Patent Application
20200323297
The present invention relates to a clothing fabric and clothes using the same. More specifically, the invention relates to a clothing fabric and clothes using the same that can be worn with comfort even when sweating.
It is comfortable to wear clothes with countermeasures against sweating while participating in sweaty sports. In conventional clothes, a film of a liquid (sweat) is formed on a fabric surface in a wet state such as when a wearer is sweating, thereby lowering the air permeability, and inhibiting evaporation of sweat on the skin. This state leads to problems in which ineffective sweating increases, exercise performance is lowered due to an increase in the core body temperature, and the clothes become more uncomfortable. Conventional techniques are proposed such as those in Patent Documents 2 and 3 in which knitted fabrics are provided with meshes and those in Patent Documents 1 and 4 in which a water repellent is applied to mesh knitted fabrics.
In conventional clothes, when the amount of sweat is large, a film of a liquid (sweat) is formed on a fabric surface, thereby lowering the air permeability and inhibiting evaporation of sweat on the skin. This state leads to problems in which ineffective sweating increases, exercise performance is lowered due to an increase in the core body temperature, and the clothes become more uncomfortable.
In order to address these conventional problems, the present invention provides a clothing fabric and clothes using the same that can, while being water-absorbing, suppress formation of a film of a liquid even when the fabric is wet, ensure air permeability of the fabric, and always allow sweat on the skin to be evaporated on the body surface, thereby increasing the effective sweat amount, preventing exercise performance from being lowered, and allowing a person to wear the clothes with comfort even when sweating.
The present invention is directed to a clothing fabric including through holes that pass through the fabric in a thickness direction, wherein the through holes are arranged along only one direction of the fabric, and a water-repellent or hydrophobic region is arranged at least at part of the fabric in contact with the through holes, and a hydrophilic region is arranged at the other portions.
Furthermore, the present invention is directed to clothes including the clothing fabric, wherein the through holes that pass through a portion of the fabric in a thickness direction are arranged along a direction of a wearer' height.
According to the clothing fabric and the clothes using the same of the present invention, a water-repellent or hydrophobic region is arranged at least at part of the fabric in contact with the through holes, and a hydrophilic region is arranged at the other portions. Accordingly, moisture is likely to be transferred from the vicinity of the through holes to the hydrophilic region, and a film of a liquid is not formed in the vicinity of the through holes. That is to say, due to the synergistic effect of (1) a water-repellent or hydrophobic region being arranged at least at part of the fabric in contact with the through holes and (2) a hydrophilic region being arranged at the other portions, it is possible to provide a clothing fabric and clothes using the same that can suppress formation of a film of a liquid even when the fabric is wet, ensure air permeability of the fabric, and always allow sweat on the skin to be evaporated on the body surface, thereby increasing the effective sweat amount, preventing exercise performance from being lowered, and allowing a person to wear the clothes with comfort even when sweating.
The present invention is directed to a clothing fabric including: through holes that pass through the fabric in the thickness direction, wherein the through holes are arranged along only one direction of the fabric. The term “one direction” refers to any of a warp direction, a weft direction, and a diagonal direction of the fabric, but the through holes are preferably arranged along a warp or weft direction. The reason for this is that, when the fabric is formed into clothes, the through holes are preferably arranged along a warp direction. Even in the case where the through holes are arranged along a weft or diagonal direction, the performance of the present invention can be ensured by arranging the through holes so as to appear at constant intervals in a warp direction. The fabric may be any fabric such as a woven fabric or a knitted fabric. A water-repellent or hydrophobic region is arranged at least at part of the fabric in contact with the through holes, and a hydrophilic region is arranged at the other portions. In this description, “at least part of the fabric in contact with the through holes” refers to 10% or more, preferably 20% or more, and more preferably 30% or more. With this structure, moisture is likely to be transferred from the vicinity of the through holes to the hydrophilic region, and a film of a liquid is not formed in the vicinity of the through holes. As a result, it is possible to provide a clothing fabric and clothes using the same that can ensure air permeability of the through holes even when the clothing fabric is wet with sweat, thereby increasing the effective sweat amount, preventing exercise performance from being lowered, and allowing a person to wear the clothes with comfort even when sweating. The through holes may have any planar shape, such as a circle, an oval, a quadrangle, a rhombus, a triangle, a polygon, or an irregular shape.
According to the fabric of the present invention, a water-repellent or hydrophobic region is arranged at part of the through holes, and thus the surface tension increases due to capillary action of the through holes. Accordingly, moisture on the fabric surface is likely to be transferred, and a film of a liquid is not formed at the through holes. Furthermore, even when moisture is filled into the through hole, its surface tension differs from portion to portion because a hydrophilic region is arranged at a portion thereof and a water-repellent or hydrophobic region is arranged at another portion, and forces that are applied to the liquid at the through hole are not balanced, and thus a film of a liquid is not formed at the through hole. A water-repellent or hydrophobic region is preferably arranged around the through holes, and at least in contact with part of the through holes. A hydrophilic region is arranged at part of the fabric so as to absorb sweat excreted from the body surface. The hydrophilic region is preferably arranged in an area of at least 10% or more. The water-repellent or hydrophobic region can be formed through knitting or weaving with a water-repellent or hydrophobic yarn, or by applying a water-repellent or hydrophobic resin to the fabric. The hydrophilic region can be formed through knitting or weaving with a hydrophilic yarn, or by applying a hydrophilic resin to the fabric.
According to the fabric of the present invention, a water-repellent or hydrophobic yarn is arranged at part of the through holes, and thus the surface tension increases due to capillary action of the through holes. Accordingly, moisture on the fabric surface is likely to be transferred, and a film of a liquid is not formed at the through holes. A water-repellent or hydrophobic yarn is preferably arranged around the through holes, and at least in contact with part of the through holes. A hydrophilic yarn is preferably arranged at part of the fabric so as to absorb sweat excreted from the body surface. The hydrophilic yarn is preferably arranged in an amount of at least 10% or more.
Lines for facilitating flow of a liquid in the vertical direction when the fabric is positioned vertical to the ground may be provided. The lines in the vertical direction are formed by continuously arranging the yarn density pattern, or water-repellent or hydrophobic region. The yarn density pattern is formed through methods such as the stitch density of the fabric, the number of twists of the yarn, the percentage of crimp, knitting techniques, embossing, or the like. In order to continuously arrange the water-repellent or hydrophobic region, it is necessary to realize a continuous arrangement of a water-repellent or hydrophobic yarn, such as a state in which a continuous yarn that is a water-repellent or hydrophobic yarn is knitted in warp knitting, or a state in which water-repellent or hydrophobic printing is performed in a stripe pattern or the like, for example. Lines in which lines with a constant length may regularly and repeatedly appear are not limited to straight lines, and may include curved lines in the shape of waves.
In the present invention, examples of at least one fiber yarn (I) selected from water-repellent fiber yarns and hydrophobic fiber yarns include: hydrophobic fiber yarns such as polypropylene fiber yarns, polyethylene fiber yarns, and polyester (PET, etc.) yarns; yarns obtained by subjecting organic fiber yarns (e.g., the above-described hydrophobic fiber yarn) to water-repellent treatment; and yarn portions obtained by subjecting yarns in a fabric state to water-repellent treatment through printing. Examples of a hydrophilic fiber yarn (II) include: cellulose fiber spun yarns such as cotton spun yarns and rayons; highly crosslinked polyacrylate-based fiber spun yarns; mixed spun yarns of these fibers and polyester (PET, etc.) fibers; composite spun yarns (including siro spun yarns) of these fibers and polyester (PET, etc.) multifilament yarns; nylon yarns; polyester (PET, etc.) fiber yarns and the like subjected to hydrophilic treatment; and yarn portions obtained by subjecting yarns in a fabric state to hydrophilic treatment through printing. For example, it is possible that the at least one fiber yarn (I) selected from water-repellent fiber yarns and hydrophobic fiber yarns is used as a fiber constituting the through holes, and the hydrophilic fiber yarn (II) is used for the base portions.
The portion using the hydrophilic fiber yarn preferably absorbs a liquid within 180 seconds as defined in the Dropping Test (JIS L 1907 A). It is more preferable to absorb a liquid within 60 seconds. When the Dropping Test (JIS L 1907 A) is performed, the fabric of the present invention is preferably such that the portion using the water-repellent or hydrophobic fiber yarn has higher water-retaining properties than the portion using the hydrophilic fiber yarn.
According to the fabric of the present invention, the ratio between the areas of the water-repellent or hydrophobic region (A) and the hydrophilic region (B) occupying the clothing fabric is preferably A:B=1:99 to 90:10, more preferably 2:98 to 85:25, and even more preferably 2:98 to 80:20. In this case, the area of the water-repellent or hydrophobic region (A), in continuous arrangement of a water-repellent or hydrophobic yarn such as when a continuous yarn that is a water-repellent or hydrophobic yarn is knitted in warp knitting, refers to an area obtained by multiplying the thickness of the yarn in a fabric state without load as measured using a digital microscope (product number VH-Z25, manufactured by Keyence Corporation) by the number of yarns constituting the fabric per unit area. Furthermore, in the case where the water-repellent or hydrophobic region (A) is formed by applying a resin, the area refers to an area of the resin applied per unit area. The region other than the water-repellent or hydrophobic region (A) is taken as the hydrophilic region (B), based on which the area ratio between the water-repellent or hydrophobic region (A) and the hydrophilic region (B) is calculated. Furthermore, the mass ratio between the at least one fiber yarn (I) selected from water-repellent fiber yarns and hydrophobic fiber yarns and the hydrophilic fiber yarn (II) is preferably A:B=1:99 to 90:10, more preferably 2:98 to 85:25, and even more preferably 2:98 to 80:20, when the clothing fabric is taken as 100 mass %. Accordingly, moisture is more likely to be transferred, and a film of a liquid is not formed in the vicinity of the through holes.
Preferably, when the clothing fabric of the present invention is suspended such that the through holes are arranged along the vertical direction in a state where the fabric whose weight is taken as 100% is wet with 300% of moisture, the through holes have voids therein.
The clothing fabric of the present invention is preferably such that grooves (lines) are formed in the same direction as the one direction along which the through holes are arranged. Accordingly, when the sweat amount increases, a liquid is likely to flow along the grooves (lines). The direction of the grooves (lines) preferably matches the direction of the wearer' height. Furthermore, the width of each of the grooves is preferably 0.1 to 30 mm, and more preferably 0.3 to 20 mm. The groove portions (lines) are preferably formed at fabric portions using at least one fiber yarn (I) selected from water-repellent fiber yarns and hydrophobic fiber yarns. The reason for this is for facilitating flowing of a liquid. The groove portions may be formed at knitted fabric portions using the water-repellent or hydrophobic fiber yarn by forming the knitted fabric portions using the hydrophilic fiber yarn relatively thick and the knitted fabric portions using the water-repellent or hydrophobic fiber yarn relatively thin.
The size of each of the through holes is such that the average length in both the warp and weft directions is preferably 0.3 to 25 mm, and more preferably 0.3 to 20 mm. Accordingly, it is possible to provide a clothing fabric and clothes using the same that can further increase the effective sweat amount, prevent exercise performance from being lowered, and allow a person to wear the clothes with comfort even when sweating.
The opening percentage of the clothing fabric is preferably 1 to 50%, and more preferably 2 to 40%. Accordingly, it is possible to provide a clothing fabric and clothes using the same that can further increase the effective sweat amount, prevent exercise performance from being lowered, and allow a person to wear the clothes with comfort even when sweating. The opening percentage refers to a proportion of the through holes occupying the fabric.
The fiber yarn used in the clothing fabric of the present invention may be any yarn such as a spun yarn, a multifilament yarn, a crimping yarn obtained by treating a multifilament yarn, or the like. When a crimping yarn is used, yarns with different percentages of crimp are preferably arranged on the upper and lower sides. A high percentage of crimp increases the amount of water that can be retained, and a low percentage of crimp decreases the amount of water that can be retained. If these yarns are arranged on the upper and lower sides, liquid droplets become large, and transfer of the liquid droplets is repeatedly accelerated, and thus voids are ensured. When a twisted yarn is used, yarns of two or more types with numbers of twists that are different from each other by 100 times/i or more are preferably used.
The fabric of the present invention may be either a woven fabric or a knitted fabric. Examples of the woven fabric basically include a plain weave, a twill weave, a sateen weave, a plain derivative weave, a twill derivative weave, a sateen derivative weave, a derivative weave, a brocade, a half double weave, a double structure, a multi structure, a warp pile weave, a weft pile weave, a leno weave, and the like, wherein through holes are formed along one of the warp, weft, and diagonal directions. Examples of the knitted fabric include a circular knit, a weft knit, a warp knit (including a tricot knit and a raschel knit), a pile knit, and the like, and basically include a plain knit, a jersey knit, a rib knit, a smooth knit (interlock knit), a rubber knit, a pearl knit, a denbigh structure, a cord structure, an atlas structure, a chain structure, and an inlay structure, wherein through holes are formed along one of the warp, weft, and diagonal directions. Of these, a knitted fabric is preferable. In the case of a knitted fabric, woven stitches or knitted stitches stretch in planar directions when the fabric is wet, and the air permeability increases. Moreover, since the basis weight (weight per unit area) is small, a knitted fabric is suited to be used in a portion of clothes in which the amount of sweat is large. As a knitted fabric, knitted fabrics such as a warp knit (including a tricot knit and a raschel knit), a weft knit, a circular knit, and the like are preferable. In the present invention, the basis weight of the fabric is preferably 40 g/m2 or more and less than 300 g/m2. Since the fabric is used in a portion of clothes in which the amount of sweat is large, the fabric is preferably thin. The fabric of the present invention may be a one-way or two-way stretch fabric, and may include an elastic yarn made of polyurethane or the like.
The clothes of the present invention contain the above-described fabric, wherein through holes that pass through a portion of the fabric in the thickness direction are arranged along the wearer' height or diagonal direction. Accordingly, moisture of sweat is likely to flow in the warp direction, and the air permeability of the through holes is ensured. The clothes are preferably used as sportswear. The clothes are preferably used particularly as sportswear that is used in a hot season when the amount of sweat is large. The fabric is arranged at least corresponding to a portion of a human body where the amount of sweat is large, and is formed into clothes. For example, the fabric may be used in the whole or part (corresponding to the underarms or the back, etc) of a sport shirt, a T-shirt, an inner shirt, a training warmer, briefs, an ordinary shirt, briefs, or the like.
Hereinafter, a clothing fabric according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same constituent elements.
On the other hand,
Hereinafter, a more specific description will be given by way of examples. Note that the present invention is not to be interpreted as being limited to the following examples.
Fabrics with compositions as shown in Table 1 were produced. A water-repellent or hydrophobic yarn I was used to form fabric portions including through holes, and a hydrophilic yarn II was used to form the other portions. Example 1 (development article A), Example 2 (development article B), Comparative Example 1 (comparative article a), Comparative Example 3 (comparative article c), and Comparative Example 4 (comparative article d) were for shirts, and Example 3 (development article C), Example 5 (development article E), and Comparative Example 2 (comparative article b) were for inner shirts. In Table 1, PET denotes a polyethylene terephthalate fiber yarn, PP denotes a polypropylene fiber yarn, and PU denotes a polyurethane fiber yarn. Furthermore, T denotes dicitex, f denotes the number of filaments, Count denotes the metric count, SD denotes semidull. The front faces and back faces of the fabrics according to development articles A to E of Examples 1 to 5 were as shown in
The opening percentages of the articles according to Examples 1 to 5 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 were measured. The opening percentages were measured as follows.
(1) An image of a fabric is printed, and a quadrangular region defined by segments linking the centers of four through holes is cut.
(2) A paper weight W1 of the cut quadrangular portion is measured.
(3) Through holes contained in the cut quadrangular portion are cut, and their paper weight W2 is measured.
(4) Opening percentage=(1−W2/W1)×100 is calculated.
Table 2 shows the opening percentages of the fabrics.
The ventilation resistances in a dry state and a wet state were measured. The measurement was performed using an Air Permeability Tester KES-F8 (manufactured by Kato Tech Co., Ltd.). The measurement was performed by releasing and sucking air into and from the atmosphere, detecting the pressures during the release and suction, and calculating a ventilation resistance R.
Ventilation: 4 cc/cm2/sec. (constant ventilation method)
Vent area: 2 πcm2
The ventilation resistance in a dry state was measured at a temperature of 20° C. and a relative humidity of 65% R.H. in a state where each fabric was dried.
The ventilation resistance in a wet was measured while air was released and sucked parallel to the ground in a state where each fabric whose weight was taken as 100% was wet with 300% of moisture. The temperature and the humidity were as described above. The measuring method was as follows.
(1) A fabric is held vertical to the ground.
(2) The sample immersed in a water tank is taken out and the fabric is set in the tester.
(3) Measurement is performed using the method as defined in the KES test manual.
Table 3 shows the ventilation resistance values of the fabrics.
As is clear from Table 3, the articles according to the examples had lower ventilation resistance values in both the dry state and the wet state than those according to the comparative examples, and had significantly low ventilation resistance values especially in the wet state. If the ventilation resistance value in a wet state is 0.1 kPa*s/m2 or less, the wearer feels moisture escaping from the inside of the clothes to the outside of the clothes.
The heat dissipations from the clothes in a sweating state were measured as measurement of the amounts of heat transferred into the outside air in a wet state. The conditions were set such that constant temperature and humidity layer: 80° C., relative humidity: 95% R.H., and apparatus used: heat flow sensor Z (product number: 2015TC, manufactured by Hioki E.E. Corporation). The measuring apparatus was as shown in
(1) A sample is placed over the edge of a cup such that the back face of the fabric is on the constant temperature and humidity layer side.
(2) The sample is immersed in ion exchange water for 1 minute or more.
(3) The sample is taken out of the liquid such that the warp direction of the fabric matches the vertical direction, and is set within 5 seconds at an air outlet of the constant temperature and humidity layer.
(4) Measurement is started 5 seconds after the sample is taken out of the liquid.
(5) Measurement is ended in 1 minute and 30 seconds in total.
(6) Analysis is performed by calculating integral values from 1 to 15 seconds after the start of the measurement.
Table 4 (shirt fabrics) and Table 5 (inner shirt fabrics) show the heat flow values of the fabrics.
As shown in Tables 4 and 5, the articles according to Examples 1 to 3 (development articles A and B) had high heat flow values, and thus it seems that they can be worn with comfort.
Next, the heat dissipations from the clothes in a sweating state were measured as measurement of the amounts of heat transferred into the outside air in a wet state. In the measurement, a heat flow sensor Z (product number: 2015TC, manufactured by Hioki E.E. Corporation) was used.
(1) A sample in which a comparative article and a development article are respectively arranged on the left and right sides is produced, and the heat flow sensors are attached thereto as shown in
(2) The wearer runs for 30 minutes on a treadmill set to a speed of 5 min/km, in an environmental test lab set to an environmental temperature of 28° C. and 80% RH. Wind at a speed of 2.5 m/s is blown against the wearer from the front relative to the running.
(3) Analysis is performed by calculating integral values of the amounts of heat transferred in 5 minutes in total from 25 to 30 minutes after the start of the measurement.
Table 6 shows the results.
In the case of the comparative articles, transfer of heat from the inside of the clothes to the outside air stopped 15 to 20 minutes after the start of the running when the article was wet with the sweat of a subject, and thus these articles showed minus values. On the other hand, in the case of the articles according to the examples (development articles), even when the article was wet with sweat, the air permeability was maintained, and thus the sweat was allowed to evaporate. Accordingly, heat was dissipated to the outside, and thus these articles always showed plus values.
Next, each fabric was sewn into a shirt, and the wear test was performed. The wear test was performed by causing a subject who was wearing the development articles and the comparative articles to perform exercise in the Kansai district in August. The comfort in a heavily sweating state was evaluated by a sensory evaluation (SD method, bipolar scale, five grades).
The fabric of the present invention may be used, for example, in the whole or part (corresponding to the underarms or the back, etc.) of a sport shirt, a T-shirt, an inner shirt, briefs, tights, tights, an ordinary shirt, briefs, or the like.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-014466 | Jan 2018 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2018/012152 | 3/26/2018 | WO | 00 |
