Convolute knit sleeve and method of construction thereof
A convolute protective textile sleeve having a flexible, tubular wall of knit yarn extending lengthwise along a longitudinal axis between opposite ends includes a plurality of courses extending circumferentially about the longitudinal axis and a plurality of wales extending lengthwise from one of the opposite ends to the other of the opposite ends in generally parallel relation with the longitudinal axis. The plurality of courses include first courses forming annular crests of the tubular wall having a first diameter and second courses forming annular valleys of the tubular wall having a second diameter less than the first diameter. The first courses and the second courses alternate with one another along the longitudinal axis to provide the tubular wall with a convolute contour.
1 . A convolute protective textile sleeve, comprising:
a flexible, tubular wall of knit yarn extending lengthwise along a longitudinal axis between opposite ends, said knit yarn including a plurality of courses extending circumferentially about said longitudinal axis and a plurality of wales extending lengthwise from one of said opposite ends to the other of said opposite ends in generally parallel relation with said longitudinal axis, said plurality of courses including a plurality of first courses forming annular crests of said tubular wall having a first diameter and a plurality of second courses forming annular valleys of said tubular wall having a second diameter less than said first diameter, said first courses and said second courses alternating with one another along said longitudinal axis to provide said tubular wall with a convolute contour, wherein said first courses are formed of front knit stitches and said second courses are formed of back knit stitches.
2 . The convolute protective sleeve of claim 1 , wherein an axially extending length of each annular crest is provided by controlling the number of successive axially adjacent interlinked front knit stitches within said first courses and an axially extending length of each annular valley is provided by controlling the number of successive axially adjacent interlinked back knit stitches within said second courses.
3 . The convolute protective sleeve of claim 1 , wherein said wall is circumferentially continuous and seamless.
4 . The convolute protective sleeve of claim 1 , wherein said wall has opposite lengthwise extending edges extending generally parallel to said longitudinal axis, said edges being configured to be wrapped into overlapping relation with one another.
5 . The convolute protective sleeve of claim 4 , wherein at least some of said knit yarn includes heat-set yarn biasing and maintaining said opposite edges in wrapped, overlapping relation with one another.
6 . The convolute protective sleeve of claim 1 , wherein said knit yarn includes monofilament yarn.
7 . The convolute protective sleeve of claim 6 , wherein said annular valleys are formed entirely of said monofilament yarn.
8 . The convolute protective sleeve of claim 7 , wherein said knit yarn includes multifilament yarn.
9 . The convolute protective sleeve of claim 8 , wherein said annular peaks are formed entirely of said multifilament yarn.
10 . The convolute protective sleeve of claim 6 , wherein said knit yarn includes multifilament yarn.
11 . The convolute protective sleeve of claim 10 , wherein said annular peaks are formed entirely of said multifilament yarn.
12 . The convolute protective sleeve of claim 1 , wherein said knit yarn is entirely multifilament yarn.
13 . A method of constructing a convolute textile sleeve, comprising:
knitting yarn to form a flexible wall including a plurality of wales extending generally parallel to a longitudinal axis between opposite ends of the flexible wall and a plurality of courses extending generally transverse to the longitudinal axis;
knitting the plurality of courses including first courses forming annular crests and second courses forming annular valleys alternating with one another along the longitudinal axis; and
knitting the first courses as annular front knit stitches and knitting the second courses as back knit stitches.
14 . The method of claim 13 , further including knitting the flexible wall as a circumferentially continuous, seamless wall.
15 . The method of claim 13 , further including knitting the flexible wall having opposite edges extending lengthwise between the opposite ends, with the opposite edges being configured to overlap one another.
16 . The method of claim 15 , further including heat-setting the flexible wall to impart a bias on the wall to automatically bias the opposite edges into overlapping relation with one another.
17 . The method of claim 13 , further including controlling the axially extending length of individual ones of the annular crests by controlling the number of successive axially adjacent interlinked front knit stitches within the first courses and controlling the axially extending length individual ones of the annular valleys by controlling the number of successive axially adjacent interlinked back knit stitches within the second courses.
18 . The method of claim 17 , further including knitting the annular valleys entirely with multifilament yarn.
19 . The method of claim 18 , further including knitting the annular peaks entirely with monofilament yarn.
20 . The method of claim 13 , further including knitting the yarn entirely of multifilament yarn.