U.S. patent application number 10/877431 was filed with the patent office on 2005-01-20 for knitted surface fastener.
Invention is credited to Ishihara, Mitsutoshi, Nakayama, Eiji.
Application Number | 20050011232 10/877431 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33475555 |
Filed Date | 2005-01-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050011232 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ishihara, Mitsutoshi ; et
al. |
January 20, 2005 |
KNITTED SURFACE FASTENER
Abstract
A knitted surface fastener wherein pile loops are formed by
knitting-in pile knitting yarns at the same time when a foundation
fabric is knitted with foundation yarns. After the pile knitting
yarns which form the pile loops stride between two or more wales to
form loops, they are entangled with each stitch of the foundation
yarns of three or more adjoining courses on a same wales
continuously to form stitches. Of the stitches of the pile knitting
yarns formed due to the pile knitting yarns entangled per each of
the adjoining three or more courses, at least one or more stitches
located in the middle are formed in a closed loop. Consequently,
the necessity of back coating is eliminated and further, clearly
square gaps are formed to achieve ventilation property and
transparency.
Inventors: |
Ishihara, Mitsutoshi;
(Toyama-ken, JP) ; Nakayama, Eiji; (Toyama-ken,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Michael S. Leonard
Bell, Boyd & Lloyd LLC
P.O. Box 1135
Chicago
IL
60690-1135
US
|
Family ID: |
33475555 |
Appl. No.: |
10/877431 |
Filed: |
June 25, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
66/195 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A44B 18/0023 20130101;
D04B 21/10 20130101; D04B 21/02 20130101; D10B 2401/10 20130101;
D10B 2501/0632 20130101; D10B 2401/041 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
066/195 |
International
Class: |
D04B 021/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 15, 2003 |
JP |
2003-274704 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A knitted surface fastener in which pile loops, which turn to
surface fastener engaging portions, are formed with pile knitting
yarns and foundation yarns knitted together, wherein, after
striding between two or more wales so as to form the pile loops,
the pile knitting yarns are entangled continuously with respective
stitches of the foundation yarns of three or more adjoining courses
on a wale so as to form stitches, and of the stitches of the pile
knitting yarns formed due to the pile knitting yarns entangled per
each of the three or more adjoining courses, at least one stitch
located in a middle is formed in a closed loop.
2. The knitted surface fastener according to claim 1, wherein all
stitches of the pile knitting yarns formed due to the pile knitting
yarns entangled with the stitches of the foundation yarns on three
or more adjoining courses on a same wale are formed in the closed
loop.
3. The knitted surface fastener according to claim 1, wherein the
foundation yarns are comprised of chain knitting yarns forming
respective wales, and in-laid yarns which run in a zigzag pattern
while entangled with respective stitches of the chain knitting
yarns on adjoining two or more wales and courses so as to form weft
yarn portions every at least three courses, a net having square
gaps is formed by the chain knitting yarns and the in-laid yarns,
the pile knitting yarns form stitches at same entangling positions
as those of the in-laid yarns, and pile loops formed between the
wales by the pile knitting yarns are formed along the in-laid
yarns.
4. The knitted surface fastener according to claim 1, wherein
in-laid yarns are comprised of a pair of knitting yarns each having
an opposite structure with respect to a course direction and
entangled every stitches of adjoining courses on a same wale
respectively, so that they run in a zigzag pattern in the course
direction while intersecting between the entangled stitches.
5. The knitted surface fastener according to claim 1, wherein the
pile knitting yarns are composed of multi-filaments and female
engaging elements are constituted of the pile loops.
6. The knitted surface fastener according to claim 1, wherein the
pile knitting yarns are composed of mono-filaments and female
engaging elements or male engaging elements are constituted of the
pile loops.
7. The knitted surface fastener according to claim 1, wherein at
least the pile knitting yarns are composed of transparent filament
yarns.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a knitted surface fastener
in which pile-like engaging elements are formed of knitting yarns
knitted in at the same time when foundation yarns are knitted, and
more particularly to a knitted surface fastener which eliminates
the necessity of fixing the engaging elements to a foundation
structure by fusion bonding the engaging elements and the
foundation yarns with various kinds of resin materials and provides
a transparent net-like foundation structure.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Conventionally, many proposals about manufacturing a surface
fastener, in which pile knitting yarns for constituting male or
female engaging elements are knitted in at the same time when the
foundation yarns are knitted so as to form pile loops, have been
provided. As for most structures of these proposed knitted surface
fasteners, as disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,246,
generally, the foundation yarns are knitted at a high density and
at the same time, the pile knitting yarns are knitted in. According
to this US patent, elastomer yarns are used for weft in-laid yarns
of 0-0/x-x (x: 2, 3, . . . n) and warp in-laid yarns of 0-0/1-1
while wales are knitted with chain knitting yarns, and the pile
knitting yarns are entangled obliquely for every adjoining wales
and courses based on a tricot knitting structure of 1-2/1-2/0-1/0-1
so as to form pile loops.
[0005] If an object to which this knitted surface fastener is to be
mounted is an ordinary knitted fabric or woven fabric, there occurs
no special problem even in such a high density knitted surface
fastener. However, if the aforementioned high density knitted
surface fastener is mounted on such an article as clothes or bags
formed in a net structure or lace structure having ventilation
property, the knitting structure of that mounting portion is
hidden. As a result, when a final product is produced, the
characteristic as a net product or a lace product can be lost
thereby lowering the value as a product.
[0006] To obtain a surface fastener provided with the ventilation
property, for example, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open
No. 63-91009 has proposed that the foundation structure is knitted
while forming grid-like or staggered circular through holes with
back yarns, middle yarns and front yarns and after pile loops are
formed on a face by erecting the front yarns, a face knitted with
the back yarns is coated with resin to fix the pile loops. Further,
for example, according to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.
2000-41712, the back yarns, middle yarns and front yarns are
employed in the same way as the above patent publication and each
required number of those yarns are loosened to obtain a tricot
knitted fabric having ventilation holes according to Atlas
knitting. Thereafter, the front yarns are erected to form pile
loops and then the pile loops are fixed to foundation yarns by
resin coating or fusion of part of the foundation yarns, thereby
producing a knitted surface fastener having ventilation
property.
[0007] However, because these knitted surface fasteners have a low
porosity, the ventilation property is low and further, the rigidity
of the surface fastener is not improved because its back face
should be coated with resin. As for this point, according to
Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 2563369, the chain knitting
yarns which are foundation yarns to be knitted in a wale direction
and the pile knitting yarns in the pile knitting structure or
tricot knitting structure are entangled with the stitches of the
chain knitting yarns while forming pile loops. Then, in-laid yarns
in a marquisette structure which run in the wale direction and a
course direction are entangled between predetermined wales so as to
form a net-like foundation fabric having grid-like large gaps.
Consequently, the configuration is more stabilized than in case of
weaving. Additionally, not only the ventilation is merely improved
but also an opposite side can be seen through the foundation
fabric, so that this surface fastener matches well when it is
mounted on clothes or bag having, in particular, the net structure
or lace structure.
[0008] On the other hand, according to the above-mentioned U.S.
Pat. No. 5,125,246, the pile knitting yarns are entangled with two
chain stitches formed on adjoining two courses on the same wale in
the form of a closed loop, and then entangled with the chain stitch
on an adjoining wale in the form of an open loop, so that the
formed pile loop strides obliquely between the adjoining wales and
courses. If a tension force is applied to this pile loop with only
the above structure, the pile loop is pulled out from the chain
stitch with which it is entangled, because an end of the same pile
loop is entangled in the form of an open loop, thereby not
maintaining a stable loop configuration, so that the separation
force of the surface fastener is seriously affected. To avoid this,
resin coating is indispensable and thus, the function as the
elastomer foundation fabric is not exerted sufficiently and
rigidity of the fabric is unavoidable.
[0009] As for the knitted surface fasteners disclosed in the
above-described Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No.
63-91009 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-41712,
the back yarns, the middle yarns and the front yarns are employed
as described previously. The pile loops are not formed at the same
when the front yarns of these three kinds of yarns are knitted in,
and instead, after knitting, the front yarns are erected to form
the pile loops. Thus, the quantity of production steps increases,
and moreover, it is difficult to form the loops securely. Even if
the female engaging elements can be formed, it is difficult to form
the male engaging elements by cutting out part of the formed loops.
Further, because the rear face of the surface fastener after the
front yarns are erected is fixed to the foundation fabric with
resin coating or fusion of the melting yarns, rigidity of the pile
loops is unavoidable.
[0010] On the other hand, according to the above-mentioned Japanese
Utility Model Registration No. 2563369, although the foundation
fabric of the surface fastener is a stabilized net-like fabric
having clearly square gaps, the pile knitting yarn strides
obliquely on the same course or between adjoining wales and courses
and is entangled with the stitches of the chain knitting yarns
constituting the wale only in the form of an open loop.
Accordingly, the loops are likely to loosen, and therefore,
stabilization of the loop configuration is more difficult than in
case of the U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,246. Consequently, this Japanese
Utility Model Registration No. 2563369 also absolutely requires
resin coating on the rear face of the foundation fabric.
[0011] Accordingly, the present invention has been accomplished to
solve the deficiencies of the respective knitted surface fasteners.
A primary object of the invention is to eliminate the necessity of
resin coating or fusion of yarns to fix the base of the pile loops
on the foundation and a further object of the invention is to
provide a knitted surface fastener in which, if it is intended to
obtain ventilation property, clearly square gaps are formed to
achieve not only the ventilation property but also transparency
property.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[0012] In a foundation structure as a foundation fabric of an
ordinary knitted surface fastener, one or more kinds of warp
knitting yarns such as tricot knitting yarn and two-needle-stitch
knitting yarn, and a weft in-laid yarn which is inserted into
stitches between a predetermined number of wales, folded back and
runs in a course direction, are often used with making chain
knitting yarns constituting the wale basic, and are knitted
together at a high density. At this time, the pile knitting yarns
form pile loops which stride between different wales and courses
according to the tricot knitting structure as described in the
above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,246 or according to the Atlas
knitting structure as described in the Japanese Patent Application
Laid-Open No. 2000-41712. On the other hand, in the net-like
knitted surface fastener in which square gaps are expressed
clearly, as disclosed in the Japanese Utility Model Registration
No. 2563369, the foundation fabric as a foundation structure is
knitted with the chain knitting yarns and marquisette knitting
yarns and at the same time, the pile loops are formed with the pile
knitting yarns according to the tricot knitting structure or a
special knitting structure.
[0013] However, the configuration of the pile loop cannot be fixed
at an entangling portion of the pile knitting yarn with respect to
the foundation yarn in each of these knitted surface fasteners, so
that the loop is likely to loosen. Therefore, it is necessary to
fix the entangling portion of the foundation yarn and the pile
knitting yarn by coating a face of the foundation fabric opposite
to a face of the foundation fabric on which engaging elements are
formed with resin or by using thermally fusible fibers as part of
the knitting yarns which constitute the foundation structure and
then fusing these fibers. Although the entangling portion of the
foundation yarn and the pile knitting yarn is fixed by such a
treatment, the configuration of the pile loops is stabilized
thereby the deficiency of loop looseness being eliminated,
plasticity and taste particular to such a knitted fabric are often
lost for the reason of the adhesion resin.
[0014] The present invention has been accomplished to eliminate
such a deficiency and the inventors of the present invention made
diversified tests in order to develop the knitted surface fastener
which needs no special treatment such as coating with resin and
fusion of fibers and suffers from no deficiency such as loop
looseness. As a result, it has been found that if the knitting
structure of the pile knitting yarn which constitutes the pile
loops is devised, the deficiency of loop looseness is eliminated
without any special treatment after knitting.
[0015] The present invention has been achieved based on these
finding and the above-mentioned primary object is achieved with a
knitted surface fastener in which pile loops, which turn to surface
fastener engaging portions, are formed with pile knitting yarns and
foundation yarns knitted together, characterized in that, after
striding between two or more wales so as to form the pile loops,
the pile knitting yarns are entangled continuously with respective
stitches of the foundation yarns of three or more adjoining courses
on a wale so as to form stitches, and that, of the stitches of the
pile knitting yarns formed due to the pile knitting yarns entangled
per each of the three or more adjoining courses, at least one
stitch located in a middle is formed in a closed loop.
[0016] The pile knitting yarn strides between two or more wales and
is entangled with the stitch of a foundation yarn existing on the
same course or adjoining courses, thereby forming a loop
therebetween. The first stitch of the pile knitting yarn formed at
a formation end of this loop is not always specified to be in a
closed loop or open loop. However, it is important that, of the
stitches formed on adjoining three or more courses on the same wale
in which this first stitch is formed, at least one or more stitches
located in the middle are formed in a closed loop. The
configuration of the pile loop becomes unstable depending on the
formation position of this closed loop. On the other hand, although
it is better as the quantity of these closed loops is increased,
because usually the stitches of the pile knitting yarn formed
continuously on the same wale are preferred to be three to eight,
the closed loops existing in the middle position are disposed such
that one to four of them are arranged continuously or
discontinuously. However, the stitch in the course direction
adjacent the stitch at the formation end of a pile loop, which is
constituted of a pile knitting yarn, is desired to be in a closed
loop, so that the pile loop is free of being stretched when it is
pulled strongly and adjoining other pile loops of the same pile
knitting yarn are not affected.
[0017] If the stitch located at the middle position of three or
more stitches of the same pile knitting yarn, the stitches
adjoining in the course direction, is formed in a closed loop, even
if a strong tension force is applied to the pile loop formed of the
same pile knitting yarn, the stitch is tightened at the closed loop
and not moved further. Thus, even if the root of the pile loop and
the foundation yarn are not fixed with each other due to resin
coating or fusion of fibers, the configuration of the pile loop is
not affected and an engaging force with a mating engaging element
can be maintained long. Further, to prevent a looseness of the pile
loop formed of the pile knitting yarn securely, all stitches of the
pile knitting yarn formed by entangling with the stitches of the
foundation yarn on adjoining three or more courses on the same wale
are desired to be in a closed loop. Such a configuration is
permitted if the foundation fabric knitted with foundation yarns is
a usual high density knitted fabric as mentioned in the U.S. Pat.
No. 5,125,246 or a net-like knitted fabric having large square gaps
as described in the Japanese Utility Model Registration No.
2563369.
[0018] However, it is preferable that the knitted surface fastener
having a typical structure of the net-like foundation fabric is so
constructed that the foundation yarns are comprised of the chain
knitting yarn forming each wale, and an in-laid yarn which runs in
a zigzag pattern while entangled with each stitch of the chain
knitting yarn on adjoining two or more wales and courses so as to
form a weft yarn every at least three courses; a net having a
square gap is formed with the chain knitting yarn and in-laid yarn;
the pile knitting yarn forms a stitch at the same entangling
position as the in-laid yarn; and pile loops formed between the
wales by the pile knitting yarn are formed along the in-laid
yarn.
[0019] With such a structure, a knitting yarn extending in the wale
direction and a knitting yarn extending in the course direction
intersect each other at each predetermined interval so as to form
large square gaps in a matrix shape. On this net-like foundation
fabric, the pile loops striding between two or more wales exist
along the knitting yarn extending in the course direction. For the
reason, there exists no excessive knitting yarn in the
aforementioned gaps, so that not only the transparency is
intensified, but also, of three or more stitches in which each pile
loop and foundation yarn are entangled with a stitch of the chain
knitting yarn in the wale direction, one or more stitches located
in the middle are formed in a closed loop, so that so-called loop
looseness is eliminated and additionally, plasticity particular to
a knitted fabric is secured.
[0020] Further, preferably, the in-laid yarns are each comprised of
a pair of knitting yarns having an opposite structure with respect
to the course direction and are entangled with each other every
stitches of adjoining courses on the same wale, so that they run in
a zigzag pattern in the course direction while intersecting between
the entangled stitches. With such a structure, the above-described
function is improved.
[0021] According to the present invention, the pile knitting yarn
may be composed of a multi-filament yarn substantially free of
twisting. In this case, the female engaging element is formed of
the pile loop, and further, the pile knitting yarn can be composed
of mono-filament. In this case, the pile loop can be used as the
female engaging element as it is or it can be used as a hook-like
male engaging element by cutting out part of the same pile loop. To
produce the male engaging element, a thick mono-filament yarn is
used as the pile knitting yarn.
[0022] Further, if a transparent filament yarn is used for at least
the pile knitting yarn, the existence of the pile loops becomes
inoffensive and a high transparency is achieved in the surface
fastener itself. In this case, it is permissible to employ
transparent yarns for all knitting yarns which constitute the
foundation structure. In this case, transparency of the entire
surface fastener is secured, so that various kinds of pictures or
multi-colored patterns formed on a surface of clothes on which the
surface fastener is attached can be seen through clearly.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing an
example of a knitted surface fastener of the present invention
having a knitted foundation fabric;
[0024] FIG. 2 is a diagram of an entire knitting structure of the
knitted surface fastener according to a typical embodiment of the
present invention;
[0025] FIG. 3 is a knitting structure diagram of chain knitting
yarns for forming wales of the surface fastener;
[0026] FIG. 4 is a knitting structure diagram of in-laid yarns
which are part of composition yarns of a net-like foundation fabric
of the surface fastener;
[0027] FIG. 5 is a knitting structure diagram of pile knitting
yarns for forming pile loops of the surface fastener;
[0028] FIGS. 6A to 6D are knitting structure diagrams, each showing
a modification of the knitting structure diagram of the pile
knitting yarns;
[0029] FIG. 7 is a knitting structure diagram showing a
modification of the knitting structure of the in-laid yarns;
[0030] FIG. 8 is a structure diagram of pile knitting yarns knitted
in together with the in-laid yarns;
[0031] FIG. 9 is a partial knitting structure diagram of the
surface fastener of the present invention having an ordinary
high-density foundation fabric; and
[0032] FIG. 10 is a knitting structure diagram of remaining
knitting yarns of the surface fastener.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0033] Hereinafter, the preferred embodiments of the present
invention will be described in detail with reference to the
accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows schematically an appearance of
the knitted surface fastener of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows
its entire knitting structure. FIGS. 3 to 5 show the knitting
structure of each composition yarn in the knitted surface fastener
of this embodiment.
[0034] The knitted surface fastener 10 of this embodiment is
constituted of chain knitting yarns 11 having a repetitive knitting
structure of 0-1/1-0 shown in FIG. 3, first in-laid yarns 12 having
a repetitive knitting structure of 0-0/1-1/0-0/3-3/2-2/3-3 shown in
FIG. 4, second in-laid yarns 13 having a repetitive knitting
structure of 3-3/2-2/3-3/0-0/1-1/0-0 shown in FIG. 4, and pile
knitting yarns 14 having a repetitive knitting structure of
0-1/1-0/0-1/2-3/3-2/2-3, totaling four kinds of knitting yarns.
According to this embodiment, all the knitting yarns are jumped at
every needle in a course C direction (right and left direction in
each drawing) so as to form a wale W.
[0035] The chain knitting yarn 11 forms stitches continuously with
open loops in a wale W direction. The first in-laid yarn 12 is
entangled with three stitches of the chain knitting yarn 11 located
on the same wale W in a zigzag manner, and then is entangled with a
stitch of the chain knitting yarn 11 located on an adjoining course
C of an adjoining wale. Thereafter, this in-laid yarn is entangled
with three stitches of the chain knitting yarn 11 formed on the
same wale W in a zigzag manner, and then is entangled with a stitch
of the chain knitting yarn 11 formed on an adjoining course C of
the original wale W, and this entangling is repeated in a zigzag
manner three times in the wale W direction. By such repeating, this
in-laid yarn runs largely in a zigzag manner between the two wales.
On the other hand, the second in-laid yarn 13 is entangled with the
stitches of the same chain knitting yarn 11 with which the first
in-laid yarn 12 is entangled three times continuously, and then
moves to a wale W adjoining opposite to the wale W to which the
first in-laid yarn 12 moves. Thereafter, the second in-laid yarn is
entangled with three stitches on the same wale W in a zigzag
manner. That is, the first in-laid yarn 12 and the second in-laid
yarn 13 have a knitting structure symmetrical across the wale W
located in the middle of the three wales W. This is an opposite
structure.
[0036] In this way, a foundation fabric of the net-like surface
fastener 10, in which large square gaps are disposed in a matrix
shape as shown schematically in FIG. 1, is formed with the chain
knitting yarns 11, the first in-laid yarns 12 and the second
in-laid yarns 13. That is, the chain knitting yarns 11 form the
wales W continuously and then, part of the wales W are formed by
the entangling portions of the first and second in-laid yarns 12,
13. After the first and second in-laid yarns 12, 13 move to the
adjoining wales W, they jump by single needle in the course C
direction and are entangled with the three stitches in the wale W
direction while combining the adjoining wales W with each other, so
that finally, a net-like foundation fabric in which square gaps are
so to say formed with warp yarns and weft yarns is formed by
knitting.
[0037] The aforementioned pile knitting yarn 14 forms all stitches
with close loops as shown in FIG. 5. This pile knitting yarn 14 is
knitted into the foundation fabric under the above-described
knitting structure, and when moving to an adjoining wale W1, this
pile knitting yarn forms a pile loop 15. That is, the pile knitting
yarn 14 forms a stitch itself while entangled with the stitch of
the chain knitting yarn 11 on the first wale W1 and next, while
entangled with the stitches of the chain knitting yarn 11 on the
adjoining two courses C on the same wale W1, forms two stitches
successively itself, so that three stitches are formed continuously
on the same wale W1. Thereafter, the pile knitting yarn 14 moves to
the adjoining second wale W2 and while entangled with three
continuous stitches of the chain knitting yarn 11 successively on
adjoining three courses C, forms three stitches continuously itself
as described above. Then, the same pile knitting yarn 14 returns to
the original first wale W1 and in subsequent process, knitted
successively into the foundation fabric through the same operation.
According to this embodiment, as described above, the pile knitting
yarn 14 strides between the adjoining wales W and at the same time,
it forms the pile loop 15. In addition, all stitches of the same
pile knitting yarn 14 formed by entangled with the stitches of the
chain knitting yarn 11 are formed into a closed loop.
[0038] The formation position of the stitch of the pile knitting
yarn 14 is equal to the entangling position of the first in-laid
yarn 12 inserted into the stitch of the chain knitting yarn 1 in an
entangling condition, as shown in FIG. 2. Therefore, the formation
position of the pile loop 15 is equal to the running position where
the first in-laid yarn 12 runs between the adjoining wales W. This
means that the pile loop 15 formed of the same pile knitting yarn
14 is formed along the weft yarn portion of the foundation fabric
formed in a matrix form as shown in FIG. 1.
[0039] The first characteristic feature of the knitted surface
fastener 10 according to this embodiment is that all the stitches
of the pile knitting yarns 14 which form the pile loops 15 are
formed in a closed loop, respectively. If they are formed in such a
closed loop, for example, if a tension force is applied to the pile
loop 15, a tightening force is applied to the pile knitting yarn 14
at stitches because the stitches formed on both ends of the pile
loop 15 are formed in the closed loop, so that the stitch of the
chain knitting yarn 11 and the entangling portion of the first and
second in-laid yarns 12, 13 are tightened, thereby eliminating such
a fear that the pile loop 15 is pulled out inversely through the
stitches. In short, the knitted surface fastener 10 of this
embodiment prevents the pile loop 15 from being pulled out even if
no resin coating or no fusion with thermally fusible fibers or the
like is conducted on the rear face thereof. Of course, this
embodiment does not exclude the resin coating or fusion with
thermally fusible fibers.
[0040] Because the knitted surface fastener 10 of this embodiment,
as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, has a net-woven-fabric-like appearance
in which large gaps are disposed entirely in the matrix shape, not
only surface patterns of clothes, a bag, or the like existing on
opposite side to the formation face of the pile loops can be seen
through those gaps, but also if the clothes or bag as an attachment
object is made in the form of a net or lace having many gaps, this
knitted surface fastener matches well and never lose ventilation
property of the clothes or bag. Further, because the pile loops
formed on a surface of the net-like foundation fabric runs along
the weft yarn portions of the same foundation fabric, the
ventilation property and transparency thereof are never
deteriorated and the existence of the pile loops is not offensive,
thereby providing an excellent appearance in terms of design.
[0041] In the meantime, the knitted surface fastener of the present
invention does not limit the material of its composition yarns to
any particular one. However, if synthetic resin filaments having a
high transparency are used at least for the pile knitting yarns,
the existence of the pile loops becomes inoffensive. Alternatively,
if the synthetic resin filaments having a high transparency are
used for all composition yarns, the entire surface of the
attachment object on the rear side thereof can be seen through the
surface fastener, thereby existence of the surface fastener being
not offensive. Further, according to this embodiment also, part of
the composition yarns of the knitted surface fastener 10 can be
decorated in the same or a different color. In this case, a colored
pattern can be expressed in the surface fastener itself, thereby
providing a beautiful appearance. Moreover, the pattern of the
surface fastener can be matched with the surface pattern of the
attachment object depending on the case.
[0042] FIGS. 6A to 6D show examples of diversified knitting
structures by the pile knitting yarns 14 used in the knitted
surface fastener 10 according to the present invention. FIG. 6A
shows the knitting structure adopted in the above-described
embodiment and is the same as the knitting structure shown in FIG.
5. In examples shown in FIGS. 6B and 6D, one of the stitches formed
on both ends of the pile loop 15 formed between two wales W in the
repetitive structure of the pile knitting yarn 14 is formed in an
open loop while all the other stitches are formed in the closed
loop. In an example shown in FIG. 6C, the stitches formed on both
ends of the pile loop 15 formed between two wales W in the
repetitive structure of the pile knitting yarn 14 are formed in the
open loop while only a stitch located in the middle of the three
continuous stitches formed on the same wale W is formed in the
closed loop. Of course, it is permissible to form the stitch of an
end of the pile knitting yarn 14 in the open loop while forming the
other stitches in the closed loop.
[0043] According to the present invention, all the stitches formed
by the aforementioned pile knitting yarn 14 do not have to be
formed in the closed loop as shown in FIG. 6A and if at least the
stitch located in the middle of three or more stitches formed
continuously on the same wale W is formed in the closed loop as
shown in FIGS. 6B to 6D, looseness of the pile loop can be
prevented effectively even if the root of the loop is not fixed on
the foundation yarn by fusion or the like.
[0044] FIGS. 7 and 8 show other modifications of the
above-described embodiment. FIG. 7 shows a modified knitting
structure of the first and second in-laid yarns 12, 13 and FIG. 8
shows a modified knitting structure of the pile knitting yarns 14.
The chain knitting yarn 11 is not changed in both cases. According
to this embodiment, the quantity of entangling of the first and
second in-laid yarns 12, 13, which are entangled with the chain
stitches on the same wale W in a zigzag manner, is 7, and further,
the number of the stitches of the pile knitting yarns 14 formed
continuously at the entangling positions of the first and second
in-laid yarns 12, 13 on the same wale W is also 7. Even if the
structure of the first and second in-laid yarns 12, 13 and the pile
knitting yarns 14 is changed like this, the structure is
substantially the same as the above-described embodiment shown in
FIGS. 2 to 5 except that its gaps are enlarged and the achieved
operation and effect are not different except that the ventilation
property and transparency are improved. That is, it is understood
that the size of the gap and ventilation property in the net-like
foundation fabric can be changed easily by changing the number of
the stitches formed continuously on the same wale W.
[0045] FIGS. 9 and 10 show another embodiment of the present
invention. A knitted surface fastener 100 of this embodiment is a
high density knitted surface fastener, in which its foundation
fabric is not formed into a net-like formation unlike the
above-described embodiment but the same pile knitting yarns 115 as
the above-described embodiment is knitted into an ordinary warp
knitting structure. Because the surface fastener 100 of this
embodiment is constituted of many kinds of composition yarns, if
all those knitting yarns are expressed on the same drawing, they
are very difficult to see, and therefore, they are expressed
separately in FIGS. 9 and 10.
[0046] The foundation yarns constituting the foundation fabric of
the knitted surface fastener 100 of this embodiment are comprised
of four kinds of yarns, namely, a chain knitting yarn 111 (FIG. 9)
which is the same as the previously described embodiment, a warp
in-laid yarns 112 (FIG. 10) which runs in a zigzag manner through
the stitches of the chain knitting yarn 111 on the same wale W, a
first weft in-laid yarn 113 (FIG. 9) having a knitting structure of
0-0/3-3 folded back among three wales W while entangled with the
stitches of the chain knitting yarn 111, and a second weft in-laid
yarn 114 (FIG. 10) having a knitting structure of 0-0/8-8 folded
back among eight wales while running in the same direction as the
first weft in-laid yarn 113. On the other hand, the knitting
structure of a pile knitting yarn 115 which is knitted into the
foundation fabric to form pile loops 116 has a knitting structure
in which 0-1/1-0/0-1/1-2/2-1/1-2 is a repetitive unit.
[0047] Although the foundation fabric of this embodiment is
different from the previously described embodiment, the stitch of
the pile knitting yarn 115 is formed in the closed loop at the
stitch of the chain knitting yarn 111 and at each folding back
portion of the warp in-laid yarn 112 and the first and second weft
in-laid yarns 113, 114, the chain knitting yarn 111, the warp
in-laid yarn 112 and the first and second weft in-laid yarns 113,
114 being foundation yarns, because the pile knitting yarn 115 has
the same knitting structure as the previously described embodiment.
Consequently, even if a tension force is applied to, for example,
the pile loops 116, they tighten each other across the entangling
portions with respect to the foundation yarn, so that the pile
knitting yarn 115 is not moved in a direction of a length of the
yarn, thereby not changing the loop shape. For the reason, it is
not necessary to coat the rear face opposite to the pile loop
formation face of the foundation fabric with synthetic resin or mix
fibers having a low melting point in part of the foundation yarns
to be fused together.
[0048] The pile knitting yarns 14, 115, which constitute the pile
loops 15, 116 in the knitted surface fasteners 10, 100 of the
present invention, the fasteners knitted in the above-described
matter, are composed of synthetic resin multi-filament or
mono-filament. The multi-filament is an aggregate of fine filaments
and substantially free of twisting. The pile loops formed of this
multi-filament are raveled apart in units of respective filaments
by buffing or the like, so that they are directed in
multi-directions, thereby turning to female engaging elements which
engage with or disengage from the male engaging elements compose
of, for example, mating hook pieces.
[0049] If the mono-filaments having a high fineness are used for
the pile knitting yarns 14, 115, the formed pile loops 15, 116 can
be used as the female engaging elements without any special
treatment. If the pile knitting yarns 14, 115 are of mono-filaments
having a low fineness, part of the formed pile loops 15, 116 are
cut out into hook-shaped male engaging elements. Such male engaging
elements have a fear that, because part of the pile loops 15, 116
are cut out, the loops may loosen in case of a simple pile knitting
structure as described above or if the loops are only formed with
the closed loop. In this case, it is permissible to coat the same
loops with a slight amount of resin or mix a small number of fibers
having a low melting point and fuse together. Even if such resin
coating is carried out, the consumption of resin can be reduced
largely because looseness of the loops is suppressed by the pile
knitting structure of the present invention, and therefore, the
foundation fabric can be prevented from becoming too rigid.
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