Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a plating-knitted tubular fabric using a front yarn
and a back yarn as knitting yarns to form a tubular shaped fabric by a flatbed knitting
machine, the knitting method therefore, and a design apparatus, according to the preambles
of claims 1, 3 and 5, respectively, and as known from
EP 1 728 908.
Background Art
[0002] Conventionally, a flatbed knitting machine having at least a pair of front and rear
needle beds disposed in such a manner that head end portions are opposed each other
with a needle bed gap in-between, is able to form a tubular shaped fabric by plating-knitting
(for example, see Patent Citation 1). In plating-knitting, when a yarn should be caught
to a hook of a knitting needle that carries out knitting motion, a front yarn and
a back yarn are fed with a height difference provided. Using different colors for
the front yarn and the back yarn can make the color of a fabric different between
the outside and the inside to be knitted as a tubular shaped fabric. Such a fabric
is able to be used as a reversible fabric that can be worn with one surface side and
the other surface side turned over. In addition, in the event that a plating-knitted
fabric knitted in two colors for one surface side and the other surface side is worn
with the one surface side only, the color effect different from a fabric knitted by
a single knitting yarn can be obtained.
[0003] In Patent Citation 1, a structure of a apparatus that feeds a front yarn and a back
yarn from one yarn carrier, which having two yarn feeder ports above and below, is
disclosed. The two above and below yarn feeder ports have their locations displaced
so that the yarn feeder port for the front yarn leads and the yarn feeder port for
the back yarn follows with respect to the yarn carrier moving direction. Since, in
order to knit a fabric into a tubular shape, the yarn carrier shuttles back and forth
by reversing the knitting direction in the needle bed on the other side with respect
to the horizontal knitting direction in the needle bed on one side, locations of two
yarn feeder ports are changed over in accordance with the knitting direction.
[0004] It is possible to knit a fabric in a tubular shape by plating-knitting, in which
a front yarn and a back yarn are fed from two yarn feeders each having one yarn feeder
port, respectively (for example, see Patent Citation 2). In Paragraph [0004] in the
Background Art section of Patent Citation 2, the following problem is pointed out.
[0005] In case that a tubular shaped fabric is plating-knitted, a front yarn must be fed
in such a manner that the front yarn constantly leads the back yarn. Since in a flatbed
knitting machine, the knitting direction is reversed at the end portion of the knitting
width, at the end portion of at least either one of the knitting width, locations
of the yarn feeder ports of the front yarn and the back yarn are changed over, and
a crossed portion is formed between the front yarn and the back yarn. The crossed
portion causes the next stitch to be formed with the positional relationship between
the front yarn and the back yarn instantaneously reversed. When the positional relationship
between the front yarn and the back yarn is reversed, the color which is not supposed
to emerge under normal conditions emerges on the surface side, and this results in
the blurring of color (color mixture) at a side end portion on the fabric and degrades
the value as merchandise.
[0006] Patent Citation 2 discloses a knitting method that makes the blurring less noticeable
at the knitting width end portion on the side where the yarn cross occurs in a plating-knitted
wide-rib structure using a flatbed knitting machine. The wide-rib structure is one
of rib structures to be formed with front stitches and back stitches, and formed by
alternately repeating a section with a plurality of front stitches and a section with
a plurality of back stitches. At the knitting width end portion on the side in which
the cross of knitting yarns used for plating occurs, one fabric uses the front stitch
of the rib structure as the edge stitch and the other fabric uses the back stitch
as the edge stitch. After forming the front stitches of the rib structure in one fabric,
the knitting direction is reversed and the back stitches of the rib structure of the
other fabric are knitted, so that a cross of knitting yarns is formed at the loop
of the wide-rib structure, and the color blurring of knitting yarns can be made less
noticeable.
[0007] Incidentally, in Paragraph [0003] of Patent Citation 2, it is described that "in
the present description, the tubular fabric includes a C-letter shaped fabric in which
the front and the back fabrics end in mid-course of the knitting width, like a cardigan,
in addition to a complete tubular shaped fabric in which the front and the back fabrics
continue without break in midcourse of the knitting width." In the present description,
the C-letter shaped fabric is included in the tubular shaped fabric.
Patent Citation 1: Japanese Patent No. 3899269
Patent Citation 2: Japanese Published patent application No. 2005-213706
Disclosure of the Invention
Technical Problem
[0008] As in the case of Patent Citation 2, supplying the front yarn and the back yarn from
two yarn feeders allows the two yarn feeders to run back and forth in the horizontal
direction at the location displaced in the front and rear direction of the needle
bed, and occurrence of cross of the front yarn with the back yarn cannot be avoided.
For example, in the event that the front yarn is fed from the front-side yarn feeder
and the back yarn from the back-side yarn feeder, a cross occurs at the end portion
on the side in which knitting on the front needle bed is shifted to knitting on the
rear needle bed. That is, the cross between the front yarn and the back yarn occurs
at the end portion on the side, where the front and rear of the needle bed on the
side in which a fabric is knitted coincides with the front and back of the yarn feeder
which is used for feeding the front yarn. The knitting method of Patent Citation 2
is unable to be applied to cases in which the blurring at the end portion on the knit
fabric is made less apparent in the event that a tubular shaped fabric other than
the wide-rib structure is plating-knitted.
[0009] Even when the yarn feeder device as in the case of Patent Citation 1 is used, when
the yarn-feeding direction is reversed at the end portion of the knitting width, arrangement
of the two yarn feeder ports must be changed over. Changing over the yarn feeder ports
is conducted by rotating a member to which two yarn feeder ports installed by 180
degrees. Rotating the member in the same direction on both ends of the knitting end
causes the front yarn and the back yarn to interwind each other, and therefore the
rotating direction must be reversed on both ends of the knitting width. Consequently,
on one end of the knitting width, the cross occurs between the front yarn and the
back yarn, and the color blurring is generated.
[0010] It is an object of the present invention to provide a plating-knitted tubular fabric,
a knitting method therefore, and a design apparatus, which can solve the color blurring
caused by cross of yarns when the tubular shaped fabric is plating-knitted in a flatbed
knitting machine.
Technical Solution
[0011] This and other objects are solved by a plating-knitted tubular fabric having the
features as set forth in claim 1. A preferred embodiment of the tubular fabric is
stated in subclaim 2.
The present invention provides a plating-knitted tubular fabric knitted in a tubular
shape by shuttling a front yarn and a back yarn to feed for plating-knit, in the horizontal
direction of needle beds opposed to each other in front and rear, wherein:
a fabric to be knitted at least by one of the front and rear needle beds having a
twisted loop with a knitting yarn from a needle loop crossed and then connected to
sinker loops on both sides on one end of each knitting course; and
the plating-knitted tubular fabric having a crossed portion of the front yarn and
the back yearn between the twisted loop and a stitch, which located on the one end
connected to the twisted loop on the fabric side knitted on a needle bed opposed to
the one needle bed.
[0012] In addition, the plating-knitted tubular fabric according is characterized in that
the crossed portion of the front yarn and the back yarn is located within a range
from the needle loop through the twisted loop to a sinker loop of a stitch on one
end side knitted on the opposed needle bed.
[0013] Further more, the present invention provides a method for knitting a plating-knitted
tubular fabric, using a flatbed knitting machine equipped with at least a pair of
front and rear needle beds placed opposite to each other with a needle bed gap in-between,
and feeding a front yarn and a back yarn as knitting yarns from different yarn feeder
ports respectively, in such a manner that the front yarn leads and the back yarn follows
to carry out plating-knitting, wherein:
forming stitches except for final stitch in a knitting course on one knitting direction
side for knitting up to an end portion of the knitting width where a crossed portion
is formed between the front yarn and the back yarn, without allowing a knitting yarn
to be caught on a knitting needle on which the final stitch is to be formed, while
moving the yarn feeder ports in such a manner that the knitting yarns passes the location
of the relevant knitting needle fore the final stitch and comes out to the outside
of the knitting width; and
in other knitting course in which a knitting direction is reversed, right after reversal,
driving the relevant knitting needle together with knitting needles for knitting stitches
on the needle bed opposed to the needle bed on which the relevant knitting needle
forms the final stitch, to form a stitch on each knitting needle.
[0014] The mentioned object and other objects are also solved by a method for knitting a
plating-knitted tubular fabric, the method having the steps as set forth in claim
3. A preferred embodiment of the inventive method is set forth in claim 4.
The method for knitting the plating-knitted tubular fabric is
characterized in that:
as said flatbed knitting machine, one that enables racking to displace at least one
of the front and rear needle beds horizontally with respect to the other needle bed
is used; and
in a knitting course of said other direction side, the needle bed to which a knitting
needle that forms the final stitch of the knitting course on said one side belongs
is horizontally displaced by racking with respect to the needle bed opposite to the
relevant needle bed, whereby a space between the relevant knitting needle and the
knitting needles that form stitches on the opposed needle bed is expanded.
[0015] Also, the design apparatus as set forth in claim 5 meets the mentioned objects.
Thus, the present invention provides a design apparatus for generating knitting control
data for knitting a fabric in tubular shape while feeding a front yarn and a back
yarn as knitting yarns from different yarn feeder ports respectively, to a flatbed
knitting machine equipped with at least a pair of needle beds opposite to each other
with a needle bed gap in-between so that the front yarn leads and the back yarn follows
to carry out plating-knitting, wherein:
forming stitches except for final stitch in a knitting course on one knitting direction
side for knitting up to an end portion of the knitting width where a crossed portion
is formed between the front yarn and the back yarn, without allowing a knitting yarn
to be caught on a knitting needle on which the final stitch is to be formed, while
moving the yarn feeder ports in such a manner that the knitting yarns passes the location
of the relevant knitting needle fore the final stitch and comes out to the outside
of the knitting width; and
in other knitting course in which a knitting direction is reversed, right after reversal,
driving the relevant knitting needle together with knitting needles for knitting stitches
on the needle bed opposed to the needle bed on which the relevant knitting needle
forms the final stitch, to form a stitch on each knitting needle.
Advantageous Effects
[0016] According to the present invention, in a plating-knitted tubular fabric, the fabric
knitted by at least one of the front and rear needle beds has a twisted loop with
a knitting yarn from a needle loop crossed and then connected to sinker loops on both
sides on one end of each knitting course. Between the twisted loop and stitches connected
to the twisted loop on a needle bed opposite to the needle bed on which the twisted
loop is knitted, a crossed portion between a front yarn and a back yarn is located,
and therefore, even when the back yarn comes out to the surface side at the crossed
portion and color blurring may occur, the color blurring is able to be made less apparent,
and the color blurring caused by crossing of knitting yarns can be solved, whereby
commodity value of the fabric can be increased.
[0017] According to the present invention, the crossed portion between the front yarn and
the back yarn is located within a range from the needle loop through the twisted loop
to a sinker loop of a stitch on one end side knitted on the opposite needle bed, and
therefore, the color blurring can be made less apparent from both of the front side
and the back side of the fabric.
[0018] Furthermore, according to the present invention, in order to plating-knit a tubular
shaped fabric on front and rear needle beds of a flatbed knitting machine, shuttle
knitting is done by reversing knitting direction at knitting ends. In the event of
reversing the knitting direction, occurrence of crossing between a front yarn and
a back under yarn at one end of the knitting width cannot be avoided because of the
reversal of the positional relation between the front yarn and the back yarn which
are fed by shifting the position. In the knitting course on one side of the knitting
direction for knitting a fabric up to the end of the knitting width in which crossing
occurs between the front yarn and the back yarn, stitches are formed except the final
stitch, and no knitting yarn is allowed to be caught on the knitting needle which
should form the final stitch and the yarn feeder port is moved in such a manner that
the knitting yarn passes the location of the relevant knitting needle and comes out
to the outside of the knitting width. In the knitting course on the other side in
which the knitting direction is reversed, the knitting needle that should form the
final stitch in the knitting course on one side of the knitting direction is knit-driven
together with knitting needles to knit stitches on the needle bed opposite to the
needle bed to which the knitting needle belongs, and a stitch is formed on each knitting
needle. The final stitch in the knitting course on one side of the knitting direction
becomes a twisted loop. The cross of the front yarn with the back yarn is generated
in a section between the twisted loop and the stitches knitted on the opposite needle
bed. Since the knitting yarn in this section is less likely to appear to the fabric
surface, even if the cross of the front yarn and the back yarn occurs when a tubular
shaped fabric is plating-knitted on the front and rear needle bed of a flatbed knitting
machine, it is possible to make a phenomenon less likely to occur, that the back yarn
comes out to the surface side resulting in color blurring. Since the color blurring
caused by the cross between knitting yarns can be solved, the commodity value of the
tubular shaped fabric to be knitted can be increased.
[0019] According to the present invention, in the knitting course on the other side in which
the knitting direction is reversed, the needle bed to which the knitting needle which
should form the final stitch in the knitting course on one side is horizontally displaced
by racking with respect to the needle bed opposite to the needle bed, whereby the
space between the twisted loop and the stitches linked to the twisted loop on the
opposite needle bed is expanded. The cross of the front yarn with the back yarn might
occur in a relatively short section, or might occur under an unstable state in parallel
over a relatively long section. By expanding the space, even the cross of an unstable
state in which the front yarn and the back yarn go side by side can be allowed to
be generated in a section between the twisted loop and the next stitch.
[0020] Furthermore, according to the present invention, the knitting control data for plating-knitting
a tubular shaped fabric by a flatbed knitting machine is generated in such a manner
that the final stitch in the knitting course on one side of the knitting direction
becomes a twisted loop and a cross of a front yarn with a back yarn is allowed to
occur within a range between the twisted loop and stitches knitted by the opposite
needle bed. Since the knitting yarn of this range is less likely to come out to the
surface side of the fabric, even if the cross of the front yarn with the back yarn
occurs when the tubular shaped fabric is plating-knitted on the front and the rear
needle beds of a flatbed knitting machine, it is possible to make the phenomenon of
color blurring in which the back yarn comes out to the surface side is less likely
to occur. Since the color blurring caused by the cross between knitting yarns is solved,
the commodity value of the tubular shaped fabric to be knitted can be increased.
Brief Description of Drawings
[0021]
[Fig. 1] Fig. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a knitting procedure for plating-knitting
a tubular shaped fabric by a flatbed knitting machine having front and rear needle
beds as one embodiment of the present invention.
[Fig. 2] Fig. 2 is a diagram showing a range in which the cross of the front yarn
with the back yarn is generated by knitting in Step 2 of Fig. 1.
[Fig. 3] Fig. 3 is a simplified plan view of a needle bed 10, showing a state right
after a left-traverse knitting is completed in Step 1 of Fig. 1, that is, a state
right before a right-traverse knitting begins in Step 2 of Fig. 1.
[Fig. 4] Fig. 4 is a simplified plan view of the needle bed 10, showing a state right
after a carriage traverses to the right to begin knitting in Step 2 of Fig. 1.
[Fig. 5] Fig. 5 is a simplified plan view of the needle bed 10, showing a state in
which yarn feeders 11 and 12 move rightward from the position in Fig. 4 and a knitting
needle "A" on the F side retracts a front yarn 1 and a back yarn 2 to a certain extent,
and a knitting needle "b" on the needle bed B side begins retracting, too.
[Fig. 6] Fig. 6 is a simplified plan view of the needle bed 10, showing a state in
which the right-traverse knitting shown in Step 2 of Fig. 1 is completed.
[Fig. 7] Fig. 7 is a diagram showing the stitch structure of a tubular shaped fabric
formed by knitting, which includes those of Fig. 3 through Fig. 6.
[Fig. 8] Fig. 8 is a diagram showing a knitting procedure when a tubular shaped fabric
is knitted in a C-letter shape as another embodiment of the present invention.
[Fig. 9] Fig. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a tubular shaped fabric 20 formed
by both C-letter shape knitting shown in Fig. 8 and round-knitting as shown in Fig.
1.
[Fig. 10] Fig. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a tubular shaped fabric 30 knitted
to compare with that formed in Fig. 9.
[Fig. 11] Fig. 11 is a block diagram schematically showing a structure of a design
apparatus 40 which generates knitting control data to make color blurring less apparent,
which is caused by cross between a front yarn and a back yarn in a plating-knitted
tubular fabric.
Explanation of Reference
[0022]
- 1
- Front yarn
- 2
- Back yarn
- 5
- Twisted loop
- 5a
- Needle loop
- 5b
- Sinker loop
- 6
- Crossed portion
- 10
- Needle bed gap
- 11, 12
- Yarn feeder
- 20
- Tubular shaped fabric
- 21
- C-knitted portion
- 22
- Round-knitted portion
Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention
[0023] Fig. 1 schematically shows a knitting procedure for plating-knitting a tubular shaped
fabric by a flatbed knitting machine equipped with needle beds in front and rear as
one embodiment of the present invention. The front and rear needle beds of the flatbed
knitting machine have the front needle bed designated as F and the rear needle bed
designated as B. On each needle bed, a large number of knitting needles are disposed
at constant pitches. Both needle beds are disposed opposite to each other with the
needle bed gap in-between. The knitting needles of each needle bed have hooks at the
head end advanced and retreated to and from the needle bed gap. Above the needle bed
gap, there are disposed a plurality of yarn feeders. Above the needle bed gap, there
are disposed a plurality of yarn feeder rails, too. Yarn feeders are supported by
any of the yarn feeder rails to be able to move rightward and leftward.
[0024] For the convenience of description, for the front and rear needle beds F and B, uppercase
characters "A" through "T" denote the knitting needles including the range used for
knitting in the front needle bed F, and lowercase characters "a" through "t" denote
the knitting needles including the range used for knitting in the rear needle bed
B, respectively. In each knitting needle, an open circle indicates that the stitch
is retained. A solid circle indicates that a new stitch is formed. S-letter on the
left side indicates the standard condition. Arrow marks on the right side indicate
knitting direction.
[0025] Under the standard condition shown by S-letter in Fig. 1, every other knitting needles
on the F side, "A", "C", "E", ..., "S" are basically allotted to the front-side fabric.
Every other knitting needles on the B side, "b", "d", "f", ..., "t" are used to carry
out half gauge knitting basically allotted to the back-side fabric. Idle needles "B",
"D", "F', ..., "T" on the F side are located opposite to knitting needles "b", "d",
"f", ..., "t" on the B side, and are used for transferring stitches from the B side
or for knitting back stitches, or the like. The same applies to idle needles "a",
"c", "e", ..., "s" on the B side. Incidentally, the number of knitting needles used
for knitting is stipulated only for descriptive purposes, and in actual fabrics still
more needles are used in general. In addition, when a four-needle-bed knitting machine,
which has two-tiered needle beds in both front and rear is used, on the front and
rear needle beds on each lower-tier side which are primarily used for knitting, the
all needle arrangement in which no idle needle is provided between knitting needles
can be carried out.
[0026] Reference numerals 1 and 2 shown on the left side of Fig. 1 denote steps of the knitting
procedure which carries out treatment to reduce effect of color blurring caused by
the cross of the front yarn with the back yarn at the knitting end on the left side
of the needle bed. A case is assumed in which yarn feeders used for feeding front
yarns are supported by the yarn feeder rails, respectively, in such a manner that
the yarn feeders horizontally advance and retire in front of the yarn feeders used
for feeing back yarns. When the knitting direction is reversed from the knitting on
the front needle bed to the knitting on the rear needle bed, the cross of the front
yarn with the back yarn occurs. When a tubular shaped fabric is plating-knitted by
round-knitting in the left direction on the F side and in the right direction on the
B side, respectively, repeating Step 1 and Step 2 can make less apparent the color
blurring caused by the cross of the front yarn and the back yarn.
[0027] As shown in Step 1, on one side of the knitting direction for knitting the portion
up to the end portion of the knitting width in which the cross occurs between the
front yarn and the back yarn, for example, in the leftward knitting course, stitches
are formed on knitting needles "S", "Q", "O", ..., "C" of the F side except for the
final stitch at the knitting needle "A", and no knitting needle is allowed to be caught
on a knitting needle "A" which should form the final stitch. Yarn feeders that feed
the front yarn and the back yarn are moved in such a manner that the knitting yarns
pass the position of the knitting needle "A" and come out to the outside of the knitting
width.
[0028] As shown in Step 2, in the knitting course on the other side in which the knitting
direction is reversed rightward, the knitting needle "A" is driven to knit together
with knitting needles "b", "d", "f", ..., "t" which should knit stitches on the B
side opposite to the F side in which the knitting needle "A" forms the final stitch
to form stitches on each of the knitting needles "A", "b", "d", "f", ..., "t". The
stitch formed on the knitting needle "A" on the F side becomes a twisted loop which
is different from stitches formed on other knitting needles "S", "Q", "O", ...,"C"
on the F side. The cross of the front yarn with the back yarn occurs at the portion
in which knitting yarns are crossed-over continuously from the twisted loop of the
knitting needle "A" on the F side to stitches of the knitting needle "b" on one end
side on the B side, and does not occur at the stitch "b". Therefore, a phenomenon
in which the back yarn emerges to the surface side and causes the color blurring can
be made less noticeable.
[0029] In such event, it is desirable to carry out racking to shift the B side rightward
by 2 pitches with respect to the F side. By racking, the range between the knitting
needle "A" on the F side and the knitting needle "b" on the B side increases. The
cross of the front yarn with the back yarn might occur in a relatively short section,
or might occur in an unstable state in parallel over a relatively long section. By
expanding the range by racking, in the knitting course in the rightward direction,
the cross occurs before knitting needles are retracted in order of knitting needle
"A" to knitting needle "b", and on the knitting needle "b", the front-back condition
is normal in retraction.
[0030] Fig. 2 shows a range in which the cross occurs between the front yarn and the back
yarn by knitting of Step 2 in Fig. 1. In the event that the front yarn 1 and the back
yarn 2 are fed to knit a tubular shaped fabric by plating-knitting, on the knitting
needles "E" and "C" on the F side, front-side stitches 3 are formed, and on the knitting
needles "b" and "d" on the B side, back-side stitches 4 are formed, respectively,
and at the same time, on the final knitting needle "A" on the F side, a twisted loop
5 is formed. Accordingly, the crossed portion 6 between the front yarn 1 and the back
yarn 2 is able to be generated in the range shown in black color as a portion which
is transferred from the twisted loop 5 to the back-side stitch 4 of the knitting needle
"b" on the B side.
[0031] Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 schematically show a process in which the cross of the front
yarn 1 with the back yarn 2 occurs at the crossed portion 6 of Fig. 2. Advance or
retreat of the knitting needle 13 to and from the needle bed gap 10 is driven by,
for example, a cam carried on a carriage which advances and retires horizontally along
the needle bed, but the illustration of the carriage is omitted. In addition, movement
of the yarn feeders 11 and 12 is carried out in conjunction with the carriage, too.
[0032] Fig. 3 shows a condition right after leftward knitting in Step 1 of Fig. 1 is completed,
that is, the condition right before rightward knitting in Step 2 of Fig. 1 begins.
The front and rear needle beds F and B are opposed to each other with the needle bed
gap 10 in-between. The front yarn 1 and the back yarn 2 are fed from yarn feeders
11 and 12, respectively, which move in the needle bed gap 10 horizontally. The yarn
feeder 11 that feeds the front yarn 1 is located on the front side than the yarn feeder
12 that feeds the back yarn 2. The knitting needles "C" and "E" on the F side advances
to the needle bed gap 10, retracts the front yarn 1 and the back yarn 2 by a hook,
and forms a stitch loop by a needle loop formed by a knitting needle 13 and a sinker
loop formed by a sinker 14. Since the knitting needle "A" on the F side does not advance
to the needle bed gap and the front yarn 1 and the back yarn 2 pass the location of
the knitting needle "A" from the hook of the knitting needle "C" that forms the final
stitch, passes through the outside of the leftward knitting width, and extends to
the yarn feeders 11 and 12 in standby.
[0033] Fig. 4 shows a condition right after the rightward knitting is started in Step 2
of Fig. 1. Since the yarn feeder 11 feeding the front yarn 1 precedes the yarn feeder
12 feeding the back yarn 2, even if the yarn feeder 11 is located on the left side
than the yarn feeder 12 in Fig. 3, it precedes to the right side in Fig. 4. The last
knitting needle "A" on the F side advanced to the needle bed gap 10 before yarn feeders
11 and 12 traverse rightward, and pass above the front yarn 1 and the back yarn 2
extending leftward shown in Fig. 3. Since the yarn feeder 11 and 12 run rightward
passing above the knitting needle "A" advanced to the needle bed gap 10, the front
yarn 1 and the back yarn 2 go round the left side of a needle shank of the knitting
needle "A" and are turned back from the bottom side to the top side.
[0034] Fig. 5 shows a condition in which the yarn feeders 11 and 12 move rightward from
the position in Fig. 4, the knitting needle "A" on the F side retracts the front yarn
1 and the back yarn 2 to a certain extent, and the knitting needle "b" on the B side
begins retracting, too. Because in this way, the front yarn 1 and the back yarn 2
are retracted in order of the knitting needle "A" on the F side and the knitting needle
"b" on the B side, the crossed portion 6 is formed between the front yarn 1 and the
back yarn 2, and when the knitting yarn is retracted at the knitting needle "b" on
the B side, the front yarn 1 and the back yarn 2 can be retracted with the front side
and the back side of the front yarn 1 and the back yarn 2 brought to be normal. The
crossed portion 6 of the front yarn 1 with the back yarn 2 might occur in a relatively
short section or in an unstable state in which the front yarn 1 and the back yarn
2 go side by side over a relatively long section in accordance with the positional
relationship between yarn feeders 11 and 12. Expanding the range between the knitting
needle "A" on the F side and the knitting needle "b" on the B side by racking can
form the crossed portion 6 definitely between the knitting needle "A" and the knitting
needle "b".
[0035] Fig. 6 shows a condition when rightward knitting shown in Step 2 of Fig. 1 is finished.
Each knitting needle 13 is retracted into each needle bed so as that the head end
of knitting needle 13 gets further away from the needle bed gap 10 than the sinker
14. It is preferable to retract the knitting needle "A" on the F side under the conditions
in which the crossed portion 6 of the front yarn 1 with the back yarn 2 is formed
on the hook side of the knitting needle "A" than the sinker 14 adjacent to the knitting
needle "A".
[0036] Fig. 7 shows the stitch structure of a tubular shaped fabric formed with the knitting
of Fig. 3 through Fig. 6 included. The twisted loop 5 formed by the knitting needle
"A" on the F side is twisted so as that the portion linked from a needle loop 5a to
a sinker loop 5b between adjacent front-side stitch 3 and the back-side stitch 4 crosses.
As shown in Fig. 6, if the crossed portion 6 of the front yarn 1 and the back yarn
2 is able to be generated on the hook side of the knitting needle 13 from the sinker
14, in the knitting structure, the crossed portion 6 is able to be generated at the
twisted loop 5 and at the location between the sinker loop 5b and the needle loop
5a on the front and rear boundary 10c side. If the cross is able to be generated at
above location, even if the back yarn 2 emerges to the surface side due to the cross,
it is possible to make it less apparent.
[0037] Fig. 8 shows a knitting procedure when a tubular shaped fabric is knitted in a C-letter
shape as the other embodiment according to the present invention. That is, the tubular
shaped fabric is knitted by one of the front and rear needle beds using, for example,
whole knitting needles "b", "d", "f", ..., "t" of the knitting width in the case of
the rear needle bed B, and knitting needles "A", "C", "E", "G", and "I"; "K", "M",
"O", "Q", and "S" on both end portions excluding the intermediate portion of the knitting
width in the case of the front needle bed F, which is the other one of the front and
rear needle beds. As shown in Step 1, on one end side of the front needle bed, for
example, in the case of knitting needles "K", "M", "O", "Q", and "S" on the right
end side, the knitting yarn is fed leftward, i.e., the inward of the knitting width,
and then, as shown in Step 2, the feeding direction is reversed and the knitting yarn
is fed rightward, i.e., outward of the knitting width. As shown in Step 3, after the
feeding direction is reversed, on the B side, the knitting yarn is fed leftward in
order of knitting needles "t", "r", "p", ..., "d" from the right end side of the knitting
width to the left-end side, excluding the final knitting needle "b". As shown in Step
4, after the feeding direction is reversed, the knitting yarn is fed rightward, i.e.,
inward of the knitting width to the knitting needle "b" of the B side and knitting
needles "A", "C", "E", "G", and "I" on the left end side of the F side from the left
end side. As shown in Step 5, the feeding direction is reversed and the knitting yarn
is fed leftward, i.e., outward of the knitting width to knitting needles "I", "G",
"E", and "C" on the left end side on the F side excluding the final knitting needle
"A". As shown in Step 6, the knitting yarn is fed rightward to the knitting needle
"A" on the F side and knitting needles "b", "c", "f", ..., "t" from the left end side
to the right end side on the B side. In this way, the present embodiment forms a tubular
shaped fabric by repeating feeding the knitting yarn back and forth in the C-letter
shape as a whole.
[0038] Feeding yarn by the use of a yarn carrier which is equipped with two yarn feeder
ports as disclosed in Patent Citation 1 and is able to change over the yarn feeding
position of the two yarn feeder ports can carry out the treatment of forming a twisted
loop and preventing the color blurring collectively on the left side. As in the case
of Fig. 3 through Fig. 6, in the event that the front yarn 1 and the back yarn 2 are
fed from two yarn feeders 11 and 12 and the yarn feeder 11 feeding the front yarn
1 is located on the front side of the yarn feeder 12 feeding the back yarn 2, knitting
is carried out to form a twisted loop also on the knitting needle "S", on the right
end on the F side, not in Step 3 and Step 4 of Fig. 8 but in Step 2 and Step 3 of
Fig. 8. In such event, in Step 4 of Fig. 8, no racking is performed and instead, in
Step 3, racking is carried out to shift the needle bed B by four pitches with respect
to the needle bed F.
[0039] As described above, the C-letter shaped tubular fabric shown in Fig. 8 is formed
by connecting, on both side ends of the knitting width, a fabric which is continuous
on one needle bed to a fabric which is not continuous at the intermediate on the other
needle bed. The C-letter shaped tubular fabric is able to be knitted by connecting
the continuous fabrics on both needle beds at one end only of the knitting width and
not connecting on the other end of the knitting width. Even in this kind of tubular
shaped fabric, the color blurring problem is same as Fig. 8, and the preventive treatment
can be conducted in the same manner.
[0040] Fig. 9 and Fig. 10 show examples of plating-knitted tubular fabric knitted by the
use of SWG-FIRST (product name), no-sewing computerized flatbed knitting machine commercially
available from Shima Seiki Mfg., Ltd. having a knitting needle arrangement pitch of
12G.
[0041] Fig. 9 shows an example of a tubular shaped fabric 20 formed by both C-letter shape
knitting as shown in Fig. 8 and round knitting as shown in Fig. 1. In a C-knitted
portion 21 in which C-letter shape knitting is performed, a front-side fabric 21a
is knitted on the front needle bed and a back-side fabric 21b is knitted on the rear
needle bed. The front-side fabric 21a and the back-side fabric 21b are connected at
the boundary portion 21c which corresponds to the needle bed gap. The front-side fabric
21a lacking the intermediate portion is knitted so as to be folded back at an end
portion 21d. In the round-knitted portion 22 in which round knitting is conducted,
the front-side fabric 22a and the back-side fabric 22b are connected at the boundary
portion 22c, which corresponds to the needle bed gap. In the boundary portions 21c
and 22c, the color blurring due to the cross of the front yarn with the back yarn
scarcely occurs. In the tubular shaped fabric 20, both C-knitted portion 21 and the
round-knitted portion 22 are included, but even in the case of including one portion
only, the color blurring becomes less apparent, thereby increasing the commodity value.
[0042] Fig. 10 shows an example of a tubular shaped fabric 30 knitted for comparison with
Fig. 9. The tubular shaped fabric 30 is knitted without carrying out color blurring
preventive treatment by forming a twisted loop and racking. In a C-knitted portion
31 of the tubular shaped fabric 30 in which C-letter shape knitting is conducted,
a front-side fabric 31a is knitted on the front needle bed and a back-side fabric
31b is knitted on the rear needle bed. The front-side fabric 31a and the back-side
fabric 31b are connected at a boundary portion 31c that corresponds to the needle
bed gap. The front-side fabric 31c lacking the intermediate portion is knitted so
as to be folded back at an end portion 31d. In a round-knitted portion 32 in which
round-knitting is conducted, the front-side fabric 32a and the back-side fabric 32b
are connected at the boundary portion 32c which corresponds to the needle bed gap.
At the boundary portions 31c and 32c, the color blurring due to the cross of the front
yarn with the back yarn occurs. In the C-knitted portion 31, feeding front and back
yarns by the use of a yarn carrier which has two yarn feeder ports and is able to
change over the yarn feeding position of two yarn feeder ports as in the case of the
C-knitted portion 21 of Fig. 9 enables the color blurring to occur in stitches on
both ends which sandwich the one boundary portion 31c of the knitting width and not
to occur on the other boundary portion of the knitting width. However, in the tubular
shaped fabric 30, the color blurring occurs on one side of the knitting width and
it is impossible to make the color blurring less apparent as in the case of the boundary
portion 21c shown in Fig. 9.
[0043] Fig. 11 schematically shows a structure of a design apparatus 20 which generates
the knitting control data to make the color blurring due to the cross of the front
yarn with the back yarn less apparent in the plating-knitting of the tubular shaped
fabric as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 8 by a flatbed knitting machine. The design apparatus
40 is achieved by installing software that executes knit-fabric design to a general-purpose
computer 41. To the computer 41, an input unit 42 such as a keyboard, digitizer, mouse,
or the like, a display unit 43 such as graphic display, or the like, a communication
device 44 capable of communications with the outside via LAN, or the like, and an
external recorder 45 to which various detachable recording media are mounted, and
other units are connected.
[0044] Software can be installed to the computer 41 by downloading via the communication
device 44 or by mounting recording media to the external recorder 45. An operator
enters design data to the input unit 42, and designs the tubular shaped fabric 20
shown in Fig. 9, or the like while monitoring the design results displayed on the
display unit 43. The operator designates the C-knitted portion 21, round-knitted portion
22, or the like. In addition, the operator designates a yarn feeder or yarn carrier
that feeds the front yarn and the back yarn. Based on the arrangement of the yarn
feeder port decided pursuant to this designation, the computer 41 can decide the knitting
needle which forms a twisted loop and can generate the knitting control data including
the procedure to make the color blurring less apparent. In addition, the knitting
control data containing above mentioned procedures is prepared as a standard and is
able to be inserted into the computer in accordance with the selection of the operator.
The knitting control data generated is transmitted to a flatbed knitting machine via
the communication device 44 or recorded in recording media such as disks and USB memory,
and entered into the flatbed knitting machine to knit the tubular shaped fabric 20
or the like.
1. Plattiergestricktes Schlauchgestrick, das mit einer Schlauchform gestrickt wird, indem
ein vorderer Faden (1) und ein hinterer Faden (2), die für ein Plattierstricken zugeführt
werden, in der horizontalen Richtung einander gegenüberliegender vorderer und hinterer
Nadelbetten hin und her bewegt werden,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass:
das durch wenigstens eines der vorderen und hinteren Nadelbetten gestrickte Gestrick
eine verdrehte Schlaufe (5) an einem Ende jeder Strickreihe aufweist, wobei Strickfäden
von der Nadelschlaufe (5) gekreuzt sind und dann mit Platinenhenkeln (5b) auf beiden
Seiten verbunden sind, und
das plattiergestrickte Schlauchgestrick einen gekreuzten Teil (6) des vorderen Fadens
(1) und des hinteren Fadens (2) zwischen der verdrehten Schlaufe und einer Masche
aufweist, die mit der verdrehten Schlaufe verbunden ist und an dem einen Ende auf
der Seite des Gestricks, das an dem Nadelbett gegenüber dem einen Nadelbett gestrickt
wurde, angeordnet ist.
2. Plattiergestricktes Schlauchgestrick nach Anspruch 1, wobei:
der gekreuzte Teil des vorderen Fadens (1) und des hinteren Fadens (2) innerhalb eines
Bereichs von der Nadelschlaufe (5a) über die verdrehte Schlaufe (5) zu einem Platinenhenkel
(5b) einer Masche an einer Endseite, die an dem gegenüberliegenden Nadelbett gestrickt
wurde, angeordnet ist.
3. Verfahren zum Stricken eines plattiergestrickten Schlauchgestricks unter Verwendung
einer Flachstrickmaschine, die mit wenigstens einem vorderen Nadelbett (F) und einem
hinteren Nadelbett (B) ausgestattet ist, die mit einem Nadelbettspalt dazwischen einander
gegenüberliegen, wobei ein vorderer Faden (1) und ein hinterer Faden (2) als Strickfäden
jeweils von verschiedenen Fadenzuführöffnungen derart zugeführt werden, dass der vordere
Faden (1) vorausgeht und der hintere Faden (2) folgt, um ein Plattierstricken durchzuführen,
gekennzeichnet durch:
Bilden von Maschen mit Ausnahme einer Endmasche in einer Strickreihe auf einer Strickrichtungsseite
durch das Stricken bis zu einem Endteil der Strickbreite, wodurch ein gekreuzter Teil zwischen
dem vorderen Faden (1) und dem hinteren Faden (2) gebildet wird, ohne dass die Strickfäden
an der Stricknadel, and der die Endmasche zu bilden ist, hängen bleiben, während die
Fadenzuführöffnungen derart bewegt werden, dass die Strickfäden an der Position der
Stricknadel, an der die Endmasche zu bilden ist, vorbeigehen und aus der Strickbreite
nach außen austreten, und
in der folgenden Strickreihe, in der die Strickrichtung umgekehrt ist, Antreiben der
Stricknadel, an der die Endmasche zu bilden ist, direkt nach der Umkehrung zusammen
mit Stricknadeln für das Stricken von Maschen an der Nadel gegenüber dem Nadelbett,
an dem die Endmasche zu bilden ist, um eine Masche an jeder Stricknadel zu bilden.
4. Verfahren zum Stricken des plattiergestrickten Schlauchgestricks nach Anspruch 3,
wobei:
eine Flachstrickmaschine verwendet wird, die ein Versetzen für ein Verschieben wenigstens
eines der vorderen und hinteren Nadelbetten horizontal in Bezug auf das andere Nadelbett
gestattet, und
in einer Strickreihe der anderen Richtungsseite das Nadelbett, zu dem eine Stricknadel,
die die Endmasche der Strickreihe auf der einen Seite bildet, gehört, durch ein Versetzen
in Bezug auf das Nadelbett gegenüber dem entsprechenden Nadelbett horizontal verschoben
wird, wodurch ein Zwischenraum zwischen der entsprechenden Stricknadel und den Stricknadeln,
die Maschen an dem gegenüberliegenden Nadelbett bilden, vergrößert wird.
5. Entwurfsvorrichtung zum Erzeugen von Stricksteuerdaten für das Stricken eines Gestricks
in einer Schlauchform, während ein vorderer Faden und ein hinterer Faden als Strickfäden
jeweils von verschiedenen Fadenzuführöffnungen zu einer Flachstrickmaschine zugeführt
werden, die mit wenigstens einem vorderen und einem hinteren Nadelbett ausgestattet
ist, die mit einem Nadelbettspalt dazwischen einander gegenüberliegen, sodass der
vordere Faden (1) vorausgeht und der hintere Faden (2) folgt, um ein Plattierstricken
durchzuführen,
gekennzeichnet durch:
Bilden von Maschen mit Ausnahme einer Endmasche in einer Strickreihe auf einer Strickrichtungsseite
durch das Stricken bis zu einem Endteil der Strickbreite, wo ein gekreuzter Teil zwischen
dem vorderen Faden (1) und dem hinteren Faden (2) gebildet wird, ohne dass die Strickfäden
an der Stricknadel, and der die Endmasche zu bilden ist, hängen bleiben, während die
Fadenzuführöffnungen derart bewegt werden, dass die Strickfäden an der Position der
Stricknadel, an der die Endmasche zu bilden ist, vorbeigehen und aus der Strickbreite
nach außen austreten, und
in der folgenden Strickreihe, in der die Strickrichtung umgekehrt ist, Antreiben der
entsprechenden Stricknadel direkt nach der Umkehrung zusammen mit Stricknadeln für
das Stricken von Maschen auf dem Nadelbett gegenüber dem Nadelbett, an dem die entsprechende
Stricknadel die Endmasche bildet, um eine Masche an jeder Stricknadel zu bilden.