Knitted spacer fabric with a predetermined separation point

Abstract

The invention relates to a knitted spacer fabric ( 10 ) comprising two layers ( 11, 12 ), which each comprise wales ( 15 ) running in a longitudinal direction (L) and courses ( 16 ) running in a transverse direction (Q). The two layers ( 11, 12 ) are arranged at a distance in a vertical direction (H) and are connected to one another by connection threads ( 26 ). In an exemplary embodiment a predetermined separation point ( 29 ) is formed in the longitudinal direction (L) between two directly adjacent separation point wales ( 15 a, 15 b ) in each layer ( 11, 12 ). These two separation point wales ( 15 a ) are connected by a first thread bundle ( 20 ), which comprises fewer threads ( 22 ) than a second thread bundle ( 21 ). Additionally or alternatively, the wales ( 15 ) can comprise float portions ( 40 ), in which the threads ( 22 ) used for stitch formation outside the float portions ( 40 ) do not form any stitches. In the float portions ( 40 ), the connection threads ( 26 ) form connection thread stitches ( 42 ), in order to connect the edge stitches ( 41 ) of a wale ( 15 ) adjacent to the float portion ( 40 ).

1 . A knitted spacer fabric ( 10 ) comprising:
 a first layer ( 11 ) comprising first layer first stitches ( 13 ) and first layer second stitches ( 14 ) and a second layer ( 12 ) comprising second layer first stitches ( 13 ) and second layer second stitches ( 14 ), forming wales ( 15 ) in a longitudinal direction (L) and forming courses ( 16 ) in a transverse direction (Q) at right angles to the longitudinal direction (L),   wherein a thread loop of each of the first layer first stitches and the second layer first stitches ( 13 ) is formed by a first thread bundle ( 20 ) and a thread loop of each of the second layer first stitches and the second layer second stitches ( 14 ) is formed by a second thread bundle ( 21 ), wherein the first thread bundle ( 20 ), and the second thread bundle ( 21 ) are formed from a single thread ( 22 ) or a plurality of identical threads ( 22 ), which are arranged adjacently without direct connection, wherein the second thread bundle ( 21 ) comprises more threads ( 22 ) than the first thread bundle ( 20 ),   wherein the first layer ( 11 ) and the second layer ( 12 ) are arranged at a distance from one another in a height direction (H) at right angles to the longitudinal direction (L) and the transverse direction (Q) and are connected to one another by connection threads ( 26 ),   wherein in the first layer ( 11 ) and the second layer ( 12 ) there is provided at least one pair ( 27 ) formed of a first separation point wale ( 15   a ) and a second separation point wale ( 15   b ), which delimit therebetween a longitudinal gap ( 28 ) forming a predetermined separation point ( 29 ) and which are connected to one another by the first thread bundle ( 20 ) only, the wales ( 15 ) outside the predetermined separation point ( 29 ) being connected at least in part by the second thread bundle ( 21 ).   
     
     
         2 . The knitted spacer fabric according to  claim 1 , wherein one or both of the first layer ( 11 ) or the second layer ( 12 ) are formed without weft threads. 
     
     
         3 . The knitted spacer fabric according to  claim 1 , wherein the connection threads ( 26 ) do not cross a predetermined separation space ( 30 ), which is defined by pairs of the predetermined separation points ( 29 ) paired with one another in the first layer ( 12 ) and the second layer ( 12 ). 
     
     
         4 . The knitted spacer fabric according to  claim 1 , wherein the connection threads ( 26 ) do not create a transverse connection between the first separation point wale ( 15   a ) of the first layer ( 11 ) and the second separation point wale ( 15   b ) of the second layer ( 12 ), and wherein the connection threads ( 26 ) do not create a transverse connection between the second separation point wale ( 15   b ) of the first layer ( 11 ) and the first separation point wale ( 15   a ) of the second layer ( 12 ). 
     
     
         5 . The knitted spacer fabric according to  claim 1 , wherein the first thread bundle ( 20 ) comprises precisely one thread ( 22 ). 
     
     
         6 . The knitted spacer fabric according to  claim 1 , wherein the second thread bundle ( 21 ) comprises precisely two threads ( 22 ). 
     
     
         7 . The knitted spacer fabric according to  claim 1 , wherein all threads ( 22 ) of the first thread bundle ( 20 ) and of the second thread bundle ( 21 ) are made of a same material. 
     
     
         8 . The knitted spacer fabric according to  claim 1 , wherein all threads ( 22 ) of the first thread bundle ( 20 ) and of the second thread bundle ( 21 ) have a same tensile strength. 
     
     
         9 . The knitted spacer fabric according to  claim 1 , wherein all threads ( 22 ) of the first thread bundle ( 20 ) and of the second thread bundle ( 21 ) have a same thread structure. 
     
     
         10 . The knitted spacer fabric according to  claim 1 , wherein the connection threads ( 26 ) are same as the at least one thread ( 22 ) of one or both of the first thread bundle ( 20 ) or of the second thread bundle ( 21 ). 
     
     
         11 . The knitted spacer fabric according to  claim 1 , wherein several adjacently arranged wales ( 15 ) of the first layer ( 11 ) and of the second layer ( 12 ) each have a float portion ( 40 ), in which all of the first thread bundles ( 20 ) and the second thread bundles ( 21 ) run in the longitudinal direction without stitches. 
     
     
         12 . The knitted spacer fabric according to  claim 11 , wherein two stitches ( 13 ,  14 ) adjoining the float portion ( 40 ) of each of the adjacently arranged wales ( 15 ) are connected to one another by connection thread stitches ( 42 ) of a respective connection thread of the connection threads ( 26 ) paired with a respective one of the adjacently arranged wales ( 15 ). 
     
     
         13 . The knitted spacer fabric according to  claim 12 , wherein the connection thread stitches ( 42 ) are free from connections to an adjacent wale ( 15 ) of the adjacently arranged wales. 
     
     
         14 . The knitted spacer fabric according to  claim 11 , wherein a gap between a first layer float portion ( 40 ) in the first layer ( 11 ) and a second layer float portion ( 40 ) in the second layer ( 12 ) paired with the first layer float portion ( 40 ) is free from connection threads ( 26 ) running between the first layer ( 11 ) and the second layer ( 12 ). 
     
     
         15 . A knitted spacer fabric ( 10 ) comprising:
 a first layer ( 11 ) comprising first layer first stitches ( 13 ) and first layer second stitches ( 14 ) and a second layer ( 12 ) comprising second layer first stitches ( 13 ) and second layer second stitches ( 14 ), forming wales ( 15 ) in a longitudinal direction (L) and forming courses ( 16 ) in a transverse direction (Q) at right angles to the longitudinal direction (L),   wherein the first layer ( 11 ) and the second layer ( 12 ) are arranged at a distance from one another in a height direction (H) at right angles to the longitudinal direction (L) and the transverse direction (Q) and are connected to one another by connection threads ( 26 ),   wherein a plurality of wales ( 15 ) of the first layer ( 11 ) and a plurality of wales ( 15 ) of the second layer ( 12 ) arranged directly adjacently each comprise a float portion ( 40 ), in which threads ( 22 ) of the first layer ( 11 ) and the second layer ( 12 ) used for formation of stitches outside the float portion ( 40 ) do not form any stitches,   wherein two stitches ( 13 ,  14 ) of each of the wales ( 15 ) adjacent to the float portion ( 40 ) are connected to one another by connection thread stitches ( 42 ) of a connection thread ( 26 ) paired with the wale ( 15 ) adjacent to the float portion ( 40 ).