Compression Knit Fabric from a Base Knit and an Elastic Weft Yarn Inserted Therein as well as Method for Production of a Compression Knit Fabric

Abstract

A compression knit fabric consisting of a base knit and an elastic weft yarn inserted therein. The base knit is formed from at least one knitting yarn, and the weft yarn is inserted in weft yarn courses between two consecutive stitch courses of the base knit. The knitting yarn in each stitch course of the base knit is knit in alternation as loop stitch and tuck, so that the knitting yarn forms a tuck stitch between two loops of a stitch course of the base knit. The weft yarn is inserted between adjacent stitch courses of the base knit in alternation as tuck and float so that the weft yarn floats between two tuck stitches of a weft yarn course. The alternating sequence of loop stitch and tuck in consecutive stitch courses of the base knit is offset by a stitch relative to the alternating sequence of tuck and float in consecutive weft yarn courses.

Claims

1. A compression knit fabric consisting of a base knit and an elastic weft yarn inserted therein, wherein the base knit is formed from at least one knitting yarn and the weft yarn is inserted in weft yarn courses between two consecutive stitch courses of the base knit, wherein the knitting yarn in each stitch course of the base knit is stitched alternately as loop stitch and tuck, so that the knitting yarn forms a tuck stitch between two loops of a stitch course of the base knit, the weft yarn is inserted between adjacent stitch courses of the base knit in alternation as tuck and float, so that the weft yarn floats between two tuck stitches of a weft yarn course, wherein the alternating sequence of loop and tuck in consecutive stitch courses of the base knit is offset by a stitch in consecutive weft yarn courses relative to the alternating sequence of tuck and float.

2. The compression knit fabric according to claim 1, wherein the weft yarn is elastic.

3. The compression knit fabric according to claim 2, wherein the elastic weft yarn is a winding yarn with elastic core yarns, wherein the knitting yarn preferably has a smaller thickness than the weft yarn.

4. The compression knit fabric according to claim 1, wherein the elastic weft yarn is a winding yarn with a highly elastic core yarn or an elastane or rubber yarn, wherein the weft yarn preferably has a thickness in the range from 200 to 1500 dtex.

5. The compression knit fabric according to claim 1, wherein the weft yarn in each weft yarn course is initially inserted in alternation as tuck and float and the subsequent loop of the adjacent stitch course of the base knit throws out the weft yarn, so that a float of the weft yarn is formed.

6. The compression knit fabric according to claim 1, wherein a weft yarn course is arranged between two stitched courses of the base knit following each other in the longitudinal direction of the knit.

7. The compression knit fabric according to claim 1, wherein the weft yarn is inserted in the base knit without binding points.

8. The compression knit fabric according to claim 1, wherein weft yarn lies fully on the inside in the compression knit and does not appear on the surface.

9. The compression knit fabric according to claim 1, wherein the base knit is a single jersey knit and/or the base knit is knit in a 1:1 stitch.

10. The compression knit fabric according to claim 1, wherein the compression knit fabric is a circular knit.

11. The compression knit fabric according to claim 1, wherein the compression knit fabric has a periodically recurring repeat both in the stitch wale and in the longitudinal direction of the knit.

12. The compression knit fabric according to claim 1, wherein the weft yarn in a certain weft yarn course lies behind a first loop stitch from the adjacent stitch course of the base knit and in front of the second loop stitch adjacent to this stitch in the stitch wale and at the same time lies behind the tuck stitch raised from the underlying stitch course, so that the weft yarn in the specific weft yarn course passes between the adjacent second loop stitch and the tuck stitch.

13. A compression article produced from a compression knit fabric according to claim 1.

14. The compression article of claim 13, wherein the compression article is a compression stocking or sleeve.

15. A method for production of a compression knit fabric from a base knit and an elastic weft yarn inserted therein, wherein the base knit is knit from at least one knitting yarn and the weft yarn is inserted in weft yarn course between two consecutive stitch courses of the base knit, wherein the knitting yarn in each stitch course of the base knit is knit in alternation as loop stitch and tuck, so that the knitting yarn forms a tuck stitch between two loops of a stitch course of the base knit, the weft yarn is inserted in alternation between adjacent stitch courses of the base knit as tuck and float, so that the weft yarn floats between two tuck stitches of a weft yarn course, the alternating sequence of loop stitch and tuck in consecutive stitch courses of the base knit is offset by one stitch relative to the alternating sequence of tuck and float in the consecutive weft yarn courses.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the tuck stitch of the elastic weft yarn by insertion of the elastic weft yarn between two consecutive stitch courses of the base stitch is thrown into a loop stitch of the subsequent stitch course of the base knit and therefore floats at this location.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] These and other advantages as well as features of the compression knit according to the disclosure are apparent from the following embodiment example further described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings show:

[0018] FIG. 1A: A stitch pattern of one embodiment of the compression knit fabric according to the disclosure (right product side);

[0019] FIG. 1B: An enlarged cutout of the stitch pattern of FIG. 1A (right product side);

[0020] FIG. 2: Schematic depiction of the grain of the embodiment of a compression knit fabric according to the disclosure according to FIG. 1A;

[0021] FIG. 3: Technical patterns of the compression knit of FIG. 1A.

[0022] The following symbols with the following meaning are used in the drawing of the grain of FIG. 2 and the technical pattern of FIG. 3: [0023] I=stitch (loop) [0024] -=float (miss) [0025] V=tuck

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] The base knit in the embodiment example of a compression knit fabric according to the disclosure depicted only as an example to explain the disclosure in FIGS. 1-3 is formed from a (single) knitting yarn 1, in which the base knit is designed as a single jersey knit. The knitting yarn 1 is then knitted in each stitch row r of the base knit in alternation as loop stitch (I) and tuck (V) so that the knitting yarn 1 forms a tuck stitch between two loops (I) of a stitch row r of the base knit.

[0027] A weft yarn row s is arranged between adjacent stitch rows r of the base knit, in which a weft yarn 2 is inserted. The weft yarn 2 is then inserted in each weft yarn row s in alternation as tuck (V) and float (-) so that the weft yarn 2 floats between two tuck stitches (V) of a weft yarn row s.

[0028] The alternating sequence of loop (I) and tuck (V) of stitch rows r following in longitudinal direction L of the base knit is then arranged offset by one stitch, as is apparent from the figures, i.e., the stitches (I) in the longitudinal direction L of the consecutive stitch courses r of the base knit are arranged offset by one loop stitch in the stitch wale and accordingly the tuck stitches (V) lying between two loop stitches (I) are offset by one stitch in the stitch wale M. The alternating sequence of tuck (V) and float (-) of the weft yarn 2 is also offset accordingly by one stitch in consecutive weft yarn courses s.

[0029] Because of the arrangement of the sequence of stitch (I) and tuck (V) offset by a stitch in consecutive stitch courses r of the base knit and the alternative sequence of tuck (V) and float (-), that is also offset by one stitch in consecutive weft yarn courses s, the elastic weft yarn is initially inserted in each weft yarn course s in alternation as tuck (V) and as float (-). The following stitch (I) (in the following stitch course r of the base knit), however, throws off the elastic weft yarn 2, and therefore a float (-) of the weft yarn (2) arises at this site.

[0030] As is apparent from the detail view of FIG. 1B, which shows an enlarged cutout of the stitch pattern of FIG. 1A on the right product side, the weft yarn 2 in a certain weft yarn course s.sub.1 lies behind a first stitch I.sub.1 from the adjacent stitch course r.sub.1 of the base knit and in front of the second stitch 12 adjacent to this first stitch I.sub.1 in the stitch wale M. At the same time the weft yarn 2 lies behind the tuck stitch V.sub.2 raised from the underlying stitch course r.sub.0 so that the weft yarn 2 in the specific weft yarn course s.sub.1 passes between the adjacent second stitch I.sub.2 and the raised tuck stitch V.sub.2.

[0031] As is apparent from FIG. 3, the knit has a periodically recurring repeat R both in the stitch wale M and in the longitudinal direction L of the knit. The repeat R can then extend especially in the stitch wale M over four stitches and in the longitudinal direction L over four consecutive courses (i.e., over two stitch courses r of the base knit and two weft yarn courses s).

[0032] As is apparent from the stitch pattern of FIG. 1A, the weft yarn lies freely over its entire length (which extends in the stitch wale M) without binding points in the base knit. The elastic weft yarn 2 is therefore freely movable in the base knit. The elastic weft yarn 2 because of its elasticity produces stretchability of the knit in the stitch wale M so that, in a compression knit made as a circular knit, a compression effect is produced in the peripheral direction of the tubular circular knit.

[0033] The weft yarn 1, which can also be an elastic yarn, when an elastic weft yarn is used, also contributes to a limited extent to stretchability and therefore to creation of a compression effect of the compression knit fabric, but to a much lesser degree than the elastic weft yarn 2 freely inserted in the base knit.

[0034] Owing to the fact that weft yarn is inserted freely in the base knit fabric without binding points, the elasticity of the elastic weft yarn 2 is not hindered during stretching of the compression knit fabric in the stitch wale M. Thus, a precisely defined stretchability that depends exclusively on the elasticity of the weft yarn 2 is implemented. In production of compression articles from the compression knit according to the disclosure, precisely defined compression pressures can therefore be generated. Especially in compression stockings, which have a compression pressure trend that diminishes from the distal to proximal end, precise adjustment of a medically desired pressure gradient is thereby possible.

[0035] It is apparent from the stitch pattern of FIG. 1A that the weft yarn 2 lies within the base knit over its entire length that extends in stitch wale M. Elastic weft yarn 2 is therefore fully in the interior, differently than in the known compression knit fabrics. This improves the putting on of a compression article produced from the compression knit fabric according to the disclosure owing to the reduced friction between the interior of the knit of the compression article and the skin of a patient.

[0036] The compression knit fabric according to the disclosure can also be used only in areas in compression articles and in this case combined with other knit fabric structures. For example, a section formed according to the disclosure can be seamlessly stitched with a knit section from an ordinary compression knit or with knit sections without inserted weft yarn.