Abstract: A woven fabric with a photovoltaic power generation portion performs photovoltaic power generation by light, such as, e.g., solar light, and has flexibility. The woven fabric is composed of warp yarns and weft yarns. The woven fabric includes at least one functional yarn with a photovoltaic power generation portion as a weft yarn. The functional yarn with a photovoltaic power generation portion includes a photovoltaic power generation portion, a positive electrode conductive wire material connected to a positive electrode of the photovoltaic power generation portion, and a negative electrode conductive wire material connected to a negative electrode of the photovoltaic power generation portion. At least two warp yarns are conductive yarns. One of the conductive yarn is in electric contact with the positive electrode conductive wire material. The other warp yarn is in electric contact with the negative electrode conductive wire material.

Abstract: A woven fabric with a photovoltaic power generation portion performs photovoltaic power generation by light, such as, e.g., solar light, and has flexibility. The woven fabric is composed of warp yarns and weft yarns. The woven fabric includes at least one functional yarn with a photovoltaic power generation portion as a weft yarn. The functional yarn with a photovoltaic power generation portion includes a photovoltaic power generation portion, a positive electrode conductive wire material connected to a positive electrode of the photovoltaic power generation portion, and a negative electrode conductive wire material connected to a negative electrode of the photovoltaic power generation portion. At least two warp yarns are conductive yarns. One of the conductive yarn is in electric contact with the positive electrode conductive wire material. The other warp yarn is in electric contact with the negative electrode conductive wire material.

Abstract: An automatic fabric-density adjusting device is provided and includes a detecting device for detecting the rotary movement of a knitting machine, a driving mechanism for driving a yarn positive feeding device in response to the signal detected by said detecting device, a controller for controlling the driving mechanism to cause said yarn feeding device to feed a requisite yarn volume for the desired fabric, a fabric tension sensor for detecting variations in the tension of the knit fabric and signaling the controller to vary the take-up of the fabric accordingly.

Abstract: A knitting needle for use in knitting machines. The needle includes a shaft and a butt extending from the shaft for being received within a cam track of a knitting machine. The butt has a pair of substantially parallel side faces aligned with the needle shaft and upper and lower edges extending between the side faces. A medial face extends along a medial portion of each upper and lower edge of the needle butt between the side faces. A pair of angled faces extends between each medial face and side face to interconnect the medial face and side faces. The angled faces have an inclination angle approximately equal to the maximum inclination angle of the cam of the knitting machine in which the knitting needle is used. Each medial face may be arcuate in shape and the angled faces may be tangent to each associated arcuate face. Alternatively, the medial faces may be substantially planar and substantially perpendicular to the side faces of the butt.