WO2025047305A1 - Weft knitted fabric - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a weft knitted fabric which is stretchable, which has excellent smoothness on a sinker loop surface, and which has large undulation on a needle loop surface. The present invention is a weft knitted fabric, wherein: non-elastic yarns are included in all courses; an elastic yarn is included in one of the courses; courses A, B, and C, which are each one course or two or more consecutive courses of the same structure, are repeated in this order in the knitting end direction; the courses A, B, and C have structures different from one another; the course A includes knits; the course B includes knits and tucks; the course C includes knits and welts and further includes an elastic yarn; at least one tuck stitch formed by a knit of the course A and a tuck of the course B which are continuous on the same wale is included; the tuck stitch and a welt of the course C are continuous on the same wale at least at one place; and the value of the ratio of the loop length of the course C to the loop length of the course A is 0.50-0.95.

Description

Weft knitting

The present invention relates to a weft knitted fabric.

2. Description of the Related Art There is a high demand in the market for clothing that is both stylish and comfortable, and in order to meet this demand, various knitted fabrics for clothing have been provided.
The following Patent Document 1 discloses a single knit fabric having a twill-like appearance on the front side and a pile-like appearance on the back side, which is constructed by alternately arranging thick yarn A and thinner yarn B having an apparent thickness ratio of 1/1.5 or less.

Jitszen No. 60-52983

Knitted fabrics used in comfortable clothing are required to have a smooth texture. By thinning the yarn constituting the knitted fabric, the stitches become smaller, resulting in a knitted fabric with a smooth sinker loop surface, but at the same time, the undulations of the needle loop surface are also reduced. Therefore, with conventional knitted fabrics, it has been difficult to achieve both the smoothness of the sinker loop surface and the designability of the large undulations of the needle loop surface. Even in the invention described in Patent Document 1, the needle loop surface shows an undulating kanoko-like appearance, but the sinker loop surface does not have a smooth texture because the stitches forming the pile protrude.
Furthermore, when an elastic fiber such as polyurethane is knitted in order to impart stretchability, the stitches become smaller, which causes a problem that the undulations on the needle loop surface become even smaller.

In light of these problems with the conventional technology, the problem that the present invention aims to solve is to provide a weft knitted fabric that is stretchable, has excellent smoothness on the sinker loop surface, and has large undulations on the needle loop surface.

　As a result of intensive research and repeated experiments to solve the above problems, the inventors of the present application unexpectedly discovered that the problems could be solved by the following configuration, which led to the completion of the present invention.

That is, the present invention is as follows.
[1] A weft knitted fabric comprising: all courses containing inelastic yarn; any course containing elastic yarn; one course, or two or more consecutive courses of the same structure, course A, course B, and course C, repeated in this order toward the knitting end direction; course A, course B, and course C each having a structure different from one another; course A containing knit; course B containing knit and tuck; course C containing knit and welt, and further containing elastic yarn; comprising one or more tuck stitches in which the knit of course A and the tuck of course B are continuously formed on the same wale; the tuck stitch and the welt of course C are continuously formed on the same wale in at least one or more places; and a ratio (L _C /L _A ) of the loop length (L _A ) of course C to the loop length (L _A ) of course A is 0.50 to 0.95.
[2] The weft knitted fabric according to [1], wherein course B is two or more consecutive courses of the same weave from the course at the start of knitting to the course at the end of knitting.
[3] The weft knitted fabric according to [1] or [2], wherein the course A consists only of knit.
[4] The weft knitted fabric according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the course B consists only of knits and tucks.
[5] A weft knitted fabric described in any of [1] to [4], wherein the ratio of the number of tuck stitches that are continuous on the same wale as the welt of course C to the total number of tuck stitches of the weft knitted fabric is 50% or more.
[6] A weft knitted fabric as described in [5], in which the ratio of the number of tuck stitches that are continuous on the same wale as the welt of course C to the total number of tuck stitches of the weft knitted fabric is 100%.
[7] A weft knitted fabric according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein the ratio of the fineness of the largest inelastic yarn included in course C to the fineness of the largest inelastic yarn included in course A is less than 1.0.
[8] A weft knitted fabric according to any one of [2] to [7], wherein in course B, the fineness of the inelastic yarn contained in the course at the start of knitting is less than 1.0 relative to the fineness of the inelastic yarn contained in the course at the end of knitting.
[9] The weft knitted fabric according to any one of [1] to [8], wherein the inelastic yarn included in the course A is a staple fiber.
[10] The weft knitted fabric according to any one of [2] to [9], wherein in course B, the inelastic yarn included in the course on the knitting start side is a staple fiber.
[11] The weft knitted fabric according to any one of [1] to [10], wherein the course A is made only of inelastic yarn.
[12] The weft knitted fabric according to any one of [2] to [11], wherein in course B, an elastic yarn is included in the course on the knitting end side.
[13] The weft knitted fabric according to any one of [2] to [12], wherein in course B, the inelastic yarn included in the course on the knitting end side is a long fiber.
[14] The weft knitted fabric according to any one of [1] to [13], wherein the inelastic yarn included in the course C is a long fiber.
[15] A weft knitted fabric according to any of [2] to [14], wherein the finest yarn among the non-elastic yarns contained in course A is different from the fineness of the non-elastic yarn contained in the course B at the start of knitting.
[16] The weft knitted fabric according to any one of [2] to [15], wherein the inelastic yarn included in the course A and the course B at the start of knitting are both cellulose-based yarns.
[17] The weft knitted fabric according to any one of [1] to [16], which is a single weft knitted fabric.
[18] A shirt comprising the weft knitted fabric according to any one of [1] to [17].

The weft knitted fabric of the present invention has stretchability, excellent smoothness on the sinker loop surface, and large undulations on the needle loop surface, making it suitable for use in textile products that come into direct contact with the skin and require design, such as shirts, innerwear, bottom wear, jackets, masks, etc., and is particularly suitable for use in shirts.

FIG. FIG. FIG. 1 is an example of a weft knitted fabric of the present invention. The method of taking test pieces for measuring the undulation index and the direction of movement of the friction probe during measurement. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a knitting structure of an example of a weft knitted fabric of the present invention and a relationship between the knitting structure and the notations in the following Tables 1 to 5 corresponding to the knitting structure.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.
One embodiment of the present invention is a weft knitted fabric, the fabric comprising: all courses containing inelastic yarn; any course containing elastic yarn; one course, or two or more consecutive courses of the same weave, course A, course B, and course C, repeated in this order in the knitting end direction; the course A, course B, and course C each having a different weave; the course A includes a knit; the course B includes a knit and a tuck; the course C includes a knit and a welt, and further includes elastic yarn; the knit of the course A and the tuck of the course B include one or more tuck stitches formed continuously on the same wale; the tuck stitch and the welt of the course C are continuous on the same wale in at least one or more places; and the ratio (L _{C /L A )} of the loop length of the course C (L _{A )} to the loop length of the course A is 0.50 to 0.95.

In this specification, a "course" (hereinafter abbreviated as (C)) refers to a row of stitches that run in the weft direction of the knitted fabric, and a "wale" (hereinafter abbreviated as (W)) refers to a row of stitches that run in the warp direction of the knitted fabric (see Figure 4).

In this specification, the term "needle loop surface" refers to the surface composed of needle loops, which are the crests of the loops, and is synonymous with the technical face (TF) (the front side of the paper in Figures 1 to 3).

In this specification, the "sinker loop surface" refers to the surface that is made up of the sinker loop, which is the valley of the loop, and is synonymous with the technical back (TB) (reverse side of the pages in Figures 1 to 3)

In knit structures (hereafter simply referred to as "knit" and abbreviated as (K)), stitches made by retracting the knitting needle, as shown in the white line area in Figure 1, become needle loops (NL). In tuck structures (hereafter simply referred to as "tuck" and abbreviated as (T)), stitches made by retracting the knitting needle, as shown in the white line area in Figure 2, become needle loops. In welt (miss) structures (hereafter simply referred to as "welt" and abbreviated as (W)), the yarn does not catch on the needle, as shown in the diagonal line area in Figure 3, so there are no needle loops, and the yarn passes between adjacent needle loops in the same course, so all become sinker loops (SL).

In this specification, "non-elastic yarn" refers to fibers whose breaking elongation is less than 100%.

In this specification, "elastic yarn" refers to a fiber with a breaking elongation of 100% or more.

<Course A>
Course A includes knit. Course A may include a knit structure other than knit, but is preferably composed of knit only (see FIG. 4). By having course A composed of knit only, the amount of knit loops in the weft knitted fabric increases, improving the elongation and recovery of the weft knitted fabric and improving movement tracking.
The course A may be composed of only one course, or may be composed of two or more consecutive courses of the same weave. When the course A is composed of two or more consecutive courses of the same weave, the yarns contained in each course may be different.

<Course B>
Course B includes knit and tuck. Course B may include a knit structure other than knit and tuck, but is preferably composed of only knit and tuck (see FIG. 4). By having course B composed of only knit and tuck structures, the number of tuck stitches that form the undulations of the needle loop surface increases, improving the design of the weft knitted fabric.
Course B may be composed of only one course, or may be composed of two or more consecutive courses of the same weave (see FIG. 4). From the viewpoint of achieving a basis weight suitable for wear while increasing the undulations due to tuck knitting, course B is preferably composed of two or more consecutive courses, and more preferably composed of two or three or more consecutive courses. When course B is composed of two or more consecutive courses of the same weave, the yarns contained in each course may be different.

<Course C>
Course C includes knit and welt. Course C may include a knit structure other than knit and welt, but is preferably composed of only knit and welt (see FIG. 4). By having course C composed of only knit and welt, the yarn length of course C becomes smaller, the needle loops of course C become smaller, and the difference in stitch size between course A and the tuck knit formed by course B becomes larger, so that the undulations formed on the needle loop surface become larger.
Furthermore, the course C includes an elastic yarn. By including the elastic yarn in the course C, the stitches of the course C become smaller due to contraction of the elastic yarn (see FIG. 4), causing a difference in size between the stitches forming the protrusions and the stitches, and increasing the undulations of the needle loop surface. Furthermore, in the course C, the welt has few contact points with other yarns on the sinker loop surface, and the degree of freedom of the yarn is high (see FIG. 4), so including the elastic yarn in the course C allows the elasticity of the elastic yarn to be fully exerted, improving the stretch recovery.

Course C may consist of only one course, or two or more consecutive courses of the same weave. From the viewpoint of suppressing the protrusion of the welts into the sinker loop due to overlapping of the welts and improving the smoothness of the sinker loop surface, it is preferable that course C consists of one to three courses. When course C consists of two or more consecutive courses of the same weave, the yarns contained in each course may be different.

<Arrangement of courses A to C>
In the weft knitted fabric of this embodiment, course A, course B, and course C are repeated in this order toward the end of knitting. For example, the weft knitted fabric of this embodiment may be knitted in the order of A, B, C, A... from the beginning to the end of knitting, or one or more of course A, course B, and course C may be knitted from a plurality of courses, such as A, B, B, C, A... or A, B, B, C, C, A... (see Tables 1 to 5 and FIG. 6).

<Tuck knitting>
In the weft knitted fabric of this embodiment, a tuck knit is formed by continuing a knit of course A and a tuck of course B on the same wale (see the wale on the left side of Fig. 4). In the knitted fabric of this embodiment, a large undulation is formed on the needle loop surface by forming a tuck knit.

In the weft knit of this embodiment, the tuck stitch formed by the knit of course A and the tuck of course B and the welt of course C are continuous on the same wale at least in one place (see the wale on the left side of Figure 4). By having the tuck stitch and the welt of course C be continuous on the same wale at least in one place, the tuck stitch formed by course A and course B becomes large, so the undulations of the needle loop surface become large, and the welt structure of course C arranged on the sinker loop surface fills the depressions on the sinker loop surface formed by course A and course B, so the smoothness of the sinker loop surface increases. From the same perspective, in the weft knit of this embodiment, in one complete structure, the ratio of the number of tuck stitches that are continuous on the same wale as the welt of course C to the total number of tuck stitches is preferably 50% or more, and more preferably 100%. Note that one complete structure refers to the smallest repeating unit of the knitting structure that constitutes the knitted fabric. In addition, in the weft knitted fabric of this embodiment, the tuck stitches that make up the "total number of tuck stitches in one complete structure" can be included not only in course B, but also in course A and/or course C.

<Ratio of loop length LC of course _C to loop length LA of course _A >
In the weft knitted fabric of this embodiment, the ratio (L _C /L _A ) of the loop length L C of course _C to the loop length L _A of course A is 0.50 to 0.95, preferably 0.60 to 0.90, and more preferably 0.68 to 0.85. When the L _C /L _A is 0.50 or more, the needle loops of course C do not become too small, so that it is possible to obtain stretchability suitable for wearing. Furthermore, when the L _C /L _A is 0.95 or less, a difference occurs in the size of the needle loops formed by course A and course C on the needle loop surface, and undulations can be formed, and the sinker loop of course C does not protrude into the sinker loop surface on the sinker loop surface, so that the fabric has excellent smoothness. The method for adjusting the L _C /L _A to 0.50 to 0.95 is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include a method of increasing the number of knits in course A and a method of decreasing the number of knits in course C.

<Non-elastic yarn>
The weft knitted fabric of this embodiment contains inelastic yarn in all courses.
As the inelastic yarn, natural fibers, synthetic fibers, regenerated (refined) cellulose fibers, etc. can be used. Examples of natural fibers include cotton, hemp, silk, wool, etc. Examples of synthetic fibers include polyester fibers such as polyethylene terephthalate and polytrimethylene terephthalate, polyamide fibers such as nylon 6 and nylon 66, and polyolefin fibers such as polyethylene and polypropylene, and these can be selected arbitrarily as bright yarns, semi-dull yarns, full-dull yarns, etc., and the cross-sectional shape of the fiber can be any cross-sectional shape such as round, elliptical, W-shaped, cocoon-shaped, hollow yarn, etc., and the form of the fiber is not particularly limited, and it may be raw yarn, false twist, or other crimped yarn. Examples of regenerated (refined) cellulose fibers include rayon, cupra, lyocell, etc. Regenerated (refined) cellulose fibers can be in the form of a single yarn as raw yarn or twisted yarn, or in the form of a composite yarn with the synthetic fibers exemplified below.

The form of the composite yarn of regenerated (refined) cellulose fiber and synthetic fiber is not particularly limited, and a composite method such as interlacing or twisting may be selected according to the application. The fineness of the composite yarn of cellulose fiber and synthetic fiber is preferably 19 to 90 dtex. By setting the fineness of the composite yarn of regenerated (refined) cellulose fiber and synthetic fiber within the above range, it is easy to obtain a knitted fabric that is excellent in bending softness, thin, and comfortable to wear in hot environments.

<Elastic Yarn>
The weft knitted fabric of this embodiment includes an elastic yarn in course C, and also includes an elastic yarn in either course A or course B, preferably course B. The weft knitted fabric of this embodiment includes an elastic yarn in addition to having the configurations of course A, course B, and course C described above, and thus it is possible to impart stretchability to the weft knitted fabric while suppressing flattening of the needle loop surface due to contraction of the elastic yarn.

In the weft knit fabric of this embodiment, it is preferable that course A does not contain elastic yarn, i.e., is made only of inelastic yarn. By having course A made only of inelastic yarn, tuck stitches can be formed without shrinking the needle loops, making it easier to form larger undulations on the needle loop surface, and furthermore, the stitches of the tuck stitches are less likely to close, allowing air to pass through more easily, improving the quick-drying properties of the weft knit fabric.

When course B is two or more consecutive courses, the knitted fabric of this embodiment preferably includes an elastic yarn in the course on the end side of knitting. By including an elastic yarn in the course on the end side of knitting in course B, the knitted fabric of this embodiment can minimize the shrinkage of the needle loop, making it easier to prevent the flattening of the needle loop surface due to the elastic yarn. Furthermore, by including an elastic yarn in the course on the end side of knitting in course B, the knitted fabric of this embodiment has fewer inelastic yarns that secure the elastic yarn in the needle loop compared to when elastic yarn is included in the course on the start side of knitting, so the elastic yarn is more easily deformed and it is easier to obtain stretch and recovery suitable for wearing.

The material of the elastic yarn and the spinning method are not particularly limited, and polyurethane-based or polyether ester-based elastic yarns can be used, and for example, dry-spun or melt-spun yarns can be used. It is preferable that the elastic yarn does not lose its elasticity at around 180°C, which is the normal processing temperature for the presetting step during dyeing processing. The elastic yarn may contain functionalizing agents such as special polymers or inorganic substances to impart functionality according to the purpose, such as high setting ability, deodorizing properties, and antibacterial properties. The fineness of the elastic yarn is preferably 9 to 155 dtex, and more preferably 15 to 80 dtex from the viewpoint of ease of manufacturing the weft knitted fabric.

The weft knitted fabric of this embodiment can include, as the elastic yarn, a bare yarn (bare yarn) that is not covered by a non-elastic yarn, or a covering yarn in which a bare yarn is covered by a non-elastic yarn, but from the viewpoint of increasing the smoothness of the back surface of the fabric, a bare yarn (bare yarn) is preferable. Furthermore, in a weft knitted fabric using bare yarn as the elastic yarn, moisture is less likely to remain around the elastic yarn when dealing with sweat generated in large amounts during exercise or when worn in a hot environment, and the knitted fabric dries faster, making it more comfortable to wear. Furthermore, in a weft knitted fabric using bare yarn as the elastic yarn, the fiber diameter of the bare yarn is smaller than that of a covering yarn, so that unevenness is less likely to form on the needle loop surface, resulting in a smoother texture.

When using a covering yarn as the elastic yarn, a single covered yarn (SCY) or a double covered yarn (DCY) can be used as the covering yarn, and the total fineness of the covering yarn is preferably 30 to 200 dtex, and from the viewpoint of ease of knitted fabric production, 40 to 155 dtex is even more preferable.

In the knitted fabric of this embodiment, from the viewpoint of imparting stretchability and increasing the undulations of the needle loop surface, it is preferable that the blending ratio of elastic yarn is 5.0% by mass or more.

<Other preferred aspects>
In the weft knitted fabric of this embodiment, the ratio (F C /F _A ) of the fineness F _C of the largest inelastic yarn included in course C to the fineness F _A of the largest inelastic yarn included in course _A is preferably less than 1.0, more preferably 0.20 to 0.98, even more preferably 0.25 to 0.93, and most preferably 0.30 to 0.90. When the F _C /F _A is 0.20 or more, the yarn formed in course C fills the depression formed on the sinker loop surface by courses A and B, making it easy to smooth the sinker loop surface. Furthermore, when the F _C /F _A is less than 1.0, the welt of course C can be prevented from protruding onto the sinker loop surface, improving the smoothness of the sinker loop surface and increasing the undulations of the needle loop surface.

In the knitted fabric of this embodiment, it is preferable that the inelastic yarn contained in course C is a long fiber. By using long fibers in course C, frictional resistance with the knitting needles during knitting is reduced, and knitting is possible with a smaller yarn length compared to short fibers of the same fineness, resulting in smaller stitches and making it possible to increase the undulations of the needle loop surface. In addition, by using long fibers in course C, fuzz on the sinker loop surface is reduced, improving smoothness.

The single yarn fineness of the inelastic yarn contained in course C is preferably 3.0 dtex or less, more preferably 2.5 dtex or less, and even more preferably 1.8 dtex or less, from the viewpoint of preventing the yarn from buckling at the welt and protruding onto the sinker loop surface and improving smoothness. Furthermore, since the single yarn fineness of the inelastic yarn contained in course C is 3.0 dtex or less, the welt of course C is less likely to protrude onto the sinker loop surface, so that the welt of course C is reliably positioned in the depression on the sinker loop surface formed by the tuck knitting, greatly improving the smoothness of the sinker loop surface.

When course B is two or more consecutive courses, the ratio (F BS /F _BE ) of the fineness (F _BS ) of the inelastic yarn in the course at the start of knitting to the fineness (F BE ) of the inelastic yarn in the course at the end of knitting is preferably less than 1.0, more preferably 0.20 to 0.95, and even more preferably 0.25 to 0.90. When F _BS /F _BE is less than 1.0, the arrangement of the two inelastic yarns during tuck knitting is stable, making it possible to reduce the basis weight of the fabric _and preventing _the undulations of the needle loop surface from becoming small.

The fineness of the inelastic yarn contained in the course on the knitting end side of course B is preferably 200 dtex or less and/or long fiber. The inelastic yarn contained in the course on the knitting end side of course B is knitted closest to the sinker loop surface side, so by having a fineness of 200 dtex or less and/or long fiber, the sinker loop surface tends to be smooth. If course B consists of only one course, that one course becomes the "course on the knitting end side".

In course B, the single yarn fineness of the inelastic yarn included in course B on the knitting end side is preferably 3.0 dtex or less, more preferably 2.5 dtex or less, and even more preferably 1.8 dtex or less, from the viewpoint of preventing the yarn from buckling and protruding onto the sinker loop surface and improving smoothness.

The ratio (F _BS /F _A ) of the fineness F _BS of the inelastic yarn included in the start course of knitting in course _B to the fineness F A of the largest inelastic yarn included in course A is preferably less than 1.00, and more preferably 0.90 or less. When F _BS /F _A is less than 1.00, the undulations of the needle loop surface do not become small, making it possible to reduce the basis weight of the fabric and providing a knitted fabric with excellent quick-drying properties.

In the weft knit of this embodiment, if the objective is to suppress the gloss of the needle loop surface and to make the weft knit more suitable for casual clothing, the inelastic yarn contained in course A and/or course B is preferably a staple fiber, and in particular, a cellulose fiber. From the same viewpoint, it is also preferable that the inelastic yarn contained in the course on the knitting start side in course B is a staple fiber.

The weft knitted fabric of this embodiment is preferably a single weft knitted fabric. A single weft knitted fabric refers to a fabric knitted on a single weft knitting machine, and is a single-layered fabric having a needle loop surface and a sinker loop surface. Because the weft knitted fabric of this embodiment is a single weft knitted fabric, it is possible to reduce the fabric weight while expressing decorative unevenness with the minimum necessary amount of yarn, thereby making it possible to obtain a knitted fabric with excellent design and wearing comfort.

The weft knitted fabric of this embodiment preferably has an elongation rate of 30% or more in the warp and/or weft directions at a load of 14.7 N, more preferably 40% or more, and even more preferably 50% or more. If the elongation rate in the warp and/or weft directions is 30% or more, the fabric will not hinder human movement when worn as clothing, and therefore can provide clothing with excellent movement comfort.

The weft knitted fabric of this embodiment has a stretch recovery rate in the warp and/or weft directions of preferably 40% or more, more preferably 50% or more, and even more preferably 60% or more. If the stretch recovery rate in the warp and/or weft directions is 40% or more, the fabric can retain its shape even after repeated wearing when made into clothing, which leads to an extended product life.

The basis weight of the weft knitted fabric of this embodiment is preferably 130 g/m ² to 250 g/m ² , more preferably 190 g/m ² to 230 g/m ^2. If the basis weight is 130 g/m ² or more, the burst strength of the fabric when made into a garment is improved, resulting in a fabric that is preferable for practical wear. Also, if the basis weight is 250 g/m ² or less, the knitted fabric will not be too thick, and a knitted fabric with the appropriate stiffness required to maintain the silhouette of the product will be obtained, resulting in a knitted fabric that is suitable for wearing, for example, as a polo shirt.

The thickness of the weft knitted fabric in this embodiment is preferably 0.40 mm to 1.50 mm, and more preferably 0.60 mm to 1.40 mm. If the thickness is 0.50 mm or more, there will be no problems with transparency or strength when worn, and if the thickness is 1.50 mm or less, the knitted fabric will not be too thick and will have the appropriate stiffness necessary to maintain the silhouette of the product, making it suitable for wearing as an outerwear, for example.

The knitting machine used to obtain the weft knitted fabric of this embodiment is not particularly limited, and the gauge of the knitting machine can be selected as desired, but it is preferable to use a knitting machine with a gauge of about 20 to 44. A knitting machine with a gauge of 20 to 44 can knit yarn with a fineness suitable for pattern expression while preventing the loop size from becoming too small, making it easier to achieve both appropriate stretchability and design.

The weft knit of this embodiment may be dyed. As a dyeing and finishing method, a normal dyeing and finishing process can be used, with dyeing conditions according to the fiber material used, and any dyeing machine such as a jet dyeing machine, winch dyeing machine, or paddle dyeing machine can be used. In addition, a processing agent that improves water absorption and softness can be used. As a softener, a silicone-based, urethane-based, or ester-based softener can be used, and the concentration can be selected appropriately according to the desired texture of the knitted fabric. If the concentration is in the range of 0.1% owf to 2.0% owf, bending softness is good and friction between the stitches is reduced, making it possible to impart soft stretchability and recovery.

<Applications>
The knitted fabric of this embodiment has excellent design due to the large undulations on the needle loop surface and smoothness on the sinker loop surface, and is therefore suitable for use in textile products that come into direct contact with the skin and require design, such as shirts, innerwear, bottom wear, jackets, masks, etc., and is particularly suitable for use in shirts.

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to examples, although it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to these examples.
The methods for measuring the characteristic values used in the examples are described below. The knitted fabrics used in the measurements are knitted fabrics cut out from clothing, but the present invention also includes knitted fabrics that are not made into clothing, and the applications are not limited to clothing.

(1) Weight per unit area (g/ ^m2 )
The weight per unit area of the knitted fabric is measured in accordance with the mass per unit area method A (JIS method) under standard conditions of JIS-L-1096.

(2) Thickness (mm)
The thickness of the knitted fabric is measured at five arbitrary positions on the knitted fabric using a PEACOCK knitted fabric thickness meter, and the average value of the five positions is calculated.

(3) Quick drying (residual water rate after 60 minutes)
The knitted fabric cut to 15 cm x 15 cm was used as a test piece. The amount of the load cloth was adjusted so that the total weight of one test piece and the load cloth conforming to JIS L 1930 Annex H Type III was 1.0 kg, and the test piece was washed together with the load cloth in a domestic washing machine with hot water at 40°C for 15 minutes x 10 times, and then the test piece was dried flat.
The test piece is conditioned for 24 hours at 20°C and 65% relative humidity. In the same environment, the mass ( _Wc ) of a measuring cup (diameter 8 cm, height 10 cm, cylindrical polypropylene) is measured, and then the above-mentioned conditioned test piece is placed in the cup, and the mass (Wc _+t ) of the cup and test piece is measured. Next, 300 μl of pure water is dropped onto the dough sinker loop surface using a micropipette, and the mass (Wc _+t+w ) is immediately recorded. Then, the mass ( _Ww ) of the dropped water is calculated using the following formula:
W _w =W _c+t+w -W _c+t
Calculated from.
Next, the dough was left in the cup for 60 minutes, and the dough was dried. After that, the weight of the cup and the dough (W _{c + t} ') was measured and calculated by the following formula:
Residual water rate after 60 minutes (%)=(W _c+t ′-W _c+t )/W _w ×100
The smaller the water retention rate after 60 minutes, the more quick-drying the knitted fabric is.

(4) Loop Length In any one complete structure of the knitted fabric, for all courses of the one complete structure, an area of 100 wales in each course is cut and unknitted, and each yarn is extracted, and the yarn length is measured in a standard environment of 20°C and 65% by the following method.
Yarn with elongation less than 100%: One end of the inelastic yarn obtained by unraveling is fixed and hung, and a specific load is applied to the other end according to the type of yarn shown below, and the length is measured after 30 seconds. The unit is expressed as mm/100w. For composite yarns of inelastic yarn and elastic yarn, the loop length is measured by this method.
<Prescribed load according to yarn type>
Synthetic elastic bulky yarn, composite yarn of inelastic yarn and elastic yarn: 8.82 mN/dtex
Other non-elastic yarns: 2.94 mN/dtex
Elastic yarn: One end of the elastic yarn obtained by unraveling is fixed and hung, and it is confirmed that the elastic yarn is almost straight, and the length in this state is measured. The unit is expressed as mm/100w.

(5) Elongation and Elongation Recovery Rate The elongation and elongation recovery rate in the warp direction (weave direction) and weft direction (course direction) of the knitted fabric are measured according to JIS-L1096-8.16.2-B-1 method (constant load method). The load is 14.7 N.

(6) The degree of undulations on the needle loop surface and the smoothness of the sinker loop surface (undulation index)
A test piece is taken with a width of 50 mm and a length of 200 mm so that the direction inclined at 45° to the wale direction of the knitted fabric is the length direction. The needle loop surface and sinker loop surface of the test piece are rubbed from the end of the knitting to the start of the knitting (reverse grain) along the length direction of the test piece using a static and dynamic friction measuring device Tribomaster Type: TL201Ts manufactured by Trinity Labs under the following conditions. Friction element: WC-Co alloy type (main material: tungsten carbide), thickness 0.5 mm x width 5.0 mm
Measurement load: 3.75 g
・Friction speed: 30mm/sec ・Friction element movement distance: 70.0mm
Measurement interval: 1.0 milliseconds

Four test pieces are taken from different locations on the weft knitted fabric, and five measurements are taken for each test piece (a total of 20 measurements on each of the needle loop surface and the sinker loop surface). The analysis application "Trib analysis soft ver. 6.02" is used for the analysis. Specifically, the section from 0.52 seconds to 2.08 seconds after the start of the measurement is selected as the measurement section, the standard deviation (μKSD) of the dynamic friction coefficient μK is obtained, and the undulation index (UI) in the 20 measurements of the dynamic friction coefficient μKSD is calculated using the following formula. The larger the UI value, the greater the undulation of the measurement surface.

Hereinafter, the undulation indexes of the needle loop surface and the sinker loop surface are denoted as UI _N and UI _S , respectively. If UI _N is 1.10 or more, it can be said that the needle loop surface has undulations that can express any pattern. If UI _S is 1.30 or less, friction when the sinker loop surface comes into contact with the skin is reduced, so that the knitted fabric has excellent wearing comfort.

[Examples 1 to 16, Comparative Examples 1 to 6]
A single knitting machine was used to knit a knitted fabric with the gauge, structure, and yarn usage shown in the table below to obtain a grey fabric. The grey fabric was relaxed and scoured in a continuous scouring machine, and then pre-set at 190°C for 1 minute. Dyeing was performed with the addition of 1.0% owf of fabric softener Nikka Silicone AMZ (Nicca Chemical Co., Ltd.), and finishing set was performed at 170°C for 1 minute to produce a knitted fabric. The evaluation results are shown in Tables 1 to 5 below.
In the following Tables 1 to 5, Ny means nylon, Pet means polyester, Co means cotton, Pu means polyurethane elastic yarn, SCY means single covered yarn, K means knit, T means tuck, and W means welt. For polyester and nylon, for example, 220 dtex 48f means 220 decitex total fineness and 48 filaments. For cotton, for example, 26/1 means 26 cotton count and single yarn. Unless otherwise specified, bare polyurethane elastic yarn is used. For SCY, 22 dtex polyurethane elastic yarn stretched 2.4 times is wound with 33 dtex 34f polyester fiber at 1000 T/m. "Course number" means the knitting order of courses in one complete structure, and the course with the smaller course number is the knitting start side. "Needle number" means the arrangement of knitting needles in one complete structure, and knitting is performed in order from the knitting needle with the smaller number.

The weft knitted fabric of the present invention has stretchability, excellent smoothness on the sinker loop surface, and large undulations on the needle loop surface, making it suitable for use in textile products that come into direct contact with the skin and require design, such as shirts, innerwear, bottomwear, jackets, masks, etc., and is particularly suitable for use in shirts.

NL Needle Loop SL Sinker Loop OL Old Loop N Knit T Tuck W Welt

Claims (18)

a weft knitted fabric comprising: all courses containing inelastic yarn; any course containing elastic yarn; one course, or two or more consecutive courses of the same structure, course A, course B, and course C, repeated in this order in the knitting end direction; course A, course B, and course C each having a structure different from one another; course A containing knit; course B containing knit and tuck; course C containing knit and welt, and further containing elastic yarn; one or more tuck stitches in which the knit of course A and the tuck of course B are continuously formed on the same wale; the tuck stitch and the welt of course C are continuously formed on the same wale in at least one or more places; and a ratio (L _C /L _A ) of the loop length (L _A ) of course C to the loop length (L _A ) of course A is 0.50 to 0.95; The weft knitted fabric according to claim 1, in which course B is continuous for two or more courses with the same weave from the course at the start of knitting to the course at the end of knitting. The weft knitted fabric according to claim 1 or 2, wherein course A consists of knit only. The weft knitted fabric according to claim 1 or 2, wherein course B consists only of knits and tucks. The weft knitted fabric according to claim 1 or 2, in which the ratio of the number of tuck stitches that are continuous with the welt of course C on the same wale to the total number of tuck stitches of the weft knitted fabric is 50% or more. The weft knitted fabric according to claim 5, in which the ratio of the number of tuck stitches that are continuous with the welt of course C on the same wale to the total number of tuck stitches of the weft knitted fabric is 100%. The weft knitted fabric according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the ratio of the fineness of the largest inelastic yarn contained in course C to the fineness of the largest inelastic yarn contained in course A is less than 1.0. The weft knitted fabric according to claim 2, wherein in course B, the fineness of the inelastic yarn contained in the course at the start of knitting is less than 1.0 relative to the fineness of the inelastic yarn contained in the course at the end of knitting. The weft knitted fabric according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the inelastic yarn contained in course A is a staple fiber. The weft knitted fabric according to claim 2, wherein the inelastic yarn included in the course at the start of knitting in course B is a staple fiber. The weft knitted fabric according to claim 1 or 2, wherein course A is made of only inelastic yarn. The weft knitted fabric according to claim 2, wherein course B includes an elastic yarn in the course on the knitting end side. The weft knitted fabric according to claim 2, wherein the inelastic yarn included in the course at the end of the knitting in course B is a long fiber. The weft knitted fabric according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the inelastic yarn contained in course C is a long fiber. The weft knitted fabric according to claim 1 or 2, in which the fineness of the largest non-elastic yarn among the non-elastic yarns contained in course A is different from that of the non-elastic yarn contained in the course at the start of knitting in course B. The weft knitted fabric according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the inelastic yarn included in the course A and the course B at the knitting start side are both cellulosic yarns. The weft knitted fabric according to claim 1 or 2, which is a single weft knitted fabric. A shirt comprising the weft knit fabric according to claim 1 or 2.

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