(19) United States
`(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2009/0049870 A1
`Garus
`(43) Pub. Date:
`Feb. 26, 2009
`
`US 20090049870A1
`
`(54) KNITTED SPACER FABRIC AND METHOD
`FOR THE PRODUCTION THEREOF
`
`75
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`I
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`E_ b k DE
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`arus’ 1n ec (
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`(86) PCT No;
`
`PCT/DE07/00187
`
`§ 371 (0)0).
`Jul. 30,2008
`(2), (4) Date:
`Foreign Application Priority Data
`
`(30)
`
`Correspondence Address:
`FAEGRE & BENSON LLP
`PATENT DOCKETING
`2200 WELLS FARGO CENTER, 90 sOUTH SEV-
`ENTH sTREET
`MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55402-3901 (US)
`
`(73) Assignee:
`
`Otto Bock Healthcare IP GmbH
`& Co. KG, Duderstadt (DE)
`
`(21) Appl. No.:
`
`12/162,625
`
`(22) PCT Filed:
`
`Jan. 31, 2007
`
`Feb. 1, 2006 (DE) .................... .. 10 2006 004 914.4
`Publication Classi?cation
`
`(51) 3102-1212/10
`
`(2006 01)
`-
`(200601)
`D04B 1/22
`(52) US. Cl. ......................................... .. 66/192; 156/148
`
`ABSTRACT
`(57)
`A knitted spacer fabric includes an upper textile, a loWer
`textile and mutually crossing supporting threads arranged
`between the upper textile and the loWer textile Which connect
`the upper and the loWer textiles to one another. Portions of the
`supporting threads are connected to one another at crossing
`points.
`
`%O
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`US 2009/0049870 A1
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`Feb. 26, 2009
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`KNITTED SPACER FABRIC AND METHOD
`FOR THE PRODUCTION THEREOF
`
`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATION
`
`[0001] This patent application is a national stage applica
`tion of International Application No. PCT/DE2007/000l87
`?led Jan. 31, 2007, Which claims priority to German Patent
`No. DE 10 2006 004 914.4, ?led on Feb. 1, 2006. The entire
`content of these applications are hereby expressly incorpo
`rated by reference.
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`[0002] The invention relates to a knitted spacer fabric With
`an upper textile and With a loWer textile, betWeen Which are
`arranged mutually crossing supporting threads Which con
`nect the upper and the loWer textile to one another, and to a
`method for the production thereof.
`[0003] Knitted spacer fabrics include an upper textile and a
`loWer textile Which are spaced apart from one another via
`supporting threads such as mono?laments. Supporting
`threads or mono?laments are synthetic materials and, as a
`rule, consist of a strand. The compressive hardness of the
`knitted spacer fabric is determined as a function of the diam
`eter of the supporting threads, their bonding to the textiles, the
`density in the ?nished knitted spacer fabric and the crossing
`angle of the supporting threads With respect to one another.
`Knitted spacer fabrics are used, for example, as a sitting base
`for Wheelchairs or as a sleeping base for decubitus patients.
`Conventional knitted spacer fabrics have the disadvantage
`that they can absorb shear forces to only a very limited extent,
`and that they are capable to only a limited extent of keeping
`the textiles spaced apart from one another.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`[0004] The object of the present invention is to provide a
`knitted spacer fabric, and a method for the production thereof,
`having improved shear and compressive strength.
`[0005] The knitted spacer fabric according to one embodi
`ment of the present invention provides an upper and a loWer
`textile, betWeen Which are arranged mutually crossing sup
`porting threads Which keep the upper and loWer textiles
`spaced apart from and connected to one another. At least parts
`of the supporting threads are connected to one another at their
`crossing points, to provide the knitted fabric spacer With an
`increased shear strength increased compression resistance. In
`one embodiment, the ?nished knitted spacer fabric can not be
`pressed together completely, or at least only in response to an
`increased pressure force. Since the mutually crossing sup
`porting or spacer threads are connected to one another at
`speci?c points, they function in a comparable Way to Welded
`Wires in a Wire mesh fence. The hardness of the knitted spacer
`fabric can be set as a function of the density and the crossing
`angle of the supporting threads and of the number and
`arrangement of the connections at the crossing points.
`[0006] According to another embodiment of the invention,
`the supporting threads are formed as mono?laments, tWisted
`supporting threads or spun core/ sheath assemblies. In par
`ticular, the supporting threads, such as mono?lament, spun
`core/ sheath assemblies or tWisted supporting threads, may be
`coated or sheathed to alloW or facilitate the connection of a
`plurality of supporting threads to one another at their crossing
`points. The coating or sheathing may be formed of a synthetic
`
`material or of an adhesive Which has a loWer melting or
`activation temperature than the core of the supporting thread.
`As a result, a connection of a plurality of supporting threads
`to one another can be implemented by heating the ready
`knitted spacer fabric Without any loss of strength or any
`substantial variation in the geometric conditions.
`[0007] In another embodiment, tWo mutually crossing sup
`porting threads covered With a layer of synthetic material are
`connected in a materially integral manner by melting and
`fusing the outer coating, and the mutually crossing supporting
`threads then bear against one another or are continuous to one
`another to form the materially integral connection. By coating
`With an adhesive Which is activated at a speci?c temperature,
`there is no need for a plurality of coated supporting threads to
`lie one against the other, but, instead, it is su?icient if a
`supporting thread coated With adhesive bears against another
`supporting thread, Which may or may not itself be coated With
`an adhesive, and the knitted spacer fabric is heated to the
`activation temperature. The tWo mutually crossing support
`ing threads then adhere to one another on account of the
`adhesive action of the adhesive, Without a materially integral
`connection of the tWo coatings having to take place. Altema
`tively, the spun-around layer may be formed of a loW-melting
`material Which is melted by setting the temperature. A chemi
`cal dissolving of the coating, sheathing or spun-around layer,
`With subsequent curing, may also take place, in order to
`achieve a connection of the supporting threads.
`[0008] In order to set the hardness of the knitted spacer
`fabric, or the resistance offered by the knitted spacer fabric to
`a pressure or shear force, 20% to 80% of the threads may be
`coated or provided With an adhesive. Depending on the
`intended use, it is possible to generate a desired number of
`connection points betWeen the supporting threads so that, in
`addition to the crossing angle and the density of the support
`ing threads, the hardness and the shear strength of the knitted
`spacer fabric are set as a function of the number of connection
`points. A supporting thread may also be connected to other
`supporting threads at a plurality of points. The supporting
`threads may have different diameters, Whether due to coating
`With a synthetic material or to coating With adhesive, and the
`desired compressive strength and shear stability may be
`established by choosing a suitable supporting thread dimen
`sioning.
`[0009] In a method for producing a knitted spacer fabric
`according the present invention, at least parts of the mutually
`crossing supporting threads Which connect an upper textile
`and a loWer textile to one another in a spaced manner are
`connected to one another at their crossing points such as by
`adhesive bonding or Welding to one another.
`[0010] In embodiments in Which the supporting threads
`have a core Which is provided With a coating, sheathing or
`spun-around layer, the the melting point of the coating,
`sheathing or spun-around layer is loWer than that of the core
`such that the knitted spacer fabric may be heated to a tem
`perature beloW the melting point of the core and above the
`melting point of the coating, sheathing or spun-around layer.
`As a result, either the adhesive is activated or the coatings of
`synthetic material are fused, so that a nonpositive or materi
`ally integral connection is obtained betWeen tWo mutually
`crossing supporting threads. Instead of a thermal bond, a
`chemical bond may also take place by dissolving and curing
`the coating, sheathing or spun-around layer.
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`US 2009/0049870 A1
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`[0011] Alternatively, uncoated supporting threads may be
`connected to one another by a thermal or chemical bond, in
`that only part of the supporting thread is melted or dissolved
`and subsequently cured.
`[0012] After connecting the supporting threads by heating
`to a predetermined temperature, the knitted spacer fabric may
`be maintained at a temperature beloW the melting or activa
`tion temperature, in order to break doWn deformations and
`stresses occurring Within the knitted spacer fabric.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`[0013] An exemplary embodiment of the invention is
`explained in more detail beloW With reference to the accom
`panying ?gures in Which:
`[0014] FIG. 1 is a schematic vieW of a conventional knitted
`spacer fabric; and
`[0015] FIG. 2 is a schematic vieW of a knitted spacer fabric
`according to the invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`
`[0016] In FIG. 1, a prior art knitted spacer fabric 1 With an
`upper textile 2 and a loWer textile 3 is shoWn. Supporting
`threads 4 are arranged betWeen textiles 2, 3, Which cross one
`another and are fastened to the textiles 2, 3 in a predetermined
`Weave and density. The supporting threads 4 are not con
`nected to one another, and therefore the compression hard
`ness, e.g., the resistance to loading perpendicularly to the
`textile plane, is determined by the diameter of the supporting
`threads 4, the bonding of the supporting threads 4 to the
`textiles 2, 3, the density of the supporting threads 4 in the
`?nished product and the crossing angle of the supporting
`threads 4.
`[0017] To provide a knitted spacer fabric that cannot be
`pressed together, or can only be pressed together With sub
`stantially greater effort, to the knitted spacer 10 fabric shoWn
`FIG. 2, includes mutually crossing supporting threads 40
`connected to one another at their crossing or connection
`points 50 either via an adhesive or in a materially integral
`manner by virtue of a fused connecting coating of the
`mono?laments used according to embodiments of the present
`invention. Connecting planes 60, Which give rise to an
`increased stability of the knitted spacer fabric 10, are pro
`vided at speci?c heights of the ?nished knitted spacer fabric
`10 as a function of the density of the supporting threads 40
`and of the crossing angle. The connecting planes 60, Which
`are the tWo planes in the exemplary embodiment illustrated,
`may be pressed together under load to prevent connection
`points 50 from coming loose resulting in connecting planes
`60 pressing together. In the case of longer supporting threads
`40 or a corresponding density and selection of the crossing
`angles, even more connecting planes 60 may be provided. A
`?xed number of connection points 50 can be de?ned by
`means of a predetermined arrangement density of the sup
`porting threads 40 and their corresponding orientation at an
`angle to the surface of the textiles 20, 30. It is thus possible to
`de?ne the Weight load at Which the knitted spacer fabric 10
`can be pressed together fully. An appropriately adapted mate
`rial can thus be manufactured for various Weight classes of a
`patient or for various loads.
`[0018] So that not all the crossing points of the supporting
`threads 40 are connected to one another and become connec
`tion points 50, a restricted and predetermined number of
`supporting threads 40 or mono?laments are provided With a
`
`coating and an adhesive. In this manner increased resistance
`to pressing together or to a shear movement in the knitted
`spacer fabric 10 can be provided in a uniformly distributed
`manner. It is likeWise possible to provide an increased number
`of connections at only speci?c points of a ?nished knitted
`spacer fabric 10, and this can be implemented by the arrange
`ment of coated and uncoated supporting threads in speci?c
`regions of the knitted spacer fabric 10. It is thus possible to
`provide load-tailored resistances in a knitted spacer fabric 10,
`in order to achieve a uniform support of the entire body, for
`example in decubitus patients.
`[0019] Due to the increased resistance to pressure load and
`increased shear stability, thinner products can be utiliZed for
`the same loads. NeW applications are also possible, for
`example as upholstery material, prosthetics orthotics, or as
`shoe inserts.
`[0020] According to one embodiment, to achieve a mini
`mum amount of ?exibility and elasticity, not all the crossing
`points 50 of the supporting threads 40 are connected to one
`another.
`[0021] After connection by heating, there is provision for
`maintaining the ?nished knitted spacer fabric 10 at an
`increased temperature beloW the activation or melting tem
`perature of the coating, so that stresses present Within the
`knitted spacer fabric 10 can be broken doWn.
`
`1. A knitted spacer fabric comprising:
`an upper textile;
`a loWer textile; and
`mutually crossing supporting threads arranged betWeen
`the upper textile and the loWer textile Which connect the
`upper and the loWer textiles to one another Wherein at
`least parts of a plurality of the supporting threads are
`connected to one another at crossing points.
`2. The knitted spacer fabric according to claim 1, Wherein
`the supporting threads comprise mono?laments, tWisted sup
`porting threads or spun core/ sheath assemblies.
`3. The knitted spacer fabric according to claim 1, Wherein
`the supporting threads are coated or sheathed.
`4. The knitted spacer fabric according to claim 3, Wherein
`the coating or sheathing has a loWer melting point than a core
`of the supporting thread.
`5. The knitted spacer fabric according to claim 3, Wherein
`20% to 80% of the supporting threads are coated.
`6. The knitted spacer fabric according to claim 3, Wherein
`the coating comprises a synthetic material or a thermally
`activatable adhesive.
`7. The knitted spacer fabric according to claim 1, Wherein
`the supporting threads have different diameters.
`8. The knitted spacer fabric according to claim 1, Wherein
`the supporting threads are connected to one another in a
`materially integral manner or are adhesively bonded to one
`another.
`9. A method for producing a knitted spacer fabric compris
`ing the steps of connecting, an upper textile is connected to a
`loWer textile in a spaced manner by supporting threads,
`Wherein at least parts of a plurality of the supporting threads
`are connected to one another at their crossing points.
`10. The method according to claim 9, Wherein the support
`ing threads are adhesively bonded, Welded or chemically
`connected to one another.
`11. The method according to claim 9, Wherein the support
`ing threads have a core With a coating or sheathing Which has
`a loWer melting point than the core, and Wherein the knitted
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`spacer fabric is heated to a temperature below a melting point
`of the core and above a melting point of the coating.
`12. The method according to claim 9, Wherein betWeen
`20% and 80% of the supporting threads are connected to one
`another, in order to set a hardness of the knitted spacer fabric.
`13. The method according to claim 11, Wherein after the
`supporting threads are connected to one another, the knitted
`spacer fabric is heated to a temperature beloW the melting
`temperature of the coating for a de?ned period of time.
`14. The method according to claim 9, Wherein the support
`ing threads are coated With a thermally activatable adhesive,
`and Wherein the knitted spacer fabric is heated to an activation
`temperature.
`15. The method according to claim 11, Wherein the coating
`is dissolved chemically and is subsequently cured.
`16. A method for producing a knitted spacer fabric com
`prising:
`providing an upper textile and a loWer textile;
`connecting the upper textile and the loWer textile to one
`another by supporting threads such that the upper textile
`and the loWer textile are spaced apart from one another;
`and
`
`connecting at least parts of the supporting threads to one
`another at crossing points.
`17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising
`coating a core of the supporting threads, Wherein the coating
`has a loWer melting point than the core.
`18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising
`heating the knitted spacer fabric to a temperature beloW a
`melting point of the core and above a melting point of the
`coating.
`19. The method according to claim 17, further comprising
`heating the knitted spacer fabric to a temperature beloW a
`melting temperature of the coating for a de?ned period of
`time after the supporting threads are connected to one
`another.
`20. The method according to claim 16, further comprising
`coating the supporting threads With a thermally activatable
`adhesive and heating the knitted spacer fabric to an activation
`temperature.
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`IPR2017-00351
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