Fabric and clothing made from it

Abstract

To provide a fabric which quickly absorbs moisture, has excellent quick-drying properties, is free from stickiness and discomfort due to sweating, has the soft touch of natural fibers, and has a long-lasting cooling effect, and to provide clothing using the same. [Solution] The fabric comprises a surface layer (2), a back layer (3) and an intermediate layer (4), the surface layer (2) being composed of surface layer yarns (20) including hydrophilic fiber yarns, the intermediate layer (4) being composed of connecting yarns (40) made of absorbent fiber yarns, the back layer (3) being composed of back layer yarns (30) made of fiber yarns in which absorbent fiber yarns are coated with non-absorbent fibers, the intermediate layer (4) being disposed between the surface layer (2) and the back layer (3), and the connecting yarns (40) constituting the intermediate layer (4) are integrally formed by connecting the surface layer yarns (20) constituting the surface layer (2) and the back layer yarns (30) constituting the back layer (3).

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a fabric that is quick-drying and pleasant to the touch, and to clothing made from said fabric. [Background technology]

[0002] Sweating during exercise, work, or when the temperature is high can cause clothes to become damp and sticky and cling to the body, which can be very uncomfortable and may require a change of clothes. Various methods have been adopted to eliminate the discomfort caused by sweating. Generally, simple methods include using antiperspirants to suppress sweating, or using wet towels to wipe away sweat and make the body feel refreshed after sweating. In recent years, however, people have started to wear clothes called quick-drying shirts, dry shirts, etc., which quickly dry sweat and moisture and can be worn comfortably without sticking to the skin.

[0003] For example, JP 2001-200452 A discloses a mesh-like knitted fabric for a running shirt, in which "a multi-layered spun yarn, in which a hollow polyester staple fiber with a hollow ratio of 10-40% is arranged in the core and a cellulose staple fiber is arranged in the sheath, accounts for 50% or more by weight of the yarn, and the area ratio of the through holes in the mesh portion is 20-70%. " A running shirt using this fabric is lightweight and highly breathable, so that the discomfort caused by sweating is reduced and training can be continued in a comfortable environment.

[0004] In addition, JP 2019-131915 A discloses a clothing fabric having through holes penetrating the thickness direction of the fabric, the through holes being arranged in one direction of the fabric, and at least a part of the fabric in contact with the through holes has a water-repellent or hydrophobic region, and the other part has a hydrophilic region. This clothing fabric is expected to have the effect of ensuring breathability while having water absorption, increasing the effective amount of sweat by constantly evaporating sweat on the body surface, and being comfortable to wear even when sweating without reducing athletic performance. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2001-200452 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2019-131915 A DISCLOSURE OF THEINVENTION [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The knitted fabric in Patent Document 1 is a mesh-like knitted fabric, and clothing using this knitted fabric is ideal for wearing during training such as running, but has the problem that it is difficult to wear in situations other than exercise and is not suitable as everyday clothing. In addition, the clothing fabric described in Patent Document 2 above is a fabric with through holes that penetrate in the thickness direction, and the through holes are arranged in one direction of the fabric. Although this fabric has excellent breathability and is suitable for exercise that causes a large amount of sweating, the moisture from sweat tends to flow vertically, making it not highly absorbent, and the effect of evaporative cooling is questionable. In addition, there are problems with the fabric being uncomfortable to the touch if worn for long periods of time.

[0007] In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a fabric that has a natural feel, is quick-drying, and has high moisture absorption and storage capabilities, suitable not only for training wear during exercise but also for clothing worn in daily life, and provides clothing made from the fabric. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The following is a configuration example that describes in detail the features of the present invention for solving the above problems. For easy understanding, the reference symbols used in the drawings in the embodiments described below are also included. That is, the features of the fabric of the present invention and the clothes using the fabric are as follows. [1] A fabric comprising a surface layer (2), a back layer (3) and an intermediate layer (4), wherein the surface layer (2) is composed of surface layer yarns (20) including hydrophilic fiber yarns, the intermediate layer (4) is composed of connecting yarns (40) made of absorbent fiber yarns, the back layer (3) is composed of back layer yarns (30) made of fiber yarns in which absorbent fiber yarns are coated with non-absorbent fibers, and the intermediate layer (4) is disposed between the surface layer (2) and the back layer (3), and the connecting yarns (40) constituting the intermediate layer (4) are integrally formed by connecting the surface layer yarns (20) constituting the surface layer (2) and the back layer yarns (30) constituting the back layer (3).

[0009] [2] The hydrophilic fiber yarn contained in the surface layer yarn (20) is a fiber yarn selected from rayon yarn, a blended yarn of rayon and cotton, or a blended yarn of cupra and cotton. [3] The water-absorbent fiber yarn constituting the connecting yarn (40) is characterized in that it is a modified cross-section yarn.

[0010] [4] The back layer yarn (30) is characterized in that it is made of a fiber yarn that has a core of polyester fiber yarn or acrylic fiber yarn as a water-absorbent fiber yarn, and the outer periphery of the core is coated with a fiber yarn made of a mixture of polyester and silicon dioxide aerogel as a non-water-absorbent fiber to form an outer layer portion.

[0011] [5] The non-absorbent fiber constituting the outer layer of the fiber yarn constituting the back layer yarn (30) is a fiber yarn in which 0.3 to 1.0% of silicon dioxide aerogel is mixed with polyester.

[0012] [6] The surface layer (2), the back layer (3) and the intermediate layer (4) are laminated by circular knitting.

[0013] [7] The overall thickness is 0.5 to 3.0 mm.

[0014] [8] A garment, characterized in that at least a part of it is made of the fabric described in any one of [1] to [7] above.

[0015] The present invention is not limited to the above configurations or the configurations of the examples described in the embodiments below, and it goes without saying that various modifications are possible within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention. Effect of the Invention

[0016] According to the present invention, the material absorbs moisture quickly, dries quickly and does not get wet easily, is free from stickiness or discomfort caused by sweating, has a soft feel due to natural fibers, and has a long-lasting cooling effect, so that a comfortable fit can be maintained. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the entire fabric in an embodiment of the fabric according to the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining the functions of the surface layer yarn, the back layer yarn, and the connecting yarn in an embodiment of the fabric according to the present invention. [Diagram 3] A detailed explanation of the connecting yarn in the embodiment of the fabric according to the present invention. [Figure 4] Illustrative cross-sectional view of the back layer yarn of the fabric according to the present invention [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional image showing an example of a back layer yarn of a fabric according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A description will now be given of an embodiment of the fabric of the present invention and a garment using the fabric with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory drawing of the entire fabric in an embodiment of the fabric of the present invention, in which 1 is the fabric, 2 is a surface layer, 20 is a surface layer yarn, 3 is a back layer, 30 is a back layer yarn, 4 is an intermediate layer, and 40 is a connecting yarn.

[0019] In the overall form of the fabric in the embodiment of the fabric according to the present invention shown in Fig. 1, the fabric 1 comprises a surface layer 2, a back layer 3, and an intermediate layer 4. The surface layer 2 is composed of surface layer yarns 20, and the back layer 3 is composed of back layer yarns 30. The intermediate layer 4 is disposed between the surface layer 2 and the back layer 3 and is composed of connecting yarns 40 that connect the surface layer yarns 20 that constitute the surface layer 2 and the back layer yarns 30 that constitute the back layer 3. The surface layer 2, the back layer 3, and the intermediate layer 4 are integrally formed by the connection of the connecting yarns 40 to constitute the fabric 1.

[0020] In the diagram shown in Figure 1, the middle layer 4 is emphasized to help understand the structure of the fabric 1, but in the fabric 1, the surface layer yarns 20 of the surface layer 2 and the back layer yarns 30 of the back layer 3 are connected by connecting yarns 40 in the middle layer 4 to form a single piece of fabric. The surface of the single piece of fabric forms the surface layer 2, and the back side forms the back layer 3. When a garment is made from this fabric, the back layer 3 is the surface that comes into contact with the skin. Therefore, when the fabric 1 is formed by circular knitting, the front yarn is the front layer yarn 20, the back yarn is the back layer yarn 30, and the intermediate yarn that knits the front yarn and the back yarn together constitutes the connecting yarn 40. In this embodiment, the fabric 1 may be produced by separately producing the front layer 2 and the back layer 3, which may be sewn together by hand or machine with an intermediate thread, or may be produced by circular knitting using a circular knitting machine. The fabric 1 may be either woven or knitted. As for the woven fabric, a plain weave, a twill weave, a double weave, a multi-layer weave, a pile weave, a leno weave, etc. can be selected, and as for the knitted fabric, a circular knit, a plain knit, a double-sided knit, a warp knit, a weft knit, a pile knit, etc. can be selected as appropriate according to the use of the garment manufactured using the fabric of the present invention. In other words, the fabric 1 of the present invention has a structure in which the surface layer yarn 20 appears as the main constituent yarn in the surface layer 2, and the back layer yarn 30 appears as the main constituent yarn in the back layer 3, so that each layer can perform its function thanks to the main constituent yarn, and the surface layer yarn 20 and the back layer yarn 30 are connected so that the connecting yarn 40 can also perform its function.

[0021] A major feature of the fabric 1 of the present invention is that the surface layer 2 includes a surface layer yarn 20 that constitutes the surface layer 2, the connecting yarn 40 that constitutes the intermediate layer 4 is composed of an absorbent fiber yarn, and the back layer yarn 30 that constitutes the back layer 3 is composed of a fiber yarn in which an absorbent fiber yarn is coated with a non-absorbent fiber.

[0022] [About the surface layer yarn that constitutes the surface layer] Fig. 2 shows the functions of the surface layer yarns, back layer yarns, and connecting yarns in an embodiment of the fabric according to the present invention. As shown in the figure, in the fabric 1 according to the present invention, the surface layer 2 has the function of absorbing moisture on the back layer 3 side, transferring it to the surface layer 2, storing the absorbed moisture, and diffusing it laterally within the surface layer 2. For this reason, the surface layer 2 is composed of surface layer yarns 20 that include hydrophilic fiber yarns. Hydrophilic fiber yarns are fibers whose fibers themselves are easily compatible with water and have high water absorption and hygroscopicity. Examples of such fibers include natural fibers such as cotton and hemp, regenerated fibers such as rayon, cupra, and lyocell, and semi-synthetic fibers such as acetate. In the present invention, the hydrophilic fiber yarns contained in the surface layer yarns 20 are preferably fiber yarns selected from rayon yarns, blended yarns of rayon and cotton, or blended yarns of cupra and cotton.

[0023] In this embodiment, fiber yarns made by blending cotton with Modal (registered trademark), a regenerated fiber made from wood pulp, which is rayon, are used as the surface layer yarns 20. This allows the surface layer 2 to be made into a fabric 1 that is not only water absorbent, but also has silk-like softness and luster, is lightweight, durable, environmentally friendly, and feels good on the skin. Note that blended yarns of rayon alone or cupra and cotton are also suitable, as they can be expected to have the same effect.

[0024] By using hydrophilic fiber yarns for the surface layer yarns 20, moisture (sweat) generated on the skin side and absorbed by the back layer 3 is absorbed by the surface layer yarns 20 and stored in the surface layer 2. The air to which the surface of the fabric is exposed has a lower humidity than the air to which the back of the fabric is exposed, and moisture held in the surface layer evaporates and is released into the air. The amount of moisture temporarily held in the back layer is less than the amount held in the surface layer, and moisture once absorbed by the surface layer rarely returns to the back layer.

[0025] [Connecting yarns constituting the middle layer] Fig. 3 is a detailed explanatory diagram of the connecting yarn in the embodiment of the fabric according to the present invention. As shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, in the fabric 1 according to the present invention, the intermediate layer 4 connects the back layer 3 and the surface layer 2, and has the function of quickly absorbing moisture absorbed by the back layer yarn 30 of the back layer 3 into the surface layer 2. For this reason, absorbent fiber yarns are used for the connecting yarns 40 constituting the intermediate layer 4. Although absorbent fibers are hydrophobic fibers, they have excellent water absorption properties because the fibers have an irregular cross section, which increases the gaps between the fibers and allows moisture to enter the gaps by capillary action. In the fabric 1 according to the present invention, the connecting yarns 40 are made of absorbent fiber yarns with an irregular cross section, and they quickly absorb moisture from the back layer 3 that has absorbed moisture from the skin side, accelerating the movement of the moisture to the front layer 2. In this embodiment, a water-absorbent fiber yarn having a star-shaped irregular cross section is used as shown in Fig. 3, but the cross section of the water-absorbent fiber can be selected arbitrarily, such as flat, Y-shaped cross section, core-sheath structure cross section, etc. The water-absorbent fiber used as the connecting yarn is preferably a light-weight polyester fiber having an irregular cross section, which is particularly excellent in water absorption and quick-drying properties and has a refreshing feel.

[0026] [Regarding the back layer yarn that constitutes the back layer] Fig. 4 is an explanatory cross-sectional view of the back layer yarn of the fabric according to the present invention, and Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional image showing an example of the back layer yarn of the fabric according to the present invention. The back layer yarn 30 constituting the fabric 1 according to the present invention is composed of a core material 31 and an outer layer part 32 covering it, as shown in Fig. 4. The back layer yarn 30 is composed of fiber yarns in which the core material 31 is made of water-absorbent fiber yarns and the outer layer portion 32 is formed by coating the water-absorbent fiber yarns with non-water-absorbent fiber yarns.

[0027] The water-absorbent fiber yarn constituting the core material 31 may be a polyester fiber yarn or an acrylic fiber yarn, and polyester fiber yarn having a high water-absorbency is particularly preferable. The non-absorbent fiber yarn constituting the outer layer 32 means a yarn that does not absorb water or absorbs very little water, and fiber yarn made of a mixture of polyester and silicon dioxide aerogel is used. Silicon dioxide aerogel is a very low density solid, a porous body prepared in a liquid, that is, a gel is dried to maintain pores by supercritical drying, and is extremely lightweight and insoluble in water. In the present invention, focusing on this point, silicon dioxide aerogel powder is mixed with the raw material of polyester to weaken the water absorption of polyester, and by coating the outer layer 32 of the core material 31 of the back layer yarn 30, the moisture absorbed by the highly water absorbent core material 31 is prevented from penetrating to the outer periphery, thereby preventing the penetration of the fibers to the outer periphery and successfully maintaining the dryness of the outer periphery of the back layer yarn 30, and is used in the fabric 1 of the present invention. The back layer yarn 30 is made of a fiber yarn made of a mixture of polyester raw material and silicon dioxide aerogel powder raw material at about 0.3 to 1.0%. In particular, when the content is 0.5 to 0.8%, the back layer yarn 30 exhibits optimal non-water absorption.

[0028] As described above, the fabric 1 of the present invention is constructed by connecting a back layer 3 composed of a back layer yarn 30 made of a fiber yarn in which an absorbent fiber yarn is coated with a non-absorbent fiber to a surface layer 2 composed of a surface layer yarn 20 containing a hydrophilic fiber yarn with a connecting yarn 40 made of an absorbent fiber yarn with an irregular cross section, and moisture on the skin side is absorbed by the back layer yarn 30 of the back layer 3, quickly transferred to the surface layer 2 by the connecting yarn 40 and absorbed by the surface layer yarn 20, the moisture is stored within the surface layer 2 and prevented from returning to the back layer 3, and is diffused within the surface layer 2 to evaporate. Therefore, the back layer 3 that comes into contact with the skin is free of moisture due to the quick drying of the outer layer portion 32 of the back layer yarn 30, and does not cause discomfort to the skin, so that a comfortable fit can be maintained.

[0029] Cotton fiber, which is a hydrophilic fiber, exhibits approximately 20 times the water absorption of polyester fiber, which is a hydrophobic fiber, and other hydrophilic fibers, such as rayon, exhibit 1.5 times the water absorption of cotton fiber, and cupra fiber exhibits 4 times the water absorption. The surface layer yarn 20 of the surface layer 2, which is made of hydrophilic fiber yarn, has a much higher water absorption than the back layer yarn 30 that constitutes the back layer 3, so that the moisture absorbed by the back layer yarn 30 is immediately absorbed by the surface layer yarn 20, and the back layer 3 can always be kept dry, and the skin surface is comfortable without a stuffy feeling.

[0030] Furthermore, the connecting yarns 40 are made of irregular cross-section yarns, which accelerate the movement of moisture, resulting in a moisture-absorbing, quick-drying effect throughout the fabric, and the evaporative cooling phenomenon occurs when the moisture absorbed in the fabric evaporates, removing heat from the fabric. In the configuration of this embodiment, the temperature of the fabric 1 dropped by 4 to 7°C due to the effect of evaporative cooling. In addition, since a large amount of moisture is stored in the hydrophilic fiber yarns in the front layer 2, moisture is replenished in the irregular cross-section yarns of the connecting yarns 40, and this moisture becomes the source of evaporative cooling, so that the back layer 3 is configured to maintain a cool feeling for a long time.

[0031] In the present invention, by arranging fibers with higher water absorbency in order from the side closest to the skin to the surface of the fabric, moisture is transferred from the side closest to the skin to the surface of the fabric, the reverse side of the fabric close to the skin is kept dry, and moisture is evaporated on the surface of the fabric, lowering the temperature of the fabric.

[0032] As described above, in the fabric 1 according to the present invention, the front layer 2 and the back layer 3 are integrally formed by being connected by the connecting thread 40 of the middle layer 4. The amount of fiber yarn in each layer can be changed as desired depending on the type of clothing manufactured using this fabric, but when the overall thickness is particularly set to 0.5 to 3.0 mm, quick-drying properties are high, and clothing manufactured using this fabric 1 can be worn comfortably.

[0033] The fabric 1 of the present invention can be used for a variety of clothing, including sportswear, work clothes, and other clothing worn during activities that cause a lot of sweating, as well as innerwear, T-shirts, pants, and other clothing worn on a daily basis.Furthermore, the fabric 1 can be used to full effect whether the entire garment is made from fabric 1 or only part of the garment, such as areas that come into contact with areas where sweat is produced or areas where sweat is likely to accumulate. [Industrial Applicability]

[0034] The surface layer of the fabric of the present invention is made of natural fibers such as hydrophilic fiber yarns, so it feels good against the skin and can be made in a variety of colors and luster. Therefore, it can be used not only for sportswear and work clothes, but also for shirts, trousers, skirts, and underwear worn in daily life, as well as for all cloth products that require quick-drying properties, such as hats, scarves, towels, and dishcloths. [Explanation of symbols]

[0035] 1. Fabric 2 Surface layer 20 Surface Thread 3 Back layer 30 Backing thread 31 Core material 32 Outer layer 4. Middle Tier 40 Connecting Thread

Claims

1. A fabric comprising a surface layer (2), a back layer (3) and an intermediate layer (4), The surface layer (2) is composed of surface layer yarns (20) including hydrophilic fiber yarns, The intermediate layer (4) is composed of connecting yarns (40) made of water-absorbent fiber yarns, The back layer (3) is composed of a back layer yarn (30) made of a fiber yarn in which an absorbent fiber yarn is coated with a non-absorbent fiber, The intermediate layer (4) is disposed between the surface layer (2) and the back layer (3), and a connecting thread (40) constituting the intermediate layer (4) connects the surface layer thread (20) constituting the surface layer (2) and the back layer thread (30) constituting the back layer (3) to form an integral body, The fabric (1) is characterized in that the back layer yarn (30) is made of fiber yarn that has a core of polyester fiber yarn or acrylic fiber yarn as a water-absorbent fiber yarn, and the outer periphery of the core is coated with a fiber yarn made of a mixture of polyester and silicon dioxide aerogel as a non-water-absorbent fiber to form an outer layer part.

2. The fabric (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the hydrophilic fiber yarn contained in the surface layer yarn (20) is a fiber yarn selected from rayon yarn, a blended yarn of rayon and cotton, or a blended yarn of cupra and cotton.

3. The fabric (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the water-absorbent fiber yarn constituting the connecting yarn (40) is a modified cross-section yarn.

4. The fabric (1) described in claim 1, characterized in that the non-absorbent fiber constituting the outer layer of the fiber yarn constituting the backing yarn (30) is a fiber yarn in which 0.3 to 1.0% silicon dioxide aerogel is mixed with polyester.

5. The fabric (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the surface layer (2), the back layer (3) and the intermediate layer (4) are laminated by circular knitting.

6. The fabric described in claim 1, characterized in that the overall thickness is 0.5 to 3.0 mm.

7. A garment, characterized in that at least a part of it is made of the fabric described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

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