A fully fashioned fabric knitted on a four-needle bed flat knitting machine and a method of knitting the same

Abstract

The application discloses a full-fashioned fabric knitted by a four-needle bed flat knitting machine and a knitting method thereof, wherein the full-fashioned fabric comprises at least one base stitch area and at least one skipped stitch area knitted integrally; in the skipped stitch area, main yarn and auxiliary yarn are knitted simultaneously by two yarn mouths, wherein the main yarn is knitted into loops, the auxiliary yarn is arranged in the form of a float after the loops of the main yarn, and the main yarn can be exposed on the front side of the skipped stitch area. The application can realize full-fashioned knitting of a hollow pattern and an elastic fabric.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of knitted garment technology, and in particular to a fully formed fabric knitted on a four-needle flat knitting machine and its knitting method. Background Technology

[0002] With people's pursuit of individuality and greatly improved aesthetic abilities, the design of knitted garments has become increasingly diversified, especially the development of knitted garments for special application scenarios and needs. Fully formed knitted garments, as a product of upgraded knitting equipment, have developed rapidly and are gradually occupying the apparel, accessories, and home furnishing markets. Fully formed garments are mainly knitted using a four-needle bed computerized flat knitting machine, utilizing loop transfer and needle turning to achieve the one-piece forming of the knitted garment. Currently, fully formed technology is still in its early stages of development. Limited by knitting processes, the development of fully formed products is still mainly focused on basic structural products, with relatively simple patterns, making it difficult to achieve fully formed knitting of openwork patterns or elastic fabrics. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a fully formed skip-knitted fabric knitted on a four-needle bed flat knitting machine and its knitting method. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To overcome the above-mentioned shortcomings, the present invention aims to provide a fully formed fabric knitted by a four-needle flat knitting machine and its knitting method, which can realize the fully formed knitting of openwork patterns and elastic fabrics.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, one of the technical solutions adopted by the present invention is: a knitting method for a fully formed fabric knitted on a four-needle flat knitting machine, wherein the fully formed fabric includes at least one basic structure area and at least one skip stitch structure area knitted integrally; in the skip stitch structure area, the main yarn and the auxiliary yarn are knitted simultaneously through two yarn feeders, wherein the main yarn is knitted into loops, and the auxiliary yarn is placed in the form of floats after the main yarn is knitted into loops, so that the main yarn can be exposed on the front side of the skip stitch structure area.

[0005] The beneficial effects of the weaving method of the present invention are as follows: In the skipped stitch area, the main yarn and auxiliary yarn are simultaneously woven in different ways (in loops or as floats) using two yarn feeders, so that the skipped stitch area presents a double-sided effect, which is conducive to achieving openwork patterns (lace structure) and the pleated effect of elastic fabrics.

[0006] For lace structures, the weaving method of the present invention can weave the lace pattern and the base fabric in one go in the skip stitch area, which greatly improves weaving efficiency, reduces production costs, enriches the weaving process of lace patterns, and thus realizes the weaving of fully formed lace patterns; for elastic fabrics, the weaving method of the present invention can use the different elasticities of the main yarn and auxiliary yarn to form a concave-convex pleated effect on the fabric surface in the skip stitch area.

[0007] The one-piece knitting process seamlessly integrates the basic structure area and the skip stitch area onto the fabric, ensuring the integrity of the fabric and greatly shortening the knitting time and reducing production costs. At the same time, the skip stitch area enhances the structural richness of the fully formed fabric, improving both the comfort and aesthetics of the garment. Furthermore, the two yarn feeders are designated as a main yarn feeder and an auxiliary yarn feeder, with the height of the main yarn feeder set lower than that of the auxiliary yarn feeder. The main yarn feeder is used to feed in the main yarn, and the auxiliary yarn feeder is used to feed in the auxiliary yarn. Setting the main yarn feeder lower than the auxiliary yarn feeder results in a smaller yarn padding angle for the main yarn and a higher yarn padding height during weaving, thereby solving the yarn padding problem of elastic yarns. Furthermore, the main yarn is knitted from the front knitting bed of a four-needle flat knitting machine, and the auxiliary yarn is knitted from the rear knitting bed of the same machine. The main and auxiliary yarns are knitted separately on the front and rear knitting beds, respectively. The two yarn feeders can perform different knitting actions, thereby forming different pattern structures on the fabric surface and creating a double-sided effect.

[0008] Furthermore, in the basic structure area, at least one of the main yarn and auxiliary yarn is knitted in loops to form a full-needle single-sided structure. In the basic structure area, depending on the pattern requirements, only one type of yarn (main yarn or auxiliary yarn) can be used for knitting, while the other yarn (auxiliary yarn or main yarn) is removed from the machine and does not participate in the knitting. Alternatively, both yarns can be knitted together with the same knitting action to ultimately form a full-needle single-sided structure. Furthermore, the skipped stitch area forms a spindle-shaped lace structure, the main yarn is made of at least one of transparent yarn and fine denier yarn, and the auxiliary yarn is made of at least one of natural fiber, regenerated fiber, and chemical fiber.

[0009] During knitting, the number of stitches in the skipped stitch area is unlimited and can be adjusted according to the pattern design. Furthermore, the skipped stitch area can be used multiple times in a localized manner to avoid the need for complex actions such as shaking, turning, and shifting stitches in existing techniques to form lace patterns. Furthermore, the main yarn material includes at least one of polyurethane, polyester fiber, nylon, and silk. Furthermore, the skipped stitch area forms a relief structure with an uneven surface, and the shrinkage rate of the main yarn is less than that of the auxiliary yarn. Due to the different shrinkage rates of the main yarn and the auxiliary yarn, a noticeable bulge can be formed in the skipped stitch area.

[0010] Furthermore, the main yarn is made of at least one of natural fibers, regenerated fibers, and chemical fibers, and the auxiliary yarn is made of at least one of elastic covered yarn, bare ammonia yarn, and polybutylene terephthalate.

[0011] Furthermore, a base stitch area and a skip stitch area form a knitting cycle. The second technical solution adopted in this invention is: a fully formed fabric woven by a four-needle flat knitting machine, which is made by the knitting method of any of the above-mentioned fully formed fabrics woven by a four-needle flat knitting machine.

[0012] The beneficial effects of the fully formed fabric of this invention are as follows: The fully formed fabrics produced by the weaving method of this invention broaden the design possibilities for fully formed fabrics and achieve all-season coverage for fully formed garments, greatly improving their aesthetics, functionality, and comfort. When using the weaving method of this invention, lace fabrics can be efficiently woven without complex post-processing, and fully formed lace garments can be woven without cutting or sewing, enriching the design styles of fully formed garments. Simultaneously, it solves the problem of yarn turning in the weaving of bare spandex elastic yarn, enabling smooth weaving on fully formed equipment such as four-needle flat knitting machines without the need for composite processes such as covering. This effectively overcomes the limitations imposed by the elasticity of materials on fully formed garments, and has significant application and market value, especially for the design and development of high-elasticity garments. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the lace structure weaving in Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the embossed fabric weaving in Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[0014] In the picture: 1-Main yarn nozzle; 2-Auxiliary yarn nozzle. Detailed Implementation The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, so that the advantages and features of the present invention can be more easily understood by those skilled in the art, thereby providing a clearer and more explicit definition of the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0015] It should be noted that all technical and scientific terms used in this invention have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains; the terminology used in this invention is for the purpose of describing specific embodiments only and is not intended to limit this application; the terms "comprising" and "having" and any variations thereof in the specification, claims and foregoing description of the drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0016] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0017] Furthermore, the reference to "embodiment" in this invention means that a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0018] The present invention discloses a fully formed fabric knitted on a four-needle flat knitting machine, comprising at least one integrally formed base structure area and at least one skip stitch structure area. In the skip stitch structure area, the main yarn and auxiliary yarn are knitted simultaneously through two yarn feeders, wherein the main yarn is knitted into loops, and the auxiliary yarn is placed as floats after the main yarn is knitted into loops, so that the main yarn is exposed on the front side of the skip stitch structure area and the auxiliary yarn is exposed on the back side of the skip stitch structure area.

[0019] In the skipped stitch area, two yarn feeders simultaneously apply different weaving techniques (looping or floating) to the main yarn and auxiliary yarn, creating a double-sided effect. This facilitates the creation of openwork patterns (lace structures) and pleated effects on elastic fabrics. For lace structures, the weaving method of this invention can weave both the lace pattern and the base fabric in one go in the skipped stitch area, greatly improving weaving efficiency, reducing production costs, enriching the weaving process for lace patterns, and ultimately achieving fully formed lace patterns. For elastic fabrics, the weaving method of this invention can utilize the different elasticities of the main yarn and auxiliary yarn in the skipped stitch area to create a textured pleated effect on the fabric surface.

[0020] Furthermore, the present invention employs an integrated knitting process that seamlessly integrates the basic structure area and the skipped stitch area onto the fabric, ensuring the integrity of the fabric and greatly shortening the knitting time and reducing production costs. At the same time, the addition of the skipped stitch area enhances the structural richness of the fully formed fabric, improving both the comfort and aesthetics of the garment. It should be noted that skipped stitch weaves are knitted using a skipped stitch method, allowing for independent needle selection during knitting. Simultaneously, the action of the two yarn feeders is controlled, with the yarn from one feeder being knitted while the yarn from the other feeder exists as a float. In contrast, existing fully formed fabrics typically use skipped stitch knitting, which only allows knitting of the yarn from one feeder or prevents needle movement.

[0021] In the basic weave area, depending on the actual pattern requirements, both yarn feeders can operate simultaneously, using the same knitting motion (such as loop knitting) to jointly create a full-stitch single-sided structure (such as a single-sided plain weave). Alternatively, only one yarn feeder can operate, using loop knitting to create a full-stitch single-sided structure, while the other yarn feeder does not participate in the knitting. In the skipped stitch area, both yarn feeders must operate simultaneously, with one yarn feeder performing loop knitting and the other yarn feeder allowing the yarn to exist as a float, creating a double-sided effect in the skipped stitch area.

[0022] For ease of description, the two yarn feeders are referred to as the main yarn feeder and the auxiliary yarn feeder. The main yarn feeder is used to feed in the main yarn, and the auxiliary yarn feeder is used to feed in the auxiliary yarn. The main yarn feeder is located on the front knitting bed of a four-needle flat knitting machine, and the auxiliary yarn feeder is located on the rear knitting bed. When setting them up, the height of the main yarn feeder should be lower than the height of the auxiliary yarn feeder to ensure a smaller yarn padding angle and a higher yarn padding height for the main yarn, thus avoiding the yarn padding problem associated with elastic yarns such as spandex.

[0023] In some embodiments, for lace structures, the main yarn is made of at least one of transparent yarn and fine denier yarn, and the main yarn material includes at least one of polyurethane, polyester fiber, nylon, and silk. The auxiliary yarn is made of at least one of natural fiber, regenerated fiber, and chemical fiber.

[0024] When knitting lace structures, the skipped stitch area can be used multiple times locally, and the number of stitches is not limited and can be adjusted according to the pattern design. The method of this embodiment can achieve full-form knitting of lace structures, avoiding the need for complex actions such as shaking, turning needles, and transferring loops to form lace structures in the prior art. In some embodiments, for elastic fabrics, in the skip stitch area, the shrinkage rate of the main yarn is less than that of the auxiliary yarn, so that the skip stitch area forms a relief structure with an uneven surface. This relief structure is formed by the skip stitch weaving method combined with different shrinkage rates of the main and auxiliary yarns. Exemplarily, the main yarn is at least one of natural fibers, regenerated fibers, and chemical fibers, and the auxiliary yarn is at least one of elastic covered yarn, bare spandex, and polybutylene terephthalate.

[0025] The four-needle bed flat knitting method described in this invention refers to the pattern knitting of fully automatic computerized flat knitting machines using a four-needle bed. Depending on the material configuration and structural design, it can create lace fabrics and embossed fabrics with skipped stitch areas. The following embodiments provide detailed descriptions of the knitting methods for two different fabric styles.

[0026] Example 1: Lace fabric After completing the starting part of the knitting on the four-needle flat knitting machine, the front and back knitting beds of the four-needle flat knitting machine are knitted with full stitches to form the basic structure area. Then, according to the needs of the pattern design, the skip stitch knitting process is carried out to form the skip stitch structure area, which is a hollow, spindle-shaped lace structure.

[0027] For example, such as Figure 1 As shown, in the first row of knitting, the main yarn from yarn feeder 1 and the auxiliary yarn from yarn feeder 2 are used together to form a loop on the back knitting bed for full stitch knitting. Then, the two middle stitches are skipped stitch knitting, and the remaining stitches are still full stitch knitting. For the skipped stitch section, main yarn feeder 1 and auxiliary yarn feeder 2 enter simultaneously, with the main yarn feeder height set lower than the auxiliary yarn feeder height. The two middle stitches are only knitted with main yarn feeder 1 to form a loop. The auxiliary yarn from yarn feeder 2 is placed as a float after the main yarn loop is formed, and the main yarn part is exposed on the right side of the fabric. After the back knitting bed is completed, the front knitting bed is knitted, still starting with full stitch knitting.

[0028] In practical applications, skipped stitch knitting can be used in certain areas according to the pattern design. The number of stitches is unlimited, and skipped stitch knitting can be used multiple times in certain areas. When knitting fully formed lace fabrics using this method, skipped stitch knitting in certain areas eliminates the need for complex actions such as shaking the bed, turning the needle, and transferring loops. It allows for the knitting of both the lace pattern and the base fabric in one go, greatly improving knitting efficiency, reducing production costs, enriching the knitting process of lace patterns, and realizing the knitting of fully formed lace patterns.

[0029] In some embodiments, the main yarn is generally made of one of transparent yarn and fine denier yarn, and the material includes at least one of polyurethane, polyester fiber, thermoplastic polyurethane, nylon, and silk. The auxiliary yarn is generally made of at least one of natural fiber, regenerated fiber, and chemical fiber.

[0030] Example 2: Embossed fabric When using elastic yarns to weave fully formed embossed fabrics, the difference in elastic shrinkage rates between the main yarn and the auxiliary yarn creates a wrinkled effect in the skipped stitch area. The height of the main yarn feeder 1 is set lower than the height of the auxiliary yarn feeder 2. The main yarn is made of at least one of natural fibers, regenerated fibers, and chemical fibers, while the auxiliary yarn is made of at least one of elastic covered yarn, bare spandex, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), and elastic yarn, with the shrinkage rate of the main yarn being less than that of the auxiliary yarn.

[0031] Because the surface of embossed fabric has localized raised areas, creating a textured surface, it has an embossed effect. For example... Figure 2 As shown, during knitting, a full-needle single-sided structure is used as the basic weave. First, all needles are brought out on the front knitting bed. Following the pattern design, an 8-needle cycle is formed. The two main yarn needles on the left side (needle needle 1 and auxiliary yarn needle 2) are knitted together in a full-needle loop. The remaining six needles are knitted in a loop using the main yarn needle 1, while the auxiliary yarn needle 2 is a float. Due to the different shrinkage rates of the main and auxiliary yarns, a noticeable bulge is formed in the skipped stitch area. It should be noted that the size of the skipped stitch area is only related to the pattern design and the machine width.

[0032] This invention utilizes a skip-stitch knitting method to create fully formed fabrics on a four-needle flat knitting machine. The skip-stitch areas can be knitted separately on the front and back knitting beds. The main yarn and auxiliary yarn are fed in through main yarn feeders and auxiliary yarn feeders respectively to perform different knitting actions, thereby forming different pattern structures on the fabric surface. This skip-stitch knitting method eliminates the need for subsequent processes such as turning, shifting, sewing, or gluing, achieving fully formed patterned fabrics. It not only simplifies the process and shortens the production cycle but also saves significant manpower, resources, and production costs. Furthermore, it has no restrictions on material application; only yarn thickness matching the needle size is required to complete the knitting smoothly. This greatly expands the application seasons and scenarios for fully formed fabrics, particularly demonstrating excellent application value and market prospects in summer fully formed garments, high-elastic sportswear, and functional clothing.

[0033] The above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical concept and features of the present invention. Their purpose is to enable those skilled in the art to understand the content of the present invention and implement it. They should not be used to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. All equivalent changes or modifications made in accordance with the spirit and essence of the present invention should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for knitting a fully formed fabric using a four-needle flat knitting machine, characterized in that: The fully formed fabric includes at least one basic structure area and at least one skip stitch structure area that are integrally woven; in the skip stitch structure area, the main yarn and the auxiliary yarn are woven simultaneously through two yarn feeders, wherein the main yarn is woven into loops, and the auxiliary yarn is placed in the form of floats after the main yarn is woven into loops, so that the main yarn can be exposed on the front side of the skip stitch structure area. The two yarn feeders are a main yarn feeder and an auxiliary yarn feeder, and the height of the main yarn feeder is set to be lower than the height of the auxiliary yarn feeder; The main yarn is woven from the front lower needle bed of a four-needle flat knitting machine, and the auxiliary yarn is woven from the rear lower needle bed of a four-needle flat knitting machine. The skipped stitch area forms a spindle-shaped lace structure or a relief structure with an uneven surface. One of the base stitch areas and one of the skip stitch areas form a knitting cycle.

2. The weaving method according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the basic structure area, at least one of the main yarn and auxiliary yarn is knitted in loops to form a full-needle single-sided structure.

3. The weaving method according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the skipped stitch area forms a spindle-shaped lace structure, the main yarn is made of at least one of transparent yarn and fine denier yarn, and the auxiliary yarn is made of at least one of natural fiber, regenerated fiber, and chemical fiber.

4. The weaving method according to claim 3, characterized in that: The main yarn material includes at least one of polyurethane, polyester fiber, nylon, and silk.

5. The weaving method according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the skipped stitch area forms a relief structure with an uneven surface, the shrinkage rate of the main yarn is less than that of the auxiliary yarn.

6. The weaving method according to claim 5, characterized in that: The main yarn is made of at least one of natural fiber, regenerated fiber, and chemical fiber, and the auxiliary yarn is made of at least one of elastic covered yarn, bare ammonia yarn, and polybutylene terephthalate.

7. A fully formed fabric knitted on a four-needle flat knitting machine, characterized in that: The fabric is made using the knitting method of a four-needle flat knitting machine as described in any one of claims 1-6.

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