Knitting method for tubular pile fabric and tubular pile fabric

Abstract

To improve a crack occurring at a boundary between front and back in cylindrical pile formation by a flat-knitting machine.SOLUTION: A cylindrical pile knitted fabric 10 is formed by repeating one cycle of pile formation. In one cycle of pile formation, a rear side outward pile knitted fabric 10aB, a front side outward pile knitted fabric 10aF, a rear side inward pile knitted fabric 10ab, and a front side inward pile knitted fabric 10af are formed by feeding a pile yarn 3 and a foundation yarn 5. One cycle of pile formation includes a bag adding formation using an adding yarn 7 different from the pile yarn 3 and the foundation yarn 5. A tubular plain stitch 7c is performed at an end area 10c in the bag adding formation, and a stitch 7b is overlaid on stitches that are opposite to the pile knitted fabric for which the tubular plain stitch 7c is performed and exclude the end area 10c. As the tubular plain stitch 7c of the end area 10c is pulled to a boundary side between front and back, a crack hardly stands out.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for knitting a tubular pile fabric by using a flat knitting machine, and to a tubular pile fabric. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a flat knitting machine has been capable of knitting a pile fabric using ground yarn and pile yarn (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The pile fabric is formed so that the surface of a flat ground knitted fabric is covered with floating pile loops, and has a thickness. In knitting the pile fabric disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to use a flat knitting machine equipped with a sinker device for drawing out the pile yarn in order to separate the ground yarn and the pile yarn and form the pile loop. Even with a flat knitting machine not equipped with such a sinker device, it is possible to knit a pile fabric by forming a base of the ground yarn and pile yarn on one of the needle beds facing each other in the front and rear, and forming a pile loop of the pile yarn on the other. For example, a carriage equipped with two cam systems is run, and the pile yarn is used to form a pile loop by 1×1 rib knitting on both needle beds with the preceding cam system, and the ground yarn is used to feed the knitting needles that are holding the pile loop on one needle bed to form a base with the following cam system. If the knitting needles on the other needle bed are advanced or retreated without feeding the knitting yarn, the pile loops are removed from the knitting needles and swept away.

[0003] In a flatbed knitting machine having front and rear needle beds, it is also possible to knit a tubular fabric. rear On the needle bed, fabrics are knitted in the other direction, and the ends are connected and formed repeatedly. When knitting a pile fabric, the pile yarn and the ground yarn must be fed using two yarn feeders that run together with the carriage. A technique for knitting a tubular fabric using multiple yarn feeders is also known (see, for example, Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 60-59333 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 3121283 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] When a tubular pile fabric is knitted on a flat knitting machine, cracks occur at the front and rear boundaries on one end of the knitting width. Figures 7(b) and (d) show examples of cracks 1b occurring at the boundaries between the front and rear pile loop regions 1a on the outside and inside of the tubular pile fabric 1. However, no cracks occur on the other end of the knitting width as shown in Figure 7(f). The cracks occur on the end side where the knitting yarns cross as explained in Figure 8 of Patent Document 2.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a method for knitting a tubular pile fabric, which is capable of improving cracks that occur at the front and back boundaries when tubular pile fabric is knitted on a flat knitting machine, and a tubular pile fabric. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention relates to a flat knitting machine having at least one pair of needle beds opposed to each other in the front-rear direction and having a plurality of yarn guide rails above the needle gap between the needle beds, and a leading yarn feeder and a trailing yarn feeder which feed pile yarn and ground yarn, respectively, as knitting yarns are reciprocated on different tracks in the longitudinal direction of the needle beds, while forming a base stitch with the pile yarn and ground yarn on one needle bed and forming a base stitch with the pile yarn and ground yarn on the other needle bed. R In a knitting method for forming a tubular pile fabric, pile knitting is performed by alternating one side and the other side to form a pile loop with a predetermined combination, and one cycle of pile knitting is repeated, In one cycle of pile knitting, an additional knitting is performed by feeding an additional yarn different from the pile yarn and ground yarn to a knitting needle that holds a base stitch, The additional knitting includes a bag additional knitting, The bag addition organization is, A tubular knitting is performed at least in an end region of the knitted fabric sandwiching the front and rear boundary on the side where the pile yarn and the ground yarn cross, and on a needle bed opposite to a needle bed to which a knitting needle that holds a base stitch formed by pile knitting belongs; In another region of the knitted fabric, a new stitch is formed on the knitting needle that holds the base stitch.

[0008] In the present invention, the pile knitting is before Note In the process after the formation of the base stitches, by removing the pile loops held on the opposing needle beds, pile loops facing the inner circumference of the tubular pile fabric are formed. In this process, the pile loop is transferred to an empty needle between the knitting needles which have the pile loop retained on the opposing needle bed, and then the pile loop is plucked, thereby forming a pile loop which faces the outer periphery of the tubular pile fabric. It is characterized by:

[0009] In the present invention, the additional knitting is characterized in that a new stitch is formed with a plain stitch following a base stitch which is a purl stitch.

[0010] The present invention is characterized in that the tub additional knitting is performed in end regions provided so as to sandwich the front and rear boundaries on both sides in the longitudinal direction of the knitted fabric.

[0011] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a tubular pile fabric knitted using pile yarn and ground yarn as knitting yarns on a flat knitting machine equipped with front and rear needle beds. A pile knitted fabric knitted on front and rear needle beds, respectively, has a tubular knitted portion made of an additional yarn different from the pile yarn and the ground yarn at least in an end region sandwiching the front and rear boundary of the knitting width end on the side where the pile yarn and the ground yarn intersect. The present invention is a tubular pile knitted fabric characterized by the above-mentioned. Effect of the Invention

[0012] According to the present invention, one cycle of pile knitting repeated to knit a tubular pile fabric includes additional tubular knitting in which tubular knitting is performed at least in the end region of the knitted fabric sandwiching the front and back boundary on the side where the pile yarn and the ground yarn cross. Additional tubular knitting is performed by feeding additional yarns different from the pile yarn and the ground yarn as knitting yarns to knitting needles that hold the base stitches. By adding tubular knitting with the additional yarn to the end region, the stitches in the end region are pulled to the front and back boundary to fill in the cracks and improve the appearance. The additional yarn forms new stitches following the base stitches formed by pile knitting in other regions of the knitted fabric, so that the pile loops can be tightened so as not to loosen.

[0013] Furthermore, according to the present invention, by changing the process, it is possible to set the direction of the pile loops in the tubular pile fabric to either the outer periphery or the inner periphery.

[0014] Furthermore, according to the present invention, in the additional knitting, the purl stitches are followed by the plain stitch stitches, resulting in a garter stitch structure, which shrinks in the wale direction and makes the pile appear dense.

[0015] Furthermore, according to the present invention, since the additional knitting of the tubular knitting is performed on both sides of the knitting width of the knitted fabric, not only is it possible to improve the cracking at the ends where the pile yarns and the ground yarns cross, but it is also possible to make the appearance of both ends equal.

[0016] Furthermore, according to the present invention, even if a tubular shape is knitted on front and rear opposing needle beds, the cracks in the pile stitches can be improved so as to be less noticeable at the front and rear boundaries that are generated by connecting the fabrics knitted on the front and rear needle beds at the ends of the knitting width. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a knitting process diagram showing a part of a knitting method for a tubular pile fabric 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a knitting process diagram continuing from FIG. [Diagram 3]FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a tubular pile fabric 10 formed in the knitting process of FIGS. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a side view and a cam arrangement diagram showing the knitting needles 20 and the cam system 30 used in the knitting process of FIGS. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a simplified diagram showing the operation when pile knitting is performed by the cam system 30 of FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the schematic shape of the tubular knitting 7c formed by tubular additional knitting, and the state in which it is pulled to the front and rear boundary 10d. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the appearance of the tubular pile fabric 10 of FIG. 3 in comparison with an example of a tubular pile fabric 1 in which a crack 1b occurs at the front and rear boundaries. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a knitting process diagram showing a part of a knitting method according to a second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] Hereinafter, Fig. 1 to Fig. 7 relate to the knitting method and structure of a tubular pile fabric 10 which is the first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 8 relates to the knitting method of another embodiment of the present invention. Corresponding parts in each drawing are indicated by the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations may be omitted. For convenience of explanation, parts not shown in the drawing to be explained may be referred to by the reference numerals shown in other drawings. EXAMPLES

[0019] 1 and 2 show the process of knitting a tubular pile fabric 10 shown in FIG. 3 as Example 1 of the present invention. In this example, tubular pile fabric is knitted by needleless knitting using a pair of needle beds facing each other in the front and back. Hereinafter, the front needle bed is abbreviated as FB and the back needle bed is abbreviated as BB. The knitting needles of FB are indicated by capital letters such as A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, and Z, and the knitting needles of BB are indicated by lowercase letters such as a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, and o. Basically, knitting needles indicated by the same capital and lowercase letters are arranged opposite each other, and stitch transfer is possible. However, the knitting needles E-J, e-j, excluding the knitting needles A-D, K-N, Z, a-d, k-n, o at the ends, are shown simplified for convenience of illustration, although many knitting needles are used in the tubular pile fabric 10. The knitting yarns used are pile yarn 3, ground yarn 5, and additional yarn 7, which are fed from yarn feeders 9a, 9b, and 9c, respectively.

[0020] The yarn feeders 9a, 9b, and 9c run on different tracks in the front-rear direction, with the leading yarn feeder 9a running on the front track, the yarn feeder 9b running on the middle track, and the trailing yarn feeder 9c running on the rear track. The carriages and yarn feeders 9a, 9b, and 9c knit the front pile fabrics 10aF and 10af based on FB on the left line, and knit the rear pile fabrics 10aB and 10ab based on BB on the right line. In Patent Document 2, the knitting direction of the tubular knitted fabric is the same as in this embodiment, but the leading yarn feeder B is on the rear side and the trailing yarn feeder A is on the front side, so that a cross occurs at the right end, whereas in this embodiment, a cross occurs at the left end. The letters "F,f" and "B,b" following "10a" indicate that "F,f" is based on FB and "B,b" is based on BB, with capital letters "F,B" indicating outward pile with pile loops facing the outer periphery of the tubular pile fabric 10 and lower case letters "f,b" indicating inward pile with pile loops facing the inner periphery of the tubular pile fabric 10. Each process is indicated by a number enclosed in [ ] and the running direction of the carriage is indicated by an arrow. Processes [1] to [4] each include one course of pile knitting, and when combined, they constitute one knitting cycle, and the tubular pile fabric 10 is formed by repeating this cycle.

[0021] FIG. 1 shows the arrangement of knitting needles for retaining stitches in the tubular pile fabric 10 as step [0], along with step [1] for knitting the rear outward pile fabric 10aB and step [2] for knitting the front outward pile fabric 10aF. Step [0] shows that the tubular pile fabric 10 is formed by 1×1 needle-free knitting using knitting needles A, C, E, G, I, K, M, b, d, f, h, j, l, n, and knitting needles B, D, F, H, J, L, N, a, c, e, g, i, k, m as empty needles. The carriage used for knitting is equipped with at least three cam systems S1, S2, S3, each of which includes the cam system 30 of FIG. 4, and the cam systems S1, S3 on both sides are capable of stitch transfer and are shown alternately depending on the running direction of the carriage. Immediately after the yarn is fed, the stitches are shown solid, and the pile yarn 3 and the additional yarn 7 are shown bold.

[0022] The transition from step [0] to step [1], in which the carriage moves to the right, is performed by transferring the stitch from knitting needles b-n to knitting needles B-N with cam system S1. Next, in the first half of step [1], yarn feeders 9a, 9b are brought along and one course of pile knitting is performed with cam system S2, a pile loop is formed with a hanging stitch on knitting needles a-m with pile yarn 3 from yarn feeder 9a, and a base stitch is formed on knitting needles B-N with pile yarn 3 and ground yarn 5 from yarn feeder 9b. Next, the base stitch is transferred from knitting needles B-N to knitting needles b-n with cam system S3.

[0023] In the latter half of the process [1], the carriage is moved leftward without carrying the yarn feeder and without driving the knitting needles, and then the carriage is turned over and moved rightward carrying the yarn feeder 9c, and additional knitting is performed by the cam system S1 to form a new stitch following the base stitch with the additional yarn 7 from the yarn feeder 9c. This additional knitting is knitted so that the front stitch of the plain stitch continues on the base stitch that has been transferred and is held by the knitting needles b to n of BB with the back stitch, resulting in a garter stitch structure. The garter stitch structure shrinks in the wale direction, so that the pile can be made to look dense. Next, the cam system S2 clears the pile loop held by the knitting needles a to m of BB. Since the pile loop is held by the hook as a hanging stitch, the knitting needles a to m are moved back and forth without supplying the knitting yarn, so that the pile loop is cleared from the hook to the needle stem side, and the cleared pile loop passes through the closed hook and is transferred to the needle gap. As a result, the rear outward pile fabric 10aB is knitted.

[0024] The transition from step [1], in which the carriage moves to the right, to step [2], in which the carriage moves to the left, is performed by transferring the stitch from knitting needle M-A to knitting needle m-a with cam system S1. Next, in the first half of step [2], yarn feeders 9a, 9b are brought along and pile knitting is performed with cam system S2, a pile loop is formed on knitting needles N-B with pile yarn 3 from yarn feeder 9a, and a base stitch is formed on knitting needle m-a with pile yarn 3 and ground yarn 5 from yarn feeder 9b. Next, the base stitch is transferred from knitting needle m-a to knitting needle M-A with cam system S3.

[0025] In the latter half of step [2], the carriage is moved to the right while idling, and moved to the left while carrying the yarn feeder 9c, and additional knitting is performed by the cam system S1 to form a new stitch following the base stitch with the additional yarn 7 from the yarn feeder 9c. This additional knitting is knitted so that the front stitches of the plain stitch continue onto the base stitches that have been transferred and held with purl stitches on the knitting needles M to A of FB, resulting in a garter stitch structure. Next, the pile loops held on the knitting needles N to B of FB are removed by the cam system S2, and the front outward pile fabric 10aF is knitted.

[0026] In step [3] shown in FIG. 2, following step [2], racking is performed by swinging the BB to the left side of the FB by one pitch, and then the carriage moves to the right. As a result of racking, the knitting needle a of the BB faces the knitting needle Z adjacent to the left side of the knitting needle A at the FB, and the knitting needle N of the FB faces the knitting needle o adjacent to the right side of the knitting needle n at the BB. The cam system S1 forms pile loops with a hook stitch on the knitting needles Z to L with the pile yarn 3 from the yarn feeder 9a, and forms base stitches on the knitting needles b to n with the pile yarn 3 and the ground yarn 5 from the yarn feeder 9b. The cam system S2 performs additional knitting with the additional yarn 7 from the yarn feeder 9c. This additional knitting is a bag additional knitting that targets not only the needle bed BB to which the knitting needles b to n that hold the base stitches of the pile fabric belong, but also the knitting needles A, C, K, and M belonging to the end region 10c of the opposing needle bed FB. In this additional tubular knitting, half of the tubular stitches 7c at the left and right ends of the knitting width are formed on the knitting needles A, C and K, M, respectively, and the knitting needles f, h, j in other regions of the pile fabric to which the base stitch belongs knit the stitches 7b following the base stitches formed by the pile knitting. In the cam system S3, the pile loops on the knitting needles Z to L are cleared, and a rear inward pile fabric 10ab is formed.

[0027] In step [4], the carriage moves left, followed by step [3], the cam system S1 forms pile loops with a hooked stitch on the knitting needles o-c with the pile yarn 3 from the yarn feeder 9a, and forms base stitches on the knitting needles M-A with the pile yarn 3 and the ground yarn 5 from the yarn feeder 9b. In the cam system S2, additional knitting is performed with the additional yarn 7 from the yarn feeder 9c. This additional knitting is a tub additional knitting that targets the needle bed FB to which the knitting needles M-A that hold the base stitches of the pile fabric belong, as well as the knitting needles n, l, d, and b that belong to the end region 10c of the opposing needles. In this tub additional knitting, half of the tub knitting 7c is formed by the knitting needles n, l and d, and b, and the knitting needles I, G, and E of the other region of the pile fabric to which the base stitches belong knit stitches 7b following the knitting needles that hold the base stitches formed by the pile knitting. The tubular knit 7c is formed by the knitting needles A, C, d, and b on the left side of the knitting width, and by the knitting needles K, M, n, and l on the right side of the knitting width, each for one revolution. In the cam system S3 following the cam system S2, the pile loops of the knitting needles o to c are swept away, and the front inward pile fabric 10af is formed. When the step [4] is completed, the BB is racked back one pitch of the knitting needle to the right of the FB, and then the process returns to the step [1]. By combining the steps [3] and [4], the tubular knit 7c is formed so as to go around the end region 10c, and is pulled toward the front and rear boundary 10d as described later in FIG. 6(b), filling in the cracks and making them less noticeable.

[0028] The tubular pile fabric 10 shown in Fig. 3 is formed so that the pile yarn 3, the ground yarn 5 and the additional yarn 7 rotate generally in a clockwise direction 10y. The tubular pile fabric 10 includes a rear outward pile fabric 10aB formed on knitting needles b to n in step [1], and a front outward pile fabric 10aF formed on knitting needles M to A in step [2]. The tubular pile fabric 10 includes a rear inward pile fabric 10ab formed on knitting needles f, h, j in step [3], and a front inward pile fabric 10af formed on knitting needles I, G, E in step [4], as well as stitches 7b newly formed in steps [3] and [4] so as to follow these base stitches, and tubular stitches 7c formed on knitting needles A, C, d, b and knitting needles K, M, n, l.

[0029] FIG. 4 shows the configuration of the knitting needle 20 and the cam system 30 used in the knitting process of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 when the carriage moves leftward. The knitting needle 20 includes a needle body 21 having a hook at the tip, a needle jack 23, a select jack 25, and a selector 27. The knitting needle 20 is a latch needle, and the needle jack 23 is connected to the tail of the needle body 21 and includes a butt 23a for moving the knitting needle 20 forward and backward. The butt 23a is sunk when the butt 25a of the select jack 25 is pressed by the presser group 40. The selector 27 determines the position at which the select jack 25 passes through the presser group 40 under the action of a needle selection mechanism 50 included in the cam system 30. The knitting needle 20 also includes a blade for transferring stitches, etc., but these are omitted from the illustration. As the knitting needle, not only a latch needle like the knitting needle 20 but also a compound needle in which the hook is opened and closed by a slider can be used.

[0030] The cam system 30 can select knit, tuck, or miss. A needle raising cam 31 is provided in the center of the cam system 30, and the butt 23a of the knitting needle 20 is raised by the raising cam surface 31a, and the stitch can be cleared when the stitch is engaged with the hook. To clear the stitch, the needle body 21 is raised to relatively move the stitch backward, and the hook is opened and moved to the needle shaft of the needle body 21. The cam system 30 includes a route switching cam 35 together with a stitch cam 33. The stitch cam 33 and the route switching cam 35 each have a first retraction surface 33a and a second retraction surface 35a that retract the butt 23a, respectively. The route switching cam 35 is about half the thickness of the needle raising cam 31 and the stitch cam 33.

[0031] The presser group 40 includes a welt presser 41 at position B, a tuck presser 43 at position A, and a route switching presser 45 at position H. The welt presser 41 presses the butt 25a of the knitting needle 20 that has not been selected at position B, which is the initial position for needle selection, to sink the butt 23a and cause the knitting needle 20 to miss. The tuck presser 43 switches whether or not the butt 23a is guided by the raising cam surface 31a of the needle raising cam 31 by not pressing the butt 25a or pressing the butt 23a to sink it. The route switching presser 45 can be switched by swinging between a non-operating position shown on the left and an operating position shown on the right. The route switching presser 45 in the operating position presses the butt 25a so that the butt 23a of the needle jack 23 is sinking about halfway between the welt presser 41 and the tuck presser 43. As a result, the pad 23a is not acted upon by the second retraction surface 35, but is acted upon by the first retraction surface 33a, so that the knitting needle 20 is retracted.

[0032] FIG. 5 shows a simplified operation of the cam system 30 in FIG. 4 when performing pile knitting to the left L while forming a base with the knitting needle FB and a pile loop with the knitting needle BB. When the cam system 30 is moving left, the knitting needle BB used for pile knitting is an empty needle and is selected to the H position, and the route switching presser 45 is set to the inoperative position for both the leading and trailing rows. The knitting needle BB does not sink the butt 23a, and captures and draws the pile yarn 3 with the hook along the second drawing surface 35a of the route switching cam 35. The ground yarn 5 following the pile yarn 3 cannot be captured because the hook position is lowered by drawing along the second drawing surface 35a, and a hooked loop is formed only by the pile yarn 3. The knitting needle FB facing the knitting needle that forms this hooked loop is selected to be a miss. The knitting needle next to FB is selected to the H position. In the H position, the leading route switching presser 45 is inactive, and the trailing route switching presser 45 presses the butt 25a. This pressure sinks the butt 23a halfway, passes through the second retraction surface 35a of the route switching cam 35, and retracts the knitting needle 20 along the first retraction surface 33a of the stitch cam 33. In this retraction, the pile yarn 3 and the ground yarn 5 are both caught by the hook of the knitting needle 20, and the base stitch can be formed. The knitting needle that forms the base stitch has the old stitch hooked. This old stitch is cleared when the knitting needle 20 is raised by the lifting cam surface 31a, and is knocked over when a new base stitch is formed. The knitting needle BB that faces the knitting needle FB that forms the base stitch is selected as a miss.

[0033] FIG. 6 shows the outline of the tubular knit 7c formed by the tubular additional knitting in (a) and in (b) the state of being drawn to the front and rear boundary 10d. The tubular knit 7c shown in FIG. 6(a) is formed in half on the knitting needles A, C and knitting needles K, M of FB on both sides of the knitting width in step [3]. Between the halves of the tubular knit 7c on both sides, stitches 7b are knitted in the base stitches related to the opposing BB. In the following step [4], stitches 7b are similarly formed on the knitting needles n, l and knitting needles d, b of BB, half of the tubular knit 7c, and on the knitting needles I, E of FB. The space between the knitting needles A, b becomes the front and rear boundary 10d. FIG. 6(b) shows the state of the tubular knit 7c as viewed from the inside of the tubular pile fabric 10, with the front and rear boundary 10d at the center. The additional yarn 7 fed to form half of the tubular knit 7c related to the knitting needles A and C is fed from the knitting needle C to the knitting needle f of BB, and is fed so as to form a new stitch in the stitch that is engaged to the right of the knitting needles f and h. The additional yarn 7 fed to the half of the tubular knit 7c related to the knitting needles d and b is fed so as to form a new stitch in the stitch that is engaged to the right of the knitting needles G and E. As a result, the additional yarn 7 is connected so that the yarn feeding direction turns back at the front and rear boundary 10d between the front and rear boundary 10d in each of A → C → f → h and G → E → d → b, so that the stitches in the end region 10c are pulled toward the front and rear boundary 10d. In this way, by adding the tubular knit 7c by the additional yarn 7 to the end region 10c, the stitches in the end region 10c are pulled toward the front and rear boundary 10d to fill in the cracks and improve the appearance. The additional yarn 7 forms new stitches 7b in other regions of the knitted fabric following the base stitches formed by pile knitting, so that the pile loops can be tightened so as not to loosen.

[0034] FIG. 7 shows an example of the appearance of the tubular pile fabric 10 in FIG. 3 in comparison with an example of the tubular pile fabric 1 in which a crack 1b occurs at the front and rear boundary. FIG. 7(a), FIG. 7(c) and FIG. 7(e) correspond to the tubular pile fabric 1 in FIG. 7(b), FIG. 7(d) and FIG. 7(f), respectively, for the tubular pile fabric 10. That is, at the end of the crossing side where the crack 1b occurs in the tubular pile fabric 1, the tubular pile fabric 10 has a tubular knit 7c added to the end region 10c, so that the crack is not noticeable, as shown in FIG. 7(a) and FIG. 7(c). Also, as shown in FIG. 7(e), the end region 10c to which the tubular knit 7c is added is provided at the end of the non-crossing side, so that the appearance of both ends can be made the same. EXAMPLES

[0035] FIG. 8 shows a part of a knitting method according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The first half of step [0] and step [1'] are the same as the first half of step [0] and step [1] in FIG. 1. In the second half of step [1'], additional sack knitting is performed with the additional yarn 7 in the cam system S1. In the additional sack knitting, half of the sack knit 7c is formed with the knitting needles A, C and knitting needles K, M at the end, and the knitting needles f, h, j between them knit stitches 7b following the base stitches formed in the first half of the retained step [1']. In the cam system S2, the hook stitches of the pile loops are removed from the knitting needles a to m, and a rear outward pile fabric 10aB is formed. The first half of the next step [2'] is also the same as the first half of step [2] in FIG. 1. In the second half of step [2'], additional sack knitting is performed with the additional yarn 7 in the cam system S1. In the additional tubular knitting, half of the tubular knit 7c is formed with the knitting needles n, l and knitting needles d, b at the end, and the knitting needles I, G, E in between form stitches 7b following the base stitches formed in the first half of the retained step [2'] by knitting. In the cam system S2, the hook stitches of the pile loops are removed from the knitting needles N to B, and the front outward pile fabric 10aF is formed.

[0036] A tubular pile fabric 10 can be formed by performing steps [1], [2], [3], and [4] as one cycle of pile knitting. A similar tubular pile fabric can be knitted by repeating one cycle of steps [1'], [2'], [3], and [4]. However, only the additional knitting with the additional yarn 7 is performed as the bag additional knitting. A tubular pile fabric in which the additional knitting is only the bag additional knitting can be knitted even when one cycle is composed of steps [1'] and [2'], or when one cycle is composed of steps [3] and [4]. Although bag additional knitting is not included by merely repeating steps [1] and [2], one cycle may be formed by combining with a step including bag additional knitting, for example, step [1], step {2], step [1'], and step [2'].

[0037] In the first and second embodiments, needleless knitting is performed on a two-bed flat knitting machine, but all needle knitting can be performed by using a four-bed flat knitting machine. In the cam system 30 of FIG. 4, if the route-switching cam 35 is made retractable, the route-switching presser 45 can be omitted by sinking the cam instead of sinking the butt 23a with the route-switching presser 45. Also, pile knitting is possible even with a cam system that does not have the route-switching cam 35 and the route-switching presser 45. For example, pile knitting can be performed by sequentially performing rib knitting with the pile yarn 3 and tuck knitting of the base with the ground yarn 5 with a double cam system. Following pile knitting, knitting with the additional yarn 7 can be performed in the same manner as in the first and second embodiments.

[0038] The sweeping in steps [1] to [4] can be performed before the additional knitting with the additional yarn 7. As in the first and second embodiments, by performing the sweeping after the additional knitting, the base stitches become old stitches knocked over by the additional knitting and are stably knitted, and the pile loops can be reliably swept away. Although the additional knitting with the additional yarn 7 uses two knitting needles on each needle bed to perform the tubular knitting 7c, the number of knitting needles is adjusted to about 1 to 4. This is because if there are too few knitting needles for the tubular knitting 7c, the cracks are noticeable, and if there are too many, the end region 10c may be constricted and noticeable. The number of knitting needles used for the tubular knitting 7c can be different between the front and rear needle beds. The additional yarn 7 may be different from the pile yarn 3 fed from the yarn feeder 9a and the ground yarn 5 fed from the yarn feeder 9b in that it is fed from a different yarn feeder 9c, and may be the same knitting yarn or may be different in material, color, thickness, etc. In addition, in the first and second embodiments, pile knitting is performed in the entire intermediate portion except for the end region 10c, but it is also possible to form a pattern by alternately providing sections where pile knitting is not performed and sections where pile knitting is performed, or to provide a large section where pile knitting is not performed. [Explanation of symbols]

[0039] 3 Pile yarn 5. Ground Thread 7 Additional Thread 7c Bag knitting 9a,9b,9c Yarn feeder 10. Tubular pile knit 10aF Front outward pile knit 10af Front inward pile knit 10aB Back outward pile knit 10ab back inward pile knit 10c end area 10d Front and rear boundaries 20 Knitting Needles 23a,25a Bat 30 Cam System 31 Needle Raising Cam 31a Raising cam surface 33 Degrees Mountain Cam 33a First retraction surface 35 Route Switching Cam 35a Second retraction surface 40 Pressa group 45 Route Switching Pressa

Claims

1. A knitting method for forming a tubular pile fabric by repeating one cycle of pile knitting of a predetermined combination in a flat knitting machine having at least one pair of needle beds opposed to each other in a front-rear direction and a plurality of yarn guide rails above the needle gaps between the needle beds, the method comprising: running a leading yarn feeder and a trailing yarn feeder, which feed a pile yarn and a ground yarn as knitting yarns, respectively, back and forth on different tracks in the longitudinal direction of the needle beds; forming a base stitch with the pile yarn and the ground yarn on one needle bed, and forming a pile loop with the pile yarn on the other needle bed, by alternating between the leading and trailing yarn feeders; In one cycle of pile knitting, an additional knitting is performed by feeding an additional yarn different from the pile yarn and the ground yarn to a knitting needle that holds a base stitch, The additional knitting includes a bag additional knitting, The bag addition organization is, A tubular knitting is performed at least in an end region of the knitted fabric sandwiching the front and rear boundary on the side where the pile yarn and the ground yarn cross, and on a needle bed opposite to a needle bed to which a knitting needle that holds a base stitch formed by pile knitting belongs; In another region of the knitted fabric, a new stitch is formed on the knitting needle that holds the base stitch. A method for knitting a tubular pile fabric comprising the steps of:

2. The pile knitting is In a process after the formation of the base stitches, by removing the pile loops held on the opposing needle beds, pile loops facing the inner periphery of the tubular pile fabric are formed. In this process, the pile loop is transferred to an empty needle between the knitting needles which have the pile loop retained thereon on the opposing needle bed, and then the pile loop is plucked, thereby forming a pile loop which faces the outer periphery of the tubular pile fabric.

2. A method for knitting a tubular pile fabric according to claim 1.

3. 3. The method for knitting a tubular pile fabric according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the additional knitting comprises forming new stitches with plain stitches following the base stitches which are purl stitches.

4. 4. The method for knitting a tubular pile fabric according to claim 1, wherein the additional knitting is performed in end regions provided so as to sandwich the front and rear boundaries on both sides in the longitudinal direction of the knitted fabric.

5. In a tubular pile fabric knitted using pile yarn and ground yarn as knitting yarn on a flat knitting machine equipped with front and rear needle beds, A pile knitted fabric knitted on front and rear needle beds, respectively, has a tubular knitted portion made of an additional yarn different from the pile yarn and the ground yarn at least in an end region sandwiching the front and rear boundary of the knitting width end on the side where the pile yarn and the ground yarn intersect. A tubular pile knitted fabric characterized by:

Images