Set-up method of knitted fabric

Abstract

 A set-up method of a knitted fabric capable of knitting a set-up portion by split knitting using a flat knitting machine equipped with a compound needle including a needle main body and a slider with two blades is provided. The following steps α to δ are repeated. While moving a yarn feeder 8 in a forming direction LS, a split knitting of transferring a target stitch 1 of a base stitch row 10 of one needle bed (BD) from one needle bed (BD) to the other needle bed (FD), and forming a new stitch 3 following the target stitch 1 (widening stitch 2) is performed (step α). The widening stitch 2 is transferred to the knitting needle on the forming direction LS side of the widening stitch 2 in the needle bed (BU) facing the other needle bed (FD) (step β). The yarn feeder 8 is moved in the starting end direction RS side of the widening stitch 2 transferred in the step β (step γ). The widening stitch 2 is transferred to the other needle bed (FD) (step δ).

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a set-up method of a knitted fabric for knitting a set-up portion by split knitting using a flat knitting machine equipped with a compound needle including a needle main body and a slider with two blades.

Description of the Related Art

[0002] A method of setting up a knitted fabric using a flat knitting machine including at least a front and a back needle bed is conventionally known. As the simplest set-up method, a method of knitting a set-up portion of a knitted fabric by alternately feeding a knitting yarn to the knitting needle of the front needle bed and the knitting needle of the back needle bed of the flat knitting machine is known. However, in such a method, a cross-over yarn crossed between the front and back needle beds tends to become long, and hence the set-up portion may seem loose. To overcome such a problem, knitting the set-up portion using split knitting has been proposed (refer to Patent Document 1, for example).

[0003] When knitting the set-up portion using the split knitting, a base stitch row to become a base is first knitted on one of the front and back needle beds. While transferring a specific stitch (target stitch) of the base stitch row to a knitting needle of the other opposing needle bed, a new knitting yarn is fed to form a new stitch pulled out from the target stitch on a knitting needle of the one needle bed (knitting needle on which the target stitch to be transferred is originally held). This is carried out from one end side towards the other end side in a knitting width direction. The set-up portion knitted in such a manner is the set-up portion in which sinker loops of the stitches held on the front and back needle beds are intertwined with each other and do not ravel, as shown in Fig. 2. In such set-up portion, the yarn length connecting the stitches does not become unnecessarily long and the stitches tend to be in a closely packed state, so that the set-up portion can have the same appearance as portions other than the set-up portion.

PRIOR ART DOCUMENT

PATENT DOCUMENT

[0004] 

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 4-73245

[0005] The set-up method using the split knitting described in Patent Document 1, however, is a method that is effective if the knitting needle of the flat knitting machine is a latch needle, and is a method that is inappropriate if the knitting needle of the flat knitting machine is a compound needle including a needle main body and a slider with two blades that open and close a hook of the needle main body (refer to Japanese Patent No. 2917146, for example). If the set-up method of Patent Document 1 is carried out with the flat knitting machine equipped with a compound needle, the sinker loops of the stitch of the base stitch row and the new stitch do not intertwine as shown in Fig. 3, and thus the set-up portion same as Fig. 2 cannot be formed.

[0006] The above problem arises because the structure for transferring the stitches between the opposing needle beds differs between the latch needle and the compound needle. In the case of the latch needle, a clip at the side surface of the latch needle is used when transferring the stitches, and thus the hooks of the latch needles of the opposing needle beds are slightly shifted against each other in a longitudinal direction of the needle beds. In the case of the compound needle including the slider with two blades, on the other hand, the stitch held at a tongue, which is at a distal end on a needle bed gap side of the blade, is hooked by a hook of the opposing compound needle, and thus the hooks of the compound needles of the opposing needle beds are not shifted against each other in the longitudinal direction of the needle beds. The difference in the position relationship of the opposing knitting needles causes the problem described above. Needless to say, while the set-up portion same as that in Fig. 2 cannot be formed with the compound needle according to the procedure same as that in Patent Document 1, this does not mean that the knitted fabric cannot be set up with the compound needle.

[0007] As described above, a completely new idea is desired to knit the set-up portion formed by intertwining a knitting yarn for connecting the stitches held on the front needle bed and a knitting yarn for connecting the stitches held on the back needle bed with a flat knitting machine using the compound needle having a structure different from the latch needle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The present invention has been devised in view of the above problem, and an object thereof is to provide a set-up method of a knitted fabric capable of knitting a set-up portion by the split knitting using a flat knitting machine equipped with a compound needle including a needle main body and a slider with two blades.

[0009] The present invention is a set-up method of a knitted fabric for knitting a set-up portion of a knitted fabric using a flat knitting machine including at least a front and a back needle bed, and a yarn feeder for supplying a knitting yarn to the needle beds, stitches being transferable between the front and back needle beds, by forming a base stitch row on one of the front and back needle beds and repeating split knitting from one side towards the other side in a longitudinal direction of the needle beds, the split knitting including forming a new stitch following a target stitch, which is one of the stitches of the base stitch row and transferring the target stitch to a knitting needle of the opposing other needle bed. In the set-up method of the knitted fabric of the present invention, the following steps α to δ are repeated assuming a direction of sequentially performing the split knitting in the longitudinal direction of the needle bed as a forming direction and a direction opposite thereto as a starting end direction.
[Step α] A step of performing the split knitting on the target stitch while moving the yarn feeder in the forming direction.
[Step β] A step of transferring a widening stitch, which is the target stitch transferred to the other needle bed by the split knitting in the step α, to the knitting needle of the needle bed facing the needle bed on which the widening stitch is held.
[Step γ] A step of moving the yarn feeder towards the starting end direction side of the widening stitch transferred in the step β.
[Step δ] A step of transferring the widening stitch to the other needle bed.
The knitting needles arranged in the needle beds of the flat knitting machine used for the set-up method of the knitted fabric according to the present invention are compound needles each including a needle main body and a slider with two blades.

[0010]  The needle bed to which the widening stitch (target stitch transferred from one needle bed to the other needle bed with the formation of the new stitch in the step α) is transferred in the step β may change depending on the type of flat knitting machine to use for the knitting. For example, if the widening stitch is held on the front needle bed, the needle bed to which the widening stitch is transferred will be as follows.
Two-bed flat knitting machine including a front needle bed and a back needle bed facing each other in front and back: back needle bed
Four-bed flat knitting machine including a front needle bed (lower front needle bed) and back needle bed (lower back needle bed), and upper front needle bed and upper back needle bed arranged on the upper side thereof: lower back needle bed or upper back needle bed

[0011] According to one aspect of the set-up method of the knitted fabric of the present invention, the knitting needle to which the widening stitch is transferred in the step β is preferably one of the knitting needles including a knitting needle facing the knitting needle on which the widening stitch is held before the transfer and three knitting needles to the left and the right with the relevant knitting needle therebetween. For example, assuming the knitting needles lined in the longitudinal direction of the needle bed are knitting needles A to I in order from the left and the widening stitch is held on the knitting needle E of the front needle bed in the step α, the knitting needle to which the widening stitch is transferred in the step β is preferably one of the knitting needles B to H (total of seven knitting needles) of the back needle bed.

[0012] The knitting yarn of the widening stitch (target stitch) and the knitting yarn of the new stitch can be intertwined as the split knitting is performed by repeating the steps α to δ of the set-up method of the knitted fabric of the present invention. As a result, the set-up portion knitted according to the set-up method of the knitted fabric of the present invention becomes the set-up portion same as the set-up portion knitted by performing the split knitting with the latch needle and does not ravel.

[0013] An excessive tension applied on the knitting yarn by transfer can be prevented by limiting the range of the knitting needles for the transfer of the widening stitch in the step β and shortening the distance in which the stitch is transferred.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] 

Fig. 1 is a knitting step diagram showing knitting steps according to a set-up method of a knitted fabric of the present invention using a flat knitting machine including a compound needle;

Fig. 2 is a loop diagram of a set-up portion knitted with a conventional split knitting method using a flat knitting machine equipped with a latch needle; and

Fig. 3 is a loop diagram of a set-up portion knitted with a conventional split knitting method using a flat knitting machine equipped with a compound needle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] Embodiment of the present invention will be hereinafter described with reference to the drawings. The knitting described in the embodiment describes a knitting example using a four-bed flat knitting machine including a lower front needle bed (FD) and a lower back needle bed (BD) extending in a transverse direction and disposed opposite to each other in a cross direction, and an upper front needle bed (FU) and an upper back needle bed (BU) arranged above the FD and the BD. As a knitting needle arranged in the needle bed, the flat knitting machine includes a compound needle having a needle main body with a hook and a sliders with two blades that open and close the hook. The flat knitting machine to use may be a two-bed flat knitting machine or a two-bed flat knitting machine including a transfer jack bed. In the case of such two-bed flat knitting machines, half gauge knitting of having an empty needle between adjacent stitches is preferably carried out.

[0016] In the present embodiment, with reference to Fig. 1, a description will be given of an example in which the set-up method of the present invention is applied to a case where a stitch is formed on the BD with a knitting yarn, which is a draw thread, and then the knitted fabric following the stitch of the draw thread is set up.

[0017] Fig. 1 is a knitting step diagram for setting up a knitted fabric with a knitting yarn from a yarn feeder 8 indicated with a symbol ▼. In the figure, "S + number" indicates the number of the knitting step, the short black bar indicates the knitting needle arranged in each needle bed, and A to C indicate the positions of the knitting needles of the needle beds. The knitting needles of the FU are not shown in Fig. 1 since the knitting needles of the FU are not used in the knitting steps of the present embodiment.

[0018] First, S1 shows a state in which the stitches of a base stitch row 10, which is to become the base end of the set-up, are formed on the knitting needles A to C of the BD. The stitches of the base stitch row 10 are stitches continuously formed in a wale direction of the stitches of the draw thread (not shown). In the subsequent knitting steps, the widening stitches are formed toward the left direction in the plane of drawing from such a state. The left direction in the plane of drawing is referred to as "forming direction LS", and the opposite direction is referred to as "starting end direction RS".

[0019] In S2, while moving the yarn feeder 8 in the forming direction LS, a new stitch 3 following the stitch (see target stitch 1 of S1) of the base stitch row held on the knitting needle C of the BD is formed and the target stitch 1 is transferred to the knitting needle C of the FD at the position facing the knitting needle C of the BD on which the target stitch 1 is held (see arrow). The target stitch 1 transferred to the FD is hereinafter referred to as a widening stitch 2. At the time point S2 is finished, a cross-over yarn extending from the yarn feeder 8 to the new stitch 3 intersects the portion on the forming direction LS side of the widening stitch 2.

[0020] In S3, the widening stitch 2 held on the knitting needle C of the FD in S2 is transferred to the knitting needle B of the BU on the forming direction LS side of the knitting needle C. The knitting needle to which the widening stitch 2 is transferred may be the knitting needle A or the knitting needle C of the BU, for example. That is, the knitting needle to which the widening stitch 2 is transferred is not particularly limited as long as it is the knitting needle of the BU facing the FD. The knitting needle, however, must be the knitting needle in a range worth three needles to the left and the right with the knitting needle C of the BU therebetween (range of a total of seven needles including the knitting needle C).

[0021] In S4, the yarn feeder 8 is moved in the starting end direction RS, and stopped on the starting end direction RS side of the knitting needle C. In S5, the widening stitch 2 given to the knitting needle B of the BU in S3 is transferred to the knitting needle C of the FD. That is, the widening stitch 2 is returned to the knitting needle C of the FD on which the widening stitch 2 was originally held. At the time point S5 is finished, the cross-over yarn extending from the yarn feeder 8 to the new stitch 3 intersects the portion on the starting end direction RS side of the widening stitch 2. The sinker loops of the widening stitch 2 and the new stitch 3 can be intertwined so as not to ravel by interchanging the positions where the cross-over yarn intersects the widening stitch 2 through S3 to S5.

[0022] The knitting similar to S2 to S5 is then carried out while defining the stitch of the base stitch row 10 held on the knitting needle B of the BD in S5 as the target stitch 1. Specifically, while moving the yarn feeder 8 in the forming direction LS, the new stitch 3 following the target stitch 1 held on the knitting needle B of the BD is formed and the target stitch 1 is transferred to the knitting needle B of the FD at the position facing the knitting needle B of the BD on which the target stitch 1 is held (see S6).

[0023] The widening stitch 2 held on the knitting needle B of the FD in S6 is then transferred to the knitting needle A of the BU (see S7), and thereafter, the yarn feeder 8 is moved in the right direction in the plane of drawing and stopped on the starting end direction RS side of the knitting needle B (see S8). Lastly, the widening stitch 2 given to the knitting needle A of the BU in S7 is returned to the knitting needle B of the FD (see S9).

[0024] Thereafter, the knitting similar to S6 to S9 is repeated to complete the set-up portion 100 (see S10). In such a set-up portion 100, an intertwined manner of the knitting yarn is the same as that of the set-up portion knitted by performing split knitting with the latch needle (see also Fig. 2). Thus, the set-up portion 100 knitted according to the knitting steps of the present embodiment does not ravel although it is knitted using the split knitting with the compound needle.

[0025] The typical portion to apply the set-up method of the knitted fabric of the present invention includes the set-up portion at one of the sides of a knitwear when knitting the knitwear in a lateral direction. Furthermore, the set-up method of the knitted fabric of the present invention may be applied to the formation of the set-up portion of a rib such as a tubular rib when knitting the knitwear in a longitudinal direction.

[0026] The yarn feeder of the flat knitting machine may be a type that follows the carriage or may be a self-travelling type.

Claims

1. A set-up method of a knitted fabric for knitting a set-up portion (100) of a knitted fabric using a flat knitting machine including at least a front and a back needle bed, and a yarn feeder (8) for supplying a knitting yarn to the needle beds, stitches being transferable between the front and back needle beds, by forming a base stitch row (10) on one of the front and back needle beds (BD) and repeating split knitting from one side towards the other side in a longitudinal direction of the needle beds, the split knitting including forming a new stitch (3) following a target stitch (1), which is one of the stitches of the base stitch row (10) and transferring the target stitch (1) to a knitting needle of the opposing other needle bed (FD), the set-up method of the knitted fabric characterized by repeating:

a step α of performing the split knitting on the target stitch (1) while moving the yarn feeder (8) in a forming direction (LS);

a step β of transferring a widening stitch (2), which is the target stitch (1) transferred to the other needle bed (FD) by the split knitting in the step α, to the knitting needle of the needle bed (BU) facing the needle bed (FD) on which the widening stitch (2) is held;

a step γ of moving the yarn feeder (8) towards a starting end direction (RS) of the widening stitch (2) transferred in the step β; and

a step δ of transferring the widening stitch (2) to the other needle bed (FD),

wherein knitting needles arranged in the needle beds are compound needles each including a needle main body and a slider with two blades, and a direction of sequentially performing the split knitting in the longitudinal direction of the needle beds is the forming direction (LS) and a direction opposite thereto is the starting end direction (RS),

2. The set-up method of the knitted fabric according to claim 1, characterized in that the knitting needle to which the widening stitch (2) is transferred in the step β is one of the seven knitting needles including a knitting needle facing the knitting needle on which the widening stitch (2) is held before the transfer and three knitting needles to the left and the right with the knitting needle therebetween.

Drawing