Warp knitted fabric

Details Warp knitted fabric Warp knitted fabric

2002-07-03

2003-12-30

Worrell, Danny (Department: 3765)

Textiles: knitting

Fabrics or articles

Warp

Reexamination Certificate

active

06668598

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a warp knitted fabric, and swimwear, sportswear and underwear in which the warp knitted fabric is used.
BACKGROUND ART
Sportswear and underwear suitably fitting the body and excellent in adaptability to body movement have recently been required, and there has been a great demand for stretch materials excellent in elongation recovery.
Knitted fabrics prepared by mixed knitting elastic fibers such as polyurethane-based elastic fibers and polyether ester-based elastic fibers (hereinafter abbreviated to elastic fibers) and knitted fabrics prepared by mixed knitting false-twisted yarns of poly(butylene terephthalate) fibers have heretofore been widely used for sportswear, underwear, and the like, as knitted fabrics having high stretchability and being excellent in elongation recovery. Moreover, for example, warp knitted fabrics excellent in surface smoothness and showing relatively excellent shape retention such as two-way tricot knitted fabrics prepared by knitting with a tricot knitting machine, and satin net fabrics and tricot net fabrics prepared by knitting with a Raschel knitting machine, have been widely used as clothing in particularly close contact with the body.
Although warp knitted fabrics prepared of mixed knitting elastic fibers are excellent in stretchability and elongation recovery, they have a relatively high density because the elastic fibers show low heat settability and a large shrinkage stress. Articles formed from the warp knitted fabrics therefore have a drawback of giving a heavy feeling to a wearer. Furthermore, the elastic fibers in the warp knitted fabrics show lowered stretchability or they are embrittled due to physical actions such as repeated stretching during wearing, repeated washing and tumbler drying after washing, and chemical actions such as active chlorine used for bleaching agents during washing and bactericides in a pool, organic lipid components contained in sebum and cosmetics and exposure to sunlight. As a result, the articles of the knitted fabrics have the drawback that they can be hardly used over a long period of time due to the lowering of the stretchability and a shape change thereof.
On the other hand, the knitted fabrics having elastic fibers have the following drawbacks. When the fabrics are pulled in the warp or weft direction and heat set in order to alleviate the heavy feeling, elastic fibers are exposed from the gaps of the knitted fabrics to impair the aesthetic appearance of the articles; and lowering of the functions and embrittlement of the elastic fibers are further accelerated by repeated washing of the articles, repeated stretching during wearing and the like. Furthermore, because the elastic fibers themselves have a high stretching force, the tension of the knitted fabrics must be controlled to a high degree in the knitting and dyeing stages for the purpose of not forming defects such as warp lines in the fabrics. Therefore, the knitted fabrics also have the problem of being costly.
On the other hand, using polyester-based synthetic fibers produced from poly(ethylene terephthalate), poly(butylene terephthalate), and the like that have a relatively firm resistance to the above chemical and physical actions in comparison with the elastic fibers, textured yarns having stretchability are prepared with known technologies such as false twisting and twisting, and clothing articles prepared from knitted fabrics in which the stretch textured yarns are used in place of the elastic fibers have been put on the market.
Warp knitted fabrics prepared by mixed knitting these false twisted yarns and twisted yarns have the following advantages: they are excellent in resistance to embrittlement and retain stretchability in an environment where the above chemical and physical actions are exerted on the fabrics; and they can be easily handled in the knitting and dyeing stages. However, because the false-twisted yarns and twisted yarns show a small stretching force in comparison with the elastic fibers, and have bulkiness, the knitted fabrics have the disadvantage that they have a coarse fullness and hardly show high stretchability. Moreover, the knitted fabrics formed from the false-twisted yarns and twisted yarns have disadvantages as explained below. An uneven effect and a crepe-like effect are produced on the surface of the knitted fabrics by the crimp of the false-twisted yarns and twisted yarns and, as a result, the knitted fabrics show poor resistance to pilling and snagging. Furthermore, because the bulkiness of the textured yarns increases friction among the yarns, the knitted fabrics have a drawback of showing low elongation recovery and shape stability.
Various composite yarns in which two polymer components are bonded in a side-by-side manner or in an eccentric core-sheath manner have been proposed as substitutes for the elastic fibers and, the false-twisted yarns and twisted yarns of polyester-based synthetic fibers, having drawbacks as explained above. For example, Japanese Examined Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 44-2504 discloses a composite yarn prepared by eccentrically composite spinning two poly(ethylene terephthalate) polymer components differing from each other in intrinsic viscosity. Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 5-295634 discloses a latent crimp composite yarn prepared by composite spinning in a side-by-side manner a poly(ethylene terephthalate) polymer and a copolymerized poly(ethylene terephthalate) polymer that is a large shrinkage component compared with the former polymer. Moreover, Japanese Examined Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 43-19108 discloses a composite yarn for which a poly(trimethylene terephthalate) polymer and a poly(butylene terephthalate) polymer are used.
However, when these known composite yarns are used, only knitted fabrics showing poor stretchability have been obtained because the stretch force of these composite yarns is as small as that of the false-twisted yarns and twisted yarns explained above. Moreover, the side-by-side type or eccentric core-sheath type of composite yarns are rubbed with tension bars and guides on a warp knitting machine where from 10 to 40 of the yarns per 2.5 cm are arranged in parallel and knitted. As a result, spring-like peculiar crimp shapes are manifested, and single filaments of the composite yarns tend to be entangled and produce yarn breakage. Accordingly, the composite yarns have a drawback of being capable of producing only knitted fabrics that have a coarse density and is low in denseness. The present situation in knitted fabrics is, therefore, that knitted fabrics that simultaneously satisfy the properties required, namely, surface smoothness, denseness, stretchability and durable stretchability have not yet been obtained.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
As a result of intensively carrying out investigations to solve the above problems, the present inventors have achieved the present invention.
That is, the present invention is as explained below.
1. A warp knitted fabric containing a latent crimp fiber and no elastic fiber, and showing a stretchability of 60% or more in both the warp and weft directions, and a residual strain at 60% elongation recovery of 15% or less in both the warp and weft directions.
2. The warp knitted fabric according to 1, wherein the latent crimp fiber is knitted at a blending ratio of 10% or more by weight based on the knitted fabric.
3. The warp knitted fabric according to 1 or 2, wherein the warp knitted fabric is formed from a latent crimp fiber and a non-latent crimp fiber, and the latent crimp fiber is mixed knitted at a blending ratio of from 10 to 80% by weight based on the knitted fabric.
4. The warp knitted fabric according to any one of 1 to 3, wherein the latent crimp fiber is compositely formed from two types of polyesters, and at least one of the polyesters is poly(trimethylene terephthalate).
5. The warp knitted fabric according to any one of 1 to 4, wherein the latent crimp fiber is compositely formed from two types of polyesters differing from eac

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