A 3-dimensionally-knit fabric with bi-directional variation in thickness

Abstract

Disclosed herein is aweft knit spacer fabric having variable thicknesses, the fabric formed from: a first surface layer formed from a first set of yarn; a second surface layer formed from a second set of yarn; and a set of spacer yarn between the first and second surface layer, where the fabric is formed from a plurality of courses of the sets of first, second and spacer yarns, where each course is connected to at least one other course in a wale direction, wherein the thickness is varied by varying one or both of: a density of tuck stitches along each course, where each tuck stitch is formed by the spacer yarn with the first and/or second surface layers; and a thickness of the set of spacer yarn in each course. The fabric is patterned to provide a free-standing 3-dimensional shape that has an internal volume defined by the surface of the first or second surface layer, and the first and second sets of yarns comprise an elastic material, provided that the fabric is a fabric that has not been subjected to a moulding step.

1 . A weft knit spacer fabric having variable thicknesses, the fabric comprising:
 a first surface layer formed from a first set of yarn;   a second surface layer formed from a second set of yarn; and   a set of spacer yarn between the first and second surface layers, where the fabric is formed from a plurality of courses of the sets of first, second and spacer yarns, where each course is connected to at least one other course in a wale direction, wherein the thickness is varied by varying one or both of:
 a density of tuck stitches along each course, where each tuck stitch is formed by the spacer yarn with the first and/or second surface layers; and 
 a thickness of the set of spacer yarn in each course; and wherein:
 the fabric is patterned to provide a free-standing 3-dimensional shape that has an internal volume defined by the surface of the first or second surface layer; and 
 the first and second sets of yarns comprise an elastic material, 
 provided that the fabric is a fabric that has not been subjected to a moulding step. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The fabric according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one course varies the density of tuck stitches and at least one course varies the thickness of the spacer yarn. 
     
     
         3 . The fabric according to  claim 1 , wherein, wherein the first and second yarns comprise at least 15 wt % of an elastic material (e.g. elastane). 
     
     
         4 . The fabric according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second sets of yarns each comprise a main yarn and a platting yarn, where each main yarn forms an outer surface and the platting yarn forms an interior surface of the respective first and second surface layers. 
     
     
         5 . The fabric according to  claim 4 , wherein the platting yarn of the first and second sets of yarns is formed from a yarn having elastic properties. 
     
     
         6 . The fabric according to  claim 1 , wherein the fabric is patterned to provide one or more of a bra cup, a bra cookie, and a bra. 
     
     
         7 . The fabric according to  claim 6 , wherein the fabric is a bra cup or bra cookie that is patterned to have a first, second and third tuck stitch region, each region having a different density of tuck stitches, such that:
 the first tuck stitch region corresponds to an outer peripheral region of the cup and has a tuck stitch density lower than the second region;   the second tuck stitch region corresponds to a region of the cup between the first and third regions and has a tuck stitch density lower than the third region;   the third tuck stitch region corresponds to a central region of the cup and has a tuck stitch density higher than the first and second regions.   
     
     
         8 . The fabric according to  claim 7 , wherein the bra cup or bra cookie is patterned to have a first, a second, a third, a fourth and a fifth spacer yarn thickness region, each region having a different thickness for the sets of spacer yarn, such that:
 the first region corresponds to an outer peripheral region of the cup and has a set of spacer yarn with a diameter lower than a set of spacer yarn used in the second region;   the second region corresponds to a region of the cup between the first and third regions and has a set of spacer yarn with a diameter lower than a set of spacer yarn used in the third region;   the third region corresponds to a central region of the cup and has a spacer yarn diameter higher than a spacer yarn used in the first and second regions the fourth region corresponds to a region of the cup between the third and fifth regions and has a set of spacer yarn with a diameter lower than a set of spacer yarn used in the third region;   the fifth region corresponds to an outer peripheral region of the cup and has a set of spacer yarn with a diameter lower than a set of spacer yarn used in the fourth region.   
     
     
         9 . The fabric according to  claim 1 , wherein the length of all tuck stitches is substantially identical. 
     
     
         10 . The fabric according to  claim 1 , wherein the 3-dimensional shape is at least partly supplied by a 3-dimensional knitting pattern. 
     
     
         11 . A garment comprising a weft knit spacer fabric having variable thicknesses as defined in  claim 1 .