Abstract
A method for producing a knitted fabric part which is knitted from at least one thread and which in one or a plurality of regions on the knitted fabric external side and/or the knitted fabric internal side is equipped with a coating, wherein, for configuring the coating, a material comprising free-flowing particles is applied in the region to the knitted fabric, said material subsequently being melted or fused by heating, whereupon the material is cooled while forming the coating.
Claims
1. A method for producing a knitted fabric part which is knitted from at least one thread and which in one or a plurality of regions on the knitted fabric external side and/or the knitted fabric internal side is equipped with a coating, wherein, for configuring the coating, a material comprising free-flowing particles is applied in the region to the knitted fabric, said material subsequently being melted or fused by heating, whereupon the material is cooled while forming the coating.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein a powder or a granulate is used as the material.
3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the free-flowing material is applied in a quantity such that either a planar coating which in the region connects the threads and forms the coating results, or that the particles of the free-flowing material while forming a thread coating are bonded only to the threads without connecting the latter.
4. A method according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of tiers from dissimilar materials are applied, said materials for forming a multi-layered coating subsequently being melted or fused by collective heating, whereupon the material is cooled while forming the coating, or in that a further tier from another material is applied to a first coating layer, said other material subsequently being melted or fused by heating, whereupon the other material is cooled while forming a further layer of the coating.
5. A method according to claim 4, wherein a second coating layer from a water-soluble material is applied in portions to a first coating layer, whereupon a third coating layer is applied to the first and the second coating layer.
6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the material is sprinkled onto the knitted fabric part, or onto a material already applied, or onto a coating layer already applied.
7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the material is sprinkled only locally onto the knitted fabric external side or the knitted fabric internal side, or a material already applied, or a coating already applied, or in that the material is sprinkled in a fully planar manner onto the knitted fabric external side or the knitted fabric internal side, or a material already applied, or a coating already applied.
8. A method according to claim 7, wherein a template for locally delimiting the region or regions is used when sprinkling the material.
9. A method according to claim 6, wherein the knitted fabric part lies on a mesh and the material is sprinkled from above, wherein material sprinkled laterally beside the knitted fabric part is collected below the mesh.
10. A method according to claim 9, wherein suctioning of the material not sprinkled onto the knitted fabric part is performed during the sprinkling.
11. A method according to claim 1, wherein a thermoplastic or elastomeric polymer is used as the material, wherein a polyurethane is preferably used as the polymer.
12. A method according to claim 1, wherein a glove is used as the knitted fabric part, said glove at least on the inner external side of one or a plurality of knitted finger portions being provided with the coating, or in that a stocking is used as the knitted fabric part, said stocking at least on the outside and/or the inside of the sole and/or in the region of the upper open stocking end on the inside being provided with the coating, or in that a bandage is used as the knitted fabric part, said bandage at least in portions on the internal side or on the external side being provided with the coating.
13. A knitted fabric part which is knitted from at least one thread and which in one or a plurality of regions on the knitted fabric external side and/or the knitted fabric internal side is equipped with a coating produced by the method according to claim 1.
14. A knitted fabric part according to claim 13, wherein the coating is configured either as a planar coating which in the region connects the threads and forms the coating, or as a thread coating which is bonded only to the threads and which does not connect the threads.
15. A knitted fabric part according to claim 13, wherein the coating is composed of a thermoplastic or elastomeric polymer, in particular a polyurethane.
16. A knitted fabric part according to claim 13, wherein the knitted fabric is a glove which at least on the inner external side of one or a plurality of knitted finger portions is provided with the coating, or in that the knitted fabric part is a stocking which at least on the outside and/or the inside on the sole and/or in the region of the upper open stocking end on the inside is provided with the coating, or in that the knitted fabric part is a bandage which at least in portions on the internal side or on the external side is provided with the coating.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0031] In the drawing:
[0032] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram for explaining the method according to the invention;
[0033] FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of part of a knitted fabric having free-flowing pulverulent particles applied thereto, prior to the thermal treatment;
[0034] FIG. 3 shows a sectional view through the knitted fabric from FIG. 2, after the thermal treatment, as a schematic diagram;
[0035] FIG. 4 shows a schematic diagram of a partial view of a knitted fabric corresponding to FIG. 2, having free-flowing, rough granular particles applied thereto, prior to the thermal treatment;
[0036] FIG. 5 shows a sectional view through the knitted fabric from FIG. 4, after the thermal treatment;
[0037] FIG. 6 shows a view from above onto the knitted fabric from FIG. 4, after the thermal treatment;
[0038] FIG. 7 shows a schematic diagram of a glove which on a plurality of regions on the external side is provided with a coating in the form of an anti-slip installation;
[0039] FIG. 8 shows a view comparable to that of FIG. 7, having a glove that is provided over a large area with a coating in the form of an anti-slip installation;
[0040] FIG. 9 shows a schematic diagram of a sock turned to the left side, that is to say turned inside out, having a coating over a large area;
[0041] FIG. 10 shows the external side of the sole of the sock from FIG. 9, having a local coating in the form of an anti-slip installation;
[0042] FIG. 11 shows a schematic diagram of a bandage having a coating in the form of an anti-slip installation;
[0043] FIG. 12 shows a sectional view through a knitted fabric having a multi-layered coating construction;
[0044] FIG. 13 shows a schematic diagram of a stocking having local tape-shaped or strap-shaped, relatively stiff coatings; and
[0045] FIG. 14 shows a schematic diagram of a bandage having support coatings for a joint mechanism disposed thereon.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0046] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram for explaining the various method steps of the production method according to the invention. A respective knitted fabric part 1, for example a glove or similar, shown in the schematic diagram, lying on a mesh 2 is transported to a sprinkling installation 3 in which a material 4 composed of free-flowing particles is received. The free-flowing particles 7 flow downward by way of an opening 5 which is on the lower side and which by way of a closure installation 6 can be closed and opened in a reversible manner. The knitted fabric 1, as is illustrated by the arrow P, is conveyed to the sprinkling installation 3 and is conveyed below the latter such that the free-flowing particles are sprinkled onto the upper side of the knitted fabric part 1. The sprinkling procedure is facilitated by a suctioning system, as illustrated by the arrows P; this means that particles not dropping onto the knitted fabric part 1 are simultaneously suctioned and can be recycled.
[0047] The knitted fabric part 1 after the termination of the sprinkling procedure, cf. sub-figure b), is provided with a very thin particle covering 8, wherein the individual particles 7 lie on the threads forming the knitted fabric part 1.
[0048] The knitted fabric part 1 sprinkled with the particles 7, cf. sub-figure c), is thereafter moved into an oven 9 where said knitted fabric part 1 is heated at a respective temperature until the particles 7 are melted or fused and, since said particles are slightly or completely fluid, they wet the threads of the knitted fabric part 1, or the knitted fabric part 1, respectively. After a respective dwell time has elapsed, the knitted fabric part 1 is retrieved from the oven 9 and is cooled such that said knitted fabric part 1 on the surface is provided with an anti-slip installation 10 formed from the particles 7 adhering to or fused to the knitted fabric part 1 or the threads thereof.
[0049] Depending on the size of the particles 7, or on the quantity in which said particles 7 are consumed, various design embodiments of the respective covating 10, for example in the form of an anti-slip installation, are conceivable.
[0050] FIG. 2 in the form of a schematic diagram shows a knitted fabric part 1 which in the example shown is knitted from one thread 11 which is knitted in a loop-forming manner. FIG. 2 shows the knitted fabric part 1 which is knitted from one thread 11, wherein the knitted fabric part 1 can of course also be knitted from a plurality of threads. The schematic diagram shows the knitted fabric part 1 immediately after the sprinkling of the material 5, wherein the free-flowing particles 7 here are pulverulent, thus very finely grained. The fine powder particles 7 can be seen lying on the thread 11. The degree of population is very minor, that is to say that the individual particles 7 lie so as to be quasi singularized, or at a very minor density, respectively, on the thread 11. At an increasing population, the particle count per thread would likewise increase, which would lead to a respective increase in the quantity of adhering coverage, or grip-promoting coverage.
[0051] The knitted fabric part 1 after the sprinkling of the particles 7 is heated such that said particles 7 are melted or fused, and subsequently cooled again such that the particles 7, or the material, respectively is solidified again. FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of a section through the knitted fabric part 1. As can be seen, the individual melted particles 7 are on the thread 1 only in a local manner, wherein the multiplicity of individual particles 7 result in the coating 10, for example the anti-slip coating 10, which is embodied here as a pure thread coating since the individual particles 7, or the individual grip points and/or adhesive points are provided only locally on the thread 11; said particles 7 are however not fused as a large-area coating which spans the threads of the neighboring stitch courses I, II, and III. The coating 10 produced on account thereof is thus extremely thin, partially interlinked in the knitted fabric part 1, and almost not visible in particular when a powder which in terms of color is similar to the thread color or is transparent is used. Despite only local adhesive centers, formed by the individual particles 7 being quasi provided here, a significant improvement in terms of adhesion or grip nevertheless results as compared to the non-populated knitted fabric part 1. When the applied quantity is increased, significantly more powder particles 7 are thus present on the thread or the individual loops, respectively. The particles 7 when heated likewise melt, but the individual melted particles 7 by virtue of the fineness form an optionally compact thread coating provided only within the individual stitch courses; a connection between the threads of the neighboring stitch courses does not take place even in the case of a higher pouring density of the fine powder particles 7.
[0052] An example having a compact spanning coating is shown in FIGS. 4 to 6. The knitted fabric part 1 is again illustrated, here also composed of the individual thread 11, wherein a plurality of threads can also be used here. The three stitch courses I, II, III are shown again. The material here has also been sprinkled but not yet fused. Said material is applied only to the upper half of the knitted fabric, the lower half of the knitted fabric shown in the figure is not populated. The particles 7 shown here are formed by means of a significantly coarser powder or granulate; the pouring density is relatively high. By virtue of the size of the particles it arises that the particles 7 not only accumulate on the thread 11 but also close the intermediate spaces between the thread 11 or the stitch courses I, II, and III, respectively. When said knitted fabric part 1 is heated, the particles 7 are again melted, but by virtue of the high particle density a compact planar coating is formed, cf. the sectional illustration according to FIG. 5, said compact planar coating populating the knitted fabric 1 also so as to span the stitch courses I to III, cf. also FIG. 6. The coating 10, here in the form of an anti-slip installation, by virtue of the material 4 used is indeed an elastic, but the intrinsic elasticity of the knitted fabric 1 as a result of said planar coating is nevertheless modified at least in the respective region, this meaning that the force/elongation behavior in this region is different than in the purely textile area.
[0053] The material 4, or the particles 7, respectively, is/are, for example, a plastic or elastic polymer, for example a polyurethane, which melts at a temperature which does not compromise the properties of the thread or the threads, said polymer at room temperature however having adequate elastic properties and good haptic properties with a view to improving the grip or adhesion.
[0054] FIG. 7 shows a first example of a finished knitted fabric part 1 in the form of a glove, wherein respective regions 13 in the region of the individual fingers 12 are provided here with a local coating 10 in the form of an anti-slip installation, thus where respective material has been sprinkled and ultimately fused. A respective region 13 in which the coating 10 is configured is also provided in the region of the palm of the hand 14.
[0055] FIG. 8 likewise shows a knitted fabric part 1 in the form of a glove, wherein the glove internal side, thus the region of the palm of the hand 14 and the internal side of the fingers 12, herein by way of the sprinkled and fused powder or granulate is provided with the coating 10 in the form of an anti-slip installation in a fully planar manner, as is indicated by the dotted illustration.
[0056] FIG. 9 shows a knitted fabric part 1 in the form of a stocking which is shown here turned toward the left, this meaning that the stocking external side or internal side is shown here. A large-area population by way of the coating 10 in the form of an anti-slip installation is provided, as indicated by the dotted illustration, said coating 10 being provided here only in the region of the stump 15 of the stocking.
[0057] FIG. 10 shows the external side of the stocking having the sole 16. This knitted fabric external side in the region of the heel 17 as well as in the region of the ball of the foot 18 is in each case provided with the coating according to the invention, or the anti-slip installation, respectively, as is indicated by the dotted illustration.
[0058] FIG. 11 finally shows an exemplary embodiment of a knitted fabric part 1 in the form of a bandage, wherein said bandage, apart from the actual knitted fabric part 1, also has corresponding tensioning or traction means 19 so as to fix said bandage in a corresponding manner around the leg. While the knitted fabric external side is shown here, the dotted illustration indicates that the coating 10, here too an anti-slip installation, for example, again formed by way of the sprinkled powder or granulate, is configured on the knitted fabric internal side, thus on the side facing the skin of the leg, such that the correspondingly good adhesion is provided toward the leg.
[0059] FIG. 12 shows a sectional partial view of a knitted fabric part 1 having a coating 10 disposed thereon, said coating 10 here being embodied as a sandwich coating. Said coating 10 in the example shown is composed of a first coating layer or tier 10a from a first material, wherein said coating layer or tier 10a has been produced in the manner described above, thus in that a respective pulverulent material has been applied and subsequently heated. A second coating layer or tier 10b is applied to the first coating layer or tier 10a, likewise by sprinkling and subsequently heating a pulverulent or granular material, wherein the materials used in the two coating layers or tiers 10a, 10b are dissimilar such that the individual coating layers or tiers 10a, 10b are consequently imparted dissimilar mechanical properties. As is indicated by dashed lines, it is of course conceivable for a further or a plurality of further coating layers or tiers 10c to be applied in a corresponding manner so as to yet further enlarge or thicken the sandwich construction.
[0060] Alternatively to applying, or generating, respectively, individual and in each case heated coating layers or tiers, it is also conceivable for said coating layers or tiers to be produced by successive sprinkling of respective material tiers from the various powders or granulates, said material tiers then being collectively heated and melted or fused such that the respective sandwich composite results.
[0061] For example, by way of such a multi-layer construction it is conceivable for an elongation limitation to be effected by way of the inner coating layer or tier 10a, thus the coating layer or tier 10a that is close to the knitted fabric, while the outer coating layer or tier 10b is, for example, an adhesive layer which adheres to the skin, for example. On account thereof, a positive adhesion is achieved on the one hand, but any excessive elongation, for example as a pronation or supination protection or similar, is simultaneously also prevented on the other hand. Of course, other layer properties are also conceivable.
[0062] By way of such a multi-layered sandwich construction it is however also conceivable for correspondingly thick coating structures to be configured, so as to, for example, configure a correspondingly thick pad having a corresponding geometrical shape by applying a plurality of such layers. Said pad by virtue of fusing is fixedly connected to the knitted fabric part but in terms of the properties thereof can be set in a corresponding manner, for example by again using dissimilar material tiers.
[0063] FIG. 13 shows a knitted fabric part 1 in the form of a stocking in which two tape-shaped or strap-shaped coatings 10 and 10 are provided. These two coatings 10, 10 are, for example, from a polymer which in the coated form is relatively stiff, consequently reducing the elasticity of the knitted fabric to which said two coatings 10, 10 are applied. This means that the knitted fabric part 1 is preferably stiffer in the longitudinal direction but also in the transverse direction of the tape-shaped or strap-shaped coatings 10, 10, and consequently cannot elongate or elongate only to a minor extent. On account thereof, a pronation or supination effect, respectively, or a corresponding protection, respectively, can be achieved since various mobility characteristics of the stocking and thus also of the foot on which the stocking is worn are restricted. Such a protective coating is expediently to be conceived somewhat thicker, for example by way of a sandwich structure described above, preferably when using identical materials in the individual coating layers or tiers.
[0064] FIG. 14 finally shows a knitted fabric part 1 in the form of a bandage in which two coatings 10, 10 are in each case applied on the knitted fabric part external side in relation to the worn position on the leg external side and the leg internal side. The coatings 10, 10 are elongate and sufficiently rigid, thus from a corresponding, relatively non-elastic material. This is because said coatings 10, 10 serve as support coatings for fastening a joint mechanism 20 (shown here only in dashed lines) which by way of the two legs 21a, 21b thereof are in each case fastened to one coating 10, 10. The joint mechanism can be a plastics-material component; that means that the two legs 21a, 21b can be welded or fused, respectively, to the coatings 10, 10 by plastics-material welding. The two legs 21a, 21b are connected to one another in an articulated manner at an articulation point 22.
[0065] Since respective joint mechanisms 20 are provided on both sides of the knitted fabric part 1, an orthosis, which enables guiding of a movement, or limiting of a movement, respectively, of the knee which is encompassed by the knitted fabric part 1, can be formed on account thereof.
[0066] While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.
