Method to manufacturing and shape seamless briefs on knitting machines

Abstract

The invention concerns a method for manufacturing on circular knitting machines briefs without seams and having a front and rear parts joined by a infra-leg crutch area and shaped to define two side openings for legs and an opening at level with the waist-encircling portion The garment is manufactured starting from a first circular flat edge that defines a first opening for one leg, knitting a fabric in continuous tubular shape that defines contemporaneously the front part, the rear part and the crutch area of the garment, and finishing to a second circular flat edge that defines a second side opening for the other leg.

1 . A method for manufacturing with the needles of a knitting machine briefs with a body portion without seams, having a front and rear parts joined by an infra-leg crutch area and shaped to define two side openings for legs and an opening at level with a waist-encircling portion, comprising the steps of selecting the needles to manufacture in succession: 
 a first circular flat edge that defines a first side opening for one leg,    a knitted fabric in continuous tubular shape that defines contemporaneously the front part, the rear part and the crutch area of the body portion of the garment, and    a second circular flat edge that defines a second side opening for other leg.    
   
   
       2 . The method for manufacturing briefs according to  claim 1 , in which at least in the crutch area the knitted fabric is manufactured thickened and strengthened compared with the knitted fabric in the front and rear parts of the body portion, shaping correspondingly the garment.  
   
   
       3 . The method for manufacturing briefs according to  claim 1 , in which during the manufacturing of the front and rear parts and the crutch area, the knitted fabric is cut on the knitting machine along a portion of one generatrix of the tubular knitted fabric on the opposite side of the crutch area to form the opening corresponding to the waist-encircling portion.  
   
   
       4 . The method for manufacturing of briefs according to  claim 3 , in which in the portions that are adjacent to the opening defined by the cut along the said generatrix, the knitted fabric can incorporate an additional elastic yarn and is knitted to define an elastic edge at level with the waist-encircling portion.  
   
   
       5 . The method for manufacturing of briefs according to  claim 1 , in which at least at the front part of the garment body portion the knitted fabric is patterned or knitted like lace.  
   
   
       6 . A knitted garment in the shape of briefs manufactured through the method of the preceding claims and comprising a body portion having a front and rear parts joined by a infra-legs crutch area and shaped to define two side openings for legs and an opening at level with a waist-encircling portion, characterized by a first and a second flat edge defining said side openings for the legs, and between said first and second flat edges without interruption a tubular knitted-fabric defining the front and rear parts and the crutch area of the garment.  
   
   
       7 . Knitted garment in the shape of briefs according to  claim 6 , in which the knitted fabric in the said crutch area is thicker and more compact than in the front and rear parts of the garment body portion.  
   
   
       8 . Knitted garment in the shape of briefs according to  claim 6 , in which the tubular knitted-fabric that defines the front and rear parts and crutch area of the garment body portion is cut along one generatrix of said tubular knitted fabric opposite the crutch area.  
   
   
       9 . Knitted garment in the shape of briefs according to  claim 8 , in which the knitted fabric incorporates at least an elastic yam in a portion adjacent said generatrix to be cut to form an edge at level with the garment waist-encircling portion.  
   
   
       10 . The method for manufacturing briefs according to  claim 2 , in which during the manufacturing of the front and rear parts and the crutch area, the knitted fabric is cut on the knitting machine along a portion of one generatrix of the tubular knitted fabric on the opposite side of the crutch area to form the opening corresponding to the waist-encircling portion.  
   
   
       11 . The method for manufacturing of briefs according to  claim 2 , in which at least at the front part of the garment body portion the knitted fabric is patterned or knitted like lace.  
   
   
       12 . The method for manufacturing of briefs according to  claim 3 , in which at least at the front part of the garment body portion the knitted fabric is patterned or knitted like lace.  
   
   
       13 . The method for manufacturing of briefs according to  claim 4 , in which at least at the front part of the garment body portion the knitted fabric is patterned or knitted like lace.  
   
   
       14 . Knitted garment in the shape of briefs according to  claim 7 , in which the tubular knitted-fabric that defines the front and rear parts and crutch area of the garment body portion is cut along one generatrix of said tubular knitted fabric opposite the crutch area.