Textiles: knitting – Independent-needle machines – Straight
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-22
2001-03-27
Wornell, Danny (Department: 3741)
Textiles: knitting
Independent-needle machines
Straight
C066S196000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06205822
ABSTRACT:
Hitherto, various possibilities existed for knitting three-dimensional knits as used e.g. for seat covers. The best possibility consisted of producing cover parts and subsequently stitching the parts to each other. This method has the disadvantage that the parts need to be stitched to each other after production which involves additional costs.
The object of the invention is to provide a method enabling a three-dimensional knit to be produced by as simple means as possible. In accordance with the invention two knit parts are knitted separately on a flat knitting machine and joined to each other at a point, preferably at an edge.
For this purpose the various possibilities in accordance with the invention are available.
In a first embodiment of the invention a first knit part is knitted on the flat knitting machine, The first knit part is knitted such that an edge for joining to another knit part remains hanging on the needles. Subsequently the second knit part is simply knitted in place in the joining portion by the first course in the second knit part being joined to the loops of the first knit part hanging on the needles, whereby only the needles in the joining portion of the two knit parts are activated, the remaining needles on which the first knit part hangs remaining inactive as long as they are joined to a further knit part.
In this way triangular, optionally rectangular, oval or elliptical fashioning parts may be knitted into a knit. Knitting a knit part to the edge of another knit part necessitates as a rule only two knit parts. Working e.g. a triangular fashioning part into a knit necessitates as a rule three knit parts, namely a first knit part, prior to knitting the fashioning part, then knitting the fashioning part and finally knitting the third knit part to a second edge of the fashioning part and to the first knit part. The present method permits joining any number of knit parts in any shape to each other.
It even makes it possibile to join tubular structures to planar knits. For this purpose the planar knit part is knitted as the first knit part. The last course of loops in the planar knit part is joined in the joining portion with the first course knitted on at least two needle beds of the next knit part. Subsequently, the two plies are further knitted separately on both needle beds and rejoined to each other in a last course. In this way a tubular second knit part is knitted to a planar first knit part. This technique may be put to use especially in the production of anchorages, e.g. on car seat covers.
The techniques as cited above may be implemented, of course, in a multi-ply system, necessitating a corresponding number of needle beds in keeping with the number of plies. The above method would require two needle beds for joining planar knit parts in two plies, whereas for joining a planar knit part to a tubular knit part the method as described would already necessitate four needle beds in the region of of the tubular knit part if the tubular knit were two-ply. Correspondingly, six or eight needle beds are needed for three or four plies.
A further method of the present invention necessitates at least one active needle bed and a further active needle bed, auxiliary needle bed or a comb. The first knit part is knitted on a first needle bed of the machine such that the edge for joining the second knit part hangs on the needles after knitting. To this extent this method is the same as the method as described above. Then, however, this knit part is transferred to another needle bed, auxiliary needle bed or a comb. If a comb is used, it may be guided out of the knit part e.g. by machine action so as not to hinder removal of the knit when knitting the second knit part. This second knit part too, is knitted in such a way that in the end the loops hang on the needles which form the edge for joining the first knit part. This knit part may also be hung by its start and finish loops to the comb, after which it is joined as a tubular structure to the further knit part. Then, these loops hanging on the active needle bed are joined to the displaced loops of the other needle bed, auxiliary needle bed or comb. This may be achieved in various ways. In one way, the loops may be rehung on the active needle bed and further knitted, or the loops may be knitted to each other on a needle bed without being transferred.
In this case too, joining multi-ply knits is possible, the number of needle beds required needing to equal either once or twice the number of knit parts. Working with combs in this case becomes somewhat difficult because likewise several combs need to be provided in the outfeed portion of the knit which afterwards may need to be moved out of the knitting portion and returned back into the knitting portion.
A further method of producing a three-dimensional knit may be briefly termed “drop knitting” or “offset knitting” in which the first knit part is knitted on first needles of a needle bed such that on completion of knitting the edge for joining the second knit part hangs on the needles. These first needles may be e.g. the needles 1,3,5,7 etc, of the needle bed. Then, the second knit part is knitted on the second needles of the needle bed, e.g. on the needles 2,4,8,10 etc. such that in the end the loops forming the edge for joining the first knit part likewise hang on the needles. Then, the loops hanging on both needles can simply be knitted to each other, as a result of which the two knit parts are joined to each other. Using this method even several knit parts may be joined to each other. The first and second needles must not be formed alternatingly by every second needle of the needle bed, any needle pitch may be used depending on the number of knit parts and depending on the desired density of the fabric. For instance, the first needles may be formed by every first, fourth, seventh, tenth etc. needle, whilst the second needles are formed by every second, fifth, eleventh etc. needle. The third, sixth, ninth, twelth needles may be either not activated at all or reserved for a third knit part. In this way it is possible to join knit parts to each other, whose edges differ in length. Thus, e.g. the loops of the first knit part hang on the needles 1,2,4,5,7,8,9,10 etc. whilst the loops of the second knit part hang on the needles 3,6,9,12, etc. In this way two loops each of the first knit part are joined to one loop of the second knit part so that at the joining edge the first knit part has twice as many loops as the second knit part. This is especially of advantage in the production of three-dimensionally shaped parts consisting of several knit parts such as e.g. headrests. The density of the knit may be varied over the needle pitch. This method is suitable especially in producing three-dimensional knits on flat knitting machine equipped with twin needles, the first needles then being formed by the the A needles of the twin needle whilst the second needles are formed by the B needles thereof. For multi-ply knits the number of needle beds needs to correspond to the number of plies. By this method even four-ply knits may thus be produced in technically achievable ways and means when a four-needle bed machine is used. Likewise, tubular knit parts may be produced when the first and last loop course of a knit part is knitted on all needles, whilst the courses inbetween are knitted with only a single needle array, e.g.
1
,
3
,
5
, etc. It is also possible to knit the knit parts knitted on both needle arrays in synchronism.
In yet a further method in accordance with the invention at least two knit parts are knitted on one needle bed, i.e. the first knit part being knitted in a first portion of the needle bed until it hangs on the needles with the edge for joining the second knit part.
Then, the second knit part is knitted on a portion of the needle bed laterally displaced from the first portion until this knit part too, hangs on the needles by its joining edge. Subsequently, at least one of the knit parts is transferred to a needle bed or auxiliary needle bed and in conclus
Recaro GmbH & Co.
Smith-Hill and Bedell
Wornell Danny
LandOfFree
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