公开(公告)号：US11066763B1

公开(公告)日：2021-07-20

申请号：US16853876

申请日：2020-04-21

Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC

Inventor： Paul W. Alexander ,  Wonhee M. Kim ,  Neil Tagner ,  Jason R. Wilkins

IPC: D04B1/22 ,  D04B21/20

Abstract: A method of forming a spacer fabric includes performing, via a knitting machine, an iterative process. The iterative process includes: knitting a tether from a first point to a second point on a first fabric layer; extending the tether from the second point to a third point on a second fabric layer to start formation of a tether segment; temporarily holding the tether at the third point via one of a temporary holding needles; extending the tether from the third point to a fourth point on the first fabric layer; temporarily holding the tether at the fourth point via another one of the temporary holding needles; extending the tether from the fourth point to a fifth point on the second fabric layer; and knitting the tether from the fifth point to a final point on the second fabric layer. The tether segment is released from the temporary holding needles.