Process for manufacturing a textile item by means of a circular weft knitting machine, and textile item realized by means of this process

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12534831-B2
Application number	US-202318841257-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 8, 2023
Priority date	Feb 24, 2022
Publication date	Jan 27, 2026
Grant date	Jan 27, 2026

Abstract

A process for manufacturing a textile item by means of a circular weft knitting machine, of seamless type and provided at least with a feed, a needle-bearing organ supporting a plurality of needles, and a plurality of knockover sinkers provides the programming of the knitting machine so as to define a textile item consisting of a plurality of successive stitch rows of knitted fabric in succession, and to produce weft knitted fabric for manufacturing the textile item, according to the programming step. In the programming step is set at least a designed motif, defined on at least two successive stitch rows, i.e. following one another, in which: in at least one of the two successive rows a portion of terrycloth knitted fabric is present; in at one of the two successive rows a portion of floated knitted fabric is present.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A process for manufacturing a textile item ( 1 ) by means of a circular weft knitting machine, the process comprising the steps of:
arranging a circular knitting machine having the following features:
the circular knitting machine is a circular weft knitting machine;
the circular knitting machine is a seamless circular knitting machine;
the circular knitting machine comprises at least one feed and a needle-bearing organ supporting a plurality of needles, defining a circular needle bed, which can be operated to pick up the threads dispensed by said at least one feed and to form weft knitted fabric; said needle-bearing organ being rotatable relative to said feed and said feed being arranged in proximity to said needle-bearing organ; the circular knitting machine comprises a plurality of knockover sinkers, which are operatively associated to said plurality of needles; programming said knitting machine so as to define a textile item to be manufactured, said textile item consisting of a plurality of successive stitch rows (R); producing weft knitted fabric with said circular knitting machine so as to manufacture said textile item, according with the aforesaid programming step;
wherein in said programming step at least one designed motif is set, defined on at least two successive stitch rows, following one another, in which:
in at least one of the two successive rows a portion of terrycloth knitted fabric (S) is present;
in at least one of the two successive rows a portion of floated knitted fabric (F) is present.

2 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein in said step of arranging a circular knitting machine, the circular knitting machine is structured so as to enable a needle-needle selection, and the circular knitting machine is structured so as to individually select any desired needle and activate the respective sinker, so as to allow the execution of special stitches in certain desired positions only.

3 . The process according to claim 2 , wherein in the context of said needle-needle selection performed by the knitting machine, the execution of special stitches in certain desired positions only takes place thanks to the needle-sinker interaction, and thanks to the interaction between each needle, which can be individually selected at will, and the respective sinker, each sinker being individually activated by a direct or indirect action of the respective needle when the latter is selected.

4 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein said portion of floated knitted fabric (F) is strictly manufactured on a first row of said two successive rows and said portion of terrycloth knitted fabric (S) is strictly manufactured on a second row of said two successive rows, or vice versa.

5 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein said portion of floated knitted fabric (F) is combined, on at least the same row of said two successive rows, with said portion of terrycloth knitted fabric (S).

6 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein:
a portion of terrycloth knitted fabric (S) and a portion of floated knitted fabric (F), combined on the first row of said two successive rows; a respective portion of terrycloth knitted fabric (S) and a respective portion of floated knitted fabric (F), combined on the second row of said two successive rows,
are defined.

7 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein the first and the second row of the two successive rows are homogeneous with one another and exhibit the same combinations of knitted structures, the first and the second row of the two successive rows exhibiting the same knitted structures in suitable positions so as to obtain the motif/pattern to be made,
or wherein the programming of the knitting machine includes a continuous succession of the same row, where each row exhibits the same types of knitted fabric in corresponding positions.

8 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein on the row, of said two successive rows, in which said portion of floated knitted fabric (F) is present, said portion of terrycloth knitted fabric (S) is not present, and conversely, on the row, of said two successive rows, in which said portion of terrycloth knitted fabric (S) is present, said portion of floated knitted fabric (F) is not present.

9 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said two successive rows exhibits, at the same time inside, the portion of terrycloth knitted fabric (S) and at least one portion of knitted fabric manufactured according to one or more of the following techniques:
unloaded needle (plain knitted loop); non-operating needle (float); withdrawn needle (tuck stitch).

10 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said two successive rows exhibits, at the same time inside, the portion of floated knitted fabric (F) and at least one portion of knitted fabric manufactured according to one or more of the following techniques:
unloaded needle; non-operating needle; withdrawn needle.

11 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said two successive rows exhibits, at the same time inside, the portion of terrycloth knitted fabric (S), the portion of floated knitted fabric (F) and at least one portion of knitted fabric manufactured according to one or more of the following techniques:
unloaded needle; non-operating needle; withdrawn needle.

12 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said two successive rows exhibits, at the same time inside, the portion of terrycloth knitted fabric (S), the portion of floated knitted fabric (F) and at least one portion of knitted fabric manufactured with a portion of thread with a different color or with a portion of thread differing from the threads used in the basic knitted structure.

13 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein said programming step includes defining, in said two successive stitch rows:
a portion of terrycloth knitted fabric (S) and a portion of plain knitted fabric (L), combined on the first row of said two successive rows; a portion of plain knitted fabric (L) and a portion of floated knitted fabric (F), combined on the second row of said two successive rows, or wherein one of said two successive rows exhibits a portion of floated knitted fabric (F) between two portions of terrycloth knitted fabric (S) placed on the sides of said portion of floated knitted fabric along the development of the row (R).

14 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein along the development of at least one of said two successive rows, or in both rows:
an alternating sequence of a portion of floated knitted fabric (F) and a portion of terrycloth knitted fabric (S); or an alternating sequence of a portion of terrycloth knitted fabric (S) and a portion of plain knitted fabric (L); or an alternating sequence of a portion of floated knitted fabric (F) and a portion of plain knitted fabric (L), is repeated several times.

15 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein said designed motif, set in said programming step, is defined on a plurality of consecutive rows and consists of a serial repetition—for a certain number of times, preferably more than 1—of said two successive stitch rows, so as to obtain a structure with alternating rows, consisting of an alternating sequence of first rows and second rows of said two successive rows.

16 . The process according to claim 1 , wherein said structure with alternating rows consists of an alternating sequence of:
first rows comprising at least one portion of floated knitted fabric (F) and at le

Assignees

• Santoni & C Spa

Inventors

• Lonati Andrea
• Spada Lionello

Classifications

• D10B2403/011

  Dissimilar front and back faces · CPC title

• D04B1/102 Primary

  with stitch pattern (D04B1/06, D04B1/08 take precedence) · CPC title

• D04B1/02

  Pile fabrics or articles having similar surface features · CPC title