Patent US4133191A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4133191A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Knitted fabric having open areas
Assignee: Phillips Fibers Corp
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Filing: 1976-04-09
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Granted: 1979-01-09
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Expires: 1996-04-09
Abstract
Abstract A fabric having open areas is knitted from a plurality of body yarns interspersed at intervals with locking yarns having a lower melting temperature by casting off selected loops in selected body yarns, causing the cast-off loops to unravel toward but not past the respective locking yarn, and heating the fabric to cause the locking yarns to fuse to the touching body yarns, thereby preventing the cast-off loops from unraveling past the respective locking yarn.
Inventors
- 👤 James H. Blore
- 👤 Bobby L. Balcombe
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 18:49
CPC Classifications
D; D04; D04B; D04B1/00; D04B1/10; D04B1/102; D04B1/104; D04B1/06; D04B1/08; D10; D10B; D10B2401/00; D10B2401/04; D10B2401/041
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
261 words
A method of preparing a double knit fabric having a plurality of relatively open areas, which comprises: (I) forming a double knit fabric by (a) knitting at least one body course employing at least one first yarn; (b) then knitting, in immediate succession to said at least one body course, at least one first locking course employing at least one second yarn, said second yarn being formed of a thermoplastic material having a lower melting point than said first yarn; and (c) then in immediate succession to said at least one first locking course, knitting a first plurality of consecutive body courses employing a plurality of first yarns while causing, in each of a plurality of areas in said first plurality of consecutive body courses, at least one stitch to be cast off; (II) stressing the thus knitted fabric to cause the thus cast-off stitches to unravel to a point near to but not past said at least one first locking course employing at least one second yarn; (III) heating the thus stressed fabric to a temperature above the melting point of said at least one second yarn and below the melting point of said first yarns to cause said at least one second yarn to fuse to the first yarns touching said at least one second yarn; and (IV) cooling the thus heated fabric to a temperature below the melting point of said at least one second yarn to thereby prevent the cast-off stitches from unraveling through said at least one first locking course employing at least one second yarn.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
261 words
A method of preparing a double knit fabric having a plurality of relatively open areas, which comprises: (I) forming a double knit fabric by (a) knitting at least one body course employing at least one first yarn; (b) then knitting, in immediate succession to said at least one body course, at least one first locking course employing at least one second yarn, said second yarn being formed of a thermoplastic material having a lower melting point than said first yarn; and (c) then in immediate succession to said at least one first locking course, knitting a first plurality of consecutive body courses employing a plurality of first yarns while causing, in each of a plurality of areas in said first plurality of consecutive body courses, at least one stitch to be cast off; (II) stressing the thus knitted fabric to cause the thus cast-off stitches to unravel to a point near to but not past said at least one first locking course employing at least one second yarn; (III) heating the thus stressed fabric to a temperature above the melting point of said at least one second yarn and below the melting point of said first yarns to cause said at least one second yarn to fuse to the first yarns touching said at least one second yarn; and (IV) cooling the thus heated fabric to a temperature below the melting point of said at least one second yarn to thereby prevent the cast-off stitches from unraveling through said at least one first locking course employing at least one second yarn.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
135 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the step of forming said fabric further comprises (d) knitting, in immediate succession to said first plurality of consecutive body courses, at least one second locking course employing at least one second yarn of said thermoplastic material; and (e) then knitting in immediate succession to said at least one second locking course, a second plurality of consecutive body courses employing a plurality of first yarns while causing, in each of a plurality of areas in said second plurality of consecutive body courses, at least one stitch to be cast off; and wherein the step of stressing the thus knitted fabric causes the respective cast-off stitches to unravel to a point near to but not past the at least one second yarn of the next preceding locking course.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method in accordance with claim 2 wherein said thermoplastic material is a polymer of propylene.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein each of said first yarns is a nylon yarn.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method in accordance with claim 3 wherein each of said first yarn is a polyester yarn.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the cast-off stitches are made by selected cylinder needles and by selected dial needles.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method in accordance with claim 6 wherein said selected cylinder needles and said selected dial needles are inactivated for several courses immediately following the production of the respective cast-off stitches to thereby produce segments of single knit fabric and are then reactivated to resume production of double knit fabric.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein said cast-off stitches occur at predetermined intervals.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method in accordance with claim 8 wherein said cast-off stitches have a longer stitch length than the average stitch length for the fabric.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method in accordance with claim 9 wherein the knit stitches in said second yarns corresponding to the respective cast-off stitches have a longer length than the average stitch length for the fabric.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein each said second yarn is a spun yarn.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein each said second yarn is a textured yarn.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
153 words
A double knit fabric having a plurality of relatively open areas, which comprises at least one body course containing at least one first yarn; in immediate succession to said at least one body course, at least one first locking course containing at least one second yarn, each said second yarn being formed of a thermoplastic material having a lower melting point than said first yarn; and in immediate succession to said at least one first locking course, a first plurality of consecutive body courses containing a plurality of first yarns, in each of a plurality of areas in said first plurality of consecutive body courses at least one stitch having been cast off and unraveled toward but not past said at least one first locking course; said at least one second yarn being fused to the touching first yarns to prevent said cast-off stitches from unraveling past said at least one second yarn.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
153 words
A double knit fabric having a plurality of relatively open areas, which comprises at least one body course containing at least one first yarn; in immediate succession to said at least one body course, at least one first locking course containing at least one second yarn, each said second yarn being formed of a thermoplastic material having a lower melting point than said first yarn; and in immediate succession to said at least one first locking course, a first plurality of consecutive body courses containing a plurality of first yarns, in each of a plurality of areas in said first plurality of consecutive body courses at least one stitch having been cast off and unraveled toward but not past said at least one first locking course; said at least one second yarn being fused to the touching first yarns to prevent said cast-off stitches from unraveling past said at least one second yarn.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
148 words
A fabric in accordance with claim 13 further comprising in immediate succession to said first plurality of consecutive body courses, at least one second locking course containing at least one second yarn of said thermoplastic material; and in immediate succession to said at least one second locking course, a second plurality of consecutive body courses containing a plurality of first yarns, in each of a plurality of areas in said second plurality of consecutive body courses at least one stitch having been cast off and unraveled toward but not past said at least one second locking course; said at least one second yarn of said at least one second locking course being fused to the touching first yarns to prevent said cast-off stitches of said second plurality of consecutive body courses from unraveling past said at least one second yarn of said at least one second locking course.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
A fabric in accordance with claim 14 wherein said thermoplastic material is a polymer of propylene.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
A fabric in accordance with claim 15 wherein each of said first yarns is a nylon yarn.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
A fabric in accordance with claim 15 wherein each of said first yarns is a polyester yarn.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
A fabric in accordance with claim 13 wherein each said second yarn is a spun yarn.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
16 words
A fabric in accordance with claim 13 wherein each said second yarn is a textured yarn.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
A fabric in accordance with claim 13 wherein said cast-off stitches have a longer stitch length than the average stitch length for the fabric.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
A fabric in accordance with claim 20 wherein the stitches in said second yarns corresponding to the respective cast-off stitches have a longer length than the average stitch length for the fabric.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
27 words
A fabric in accordance with claim 21 wherein each of said first yarns is a polyester yarn and each of said second yarns is a polypropylene yarn.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method in accordance with claim 2 wherein said second yarn is a single yarn.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1982-01-08 | 1982-07-10 | 1983-01-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1986-01-08 | 1986-07-10 | 1987-01-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1990-01-08 | 1990-07-10 | 1991-01-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |