Classifications

• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
  • D04B—KNITTING
  • D04B1/00—Weft knitting processes for the production of fabrics or articles not dependent on the use of particular machines; Fabrics or articles defined by such processes
  • D04B1/22—Weft knitting processes for the production of fabrics or articles not dependent on the use of particular machines; Fabrics or articles defined by such processes specially adapted for knitting goods of particular configuration
  • D04B1/24—Weft knitting processes for the production of fabrics or articles not dependent on the use of particular machines; Fabrics or articles defined by such processes specially adapted for knitting goods of particular configuration wearing apparel
  • D04B1/28—Weft knitting processes for the production of fabrics or articles not dependent on the use of particular machines; Fabrics or articles defined by such processes specially adapted for knitting goods of particular configuration wearing apparel gloves
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D10—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBLASSES OF SECTION D, RELATING TO TEXTILES
  • D10B—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBLASSES OF SECTION D, RELATING TO TEXTILES
  • D10B2403/00—Details of fabric structure established in the fabric forming process
  • D10B2403/01—Surface features
  • D10B2403/011—Dissimilar front and back faces
  • D10B2403/0114—Dissimilar front and back faces with one or more yarns appearing predominantly on one face, e.g. plated or paralleled yarns

Definitions

• the present invention relates to knitted gloves and methods of making such gloves.
• the present invention relates to knitted gloves exhibiting improved shape retention and enhanced flexibility with
• Knitted gloves are known and may be produced using knitting machines specifically constructed in order to knit such gloves.
• Shima Seiki Manufacturing Limited (Wakayama City, Japan) produces such knitting machines which can knit the various components of a glove in one integral garment under computer control.
• the use of the Shima automatic seamless glove knitting machine NewSFG is described in the NewSFG instruction manual 20 th Edition (June 2009).
• US-B-7,555,921 discloses knitted gloves produced by creating each of the 15 sections of the glove using a separate knitting course and providing varying stitch dimensions with one or two yarns in one or more sections.
• Embodiments of US-B-7,555,921 which involve plaiting (also known as plating) two yarns together introduce single individual plaited courses at positions in the glove to improve comfort and not to provide additional dexterity and other functional properties of the glove.
• US-A-6, 155,084 describes protective articles (including gloves) manufactured using a continuous, one step process incorporating two or more dissimilar non-plaited yarns or materials each having dissimilar mechanical properties and characteristics.
• US-A-5,965,223 describes a knitted protective fabric using two or more layers of dissimilar cut resistant materials over the whole glove also produced in a continuous one step process involving, for example, knitting the fabric and plaiting the layers of yarn used in the production process.
• US-A-5,547,733 discloses a textile fabric for rapidly moving moisture away from the skin.
• the composite fabric includes an inner fabric layer made of yarn primarily composed of polyester which has been rendered hydrophilic and an outer fabric layer made of yarn comprising polyester which has been rendered hydrophobic.
• the inner and outer fabric layers are concurrently knitted using a plaited construction so the layers are distinct and separate yet integrated with one another.
• US-B-6,823,699 discloses a method for producing a multi-layer protective textile fabric, in particular a glove, having single layer construction in the palm and double layer construction in the digits.
• the method involves a two step non-plaiting process.
• US-A-5,689,976 discloses gloves having reinforced sections in particular between the thumb and the body.
• US-A-2010/275341 and US-A-2010/275342 each disclose seamless, single layer multi yarn gloves with at least two types of yarn in different portions of the glove in order to avoid the expense and thickness of double layer parts of the glove.
• the present invention accordingly provides in a first aspect, a knitted glove comprising at least eight glove components, each component comprising a plurality of courses of a first yarn, the glove components including: five digit components, an upper palm component, a lower palm component, and a wrist component, wherein at least 50% of the courses of at least one component are single layer and wherein at least 50% of the courses of the upper palm component are plaited with at least a second yarn to provide a multi-layer upper palm portion.
• the multi-layer upper palm portion is a double layer upper palm portion.
• the resulting glove possesses great flexibility, better shape retention, and improved cut and wear resistance at the upper palm portion (which is often subject to wear) whilst retaining flexibility and comfort for the user because the fingers may be made single layer (if desired) with higher protection multi-layers (preferably double layers) at places of higher risk. This is particularly important because more comfortable gloves tend to be worn more frequently in a production
• a further advantage is cost reduction because expensive second yarns may be used only where needed.
• anti-static yarns may be used only at finger tips or high visibility yarns may be used only at specific portions of the glove for visibility, e.g. in the dark.
• a particularly important and advantageous feature of the gloves of the present invention is their improved ability to retain their shape and size once they are in use. This is believed to be due to the fact that the plaited portions of the glove components, which may be a part or the whole of the upper palm and, for example, a part or the whole of the thumb and/or one or more of the fingers, do not stretch so easily.
• the structure of the gloves has an anti-roll effect. This means that the gloves maintain a closer and firmer fit around the hand of the wearer, and have a longer time of use before the problem of glove roll (described above) occurs. Indeed, glove roll is minimised or even eliminated during normal usage of the gloves over a prolonged period.
• the gloves of this invention therefore offer improved performance, comfort and safety for the wearer and an increased lifetime before needing to be replaced.
• At least 60% of the courses of at least one component are single layer, more preferably at least 70%, most preferably at least 80% or even at least 90%.
• At least 60% of the courses of the upper palm component are plaited with the or a second yarn, more preferably at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 90%, most preferably at least 95% or even 100% are plaited.
• the five digit components comprise an index finger component, a middle finger component, a ring finger component, a small (“pinky”) finger component and a thumb component.
• the multi-layer upper palm portion comprises five or more contiguous (i.e. directly adjacent) courses each plaited with the second yarn.
• the present invention provides a knitted glove comprising at least eight glove components, each component comprising a plurality of courses of a first yarn, the glove components including: five digit components, an upper palm component, a lower palm component, and a wrist component, wherein at least 50% of the courses of at least one component are single layer and wherein the upper palm component comprises five or more contiguous courses each plaited with at least a second yarn to provide a multi-layer (preferably double layer) upper palm portion.
• the multi-layer upper palm portion will comprise six or more contiguous courses, seven or more contiguous courses, eight or more contiguous courses, nine or more contiguous courses or ten or more contiguous courses with each of the contiguous courses being plaited with at least the second (or more) yarn.
• One of the benefits of the present invention is that not only the upper palm component but also other components of the knitted glove may be plaited with the or a second yarn to provide a multi-layer component portion at other areas susceptible to wear. Preferably, at least 10% of the courses of one or more other components are plaited with the or a second yarn to provide a multi-layer component portion.
• the or each multi-layer component portion will comprise two or more contiguous courses, preferably three or more contiguous courses, each plaited with the or a second yarn. Again, this provides relatively broad areas of reinforcement and protection at those other components susceptible to wear to cuts, punctures or potential trauma in use.
• the or each multi-layer component portion will comprise four or more contiguous courses, five or more contiguous courses, six or more contiguous courses, eight or more contiguous courses or preferably ten or more contiguous courses each plaited with the second yarn.
• the gloves of the present invention are greatly advantageous because they provide a single layer glove with multi-layers appearing at designated portions of the glove in a pre-determined pattern.
• the invention is flexible enough to make any number of courses to be plaited at any position of the glove. Any designated pattern can be made through this invention to make an aesthetic/reinforced glove.
• the glove may be designed as a cut resistant glove with reinforcement (plaiting) of another cut resistant yarn at only the designated positions (e.g. index fingers, thumbs and upper palm).
• gloves that may be produced according to the invention include:
• the or an other component may comprise the lower palm component.
• the or a one other component may comprise the index finger component, the middle finger component, the ring finger component, or the or a small finger component
• the or a one other component may comprise the thumb component
• the or a one or other component may comprise the wrist component.
• the first yarn and second yarn will be independently selected from monofilament yarns, multifilament yarns, spun yarns, textured filament yarns, multi-component yarns or combinations thereof.
• the material of the first yarn and/or second yarn may be independently selected from one or more of cotton, polyamide, acrylic, aramid (meta- or para-), PTFE, polyolefin, polyester, linen, polyvinyl alcohol, metal, glass fibre, elastane, polyurethane polyurea copolymer, silk and/or wool, cellulosic yarns, elastomeric yarns or combinations of one or more of these yarns.
• preferred types of yarns may be selected from the group consisting of fibre glass, steel wire, annealed wire, coated wire, aramids, ultrahigh molecular weight extended chain polyethylene, liquid crystal polyester, polyolefins, polyesters, polyamides, polyurethane polyurea copolymers, elastanes, spandex, cupra ammonium rayon, viscose rayon, cellulose acetate, cotton, bamboo, jute, acrylic, modified acrylic, PBO, PBZT, copolyesters,
• copolyamides polyvinylacetate, polyactic acid, D-polyactic acid, poly vinyl alcohol, ethyl vinyl acetate, flame retardant rayon, flame retardant cotton, fire resistant para aramid, fire resistant PBI, fire retardant para aramid, fire resistant wool and blends thereof.
• These yarn materials may be manufactured using generally any suitable technology.
• Combination yarns may be made by methods including plying, twisting, air intermingling, covering, dreff spinning, core spinning or any other process. The yarn combination can also be made by mixing fibres at the spinning stage.
• the knitted glove further comprises a polymeric coating.
• the polymeric coating may be generally of any suitable polymer.
• the material of the polymeric coating may be selected from one or more layers comprising natural rubber, synthetic rubber, polyurethane, carboxylated acrylonitrile butadiene, butyl latex, polychloroprene, poly vinyl alcohol, non- carboxylated acrylonitrile and/or polyvinyl chloride or combinations thereof.
• the glove may be coated in different places on the knitted glove (which would form the knitted glove liner in a coated glove).
• the coating may be such that the glove is palm coated, full coated, knuckle dipped, only fingers coated, nitrile dotted, PVC dotted.
• Different combinations of coating can also be used e.g.
• the article can be made with any kind of coating known in the glove industry and any kind of pattern can be made by a coating/printing technique.
• the polymeric coating may be porous or non-porous (i.e. may have a relatively solid polymeric coating or may have a porous polymeric coating (e.g. a foam coated coating)).
• the present invention provides in a third aspect a method comprising knitting a glove using a first yarn to knit at least eight glove components, each component comprising a plurality of courses, the glove components including: five digit components, an upper palm component, a lower palm component, and a wrist component, wherein at least 50% of the courses of at least one component are knitted single layer and plaiting at least 50% of the courses of the upper palm component with at least a second yarn to provide a multi-layer (preferably double layer) upper palm portion.
• the knitting method is weft knitting.
• the gauge of the weft knitting will typically be 7, 10, 13 or 15 gauge (the higher gauge resulting in much finer knit and requiring thinner yarns), and is preferably 13 gauge.
• the method generally comprises the steps of programming a knitting machine to knit a glove comprising at least the eight glove components.
• the same method may also be used to knit a sleeve/gauntlet or any other article.
• the method preferably further comprises coating at least a portion of the knitted glove with a polymeric coating (preferably an elastomeric coating as discussed above).
• a polymeric coating preferably an elastomeric coating as discussed above.
• the preferred methods of coating the knitted glove include dip coating in which a coagulant solution may (or may not) be first applied to the knitted glove. Thereafter the knitted glove may be dipped in a polymeric latex or sol (e.g. plastisol), dried and cured.
• a polymeric latex or sol e.g. plastisol
• the knitted gloves according to the present invention have uses in many areas in which gloves are used but find particular use in industrial fields to provide protective gloves.
• Figure 1 illustrates the conventional components of a knitted glove.
• Figure 2 illustrates plaiting (also known as plating) in weft knitting.
• Figure 3 illustrates one embodiment of a glove according to the invention (Example 1 ).
• Figure 4 illustrates another embodiment of a glove according to the invention (Example 2).
• Figure 5 illustrates another embodiment of a glove according to the invention (Example 3) having a polymeric coating on the palm side of the glove and parts of the back side of the digits.
• Figure 6 illustrates another embodiment of a glove according to the invention (Example 4).
• Figure 7 illustrates another embodiment of a glove according to the invention (Example 5) having a polymeric coating as in Figure 5.
• Figure 8 illustrates another embodiment of a glove according to the invention (Example 6).
• Figure 9 illustrates another embodiment of a glove according to the invention (Example 7).
• Figure 10 illustrates another embodiment of a glove according to the invention (Example 8).
• Figure 1 1 illustrates another embodiment of a glove according to the invention (Example 9).
• Figure 12 illustrates another embodiment of a glove according to the invention (Example 10) having a polymeric coating as in Figure 5.
• Figure 13 illustrates another embodiment of a glove according to the invention (Example 1 1 ) having a polymeric coating as in Figure 5.
• Figure 14 is a graph of force versus % strain data for samples of plaited double layer knitted fabric and single layer knitted fabric (Example 13).
• Figure 1 illustrates the various components of the knitted glove according to the invention. These components are used, for example, in the instructions to the NewSFG Shima glove knitting machines.
• the components are the little ("pinky") finger 1 , the ring finger 2, the middle finger 3, the index finger 4, the thumb 5, the upper palm 6, the lower palm 7 and the wrist portion 8.
• Figure 2 illustrates a plaiting stitch during weft knitting in which a latch needle 14 (the latch needle is illustrated schematically: the latch of the needle is not shown) gathers a loop of a first yarn 10 and a second yarn 12 during downward movement of the latch needle 14.
• the technical face 18 of the fabric is situated on the side of first yarn 10 and the technical back 16 of the fabric is situated on the side of the second yarn 12.
• Figure 2 shows an illustration of plaited weft fabric according to David Spencer Knitting Technology (3 rd edition) (2001 ).
• the invention is further illustrated by the following Examples which illustrate the production of the gloves of Figures 3 to 1 1 , and their mechanical properties.
• the gloves were knitted on a NewSFG knitting machine (Shima Seiki) using the U3 attachment (Examples 1 to 9) or the A4 attachment (Examples 10 and 1 1 ).
• the or each second yarn may be introduced by other units such as a colour device or knotting device.
• yarn 1 (the yarn used to knit all courses) was
• Dyneema Nylon Lycra (white).
• the plaiting yarn (yarn 2) was Kevlar Nylon steel (yellow) or Nylon glass (black).
• Example 1 only the upper palm component 6 was plaited with yarn 2.
• the pattern is described in Table 1 and the knitted glove illustrated in Figure 3 (the plaited area is shaded).
• Example 2 upper palm component 6 and lower palm component 7 were each 100% plaited with yarn 2.
• the pattern is described in Table 2 and the knitted glove illustrated in Figure 4 (the plaited area is shaded).
• Example 3 the upper palm component 6, the lower palm 7 and the wrist 8 were 100% plaited with yarn 2.
• the pattern is described in Table 3 and the knitted glove illustrated in Figure 5 (the plaited area is lightly shaded).
• the glove was dip coated on the palm side and on the back side of the upper digits (the coated area is shown with darker shading in Figure 5) using a nitrile rubber porous coating formulation prepared as discussed in EP- A-2, 181 ,826 (see, in particular, the Examples).
• Example 4 only the upper palm component 6 (100% plaited), the lower palm component 7 (19% plaited) the lower portion of the thumb component (approx. 49% plaited) and the lower portion of the index finger component (about 49% plaited) were plaited with yarn 2.
• Example 5 the upper palm component 6 (100% plaited), the lower palm component (100% plaited), the lower portion of the thumb component (about 49% plaited) and the lower portion of the index finger component (about 49% plaited) were plaited with yarn 2.
• the pattern is described in Table 5 and the knitted glove illustrated in Figure 7 (the plaited area is lightly shaded).
• the glove was dip coated (the coated area is shown with darker shading in Figure 7) using the method described for Example 3.
• Example 6 the upper palm component 6 (100% plaited), the lower palm and wrist components (both 100% plaited), the lower portions of both the thumb and index finger components (both about 49% plaited) were plaited with yarn 2.
• the pattern is described in Table 6 and the knitted glove illustrated in Figure 8 (the plaited area is shaded).
• Example 7 the upper palm component 6, the index finger
• Example 8 the upper palm component 6, the index finger component 4, the thumb component 5 and the lower palm component 7 were each 100% plaited with yarn 2.
• the pattern is described in Table 8 and the knitted glove illustrated in Figure 10 (the plaited area is shaded).
• Example 9 the upper palm component 6, the index finger component 4, the thumb component 5, the lower palm component 7 wrist component 8 were all 100% plaited with yarn 2.
• the pattern is described in Table 9 and the knitted glove illustrated in Figure 1 1 (the plaited area is shaded).
• Example 10 the upper palm component 6, the lower palm
• component 7 and the wrist component 8 were all plaited with yarn 2.
• the pattern is described in Table 10 and the knitted glove illustrated in Figure 12 (the plaited area is lightly shaded).
• the glove was dip coated (the coated area is shown with darker shading in Figure 12) using the method described for Example 3.
• Example 1 1 the upper palm component 6 was plaited with yarn 2.
• the pattern is described in Table 1 1 and the knitted glove illustrated in Figure 13 (the plaited area is lightly shaded).
• the glove was dip coated (the coated area is shown with darker shading in Figure 13) using the method described for Example 3.
• Testometric M350-SAT Tensometer Using a Testometric M350-SAT Tensometer, a stretch versus load test was performed to compare samples of knitted fabric taken from across the upper palms of two gloves knitted on a NewSFG machine using the U3 attachment.
• One sample (Test 1 ) was of Dyneema Nylon Lycra yarn plaited with Kevlar Nylon steel yarn to form a double layer knitted fabric.
• the other sample (Test 2) was of a knitted fabric formed of single layer Dyneema Nylon Lycra yarn.
• the samples were 25 mm wide and 200 mm in length. During testing, the sample pieces were clamped in the Tensometer with a 100 mm initial gate. The results are shown in Table 13 and in Figure 14.

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• Textile Engineering (AREA)
• Gloves (AREA)

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Citations (10)

• 2012
  • 2012-04-19 GB GB201206887A patent/GB201206887D0/en not_active Ceased
• 2013
  • 2013-04-19 WO PCT/GB2013/050997 patent/WO2013156790A1/fr not_active Ceased

Patent Citations (11)

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