WO2011141006A2

WO2011141006A2 - Knitted seamless trousers, mainly panty hoses and method of their production

Info

Publication number: WO2011141006A2
Application number: PCT/CZ2011/000049
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jan ANDÓ
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-05-13
Filing date: 2011-05-11
Publication date: 2011-11-17
Anticipated expiration: 2012-11-13
Also published as: WO2011141006A3; CZ2010367A3

Abstract

Knitted seamless trousers, mainly panty hoses, consisting of the body portion, the gusset and parts for legs and method of production of seamless knitted products of trousers type, but mainly panty hoses, on small-diameter knitting machines equipped with two co-axial and oppositely placed needle cylinders, where the production phase is started by knitting the border of the body portion and it continues by knitting the boy part, the gusset and trouser legs.

Description

Knitted Seamless Trousers, Mainly Panty Hoses and Method of their Production

Technical Field

The invention concerns knitted seamless trousers, mainly panty hoses, consisting of the body portion, the gusset and parts for legs and method of their production.

Hitherto State of the Art

According to the state of the art there are known the knitted products of considered type, for example panty hoses that are manufactured in such a way that there are separately knitted two trouser legs that are lengthwise cut in their upper parts and then they are sewn together, which creates the body portion. This technology of production is perfectly sophisticated and for the purpose of its performance there were developed really sophisticated, usually automatic and semi-automatic textile machines. The main disadvantage of such manufactured panty hoses is the fact that in the place of connection of two legs and the panty part the three hoses are practically connected into one point, which is excessively stressed during wearing and the seam is frequently damaged. Another significant disadvantage is the fact that the seam in the panty part - mainly in case of ladies' panty hoses - is non-aesthetic to a significant level, it is unpleasant to wear as it is more rigid and bigger than the basic knitted fabric.

So as to eliminate the main disadvantage of classic production of panty hoses, there was developed the technology of gusset sewing into the place of mutual connection of legs and the body portion. The gusset sewing in practically eliminated the main disadvantage. But this is the technology that was not successfully and acceptably automated by now, so it brings undesirable manual operations to the production cycle, which makes production more expensive. Also the disadvantage of poor aesthetic quality of the seam remained unsolved.

In the course of time there were developed small-diameter knitting machines adjusted to production of panty hoses of one piece, without necessity of sewing the body portion. There exist several categories of the knitting machines, and so practically even the products.

The basic category of the products are the panty hoses, the production of which used to be denominated in knitting jargon as„knitting from toe to toe". In case of this group of products, the production started from knitting of the toe of one leg, it continued by the body portion with simultaneous creation of the waist hole and it was finished by knitting of the other leg. There are also known the solutions when the body portion is knitted by reverse run with the purpose of obtaining wider panty part. This category of products showed one significant disadvantage in low sitting, which was not successfully eliminated and it was the cause that these products gradually disappeared from the market. While in case of classic panty hoses, the rows of the knitted fabric in the body portion are parallel with the rows of the leg part, the number of wales of the knitted fabric in the body portion is double the number of wales in the leg part and the height of the panty part is practically unlimited, in case of products in the category of ,,knitting from toe to toe" the rows of the knitted fabric in the body portion are in fact perpendicular to rows of knitted fabric in the leg. The number of wales of the knitted product, on which the height of the panty part depends in this case, is even lower than the number of wales in the leg and that causes insufficient height of the body portion. This is the main cause for this category of products not to find permanent application in the market.

Another category of products represented panty hoses manufactured on small-diameter knitting machines equipped with two needle cylinders. One of this category of products was manufactured in such a way that knitting started by knitting the body portion by reverse run, simultaneously on both needle cylinders. After knitting the body portion, there continued simultaneous knitting of both legs by rotation run, while the leg knitted on upper needle cylinder was pulled into the hollow of the leg knitted on the lower needle cylinder. The main disadvantages of these panty hoses included the facts that the place of connection of both of the legs with the body portion was prone to knitted fabric ripping; the knitting machine concept did not allow reaching of required knitted fabric fineness in the body portion and it did not allow creation of patterns with cast-off facial thread and strengthened patterns. There is also known a variant solution, when the border knitting started by reverse run on lower number of needles compared to the total number of needles in the needle cylinder and consequently, the body portion was knitted by rotation run of needle cylinders, while on a part of circumference of needle cylinders, both of the hoses were knitted together and then cut off. But quality of such seams was poor and did not find its application in the course of time.

There is also well known category of products manufactured on single-cylinder knitting machines, using special cast-off sinkers, respectively using the device plate. For this category of products there was usually knitted one of the legs at first, then approximately one half of the needle cylinder circumference was put on the sinkers to non-working position and then the knitting of the other leg followed. After knitting the other leg, loops were put off the part of circumference, where loops of the first leg were located. Then followed knitting of the body portion on full number of knitting needles on which both of the legs were knitted. There is also known a technical solution when - using the device plate - there was closed the hole created by cast-off of the knitted fabric from a part of the circumference. The main disadvantages of this category of products include insufficient number of knitted fabric wales in the body portion of the product and mainly low aesthetic value of the products.

Seamless textile product, for example panty hoses, could be theoretically but also practically manufactured on well-known double-bed knitting machines. But these machines did not find their application in practical production mainly due to low productivity of flat knitting machines compared to small-diameter knitting machines and due to occurrence of non- acceptable longitudinal scratches in leg part in case of fine ladies' panty hoses.

Textile products like underwear, for example boxer panties, panties, briefs, and so on are practically manufactured in two ways. The first and in fact classic method includes manufacture of a semi-finished product for example on large-diameter knitting machines, cutting of the semifinished product into appropriate shape and final sewing into the final product. Disadvantages of this classic way of production include high portion of manual work with low degree of automation and the fact that seams - mainly in the gluteal part - have significantly different volume and elasticity than the rest of the product and they are visible under the outwear, which is undesirable in many cases. The efforts to reach improved elasticity of underwear lead to introduction of production technology, when the semi-finished product is manufactured on medium-diameter knitting machine. Then, the semi-finished product is cut off the basic knitted fabric and edges are sewn. But even such manufactured underwear shows the above stated disadvantages and more, it brings significant technological waste of expensive source material.

Subject of the Invention

So the aim of the invention is to manufacture such trousers that would to the maximal possible level eliminate the disadvantages of trousers, mainly panty hoses, according to the state of the art and it suggests an easy method of their production.

The aim is to allow for the above stated products to be manufactured on small-diameter knitting machines.

This can be reached to a significant level with trousers, mainly panty hoses, consisting of the body portion, the gusset and parts for legs according to the invention based mainly on the fact that in case of the body portion - in the longitudinal plane of symmetry - there is created a connecting row, which is connected on both sides with gradually shortening rows of the gusset, while the terminal loops are on one side of the longitudinal plane of symmetry knitted together with the first row of one leg and the terminal loops on the other side of the longitudinal plane of symmetry are knitted together with the first row of the other leg.

From the anatomic point of view, the knitted seamless product according to the invention is absolutely identical with the classic product manufactured in a classic way, using the method of sewn-in gusset. But simultaneously, it is of higher quality, as features of the knitted fabric in the place of body portion connection are not damaged by the seam presence. A significant advantage is also the fact that by finishing the product directly on the small-diameter knitting machine there are significantly reduced the finishing operation, which positively affects the general economy of production.

From the point of view of body portion shaping it is purposeful if the rows gradually prolong in the body portion, in a part of its height towards the last row, as it allows reduction of knitted fabric straining in the gusset section.

The advantageous method of production of trousers, mainly panty hoses, according to the invention on small-diameter knitting machines equipped with two co-axial and oppositely placed needle cylinders includes the fact that knitting starts by border knitting by reverse run using the same thread alternatively on upper and lower needle cylinder on lower number of needles compared to the total number of needles in each of the two needle cylinders, then follows knitting of the body portion with the same thread by reverse run alternatively on upper and lower needle cylinder, then the same thread is used for knitting of the needles of upper and lower needle cylinder that were inactive during knitting and then there is knitted the connecting row between the front and rear part of the body portion. Consequently, the relevant half of the gusset is knitted by a separate thread on both sides of the connecting row separately on each needle cylinder - reverse run is applied and the rows are gradually shortened. Then, rotation run is used on both of the needle cylinders and legs are knitted by a separate thread on each needle cylinder - then knitting of the seamless trousers is finished. In this way, there is fully used the high productivity of small-diameter knitting machines and the production economy significantly improves.

It is advantageous for the number of active needles to gradually increase during body portion knitting, as it allows suitable shaping of the body portion.

If the number of active needles symmetrically increases in front and rear part of the product during body portion knitting it is advantageous due to the fact that the body portion is symmetric in its front and rear part. When - in the course of body portion knitting- the number of active needles differently increases in the front and rear parts of the product, it is advantageous in case that there is required different shaping of the front and rear part of the product.

It seems to be an advantage for the gusset knitting to be performed with a different type of thread than the thread used in border knitting, knitting of the body portion or legs, as it is possible to use threads with increased absorbency or finer surface on the gusset.

It is also advantageous to use a different type of thread for knitting of legs compared to the thread used for the body portion knitting, as it allows for example suitable strengthening of the body portion.

List of Figures in Drawings

The invention is explained in detail using the drawings, where figure 1 shows the product knitted with a constant number of needles in the body portion, figure 2 shows a similar product when the number of needles increases during knitting of the body portion and figure 3 schematically shows the method of gusset knitting.

Sample Version Description

The sample version of the panty hoses shown in figure 1 consists of the body portion 2 with the border I and the body portion 2 continuing the legs 3a and 3b. In the place of connection of the body portion 2 and the two legs 3a, 3b you can find the gusset 4.

The border1 may be simple - but more frequently it is hollow and its elasticity is usually based on addition of elastomere.

The body portion 2 is symmetric in relation to the longitudinal plane of symmetry S and in consideration of the position on the body it consists of the front part 21 and the rear part 22. The body portion 2 is finished by the last row 20. In the plane of symmetry S, the last row 20 of the body portion 2 is interconnected by the connection row 50 between points 5 and 5J_.

On both sides of the connecting row 20 there is placed the gusset 4 and in sample version it consists of two symmetric parts 4J_ and 42. Each part 4.1. 4.2 of the gusset 4 consists of gradually shortening rows Rl and R2. The orientation of knitting of rows RJ_ and R2 is marked with arrows on Fig 3. The schematic showing of the gusset can be clearly seen in figure 3. There are also shown the terminal loops 6a, 7a, 8a, 9a, 10a of the part 4J of the gusset 4 and terminal loops 6b, 7b, 8b, 9b, 10b of the part 4.2 of the gusset 4. As the rows Rl , R2 gradually shorten, the resulting shape of the gusset 4 in sample version is oval with longer semi-axis placed in the plane of symmetry S, where is located the connecting row 50. But in case of necessity, the resulting shape of the gusset 4 may be general

The gusset 4 continues by legs 3a, 3b. The first row Ha of the leg 3a starts in the terminal loop 10a and it gradually inter-connects the terminal loops 9a, Ta^ the point 5J, of the part 4 of the gusset 4 and consequently even point 5 and terminal loops 6a, 8a, and 10a. Analogically, in case of the leg 3b in part 42 of the gusset 4 the first row l ib starts in point 10b and it continues via the terminal loops 9b, 7b, point 5J_ and it is finished by mutual connection of the point 5 and terminal loops 6a, 8a and 10a to the first row l ib. The first row 1 1a of the leg 3a continues by the following row 12a, and analogically the first row l ib of the leg 3b continues by the following row 12b and so on.

The variant example of the product according to the invention is shown in figure 2. In this sample version, the body portion 2 has a variable length of rows. In the sample version, the length of rows starting from the border i up to the row 23 of the body portion is constant, then the row length 23 prolongs from point 13 of the front part 2J_ of the body portion 2 and from point 14 on rear side 22 of the body portion 2 up to the terminal row 20 of the body portion 2. The gradual prolongation of rows between rows 23 and 20 may be identical fro the front part 21 and the rear part 22 of the body portion 2, but it is not a rule. The prolongation of rows in front part 21 and in rear part 22 of the body portion may be different and in general case, the point 1_3 on the front part 21 may be placed on a different row than point 14 on the rear part 22 of the body portion 2.

The proper principle of seamless product knitting on a small-diameter knitting machine containing two oppositely placed needle cylinders is sufficiently known based on the current state of the art, for example from files US 3 975 924, US 4 011 738 or WO 2006/1 19715 and so on. That is why the sample version description will put stress mainly on difference and suitability of the method of manufacture according to proposed solution. Knitting may be performed on one knitting system on each of the needle cylinders, but it is not a condition and it may be performed even on several knitting systems simultaneously. So as to simplify the explanation, the following description is done in such a way as if the knitting is performed by only one system on upper and one system on lower needle cylinder.

The proposed method of trousers manufacture consists of the following production stages. Knitting is started from the border 1 by reverse run of needle cylinders, using the same thread alternatively on both needle cylinders, while the thread is - in a known way - switched from the lower needle cylinder to the upper needle cylinder and vice versa. Knitting starts on a smaller number of needles compared to the total number of knitting needles placed in each of the knitting rolls. Knitting rolls in that part of the upper and lower needle cylinder where the gusset 4 is placed are temporarily put out of operation. The border1 may be knitted as a simple one or in a well known way as a hollow one, with catching of the knitted fabric on the knitting needles. After knitting the border 1 there follows knitting of the body portion 2. The body portion 2 is knitted identically as border \, that means always by the same thread, alternatively on both needle cylinders and that is why it does not require detailed explanation. In sample version according to figure 1 the body portion 2 is knitted on a constant number of needles and that is why the knitted fabric is in fact of cylindrical shape.

Knitting of the gusset 4 is schematically shown in figure 3 and it requires detailed explanation, as it is - due to the current state of the art of small-diameter knitting machines— absolutely new. Arrows on individual rows indicate the direction of knitting on individual rows of the knitted fabric.

Knitting of the body portion 2 with the same thread (threads) alternatively on both needle cylinders is finished in the last row 20 in point 5, which is placed - together with point 5J_ - in the plane of symmetry S of the body portion 2. In the location from point 5 up to the point 5A. the knitting needles were put out of operation for now - on both needle cylinders. From point 5 up to point 5A. the knitting thread that was used for knitting of the body portion 2 is put simultaneously to the knitting needles of both of the needle cylinders, while the last row 20 of the body portion 2 in the plane of symmetry S is interconnected between points 5 and 5J_ by the connecting row 50. In point 5A_ another thread is taken to the knitting needles and the direction of needle cylinders operation is reversed. Starting from point 5J_ each of the needle cylinders will knit its own thread and each of the needle cylinders will knit - in relation to the plane of symmetry S - the relevant part of the gusset 4 and 4 2. That means that knitting of the gusset 4 is further performed by reverse run of needle cylinders with gradual reduction of the row length. From point 5J. knitting continues on upper needle cylinder to point 6a and to point 6b on lower needle cylinder. In consideration of the fact that the turning points in terminal loops 6a, 7a, 8a, 9a, 10a in the upper needle cylinder and the turning points in terminal loops 6b, 7b, 8b, 9b, 10b in the lower needle cylinder are placed symmetrically in relation to the connecting row 20 and they are placed on different wales of the knitted fabric, the developing gusset 4 is shaped in the sample version to an elliptic shape. Knitting of the gusset 4 is finished on terminal loop 10a in the upper needle cylinder and in the terminal loop 10b in the lower needle cylinder. In these terminal loops 10a and 10b, rotation run of both of the needle cylinders is used to start knitting of both of the legs 3a, 3b and so there is created the first row 11a of the leg 3a in the upper needle cylinder and the first row l ib of the leg 3b in the lower needle cylinder. Consequently, there develop rows 12a, 12b and so on. To the first rows of both legs there are knitted the terminal loops of the shortening rows of the gusset. After knitting of both of the legs, knitting is finished in a well-known way and the knitted fabric is drawn to the collection basket for example by using a pneumatic device.

The variant method of knitting the body portion emerges from figure 2, where the sample version shows the body portion 2 created on gradually increasing number of knitting needles. The increase of the number of knitted needles and the prolonging length of the row 23 starts in point 13 on the front part 2Λ of the body portion 2 and in point 14 on the rear part 22 of the body portion 2. The height placement of the points 13 and J_4 on front part 2J_ and rear part 22 of the body portion 2 may be identical, but also different. Even the level of knitting needles addition from point 13 to point 5 and from point 14 to point 5^ may be really arbitrary. So it is possible to influence the shaping of the f ont and rear body portion and to change the position of gusset placement in the crotch.

A significant advantage of the proposed method of manufacture is even the fact that it allows use of threads of different materials in individual parts of the products, so for example cotton may be used for knitting the gusset as well as other absorbing materials with fine surface.

As it has already been pointed out, the knitted product according to the invention has - in consideration of the contemporary state of the art - many new characteristics and advantages. Those most important include mainly the fact that the knitted product is free of any seems created by the sewing machine and it has a perfect anatomic shape. Due to the fact that it is free of seams, the knitted product does not cause deformations of gluteal parts of the body and it is practically invisible under outwear, it is perfectly elastic as it is completely made of knitted fabric and it is possible to suitable combine initial materials of various characteristics. In the course of the production process there develops a negligible quantity of waste, the production is characterised by high degree of automation, it is economic - mainly due to the fact that the whole operation cycle is performed using the small-diameter knitting machine, characterised inter alia by extremely high production performance. Industrial Applicability

The invention is designed for knitting of seamless products of such type as panties, briefs, trousers, mainly panty hoses on small-diameter knitting machines equipped with two co-axial and oppositely placed needle cylinders.

Claims

Patent Claims

1. Knitted seamless trousers, mainly panty hoses, consisting of the body portion, the gusset and parts for legs, characterised by the fact that in the body portion (2) there is created - in the longitudinal plane of symmetry (S) - the connecting row (50), to which are connected on both sides the gradually shortening rows (Rl), (R2) of the gusset (4), with their terminal loops (6a), (8a), (10a), (9a), (7a) being knitted together on one side of the longitudinal plane of symmetry (S) with the first row (1 la) of one leg (3a), while the terminal loops (6b), (8b), (10b),(9b), (7b) on the other side of the longitudinal plane of symmetry (S) are knitted together with the first row (1 lb) of the other leg (3b).

2. Knitted seamless trousers, mainly panty hoses according to point 1, characterised by the fact that in the body portion (2) on a part of its height (h) in the direction of the last row (20), the rows gradually prolong.

3. Method of production of knitted seamless trousers, mainly panty hoses, on small- diameter knitting machines equipped with two co-axial and oppositely placed needle cylinders according to points 1 and 2, characterised by the fact that the border (l)knitting starts by reverse run with the same thread alternatively on upper and lower needle cylinder on a smaller number of needles than the total number of needles in each of the two needle cylinders, consequently there continues knitting of the body portion (2) using the same thread alternatively on upper and lower needle cylinder on a smaller number of needles, then there are knitted with the same thread those needles of the upper and lower needle cylinder that were inactive in the course of body portion knitting and there is knitted the connecting row (50) between the front (21) and rear parts (22) of the body portion (2). Consequently, on both sides of the connecting row (50) and on each needle cylinder separately, using a separate thread, there is knitted - by reverse run and gradual shortening of rows - the relevant half of the gusset (4.1) and (4.2) and then - using the rotation run simultaneously on both needle cylinders and using a separate thread on each needle cylinder - there are knitted the legs (3a) and (3b) and the, knitting of seamless trousers is finished.

4. Method of production of knitted seamless products according to point 2, characterised by the fact that the number of active needles gradually increases while knitting the body portion (2).

5. Method of production of knitted seamless products according to point 4, characterised by the fact that the number of active needles symmetrically increases in the front and rear part of the product while knitting the body portion (2).

6. Method of production of knitted seamless products according to point 4, characterised by the fact that the number of active needles differently increases in the front and rear part of the product while knitting the body portion (2).

7. Method of production of knitted seamless products according to points 1 up to 6, characterised by the fact that knitting of the gusset (2) is performed by a different type of thread than the thread used for knitting of the border (1), knitting of the body portion (2) or knitting of legs (3 a), (3b).

8. Method of production of knitted seamless products according to points 1 up to 7, characterised by the fact that knitting of legs (3 a), (3b) is performed by a different type of thread than the thread used for knitting of the body portion (2).