Method and apparatus for producing ultra-smooth knitted fabric using hairy yarn

A method for producing smooth knitted fabric using hairy yarn, comprising steps of:

• inputting yarn, each of which is unwound from a cone yarn package on a yarn creel of each yarn knitting mechanism of a weft knitting machine, then guiding the yarn into a knitting area of the knitting mechanism;
• converting the yarn into a knitted fabric with a looping unit in the knitting area;
• and guiding the knitted fabric out of the knitting area with a rotary up-taking unit and winding the knitting fabric onto a cloth roller for weft knitting;
• wherein the tensioned yarn (Y) is delivering forward from the yarn feeder with a speed of 1-6 m/min;
• under the guidance of a yarn input hook (2), the tensioned yarn (Y) enters a yarn passage of a false-twisting hollow shaft (3) which rapidly rotates in a false-twisting device;
• outputting from the yarn passage, the tensioned yarn (Y) reaches an ironing face (101) of a heating device (100) under a S-shape path guidance by a wheel slot of a first yarn guiding wheel (8) and a wheel slot of a second yarn guiding wheel (9) in the false-twisting hollow shaft (3);
• the tensioned yarn (Y) is pressed against the ironing face (101) by an elastic yarn presser (10) thereon;
• the false-twisting hollow shaft (3), which rapidly rotates, drives the wheel slot of the first yarn guiding wheel (8) and the wheel slot of the second yarn guiding wheel (9) to false-twist the tensioned yarn (Y) in a rotary holding form, so as to rotate the stem (S) of the tensioned yarn (Y) moving on the ironing face (101);
• meanwhile, a gas outlet (20) of a directional hairiness stretching device (19) directionally ejects a steam flow towards the tensioned yarn (Y) along a direction which forms an angle of 20 to 60 degrees with the tensioned yarn (Y) forward direction, then hairiness (H) of the tensioned yarn (Y) is directionally stretched by the steam flow in a direction which forms an angle of 120 to 160 degrees with the tensioned yarn (Y) forward direction;
• the hairiness (H) after being directionally stretched is thoroughly softened on the ironing face (101), in such a manner that the softened hairiness (H) of the tensioned yarn (Y), pre-wraps reversely to yarn forward direction and orderly on the rotating stem (S) of the tensioned yarn (Y);
• meanwhile, the tensioned yarn (Y) with per-wrapped hairiness is heat-set on the ironing face (101);
• after outputting from the ironing face (101), the yarn with heat-set pre-wrapped hairiness enters a vortex chamber of a vortex hair-wrapping device through a yarn inlet (11), and the un-wrapped hairiness (H) on the tensioned yarn (Y) surface is pressed against a surface of a hot cone static spindle (14) by a vortex airflow in the vortex chamber;
• the un-wrapped hairiness (H) is held by outer hot surface friction of the hot cone static spindle (14) and meanwhile blew to rotate by the vortex airflow as well as dragged forwards by an up-taken force, in such a manner that the un-wrapped hairiness (H) reversely wraps on the stem (S) of the tensioned yarn (Y) along a direction which forms an angle of 120 to 160 degrees with the tensioned yarn (Y) forward direction, so as to effectively stabilize and fix the heat-set pre-wrapped hairiness (H) formed on the ironing face (101);
• then the tensioned yarn (Y) with its all hairiness (H) completely wrapped and fixed onto the stem (S), obtains an smooth surface structure;
• outputting through a yarn output wheel (15), the smooth yarn enters into the knitting area and is converted into the knitted fabric with smooth appearance by the looping unit in the knitting area.