Cut resistant yarns for glove and sleeves, gloves and sleeves made with such yarns and methods of making such cut resistant yarns

Abstract

Cut resistant yarns suitable for knitting gloves and sleeves and methods of making the yarns are disclosed. The yarns are made up of a bundle of continuous filaments formed of a synthetic material, e.g., polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon or polyolefin, and a stretchable yarn, e.g., Spandex® or Lycra®. The yarns are made in such a manner that when completed the continuous filaments are substantially parallel to one another and to the longitudinal axis of the yarn so that items made from them will not twist or curl up, yet will provide good resistance to cutting.

1. A cut resistant, stretchable yarn suitable for knitting gloves and sleeves, said yarn having a longitudinal axis and comprising a stretchable second yarn and a bundle of continuous filaments formed of a synthetic material, said stretchable second yarn being of substantially smaller denier than the bundle of filaments and being initially under tension to cause it to stretch, each of said continuous filaments of the bundle of continuous filaments having a longitudinal axis and, said bundle being in a twisted with respect to one another whereby condition wherein the bundle of filaments have has a torque in a first rotational direction applied to them, said bundle of continuous filaments being helically wound about the stretched stretchable second yarn to apply wherein said bundle of filaments has a torque in a second rotational direction to said filaments to cause them to untwist with respect to one another establishing a force in said second rotational direction, said torque in said second rotational direction substantially cancelling said torque in said first rotational direction, whereupon said bundle of filaments again assumes the a condition wherein all of said filaments of said bundle have a substantially zero torque and are substantially parallel to one another and to the longitudinal axis of the yam yarn and the stretchable yam second yarn twists about its the longitudinal axis of the yarn and moves to a position wherein it is helically disposed around the parallel bundle of filaments of said bundle. 
     
     
       2. The yarn of  claim 1  wherein said continuous filaments are formed from a material selected from the group comprising polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon and polyolefin. 
     
     
       3. The yarn of  claim 1  wherein said stretchable second yarn is formed from a material selected from the group comprising Spandex® spandex and Lycra®. 
     
     
       4. The yarn of  claim 1  wherein said yarn comprises at least a portion of a glove or sleeve knitted from said yarn. 
     
     
       5. The yarn of  claim 1  wherein said bundle of filaments has a denier in the range of approximately 100 to approximately 1200 and wherein said stretchable second yarn has a denier in the range of approximately 40 to approximately 70. 
     
     
       6. A method for making a cut resistant yarn suitable for knitting gloves and sleeves, said yarn having a longitudinal axis and, comprising:
 (A) providing a stretchable second yarn and a bundle of continuous filaments, each formed of a synthetic material, each of said continuous filaments of said bundle of continuous filaments having a longitudinal axis; 
 (B) twisting said bundle of filaments with respect to one another whereby the bundle of filaments have has a torque in a first rotational direction applied to them it; 
 (C) tensioning the stretchable second yarn to cause it to stretch; 
 (D) winding said bundle of continuous filaments about the stretched stretchable second yarn to apply a torque in a second rotational direction to said bundle of continuous filaments to cause them it to untwist with respect to one another in said second rotational direction, said torque in said second rotational direction substantially cancelling said torque in said first rotational direction; and releasing said torque in the second rotational direction on said bundle of filaments and releasing said tension on said stretchable second yarn, whereupon said bundle of continuous filaments again assumes the a condition wherein all of said filaments of said bundle are substantially parallel to one another and to the longitudinal axis of the yarn and the stretchable second yarn twists about its longitudinal axis and moves to a position wherein it is helically disposed around the parallel filaments of said bundle. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6  wherein said continuous filaments are selected from the group comprising polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon and polyolefin. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 6  wherein said stretchable yarn is selected from the group comprising Spandex® spandex and Lycra®. 
     
     
       9. A cut resistant, stretchable yarn, said yarn having a longitudinal axis, said yarn comprising:
 a stretchable second yarn and a bundle of continuous filaments formed of a synthetic material, said stretchable second yarn being of substantially smaller denier than the bundle of filaments;   each of said continuous filaments of the bundle of continuous filaments having a longitudinal axis, said bundle being in a twisted condition wherein the bundle of filaments has a torque in a first rotational direction;   said bundle of continuous filaments being helically wound about the stretchable second yarn wherein said bundle of filaments has a torque in a second rotational direction establishing a force in said second rotational direction in said bundle of filaments, said torque in said second rotational direction substantially canceling said torque in said first rotational direction,   whereupon said bundle of filaments assumes a condition wherein all of said filaments of said bundle have a substantially zero torque and are substantially parallel to one another and the stretchable second yarn twists about the longitudinal axis of the yarn and moves to a position wherein it is helically disposed around the bundle of filaments.   
     
     
       10. The yarn of claim 9 wherein said continuous filaments are formed from a material selected from the group comprising polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon and polyolefin. 
     
     
       11. The yarn of claim 9 wherein said stretchable second yarn is formed from a material selected from the group comprising spandex and Lycra®. 
     
     
       12. The yarn of claim 9 wherein said yarn comprises at least a portion of a glove or sleeve knitted from said yarn. 
     
     
       13. The yarn of claim 9 wherein said bundle of filaments has a denier in the range of approximately 100 to approximately 1200 and wherein said stretchable second yarn has a denier in the range of approximately 40 to approximately 70. 
     
     
       14. A method for making a cut resistant yarn suitable for knitting gloves and sleeves, said yarn having a longitudinal axis, said method comprising:
 (A) providing a stretchable second yarn and a bundle of continuous filaments, each formed of a synthetic material, each of said continuous filaments of said bundle of continuous filaments having a longitudinal axis;   (B) twisting said bundle of filaments whereby the bundle of continuous filaments has a torque in a first rotational direction applied to it;   (C) tensioning the stretchable second yarn to cause it to stretch;   (D) winding said bundle of continuous filaments about the stretched stretchable second yarn to apply a torque in a second rotational direction to said bundle of continuous filaments to cause it to untwist in said second rotational direction, said torque in said second rotational direction substantially canceling said torque in said first rotational direction, and   (E) releasing said torque in the second rotational direction on said bundle of filaments and releasing said tension on said stretchable second yarn,   whereupon said bundle of continuous filaments assumes a condition wherein all of said filaments of said bundle are substantially parallel to one another and the stretchable yarn twists about its longitudinal axis and moves to a position wherein it is helically disposed around the parallel filaments of said bundle.   
     
     
       15. The method of claim 14 wherein said step including providing the bundle of continuous filaments includes providing a bundle of filaments formed from a material selected from the group comprising polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon and polyolefin. 
     
     
       16. The method of claim 14 wherein said stretchable second yarn is formed from a material selected from the group comprising spandex and Lycra®. 
     
     
       17. A glove woven from a cut resistant, stretchable yarn, said yarn having a longitudinal axis, said yarn comprising:
 a stretchable second yarn and a bundle of continuous filaments formed of a synthetic material, said stretchable second yarn being of substantially smaller denier than the bundle of filaments;   each of said continuous filaments of the bundle of continuous filaments having a longitudinal axis, said bundle being in a twisted condition wherein the bundle of filaments has a torque in a first rotational direction,   said bundle of continuous filaments being helically wound about the stretchable second yarn wherein said bundle of filaments has a torque in a second rotational direction establishing a force in said second rotational direction, said torque in said second rotational direction substantially canceling said torque in said first rotational direction,   whereupon said bundle of filaments assumes a condition wherein all of said filaments of said bundle have a substantially zero torque and are substantially parallel to one another and the stretchable second yarn twists about its longitudinal axis and moves to a position wherein it is helically disposed around the bundle of filaments.