Knitted bionic rib protection fabric and method of making the same

Abstract

The application relates to a knitted bionic rib protection fabric and a preparation method thereof, and relates to the field of protective textile materials. The fabric is integrally knitted on a four-needle bed flat knitting machine, and comprises, from outside to inside, an expansion layer, a rib layer, a filling layer and a constraint layer. The rib layer and the filling layer form through channels between the expansion layer and the constraint layer. The through channels comprise multiple groups of large protection areas and small protection areas. The multiple groups of large protection areas and small protection areas are distributed alternately. Large hard blocks are detachably installed in the large protection areas. Small hard blocks are detachably installed in the small protection areas. In this case, the rib layer and the multi-layer structure cooperate with each other to form an effective protection mechanism. The expansion layer can easily stretch and bend, thereby improving the wearing flexibility and bending performance of the protection fabric. The gap size between the large and small hard blocks satisfies a specific relationship, thereby providing more bending deformation space, and the protection fabric has excellent elasticity and soft comfort.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of protective textile materials technology, and in particular to a knitted biomimetic rib protective fabric and its preparation method. Background Technology

[0002] Products designed to protect against stabs (knife stabs, needle stabs), cuts, and impacts have become commonplace in daily life. Protective products are ubiquitous, such as footwear (insoles, uppers, etc.), knee pads, elbow pads, outdoor sportswear, and workwear (cut-resistant gloves, stab-resistant vests, protective vests, etc.). Consequently, a plethora of protective products for various scenarios are emerging in the market, and many research teams are actively conducting related research.

[0003] Currently, among existing stab-resistant protective clothing, products that combine flexible fabrics with rigid materials are the main type. They are often combined with soft and comfortable fabrics with resin coating or impregnation, or with hard blocks or particles such as ceramics, resins, and metal alloys, to better meet stringent protection standards.

[0004] In related technologies, patent CN212088324U provides a needle-puncture and cut-resistant glove. This glove is formed by stitching a discrete resin puncture-resistant layer, a leather layer, and a cotton layer onto the surface of a high-strength fiber fabric, creating a multi-layered protective product with excellent cut and needle-puncture resistance, capable of protecting against injuries in high-risk industries. Patent CN117628986A discloses a biomimetic puncture-resistant material based on a fish-scale surface morphology. This material uses a fiber resin composite with a ridge-like surface morphology on the inner layer. The fish-scale structure has a small thickness between the ridges, resulting in a soft and lightweight structure that provides excellent flexibility and protection.

[0005] Undeniably, the aforementioned manufacturing methods combining rigid materials significantly improve the protective performance of the materials. However, the manufacturing process often requires complex and time-consuming composite processes such as sewing, bonding, and fixing to ensure the bonding between the rigid materials and flexible fabrics, thus achieving the design of the protective product. This severely impacts production efficiency and practical application, and limits the product's applicability, failing to simultaneously meet consumers' needs for protection and wearability in different scenarios. Furthermore, once such products are damaged or worn, they are almost unusable and cannot be reused. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this application is to provide a knitted biomimetic rib protective fabric and its preparation method, so as to solve the problems existing in the prior art.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted in this application is as follows:

[0008] In a first aspect, this application provides a knitted bionic rib protective fabric, which is manufactured by a four-needle bed computer flat knitting machine. The knitted bionic rib protective fabric has a multi-layer knitted structure, and from the outside to the inside, it includes an extension layer, a rib layer, a filling layer, and a restraint layer.

[0009] The rib layer and the filling layer form a through channel between the extension layer and the constraint layer. The through channel includes multiple sets of large protective areas near the extension layer and multiple sets of small protective areas near the constraint layer. The multiple sets of large protective areas and multiple sets of small protective areas are distributed alternately. Large hard blocks are detachably installed in the large protective areas and small hard blocks are detachably installed in the small protective areas.

[0010] In one possible implementation, when the gap size between multiple sets of large hard blocks is set to b, the size of the small hard blocks is set to c, and the size of the large hard blocks is set to a, 2b < c < 0.5a is satisfied.

[0011] In one possible implementation, when the gap size between multiple sets of said small hard blocks is set to d, b < d < c is satisfied.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the stretching layer and the constraint layer are connected by a coil of the filling layer, which wraps around and fixes the rib layer.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the stretch layer has both extensibility and resilience, while the constraint layer does not have extensibility.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the large hard block and the small hard block are in the form of strips, sheets, or blocks.

[0015] In one possible implementation, the large hard block and the small hard block are made of ceramic, resin, metal, or alloy.

[0016] In one possible implementation, the large hard block and the small hard block are stacked one on top of the other.

[0017] Secondly, this application provides a method for preparing a knitted biomimetic rib protective fabric, used to prepare the knitted biomimetic rib protective fabric as described above. The method is performed using a four-needle bed computerized flat knitting machine. The knitted biomimetic rib protective fabric is composed of several minimum repeating structural units. The method for preparing the minimum repeating structural units of the knitted biomimetic rib protective fabric includes:

[0018] S1, the first yarn is fed into rows 1, 2, and 3, and loops are woven on the back needle bed to form a constraint layer. At the position of the spacer needle, the loops on the back needle bed perform a back-and-forth loop-turning action with the front upper auxiliary needle bed. The turning action occurs before the loop is woven. After the loop at the spacer needle position is turned to the front upper needle bed, the back needle bed begins to weave a loop. Then the loops that were turned to the front upper needle bed are turned back to the back needle bed. The loops on the back needle bed of these two adjacent rows are woven continuously, and the loops separated by the spacer needles are separated from each other and do not cross. After the machine is removed, the loops on the back needle bed will be layered to form a small protective area of ​​filling layer and rib layer.

[0019] S2, rows 4, 5, 9, and 10 feed in the first yarn to knit a cotton wool weave with interlocking needles, used to connect the large and small protective areas of the rib layer and the filling layer;

[0020] In rows S3, 6, 7, and 8, the first and second yarns are fed in and the loops are knitted on the front needle bed to form an extension layer. At the same position of the needles, the loops on the front needle bed move back and forth with the upper auxiliary needle bed. The knitting action and forming effect are the same as those on the rear needle bed. After the machine is off, the loops on the front needle bed form a large protective area of ​​filling layer and rib layer.

[0021] S3. After the large hard block is detachably installed in the large protective area and the small hard block is detachably installed in the small protective area, the preparation of the knitted bionic rib protective fabric is completed.

[0022] In one possible implementation, the first yarn is one of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, aramid, and poly(p-phenylene benzodioxazole) fiber; the second yarn is one of nylon-covered spandex elastic yarn, high-elastic polyester, and high-elastic nylon.

[0023] The beneficial effects of the technical solution provided in this application include at least the following:

[0024] The knitted biomimetic rib protective fabric of this application is integrally knitted on a four-needle flat knitting machine, resulting in a simple manufacturing process and convenient production. It possesses excellent wearing flexibility and protective functionality. From the outside in, it comprises an extension layer, a rib layer, a filling layer, and a restraint layer. The rib layer and filling layer form a through-channel between the extension layer and the restraint layer. This through-channel includes multiple sets of large protective areas near the extension layer and multiple sets of small protective areas near the restraint layer. These large and small protective areas are staggered. Large rigid blocks are detachably installed within the large protective areas, and small rigid blocks are detachably installed within the small protective areas. In this configuration, the rib layer and the multi-layered structure work together to form an effective protective mechanism, achieving the fabric's puncture resistance standard. The outer extension layer can easily stretch and bend, improving the protective fabric's wearing flexibility and bending performance. The gaps between the large and small rigid blocks, meeting specific relationships, provide more bending deformation space, exhibiting excellent elasticity and soft comfort, accommodating various human movements and allowing the wearer unrestricted movement. Attached Figure Description

[0025] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the present application and form part of the specification. They are used together with the embodiments of the present application to explain the application and do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings:

[0026] Figure 1 This invention provides a schematic diagram of the structure of a knitted biomimetic rib protective fabric according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application.

[0027] Figure 2 A schematic diagram simulating the bending of a knitted biomimetic rib protective fabric provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application is shown.

[0028] Figure 3 A diagram illustrating the specific relationship between the large and small rigid blocks of the knitted biomimetic rib protective fabric provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application is shown.

[0029] Figure 4 This illustration shows a simulated effect of the puncture-resistant back convexity and soft bending of the knitted biomimetic rib protective fabric provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0030] Figure 5 A process diagram of the minimum cycle unit of the knitted biomimetic rib protective fabric provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application is shown.

[0031] Figure 6 The diagram shows the dynamic puncture resistance test results of a knitted biomimetic rib protective fabric provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0033] In this specification, identical components are represented by the same reference numerals. It should be noted that the terms "front," "rear," "left," "right," "upper," and "lower" used in the following description refer to directions in the accompanying drawings, while the terms "bottom surface," "top surface," "inner," and "outer" refer to directions towards or away from a specific component, respectively. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this specification, "multiple" means two or more.

[0034] The present application will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0035] Figure 1 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a knitted bionic rib protective fabric provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application. The knitted bionic rib protective fabric is manufactured by integral forming using a four-needle bed computer flat knitting machine. The knitted bionic rib protective fabric has a multi-layer knitted structure, which includes, from the outside to the inside, an extension layer 1, a rib layer 2, a filling layer 3, and a restraint layer 4. The rib layer 2 and the filling layer 3 form a through channel between the extension layer 1 and the restraint layer 4. The through channel includes multiple sets of large protective areas near the extension layer and multiple sets of small protective areas near the restraint layer. The multiple sets of large protective areas and multiple sets of small protective areas are distributed alternately. Large hard blocks are detachably installed in the large protective areas, and small hard blocks are detachably installed in the small protective areas.

[0036] Furthermore, the stretching layer 1 and the constraint layer 4 are connected by the coil of the filling layer 3, and the filling layer 3 wraps and fixes the rib layer 2.

[0037] It is worth mentioning that the aforementioned large and small hard blocks are in the form of strips, sheets, or blocks, and are made of ceramic, resin, metal, or alloy. The large and small hard blocks are stacked one on top of the other.

[0038] Specifically, the outer stretch layer 1 can be woven from high-performance, high-strength fibers and high-recovery elastic yarns, providing preliminary protection while exhibiting excellent tensile extensibility and tensile recovery. The inner constraint layer 4 can be woven from high-protection, high-energy-absorbing materials and does not possess extensibility.

[0039] In the embodiments of this application, when subjected to impact or puncture, the large hard block in the large protective area provides primary protection, followed by the small hard block in the small protective area, the protective yarn, and the advantages of the fabric structure for auxiliary protection.

[0040] Figure 2 This illustration shows a bending simulation diagram of a knitted biomimetic rib protective fabric provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application. In the protective mechanism, both the large and small hard blocks are restrained, fixed, and cushioned by the filling layer 3, effectively limiting puncture damage and dissipating impact energy. Furthermore, the inner restraint layer 4, with its minimal deformation and extension, reduces the back bulge phenomenon and threat to the rib layer 2 caused by punctures or impacts, maximizing the role of both the large and small hard blocks and improving the material's protective performance. Simultaneously, during wear, the outer stretch layer 1 can easily stretch and bend, improving the protective fabric's wearing flexibility and bending performance.

[0041] Figure 3 This illustration shows a specific relationship diagram between the large and small rigid blocks of the knitted biomimetic rib protective fabric provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application. Figure 4 This illustration shows a simulated effect of the stab-resistant back protrusion and soft bending of a knitted biomimetic rib protective fabric provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application. Small, hard blocks in the small protective area are close to the bending surface, and the numerous gaps between these small hard blocks provide more bending deformation space, assisting in completing the bending action of the protective fabric. Therefore, to better achieve the above effects, it is necessary to ensure that the size 'a' of the large hard block is relatively large, and the gap 'b' is relatively small, so as to achieve better stab-resistant protection performance of the fabric. At the same time, the size 'c' of the small hard blocks and the gap 'd' between the small hard blocks can be relatively large, providing a better bending effect. Therefore, when the gap size between multiple sets of large hard blocks is set to 'b', the size of the small hard blocks is set to 'c', the gap size between multiple sets of small hard blocks is set to 'd', and the size of the large hard block is set to 'a', the following conditions are met: 2b < c < 0.5a, and b < d < c.

[0042] To better understand this application, this application also provides a method for preparing a knitted biomimetic rib protective fabric, used to prepare the knitted biomimetic rib protective fabric as described above. The method uses a MACH2XSI53-12G Shima Seiki four-needle bed fully formed computer flat knitting machine for one-piece forming. The knitted biomimetic rib protective fabric is composed of several minimum cycle structure units. Figure 5The illustration shows a process diagram of the minimum loop structure unit of the knitted biomimetic rib protective fabric provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application. The method for preparing the minimum loop structure unit of the knitted biomimetic rib protective fabric includes:

[0043] S1. In rows 1, 2, and 3, 400D ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene is fed in and a constraint layer is formed by weaving loops on the back needle bed with the needles in between. At the position of the needles in between, the back needle bed loops move back and forth with the front upper auxiliary needle bed. The needle turning action occurs before the loop is woven. After the loop at the position of the needles in between is turned to the front upper needle bed, the back needle bed begins to weave a loop. Then the loops that were turned to the front upper needle bed are turned back to the back needle bed. Although the loops of the back needle bed in these two adjacent rows are woven continuously, the loops with the needles in between are separated from each other and do not intersect. When the loops of the back needle bed are removed from the machine, they will form small protective areas of filling layer and rib layer in layers.

[0044] S2, 4, 5, 9, and 10 are fed with 400D ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene braided cotton wool tissue to connect the large and small protective areas of the rib layer and the filling layer.

[0045] In rows S3, 6, 7, and 8, 400D ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene and 30D / 70D nylon-coated ammonia elastic yarn are fed in. The loops are knitted on the front needle bed with the needles spaced apart to form an extension layer. At the same position of the needles spaced apart, the loops on the front needle bed move back and forth with the upper auxiliary needle bed. The knitting action and forming effect are the same as those on the rear needle bed. After the machine is removed, the loops on the front needle bed are layered to form a large protective area of ​​filling layer and rib layer.

[0046] S3. After the large hard blocks are detachably installed in the large protective area and the small hard blocks are detachably installed in the small protective area, the preparation of the knitted bionic rib protective fabric is completed.

[0047] It should be noted that, Figure 5 In the minimum cycle unit process diagram, rows n-n+2 are the connecting braids between the stretching layer, the restraint layer, and the filling layer, respectively. 400D ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber is also used. The braiding action is similar to the needle bed flipping action. The floating thread position (the place where the needle flipping action does not occur) is the connecting braid between the layers. It can be seen that by changing the cycle size of n, multiple sets of large protective areas and small protective areas of different sizes can be formed.

[0048] Performance testing:

[0049] According to the standard "GA 68—2019 Police Stab-Proof Vest", a dynamic stab-proof test was conducted on the knitted bionic rib protective fabric prepared on the MACH2XSI53-12G Shima Seiki four-needle bed fully formed computerized flat knitting machine. The test results are as follows: Figure 6As shown, the knitted bionic rib protective fabric provided in this application was not pierced by a Class A knife (D1). At a test energy of 24J, the knitted bionic rib protective fabric exhibited a puncture resistance value of 2341N, meeting the puncture resistance standards for police use.

[0050] In summary, the knitted biomimetic rib protective fabric of this application is integrally knitted on a four-needle flat knitting machine, resulting in a simple manufacturing process and convenient production. It possesses excellent wearing flexibility and protective functionality. From the outside in, it comprises an extension layer, a rib layer, a filling layer, and a restraint layer. The rib layer and filling layer form a through-channel between the extension layer and the restraint layer. This through-channel includes multiple sets of large protective areas near the extension layer and multiple sets of small protective areas near the restraint layer. These large and small protective areas are staggered. Large rigid blocks are detachably installed within the large protective areas, and small rigid blocks are detachably installed within the small protective areas. In this configuration, the rib layer and the multi-layered structure work together to form an effective protective mechanism, achieving the fabric's puncture resistance standard. The outer extension layer can easily stretch and bend, improving the protective fabric's wearing flexibility and bending performance. The gaps between the large and small rigid blocks, meeting specific relationships, provide more bending deformation space, exhibiting excellent elasticity and soft comfort, accommodating various human movements and allowing the wearer unrestricted movement.

[0051] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of this application. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of this application, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A method for preparing a knitted biomimetic rib protective fabric, characterized in that, The knitted bionic rib protective fabric is manufactured by a four-needle bed computer flat knitting machine. The knitted bionic rib protective fabric has a multi-layer knitted structure, which includes an extension layer, a rib layer, a filling layer, and a restraint layer from the outside to the inside. The rib layer and the filling layer form a through channel between the extension layer and the constraint layer. The through channel includes multiple sets of large protective areas near the extension layer and multiple sets of small protective areas near the constraint layer. The multiple sets of large protective areas and multiple sets of small protective areas are distributed alternately. Large hard blocks are detachably installed in the large protective areas and small hard blocks are detachably installed in the small protective areas. The knitted biomimetic rib protective fabric is composed of several minimum loop structures, and the method for preparing the minimum loop structures of the knitted biomimetic rib protective fabric includes: S1, the first yarn is fed into rows 1, 2, and 3, and loops are woven on the back needle bed to form a constraint layer. At the position of the spacer needle, the loops on the back needle bed perform a back-and-forth loop-turning action with the front upper auxiliary needle bed. The turning action occurs before the loop is woven. After the loop at the spacer needle position is turned to the front upper needle bed, the back needle bed begins to weave a loop. Then the loops that were turned to the front upper needle bed are turned back to the back needle bed. The loops on the back needle bed of these two adjacent rows are woven continuously, and the loops separated by the spacer needles are separated from each other and do not cross. After the machine is removed, the loops on the back needle bed will be layered to form a small protective area of ​​filling layer and rib layer. S2, rows 4, 5, 9, and 10 feed in the first yarn to knit a cotton wool weave with interlocking needles, used to connect the large and small protective areas of the rib layer and the filling layer; In rows S3, 6, 7, and 8, the first and second yarns are fed in and the loops are knitted on the front needle bed to form an extension layer. At the same position of the needles, the loops on the front needle bed move back and forth with the upper auxiliary needle bed. The knitting action and forming effect are the same as those on the rear needle bed. After the machine is off, the loops on the front needle bed form a large protective area of ​​filling layer and rib layer. S3. After the large hard block is detachably installed in the large protective area and the small hard block is detachably installed in the small protective area, the preparation of the knitted bionic rib protective fabric is completed.

2. The method for preparing the knitted biomimetic rib protective fabric according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the gap between multiple sets of large hard blocks is set to b, the size of the small hard blocks is set to c, and the size of the large hard blocks is set to a, the condition 2b < c < 0.5a is satisfied.

3. The method for preparing the knitted biomimetic rib protective fabric according to claim 2, characterized in that, When the gap size between multiple sets of the small hard blocks is set to d, b < d < c is satisfied.

4. The method for preparing the knitted biomimetic rib protective fabric according to claim 1, characterized in that, The stretching layer and the constraint layer are connected by a coil in the filling layer, and the filling layer wraps around and fixes the rib layer.

5. The method for preparing the knitted biomimetic rib protective fabric according to claim 1, characterized in that, The stretching layer has extensibility and resilience, while the constraint layer does not have extensibility.

6. The method for preparing the knitted biomimetic rib protective fabric according to claim 1, characterized in that, The large hard block and the small hard block are in the shape of strips, sheets or blocks.

7. The method for preparing the knitted biomimetic rib protective fabric according to claim 1, characterized in that, The large hard block and the small hard block are made of ceramic, resin, metal, or alloy.

8. The method for preparing the knitted biomimetic rib protective fabric according to claim 1, characterized in that, The large hard block and the small hard block are stacked one on top of the other.

9. The method for preparing the knitted biomimetic rib protective fabric according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first yarn is one of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, aramid, and poly(p-phenylene benzodioxazole) fiber; the second yarn is one of nylon-covered spandex elastic yarn, high-elastic polyester, and high-elastic nylon.

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