Light-weight, soft, breathable warp knitted fabric

Abstract

To provide a warp knitted fabric with excellent characteristics: being lightweight, soft, comfortable, and breathable, good curling property, and stitch dropping property, and to provide a production process thereof.SOLUTION: The light-weight breathable warp knitted fabric comprises a fabric body, the fabric body is formed by weaving at least two different types of yarn including Y1 yarn and Y2 yarn, the Y1 yarn is inelastic yarn, the Y2 yarn is elastic yarn. (1) The characteristics of the fabric include: the Y1 yarn is an ultra-fine yarn with a yarn thickness of 10D to 40D and DPF of 1D or less, wherein D refers to denier. (2) As a structural feature, Y1 yarns are knitted by three-needle warp plain weave, the Y2 yarns are knitted by two-needle warp plain weave. (3) The back traversing directions of the Y1 yarns and the Y2 yarns are the same each time when the Y1 yarns and the Y2 yarns are knitted, the fabric body is stretched by a specific tensile force along the warp direction, the warp-direction hemming angle θ is smaller than 75°, the number of the dropped-stitches in the reverse knitting direction is 2 or less, and the compression work / thickness value of the fabric body is 300 gf or more.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to fabrics and related manufacturing processes, and more particularly to lightweight, soft, and breathable warp knitted fabrics. [Background technology]

[0002] The underwear industry in China has a long history of development. As time has passed, people have sought freedom and freedom, and consumers' requirements for underwear fabrics have increased. The concept of "lightweight" has emerged, and underwear products have gradually developed the characteristics of being lightweight, soft, moisture-wicking, breathable, and comfortable, while also being able to fully show off women's perfect curves. At the same time, free-cut fabrics such as "seamless" and "one-piece" have come to occupy a large share of the underwear market. Compared with weft-knitted fabrics and woven fabrics, warp-knitted fabrics have the considerable advantages of being soft, comfortable, breathable, resistant to deformation, durable, elastic, and able to adjust the body shape. The advantages of warp-knitted fabrics have given warp-knitted free-cut fabrics an increasingly greater influence.

[0003] Among warp knitted free-cut fabrics, fabrics with a face weave such as long-stretch tricot or velvet and a ground weave with a double-loop tricot structure have become mainstream in the underwear fabric market due to their high stretchability, recovery, and support. However, because both the face weave and the ground weave have a tight weave, air and water vapor do not easily pass through the fibers, and when worn for a long time, the fabric becomes stuffy and has poor breathability. Furthermore, when knitting with a double-loop tricot stitch, one warp yarn needs to be wrapped around two needles at the same time each time, so the needle farthest from the guide needle not only needs to overcome basic resistance when wrapping to form a loop, but also the frictional resistance between the previous needle and the previous loop. Therefore, the knitting tension of such fabrics is high, the yarn is prone to breakage, and production is quite difficult, the productivity is low, the spandex content is high, the basis weight tends to be large, and the hand feel is thick.

[0004] On the market, free-cut full tricot fabric is also the first choice for seamless underwear. However, full tricot structure has a short stretch line and a small difference in the displacement angle between the vertical and horizontal directions, which results in a high elastic modulus in the vertical and horizontal directions, a small opening, small gaps between the threads, poor breathability, and a tendency to large areas of dropped stitches. This limits the use of this fabric in underwear fabric applications such as yoga and swimwear.

[0005] To solve the above problems, it is necessary to quickly invent a fabric that is lightweight, soft, breathable, has good curling properties, and has high productivity to meet market demand. Summary of the Invention

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a lightweight, soft and breathable warp knitted fabric and production process that can solve at least one of the above problems.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention discloses a lightweight, soft, and breathable warp knitted fabric. The fabric comprises a main fabric body, which is composed of at least two yarns, Y1 yarn and Y2 yarn, of which Y1 yarn is an inelastic yarn and Y2 yarn is an elastic yarn. The main fabric body has the following characteristics: (1) Y1 yarn is an ultrafine yarn with a yarn thickness of 10D≦40D and a DPF≦1D, where D refers to denier; (2) the Y1 yarn is knitted with a three-needle tricot stitch and the Y2 yarn is knitted with a two-needle tricot stitch; and (3) the Y1 yarn and the Y2 yarn have the same lateral underwrapping direction during knitting. At a specific tensile force, the knitted fabric has a warp curling angle θ<75° and a reverse knitting direction drop stitch count of ≦2. The main fabric body has a compression work / thickness value of ≧300 gf.

[0008] In some embodiments, the fabric body selects lateral overlapping and underwrapping in the same direction, and at a certain tensile force, the warp curling angle θ is less than 75°. The use of elastic spandex yarn, which is easily tacky after high-temperature pre-treatment, ensures that the number of loops that drop in the reverse knitting direction is less than 2 when the knitted fabric is subjected to force, achieving free cutting and reduced drop stitches. Structurally, when knitting inelastic yarn and elastic yarn, the running direction is the same each time, the two yarns are aligned in the same direction, the yarns are not interwoven, and the gaps between the yarns are relatively large, increasing the breathability of the knitted fabric. For the same weave structure and the same yarn denier, the smaller the knitted fabric density, the coarser the fabric will be, resulting in better breathability. For the same yarn denier, the larger the needle pitch of the filament, the greater the number of yarns contained per unit area, i.e., the higher the density, resulting in lower breathability of the knitted fabric. With the same weave structure and the same denier of the filaments, the thicker the spandex yarn, the stronger the ability of the spandex to block air permeation within the volume space, and the worse the breathability of the knitted fabric.

[0009] In another embodiment, given the same weave and denier, the greater the number of fibers contained within a unit cross-sectional area of ​​the yarn, the greater the specific surface area of ​​the yarn, resulting in a softer knitted fabric. Assuming the same material, denier, and weave structure, the lower the knitted fabric density, the less tension there is in the knitted fabric, and the softer the knitted fabric. If the knitted fabric density and yarn denier remain the same, the longer the loops, the softer the knitted fabric will be, and applying a nap treatment to the knitted fabric will also soften the knitted fabric. The fabric itself is measured for its compression characteristics using a Fabric Touch Tester. Compression tests on knitted fabrics can evaluate their pressure resistance and elastic recovery capabilities, so we use the ratio of the compression work (CW) / thickness (T) measured in the data as a reference value for evaluating the flexibility of the knitted fabric. As an evaluation criterion, a knitted fabric is deemed flexible if compression work (CW) / thickness (T) is ≥ 300 gf.

[0010] Preferably, in the lightweight, soft and breathable warp knitted fabric, the Y1 yarn is an ultrafine fiber, and preferably the yarn has a thickness of 20 to 30 denier.

[0011] Preferably, in said lightweight, soft and breathable warp knitted fabric, the Y2 yarn is spandex, and preferably the spandex content is ≦35%.

[0012] Preferably, the lightweight, soft, breathable warp knitted fabric has a napped finish on at least one surface of the knitted fabric.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the Y1 inelastic yarn is knitted using a three-needle closed tricot stitch with a running pattern of 1-0 / 2-3 / / wrapping cord, and the Y2 elastic yarn is knitted using a two-needle closed tricot stitch with a running pattern of 1-0 / 1-2 / / wrapping cord.

[0014] In another preferred embodiment, the Y1 inelastic yarn is knitted using a three-needle closed tricot stitch with a running pattern of 1-0 / 2-3 / / wrapping cord, and the Y2 elastic yarn is knitted using a two-needle open tricot stitch with a running pattern of 0-1 / 2-1 / / wrapping cord.

[0015] In another preferred embodiment, the Y1 inelastic yarn is knitted using a three-needle open tricot stitch with a running pattern of 0-1 / 3-2 / / wrapping cord, and the Y2 elastic yarn is knitted using a two-needle open tricot stitch with a running pattern of 0-1 / 2-1 / / wrapping cord.

[0016] In another preferred embodiment, the Y1 inelastic yarn is knitted using a three-needle open tricot stitch with a running pattern of 0-1 / 3-2 / / wrapping cord, and the Y2 elastic yarn is knitted using a two-needle closed tricot stitch with a running pattern of 1-0 / 1-2 / / wrapping cord.

[0017] Preferably, the lightweight, soft, breathable warp knitted fabric has a basis weight range of the knitted fabric of ≦160 g / m2 is. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the organizational structure of Example 1 of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the organizational structure of Example 2 of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of the organizational structure of Example 3 of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the organizational structure of Example 4 of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] In order to make the objectives, features, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the drawings and specific embodiments.

[0020] Specific examples: 1. Warping of yarns used in warp knitting: 1) Warping nylon yarn Warper model: Karl Mayer DS DS21 / 30DNC, negative feed. Warping temperature: 23℃, Warping humidity: 65% In the workplace, process parameters are set under the above temperature and humidity conditions. 2) Spandex warping Warper model: Karl Mayer DSE21 / 21EC, positive yarn feeding. Warping temperature: 23℃, Warping humidity: 65% In the workplace, process parameters are set under the above temperature and humidity conditions. 2. Weaving Weaving machine model: Karl Mayer HKS2-3E tricot machine Model number: E40 Thread: GB1-PA6 20D / 34F SD FDY Thread: GB2-PU 20D Structure: GB1-wrapping code 1-0 / 2-3 / / , full penetration, 1100mm / R GB2-Wrapping Code 1-0 / 1 / 2 / / , Full Penetration, 630mm / R 3. Finishing process Washing -- Pretreatment -- Overflow dyeing -- Dehydration -- Standard drying -- Posttreatment Pretreatment temperature: 195°C, machine speed: 18-20 m / min, finished product density: 50 / cm. 4. Knitting style Finished product specifications: Width 165cm, weight 97g / m 2 Finished product density: Horizontal density 29 / cm, vertical density 50 / cm Finished product composition: 79% Polyamide 21% Elastane 5. Characteristics and advantages of knitted fabric 1) Lightweight and elastic: In this example, by carefully selecting the fineness of the yarn, the number of needles and length of the warp knitting machine, and the density of the finished product, the fabric has a weight of 97 g / m 2 This has made it possible to achieve a lightweight design. Tensile strength test: M&S P15A 1.5kgf, warp opening 185%, weft opening 115%, and stretchable. 2) No curling in the warp direction: Sample 10cm x 5cm Warp direction sample: stretched 150%, stretched once and measured curl angle. Weft direction sample: stretched 60%, held for 1 minute, returned to the original length of 10 cm, and held for 3 minutes. This 1-minute, 3-minute cycle was repeated three times, and then the curling angle was measured. The samples of the examples of the present invention had a curling angle θ in the warp direction of less than 75°. 3) Good breathability: Measurement method: JIS L 1096 A method. Measurement data on the left, center, and right sides of the knitted fabric were measured. Measurement values ​​were ≥ 129 cm. 3 / cm 2 / s. 4) Soft to the touch: Fabric softness has a certain relationship with its compression properties. We conducted compression tests on four pieces of fabric with the same structure using a Fabric Touch Tester (hereafter referred to as FTT) and obtained the following FTT compression property values. We used the ratio of compression work CW / thickness T from the test data as a reference value for evaluating the softness of knitted fabrics. As an evaluation standard, if compression work CW / thickness T is 300gf or greater, we judge the knitted fabric to be soft. At the same time, we had 10 people perform a subjective tactile evaluation of these fabrics using the tactile test methods of "1. pinch," "2. stroke," "3. grab," and "4. look," and obtained the subjective indicators shown in the table below. (FTT values ​​are as shown in the table below.) [Table 1]

[0021] The data in the chart shows that the greater the compression work (CW), the smaller the average compression stiffness (CAR) and average recovery stiffness (RAR), and the softer the knitted fabric. Therefore, we intuitively evaluated the softness of the knitted fabric by the value of compression work (CW) / thickness (T). The higher this ratio, the softer the knitted fabric. The data in the chart also shows that the thinner the yarn, the longer the yarn, and the softer the knitted fabric. It is well known that increasing the F number of the fiber can increase the softness of the knitted fabric. However, a comparison of the experimental data shows that the effect of increasing the F number on the softness of the knitted fabric is not as great as the effect of selecting the yarn thickness. The thinner the yarn, the smaller the DPF and the softer the knitted fabric.

[0022] It should be noted that what has been described above is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and those skilled in the art may modify the technical methods described in the above embodiment or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features therein, but it should be pointed out that any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present invention are all included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A lightweight, soft, and breathable warp knitted fabric, comprising a fabric body, the warp knitted fabric being made of at least two kinds of yarns including a Y1 yarn and a Y2 yarn, the Y1 yarn being a non-elastic yarn and the Y2 yarn being an elastic yarn, the warp knitted fabric comprising: (1) the Y1 yarn being an ultra-fine yarn having a yarn thickness of 10D≦40D and a DPF≦1D (D represents denier); (2) as a structural feature, the Y1 yarn is knitted with a three-needle tricot stitch and the Y2 yarn is knitted with a two-needle tricot stitch; and (3) the Y1 yarn and the Y2 yarn are knitted with a three-needle tricot stitch. The direction of lateral movement of the underwrapping is the same each time during knitting, and the knitted fabric has a curling angle in the warp direction of θ<75°, the number of dropped stitches in the reverse knitting direction of ≦2, and the knitted fabric body has a compression work / thickness value of ≧300 gf, whereby the resulting fabric has the excellent characteristics of being lightweight, soft, comfortable, breathable, and having good curling and dropped stitch properties.

2. 2. The lightweight, soft and breathable warp knitted fabric according to claim 1, wherein the Y1 yarn is an ultra-fine yarn, preferably having a yarn thickness of 20-30 denier.

3. 2. The lightweight, soft and breathable warp knitted fabric according to claim 1, wherein the Y2 yarn is spandex, and the spandex content is preferably ≦35%.

4. 10. The lightweight, soft, breathable warp knit fabric of claim 1, wherein at least one surface of the knitted fabric is brushed.

5. The lightweight, soft and breathable warp knitted fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the Y1 inelastic yarn of the fabric body adopts a three-needle closed tricot stitch and is knitted in a running manner of wrapping cord 1-0 / 2-3 / / , and the Y2 elastic yarn adopts a two-needle closed tricot stitch and is knitted in a running manner of wrapping cord 1-0 / 1-2 / / .

6. The lightweight, soft and breathable warp knitted fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the Y1 inelastic yarn of the fabric body adopts a three-needle closed tricot stitch and is knitted in a running manner of wrapping cord 1-0 / 2-3 / / , and the Y2 elastic yarn adopts a two-needle open tricot stitch and is knitted in a running manner of wrapping cord 0-1 / 2-1 / / .

7. The lightweight, soft and breathable warp knitted fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the Y1 inelastic yarn of the fabric body adopts a three-needle open tricot stitch and is knitted in a running manner of a wrapping cord of 0-1 / 3-2 / / , and the Y2 elastic yarn adopts a two-needle open tricot stitch and is knitted in a running manner of a wrapping cord of 0-1 / 2-1 / / .

8. The lightweight, soft and breathable warp knitted fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the Y1 inelastic yarn of the fabric body adopts a three-needle open tricot stitch and is knitted in a running manner of wrapping cord 0-1 / 3-2 / / , and the Y2 elastic yarn adopts a two-needle closed tricot stitch and is knitted in a running manner of wrapping cord 1-0 / 1-2 / / .

9. The weight range of the knitted fabric is ≦160 g / m ２ 9. A lightweight, soft and breathable warp knitted fabric according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that:

10. 2. The lightweight, soft, and breathable warp knitted fabric of claim 1, wherein the knitted body is elastic and bonded with spandex.

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