Supporter

Abstract

To provide a supporter excellent in flexibility and use feeling.SOLUTION: A supporter wrapped around a user in use includes a first face and a second face on an opposite side of the first face. The supporter forms a cylindrical portion by overlapping of the first face and the second face when wrapped around the user, and includes a hook-and-loop fastener for maintaining formation of the cylindrical portion. The hook-and-loop fastener includes a first thread forming a hook face and a second thread forming a loop face engaged with the hook face. One of the first face and the second face has the hook face, and the other has the loop face. In the supporter, fiber diameters of a fiber forming the first thread and a fiber forming the second thread are 30 μm or below.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a supporter. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, supports have been used for purposes such as stabilizing joints.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a supporter for stabilizing finger joints. The supporter of Patent Document 1 includes a band-shaped main body that covers the pad side of the finger, a first protrusion that protrudes from the main body in the circumferential direction of the finger, and a second protrusion that protrudes from the main body on the opposite side from the first protrusion. A hook surface of a hook-and-loop fastener is formed on one of the front surface of the first protrusion and the back surface of the second protrusion, and a loop surface of a hook-and-loop fastener is formed on the other. With this configuration, when the first protrusion and the second protrusion are overlapped, the protrusions and the main body form a tubular portion for stabilizing the area around the finger joints. Furthermore, the tubular portion can be maintained in its formed state by the hook-and-loop fastener. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-80914 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, to maintain the tubular shape described above, hook and loop surfaces with a certain area are required. If a conventional hook-and-loop fastener is used to meet this requirement, the thick threads forming the hook and loop surfaces may impair the flexibility of the supporter. Furthermore, a supporter with poor flexibility may be difficult to conform to the shape of the affected area, making it difficult to wear.

[0006] Furthermore, since the hook and loop surfaces of the hook-and-loop fastener may come into contact with the user's skin, if the threads constituting these surfaces are thick, they may irritate the skin, impairing the comfort of use. In particular, when the supporter is used by a user with joint pain such as Heberden's nodes, the above-mentioned skin irritation becomes a problem.

[0007] In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a supporter that is excellent in flexibility and comfort when used. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The supporter according to the present invention comprises: A supporter that is wrapped around a user, the supporter has a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, and when wrapped around the user, the first surface and the second surface overlap to form a tubular portion, and a hook-and-loop fastener that maintains the formation of the tubular portion; the hook and loop fastener includes a first thread forming a hook surface and a second thread forming a loop surface that engages with the hook surface; the first surface and the second surface have the hook surface on one side of their overlapping portions and the loop surface on the other side; The fibers forming the first threads and the fibers forming the second threads have a fiber diameter of 30 μm or less.

[0009] According to this configuration, the fiber diameter of the yarns constituting the hook and loop surfaces of the hook and loop fastener is 30 μm or less, which results in excellent flexibility in the area where the hook and loop fasteners are formed. Also, because the fibers of the yarns constituting the hook and loop surfaces are thin, irritation to the skin is reduced, resulting in an excellent feel when used.

[0010] A supporter according to one aspect of the present invention includes: The loop surface is formed by a plied yarn in which the second yarn is twisted with a third yarn, The fiber diameter of the fiber forming the second yarn is 8 μm or less, The fiber diameter of the fibers forming the third yarn is 10 μm or more and 30 μm or less.

[0011] According to this configuration, the second thread, which has a smaller fiber diameter, is twisted with the third thread, which has a larger fiber diameter, thereby preventing the second thread, which mainly functions to engage the hook surface, from coming loose. Furthermore, the second thread twisted with the third thread is more likely to remain fully exposed so that it can engage with the first thread on the hook surface. These features make the supporter of this embodiment highly durable, specifically, able to maintain the engagement between the hook surface and the loop surface even after repeated washing.

[0012] A supporter according to one aspect of the present invention includes: On the loop surface, the second yarn forms a loop-shaped undulation, and a part of the second yarn stands up in a coil shape.

[0013] In a supporter of this configuration, the second thread not only forms loop-shaped undulations on the loop surface but also forms a coil-shaped raised portion, which allows the hook-and-loop fastener to have excellent engagement despite the small fiber diameter of each thread. In other words, the supporter of the above embodiment is easy to maintain the formed state of the tubular portion, despite being made of thin fiber threads to exhibit flexibility.

[0014] A supporter according to one aspect of the present invention includes: the hook-and-loop fastener comprises a loop layer having the loop surface; the loop layer includes a ground structure in which the plied yarn is inserted and knitted, The ground structure has a double atlas knit structure having a first structure knitted with an atlas knitted first ground yarn and a second structure knitted with an atlas knitted second ground yarn so as to cross the first ground yarn, The ply-twisted yarn is inserted and knitted to form needle loops in a portion of each of the first and second weaves, thereby forming pile.

[0015] According to this configuration, the doubled-twisted yarn is inserted into the double atlas knit structure to form a needle loop, thereby forming a pile. This makes it easier for the second yarn to be held in the ground structure of the loop layer. Therefore, the above embodiment has excellent durability against washing and shape retention even after repeated wearing and removing.

[0016] A supporter according to one aspect of the present invention includes: a plurality of wrapping portions that are wrapped around the user; and a main body that connects the plurality of wrapping portions; The plurality of winding portions are connected to the main body portion while being spaced apart from one another.

[0017] With this configuration, the multiple wrapping parts are spaced apart, so that wrapping can be avoided around painful joints. Also, some wrapping parts can be temporarily fastened to the affected area while other wrapping parts are wrapped around it, making wrapping easier.

[0018] A supporter according to one aspect of the present invention includes: One of the hook surface and the loop surface of the hook-and-loop fastener forms the back surface of the main body portion and the wrap portion.

[0019] The supporter having such a configuration has a hook or loop surface made of small-diameter fiber on the back side of the main body and the back side of the wrapping part, which can come into contact with the affected area, and therefore has excellent usability, such as reduced irritation to the skin. Such improved usability is significant for patients with painful symptoms such as Heberden's nodes.

[0020] A supporter according to one aspect of the present invention includes: the hook and loop fastener comprises a hook layer having the hook surface, and a loop layer having the loop surface and laminated on the hook layer; The main body portion has the hook layer and the loop layer bonded together by an adhesive.

[0021] According to this configuration, the adhesive provides the main body with a rigidity suitable for fixing the affected area. [Effects of the Invention]

[0022] As described above, according to the present invention, a supporter that is excellent in flexibility and comfort can be provided. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a supporter according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the supporter of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] 2 is a diagram showing a structure for knitting a loop layer of a hook-and-loop fastener provided in the supporter of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the supporter of FIG. 1 wrapped around a finger. [Figure 5] 1 is an electron microscope photograph of the surface of a hook layer of an example. [Figure 6] 1 is an electron microscope photograph of a cross section of a loop layer of an example. [Figure 7] 1 is a graph showing the evaluation results of a drying property test in Examples. [Figure 8] 1 is a graph showing the evaluation results of a water absorbency test in Examples. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] Hereinafter, a supporter for fingers will be described as one embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings.

[0025] The supporter 1 of this embodiment is used to stabilize the joint, which is the affected area to which it is applied. The affected area (joint) is a portion that includes the joint and portions of the bones extending on both sides of the joint. More specifically, the supporter 1 of this embodiment is used to stabilize the joints of the fingers. Note that, hereinafter, with regard to the directions defined in the supporter of this embodiment, the direction corresponding to the direction in which the fingers extend will be referred to as a first direction D1, and the direction perpendicular to the first direction D1 will be referred to as a second direction D2.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 1, the supporter 1 of this embodiment is formed in the shape of a generally flat sheet and has a length sufficient to wrap around a finger. The supporter 1 has a first surface 1s, which is the front surface when worn, and a second surface 2s, which is the back surface that faces the front surface of the finger when worn. As shown in FIG. 4, when the supporter 1 is wrapped around a finger, the second surface 2s partially overlaps the first surface 1s to form a tubular portion. The supporter 1 also has a hook fastener to maintain the tubular portion. The hook fastener has a hook surface 11 formed in one of the overlapping regions of the first surface 1s and the second surface 2s, and a loop surface 21 formed in the other region that is engageable with the hook surface 11 (FIG. 2).

[0027] 1, the supporter 1 of this embodiment includes a main body 40 extending in a first direction D1 and a plurality of band-shaped winding portions 50 extending in a second direction D2 from the main body 40. The supporter 1 includes the main body 40 and the winding portions 50 that are integrally formed.

[0028] The main body portion 40 is a portion that, when worn, is arranged so as to fit along a joint, such as the first joint of a finger, and the bones on both sides of the joint. The main body portion 40 of this embodiment has a width (length in the second direction D2) that roughly covers approximately half the circumference of a finger. The main body portion 40 also has a length (length in the first direction D1) that fits along a joint of a finger and some of the bones on both sides of the joint. In the case of a supporter applied to a finger joint, as in this embodiment, the width of the main body portion 40 (length in the second direction D2) is preferably 2 cm or more and 6 cm or less. The length of the main body portion 40 (length in the first direction D1) is preferably 2 cm or more and 6 cm or less. The main body portion 40 of this embodiment is formed so as to be longer in the first direction D1 than in the second direction D2.

[0029] The multiple wrapping portions 50 of this embodiment include a pair of wrapping portions 50 extending from the main body 40 to one side in the second direction D2 (the right side in FIG. 1). The pair of wrapping portions 50 are parallel to each other in the same direction (second direction D2) from one edge of the main body 40 in the second direction D2. Each wrapping portion 50 is formed with a gap in the first direction D1 to avoid contact with the joints of the fingers. The size of the gap is designed taking into consideration the thickness of the user's fingers and the condition of the joints, and is preferably 0.2 cm to 2 cm, and more preferably 0.5 cm to 1 cm.

[0030] Each winding portion 50 is configured to cooperate with the main body portion 40 to form a cylindrical portion extending along the first direction D1. To form such a cylindrical portion, the total length of the main body portion 40 and one winding portion 50 in the second direction D2 is preferably 4 cm or more and 10 cm or less. When the cylindrical portion is formed, the second surface 2s of the winding portion 50 overlaps the first surface 1s of the main body portion 40, and in some cases, even overlaps with the first surface 1s of the winding portion 50. In other words, when the cylindrical portion is formed, the first surface 1s forms a partial overlapping region with the second surface 2s, and the second surface 2s forms a partial overlapping region with the first surface 1s.

[0031] The supporter 1 is equipped with a hook and loop fastener having at least a hook surface 11 formed on one side of the overlapping region of the first surface 1s and the second surface 2s, and a loop surface 21 formed on the other side of the overlapping region. Briefly, the hook and loop fastener has a hook surface 11 on one side of the overlapping region of each of the first surface 1s and the second surface 2s, and a loop surface 21 on the other side. In the supporter 1 of this embodiment, the hook surface 11 and the loop surface 21 are formed on the first surface 1s and the second surface 2s in the second direction D2, and the hook surface 11 and the loop surface 21 are formed on the first surface 1s and the second surface 2s in the first direction D1. This makes it easy to adjust the size of the overlapping region and the amount of tightening of the fingers by the tubular portion of the supporter 1 of this embodiment.

[0032] 1 and 2, in the supporter 1 of this embodiment, a hook surface 11 is formed on a first surface 1s, which becomes the front surface when worn, and a loop surface 21 is formed on a second surface 2s, which becomes the back surface when worn. More specifically, in the supporter 1 of this embodiment, the front surface of each of the main body part 40 and the wrapping part 50 when worn is the hook surface 11, and the back surface is the loop surface 21.

[0033] As shown in Figure 2, the supporter 1 of this embodiment has a multi-layer structure, and includes a hook layer 10 forming a hook surface 11, a loop layer 20 forming a loop surface 21, and a joining layer 30 joining the hook layer 10 and the loop layer 20.

[0034] The hook layer 10 is made of a fabric having cut pile, and includes a ground structure 12 in which ground yarns are knitted using a jersey knit or the like, and a cut pile layer 13 formed of first yarns 131 for forming the hook surface 11. The first yarns 131 are knitted into the ground structure 12 to form sinker pile and are supported by the ground yarns of the ground structure 12. The first yarns 131 are shirred to form the cut pile. In the cut pile layer 13, most of the fibers constituting the first yarns 131 extend from the ground structure 12 while intertwining, with their tips forming a hook shape that curves in the thickness direction of the cut pile layer 13. To create this hook shape, a crimped yarn is used for the first yarns 131 in this embodiment.

[0035] The fiber diameter of the fibers constituting the first thread 131 is 30 μm or less. This can improve the flexibility and comfort of the supporter 1. On the other hand, the fiber diameter of the fibers constituting the first thread 131 is preferably 10 μm or more, more preferably 20 μm or more. This ensures sufficient engagement of the hook fastener. The fiber diameter of the fibers constituting the first thread 131 is the average fiber diameter obtained by magnifying and observing the hook surface 11 with an electron microscope, measuring the widths of 50 fibers, and averaging these. As shown in the electron microscope photograph in FIG. 5, the tips of the fibers of the first thread 131 have different, non-uniform shapes due to the shirring process. For this reason, the fiber width is measured on the proximal side of the tips.

[0036] The basis weight of the hook layer 10 is 200 to 300 g / m 2 The basis weight of the hook layer 10 means the basis weight of the fabric, and is measured by the measurement method specified in JIS L 1096:2020 8.3.

[0037] The loop layer 20 is made of a fabric having pile, and includes a ground structure 22 knitted with ground yarns, and a pile layer 23 formed of ply-twisted yarns 231 for forming the loop surface 21.

[0038] The plied yarn 231 is formed by twisting a second yarn made of fibers with a small fiber diameter with a third yarn made of fibers with a large fiber diameter. As a result, the second yarn is supported not only by the ground structure 22 but also by the third yarn, which prevents the fibers of the second yarn from falling out.

[0039] The second yarn of this embodiment is an ultrafine yarn, made of ultrafine fibers produced by extracting island components by decomposing or dissolving and removing the sea component from a composite fiber with an islands-in-sea cross section. Other examples of the second yarn include split yarns produced by mechanically splitting a composite fiber with a segmented pie cross section in which polymers of different polymer compositions are alternately arranged, or by solvent splitting using alkali reduction or the like. The fiber diameter of the fibers forming the second yarn is 8 μm or less. The fiber diameter of the second yarn is preferably 5 μm or less, more preferably 3 μm or less. This improves the flexibility of the supporter 1 and reduces skin irritation, improving the feel of the supporter 1 when in use. Meanwhile, the fiber diameter of the second yarn is preferably 0.1 μm or more, more preferably 0.5 μm or more, and even more preferably 1 μm or more. This ensures sufficient engagement of the hook-and-loop fastener. The fiber diameter of the fibers that make up the second thread can be determined by observing the cross section of the supporter 1 under an electron microscope, as shown in Figure 6, measuring the diameters of the circumscribed circles of 50 fibers facing forward, and averaging these.

[0040] The fibers of the second yarn that form the pile are primarily those that engage with the fibers of the first yarn 131 on the hook surface 11. To enhance this engagement, the fiber length of the fibers of the second yarn in this embodiment is made longer than the fiber length of the third yarn. This allows the second yarn to not only form loop-shaped undulations on the loop surface 21, but also to form many (multiple) coil-shaped, raised tips.

[0041] As shown in Fig. 6, the fibers of the second yarn and the third yarn of this embodiment have a circular cross section. Note that the cross-sectional shape of the fiber of the present invention is not limited to a circular shape, and the fiber may have an irregular cross section such as a cross shape or a star shape.

[0042] The second yarn of this embodiment contains a polyester-based resin such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), etc. Specifically, the fibers forming the second yarn contain 90% by mass or more of the polyester-based resin.

[0043] In the doubled and twisted yarn 231 of this embodiment, the fiber length of the second yarn can be made longer than that of the third yarn by, for example, setting the yarn feed speed during twisting or interlacing to be greater for the second yarn than for the third yarn when twisting the composite fiber of the second yarn before sea weight reduction or splitting treatment with the third yarn; feeding different combinations of the second yarn and the third yarn into a twisting machine so that the thermal shrinkage rate is greater than that of the third yarn, and then subjecting the resulting yarns to a heat treatment after twisting causes the third yarn to thermally shrink more than the second yarn, resulting in the second yarn forming a loop or coil around the third yarn; or a combination of these. Examples of fibers with a high thermal shrinkage rate that can be used for the third yarn include low-temperature (room temperature) drawn polyethylene terephthalate yarns and partially oriented yarns (POY), and high-shrinkage copolymer polyester yarns made of polyester resins copolymerized with 10 mol % or more of isophthalic acid and / or 1 mol % or more of 5-sulfoisophthalic acid salt. By using a high-shrinkage third yarn, the third yarn tends to shrink when the loop surface 21 is formed, allowing the second yarn to form large piles. This second yarn then easily engages with the first yarn 131 on the hook surface 11. Note that even when using only an interlaced second yarn, an effect similar to that achieved by the plied yarn can be achieved. Specifically, the interlaced second yarn has multiple interlaced portions and uninterlaced portions between the interlaced portions. The fibers forming the second yarn support each other through the multiple interlaced portions, thereby suppressing fiber shedding. Furthermore, in the uninterlaced portions of the second yarn, the fibers are spread out in a direction perpendicular to the length of the yarn. In other words, the uninterlaced portions have gaps into which the fibers of the first yarn 131 can enter, making it easier for the second yarn to engage with the first yarn 131.

[0044] The fiber diameter of the fibers forming the third yarn is 10 μm or more and 30 μm or less. The fiber diameter of the fibers forming the third yarn is measured in the same manner as the fibers of the second yarn.

[0045] As shown in Figure 3, the ground structure 22 of this embodiment has a double atlas knit structure having a first structure knitted with an atlas-knitted first ground yarn 221, and a second structure knitted with an atlas-knitted second ground yarn 222 so as to cross the first ground yarn 221. The doubled and twisted yarn 231 is inserted to form needle loops in a portion of each of the first structure and the second structure, thereby forming pile. The first structure is a structure formed with a front reed LF as a first reed, the second structure is a structure formed with a middle reed LM as a second reed, and the insertion knitting is a structure formed with a back reed LB as a third reed.

[0046] The first design of this embodiment is an atlas knit design consisting of repeating units represented by 10 / 12 / 23 / 21. The second design of this embodiment is an atlas knit design consisting of repeating units represented by 23 / 21 / 10 / 12. The insert knit design of this embodiment is a design consisting of repeating units represented by 00 / 12 / 33 / 21. As described above, each design of this embodiment has a repeating unit of four courses, with each yarn being swung within a three-wale range. The open loops 223 of the atlas knit design, which is the first design, and the open loops 223 of the atlas knit design, which is the second design, are knitted with the same needles, and the doubled and twisted yarns 231 are insert-knitted to form needle loops (open loops) 232 with the same needles. The insert-knitted doubled and twisted yarns 231 are easily held in place in the ground design 22. Therefore, the engagement of the hook-and-loop fastener can be maintained even if the supporter 1 is repeatedly washed dozens of times. This effect is achieved by forming needle loops of the doubled and twisted yarns 231 on the same needles as the ground yarns of the ground structure 22. Therefore, the ground structure 22 may be a structure other than an atlas stitch structure, as long as it is a structure that allows needle loops of the doubled and twisted yarns 231 to be formed on the same needles as the ground yarns. Examples of such a ground structure 22 include double denbigh stitch and double cord stitch.

[0047] The plied and twisted yarns 231 formed from ultrafine fibers as described above tend to retain moisture, which reduces the quick-drying properties of the loop layer 20. In contrast, in the supporter 1 of this embodiment, the loop surfaces 21 are formed in the areas of the second surface 2s that may come into contact with the user's skin (the back surface of the main body 40 and the back surface of the winding portion 50 near the main body 40). This allows a layer containing a relatively large amount of air to form between the second surface 2s and the skin, improving breathability. Furthermore, in the loop layer 20 of this embodiment, the plied and twisted yarns 231 are composed of a second yarn made of ultrafine fibers and a third yarn made of high-shrinkage yarn. When heat-treated, the third yarn made of high-shrinkage yarn shrinks significantly, forming a loop structure with the second yarn made of ultrafine fibers. This creates a difference in curvature between the fibers, resulting in a loose state with relatively large gaps between the fibers. Therefore, the loop layer 20 exhibits excellent quick-drying properties despite including the plied and twisted yarns 231 made of ultrafine fibers that easily absorb moisture. Furthermore, in the supporter 1 of this embodiment, the doubled and twisted yarns 231 (second and third yarns) are formed from fibers containing polyester-based resin, which further enhances the quick-drying performance.

[0048] The weight of the loop layer 20 is 100 to 200 g / m 2 The basis weight of the loop layer 20 means the basis weight of the fabric, and is measured by the measurement method specified in JIS L 1096:2020 8.3.

[0049] The joining layer 30 of this embodiment is a layer containing an adhesive that bonds the ground structure 12 of the hook layer 10 and the ground structure 22 of the loop layer 20. The joining layer 30 is made of a moisture-curing urethane adhesive or a heat-sealing hot-melt adhesive. The basis weight of the joining layer 30 is 20 to 40 g / m 2 This allows the supporter 1 to have an appropriate firmness to stabilize the affected area while maintaining its flexibility.

[0050] 4, the method of wearing the supporter 1 of this embodiment involves aligning the main body portion 40 along the first joint (or the second joint) of the finger and the bones extending on both sides of the first joint, and wrapping each of the pair of wrapping portions 50 around the finger with the gap between them positioned at the first joint. In the supporter 1 of this embodiment, the hook surface 11 of the hook-and-loop fastener is formed over the entire first surface 1s, and the loop surface 21 is formed over the entire second surface 2s. Therefore, there is no need to know the respective positions where the hook surface 11 and the loop surface 21 are formed; simply by wrapping as described above, a tubular portion is automatically formed.

[0051] As described above, one embodiment has been shown as an example, but the supporter according to the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment. Furthermore, the supporter according to the present invention is not limited by the above-mentioned effects. The supporter according to the present invention can be modified in various ways without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0052] For example, the present invention is not limited to application to finger joints, but can also be applied to wrist and ankle joints, elbow joints, knee joints, and the like. [Example]

[0053] The present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to examples, but is not limited to these.

[0054] [Manufacturing example] A ground structure was formed by plain knitting using 111 dtex / 48 filament crimped yarn (crimp rate 5%, made of PET) as the ground yarn, and a 167 dtex / 48 filament crimped yarn (crimp rate 5%, made of PET) was used as the first yarn and knitted into the ground structure to form sinker pile, to produce a circular knit fabric. The resulting circular knit fabric was subjected to shirring and conventional dyeing to produce a first fabric (basis weight: 260 g / m2) with a hook layer throughout the entire face direction. 2) was produced. Next, according to the weaving diagram shown in Figure 3, an 83 dtex / 36 filament non-crimped yarn was used as the first ground yarn and atlas knitted using the front reed. An 83 dtex / 36 filament non-crimped yarn was used as the second ground yarn and atlas knitted using the middle reed. Finally, a doubled / twisted yarn was inserted and knitted using the back reed to produce a warp knitted fabric. The doubled / twisted yarn was a twisted combination of an 84 dtex / 24 filament 25-island-in-sea composite fiber (the island component was PET and the sea component was ethylene terephthalate copolymerized with sodium 5-sulfoisophthalate and polyethylene glycol) as the second yarn and a 33 dtex / 12 filament high-shrinkage yarn (polyethylene terephthalate copolymerized with isophthalic acid) as the third yarn. The obtained warp knitted fabric was subjected to alkali reduction with a sodium hydroxide aqueous solution to obtain a 63 dtex / 888 filament PET ultra-fine yarn as the second yarn portion, which was then subjected to a conventional dyeing process to obtain a second fabric (basis weight: 170 g / m) having a loop layer over the entire surface. 2 The first and second fabrics were bonded together with a wet-curing polyurethane resin-containing adhesive (basis weight: 30 g / m 2 This laminate was cut into the shape shown in Figure 1 to form a supporter for stabilizing the finger joints (main body: length 40 mm, width 25 mm, each wrapping section: length 60 mm, width 16.5 mm, gap between wrapping sections: 7 mm).

[0055] [Measurement of fiber diameter of each yarn] The surface of the first fabric (hook layer) and the cross section of the second fabric (loop layer) prepared above were observed under magnification using an electron microscope. Figure 5 shows an electron microscope photograph of the surface of the first fabric (hook layer), and Figure 6 shows an electron microscope photograph of the cross section of the second fabric (loop layer). The average fiber diameter of the fibers forming the first yarn was 18 μm. The average fiber diameter of the fibers forming the second yarn was 2.1 μm, and the average fiber diameter of the fibers forming the third yarn was 14 μm.

[0056] [Hook-and-loop fastener engagement and washing durability] The tensile shear strength and peel strength were evaluated before and after washing in accordance with the evaluation method specified in JIS L 3416:2020 7.4. The results are shown in Table 1 below. As such, the hook-and-loop fasteners of the supporter we produced maintained sufficient engagement even after 20 washes, demonstrating excellent durability. The fact that a supporter made using yarn formed from fine-diameter fibers exhibits such durability is considered to be an effect that exceeds expectations.

[0057] [Table 1]

[0058] [Quick-drying supporter] The laminate test specimens were 300mm x 300mm in size and were subjected to a 3-minute spin cycle in a Hitachi PS-50AS two-tier washing machine before being attached to the drying time measurement device. Testing was performed in accordance with JIS L 1096:2020 8.25, except that the test specimens were 300mm x 300mm and the measurement was initiated after 3 minutes. The test was conducted at 20°C and 65% humidity. The time (in minutes) until the diffusible residual moisture content of the laminate was 0% was measured, with the evaluation criteria being drying within 180 minutes. The moisture absorption and quick-drying properties of the laminate were evaluated according to ISO 17617:2014 A1 method, where 0.3g of water was dropped onto the laminate at 20°C and 65% humidity. The evaluation criteria were a diffusible residual moisture content of less than 20% after 60 minutes. The quick-drying results are shown in Figure 7, and the results of the moisture absorption and quick-drying tests are shown in Figure 8. A supporter made from such a laminate, when it absorbs water, dries quickly enough by natural drying, and can be dried immediately by applying a dry towel to it. [Explanation of symbols]

[0059] 1: supporter, 1s: first surface, 2s: second surface, 10: hook layer, 11: hook surface, 12: ground structure, 13: cut pile layer, 131: first yarn, 20: loop layer, 21: loop surface, 22: ground structure, 221: first ground yarn, 222: second ground yarn, 223: opening, 23: pile layer, 231: ply yarn, 232: needle loop, 30: joining layer, 40: main body, 50: winding portion, LF: first reed (front reed), LM: second reed (middle reed), LB: third reed (back reed), D1: first direction, D2: second direction

Claims

1. A supporter that is wrapped around a user, the supporter includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, the first surface and the second surface overlap to form a tubular portion when wrapped around the user, and a hook-and-loop fastener that maintains the formation of the tubular portion; The hook and loop fastener includes a first thread forming a hook surface and a second thread forming a loop surface that engages the hook surface; one of the first surface and the second surface has the hook surface and the other has the loop surface; A supporter, wherein the fiber diameter of the fibers forming the first threads and the fiber diameter of the fibers forming the second threads are 30 μm or less.

2. The loop surface is formed by a ply-twisted yarn in which the second yarn is twisted with a third yarn, The fiber diameter of the fiber forming the second yarn is 8 μm or less, The supporter according to claim 1 , wherein the fiber diameter of the fibers forming the third thread is 10 μm or more and 30 μm or less.

3. 3. The supporter according to claim 1, wherein on the loop surface, the second threads form loop-shaped undulations, and a portion of the second threads stands up in a coil shape.

4. the hook-and-loop fastener comprises a loop layer having the loop surface; The loop layer includes a ground structure in which the ply-twisted yarn is inserted and knitted, The ground structure has a double atlas knit structure having a first structure knitted with a first ground yarn knitted with an atlas knit and a second structure knitted with a second ground yarn knitted with an atlas knit so as to cross the first ground yarn, The supporter according to claim 2 , wherein the ply-twisted yarn is inserted into the first and second weaves to form needle loops in each of the first and second weaves, thereby forming pile.

5. A plurality of wrapping parts that are wrapped around the user, and a main body that connects the plurality of wrapping parts, The supporter according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of winding portions are connected to the main body portion while being spaced apart from one another.

6. 6. The supporter according to claim 5, wherein one of the hook surface and the loop surface of the hook-and-loop fastener forms a rear surface of the main body portion and the wrap-around portion.

7. the hook and loop fastener comprises a hook layer having the hook surface, and a loop layer having the loop surface and laminated to the hook layer; The supporter according to claim 6 , wherein the main body portion has the hook layer and the loop layer bonded by an adhesive.

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