HK1030640B - Knitted-in slide fastener - Google Patents

Description

Knitted-in slide fastener

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an improved knitted-in slide fastener in which a continuous fastener element row made of synthetic resin is knitted into one side edge of a fastener tape to be fixed while forming a warp knitted fastener tape by knitting.

Background

Such a woven slide fastener which has been used in practice has been disclosed in Japanese patent application laid-open No.10-42915, which discloses a method of producing a slide fastener. The woven slide fastener exemplified in the above publication has a coupling portion of a fastener element row along one side edge in the longitudinal direction of the fastener tape. The connecting part is composed of 4 wales of chain knitting yarns, warp inserting yarns and weft inserting yarns. The inlay warp yarns are alternately turned to be knitted into the chain stitch loops of the 3 outermost wales. The weft inserted yarns include weft inserted yarns inserted successively in zigzag fashion into 3 wales of each wale of all courses and weft inserted yarns inserted in zigzag fashion into two respective wales of two inner wales and two outer wales of the fastener tape. In the specification, it is described that when the knitting density of the fastener chain (half of the slide fastener) of the knitted slide fastener is loose, a heat shrinkable fiber such as a modified polyester resin can be used as the weft inserted yarn.

While knitting the fastener tape having the aforementioned knitting structure, synthetic resin monofilaments are inserted into the element connecting portions in the weft direction, thus molding a spiral element row, and at the same time, are knitted into the element connecting portions to bind and produce a fastener chain. In the aforementioned fastener chain, one leg of each element portion arranged in parallel is pulled and tied from above by the needle loop of the chain knitting yarn, and all other tissues are arranged on one bottom face of the element row.

In not only such a conventional knitted-in slide fastener but also a slide fastener in which continuous element rows are fixed to a fastener tape by sewing, and a knitted-in slide fastener of the type disclosed in the above publication, the element rows are placed and fixed on a surface of the fastener tape. Thus, the height of the belt surface is substantially equal to the thickness of the two leg portions stacked vertically.

Recently, in the field of clothing, a thin clothing material having a very soft hand, such as a knitted fabric, is often used. The aforementioned knitted or woven zippers comprised of thin flexible materials and textures are used in these garments.

As described above, since the elements are molded in a spiral shape or zigzag shape from a synthetic resin monofilament, the fastener tape itself should be flexible, and the element row to be attached to the fastener tape should also be flexible. However, attaching the aforementioned flexible element rows to the flexible fastener tape is basically performed in the same manner as attaching the element rows to other general fastener tapes. In other words, since the leg portion of each element portion of the element row is tightened and bound with the binding yarn in the knitted or woven slide fastener, the portion of the slide fastener to which the element rows are connected is hardened, thereby making the flexible slide fastener itself rod-shaped. Subsequently, when the zipper is attached to the garment by sewing or other means, a very uncomfortable feeling is produced. This is the same as when the fastener element rows are fixed to the fastener tapes by sewing.

Therefore, it is conceivable to make the fastener stringer itself using a flexible material, i.e., the structural materials itself of the fastener tape itself and the fastener element row itself, or to connect the fastener element row to the fastener tape using less tying yarns; but at the same time this weakens the tension. In this case, however, the element rows may be easily deformed or moved. As a result, the coupling strength of the element rows is reduced, so that the coupling slip easily occurs, thereby losing the function as a slide fastener.

In addition, when the element rows of a conventional slide fastener are attached as described above, the element rows are placed on the surface of the fastener tape and fixed thereto. The tooth element protrudes on the belt surface to a height substantially equal to the thickness of the two leg portions stacked vertically. Thus, when a thin garment using such a zipper is ironed, a clear trace of the zipper elements is left on the fabric.

Disclosure of Invention

It is therefore an object of the present invention to address the above-mentioned general problems; more specifically, the object of the present invention is to provide a knitted-in chain having flexibility and capable of securing a desired coupling strength, in which no trace of fastener elements is produced by ironing.

In order to achieve the above object, the inventors of the present invention have gradually recognized that it is very advantageous to use a warp knitting structure to secure flexibility of a fastener tape itself and stability of its structure, and it is more advantageous to knit and bind fastener elements into a tape according to a principle of a structure and knitting binding described in the above disclosure of the knitting structure of the fastener tape.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the knitting structure and the binding method of the fastener element row in the foregoing disclosure are used as an essential feature, and further improvement of the above object is obtained. Of course, the knit stitches of the invention are not limited to the stitches exemplified in the foregoing disclosure. As will be evident from the following description, the present invention may be modified in various ways without changing the scope of the inventive concept.

The above object is effectively achieved as follows.

Preferably, there is provided a slide fastener knitted in by knitting, wherein while knitting the fastener tape, a continuous element row is knitted in an element attaching portion formed continuously along one side edge of a fastener tape main body portion constituted by a warp knitted base structure. Wherein the element connecting portion is constituted by a plurality of rows of wales of the chain tying knitting yarn for tightening and tying one leg portion of each element portion, a plurality of rows of wales of the connecting portion chain knitting yarn forming a ground structure of the connecting portion, and a plurality of inserted weft inserted yarns; the weft inserted yarns are alternately reversed between the wales. The continuous element row is provided on the upper surface of the sinker loop of the chain binding knitting yarn, the connecting portion chain base knitting yarn, and the weft in-laid yarn, and the leg portion of each element portion is pulled and bound from the upper surface by the needle loop of the chain binding knitting yarn. The weft inserted yarns are caught so that they are alternately turned between every wale formed by the chain base knitting yarn of the connecting portion beside the main body portion of the fastener tape and the chain tying knitting yarn beside the leg portion of the element portion; the size of the constituent yarn is larger than that of other knitting yarns; weft inserted yarns provided on the upper surface of weft inserted yarns having a large diameter are interlaced with the former, and are alternately turned between wales formed by the chain type bottom knitting yarns of the connecting portion beside the main body portion of the fastener tape and any one of the chain type binding knitting yarns, which are formed by one kind of yarns having heat shrinkage characteristics, and weft inserted yarns having a large size are provided on the bottom surface of the fastener tape.

More preferably, the knitting structure of the element coupling portion of the fastener tape is formed by the chain bottom knitting yarn of the coupling portion, sinker loops of the chain binding knitting yarn, and weft in-laid yarn, and only needle loops of the chain binding knitting yarn are used to knit and bind the element portion. Therefore, the structure of the fastener tape in the longitudinal and width directions is stabilized by the chain knitting yarns and the weft in-laid yarns, the coupling portions of the fastener elements of the fastener tape are not thickened, and the coupling portions themselves have high flexibility.

Since the upper/lower leg portions of the element portions arranged in parallel are bound with the needle loops of the chain binding knitting yarns to knit and bind the element rows, the element rows are firmly fixed. Further, the pitch between the element portions does not change, and the coupling pockets do not deviate in the width direction of the belt. As a result, the desired coupling strength is ensured without causing slip of the coupling.

Further, according to the present invention, the weft inserted yarns alternately turned between the respective wales formed by the connecting portion chain type bottom knitting yarns beside the fastener tape main body portion and the chain type tying knitting yarns beside the connecting portion side of the element portion are constituted by yarns larger in size than the other knitting yarns. The weft in-laid yarn on and interwoven with the upper surface of the weft in-laid yarn having a large size is constituted by a yarn having heat-shrinkable property, the aforementioned weft in-laid yarn being caught so as to be alternately turned between wales formed by the chain type bottom knitting yarn and any one of the chain type tying knitting yarns of the connecting portion beside the main body portion of the fastener tape. Large size weft inserted yarns are on the bottom surface of the fastener tapes.

As a result, when the weft inserted yarn composed of the yarn having the heat shrinkage property is shrunk by the heat treatment after the fastener chain of the slide fastener is manufactured, the interval between the wales in which the weft inserted yarn is caught is tightened by the shrinkage of the weft inserted yarn. Meanwhile, the large-sized weft inserted yarn bulges toward the rear surface side of the tape, creating a step at the boundary portion between the tape main body portion and the element attaching portion. Then, a portion of substantially half the height in the height direction of the continuous element row is sunk below the surface of the main body portion of the fastener tape.

With this structure, when the knitted-in fastener formed of the aforementioned fastener tape is attached to, for example, clothes, there is no feeling of particular discomfort with respect to the clothes; and no trace of the fastener element portion is left on the fabric even when the garment is ironed. A fairly perfect surface can be obtained.

In the present invention, the quality of the knit structure and yarn of the fastener tape main body portion such as thickness, material, etc. is not limited to any particular form, and they may be the quality of the usual knit structure and yarn as used in the conventional knit-knitted slide fastener.

Still preferably, a connecting portion for connecting adjacent leg portions of the element portion is provided at a center between wales formed by the chain base knitting yarn of the connecting portion beside the side of the main body portion of the fastener tape and the chain tying knitting yarn beside the leg portion of the element portion. By adding the feature described above, the connecting portion for connecting the leg portion of the element portion is provided between one wale formed by the connecting portion chain type bottom knitting yarn beside the main body portion of the fastener tape and one wale formed by the chain type tying knitting yarn beside the leg portion of the element portion. As a result, the belt main body portion is deformed so as to be turned upward centering on the interval between the two wales. The aforementioned step portion formed by the weft in-laid yarn having a large size is then more conspicuously bulged toward the rear side of the fastener tape due to shrinkage of the weft in-laid yarn composed of the heat-shrinkable yarn.

It is preferable to provide an incorporated slide fastener in which the chain type ground knitting yarn at the outermost side of the element connecting portion is constituted by a yarn smaller in size than the chain type tying knitting yarn. By adding the features of the above-mentioned portions, the outer edge of the element connecting portion is the thinnest portion, so that when the element rows are coupled by sliding the slider, the outer edge is not caught by the upper and lower wing plates of the slider, and the slider can be smoothly guided in a narrow sliding space.

Further preferably, the warp knitting yarns are disposed below the fastener element rows and are caught such that they are alternately turned between each of the chain knitting yarn loops of the wale formed along the chain tying knitting yarn and the wale of the connecting portion chain bottom knitting yarn disposed at the outermost side of the fastener element connecting portion. With this structure, the structure of wales formed by the chain tying knitting yarn and the connecting portion chain type bottom knitting yarn is stabilized, and the fastener element row is fixed to the fastener element connecting portion in a more stable state.

Drawings

The drawings are briefly described as follows.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a stitch as viewed from above, showing the main parts of a slide fastener according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of a main part of the slide fastener in a coupled state.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of the structure of a main portion of a slide fastener when viewed from above after a part of knitting is cut off in one embodiment according to the present invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the main portion, schematically showing a coupled state of the element rows of the slide fastener.

As can be understood from fig. 1, the woven slide fastener according to this embodiment has a fastener element coupling portion T1 along the side edge in the longitudinal direction of the fastener tape T. The tape main body portion T2 of the fastener tape T excluding the fastener element connecting portion T1 is knitted by chain knitting yarn 1(1-0/0-1), tricot warp knitting yarn 2(1-2/1-0) and weft inserted yarn 3 (0-0/4-4); the weft inserted yarns are inserted continuously in 4 wales W in a zigzag pattern in the course direction of the wales W.

The knit structure of the tape main body portion T2 is not limited to that shown in the illustrated example, and any knit structure can be used as long as it is used for a general fastener tape. In addition, the yarn quality and knitting density can be determined at will.

The knitting structure of the element connecting portion T1 is constituted by chain knitting yarns 5 to 8(1 to 0/0-1), weft inserted yarns 9(0 to 0/1-1), first weft inserted yarns 10(0 to 0/3-3) and second weft inserted yarns 11(0 to 0/2-2); wherein the chain knitting yarn 5-8 comprises 4 wales W1-W4; and the inlay warp yarn 9 is knitted so as to be alternately turned and hooked between the stitches of the chain knitting yarn in zigzag along the outer 3 wales W2-W4 of the 4 wales; the first weft inserted yarn 10 is inserted consecutively in zigzag fashion over 3 of the 4 wales W1-W4; the second weft in-laid yarn 11 is knitted so as to be alternately turned and hooked in zigzag between two wales W1, W2 on the belt main body portion T2 side and between two wales W3, W4 on the outer side of the element attaching portion T1.

According to the present embodiment, of the chain knitting yarns 5 to 8(1 to 0/0-1) constituting the aforementioned 4 wales W1 to W4, the two wales W2 and W3 positioned in the middle are constituted by the chain tying knitting yarns 6 and 7 of the fastener element row of the present invention, and the two wales W1 and W4 positioned on both sides thereof are constituted by the chain ground yarns 5 and 8 of the present invention. A part of the aforementioned first weft in-laid yarn 10(0-0/3-3) is inserted in zigzag along the weft direction over 3 wales including the element connecting portion T1 and 1 wale with the main body portion T2 adjacent to the element connecting portion T1.

As can be understood from fig. 1, in the present embodiment, on the element row ER to be knitted into the element attaching portion T1 of the slide fastener, one element portion is knitted into every two courses. More specifically, a course is knitted after the ground structure of the element connecting portion T1, and a weft yarn is inserted on a synthetic resin monofilament molded in a spiral shape, which is molded in a spiral shape in advance or at the time of knitting. Sinker loops of the aforementioned chain tying knitting yarns 6, 7, chain bottom knitting yarns 5, 8, warp inserted yarn 9, first weft inserted yarn 10 and second weft inserted yarn 11 are provided on one bottom surface of the molded element portion E, and needle loops of the aforementioned chain tying knitting yarns 6, 7 are then provided, thereby tightening one top surface of the element portion E. By repeating the above-described procedure, the fastener element rows ER are woven into the fastener tape T.

As can be seen from fig. 1 and 2, the aforementioned element portion E is connected in the vertical direction with respect to the fastener tape surface to the projecting end of one upper/lower leg portion L projecting vertically and horizontally from the side edge of the fastener element coupling portion T1 of the fastener tape T. And the element portion E is provided with a coupling head EH having a bulging portion bulging in parallel to the side edge. Longitudinally adjacent upper/lower leg portions of the band are connected by a connecting portion C between the upper/lower leg portions.

According to this embodiment of the invention, the basic structure of the fastener element coupling portion T1 of the fastener tape T is simply formed by coupling the chain knitting yarn with the weft in-laid yarn, which has flexibility as described above, although its shape is stabilized. In addition, since the element portion E is bound with a total of 4 yarns of the needle loops of the chain binding knitting yarns 6, 7, the element portion E does not move on the fastener tape. Thus, the pitch between the element portions E is kept constant, thereby securing a desired coupling strength.

In addition, according to the present embodiment, the chain bottom knitting yarn 8 constituting the wale W4 is located at the outermost side of the 4 wales W1 to W4 of the element connecting portion T1, and has a size smaller than the size of the chain binder knitting yarns 6, 7. Further, the second weft in-laid yarn 11 is alternately turned to be hooked in a zigzag shape between two columns of wales W1 and W2 on the side of the tape main portion T2, and has a size larger than that of the other yarns forming the fastener tape T.

The first weft in weft inserted yarns 10 in zigzag to be successively inserted over wales W1-W3 have high heat shrinkage characteristics. On the other hand, a yarn having a size larger than that of the chain knitting yarn of the tape main body portion is used as the chain knitting yarn of the element connecting portion. The weft inserted yarns and warp inserted yarns have the same dimensions except for the thick weft inserted yarns described above. Of course, the first weft-inserted yarns having high heat-shrinkage characteristics may be inserted so as to be alternately turned to be continuously hooked on the wales W1 and W2 in a zigzag shape.

In this embodiment, it is important to apply the interlaced yarn, particularly, at the boundary portion between the element attaching portion T1 and the tape main body portion T2. In this example, the first weft in-laid yarn 10 having a high heat shrinkage characteristic is located on the upper surface of the thickest second weft in-laid yarn 11. Further, the thickest second weft in-laid yarn 11 is closest to the bottom surface of the fastener tape T. When the slide fastener is heat-treated after knitting, the first weft in-laid yarn 10 shrinks, thereby drawing the three rows of wales W1-W3 taut toward the tape body portion T2; as a result, the second weft in-laid yarns 11 are bent to bulge toward the rear face of the fastener tape T.

As a result, as shown in fig. 2, the surface of the element coupling portion T1 is located below the surface of the tape main body portion T2, and a step is produced. The entire element row ER thus woven into the surface of the element coupling portion T1 sinks below the surface of the fastener tape so that the height of the element portion E exposed above the tape surface is substantially half of its total height. In addition, the density between the wales in the course direction of the element coupling portion T1 increases. More specifically, by disposing the element portion E and the connecting portion C for connecting the adjacent upper/lower leg portions L in the middle of the two columns of wales W1 and W2 on the side of the belt main body portion T2, the leading steps are more conspicuous.

With this structure, when the slide fastener shown in the above example is attached to a thin and flexible garment by sewing, for example, and pressed with an iron, no pressing trace of the fastener elements is left on the garment, and the finished garment is always very beautiful. Further, since the density between wales in the course direction of the element connecting portion T1 is increased, the binding of the element portion E on the connecting portion T1 is enhanced. As a result, the element portion E never moves, preventing the problem of the slip coupling.

As described above, the size of the chain bottom knitting yarn 8 of the wale W4 forming the outermost end of the 4 wales W1-W4 of the element connecting portion T1 is set smaller than the size of the chain binding knitting yarns 6, 7, and the outer edge of the element connecting portion T1 of the fastener chain (also referred to as a fastener stringer) is thinner than the other portions. Therefore, when the slider S indicated by a broken line in fig. 2 is operated to open or close the slide fastener, the aforementioned outer edge does not become an obstacle on the narrow element guide path of the slider S, so that the slider S operates smoothly.

The inlay warp yarn 9 is knitted along wales W2 and W3 constituted by the chain tying knitting yarns 6, 7 among the aforementioned 4 wales W1-W4 of the element connecting portion T and wale W4 constituted by the chain ground yarn 8 at the outermost end, so as to be alternately reversed to be hooked between the chain knitting stitches in a zigzag shape. The structure of each wale is stabilized by the above-described feature, so that the element row ER is connected to the element connecting portion T1 in a more stable state. Of course, it is also permissible to add the aforementioned warp inserting yarn 9 to the wale W1 constituted by the chain ground knitting yarn 5 of the connecting portion on the belt main body portion T2 side.

Of course, the size and number of each yarn used as the binder knitting yarn or ground stitch are determined by the kind and use of the slide fastener, and are not limited to a specific form. Although a state with loose stitches is shown in fig. 1, this is only for understanding the texture of the knitted fabric, and the stitches are tightly tightened in practice.

Claims (4)

1. A woven-in slide fastener in which, when a fastener tape is knitted, a continuous Element Row (ER) is knitted in an element attaching portion (T1) formed continuously along one side edge of a fastener tape main body portion (T2), said fastener tape main body portion (T2) being constituted by a warp knit base stitch,

said element coupling portion (T1) being constituted by a plurality of wales (W2, W3) of row lines of stitches including a chain tying knitting yarn (6, 7) for tightening and tying the leg portion (L) of each element portion (E) and a plurality of wales (W1, W4) of a chain base knitting yarn (5, 8) including a coupling portion constituting a base structure of said coupling portion (T1) and a plurality of weft inserted yarns (10, 11), said weft inserted yarns (10, 11) being alternately turned between said wales (W1-W4) at the time of insertion,

said continuous Element Row (ER) being provided on the sinker loop of said chain binding knitting yarns (6, 7), the upper surfaces of the chain base knitting yarns (5, 8) of said connecting portion and said weft in-laid yarns (10, 11), and the leg portion (L) of each element portion (E) being tensioned and bound from the upper surfaces by the needle loops of the chain binding knitting yarns (6, 7), characterized in that,

said weft in-laid yarns (11) being caught so that they are alternately turned between wales constituted by chain base knitting yarns (5) of said connecting portion on the side of the main body portion of the fastener tape and chain binding knitting yarns (6) on the side of the leg portion (L) of said element portion (E), said weft in-laid yarns (11) being formed of one kind of yarn larger in size than the other knitting yarns,

on the upper surface of the weft in-laid yarn (11) having a large size interwoven with the weft in-laid yarn (10), the weft in-laid yarn (10) is caught to be alternately turned between wales (W1-W2, W3) of a chain type base knitting yarn (5) and any one of chain type tying knitting yarns (6, 7) at a connecting portion on the main body portion side of the fastener tape, the weft in-laid yarn (10) is constituted of a yarn having a heat shrinkage property, and

the weft inserted yarn (11) having a large size is located on the lowermost surface of the fastener tape.

2. An knitted-in slide fastener according to claim 1, wherein a connecting portion (C) for connecting mutually adjacent leg portions (L) of said element portion (E) is located intermediate between wales constituted by a chain bottom knitting yarn (5) of the connecting portion beside the main body portion of said fastener tape and said chain binding knitting yarn (6) beside the leg portion (L) of said element portion (E).

3. An incorporated slide fastener according to claim 1, wherein the chain bottom knitting yarn (8) at the outermost end of said fastener element connecting portion (T1) is constituted by a yarn smaller in size than said chain binding knitting yarn.

4. A knitted-in slide fastener according to claim 1, characterised in that warp-in threads (9) are caught under said rows of teeth (ER) alternately reversing between the respective chain knitting stitches along each wale (W2-W4) formed by said chain tying knitting yarns (6, 7) and the wale (W2-W4) of said connecting portion chain bottom knitting yarn (8) at the outermost end of said slide fastener connecting portion (T1).