Patent Application
20210214865
This application claims priority to Taiwan Patent Application No. 109101415, filed on Jan. 15, 2020, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The present disclosure relates generally to a stretchable, elastic fabric and associated methods. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to an elastic fabric including elastic warp and weft yarns and methods for designing and/or manufacturing the same.
One way to form an elastic fabric is to weave the fabric with elastic fibers. A typical quality issue is that the fabrics usually fail to return to their original sizes after wearing. Conventionally, textile manufacturers addressed this issue by increasing the thread count of the yarn used in the fabric; however, increased thread count significantly increases the cost of producing the fabric, and the end product is heavy, thus not breathable and comfortable for wearing. To design a fabric, one must consider a broad range of design factors, including selections of the composition and configuration of the yarns, the type of weave used to produce the fabric, as well as the density and the specification of the warp and weft. The combinations from the various configurations can result in a very large number of possible variations that would be impractical, if not impossible, to exhaustively experiment in a reasonably timely and economic manner for the sake of identifying those preferred combinations that are suitable for a particular fabric design's specification. Therefore, it is advantageous to have an improved technique to address the foregoing issues.
One or more embodiments of the present disclosure are illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements.
In light the foregoing issues, the present disclosure provides techniques to facilitate designing and manufacturing desirable elastic fabric with a relatively low cost. A number of embodiments of fabrics with desirable traits, discovered using one or more the techniques discussed here, are also disclosed. More particularly, the present disclosure provides, in some embodiments, methods for designing and/or forming an elastic fabric based on a density ratio of the elastic fabric and/or a type of weaving process. The elastic fabric is formed by a first set of yarns in a first direction (e.g., a warp direction) and a second set of yarns in a second direction (e.g., a weft direction) generally perpendicular to the first direction. The density ratio can be a ratio of a first yarn density (e.g., the number of yarns per unit length; a warp density) in the first direction to a second yarn density (e.g., a weft density) in the second direction. It is observed in the present disclosure that using this density ratio as a factor to design and/or manufacture an elastic fabric can ensure the elastic fabric to have desirable qualities with a relatively low cost, meanwhile reducing the time to market of the product.
In some examples, the disclosed method can be implemented to design and manufacture a woven “four-way stretch” elastic fabric by controlling the density ratio of the elastic fabric in a predetermined range (e.g., 1.1-2.625). “Four-way stretch” fabric refers to a multi-directional elastic fabric with elasticity in both the warp and weft directions. The resulting elastic fabric embodiment can be lightweight, breathable (e.g., having a suitable fabric cover factor ranging from 70% to 90%), and enjoy excellent ductile and recovery properties. For example, a fabric can be made by the present method by using Lycra yarns (e.g., 154*84/60c+30D, poplin pattern), and the fabric has a cover factor 86.14% and a fabric weight of 111.73 g/m. The term “recovery properties” refer to properties of a fabric being able to restore to its original shape after being stretched. The present disclosure also enables designing and manufacturing a fabric based on customer's specification in a more cost-effective way.
The present disclosure also provides a multi-directional elastic fabric made by yarns with elastic fibers. The elastic fabric can be made by a weaving process which weaves warp and weft yarns into fabric. The warp yarns and/or the weft yarns can include elastic fibers therein. The elastic fibers can contribute about 1 to 20 percent of the total weight to the whole elastic fabric. The remaining composition of the yarns can include artificial or man-made fibers (e.g., polyester fiber, polyamide fiber, acrylic fiber, polypropylene fiber, synthetic fibers, etc.) or natural fibers (e.g., cellulose fibers). The elastic fiber can have a linear density such as 10 to 300 Denier (D).
The warp yarns can have a woven density (“warp density”) of about 110-210 counts/strands/picks per inch in the warp (e.g., longitudinal) direction. The weft yarns can have a woven density (“weft density”) of about 80 to 100 counts/strands/ends per inch in the weft (e.g., traverse) direction. During a weaving process, the warp yarns are aligned generally in parallel, and then a shuttle coupled to the weft yarn moves back and forth among the warp yarns so as to form a woven fabric. It is observed here that elastic fabrics made by the warp and weft yarns with the foregoing warp and weft densities (or density ratio) have excellent characteristics with a relatively low cost. For example, the elastic fabrics are stretchable (e.g., 10-50%). The elastic fabrics also have a low growth (e.g., 1-10%) and a high recovery rate (e.g., 40-99%).
The present disclosure also provides methods for designing a multi-directional elastic woven fabric based on a set of rules. The set of rules can include characteristic requirements for the elastic fabric such as stretch requirements (e.g., 10-50%), growth requirements (1-10%) and recovery requirements (e.g., 40-99%). The set of rules can include characteristics regulated in testing standards such as ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) D3107 standard. The set of rules can also include specifications and/or quality standards provided by a customer. For example, the customer can require that a fabric to be made having a stretch factor greater than 10%, as well as a growth factor less than 5%.
In certain embodiments, the method of designing and/or manufacturing an elastic fabric can include (i) determining a weft density of a weft yarn of the elastic fabric based on a set of rules; (ii) determining a density ratio of the elastic fabric based on the set of rules; and (iii) determining a warp density of a warp yarn of the multi-directional elastic woven fabric based on the density ratio and the set of rules. The method can further include confirming that the density ratio is in a predetermined range (e.g., 1.1-2.625) during a design stage or a quality control stage. It is observed here that, based on the foregoing density ratio, the woven elastic fabric can be manufactured with a relatively low cost, while still meet suitable characteristic requirements.
Results of testing the present elastic fabric show that it has superior ductility and supportiveness in both longitudinal (warp) and traverse (weft) directions. More particularly, the elastic fabric has a stretch attribute/factor of 10-50%, a growth attribute/factor of 1-10%, and a recovery attribute/factor of 40-99%. Maintaining the introduced density ratio of the warp density to the weft density enables a fabric designer and/or manufacturer to design/manufacture elastic fabrics with excellent fabric qualities, lightweight, high ductility, supportiveness, and comfortableness at a relatively low cost.
References in this description to “an embodiment,” “one embodiment,” or the like, mean that the particular feature, function, structure, or characteristic being described is included in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. Occurrences of such phrases in this specification do not necessarily all refer to the same embodiment. On the other hand, the embodiments referred to also are not necessarily mutually exclusive.
The weft yarns 11 and warp yarns 12 include elastic fibers therein and therefore the elastic fabric 1 is elastic in both the first and second directions. In some embodiments, the amount of the elastic fibers in the elastic fabric 1 can be quantized by weight. For example, the elastic fibers can be about 1% by weight of the weft yarn 11 and/or the warp yarn 12. In another example, the elastic fibers can be about 20% by weight of the weft yarn 11 and/or the warp yarn 12. In some embodiments, the amount of the elastic fibers can be in a range of 1% to 20% by weight of the weft yarn 11 and/or the warp yarn 12. In other embodiments, the amount of the elastic fibers can be in a range of 1% to 50%. In some embodiments, the amount of the elastic fibers can be in a range of 10% to 30%. In some embodiments, the elastic fibers can be from polyurethane-based (PU-based) fibers such as Lycra yarns.
The elastic fibers have a linear density (unit “Denier” or “D”) that within a predetermined range. As an example, the range can be 10-300D. In one embodiment, the linear density of the elastic fibers can be about 10D. In another embodiments, the linear density of the elastic fibers can be about 300D. In some embodiments, the elastic fibers in the weft yarn 11 can have the same linear density as those in the warp yarn 12. In some embodiments, the linear density of the elastic fibers in the weft yarn 11 can be different from the linear density of the elastic fibers in the warp yarn 12.
In some embodiments, the linear density of the elastic fibers in the same warp yarn 12 or the same weft yarn 11 can be different or in a range. For example, a first set of elastic fibers in the warp yarn 12 can have a first linear density of 100D, whereas a second set of elastic fibers in the warp yarn 12 can have a second linear density of 200D. In this example, both the first and second linear densities are in a range of 100D-200D.
The weft yarns 11 and warp yarns 12 can have different yarn densities in the weft and ward directions. In the illustrated embodiment, the weft yarns 11 has a weft density of about 110 to 210 counts per inch, and the warp yarns 12 has a warp density of about 80 to 100 counts per inch. A density ratio of the elastic fabric 1 can be calculated based on the warp and weft densities. For example, the density ratio can be a ratio of the weft density to the warp density. In such embodiment, the density ratio can range from (i.e., 110/100) to 2.625 (i.e., 210/80). It is observed here that, fabrics woven with the foregoing elastic fiber composition and densities can exhibit excellent elasticity and superior ductility and supportability in both the warp and the weft directions.
In some embodiments, the warp and the weft yarns 12 and 11 used in the fabric 1 can be spun from a polyurethane-based elastic fiber (e.g., Lycra™, Spandex, Sonora, T400, or side-by-side elastic fiber) having a linear density of about 10D to 300D. The warp and the weft yarns 12 and 11 can be spun with the elastic fiber configured as a core-spun staple fiber, wrap-spun staple fiber, or filament fiber.
As discussed above, the amount of the elastic fibers in the elastic fabric 1 can be in a range of 1% to 20% by weight. The remaining about 80% to 99% of the warp yarns 12 and the weft yarns 11 by weight includes one or more “secondary” or “non-elastic” fibers, including cotton, hemp, silk, wool, nylon, polyester, regenerated cellulose (e.g., lyocell, rayon, soybean fiber, or a combination thereof), or a mixture of the foregoing materials.
The warp and the weft yarns 12 and 11 spun from the elastic fibers can be twisted into single-ply or multiple-ply yarns. The warp yarn 12 and the weft yarn 11 can be core-spun or wrap-spun using short staple fibers and then configured as single-ply yarn with a count number (or length per unit weight) of “Ne10” to “Ne100.” The term “Ne10” indicates that the count number is “10,” whereas the term “Ne100” indicates that the count number is “100.” For example, the yarn can be configured as single-ply with count number of 10, 16, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, or 100.
In multiple-ply yarns embodiments, the warp yarn 12 and the weft yarn 11 can each be configured as two-ply yarn with a count number of Ne20/2 to Ne160/2 (wherein “2” stands for “two” plies). The warp yarn 12 and the weft yarn 11 can be core-spun or wrap spun. In some examples, the count number can be 20/2, 25/2, 30/2, 40/2, 50/2, 60/2, 80/2, 100/2, 120/2, 140/2 or 160/2.
The elastic fabric 1 has been tested under the ASTM D3107 standard. The test results show that the elastic fabric 1 has superior ductility and supportiveness in both longitudinal (warp) and traverse (weft) directions. Table 1 below shows the test results. More particularly, the elastic fabric 1 has a stretch attribute/factor of 10-50%, a growth attribute/factor of 1-10%, and a recovery attribute/factor of 40-99%. When tested according to the ISO 6330 standard, the elastic fabric 1 is also found to have a washing shrinkage rate of 5% or less. It is observed here that, by controlling the density ratio of the weft density to the warp density in the range of 1.1-2.625, the elastic fabric 1 with desirable attributes (e.g., high stretch attribute, low growth attribute, and/or high recovery attribute) can be manufactured with low cost. In other words, without controlling the density ratio of the fabric 1, it can cost significantly more materials without even achieving the same or similar results.
<5%
Table 2 below shows examples of the elastic fabric made based on the density ratio with warp/weft specifications. For example, in the first row, the fabric can be made by controlling the density ratio as “1.83.” The warp and weft density can then be determined (“154” and “84”) respectively. Accordingly, the specifications of the warp yarn (“warp specification”) and the weft yarn (“weft specification”) can be determined. For example, in the first row, both the warp specification and the weft specification are “60c+30D.” The term “60c+30D” means that the yarn is formed with “60” single-ply filaments, and the linear density of the filaments is “30D.”
In some embodiments, the warp density and the weft density can be used to determine a cover factor of a fabric based on Equations A and B below:
“Kc” stands for a cover factor of a fabric or a piece of cloth. “Kwarp” is the cover factor of its warp yarn, and “Kweft” is the cover factor of its weft yarn. Cover factor “Kwarp” or “Kweft” can be calculated based on Equation B above. In Equation B above, “n” is the warp or weft density (e.g., ends per inch), and “N” is the warp or weft count (e.g., 50, 60, 70, etc.). The present disclosure enables a user to effectively and efficiently design and manufacture fabrics based on the density ratio and Equations A and B.
The present disclosure also enables a user to design and manufacturing a fabric with particular warp/weft color percentages based on the density ratio of the fabric. The warp/weft color percentages (CPwarp and CPweft) can be calculated based on Equations C and D below. To have suitable color appearances, various color percentage requirements can be required by a customer. For example, the customer can require that the warp color percentage is higher than the weft color percentage, or vice versa. By considering the density ratio of the fabric and Equations C and D, the present disclosure enables users to effectively and efficiently design and manufacturing fabrics with particular color appearances.
In some embodiments, the first and second elastic fibers can be the same type of elastic fibers. In other embodiments, the first and second elastic fibers can be different types of elastic fibers. The first and second elastic fibers can be in form of short staple fibers, staple fibers, filament fiber, and/or other suitable fibers.
The warp and weft yarns can be formed by spinning the elastic fibers together with one or more secondary fibers using a spinning process. The elastic fibers accounts for about 1% to 20% of the warp and weft yarns.
The method can include producing the warp yarn and the weft yarn by core-spinning or wrap-spinning the elastic fibers with the secondary fibers. In some embodiments, the one or more secondary fibers can include cotton, hemp, silk, wool, nylon, polyester, regenerated cellulose (e.g., lyocell, rayon, soybean fiber, or a combination thereof), or a mixture of the foregoing materials.
The warp yarn and the weft yarn can be single-ply or multiple-ply. In some embodiments, the warp and the weft yarn can include a single-ply yarn with a count number range of Ne10 to Ne100. By way of example, some single-ply configurations of the warp yarn and the weft yarn can include count numbers of 10, 16, 20, 25, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, or 100.
In other examples, the warp and the weft yarn can include two-ply yarns with a count number range of Ne20/2 to Ne160/2. By way of example, some two-ply configurations of the warp yarn and the weft yarn can have count numbers of 20/2, 25/2, 30/2, 40/2, 50/2, 60/2, 80/2, 100/2, 120/2, 140/2 or 160/2.
The method includes (i) determining a weft density of a weft yarn of the elastic fabric based on the set of rules (Step 32); (ii) determining a density ratio of the elastic fabric based on the set of rules (Step 34); and (iii) determining a warp density of a warp yarn of the elastic fabric based on the density ratio and the set of rules (Step 36). In some embodiments, the method can include confirming that the density ratio is in a predetermined range. In some embodiments, the warp density can have a range of 110 to 210 counts per inch. In some embodiments, the weft density can have a range of 80-100 ends/counts per inch. In some embodiments, the density ratio can be a ratio of the warp density to the weft density. In such embodiments, the density ratio can have a range from 2.625 (i.e., 210/80) to 1.1 (i.e., 110/100). It is observed here that, based on the foregoing density ratio, the elastic fabric can be manufactured to fulfill the characteristic requirements with a relatively low cost.
In some embodiments, the method can determine the density ratio of the elastic fabric to be manufactured prior to determining the weft density. In such embodiments, the density ratio can be determined based on the characteristic requirements of the elastic fabric to be manufactured, types of weaving pattern of the elastic fabric, etc.
The computing system 400 may include one or more central processing units (also referred to as “processors”) 402, main memory 406, non-volatile memory 410, network adapter 412 (e.g., network interface), video display 418, input/output devices 420, control device 422 (e.g., keyboard and pointing devices), drive unit 424 including a storage medium 426, and signal generation device 430 that are communicatively connected to a bus 416. The bus 416 is illustrated as an abstraction that represents one or more physical buses and/or point-to-point connections that are connected by appropriate bridges, adapters, or controllers. The bus 416, therefore, can include a system bus, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus or PCI-Express bus, a HyperTransport or industry standard architecture (ISA) bus, a small computer system interface (SCSI) bus, a universal serial bus (USB), IIC (I2C) bus, or an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standard 1394 bus (also referred to as “Firewire”).
The computing system 400 may share a similar computer processor architecture as that of a personal computer, tablet computer, mobile phone, game console, music player, wearable electronic device (e.g., a watch or fitness tracker), network-connected (“smart”) device (e.g., a television or home assistant device), virtual/augmented reality systems (e.g., a head-mounted display), or another electronic device capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify action(s) to be taken by the computing system 400.
While the main memory 406, non-volatile memory 410, and storage medium 426 (also called a “machine-readable medium”) are shown to be a single medium, the term “machine-readable medium” and “storage medium” should be taken to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized/distributed database and/or associated caches and servers) that store one or more sets of instructions 428. The term “machine-readable medium” and “storage medium” shall also be taken to include any medium that is capable of storing, encoding, or carrying a set of instructions for execution by the computing system 400.
In general, the routines executed to implement the embodiments of the disclosure may be implemented as part of an operating system or a specific application, component, program, object, module, or sequence of instructions (collectively referred to as “computer programs”). The computer programs typically comprise one or more instructions (e.g., instructions 404, 408, 428) set at various times in various memory and storage devices in a computing device. When read and executed by the one or more processors 402, the instruction(s) cause the computing system 400 to perform operations to execute elements involving the various aspects of the disclosure.
Moreover, while embodiments have been described in the context of fully functioning computing devices, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the various embodiments are capable of being distributed as a program product in a variety of forms. The disclosure applies regardless of the particular type of machine or computer-readable media used to actually effect the distribution.
Further examples of machine-readable storage media, machine-readable media, or computer-readable media include recordable-type media such as volatile and non-volatile memory devices 410, floppy and other removable disks, hard disk drives, optical disks (e.g., Compact Disk Read-Only Memory (CD-ROMS), Digital Versatile Disks (DVDs)), and transmission-type media such as digital and analog communication links.
The network adapter 412 enables the computing system 400 to mediate data in a network 414 with an entity that is external to the computing system 400 through any communication protocol supported by the computing system 400 and the external entity. The network adapter 412 can include a network adaptor card, a wireless network interface card, a router, an access point, a wireless router, a switch, a multilayer switch, a protocol converter, a gateway, a bridge, bridge router, a hub, a digital media receiver, and/or a repeater.
The network adapter 412 may include a firewall that governs and/or manages permission to access/proxy data in a computer network and tracks varying levels of trust between different machines and/or applications. The firewall can be any number of modules having any combination of hardware and/or software components able to enforce a predetermined set of access rights between a particular set of machines and applications, machines and machines, and/or applications (e.g., to regulate the flow of traffic and resource sharing between these entities). The firewall may additionally manage and/or have access to an access control list that details permissions including the access and operation rights of an object by an individual, a machine, and/or an application, and the circumstances under which the permission rights stand.
The techniques introduced here can be implemented by programmable circuitry (e.g., one or more microprocessors), software and/or firmware, special-purpose hardwired (i.e., non-programmable) circuitry, or a combination of such forms. Special-purpose circuitry can be in the form of one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), etc.
The foregoing description of various embodiments of the claimed subject matter has been provided for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the claimed subject matter to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to one skilled in the art. Embodiments were chosen and described in order to best describe the principles of the invention and its practical applications, thereby enabling those skilled in the relevant art to understand the claimed subject matter, the various embodiments, and the various modifications that are suited to the particular uses contemplated.
Although the Detailed Description describes certain embodiments and the best mode contemplated, the technology can be practiced in many ways no matter how detailed the Detailed Description appears. Embodiments may vary considerably in their implementation details, while still being encompassed by the specification. Particular terminology used when describing certain features or aspects of various embodiments should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being redefined herein to be restricted to any specific characteristics, features, or aspects of the technology with which that terminology is associated. In general, the terms used in the following claims should not be construed to limit the technology to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification, unless those terms are explicitly defined herein. Accordingly, the actual scope of the technology encompasses not only the disclosed embodiments, but also all equivalent ways of practicing or implementing the embodiments.
The language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes. It may not have been selected to delineate or circumscribe the subject matter. It is therefore intended that the scope of the technology be limited not by this Detailed Description, but rather by any claims that issue on an application based hereon. Accordingly, the disclosure of various embodiments is intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the technology as set forth in the following claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 109101415 | Jan 2020 | TW | national |
