U.S. patent application number 13/848980 was filed with the patent office on 2013-10-03 for woven fabric.
This patent application is currently assigned to TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA. The applicant listed for this patent is TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA. Invention is credited to Mitsuyoshi ITO, Hideaki KUNISADA.
Application Number | 20130260630 13/848980 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49154967 |
Filed Date | 2013-10-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130260630 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
ITO; Mitsuyoshi ; et
al. |
October 3, 2013 |
WOVEN FABRIC
Abstract
A woven fabric having a high shrinkage yarn that has a
predetermined shrinkage ratio and a low shrinkage yarn that has a
relatively lower shrinkage ratio than the high shrinkage yarn,
includes an inductive portion that is formed by the high shrinkage
yarn, and allows displacement in a planar direction. At least a
portion of the low shrinkage yarn is engaged with the inductive
portion and bent in the planar direction.
Inventors: |
ITO; Mitsuyoshi;
(Nagoya-shi, JP) ; KUNISADA; Hideaki; (Komaki-shi,
JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA |
Aichi-ken |
|
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI
KAISHA
Aichi-ken
JP
|
Family ID: |
49154967 |
Appl. No.: |
13/848980 |
Filed: |
March 22, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
442/205 ;
442/203; 442/301 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D03D 15/04 20130101;
D10B 2401/16 20130101; D10B 2505/08 20130101; D03D 1/0088 20130101;
Y10T 442/3179 20150401; D03D 11/00 20130101; Y10T 442/3976
20150401; D10B 2101/12 20130101; D10B 2101/20 20130101; D03D 1/00
20130101; Y10T 442/3195 20150401 |
Class at
Publication: |
442/205 ;
442/301; 442/203 |
International
Class: |
D03D 1/00 20060101
D03D001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 28, 2012 |
JP |
2012-072652 |
Claims
1. A woven fabric having a high shrinkage yarn that has a
predetermined shrinkage ratio and a low shrinkage yarn that has a
relatively lower shrinkage ratio than the high shrinkage yarn,
comprising: an inductive portion that is formed by the high
shrinkage yarn, and allows displacement in a planar direction,
wherein at least a portion of the low shrinkage yarn is engaged
with the inductive portion and bent in the planar direction.
2. The woven fabric according to claim 1, wherein the inductive
portion includes a first inductive portion that allows displacement
in a predetermined direction of the planar direction, and a second
inductive portion that allows displacement in a direction opposite
the predetermined direction of the planar direction, the first
inductive portion being formed alternately with the second
inductive portion; and the at least a portion of the low shrinkage
yarn is engaged with the inductive portion and bent alternately in
the predetermined direction and in the direction opposite the
predetermined direction of the planar direction.
3. The woven fabric according to claim 2, further comprising a
restraining portion that is formed by the high shrinkage yarn
between the first inductive portion and the second inductive
portion, and with which the low shrinkage yarn engages, and in
which a range over which the displacement of the low shrinkage yarn
is allowed is smaller than that of the inductive portion.
4. The woven fabric according to claim 2, wherein the inductive
portion is a location where a yarn skipping amount of the high
shrinking yarn that straddles yarn orthogonal to the high shrinkage
yarn is larger than at another location.
5. The woven fabric according to claim 4, wherein a yarn skipping
amount in the predetermined direction from a position where the low
shrinkage yarn is engaged at the first inductive portion is greater
than a yarn skipping amount in the direction opposite the
predetermined direction from the position where the low shrinkage
yarn is engaged at the first inductive portion; and a yarn skipping
amount in the direction opposite the predetermined direction from
the position where the low shrinkage yarn is engaged at the second
inductive portion is greater than a yarn skipping amount in the
predetermined direction from the position where the low shrinkage
yarn is engaged at the second inductive portion.
6. The woven fabric according to claim 1, wherein the inductive
portion includes a first inductive portion that allows displacement
in a predetermined direction of the planar direction, and second
inductive portions that allow displacement in a direction opposite
the predetermined direction of the planar direction, the first
inductive portion being formed alternately with the second
inductive portions; and the at least a portion of the low shrinkage
yarn is engaged with the inductive portion and bent alternately in
the predetermined direction and in the direction opposite the
predetermined direction of the planar direction.
7. The woven fabric according to claim 6, further comprising a
restraining portion that is formed by the high shrinkage yarn
between the first inductive portion and the second inductive
portions, and with which the low shrinkage yarn engages, and in
which a range over which the displacement of the low shrinkage yarn
is allowed is smaller than that of the inductive portion.
8. The woven fabric according to claim 1, wherein the inductive
portion includes first inductive portions that allow displacement
in a predetermined direction of the planar direction, and a second
inductive portion that allows displacement in a direction opposite
the predetermined direction of the planar direction, the first
inductive portions being formed alternately with the second
inductive portion; and the at least a portion of the low shrinkage
yarn is engaged with the inductive portion and bent alternately in
the predetermined direction and in the direction opposite the
predetermined direction of the planar direction.
9. The woven fabric according to claim 8, further comprising a
restraining portion that is formed by the high shrinkage yarn
between the first inductive portions and the second inductive
portion, and with which the low shrinkage yarn engages, and in
which a range over which the displacement of the low shrinkage yarn
is allowed is smaller than that of the inductive portion.
10. The woven fabric according to claim 1, wherein the inductive
portion includes first inductive portions that allow displacement
in a predetermined direction of the planar direction, and second
inductive portions that allow displacement in a direction opposite
the predetermined direction of the planar direction, the first
inductive portions being formed alternately with the second
inductive portions; and the at least a portion of the low shrinkage
yarn is engaged with the inductive portion and bent alternately in
the predetermined direction and in the direction opposite the
predetermined direction of the planar direction.
11. The woven fabric according to claim 10, further comprising a
restraining portion that is formed by the high shrinkage yarn
between the first inductive portions and the second inductive
portions, and with which the low shrinkage yarn engages, and in
which a range over which the displacement of the low shrinkage yarn
is allowed is smaller than that of the inductive portion.
12. A double or multiple woven fabric comprising the woven fabric
according to claim 1, wherein the low shrinkage yarn forms a
portion of a layer on one side in a thickness direction.
Description
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
[0001] The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No.
2012-072652 filed on Mar. 28, 2012 including the specification,
drawings and abstract is incorporated herein by reference in its
entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The invention relates to a woven fabric having a high
shrinkage yarn that has a relatively high shrinkage ratio and a low
shrinkage yarn that has a relatively low shrinkage ratio.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] A woven fabric having an insulating fiber (high shrinkage
yarn) and conductive wire (low shrinkage yarn), as described in
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-261116 (JP
2010-261116 A) below is known. JP 2010-261116 A describes a woven
fabric having a structure in which a shrinking portion is provided
at a predetermined location formed by an insulating fiber. This
shrinking portion tends to shrink more at the predetermined
location than at other locations. Also, the conductive wire bends
in a planar direction when the shrinking portion shrinks. Having
the conductive wire bend in the planar direction in this way (i.e.,
inhibiting the conductive wire from protruding in a direction in
which it intersects the plane) makes it possible to prevent the
conductive wire that has a relatively low extension percentage from
disconnecting.
[0006] Because the woven fabric described in JP 2010-261116 A must
have the shrinking portion that shrinks relatively easily, the
aesthetics may be diminished due to the fact that this shrinkage
portion shrinks more than the other portions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] In view of this, the invention thus provides a woven fabric
in which disconnection of a low shrinkage yarn is inhibited without
diminishing the aesthetics.
[0008] A first aspect of the invention relates to a woven fabric
having a high shrinkage yarn that has a predetermined shrinkage
ratio and a low shrinkage yarn that has a relatively lower
shrinkage ratio than the high shrinkage yarn. An inductive portion
that allows displacement in a planar direction is formed by the
high shrinkage yarn. At least a portion of the low shrinkage yarn
is engaged with the inductive portion and bent in the planar
direction.
[0009] According to this structure, when the high shrinkage yarn
shrinks a relatively large amount, the inductive portion that is
formed by the high shrinkage yarn and allows displacement in the
planar direction causes the low shrinkage yarn to be induced in a
predetermined direction of the planar direction and bend in that
direction. As a result, disconnection of the low shrinkage yarn is
able to be inhibited. The structure is not one that greatly shrinks
the high shrinkage yarn locally as the related art does, so the
aesthetics of the woven fabric will not be diminished.
[0010] In the aspect described above, the inductive portion may
include a first inductive portion that allows displacement in a
predetermined direction of the planar direction, and a second
inductive portion that allows displacement in a direction opposite
the predetermined direction of the planar direction, the first
inductive portion being formed alternately with the second
inductive portion, and the at least a portion of the low shrinkage
yarn may be engaged with the inductive portion and bent alternately
in the predetermined direction and in the direction opposite the
predetermined direction of the planar direction.
[0011] According to this structure, the low shrinkage yarn bends
alternately like a way by forming the first and second inductive
portions alternately so as to allow displacement in the
predetermined direction and the direction opposite the
predetermined direction. That is, the structure is one in which the
portions that are bent in the length direction of the low shrinkage
yarn are formed substantially evenly, so the load bearing capacity
and the like of the low shrinkage yarn is improved.
[0012] Also, the woven fabric having the structure described above
may also include a restraining portion that is formed by the high
shrinkage yarn between at least some of the first inductive
portions and the second inductive portions, and with which the low
shrinkage yarn engages, and in which a range over which the
displacement of the low shrinkage yarn is allowed is smaller than
that of the inductive portion.
[0013] According to this structure, by forming a restraining
portion in which the range over which displacement is allowed is
smaller than that of the first and second inductive portions, the
low shrinkage yarn is able to be inhibited from deviating from its
position and the like by the restraining portion. Also, when the
high shrinkage yarn shrinks, a predetermined portion of the low
shrinkage yarn is held by the restraining portion, and portions of
the low shrinkage yarn that are on both sides of this predetermined
portion are induced by the inductive portion and bend in the planar
direction. That is, with the portion of the low shrinkage yarn that
is held by the restraining portion as the fulcrum, the portions on
both sides of this portion are induced in the planar direction, so
the effect of inhibiting the low shrinkage yarn from protruding in
a direction that intersects the plane is further improved.
[0014] A second aspect of the invention relates to a double or
multiple woven fabric that includes the woven fabric described
above, in which the low shrinkage yarn forms a portion of a layer
on one side in a thickness direction.
[0015] When the structure is one in which the low shrinkage yarn is
arranged on a layer on a back surface side of a double or multiple
woven fabric in this way, the low shrinkage yarn bends along a
plane on one side in the thickness direction, so the low shrinkage
yarn is not visible from the other side in the thickness direction.
That is, from the other side in the thickness direction, the woven
fabric appears to be formed by only the high shrinkage yarn, so the
aesthetics are excellent.
[0016] According to this structure, a woven fabric in which
disconnection of a low shrinkage yarn is inhibited without
diminishing the aesthetics is able to be obtained.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] Features, advantages, and technical and industrial
significance of exemplary embodiments of the invention will be
described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which like numerals denote like elements, and wherein:
[0018] FIG. 1A is a plan view of a woven fabric according to a
first example embodiment of the invention before a finishing
process is applied;
[0019] FIG. 1B is a plan view of the woven fabric according to the
first example embodiment of the invention;
[0020] FIG. 2A is a plan view of a woven fabric according to a
second example embodiment of the invention before a finishing
process;
[0021] FIG. 2B is a plan view of the woven fabric according to the
second example embodiment of the invention;
[0022] FIG. 3A is a plan view of a woven fabric according to a
third example embodiment of the invention before a finishing
process;
[0023] FIG. 3B is a plan view of the woven fabric according to the
third example embodiment of the invention;
[0024] FIG. 4 is a plan view of a woven fabric in which a
restraining portion is formed between a plurality of inductive
portions;
[0025] FIG. 5 is a plan view of a woven fabric in which an interval
between a first inductive portion and a second inductive portion,
and a restraining portion is smaller than that of the woven fabric
shown in FIG. 3;
[0026] FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a double woven fabric in which
a low shrinkage yarn is arranged only on a layer on one side in a
thickness direction; and
[0027] FIG. 7 is a plan view of a woven fabric according to a
comparative example.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0028] Example embodiments of the invention will now be described
with reference to the accompanying drawings. A seat cover of a
vehicle seat will be given as an example of that to which a woven
fabric 1 according to the example embodiments of the invention is
applied. Hereinafter, various structures will be described in
detail, with a woven fabric used as a seat cover of a vehicle seat
as an example.
[0029] The woven fabric 1 according to the example embodiments
includes a high shrinkage yarn 2 and a low shrinkage yarn 3. The
high shrinkage yarn 2 is a yarn made of material with a relatively
high shrinkage ratio (i.e., it shrinks easily) (compared to the low
shrinkage yarn 3). The low shrinkage yarn 3 is a yarn made of
material with a relatively low shrinkage ratio (i.e., it does not
shrink easily) (compared to the high shrinkage yarn 2). The woven
fabric 1 according to the example embodiments is such that a
portion that will be the base of the woven fabric is formed by the
high shrinkage yarn 2, and the low shrinkage yarn 3 is woven in
along the width direction of the base portion. The high shrinkage
yarn 2 may be a well-known natural fiber such as cotton, hemp, or
wool, or an artificial fiber such as polyester or nylon. Any of a
variety of types of yarns may be used as the high shrinkage yarn 2,
as long as it has a higher shrinkage ratio than the low shrinkage
yarn 3. Also, the low shrinkage yarn 3 may be made be a conductive
wire of conductive metal or carbon fiber or the like. In the woven
fabric that is used as a seat cover of a vehicle seat, the
conductive wire that is arranged as the low shrinkage yarn 3 may be
used as a capacitance-type sensor for detecting whether an occupant
is seated or as a heater wire that generates heat by being
energized.
[0030] FIG. 1B is a plan view of a woven fabric 1a according to a
first example embodiment of the invention (after a finishing
process has been applied to the woven fabric shown in FIG. 1A). An
inductive portion 21a formed by a high shrinkage yarn 2a is formed
on the woven fabric 1a according to the first example embodiment.
In FIGS. 1 to 5, hatching is applied to the high shrinkage yarn 2
that will form the inductive portion 21, and cross-hatching is
applied to the portion that will become the inductive portion 21 of
this high shrinkage yarn 2. The inductive portion 21a is a portion
that allows displacement in the planar direction. From another
point of view, the inductive portion 21a is a portion that prevents
displacement in a direction intersecting the plane (the surface)
(i.e., in a direction protruding from the plane). In this example
embodiment, the inductive portion 21a is formed by a portion of the
high shrinkage yarn 2a (warp yarn) that is arranged extending in
the direction of arrows A and B. More specifically, there is an
area of the high shrinkage yarn 2a where the yarn skipping length
in the direction of arrows A and B (i.e., the amount that skips
over or straddles the weft yarn) is longer than it is at other
areas. This location functions as the inductive portion 21a
(21).
[0031] A low shrinkage yarn 3a is arranged passing under this
inductive portion 21a. That is, the low shrinkage yarn 3a is held
by the inductive portion 21a so that it (the low shrinkage yarn 3a)
does not protrude in a direction that intersects the plane. When a
finishing process (including a heat treatment process) such as that
described in JP 2010-261116 A is applied to the woven fabric in the
state shown in FIG. 1A in which the low shrinkage yarn 3a is
arranged in a state held by the inductive portion 21a, the high
shrinkage yarn 2a (i.e., the base portion of the woven fabric)
shrinks much more than the low shrinkage yarn 3a does. This
shrinkage difference causes the low shrinkage yarn 3a to bend, but
because it is held by the inductive portion 21a, it bends in the
planar direction as shown in FIG. 1B, without protruding in a
direction that intersects the plane. That is, a woven fabric in
which the low shrinkage yarn 3a is bent in the planar direction
following the base portion of the woven fabric that shrinks is
obtained.
[0032] FIG. 2B is a plan view of a woven fabric 1b according to a
second example embodiment (after a finishing process has been
applied to the woven fabric shown in FIG. 2A). With the woven
fabric 1b according to this example embodiment, the inductive
portion 21 that allows displacement in the direction of arrow A in
the planar direction (hereinafter, this inductive portion 21 may
also be referred to as a "first inductive portion 211b") is formed
alternately in the width direction with the inductive portion 21
that allows displacement in the direction of arrow B in the planar
direction (hereinafter, this inductive portion 21 may also be
referred to as a "second inductive portion 212b"). That is, with
the woven fabric 1b according to this second example embodiment,
the first inductive portion 211b that allows displacement in a
predetermined direction of the planar direction is formed
alternately with the second inductive portion 212b that allows
displacement in the direction opposite the predetermined
direction.
[0033] In this example embodiment, the first inductive portion 211b
that allows displacement in the direction of arrow A has a portion
that extends farther in the direction of arrow A than the second
inductive portion 212b that is lined up with the first inductive
portion 211b in the width direction. The second inductive portion
212b that allows displacement in the direction of arrow B has a
portion that extends farther in the direction of arrow B than the
first inductive portion 211b that is lined up with the second
inductive portion 212b in the width direction. Also, the portion of
the first inductive portion 211b that is lies farther in the
direction of arrow B than the rest of the first inductive portion
211b and the portion of the second inductive portion 212b that lies
farther in the direction of arrow A than the rest of the second
inductive portion 212b are set overlapping each other in the
direction of arrows A and B (so as to be in the same position in
the direction of arrows A and B).
[0034] As shown in FIG. 2A, the low shrinkage yarn 3b before the
finishing process, which is generally straight in the width
direction, passes through the portion where the first inductive
portion 211b and the second inductive portion 212b overlap in the
direction of arrows A and B. In this state, when the finishing
process is applied and the high shrinkage yarn 2b shrinks a
relatively large amount, the portion of the low shrinkage yarn 3b
that passes under the first inductive portion 211b bends in the
direction of arrow A because displacement in the direction of arrow
A is allowed. Meanwhile, the portion of the low shrinkage yarn 3b
that passes under the second inductive portion 212b bends in the
direction of arrow B in the planar direction because displacement
in the direction of arrow B is allowed. In this way, the woven
fabric 1b shown in FIG. 2B in which the low shrinkage yarn 3b is
arranged in a wavy shape that alternately bends in the directions
of arrows A and B in the planar direction is obtained by the base
portion of the woven fabric that is formed by the high shrinkage
yarn 2b and has undergone the finishing process shrinking a
relatively large amount.
[0035] In this second example embodiment, one first inductive
portion 211b that allows displacement in the direction of arrow A
(a predetermined direction) is formed alternately with one second
inductive portion 212b that allows displacement in the direction of
arrow B (the direction opposite the predetermined direction).
Alternatively, however, the structure may also be one in which a
plurality of the first inductive portions 211b are formed
alternately with a plurality of the second inductive portions 212b,
such as a structure in which two of the first inductive portions
211b are formed alternately with two of the second inductive
portions 212b. Also, the structure may be one in which one first
inductive portion 211b or one second inductive portion 212b is
formed alternately with a plurality of the second inductive
portions 212b or the first inductive portions 211b.
[0036] Furthermore, in the example embodiment described above, the
amount of displacement allowed by the first inductive portion in
the direction of arrow A need only be at least greater than the
amount of displacement allowed by the first inductive portion in
the direction of arrow B, and the amount that displacement allowed
by the second inductive portion in the direction of arrow B need
only be at least greater than the amount of displacement allowed by
the second inductive portion in the direction of arrow A. In other
words, the yarn skipping amount in the direction of arrow A (the
predetermined direction) from the position where the low shrinkage
yarn is engaged at the first inductive portion need only be greater
than the yarn skipping amount in the direction of arrow B (the
direction opposite the predetermined direction) from the position
where the low shrinkage yarn is engaged at the first inductive
portion, and the yarn skipping amount in the direction of arrow B
(the direction opposite the predetermined direction) from the
position where the low shrinkage yarn is engaged at the second
inductive portion need only be greater than the yarn skipping
amount in the direction of arrow A (the predetermined direction)
from the position where the low shrinkage yarn is engaged at the
second inductive portion. In other words, it is not necessary to
form the first inductive portion so as not to allow any
displacement in the direction of arrow B, and form the second
inductive portion so as not to allow any displacement in the
direction of arrow A.
[0037] FIG. 3B is a plan view of a woven fabric 1c according to a
third example embodiment of the invention (after a finishing
process has been applied to the woven fabric shown in FIG. 3A). The
woven fabric 1c according to this example embodiment is such that a
first inductive portion 211c that allows displacement in the
direction of arrow A in the planar direction is formed alternately
in the width direction with a second inductive portion 212c that
allows displacement in the direction of arrow B in the planar
direction, and a restraining portion 22c is formed between the
first inductive portion 211c and the second inductive portion 212c
in the width direction. In this third example embodiment, the
inductive portion 21 is formed by the first inductive portion 211c
and the second inductive portion 212c. The constituent elements of
the third example embodiment other than the restraining portion 22c
may be the same as in the second example embodiment.
[0038] The restraining portion 22c is a location in which the range
over which displacement is allowed is smaller than it is at the
inductive portion 21 (211c and 212c). Therefore, a greater
restraining force is generated by friction force and the like at a
portion of the low shrinkage yarn 3c that is positioned under the
restraining portion 22c than at a portion of the low shrinkage yarn
3c that is positioned under the inductive portion 21 (211c and
212c). With a structure in which the inductive portions 211c and
212c are formed in the direction of arrows A and B as in this
example embodiment, the length of the restraining portion 22c in
the direction of the arrows A and B is shorter than the length of
the inductive portions 211c and 212c in the direction of arrows A
and B. That is, the size of the area where the restraining portion
22c allows displacement of the low shrinkage yarn 3c in the
direction of arrows A and B is smaller than the size of the area
where the inductive portions 211c and 212c allow displacement of
the low shrinkage yarn 3c in the direction of arrows A and B. Also,
in this example embodiment, each restraining portion 22c is set in
generally the same position in the direction of arrows A and B.
[0039] As shown in FIG. 3A, the low shrinkage yarn 3c before the
finishing process, which is generally straight in the width
direction, passes under the first inductive portion 211c, the
second inductive portion 212c, and the restraining portion 22c. In
this state, when the finishing process is applied and the high
shrinkage yarn 2c shrinks a relatively large amount, the portion of
the low shrinkage yarn 3c that passes under the first inductive
portion 211c bends in the direction of arrow A in the planar
direction and the portion of the low shrinkage yarn 3c that passes
under the second inductive portion 212c bends in the direction of
arrow B in the planar direction, with the location where it is
restrained by the restraining portion 22c as the fulcrum. In
particular, in this example embodiment, the low shrinkage yarn 3c
on one side of the location where it is restrained by the
restraining portion 22c bends in the direction of arrow A (a
predetermined direction), and the low shrinkage yarn 3c on the
other side of the location where it is restrained by the
restraining portion 22c bends in the direction of arrow B (the
direction opposite the predetermined direction), so the bending
amount in the direction of arrow A on the one side of the
restraining portion 22c is substantially equivalent to the bending
amount in the direction of arrow B on the other side of the
restraining portion 22c.
[0040] In the third example embodiment, the restraining portion 22c
is formed between each first inductive portion 211c and each second
inductive portion 212c, but the restraining portion 22c need only
be formed between at least some of the first inductive portions
211c and the second inductive portions 212c. That is, the woven
fabric 1c according to this example embodiment may be such that the
restraining portion 22c is formed between at least some of the
first inductive portions 211c that allow displacement in the
predetermined direction of the planar direction and the second
inductive portions 212c that allow displacement in the direction
opposite the predetermined direction of the planar direction.
[0041] Also, FIG. 4 is a plan view of a woven fabric 1d according
to a fourth example embodiment of the invention. In this fourth
example embodiment, a plurality of first inductive portions 211d
are formed alternately with a plurality of second inductive
portions 212d, and a restraining portion 22d is formed between at
least some of the plurality of the first inductive portions 211d
and the plurality of the second inductive portions 212d. That is,
the restraining portion 22d need only be formed between at least
some of the inductive portions that try to bend the low shrinkage
yarn 3d in a predetermined direction, and the inductive portions
that try to bend the low shrinkage yarn 3d in the direction
opposite the predetermined direction. In the fourth example
embodiment, the inductive portion 21 is formed by a plurality of
the first inductive portions 211d and a plurality of the second
inductive portions 212d. The fourth example embodiment may be the
same as the third example embodiment, aside from both the first
inductive portion and the second inductive portion being formed in
plurality.
[0042] While the woven fabric 1 (1a to 1d) according to various
example embodiments of the invention, in which the inductive
portion 21 (i.e., the first inductive portion 211 and the second
inductive portion 212) and the restraining portion 22 with which
the low shrinkage yarn 3 engage are formed by the high shrinkage
yarn 2 is described above, the intervals and the like of the
inductive portion 21 and the restraining portion 22 may also be
modified as appropriate. For example, as is evident when comparing
a woven fabric 1e shown in FIG. 5 with the woven fabric 1c shown in
FIG. 3, the woven fabric may also be such that a low shrinkage yarn
3e is arranged bent in short waves by making the intervals between
a restraining portion 22e, and a first inductive portion 211e and a
second inductive portion 212e, all of which are formed by a high
shrinkage yarn 2e, even shorter.
[0043] Also, each of the woven fabrics described above may be a
double woven fabric or a multiple woven fabric in which the low
shrinkage yarn 3 forms a portion of a layer on one side in a
thickness direction. For example, with a double woven fabric, as
shown in FIG. 6, the structure may be one in which the low
shrinkage yarn 3 is arranged in a layer on the lower side in the
drawing, i.e., the layer on one side in the thickness direction
(the low shrinkage yarn 3 is not arranged in the layer on the upper
side in the drawing). Accordingly, the low shrinkage yarn 3 that is
bent along a plane (i.e., the surface) on one side (e.g., the back
side) in the thickness direction is not visible from the other side
(e.g., the front side) in the thickness direction. That is, from
the other side in the thickness direction, the woven fabric appears
to be formed by only the high shrinkage yarn 2, so the aesthetics
are excellent. Further, the inductive portion 21 may be formed by a
first inductive portion and a plurality of the second inductive
portions, or by a plurality of first inductive portions and a
second inductive portion.
[0044] With the woven fabric according to the example embodiments
described above, when the high shrinkage yarn shrinks a relatively
large amount, the low shrinkage yarn is induced and bends in the
planar direction by the inductive portion that is formed by high
shrinkage yarn and allows displacement in a direction in the planar
direction, so disconnection of the low shrinkage yarn is able to be
inhibited. In these example embodiments, the structure is superb in
that it does not greatly shrink the high shrinkage yarn locally as
the related art does, so the aesthetics of the woven fabric will
not be diminished.
[0045] Hereinafter, the invention will be described with reference
to specific examples. However, the invention is not intended to be
limited by the examples below.
[0046] A first example will first be described. Woven fabrics
having the weaves shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 described above
(hereinafter, the weaves shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 will be referred to
as "first weave" to "fourth weave", respectively) were woven using,
as the high shrinkage yarn, a 167 dtex, 72 filament PET
memory-twisted textured yarn for the warp yarn, and a 334 dtex, 72
filament PET memory-twisted textured yarn for the weft yarn, and as
the low shrinkage yarn, a conductive yarn formed by a core yarn of
carbon fiber T-300 (Toray Industries, Inc.) covered (a double
covering) from two directions in a helical manner by a 334 dtex, 72
filament PET memory-twisted yarn. The weaving density before the
finishing process is warp/weft=68 strands/100 strands per 25.4 mm
square. The low shrinkage yarn is woven in at a 10 mm pitch in the
direction of arrows A and B before the finishing process.
[0047] Then a finishing process that includes relaxing heat
treatment of 90.degree. C..times.20 minutes was applied to the
woven fabric using a jet dyeing machine. The weaving density after
the finishing process was warp/weft=233 strands/108 strands per
25.4 mm square, so the base portion of the woven fabric shrunk 39%
compared to what it was before the finishing process.
[0048] Upon checking the conductive yarn that is the low shrinkage
yarn of the woven fabrics of the first to fourth weaves after this
finishing process, it was confirmed that the conductive yarn was
bent in a wavy shape in the planar direction with all of the woven
fabrics of the first to fourth weaves. However, when looking at the
cycle and amplitude of the waves, the woven fabric of the first
weave was the most varied, and the woven fabrics of the third and
fourth weaves where the most even (had the prettiest waves). It is
thought that the reason for the large variation in the cycle and
amplitude of the conductive yarn in the woven fabric of the first
weave is because the positions of all of the inductive portions in
the direction of arrows A and B are the same. Also, it is thought
that the reason that the variation in the cycle and amplitude of
the conductive yarn in the woven fabric of the second weave was
smaller than that of the woven fabric of the first weave is because
the inductive portions are formed in a zigzag pattern such that the
first inductive portion induces the conductive yarn in the
direction of arrow A and the second inductive portion induces the
conductive yarn in the direction of arrow B. Moreover, it is
thought that the reason that the cycle and amplitude of the
conductive yarn in the woven fabrics of the third and fourth weaves
were the most even is because the conductive yarn was bent with a
portion restrained by the restraining portion provided between the
first inductive portion and the second inductive portion as the
fulcrum.
[0049] Also, the conductive yarn that is the low shrinkage yarn was
examined for disconnections in each of the woven fabrics of the
first to fourth weaves after the finishing process. No
disconnections in the conductive yarn occurred in any of the woven
fabrics. The examination for disconnections in the conductive yarn
was performed by heating the conductive yarn by energizing it with
0.6 A. If there is portion where the temperature rises locally
compared with another portion (i.e., if there is a portion where
the temperature difference is equal to or greater than 5.degree.
C.) after one minute, or if the conductive yarn is unable to be
energized, a determination of "disconnection" is made.
[0050] Next, a second example will be described. A woven fabric
having the weave shown in FIG. 5 described above (hereinafter,
referred to as "fifth weave") was woven using, as low shrinkage
yarn, a conductive yarn in which seven strands of SUS 316 wire
having a wire diameter of 20 .mu.m that are twisted at 1500 T/m are
covered (a double covering) from two directions in a helical manner
by a 334 dtex, 72 filament PET memory-twisted yarn that is twisted
in the direction opposite the twisting direction of the seven
strands of SUS 316 wire. The other conditions are the same as those
in the first example.
[0051] Upon checking the woven fabric after the finishing process,
it was confirmed that the conductive yarn was bent in a wavy shape
in the planar direction. Also, the cycle and amplitude of the waves
was constant.
[0052] Further, there were no disconnections in the conductive yarn
that is the low shrinkage yarn of the woven fabric after the
finishing process.
[0053] Next, a comparative example will be described. A woven
fabric of the weave shown in FIG. 7 was woven using the same
material as in the first and second examples. Simply put, with the
weave shown in FIG. 7, there is no portion corresponding to the
inductive portion that allows displacement in the planar direction.
Only a portion (911) corresponding to the restraining portion that
allows almost no displacement in the planar direction is formed by
a high shrinkage yarn (91).
[0054] With the woven fabric according to the comparative example
after the finishing process, bending (i.e., a protruding portion
(90x)), in which a conductive yarn (90) that is a low shrinkage
yarn protrudes from the plane, as well as disconnections were
confirmed to occur frequently. It was recognized that the
restraining portion is a portion that acts in a favorable direction
only with an inductive portion that induces the low shrinkage yarn
in the planar direction.
[0055] While the invention has been described with reference to
example embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the
invention is not limited to the described embodiments or
constructions. To the contrary, the invention is intended to cover
various modifications and equivalent arrangements. In addition,
while the various elements of the example embodiments are shown in
various combinations and configurations, other combinations and
configurations, including more, less or only a single element, are
also within the scope of the invention.
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