Weft knitted fabric

Abstract

Provided is a weft knitted fabric which is stretchable, which has excellent smoothness on a sinker loop surface, and which has large undulation on a needle loop surface. The present invention is a weft knitted fabric, wherein: non-elastic yarns are included in all courses; an elastic yarn is included in one of the courses; courses A, B, and C, which are each one course or two or more consecutive courses of the same structure, are repeated in this order in the knitting end direction; the courses A, B, and C have structures different from one another; the course A includes knits; the course B includes knits and tucks; the course C includes knits and welts and further includes an elastic yarn; at least one tuck stitch formed by a knit of the course A and a tuck of the course B which are continuous on the same wale is included; the tuck stitch and a welt of the course C are continuous on the same wale at least at one place; and the value of the ratio of the loop length of the course C to the loop length of the course A is 0.50-0.95.

Description

Weft knitted fabric

[0001] The present invention relates to a weft knitted fabric.

[0002] There is a high market demand for clothing that is excellent in design and comfort, and to meet this demand, various knitted fabrics for clothing have been provided. Patent Document 1 listed below discloses a single knitted fabric that is constructed by alternately arranging thick yarn A and thinner yarn B with an apparent thickness ratio of 1 / 1.5 or less, and that has a pique-like appearance on the front side and a terry-like appearance on the back side.

[0003] Jitszen No. 60-52983

[0004] Knitted fabrics used in comfortable clothing require a smooth texture. By using thinner yarns to form the knitted fabric, the stitches become smaller, resulting in a knitted fabric with a smooth sinker loop surface. However, at the same time, the undulations of the needle loop surface also become smaller. Therefore, with conventional knitted fabrics, it has been difficult to achieve both the smoothness of the sinker loop surface and the designability of the large undulations of the needle loop surface. Even with the invention described in Patent Document 1, the needle loop surface exhibits a twill-like appearance with undulations, but the sinker loop surface does not have a smooth texture because the stitches forming the pile protrude. Furthermore, when an elastic fiber such as polyurethane is knitted into the knitted fabric to impart stretchability, the stitches become smaller, further reducing the undulations of the needle loop surface.

[0005] In view of these problems of the prior art, the problem that the present invention aims to solve is to provide a weft knitted fabric that has stretchability, excellent smoothness on the sinker loop surface, and large undulations on the needle loop surface.

[0006] The present inventors have conducted extensive research and experiments to solve the above problems, and as a result have unexpectedly found that the problems can be solved by the following configuration, which has led to the completion of the present invention.

[0007] That is, the present invention is as follows: [1] All courses contain inelastic yarn; any course contains elastic yarn; one course, or two or more consecutive courses of the same weave, course A, course B, and course C are repeated in this order in the knitting end direction; course A, course B, and course C are of different weaves; course A contains knit; course B contains knit and tuck; course C contains knit and welt and further contains elastic yarn; the knit of course A and the tuck of course B contain one or more tuck stitches formed continuously on the same wale; the tuck stitch and the welt of course C are continuous on the same wale in at least one place; and the loop length (L Ａ ) to the loop length (L Ｃ ) ratio (L Ｃ / L Ａ) is 0.50 to 0.95; weft knitted fabric. [2] The weft knitted fabric according to [1] above, in which course B continues for two or more courses with the same weave from the course at the start of knitting to the course at the end of knitting. [3] The weft knitted fabric according to [1] or [2] above, in which course A consists only of knit. [4] The weft knitted fabric according to any of [1] to [3] above, in which course B consists only of knit and tuck. [5] The weft knitted fabric according to any of [1] to [4] above, in which the ratio of the number of tuck stitches that are continuous on the same wale as the welt of course C to the total number of tuck stitches of the weft knitted fabric is 50% or more. [6] The weft knitted fabric according to [5] above, in which the ratio of the number of tuck stitches that are continuous on the same wale as the welt of course C to the total number of tuck stitches of the weft knitted fabric is 100%. [7] A weft knitted fabric according to any one of [1] to [6] above, wherein the ratio of the fineness of the largest inelastic yarn included in course C to the fineness of the largest inelastic yarn included in course A is less than 1.0. [8] A weft knitted fabric according to any one of [2] to [7] above, wherein the fineness of the inelastic yarn included in the course at the start of knitting in course B relative to the fineness of the inelastic yarn included in the course at the end of knitting is less than 1.0. [9] A weft knitted fabric according to any one of [1] to [8] above, wherein the inelastic yarn included in course A is a staple fiber.

[10] A weft knitted fabric according to any one of [2] to [9] above, wherein the inelastic yarn included in the course at the start of knitting in course B is a staple fiber.

[11] A weft knitted fabric according to any one of [1] to

[10] above, wherein course A is made solely of inelastic yarn.

[12] A weft knitted fabric according to any one of [2] to

[11] above, wherein the course at the end of knitting in course B includes an elastic yarn.

[13] A weft knitted fabric according to any one of [2] to

[12] above, wherein the inelastic yarn included in the course on the knitting end side in course B is a long fiber.

[14] A weft knitted fabric according to any one of [1] to

[13] above, wherein the inelastic yarn included in course C is a long fiber.

[15] A weft knitted fabric according to any one of [2] to

[14] above, wherein the yarn with the largest fineness among the inelastic yarns included in course A and the inelastic yarn included in the course on the knitting start side in course B have different finenesses.

[16] The weft knitted fabric according to any one of [2] to

[15] , wherein the inelastic yarn included in the course A and the course B at the knitting start side are both cellulose-based yarns.

[17] The weft knitted fabric according to any one of [1] to

[16] , which is a single weft knitted fabric.

[18] A shirt comprising the weft knitted fabric according to any one of [1] to

[17] .

[0008] The weft knitted fabric of the present invention has stretchability, excellent smoothness on the sinker loop surface, and large undulations on the needle loop surface, and is therefore suitable for use in textile products that come into direct contact with the skin and require design, such as shirts, innerwear, bottomwear, jackets, masks, etc., and is particularly suitable for use in shirts.

[0009] 1 is an explanatory diagram of a knit structure; 2 is an explanatory diagram of a tuck structure; 3 is an explanatory diagram of a welt structure; 4 is an example of a weft knitted fabric of the present invention; 5 is a method of collecting a test piece for measuring an undulation index and the direction of movement of a friction element during measurement; 6 is an explanatory diagram of a knitting structure of an example of a weft knitted fabric of the present invention and the relationship between the notations in Tables 1 to 5 below corresponding to the knitting structure.

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail. In one embodiment of the present invention, all courses contain inelastic yarn; any course contains elastic yarn; one course, or two or more consecutive courses of the same weave, course A, course B, and course C are repeated in this order toward the knitting end direction; course A, course B, and course C are of different weaves; course A contains knit; course B contains knit and tuck; course C contains knit and welt and further contains elastic yarn; the knit of course A and the tuck of course B contain one or more tuck stitches formed continuously on the same wale; the tuck stitch and the welt of course C are continuous on the same wale at at least one location; and the loop length (L Ａ ) to the loop length (L Ｃ ) ratio (L Ｃ / L Ａ ) is 0.50 to 0.95; it is a weft knitted fabric.

[0011] In this specification, a "course" (hereinafter abbreviated as (C)) refers to a row of stitches that continue in the weft direction of the knitted fabric, and a "wale" (hereinafter abbreviated as (W)) refers to a row of stitches that continue in the warp direction of the knitted fabric (see Figure 4).

[0012] In this specification, the term "needle loop surface" refers to a surface formed of needle loops, which are the peaks of the loops, and is synonymous with the technical face (TF) (the front side of the paper in Figures 1 to 3).

[0013] In this specification, the term "sinker loop surface" refers to the surface formed by the sinker loop, which is the valley of the loop, and is synonymous with the technical back (TB) (reverse side of the pages in Figures 1 to 3).

[0014] In a knit structure (hereinafter simply referred to as "knit" and abbreviated as (K)), a stitch made by retracting a knitting needle, as shown by the white line in Figure 1, becomes a needle loop (NL). In a tuck structure (hereinafter simply referred to as "tuck" and abbreviated as (T)), a stitch made by retracting a knitting needle, as shown by the white line in Figure 2, becomes a needle loop. In a welt (miss) structure (hereinafter simply referred to as "welt" and abbreviated as (W)), the yarn does not catch on the needle, as shown by the diagonal line in Figure 3, so there are no needle loops, and the yarn passes between adjacent needle loops in the same course, so all become sinker loops (SL).

[0015] In this specification, the term "non-elastic yarn" refers to a fiber having a breaking elongation of less than 100%.

[0016] In this specification, the term "elastic yarn" refers to a fiber having a breaking elongation of 100% or more.

[0017] <Course A> Course A includes knit. Course A may include a knitting structure other than knit, but is preferably composed of knit only (see Figure 4). When course A is composed of knit only, the number of knit loops in the weft knitted fabric increases, improving the elongation and recovery of the weft knitted fabric and improving its ability to follow movements. Course A may be composed of only one course, or may be composed of two or more consecutive courses with the same structure. When course A is composed of two or more consecutive courses with the same structure, the yarns contained in each course may be different.

[0018] <Course B> Course B includes knit and tuck. Course B may include a knitting structure other than knit and tuck, but is preferably composed of only knit and tuck (see Figure 4). When course B is composed of only knit and tuck structures, the number of tuck stitches that form the undulations of the needle loop surface increases, thereby improving the design of the weft knitted fabric. Course B may be composed of only one course, or may be composed of two or more consecutive courses in the same structure (see Figure 4). From the viewpoint of increasing the undulations caused by tuck knitting while achieving a basis weight that is suitable for wear, course B is preferably composed of two or more consecutive courses, and more preferably two or three or more consecutive courses. When course B is composed of two or more consecutive courses in the same structure, the yarns contained in each course may be different.

[0019] <Course C> Course C includes knit and welt. Course C may include knit structures other than knit and welt, but is preferably composed of only knit and welt (see Figure 4). When course C is composed of only knit and welt, the yarn length of course C is reduced, the needle loops of course C are smaller, and the difference in stitch size between course A and the tuck knit formed by course B is increased, resulting in greater undulations formed on the needle loop surface. Furthermore, course C includes elastic yarn. When course C includes elastic yarn, the stitches of course C are reduced in size due to contraction of the elastic yarn (see Figure 4), resulting in a difference in size between the stitches that form the protrusions, resulting in greater undulations on the needle loop surface. Furthermore, in course C, the welt has fewer contact points with other yarns on the sinker loop surface, resulting in a high degree of freedom of the yarn (see Figure 4). Therefore, by including elastic yarn in course C, the stretchability of the elastic yarn is fully exerted, improving stretch recovery.

[0020] Course C may consist of only one course, or two or more consecutive courses of the same weave. From the viewpoint of suppressing welts from protruding into the sinker loop due to overlapping of the welts and improving the smoothness of the sinker loop surface, course C is preferably composed of one to three courses. When course C consists of two or more consecutive courses of the same weave, the yarns contained in each course may be different.

[0021] <Arrangement of courses A to C> In the weft knitted fabric of this embodiment, course A, course B, and course C are repeated in this order toward the knitting end. For example, the weft knitted fabric of this embodiment may be knitted in the order A, B, C, A... from the start of knitting to the end of knitting, or one or more of course A, course B, and course C may be knitted consisting of multiple courses, such as A, B, B, C, A... or A, B, B, C, C, A... (see Tables 1 to 5 and Figure 6).

[0022] <Tuck knitting> In the weft knitted fabric of this embodiment, tuck knitting is formed by continuing a knit of course A and a tuck of course B on the same wale (see the wale on the left side of Figure 4). In the knitted fabric of this embodiment, large undulations are formed on the needle loop surface by forming tuck knitting.

[0023] In the weft knitted fabric of this embodiment, the tuck stitches formed by the knit of course A and the tuck of course B and the welt of course C are continuous on the same wale in at least one location (see the wale on the left in Figure 4). By having the tuck stitches and the welt of course C continuous on the same wale in at least one location, the tuck stitches formed by course A and course B become larger, thereby increasing the undulations of the needle loop surface. Furthermore, the welt structure of course C arranged on the sinker loop surface fills the depressions on the sinker loop surface formed by course A and course B, thereby increasing the smoothness of the sinker loop surface. From the same perspective, in the weft knitted fabric of this embodiment, the ratio of the number of tuck stitches continuous on the same wale as the welt of course C to the total number of tuck stitches in one complete structure is preferably 50% or more, and more preferably 100%. Note that one complete structure refers to the smallest repeating unit of the knitting structure that constitutes the knitted fabric. In the weft knitted fabric of this embodiment, the tuck stitches constituting the "total number of tuck stitches in one complete design" may be included not only in course B but also in course A and / or course C.

[0024] <Loop length L of course A Ａ The loop length L of course C Ｃ The weft knitted fabric of this embodiment has a loop length L Ａ The loop length L of course C Ｃ The ratio value (L Ｃ / L Ａ ) is 0.50 to 0.95, preferably 0.60 to 0.90, and more preferably 0.68 to 0.85. Ｃ / L ＡBy setting L to 0.50 or more, the needle loops of course C do not become too small, and it is possible to obtain stretchability suitable for wearing. Ｃ / L Ａ Since the L is 0.95 or less, a difference in size of the needle loops formed by course A and course C occurs on the needle loop surface, and undulations can be formed, and the sinker loops of course C do not protrude onto the sinker loop surface, resulting in excellent smoothness. Ｃ / L Ａ The method for adjusting the value to 0.50 to 0.95 is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include increasing the number of knits in course A and decreasing the number of knits in course C.

[0025] <Non-elastic Yarn> The weft knitted fabric of this embodiment contains non-elastic yarn in all courses. Natural fibers, synthetic fibers, regenerated (purified) cellulose fibers, etc. can be used as non-elastic yarns. Examples of natural fibers include cotton, linen, silk, and wool. Examples of synthetic fibers include polyester fibers such as polyethylene terephthalate and polytrimethylene terephthalate, polyamide fibers such as nylon 6 and nylon 66, and polyolefin fibers such as polyethylene and polypropylene. Bright yarns, semi-dull yarns, and full-dull yarns of these fibers can be selected as desired. The cross-sectional shape of the fiber can be any cross-sectional shape, such as round, oval, W-shaped, cocoon-shaped, or hollow. The fiber form is not particularly limited, and can be raw yarn or crimped yarn such as false twist. Examples of regenerated (purified) cellulose fibers include rayon, cupra, and lyocell. The regenerated (purified) cellulose fibers can be in the form of a single yarn, such as raw yarn or twisted yarn, or in the form of a composite yarn with synthetic fibers, as exemplified below.

[0026] The form of the composite yarn of regenerated (purified) cellulose fiber and synthetic fiber is not particularly limited, and a composite method such as interlacing or plying / twisting may be selected according to the intended use. The fineness of the composite yarn of cellulose fiber and synthetic fiber is preferably 19 to 90 dtex. By setting the fineness of the composite yarn of regenerated (purified) cellulose fiber and synthetic fiber within the above range, it is easy to obtain a knitted fabric that is excellent in bending softness, thin, and comfortable to wear in hot environments.

[0027] <Elastic yarn> The weft knitted fabric of this embodiment contains an elastic yarn in course C, and also contains an elastic yarn in either course A or course B, preferably course B. By including an elastic yarn in the weft knitted fabric of this embodiment in addition to having the configurations of course A, course B, and course C described above, it becomes possible to impart stretchability to the weft knitted fabric while suppressing flattening of the needle loop surface due to contraction of the elastic yarn.

[0028] In the weft knitted fabric of this embodiment, it is preferable that course A does not contain elastic yarn, i.e., is made only of inelastic yarn. When course A is made only of inelastic yarn, tuck knitting can be formed without contracting the needle loops, making it easier to form larger undulations on the needle loop surface, and further, the tuck knit stitches are less likely to close, allowing air to pass through more easily, improving the quick-drying properties of the weft knitted fabric.

[0029] In the knitted fabric of this embodiment, when two or more courses B are consecutive, it is preferable that the course B includes an elastic yarn in the course on the knitting end side. By including an elastic yarn in the course B on the knitting end side of the knitted fabric of this embodiment, it is possible to minimize the contraction of the needle loops, and it is therefore easy to prevent the needle loop surface from being flattened by the elastic yarn. Furthermore, by including an elastic yarn in the course B on the knitting end side of the knitted fabric of this embodiment, the number of inelastic yarns fixing the elastic yarn in the needle loops is reduced compared to when an elastic yarn is included in the course B on the knitting start side, making it easier for the elastic yarn to deform and achieving elongation and recovery suitable for wearing.

[0030] The material and spinning method of the elastic yarn are not particularly limited, and polyurethane-based or polyetherester-based elastic yarns can be used. For example, dry-spun or melt-spun yarns can be used. It is preferable that the elastic yarn does not lose its stretchability at temperatures around 180°C, which is the normal processing temperature for the presetting step during dyeing. The elastic yarn may contain functionalizing agents such as special polymers or inorganic substances to impart functionality according to the intended purpose, such as high settability, deodorizing properties, or antibacterial properties. The fineness of the elastic yarn is preferably 9 to 155 dtex, and more preferably 15 to 80 dtex from the viewpoint of ease of weft-knitted fabric production.

[0031] The weft knitted fabric of this embodiment can include, as the elastic yarn, a bare yarn (i.e., a yarn not covered with a non-elastic yarn) or a covered yarn (i.e., a bare yarn covered with a non-elastic yarn), but from the viewpoint of improving the smoothness of the back surface of the fabric, a bare yarn (i.e., a yarn) is preferred. Furthermore, a weft knitted fabric using a bare yarn as the elastic yarn is less likely to retain moisture around the elastic yarn, allowing the knitted fabric to dry faster and be more comfortable to wear, when dealing with heavy sweating during exercise or when worn in a hot environment. Furthermore, a weft knitted fabric using a bare yarn as the elastic yarn has a smaller fiber diameter than a covered yarn, making it less likely to form unevenness on the needle loop surface and resulting in a smoother texture.

[0032] When a covering yarn is used as the elastic yarn, a single covered yarn (SCY) or a double covered yarn (DCY) can be used as the covering yarn, and the total fineness of the covering yarn is preferably 30 to 200 dtex, and from the viewpoint of ease of knitted fabric production, it is more preferably 40 to 155 dtex.

[0033] In the knitted fabric of this embodiment, the blending ratio of elastic yarn is preferably 5.0% by mass or more from the viewpoint of imparting stretchability and increasing the undulations of the needle loop surface.

[0034] <Other Preferred Embodiments> In the weft knitted fabric of this embodiment, the fineness F of the inelastic yarn with the largest fineness contained in course A is Ａ The fineness F of the largest non-elastic yarn contained in course C Ｃ The ratio value (FＣ / F Ａ ) is preferably less than 1.0, more preferably 0.20 to 0.98, even more preferably 0.25 to 0.93, and most preferably 0.30 to 0.90. Ｃ / F Ａ When F is 0.20 or more, the yarn formed by course C fills the depression formed on the sinker loop surface by courses A and B, and the sinker loop surface is easily made smooth. Ｃ / F Ａ When the value is less than 1.0, the welt of course C can be prevented from protruding onto the sinker loop surface, improving the smoothness of the sinker loop surface and increasing the undulations of the needle loop surface.

[0035] In the knitted fabric of this embodiment, the inelastic yarn contained in course C is preferably a long fiber. By using a long fiber in course C, frictional resistance with the knitting needles during knitting is reduced, and knitting is possible with a shorter yarn length compared to short fibers of the same fineness, making it possible to obtain smaller stitches and increase the undulations of the needle loop surface. Furthermore, by using a long fiber in course C, fluff on the sinker loop surface is reduced, improving smoothness.

[0036] From the viewpoint of improving smoothness by preventing the yarn from buckling at the welt and protruding into the sinker loop surface, the single yarn fineness of the inelastic yarn contained in course C is preferably 3.0 dtex or less, more preferably 2.5 dtex or less, and even more preferably 1.8 dtex or less. Furthermore, when the single yarn fineness of the inelastic yarn contained in course C is 3.0 dtex or less, the welt of course C is less likely to protrude into the sinker loop surface, so the welt of course C is reliably positioned in the depression in the sinker loop surface formed by the tuck knitting, greatly improving the smoothness of the sinker loop surface.

[0037] When course B is two or more consecutive courses, the fineness of the inelastic yarn contained in the course at the end of knitting (F ＢＥ ) relative to the fineness of the inelastic yarn contained in the course at the start of knitting (F ＢＳ ) ratio value (F ＢＳ / F ＢＥ) is preferably less than 1.0, more preferably 0.20 to 0.95, and even more preferably 0.25 to 0.90. ＢＳ / F ＢＥ When the value of the inelasticity is less than 1.0, the arrangement of the two inelastic yarns during tuck knitting is stable, so that the basis weight of the fabric can be reduced and the undulations of the needle loop surface do not become small.

[0038] The fineness of the inelastic yarn contained in the course on the knitting end side of course B is preferably 200 dtex or less and / or long fiber. The inelastic yarn contained in the course on the knitting end side of course B is knitted closest to the sinker loop surface side, so by having the fineness of 200 dtex or less and / or long fiber, the sinker loop surface is likely to be smooth. When course B consists of only one course, this one course becomes the "course on the knitting end side."

[0039] In course B, the single yarn fineness of the inelastic yarn included in course B on the knitting end side is preferably 3.0 dtex or less, more preferably 2.5 dtex or less, and even more preferably 1.8 dtex or less, from the viewpoint of preventing the yarn from buckling and protruding onto the sinker loop surface and improving smoothness.

[0040] The fineness F of the largest non-elastic yarn contained in course A Ａ The fineness F of the inelastic yarn included in the course B on the knitting start side ＢＳ The ratio value (F ＢＳ / F Ａ ) is preferably less than 1.00, and more preferably 0.90 or less. ＢＳ / F Ａ When the value is less than 1.00, the undulations of the needle loop surface do not become small, the weight per unit area of ​​the fabric can be reduced, and a knitted fabric with excellent quick-drying properties can be obtained.

[0041] In the weft knitted fabric of this embodiment, if the objective is to suppress the gloss of the needle loop surface and to make the weft knitted fabric more suitable for casual clothing, the inelastic yarn contained in course A and / or course B is preferably staple fiber, and particularly preferably cellulose fiber. From the same viewpoint, it is also preferable that the inelastic yarn contained in the course on the knitting start side in course B is staple fiber.

[0042] The weft knitted fabric of this embodiment is preferably a single weft knitted fabric. A single weft knitted fabric refers to a fabric knitted on a single weft knitting machine, and is a single-layer knitted fabric having a needle loop surface and a sinker loop surface. Because the weft knitted fabric of this embodiment is a single weft knitted fabric, it is possible to reduce the fabric weight while expressing decorative unevenness with the minimum necessary amount of yarn, making it possible to obtain a knitted fabric with excellent design and wearing comfort.

[0043] The weft knitted fabric of this embodiment preferably has an elongation rate of 30% or more, more preferably 40% or more, and even more preferably 50% or more in the warp and / or weft directions when subjected to a load of 14.7 N. If the elongation rate in the warp and / or weft directions is 30% or more, the knitted fabric will not hinder human movement when made into clothing, and therefore can be made into clothing with excellent moving comfort.

[0044] The weft knitted fabric of this embodiment has a stretch recovery rate in the warp and / or weft directions of preferably 40% or more, more preferably 50% or more, and even more preferably 60% or more. If the stretch recovery rate in the warp and / or weft directions is 40% or more, the knitted fabric can maintain its shape even after repeated wearing when made into clothing, which leads to an extension of the product life.

[0045] The weight of the weft knitted fabric of this embodiment is preferably 130 g / m ２ ~250g / m ２ , more preferably 190 g / m ２ ~230g / m ２ The basis weight is 130 g / m ２ If the weight is 250 g / m or more, the burst strength when made into clothing is improved, and the knitted fabric is preferable for actual wearing. ２If the knitted fabric is below this value, it will not be too thick and will have the appropriate stiffness necessary to maintain the silhouette of the product, making it suitable for wearing as a polo shirt, for example.

[0046] The thickness of the weft knitted fabric in this embodiment is preferably 0.40 mm to 1.50 mm, more preferably 0.60 mm to 1.40 mm. If the thickness is 0.50 mm or more, there will be no problems with transparency or strength when worn, and if the thickness is 1.50 mm or less, the knitted fabric will not be too thick and will have the appropriate stiffness necessary to maintain the silhouette of the product, making it suitable for wearing as an outerwear, for example.

[0047] The knitting machine used to obtain the weft knitted fabric of this embodiment is not particularly limited, and the gauge of the knitting machine can be selected as desired, but it is preferable to use a knitting machine with a gauge of about 20 to 44. A knitting machine with a gauge of 20 to 44 can knit yarn with a fineness suitable for pattern expression while preventing the loop size from becoming too small, making it easy to achieve both appropriate stretchability and designability.

[0048] The weft knitted fabric of this embodiment may be dyed. A typical dyeing and finishing process can be used as the dyeing and finishing method, with dyeing conditions suited to the fiber material used, and any dyeing machine, such as a jet dyeing machine, winch dyeing machine, or paddle dyeing machine, can be used. A processing agent that improves water absorbency and softness can also be used. Silicone, urethane, or ester softeners can be used, and the concentration can be selected appropriately depending on the desired texture of the knitted fabric. A concentration in the range of 0.1% owf to 2.0% owf improves bending flexibility and reduces friction between stitches, thereby imparting soft stretch and recovery.

[0049] <Applications> The knitted fabric of this embodiment has excellent designability due to the large undulations on the needle loop surface and smoothness on the sinker loop surface, and is therefore suitable for use in textile products that come into direct contact with the skin and require designability, such as shirts, innerwear, bottomwear, jackets, masks, etc., and is particularly suitable for use in shirts.

[0050] The present invention will be specifically described below with reference to examples. Of course, the present invention is not limited to these examples. The methods for measuring the characteristic values ​​used in the examples are shown below. The knitted fabrics used for the measurements are knitted fabrics cut out from clothing, but the present invention also includes knitted fabrics that are not made into clothing, and the use is not limited to clothing.

[0051] (1) Weight (g / m ２ The weight per unit area of ​​the knitted fabric is measured in accordance with the mass per unit area method A (JIS method) under standard conditions of JIS-L-1096.

[0052] (2) Thickness (mm) The thickness of the knitted fabric is measured at five arbitrary positions on the knitted fabric using a thickness meter for knitted fabrics manufactured by PEACOCK, and the average value of the five positions is calculated.

[0053] (3) Quick-drying property (water retention rate after 60 minutes) A ​​knitted fabric cut to 15 cm x 15 cm was used as a test specimen. The amount of load fabric was adjusted so that the total weight of one test specimen and a load fabric conforming to JIS L 1930 Annex H Type III was 1.0 kg. The test specimen and the load fabric were washed together in a household washing machine at 40°C for 15 minutes x 10 times, and then the test specimen was dried flat. The test specimen was conditioned for 24 hours in an environment of 20°C and relative humidity 65%. Under the same environment, the mass (W) of a measuring cup (cylindrical polypropylene, diameter 8 cm, height 10 cm) was measured. ｃ ) is measured, and then the above-mentioned humidity-conditioned test piece is placed in a cup, and the mass (W ｃ＋ｔ Next, 300 μl of pure water is dropped onto the surface of the dough sinker loop using a micropipette, and the mass (W ｃ＋ｔ＋ｗ ) and record the mass of the dropped water (W ｗ ) into the following formula: W ｗ =W ｃ＋ｔ＋ｗ -W ｃ＋ｔ Next, the dough is left in the cup for 60 minutes, and after the dough has dried, the weight of the cup and dough (W ｃ＋ｔ The remaining water rate after 60 minutes (%) = (W ｃ＋ｔ ´-W ｃ＋ｔ ) / W ｗThe remaining moisture percentage after 60 minutes is calculated by multiplying the remaining moisture percentage after 60 minutes by 100. The smaller the remaining moisture percentage after 60 minutes, the more quick-drying the knitted fabric is.

[0054] (4) Loop Length In any one complete knitted fabric, for all courses of that complete knitted fabric, an area of ​​100 wales within each course is cut and unraveled, and each yarn is extracted and measured for its length in a standard environment of 20°C and 65% humidity using the following method. Yarn with an elongation of less than 100%: One end of the unraveled non-elastic yarn is fixed and hung, and a predetermined load according to the yarn type shown below is applied to the other end, and the length is measured after 30 seconds. The unit is expressed in mm / 100w. Note that for composite yarns of non-elastic yarn and elastic yarn, the loop length is measured using this method. <Predetermined load according to yarn type> Synthetic fiber stretch bulky yarn, composite yarn of non-elastic yarn and elastic yarn: 8.82 mN / dtex Other non-elastic yarns: 2.94 mN / dtex Elastic yarn: One end of the unraveled elastic yarn is fixed and hung, and it is confirmed that the elastic yarn is approximately straight, and the length is measured in that state. The unit is expressed as mm / 100w.

[0055] (5) Elongation and Elongation Recovery Rate The elongation and elongation recovery rate in the warp direction (wale direction) and weft direction (course direction) of the knitted fabric are measured according to JIS-L1096-8.16.2-B-1 method (constant load method). The load is 14.7 N.

[0056] (6) Wavyness of Needle Loop Surface and Smoothness of Sinker Loop Surface (Waviness Index) A test specimen measuring 50 mm wide x 200 mm long was taken so that the length direction was inclined at 45° to the wale direction of the knitted fabric. The needle loop surface and sinker loop surface of the test specimen were rubbed along the length direction of the test specimen from the end of knitting to the start of knitting (counter-knit) using a static / dynamic friction measuring instrument Tribomaster Type: TL201Ts manufactured by Trinity Labs under the following conditions: Friction element: WC-Co alloy type (main material: tungsten carbide), thickness 0.5 mm x width 5.0 mm Measurement load: 3.75 g Friction speed: 30 mm / sec Friction element movement distance: 70.0 mm Measurement interval: 1.0 millisecond

[0057] Four test pieces were taken from different locations on the weft knitted fabric, and five measurements were taken for each test piece (a total of 20 measurements for each of the needle loop surface and sinker loop surface). The analysis was performed using the analysis application "TribO analysis soft ver. 6.02." Specifically, the measurement period was selected from 0.52 seconds to 2.08 seconds after the start of measurement, and the standard deviation (μKSD) of the dynamic friction coefficient μK was calculated. The undulation index (UI) for the 20 measurements of the dynamic friction coefficient μKSD was calculated using the following formula. The larger the UI value, the greater the undulation of the measurement surface.

[0058] Hereinafter, the undulation index of the needle loop surface and the sinker loop surface will be referred to as UI, respectively. Ｎ , and UI Ｓ It is written as UI. Ｎ When UI is 1.10 or more, it can be said that an undulation capable of expressing any desired pattern is formed on the needle loop surface. Ｓ If the value is 1.30 or less, friction when the sinker loop surface comes into contact with the skin is reduced, and it can be said that the knitted fabric is excellent in wearing comfort.

[0059] Examples 1-16, Comparative Examples 1-6: Using a single knitting machine, fabrics were knitted with the gauge, structure, and yarn usage shown in the following table to obtain a greige machine. The greige machine was relaxed and scoured using a continuous scouring machine, and then pre-set at 190°C for 1 minute. During dyeing, dyeing was performed with the addition of 1.0% owf of Nikka Silicon AMZ (Nicca Chemical Co., Ltd.) softener, and finishing and setting were performed at 170°C for 1 minute to produce a knitted fabric. The evaluation results are shown in Tables 1-5 below. In Tables 1-5 below, Ny stands for nylon, Pet stands for polyester, Co stands for cotton, Pu stands for polyurethane elastic yarn, SCY stands for single covered yarn, K stands for knit, T stands for tuck, and W stands for welt. For polyester and nylon, for example, 220 dtex 48f means a total fineness of 220 decitex and 48 filaments. For cotton, for example, 26 / 1 stands for a 26 cotton count and single yarn. Unless otherwise specified, bare polyurethane elastic yarn is used. The SCY is made by winding 22 dtex polyurethane elastic yarn stretched 2.4 times with 33 dtex 34f polyester fiber at 1000 T / m. "Course number" refers to the knitting order of courses in one complete structure, with the course with the smaller course number being the knitting start side. "Needle number" refers to the arrangement of knitting needles in one complete structure, with knitting occurring in order from the knitting needle with the smaller number.

[0060]

[0061]

[0062]

[0063]

[0064]

[0065] The weft knitted fabric of the present invention has stretchability, excellent smoothness on the sinker loop surface, and large undulations on the needle loop surface, and is therefore suitable for use in textile products that come into direct contact with the skin and require design, such as shirts, innerwear, bottomwear, jackets, masks, etc., and is particularly suitable for use in shirts.

[0066] NL Needle Loop SL Sinker Loop OL Old Loop N Knit T Tuck W Welt

Claims

1. All courses contain inelastic yarn; any course contains elastic yarn; one course, or two or more consecutive courses of the same weave, course A, course B, and course C are repeated in this order toward the end of the weave; course A, course B, and course C are of different weaves; course A includes a knit; course B includes a knit and a tuck; course C includes a knit and a welt and further includes elastic yarn; the knit of course A and the tuck of course B include one or more tuck stitches formed continuously on the same wale; the tuck stitch and the welt of course C are continuous on the same wale at least in one place; and the loop length (L Ａ ) to the loop length (L Ｃ ) ratio (L Ｃ / L Ａ ) is 0.50 to 0.95; weft knitted fabric.

2. A weft knitted fabric as claimed in claim 1, wherein course B comprises two or more consecutive courses of the same design from the course at the start of knitting to the course at the end of knitting.

3. A weft knitted fabric according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said course A consists solely of knit.

4. A weft knitted fabric according to claim 1 or 2, wherein course B consists only of knits and tucks.

5. A weft knitted fabric as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the ratio of the number of tuck stitches that are continuous with the welt of course C on the same wale to the total number of tuck stitches of the weft knitted fabric is 50% or more.

6. A weft knitted fabric as described in claim 5, wherein the ratio of the number of tuck stitches continuing on the same wale as the welt of course C to the total number of tuck stitches of the weft knitted fabric is 100%.

7. A weft knitted fabric as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the ratio of the fineness of the largest inelastic yarn contained in course C to the fineness of the largest inelastic yarn contained in course A is less than 1.

0.

8. The weft knitted fabric according to claim 2, wherein in course B, the ratio of the fineness of the inelastic yarn contained in the course on the knitting start side to the fineness of the inelastic yarn contained in the course on the knitting end side is less than 1.

0.

9. The weft knitted fabric according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the inelastic yarn contained in course A is a staple fiber.

10. The weft knitted fabric according to claim 2, wherein in course B, the inelastic yarn contained in the course on the knitting start side is a staple fiber.

11. The weft knitted fabric according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said course A is made only of inelastic yarn.

12. The weft knitted fabric according to claim 2, wherein course B includes an elastic yarn in the course on the knitting end side.

13. The weft knitted fabric according to claim 2, wherein in course B, the inelastic yarn contained in the course on the knitting end side is a long fiber.

14. The weft knitted fabric according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the inelastic yarn contained in course C is a long fiber.

15. A weft knitted fabric as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the largest fineness of the inelastic yarns contained in course A and the inelastic yarns contained in the course B at the start of knitting have different finenesses.

16. A weft knitted fabric according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the inelastic yarn contained in the course A and the course B at the knitting start side are both cellulosic yarns.

17. The weft knitted fabric according to claim 1 or 2, which is a single weft knitted fabric.

18. A shirt comprising the weft knitted fabric according to claim 1 or 2.

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