Weaving method for textured patterns

Abstract: A weaving method is provided that imparts a correlation of a 1/f fluctuation to the texture pattern of a woven fabric. In the weaving method, the warp yarns (21) are passed through a plurality of healds (4), the warp yarns (21) are separated into two sets to form a shed between the two sets, and the weft yarn (22) is passed through the shed. For one texture pattern, the warp yarns (21) are threaded in groups in numbers corresponding to the values of a numerical sequence with a 1/f fluctuation through one set of healds; for another texture pattern, the warp yarns (21) are threaded in groups through another set of healds (4) so as to alternate with the first groups, thereby weaving a plurality of texture patterns into the woven fabric, wherein the overall texture design has a 1/f fluctuation.

Description: The invention relates to a weaving method to obtain woven fabrics with a textured pattern which comprises a combination of a number of different types of textured designs. In conventional methods, a large number of warp yarns are threaded through a plurality of healds and reed dents of a reed in a parallel array. Thereafter, while the healds are moved up and down in accordance with the desired texture design, the warp yarns are separated into two sets and the weft yarns are passed through the shed formed between the two sets of warp yarns in order to produce a woven fabric having a given warp and weft texture. A number of different types of texture designs are utilized in the operation of the healds in order to weave the texture pattern into the fabric. In conventional woven fabrics, the textured patterns are of uniform design, and therefore they do not have a natural, irregular feel. Rather, the goods obtained thereby have an artificial texture with very little natural feel which is not particularly comfortable for the wearer. EP-A-0 686 716 constitutes prior art under Article 54(3) EPC and discloses a wearing method wherein warp yarns in an arrangement having a 1/f fluctuation are passed through a reed. The object underlying the present invention is to provide a weaving method for producing woven goods or fabrics which provide a natural, comfortable feel to the wearer. In order to resolve this problem, the invention according to claim 1 provides a weaving method by means of which woven fabric is produced in which the pattern is obtained by combining different types of textures having a specific correlation, in particular a 1/f fluctuation. Claims 2-4 concern advantageous features of this method. The object underlying the present invention is solved in an advantageous manner by the weaving method as disclosed in detail hereinafter and with reference to the accompanying drawings, and specified in the claims. One advantage of the present invention resides in that woven fabric is provided in which the texture pattern does not change randomly but according to a specific correlation with a 1/f fluctuation. Thus, the woven fabric imparts a natural, irregular feel of comfort and esthetic beauty to the wearer. Another advantage of the present invention resides in that the woven fabrics obtained have the same natural irregular feel as hand-woven goods, but can be manufactured at low cost on an industrial scale. In the present invention, the expression "1/f fluctuation" is defined and understood as a power spectrum, with a frequency component f, which is proportional to 1/f k , wherein k is approximately 1. When incorporating the variation in strength of a sound, melody or gentle breeze having a 1/f fluctuation into woven fabrics, the goods obtained thereby can evoke a feeling of comfort for the wearer. According to a first aspect of the present invention, a weaving method for weaving woven fabric from warp yarns and weft yarns is disclosed in which the warp yarns are threaded through a plurality of healds, the warp yarns are separated into two sets to form a shed between the two sets, and the weft yarn is passed through the shed, and wherein the processes are performed in such a manner that the plurality of texture patterns obtained therein vary so as to have a 1/f fluctuation. According to a further aspect of the present invention, a weaving method for weaving woven fabric from warp yarns and weft yarns is disclosed in which the warp yarns are threaded through a plurality of healds, the warp yarns are separated into two sets to form a shed beetween the two sets, and the weft yarn is passed through the shed; and wherein for one texture pattern, warp yarns are threaded in groups in numbers corresponding to the values of a numerical sequence with a 1/f fluctuation through one set of healds, whereas for another texture pattern, the warp yarns are threaded in groups through another set of healds so as to alternate with the first groups, thereby weaving a plurality of texture patterns into the woven fabric, wherein the overall texture design has a 1/f fluctuation. According to another aspect of the present invention, a weaving method for weaving woven fabrics from warp yarns and weft yarns is disclosed, in which warp yarns are passed through a plurality of healds, the warp yarns are separated into two sets to form a shed between the two sets, and the weft yarn is passed through the shed; wherein for one texture pattern, the warp yarns are threaded in groups in numbers corresponding to every other value of a numerical sequence with a 1/f fluctuation through one set of healds, whereas for another texture pattern, the warp yarns are threaded in groups in numbers corresponding to the alternate values of the numerical sequence through another set of healds, so as to alternate with the first groups, thereby weaving a plurality of texture patterns into the woven fabric, wherein the overall texture design has a 1/f fluctuation. According to a still further aspect according to the invention, a weaving method for weaving woven fabric from warp yarns and weft yarns is disclosed, in which the warp yarns are passed through a plurality of healds, the warp yarns are separated into two sets to form a shed between the two sets, and the weft yarn is passed through the shed; wherein for one texture pattern, the warp yarns are threaded in groups in numbers corresponding to the values of a numerical sequence with a 1/f fluctuation through one set of healds, whereas for another texture pattern, the warp yarns are threaded in groups in numbers corresponding to the values of another numerical sequence with a 1/f fluctuation through another set of healds, so as to alternate with the first groups, thereby weaving a plurality of texture patterns into the woven fabric, wherein the overall texture design has a 1/f fluctuation. The invention will be explained in more detail below by means of preferred embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 shows an overview diagram of the principal components of a weaving machine used in the method according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating a combined plain weave and satin weave texture; Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating a combined plain weave and satin weave pattern with a 1/f fluctuation; Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating a twill texture; Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating a twill pattern with a 1/f fluctuation; Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating a pique texture; and Fig. 7 is a diagram illustrating a pique pattern with a 1/f fluctuation. Weaving Machine An overview diagram of the principal components of a weaving machine 1 used in the weaving methods according to the invention is shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The weaving machine 1 weaves spun yarn into woven goods or fabric 2 through the primary movements of opening a shed formed by two sets of warp yarns 21, inserting a weft yarn 22, and beating the weft, and the secondary movements of letting off warp yarns 21 from a let-off device 3, and taking up woven fabric 2 by means of a take-up device 7. The construction is shown in a diagrammatic manner in Fig. 1. The action of opening the shed divides all the warp yarns 21 into two sets, forming an opening through which weft yarn 22 passes transversely, wherein the warp yarns 21 and the weft yarns 22 are intersecting and crossing over each other. For this purpose, the warp yarns 21 are drawn-in through a plurality of healds 4 in a prescribed order, and the up and down action of these healds 4 separates the warp yarns 21 vertically from each other. The weave obtained thereby can be changed to provide a plain weave, twill weave, satin weave or any other type of texture by varying the manner in which the warp yarns 21 are divided into two sets. In one method of inserting the weft yarn 22, the weft yarn 22 is wound around a wooden tube, that is inserted into a rapier 6 which carries the weft yarn 22 through the shed formed by the warp yarns 21. Apart from such a rapier 6, other means of weft insertion may be used which include the use of air, water, shuttles or grippers. Weft beating is the procedure in which the reed 5 moves forwardly and backwardly in order to press and force the weft yarn 22, which has passed through the inside of the shed formed by the warp yarns 21, up to a prescribed position, where the warp yarns 21 and the weft yarns 22 crossing each other form a desired pattern. The let-off device 3 gradually feeds the warp yarns 21, while the take-up device 7 rolls up the woven fabric 2. 1/f Fluctuation One of the inventors was the first in the world to discover that a 1/f fluctuation would impart a particularly comfortable feel to human beings. The results were published in "The World of Fluctuations", published by Kodansha Publishers in 1980. Also, the results were published in a paper entitled "Bio-information and 1/f Fluctuation", Applied Physics, 1985, pp. 429 to 435, and in another paper entitled "Biocontrol and 1/f Fluctuation", Journal of Japan. Soc. of Precision Machinery, 1984, Vol. 50, No. 6, as well as in a recent publication called "The Concept of Fluctuations", published by NHK in 1994. The abstract of these publications read as follows: "The 1/f fluctuation provides a comfortable feeling to human beings; the reason is that the variations in the basic rhythm of the human body have a 1/f spectrum. From another perspective, the human body eventually becomes tired of a constant stimulation from the same source, but conversely, the body feels uncomfortable if the stimulations were to change too suddenly. Therefore, a 1/f fluctuation is a fluctuation of the right proportion between these two extremes." In addition, an excerpt from "The World of Fluctuations" published by Kodansha Publishers, 1980, reads as follows: "For example, the rhythms exhibited by the human body such as heart beats, hand-clapping to music, impulse-release period of neurons, and alpha rhythms observed in the brain, are all basically 1/f fluctuations, and it has been shown experimentally that if a body is stimulated by a fluctuation like these biorhythmic 1/f fluctuations, it would feel comfortable". Fluctuations or variations exist in various forms throughout nature, but the murmur of a brook, a breeze of wind, and other phenomena that impart a comfortable feeling to human beings have a 1/f fluctuation, while typhoons and other strong winds that impart uneasiness do not have a 1/f fluctuation. 1/f Fluctuation Signal 1/f fluctuation signals are derived from a numerical sequence y1, y2, y3, ... formed by multiplying n coefficients a1, a2, a3, ... an, on a random sequence of numbers x1, x2, x3 ..... Generally, yj can be expressed by equation 1 indicated below. It should be noted herein that the sequence of numerical values forming y1, y2, y3, ... has a 1/f spectrum. For further details, reference is made to "Biological Signaling", Chapter 10, in "Biological Rhythms and Fluctuations", published by Corona Publishers, Ltd.. The sequence of numerical values having a 1/f fluctuation is obtained in two steps. In a first step, a computer, for example, generates a sequence of random numbers, x. In a second step, a certain number n of coefficients a stored in a storage device, are successively multiplied on the random numbers, and then a sequence of numerical values y is obtained by a linear transformation. This numerical sequence y has a 1/f spectrum and can be used as a sequence of numerical values having a 1/f fluctuation. In the following, three examples of numerical sequences with a 1/f fluctuation are provided which are obtained in such a manner. Other numerical sequences with a 1/f fluctuation can be derived, for example, from a sound, melody or a breeze of wind, the strengths of which vary with a 1/f fluctuation. Numerical sequence No. 1 = 32, 18, 24, 14, 10, 20, 16, 16, 12, 4, 14, 16, 16, 8, 24, 4, 10, 28, 28, 12, 10, 2, 2, ... Numerical sequence No. 2 = 4, 8, 10, 40, 24, 4, 12, 16, 20, 16, 24, 8, 8, 14, 14, 22, 26, 4, 8, 14, 14, 26, 28, ... Numerical sequence No. 3 = 20, 20, 26, 10, 10, 24, 18, 24, 12, 6, 12, 16, 16, 10, 24, 6, 12, 32, 12, 12, .... Weaving of a Combined Plain Weave and Satin Weave Texture The following example illustrates a weaving method in order to impart a 1/f fluctuation to a texture pattern of a combined plain weave and satin weave. For this purpose, No. 105 two-fold yarn is used both for the warp yarns 21 and the weft yarns 22 in a shuttle weaving machine which is equipped with, for example, 12 healds. A texture pattern consisting of a combined plain weave and satin weave is illustrated in Fig. 2. In the example of Fig. 2, the four rows to the left are a satin weave, and the two rows to the right are a plain weave. By controlling the vertical movement of the 12 healds, a satin weave can be obtained by repeating the design of the four left rows, while a plain weave can be obtained by repeating the design of the two right rows. The "X" marks in the diagram indicate that the warp yarns 21 are on top of the weft yarns 22. In order to obtain a combined plain weave and satin weave texture having a 1/f fluctuation, plain weaving and satin weaving are alternated, wherein for example the number of plain weave rows are changed in accordance with the numerical sequence No. 1 (32, 18, ...) as described above, while the number of rows of satin weave remains fixed, for example at 16. That means, 32 warp yarns are threaded through one set of healds so as to produce a plain weave pattern, the next 16 warp yarns are threaded through another set of healds so as to produce a satin weave, the next 18 warp yarns are passed through the plain weave healds, and the next 16 yarns are passed through the satin weave healds, and so forth. This alternating yarn allocation through the healds is repeated in this manner in order to yield a combined plain and satin weave pattern with a 1/f fluctuation as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Weaving of Twill Texture Pattern The following example illustrates a weaving method in order to impart a 1/f fluctuation to a combined twill right (wherein the diagonal runs upward to the right) and twill left (wherein the diagonal runs upward to the left) pattern. For this purpose, No. 105 two-fold yarn is used for both the warp yarns 21 and the weft yarns 22 in a shuttle weaving machine which is equipped, for example, with 8 healds. Fig. 4 illustrates such twill textures, wherein Fig. 4(A) shows a twill left pattern and Fig. 4(B) shows a twill right pattern. These twill patterns can be obtained by controlling the up and down movements of the 8 healds in accordance with the respective twill designs. In order to obtain a combined twill right and twill left texture with a 1/f fluctuation, for example, the values of the numerical sequence No. 2 (4, 8, ...) are used for the twill right weave, while the values of the numerical sequence No. 3 (20, 20, ...) are used for the twill left weave. That means, 4 warp yarns are arranged in the healds so as to produce the twill right pattern of Fig. 4(B), the next 20 warp yarns are arranged in the healds so as to produce the twill left pattern of Fig. 4(A), the next 8 yarns are arranged in the twill right healds, the next 20 yarns are arranged in the twill left healds. This arrangement of the warp yarns 21 is continued in this manner in order to weave two types of twill patterns. A twill texture pattern so obtained by this method has a 1/f fluctuation as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. Changing the Rib Width of a Piqué Fabric The following example illustrates a piqué texture using No. 105 two-fold yarn for both the warp yarns 21 and the weft yarns 22 in a shuttle weaving machine which is equipped with, for example, 8 healds. Fig. 6 of the drawigns illustrates a piqué texture design indicating the crossover state of the warp yarns 21 and the weft yarns 22. In one example - in order to obtain a piqué texture with a 1/f fluctuation - the up and down movements of the 8 healds is controlled in accordance with the design of the two right rows and the two left rows as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. For example, the numerical sequence No. 2 is used for the right design, while the numerical sequence No. 3 is used for the left design of Fig. 6. That is, 4 warp yarns (numerical sequence No. 2) are allocated for the right design, then 20 yarns (numerical sequence No. 3) for the left design, then 8 yarns for the right design, then 20 yarns for the left design, then 10 yarns for the right design, then 26 yarns for the left design and so forth. The piqué texture so obtained has a 1/f fluctuation as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings.

Claims: A weaving method for weaving woven fabric from warp yarns (21) and weft yarns (22), in which the warp yarns (21) are threaded through a plurality of healds (4), the warp yarns (21) are separated into two sets to form a shed between the two sets, and the weft yarn (22) is passed through the shed; wherein the processes are performed in such a manner that the plurality of texture patterns obtained therein vary so as to have a 1/f fluctuation. The weaving method according to claim 1, wherein for one texture pattern, the warp yarns (21) are threaded in groups in numbers corresponding to the values of a numerical sequence with a 1/f fluctuation through one set of healds, whereas for another texture pattern, the warp yarns (21) are threaded in groups through another set of healds (4) so as to alternate with the first groups, thereby weaving a plurality of texture patterns into the woven fabric, wherein the overall texture design has a 1/f fluctuation. The weaving method according to claim 1, wherein for one texture pattern, the warp yarns (21) are threaded in first groups in numbers corresponding to the odd number values of a numerical sequence with a 1/f fluctuation through one set of healds (4), whereas for another texture pattern, the warp yarns (21) are threaded in second groups in numbers corresponding to the even number values of the numerical sequence through another set of healds (4) so as to alternate with the first groups, thereby weaving a plurality of texture designs into the woven fabric, wherein the overall texture design has a 1/f fluctuation. The weaving method according to claim 1, wherein for one texture pattern, the warp yarns (21) are threaded in first groups in numbers corresponding to the values of a first numerical sequence with a 1/f fluctuation through one set of healds (4), whereas for another texture pattern, the warp yarns (21) are threaded in second groups in numbers corresponding to the values of a second numerical sequence with a 1/f fluctuation through another set of healds (4) so as to alternate with the first groups, thereby weaving a plurality of texture patterns into the woven fabric, wherein the overall texture design has a 1/f fluctuation.

Inventors: MUSHA TOSHIMITSU, ONO SHU, TAKAGI SHOJI, YANAI YUICHI, MUSHA, TOSHIMITSU, ONO, SHU, TAKAGI, SHOJI, YANAI, YUICHI
Applicants: MUSHA TOSHIMITSU, NISSHIN SPINNING, MUSHA, TOSHIMITSU, NISSHINBO INDUSTRIES INC.
Application year: 1996
Main classification: D03D13
IPC codes: D03D25, D03D13, B32B5