Knitted functional fabric

Abstract

The invention provides a knitted functional fabric for wicking moisture away from the body of a user. The fabric comprises a technical face formed from a yarn; a technical back formed from a yarn; and a spacer formed from a yarn that connects the technical face to the technical back. The technical face and the technical back comprise a hydrophilic yarn.

1 . A knitted functional fabric for wicking moisture away from the body of a user, the fabric comprising:
 a technical face formed from a yarn;   a technical back formed from a yarn; and   a spacer formed from a yarn that connects the technical face to the technical back, wherein the yarn used for the technical face and the technical back comprises a hydrophilic yarn.   
     
     
         2 . The knitted functional fabric according to  claim 1 , wherein the fabric further comprises a spacer formed from a yarn that connects the technical face to the technical back, where the yarn used for the spacer comprises a hydrophobic yarn. 
     
     
         3 . The knitted functional fabric according to  claim 1 , wherein the yarn used for the technical face and technical back is formed by a first and a second yarn that are plaited together, the first yarn being a hydrophilic yarn formed on an outer surface of the technical face or technical back and the second yarn being a hydrophobic yarn formed on an inner surface that faces the spacer. 
     
     
         4 . The knitted functional fabric according to  claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic yarn is formed from one or more of the group consisting of a polyamide, a polyester, cotton, cellulose acetate, rayon, flax, modified acrylics, modified polyvinyl alcohols, a yarn that has been chemically treated to be hydrophilic, and any yarn designed to have a cross section that is hydrophilic. 
     
     
         5 . The knitted functional fabric according to  claim 4 , wherein the hydrophilic yarn is formed from one or more of the group consisting of a polyamide, a polyester, rayon and modified polyvinyl alcohols, a yarn that has been chemically treated to be hydrophilic or any yarn developed with a specific cross section to be hydrophilic. 
     
     
         6 . The knitted functional fabric according to  claim 3 , wherein the second yarn is a hydrophobic yarn selected from the group consisting of an elastic yarn covered by a hydrophobic yarn, an elastic yarn covered by a yarn treated to be hydrophobic, and a hydrophobic monofilament yarn. 
     
     
         7 . The knitted functional fabric according to  claim 3 , wherein the first yarn has a diameter that is larger than the second yarn. 
     
     
         8 . The knitted functional fabric according to  claim 7 , wherein the diameter:diameter ratio of the first yarn to the second yarn is from 8:1 to 1.5:1, such as from 5:1 to 2:1, such as 3:1. 
     
     
         9 . The knitted functional fabric according to  claim 1 , wherein the spacer yarn is formed from a hydrophobic yarn selected from the group consisting of an elastic yarn covered by a hydrophobic yarn, an elastic yarn covered by a yarn treated to be hydrophobic, and a hydrophobic monofilament yarn. 
     
     
         10 . The knitted functional fabric according to  claim 9 , wherein the hydrophobic yarn is an elastic yarn covered by a hydrophobic yarn. 
     
     
         11 . The knitted functional fabric according to  claim 10 , wherein the elastic yarn is elastane. 
     
     
         12 . The knitted functional fabric according to  claim 2 , wherein the hydrophobic yarn is independently selected from a polyester. 
     
     
         13 . A garment formed from the knitted functional fabric according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . The garment according to  claim 13 , wherein the garment is the whole or part of a bra or a protective garment. 
     
     
         15 . The knitted functional fabric according to  claim 5 , wherein the hydrophilic yarn is a nylon, a polyester or rayon. 
     
     
         16 . The knitted functional fabric according to  claim 5 , wherein the any yarn developed with a specific cross section to be hydrophilic has a high wicking capability. 
     
     
         17 . The knitted functional fabric according to  claim 12 , wherein the polyester is a recycled polyester, a recycled polyester with micro filaments, a polyester yarn with a star-like filament cross-section, coolmax™ high wicking yarn (poly cotton), and a recycled polyester with micro filaments. 
     
     
         18 . The garment according to  claim 14  wherein the protective garment is head gear, a knee guard, and an elbow guard. 
     
     
         19 . The knitted functional fabric according to  claim 4 , wherein the any yarn developed with a specific cross section to be hydrophilic has a high wicking capability.