Moldable fabric

Abstract

A moldable fabric for a garment component (such as a brassiere cup) is made by using standard knitting techniques (such as Simplex) using a combination of thermoplastic and elastomeric yarns. The fabric is knitted and processed in a manner that imparts it with isometric stretching properties.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A method of producing a moldable fabric comprising the steps of: 
 knitting a knitted fabric from a plurality of yarns including a set of elastomeric and a set of thermoplastic yarns; and    processing said knitted fabric to form a moldable fabric, said moldable fabric having isometric stretching characteristics.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said thermoplastic material is nylon.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said elastomeric material is spandex.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said processing step includes dyeing said knitted fabric.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein said dyeing is accomplished at an approximate pressure ranging from 17 to 20 pounds per inch squared.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4  wherein said dyeing is accomplished at a temperature of approximately 210 degrees Fahrenheit.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said processing step includes removing moisture from said fabric using a hydroextractor.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said processing step includes detwisting said knitted fabric.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein said fabric is detwisted using a turntable and plaiting fabric into a hamper.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said processing step includes the removing moisture from said knitted fabric using a beater bar system.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said processing step includes the removing moisture from said knitted fabric using a vacuum extractor.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said processing step includes placing said knitted fabric on a tenter frame, moving said knitted fabric at a minimum of tension to said knitted fabric along a predetermined direction.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein moving said fabric at a minimum of tension is achieved by overfeeding said knitted fabric into said tenter.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said overfeeding is at approximately 10%.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  wherein a tentering speed of said knitted fabric is set at approximately fifteen yards per minute.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said processing step further includes heat setting said knitted fabric.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  16  wherein said knitted fabric is heat set at approximately 370 degrees Fahrenheit.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said processing step includes vacuum cooling said knitted fabric after said knitted fabric is heat set.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said knitted fabric has a length and a width and is stretchable along said length and said width by about 70%-80%.  
     
     
         20 . A method of making garment component comprising: 
 knitting a fabric from a plurality of elastomeric and thermoplastic yarns, said fabric isometric stretching characteristics; and    forming said fabric into a predetermined three-dimensional shape.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein said fabric is knitted from nylon and spandex yarns.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein said fabric contains about 57% nylon yarns.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21  wherein said fabric contains about 43% spandex yarns.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21  wherein said fabric is knitted using a simplex knitting technique.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21  wherein said fabric contains about 57-71% nylon yarns.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21  wherein said fabric contains about 29-43% spandex yarns.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21  wherein said fabric has a width and a length and is manually stretchable by an approximately equal amount along both said width and length.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21  wherein said fabric has a width and a length and when subjected to a standard mechanical stretch test, it stretches by approximately the same incremental amount along said width and said length.  
     
     
         29 . A garment component comprising: 
 a fabric formed into a three-dimensional shape, said fabric being knit from a combination of elastomeric and thermoplastic yarns and wherein said fabric has isotropic characteristics.