JP7607516B2 - Knitting method for knitted fabric - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for knitting a knitted fabric in which a rear knitted fabric part is knitted on a rear needle bed by a front yarn feeder, a front knitted fabric part is knitted on a front needle bed by a rear yarn feeder, and the two knitted fabric parts are joined together.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method of knitting a knitted fabric by knitting a rear knitted fabric portion on a rear needle bed using a front yarn feeder and knitting a front knitted fabric portion on a front needle bed using a rear yarn feeder. The front needle bed and the rear needle bed face each other. The front yarn feeder is disposed closer to the front needle bed than the rear yarn feeder. The front yarn feeder feeds a first knitting yarn, and the rear yarn feeder feeds a second knitting yarn. Depending on the positional relationship between the front yarn feeder and the rear yarn feeder and the progression order of both yarn feeders, the first knitting yarn and the second knitting yarn cross at the ends of the front knitted fabric portion and the rear knitted fabric portion in the knitting width direction. This crossing of the knitting yarns joins the front knitted fabric portion and the rear knitted fabric portion. Patent Document 1 further discloses that a miss pattern is formed at the left and right boundaries between the front knitted fabric portion and the rear knitted fabric portion to make the crossing of the knitting yarns less noticeable and to make the left and right boundaries look the same.

JP 2010-53490 A

The mistake pattern formed at the boundary between the front knitted fabric part and the back knitted fabric part may be noticeable depending on the weave patterns of both knitted fabric parts. In such cases, there is a need to make the intersection of knitting yarns at the boundary less noticeable by using a knitting method other than the knitting method of Patent Document 1.

One of the objectives of the present invention is to provide a method for knitting a fabric that can make the crossing of the knitting yarns used to join the front knitted fabric portion and the back knitted fabric portion less noticeable.

The knitting method of the knitted fabric of the present invention includes the steps of:
A flat knitting machine including a front needle bed, a rear needle bed opposing the front needle bed, a front yarn feeder that feeds a first knitting yarn, and a rear yarn feeder that feeds a second knitting yarn,
A knitting method for a knitted fabric, in which a rear knitted fabric portion is knitted on the rear needle bed by the front side yarn feeder, and a front knitted fabric portion is knitted on the front needle bed by the rear side yarn feeder, thereby crossing the first knitting yarn and the second knitting yarn at end portions in a knitting width direction of the front knitted fabric portion and the back knitted fabric portion,
When the first knitting yarn and the second knitting yarn are crossed, one of the end stitches of the front knitted fabric portion and the end stitches of the back knitted fabric portion is knitted so as to be a purl stitch and the other is knitted.

As one embodiment of the knitting method of the knitted fabric of the present invention,
The flat knitting machine includes a carriage having four cam systems mounted thereon,
One embodiment of the present invention is to knit the front knitted fabric portion and the back knitted fabric portion while moving the carriage in one direction.

According to the knitting method of the present invention, when the first knitting yarn and the second knitting yarn are crossed, the knitted stitches and the purl stitches are lined up on either side of the boundary between the front knitted fabric section and the back knitted fabric section. As a result, a step is formed between the knitted stitches and the purl stitches at the boundary between the two knitted fabric sections. The crossing of the knitting yarns is easily hidden by this step. Therefore, in the knitted fabric obtained by the knitting method of the present invention, the crossing of the knitting yarns joining the front knitted fabric section and the back knitted fabric section is less noticeable. In addition, the step formed by the knitted stitches and the purl stitches being lined up is less noticeable than the miss pattern of Patent Document 1.

By knitting the front and rear fabric sections while moving the carriage in one direction, the fabric can be knitted extremely efficiently. For example, when knitting the front and rear fabric sections by circular knitting using one yarn feeder, the carriage must be moved back and forth.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a carriage on which four cam systems are mounted. FIG. 2 is a first knitting process diagram of the knitting method of the knitted fabric according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a second knitting process diagram following FIG.

The knitting method for the knitted fabric according to the embodiment will be explained below with reference to the drawings.

<Embodiment 1>
In this embodiment, an example of an embodiment of a method for knitting a knitted fabric of the present invention using a four-bed flat knitting machine will be described with reference to the drawings.

The four-bed flat knitting machine is equipped with a lower front needle bed, a lower rear needle bed, an upper front needle bed, and an upper rear needle bed. Hereinafter, the lower front needle bed, the lower rear needle bed, the upper front needle bed, and the upper rear needle bed are denoted as FD, BD, FU, and BU, respectively. FD and BD face each other. FU, which is disposed above FD, and BU, which is disposed above BD, face each other. The four-bed flat knitting machine further comprises multiple yarn feeders and carriages. The relationship between the needle beds, yarn feeders, and carriages will be briefly explained using the schematic diagram in Figure 1.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a part of a flat knitting machine 5 seen from the FD side. FU is not shown in Figure 1. A carriage 6 provided on the flat knitting machine 5 moves back and forth on the needle bed. In this example, the carriage 6 has four cam systems 6A, 6B, 6C, and 6D aligned in the longitudinal direction of the needle bed. Each cam system has cams corresponding to FD, BD, FU, and BU. Also, Figure 1 shows, of the multiple yarn feeders, a front yarn feeder 8 located on the FD and FU side, and a rear yarn feeder 9 located on the BD and BU side of the front yarn feeder 8. The yarn feeders 8 and 9 are attached to rails 7 arranged above the needle bed so that they can run.

Next, an example of a method for knitting a fabric using the flat knitting machine 5 shown in FIG. 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. In the left column of FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, "S + number" indicates the number of the knitting process. In the right column, the knitting state of the stitches in each knitting process is shown. In the right column, black dots indicate knitting needles, and inverted triangle marks indicate the front yarn feeder 8 or the rear yarn feeder 9. Straight arrows indicate stitch transfer. Newly knitted stitches in each knitting process are shown in thick lines.

S0 in FIG. 1 shows a state in which the front knitted fabric portion 2 is held at FD, and the back knitted fabric portion 3 is held at BD. The front knitted fabric portion 2 is knitted with a second knitting yarn 9Y fed from a rear yarn feeder 9. The back knitted fabric portion 3 is knitted with a first knitting yarn 8Y fed from a front yarn feeder 8. In this example, the knitting method of the present invention is carried out at the left and right ends of the knitted fabric 1 from this state of S0, and a tubular knitted fabric 1 is knitted. The knitted fabric 1 is knitted by all needle knitting. All needle knitting means that knitting is performed with no empty needles between adjacent stitches.

In S1, the rear yarn feeder 9 is moved to the right and a new front knitted fabric section 2 is knitted. All stitches in the new front knitted fabric section 2 are face stitches. Face stitches are stitches that are pulled out from the old stitches from the inside to the outside of the tubular knitted fabric 1. Unlike this example, the rear knitted fabric section 3 may be knitted first.

In S2, of the left end stitch 3L and the right end stitch 3R in the knitting width direction of the rear knitted fabric portion 3, the right end stitch 3R is transferred from BD to FU. The stitches in the rear knitted fabric portion 3 other than the end stitch 3R remain engaged in BD.

In S3, the front yarn feeder 8 is moved to the right to knit a new back knitted fabric section 3. In the new back knitted fabric section 3, the end stitch 3R on the right side is a purl stitch, and the stitches other than the end stitch 3R are face stitches. The purl stitches are stitches that are pulled out from the old stitches from the outside to the inside of the tubular knitted fabric 1. As a result of S3, the first knitting yarn 8Y and the second knitting yarn 9Y cross on the outside of the knitting width direction of the knitted fabric 1.

In S4, the end stitch 3R of the back knitted fabric part 3 formed in FU in S3 is transferred to BD. By S4, all the stitches of the front knitted fabric part 2 are held in FD, and all the stitches of the back knitted fabric part 3 are held in BD. End stitch 2R and end stitch 3R are positioned on either side of the boundary between the front knitted fabric part 2 and the back knitted fabric part 3 on the right side of the page. End stitch 2R is a knit stitch, and end stitch 3R is a purl stitch.

The knitting shown in S1 to S4 is performed by moving the carriage 6 (see FIG. 1) in one direction. Specifically, the knitting of S1, S2, S3, and S4 is performed by cam system 6A, cam system 6B, cam system 6C, and cam system 6D mounted on the carriage 6, respectively. In other words, by moving the carriage 6 in one direction, the knitting of the front knitted fabric portion 2, the transfer of the end stitch 3R of the back knitted fabric portion 3 on the traveling direction side of the carriage 6, the knitting of the back knitted fabric portion 3, and the return of the end stitch 3R to the original needle bed are performed in that order.

In S5 of FIG. 3, of the left end stitch 2L and the right end stitch 2R in the knitting width direction of the front knitted fabric portion 2, the left end stitch 2L is transferred from FD to BU. The stitches in the front knitted fabric portion 2 other than the end stitch 2L remain engaged in the FD.

In S6, the rear yarn feeder 9 is moved leftward to knit a new front knitted fabric section 2. The left end stitch 2L of the new front knitted fabric section 2 is purl, and the stitches other than the end stitch 2L are knit. As a result of S6, the first knitting yarn 8Y and the second knitting yarn 9Y, which cross each other at the right end of the knitted fabric 1, are entangled, and the front knitted fabric section 2 and the back knitted fabric section 3 are joined.

In S7, the end stitch 2L formed in BU in S6 is transferred from BU to FD.

In S8, the front yarn feeder 8 is moved leftward to knit a new back knitted fabric section 3. All of the stitches in the new back knitted fabric section 3 are knitted. Therefore, the end stitch 2L and the end stitch 3L on either side of the boundary between the front knitted fabric section 2 and the back knitted fabric section 3 on the left side of the page are knitted and purl, respectively. Unlike this example, one of the end stitches on the right side of S6 and the end stitches on the right side of S8 may be knitted and the other may be purl.

The knitting shown in S5 to S8 is performed by moving the carriage 6 (see FIG. 1) in one direction. Specifically, the knitting of S5, S6, S7, and S8 is performed by cam system 6D, cam system 6C, cam system 6B, and cam system 6A, respectively, which are mounted on the carriage 6. In other words, by moving the carriage 6 in one direction, the knitting of the front knitted fabric section 2 on the side in the direction of travel of the carriage 6 is performed in this order: the stitches of the end stitches 2L of the front knitted fabric section 2 are transferred, the end stitches 2L are returned to the original needle bed, and the back knitted fabric section 3 is knitted.

From S8 onwards, by repeating knitting similar to S1 to S8, a tubular knitted fabric 1 can be knitted, which includes a front knitted fabric portion 2 and a back knitted fabric portion 3 joined by the intersection of the first knitting yarn 8Y and the second knitting yarn 9Y. In this knitted fabric 1, knit stitches and purl stitches are lined up on either side of the boundary between the front knitted fabric portion 2 and the back knitted fabric portion 3. As a result, a step is formed between the knit stitches and purl stitches at the boundary position. The intersection of the knitting yarns 8Y, 9Y is likely to be hidden by this step. Therefore, in the knitted fabric 1 obtained by the knitting method of the knitted fabric of the present invention, the intersection of the knitting yarns 8Y, 9Y joining the front knitted fabric portion 2 and the back knitted fabric portion 3 is less noticeable. The step is less noticeable than the miss pattern of Patent Document 1.

Here, if the knit stitches and purl stitches are lined up on either side of the boundary between the front knitted fabric section 2 and the back knitted fabric section 3, the intersection of the knitting yarns 8Y, 9Y at the boundary will be less noticeable. Therefore, the combination of knit stitches and purl stitches at the boundary is not limited to the combination of end stitches 2L, 3R being purl stitches and end stitches 2R, 3L being knit stitches as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3. For example, the end stitches 2L, 3R may be knit stitches and the end stitches 2R, 3L may be purl stitches.

According to the knitting method of the present example, two stages of the front knitted fabric section 2 and the back knitted fabric section 3 can be knitted during one round trip of the carriage 6. Also, in this example, there is no empty course where only the carriage 6 is moved. Therefore, the knitted fabric 1 can be completed efficiently.

<Other embodiments>
In the embodiment, the front knitted part 2 and the back knitted part 3 are made of a plain stitch structure, but they can also be made of a structure pattern such as a rib structure or a garter structure. For example, the front knitted part 2 and the back knitted part 3 can be made of a rib structure. In that case, it is recommended to transfer some of the stitches of the back knitted part 3 to FU in S2, and transfer some of the stitches of the front knitted part 2 to BU in S5. If not only the end stitches 2L, 3R but also the stitches adjacent to the end stitches 2L, 3R are purl stitched as in the rib structure, the intersection of the knitting yarns 8Y, 9Y becomes even more easily hidden by the step.

The front knitted fabric portion 2 and the back knitted fabric portion 3 may be knitted in a C-shape. In that case, the knitted fabric portions 2, 3 are joined at one end in the knitting width direction of the two knitted fabric portions 2, 3, and are not joined at the other end.

The knitting method of the knitted fabric of the present invention can also be implemented by a flat knitting machine equipped with two or three cam systems. The knitting method of the knitted fabric of the present invention can also be implemented by a two-bed flat knitting machine. When using a two-bed flat knitting machine, the front knitted fabric section and the back knitted fabric section are knitted by needleless knitting. Needleless knitting means that knitting is performed with empty needles placed between adjacent stitches. The empty needles placed between adjacent stitches are used to transfer stitches and form stitches.

Reference Signs List 1 Knitted fabric 2 Front knitted fabric portion, 2L, 2R End stitch 3 Rear knitted fabric portion, 3L, 3R End stitch 5 Flat knitting machine 6 Carriage 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D Cam system 7 Rail 8 Front yarn feeder, 8Y First knitting yarn 9 Rear yarn feeder, 9Y Second knitting yarn

Claims (2)

A flat knitting machine including a front needle bed, a rear needle bed opposing the front needle bed, a front yarn feeder that feeds a first knitting yarn, and a rear yarn feeder that feeds a second knitting yarn,
A knitting method for a knitted fabric, in which a rear knitted fabric portion is knitted on the rear needle bed by the front side yarn feeder, and a front knitted fabric portion is knitted on the front needle bed by the rear side yarn feeder, thereby crossing the first knitting yarn and the second knitting yarn at end portions in a knitting width direction of the front knitted fabric portion and the back knitted fabric portion,
A method for knitting a knitted fabric in which, when crossing the first knitting yarn and the second knitting yarn, one of the end stitches of the front knitted fabric section and the end stitches of the back knitted fabric section is a purl stitch and the other is a face stitch. The flat knitting machine includes a carriage having four cam systems mounted thereon,
2. The method for knitting a fabric according to claim 1, wherein the front knitted fabric portion and the back knitted fabric portion are knitted while the carriage is moved in one direction.

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