EP3696305B1 - Fabric with controlled elasticity for the production of elements for garments, undergarments, orthoses and elements of seats - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The invention relates to a textile with controlled elastic properties. It finds its field of application in particular in elements of underwear, clothing, such as, for example, bra straps, elastic waistbands of underwear or of shorts for sports activities. But also in the field of orthopedics, more particularly implementing an elastic compression action, or even in the field of seats, such as in particular seats or seat backs likely to be implemented in the field in particular of the transport of people.

By the notion of controlled elasticity, we mean within the meaning of the invention, the ability developed by the textile in question to be able to stretch when it is subjected to a stress, while opposing an elastic restoring force, this ability of elongation being however limited.

In other words, the primary objective sought by the present invention resides in the simultaneous search for user comfort and support in the event of higher intensity or frequency stress.

PRIOR STATE OF THE TECHNIQUE

The very notion of elastic fabric, and in general of elastic textile, is today very widespread, moreover widely implemented. Among its main fields of application, there are essentially suspenders and support belts for underwear or sportswear, the manufacture of orthoses (for example the production of bandages, knee pads, elbow pads, lumbar belts, etc.), besides all the aspects of elastic compression.

Traditionally, the textiles used are generally woven or knitted articles having high elasticity in the warp direction, and endowed with a power of elastic return (high compression effect). The constituent threads of these fabrics developing elastic properties are traditionally covered type threads, typically consisting of a core of elastodiene or preferably of elastofiber, such as elastane, and cover threads of another material (see example US 2016/281275 ).

Typically, the elongation capacity of these textile articles, in particular woven articles, is between 60 and 130% in the longitudinal direction, and when such articles develop elastic properties in both directions (warp direction and weft direction), the capacity elongation is typically greater than or equal to 30% in the weft direction.

In fact, and in order to take into account the textiles of the prior state of the art, the designer must arbitrate between the use of elastic components with short elongation, intended to ensure compression and energetic damping during significant or rapid stresses on the the article in which they are integrated, and the use of long-stretch elastic components, which will give the article in which they are integrated comfort and flexibility at rest or during weak stresses.

However, the use of short-stretch elastic components results in an impairment of the user's comfort due to excessive compression, and stiffness or discomfort at rest or during low stresses.

As a corollary, the elastic components with long elongation do not ensure the compression and the damping required during stronger, more intense and/or faster stresses.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The objective sought by the present invention is precisely to be able to have a textile element capable, at the same time, of ensuring the comfort of the user of the underwear, the garment, the orthosis or the seat integrating this textile, and as a corollary, to have elastic properties such that they meet the desired result of elastic compression, in particular in the event of significant and/or rapid stresses.

To this end, the invention relates to a textile for the production of elements of underwear, clothing, orthoses or seat elements with controlled elasticity, integrating at least in the main direction of stress highly extensible yarns .

According to the invention, said highly extensible yarns are associated with yarns that are also extensible in the same direction, but whose elongation properties are lower than those of highly extensible yarns, and typically close to 50% of those of highly extensible yarns , these short-stretch elastic threads typically constituting an elastic stop.

Concomitantly, according to the invention, the restoring force exerted by the yarns with reduced extensibility is between 25 and 50% of that exerted by the yarns with highly extensible elongation. If this restoring force of the yarns with reduced extensibility is less than 25% of that exerted by the yarns with highly extensible elongation, the braking or compression effect sought for the textile in question, in particular when the latter is subjected to significant stresses or of high frequency (intense effort, sport, etc.) is not ensured, causing all the desired benefit to be lost to said textile. As a corollary, in the case where said restoring force is greater than 50% of that exerted by highly extensible elongation yarns, the desired effect of comfort at rest, or when said textile is subjected to reduced stresses, is absent.

In other words, this double combination of characteristics makes it possible to combine yarns with differentiated extensibility and restoring force, and thus to provide the desired result combining both comfort and elastic compression. There was nothing obvious about this combination, since the person skilled in the art could naturally be inclined to consider the limiting factor arising from the specific characteristics of yarns with low extensibility, to dissuade him from using them, or on the contrary to favor their containment efficiency by sacrificing comfort.

The concepts of extensibility, elasticity or elongation as used in the context of the present invention take on the meanings which are conventionally attributed to them; thus, an elastic deformation, in this case linear, is a reversible deformation, that is to say which disappears when the stresses having generated said deformation disappear. Being a textile element with unidirectional extension, this elasticity will result in a variation of the length, hence the concept of elongation.

As a corollary, the very notion of elasticity, as recalled above, generates that of restoring force, itself linked to the nature of the elastic material or to its structure.

According to the invention, the yarns with an elastic property integrated into the textile, whether the latter is of a woven, knitted or braided nature, are covered yarns, the core of which advantageously consists of elastane, polyurethane, silicone or elastodiene, and cover advantageously made of polyamide, polyester or other materials, and in particular other son or synthetic fibers.

According to the invention, the elongation capacity of short-stretch elastic threads is close to 50% of that of long-stretch elastic threads, and advantageously close to the maximum elongation capacity desired for the textile in question.

According to a first application of the invention, more particularly oriented towards the production of a suspender for sportswear, the maximum elongation of said suspender is approximately 90% relative to its initial length, for a restoring force at 30% elongation close to 400 cN/cm.

Another application of the invention relates to the production of a waistband for shorts or underwear, in particular for sports use, then has a maximum elongation of approximately 120 to 150% of the initial length of the fabric constituting said belt, for a restoring force at 30% elongation between 220 and 300 cN/cm.

According to the invention, and in order to allow the textile in which the yarns with differentiated elasticity are integrated, to lengthen, the weave of the structure implemented has a stiffening (the stiffening being defined as the ratio between the length of the yarns used and the length of the fabric at rest), this stiffening being selected to always be greater than the elongation capacity of the elastic yarns with the greatest elongation capacity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

• La figure 1 est une représentation schématique en coupe longitudinale du travail et du positionnement des différents types de fils entrant dans la constitution d'un textile conforme à l'invention.
• La figure 2 est une représentation schématique en perspective de la structure du tissu.
• La figure 3 est le rapport d'armure correspondant.
• La figure 4 est un exemple représentatif d'une note d'enfilage au métier à tisser pour la réalisation d'une bande élastique d'une largeur de 35 mm, typiquement susceptible de constituer une bretelle de brassière ou de soutien-gorge de sport.

The manner in which the invention can be implemented, and the resulting advantages, will become clearer from the example of embodiment which follows, given by way of indication and not limitation in support of the appended figures.

• The figure 1 is a schematic representation in longitudinal section of the work and the positioning of the different types of threads entering into the constitution of a textile in accordance with the invention.
• The figure 2 is a perspective schematic representation of the fabric structure.
• The picture 3 is the corresponding armor ratio.
• The figure 4 is a representative example of a note for threading the loom for the production of an elastic band with a width of 35 mm, typically capable of constituting a bra or sports bra strap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As already indicated, the example embodiment which follows relates more specifically to the production of a woven strip for making a bra or sports bra strap, that is to say for the production of an element of a part of a garment likely to be subjected to significant mechanical stresses, in this case during the practice of sport.

This embodiment uses a conventional loom with a comb density of 10.25 teeth per cm. It uses a double weft (T), each consisting of a textured polyamide yarn with a count of 2/78 decitex, the reduction of the finished fabric being 110 counts per inch.

• des fils fortement extensibles (A) de type fils guipés, d'un allongement maximum de 90%, insérés de façon linéaire entre la trame de dessus et la trame de dessous afin de favoriser le retour élastique, constitués d'une âme en élasthanne 310 décitex recouverte de deux couches de fils de polyamide texturé de 2/78 décitex ;
• des fils fortement extensibles (A1) de type fils guipés, d'un allongement maximum de 160%, insérés de façon linéaire entre la trame de dessus et la trame de dessous afin de favoriser le retour élastique, constitués d'une âme en élasthanne 940 décitex recouverte de deux couches de fils de polyamide texturé de 1/78 décitex ;
• des fils appelés « fils de fond » (B), chacun étant constitué d'un fil de polyamide texturé de titre 2/78 décitex travaillant selon une armure cannelée 3/1 sur les deux trames ;
• des fils appelés « fils d'envers » (C), chacun étant constitué d'un fil de polyamide texturé de titre 2/78 décitex travaillant selon une armure cannelée 3/1 sur la trame de dessous ;
• des fils appelés « fils de liage » (D), chacun étant constitué d'un fil de polyamide texturé de titre 2/78 décitex travaillant selon une armure taffetas sur les deux trames.

If we refer to the figure 1 and 2 for a better understanding of the structure of the fabric, the warp threads have the following combination:

• highly stretchy yarns (A) of the covered yarn type, with a maximum elongation of 90%, inserted in a linear fashion between the top weft and the bottom weft in order to promote elastic return, consisting of a 310 elastane core decitex covered with two layers of textured polyamide yarn of 2/78 decitex;
• highly stretchy yarns (A1) of the covered yarn type, with a maximum elongation of 160%, inserted in a linear fashion between the top weft and the bottom weft in order to promote elastic return, made up of a 940 elastane core decitex covered with two layers of 1/78 decitex textured polyamide yarn;
• yarns called “ground yarns” (B), each consisting of a textured polyamide yarn with a count of 2/78 decitex working in a 3/1 fluted weave on the two wefts;
• yarns called “back yarns” (C), each consisting of a textured polyamide yarn with a count of 2/78 decitex working in a 3/1 fluted weave on the bottom weft;
• yarns called "binding yarns" (D), each consisting of a textured polyamide yarn with a count of 2/78 decitex working in a linen weave on the two wefts.

The textile element thus produced has a maximum elongation capacity of approximately 90% relative to the initial length, and develops a restoring force at 30% elongation of the order of 400 cN/cm.

Advantageously, in order to achieve the desired result, that is to say comfort on the one hand and maintenance on the other hand, the respective proportion of long-stretch yarns and short-stretch yarns is close to 50-50; only the elastic threads on each selvage are made with long-stretch elastic threads to facilitate the realization of the edge.

Obviously, the elastic properties of the textile element depend on its final application.

Thus, in the context of the production of a waistband for shorts or underwear, in particular for sports use, a textile structure is produced similar to that previously described, but which this time has a maximum elongation of approximately 120 at 150% with respect to the initial length, in addition to a restoring force at 30% elongation typically comprised between 200 and 300 cN/cm.

In order to vary the elastic properties of the yarns used, one plays on the one hand on the title of the core of the covered yarns and on the covering itself. This control of the elongation and of the restoring force generated consecutively being perfectly known and within the reach of those skilled in the art.

The example described relates to a woven article.

The invention also applies to textile structures obtained by knitting or braiding, the fundamental elements of the invention being retained.

One can see the whole advantage of the present invention which makes it possible in a simple way to have, whatever the application envisaged, a textile structure allowing concomitantly to ensure the function of elastic compression which is mainly devolved to it, to that of comfort, the latter proving to be sought after in the event of low stress or absence of stress. This is therefore particularly true in the practice of sport, although not limited to this sole field of application.

Claims (8)

1. A textile for the forming of elements of underwear, of garments, of orthoses, or of seat elements having a controlled elasticity, integrating, at least in the direction of the main effort, stretch yarns having an elastic characteristic, characterized in that said stretch yarns (A) are associated along a same direction with more highly stretchable yarns (A1), having greater stretching characteristics than those of the stretch yarns (A), and in that the return force exerted by the low stretch yarns (A) is in the range from 25 to 50% of that exerted by the high stretch yarns (A1).
2. The textile for the forming of elements of underwear, of garments, of orthoses, or of seat elements having a controlled elasticity of claim 1, characterized in that the stretching capacity of the low stretch yarns (A) is close to 50% of that of the high stretch yarns (A1).
3. The textile for the forming of elements of underwear, of garments, of orthoses, or of seat elements having a controlled elasticity of any of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the respective proportion of high stretch yarns (A1) and of low stretch yarns (A) is close to 50-50 .
4. The textile for the forming of elements of underwear, of garments, of orthoses, or of seat elements having a controlled elasticity of any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the yarns with an elastic characteristic (A, A1) integrated in the textile are covered yarns having their core advantageously made of elastane, of polyurethane, of silicone, or of elastodiene, and having their cover advantage made of polyamide, of polyester, or other synthetic yarns or fibers.
5. The textile for the forming of elements of underwear, of garments, of orthoses, or of seat elements having a controlled elasticity of any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the yarns with an elastic characteristic (A, A1) are integrated in a structure having a weave exhibiting a shrinkage, the shrinkage being selected to always be greater than the stretching capacity of the elastic yarns (A1) having the greatest stretching capacity.
6. The textile for the forming of elements of underwear, of garments, of orthoses, or of seat elements having a controlled elasticity of any of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said textile is a woven, knitted, or braided fabric.
7. A shoulder strap for underwear or sportswear, implementing the textile of any of claims 1 to 6, and wherein the maximum stretching of said strap is approximately 90% with respect to its initial length, for a return force for a 30% stretching close to 400 cN/cm.
8. A shorts or underwear waistband, particularly for a use in sports, implementing the textile of any of claims 1 to 6, and wherein the maximum stretching of said waistband is from approximately 120 to 150% of the initial length of the fabric forming said waistband, for a return force for a 30% stretching in the range from 220 to 300 cN/cm.

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