The present invention relates to fabric and, more particularly, to multi-color denier gradient fabric.
Denier gradient fabric is generally known in the art. In particular, denier gradient fabrics comprise multiple fabric layers having different deniers. The denier gradient causes moisture to travel by capillary action from the larger denier fabric side to a smaller denier fabric side. U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,546, issued Mar. 29, 1988, to Toda, titled “K
One difficulty with denier gradient fabric is that it is difficult without close inspection of the fabric to determine which side of the fabric has the larger denier fibers, and hence larger voids. If the fabric is not aligned properly, the garments made using the fabric may not exhibit the desired moisture management properties. In order to avoid misalignment of the fabric, many denier gradient fabrics include multiple colors. In other words, the larger denier side would be a first color or pattern, such as, for example, a red color, and the smaller denier side would be a second color or pattern, such as, for example, a blue color. The alignment of the fabric to make (and possible wear) the associated garment would be facilitated because the red color would be associated with the back side and the blue color would be associated with the surface side, or more generically, the red to blue colors would be aligned in the desired direction of moisture flow.
The above-described fabric is made using techniques that produce fabrics that are useful for tops and other like garments. However, the garments typically are non-stretchable and/or if stretched produce gaps through which undergarments or skin may be visible. Thus, it would be desirable to develop a cycling short multi-color denier gradient as well as multi-color denier gradient fabric that when stretched does not produce gaps through which undergarments or skin may be visible.
To attain the advantages and in accordance with the present invention, a multi-color denier gradient fabric is provided. The fabric comprises a first layer constructed out of a yarn of a first denier and a second layer constructed out of a yarn of a second denier. The plurality of yarns are stitched using a compression stitch and of a sufficient weight to inhibit the ability to see through the fabric when stretched.
The foregoing and other features, utilities and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of a preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the present invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles thereof. Like items in the drawings are referred to using the same numerical reference.
The present invention will be described with respect to
Referring first to
As mentioned above, fabric layer 100 may be multi-colored or multi-patterned to assist in fabric alignment. For example, fibers 106 may be a color or pattern 118 indicative that fibers 106 are associated with first side 102. Fibers 112 may be a color or pattern 120 indicative that fibers 112 are associated with second side 104. Patterning and coloring fibers 106 and 112 can be accomplished using most known methods but coloring the fabric is the more conventional style. Any type of coloring process could be used, such as cross dying, batch dying, and yarn dying methods, but it has been found that yarn dying works well.
As mentioned above, the denier gradient fabrics conventionally are see-through when stretched. Thus, the present invention uses a heavier grade or weight fabric. The heavier grade inhibits the see-through effect when the fabric is stretched. Generally, a fabric weight of 120 grams per square meter is sufficient to inhibit the see-through effect, but other weights are possible depending on the stitch, material, stretch, etc.
Referring now to
Referring now to
Instead of a marbled layer, it is possible to provide a blended color to fabric 300 by the arrangement and types of fibers and stitch. For example, if first color 306 was a blue color and second color 310 was a yellow color, then when the fabric is stretched, fabric 300 may take on a green hue.
Referring now to
To make, for example, cycling shorts using a warp knit consistent with the present invention, first you obtain a yarn of a first denier, a yarn of a second denier, and a third yarn of a third denier. One of the yarns should be elastic for the warp knit construction. The deniers of the yarn should be chosen to provide the desired moisture management properties. The yarns may than be knitted, using for example, a warp knit machine, into a greige. The griege is then made into a finished fabric by, for example, refining and heating the greige. One methodology to dye the fabric includes a yarn dye method, but other methods could be used as desired. For the yarn dye method, assume a first nylon yarn and a second cation dye polyester for the second yarn. In this case, the nylon yarn is dyed with, for example, acid dyes. The cation dye polyester would be dyed with cation dye stuff. The dyes would then be fixed with resins, soaped and washed. Wicking agents could be applied to provide moisture management as desired. The fabric is finished by a final heating. As one of ordinary skill in the art would now recognize, other processes could be substituted for the above as are generally known in the art.
While the above describes a particular way to manufacture and color a fabric consistent with the present invention, one of ordinary skill in the art would understand that variations on the above are possible. For example, other compression stitches may be used instead of the warp knit. Further, other woven or non-woven fabrics could be made instead of knit fabrics. Lastly, other dye methods could be used to dye the fabric, such as, for example, batch dying, cross dying, or the like.
While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to an embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various other changes in the form and details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.