Analysis of structure of warp-knitted spacer fabric on pressure indices

Abstract

Spacer fabrics are widely used as mattress materials of bed and wheelchair. It is due to the fact that the special sandwich structure is effective in evenly dispersing pressure to improve pressure concentration, which prevents ulcer disease of long-term seated/lying people. However, there are few investigations on relationship between structure of spacer fabric and pressure behaviour. So, the main content dealt with in the paper was to adopt pressure pad system to measure pressure distribution behaviour of spacer fabric compressed by seated people, and pressure indices with average gradient integral, pressure peak, average pressure and contacting area were featured based on pressure nephogram. Pressure tests of varying surface stitch density, spacer filaments arrangement density and layers of spacer fabric were conducted. Experimental results showed that mattress without spacer fabric existed serious pressure concentration effect, while mattress with spacer fabric obviously improved hip pressure concentration effect. Pressure concentration effect could be well improved by increasing surface stitch density, spacer filament arrangement density and thickness. Moreover, it was a good method to produce mattress with good pressure property by combining reasonable layers of spacer fabrics to meet the same pressure-relief requirements.