Seamless Knit Garment with Single Back Seam
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional garments often have multiple seams that can be prone to manufacturing defects, add bulk, and cause discomfort due to chafing, especially in form-fitting clothes.
Innovation Solution
A method of continuously knitting a double-layer web with a single, continuous seam along the back of the garment, forming a seamless tubular torso section and shoulder section, where the shoulder section is integrally knit with the torso section, reducing the need for additional seams and minimizing bulk and chafing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If multiple separate cuts of fabric are pieced together to form a garment, then the garment can be constructed with standard manufacturing processes, but seams are created that add bulk and cause chafing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate fabric pieces into a single continuous knitted structure. The garment is formed as one integrated knitted piece rather than assembling multiple cut fabric panels, which eliminates the need for seams and the associated chafing problem while maintaining manufacturability through continuous knitting processes
2Ease of manufacture
If multiple separate cuts of fabric are pieced together to form a garment, then the garment can be constructed with standard manufacturing processes, but seams are created that add bulk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple fabric pieces into a single continuous knitted structure, eliminating seams that create bulk. The integrated knitting process produces a smooth, seamless garment that reduces volume and eliminates the puffiness associated with traditional seam construction
3Ease of manufacture
If seams are used to join fabric pieces, then the garment can be constructed from separate components, but manufacturing defects may occur in seams
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges separate fabric components into a single continuous knitted piece, eliminating seams that are prone to manufacturing defects. The seamless construction removes weak points where seams could fail, thereby improving garment reliability and durability throughout the entire structure
4Object-affected harmful factors
If a single continuous seam is used along the back of the garment, then the number of seams is reduced minimizing bulk and chafing, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The knitting machine performs multiple functions simultaneously - it knits the fabric and creates the seamless tubular structure in one continuous process without requiring separate seaming operations. The garment essentially knits itself into its final seamless form, reducing manufacturing complexity despite the specialized process requirements
Data Source
AI summary
A knit garment comprises a seamless, tubular torso section, a shoulder section knit continuously with the torso section along a front surface, and a single, continuous seam affixing the shoulder section to the torso section along a width of the upper back of the garment. Such a garment can be made by continuously knitting a double-layer web, interlooping the layers of the web to one another to forma central tube, severing the web, trimming material from the first layer of the double layers, folding the second layer over itself toward the first layer, and affixing the second layer to the first layer.