Pantyhose article having ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene and method for manufacturing thereof

Abstract

A pantyhose article includes a first tubular member having a panty portion and a first tubular leg portion having a first principal sub-portion and a first transitional sub-portion. The principal sub-portion extends from a thigh region to a first foot end of the tubular member and the transitional sub-portion extends between the panty portion to the principal sub-portion. The principal sub-portion is formed of a first knit having a first ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber and a first companion fiber. The transitional sub-portion is formed of a second knit having a second UHMWPE fiber and a second companion fiber, the first knit being different from the second knit. A second tubular member has a similar panty portion and tubular leg portion. A method for manufacturing a pantyhose article includes forming the first tubular member, forming the second tubular member, cutting the first and second panty portions, joining longitudinal edges of the panty portions to form a panty tube and joining the longitudinal edges to a gusset.

1 . A pantyhose article comprising:
 a first tubular member having:
 a first panty portion extending from a waist end of the pantyhose article to a bottom end of the first panty portion; 
 a first tubular leg portion defining a first leg cavity and extending from a top end thereof, corresponding to the bottom end of the first panty portion, to a first foot end of the first tubular leg portion, the first tubular leg portion comprising a first principal sub-portion and a first transitional sub-portion, the first principal sub-portion extending from a first thigh region of the first tubular leg portion to the first foot end and the first transitional sub-portion extending from the top end of the first tubular leg portion to the first thigh region of the first tubular leg portion, the first principal sub-portion being formed of a first knit comprising a first ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber and at least one first companion fiber and the first transitional sub-portion being formed of a second knit comprising a second UHMWPE fiber and at least one second companion fiber, the first knit being different from the second knit. 
   
     
     
         2 . The pantyhose article of  claim 1 , further comprising a gusset; wherein an edge of the first transitional sub-portion is joined to the gusset. 
     
     
         3 . The pantyhose article of  claim 2 , wherein the second knit of the first transitional sub-portion has greater durability to sewing than the first knit of the first principal sub-portion of the first tubular leg portion. 
     
     
         4 . The pantyhose article of  claim 2 or 3 , wherein the second knit of the first transitional sub-portion has greater resistance to runs when torn or cut than the first knit of the first principal sub-portion of the first tubular leg portion. 
     
     
         5 . The pantyhose article of any one of  claims 2 to 4 , wherein the second knit of the first transitional sub-portion includes a mesh knit. 
     
     
         6 . The pantyhose article of any one of  claims 1 to 5 , wherein the first transitional sub-portion extends circumferentially about the first tubular leg portion. 
     
     
         7 . The pantyhose article of any one of  claims 1 to 6 , wherein the first panty portion, the first transitional sub-portion and the first principal sub-portion are integrally formed. 
     
     
         8 . The pantyhose article of any one of  claims 1 to 7 , wherein the first panty portion, the first transitional sub-portion and the first principal sub-portion are formed in a continuous knitting operation. 
     
     
         9 . The pantyhose article of  claim 8 , wherein the continuous knitting of the first panty portion and the second knit of the first transitional sub-portion reduces tearing along a transition between the first panty portion and the first transitional sub-portion. 
     
     
         10 . The pantyhose article of  claim 9 , wherein the continuous knitting of the second knit of the first transitional sub-portion and the first knit of the principal sub-portion reduces tearing along a transition between the first transitional sub-portion and the first principal sub-portion. 
     
     
         11 . The pantyhose article of any one of  claims 8 to 10 , wherein the first panty portion, the first transitional sub-portion and the first principal sub-portion are formed in the continuous knitting operation using a same number of yarn feeds of a circular knitting machine throughout the continuous knitting operation. 
     
     
         12 . The pantyhose article of  claim 11 , wherein the same number of yarn feeds is 2 feeds or less. 
     
     
         13 . The pantyhose article of any one of  claims 1 to 12 , wherein the first panty portion is formed of a knit being free of UHMWPE. 
     
     
         14 . The pantyhose article of any one of  claims 1 to 13 , wherein a knit of the first panty portion and the second knit of the first transitional sub-portion have at least one fiber in common. 
     
     
         15 . The pantyhose article of any one of  claims 1 to 14 , wherein the first knit of the first principal sub-portion and the second knit of the first transitional sub-portion have at least one fiber in common. 
     
     
         16 . The pantyhose article of  claim 15 , wherein the first UHMWPE fiber and the at least one first companion fiber are knit together in a plated knit in the first knit of the first principal sub-portion;
 wherein the second UHMWPE fiber of the second knit of the first transitional sub-portion is the same as the first UHMWPE fiber of the first knit;   wherein at least one of the second companion fiber of the second knit of the first transitional sub-portion is the same as at least one of the first companion fiber of the first knit;   wherein the second UHMWPE fiber and the at least one second companion fiber being the same as the at least one first companion fiber are knit together in the second knit of the first transitional sub-portion;   wherein the second knit of the first transitional sub-portion further comprises at least one additional companion fiber.   
     
     
         17 . The pantyhose article of  claim 16 , wherein the additional companion fiber is knit as a mesh knit within the second knit of the first transitional sub-portion. 
     
     
         18 . The pantyhose article of  claim 16 or 17 , wherein the at least one additional companion fiber of the second knit of the first transitional sub-portion is present in a knit of the first panty portion. 
     
     
         19 . The pantyhose article of any one of  claims 1 to 18 , wherein the first UHMWPE fiber of the first knit has a denier of about 25 to about 35 and the at least one first companion fiber comprises at least one stretch fiber having a total denier of about 10 to about 20. 
     
     
         20 . The pantyhose article of  claim 19 , wherein the second UHMWPE fiber of the first transitional sub-portion has a denier of about 25 to about 35 and the at least one second companion fiber comprises at least one stretch fiber having a total denier of about 10 to about 20 being knit with the second UHMWPE fiber; and
 wherein the at least one second companion fiber further comprises an additional companion fiber reinforcing the second knit of the first transitional sub-portion.   
     
     
         21 . The pantyhose article of any one of  claims 1 to 20 , wherein the first panty portion is formed of a knit having a total denier of about 20 to about 250. 
     
     
         22 . The pantyhose article of any one of  claims 1 to 21 , further comprising a second tubular member having:
 a second panty portion extending from the top end of the pantyhose article to a bottom end of the second panty portion being aligned with the bottom end of the first panty portion;   a second tubular leg portion defining a second leg cavity and extending from a top end thereof, corresponding to the bottom end of the second panty portion, to a second foot end of the second tubular leg portion, the second tubular leg portion comprising a second principal sub-portion and a second transitional sub-portion, the second principal sub-portion extending from a second thigh region of the second tubular leg portion to the second foot end and the second transitional sub-portion extending from the top end of the second tubular leg portion to the second thigh region of the second tubular leg portion, the second principal sub-portion being formed of the first knit comprising the first UHMWPE fiber and the at least one first companion fiber and the second transitional sub-portion being formed of the second knit comprising the second UHMWPE fiber and the at least one second companion fiber;   wherein longitudinal edges of the first panty portion are joined to respective longitudinal edges of the second panty portion to form a panty tube defining a panty cavity for receiving a lower torso of a wearer, the panty cavity being in fluid communication with the first leg cavity of the first tubular leg portion and the panty cavity being in fluid communication with the second leg cavity of the second tubular leg portion.   
     
     
         23 . The pantyhose article of  claim 22 , wherein the first transitional sub-portion being formed of the second knit having the second UHMWPE fiber and the second transitional sub-portion being formed of the second knit having the second UHMWPE fiber provide protection against wearing out of the first transitional sub-portion and the second transitional sub-portion from inner thigh rubbing of a person wearing the pantyhose article. 
     
     
         24 . A method for manufacturing a pantyhose article, the method comprising:
 forming a first tubular member having:
 a first panty portion extending from a waist end of the pantyhose article to a bottom end of the first panty portion; and 
 a first tubular leg portion defining a first leg cavity and extending from a top end thereof, corresponding to the bottom end of the first panty portion, to a first foot end of the first tubular leg portion, the first tubular leg portion comprising a first principal sub-portion and a first transitional sub-portion, the first principal sub-portion extending from a first thigh region of the first tubular leg portion to the first foot end and the first transitional sub-portion extending from the top end of the first tubular leg portion to the first thigh region of the first tubular leg portion and extending circumferentially about the first tubular leg portion, the first principal sub-portion being formed of a first knit comprising a first ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber and at least one first companion fiber and the first transitional sub-portion being formed of a second knit comprising a second UHMWPE fiber and at least one second companion fiber, the first knit being different from the second knit; 
   forming a second tubular member having:
 a second panty portion extending from the top end of the pantyhose article to a bottom end of the second panty portion being aligned with the bottom end of the first panty portion; and 
 a second tubular leg portion defining a second leg cavity and extending from a top end thereof, corresponding to the bottom end of the second panty portion, to a second foot end of the second tubular leg portion, the second tubular leg portion comprising a second principal sub-portion and a second transitional sub-portion, the second principal sub-portion extending from a second thigh region of the second tubular leg portion to the second foot end and the second transitional sub-portion extending from the top end of the second tubular leg portion to the second thigh region of the second tubular leg portion and extending circumferentially about the second tubular leg portion, the second principal sub-portion being formed of the first knit comprising the first UHMWPE fiber and the at least one first companion fiber and the second transitional sub-portion being formed of the second knit comprising the second UHMWPE fiber and the at least one second companion fiber; 
   cutting the first panty portion along a longitudinal direction thereof to form first longitudinal edges therein and cutting the second panty portion along a longitudinal direction thereof to form second longitudinal edges therein;   joining the first longitudinal edges of the first panty portion to the second longitudinal edges of the second panty portion to form a panty tube defining a panty cavity for receiving a lower torso of a wearer, the panty cavity being in fluid communication with the first leg cavity of the first tubular leg portion and the panty cavity being in fluid communication with the second leg cavity of the second tubular leg portion; and   joining the longitudinal edges of the first panty portion to a first edge of a gusset and joining the longitudinal edges of the second panty portion to a second edge of the gusset.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the first panty portion, the first transitional sub-portion and the first principal sub-portion are formed in a continuous knitting operation. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the first panty portion, the first transitional sub-portion and the first principal sub-portion are formed in the continuous knitting operation using a same number of yarn feeds of a circular knitting machine throughout the continuous knitting operation. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the same number of yarn feeds is 2 feeds or less. 
     
     
         28 . The method of any one of  claims 24 to 27 , further comprising joining an angular region of an edge of the first transitional sub-portion to the first edge of the gusset and joining an angular region of an edge of the second transitional sub-portion to the second edge of the gusset.