WO2015118565A1

WO2015118565A1 - Method for the production of a knitted article, and the article thus produced

Info

Publication number: WO2015118565A1
Application number: PCT/IT2014/000031
Authority: WO
Inventors: Nerino Grassi
Original assignee: Golden Lady Company S.P.A.
Priority date: 2014-02-04
Filing date: 2014-02-04
Publication date: 2015-08-13

Abstract

A method is disclosed for producing a knitted article (1) with two leg pieces (3, 5) and one body (7) on a circular knitting machine with at least one circular needle bed. The method comprises the following steps: knitting a continuous tubular knitted article, starting from a first end up to a second end, by means of the circular needle bed; forming an aperture in an intermediate portion of the tubular article in the body thereof; sewing around said aperture a seamless continuous annular band (17) of elastic fabric.

Description

METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A KNITTED ARTICLE, AND THE

ARTICLE THUS PRODUCED

DESCRIPTION

Technical field The present invention relates to improvements to the methods for producing garments comprising two leg pieces and one body, for instance pantyhose, tights and similar, and to the garments thus produced.

Specially, the present invention relates to methods for producing seamless garments of the above mentioned type using a single knitting process onto a circ ular knitting machine with single or double needle bed.

State of the Art

In the industry of the production of tights, pantyhose and similar knitted articles, there is a continuous search for new methods and systems for automating the knitting process, to obtain a seamless continuous article or garment, knitted on a circular machine with a single production process.

Some searches are based on a process developed in the '60s; according to this process, a tubular article is knitted using a single process on a circular knitting machine starting from an end of a first leg piece up to an end of a second leg piece, knitting three subsequent tubular portions or sections to form, in addition to the two leg pieces, the body of the article. The tubular article unloaded form the circular knitting machine is then cut in the central area to form an aperture around which an elastic edge is sewn to form the body waist. This known process is disclosed in GB- 1235361 ,, For a better fit, the body is knitted with wider stitches, so that the central portion of the tubular article has a slightly greater section than the section of the leg pieces.

There is the need to further improve the methods for knitting pantyhose, tights l and similar articles having a body and two leg pieces, using a single process onto a circular knitting machine, that overcome or reduce the drawbacks of the known methods that are still used.

Summary of the Invention According to a first aspect, to or solve completely partially at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art, a method is provided for producing a knitted article comprising two leg pieces and one body, using a circular knitting machine with at least one needle bed, said method comprising the steps of: knitting a continuous tubular knitted article, starting from a first end up to a second end by means of said, at least one circular needle bed; forming an aperture in an intermediate portion of the tubular article in the body thereof; sewing around said aperture a seamless continuous annular band of elastic fabric. Advantageously, the annular band is seamless, formed by circular courses extending continuously along the annular extension, i.e. the circumferential extension of the band.

The tubular fabric is knitted preferably with continuous motion, i.e. wherein the citcuiar needle bed rotates with continuous motion and not with reciprocating motion.

Advantageously, also the band can be knitted using a circular needle bed, preferably with a continuous knitting motion, in advantageous embodiments the band may be formed by means of a circular needle bed other man the bed forming the continuous tubular knitted article, preferably by means of a needle bed of greater dimensions, i.e. with a number of needles higher than the number of needles of the circular bed forming the continuous tubular article to which the elastic band will be subsequently sewn.

Practically, the elastic annular band is formed by courses of stitches extending continuously along the entire annular extension, without interruption, so that the band has no seams along its own annular extension. The columns of stitches extend from one to the other of the two edges of the knitted fabric forming the band. The two edges are joined together in the area where the band is sewn to the edge surrounding the aperture formed in the fabric thai, during knitting, has formed the body of the article.

The ends of the leg pieces may be closed to form two closed toes. The ends may be closed on the same circular machine or during a subsequent step, for instance by means of an overlock sewing machine. In other embodiments the article may have the open ends, i.e. without feet. The article may also have very short leg pieces, and form a sort of knickers.

The leg pieces and the body can be preferably knitted with a continuous knitting motion, so that, the courses of stitches forming the article extend in a circumferential way around the leg pieces and the body. The courses are interrupted in correspondence of the aperture, extending transversal!y with respect to the courses. The columns of stitches extend from one to the other of the two ends.

The article may be also knitted, completely or partially, with a reciprocating knitting motion. For instance, as known from the literature, pockets of fabric may be formed in the side areas of the body by means of a reciprocating motion to increase the garment fit

The elastic annular band may be formed by means of a single or a double circular needle bed, or by means of circular needle bed and hooks of a dial of a knitting machine having adequate diameter and fineness.

According to a different aspect the invention relates to a knitted article comprising: a first leg piece with a first end; a second leg piece with a second end; an intermediate body between the first leg piece and the second leg piece; an aperture in said body for the article to be worn; a seamless annular band formed with an elastic continuous fabric, sewn around said aperture.

Further features and embodiments will be described below with reference to eemmbbooddiimmeennttss ooff t thhee iinnvveennttiioonnss,, aanndd iinn tthhee aattttaacchheedd ccllaaiimmss,, tthhaatt foforrmm aann iinntteeggrraall ppaarrtt ooff tthhee pprreesseenn ddeessccrriippttiioonn..

The invention shall be better understood by following the description and accompanying drawing, which shows non-limiting practical embodiments of the invention. More particularly, in the drawing: figure 1 is a schematic view of the tubular article in an intermediate production step, after it has been knitted and before the aperture has been made in the body; figure 2 shows a view similar to that of figure 1 according to the line of figure 1 ; figure 3 shows the article of figure 2 in the subsequent step, after the aperture been made in the body; figure 4 shows an elastic continuous annular band to be applied around the aperture; figure 5 is a schematic cross-section according to V-V of figure 4; figure 6 is a schematic cross-section of the area where the elastic annular band is sewn to the body around the aperture provided in the same body; figure 7 shows an enlargement of the gusset area indicated with VII in figure

1 ; figure 8 is a schematic view of the finished article in the conformation it has when worn; figure 9 shows a schematic enlargement of a portion of fabric with reinforced structure in the cut area.

The following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments refers to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers in different drawings identify the same or similar elements. Additionally, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Also, the following detailed description does not limit the invention, Instead, the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims,

Reference throughout the specification to "one embodiment^" or "an embodiment" or "some embodiments" means that the particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the subject matter disclosed. Thus, the appearance of the phrase "in one embodiment." or "in an embodiment" or "in some embodiments" in various places throughout the specification is not necessarily referring to the same embodiments). Further, the particular features, structures or characteristics may he combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

Figures 1 and 2 sho two schematic views, rotated by 90° one with respect to the other, of an article in an intermediate manufacturing step. The article of figures 1 and 2 may be produced as disclosed in GB1235361. whose content is integrally incorporated herein, by means of continuous knitting onto a circular knitting machine of small diameter, starting from one end of the article up to the opposite end. Knitting may be performed with continuous motion. The article is indicates as a whole with number 1 and has a first leg piece 3 and a second leg piece 5, in between there is an intermediate area forming the body 7 of the article. Numbers 9 and 11 indicate the ends of the article 1 that can be produced in opened configuration in the circular knitting machine and can be then sewn or linked to be closed. In other embodiments, the ends 9 and 11, or at least one of them, may be closed directly by means of the circular machine and inside it.

As disclosed in GB1235361, the portion forming the body 7 can be produced by modifying the knitting parameters so as to have a greater diameter of the article and therefore a better fit with respect to the fabric forming the leg pieces 3 and 5.

In some embodiments the article or garment 1 can be opened in correspondence of the body 7 directly during the formation thereof in the circular .machine, by means of an adequate selection of the needles in correspondence of the body 7. In other embodiments, as schematically indicated in figures I, 2, and 3, the artiele 1 is knitted inside the cireulai- knitting machine as an integral tube, which is then opened, for instance by cutting it. to form the aperture 13 in correspondence of the body 7. The aperture 13 may extend along the entire longitudinal dimension of the body or only a part thereof.

In this embodiments, the courses of stitches forming the tubular artiele 1 are arranged as schematically indicated with R in figures 1 to 3, i.e. substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal extension of the article 1 , and, accordingly, the columns of stitches extend as schematically indicated with C, i.e. parallel to the longitudinal extension of the leg pieces.

In other embodiments at least one part of the article 1 can be knitted with reciprocating motion to form side pockets of fabric in the passage area between the body 7 and the leg pieces 3 and 5 so as to make the fit better. This production method is described for instance in US2962884, whose content is integrally incorporated in the present description.

In some embodiments, at least one portion of fabric of the body 7 is formed with a reinforced structure. Partic ularly, a portion 15 of the fabric forming the article can be provided with a reinforced structure, in correspondence of the area where the aperture 13 is produced. The reinforced structure may be obtained by adding a second yarn to the base yarn forming the article 1. The reinforcing yam can be a yarn of greater thickness, i.e. greater denier, with respect to the base yam forming the remaining part of the article 1. In some embodiments the reinforcement, yam may have a denier comprised between 40 and 60 dens, while the base yarn may have a denier comprised between 15 and 25 dens. As schematically shown in figure 9, the reinforced area of the fabric has stitches made by a double yam.

The reinforced area or portion 35 of fabric can facilitate and improve the application of a continuous elastic annular band 17 (see figures 4 and 5) sewn around the aperture 13 provided in the article 1. The continuous elastic annular band ! 7 may be produced by means of a circular knitting machine, for instance a circular knitting machine of great diameter. The elastic annular band 17 may have a seamless continuous structure. In other words, the structure of the elastic annular band 17 is formed by courses of stitches Rl extending circumferentiaily around the band 17 without interruption, and by columns of stitches CI extending from one to the other of the two edges Bl and B2 of the continuous annular band 17, The two tail edges may be joined together while knitting the annular band, with one of the two edges projecting with respect to the other one.

As schematically indicated in figure 6, the continuous elastic annular band 1 7 is advantageously sewn to an edge 15A of the reinforced area or portion 15 surrounding the aperture 13 provided in the article 1. F schematically indicates the sewing yam used to join the elastic annular band 1 7,

By means of this process the finished article 1 is provided, that has the structure schematically represented in figure 8 where the article 1. is shown is the shape it has when worn. The seam between the continuous elastic annular band 17 and the body 7, formed by the yam F, is inside the article 1. Outside, along the base of the band 17, short segments of yarn F will be visible. In the diagram of figure 8, C indicates the. columns of stitches of the fabric forming the article 1 to illustrate the design of these columns along the whole extension of the article or garment 1 from one to the other of the two ends 9, 1 1.

In advantageous embodiments, in the crotch area, indicated with CV in figure

8, a gusset 21 is advantageously provided. The gusset 21 may be formed while knitting the article 1. for instance feeding an additional yam that does not form stitch but weft in the structure of the base knitted fabric. Figure 7 schematically illustrates an enlargement of the area of the gusset 21 during the formation thereof A indicates schematically the needles. Ml indicates the stitches of the last course formed by the needles A, that are still engaged by the needles A. M schematically and generally indicates the stitches knitted duiing the steps preceding the step schematically illustrated in figure 7. FT indicates a weft yam inserted in the structure constituted by the columns C of stitches M defining the base knitted structure of the article 1. The yarn FT can be fed to one of the feeds for feeding the base yam FB to the needles A forming therewith the base structure of the article 1. In some embodiments, it is possible to use more man two feeds, for instance four feeds, to increase the production speed, in this case, in the area where the crotch 21 is formed it is possible to feed the weft yam FT to two feeds, while the other feeds form stitches using the base yam FB,

As shown in figure 7, which illustrate the fabric from the inner side of the article L the weft yam FT is mostly inside the article and only partially, for short segments, outside the article, so that the gusset 21 is practically invisible from the outside. The article produced in this way is particularly comfortable to be worn thanks to the continuous structure of the elastic annular band 17 and the gusset formed by means of the weft yarns FT without seams in the crotch area.

Preferably, the textile structure of the body 7 is equal to the textile structure of the leg pieces 3 and 5 and for producing them the same base yarn is used, except for the reinforced portion 15, where to the base yarn the reinforcement yam is added, and for the gusset in the crotch area CV, where to the base yam the weft yarn is added, as described above.

The embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings have been explained in. detail as examples of embodiment of the invention. Modifications, variants, additions and omissions can be done to the embodiments described above, without however departing from the principles, the concepts and the teachings of the invention as defined in the attached claims. The scope of the invention shall be therefore determined exclusively based upon the widest interpretation, of the attached claims, wherein these modifications, variants, additions and omissions are included within this scope . The terms "comprising" "to comprise" and the like do not exclude the presence of further elements or steps in addition to those specifically listed in a claim. The term "a" or "an" before an element, means or feature of a claim does not exclude the presence of a plurality of these elements, means or features. If a claim of a device claims a plurality of "means", some or all these "means" can be actuated by a single component, member or structure. The enunciation of given elements, features or means in distinct depending claims does not exclude the possibility of combining said elements, features or means together. When a method claim lists a sequence of steps, the sequence with which these steps are listed is not binding and can be changed, if the particular sequence is not indicated as binding. Any reference numerals in the appended claims are provided to facilitate reading of the claims with reference to the description and to the drawing, and do not limit the scope of protection represented by the claims.

Claims

1 . A method for producing a knitted article with two leg pieces and one body on a circular knitting machine with at least one circular needle bed, comprising the following steps:

knitting a continuous tubular knitted article, starting from a first end up to a second end by means of said at least one circ ular needle bed;

fomiing an aperture in an intermediate portion of the tubular article in the body thereof;

sewing around said aperture a seamless continuous annular band of elastic fabric.

2. Method according to claim L wherein said aperture is formed while the whole knitted article is knitted or after it has been knitted.

3. Method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said tubular article is formed with a continuous motion,

4. Method according to claim 1 or 2. wherein the annular band is double and has two annular edges sewn together with an edge surrounding said aperture,

5. Method according to one or more of the previous claims, wherein said annular band is knitted with continuous motion by means of a circular needle bed, having preferably a dimension greater than the dimension of the circular needle bed forming the continuous tubular knitted article.

6. Method according to one or more of the previous claims, furthermore comprising the step of producing a portion of reinforced fabric during knitting of the tubular article, the aperture being formed in the portion of reinforced fabric, so that the reinforced fabric surrounds said aperture and the annular band is sewn to the tubular article in correspondence of the portion of reinforced fabric.

7. Method according to claim 4, wherein the portion of reinforced fabric is produced by adding a reinforcement yam to the base yam forming the tubular article, so that the portion of reinforced fabric comprises stitches formed with a double yarn.

8. Method according to claim 5, wherein said reinforcement yarn has a greater denier than the base yam.

9. Method according to claim 6, wherein the base yam has a denier comprised between 10 and 40 dens and preferably between 15 and 25 dens, and the reinforcement yam has a denier comprised between 30 and 70 dens, preferably between 40 and 60 dens.

10. Method according to one or more of the previous claims, comprising the step of producing a gusset in said body, the gusset being nearly opposite said aperture in a crotch area of the tubular article.

1 1. Method according to claim 8, wherein the gusset is formed with a weft fabric by feeding, through at least one feed, one yarn added to the yarns forming the stitches of the tubular article.

12. Method according to claim 9, wherein the gusset is formed with a weft fabric 1 : 1 ; 1 :2 or 1 :3.

13. Method according to claim 9, wherein the body and the leg pieces of the article are formed with the same yams,

14. A knitted article comprising: a first leg piece with a first end; a second kg piece with a second end; an intermediate body between the first leg piece and the second leg piece; an aperture in said body for the article to be worn; an annular band formed with a continuous elastic knitted fabric, sewn around said aperture.

15. Article according to claim 10, wherein the annular band is double and has a first edge and a second edge, that are sewn to an edge formed by the fabric of the body and surrounding the aperture.

16. Article according to claim 1 1 or 12, wherein the body has a portion of reinforced fabric, in the area where the annular band is sewn to the body.

17. Article according to claim 13, wherein the portion of reinforced fabric comprises stitches formed by a base yarn and a reinforcement yarn.

18. Article according to claim 14, wherein the reinforcement yarn has a greater denier than the base yarn.

19. Article according to claim 14 or 15 wherein the base yarn forms the stitches of the whole article,

20. Article according to claim 12, wherein the annular band is formed by columns of stitches extending between said first edge and said second edge and by courses of stitches with continuous annular extension extending around the whole annular band,

21. Article according to one or more of claims 1 1 to 17, wherein the first leg piece, the body and the second leg piece are foraied by columns of stitches extending from the first end to the second end of the article.

22. Article according to one or more of claims 1 1 to 18, comprising a gusset formed in the body in intermediate position, nearly opposite to said aperture.

23. Article according to claim 19, wherein said gusset is formed by a weft with a yarn added in the structure of the stitches forming the body.