Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene material reduction for weft knit garments

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to knits that can be used to make rip-resistant garments using an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber and a stretch fiber formed using a two-feed knitting technique.

1 . A method for forming a knit, comprising:
 knitting an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber in a first feed; and   knitting a stretch fiber in a second feed with a first needle knitting the stretch fiber and a second needle holding a corresponding loop of the UHMWPE fiber in the first feed to form a 1×1 tuck stitch.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the UHMWPE fiber is knitted to form a stitch with odd number tucks. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the UHMWPE fiber is knitted to form the stitch with a 1×1 tuck, a 3×1 tuck, a 5×1 tuck, a 7×1 tuck or a 9×1 tuck. 
     
     
         4 . A knit, comprising:
 a first fiber including a first portion and a second portion;   a second fiber including a third portion and a fourth portion, the third portion being between the first portion and the second portion, and the third portion and the fourth portion spaced apart from each other by the second portion of the first fiber; and   a plurality of columnar knit loop regions, each one of the knit loop regions including:   a first axis;   a first knit loop of the first portion along the first axis;   a second knit loop of the third portion that wraps around the first portion, the second knit loop is aligned with the first knit loop along the first axis;   a third knit loop of the second portion that wraps around the third portion, the third knit loop is aligned with the first and second knit loops along the first axis;   a fourth knit loop of the fourth portion that wraps around the second portion, the fourth knit loop is aligned with the first knit loop, the second knit loop, and the third knit loop along the axis;   a plurality of columnar tuck loop regions, the plurality of columnar tuck loop regions separate each one of the plurality of columnar knit loop regions from each other, each one of the columnar tuck loop regions including:   a second axis spaced apart from the first axis;   a first tuck loop of the first portion;   a second tuck loop of the third portion that wraps around the first portion, the second tuck loop being aligned with the first tuck loop along the second axis;   a third tuck loop of the second portion that wraps around the third portion, the third tuck loop being aligned with the first and second tuck loops along the second axis; and   a fourth tuck loop of the fourth portion that wraps around the second portion, the fourth tuck loop being aligned with the first, second, and third tuck loops along the second axis.   
     
     
         5 . The knit of  claim 4 , wherein each one of the plurality of columnar knit loop regions are separated from each other by three respective ones of the plurality of columnar tuck loop regions. 
     
     
         6 . The knit of  claim 4 , wherein each one of the plurality of columnar knit loop regions are adjacent to and between two respective ones of the plurality of columnar tuck loop regions. 
     
     
         7 . The knit of any one of  claims 4 to 6 , wherein the first and third fibers are ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers. 
     
     
         8 . The knit of any one of  claims 4 to 7 , wherein the second and third fibers are stretch fibers. 
     
     
         9 . A knit, comprising:
 an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber;   a stretch fiber knitted with the UHMWPE fiber;   one or more columnar knit loop regions including:   one or more first knit loops of the UHMWPE fiber that wrap around the stretch fiber; and   one or more second knit loops of the stretch fiber that wrap around the UHMWPE fiber; and   one or more columnar tuck loop regions, respective ones of the one or more columnar tuck loop regions separate respective ones of the columnar knit loop regions, the one or more columnar tuck loop regions including:   first columnar tuck loop regions including:
 third knit loops of the UHMWPE fiber wrap around the UHMWPE fiber, the third knit loops being larger than the first and second knit loops; and 
 first tuck loops of the stretch fiber wrap around the UHMWPE fiber, each one of the first tuck loops being partially sandwiched between portions of the UHMWPE fiber; and 
   second columnar tuck loop regions including:
 fourth knit loops of the stretch fiber wrap around the stretch fiber, the fourth knit loops being larger than the first and second knit loops; and 
 second tuck loops of the UHMWPE fiber wrap around the stretch fiber, the second tuck loops being partially sandwiched between portions of the stretch fiber. 
   
     
     
         10 . The knit of  claim 9 , wherein for each one of the one or more columnar knit loop regions there are three of the one or more columnar tuck loop regions. 
     
     
         11 . The knit of  claim 9 , wherein the three of the one or more columnar tuck loop regions include two of the first tuck loop regions and one of the second tuck loop regions between ones of the plurality of columnar knit loop regions. 
     
     
         12 . The method of any one of  claims 1 to 3  or the knit of any one of  claims 4 to 11 , wherein the UHMWPE fiber has a denier ranging from about 10 to about 300. 
     
     
         13 . The method of any one of  claims 1 to 3  or the knit of any one of  claims 4 to 11 , wherein the stretch fiber is a 20 denier composite fiber comprising a 34-filaments Lycra fiber covered by a single 40 denier nylon fiber. 
     
     
         14 . A garment comprising the knit of any one of  claims 4 to 13 . 
     
     
         15 . The garment of  claim 14 , wherein the garment is a pantyhose.