Knitting method of bag-shaped knitted fabric, and bag-shaped knitted fabric

Abstract

Provided is a knitting method of a bag-shaped knitted fabric that can make a setup portion inconspicuous in knitting a bag-shaped knitted fabric from a closed end region in which a tube diameter changes. A knitting method of a bag-shaped knitted fabric for knitting a bag-shaped knitted fabric including a closed end region and a remaining part other than the closed end region, including: a step A of forming a setup portion in which a knitting yarn is alternately held on a front needle bed and a back needle bed; a step B of forming the closed end region by repeating, sequentially from one end side in a knitting width direction of the setup portion toward another end side thereof, C-shaped knitting in which the one end side serves as a turn back side; and a step C of knitting the remaining part of the bag-shaped knitted fabric, following a termination in a wale direction of the closed end region. In the step B, when repeating the C-shaped knitting, a portion on the front needle bed side of the setup portion and a portion on the back needle bed side of the setup portion are connected directly or indirectly, and a knitting width of the C-shaped knitting is changed.

Claims

1. A knitting method of a bag-shaped knitted fabric for knitting a bag-shaped knitted fabric (1) including a closed end region (10) and a remaining part (19) other than the closed end region (10), using a flat knitting machine including a front needle bed (FB) and a back needle bed (BB), comprising: a step A of forming a setup portion (10s) in which a knitting yarn is alternately held on the front needle bed (FB) and the back needle bed (BB); a step B of forming the closed end region (10) by repeating, sequentially from one end side in a knitting width direction of the setup portion (10s) toward another end side thereof, C-shaped knitting in which the one end side serves as a turn back side such that the setup portion (10s) extends in a tube axis direction of the bag-shaped knitted fabric (1); and a step C of knitting the remaining part (19) of the bag-shaped knitted fabric (1), following a termination (10e) in a wale direction of the closed end region (10), wherein, in the step B, when repeating the C-shaped knitting, a portion on the front needle bed (FB) side of the setup portion (10s) and a portion on the back needle bed (BB) side of the setup portion (10s) are connected directly or indirectly, and a knitting width of the C-shaped knitting is changed.

2. The knitting method of a bag-shaped knitted fabric according to claim 1, comprising, before the step B, a step D of forming, by flechage knitting, a first knitted fabric part (11) following a stitch row (10F) of the setup portion (10s) that is held on the front needle bed (FB), and forming, by flechage knitting, a second knitted fabric part (12) following a stitch row (10B) of the setup portion (10s) that is held on the back needle bed (BB), wherein, in the step B, the first knitted fabric part (11) and the second knitted fabric part (12) are connected by the C-shaped knitting.

3. The knitting method of a bag-shaped knitted fabric according to claim 2, wherein, in the step D, the first knitted fabric part (11) is formed by repeating: flechage knitting; moving a stitch row formed by the flechage knitting to the other end side; and forming a first widening stitch (4) on an empty needle formed by the moving, and the second knitted fabric part (12) is formed by repeating: flechage knitting; moving a stitch row formed by the flechage knitting to the other end side; and forming a second widening stitch (5) on an empty needle formed by the moving, and, in the step B, a knitting range of the C-shaped knitting that is performed first includes all the first widening stitches (4) included in the first knitted fabric part (11) and all the second widening stitches (5) included in the second knitted fabric part (12).

4. A bag-shaped knitted fabric (1) comprising: a closed end region (10); and a remaining part (19) other than the closed end region (10), wherein the closed end region (10) includes: a setup portion (10s) provided in one region in a circumferential direction of the closed end region (10) and extending in a tube axis direction of the bag-shaped knitted fabric (1); and a C-shaped knitting part (13) for sandwiching the setup portion (10s), the C-shaped knitting part (13) is sequentially formed from a front end side of the closed end region (10), the remaining part (19) is formed continuously with a termination (10e) in a wale direction of the C-shaped knitting part (13), and a knitting width of the C-shaped knitting part (13) changes in the wale direction of the C-shaped knitting part (13).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a configuration of a shoe as an example of a bag-shaped knitted fabric described in Embodiment 1.

(2) FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a configuration of a portion on the toe side of the shoe shown in FIG. 1, as viewed from the sole side thereof.

(3) FIG. 3 is a knitting process diagram of a closed end region included in the shoe described in Embodiment 1.

(4) FIG. 4 is a knitting process diagram following FIG. 3.

(5) FIGS. 5A and 5B are images showing formed states of the shoe at relevant points in the knitting processes.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Embodiment 1

(6) In Embodiment 1, an example in which a shoe is knitted using a knitting method of a bag-shaped knitted fabric according to the present invention will be described. The flat knitting machine used for knitting the shoe may be a two-bed flat knitting machine including one front needle bed and one back needle bed, or may be a four-bed flat knitting machine including two front needle beds and two back needle beds.

(7) The shoe 1 (bag-shaped knitted fabric) shown in FIG. 1 includes a sole cover 2 for covering the sole of a foot, and an instep cover 3 for covering the instep side of the foot. A portion (closed end region 10) of the shoe 1 that corresponds to the toe has a rounded shape. A foot-insertion opening portion, a heel cover, and the like are formed in the remaining part 19 other than the closed end region 10. One of the characteristics of the shoe 1 is that a setup portion 10s (FIG. 2) of the shoe 1 is formed on the sole cover 2 side in the closed end region 10.

(8) FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view of the vicinity of the closed end region 10 of the shoe 1 shown in FIG. 1, as viewed from the sole cover 2 side. In FIG. 2, a course direction is indicated by the dashed dotted arrow, and the orientation of stitches is indicated by the thick arrows. The course direction is equal to the length direction of the needle beds when knitting is performed using a flat knitting machine. A direction orthogonal to the course direction is the wale direction. The wale direction may be considered as being equal to the orientation of stitches.

(9) As shown in FIG. 2, the closed end region 10 of the present example is composed of a setup portion 10s, a first knitted fabric part 11, a second knitted fabric part 12, and a C-shaped knitting part 13. The setup portion 10s of the shoe 1 is provided in one region, in the circumferential direction, of the closed end region 10, and extends in the tube axis direction of the shoe 1 (the same as the tube axis direction of the closed end region 10). In the present example, a first knitted fabric part 11 and a second knitted fabric part 12 that sandwich the setup portion 10s therebetween are formed. The first knitted fabric part 11 and the second knitted fabric part 12 are formed so as to branch off from the setup portion 10s. Accordingly, the course direction of the two knitted fabric parts 11 and 12 is the same as the extension direction of the setup portion 10s, but the orientation of stitches of the first knitted fabric part 11 and the orientation of stitches of the second knitted fabric part 12 face away from each other. Since the setup portion 10s, the first knitted fabric part 11, and the second knitted fabric part 12 are formed on the sole cover 2, they are not visible from the instep side. Usually, a resin outer sole is attached to the sole cover 2, and, therefore, the setup portion 10s, for example, becomes completely invisible from the outside.

(10) The first knitted fabric part 11 and the second knitted fabric part 12 are connected by the C-shaped knitting part 13. The C-shaped knitting part 13 is formed by C-shaped knitting in which a stitch at an end in the wale direction of the first knitted fabric part 11 and a stitch at an end the wale direction of the second knitted fabric part 12 are joined. That is, the C-shaped knitting part 13 is formed so as to sandwich the setup portion 10s via the first knitted fabric part 11 and the second knitted fabric part 12. The direction in which the C-shaped knitting part 13 is formed is a direction extending from one end side (the toe side of the shoe 1) of the setup portion 10s toward the other end side (the heel side of the shoe 1) of the setup portion 10s. Accordingly, the course direction of the C-shaped knitting part 13 is the same as the circumferential direction of the closed end region 10, and the orientation of stitches of the C-shaped knitting part 13 faces the heel side of the shoe 1. Since the orientation of stitches of the C-shaped knitting part 13 is aligned, with no misalignment in the orientation of stitches due to increases and decreases of stitches, the shoe 1 has a good appearance.

(11) The remaining part 19 of the shoe 1 is knitted following the termination in the wale direction of the C-shaped knitting part 13, that is, a termination 10e of the closed end region 10. The remaining part 19 is formed by combining tubular knitting, C-shaped knitting, flechage knitting, and the like as appropriate.

(12) The shoe 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is knitted with the knitting method of a bag-shaped knitted fabric according to the present invention. An example of the knitting method of a bag-shaped knitted fabric of the present invention will be described with reference to the knitting process diagrams shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and the images shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B. The flat knitting machine used in the present example is a four-bed flat knitting machine in which a front needle bed and a back needle bed that oppose each other are arranged in two (upper and lower) stages. In the knitting process diagrams, only the front needle bed (hereinafter referred to as the “FB”) and the back needle bed (hereinafter referred to as the “BB”) on the lower side of the four-bed flat knitting machine are shown. The front needle bed and the back needle bed on the upper side, which are not shown, are used for moving stitches in the present example.

(13) In FIGS. 3 and 4, the letter “S” followed by a numeral indicates a knitting process number, and the black dots indicate the needles of the FB and the BB. The mark “V” indicates a pick up stitch (a kind of stitches), the black circles indicate stitches that are newly knitted in the knitting processes, the inverted triangular marks indicate yarn feeders 8 and 9, and the straight arrows indicate transferring. The knitting operations performed in the knitting processes are indicated by the thick lines.

(14) In S1 of FIG. 3, a yarn feeder 8 is moved to the right side on the plane of paper, and a setup portion 10s that is alternately held on the FB and the BB is formed (step A). The FB and the BB are displaced from each other by 0.5 pitches. A known formation method may be used for forming the setup portion 10s. In the present example, the setup portion 10s is formed by forming stitches alternately on the FB and the BB. However, it is possible to form a plurality of stitches on the FB or the BB, and thereafter allocate the stitches between the FB and the BB.

(15) In S2 to S6, a first knitted fabric part 11 following at least a portion of a stitch row 10F of the setup portion 10s that is held on the FB is knitted, and a second knitted fabric part 12 following at least a portion of a stitch row 10B of the setup portion 10s that is held on the BB is knitted (step D). More specifically, the first knitted fabric part 11 is formed by repeating, on the FB, flechage knitting in which the knitting width is gradually narrowed. Similarly, the second knitted fabric part 12 is formed by repeating, on the BB, flechage knitting in which the knitting width is gradually narrowed. A specific knitting procedure for the two knitted fabric parts 11 and 12 will be described below. In the following description, the right side on the plane of paper is assumed to be one end side of the setup portion 10s, and the left side on the plane of paper is assumed to be the other end side of the setup portion 10s.

(16) In S2, the needles of the FB and the needles of the BB oppose each other, and all the stitches (stitch row 10F) held on the FB are moved by one needle to the other end side, and all the stitches (stitch row 10B) held on the BB are moved by one needle to the other end side.

(17) In S3, the yarn feeder 8 is moved leftward, and a pick up stitch (first widening stitch 4) is formed on an empty needle formed by the movement of the stitch row 10F. Thereafter, one course of the first knitted fabric part 11 is knitted following a portion other than the two stitches on the other end side of the stitch row 10F in the wale direction. In addition, another yarn feeder 9 is moved leftward, and a pick up stitch (second widening stitch 5) is formed on an empty needle formed by the movement of the stitch row 10B. Thereafter, one course of the second knitted fabric part 12 is knitted following a portion other than the two stitches on the other end side of the stitch row 10B in the wale direction.

(18) In S4, the yarn feeder 8 is moved rightward, and one course of the first knitted fabric part 11 is knitted following, in the wale direction, the stitch row of the first knitted fabric part 11 formed in S3. In addition, the yarn feeder 9 is moved rightward, and one course of the second knitted fabric part 12 is knitted following, in the wale direction, the stitch row of the second knitted fabric part 12 formed in S3. By the flechage knitting performed in S3 and S4, a first knitted fabric part 11 and a second knitted fabric part 12 each having a length in the knitting width direction shorter than that of the setup portion 10s are knitted.

(19) In and after S5, the knitting similar to S2 to S4 is repeated. In FIG. 3, only S5 and S6 corresponding to S2 and S3 are illustrated, and the knitting corresponding to S4 has been omitted. In S5, all the stitches other than the widening stitches 4 and 5 are moved by one needle to the other end side. In S6, the yarn feeder 8 (9) is moved leftward, and a first widening stitch 4 (second widening stitch 5) is formed on an empty needle formed by the movement of the stitches in S5. Thereafter, one course of the first knitted fabric part 11 (second knitted fabric part 12) is knitted. The knitting width of the first knitted fabric part 11 (second knitted fabric part 12) in S6 is shorter than the knitting width of the first knitted fabric part 11 (second knitted fabric part 12) in S3.

(20) S7 in FIG. 4 shows a state in which the knitting for the first knitted fabric part 11 and the second knitted fabric part 12 is completed. FIG. 5A shows a formed state of the shoe 1 in S7. As shown in FIG. 5A, the first knitted fabric part 11 and the second knitted fabric part 12 are formed so as to sandwich the setup portion 10s therebetween. The first knitted fabric part 11 and the second knitted fabric part 12 are each formed in a substantially triangular shape. The stitches held on the FB in S7 constitute a long edge 11A of the first knitted fabric part 11, and the first widening stitches 4 held on the FB constitute a short edge 11B of the first knitted fabric part 11. On the other hand, the stitches held on the BB in S7 constitute a long edge 12A of the second knitted fabric part 12, and the second widening stitches 5 held on the BB constitute a short edge 12B of the second knitted fabric part 12. As shown in FIG. 5A, the short edges 11B and 12B constituted by the widening stitches 4 and 5 are in a nearly flat state when removed from the FB and the BB.

(21) In and after S8, C-shaped knitting in which one end side of the setup portion 10s serves as the turn back side is repeated, and a portion on the FB side of the setup portion 10s and a portion on the BB side of the setup portion 10s are connected sequentially from one end side in the knitting width direction of the setup portion 10s toward the other end side thereof (step B). In the present example, the first knitted fabric part 11 and the second knitted fabric part 12 are knitted following the setup portion 10s, and, therefore, the portion on the FB side of the setup portion 10s and the portion on the BB side of the setup portion 10s are indirectly connected via the first knitted fabric part 11 and the second knitted fabric part 12. A specific knitting procedure will be described below.

(22) In S8, the yarn feeder 8 is reciprocally moved to perform C-shaped knitting. The knitting range of the C-shaped knitting that is performed first includes all the first widening stitches 4 included in the first knitted fabric part 11, and all the second widening stitches 5 included in the second knitted fabric part 12. By this C-shaped knitting, one course of the C-shaped knitting part 13 connected to the first widening stitch 4 and the second widening stitch 5 in the wale direction is knitted.

(23) In S9, the stitches of the C-shaped knitting part 13 that have been formed in S8 are moved to the one end side (right side). Thereafter, using the yarn feeder 8, C-shaped knitting is performed to form one course of the C-shaped knitting part 13. At this time, the start end of the C-shaped knitting is set at the position of a stitch at an end of the long edge 12A of the second knitted fabric part 12, and the termination of the C-shaped knitting is set at the position of a stitch at an end of the long edge 11A of the first knitted fabric part 11. Additionally, a third widening stitch 6 and a fourth widening stitch 7 are respectively formed on empty needles formed by the movement of the C-shaped knitting part 13.

(24) In and after S10, the knitting similar to S9 is repeated. S10 and S11 illustrate three cycles of C-shaped knitting. FIG. 5B shows a schematic knitting image for S9 to S11. In each of the cycles of C-shaped knitting, a third widening stitch 6 and a fourth widening stitch 7 are formed at the positions on the sides of the long edges 11A and 12A so as to increase the knitting width of the C-shaped knitting part 13. The third widening stitches 6 and the fourth widening stitches 7 are provided on the first knitted fabric part 11 side and the second knitted fabric part 12 side of the C-shaped knitting part 13. Accordingly, the widening stitches 6 and 7 are disposed on the sole cover 2 side in FIG. 2, together with the setup portion 10s and the knitted fabric parts 11 and 12, and the widening stitches 6 and 7 will not therefore impair the appearance of the instep cover 3.

(25) By repeating the C-shaped knitting illustrated in S9 to S11, the first knitted fabric part 11 and the second knitted fabric part 12 are connected by the C-shaped knitting part 13, sequentially from the one end side of the setup portion 10s. This C-shaped knitting is repeated until the stitch rows 10F and 10B of the setup portion 10s are removed from the FB and the BB. As a result, the closed end region 10 shown in FIG. 2 is formed.

(26) Thereafter, the remaining part 19 of the shoe 1 is knitted following the termination 10e in the wale direction of the closed end region 10. The remaining part 19 is knitted by switching between tubular knitting, C-shaped knitting, and flechage knitting as appropriate.

Other Embodiments

(27) There is no particular limitation with respect to the shapes of the first knitted fabric part 11 and the second knitted fabric part 12 shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B. For example, the first knitted fabric part 11 and the second knitted fabric part 12 may be rectangular, trapezoidal, or ridge-like. The rectangular, trapezoidal, or ridge-like shape may be changed by changing, for example, the knitting width of flechage knitting.

(28) In Embodiment 1, when repeating flechage knitting, the movement of stitches and the formation of the widening stitches 4 and 5 on one end side of the setup portion 10s are repeated as shown in FIG. 3. In contrast, the first knitted fabric part 11 and the second knitted fabric part 12 may be formed simply by performing flechage knitting only. In addition, the stitch row 10F and the stitch row 10B of the setup portion 10s may be directly connected by C-shaped knitting, without knitting the first knitted fabric part 11 and the second knitted fabric part 12.

(29) In Embodiment 1, only an example in which the knitting width of the C-shaped knitting part 13 is increased as shown in FIG. 4 has been described. In contrast, narrowing may be performed in the course of repeating C-shaped knitting.

(30) A bag-shaped knitted fabric obtained by a knitting method of a bag-shaped knitted fabric according to the present invention is not limited to a shoe. For example, the bag-shaped knitted fabric may be a sock, a glove, or the like, or may be an industrial material such as a seat cover, a sofa cover, or a head cover for a golf club. For any bag-shaped knitted fabric, the setup portion 10s may be disposed at a position that is inconspicuous in use.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(31) 1 Shoe (bag-shaped knitted fabric) 2 Sole cover 3 Instep cover 4 First widening stitch 5 Second widening stitch 6 Third widening stitch 7 Fourth widening stitch 8, 9 Yarn feeder 10 Closed end region 10e Termination 10s Setup portion 11 First knitted fabric part 11A Long edge 11B Short edge 12 Second knitted fabric part 12A Long edge 12B Short edge 13 C-shaped knitting part 19 Remaining part