KNITTED FABRIC HAVING TWO-STAGE ELASTIC MODULUS, AND COMPRESSION CLOTHING

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a knitted fabric and compression clothing which can be easily put on and then increase in elastic modulus, so that necessary compression force can be applied.SOLUTION: A knitted fabric includes an elastic yarn having an elastic modulus which changes in at least two stages within an elastic limit in such a manner that the elastic modulus is relatively low in a range up to a first limit, and the elastic modulus becomes relatively high in a range beyond the first limit. In the knitted fabric, an elastic modulus changes in at least two stages due to the elastic yarn. Preferably, the knitted fabric is formed by using an elastic yarn which has a structure formed by winding a covering yarn around a core yarn, and in which the angle of winding the covering yarn around the core yarn is set such that: the ratio of the elongation of the covering to the elongation of the elastic yarn when the elastic yarn is elongated is small in the range up to the first limit and becomes large in the range beyond the first limit; and thus the elastic modulus of the elastic yarn is determined by the elasticity of the core yarn in the range up to the first limit, and the elastic modulus of the elastic yarn is determined by the elastic moduli of both of the core yarn and the covering yarn in the range beyond the first limit. 【課題】着用が容易で、その後は弾性率が高くなり必要な圧迫力を加えることができる編地と圧迫衣料を提供する。【解決手段】第１限界までは弾性率が比較的小さく、第１限界を越えると弾性率が比較的高くなるように、弾性限界内で弾性率が少なくとも２段階に変化する弾性糸を備え、前記弾性糸により弾性率が少なくとも２段階に変化する編地。好ましくは、芯糸にカバリング糸が巻き付けられている構造をし、弾性糸を伸ばした際の、カバリングの伸びと弾性糸の伸びとの比率が、前記第１限界までは小さく、第１限界を越えると大きくなるため、第１限界までは芯糸の弾性により弾性糸の弾性率が定まり、第１限界を越えると芯糸とカバリング糸の双方の弾性率により弾性糸の弾性率が定まるように、カバリング糸を芯糸に巻き付ける角度が定められている弾性糸を使用した編地。【選択図】図５