Pressure garment
AssigneeThe University of Manchester
InventorsTilak Dias, William Cooke, Anura Fernando, Dimuth Jayawarna, Najmal Hassan Chaudhury
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Abstract
There is disclosed a method for making a pressure garment, comprising the steps of: defining 3D shape and pressure profile characteristics of a garment; specifying a knitting pattern for the garment; calculating yarn feed data for the knitting pattern to produce the defined shape and pressure profile characteristics; and, knitting the garment according to the knitting pattern and the yarn feed data.
Claims33
A method for making a pressure garment, the method comprising the steps of:
- defining the shape and dimensions of a garment by generating a 3D image of the shape the garment has to fit;
- defining the pressure profile characteristics of the garment;
- specifying a knitting pattern for the garment;
- calculating yarn feed data for the knitting pattern to produce the defined shape and pressure profile characteristics;
- calculating the number of needles per course reciuired to achieve the defined pressure characteristics;
- and,
- knitting the garment according to the knitting pattern, the yarn feed data, and the calculated number of needles per course.
An apparatus for making pressure garments comprising:
- a scanning means for deriving shape characteristics defining a 3D image of a body for which a garment is intended;
- a data processing means for receiving pressure characteristics of the garment, and for calculating yarn feed data for a specified knitting pattern based on said 3D image and said pressure characteristics, the data processing means being operative to calculate the number of needles per course required for knitting the garment to achieve said pressure characteristics;
- a knitting machine;
- and,
- a yarn delivery system for the knitting machine, the data processing means controlling the knitting machine and the yarn delivery system to knit the garment according to the knitting pattern and the yarn feed data.
A method for making a pressure garment, the method comprising the steps of:
- defining 3D shape and pressure profile characteristics of a garment;
- specifying a knitting pattern for the garment;
- calculating yarn feed data for the knitting pattern to produce the defined shape and pressure profile characteristics;
- and,
- knitting the garment according to the knitting pattern and the yarn feed data, while controlling a servo motor feed system for the formation of each stitch, tuck or float of the knitting pattern according to the yarn feed data.
An apparatus for making pressure garments comprising:
- a data processing means adapted to calculate yarn feed data for a specified knitting pattern based on defined 3D shape and pressure profiles and pressure characteristics of a garment;
- a knitting machine and a yarn delivery system controlled to knit the garment according to the knitting pattern and the yarn feed data;
- and,
- a servo motor controlled feed system for the formation of each stitch, tuck or float of the knitting pattern according to the yarn feed data.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.