Connection method, in particular for closing axial end of tubular article
Through the double-stitch connection method, the problem of inaccurate connection of the axial end of knitted tubular products in the prior art is solved, and high-quality axial end closure, especially the precise connection of the toes of the socks.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202480003884.8
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2023-02-01
- Filing Date
- 2024-01-15
- Publication Date
- 2025-07-25
AI Technical Summary
Prior art When closing the axial end of a knitted tubular article such as socks, especially the toes, it is difficult to achieve accurate and economical connections, especially when the knitted line remains "empty" and leads to difficulty in filling the thread.
Using the double stitch connection method, the connecting coil is entered twice in a row through a bent needle and intersects the wire hooked in a loop, and then transferred to the adjacent connecting coil to form a chain stitch to close the knitted coil.
Accurate, reliable and inexpensive axial end closure, improving appearance quality and connection reliability.
Smart Images
Figure CN120380210A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a connection method, particularly for closing the axial ends of tubular articles. Background Art
[0002] Techniques are known for automatically closing the axial ends, i.e., at the toe portion, of knitted tubular articles (in particular socks) at the end of production on circular knitting or hosiery machines.
[0003] Some of these techniques are based on picking up the article at the end of production from a circular hosiery or knitting machine and transferring it to a connecting or sewing station, which is typically arranged next to the machine for producing the article.
[0004] In the connecting or sewing station, there is a connecting or sewing head through which the axial ends of the closed article are executed, which are typically constituted by the axial ends at the end of article production.
[0005] Typically, picking up the article from the machine producing the article and optionally transferring it to a processing device is achieved by separately joining the knitting loops of the last knitted row formed by the article, and one and a half rows of knitting loops of the last knitted row face the other half row of knitting loops separately, and then continue sewing or connecting, so that the closing of the axial end of the article is achieved by separately joining two mutually facing loops constituting the two half rows of the last knitted row formed. By virtue of this fact, excellent results are obtained in terms of accuracy and appearance when automatically closing the axial ends of knitted tubular articles, especially when automatically closing the toe portion of socks.
[0006] Therefore, the automatic closing of the axial ends of knitted articles, especially socks, can be achieved by supporting the knitted article by means of a semi - annular element provided with a plurality of forks regularly spaced from each other around the axis of the annular element, and two knitting loops are arranged on each fork, one belonging to one half of the knitted row and the other belonging to the other half of the same knitted row. The sewing or connecting head used usually has two elements, such as two needles or a needle and a loop - forming hook, which cooperate with each other to form a chain stitch. These two elements are actuated in a synchronous manner and are accompanied by a rotational movement of the semi - annular part around the axis of the annular element. One of the two elements inserts, in each instance, its fork into a pair of knitting loops carried by the same fork of the semi - annular element, so that the chain stitch gradually connects the pairs of loops together, thus achieving the closing of the axial ends of the knitted article.
[0007] Recently, especially for very "fine" manufactured articles, traditional connections have received little attention, mainly because the knitted rows remain "empty", so it is difficult to fill the connection part with the thread used to create the connection. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] To solve this problem, the applicant has implemented for some time on a knitting machine for producing tubular articles such as socks, which is capable of joining the toe portion with a "double stitch", so that the amount of yarn inserted into each knitting loop can be doubled.
[0009] Specifically, a double stitch means that the latch needle that performs the joining enters the joining loop twice in succession and intersects the thread of the loop-forming hook, and then is transferred to the next joining loop on the adjacent pin (or joining spoke).
[0010] Alternatively, a solution has been proposed in which a first joining is made for all the loops, and then a second joining is made for these same loops. The final result of the two systems may be similar, but the knitting of the joining threads is different.
[0011] The object of the present invention is to provide a joining method, in particular for closing the axial ends of tubular articles, which is capable of improving the prior art in one or more of the above aspects.
[0012] Within this objective, an object of the present invention is to provide a joining method, in particular for closing the axial ends of tubular articles, which enables a joining to be performed that can close the toe portion in an accurate and satisfactory manner, including from the perspective of appearance.
[0013] Another object of the present invention is to provide a joining method, in particular for closing the axial ends of tubular articles, which is highly reliable, easy to implement and inexpensive.
[0014] This objective and these and other objectives, which will become more apparent hereinafter, are achieved by the joining method according to claim 1, in particular a joining method for closing the axial ends of tubular articles, which may optionally be provided with one or more of the features in the dependent claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred but non-exclusive embodiments of the joining method according to the present invention, in particular for closing the axial ends of tubular articles, which are shown in the drawings by way of non-limiting example, in which:
[0016] Figure 1 is a view of the knitting stitch of a conventional joint (prior art);
[0017] Figure 2 is a view of the right stitch of the joint made by the method according to the present invention;
[0018] Figure 3 is a view of the purl stitch of the joint made by the method according to the present invention. Detailed implementation mode
[0019] Referring to the accompanying drawings, the present invention relates to a connection method, particularly for closing the axial ends of tubular articles.
[0020] The method particularly includes: a step of holding the knitted loops 10 to be connected, the knitted loops 10 including a first plurality of knitted loops 11 formed at the last knitted row 21 and a second plurality of knitted loops 12 formed at knitted rows other than the last knitted row 21, and a connecting step, which includes combining two knitted loops 10 to be connected by means of at least one sewing thread 30 in each instance.
[0021] Advantageously, the knitted loops 12 in the second plurality of knitted loops 12 are defined at the penultimate knitted row 22.
[0022] However, there is no reason why the knitted loops 12 in the second plurality of knitted loops 12 cannot be formed at the third last knitted row, optionally partially formed.
[0023] Conveniently, the holding step includes arranging the plurality of knitted loops 10 to be connected such that they face each other in pairs.
[0024] Conveniently, before the holding step, there is a step of transferring the knitted loops 10 to be connected from a circular machine adapted to provide a tubular article to a semi-circular element provided with a plurality of forks (fork-like members), and two coils 10 to be connected facing each other are arranged on each fork.
[0025] Advantageously, the knitted loops 11 of the first plurality of knitted loops are alternately arranged with respect to the knitted loops 12 of the second plurality of knitted loops.
[0026] The connecting step includes a step of forming a chain stitch by at least one needle.
[0027] Preferably, the step of forming a chain stitch is performed by two needles or one needle and a looping hook ( Figure 2 and 3 of the type shown in).
[0028] According to another aspect, the present invention relates to a tubular article whose ends are closed by a connecting operation.
[0029] The connecting operation includes connecting by joining the knitted loops 10 to be connected by means of at least one chain stitch.
[0030] Specifically, the knitted loops 10 to be connected include a first plurality of knitted loops 11 formed at the last knitted row 21 and a second plurality of knitted loops 12 formed at knitted rows other than the last knitted row 21.
[0031] Advantageously, the knitting loop 12 in the second plurality of knitting loops is defined at the penultimate row of knitting courses 22.
[0032] Preferably, the knitting loop 12 of the second plurality of knitting loops is arranged alternately with respect to the knitting loop 11 of the first plurality of knitting loops.
[0033] Thus, the method according to the present invention requires providing a knitted tubular article, such as a sock, on a circular or knitting stocking machine.
[0034] In the production step, the knitting loops 10 to be joined, which also constitute the knitting loops individually joined by the processing means, are constituted by the first plurality of knitting loops 11 of the last row of knitting courses and the second plurality of knitting loops 12 of the penultimate row (or the third last row) of knitting courses.
[0035] At this time, the knitting loops 10 to be joined are conveyed in a known manner to a semi-circular support element provided with a plurality of forks regularly spaced from each other around an axis, and two facing and superimposed knitting loops 10 to be joined are arranged on each fork, one belonging to the first half of the plurality of knitting loops 10 to be joined and the other belonging to the other half of the knitting loops 10 to be joined.
[0036] The closing of the axial end of the tubular article is effected by the action of a connecting head having needles, or more preferably having two elements, such as two needles or a needle and a looping hook, which cooperate with each other to form a chain stitch.
[0037] These elements are actuated in a synchronous manner and are accompanied by a rotational movement of the semi-circular part around the axis, and one of these elements inserts, in each instance, its fork into a pair of facing knitting loops carried by the same fork of the semi-circular element, so that the chain stitch gradually joins the pairs of loops together, thereby achieving the closing of the axial end of the knitted tubular article.
[0038] In practice, it has been found that the present invention fully achieves the intended purposes and objectives by providing a connection part capable of closing the toe part in an accurate and satisfactory manner, including from the perspective of appearance.
[0039] The present invention thus conceived is susceptible of many modifications and variations, all of which fall within the scope of the appended claims. In addition, all details may be replaced by other technically equivalent elements.
[0040] In practice, as long as the materials employed are compatible with the particular use, as well as the possible dimensions and shapes, they may be any materials according to requirements and the prior art.
[0041] This application claims priority to Italian Patent Application No. 102023000001539, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
[0042] When a technical feature mentioned in any claim is followed by a reference sign, the sole purpose of inserting such reference sign is to increase the intelligibility of the claim; accordingly, these reference signs shall have no limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.
Claims
1. A connection method, particularly for closing the axial ends of tubular products, characterized in that, The method comprises: a holding step of holding knitting loops (10) to be joined, the knitting loops comprising a first plurality of knitting loops (11) formed at a last knitting row (21) and a second plurality of knitting loops (12) formed at knitting rows other than the last knitting row (21); and a joining step, the joining step comprising joining two knitting loops (10) to be joined by means of at least one sewing thread (30) in each instance.
2. The connection method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The knitting loops (12) of the second plurality of knitting loops (12) are formed at a penultimate knitting row (22).
3. The connection method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The holding step comprises arranging a plurality of the knitting loops (10) to be joined such that they face each other in pairs.
4. The connecting method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that, It comprises a step of transferring the knitting loops (10) to be joined from a circular machine to a semi-circular element provided with a plurality of forks, on each of which two facing and superimposed knitting loops to be joined are arranged.
5. The connection method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The knitting loops (11) of the first plurality of knitting loops are arranged alternately with respect to the knitting loops (12) of the second plurality of knitting loops.
6. The connecting method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The joining step comprises a step of forming a chain stitch made by at least one needle, preferably by two needles or by one needle and a loop-forming hook.
7. A tubular article having ends closable by connection, characterized in that, The joining comprises a joining portion formed by joining the knitting loops (10) to be joined by means of at least one chain stitch, the knitting loops to be joined comprising a first plurality of knitting loops (11) formed at a last knitting row (21) and a second plurality of knitting loops (12) formed at knitting rows other than the last knitting row (21).
8. The tubular article according to claim 7, wherein The knitting loops (12) of the second plurality of knitting loops (12) are formed at a penultimate knitting row (22).
9. The tubular article according to one or more of claims 7 to 8, characterized in that, The knitting loops (12) of the second plurality of knitting loops are arranged alternately with respect to the knitting loops (11) of the first plurality of knitting loops.