of movement relative to the curing station.

It is also envisaged that in further embodiments, the apparatus may further include a cutting tool, the primary support being movable so as to effect rotational and translational movement of the primary support relative to the laser.

The cutting tool may be used to define a specific shape and size of the fabric having an adhesive layer. For example, the cutting tool can be used to remove uncoated portions of partially coated fabric in order to provide a fabric surface which is completely coated with adhesive. This is particularly useful in overcoming difficulties in coating fabric edges.

In this instance, the primary support follows a predetermined program of movement to position the target site relative to the cutting tool so as to enable the cutting of the fabric by the laser. This allows the cutting tool to remain stationary during cutting of the fabric, which greatly simplifies the design and hardware requirements of the cutting tool.

The provision of a cutting tool may be particularly useful in the manufacture of hold-up stockings. This is because it allows removal of the welt following the application of one or more annular bands of adhesive about an opening of a leg portion. Omission of the welt from the top of the stocking increases the stretch of the stocking and thereby improves comfort for the wearer.

For the purposes of this specification, a welt refers to a strengthened edge of a knitted fabric. In stockings, the welt is normally a double layer of plain fabric at the top of a stocking formed by the knitting process.

In Figure 14, the stocking 110 is cut at line A-A', which preferably extends through a adhesive coated portion of the stocking top, to remove the welt 123 so as to form a welt- less stocking 1 10. The adhesive 118 finishes the fabric about the opening of the leg portion of the stocking 110 and acts to maintain the structural integrity of the leg portion and prevent unravelling of the fabric once the welt is removed. The provision of the adhesive 118 about the opening of the leg portion also resists any tendency of the top of the stocking 110 to roll over. Omission of the adhesive 118 immediately adjacent the opening of the leg portion of the stocking 110 would result in the uncoated top of the leg portion rolling over, which in turn would encourage any lower coated portion of the stocking to also roll over. This causes discomfort to the wearer.

Figure 15 shows an apparatus according to a further embodiment of the invention. The embodiment shown in Figure 15 is similar to the embodiment shown in Figure 9 except that the apparatus further includes a holder 124 configured in use to releasably retain a plurality of supports and the primary support 114 is releasably attached to the driven arm 116.

The holder 124, which is in the form of a rotary turntable, includes a plurality of secondary supports 126. Each secondary support 126 is releasably attached to the holder 124 and carries, in use, a piece of fabric.

After the fabric on the primary support 1 4 has undergone the aforementioned coating procedure, the primary support follows a predetermined program of movement 27 to an unloading position 128. When the primary support 114 reaches the unloading position 128, the primary support 1 14 is detached from the driven arm 116 and releasably attached to the holder 124.

The holder 124 undergoes a rotational movement 132 is then rotated to move the transferred primary support away from the driven arm 1 16 and selectively move one of the secondary supports 126 to a loading position. When one of the secondary supports 126 reaches the loading position 130, this secondary support 126 is detached from the holder 124 and releasably attached to the driven arm 116. The secondary support mounted on the driven arm 116 therefore becomes the new primary support and the aforementioned coating procedure is repeated to apply adhesive onto the fabric mounted on the new primary support.

Meanwhile, the former primary support carrying the coated fabric is detached from the holder 124 by an operator and replaced with another secondary support 126 carrying a piece of fabric.

The above arrangement results in the automatic replacement of the primary support with another support carrying a piece of fabric, which allows the coating of different fabrics in quick succession. Otherwise it would be necessary to manually replace the fabric on the primary support mounted on the driven arm, which leads to longer manufacturing lead times.

Claims

1. A stretchable textile fabric article comprising a piece of fabric defining an opening, a portion of the piece of fabric being folded to define a hem along the edge of the opening, the hem being secured by means of one or more continuous bands of silicone elastomer sandwiched between folded portions of the piece of fabric.

2. A stretchable textile fabric article according to Claim 1 wherein the hem is a half- turn hem or a full-turn hem.

3. A stretchable textile fabric article according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the opening is circular, oval, elliptical or polyhedral in shape.

4. A stretchable textile fabric article according to any preceding claim wherein the silicone elastomer is RTV834.

5. A garment comprising at least one stretchable textile fabric article according to any preceding claim.

6. A method of manufacturing a stretchable textile fabric article according to any of Claims 1 to 4 using an apparatus comprising a mount having a primary support for carrying a piece of fabric and an silicone dispensing unit having a dispensing head for dispensing silicone elastomer, wherein the primary support is movable so as to effect rotational movement of the primary support relative to the dispensing head of the silicone dispensing unit, the method including the steps of:

a. mounting a piece of fabric onto the primary support, the fabric defining an opening;

b. dispensing at least one layer of silicone elastomer onto the piece of fabric; c. rotating the primary support relative to the dispensing head of the silicone dispensing unit during the dispensing of the or each layer of silicone elastomer onto the piece of fabric; and

d. folding a portion of the piece of fabric to sandwich the or each layer of silicone elastomer between folded portions of the fabric so as to define a hem along the edge of the opening.

7. A method according to Claim 6 further including the step of translating the primary support relative to the dispensing head of the silicone dispensing unit during the dispensing of the or each layer of silicone elastomer onto the piece of fabric, wherein the primary support is movable to effect translational movement of the primary support relative to the dispensing head of the silicone dispensing unit.

8. A method according to Claim 6 or Claim 7 wherein the mount of the apparatus includes a driven arm, the primary support being mounted on the driven arm and the driven arm including at least one motor to effect rotational movement of the primary support.

9. A method according to Claims 7 and 8 wherein the driven arm includes at least one motor to effect translational movement of the primary support.

10. A method according to any of Claims 6 to 9 including the step of dispensing the or each layer of silicone elastomer onto the piece of fabric by directing the or each layer of silicone elastomer onto the piece of fabric using a curtain of air, wherein the silicone dispensing unit is operabiy associated with an air jet to selectively direct the curtain of air towards the dispensing head of the silicone dispensing unit.

11. A method according to any of Claims 6 to 10 wherein the apparatus further includes a folding device for folding the portion of the piece of fabric to sandwich the or each layer of silicone elastomer between folded portions of the piece of fabric.

12. A method according to Claim 11 wherein the folding device includes a ring element slidably mounted on the primary support.

13. A method according to any of Claims 6 to 12 further including the step of curing the or each layer of silicone elastomer subsequent to the step of folding the portion of the piece of fabric, wherein the apparatus further includes a curing station.

14. A method according to Claim 13 further including the step of rotating the primary support relative to the curing station during curing of the or each layer of silicone elastomer.

15. A method according to Claims 7 and 14 wherein the primary support is translated relative to the curing station during curing of the or each layer of silicone elastomer.

16. A method according to any of Claims 13 to 15 wherein the curing station includes a heater.

17. A method according to any of Claims 6 to 16 wherein the piece of fabric is a garment and the garment is folded inside-out before being mounted on the primary support.

18. An apparatus for applying adhesive onto a piece of fabric, the apparatus comprising at least one mount having a primary support to carry a piece of fabric and at least one adhesive dispensing unit having a dispensing head to dispense adhesive, wherein the or each primary support is movable so as to effect rotational and translational movement of the primary support relative to the dispensing head of the or at least one adhesive dispensing unit.

19. An apparatus according to Claim 18 further including at least one curing station, the or each primary support being movable so as to effect rotational and translational movement of the primary support relative to the or at least one curing station.

20. An apparatus according to Claim 19 wherein the or each curing station includes a heater.

21. An apparatus according to any of Claims 18 to 20 further including at least one barrier dispensing unit having a dispensing head to dispense a barrier material, the or each primary support being movable so as to effect rotational and translational movement of the primary support relative to the dispensing head of the or at least one barrier dispensing unit.

22. An apparatus according to any of Claims 18 to 21 wherein the or each mount includes a driven arm, the primary support being mounted on the driven arm and the driven arm including at least one motor to effect rotational and translational movement of the primary support.

23. An apparatus according to any of Claims 18 to 22 further including at least one holder configured to releasably retain at least one support, wherein: the or each primary support is releasably attached to the respective mount; the or each primary support is movable so as to effect rotational and translational movement of the primary support relative to the or at least one holder; and the or each primary support is movable to an unloading position for transfer from the respective mount to the or at least one holder.

24. An apparatus according to Claim 23 wherein the or at least one holder includes at least one secondary support, the or each secondary support carrying in use a piece of fabric, and the or at least one mount is configured to receive the secondary support or one of the secondary supports from the or at least one holder.

25. An apparatus according to Claim 24 wherein the or at least one holder is controllable to selectively move the secondary support or one of the secondary supports to a loading position for transfer to the respective mount.

26. An apparatus according to any of Claims 18 to 25 further including at least one flocking station, the or each primary support being movable so as to effect rotational and translational movement of the primary support relative to the or at least one flocking station.

27. An apparatus according to any of Claims 18 to 26 further including at least one cutting tool, the or each primary support being movable so as to effect rotational and translational movement of the primary support relative to the or at least one cutting tool.

28. An apparatus according to Claim 27 wherein the or at least one cutting tool is a laser.

29. An apparatus according to any of Claims 18 to 28 further including a primary controller to control rotational and translational movement of the primary support.

30. An apparatus according to Claim 29 wherein the primary controller is programmable to control rotational and translational movement of the primary support so as to follow a predetermined program of movement.

31. An apparatus according to Claims 29 and 30 wherein: the apparatus includes two or more mounts; the primary controller is programmable to control rotational and translational movement of each primary support so as to follow a predetermined program of movement; and the apparatus further includes a secondary controller to monitor the positions of the primary supports relative to each other and provide a feedback signal to the primary controller to facilitate real time adjustment of the program of movement of each primary support.

32. An apparatus according to: Claim 19; and Claim 30 or Claim 31 , wherein the primary controller is programmable to control rotational and translational movement of the primary support so as to follow a predetermined program of movement relative to the dispensing head of the or at least one adhesive dispensing unit followed by a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one curing station.

33. An apparatus according to: Claims 19 and 26; and Claim 30 or Claim 31 , wherein the primary controller is programmable to control rotational and translation movement of the primary support so as to follow a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one adhesive dispensing unit followed by a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one flocking station followed by a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one curing station.

34. An apparatus according to: any of Claims 23 to 25; and Claim 32 or Claim 33, wherein the primary controller is programmable to control rotational and translation movement of the primary support so as to follow a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one holder followed by a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one adhesive dispensing unit.

35. An apparatus according to: Claim 21 ; and Claim 32 or Claim 33, wherein the primary controller is programmable to control rotational and translational movement of the primary support so as to follow a predetermined program of movement relative to the dispensing head of the or at least one barrier dispensing unit followed by a predetermined program of movement relative to the dispensing head of the or at least one adhesive dispensing unit.

36. An apparatus according to: any of Claims 23 to 25; and Claim 35, wherein the primary controller is programmable to control rotational and translation movement of the primary support so as to follow a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one holder followed by a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one barrier dispensing unit.

37. An apparatus according to: any of Claims 23 to 25; and Claim 35 or Claim 36, wherein the primary controller is programmable to control rotational and translation movement of the primary support so as to follow a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one curing station followed by a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one holder.

38. An apparatus according to: Claim 27; and any of Claims 32 to 36, wherein the primary controller is programmable to control rotational and translation movement of the primary support so as to follow a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one curing station followed by a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one cutting tool.

39. An apparatus according to: Claim 34 or Claim 36; and Claim 38, wherein the primary controller is programmable to control rotational and translation movement of the primary support so as to follow a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one cutting tool followed by a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one holder.

40. An apparatus according to any of Claims 18 to 39 wherein the or each adhesive dispensing unit is operably associated with an air jet to selectively direct a curtain of air towards the dispensing head of the adhesive dispensing unit.

41. An apparatus according to Claim 21 and any claim dependent therefrom, wherein the or each barrier dispensing unit is operably associated with an air jet to selectively direct a curtain of air towards the dispensing head of the barrier dispensing unit.

42. An apparatus according to any of Claims 18 to 41 wherein the or each adhesive dispensing unit includes a pump and the apparatus further includes a pump controller to control the pump to selectively dispense adhesive via the or each respective dispensing head.

43. An apparatus according to Claim 21 and any claim dependent therefrom, wherein the or each barrier dispensing unit includes a pump and the apparatus further includes a pump controller to control the pump to selectively dispense barrier material via the or each respective dispensing head.

44. An apparatus according to any of Claims 18 to 43 wherein the or each dispensing head has an asymmetrical opening at its dispensing end.

45. An apparatus according to any of Claims 18 to 44 wherein the or each dispensing head is an extruder head.

46. A method of applying adhesive onto a piece of fabric using the apparatus according to any of Claims 18 to 45, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) mounting a fabric on at least one primary support;

(b) dispensing a first adhesive layer onto the or each fabric; and

(c) rotating and/or translating the or each primary support relative to the dispensing head of the or at least one adhesive dispensing unit.

47. A method according to Claim 46 including the step of rotating and/or translating the or each primary support relative to the dispensing head of the or at least one adhesive dispensing unit during the dispensing of the or each adhesive layer onto the fabric.

48. A method according to Claim 46 or Claim 47 further including the step of dispensing a second adhesive layer on top of the first adhesive layer.

49. A method according to any of Claims 46 to 48 when dependent from Claim 40 or any claim dependent therefrom, wherein the or each adhesive layer is dispensed onto the respective fabric by directing the or each adhesive layer onto the respective fabric using a curtain of air.

50. A method according to any of Claims 46 to 49 when dependent from Claim 42 or any claim dependent therefrom, the method further including the step of selectively dispensing adhesive via the or each respective dispensing head during the dispensing of the or each adhesive layer on the respective fabric.

51. A method according to any of Claims 46 to 50 when dependent from Claim 21 or any claim dependent therefrom, the method further including the step of dispensing a barrier material layer onto the fabric prior to the dispensing of the or each first adhesive layer.

52. A method according to Claim 51 including the step of rotating and/or translating the or each primary support relative to the dispensing head of the or at least one barrier dispensing unit.

53. A method according to Claim 52 including the step of rotating and/or translating the or each primary support relative to the dispensing head of the or at least one barrier dispensing unit during to the dispensing of the or each barrier material layer onto the fabric.

54. A method according to any of Claims 51 to 53 when dependent from Claim 41 or any preceding claim dependent therefrom, wherein the or each barrier material layer is dispensed onto the respective fabric by directing the or each barrier material layer onto the respective fabric using a curtain of air.

55. A method according to any of Claims 51 to 54 when dependent from Claim 43 or any preceding claim dependent therefrom, the method further including the step of selectively dispensing barrier material via the or each respective dispensing head during the dispensing of the or each barrier material layer on the respective fabric.

56. A method according to any of Claims 51 to 55 wherein the barrier material is a silicone elastomer.

57. A method according to Claim 56 wherein the silicone elastomer is RTV830.

58. A method according to any of Claims 46 to 57 wherein the or each adhesive layer is a silicone elastomer.

59. A method according to Claim 58 wherein the silicone elastomer is RTV834.

60. A method according to any of Claims 46 to 59 when dependent from Claim 19 or any claim dependent therefrom, the method further including the step of curing the or each dispensed layer.

61. A method according to Claim 60 including the step of rotating and/or translating the or each primary support relative to the curing station.

62. A method according to Claim 61 wherein the or each primary support is rotated and/or translated relative to the curing station during curing of the or each dispensed layer.

63. A method according to any of Claims 46 to 62 when dependent from Claim 26 or any claim dependent therefrom, the method further including the step of flocking the fabric subsequent to the dispensing of the or each adhesive layer.

64. A method according to Claims 60 and 63 including the step of flocking the fabric prior to the step of curing the or each dispensed adhesive layer.

65. A method according to Claim 63 or Claim 64 further including the step of rotating and/or translating the or each primary support relative to the flocking station.

66. A method according to Claim 65 wherein the or each primary support is rotated and/or translated relative to the flocking station during the flocking of the or each dispensed adhesive layer.

67. A method according to any of Claims 45 to 66 when dependent from Claim 27 or any claim dependent therefrom, the method further including the step of cutting the fabric subsequent to the dispensing of the or each adhesive layer.

68. A method according to Claim 60 and Claim 67 further including the step of cutting the fabric subsequent to the curing of the or each dispensed adhesive layer.

69. A method according to any of Claims 46 to 68 when dependent from Claim 23 or any claim dependent therefrom, the method further including the step of rotating and/or translating the primary support to an unloading position and transferring the primary support from the respective mount to the or at least one holder.

70. A method according to Claim 69 when dependent from Claim 24 or any claim dependent therefrom, the method including the step of transferring the secondary support or one of the secondary supports from the or at least one holder to the respective mount.

71. A method according to Claim 69 when dependent from Claim 25 or any claim dependent therefrom, the method including the step of moving the secondary support or one of the secondary supports to a loading position for transfer to the respective mount.

72. A method according to any of Claims 46 to 71 when dependent from Claim 30 or any claim dependent therefrom, the method further including the step of programming the rotational and translational movement of the or each primary support to follow a predetermined program of movement.

73. A method according to Claim 71 when dependent from Claim 31 or any claim dependent therefrom, the method including the steps of programming the rotational and translational movement of each primary support so as to follow a predetermined program of movement; monitoring the positions of the primary supports relative to each other; and adjusting the program of movement of each primary support in real time.

74. A method according to Claim 72 or Claim 73 when dependent from Claim 32 or any claim dependent therefrom, the method including the step of programming the rotational and translational movement of the primary support so as to follow a predetermined program of movement relative to the dispensing head of the or at least one adhesive dispensing unit followed by a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one curing station.

75. A method according to Claim 72 or Claim 73 when dependent from Claim 33 or any claim dependent therefrom, the method including the step of programming the rotational and translation movement of the primary support so as to follow a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one adhesive dispensing unit followed by a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one flocking station followed by a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one curing station.

76. A method according to Claim 74 or Claim 75 when dependent from Claim 34 or any claim dependent therefrom, the method including the step of programming the rotational and translation movement of the primary support so as to follow a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one holder followed by a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one adhesive dispensing unit.

77. A method according to Claim 74 or Claim 75 when dependent from Claim 35 or any claim dependent therefrom, the method including the step of programming the rotational and translational movement of the primary support so as to follow a predetermined program of movement relative to the dispensing head of the or at least one barrier dispensing unit followed by a predetermined program of movement relative to the dispensing head of the or at least one adhesive dispensing unit.

78. An apparatus according to Claim 77 when dependent from Claim 36 or any claim dependent therefrom, the method including the step of programming the rotational and translation movement of the primary support so as to follow a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one holder followed by a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one barrier dispensing unit.

79. A method according to Claim 76 or Claim 78 when dependent from Claim 37 or any claim dependent therefrom, the method including the step of programming the rotational and translation movement of the primary support so as to follow a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one curing station followed by a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one holder.

80. A method according to any of Claims 74 to 78 when dependent from Claim 38 or any claim dependent therefrom, the method including the step of programming the rotational and translation movement of the primary support so as to follow a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one curing station followed by a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one cutting tool.

81. A method according to: Claim 77 or 78; and Claim 80, when dependent from Claim 39 or any claim dependent therefrom, the method including the step of programming the rotational and translation movement of the primary support so as to follow a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one cutting tool followed by a predetermined program of movement relative to the or at least one holder.

82. A method according to any of Claims 47 to 81 wherein: the or each fabric is a garment; and the or each garment is folded inside-out before being mounted on the respective primary support.

83. A method according to any of Claims 46 to 82 wherein the or each layer is dispensed around the circumference of an opening in the respective fabric.

84. A method according to Claim 83 wherein the opening is circular, oval, elliptical or polyhedral in shape.

85. A hold-up stocking comprising a leg portion and a decorative top defining an opening, the decorative top being integrally knit with the leg portion and the decorative top including one or more continuous, annular bands of adhesive extending about the opening.

86. A welt-less, hold-up stocking comprising a welt-less leg portion defining an opening and one or more continuous, annular bands of adhesive extending about the opening.

87. A hold-up stocking comprising a leg portion defining an opening and at least one continuous, annular band of adhesive extending about the opening, the annular band of adhesive being graduated in thickness so as to be thickest closest to the opening of the leg portion.