Circular Knitting Needle Tracks for Clearer Double-Sided Color Blocks

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional yarn-dyed fabrics exhibit impure color development due to the presence of non-color-developing yarns visible within the front loops, leading to blurred patterns.

Innovation Solution

A circular knitting machine with distinct tracks for each knitting needle to form front loops using single colored yarns, and back loops using both colored yarns, ensuring each front loop is composed of a single colored yarn, enhancing color purity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If face yarn and ground yarn are knitted together in conventional yarn-dyed fabrics to achieve color variation, then color variation is achieved, but the ground yarn remains visible within front loops causing impure color development

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecolor variationVSAvoidcolor purity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the ground yarn from the front loops, allowing it to be knitted separately in the back loops only. This separation ensures that the front loops contain exclusively face yarn, achieving pure color development while the ground yarn forms the background structure in the reverse side without interfering with the front surface color purity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The knitting process is segmented into two independent tracking systems: one for face yarn forming front loops, and another for ground yarn forming back loops. This segmentation allows each yarn type to be controlled separately, ensuring that the ground yarn does not contaminate the front loop color while still providing structural support.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Stability of the object's composition

If ground yarn is positioned close to face yarn in conventional knitting, then fabric structure is maintained, but pattern clarity deteriorates due to blurred color blocks

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefabric structureVSAvoidpattern clarity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention resolves the spatial conflict by moving the ground yarn interaction to another dimension - the reverse side of the fabric. The ground yarn is knitted in the back loops on the reverse side, while the face yarn forms the front loops on the front side. This dimensional separation maintains fabric structural integrity through the ground yarn while preserving pattern clarity on the front surface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Quantity of substance

If multiple yarns are knitted together in the same loop, then fabric density is improved, but color block definition is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveyarn densityVSAvoidcolor block definition
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts the ground yarn from the front loop composition, removing it from the color-forming elements. The ground yarn is retained in the fabric structure through separate back loop formation, maintaining overall fabric density while ensuring that front loops contain only face yarn for sharp color block definition.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP4726089A1Circular knitting machine for knitting double-sided fabric with colored yarns
Publication Date: 2026.04.15 PAI LUNG MACHINERY MILL CO LTD
  • EP4726089A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4726089A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4726089A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A circular knitting machine (20) for knitting a double-sided yarn-dyed fabric (40) includes a cylinder (21), a dial (22), at least one yarn feeder (25) and at least one needle selector (26). The cylinder (21) includes first knitting needles (211) configured to form front loops (41) of the fabric (40). The dial (22) includes second knitting needles (221) configured to form back loops (42) of the fabric (40). The yarn feeder (25) feeds a first colored yarn (44) and a second colored yarn (45). Each first knitting needle (211) has a first track (31) and a second track (32) partially overlapped with the first track (31). The first knitting needle (211) draws only the first colored yarn (44) to form the front loop (41) along the first track (31), and draws only the second colored yarn (45) to form the front loop (41) along the second track (32). Each second knitting needle (221) only has a single track to draw both the first colored yarn (44) and the second colored yarn (45) to form the back loop.