Patent Publication Number: US-11643759-B2

Title: Artifact with knitted structure and method of realization thereof

Description:
This application is a National Stage Application of PCT/IB2018/050283, filed 17 Jan. 2018, which claims the benefit of Ser. No. 102017000004581, filed 17 Jan. 2017 in Italy, and which applications are incorporated herein by reference. To the extent appropriate, a claim of priority is made to each of the above-disclosed applications.  
     SCOPE 
     The present invention relates to a method for producing a textile artifact, in particular a clothing accessory such as a bag, containing heat-shrinking yarn and the clothing accessory thereof. 
     STATE OF THE ART 
     As is known, in the field of textile artifacts and in particular clothing accessories, designers need to make objects that are always different and appealing to the public. 
     From an aesthetic point of view, the fabrics obtained with knitting machines offer various possibilities and aesthetic variations. The problem is that knitted fabrics do not have sufficient stiffness to be able to make a clothing element, such as a bag, that is free-standing. For this reason, the production of bags provided with knitted fabric portions has not been particularly widespread or has in many cases led to solutions which require a bearing structure which serves to support the portion of knitted fabric applied therein. 
     It is clear, however, that the provision of a support layer increases the thickness, weight and cost of the final artifact. Furthermore, the support layer needs to be finished and/ or coated to prevent it from being unpleasant to the touch and to avoiding that, being visible, it may compromise the overall appearance of the artifact. 
     PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION 
     The need is therefore perceived to resolve the drawbacks and limitations cited with reference to the known art. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       Further features and advantages of the present invention will become more understandable from the following description of its preferred and non-limiting embodiments, wherein: 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic view of a clothing accessory, such as a bag, according to the present invention; 
         FIG.  2    is a front view of the enlarged detail II indicated in  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  3    shows a rear view of the detail of  FIG.  2   ; 
         FIG.  4    shows a sectional view corresponding to the detail II indicated in  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  5    shows a front view of an alternative embodiment of the enlarged detail II indicated in  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  6    shows a rear view of the detail of  FIG.  5   ; 
         FIG.  7    shows a sectional view of the alternative embodiment of  FIGS.  5 - 6   , corresponding to the detail II indicated in  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  8    shows a front view of a further alternative embodiment of the enlarged detail II indicated in  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  9    shows a rear view of the detail of  FIG.  8   ; 
         FIG.  10    shows a sectional view of the alternative embodiment of  FIGS.  8 - 9   , corresponding to the detail II indicated in  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  11    shows two front and rear views of a jacket according to the present invention; 
         FIG.  12    is a partial perspective view of shoes according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  13    is a front view of a sofa in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     The elements or parts of elements in common between the embodiments described hereinafter will be indicated at the same numerical references. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference to the aforesaid figures, an overall schematic view of an artifact, such as a bag, a jacket, a sofa, a shoe, in accordance with the present invention is indicated collectively at  4 . 
     For the purposes of the present invention, it should be specified that the term artifact must be considered in a broad sense, and not limited to the examples of bags, sofas, jackets and footwear (illustrated in the figures). 
     This means that while referring hereinafter to a bag, the present invention is to be considered as applicable to any type of artifact. 
     In particular, the artifact according to the invention is at least partially knitted. 
     This means that the artifact may be at least partially and also fully knitted as better described hereinafter. 
     It is understood that the present invention may provide for embodiments wherein the artifact comprises  20  both portions of a sheet, at least partially knitted, and portions of another material, for example, made of leather, hide, synthetic materials. It is possible that such portions in leather, hide, synthetic materials are applied peripherally to portions of knitted fabric and/or which are at least partially superimposed thereon. All these embodiments must be considered as included in the scope of protection of the present invention. 
     The method of realization comprises initially the step of weaving at least one multilayer fabric sheet  8  comprising at least a first layer  12  made with a first yarn  14  and at least a second layer  22 , made with a second yarn  24 . 
     The first layer  12  comprises a first knitting yarn  14 , of animal and/or plant and/or synthetic and/or artificial origin. For example, but not exclusively, the first yarn may be a yarn made of cotton, wool and/or synthetic fibers. 
     The second layer  22  comprises, as a second yarn  24 , a heat-shrinking yarn. 
     Heat-shrinking yarn means a yarn in a material which, once subjected to a certain heating, shrinks, or shortens, irreversibly. 
     The first and second layer  12 , 22  are at least partially interwoven in respective knitting stitches  28  during the weaving operation. 
     For the purposes of the present invention, the type of knitting stitch is irrelevant; it is, however, important that said layers  12 , 22  be interconnected with each other by the same weaving operation, in a plurality of knitting stitches  28 . 
     It is possible to provide that the first layer  12  is arranged on the straight side  29 , i.e. is visible on the outside, of the artifact  4 , and that therefore the second layer  22  is arranged on the back side  30 , not visible from the outside, of the same artifact artefact ( FIGS.  5 - 7   ). 
     It is also possible to provide that the second layer  22  is arranged on the straight side  29 , i.e. visible on the outside, of the artifact  4 , and that therefore the first layer  12  is arranged on the back side  30 , not visible from the outside, of the same artifact artefact ( FIGS.  2 - 4   ) . 
     It should be noted that the second heat-shrinking yarn  24  may be visible or not visible, also on the basis of the structure of the knit stitch used. 
     For example, the second yarn  24  may be visible on the front side or on the back side of the knitted multilayer sheet  8 . When it is visible on the back side, the second layer  22 , which realizes the load-bearing structure of the multilayer sheet, also acts as a knit stitch to create 3D effects, glossy and opaque effects or color contrasts. If it is visible on the back side, the second layer  22  may be seen behind it while the external part remains soft. 
     According to a further embodiment of the present invention ( FIG.  8 - 10   ), the step of weaving the multilayer fabric sheet  8  comprises the weaving of a third layer  32  made of a third knitting yarn  34  of animal and/or plant and/or synthetic and/or artificial origin, wherein the second layer  22  with the second heat-shrinking yarn  24  is placed between said first and third layers  12 , 22  and is interwoven with these in respective knitting stitches  28 . 
     It should be noted that the multilayer sheet  8 , regardless of the number of layers it comprises, is characterized in this step by the fact that the layers  12 , 22 , 32  are interconnected with each other in a plurality of knit stitches  28  and that the second layer in particular is bound to at least one further layer (whether the first layer  12 , the third layer  32  or both) so as to be able to mechanically influence them following the subsequent heat treatment step, as better described hereinafter. 
     Advantageously, regardless of the overall number of layers of the multilayer sheet  8 , the percentage of heat-shrinking yarn  24  inside the sheet  8  is between 35% and 66%. 
     According to a preferred embodiment, said percentage of heat-shrinking yarn inside the multilayer sheet  8  is equal to 55%. 
     According to one embodiment, the percentage by weight of heat-shrinking yarn  24  is less than ⅔ of the total weight of the multilayer sheet  8 . 
     In general, the overall percentage of the second yarn  24  with respect to the multilayer sheet  8  depends on the mechanical softness/stiffness features to be obtained. It is clear that, by increasing the percentage of the second yarn  24 , a greater stiffness of the multilayer sheet is obtained, to the detriment however of the tactile softness and also of its formability for realizing the artifact and also the adaptability of the artifact to a wearer, in the case of a clothing element. 
     Conversely, the reduction in the percentage of the second yarn  24  reduces the stiffness of the multilayer fabric  8  and facilitates its assembly and its wearability. 
     After obtaining the multilayer sheet  8 , one proceeds with the shaping of at least one multilayer sheet  8  according to a predefined shape. 
     The predefined shape is dictated by the type of artifact to be made, and may be any shape, for the  20  purposes of the present invention. 
     Therefore, the step of stabilizing the multilayer sheet  8  is carried out through the step of subjecting the sheet  8  to a heat treatment to obtain a predetermined shrinkage of the heat-shrinking yarn and a dimensional stabilization of the sheet itself. 
     According to one embodiment, the dimensional stabilization of the multilayer sheet  8  comprises the steps of:
         subjecting the multilayer sheet  8  to a flow of steam to obtain a reduction in size of the multilayer sheet  8  between 30% and 40%,   ironing the multilayer sheet  8  so as to fix the perimeter contours and to stabilize the sheet from a dimensional point of view.       

     Preferably, the heat treatment is a steam heat treatment, which comprises sending a flow of steam onto the multilayer sheet  8  and simultaneous pressing for a time of more than 60 seconds. 
     Preferably, said heat treatment involves sending a flow of steam onto the multilayer sheet  8  at a temperature ranging from 70° to 95° C. 
     Following this heating step, as seen, the second heat-shrinking yarn  22  shrinks between 40% and 60% of the original length; since this second yarn  22  is interconnected with the other layers  12 , 32  at the knitting stitches  28 , such a significant shrinkage stiffens the multilayer sheet  8  considerably, which shrinks by tightening the knit at the knitting stitches  28 . 
     In other words, the second layer  22  comprising the heat-shrinking yarn  24 , once heat-shrunk, becomes rigid until a real bearing structure of the multilayer sheet  8  is obtained. Said bearing structure is closely connected to the other layer or layers  12 , 32  with which it is interconnected by means of the knitting stitches  28 . In this way the second layer  22  realizes a load-bearing structure intrinsically anchored to the other layers of the multilayer sheet  8 . 
     At this point it is necessary to definitively stabilize the shape and the size of the multilayer sheet  8 . 
     The dimensional stabilization of the multilayer sheet  8  comprises therefore the steps of:
         shaping the multilayer sheet  8  while still warm after ironing, defining and/or finishing the edges,   cooling the multilayer sheet  8  by removing the steam so as to definitively fix the shape and size.       

     In particular, after heating, the step of cooling the multilayer sheet  8  occurs by means of a flow of forced ventilation or suction air. 
     After the cooling step, the multilayer sheet  8  acquires the desired features of stability, consistency and stiffness and may be assembled. 
     After having finished the dimensional stabilization step of the multi layer sheet  8 , one proceeds in effect with the assembly step the multi layer sheet  8 , already dimensionally stabilized, to form the required artifact  4  by means of stitching and/or bonding the edges of the dimensionally stabilized sheet. 
     For example, in the case of a bag, a closed body may be obtained from said multilayer sheet  8  which is folded and sewn and/or glued. 
     As may be appreciated from the foregoing, the present invention overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art. 
     In particular, the present invention provides for a production, carried out with knitting machines, which incorporates a heat-shrinking yarn with a knitting stitch created from different knitting yarns. 
     This heat-shrinking yarn, as seen, creates a bearing structure that changes according to the chosen knitting stitch. The combined processing of these knitting yarns, together with the heat-shrinking yarn, allows the fabric to be locked, making it much stronger than a traditional knit fabric, and able to support the weight of an accessory, such as a bag, without having to resort to other supporting materials. Therefore, the drawback of the known solutions, which require the use of a specific bearing structure for the accessory, for example in leather, is resolved. 
     The heat-shrinking yarn may be visible or not visible, on the basis of the structure of the knit stitch used. 
     In the first case the structure may be visible on the front or back side of the knitted fabric. When the front side is visible, the bearing structure also acts as a knit stitch to create 3D effects, glossy and opaque effects or color contrasts. In this way, the possibilities for the stylist or designer to create aesthetic effects that are not present in known solutions are increased. 
     If the bearing structure is visible on the back side, the rigid part may be seen behind it while the external part remains soft. In this case, there will be two different layers. 
     On the other hand, when the bearing structure remains inside, it is not visible on the front nor on the back because it is completely covered by the other yarns. In this case there are therefore three different layers. On the outside and inside are the knitting yarns, while on the inside is the heat-shrinking yarn. 
     Thus, to sum up, the textile artifact, according to the present invention is provided with the necessary stiffness, so as to be free-standing, that is to say, self-supporting, without the need to use an inner support layer. 
     In this way the method of realization of the artifact is simplified, avoiding the need to resort to specific coatings of the bearing layer, both for aesthetic aspects and for comfort reasons, reducing the number of components and the total cost of the artifact. 
     From the technological point of view, the bag, or in general the accessory, is made simply by folding and stitching the single sheet on the sides, after the latter has undergone the stiffening process of the heat-shrinking yarn incorporated therein. 
     In addition, the weaving process may be carried out with different knitting stitches in the same sheet, thus allowing changes in production without having to sew different pieces: this entails a further advantage in terms of time and cost of realizing the finished product. 
     The weaving also allows shaping in some specific stitches to allow the parts to be joined without having to cut the sheet at any point: for example, it is possible to obtain a bag with only two side seams. 
     A person skilled in the art, in the object of satisfying contingent and specific requirements, may make numerous modifications and variations to the artifact and methods of realization described above, all of which are within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.