Abstract
A knitting system 18 and a needle 1, which show greater stability and consume less power during the knitting process, include a bending portion 9 in which at least one recess 11 is arranged at at least one lateral surface 23 of the needle 1 and/or is formed in such a manner that a shaft offset S exists, in a peripheral direction U, between a working portion 10 of the needle 1 and a shank portion 8 of the needle 1.
Claims
1. A needle (1) comprising: a loop-forming element (2) arranged at a first end of the needle (1), said first end pointing in a working direction (A), a shank portion (8), which is configured to be accommodated in a guiding groove (4) of a needle-guiding means (3), and is arranged at a second end of the needle (1), said second end pointing in a direction opposite from the working direction, a working portion (10), which includes the loop-forming element (2) and which is configured to be accommodated in a verge groove (6) of the needle-guiding means (3), a bending portion (9), which is positioned in the working direction (A) between the shank portion (8) and the working portion (10), wherein in the bending portion (9) of the needle (1), at least one recess (11) is arranged at at least one lateral surface (23) of the bending portion (9), wherein the at least one recess (11) either: points in a peripheral direction (U), which is orthogonal to the working direction (A), and has a recess depth (22) of 10 m to 100 m, or points in an elevational direction (H), which is orthogonal to the working direction (A) and the peripheral direction (U), and has a recess depth (22) of 150 m to 500 m.
2. The needle (1) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one recess (11) points in the peripheral direction (U) and extends in the elevational direction (H) along an entire height (13) of the needle measured at the bending portion (9).
3. The needle (1) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one recess (11) points in the peripheral direction (U) and extends in the elevational direction (H) along a maximum of 90% of a height (13) of the needle measured at the bending portion (9).
4. The needle (1) according to claim 1, wherein the working portion (10) and the shank portion (8) extend substantially parallel to one another in the working direction (A).
5. The needle (1) according to claim 1, wherein the bending portion (9) is plastically formed in such a manner as to effect, in the peripheral direction (U), a plastic shank offset (S.sub.PL) between the working portion (10) and the shank portion (8).
6. A knitting system (18) comprising: at least one needle-guiding means (3), which has a base surface (12) pointing in an elevational direction (H), at least one guiding groove (4), which is arranged on the base surface (12) of the at least one needle-guiding means (3) and which extends substantially in a working direction (A), wherein said working direction (A) is orthogonal to the elevational direction (H), at least one verge groove (6), which is arranged on the base surface (12) of the at least one needle-guiding means (3) and is offset relative to the at least one guiding groove (4) in a peripheral direction (U) and the working direction (A), wherein said peripheral direction (U) is orthogonal to the working direction (A) and the elevational direction (H), at least one needle (1) comprising, at a first end, which points in the positive working direction (A), a working portion (10) including a loop-forming element (2), and, at a second end, which points in a direction opposite from the working direction (A), a shank portion (8), wherein, between said shank portion (8) and said working portion (10), a bending portion (9) is positioned in which the at least one needle (1) has a bend with directional components in the peripheral direction (U) and the working direction (A), wherein the working portion (10) of the at least one needle (1) is accommodated in the at least one verge groove (6) and the shank portion (8) of the at least one needle (1) is accommodated in the at least one guiding groove (4), wherein in the bending portion (9) of the at least one needle (1), at least one recess (11) is arranged at at least one lateral surface (23) of the bending portion (9), wherein the at least one recess (11) either: points in the peripheral direction (U) and has a recess depth (22) of 10 m to 100 m, or points in the elevational direction (H), and has a recess depth (22) of 150 m to 500 m.
7. The knitting system (18) according to claim 6, wherein the at least one recess (11) points in the peripheral direction (U) and extends in the elevational direction (H) along an entire height (13) of the at least one needle measured at the bending portion (9).
8. The knitting system (18) according to claim 6, wherein: the at least one recess (11) is completely outside of the at least one verge groove (6) and/or the at least one guiding groove (4) when the at least one needle (1) is in an extended state and/or a retracted state.
9. The knitting system (18) according to claim 6, wherein the at least one recess (11) of the at least one needle (1) in a retracted state is outside of the at least one guiding groove (4) to an extent of at least 60% of a recess length (24), which corresponds to an extension of the at least one recess (11) in the working direction (A), and the at least one recess (11) of the at least one needle (1) in an extended state is outside of the at least one verge groove (6) to an extent of at least 60% of the recess length (24).
10. The knitting system (18) according to claim 6, further comprising at least one drive butt (16), which is arranged in the shank portion (8) of the at least one needle (1) and projects above portions of the shank portion (8) surrounding the at least one drive butt (16) in the elevational direction (H), and a bending-portion clearance (19), which corresponds to a distance in the working direction (A) between the at least one drive butt (16) and the bending portion (9), wherein said bending-portion clearance (19) is at least as large as an extension length (25) corresponding to a path of the at least one needle (1) in the working direction (A) between a retracted state and an extended state.
11. The knitting system (18) according to claim 6, wherein the working portion (10) and the shank portion (8) of the at least one needle (1) extend substantially parallel to one another in the working direction (A).
12. The knitting system (18) according to claim 6, further comprising at least one guiding wall (5), which limits the at least one guiding groove (4) in the peripheral direction (U), and at least one additional bar (21), which adjoins the at least one guiding wall (5) in the working direction (A) and is arranged on the base surface of the at least one needle-guiding means (3), wherein, a width ratio (V) of a width of the at least one guiding wall (b.sub.FS) with respect to a width of the at least one additional bar (b.sub.HS) ranges from 2.0 to 2.5.
13. The knitting system (18) according to claim 6, wherein a shank offset(S) in the peripheral direction (U) is positioned between a working-portion centerline (28) extending through a middle of the working portion (10) along a longitudinal direction (z) of the at least one needle and a shank-portion centerline (27) extending through a middle of the shank portion (8) along the longitudinal direction (z), wherein the shank offset (S) comprises a plastic shank offset (S.sub.PL) and an elastic shank offset (S.sub.EL) resulting from an elastic deformation, wherein the shank offset is a sum of the plastic shank offset and the elastic shank offset and the shank offset (S), as a function of a pitch (t) and a shank width (d.sub.S), a relation S=(td.sub.S)/2 applies.
14. The knitting system (18) according to claim 6, further comprising at least one additional needle (1), the at least one additional needle (1) comprising a shank portion (8), wherein the shank portion (8) of the at least one needle (1) and the shank portion (8) of the at least one additional needle (1) are accommodated in the at least one guiding groove (4).
15. The knitting system (18) according to claim 6, wherein the bending portion (9) of the at least one needle (1) is plastically formed in such a manner as to effect, in the peripheral direction (U), a plastic shank offset (S.sub.PL) between the working portion (10) and the shank portion (8).
Description
[0024] It is also advantageous if the working portion and the shank portion extend substantially parallel to one another in working direction. During the knitting process, knitting-machine needles generally perform purely translatory motion in the needles' working direction. It is advantageous for a precise knitting movement if the working portion and the shank portion are mutually parallel.
[0025] FIG. 1 shows part of a needle-guiding means 3 having guiding grooves 4 and verge grooves 6, additional bars 21, needles 1 and a sinker holder 17.
[0026] FIG. 2 shows a side view of a needle 1.
[0027] FIG. 3 shows a top view of a needle 1 that is neither plastically nor elastically formed in the bending portion 9.
[0028] FIG. 4 shows the detail A of FIG. 3 in enlarged form.
[0029] FIG. 5 Shows a top view of the base surface 12 of a needle-guiding means 3 having guiding grooves 4 and verge grooves 6, additional bars 21, as well as one needle in the extended and one in the retracted state.
[0030] FIG. 6 shows, in enlarged details from FIG. 5, the pitch t, the shank offset S and the distance between the two shank-portion centerlines 27, which corresponds to the shank width d.sub.S.
[0031] FIG. 7 shows a loop-forming needle 1 which is plastically formed in the bending portion 9.
[0032] FIG. 8 shows a needle 1 which is plastically formed in the bending portion 9 as well as, superimposed thereupon, a state in which the loop-forming needle 1 is plastically and elastically formed.
[0033] FIG. 9 shows a needle 1 having a recess 11, which extends, in the elevational direction H, over less than 80% of the needle height 13.
[0034] FIG. 10 shows a section in the H-U plane through the needle 1 of FIG. 9 at the position of the recess 11.
[0035] FIG. 11 shows a needle 1 having two recesses 11, which are disposed on a lateral surface 23 pointing in the elevational direction H.
[0036] FIG. 12 shows a section in the H-U plane through the needle 1 of FIG. 11 at the position of the recesses 11.
[0037] FIG. 1 shows a three-dimensional view of part of a needle-guiding means 3 having a plurality of guiding grooves 4, which are arranged on the base surface 12 of the needle-guiding means 3 and are spaced from each other in peripheral direction U by guiding walls 5. A plurality of verge grooves 6, which are offset relative to the guiding grooves 4 in working direction A and peripheral direction U, are arranged on the base surface 12 of the needle-guiding means 3 and are spaced from each other, in peripheral direction U, by verge walls 7. An additional bar 21 adjoins every second guiding wall 5 in working direction A. The additional bars 21 support a sinker holder 17, which is suitable for guiding sinkers in sinker grooves 20 running in elevational direction H. In connection with needle-guiding means 3 in the form of knitting cylinders, sinker holders 17 are also known as sinker rings on account of their circular shape. A plurality of needles 1 is arranged in the guiding grooves 4 and verge grooves 6, with two needles 1 always being arranged together in one guiding groove 4 and each needle 1 always being arranged singly in a verge groove 6.
[0038] FIG. 2 shows a side view of a needle 1, which has, at its front end pointing in working direction A, a working portion 10 incorporating a loop-building element 2 in the shape of a hook. The working portion 10 is suitable to be accommodated in a verge groove 6 of a needle-guiding means 3. At its other end, pointing away from the loop-forming element 2, the needle 1 comprises a shank portion 8, which is suitable to be accommodated in a guiding groove 4 of a needle-guiding means 3. A bending portion 9 is interposed between the shank portion 8 and the working portion 10. The needle height 13 is the height, in elevational direction H, of the needle 1 in the bending portion 9. The needle 1 is bounded in peripheral direction U and elevational direction H by the lateral surfaces 23. In the bending portion 9, a recess 11 is defined on the lateral surface 23 pointing in peripheral direction U and extends, in working direction A, over the entire length of the bending portion 9 and, in elevational direction H, over the entire needle height 13. A drive butt 16 is arranged in the shank portion 8, the distance between the drive butt 16 and the bending portion 9i.e. the bending-portion clearance 19being greater than the drive-butt length 14. When the needle 1 is in operation, it is actuated to perform translatory motion in working direction A by the introduction of force at the drive butt 16. In the bending portion 9, the needle is able to deform elastically and/or is plastically formed, so that the working portion 10 and the shank portion 8 are mutually offset in peripheral direction U. From an ideal point of view, the working portion 10 and the shank portion 8 are always aligned exactly parallel in working direction.
[0039] FIG. 3 shows a top view of the needle 1 of FIG. 2, which is neither plastically nor elastically formed in the bending portion 9. The sub-division into a shank portion 8, a bending portion 9 and a working portion 10 corresponds to that of FIG. 2. The shank portion 8, the bending portion 9 and the working portion 10 lie exactly on a centerline 15 without any mutual offset in peripheral direction U. At its front end, in working direction A, the needle 1 has a loop-forming element 2 shaped as a hook. In the bending portion 9, recesses 11 are defined on both lateral surfaces 23 pointing in peripheral direction U. However, a needle 1 whose bending portion 9 only has a recess 11 defined on one lateral surface 23 pointing in peripheral direction U or elevational direction H is also advantageous for all embodiments of the knitting system. FIG. 3 also indicates the position of the detail A, which is shown enlarged in FIG. 4.
[0040] FIG. 4 shows the detail A of FIG. 3. Each of the two recesses 11 reduces the width, in peripheral direction U, of the needle 1 in the bending portion 9i.e the bending-portion width d.sub.Bby the recess depth 22 compared to the shank-portion width d.sub.S and the working-portion width d.sub.A. The recess depth 22 is within the aforementioned selection range. In order to show the recess 11 more clearly, the recess depth 22 is not to scale in the drawing but is enlarged compared to the other components of the needle.
[0041] FIG. 5 shows the top view of a section of the base surface 12 of the needle-guiding means 3. The needle-guiding means may be a knitting cylinder for circular knitting machines or a needle bed for flat knitting machines. The relevant features of FIG. 5 may be assigned to both variants of a needle-guiding means 3. At the left-hand end of the drawing, a plurality of guiding grooves 4 is shown, in one of which two needles 1 are accommodatedi.e. the shank portions 8 of the needles 1 are arranged beside each other in a guiding groove 4. The working portions 10 of the two needles 1 are each arranged in a verge groove 6. A plurality of guiding grooves 4 is shown, which are spaced from each other by guiding walls 5. A plurality of verge grooves 6 is shown as well, which are spaced from each other by verge walls 7. For reasons of clarity, only one guiding groove 4, one verge groove 6, one guiding wall 5 and one verge wall 7 are provided with a reference numeral. The lower needle 1 in FIG. 5 is shown in an extended state, with the loop-forming element 2 protruding out of the verge groove 6 by the maximum amount. By contrast, the upper of the two needles 1 in FIG. 5 is shown in a retracted state, with the loop-forming element 2 protruding out of the verge groove 6 by the minimum amount. In the extended state, the needle 1 is displaced relative to its position in the retracted state by the extension length 25 in working direction A. In the extended state (lower needle), the recesses 11 of the lower needle 1 are completely outside of the guiding grooves 4 and the verge grooves 6. As this is the end position during translatory motion in positive working direction A, the recesses 11 do not reach into the verge grooves 6 in any other position either while the needle is moving. In this way, the introduction of dirt into the verge grooves is reduced. In the retracted state (upper needle 1), the recesses 11 of the upper needle 1 are completely outside of the verge grooves 6 and to an extent of two thirds of the recess length 24 outside of the guiding grooves 4. As this is the end position during translatory motion in the negative working direction A, there is no other position at which, while the needle is moving, the recesses 11 are outside of the guiding grooves 6 by less than two thirds of the recess length 24. In FIG. 5, two guiding walls 5 are each adjoined by an additional wall 21. The additional-wall width b.sub.FS of both additional walls 21 is less than the guiding-wall width b.sub.FS. The needles 1 are thereby prevented from touching the additional bar 21 in their bending portion 9 in cases of excessive deformation. Advantageous selection ranges for the size ratio between guiding-wall width b.sub.FS and additional-bar width b.sub.HS have been specified here earlier on. In this embodiment, the two additional bars 21 have different additional-bar widths b.sub.HS. It is also advantageous if at least two-preferably all-additional bars 21 have the same additional-bar width b.sub.FS.
[0042] FIG. 6 shows enlarged details from FIG. 5. A shank offset S exists in peripheral direction U between the respective shank-portion centerline 27 of the shank portion 8 and the working-portion centerline 28 of the working portion 10 of the needles 1. The distance between the shank-portion centerlines 27 of adjacent needles 1 corresponds to the shank width d.sub.S. The pitch t is the distance in peripheral direction between the working-portion centerlines 28 of adjacent needles 1. For the shank offset S, as a function of the shank width d.sub.S and the pitch t, the following formula applies: S=(td.sub.S)/2.
[0043] FIG. 7 shows a top view of the needle 1, which, in the bending portion 9, is formed in such a way that a shank offset S exists between the working-portion centerline 28 of the working portion 10 and the shank-portion centerline 27 of the shank portion 8. The deformation may be a plastic and/or an elastic deformation. Whereas the shank offset S does not change during translatory motion of the needle 1 in working direction A in a needle-guiding means 3, the shape of the deformation is not constant but changes according to the deflection of the needle 1. In the bending portion 9, recesses 11 are defined on both the lateral surfaces 23 pointing in peripheral direction U. These recesses 11 reduce the width of the needle 1 in peripheral direction U in the bending portion 9. A needle 1 with a recess 11 on only one lateral surface 23 in the bending portion 9 is also advantageous. The recess depth 22 of the recesses 11 on the lateral surfaces 23 pointing in peripheral direction U is within the aforementioned selection range of 10 m to 100 m, more advantageously 30 m to 70 m. In FIG. 7 the recess depth 22 and the shank offset S are not drawn to scale but are enlarged in order to show them more clearly.
[0044] FIG. 8 shows the needle 1 of FIG. 5. The shank offset S between the shank-portion centerline 27 and the working-portion centerline 28 is composed of a plastic shank offset S.sub.PL and an elastic shank offset S.sub.EL. The contour of the needle 1 in the state with exclusively plastic deformation (without elastic deformation) is shown here with continuous lines. The contour of the needle 1 in the state with plastic deformation and superimposed elastic deformation is shown with broken lines. The recess 11 and the shank offset S are not drawn to scale but are enlarged compared to the rest of the drawing in order to show them more clearly.
[0045] FIG. 9 shows a side view of a needle 1. On its lateral surface 23 pointing in peripheral direction U, the needle 1 has a recess 11 which extends in elevational direction H over less than 80% of the needle height 13. On the other lateral surface 23 pointing in peripheral direction U, which is not visible in this drawing, the needle 1 has a second recess 11. The recess length 24, in working direction A, of the recess 11 is less than 50% of the length of the bending portion 9 in working direction A. However, it is also advantageous if the recess length 24 is up to 100% or less than 50% of the length of the bending portion 9.
[0046] FIG. 10 shows a section in the H-U plane through the needle 1 of FIG. 9 at the location of the recesses 11. The recess surfaces 29 point in peripheral direction U and each of them is stepped relative to the lateral surfaces 23 pointing in peripheral direction U by the recess depth 22; i.e. each of the recesses 11 reduces the bending-portion width de in peripheral direction U by the recess depth 22. The recess height 26 in elevational direction H is less than 80% of the needle height 13. This feature can be combined advantageously with every embodiment of the knitting system 18 and of the needle 1.
[0047] FIG. 11 shows a side view of a needle 1. On each of its two lateral surfaces 23 pointing in elevational direction H, the needle 1 has a recess 11 which extends in peripheral direction U over the entire width of the bending portion 9. The recess depth 22 of the recesses 11 on the lateral surfaces 23 pointing in elevational direction H is within the aforementioned selection range of 150 m to 500 m, more advantageously 200 m to 400 m. The recess length 24, in working direction A, of the two recesses 11 is less than 50% of the length of the bending portion 9 in working direction A. For all embodiments of the knitting system 18 and of the needle 1 it is also conceivable, however, that the recess length 24 is up to 100% or less than 50% of the length of the bending portion 9.
[0048] FIG. 12 shows a section in the H-U plane through the needle 1 of FIG. 11 at the location of the recesses 11. The recesses 11 extend over the entire bending-portion width d.sub.B. The recess surfaces 29 point in elevational direction H and are stepped relative to the lateral surfaces 23 pointing in elevational direction H by the recess depth 22, so that each of the recesses 11 reduces the cross-section of the bending portion in elevational direction H by the recess depth 22.
TABLE-US-00001 List of reference numerals 1 Needle 2 Loop-forming element 3 Needle-guiding means 4 Guiding groove 5 Guiding wall 6 Verge groove 7 Verge wall 8 Shank portion 9 Bending portion 10 Working portion 11 Recess 12 Base area of the needle-guiding means 3 13 Needle height 14 Length of drive butt 15 Centerline 16 Drive butt 17 Sinker holder 18 Knitting system 19 Distance between drive butt 16 and bending portion 9 20 Sinker groove 21 Additional bar 22 Depth of recess 23 Lateral surface 24 Length of recess 25 Extension length 26 Height of recess 27 Shank-portion centerline 28 Working-portion centerline 29 Surface of recess S Shank offset S.sub.PL Plastic shank offset S.sub.EL Elastic shank offset t Pitch b.sub.HS Additional bar width b.sub.FS Guiding wall width d.sub.A Working-portion width of working portion 10 d.sub.B Bending-portion width of bending portion 9 d.sub.S Shank width of shank portion 8 A Working direction H Elevational direction U Peripheral direction
