underwear

Abstract

To provide underwear that has a pocket for inserting breast pads or the like, without compromising comfort. [Solution] The underwear of the present invention is formed from a single cylindrical knitted fabric using at least two yarns, wherein in at least a portion of the chest area (A2), the two yarns separately form a front knit and a back knit, and the front knit and the back knit form a pocket (C1), and the opening of the pocket is formed in the collar (a1) or sleeve (a2) of the underwear.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to underwear, and particularly to underwear formed of a single cylindrical knitted fabric using at least two base yarns for use.

Background Art

[0002] Underwear made of knitted fabric becomes more comfortable to wear as the number of sewing parts decreases, and as the number of sewing locations decreases, the manufacturing process can be simplified and the manufacturing cost can be suppressed. In addition, underwear such as bras and tank tops with breast pads in a part of the chest are also commercially available.

[0003] In the case of women, when clothes directly touch the nipples, friction with the clothes is likely to occur, and there is a possibility of being infected by external bacteria. If infected, it may cause itching or allergy of the nipples, and even mastitis. Therefore, it is preferable for women to wear clothes such as underwear with breast pads to protect their breasts.

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses seamless knitted innerwear that forms a pocket fabric knitted together with the chest of the front body by alternately and continuously knitting a pocket for a pad inside the chest of the front body using a knitting needle and a miss needle.

[0005] In Patent Document 1, although increasing the number of seamless parts leads to an improvement in the wearing feeling, when knitting a pocket for inserting a breast pad, it is necessary to turn back the knitting yarn around the pocket, and the knitting yarn concentrates around the pocket, which causes a decrease in the wearing feeling as in the case of sewing.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] The problem that this invention aims to solve is to provide underwear that solves the above-mentioned problems and has a pocket portion into which breast pads or the like can be inserted, without reducing the feeling of wearing it. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, the underwear of the present invention has the following technical features. (1) An undergarment formed from a single cylindrical knitted fabric using at least two yarns, wherein in at least a portion of the chest area, the two yarns separately form a front knit and a back knit, and the front knit and the back knit form a pouch, and the opening of the pouch is formed in the collar or sleeve of the undergarment. Here, "sleeve" means the "armhole" which is the base of the sleeve, and the same applies hereinafter.

[0009] (2) The underwear described in (1) above is characterized in that it is formed using a small double circular knit jacquard machine.

[0010] (3) In the underwear described in (1) above, the edge of the collar or sleeve is divided into a front knit fabric and a back knit fabric, and the front knit fabric and the back knit fabric are joined at the edge with a sealing cloth and suture thread or adhesive tape.

[0011] (4) The underwear described in (1) above is characterized in that the pouch portion is composed of either two pouch portions for accommodating breast pads or one pouch portion.

[0012] (5) The underwear described in (1) above is characterized in that the elasticity in the waist direction is changed in a part of the cylindrical knitted fabric by changing the knitting method, the type of yarn used, the number of yarns used, or the dimensions of the waist circumference perpendicular to the hem direction, or by applying a heat setting process to the knitted fabric.

[0013] (6) The underwear described in (1) above is characterized in that a shoulder strap is formed continuously with the chest area, and the shoulder strap is made of either a single piece of knitted fabric or knitted fabric separated into front and back sides. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] The present invention relates to underwear formed from a single cylindrical knitted fabric using at least two yarns, wherein in at least a portion of the chest area, the two yarns separately form a front knit and a back knit, and the front knit and back knit form a pocket, and the opening of the pocket is formed in the collar or sleeve of the underwear, so that the area around the pocket is a seamless knit, making it possible to provide underwear that has a pocket into which breast pads or the like can be inserted without reducing the wearing comfort. In particular, by using a small-scale double circular knit jacquard machine, it becomes possible to easily form the aforementioned underwear. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] This is a diagram illustrating one embodiment of the underwear of the present invention. [Figure 2] This figure illustrates the method for forming knitted fabric for underwear according to the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a diagram illustrating an embodiment (part 2) of the underwear of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a diagram illustrating an embodiment (part 3) of the underwear of the present invention. [Figure 5] This diagram illustrates how to use adhesive tape on collars and sleeves. [Figure 6] This diagram illustrates how a knitted front and purled fabric are bonded together with adhesive tape. [Figure 7] This is a diagram illustrating an embodiment (part 4) of the underwear of the present invention. [Figure 8] This is a diagram illustrating the rear side of Figure 7. [Figure 9] This is a diagram illustrating an embodiment (5) of the underwear of the present invention. [Figure 10] This diagram illustrates the rear side of Figure 9. [Figure 11] It is a view for explaining an example (No. 6) of the underwear of the present invention. [Figure 12] It is a view for explaining the back side of FIG. 11. [Figure 13] It is a view for explaining the state of insertion of the chest pad.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] Hereinafter, the underwear of the present invention will be described in detail using preferred examples. As shown in FIGS. 1, 3 or 4, the underwear of the present invention is an underwear formed of a single cylindrical knitted fabric using at least two used raw yarns. In at least a part of the chest (A2), the two used raw yarns separately form a front knitted fabric and a back knitted fabric, and a bag portion (C1, C2) is constituted by the front knitted fabric and the back knitted fabric, and an opening of the bag portion is formed in a collar (a1) or a sleeve (a2) of the underwear.

[0017] A small-size double circular knitting jacquard machine is preferably used as the knitting machine for the underwear of the present invention. Here, "small size" means a fabric knitted with a small diameter adjusted to the body circumference. Also, "double knitting" is a structure knitted with a dial cylinder, and slice smooth is common. A "jacquard machine" is a knitting machine that can knit patterns. The control of the knitting method of the knitting machine is electronically controlled, and a free pattern can be controlled for each part.

[0018] In the underwear of the present invention, using a small-size double circular knitting jacquard machine, basically the whole is knitted with two used raw yarns. Partially, by adding or replacing the used raw yarns as needed, it is possible to change the fit to the body for each part of the underwear. FIG. 2 is a view for explaining an example of the types of knitted fabrics that can be formed by the difference in the knitting method of two used raw yarns.

[0019] Figure 2(a) shows how two yarns (y1, y2) are knitted together at regular intervals, forming a single piece of fabric. Specifically, this knitting method can be used for most parts of underwear, such as the chest area A2 (excluding the pouch area C1) and the abdomen area A3 of the tank top in Figure 1.

[0020] Figure 2(b) shows two yarns (y1, y2) knitted separately, forming a knitted fabric (Y1) and a purled fabric (Y2). The knitted and purled fabrics are completely separate and are used to form the bag portion (C1) in Figure 1. The change from the knitting method in Figure 2(a) to the knitting method in Figure 2(b) can be seamlessly switched simply by changing the intersection of the two yarns used. Therefore, there is no concentration of yarns, and no decrease in wearability occurs.

[0021] Figure 2(c) shows a knitting method in which the crossing frequency of the two yarns used (y1, y2) is higher than that of Figure 2(a). This method increases the elasticity of the knitted fabric and can be used in areas where increased skin contact is desired. It is used in areas such as the lower part of the cup (B1) in Figure 1. It is also possible to combine it with rib knitting (elastic knitting) to further increase the stretch strength.

[0022] Figure 2(d) shows, for example, three strands of yarn knitted in rib stitch. To increase the elasticity of the knitted fabric compared to Figure 2(b), it can be used in areas such as the lower part of the cup (B1) and the hem (B2) in Figure 1.

[0023] In Figures 2(a) to (c), the yarn y1 used to form the front side of the knitted fabric can be, for example, nylon yarn or yarn made of polyurethane covered with nylon. The yarn y2 used to form the back side of the knitted fabric is the part that comes into direct contact with the skin, so for example, cotton yarn or yarn made of polyurethane covered with cotton can be used.

[0024] Basically, using the same yarn y2 continuously on the skin-facing side enhances the seamlessness of the knitted fabric and provides underwear with improved comfort. On the other hand, for the yarn y1 used on the outer surface, the number of threads and the material can be changed depending on the area, allowing for variations in the fit to the body. For example, in Figure 2(d), not only can the number of threads used be changed, but all of the yarns used can be replaced with cotton yarn or polyurethane covered with cotton to further enhance elasticity.

[0025] Various methods can be employed to add variations to the design of underwear or to improve the fit by changing the elasticity in different parts of the garment. These include changing the knitting method in a part of the cylindrical knitted fabric, changing the type of yarn used as described above, changing the number of yarns used, changing the dimensions of the waist circumference perpendicular to the hem direction depending on the position in the hem direction, for example by changing the dimensions so that it widens towards the hem, and further applying heat setting treatment to the knitted fabric, either entirely or partially.

[0026] Figures 1 and 3 show differences in the shape of the chest pads used (D1, D2) and the shape of the pouches (C1, C2) that house them. In Figure 1, the left and right chest pads are connected to form a single, integrated chest pad (D1), and the pouch portion (C1) also forms a band-shaped pouch portion as indicated by the dotted lines at the top and bottom. In Figure 1, a portion of the end of pouch portion C1 reaches the sleeve (a2), and this end forms an opening where the front knit and back knit fabrics are separated. The chest pad D1, made of a soft, easily deformable, and resilient material, is inserted through this opening. The opening can be sealed with sutures or adhesive tape, as described later, or it can be left open so that the breast pads can be removed from the underwear.

[0027] Furthermore, while Figure 1 shows the opening of the pouch portion C1 formed on the sleeve (a2), it is not limited to this and can also be formed on a part of the collar (a1). Needless to say, the position of the opening can be appropriately set to the necessary location on the sleeve or collar, depending on the design of the underwear.

[0028] Figure 3 shows a design in which the chest pads (D2) are constructed separately for the left and right sides, and the pouches (C2) that house the chest pads are also formed separately for the left and right sides. In order for each chest pad (D2) to maintain a stable position within the pouch (C2), it is preferable to set the shape of the chest pad and the shape of the pouch to be as similar as possible. Furthermore, by using a stronger knit fabric, such as the one shown in Figure 2(c), for the knitted fabric between the left and right pouch sections, it is possible to enhance the sense of unity between the left and right chest pads. Furthermore, if necessary, the skin-facing side of the breast pad and the backing fabric can be integrated using heat adhesive.

[0029] Figure 4 shows an example of a bra, and its basic construction is the same as the tank top in Figure 3. The hem portion (B3) below the cups can also be constructed using a rib knit with three strands of yarn, similar to the hem portion (B2) of the tank tops in Figures 1 and 3. To provide a stronger fit, all the yarns used can be nylon or similar. In the tank top shown in Figure 1 or Figure 3, it is also possible to use a more elastic and stronger knit fabric to stabilize the position of the breast pad by utilizing the lower part of the cup (B1).

[0030] In Figures 3 and 4, the opening of the bag portion (C2) is formed in the sleeve (a2), but as in the case of Figure 1 described above, it is also possible to form the opening in the collar (a1).

[0031] Next, we will explain how to finish the opening of the bag section and the edges of the collar (a1) and sleeves (a2). If the edges of the collar and sleeves are left as knitted fabric, fraying will occur. For this reason, as with the finishing of the edges of ordinary garment fabrics, the edges can be sewn with thread, folded and sewn, or even covered with a narrow piece of fabric (sealing fabric) along the collar, and then the edges can be sewn over the sealing fabric with suture thread.

[0032] Figures 5 and 6 show a method for joining a knitted fabric (Y1) and a knitted fabric (Y2) using an adhesive such as a heat-melt adhesive sheet (adhesive sheet AT). A magnified view of the area enclosed by the dotted line e is shown by the dotted line E. The adhesive sheet is placed between the knitted fabric Y1 and the knitted fabric Y2, and the adhesive sheet is heated and fused together with an iron or the like to integrate the knitted fabric and the knitted fabric as shown in Figure 6. If necessary, after integration, the fabric may be cut along the adhesive sheet to shape the edges.

[0033] Furthermore, it is possible to reinforce the joint by using adhesive fabric or sutures on the area joined with the adhesive sheet. The knitted fabric that makes up shoulder strap A1 in Figure 5 may be made from a single piece of knitted fabric, or it may be made from two pieces of knitted fabric, one knit and one purl. If it is made from two pieces of knitted fabric, the upper dotted line (boundary where the knitting method changes) that makes up bag portion C1 in Figure 1 may be removed, and the upper part of bag portion C1 may be connected to shoulder strap A1.

[0034] When constructing the shoulder strap A1 from a single piece of knitted fabric, the edges of the collar (a1) and sleeve (a2) can be separated into knitted and purled fabrics, and an adhesive sheet AT can be inserted between the knitted fabric Y1 and the purled fabric Y2.

[0035] Furthermore, several examples will be described. Figures 7 and 8 show an example of women's underwear manufactured using a small-gauge double circular knitting jacquard machine (sometimes referred to as an "electronic jacquard small cylindrical double knitting machine"). Figure 7 shows the front side, and Figure 8 shows the back side. This underwear has a wrap-around section (chest A2, waist / abdomen A3) that can be wrapped around the body, and a breast pad D that is housed in a pouch (not shown). As described above, the pouch is composed of a faceted knit (outer layer) and a reversed knit (inner layer). The wrap-around sections (A2, A3) can protect the chest and waist. Two shoulder straps are provided at the top of the wrap-around section. The shoulder straps include a first strap (A11) formed integrally with the front side of the wrap-around section and a second strap (A12) formed integrally with the back side of the wrap-around section. When worn, the first strap (A11) is positioned in front of the body and the second strap (A12) is positioned in the back.

[0036] The first strap (A11) and the second strap (A12) are positioned overlapping at the ends opposite to the encircling portion (A2), and are connected (sewn) by connecting means (CN) such as connecting threads. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, an elastic band (B2) that can be wrapped around the body is formed at the lower end of the encircling portion (A3). Needless to say, the elastic band can be formed by changing the type and number of yarns used, as well as the knitting method, as described above.

[0037] This embodiment includes an end sealing assembly for sealing the edges of the perimeter (A2) and the edges of the collar and sleeves (armholes) of the shoulder straps. The end sealing assembly comprises a sealing cloth SK and a suture thread ST. First, the sealing cloth SK is folded along its length and brought into contact with the inside and outside of the edge of the knitted fabric simultaneously. Next, the sealing cloth SK is sewn to the edge of the perimeter and the edge of the shoulder straps using the suture thread ST.

[0038] In this embodiment, by providing an elastic band (B2) at the bottom of the surrounding parts (A2, A3), the surrounding parts can be adapted to wearers of various body types, providing a more comfortable fit. The surrounding parts (A2, A3) can cover the waist and chest simultaneously, providing chest support while maintaining a certain degree of warmth.

[0039] Next, an example of application to a bra will be described with reference to Figures 9 and 10. This example has basically the same structure as the example using Figures 7 and 8. The difference lies in the short enveloping section (A2) that serves to protect the chest. Between the knitted and unknitted fabrics that make up the pouch, a breast pad (bra pad) D is placed, and as shown in Figure 13, a removable opening is provided in part of the edge of the sleeve (a2) for easy removal, washing, or replacement of the breast pad. The knitted and unknitted fabrics that make up the opening are treated separately with an end sealing assembly. In addition, the edges of the knitted and unknitted fabrics located near the opening (outside the opening) are treated (sewn) together with an end sealing assembly.

[0040] In this embodiment, comfort is improved in hot weather due to the shorter coverage area (A2). By providing a removable opening in the pouch, the user can remove, replace, or wash the chest pad D.

[0041] Next, other embodiments will be described with reference to Figures 11 and 12. The structure of these embodiments is basically the same as that of the embodiments in Figures 9 and 10, with only the end sealing assembly being different. This assembly seals the knitted and unknitted fabrics formed on the upper edge of the enveloping portion (A2). This embodiment can also be applied if knitted and unknitted fabrics are formed on both edges of the shoulder straps (A11, A12). Specifically, the unknitted fabric is positioned on the inside and designed to come into contact with the human body, while the outer knitted fabric is positioned on the outside. As shown in Figure 5, the knitted and unknitted fabrics are joined by an adhesive (adhesive tape AT), which is a hot-melt adhesive film. The hot-melt adhesive film is first heated to a melted state using a heater, and then bonded using the hot-melt adhesive film to seal the edges of the shoulder straps and the enveloping portion.

[0042] In this embodiment, a hot-melt adhesive film is used as a means of joining the knitted front fabric and the knitted back fabric. Because the hot-melt adhesive film is thin, the shoulder straps are less likely to leave marks on the wearer's body, improving comfort.

[0043] Figure 13 shows the opening of the pouch formed in the sleeve (a2). An opening is provided between the outer knit fabric Y1 and the inner knit fabric Y2, allowing the chest pad D to be inserted and removed. [Industrial applicability]

[0044] As described above, the present invention makes it possible to provide underwear in which a pouch portion into which breast pads or the like can be inserted is formed without reducing the wearing comfort. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0045] A1 Shoulder Strap A2 Chest A3 Abdomen / lumbar region B1 cup bottom B2 hem part B3 cup bottom (hem area) Y1 Front knitted fabric Y2 reverse knit fabric a1 collar a2 Sleeve (armhole area) C1~2 bag part D, D1~2 Chest Pads AT adhesive tape

Claims

1. In underwear formed from a single cylindrical knitted fabric using at least two yarns, In at least a portion of the chest area, the two yarns used separately form a knitted surface and a knitted surface. The front knit fabric and the back knit fabric form the bag portion. Underwear characterized by having the opening of the pouch portion formed in the collar or sleeve of the underwear.

2. The underwear according to claim 1, characterized in that the underwear is formed using a small-size double circular knit jacquard machine.

3. Underwear according to claim 1, wherein the edge of the collar or sleeve is divided into a front knit fabric and a back knit fabric, and the front knit fabric and the back knit fabric are joined at the edge with a sealing cloth and suture thread or adhesive tape.

4. Underwear according to claim 1, characterized in that the pouch portion is composed of either two pouch portions or one pouch portion for accommodating breast pads.

5. Underwear according to claim 1, characterized in that the elasticity in the waist direction is changed in a part of the cylindrical knitted fabric by changing the knitting method, the type of yarn used, the number of yarns used, or the dimensions of the waist perpendicular to the hem direction, or by applying heat setting treatment to the knitted fabric.

6. Underwear according to claim 1, characterized in that shoulder straps are formed continuously with the chest area, and the shoulder straps are made of either a single piece of knitted fabric or knitted fabrics separated into front and back sides.

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