Hair tie manufacturing method

Abstract

[Problem] To provide an elastic hair band that is highly biodegradable even when discarded and that will not be broken even when a large tensile strength acts during use thereof. [Solution] The present invention comprises: a base material preparation step for preparing a base material by weft knitting using covering threads; and a heat treatment step for causing the base material to shrink through a heat treatment on the base material.

Description

Technical Field

[0004] , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to Hair tie manufacturing method .

Background Art

[0002] Currently, hair rubbers are widely used for the purpose of holding hair. Such a hair rubber has been conventionally manufactured by forming a loop by covering a string-like core material made of synthetic rubber or natural rubber with a cloth material made of nylon or polyester, and adhesively fixing both ends with an adhesive.

[0003] In this case, synthetic rubber, nylon, and polyester are synthetic resins, and the adhesive often consists of synthetic resins such as synthetic resin polyvinyl acetate and epoxy resin. Since synthetic resin is a petroleum-derived material, when conventional hair rubbers are discarded, they have low biodegradability and cannot be decomposed by bacteria, fungi, etc. and naturally reduced. As a result, there has been a problem that conventionally discarded hair rubbers have been a cause of environmental pollution. This point may continue to be a problem in the future along with the increasing environmental awareness. In addition, since conventional hair rubbers are formed by joining both ends of a string-like hair rubber base material with an adhesive, when a large tensile force acts axially depending on the usage mode of the hair rubber, the joined part may come off and it may become impossible to use it as a hair rubber. Furthermore, the joined part of the hair rubber has the adhesive solidified. For example, when wrapped around the wrist, there was also a problem that the joined part was solidified and the adhered part was hard, and the touch was not good. From such a viewpoint, when prior patent documents were investigated, the applicant of the present application extracted the following documents.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 3560602 Patent Document 2: Utility Model Registration No. 3061177 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] The invention described in Patent Document 1 is a method for manufacturing a ring-shaped or string-shaped elastic band by joining the end faces of one or more rubber core-reinforced cords, in which a rubber core is covered with an elastic fiber yarn cover, and the method includes the steps of: applying a solidifying agent, which is used when mixed with water and has the effect of hardening the rubber core-reinforced cord, water, and a leavening agent such as sodium bicarbonate or yeast powder, directly to the end of the rubber core-reinforced material cord, including the rubber core end face, thereby hardening the end of the rubber core and the end of the elastic cover together and forming a porous solidified portion by the action of the leavening agent; cutting the material cord flat on the hardened portion to obtain a rubber core-reinforced cord; and butting the cut end faces of the rubber core-reinforced cords together with a water-insoluble adhesive, and joining the end faces by allowing the adhesive to penetrate the holes exposed on the cut end faces to bond them together.

[0006] This invention aims to improve the tensile strength of adhesive joints, but it does not address the requirements for biodegradability or discomfort at the joint site during wear. Furthermore, the invention described in Patent Document 2 is an accessory such as a bracelet, hairband, or waist belt, which is formed in a bag-like shape in at least part of it, and contains porous ceramic granules with high far-infrared emissivity, and is therefore not similarly able to meet the above requirements.

[0007] The problems that this invention aims to solve are: to provide a material that is highly biodegradable and naturally reducible even when discarded, thus avoiding environmental pollution, and that does not break apart even when subjected to high tensile strength during use. Hair tie manufacturing method The objective is to provide. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The invention described in claim 1 is a method for manufacturing a hair tie, comprising: a base material creation step of creating a base material in which two pieces of fabric that are continuous on the front and back at both ends in the length direction are continuous at both ends in the length direction and overlap in the thickness direction, thereby exhibiting a planar rectangular shape, and a heat treatment step of heat-treating the base material to shrink the base material, wherein the covering yarn is made by covering a biodegradable and elastic core yarn with a biodegradable sheath yarn, the core yarn is made of natural rubber or biodegradable polyurethane, and the sheath yarn is made of cotton or rayon, the weft knit is jersey knit, a curled portion is formed at the widthwise end of the base material in the base material creation step, and in the heat treatment step, while the base material is heat-shrunk, the front and back of the base material are reversed to position the curled portion on the inside.

[0009] Hair ties manufactured using this method are not formed by joining the ends of a string-like hair tie base with adhesive as in conventional methods. Instead, the entire base material is integrally formed by horizontal knitting. Therefore, even if a large tensile force is applied in the length direction depending on the usage conditions, the absence of a joint prevents breakage at the joint, which is a problem with conventional hair ties.

[0010] As a result, it becomes possible to provide hair ties with greater tensile strength than conventional hair ties, making them durable enough for heavy use. Furthermore, because there are no adhesive joints, even when worn on the hand, there are no hardened joints that come into contact with the skin, resulting in a comfortable fit.

[0011] Furthermore, since the hair tie is formed simply by applying heat treatment to a base material made by horizontal knitting to shrink the base material, the conventional bonding process is unnecessary, making it possible to create hair ties easily and quickly.

[0012] Furthermore, both the core thread and sheath thread used to create the covering thread are made from biodegradable materials, and since the entire base material is integrally formed by weft knitting using the covering thread made from the core thread and sheath thread, it exhibits good biodegradability even when discarded, thus avoiding environmental pollution.

[0013] Furthermore, by using covering thread with a core made of an elastic material, the elasticity and strength required for hair ties can be obtained.

[0014] Since the core thread, made of natural rubber, is covered with a sheath thread of cotton or rayon, the core thread does not come into direct contact with the user's skin or scalp. Therefore, even if the user has a rubber allergy, they can use the product without developing an allergic reaction.

[0015] The aforementioned horizontal knit is a plain knit, and curled portions are formed at both ends in the width direction of the base material, which can be turned towards the reverse side. Since the "plain knit" is a flat knit and has excellent elasticity in the horizontal direction, it is possible to provide a hair tie with even greater elasticity.

[0016] Furthermore, due to the characteristics of the jersey knit, the base material produced by jersey knitting exhibits a so-called "curling phenomenon," where both edges in the width direction of the base material curl upwards toward the reverse side. As a result, by utilizing this curling phenomenon, it is possible to appropriately suppress fraying of the threads that occur at both ends of the base material and simultaneously process the side edges for use as a hair tie by rolling both edges inward in the width direction of the base material. After the heat treatment process, it becomes possible to quickly obtain a finished hair tie.

[0017] Furthermore, by reversing the front and back sides of the substrate that has shrunk due to the heat treatment, and positioning the curled portion that was located on the outside of the substrate on the inside, it becomes possible to create a hair tie.

[0018] The invention described in claim 2 is a method for manufacturing a hair tie according to claim 1, characterized in that, based on the diameter and height dimensions of the finished product, the base material is prepared to the size of the finished product after shrinkage due to heat treatment in the heat treatment process.

[0019] While a precise molecular explanation for this "thermal shrinkage of fibers" has not yet been established, it is generally believed to be caused by the release of internal residual strain within the fiber. It is generally understood that not only changes in the dimensional structure of the fiber itself, but also changes in the fiber's morphology are involved.

[0020] Therefore, by using a flat knitting machine, it is possible to quickly and easily manufacture hair ties by simply inputting the diameter and width dimensions of the finished product, creating a base material that takes into account thermal shrinkage during the heat treatment process, and then proceeding through the heat treatment process.

[0021] The invention described in claim 3 comprises a base material preparation step of creating a base material having a planar rectangular shape by horizontal knitting using covering yarn, in which two continuous pieces of fabric are formed at both ends in the length direction, overlapping in the thickness direction, and the base material is heated to shrink the base material, wherein the covering yarn is made by covering a core yarn that is biodegradable and elastic with a sheath yarn, and the core yarn is made of natural rubber or biodegradable polyurethane The hair tie is manufactured using a material called "n" as the base material, and the sheath thread is made from hemp, flax, linen, ramie, wool, bamboo, goat hair, mohair, camel hair, alpaca hair, rabbit hair, spider silk, bagworm silk, or silk, the weft knit is a jersey knit, a curled portion is formed at the widthwise end of the base material in the base material manufacturing process, and in the heat treatment process, the base material is heated and shrunk, and the front and back of the base material are reversed to position the curled portion on the inside.

[0022] The specific features of the present invention are basically the same as those of claim 1, and include the same substrate preparation step as described in claim 1, and the same heat treatment step as described in claim 1, which is performed after the substrate is prepared. The structure of the covering thread, the structure of the core thread, and the process of creating a hair tie by inverting the front and back of the base material while it is heated and shrunk during the heat treatment process, thereby positioning the curled portion on the inside, are the same as those of the invention described in claim 1. The only difference is the material of the sheath thread. Unlike the invention described in claim 1, the present invention can also be applied to the method for manufacturing hair ties using sheath threads made from natural materials such as hemp, flax, linen, ramie, wool, bamboo, goat hair, mohair, camel hair, alpaca hair, rabbit hair, spider silk, bagworm silk, or silk.

[0023] The invention described in claim 4 comprises a base material creation step of creating an elongated rectangular base material with a substantially planar length in which two pieces of fabric material that are continuous on the front and back at both ends in the width direction are continuous at both ends in the width direction and overlap in the thickness direction, by weft knitting using covering yarn; a cutting step of cutting the elongated rectangular base material created in the base material creation step to a predetermined width dimension along the width direction to create a plurality of cut base materials, and forming curled portions at both ends in the width direction of the cut base materials; and a heat treatment step of heat treating the cut base materials to shrink them, causing the curled portions to curl inward in the width direction of the cut base materials to the extent that they come into contact with each other, wherein the covering yarn is made by covering a core yarn that is biodegradable and elastic with a sheath yarn that is biodegradable. The method for manufacturing a hair tie is characterized in that the core thread is made of natural rubber or biodegradable polyurethane, the sheath thread is made of cotton or rayon, and in the heat treatment step, the cut substrate is heated and shrunk, and the front and back sides of the cut substrate are reversed to position the curled portion on the inside.

[0024] In the invention described in claim 4, unlike the invention described in claim 1, the invention is constructed by horizontal knitting, in the base material creation process, two pieces of fabric that are continuous on both sides at both ends in the width direction are created, and the entire base material is a long, narrow rectangular shape with a substantially flat length, in which the two pieces of fabric that are continuous on both ends in the width direction are continuous and overlap in the thickness direction. Next, in the cutting process, the long, narrow rectangular base material is cut to a predetermined width along the width direction to create a plurality of cut base materials, and curled portions are formed at both ends in the width direction of the cut base materials. Next, in the heat treatment process, the cut base materials are heat-treated to shrink them, causing the curled portions to curl inward in the width direction of the cut base materials to the extent that they come into contact with each other. In the heat treatment process, the cut base materials are heated and shrunk, and the front and back sides of the base material are reversed to position the curled portions on the inside. Other specific details, such as the composition of the covering thread, the material of the core thread, the material of the sheath thread, and the process of creating a hair tie by reversing the front and back of the cut substrate while it is heat-shrunk during the heat treatment process, thereby positioning the curled portion on the inside, are the same as those of the invention described in claims 1 and 2.

[0025] In the invention described in claim 4, a hair tie can be made by heat-treating a cut substrate that has been cut along the width direction of an elongated substrate. Therefore, unlike the inventions described in claims 1, 2, and 3, it is possible to create base materials of a predetermined length, which allows for the creation of a large number of cut base materials in the cutting process, and is advantageous when mass-producing hair ties.

[0026] The invention described in claim 5 is a base material creation step of creating an elongated rectangular base material with an overall plane length substantially equal to the length of the surface, in which two pieces of fabric material that are continuous on the front and back at both ends in the width direction are continuous at both ends in the width direction and overlap in the thickness direction, by weft knitting using covering yarn; a cutting step of cutting the elongated rectangular base material created in the base material creation step to a predetermined width dimension along the width direction to create a plurality of cut base materials, and forming curled portions at both ends in the width direction of the cut base materials; and heat treatment of the cut base materials to shrink them, causing the curled portions to curl inward in the width direction of the cut base materials to a state in contact with each other. The method for manufacturing a hair tie is characterized by comprising a heat treatment step to which the covering thread is made by covering a core thread that is biodegradable and elastic with a biodegradable sheath thread, the core thread being made of natural rubber or biodegradable polyurethane, and the sheath thread being made of hemp, flax, linen, ramie, wool, bamboo, goat hair, mohair, camel hair, alpaca hair, rabbit hair, spider silk, bagworm silk, or silk, and in the heat treatment step, the cutting base material is heated and shrunk, and the front and back of the cutting base material are reversed to position the curled portion on the inside.

[0027] The manufacturing process of the invention described in claim 5 is the same as the manufacturing process described in claim 4, and other specific features such as the structure of the covering thread, the material of the core thread, and the fact that the base material is heated and shrunk during the heat treatment process, and the curled portion is positioned on the inside by reversing the front and back of the base material to create the hair tie, are the same as the structure, operation, and effect of the invention described in claim 4, except that the material of the sheath thread is different from the invention described in claim 4.

[0028] In the invention described in claim 5, even sheath threads made from natural materials such as hemp, flax, linen, ramie, wool, bamboo, goat hair, mohair, camel hair, alpaca hair, rabbit hair, spider silk, bagworm silk, or silk can be applied to the method for manufacturing hair ties according to the present invention.

[0029] The invention described in claim 6 is a method for manufacturing a hair tie, comprising: a base material creation step of creating an elongated rectangular base material with a substantially flat length by circular knitting using covering yarn; a cutting step of cutting the base material created in the base material creation step to a predetermined width along the width direction to produce a plurality of cut base materials, and forming curled portions at both ends of the cut base materials in the width direction; and a heat treatment step of heat treating the cut base materials to shrink them, causing the curled portions to curl inward in the width direction of the cut base materials to the extent that they come into contact with each other, wherein the covering yarn is made by covering a core yarn that is biodegradable and elastic with a sheath yarn that is biodegradable, the core yarn is made of natural rubber or biodegradable polyurethane, and the sheath yarn is made of cotton or rayon, and the method for manufacturing a hair tie is characterized in that, in the heat treatment step, while the cut base material is heat-shrunk, the front and back of the base material are reversed to position the curled portions on the inside.

[0030] The invention described in claim 6 differs from the inventions described in claims 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 in that the base material is created by "circular knitting" rather than "horizontal knitting" in the base material creation process.

[0031] The subsequent cutting process, heat treatment process, and the process of creating the curled portion by reversing the front and back sides of the cut substrate while it is heated and shrunk during the heat treatment process, are the same as those described in claims 4 and 5. However, circular knitting machines are knitting machines that perform "circular knitting" within the concept of "weft knitting." Compared to flat knitting machines, they cannot knit complex knitting structures or products with small stitches. However, while flat knitting machines knit with a single yarn in a back-and-forth motion, circular knitting machines are configured to knit with around 100 yarns in a rotational motion, making them more advantageous in terms of production volume than flat knitting machines.

[0032] The invention described in claim 7 comprises a base material preparation step of creating an elongated rectangular base material with a substantially planar length by circular knitting using covering yarn; a cutting step of cutting the base material created in the base material preparation step to a predetermined width along the width direction to produce a plurality of cut base materials, and forming curled portions at both ends of the cut base materials in the width direction; and a heat treatment step of heat treating the cut base materials to shrink them, causing the curled portions to curl inward in the width direction of the cut base materials to the extent that they come into contact with each other, wherein the covering yarn is raw The hair tie is made by covering a core thread that is biodegradable and elastic with a sheath thread that is biodegradable, the core thread being made of natural rubber or biodegradable polyurethane, and the sheath thread being made of hemp, flax, linen, ramie, wool, bamboo, goat hair, mohair, camel hair, alpaca hair, rabbit hair, spider silk, bagworm silk, or silk, and is made by inverting the front and back of the cut base material in the heat treatment process while the base material is heat-shrunk, thereby positioning the curled portion on the inside.

[0033] The invention described in claim 7 is the same as the invention described in claim 6 in that the base material is created by circular knitting in the base material creation process, and thereafter the cutting process, the heat treatment process, and in the heat treatment process, the front and back of the cut base material are reversed while the cut base material is heated and shrunk, thereby arranging the curled portion on the inside. However, the only difference from the invention described in claim 6 is the material of the sheath thread. The present invention can also be applied to the method for manufacturing hair ties using sheath threads made from natural materials such as hemp, flax, linen, ramie, wool, bamboo, goat hair, mohair, camel hair, alpaca hair, rabbit hair, spider silk, bagworm silk, or silk. Other effects and benefits are the same as those of the invention described in claim 6.

[0034] The invention described in claim 8 is a method for manufacturing a hair tie according to claim 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7, further comprising a coloring step of coloring with naturally derived dyes.

[0035] Therefore, even when coloring hair ties, the dyes used are naturally derived, and unlike general synthetic (chemical) dyes, the dyes themselves have natural reducing properties, making them safe for both the human body and the environment, even when colored. It will become possible to provide it. [Effects of the Invention]

[0036] Therefore, the present invention Method for manufacturing hair ties According to the law, it is possible to provide hair ties that will not break even when subjected to high tensile strength during use, and that can avoid environmental pollution when discarded because they are highly biodegradable and naturally recyclable. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0037] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the method for manufacturing a hair tie according to the present invention. [Figure 2]This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the process for producing covering thread in the hair tie manufacturing method according to the present invention. [Figure 3] This diagram shows a knitting structure of jersey knit, which is an example of a horizontal knit used in the manufacturing method of hair ties according to the present invention, where (a) is a conceptual diagram showing the knitting structure of the front side of the knitted fabric, and (b) is a conceptual diagram showing the knitting structure of the back side of the knitted fabric. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view showing an example of a flat knitting machine used in the manufacture of hair ties according to the present invention. [Figure 5] This figure shows an example of a base material created by a flat knitting machine in the hair tie manufacturing method according to the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view showing a base material manufactured by the hair tie manufacturing method according to the present invention, with its shape adjusted. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view showing a hair tie created by the hair tie manufacturing method according to the present invention, after adjusting the shape of the base material, applying a heat treatment to cause thermal shrinkage, and then reversing the front and back sides. [Figure 8] This is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the method for manufacturing a hair tie according to the present invention. [Figure 9] This figure shows a base material according to another embodiment of the hair tie manufacturing method according to the present invention, which is created by a flat knitting machine. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0038] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. As shown in Figures 2, 5 to 7, the hair tie 100 according to this embodiment is made of covering thread 10 Horizontal knitting It is manufactured by shrinking a base material created through a heat treatment process. The covering thread 10 is composed of a core thread 11 that is biodegradable and elastic, and a biodegradable sheath thread 12 that covers the core thread 11. The core thread 11 is made from natural rubber, and the sheath thread 12 is made from cotton or rayon.

[0039] In this embodiment, Flat knitting using the Tenjiku stitch. Therefore, curling portions 25, 25 that can be peeled back toward the back side are formed at both ends in the width direction of the base material 18. The curling portions 25, 25 are created by reversing the front and back sides of the base material 18, thereby positioning them on the inward side.

[0040] These hair ties (100) are manufactured using the following method. As shown in Figure 1, the method for manufacturing a hair tie according to this embodiment includes a step S1 in which a covering thread is created by covering a biodegradable and elastic core thread with a biodegradable sheath thread, and using the covering thread, Horizontal knitting The system includes a substrate preparation step S2 in which a substrate is prepared by a machine, and a heat treatment step S3 in which the substrate is heat-treated to shrink it. Unlike conventional hair ties, the hair tie according to this embodiment is formed by knitting. Each step will be explained below.

[0041] [Covering thread creation process] As shown in Figure 2, the covering yarn 10 is a composite processed yarn that is formed by twisting the sheath yarn 12 in the rightward and leftward directions to cover the core yarn 11. In this embodiment, the core thread 11 is made of natural rubber. When creating the covering thread 10, the core thread roll 11a, which is wound in a roll shape, is set horizontally so as to be rotatable by a horizontally positioned rotating shaft 14, and the core thread 11 is drawn out via a pre-draft roller 13 by a drive device (not shown).

[0042] In this embodiment, the sheath thread 12 is made of cotton or rayon, and the sheath thread roll 12a, which is wound in a roll shape, is set vertically on a hollow spindle 16 having a rotation axis 15 that is perpendicular to the rotation axis 14 of the core thread 11. The core thread 11 is inserted through the hollow spindle 16 and passes through it continuously, and the hollow spindle 16 is configured to rotate in sync with the rotation axis 14 of the core thread roll 11a. In this embodiment, organic cotton is used as the material for the sheath thread 12. "Organic cotton" refers to cotton produced through organic farming, which meets the global standards set by the country and is certified as organic cotton. Therefore, the health and environmental impacts caused by the use of chemical products are minimized.

[0043] In conventional cotton cultivation, many chemicals and pesticides are used during the cultivation process, such as for pest control and defoliants, resulting in a very high environmental burden on the soil and water quality. In contrast, with regard to organic cotton, cultivation is carried out with consideration for safety regarding environmental pollution from this perspective, which significantly reduces the possibility of soil and water pollution. Furthermore, the cultivation standards for organic cotton include regulations regarding the safety and health of workers during the cultivation process, as well as child labor. Therefore, it is a material that is kind to both people and the planet in a total sense, encompassing not only the safety of the cotton as a finished product, but also the safety of the people involved. In this state, the core thread 11 drawn from the core thread roll 11a is twisted with the sheath thread roll to produce the covering thread 10. Intertwisting means "twisting together different types of yarn," and in this embodiment, a core yarn 11 made of natural rubber is continuously twisted with a sheath yarn 12 made of cotton or rayon, and the sheath yarn 12 is wound around the core yarn 11 so that the core yarn 11 is covered by the sheath yarn 12, forming a covering yarn 10. The covering yarn 10 is stored as a covering yarn roll 10a.

[0044] [Substrate preparation process] In the base material preparation process S2, the covering yarn 10 produced in the covering yarn production process S1 is used to create a base material for producing the final product, the hair tie 100, using a computer-controlled flat knitting machine.

[0045] In this embodiment, the base material 13 for producing the hair tie 100 is knitted and formed using a computer-controlled flat knitting machine. In this embodiment, for example, a "WholeGarment® Flat Knitting Machine SWG041" manufactured by Shima Seiki is used. With this flat knitting machine, once the covering yarn 10 is set, the covering yarn 10 is used and "flat knitting" is performed by numerous needles provided in the knitting section. <About horizontal knitting>

[0046] In a flat knitting machine, the basic configuration is to knit a single yarn using a back-and-forth motion. This will be explained in other embodiments. circular knitting machine Compared to other methods, it is possible to knit knitted structures with extremely complex structures. Flat knitting machines can knit knitted products that require complex knitted structures, as well as highly fashionable sweaters, etc. Therefore, the base material 18 according to this embodiment can be created using a flat knitting machine.

[0047] "Weft knitting" is a knitting method in which the yarn is moved back and forth horizontally, resulting in high elasticity in the left-right direction. As shown in Figure 3, in "weft knitting," horizontal stitches (called "courses" or "loops") are formed by a single weft yarn 17, and these are formed along the width and horizontal direction of the fabric being created, with one "course" (or "loop") being formed at a time. The fabric is formed by creating stitches horizontally and connecting the completed courses vertically. The vertical stitches are referred to as "wales." The knitted fabric according to this embodiment is a "single jersey knit," and the same stitches continue horizontally. In plain knitting, the knitting structure differs between the front and back sides of the fabric, as shown in Figures 3(a) and (b). Therefore, the difference between the front and back sides of the fabric is clear; the right stitches show vertical lines, while the purl stitches appear somewhat coarser. <Knitting machine>

[0048] As described above, when creating the base material 18 according to this embodiment, the "Whole Garment® Flat Knitting Machine SWG041 (manufactured by Shima Seiki Mfg. Ltd.)" 19 shown in Figure 4 is used. The flat knitting machine 19 includes a knitting section 20 in which a large number of knitting needles are arranged in a horizontal direction to hold and knit the supplied knitting yarn, a yarn carrier section 21 for appropriately arranging the knitting yarn along the length of the device, a drive section and control section (not shown), a touch panel operation section 23 consisting of a 10.4-inch liquid crystal display, and a yarn stand section 22. Furthermore, the flat knitting machine 19 comes with CAD software for creating design drawings when manufacturing knitted products using the flat knitting machine 19. This CAD software is installed separately on a dedicated computer, and design conditions such as the diameter and length of the base material to be created, the yarn to be used, the color, knitting speed, the number of stitches in the previous stitch, the number of stitches in the next stitch, and the stitch coarseness can be set in advance within the CAD software.

[0049] The appropriate knitting speed varies depending on the material. In the base material used in this embodiment, the sheath yarn constituting the covering yarn can be either organic cotton or rayon. When using rayon, it is possible to set the knitting speed faster than when using organic cotton. On the other hand, regarding the coarseness of the stitch, organic cotton allows for finer control than rayon. Furthermore, there are no other differences in the base material design stage based on the yarn material. The conditions for stitch coarseness and knitting speed are important factors in producing the base material according to this embodiment. Furthermore, when manufacturing the base material according to this embodiment, the size condition value can be set appropriately based on the assumption of an annular hair tie of the size to be created (for example, shown in Figure 7). Generally, the diameter of a hair tie is around 5 cm, so the number of needles required to create a hair tie of this size is set accordingly. In this embodiment, the diameter is created using 80 knitting needles, and the height of the hair tie body is set to 134 dots.

[0050] In this manner, if the design condition data for the base material is determined separately in CAD software, the basic operating control conditions of the flat knitting machine 19 can be set by inputting the design data via USB memory or network. Subsequent modifications to the operation are made by correcting the data as appropriate using the touch panel operation unit 23, after which knitting of the base material is performed.

[0051] In the knitting section 20, although not shown in the diagram, numerous sliding knitting needles are arranged closely along the lateral direction of the flat knitting machine 19 body, and the yarn carrier section 21 is composed of a self-propelled carrier driven by an appropriate drive device, and is configured to appropriately supply the knitting yarn, which consists of covering yarn 10 stretched by the yarn holding section 22, to the knitting needles.

[0052] In this embodiment, when knitting is performed using the covering yarn 10 on the flat knitting machine 19, a base material 18 is produced according to the above design condition data and discharged from the discharge hole 24 provided on the front of the flat knitting machine 19. As shown in Figure 5, the created base material 18 is formed as a slightly twisted, flat rectangular piece of fabric. Note that Figure 5 shows the case where two base materials 18 have been created. The base material 18 has a planar rectangular shape, with two pieces of fabric continuous on both sides at both ends in the length direction, and continuous at both ends in the diameter direction, overlapping in the thickness direction.

[0053] In this embodiment, the surface shown in the figure is the back side 26. The reason for the twisting in the longitudinal direction is that curled portions 25, 25 are formed at both ends in the width direction of the base material 18 due to the "curling phenomenon". [About the curling phenomenon]

[0054] The curling phenomenon is a common occurrence in "single-stitch knitting." Academically, the reason for this phenomenon is understood to be the aforementioned loops that form the single-stitch knit. In other words, in plain knit fabrics, a curling phenomenon occurs in the left-right direction (in this embodiment, the width direction of the base material 18) perpendicular to the knitting direction of the fabric knitted by plain knit. The cause of this curling phenomenon is believed to be due to the mechanical properties arising from the "loop structure" unique to plain knit, but a clear academic explanation has not yet been established. However, it has been empirically recognized in this industry that such a phenomenon occurs.

[0055] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 5, the back side 26 of the knitted base material 18 is exposed to the outside, and curled portions 25 are formed on the back side 26 at both ends in the width direction and along the length direction, and the base material 18 body is twisted along the length direction due to the curling stress of these curled portions 25. In this state, the width dimension of the base material 18 is about 2 to 3 cm and the length dimension is about 8 to 10 cm. [Heat treatment process]

[0056] Next, in the heat treatment step S3, the base material 13, which serves as the preliminary material for the hair tie, is subjected to heat treatment. The heat treatment is performed using a known steam iron, and a combination of heating and pressing by the iron's soleplate and heating by steam is used as appropriate. This heat treatment causes the base material 18 to shrink due to heat. Scientifically, the reason for this thermal shrinkage phenomenon is understood to be a change in the morphology of the knitted fibers themselves, that is, the release of internal residual strain in the fibers, or a change in the supramolecular structure of the fibers.

[0057] The specific work process involves transferring the base material 18 discharged from the flat knitting machine 19 onto a work table. In this state, as shown in Figure 5, the base material 18 has its reverse side 26 facing outwards, and the curled portion 25 is also exposed outwards. In the heat treatment process S3, first, as shown in Figure 6, the curled portions 25, 25 of the base material 18 in the state shown in Figure 5 are stretched in the width direction by hand to unfold the entire base material 18, and the base material 18 is made into a belt-like shape of a predetermined width. In this state, it is checked whether there are any holes formed due to defects in the knitting work or any fraying of the knitting threads.

[0058] Subsequently, as shown in Figure 6, the base material 18 is unfolded radially into an elliptical shape and placed upright on a workbench, and steam is supplied to the base material 18 from above using a steam iron. The steam temperature is set to approximately 120-143°C. Alternatively, the base material 18 may be heated directly without unfolding it radially into an elliptical shape and placing it upright on a workbench, and then adjustment work such as shaping may be performed.

[0059] This heat treatment causes the base material 18 to shrink due to the heat, and the curled portions 25, 25 also curl inward in the width direction of the belt-shaped base material 18 to the point where they come into contact with each other. The heat-shrunk base material 18 is stretched radially to shape it, and then the front and back sides of the base material 18 are reversed along the radial direction. In this state, since the front and back sides are reversed, the curled parts 25, 25 are positioned on the inside, and the front side of the base material 18 is exposed on the outside. This inversion process completes the base material 18 as a hair tie 100. As shown in Figure 7, when completed as a hair tie, the diameter in a nearly circular shape is approximately 5-6 cm, and it can be stretched to fit through the user's hand and wrapped around the wrist.

[0060] In Figure 7, as a result of the front and back sides being reversed, the curled portions 25, 25 that were formed on the back side 26 of the base material 18 are arranged inside the annular hair tie 100 so that they are in contact with each other facing each other in the width direction, and the front side 27 of the base material 18 is positioned on the outside. In this state, it can be used as a so-called hair tie 100.

[0061] Therefore, in the hair tie manufacturing method according to this embodiment, as described above, by creating the base material 18 by jersey knitting using a flat knitting machine 19, a curling phenomenon occurs during the creation process and curled portions 25, 25 are formed at both ends of the base material 18 in the width direction. Subsequently, in the heat treatment step S3, the entire base material 18 is heated and shrunk, causing the curled portions 25, 25 to come into contact with each other in the width direction. In this state, by manually flipping the base material 18 over, the surface side 27 of the base material 18 is positioned outward and the curled portions 25, 25 are positioned inward, thus creating a hair tie 100 without the need for any sewing or other work like with conventional hair ties.

[0062] As a result, it becomes possible to create hair ties quickly and easily, overcoming the conventional problem of the bonding area hardening and rubbing against the skin when worn, which is common with conventional hair ties, and providing a comfortable wearing experience for the user.

[0063] The hair tie 100 created in this way has good biodegradability because the covering thread 10 is formed from a core thread 11 made of natural rubber and a sheath thread 12 made of rayon or organic cotton. Even when discarded after use, it is completely biodegraded and returned to the soil, making it excellent for environmental protection. In this respect, it is far superior from the standpoint of environmental protection to conventional hair ties made of synthetic rubber, nylon polyester material, and adhesives made of synthetic resins such as polyvinyl acetate and epoxy resin.

[0064] In this embodiment, the case in which the core thread 11 is made of natural rubber has been described as an example, but it is not limited to this, and biodegradable polyurethane may also be used. Even when a biodegradable polyurethane core thread is used, it is possible to ensure a certain degree of good natural recyclability.

[0065] Furthermore, by using natural rubber or biodegradable polyurethane for the core thread, it is possible to ensure the elasticity of the entire covering thread, achieving the same elasticity as conventional hair ties. In addition, since the core thread is covered by intertwine with sheath threads, it is possible to ensure the required strength and also suppress fraying of the knitted threads when the product is completed.

[0066] When biodegradable polyurethane is used for the core thread, significant elasticity can be ensured, and like natural rubber, it can stretch 5 to 8 times its normal length when pulled from its normal shape. It also has the property of slowly returning to its original shape after being stretched. Furthermore, it has greater resistance to ultraviolet rays and heat than natural rubber, and is stronger than natural rubber.

[0067] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the core thread 11 made of natural rubber is covered with a sheath thread 12 made of organic cotton or rayon, it is possible to prevent the onset of rubber allergies even when worn by a user with a rubber allergy. In this embodiment, the example of using organic cotton or rayon for the sheath thread has been described, but the invention is not limited to this embodiment. For example, natural materials such as hemp, flax, linen, ramie, wool, bamboo, goat hair, mohair, camel hair, alpaca hair, rabbit hair, and protein-derived threads (spider, bagworm, silk) may also be used.

[0068] [Example of experiment] The applicant for this patent commissioned a third-party testing organization (Nissenken Quality Evaluation Center, Chubu Branch) to obtain test data for the hair tie 100 according to this embodiment, primarily from the perspective of comparing its "tensile strength" with that of conventional products. The details and results are shown below in Table 1.

[0069] 1. Exam Content The hair ties 100 according to this embodiment and seven conventional hair ties were measured for their tensile strength (in N) and elongation (%) before and after undergoing hydrolysis acceleration treatment (jungle test). The tensile strength test measured the strength (N) and elongation (%) at which the hair tie broke when pulled using a testing machine. In this case, the hair ties 100 used in this test according to this embodiment are Product 1 (product name "Meriya") and Product 2 (product name "Joker"). For product 1, product 2, and comparative example 1 (product name "NADOA"), data was obtained for both the case before and after jungle test treatment. For the measurement of "tensile strength" and "elongation," the "JIS L 1096 Method A" was followed. In this case, the gripping width was set to 50 mm and the tensile speed to 200 mm / min. Furthermore, the "hydrolysis acceleration treatment (jungle test)" was carried out under conditions of 70°C and 95% humidity. Specifically, tests 1-10 were conducted in which hair tie 100 was left under these conditions for one week, and its "tensile strength" and "elongation" were measured before and after the period of exposure. The "jungle test" is a testing method that simulates aging deterioration by placing a sample in a space artificially adjusted to high temperature and humidity. In this case, a one-week jungle test is considered to reproduce approximately one year of normal use.

[0070] [Table 1]

[0071] The above tests revealed the following facts. (1) Tensile strength <Test 1: Product name "Meriya" (Tests 1 and 2)> Product 1 of this embodiment is a hair tie 100 according to this embodiment, and the sheath thread is made of organic cotton. As shown in Table 1, the tensile strength was 205.0 N before the jungle test (Test 1) and 189.0 N after the jungle test (Test 2). This indicates that there was virtually no change in tensile strength before and after the jungle test.

[0072] <This product was tested 2: Product name "Joker" (Tests 3 and 4)> Product 2 of this embodiment is a hair tie 100 according to this embodiment, and uses rayon for the sheath thread. As shown in Table 1, the tensile strength was 122.0 N before the jungle test (Test 3) and 116.5 N after the jungle test (Test 4), indicating that there was almost no change in tensile strength before and after the jungle test.

[0073] <Comparison products 1-5 (tests 5-10)> Regarding comparative products 1 to 5, they are all commercially available hair ties and correspond to the conventional products described in the "background art" section of this patent specification. Specifically, they are "hair ties in which a string-like core made of synthetic rubber or natural rubber is covered with a nylon or polyester fabric, formed into a ring shape, and both ends are bonded and fixed with adhesive."

[0074] "Comparative product 1 (product name "NADOA")" (Tests 5 and 6) Regarding comparative sample 1, the tensile strength in the untreated state (test 5) was 99.0 N, which is much lower than that of the actual product 1 and lower than that of the actual product 2. After jungle test treatment, it was 87.5 N, which is significantly lower than the tensile strength values ​​of the actual products 1 and 2.

[0075] "Comparative product 2 (product name "annieu")" (Test 7) Comparative product 2 has a core made of natural rubber, which is covered with organic cotton. As shown in Table 1, the tensile strength after the jungle test treatment (Test 7) ​​was 58.5 N, which is significantly lower than the tensile strength values ​​for Proof 1 and Proof 2.

[0076] "Comparative product 3 (ring hair tie)" (Test 8) Comparative product 3 has a natural rubber core material that is covered with polyester. As shown in Table 1, the tensile strength in the untreated jungle test (Test 8) is 50.5 N, which is significantly lower than the tensile strength values ​​of product 1 and product 2.

[0077] "Comparative product 4 (ring hair tie)" (Test 9) Comparative product 4 has a synthetic rubber core that is covered with polyester. After the jungle test treatment, the tensile strength was 61.0N, which is significantly lower than the tensile strength values ​​of samples 1 and 2 in this experiment.

[0078] "Comparative item 5 (ring hair tie)" (Test 10) Comparative product 5 has a core made of natural rubber, which is covered with nylon. After the jungle test treatment (test 10), the value was 99.5N, which is much lower than that of prototype 1 and lower than that of prototype 2.

[0079] (2) Growth rate Regarding the "growth rate," for product 1 (product name "Meriya"), it was 550.3% before the jungle test and 566.2% after the jungle test. For product 2 (product name "Joker"), it was 548.3% before the jungle test and 564.8% after the jungle test. It was found that there was almost no change in the growth rate before and after the jungle test. Therefore, by conducting this test, it was found that the hair tie 100 according to this embodiment has a significantly higher tensile strength than conventional hair ties, and that the tensile strength and elongation rate do not change significantly before and after the jungle test. As a result, this test demonstrated the superiority of the hair tie 100 according to this embodiment over conventional hair ties.

[0080] [Other embodiments] Figure 9 As shown, a different form of base material 30 can also be created by the same flat knitting machine 19 and the same plain knitting method using basically the same process as in the above embodiment. Unlike the base material 18 in the above embodiment, the base material 30 is formed in an elongated rectangular shape with an overall plane length that is approximately the same as the overall plane length.

[0081] This base material 30 consists of a base material body 31 and an end portion 32 formed at one end of the base material body 31 in the longitudinal direction. The base material body 31 is knitted flat by a flat knitting machine 19 and has a rectangular shape when viewed from above. When knitting this base material 30, as in the above embodiment, it can be created by appropriately setting the "number of knitting needles" and the "height dimension (length dimension) of the knitted product" in the design stage using CAD software for product design. In this embodiment, however, the set value of the "height dimension" is larger than in the above embodiment.

[0082] Figure 9 As shown, when the base material 30 according to this embodiment is manufactured by a flat knitting machine 19, the covering yarn creation step S1, the base material creation step S2, and the heat treatment step S4a are the same as in the above embodiment, but a cutting step S3a is required before the heat treatment step S4a. In the cutting process S3, the base material body 31 is cut along the width direction by appropriate means to an appropriate width to create a cut base material in the same form as the base material 18 according to the above embodiment. Then, the cut base material is stretched by hand in the same manner as the base material 18 according to the above embodiment to form a ring, and in that state, it is heated with a steam iron in the same manner as above to shrink it and create the hair tie 100 shown in Figure 5.

[0083] In this case, as in the above embodiment, since it is knitted using the "single jersey knit" method, when the base material body 31 is cut in the width direction, curled portions are formed at both ends of the cut base material in the width direction. The process of using these curled portions to finish the ends, applying heat treatment, and then inverting the material to create a hair tie is the same as in the above embodiment.

[0084] In the manufacturing method according to the above embodiment, the base material 18 is manufactured individually. However, in the hair tie manufacturing method according to this embodiment, base material 30 of a predetermined length can be created, so a large number of cut base materials can be created in the cutting step S3a, which is advantageous when manufacturing hair ties in large quantities. Furthermore, the base material 30 according to this embodiment can be produced not only by a flat knitting machine but also by a circular knitting machine. Circular knitting machines are used, for example, to produce socks, gloves, knit ties, T-shirts, polo shirts, etc. On the other hand, as described above, flat knitting machines can knit knit products that require complex knitting structures, as well as highly fashionable sweaters, etc.

[0085] As mentioned above, circular knitting machines are knitting machines that perform "circular knitting" within the concept of "weft knitting." Compared to flat knitting machines, they cannot knit complex knitting structures or products with small stitches. However, while flat knitting machines knit with a single yarn in a back-and-forth motion, circular knitting machines are configured to knit with around 100 yarns in a rotational motion, making them more advantageous in terms of production volume.

[0086] Furthermore, a coloring step using naturally derived dyes can be added after the heat treatment steps S3 and S4a according to the above embodiment, and the hair ties 100 created by the heat treatment steps S3 and S4a can be colored with an appropriate color. Regarding this coloring step, the core thread and sheath thread may be colored in a step prior to the heat treatment steps S3 and S4a, or the coloring process may be performed at any stage of the manufacturing process.

[0087] "Naturally derived dyes" refer to dyes extracted from various animals or plants found in nature. Examples include carotenoids (yellow to orange) extracted from carrots and gardenias; flavonoids (yellow to brown, red to blue, red to purple) extracted from scutellaria, bayberry, red cabbage, and safflower; quinones (purple, red) extracted from gromwell, madder, and cochineal; polyphenols (brown to black) extracted from gallnuts and betel nut; and indole (purple to blue) extracted from indigo and Tyrian purple.

[0088] Therefore, when the hair tie 100 according to this embodiment is colored with such a dye, unlike general synthetic (chemical) dyes, the dye itself also has natural reducing properties, and does not hinder the complete natural reducing properties of the hair tie 100 according to this embodiment. Even when colored, it is possible to provide a sustainable hair tie that is gentle on the human body and the environment, and has 100% natural reducing properties. The covering yarn production process and the type of knitting machine described in the above embodiment are merely examples and are not limited to this embodiment. Appropriate modifications are possible within the scope of the invention as claimed in this patent. [Industrial applicability]

[0089] Since this invention relates to a method for manufacturing hair ties and to hair ties themselves, it has broad industrial applicability. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0090] 10 covering threads 10a Covering yarn roll 11 Core yarn 11a Core thread roll 12 Sheath thread 12a Sheath thread roll 13 Pre-draft roller 14 Rotation axis 15 Rotation axis 16 Hollow spindle 17 Weft 18 Base material 19 Flat knitting machine 20 knitting section 21 Yarn Carrier Section 22 Thread holding part 23 Touch panel control unit 24 Discharge hole 25 Curling Club 26 Reverse side 27 Front side 30 Base material 31 Base material body 32 End 100 hair ties S1 Covering thread creation process S2 Base material creation process S3 Heat treatment process S3a cutting process S4A Heat treatment process

Claims

1. Using covering yarn, knit horizontally, A base material creation process that creates a base material in which two pieces of fabric material, which are continuous on both sides at both ends in the length direction, are continuous at both ends in the length direction and overlap in the thickness direction, thereby creating a planar rectangular shape, The process includes a heat treatment step of heat-treating the substrate to shrink it, The covering thread is made by covering a biodegradable and elastic core thread with a biodegradable sheath thread. The aforementioned core thread is made of natural rubber or biodegradable polyurethane, The aforementioned sheath thread is made of cotton or rayon, The aforementioned weft knit is a jersey knit, and in the base material creation process, curled portions are formed at the ends of the base material in the width direction. A method for manufacturing a hair tie, characterized in that, while the base material is heated and shrunk in the aforementioned heat treatment step, the curled portion is positioned on the inside by inverting the front and back sides of the base material.

2. The method for manufacturing a hair tie according to Claim 1, characterized in that, based on the diameter and height dimensions of the finished product, the base material is prepared to the size of the finished product after shrinkage due to heat treatment in the heat treatment process.

3. Using covering yarn, knit horizontally, A base material creation process that creates a base material in which two pieces of fabric material, which are continuous on both sides at both ends in the length direction, are continuous at both ends in the length direction and overlap in the thickness direction, thereby creating a planar rectangular shape, The process includes a heat treatment step of heat-treating the substrate to shrink it, The covering thread is made by covering a biodegradable and elastic core thread with a biodegradable sheath thread. The aforementioned core thread is made of natural rubber or biodegradable polyurethane, The aforementioned sheath threads are made from hemp, flax, linen, ramie, wool, bamboo, goat hair, mohair, camel hair, alpaca hair, rabbit hair, spider silk, bagworm silk, or silk. The aforementioned weft knit is a jersey knit, and in the base material creation process, a curled portion is formed at the end of the base material in the width direction. A method for manufacturing a hair tie, characterized in that, while the base material is heated and shrunk in the aforementioned heat treatment step, the curled portion is positioned on the inside by inverting the front and back sides of the base material.

4. Using covering yarn, knit horizontally, A base material creation process to create a long, narrow rectangular base material with an overall plane length that is continuous at both ends in the width direction and overlaps in the thickness direction, and A cutting step is performed to cut the elongated rectangular base material created in the base material preparation step into a predetermined width dimension along the width direction to produce a plurality of cut base materials, and to form curled portions at both ends of the cut base materials in the width direction, The process includes a heat treatment step in which the cut substrate is heat-treated to shrink it, causing the curled portion to curl inward in the width direction of the cut substrate, to the point where they come into contact with each other. The covering thread is made by covering a core thread that is biodegradable and elastic with a sheath thread that is also biodegradable. The core thread is made of natural rubber or biodegradable polyurethane, and the sheath thread is made of cotton or rayon. A method for manufacturing a hair tie, characterized in that, in the heat treatment step, the cut substrate is heated and shrunk, and then the front and back sides of the cut substrate are reversed to position the curled portion on the inside.

5. Using covering yarn, knit horizontally, A base material creation process to create a long, narrow rectangular base material with an overall plane length that is continuous at both ends in the width direction and overlaps in the thickness direction, and A cutting step is performed to cut the elongated rectangular base material created in the base material preparation step into a predetermined width dimension along the width direction to produce a plurality of cut base materials, and to form curled portions at both ends of the cut base materials in the width direction, The process includes a heat treatment step in which the cut substrate is heat-treated to shrink it, causing the curled portion to curl inward in the width direction of the cut substrate, to the point where they come into contact with each other. The covering thread is made by covering a core thread that is biodegradable and elastic with a sheath thread that is also biodegradable. The aforementioned core thread is made of natural rubber or biodegradable polyurethane, The aforementioned sheath threads are made from hemp, flax, linen, ramie, wool, bamboo, goat hair, mohair, camel hair, alpaca hair, rabbit hair, spider silk, bagworm silk, or silk. A method for manufacturing a hair tie, characterized in that, in the heat treatment step, the cut substrate is heated and shrunk, and then the front and back sides of the cut substrate are reversed to position the curled portion on the inside.

6. A base material preparation step of creating a base material in the shape of an elongated rectangle with an overall plane length by circular knitting using covering yarn, A cutting step is performed in which the base material created in the base material creation step is cut to a predetermined width along the width direction to produce a plurality of cut base materials, and curled portions are formed at both ends of the cut base materials in the width direction, The process includes a heat treatment step in which the cut substrate is heat-treated to shrink it, causing the curled portion to curl inward in the width direction of the cut substrate, to the point where they come into contact with each other. The covering thread is made by covering a core thread that is biodegradable and elastic with a sheath thread that is also biodegradable. The aforementioned core thread is made of natural rubber or biodegradable polyurethane, The aforementioned sheath thread is made of cotton or rayon. A method for manufacturing a hair tie, characterized in that, in the heat treatment step, the cut substrate is heated and shrunk, and then the front and back sides of the cut substrate are reversed to position the curled portion on the inside.

7. A base material preparation step of creating a base material in the shape of an elongated rectangle with an overall plane length by circular knitting using covering yarn, A cutting step is performed in which the base material created in the base material creation step is cut to a predetermined width along the width direction to produce a plurality of cut base materials, and curled portions are formed at both ends of the cut base materials in the width direction, The process includes a heat treatment step in which the cut substrate is heat-treated to shrink it, causing the curled portion to curl inward in the width direction of the cut substrate, to the point where they come into contact with each other. The covering thread is made by covering a core thread that is biodegradable and elastic with a sheath thread that is also biodegradable. The aforementioned core thread is made of natural rubber or biodegradable polyurethane, The aforementioned sheath threads are made from hemp, flax, linen, ramie, wool, bamboo, goat hair, mohair, camel hair, alpaca hair, rabbit hair, spider silk, bagworm silk, or silk. A method for manufacturing a hair tie, characterized in that, in the heat treatment step, the cut substrate is heated and shrunk, and then the front and back sides of the cut substrate are reversed to position the curled portion on the inside.

8. A method for manufacturing a hair tie according to claim 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7, further comprising a coloring step of coloring with naturally derived dyes.

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