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(11) | EP 3 029 188 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
| published in accordance with Art. 153(4) EPC |
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| (54) | PILE FABRIC AND PRODUCTION METHOD |
| (57) To provide a pile woven fabric that has both of lightness and thinness almost equivalent
to those of a typical clothing fabric and water absorbency property, heat-retaining
property, breathability, good touch feeling, etc. of towel cloth. The pile woven fabric
has pile height lower than the typical towel cloth (comparison example) (first structure).
The pile woven fabric has a pile formed of a cotton yarn that has a yarn count finer
than that of the comparison example (second structure). The pile woven fabric has
pile density higher than that of the comparison example (third structure). In the
pile woven fabric, the cotton yarn is twisted together with a water-soluble yarn such
that the water-soluble yarn is twisted in a direction opposite to a twisting direction
of the cotton yarn, and, after weaving processing, the water-soluble yarn is removed
to induce reverse twisting of the cotton yarn (fourth structure). |
[TECHNICAL FIELD]
[0001] The present invention relates to a pile woven fabric and a method for manufacturing a pile woven fabric.
[BACKGROUND ART]
[0002] There is a towel that is a woven fabric having piles. A pile is formed in such a manner that: A warp yarn of the woven fabric is divided into two yarns; one of the yarns is pulled strongly, and the other one of the warp is pulled loosely; and the warp yarn that was pulled loosely is slacken to be formed into a loop shape, thereby forming a pile. A pile is formed into a loop shape, and there is a gap between yarns. The gap contains much air. The air gives a suitable bounce to the towel. The pile allows a towel to have excellent water absorbency property, heat-retaining property, breathability, good touch feeling, etc.
[0003] The conventional art discloses a towel excellent in softness and bulkiness, in order to utilize the above described characteristics of a pile (e.g., patent literature 1).
[0004] The inventor has continuously devoted himself to an innovative improvement in the field of towel industry. The inventor attempts to utilize the water absorbency property, heat-retaining property, breathability, and good touch feeling of a towel cloth and studies, for example, about application of the towel cloth to clothes. Bathrobes have been already marketed as clothes made of towel cloth. The inventor further attempts to apply the towel cloth to clothes such as shirts.
[0005] A typical cloth for shirts, underclothes, indoor gowns, and nightclothes includes kitting, e.g., single jersey stitch, fraise stitch, knitted fabric, and moss stitch, and woven fabric, e.g., lawn fabric, gauze, oxford cloth, twill fabric, satin fabric, and flannel fabric.
[0006] In a case where a pile woven fabric is applied to clothes, the pile woven fabric should have lightness and thinness at a level equivalent to those of a typical cloth for clothes.
[0007] However, a typical towel cloth is 2-3 times heavier than the typical cloth for clothes and 5-10 times thicker than the typical cloth for clothes (see, the following description). Clothes are for daily use. Therefore, heavy clothes become a burden to a consumer. More specifically, heavy clothes cannot continuously give good comfort and/or good fit to the consumer. Further, in a case where a towel cloth is applied to clothes, easy sewing is also required to the towel cloth. However, if the towel cloth is thick, it is difficult to sew the towel cloth.
[0008] To solve the problem of heaviness and thickness of the towel cloth, a low pile height is proposed. More specifically, proposed is to shorten a pile length. (Definition of terms will follow.) Sports towels are exemplified as a towel having a short (low-height) pile. A purpose of sports towels is to absorb sweat. Therefore, sports towels are not required to have absorbency property at a level that is equivalent to absorbency property of bath towels that is required to absorb moisture on a body after bathing. However, since sports towels are convenient in cases requiring portability, e.g., in sports, for its thinness and lightness.
[CITATION LIST]
[PATENT LITERATURE]
[PATENT LITERATURE 1]
[SUMMARRY OF INVENTION]
[TECHNICAL PROBLEM]
[0010] If a sports towel that is formed into thin cloth by placing importance in portability is applied to clothes, the good touch feeling of towel is lost. Though it is a subjective element, the good touch feeling can be approximated by a ratio between a pile height and a diameter of a pile yarn. More specifically, when a pile height becomes low, rigidity of the pile becomes too strong, which may provide raspy feeling to consumers. Even if the raspy feeling is at a level that consumers do not mind when they wipe sweat by using sports towels, the raspy feeling of such level is not suitable for clothes that continuously contact skin.
[0011] The present invention was made to solve the above described problem. Namely, it is a purpose of the present invention to provide a pile woven fabric that keeps lightness and thinness almost equivalent to those of a typical cloth for clothes and that has water absorbency property, heat-retaining property, breathability, good touch feeling, etc., as the towel cloth has.
[SOLUTION TO PROBLEM]
[0012] The pile woven fabric of the present invention that solves the above described problem has a pile that is formed by a cotton yarn having a yarn count of 50-100 (both inclusive) and a pile height less than 5 mm.
[0014] With a low pile height and a cotton yarn having a fine count, the product can be made thin and light.
[0015] More preferably, a pile density of the piles is 40-60 (both inclusive) yarns per inch in a width direction and 18-22 (both inclusive) yarns per inch in a weaving direction. Incidentally, a warp density means number of the warp / 1 inch of length of a weft direction (a width direction). A warp density may be called Number of Reed. a weft density means number of the weft /1 inch of length of a warp direction (a longer direction) .A weft density may be called Gear.
[0017] Preferably, a cotton yarn of the pile is twisted together with a water-soluble yarn such that the water-soluble yarn is twisted in a direction opposite to a twisting direction of the cotton yarn. This is an intermediate product in a state of still being together with the water-soluble yarn.
[0018] Preferably, the pile is finished by removing the water-soluble yarn that was twisted together with the cotton yarn in a direction opposite to a twisting direction of the cotton yarn.
[0019] Preferably, the water-soluble yarn is twisted together with the cotton yarn in a direction opposite to a twisting direction of the cotton yarn by a twist-number ratio of a range of 30-170% (both inclusive) of the twisting of the cotton yarn.
[0020] The water-soluble yarn reinforces the pile while the fabric is subjected to weaving processing. Removal of the water-soluble yarn induces reverse twisting (untwisting) of the cotton yarn.
[0021] The present invention that solves the above described problem is directed to a method for manufacturing a pile woven fabric including steps of: forming a twisted union yarn by twisting a water-soluble yarn together with a cotton yarn having a yarn count of 50-100 (both inclusive) such that the water-soluble yarn is twisted in a direction opposite to a twisting direction of the cotton yarn; forming a woven fabric having a pile of a pile height less than 5 mm by using the twisted union yarn; and removing the water-soluble yarn from the woven fabric.
[ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECT OF INVENTION]
[0022] The pile woven fabric of the present invention maintains lightness and thinness at a level about the same as those of the typical cloth for clothes and has water absorbency property, heat-retaining property, breathability, good touch feeling, etc. of, for example, a towel cloth. As a result thereof, the pile woven fabric of the present invention can be applied to clothes.
[BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS]
[0023] Fig. 1 is a comparative illustration in which a comparison is made between a comparison example and an embodiment.
[Description of Embodiments]
∼Structural Summary∼
[0024] The pile woven fabric of the present embodiment has the following structures. A pile height is lower than a pile height of a typical towel cloth (comparison example 1, described below in detail) (first structure). The pile is formed of a cotton yarn having a fine count that is smaller than a yarn count of a cotton yarn of the comparison example 1 (second structure). A pile density is higher than a pile density of the fabric of the comparison example 1 (third structure). A water-soluble yarn is twisted together with a cotton yarn such that the water-soluble yarn is twisted in a direction opposite to a twisting direction of the cotton yarn, and the water-soluble yarn is removed after weaving processing to thereby induce reverse twisting of the cotton yarn (fourth structure).
∼First Structure (Low Pile) and Effects Thereof∼
[0025] A pile height of the typical towel cloth (comparison example 1) is about 5-12 mm or, in many cases, about 5-7 mm. This is because, as a pile height becomes higher, water absorbency property and good touch feeling are improved.
[0026] On the other hand, when the pile height of the comparison example 1 is less than 5 mm, rigidity of the pile becomes too high. This makes it impossible to produce an effect of soft touch feeling.
[0028] If the pile height is beyond 5 mm that is about equivalent to the pile height of the comparison example 1, it is impossible to produce effects of lightness and thinness. If the pile height is less than 0.8 mm, it is impossible to produce effects of pile (e.g., water absorbency property, heat-retaining property, and breathability).
[0029] With the above described range, both of the effects of lightness and thinness and the effects of pile can be realized. Further, with the pile height of 1.5-3 mm (both inclusive), the effects can be surely produced.
∼Second Structure (Fine Count) and Effects Thereof∼
[0032] A cotton yarn having a thick count of 20-30 is employed as the pile yarn of the comparison example 1. When a double yarn is used, the double yarn should have a yarn count of 30-60. This is because, as a pile yarn becomes thicker, water absorbency property improves.
[0033] To the contrary, in the present embodiment, a cotton yarn having a yarn count of 50-100 (both inclusive) is employed for a pile yarn.
[0034] If a cotton yarn having a yarn count of less than 50 (thicker than a yarn count of 50) is used, it is impossible to obtain a notable difference in good touch feeling, as compared to the comparison example 1. Further, if a cotton yarn having a yarn count beyond 100 (finer than a yarn count of 100) is used, it is impossible to obtain satisfactory heat-retaining property and water absorbency property. Still further, a cotton yarn having a yarn count equal to or less than 100 is preferred to be employed when considering a weaving capacity.
[0035] With the above described range, a ratio of a diameter to a pile height of a pile yarn becomes small. This allows a pile to be deformed in a comfortable way for consumers when the pile contacts skin, which gives consumers soft touch feeling. Also, this contributes to maintaining of satisfactory heat-retaining property and water absorbency property.
[0037] Further, when a cotton yarn having a yarn count of 60-90 (both inclusive) is employed, the above described effects can be surely produced.
[0038] Still further, in the present embodiment, a yarn that is 30-50% thinner than a yarn of the comparison example 1 is employed as yarns (warp yarns, weft yarns) for weaving a base weave construction.
∼Third Structure (High Density) and Effects Thereof∼
[0039] In the comparison example 1, the number of piles per inch is 32-33 yarns in a width direction, and the number of piles per inch is 16-17 yarns in a weaving direction. Therefore, a density of warp yarns of the base weave construction is 32-33 yarns per inch, and a density of weft yarns of the base weave construction is 48-50 yarns per inch.
[0040] When the pile densities are applied to cloth having the second structure (fine count), transparency of the cloth becomes noticeable, and pile retention property of the cloth becomes weak. Further, satisfactory strength of the cloth is not achieved. Still further, sewing strength when sewing the cloth for manufacturing clothes is not sufficient.
[0041] To the contrary, in the present embodiment, the number of piles per inch is 40-60 yarns in a width direction, and the number of piles per inch is 18-22 yarns in a weaving direction. Therefore, a density of warp yarns of a base weave construction is 40-60 yarns per inch, and a density of weft yarns of the base weave construction is 54-66 yarns per inch.
[0042] Enhancement of the pile density and the base weave construction density more than those of the comparison example 1 allows a ratio of pile yarn weight to cloth weight to stay within a predetermined range even when the first structure and the second structure are employed. As a result thereof, characteristics of the pile woven fabric will not be lost.
[0043] Normally, as density becomes higher, weight of pile woven fabric becomes heavier. However, because the effect of lightness produced by the first structure and the second structure is large enough to the extent that the effect can offset such increase of weight, an effect of lightness is maintained as a whole.
[0044] Further, the high density ensures a suitable pile retention property, fabric strength, and sewing strength.
∼Fourth Structure (Water-soluble Yarn and Reverse Twisting (Untwisting)) and Effects Thereof∼
[0045] Employment of the second structure (fine count) disables high speed weaving when the currently widely used automatic weaving machine is used. More specifically, since the yarn is too fine, the yarn cannot bear to be woven by the automatic weaving machine.
[0046] To the contrary, in the present embodiment, a cotton yarn having a fine count is twisted together with a water-soluble yarn such that the water-soluble yarn is twisted in an opposite direction of a twisting direction of the cotton yarn to thereby form a twisted union yarn, and a woven fabric having a pile is formed by using the twisted union yarn. That is, the water-soluble yarn reinforces strength of the cotton yarn having a fine count. This enables a high speed weaving of the cotton yarn having a fine count by automatic weaving machine which is currently widely used.
[0047] The water-soluble yarn is twisted together with the cotton yarn in a direction opposite to a twisting direction of the cotton yarn by a twist-number ratio of a range of 30-170% (both inclusive) of the twisting of the cotton yarn. After the weaving processing, the water-soluble yarn is removed from the woven fabric.
[0048] Twisting of the water-soluble yarn by 30% indicates that the water-soluble yarn is twisted for 30 times while the cotton yarn is twisted for 100 times.
[0049] As a result thereof, the cotton yarn after the water-soluble yarn is removed therefrom is untwisted (reversely twisted) from the original twisting of the cotton yarn. More specifically, the cotton yarn is untwisted (reversely twisted) to a range between -70% and 70% (both inclusive) of the original twisting of the cotton yarn.
[0050] Meanwhile, for example, if the water-soluble yarn is twisted together with the cotton yarn such that the water-soluble yarn is twisted in an opposite direction of a twisting direction of the cotton yarn by 30% of the twisting of the cotton yarn, twisting of the cotton yarn after the water-soluble yarn is removed becomes 70% (= 100 - 30) of the original twisting of the cotton yarn. If the water-soluble yarn is twisted together with the cotton yarn in a direction opposite to the twisting direction of the cotton yarn by 170% of the twisting of the cotton yarn, the twisting of the cotton yarn after the water-soluble yarn is removed becomes -70% (= 100 - 170) of the original twisting of the cotton yarn. Minus percentage on twisting means that the cotton yarn is twisted in a direction opposite to an original twisting direction of the cotton yarn.
[0051] When the yarn is untwisted (reversely twisted), twisting is loosen. This enhances soft touch feeling.
[0052] Meanwhile, if the water-soluble yarn is twisted by a ratio less than 30% of the twisting of the cotton yarn, an enforcing effect may not be produced to a satisfactory level. If the water-soluble yarn is twisted by a ratio beyond 100% of the twisting of the cotton yarn, the original cotton yarn will be twisted in an opposite direction. As a result thereof, if the water-soluble yarn is twisted by a ratio beyond 170% of the twisting of the cotton yarn, an effect of enhancing soft touch feeling cannot be produced to a satisfactory level.
∼Verification Test∼
[0053] By making a comparison between the present embodiment and the comparison example 1 (towel cloth) and the comparison example 2 (typical cloth for clothes), verification of effects of the present embodiment is performed.
[0054] Fig. 1 is a conceptual diagram in which the present embodiment is compared to a comparison example 1. Fig.1A illustrates the comparison example 1, and a Fig.1B illustrated an example of the present embodiment.
[0055] As examples of the present embodiment, an example 1 and an example 2 were woven as samples. The example 1 and the example 2 have such a structure that: A pile has a pile height of 1.8 mm; the pile is formed of a cotton yarn having a yarn count of 80; and a pile density of piles in a width direction is 47 yarns/inch, and a pile density of piles in a weaving direction is 20 yarns/inch. In the example 1, a ratio of twisting after the cotton yarn is reversely twisted is 70% of the original twisting of the cotton yarn. In the example 2, a ratio of twisting after the cotton yarn is reversely twisted is 0% of the original twisting of the cotton yarn (non-twisted yarn).
[0056] The comparison example 1 is towel cloth to be used for thin towels, etc. A comparison example 1-1 has such a structure that: A pile has a pile height of 5.0 mm; the pile is formed of a cotton yarn having a yarn count of 20; a pile density of piles in a width direction is 32 yarns/inch, and a pile density of piles in a weaving direction is 16 yarns/inch; and the cotton yarn forming the pile is a twisted yarn. A comparison example 1-2 has such a structure that: A pile has a pile height of 7.0 mm; the pile is formed of a cotton yarn having a yarn count of 30; a pile density of piles in a width direction is 33 yarns/inch, and a pile density of piles in a weaving direction is 17 yarns/inch; and the cotton yarn forming the pile is a non-twisted yarn.
[0057] The comparison example 2 is a typical cloth used in, for example, indoor clothes and night clothes.
[0058] A comparison example 2-1 is a single cotton jersey stitch. The cotton jersey stitch is used as a material for, for example, underclothes and T-shirts. The cotton jersey stitch is excellent in breathability and water absorbency property as a typical cloth for clothes.
[0059] A comparison example 2-2 is a cotton lawn fabric. The cotton lawn fabric is widely used as a material for, for example, nightclothes (pajamas) for spring and summer and collared shirts for spring and summer. The cotton lawn fabric is excellent in thinness and lightness as a typical cloth for clothes.
[0060] A comparison example 2-3 is a cotton flannel fabric. The cotton flannel fabric is widely used as a material for, for example, night clothes for autumn and winter and collared shirts for autumn and winter. The cotton flannel fabric is excellent in heat-retaining property as a typical cloth for clothes.
[0061] A comparison result is shown in Table 1, and the inventor's opinion to the comparison result will follow.
[Table 1]
| present embodiment | comparison example 1 (thin towel cloth) | comparison example 2 (typical cloth for clothes) | |||||||
| example 1 | example 2 | 1-1 | 1-2 | 2-1 | 2-2 | 2-3 | |||
| TEST ITEM | TEST METHOD | UNIT | 80/1 ultra fine soft twisted | 80/1 ultra fine non-twisted | 20/1 twisted | 30/1 non-twisted | cotton jersey stitch | cotton lawn | cotton flannel |
| Thickness | JIS L 1096 A (load of 0.3kpa) | mm | 1.62 | 2.18 | 3.53 | 5.18 | 0.71 | 0.40 | 1.15 |
| Lightness | JIS L 1096 weight per unit area | g/m2 | 140.7 | 134.3 | 303.25 | 302.5 | 161.9 | 132.5 | 185.4 |
| Hygroscopicity | QTEC (65%RH) | % | 6.8 | 6.7 | 7.1 | 5.9 | 5.4 | 6.1 | 5.8 |
| Hygroscopicity | QTEC (80%RH) | % | 8.1 | 8.1 | 8.4 | 7.2 | 7 | 7.7 | 6.5 |
| Water Absorbency (maximum speed) | JIS L 1907 Surface Water Absorption Test | ml/s | 0.16 | 0.17 | 0.2 | 0.11 | 0.08 | 0.04 | 0.03 |
| Water Absorbency (performance index) | JIS L 1907 Surface Water Absorption Test | INDEX | 712 | 752 | 870 | 514 | 395 | 237 | 198 |
| Breathability | JIS L 1096/1018 | cm3/cm2 ·S | 54.5 | 54.2 | 37 | 60.5 | 52.9 | 10.4 | 17.8 |
| Heat-retaining | JIS L 1018/1096 | % | 33 | 44.1 | 51.9 | 62.5 | 18.5 | 18.6 | 33.5 |
| Warm/Cold Feeling in Contact | Max Heat Absorption Speed (Q-max) | W/cm2 | 0.125 | 0.126 | 0.122 | 0.092 | 0.244 | 0.304 | 0.267 |
Thickness of Cloth
[0062] When a comparison is made between the comparison example 1 and the comparison example 2, cloth of the comparison example 1 is 5-10 times thicker than cloth of the comparison example 2. In other words, sewing is not easy with the cloth of the comparison example 1. That is, the cloth of the comparison example 1 is not suitable to be applied to clothes.
[0063] To the contrary, in the present embodiment, the first structure contributes to thinness of cloth. The cloth of the present embodiment is slightly thicker than the cloth of the comparison example 2; however, the cloth of the present embodiment is still thin enough for easy sewing.
Lightness Property
[0064] When a comparison is made between the comparison example 1 and the comparison example 2, the cloth of the comparison example 1 is 2-3 times heavier than the cloth of the comparison example 2. In other words, weight of the cloth of the comparison example 1 becomes a burden to consumers. Therefore, the cloth of the comparison example 1 cannot provide acceptable wearing property.
[0065] To the contrary, in the present embodiment, the first structure and the second structure contribute to enhancement of lightness of the cloth.
[0066] When a comparison is made between the present embodiment and the comparison example 1, weight of the cloth of the present embodiment is about 50% or less of weight of the cloth of the comparison example 1. The inventor executed questionnaire to consumers in addition to the above described comparison. From a result of the questionnaire, the inventor confirmed that consumers can feel the improvement of lightness when weight reduction of more than 20% is achieved. The cloth of the comparison example 1 is also characterized by thinness and lightness; however, more largely improved lightness can be provided by the cloth of the present embodiment. Therefore, the cloth of the present embodiment provides not only lightness in quantity but also a feeling of lightness to consumers. Specifically, consumers having slender strength, e.g., children, the old, females, etc., can feel the difference in lightness more.
[0067] When a comparison is made between the present embodiment and the comparison example 2, weight of the cloth of the present embodiment is about the same as weight of the cloth of the comparison example 2-2 that is the lightest cloth among those of the comparison examples. Even when the present embodiment is compared to the comparison example 2, the cloth of the present embodiment is light enough to the extent that the consumers can feel the lightness with the cloth of the present embodiment.
[0068] Meanwhile, the third structure has an adverse effect to increase weight of the cloth. However, because the effect of lightness produced by the first structure and the second structure is large enough to the extent that the effect can offset such increase of weight. Therefore, the effect of lightness can be maintained as a whole.
Hygroscopicity and Water Absorbency Property
[0069] Generally, water absorbency property of a towel becomes higher as bulkiness of the towel becomes larger. Therefore, in the course of studying the present invention, it was considered that use of a pile yarn having a fine count and low pile height would reduce bulkiness of the towel, and this involves possible degradation of the hygroscopicity property and the water absorbency property of the towel. However, when the present embodiment is compared to the comparison example 1, the present embodiment has the hygroscopicity property and the water absorbency property that are almost the same as the towel of the comparison example 1. More specifically, when the present embodiment is compared to the comparison example 1-1, the towel of the comparison example 1-1 being directed to provide a water absorbency function, the hygroscopicity and the water absorbency property of the present embodiment is slightly lower than those of the towel of the comparison example 1-1. However, if a weight ratio of equal to or less than 50% is taken into consideration, it is to be noted that the hygroscopicity and the water absorbency property of the present embodiment is almost equivalent to those of the towel of the comparison example 1-1. When the present embodiment is compared to the comparison example 1-2, the hygroscopicity and the water absorbency property of the present embodiment is higher than those of the towel of the comparison example 1-2.
[0070] In the present embodiment, the above described third structure allows a ratio of weight of pile yarn to weight of cloth to stay within a predetermined range and contributes to maintain characteristics of a pile woven fabric. As a result thereof, the fabric of the present embodiment comes to have hygroscopicity and water absorbency property.
[0071] When a comparison is made between the present embodiment and the comparison example 2, the fabric of the present embodiment has a notable water absorbency property of a range from 1.8 times to 3 times of the water absorbency property of the fabric of the comparison example 2. Normally, this level of water absorbency property is not obtainable from a typical cloth for clothes of the comparison example 2.
Breathability
[0072] In the present embodiment, the above described second structure and fourth structure contribute to widening of a gap between piles. As a result thereof, the fabric of the present embodiment comes to have breathability.
[0073] Meanwhile, the above described third structure effects to narrow a gap between piles. However, because the effects produced by the second structure and the fourth structure is large enough to the extent that the effects can offset such narrowing effect of the third structure, an effect of breathability is maintained as a whole.
[0074] When a comparison is made between the present embodiment and the comparison example 1, the fabric of the present embodiment has more breathability than the fabric of the comparison example 1-1. The fabric of the present embodiment has breathability rather closer to the breathability of the fabric of the comparison example 1-2. More specifically, the fabric of the present embodiment maintains characteristics of a pile woven fabric.
[0075] When a comparison is made between the present embodiment and the comparison example 2, the fabric of the present embodiment has more breathability than the fabric of the comparison example 2-1 that has the most excellent breathability among the comparison examples.
Heat-retaining Property
[0076] Normally, heat-retaining property of a pile woven fabric becomes higher as bulkiness of the pile woven fabric becomes larger. Therefore, in a step of studying the present invention, it was considered that employment of a pile yarn having a fine count and a low pile height would reduce bulkiness and, therefore, sacrifice (degrade) heat-retaining property. However, when a comparison was made between the present embodiment and the comparison example 1, a weight ratio of the fabric of the present embodiment was equal to or less than 50% with respect to the fabric of the comparison example 1, whereas the heat-retaining property of the fabric of the present embodiment was degraded by only 15-35%. Namely, the fabric of the present embodiment maintains heat-retaining property of a pile woven fabric.
[0077] In the present embodiment, the above described third structure allows a weight ratio of pile yarn to weight of cloth to stay within a predetermined range and maintains characteristics of a pile woven fabric. As a result thereof, the fabric of the present embodiment comes to have heat-retaining property.
[0078] When a comparison is made between the present embodiment and the comparison example 2, the fabric of the present embodiment has heat-retaining property equivalent to or more than the fabric of the comparison example 2-3 that has the most excellent heat-retaining property among the comparison examples.
Warm/Cold Feeling in Contact
[0079] Warm/cold feeling in contact is an index showing warm feeling when a fabric contacts skin. As a value becomes larger, an amount of heat transfer from skin to fabric becomes more. This gives consumers a cool feeling. To the contrary, as a value becomes smaller, an amount of heat transfer from skin to fabric becomes smaller. This eliminates a cool feeling when the fabric touches skin. Normally, if a difference between two samples is a value equal to or less than 0.03 W/cm2, it is determined that no significant difference of warm/cold feeling in contact is seen.
[0080] When a comparison is made between the present embodiment and the comparison example 1, the warm/cold feeling in contact of the fabric of the present embodiment is almost equivalent to that of the fabric of the comparison example 1-1, and does not largely differ from that of the fabric of the comparison example 1-2. Namely, the fabric of the present embodiment maintains characteristics of a pile woven fabric.
[0081] When a comparison is made between the present embodiment and the comparison example 2, an amount of heat transfer of the fabric of the present embodiment is smaller than that of the comparison example 2. More specifically, the amount of heat transfer of the fabric of the present embodiment is 40-50% of that of the comparison example 2. This hardly gives a feeling of coolness when the fabric contacts skin. The fabric of the present embodiment has notable warm feeling in contact.
Good Touch Feeling
[0082] In the present embodiment, the above described second structure and fourth structure contribute to obtainment of a soft touch feeling.
∼Summary of Effects∼
[0083] According to the present embodiment, lightness and thinness almost equivalent to or more than those of the typical cloth for clothes (comparison example 2) can be realized.
[0084] According to the present embodiment, hygroscopicity, water absorbency property, breathability, heat-retaining property, warm feeling in contact, and good touch feeling almost equivalent to or more than those of the typical towel cloth (comparison example 1) can be realized.
[0085] More specifically, the fabric of the present embodiment has functions which are well balanced and required for clothes with respect to lightness, thinness, hygroscopicity, water absorbency property, breathability, heat-retaining property, warm feeling in contact, and good touch feeling. In other words, no trade-off relationship is seen between the above described functions, i.e., no other function is victimized in order to enhance one function.
[0086] The fabric of the present embodiment shows good comfort and wearability, as never before, when it is applied to clothes. More specifically, during summer season, the fabric of the present embodiment shows hygroscopicity, water absorbency property, and breathability, and maintains microclimate within clothing against elevation of a body temperature and sweating. Further, since the fabric of the present embodiment has piles, a contact area that contacts skin is small. This reduces stickiness due to sweat. During winter season, the fabric of the present embodiment shows heat-retaining property and warm feeling in contact, and therefore can keep a body temperature without giving a cool feeling when the fabric contacts skin. Further, the fabric of the present embodiment shows lightness property for all seasons.
[0087] Still further, the fabric of the present embodiment is thin enough for achieving easy sewing and has satisfactory pile retention property, cloth strength, and sewing strength. That is, the fabric of the present embodiment has high practicality.
∼Other Structures∼
[0088] A combination of the second structure and the fourth structure causes possible fluff come-out.
[0089] Meanwhile, various lengths of fibers are obtained from raw cotton when the raw cotton is dissolved. Generally, as cotton is composed of longer fibers, less number of seams are made when they are formed into a yarn. This provides better strength to the yarn.
[0090] Generally, raw cotton that is composed of cotton fibers having an effective fiber length of 22-25 mm (both inclusive) are mixed and raw cotton that is composed of cotton fibers having an effective fiber length of an average value of 22-23 mm are selected.
[0091] In contrast, in the present embodiment, a yarn is formed by twisting cotton fibers of raw cotton, the cotton fibers having an effective fiber length of 30-42 mm (both inclusive). More preferably, a yarn is formed by twisting cotton fibers of raw cotton, the cotton fibers having an effective fiber length of 34-42 mm (both inclusive).
[0092] The inventor repeated verification tests, and obtained the following result: If raw cotton has an effective fiber length of more than 30 mm, the resulting yarn can have strength at a level capable of bearing the practical use; and fluff come-out can be suppressed. Further, if raw cotton has an effective fiber length of more than 34 mm, a sufficient practical strength can be surely obtained disregarding kinds of raw cotton.
[0093] An effective fiber length of 42 mm is an upper limit of a fiber length of the popular raw cotton. Although a fiber length varies depending on raw cotton, a fiber having a length beyond 42 mm cannot be obtained.
[0094] Accordingly, even in a case where the second structure and the fourth structure are employed, the fluff come-out can be suppressed.
<Supplementary Explanation>
∼Supplementation 1∼
[0095] Generally, in the field of towel industry, as a towel can provide a better bulkiness feeling, the towel is preferred as having more high-class image. Further, as a towel is formed of a yarn having a thicker count, the towel can show a better bulkiness feeling. Therefore, a person skilled in the art has been interested in how to effectively use a yarn having a thick count. In the actual circumstances of the towel market, the market price of towels tends to be decided per weight. Therefore, a person skilled in the art did not have an idea to use a cotton yarn having a fine count to form a pile.
[0096] Now, the inventor has been studied application of towel cloth like to also clothes for daily use such as shirts, in addition to bathroom things such as bathrobes. In the course of studying, the inventor focused on a yarn having a fine count.
[0097] In other words, an idea of the present invention is directed to another side of the technological orientation of a person skilled in the art. Therefore, it is difficult for a person skilled in the art to conceive the idea of the present invention with ease.
[0098] Incidentally, in many cases, towels are used for wiping a body after bathing, and a person engaged in the industry of clothes does not focus on towel cloth. The present application provides a brand-new cloth for clothes that has not been found to date.
∼Supplementation 2∼
[0099] Thinness and lightness tends to be contrary to functions of a pile. According to the present embodiment, both of them can be realized based on balancing among the first structure to the fourth structure.
[0100] The inventor repeated a plenty of verification tests and examination of the test results. As a result thereof, the inventor found a good point of balancing among the first structure to the fourth structure. Thus, it is difficult for a person skilled in the art to readily conceive the present invention.
∼Supplementation 3∼
[0101] As an example of cloth formed with piles on its both sides in such a manner that both sides of the cloth are entirely covered with the piles, there is a knitting fabric such as tricot and loopwheel. However, a knitting fabric is heavy. In order to reduce weight of knitting fabric, the knitting fabric should be woven roughly. Further, in order to keep strength, polyester should be woven into the structure except for piles.
[0102] Further, a pile knitted cloth has flexibility but is poor in directivity in a base weave construction. This invites a poor tension in the cloth. Therefore, clothes made of a pile knitted cloth is hung down by its own weight to cause a loss in shape. Still further, the pile knitted cloth tends to tightly contact with skin. This provides a good fit feeling. However, this provides poor breathability and heat retaining property in some cases.
∼Supplementation 4∼
[0104] Throughout the specification of the present application, "short pile length" is expressed by "low pile height".
[0105] Meanwhile, a loop is formed in the following manner. A yarn stands up through weft yarns and returns through weft yarns that are two weft yarns away from the former weft yarns. In general, a length of a piece of pile is a yarn length from a beginning position of one pile (from a position at which a pile stands up) to an end position of the pile (to a position at which the pile returns).
[0106] Here, "pile length" has the same meaning as "pile height". However, "pile length" may invite confusion with "length of a piece of pile". To eliminate such misunderstanding, "pile height" is used throughout the present specification.
[0107] A pile is formed into a loop shape. The loop shape swells and shrinks due to twisting of yarn. Therefore, actually, a constant pile height cannot be obtained. A length of a piece of pile is decided by a beating-up distance during weaving processing (Reed Loose) and thus can be precisely defined according to setting of a weaving machine. Therefore, half of a length of a piece of pile is set to a pile height, for the sake of explanation.
[INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY]
[0108] The fabric of the present invention is suitable for application to clothes of, for example, shirts, indoor gowns, nightclothes, and clothes for babies. For example, the fabric of the present invention can be used for collared shirts, polo shirts, pajamas, indoor gowns, underclothes, etc. Specifically, the fabric of the present invention is suitable to be used for pajamas, indoor gowns, underclothes, etc.
1. A pile woven fabric comprising:
a pile formed of a cotton yarn having a yarn count of 50-100 (both inclusive) and having a pile height less than 5 mm.
2. The pile woven fabric according to claim 1,
wherein the cotton yarn has a yarn count of 60-90 (both inclusive).
wherein the cotton yarn has a yarn count of 60-90 (both inclusive).
3. The pile woven fabric according to claim 1 or claim 2,
wherein a pile density of the pile in a width direction is 40-60 (both inclusive) yarns per inch, and a pile density of the pile in a weaving direction is 18-22 (both inclusive) yarns per inch.
wherein a pile density of the pile in a width direction is 40-60 (both inclusive) yarns per inch, and a pile density of the pile in a weaving direction is 18-22 (both inclusive) yarns per inch.
4. The pile woven fabric according to any one of claim 1 to claim 3,
wherein the cotton yarn forming the pile is twisted together with a water-soluble yarn such that the water-soluble yarn is twisted in a direction opposite to a twisting direction of the cotton yarn.
wherein the cotton yarn forming the pile is twisted together with a water-soluble yarn such that the water-soluble yarn is twisted in a direction opposite to a twisting direction of the cotton yarn.
5. The pile woven fabric according to any one of claim 1 to claim 3,
wherein the pile is formed by removing the water-soluble yarn that was twisted together with the cotton yarn in a direction opposite to the twisting direction of the cotton yarn.
wherein the pile is formed by removing the water-soluble yarn that was twisted together with the cotton yarn in a direction opposite to the twisting direction of the cotton yarn.
6. The pile woven fabric according to claim 4 or claim 5,
wherein the water-soluble yarn is twisted together with the cotton yarn in a direction opposite to the twisting direction of the cotton yarn by a twist-number ratio of a range of 30-170% (both inclusive) of the twisting of the cotton yarn.
wherein the water-soluble yarn is twisted together with the cotton yarn in a direction opposite to the twisting direction of the cotton yarn by a twist-number ratio of a range of 30-170% (both inclusive) of the twisting of the cotton yarn.
7. A method for manufacturing a pile woven fabric comprising:
forming a twisted union yarn by twisting a cotton yarn having a yarn count of 50-100 (both inclusive) together with a water-soluble yarn such that the water-soluble yarn is twisted in a direction opposite to a twisting direction of the cotton yarn;
forming a woven fabric having a pile of pile height less than 5 mm by using the twisted union yarn; and
removing the water-soluble yarn from the woven fabric.
REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION
This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.
Patent documents cited in the description