Joining method of knitted fabric and knitted fabric

Abstract

 To provide a joining method of a knitted fabric in which stretchability of a joining portion can be sufficiently ensured when joining through a bind-off process two knitted fabrics, which are independently knitted, with ends in a wale direction of the knitted fabrics butted against each other. When starting the joining of the knitted fabrics (100, 200) from a boundary of the first knitted fabric (100) and the second knitted fabric (200), formation of a bind-off stitch (P1, P2) is repeated in each of the first knitted fabric (100) and the second knitted fabric (200). A pickup stitch (R) is formed on an empty needle of either the front or the back needle bed and removed from the needle bed thereafter between the formation of the bind-off stitch (P1) in the first knitted fabric (100) and the formation of the bind-off stitch (P2) in the second knitted fabric (200) to increase a yarn length connecting the first bind-off stitch (P1) and the second bind-off stitch (P2).

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a joining method of a knitted fabric of connecting through a bind-off process two knitted fabrics, which are independently knitted and lined in a knitting width direction, with the ends in a wale direction of the two knitted fabrics butted against each other using a flat knitting machine, and a knitted fabric obtained by applying the joining method.

Description of the Related Art

[0002] Conventionally, two knitted fabrics are independently knitted using a flat knitting machine and connected through a bind-off process with the ends in a wale direction of the knitted fabrics butted against each other. For instance, when knitting a sweater 1 including a body 2 and sleeves 3, 4 shown in Fig. 8(A), the body 2 knitted up to the position of a neckline, and a neck portion 20 knitted independently from the body 2 may be joined, as shown in Fig. 8(B). In addition, as shown in Fig. 8(C), knitting is started in a tubular shape from a right cuff portion 30 and is carried out up to the end of the left sleeve 4, and a left cuff portion 40 knitted independently from such a knitted fabric is knitted, and the cuff portion and the knitted fabric may be joined. This is because there is a need to form a neck hole and a cuff of the sweater 1 as a set-up portion due to the property in which the set-up portion of the knitted fabric generally excels in stretchability than a knit-up portion.

[0003] A technique of joining two knitted fabrics, which are independently knitted, through the bind-off process includes a technique described in Patent Document 1. In the technique of Patent Document 1, the stitches of the two knitted fabrics are first overlapped, and new stitches following such double stitches are formed. Then, an overlapping of the new stitch and the double stitches in which the stitches of the two knitted fabrics are overlapped in the vicinity of the new stitch, and the formation of a new stitch following such triple stitches are repeated.

[0004] 

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2538406

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] In the technique of Patent Document 1, sufficient stretchability may not be obtained at the joining portion of the two knitted fabrics depending on the type of a knitting yarn used in the knitting. This is because the triple stitches are formed at the joining portion, as described above.

[0006] In view of the above situation, it is one object of the present invention to provide a joining method of a knitted fabric in which stretchability of the joining portion can be sufficiently ensured even if joined through the bind-off process with the ends in the wale direction of the two knitted fabrics, which are independently knitted, butted against each other, and a knitted fabric knitted by applying the method.

[0007] The present invention is a joining method of a knitted fabric of connecting through a bind-off process a first knitted fabric and a second knitted fabric, which are independently knitted and lined in a knitting width direction, with the ends in a wale direction of the knitted fabrics butted against each other, using a flat knitting machine having at least a pair of front and back needle beds in which at least one of the front and back needle beds is capable of being racked in a transverse direction and stitches can be transferred between the front and back needle beds. In the joining method of the knitted fabric of the present invention, when starting to join the knitted fabrics from a boundary of the first knitted fabric and the second knitted fabric, the following [1] and [2] are alternately repeated using the same knitting yarn.

[1] Overlapping of two stitches so that a stitch on the boundary side becomes a first bind-off stitch formed in the first knitted fabric of the two stitches lined at the end on the boundary side in the first knitted fabric, and forming of a new stitch to become a next first bind-off stitch following such overlapped stitches (double stitches).

[2] Overlapping of two stitches so that a stitch on the boundary side becomes a second bind-off stitch formed in the second knitted fabric of the two stitches lined at the end on the boundary side in the second knitted fabric, and forming of a new stitch to become a next second bind-off stitch following such double stitches.

In the joining method of the knitted fabric of the present invention, forming of a pickup stitch on an empty needle of either the front or back needle bed and removing of the pickup stitch thereafter from the needle bed are performed between the formation of the first bind-off stitch and the formation of the second bind-off stitch in the process of repeating to increase a yarn length connecting the first bind-off stitch and the second bind-off stitch.

[0008] According to the joining method of the knitted fabric of the present invention, the first bind-off stitch and the second bind-off stitch are alternately formed to be first bind-off stitch → second bind-off stitch → first bind-off stitch → second bind-off stitchw···. The pickup stitch may be formed between the formation of the first bind-off stitch and the formation of the second bind-off stitch, may be formed between the formation of the second bind-off stitch and the formation of the first bind-off stitch, or may be formed between both. The operation of removing the pickup stitch from the needle bed may be carried out before if the knitting yarn extending from the pickup stitch becomes an obstacle in continuing the knitting, or may be carried out after the joining of the knitted fabrics is finished if the knitting yarn does not become an obstacle. This will be specifically described in the embodiment, to be described later.

[0009] According to one aspect of the joining method of the knitted fabric of the present invention, an elastic yarn is preferably used to join the first knitted fabric and the second knitted fabric. Only the elastic yarn may be used for the joining or a combination of the elastic yarn and the normal knitting yarn may be used.

[0010] According to one aspect of the joining method of the knitted fabric of the present invention, the first bind-off stitch and the second bind-off stitch are back stitches.
In this case, a knitting yarn extending from the bind-off stitch formed first to the yarn feeder is preferably crossed on the front side of the bind-off stitch formed first to form the next bind-off stitch by moving the yarn feeder after forming the first bind-off stitch or the second bind-off stitch and before forming the next bind-off stitch in the process of repeating. Specifically, the following steps may be carried out in the process of repeating.

[Step A] Overlapping the two stitches at the end on the boundary side in the first knitted fabric in the needle bed facing the needle bed on which the first knitted fabric is held with the yarn feeder kept at the second knitted fabric side.

[Step B] Forming the first bind-off stitch following the double stitches formed in step A, while moving the yarn feeder which has been kept at the second knitted fabric side toward the first knitted fabric side to a position beyond the double stitches formed in the step A, and again moving the yarn feeder toward the second knitted fabric side.

[Step C] Overlapping the two stitches at the end on the boundary side in the second knitted fabric in the needle bed facing the needle bed on which the second knitted fabric is held with the yarn feeder left arranged on the second knitted fabric side.

[Step D] Forming the second bind-off stitch following the double stitches formed in the step C while moving the yarn feeder toward the first knitted fabric side.

[0011] The back stitch is formed by transferring the old stitch held on one needle bed (e.g., front needle bed) to the other needle bed (back needle bed) and knitting on the old stitch. Viewing the newly formed stitch from the front needle bed side, it becomes the back stitch pulled out from the old stitch from the front needle bed side toward the back needle bed side. In the case of the above example, the "front side of the back stitch" in the present specification refers to the front needle bed side than the newly formed stitch (back stitch).

[0012]  According to one aspect of the joining method of the knitted fabric of the present invention, the first bind-off stitch and the second bind-off stitch are front stitches. In this case, a knitting yarn extending from the bind-off stitch formed first to the yarn feeder is preferably crossed on the back side of the bind-off stitch (front stitch) formed first to form the next bind-off stitch by moving the yarn feeder after forming the first bind-off stitch or the second bind-off stitch and before forming the next bind-off stitch in the process of repeating. Specifically, the following steps may be carried out in the process of repeating.

[Step A'] Overlapping the two stitches at the end on the boundary side in the first knitted fabric in the needle bed on which the first knitted fabric is held with the yarn feeder kept at the second knitted fabric side.

[Step B'] Forming the first bind-off stitch following the double stitches formed in the step A' while moving the yarn feeder which has been kept at the second knitted fabric side toward the first knitted fabric side to a position beyond the double stitches formed in the step A', and again moving the yarn feeder toward the second knitted fabric side.

[Step C'] Moving the yarn feeder toward the first knitted fabric side and overlapping the two stitches at the end on the boundary side in the second knitted fabric in the needle bed on which the second knitted fabric is held with the yarn feeder kept at the first knitted fabric side.

[Step D'] Forming the second bind-off stitch following the double stitches formed in the step C' while moving the yarn feeder toward the second knitted fabric side to a position beyond the double stitches formed in the step C', and again moving the yarn feeder toward the first knitted fabric side.

[0013] The meaning of "front stitch" and "back side of the front stitch" is to be considered as the opposite of "back stitch" and "front side of the back stitch".

[0014] The knitted fabric of the present invention is a knitted fabric knitted using a flat knitting machine having at least a pair of front and back needle beds, in which at least one of the front and back needle beds is capable of being racked in a transverse direction and stitches can be transferred between the front and back needle beds, the knitted fabric including a first knitted fabric and a second knitted fabric knitted independently; and a bind-off processing portion for joining the knitted fabrics through the bind-off process. The bind-off processing portion of the knitted fabric of the present invention includes a first bind-off stitch and a second bind-off stitch formed alternately and continuously with the same knitting yarn. The first bind-off stitch is overlapped on a stitch at the end in a wale direction of the first knitted fabric; and the second bind-off stitch is overlapped on a stitch at the end in a wale direction of the second knitted fabric. In the knitted fabric of the present invention, the first knitted fabric and the second knitted fabric are joined with the ends in the wale direction butted against each other with a cross-over yarn for connecting the first bind-off stitch and the second bind-off stitch.

[0015] According to the joining method of the knitted fabric of the present invention, the knitted fabric of the present invention in which the first knitted fabric and the second knitted fabric are joined through a cross-over yarn for connecting the bind-off stitches alternately formed at the end in the wale direction of the first knitted fabric and the end in the wale direction of the second knitted fabric can be knitted. When the knitted fabric of the present invention having such a configuration is pulled in the wale direction of the knitted fabric, the first bind-off stitch formed in the first knitted fabric and the second bind-off stitch formed in the second knitted fabric are deformed, the knitting yarn is reeled from the bind-off stitches toward the cross-over yarn, and the bind-off processing portion that is the joining portion of the first knitted fabric and the second knitted fabric stretches. Therefore, the bind-off processing portion in the knitted fabric of the present invention exhibits stretchability more superior than the conventional bind-off processing portion. Furthermore, in the joining method of the knitted fabric of the present invention, the pickup stitch is provided between the formation of one bind-off stitch and the formation of the other bind-off stitch and the relevant pickup stitch is thereafter removed from the needle bed, so that the yarn length of the cross-over yarn connecting the bind-off stitches can be increased. The first bind-off stitch and the second bind-off stitch can be formed to a size that the knitting yarn having a sufficient length can be reeled toward the cross-over yarn when the bind-off stitches are deformed by increasing the yarn length of the cross-over yarn.

[0016] A hole can be prevented from forming in the bind-off processing portion by the stretchability of the elastic yarn even if the yarn length is increased between the first bind-off stitch and the second bind-off stitch by using the elastic yarn to join the first knitted fabric and the second knitted fabric. The stretchability of the bind-off processing portion can be enhanced by the stretchability of the elastic yarn itself.

[0017] In the joining method of the knitted fabric of the present invention, the first bind-off stitch and the second bind-off stitch are formed as back stitches and the knitting yarn connecting the bind-off stitches is crossed on the front side of the bind-off stitch so that the bind-off processing portion including such a bind-off stitch is less likely to be seen from the front side of the knitted fabric. When such a bind-off processing portion is viewed from the front side of the knitted fabric, it appears as if knitted in a seamless manner and thus has a very satisfactory appearance. In particular, the cross-over yarn connecting the bind-off stitches can be appeared as stitches on the front side of the knitted fabric by performing the steps A to D.

[0018] In the joining method of the knitted fabric of the present invention, the first bind-off stitch and the second bind-off stitch are formed as front stitches and the knitting yarn connecting the bind-off stitches is crossed on the back side of the bind-off stitch so that the bind-off processing portion in which the bind-off stitches are aligned on the front side of the knitted fabric can be formed. Such a bind-off processing portion can be used as a design of the knitted fabric. In particular, the appearance of the bind-off processing portion arranged on the front side of the knitted fabric can be enhanced by performing the steps A' to D'.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] 

Fig. 1 is a schematic view showing a joining procedure of a knitted fabric according to an embodiment;

Fig. 2 is a process diagram showing a first portion of a joining step shown in a first embodiment;

Fig. 3 is a knitting process diagram showing a second portion of the joining step shown in the first embodiment;

Fig. 4 is a knitting process diagram showing a third portion of the joining step shown in the first embodiment;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged loop diagram of a bind-off processing portion in a knitted fabric joined through the joining step shown in the first embodiment;

Fig. 6 is a knitting process diagram showing a first half of a joining step shown in a second embodiment;

Fig. 7 is a knitting process diagram showing a second half of a joining step shown in the second embodiment; and

Fig. 8(A) is a schematic view of a sweater obtained by joining knitted fabrics knitted independently, Fig. 8(B) is an explanatory view schematically showing the procedure

of joining the independently knitted body and neck portion, and Fig. 8(C) is an explanatory view describing the procedure of joining the independently knitted body and cuff portion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] Hereinafter, as shown in Fig. 8(B), the procedure of independently knitting a body 2 and a neck portion 20, and joining an opening around the neck of the body 2 and an opening of the neck portion 20 on the upper side in the drawing through the bind-off process will be described as one example of a joining method of a knitted fabric of the present invention. The knitting described in the embodiments describes a knitting example using a two-bed flat knitting machine having a pair of front and back needle beds extending in a transverse direction and disposed opposite to each other in a cross direction, the back needle bed capable of being racked in the transverse direction. The flat knitting machine to use may, of course, be a four-bed flat knitting machine.

[0021] Fig. 1 shows a state in which stitches A to F of a front side knitted fabric of the body 2 and stitches α to ζ of a front side knitted fabric of the neck portion 20 are held on a front needle bed (hereinafter referred to as FB), and stitches G to L of a back side knitted fabric of the body 2 and stitches η to µ of a back side knitted fabric of the neck portion 20 are held on a back needle bed (hereinafter referred to as BB). The body 2 and the neck portion 20 are knitted with a normal knitting yarn fed from different yarn feeders. From such a state, the front knitted fabrics of the body 2 and the neck portion 20 are joined with an elastic yarn fed from a yarn feeder different from the yarn feeders used for the body 2 and the neck portion 20, and the back knitted fabrics of the body 2 and the neck portion 20 are joined with an elastic yarn fed from a yarn feeder different from such a yarn feeder. The order of joining complies with the order of the circled number. Here, "P + number", "Q + number" in Fig. 1 indicate the stitches newly formed following the double stitches.

[0022] Specifically describing the joining procedure of the body 2 and the neck portion 20, the stitch A of the body 2 and the stitch α of the neck portion 20 are first overlapped, and a stitch P0 is newly formed following such double stitches. The stitch G of the body 2 and the stitch η of the neck portion 20 are then overlapped, and a stitch Q0 is newly formed following such double stitches. Thereafter, the body 2 and the neck portion 20 are joined according to the circled numbers such as forming a stitch P1 on the double stitches comprising the stitch P and the stitch γ, forming a stitch Q1 on the double stitches comprising the stitch H and the stitch I, and forming a stitch P2 on the double stitches comprising the stitch P0 and the stitch B.

[0023] As described with reference to Fig. 1, the joining step of the knitted fabrics in the FB and the joining step of the knitted fabrics in the BB are alternately carried out but are independent joining steps carried out using independent yarn feeders, and the joining steps are exactly the same joining steps. Therefore, in the first and second embodiments, a representative joining step of joining two knitted fabrics held on the FB will be described.

[First embodiment]

[0024] In the first embodiment, an example of joining a front side knitted fabric (hereinafter referred to as first knitted fabric 100) of the neck portion 20 including stitches α to ζ held adjacently in a knitting width direction of the FB and a front side knitted fabric (hereinafter referred to as second knitted fabric 200) of the body 2 including stitches A to F, through bind-off stitches formed as back stitches will be described based on Figs. 2 to 4. Here, "S + number" in Figs. 2 to 4 indicates the number of the knitting step, the arrow indicates the moving direction of the yarn feeder or the transferring direction, and "K" indicates carrying out knitting with the movement of the yarn feeder. Furthermore, O in the figure means the stitch held on the needle bed, V means the pickup stitch, ● means the stitch knitted in each knitting step, ⊙ means double stitches, ▼ means the yarn feeder and x means removing the pickup stitch from the needle bed. The symbol with respect to the double stitches in the figure is represented as "A/α" and such. In this case, the double stitches overlapped such that the stitch A is on the BB side and the stitch α is on the FB side are shown. The knitted fabric is a plain stitch for the sake of convenience of the explanation.

[0025] In S1 of Fig. 2, there is shown a state in which the stitches α to ζ of the first knitted fabric 100 and the stitches A to F of the second knitted fabric 200 are held on the FB. The position of the boundary of the knitted fabrics 100, 200 in S1 is indicated with a thick line in the subsequent process diagram including S1.

[0026] The joining of the first knitted fabric 100 and the second knitted fabric 200 is then started by S2, S3 from the state of S1. The knitting of the joining starting portion of S2, S3 is a process slightly different from the joining method of the knitted fabric of the present invention shown in and after S4.

[0027] First, in S2, the stitches α to ζ of the first knitted fabric are transferred to the BB after transferring the stitch A of the second knitted fabric to the BB, so that the stitch A of the second knitted fabric 200 and the stitch α of the first knitted fabric 100 are overlapped. In S3, the new stitch P0 following the double stitches A/α formed in S2 is formed while moving the yarn feeder toward the left side in the plane of drawing (S3). The stitch P0 is knitted on the BB and thus becomes a back stitch.

[0028] Thereafter, the first knitted fabric 100 and the second knitted fabric 200 are joined from the boundary side of the knitted fabrics 100, 200 by the joining method of the knitted fabric in and after S4 according to the joining method of the knitted fabric of the present invention. As the stitches of the knitted fabrics 100, 200 are removed from the needle bed on the boundary side, the BB is appropriately racked so that the distance of the ends on the boundary side of the knitted fabrics 100, 200 is not too spaced apart.

[0029] In S4, the BB is racked in the left direction in the plane of drawing and the stitch P0 formed in S3 is transferred to next to the stitch B of the FB, and the stitch β and the stitch γ are overlapped on the BB such that the stitch β on the boundary side of the stitches β, γ of the first knitted fabric 100 lined at the end on the boundary side of the first knitted fabric 100 and the second knitted fabric 200 becomes a first bind-off stitch. In this case, the knitting yarn extending from the yarn feeder will not be sandwiched between the stitch β and the stitch γ since the yarn feeder is kept at the side of the second knitted fabric 200. S4 corresponds to the step A of the present invention.

[0030] In S5, the yarn feeder is moved to the position beyond the double stitches β/γ toward the side of the first knitted fabric 100 in the right direction in the plane of drawing. Following S5, the new stitch P1 following the double stitches β/γ is formed while moving the yarn feeder toward the second knitted fabric 200 in the left direction in the plane of drawing in S6. The stitch P1 is formed on the BB and thus becomes a back stitch. Furthermore, in S6, a pickup stitch R is formed on an empty needle of the BB on the side of the second knitted fabric 200 by two needles from the stitch P1. The position of forming the pickup stitch R may be any position as long as it is spaced apart by one needle to six needles from the stitch P1 as shown with V-letter of the dotted line in the figure. S5, S6 correspond to step B of the present invention.

[0031] The P1 is transferred to the FB in the following S7, and the stitch P0 and the stitch B are overlapped on the BB such that the stitch P0 on the boundary side of the stitches P0, B of the second knitted fabric 200 lined at the end on the boundary side of the first knitted fabric 100 and the second knitted fabric 200 becomes a second bind-off stitch while leaving the yarn feeder on the side of the second knitted fabric 200 in S8. In this case, the BB is racked in the left direction in the plane of drawing, the stitch P0 is transferred to the BB, and then the stitch B is overlapped on the stitch P0. In S9, the new stitch P2 following the double stitches P0/B formed in S8 is formed while moving the yarn feeder toward the first knitted fabric 100 in the right direction in the plane of drawing, and in S10, the pickup stitch R formed in S6 is removed from the BB. S8 corresponds to the step C of the present invention, and S9 corresponds to the step D of the present invention.

[0032] The yarn length of the knitting yarn connecting the stitch P1 and the stitch P2 can be increased by forming the pickup stitch R in S6 and removing such a pickup stitch R from the needle bed in S10. As will be described later, the length of the knitting yarn connecting the first bind-off stitch and the second bind-off stitch can be changed by the position forming the pickup stitch R in S6. The pickup stitch R is at a position that does not become an obstacle in the steps to be described later, and thus does not necessarily need to be removed from the needle bed in S10 and may be removed from the needle bed after the joining of the first knitted fabric 100 and the second knitted fabric 200 is completed. The pickup stitch R is removed from the needle bed in S10 of the present embodiment merely to reliably prevent the accidental involvement of the knitting yarn in the joining process.

[0033] Subsequently, the first knitted fabric 100 and the second knitted fabric 200 can be joined by performing the joining step shown in S11 to S17 according to the procedure of joining shown in S4 to S10. The knitting of S11 to S17 will be briefly described below.

[0034] In S11, the stitch P2 formed in S9 is returned next to the stitch C of the FB, the stitch P1 formed in S6 is defined as a new first bind-off stitch and the stitch P1 and the stitch δ are overlapped on the BB. Thereafter, in S12, the yarn feeder is moved to the side of the first knitted fabric 100 up to the position beyond the double stitches P1/δ. In S13, a new stitch P3 following the double stitches P1/δ is formed and the pickup stitch R is formed on the empty needle of the BB spaced apart by three needles to the side of the second knitted fabric 200 from the stitch P3 while moving the yarn feeder to the side of the second knitted fabric 200.

[0035] In the following S14, the stitch P3 formed in S13 is transferred to the FB, and in S15, the stitch P2 formed in S9 is defined as a new second bind-off stitch while leaving the yarn feeder on the side of the second knitted fabric 200, and the stitch P2 and the stitch C are overlapped on the BB. A new stitch P4 following the double stitches P2/C is formed in S16, and the pickup stitch R is removed from the needle bed in S17.

[0036] In S17 and thereafter, the first knitted fabric 100 and the second knitted fabric 200 are joined with the stitch P3 formed on the double stitches P1/δ in S13 defined as a next first bind-off stitch, and the stitch P4 formed on the double stitches P2/C in S16 defined as a next second bind-off stitch. The loop diagram of the knitted fabric obtained as a result is shown in Fig. 5.

[0037] As apparent from the loop diagram shown in Fig. 5, in the knitted fabric of the first embodiment, the first knitted fabric 100 and the second knitted fabric 200 are joined by a bind-off processing portion 5 including the bind-off stitches P1 to P4 alternately formed at the end in the wale direction of the first knitted fabric 100 and the second knitted fabric 200. The first bind-off stitches P1, P3 and the second bind-off stitches P2, P4 in the bind-off processing portion 5 are made of the same knitting yarn, and thus the first bind-off stitches P1, P3 and the second bind-off stitches P2, P4 are connected with a cross-over yarn. Therefore, the stretchability of the bind-off processing portion 5 is ensured as the first bind-off stitches P1, P3 and the second bind-off stitches P2, P4 are directly connected with the cross-over yarn. The stretchability changes according to the yarn length of the cross-over yarn. In the joining step of the present embodiment referencing Figs. 2 to 4, the yarn length is increased between the first bind-off stitch P1 (P3) and the second bind-off stitch P2 (P4) shown with a black arrow in Fig. 5.

[0038] The bind-off stitches P1 to P4 of the present embodiment are arranged on the back side (far side in the plane of drawing) of the knitted fabrics 2, 20 as back stitches, and thus the bind-off stitches P1 to P4 are not visible when seen from the front side of the knitted fabric and a satisfactory appearance of the bind-off processing portion 5 is obtained. Furthermore, the cross-over yarn connecting the bind-off stitches in the present embodiment is arranged on the front side than the bind-off stitches P1 to P4 when the knitted fabrics 2, 20 are seen from the front side. Thus, the relevant cross-over yarn is viewed as stitches, which enhances the appearance of the bind-off processing portion 5.

[Modified embodiment]

[0039] In the first embodiment, the yarn length of the cross-over yarn is increased by the pickup stitch R after forming the first bind-off stitch P1 and before forming the second bind-off stitch P2. On the contrary, as shown with an outlined arrow of Fig. 5, the yarn length of the cross-over yarn may be increased by the pickup stitch R after forming the second bind-off stitch P2 and before forming the next first bind-off stitch P3. In this case, the pickup stitch is formed on the empty needle of the FB while moving the yarn feeder toward the right direction in the plane of drawing in S5 of Fig. 3 (S12 of Fig. 4), and removing the pickup stitch from the needle bed in S7 or S8 of Fig. 3 (S14 or S15 of Fig. 4). In addition, the pickup stitch R may be formed on the empty needle of the FB before knitting the stitch P1 when moving the yarn feeder in the left direction in the plane of drawing in S6 (S13 of Fig. 4) rather than in S5 of Fig. 3 (S12 of Fig. 4). In this case, the pickup stitch R is twisted, but problems do not arise with the twisted pickup stitch R since the pickup stitch R is removed from the needle bed in the post-process.

[Second embodiment]

[0040] In the second embodiment, the joining method of the knitted fabric of connecting a first knitted fabric and a second knitted fabric with bind-off stitches formed as front stitches will be described based on Figs. 6 and 7. In the first embodiment, the joining of the knitted fabrics is started by overlapping the stitch of the first knitted fabric and the stitch of the second knitted fabric, but in the second embodiment, two stitches at the boundary side end of the first knitted fabric are overlapped and the two stitches at the boundary side end of the second knitted fabric are overlapped using the joining method of the knitted fabric of the present invention to start the joining of the knitted fabrics. Thus, in the present embodiment, description will be made assuming that the stitches A to F on the left side in the plane of drawing are described as the first knitted fabric 100 and the stitches α to ζ on the right side in the plane of drawing are described as the second knitted fabric 200.

[0041] In T1, there is shown a state in which the stitches A to F at the end in the wale direction of the first knitted fabric 100 and the stitches α to ζ at the end in the wale direction of the second knitted fabric 200 are held on the FB. In T2, the stitches α to ζ are transferred to the opposing BB from such a state. In T3, the yarn feeder is moved and kept at the side of the second knitted fabric 200, and the stitch A of the first knitted fabric 100 is transferred to the opposing BB.

[0042] In the following T4, the BB is racked in the left direction in the plane of drawing and the stitch A transferred to the BB in T3 is overlapped on the stitch B of the FB, and thereafter, the pickup stitch R is formed on the empty needle while moving the yarn feeder toward the side of the first knitted fabric 100 in the left direction in the plane of drawing. In T5, the stitch P1 following the double stitches B/A formed in T4 is newly formed while moving the yarn feeder to the side of the second knitted fabric 200 in the right direction in the plane of drawing, and the yarn feeder is inverted to the side of the first knitted fabric 100. T3 and the first half of T4 correspond to the step A' in the present invention, and the second half of T4 and the first half of T5 correspond to the step B' in the present invention.

[0043] In T6 of Fig. 7, the stitch α of the second knitted fabric 200 is returned to the FB, and in T7, the BB is racked in the left direction in the plane of drawing and the stitch β is overlapped on the stitch α, and then the yarn feeder is moved to the side of the second knitted fabric 200 in the right direction in the plane of drawing. In T8, the new stitch P2 following the double stitches β/α formed in T7 is formed while moving the yarn feeder to the side of the first knitted fabric 100 in the left direction in the plane of drawing, and the yarn feeder is inverted to the side of the second knitted fabric 200. The pickup stitch R is removed from the needle bed when inverting the yarn feeder. The second half of T5, T6 and the first half of T7 correspond to the step C' in the present invention, and the second half of T7 and the first half of T8 correspond to the step D' in the present invention.

[0044]  In T9, the stitches C, P1, P2 of the FB are transferred to the opposing BB, and then the BB is racked in the left direction in the plane of drawing and the stitches P1, P2 are returned to the FB in T10, and the stitch C is overlapped on the stitch P1 in T11. In T11, the pickup stitch R is also formed on the empty needle of the BB while moving the yarn feeder to the side of the first knitted fabric 100 in the left direction in the plane of drawing.

[0045] Lastly, in T12, the new stitch P3 following the double stitches C/P1 is formed while moving the yarn feeder to the side of the second knitted fabric 200 in the right direction in the plane of drawing, and thereafter, the yarn feeder is inverted and kept at the side of the first knitted fabric 100. Looking at the arrangement state of the stitch and the yarn feeder of T12, a state similar to the state in which the stitches at the boundary of the knitted fabrics 100, 200 is reduced by one stitch from the state of T6 is obtained. Therefore, the first knitted fabric 100 and the second knitted fabric 200 are to be subsequently joined through steps similar to T7 to T12.

[0046] According to the joining step of the second embodiment described above, the first knitted fabric 100 and the second knitted fabric 200 can be joined by the bind-off processing portion as if the loop diagram of the first embodiment referencing Fig. 5 is seen from the back side. Therefore, the knitted fabric of the second embodiment is a knitted fabric in which the knitted fabrics 100, 200 are joined by the bind-off processing portion excelling in stretchability, similar to the knitted fabric of the first embodiment. In the bind-off processing portion in the second embodiment, the bind-off stitches are lined on the front side of the knitted fabric, and hence such bind-off stitches can be used as a design of the knitted fabric.

[0047] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be appropriately modified within a scope not deviating from the gist of the present invention. For instance, the formation of the bind-off processing portion 5 may be a combination of the elastic yarn and the normal knitting yarn aligned. Furthermore, the first knitted fabric and the second knitted fabric to be joined may be a rib structure.

Claims

1. A joining method of a knitted fabric of connecting through a bind-off process a first knitted fabric (100) and a second knitted fabric (200), which are independently knitted and lined in a knitting width direction, with ends in a wale direction of the knitted fabrics (100, 200) butted against each other, using a flat knitting machine having at least a pair of front and back needle beds in which at least one of the front and back needle beds is capable of being racked in a transverse direction and stitches can be transferred between the front and back needle beds, the method characterized by a process of alternatively repeating:

when starting to join the knitted fabrics (100, 200) from a boundary of the first knitted fabric (100) and the second knitted fabric (200),

overlapping of two stitches (β, γ (A, B)) so that a stitch on the boundary side becomes a first bind-off stitch formed in the first knitted fabric (100) of the two stitches (β, γ (A, B)) lined at the end on the boundary side in the first knitted fabric (100) and forming of a new stitch (P1) to become a next first bind-off stitch following the double stitches (β/γ (B/A)) ; and

overlapping of two stitches (P0, B (α, β)) so that a stitch on the boundary side becomes a second bind-off stitch formed in the second knitted fabric (200) of the two stitches (P0, B (α, β)) lined at the end on the boundary side in the second knitted fabric (200), and forming of a new stitch (P2) to become a next second bind-off stitch following the double stitches (P0/B(β/α));

using a same knitting yarn, wherein

a yarn length connecting the first bind-off stitch (P1) and the second bind-off stitch (P2) is increased by forming a pickup stitch (R) on an empty needle of either the front or back needle bed and removing the pickup stitch (R) from the needle bed between the formation of the first bind-off stitch and the formation of the second bind-off stitch in the process of repeating.

2. The joining method of the knitted fabric according to claim 1, wherein an elastic yarn is used to join the first knitted fabric (100) and the second knitted fabric (200).

3. The joining method of the knitted fabric according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first bind-off stitch (P1) and the second bind-off stitch (P2) are formed as back stitches in the process of repeating; and
a knitting yarn extending from the bind-off stitch (P1 (P2)) formed first to a yarn feeder is crossed on the front side of the bind-off stitch (P1 (P2)) formed first to form a next bind-off stitch (P2 (P1)) by moving the yarn feeder after forming the first bind-off stitch (P1) or the second bind-off stitch (P2) and before forming the next bind-off stitch (P2 (P1)).

4. The joining method of the knitted fabric according to claim 3, wherein the process of repeating includes,
a step A of overlapping the two stitches (β, γ) at the end on the boundary side in the first knitted fabric (100) in the needle bed (BB) facing the needle bed (FB) on which the first knitted fabric (100) is held with the yarn feeder kept at the second knitted fabric (200) side;
a step B of forming the first bind-off stitch (P1) following the double stitches (β/γ) while moving the yarn feeder kept at the second knitted fabric (200) side toward the first knitted fabric (100) side to a position beyond the double stitches (β/γ) formed in the step A, and again moving the yarn feeder toward the second knitted fabric (200) side;
a step C of overlapping the two stitches (P0, B) at the end on the boundary side in the second knitted fabric (200) in the needle bed (BB) facing the needle bed (FB) on which the second knitted fabric (200) is held with the yarn feeder left arranged on the second knitted fabric (200) side; and
a step D of forming the second bind-off stitch (P2) following the double stitches (P0/B) formed in the step C while moving the yarn feeder toward the first knitted fabric (100).

5. The joining method of the knitted fabric according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first bind-off stitch (P1) and the second bind-off stitch (P2) are formed as front stitches in the process of repeating in the process of repeating; and
a knitting yarn extending from the bind-off stitch (P1 (P2)) formed first to a yarn feeder is crossed on the back side of the bind-off stitch (P1 (P2)) formed first to form a next bind-off stitch (P2 (P1)) by moving the yarn feeder after forming the first bind-off stitch (P1) or the second bind-off stitch (P2) and before forming the next bind-off stitch (P2 (P1)).

6. The joining method of the knitted fabric according to claim 5, wherein the process of repeating includes,
a step A' of overlapping the two stitches (A, B) at the end on the boundary side in the first knitted fabric (100) in the needle bed (FB) on which the first knitted fabric (100) is held with the yarn feeder kept at the second knitted fabric (200) side;
a step B' of forming the first bind-off stitch (P1) following the double stitches (B/A) while moving the yarn feeder kept at the second knitted fabric (200) side toward the first knitted fabric (100) side to a position beyond the double stitches (B/A) formed in the step A', and again moving the yarn feeder toward the second knitted fabric (200) side;
a step C' of moving the yarn feeder toward the first knitted fabric (100) side and overlapping the two stitches (α, β) at the end on the boundary side in the second knitted fabric (200) in the needle bed (FB) on which the second knitted fabric (200) is held with the yarn feeder kept arranged at the first knitted fabric (100) side; and
a step D' of forming the second bind-off stitch (P2) following the double stitches (β/α) while moving the yarn feeder toward the second knitted fabric (200) side to a position beyond the double stitches (β/α) formed in the step C', and again moving the yarn feeder toward the first knitted fabric (100) side.

7. A knitted fabric knitted using a flat knitting machine having at least a pair of front and back needle beds in which at least one of the front and back needle beds is capable of being racked in a transverse direction and stitches can be transferred between the front and back needle beds, the knitted fabric characterized by:

a first knitted fabric (100) and a second knitted fabric (200) knitted independently; and

a bind-off processing portion (5) for joining the knitted fabrics (100, 200) through a bind-off process; wherein

the bind-off processing portion (5) includes a first bind-off stitch (P1, P3) and a second bind-off stitch (P2, P4) formed alternately and continuously with the same knitting yarn;

the first bind-off stitch (P1, P3) is overlapped on a stitch at the end in a wale direction of the first knitted fabric (100);

the second bind-off stitch (P2, P4) is overlapped on a stitch at the end in a wale direction of the second knitted fabric (200); and

the first knitted fabric (100) and the second knitted fabric (200) are joined with the ends in the wale direction butted against each other with a cross-over yarn for connecting the first bind-off stitch (P1, P3) and the second bind-off stitch (P2, P4).

Drawing