Patent Publication Number: US-7905118-B2

Title: Method of fabricating textiles

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a method of fabricating textiles, in particular apparel and clothing articles, garment and the like. 
     For those textiles, cotton is a desirable component. Cotton is a natural fiber which is very breathable, hard-wearing, tearproof and resistant against heat. Further, cotton may absorb moisture in an amount of about 20% of its net weight without having a wet feeling. The absorptivity is enhanced by special treatment, for example mercerizing. Often, the natural fiber cotton is combined with an elastic synthetic fiber. The result is a textile having optimum adaptivity to a body. An elastic synthetic fiber which is known for its exceptional stretchability is elastane which has the additional advantage of being resistant to body oils, perspiration lotions and detergents, and which causes no static or pilling problems. Elastane is also known as Spandex. 
     Textiles made of cotton and elastane are normally knitted on a circular knitting machine, a technique that does allow that a high proportion of cotton is used. On Raschel machines, the content of cotton is normally limited to up to 35%. 
     GB 2070656 A refers to a method for producing knitted, longitudinally elastic fabrics, and fabrics made thereby, the method comprising the steps of preparing a first plurality of cotton yarns, preparing a second plurality of non-cotton yarns, with said first plurality of cotton yarns and said second plurality of non-cotton yarns forming warp threads for knitting a fabric blank. Said fabric blank is warp knitted such that a proportion of cotton yarns is at least 65% by weight, wherein a selvedge of said fabric blank is formed by intermeshing at least part of said first plurality of cotton yarns. 
     EP 0 322 290 A1 discloses a method of warp knitting and illustrates the use of koeper or twill stitches in two bar or three bar warp knitted fabrics, wherein for warp-knitted fabrics having a two-course repeat pattern of alternating first and second bar yarns, the fabric being prepared by interlocking the first and second bar yarns using a combination of knit and laid-in stitches in opposite fashion. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The problem underlying the invention is to provide a method of fabricating textiles which allows that the proportion of cotton is considerably increased, and that a curl-free selvedge is added. 
     This problem is solved by a method of fabricating textiles, comprising the steps of preparing a first plurality of cotton yarns, preparing a second plurality of non-cotton yarns, said first plurality of cotton yarn and said second plurality of non-cotton yarns forming warp threads of a fabric blank, and warp knitting said fabric blank. A proportion of cotton yarns is at least 65% by weight. The method further comprises forming a border of said fabric blank by intermeshing at least part of said first plurality of cotton yarns. 
     It has surprisingly been found that by utilizing a multi-thread warp knitting technique, much higher proportions of cotton yarns are possible, as compared to the prior art. 
     By having these high proportions of cotton, it is for the first time possible to produce a very firm selvedge which does not curl up when pulled using knitting process itself. In the prior art, textiles having high proportions of cotton had to be provided with a strip or tape which is sewn with the selvedge of the fabric blank. This additional step is avoided with the present invention. 
     In a preferred embodiment, said non-cotton yarns comprise elastic synthetic fibers, such as elastane. 
     The fabric blanks or textiles may be used to produce athletic, aerobic or exercise apparel, underwear and the like. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       In the following, an embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the single FIGURE which is a graphic representation of the drawing-in for warp-knitting the fabric blank. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The FIGURE shows a cotton panel with two zones which is laid down with a pattern repeat length of 2. In particular,
     GB 1 : 1-2/1-0//   GB 2 : 3-1/0-2//.   

     The drawing-in of warp threads has a pattern repeat width of 53, and in particular,
     GB 1 : A....AAAAAAAAAAAA.AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. AAAAAAAAAAAA   GB 2 : C...BBBBBDCCCCCBBCCCCCDBBBBBBBBBDCCCCCBBCC CCCDBBBBB..
 
wherein “.” means void, i.e. no thread; and A, B, C, or D means a material of type A, type B, type C, or type D. Specifically, A is cotton, B is elastane, C is elastane, and D is elastane.
   

     The features disclosed in the foregoing description, in the claims and/or in the accompanying drawings may, both separately and in any combination thereof, be material for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.