Fiber product

Abstract

This glove (1), which is an example of a fiber product, comprises a knitted fabric knitted by a knitting machine using a twisted yarn (2) composed of a tungsten wire (3) having a wire diameter of at most 22 μm and a bundle of chemical fibers (4), which are reinforcing fibers, wherein the product of the maximum tensile force of the whole bundle of the chemical fibers (4) used for the twisted yarn (2) and the number of gauges of the knitting machine is at least 1,900 N.

Description

textile products

[0001] The present invention relates to textile products, and more particularly to cut-resistant knitted textile products.

[0002] Cut-resistant textile products, which can withstand cuts from sharp objects such as knives, are known. Examples of such textile products include cut-resistant work gloves. Conventionally, to achieve cut-resistant textile products, cut-resistant fibers, i.e., reinforcing fibers (reinforcing fibers), such as organic chemical fibers such as para-aramid fibers or ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers, or inorganic fibers such as glass fibers or stainless steel wires, have been incorporated into twisted yarns, which have been used to produce woven or knitted fabrics. For example, a textile product made of twisted yarns containing metal fibers made of tungsten wires has been proposed (Patent Document 1).

[0003] Patent No. 6288623

[0004] Generally, when the above-mentioned reinforcing fibers are included in the twisted yarn, the thickness of the textile product increases. Therefore, in order to reduce the thickness of the fabric in consideration of user convenience such as ease of use, it is necessary to reduce the amount of reinforcing fibers used, which inevitably reduces the cut resistance of the textile product.

[0005] The present invention is intended to solve these problems, and has an object to provide a textile product having a thin fabric thickness without reducing cut resistance.

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the textile product of the present invention includes a knitted fabric knitted on a knitting machine using a twisted yarn made of a tungsten wire having a diameter of 22 μm or less and a bundle of chemical fibers as reinforcing fibers, and the product of the maximum tensile strength (unit: N (Newton)) of the entire bundle of chemical fibers used in the twisted yarn and the gauge number of the knitting machine is 1900 N or more.

[0007] According to the present invention, a textile product having a thin fabric thickness can be realized without reducing cut resistance.

[0008] Fig. 1 is an external view of a glove according to an embodiment, Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a twisted yarn used in the glove according to the embodiment, and Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a modified example of the twisted yarn.

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that each of the embodiments described below represents a specific example of the present disclosure. Therefore, the numerical values, shapes, materials, components, component placement positions, and connection configurations shown in the following embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Therefore, among the components in the following embodiments, components that are not recited in independent claims will be described as optional components. Note that each figure is a schematic diagram and is not necessarily a precise illustration.

[0010] (Embodiment) First, a glove 1 according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is an external view of the glove 1 according to the embodiment. Note that Fig. 1 shows mesh only at the tips of the thumb and index finger, but the entire glove 1 is mesh-like.

[0011] 1, the glove 1 has a palm portion and five fingers. As an example, the glove 1 is a work glove or a work glove.

[0012] The glove 1 is an example of a textile product. Specifically, the glove 1 is made of a knitted fabric knitted by a knitting machine using a twisted yarn 2. In this embodiment, the entire glove 1 is made of a knitted fabric. The glove 1 can be produced, for example, by knitting the twisted yarn 2 as a knitting yarn with a predetermined gauge using a knitting process such as stockinette knitting.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 2, the twisted yarn 2 is composed of a tungsten wire 3 and a bundle of chemical fibers 4 .

[0014] The tungsten wire 3 used in the twisted yarn 2 is a metal fiber that functions as a reinforcing fiber (reinforcing fiber). Specifically, the tungsten wire 3 is a metal wire (metal wire rod). In this embodiment, the twisted yarn 2 includes one tungsten wire 3. In other words, the metal wire used in the twisted yarn 2 is only a single tungsten wire 3.

[0015] The twisted yarn 2 may have a plurality of tungsten wires 3. In this case, the plurality of tungsten wires 3 may be parallelly drawn or may be a composite wire formed by twisting a plurality of tungsten wires together. When using a plurality of tungsten wires 3, it is preferable that the number of tungsten wires 3 is three or less, since more than three wires will cause stiffness in the textile product.

[0016] The tungsten wire 3 may be made of pure tungsten, or may be made of a tungsten alloy that is mainly composed of tungsten.The purity of the tungsten in the tungsten wire 3 made of pure tungsten is 99.9% or more.In addition, when the tungsten wire 3 is made of a tungsten alloy, the proportion of tungsten contained in the tungsten alloy is, for example, 95% or more, but is not limited thereto.In addition, in this embodiment, the tungsten wire 3 is made of pure tungsten.

[0017] The wire diameter of the single tungsten wire 3 is 22 μm or less. In this case, the wire diameter of the tungsten wire 3 should preferably have a tolerance of 18 μm±20%. In other words, the wire diameter of the tungsten wire 3 should preferably be 14.4 μm or more and 21.6 μm or less. In this embodiment, a single tungsten wire 3 having a wire diameter of 18 μm is used.

[0018] A tungsten wire 3 having such a small diameter can be produced, for example, by the following method: First, tungsten powder having a particle size of 5 μm is press-molded and sintered to form an ingot, then the tungsten ingot is subjected to a swaging process in which the tungsten ingot is forged and compressed from the periphery and expanded to form a wire, and then wiredrawing (wiredrawing) is repeated using a plurality of wiredrawing dies with gradually smaller hole diameters to cause plastic deformation, thereby producing a tungsten wire 3 having a diameter of 22 μm or less.

[0019] The chemical fibers 4 used in the twisted yarn 2 are reinforcing fibers with high tensile strength. That is, the twisted yarn 2 is constructed by combining tungsten wires 3 and chemical fibers 4 with high tensile strength as reinforcing fibers. The bundle of chemical fibers 4 may be constructed of a single type of chemical fiber 4, or may be a composite fiber in which multiple types of chemical fibers 4 are twisted or aligned. Note that, when the bundle of chemical fibers 4 is constructed of a single type of chemical fiber 4, it is easier to bring out the characteristics of the chemical fiber 4.

[0020] The chemical fiber 4, which is a reinforcing fiber with high tensile strength, can be para-aramid fiber, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber, high-strength polyarylate fiber, PBO fiber, carbon fiber, etc. In this embodiment, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber is used as the chemical fiber 4.

[0021] "Fineness" is used to indicate the thickness of a bundle of chemical fibers 4. The fineness of a bundle of chemical fibers 4 is the amount of chemical fibers 4 actually used. Generally, bundles of chemical fibers 4 have complex or irregular cross-sectional shapes, or contain air inside, making it impossible to simply measure their diameter or cross-sectional area. For this reason, the "fineness" of length per unit weight (such as count) or weight per unit length (such as denier or decitex) has traditionally been used to measure the thickness of a bundle of chemical fibers 4. Decitex (dtex) is primarily used for chemical fibers. It should be noted that even if the decitex is the same, the density varies depending on the type of chemical fiber, which results in different total cross-sectional areas and therefore different apparent thicknesses.

[0022] Chemical fibers 4 are composed of bundles of even thinner long fiber filaments or bundles of short fiber staples. Chemical fibers 4 are made into yarn by twisting filaments or spinning staples. Because of this structure, the cross-sectional shape of chemical fibers 4 is easily deformed by lateral loads. This makes it difficult to measure the diameter and other properties of chemical fibers 4. Therefore, the thickness of the bundles of chemical fibers 4 is also expressed in decitex, which is the fineness.

[0023] Structurally, the twisted yarn 2 is a thick yarn made by further combining multiple thin yarns. By making the twisted yarn 2 thicker, the twisted yarn 2 has a thickness suitable for woven or knitted fabrics. This allows for the production of textile products that we see every day, such as clothing.

[0024] In this embodiment, the twisted yarn 2 is a covered yarn produced by covering processing. Specifically, the twisted yarn 2 includes a tungsten wire 3 and a bundle of chemical fibers 4, and further includes a sheath yarn 5 that covers the tungsten wire 3 and the bundle of chemical fibers 4.

[0025] For example, a tungsten wire 3 and a bundle of chemical fibers 4 are aligned (side by side) to form a core yarn, and a covering fiber is spirally wound around this core yarn as a sheath yarn 5. In this embodiment, the twisted yarn 2 is a double-covered yarn, and the sheath yarn 5 is wound twice in opposite directions around a core yarn consisting of a tungsten wire 3 and a bundle of chemical fibers 4. In other words, two sets of sheath yarns 5 are wound around a core yarn consisting of a tungsten wire 3 and a bundle of chemical fibers 4.

[0026] 2, the tungsten wire 3 is disposed outside the bundle of chemical fibers 4, but this is not limiting. For example, the tungsten wire 3 may be disposed inside the bundle of chemical fibers 4. In other words, the tungsten wire 3 may be surrounded by a plurality of chemical fibers 4.

[0027] The sheath yarn 5, which is the covering fiber, is a chemical fiber or natural fiber that does not have a very high tensile strength. In other words, the chemical fiber that constitutes the sheath yarn 5 has a lower tensile strength than the chemical fiber 4 that constitutes the core yarn. As an example, a polyester yarn or a nylon yarn is used as the sheath yarn 5. In this case, the sheath yarn 5 may be made of only polyester yarn or only nylon yarn, or may be made of a composite yarn of polyester yarn and nylon yarn.

[0028] The sheath yarn 5 may be composed solely of chemical fibers or natural fibers, but is not limited to this. For example, the sheath yarn 5 may contain, in addition to chemical fibers or natural fibers, a metal wire such as a tungsten wire as a covering fiber. That is, both the core yarn and the sheath yarn may contain a tungsten wire. The covering fiber used for the sheath yarn 5 may contain a chemical fiber with high tensile strength, similar to the chemical fiber 4. That is, both the core yarn and the sheath yarn may contain a chemical fiber with high tensile strength (i.e., a reinforcing fiber). The core yarn may contain a stretchable polyurethane fiber or nylon fiber. In this embodiment, the tensile strength of the covering fiber of the sheath yarn 5 is lower than that of the chemical fiber 4, but this is not limited to this. That is, a chemical fiber having the same tensile strength as the chemical fiber 4 may be used as the covering fiber of the sheath yarn 5. That is, a chemical fiber with high tensile strength may be contained in both the core yarn and the sheath yarn.

[0029] As described above, the glove 1 is a knitted fabric. A knitted fabric is, for example, a textile product that is finished into a flat shape by repeatedly making a loop with a knitting yarn and passing the knitting yarn through the loop to make another loop. When the knitted fabric is a garment such as a sweater, a sock, or a glove, these garments are mass-produced by machine knitting using a knitting machine. The tightness of the stitches in a knitted fabric is called the knitting density, and the higher the knitting density, the denser the knitted fabric. The gauge number of the knitting machine has a significant effect on the knitting density. The gauge number is the number of knitting needles per inch (25.4 mm). Generally, the gauge number of a knitting machine used to make work gloves is 7 or 10, and the gauge number of a knitting machine used to make work gloves is 13, for example.

[0030] There is a loose relationship between the gauge number and the fineness of the knitting yarn (twisted yarn 2 in this embodiment). For example, it is not possible to knit an extremely thick knitting yarn densely with a high gauge number. On the other hand, it is also difficult to knit a thin knitting yarn loosely with a low gauge number. Generally, the gauge number is set to be about the same as the count of the knitting yarn. The count is a measure of fineness and is the length per gram (unit: meters). If the length of 1 gram is 10 meters, it is count 10, and in this case, the appropriate gauge number for the knitting machine is 10 gauge. Another measure of fineness is decitex, which is the weight per 10,000 meters (unit: grams), and its reciprocal is the count. As a result, if an attempt is made to increase the gauge number of the knitting machine to produce a dense knitted fabric, the knitting yarn must be made thinner, and the finished knitted fabric tends to be thinner.

[0031] A feature of knitted fabrics is that they can stretch and contract freely in all directions, compared to woven fabrics. This is also useful when adding cut resistance to textile products. In other words, when a sharp object hits the surface of a textile product and is dragged, the knitted fabric will deform for a while, and will not begin to cut until it has completely deformed. The lower the gauge number, the larger the stitches and the greater the amount of deformation, so the amount of chemical fiber 4 (fineness) can be reduced. On the other hand, the higher the gauge number, the smaller the amount of deformation, so the amount of chemical fiber 4 (fineness) needs to be increased, but there is a limit to the amount that can be knitted, and this tendency becomes particularly noticeable when the gauge number exceeds 15.

[0032] Furthermore, the TDM test is commonly used as a method for evaluating the cut resistance of textile products. Details of this test method are described in International Standard ISO 13997 or Japanese Industrial Standard JIS T8052. The cut resistance of textile fabrics is determined according to this test method. Cut-resistant work gloves, i.e., cut-resistant gloves, are further graded based on International Standard ISO 23388 or European Standard EN 388:2016. Specifically, a cut resistance of 2 Newtons or more is Level A, 5 Newtons or more is Level B, 10 Newtons or more is Level C, 15 Newtons or more is Level D, 22 Newtons or more is Level E, and 30 Newtons or more is Level F. There are no grades above Level F, and Level F is the highest level. While achieving Level F is extremely difficult, achieving it will provide users with a greater sense of security. Therefore, it is conceivable to increase the amount of reinforcing fibers to improve cut resistance, but increasing the amount of reinforcing fibers can have undesirable effects such as making the fabric stiffer, thicker, and heavier.

[0033] Cut resistance, also known as cut resistance, is an index of how difficult it is to cut something with a sharp object. As it is a cutting phenomenon, shear strength plays a major role. Shearing is when an object is cut by applying alternating forces from directly across the axial direction. Furthermore, according to knowledge in material mechanics, due to the maximum shear strain energy theory, shear strength and tensile strength are proportional to each other. This is important, as it indicates that something that is difficult to tear when pulled is also difficult to cut. While it is generally very difficult to measure shear strength, tensile strength can be measured relatively easily. Regardless of the proportionality constant, it is convenient to be able to use tensile strength as a substitute characteristic.

[0034] While it would be ideal to be able to measure the maximum tensile strength based on the fineness of the chemical fiber 4 actually used, a more comprehensive approach is to use the tensile strength values ​​published by chemical fiber manufacturers. For example, even if a fiber is called the same ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber, published tensile strength values ​​do not necessarily match between manufacturers, and published tensile strength values ​​may differ between brands even within the same manufacturer, so determining this is also important. Published tensile strength values ​​are the maximum tensile strength per fineness, and fineness is often measured in decitex. Therefore, the published tensile strength value can be multiplied by the actual fineness to determine the maximum tensile strength of the chemical fiber among the reinforcing fibers, and the cut resistance can be determined by comparing these values.

[0035] As mentioned above, the knitting density of a finished knitted fabric is determined by the gauge number of the knitting machine, but the gauge number of the knitting machine also indicates the number of knitting yarns within a certain range. When a sharp object hits the knitted fabric, the greater the number of knitting yarns, the more the load from the sharp object is dispersed, improving the cut resistance of the entire fabric. Therefore, by multiplying the maximum tensile strength of the bundle of chemical fibers 4, which are reinforcing fibers, by the gauge number, it is possible to consider the cut resistance contributed by the chemical fibers in the entire textile product.

[0036] Chemical fibers are also constantly being improved, and new chemical fibers with higher tensile strength than ever before are being released one after another. Higher tensile strength allows for a corresponding reduction in the fineness, or the amount of yarn used. However, as mentioned above, knitting is not possible unless the knitting yarn itself has a certain thickness (fineness). Furthermore, as the fabric becomes thinner, the abrasion resistance also decreases significantly. Therefore, the fineness of the knitting yarn cannot be reduced too much. The limit is approximately 250 decitex for the knitting yarn, and approximately 150 decitex for the chemical fiber 4, which is the reinforcing fiber contained in the twisted yarn 2.

[0037] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail based on a number of samples that were actually produced. The following samples have the same configuration as the twisted yarn 2 shown in FIG.

[0038] [Sample 1] In Sample 1, a core yarn was formed by juxtaposing one tungsten wire 3 with a wire diameter of 18 μm and a bundle of chemical fibers 4 (the bundle had a fineness of 278 decitex) made of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers each having a tensile strength of 31 centiNewtons / dtex. A sheath yarn 5 made of polyester yarn was wound around the core yarn with a thickness of 111 decitex, and another sheath yarn 5 made of polyester yarn with a thickness of 111 decitex was wound around the core yarn in the opposite direction to form a double-covered yarn as a twisted yarn 2. Gloves were knitted using this twisted yarn 2 on a knitting machine with a gauge of 18. Finally, the results of the cut strength of this glove, which was tested using the TDM test described above, are shown in Table 1. Similar results were obtained when the sheath yarn 5 was made of nylon yarn.

[0039] In Table 1, the maximum tensile strength (unit: N (Newton)) of the entire bundle of chemical fibers 4 made of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers was calculated by multiplying the tensile strength of one strand of chemical fiber 4 by the fineness of the bundle of chemical fibers 4. Then, the product of the maximum tensile strength of the entire bundle of chemical fibers 4 and the gauge number of the knitting machine was calculated.

[0040] [Samples 2 to 8] The tensile strength and fineness of the ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber used as chemical fiber 4, and the gauge number of the knitting machine were set as shown in Table 1, and gloves were knitted under the same conditions as Sample 1. These gloves were then tested for cutting strength by the TDM test, and the results are shown in Table 1.

[0041] [Sample 9] In Sample 9, twisted yarn 2 was prepared in the same manner as in Sample 1, except that para-aramid was used as chemical fiber 4. Gloves were knitted using this twisted yarn 2 as a knitting yarn on a knitting machine with a gauge of 18. The gloves were then tested for cut strength in the TDM test, and the results are shown in Table 1. The tensile strength and fineness of the para-aramid used as chemical fiber 4 are as shown in Table 1. Para-aramid fiber has a higher density than ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fiber, and therefore the effective cross-sectional area is reduced even with the same fineness. Furthermore, the amount of fiber can be increased accordingly to knit a textile product, but the weight increases accordingly.

[0042]

[0043] From the results of Samples 1 to 9 shown in Table 1, the relationship between the product of the maximum tensile force of the entire bundle of chemical fibers 4 and the gauge number of the knitting machine and the cutting force was examined, and it was found that there is a linear relationship between this product and the cutting force. Furthermore, when comparing Samples 1 to 8 and Sample 9, which are made of different chemical fiber 4 materials, there is also a linear relationship between the product of the maximum tensile force of the entire bundle of chemical fibers 4 and the gauge number of the knitting machine and the cutting force. Utilizing this linearity, the value of the product that results in a cutting force of 30 Newtons (Level F) can be back-calculated to be 1898 N. Therefore, by making the value of this product at least 1900 or more, it is possible to achieve a cutting force of 30 Newtons (Level F) or more.

[0044] It should be noted that the TDM test is a test that produces results with large variations, and therefore the results may not be as predicted, but it was found that the results do not deviate too greatly from the predictions.

[0045] As described above, the textile product according to the present embodiment includes a knitted fabric knitted on a knitting machine using twisted yarn 2 composed of tungsten wire 3 having a wire diameter of 22 μm or less and a bundle of chemical fibers 4, which are reinforcing fibers, and the product of the maximum tensile strength of the entire bundle of chemical fibers 4 used in twisted yarn 2 and the gauge number of the knitting machine is 1900 N or more.

[0046] By using the tungsten wire 3 in combination with the reinforcing chemical fiber 4 to make the twisted yarn 2, the amount of chemical fiber 4 used can be reduced, and the thickness of the knitted fabric made with the twisted yarn 2 can be reduced, compared to when the twisted yarn is made solely of the reinforcing chemical fiber 4. Furthermore, by using the tungsten wire 3, the load applied during cutting is also distributed to the chemical fiber 4, synergistically improving the cut resistance of the textile product. Therefore, a textile product with a thin fabric thickness can be realized without reducing cut resistance. In particular, a textile product with high cut resistance, with a cut force of 30 Newtons (Level F) or more, can be realized.

[0047] (Modifications) Although the textile product according to the present invention has been described above based on the embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

[0048] For example, in the above embodiment, the twisted yarn 2 is a covered yarn covered with a sheath yarn 5, but this is not limited thereto. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 3, the twisted yarn 2A may be a doubled-twisted yarn formed by twisting together a bundle of multiple tungsten wires 3 and a bundle of chemical fibers 4. A doubled-twisted yarn can be produced by a double-twisting process. Note that, although multiple tungsten wires 3 are used in Fig. 3, this is not limiting. A single tungsten wire 3 may also be used.

[0049] In the above embodiment, the glove 1 is entirely made of knitted fabric, but this is not limiting. For example, the glove 1 may be partially made of knitted fabric. In other words, the glove 1 may include knitted fabric.

[0050] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a glove 1 is used as an example of a textile product, but the technology of the present disclosure can be applied to textile products other than gloves. For example, the textile product may be clothing, a hat, or socks. Examples of clothing include, but are not limited to, general clothing such as blouses, shirts, pants, jumpers, jackets, down wear, vests, jackets, anoraks, coats, raincoats, windbreakers, ski wear, and snowboard wear, as well as work clothes used in workplaces such as construction sites and factories. Furthermore, the textile product is not limited to the above, but may also be a tent, sleeping bag, bag, flag, or the like.

[0051] In addition, the present disclosure also includes embodiments obtained by applying various modifications to the above-described embodiments that would occur to those skilled in the art, and embodiments realized by arbitrarily combining the components and functions of the embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure. The present disclosure also includes any combination of two or more claims from the multiple claims set forth in the claims at the time of filing, provided that there is no technical contradiction. For example, when a dependent claim set forth in the claims at the time of filing is made into a multiple claim or multiple multiple claims that cite all of the superordinate claims within the scope of the technical contradiction, the present disclosure also includes any combination of all claims included in the multiple claim or multiple multiple multiple claims.

[0052] 1 Gloves 2, 2A Twisted yarn 3 Tungsten wire 4 Chemical fiber 5 Sheath thread

Claims

1. A textile product comprising a knitted fabric knitted on a knitting machine using a twisted yarn made of a tungsten wire with a diameter of 22 μm or less and a bundle of chemical fiber reinforcement fibers, wherein the product of the maximum tensile strength of the entire bundle of chemical fiber used in the twisted yarn and the gauge number of the knitting machine is 1900 N or more.

2. The textile product according to claim 1, wherein the maximum tensile strength of the entire bundle of chemical fibers is calculated by multiplying the tensile strength of one of the chemical fibers by the fineness of the bundle of chemical fibers.

3. The textile product according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the gauge number of the knitting machine is 18 or more.

4. The textile product according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the chemical fiber has a fineness of 150 decitex or more.

5. The textile product according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the twisted yarn is a covering yarn, and the twisted yarn has a sheath yarn wound around the tungsten wire and the bundle of chemical fibers.

6. The textile product according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the twisted yarn is a double-twisted yarn obtained by twisting together the tungsten wire and the bundle of chemical fibers.

7. The textile product according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the textile product is a cut-resistant work glove.

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