CA2233945A1 - Improvements in and relating to fiber identification - Google Patents
Improvements in and relating to fiber identification Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2233945A1 CA2233945A1 CA002233945A CA2233945A CA2233945A1 CA 2233945 A1 CA2233945 A1 CA 2233945A1 CA 002233945 A CA002233945 A CA 002233945A CA 2233945 A CA2233945 A CA 2233945A CA 2233945 A1 CA2233945 A1 CA 2233945A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- void
- fibers
- voids
- polymer
- fiber
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Classifications
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D01—NATURAL OR MAN-MADE THREADS OR FIBRES; SPINNING
- D01D—MECHANICAL METHODS OR APPARATUS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS
- D01D5/00—Formation of filaments, threads, or the like
- D01D5/24—Formation of filaments, threads, or the like with a hollow structure; Spinnerette packs therefor
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D01—NATURAL OR MAN-MADE THREADS OR FIBRES; SPINNING
- D01D—MECHANICAL METHODS OR APPARATUS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS
- D01D5/00—Formation of filaments, threads, or the like
- D01D5/253—Formation of filaments, threads, or the like with a non-circular cross section; Spinnerette packs therefor
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
- D04H—MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING ; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION
- D04H3/00—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of yarns or like filamentary material of substantial length
- D04H3/08—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of yarns or like filamentary material of substantial length characterised by the method of strengthening or consolidating
- D04H3/10—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of yarns or like filamentary material of substantial length characterised by the method of strengthening or consolidating with bonds between yarns or filaments made mechanically
- D04H3/11—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of yarns or like filamentary material of substantial length characterised by the method of strengthening or consolidating with bonds between yarns or filaments made mechanically by fluid jet
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
- D04H—MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING ; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION
- D04H3/00—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of yarns or like filamentary material of substantial length
- D04H3/08—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of yarns or like filamentary material of substantial length characterised by the method of strengthening or consolidating
- D04H3/16—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of yarns or like filamentary material of substantial length characterised by the method of strengthening or consolidating with bonds between thermoplastic filaments produced in association with filament formation, e.g. immediately following extrusion
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Textile Engineering (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Artificial Filaments (AREA)
- Nonwoven Fabrics (AREA)
- Spinning Methods And Devices For Manufacturing Artificial Fibers (AREA)
Abstract
Fiberfill and/or multi-void fibers are identified and/or differentiated by one or more voids being partially filled with a differentiating characteristic that is a protuberance of characterizing polymer material. This material may be the same or different from that of the rest of the fiber. The protuberance is provided by appropriate adjustment of the spinning capillary, i.e., during extrusion to form the fiber.
Description
CA 0223394~ 1998-04-02 W O 97/13895 PCT~US95/12799 .
TIT~,F, Improvements In And Relating To Fiber Identification This invention concerns improvements in and relating to fiber identification, and includes a novel method of making a multi-void fiber with a characteristic by which it can later be identified, novel multi-void fibers so marked as to be iclentifi~hle, and products and materials including such marked fibers,especially fiberfill filling materials (often referred to shortly as "fiberfill") and products, including batts, fiberballs and other products comprising such marked fibers and materials comprising them, and processes and a~p~dlus for obtaining such multi-void fibers and their products and materials.
A fiber m~nuf~blrer~s customers clçrn~ncl consictency in ~clro~ ce from the fibers provided by the m~nnf~cturer. In other words, the m~nllf~cturerls customers require that the properties of any particular fiber not vary appreciably from batch to batch of that fiber as the different batches of that fiber are produced over several years. The fiber m~nllf~rtnrer, however, has a need to be able to identify fiber from different production batches, while ~ g the consistency and uniformity that the customers require. Much notoriety has been given to fiber identification in criminology, for example, as a way to bring murderers or othercriminals to justice. ~nllf~cblrers also, however, have other more mlm~l~ne and practical reasons for nee~ling to identify the production batch of particular fibers.
So it has long been desirable to find a cheap yet effective system for identifying fibers. Previously, for in~tslrlce, one method has been to add a chemical or nuclear marker to the fiber, but this method has added expense and complications and hashad disadvantages, such as the ease with which some one other than the fiber mz~nnf:~eturer can add the same marker, after manufacture, and so confuse this system for identification.
In particular, there has long existed a need for an economical way to identify and differentiate resilient multi-void fibers (especially polyester multi-void fibers) that are crimped and used as fiberfill in products such as batts, fiberballs and other filling materials and filled articles, such as pillows, filled apparel, comforters, cushions and such like bedding and fi~rni~hinp material. Asindicated, it is important that any identifier system should not change the ~ performance and L~lo~clLies ofthe fibers.
Examples of such crimped multi-void resilient filling fibers include those disclosed by Ch~mp~r~eria et al in U. S. Patent No. 3,745,061, and in EP A2 0 067 684 (Jones et al), having 4 voids (sometimes referred to as holes) with a solid axial core, and by Broaddus in U. S. Patent No. 5,104,725~ having 7 or more CA 0223394~ 1998-04-02 W O 97tl3895 PCT~US95/12799.
voids, arranged ~,vith a central void and other voids arranged around the central void. Both 4-void and 7-void polyester filling fibers have been produced and sold commercially, and have been used as fiberfill. Broaddus compared properties of fiberfill comprising his 7-void filling fibers with those of fiberfill comprising prior corn~nercial 4-void filling fibers and also with those of fiberfill comprising hollow filling fibers. The most i~ ol Li~lt ~l~ pCl lies to compare for use as fiberfill are the bulk properties; measurement of bulk ~lo~cllies (referred to as TBRM for "Total Bulk Range Measurement") have been described, e.g., by Tolliver in U.S. Patent No. 3,772,137, and so have frictional p~ lies (that were also measured by Broaddus and are also important for fiberfill). Both of these crimped multi-voidfilling fibers have shown significant advantages over resilient crimped hollow filling fibers (such as disclosed by Tolliver in U. S. Patent No. 3,772,137) in their performance as filling materials, especially when such multi-void filling fibershave had a smooth round peripheral surface. The disclosure of each of the above patent specifications is expressly included herein by reference. In addition, multi-void filling fibers with a smooth round peripheral surface and with only three longitudinal voids, are disclosed by Hern~n~ et al. in U.S. Patent No. 5,458,971(DP-6320), the disclosure of which is also included herein, by reference.
The present invention solves this need to identify and differentiate multi-void fibers by providing a visual identifying marker in the configuration of the cross-section of the multi-void fiber. This marker identifies the multi-voidfiber only visually, i.e., without si~nific~ntly affecting perforrnance of the fiber.
Fibers with such a visual identifying marker according to the present invention are often referred to herein as "identifier fibers" (or '~identifier fil~ment~") The terms "fiber" and "filament" are often used herein inclusively, without intending that use of one term should exclude the other.
Accordingly, this invention provides a process for preparing multi-void filaments of a synthetic polymer, comprising the steps of post-coalescence melt-spinning the synthetic polymer through segmented spirming capillarv orifices so the resulting freshly-spun molten streams coalesce and form continuous filarnents having at least three voids, and q~ nching to solidify the fil~mentc, and, if desired, drawing the resultant solid fil~mlont~, and/or further proce~ing, and/or converting to staple fiber, characterized in that molten polymer is also spun insmall amount through one or more separate small orifices located so as to form, respectively, one or more small protuberances that are visually icl~ntifi~hle on an inside surface of, respectively, one or more voids of the multi-void filaments.
There is also provided, as a new article, a multi-void synthetic polymer fiber, having at least three continuous lon~ 1in~1 voids, wherein the CA 0223394~ 1998-04-02 W O 97/13895 PCTrUS95/12799.
multi-void cross-section of the fiber shows characteristic polymer m~t~-ri~l that protrudes into one or more of the voids from an inside surface of the void or voids; in other words, the cross-section shows that one or more such void is partially filled with characteristic polymer material that protrudes from a wall into 5 such partially-filled void, thus said characteristic protruding polymer material dirr~,~;,llially identifies said fiber from similar multi-void synthetic polymer fibers that do not contain any such protruding polymer material usually but does not significantly differentiate the performance properties of said fiber from said similar fibers.
According to a further aspect, this invention provides fiberfill filling material, and articles comprising such m~teri~l, comprising resilient crimped multi-void filling fibers that are of a synthetic polymer, wherein said multi-void filling fibers have at least three continuous voids throughout their fiber length, and wherein said fiberfill filling material is identified by all or a predetermined 15 proportion of said fibers having a multi-void cross-section that shows characteristic polymer material that protrudes into a preclet~rmin~l number and predetermined pattern of the voids from an inside surface of the void or voids.
According to other aspects disclosed herein, fiberfill (and including filled articles thereof) is provided wherein said fiberfill comprises resilient 20 crimped multi-void filling fibers of synthetic polymer, apd wherein, e.g., at least 10 percent by weight of said fibers have a multi-void cross-section which shows that one or more such void contains (i.e., is partially filled with) characteristic protruding polymer material (i.e., that protrudes from an inside surface into such partially-filled void), whereby said characteristic protruding polymer material 25 differentially identifies said fiber from a multi-void synthetic polymer fiber whose multi-void cross-section is similar except that it does not contain any such characteristic protruding polymer m~tcri~l and wherein the bulk properties of said fiber as filling m~t~ri~l are ees~nti~lly similar to the bulk properties of such a multi-void synthetic polymer fiber that is of similar cross-section except that it 30 does not contain any such characteristic protruding polymer material; such multi-void fibers may contain at least three continuous longitudinal voids (i.e., throughout their fiber length), as will be understood.
Polymer material protruding from a surface of a wall of an internal void of a (first) multi-void fiber of a synthetic material is used to identify said 35 (first) multi-void fiber and differentiate it from other multi-void fibers of similar cross-section and having similar bulk properties to those of the first (identified and differentiated) multi-void fiber, except, of course, that the other multi-void fibers CA 0223394~ l998-04-02 W O 97/13895 PCTrUS95/12799 do not have the polymer material protruding from a surface of a wall of an internal void.
Other aspects include methods, ~ Lus and products disclosed herein.
S Preferred features include using polyester polymer as the material for the synthetic polymer of the multi-void fiber and/or the characteristic polymer material, and preferably for both, including using the same polyester polymer for both, and using the invention for 4-hole fibers, 7-hole fibers, and/or 3-hole fibers with a smooth round periphery, such as are mentioned in the art and above, especially any such multi-void fibers with only 1 of the holes (i.e., voids) partially filled.
In most respects, the fiberfill filling m~teri~l~ and resilient crimped multi-void filling fibers of the invention are prepared conventionally by methods known in the art, such as referred to herein. Preferred multi-void filling fibers are prepared from polyester polymers, especially poly(ethylene terephth~ te), and this preferred embodiment is described herein more particularly, for convenience, it being lm~ r~tood that applopliate modification can be made by those skilled in the art for other synthetic polymers, such as polyamides or polypropylene, to take account of their differences, e.g., in melting conditions and plo~l Lies, such as melt viscosity. One such disclosure in the art is Ch~mp~neria et al U.S. Patent No. 3,745,061, which discloses multi-void synthetic fil~mentc and a spinneret capillary for spinning such fil~3mentc cont~ininp four substantially equillimencional and equi-spaced parallel continuous voids from synthetic polymers, including polyesters, in Figure 1 thereof.
Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings are m~gnified (625X) photographs of cross-sections of 4-void filz~ment~, Fig. 1 being of preferred filaments according to the invention, whereas Fig. 2 is of prior art filaments for comparison, as discussed in Example 1.
Figure 3 is an enlarged view of a spinneret capillary, taken looking at the lower face of the spinneret, for spinning ~lc;r~ d 4-void fil~ment~ of the invention as in Fig 1, 4 and 5.
Figures 4-7 are m~gnified photographs of cross-sections of 4-void fil~ment~, Figs. 4 and 5 being of preferred filz~ment~ according to the invention, whereas Figs. 6 and 7 are of prior art fil~ment~ for comparison. Figs. 4 and 7 are of m~gnification 500X. Figs. 5 and 6 are of m~gnification 1000X. These are rli~cn~se~ in Example 3.
Figure 8 is a graph plotting TBRM data, heights in inches versus pl'e~ ,S in psi, as discussed also in Example 3.
CA 0223394~ l998-04-02 W O 97/13895 PCTrUS95/12799 Figure 9 is an enlarged view of a spinneret capillary, taken looking at the lower face of the ~h~elc~l, for spinning preferred 3-void fil~ment~ of the invention as in Figs. 10 and 11.
Figures 10-13 are m~gnified photographs of cross-sections of 3-void S fil~ment~, Figs. 10 and 11 being of ~lerell~d identifier fil~ment.~ according to the invention, whereas Figs. 12 and 13 are of filaments without identifier, for comparison. Figs. 10 and 12 are of m~gnific~tion 500X. Figs. 11 and 13 are of m~gnification lOOOX. These are discussed in Example 4.
Figure 14 is a graph plotting TBRM data, heights in inches versus 1O plC:S5ul~ in psi, as discussed also in Example 4.
Figures 15 and 16 are m~gnified photographs showing not only cross-sections of preferred fibers of the invention, but also that the fibers are crimped, as described later herein.
Referring to Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings, showing an 15 enlarged view of a spinneret capillary for spinning 4-void identifier filaments of the present invention, the similarity to that of Figure 1 of Ch~mp~neria will benoted. The capillary is formed of four individual segments ~lesi~n~tP~I generally 11, 12, 13 and 14intheformofT-shapedslotswithfourradialslots 15, 16, 17 and 18 r~ tin~ outwards to join outer peripheral slots 19, 20, 21, 22 that are 20 curved to form arcs of an incomplete circle. At each end of each peripheral slot, 19, 20, 21 and 22, are enlarged "toes" 23 and 24, 25 and 26, 27 and 28, and 29 and 30, respectively, being enlarged ends of said slot to assist in post-coalescence of the emerging molten polymer to form the desired multi-void solid fils~ment, as is known in the art, such as Tolliver, U. S. Patent No. 3,772,137. An hllpoll~ll and 25 novel difference in Figure 3 herein (that differentiates from Figure 1 of Ch~mp~n~ria) is the provision of an orifice 40. Molten polymer extruded through orifice 40 solidifies and coalesces on an internal wall of one of the voids of the fil~nnent formed by post-coalescence of molten polymer extruded through slots 11, 12, 13 and 14, to form a protuberance partially filling one of the voids. The 30 relative location of the protuberance within the void may vary along a length of the filament, as will be understood.
Magnified cross-sections of such identifier filaments of the invention, cont~ining 4 voids, one of which is partially filled with polymer that protrudesfrom an internal wall of such void, are shown in Figure 1, at 625X m~gnification.
35 In contrast, similarly m~gnified cross-sections of conventional 4-void filzlment~
are shown in Figure 2. As mentioned, the cross-sections in Figs. 1 and 2 have been greatly magnified. Fiberfill fil~mente are so fine that, without m~gnification, it is doubtful that anyone would be able to see any void in the cross-section, or CA 0223394~ l998-04-02 W O 97/13895 PCTnUS95/12799 whether the filQment is solid, hollow, or multi-void, let alone be able to recognize if any void is partially filled with protruding polymer.
As may be seen from Examples hereinafter, both types of fil~ment~
can be prepared to have comparable performance and properties as filling S materials. In other words, an objective has been achieved in this respect. This will be discussed more hereinafter.
To summarize this point, without ~ pa~ g and ex~mining greatly-m~gnified carefully-cut cross-sections and co",p~ g the fil~ment~, most people would be unable to determine significant difference between fil~ment~ of the 10 invention and conventional fil~ment~ of the art. So the objective of the invention has been achieved economically by use of a ~lirre~ L spinneret capillary to givethe fil~ment a different cross-sectional configuration int~rn~lly, without affecting the exterior of the fil~ment or its p~lrollllance, i.e., wherein the difference can only be determined visually, after ex~mining a greatly-magnified carefully-cut 15 cross-section of the fil~ment As will readily be understood, the invention lends itself to many variations. For in~t~nce the number and pattern of the protuberances in relation to the voids may be varied, especially with fil~mentc having larger numbers of voids, such as 7 voids, bearing in mind that it has generally been thought desirable to20 maximize the void content to take advantage of the presence of the voids. It will generally be desirable for the protuberance to fill about 25 to about 50% of thevolume of the void, and generally to extend to an amount of about 25 to 50% of the average web thickne~ of the fil~ment between adjacent voids, bearing in mindthe above, and the objective of having a characteristic that is relatively easy to 25 detect visually, especially when using the sarne polymer material. It is not n~ ce~c~ry to provide every fil~ment (i.e., 100%) with identifier, but a regulated (i.e., predetermined) proportion (e.g., at least about 10% by weight) of particularly-identified fil~ment~ may be included, and recorded, for a batch of fiber that is sold. Furthermore, although it is less costly, so generally preferred, to 30 spin fil~ment~ from a single polymer, so the polymer m~teri~l is the same in the protuberance as in the rest of the fil~ment different polymers may be used, if desired, so as to provide better identification for merges or batches of fiber. In other words, fiberfill (one or more batches) according to the invention can be identified by providing a predetermin~d proportion (that may be recorded, and 35 may vary up to 100%) of the con~titllent filling fibers with a pre~etermined number and predetermined pattern of voids co"l~ i"g visual identifier, i.e., characteristic polymer material protruding into, i.e., partially filling, such void(s), as described, and these details may all be recorded.
CA 0223394~ l998-04-02 W O 97/13895 PCTrUS95/12799 As mentioned above, and as demonstrated in the Examples, partially filling one or more voids of the multi-void f1lling fibers (according to the invention) did not significantly change the bulk properties or performance of the fibers as fiberfill. Applicant has also found that the extent to which the voids are filled has not significantly changed the bulk properties or performance. So long as all the voids remain to some degree, the buL~c performance properties have not been significantly affected. This is different from what has been taught in the art for hollow fibers. So this was a new and surprising finclin~ In other words, partially filling one or more voids in a multi-void filling fiber (according to the invention) has not been found to affect the bulking properties of the multi-voidfilling fibers, whereas the art has taught that extruding extra polymer so it coalesces onto the internal surface of a hollow fil~mçnt will change the blllkine~
of the resulting hollow fil~ment In contrast to hollow fibers, it seems that it is the presence of the particular number of voids, located symmetrically or regularly around the cross-section of the multi-void fiber, rather than the relative sizes of the various voids in the cross-section, that determines the bnlkiness The invention is further illustrated in the following Examples, all parts and percentages being by weight, unless otherwise indicated. The levels ofcoatings (slickeners and finishes) applied to the fil~ment~ were OWF (with regard to the weight of the fiber). Relative Viscosity (sometimes referred to as LRV) and void content (by volume, by a flotation method) were determined by the methods referred to in U.S. Patent No. 4,712,988 (Broaddus et al.). Bulk measurements were determin.od by the method referred to in Tolliver U.S. Patent No. 3,772,137referred to hereinabove, and crimp measurements çcs~nti~lly as described therein.
Fiber-to-fiber friction values for fiberfill filling (staple) fibers are generally obtained by what is known as Staple Pad Friction (SPF) mea~u~ llL~.
As used herein, a staple pad of the fibers whose friction is to be measured is sandwiched between a weight on top of the staple pad and a base that is underneath the staple pad and is mounted on the lower crosshead of an Instron 1122 m~rhinP (product of Instron Fngin~ering Corp., Canton, Mass).
The staple pad is prepared by carding the staple fibers (using a SACO-Lowell roller top card) to form a batt which is cut into sections, that are 4.0 ins in length and 2.5 ins wide, with the fibers oriented in the length dimension of the batt. Enough sections are stacked up so the staple pad weighs 1.5 g. The - weight on top of the staple pad is of length (L) 1.88 ins, width (W) 1.52 ins, and height (H) 1.46 ins, and weighs 496 gm. The surfaces of the weight and of the base that contact the staple pad are covered with Emery cloth (grit being in CA 0223394~ 1998-04-02 W O 97/13895 PCT~US95/12799 220 to 240 range), so that it is the Emery cloth that makes contact with the surfaces of the staple pad. The staple pad is placed on the base. The weigh~ is placed on the middle of the pad. A nylon monofil line is ~tt~.'h,o~ to one of the smaller vertical (WxH) faces of the weight and passed around a small pulley up 5 to the upper crosshead of the Instron, making a 90 degree wrap angle around the pulley.
A cu~ uLer interfaced to the Instron is given a signal to start the test.
The lower crosshead of the Instron is moved down at a speed of 12.5 in/min.
The staple pad, the weight and the pulley are also moved down with the base, 10 which is mounted on the lower cr-)~shP~(l Tension increases in the nylon monofil as it is stretched between the weight, which is moving down, and the upper crosshead, which remains stationary. Tension is applied to the weight in ahorizontal direction, which is the direction of orientation of the fibers in thestaple pad. Initially, there is little or no movement within the staple pad. The15 force applied to the upper crosshead of the Instron is monitored by a load cell and increases to a threshold level, when the fibers in the pad start moving pasteach other. (Rec~llce of the Emery cloth at the interfaces with the staple pad, there is little relative motion at these interfaces; essenti~lly any motion results from fibers within the staple pad moving past each other.) The threshold level 20 inr~ t~s what is required to overcome the fiber-to-fiber static friction and is recorded.
The coefficient of friction is d~L~ uled by dividing the measured threshold force by the 496 gm weight. Eight values are used to eolllL~uL~ the average SPF. These eight values are obtained by making four d~Lt~ ti~-ns on 25 each of two staple pad samples.
l~XAl~lP~,lh 1 Filaments were spun from poly(ethylene terephth~l~te) of relative viscosity (LRV) 20.4, at a polymer t~lllpt;:l~Lul~ of 291-297~C, at 1195 ypm (1092 30 mpm), through a spinneret with 388 capillaries, at a throughput per capillary of 0.234 lbs./hr. (0.106 kg./hr.), using capillary orifice designs as shown in Figure 3.
The spun l~l~mentc were assembled to form a rope of 922,000 relaxed drawn denier. The rope was drawn in a conventional m~nner, using a draw ratio of 3.39X in a hot, wet spray draw zone ~ ed at 90~C. The drawn filaments 35 were crimped to three different levels, i.e., to obtain three different levels of crimp, and co,~ olldingly of blllkine~ (namely, Support Bulk (i.e., bulk at 0.2 psi) heights of 0.6, 0.8 and 0.9 inches measured on a stack of carded webs, as described by Tolliver), in a conventional stuffer box crimper of cantilever type CA 0223394~ l998-04-02 W O 97/13895 PCTrUS95/12799.
(3.5 in, 8.9 cm size), and the crimped ropes were relaxed in an oven at 180~C
before cutting. A conventional zlntict~tic overlay finish of about 0.07% by weight was applied to every sample. The first (lowest bulk) fiber had, however, also been slickened before relaxing with a finish co~ ;lli"g about 1% silicone per weight of fiber. The resulting filaments were all cut to staple of length 2 inches (5.4 cm).
Cross sections of the reslllting cut fibers of the invention are shown in Figure 1, and show a solid axial core and four parallel continuous internal voids, one of which contains a protuberance on an inside surface of the void to serve as an identification mark. The outside peripheries of the fibers were round and smooth.
The fibers were found to have an average void content of 17.1 % and a denier perfilament of about 5.5.
For comparison, these Samples of fibers of the invention were compared with current conventional 4-void fibers, of average void content 15.5%,crimped to similar levels of crimp (providing similar Support Bulk levels), of the same denier and which were made similarly, except for using a capillary similar to that of Figure 3, herein, but without any orifice 40 for an identifier, in otherwords, similar to that in Figure 1 of Champaneria, as discussed above. The cross-sections of these conventional fibers were similar to those of the invention (Figure 1) except that all four voids were clear, i.e., there were no protuberances that act as identifier marks as shown in Figure 1.
As indicated, the performance and properties of the two sets of fibers as fiberfill filling material were compared and found to be esse~ti~lly similar, i.e., the bnlkine~ of each pair of the fiberfill samples was found to be similar, despite the differences in cross-section of the fibers. The friction measurements of theslickened fibers were, respectively, 0.265 and 0.293, i.e., e~nti~lly similar.
F.X~l~IP~,F 2 Two types of fibers (one according to the invention, with an identifier, and the other of conventional cross-section, without such identifier) were prepared 30 e~nti~lly as described in Example 1, except that they were spun through spinnerets having 212 capillaries, and were of higher density. The void contentsof the filaments, as drawn, were about 17.9% and 19.8%, respectively, and the relaxed drawn deniers were about 14.4 and 14.3, respectively, for the fiber of the invention (having the identifier) and the conventional fiber. The properties of 35 both types of fibers were again compared and both fibers were found to have essentially the same properties, and the same performance as fiberfill.
CA 0223394~ l998-04-02 W O 97/13895 PCTIUS95/12799.
~,X~n~PT/F.3 Fil~ment~ were spun from poly(ethylene terephth~l~te) of relative viscosity (LRV) 20.4, at a polymer temperature of 291-297~C at 1277 ypm (1167 mpm), through a spinneret with 363 capillaries, at a throughput per capillary of0.278 lbs./hr. (0.126 kg./hr.), using capillary orifice designs as shown in Figure 3 herein. The spun filaments were assembled to form a rope of 65,000 relaxed drawn denier. The rope was drawn in a conventional manner, using a draw ratio of 2.9X in a hot, wet spray draw zone m~int~in~-l at 95~C. The drawn filaments were crimped to two different levels, to obtain two levels of crimp (and 10 correspondingly two levels of blllkiness, namely Support Bulk, measured as described by Tolliver for carded webs in U.S. Patent 3,772,137), as given for Sample A and for Sample C in TABLE A below, in a conv~llLional stuffer box ~,fi~ ,. of cantilever type (1.0 in, 2.5 cm size) and the crimped ropes were relaxed in an oven at 180~C before cutting. A conventional ~nti~t~tic overlay finish of 15 about 0.15% per weight was applied to every sample. The resnlting filaments were all cut to staple of length 2 inches (5.4 cm).
Cross-sections of the re~lllting cut identifier fibers are shown in Figures 4 and 5. Each such fil~ment contains a solid axial core and four parallel continuous voids, one of which contains a protuberance of an inside surface of the 20 void to serve as an identification mark. These fibers have a void content of about 12.5%.
The above fibers were compared with current conventional 4-void fibers (crimped to similar levels of crimp, providing similar levels of blllkinec~, as described above, as given for Sample B and for Sample D in TABLE A), of the 25 sarne denier and which were made similarly, except for using a conventional capillary (without orifice 40, in other words, similar to Figure 1 of Ch:~mps~n~ria as discussed above). These conventional fibers are shown in Figures 6 and 7.
These cross-sections were similar to those of the invention, except that they contain no fiber identification marker, i.e., there are no protuberances that act as 30 identifier marks as shown in Figures 4 and 5.
Sarnple A (identifier fibers) and Sample B (conventional fibers) were crimped to similar crimp levels of about 4.5 crimps per inch (CPI), and a Crimp Index (CHI) of about 7. Table A shows that the TBRM data measured for such Samples are very similar, so much so that, when the data are plotted on a graph, as 35 shown in Figure 8, Curves A and B are virtually indistinguishable. Similarly,Sample C (identified fibers) and Sample D (conventional fibers) were crimped to similar crimp levels of about 7 crimps per inch (CPI), and to a similar Crimp Index (CHI) of about 11, and give similar TBRM results (see Table A and Figure CA 0223394~ l998-04-02 W O 97/13895 PCTrUS95/12799.
8). In other words, when these two types of fibers are crimped to similar crimp levels (similar CPI and CHI), the reslllting blllkinecc of the fibers (as measured by TBRM) is almost the same, despite the differences in their cross-sections, whichare visible in magnified photographs, as shown in Figures 4 to 7.
s TABT.F A
Pressure He~ht (inches) nnder such Pressure (psi) Saml le A S~n~ple B S~n~le C S~n~le D
0.001 5.930 5.944 5.295 5.311 0.005 4.316 4.387 3.816 3.855 0.010 3.370 3.425 3.098 3.132 0.040 1.588 1.609 1.869 1.879 0.20 0.500 0.527 0.813 0.822 As indicated hereinabove, a 3-void filling fiber with a smooth round peripheral surface is disclosed by Hernandez et al. in U.S. Patent No. 5,458,971, so the following Example 4 was performed to make 3-void filling fibers with and without identifiers in one of the voids, and to compare their properties and performance as fiberfill.
Fig. 9 shows a spinneret capillary for spinning identifier filaments with three voids. It will be noted that the capillary is segmenteA, with three segmentc 51 disposed symmetrically around an axis or central point C. Each segme~t ~L consists of two slots, namely a peripheral arcuate slot 52 and a radial slot ~, the middle of the inside edge of peripheral arcuate slot ~ being joined to the outer end of radial slot 53, so each segment forms a kind of "T-shape" with the top of the T being curved convexly to form an arc of a circle. Each peripheral arcuate slot 52 extends almost 120 deg. around the circumference of the circle.
Each radial slot 53 comes to a point 54 at its inner end. Points 54 are spaced from the central point C. Each peripheral arcuate slot ~ is separated from its neighbor by a distance which is referred to as a "tab". The short faces of neighboring peripheral arcuate slots ~ on either side of each tab are parallel to each other and parallel to the radius that bisects such tab. In many respects, the capillary design shown in Figure 9 is typical of designs used in the art to provide hollow filaments by post-coalescence spinning through segmented orifices. Points 54 at the inner ends of radial slots 53 are provided in the spinneret capillary design shown in Fig.
9, however, to improve coalescence of the polymer at the center of the fil~ment,i.e., to ensure that the three voids do not become connected. An important and novel difference in Figure 9 herein (that differentiates from orifice designs of the CA 0223394~ l998-04-02 W O 97/13895 PCTrUS95/12799.
prior art) is the provision of an orifice 60. Molten polymer extruded through orifice 60 solidifies and coalesces on an internal wall of one of the voids of the filament formed by post-coalescence of molten polymer extruded through slots 51, 52 and 53 to form a protuberance partially filling one of the voids and acting 5 as an identifier when the cross-section of that fil~ment is çx~mined under m~gnification. The relative location of the identifier protuberance within the void may vary along a length ofthe fil~ment as will be understood. Also, as may be understood and as has already been explained for multi-void fibers contz~ininp more than three voids, the invention lends itself to many variations. For example, 10 more than one void may be partially filled by providing, correspondingly, more than one orifice like orifice 60.
T~'XAl~IPT,F 4 Filaments were spun from poly(ethylene terephth~l~t.-) of relative viscosity (LRV) 20.4, at a polymer temperature of 291-297~C at 1277 ypm (1167 mpm), through a spinneret with 363 capillaries, at a throughput per capillary of0.278 lbs./lLr. (0.126 kg.lhr.), using capillary orifice designs as shown in Figure 9.
The spun fil~ment~ were assembled to form a rope of 65,000 relaxed drawn denier. The rope was drawn in a conventional manner, using a draw ratio of 2.9X
20 in a hot, wet spray draw zone m~int~inç<l at 95~C. The drawn fil~mentc were crimped to two different levels, to obtain two levels of crimp (and correspondingly two levels of b--lkiness, namely Support Bulk, measured as described by Tolliver for carded webs in U.S. Patent 3,772,137, as given for Sample A and for Sample C in TABLE B below), in a conventional stuffer box 25 crimper of cantilever type (1.0 in, 2.5 cm size) and the crimped ropes were relaxed in an oven at 180~C before cutting. A conventional ~nti~t~tic overlay finish of about 0.15% per weight was applied to every sample. The resulting fil~mentc wereall cut to staple of length 2 inches (5.4 cm).
Cross-sections of the resulting cut identifier fibers are shown in 30 Figures 10 and 11. Each such fil~ment contains a solid axial core ~nd three parallel continuous voids, one of which contains a protuberance of an inside surface of the void to serve as an identification mark. These fibers have a voidcontent of about 18%.
The above fibers were compared with 3-void comparison fibers 35 (crimped to similar levels of crimp, providing similar levels of blllkin~ , as described above, as given for Sample B and for Sample D in TABLE B), of the same denier and which were made similarly, except for using a capillary without any extra orifice 60, i.e., a capillary as described and illustrated in Fig. 2 of CA 0223394~ l998-04-02 W O 97/1389~ PCTrUS95/12799 aforesaid U.S. Patent No. 5,458,971. These co~ ison fibers are shown in Figures 12 and 13, and their cross-sections are similar to those of the invention, except that they contain no fiber identification marker, i.e., there are no protuberances that act as identifier marks as shown in Figures 10 and 11.
Sample A (identified fibers) and Sample B (comparison fibers) were crimped to similar crimp levels of about 4.5 crimps per inch (CPI), and to a Crimp Index (CHI) of about 7. Table B shows that the TBRM data measured for such Samples are very similar, so much so that, when the data points are plotted on agraph, as shown in Figure 14, Curves A and B are extremely close together.
10 Similarly, Sample C (identified fibers) and Sample D (conventional fibers) were crimped to similar crimp levels of about 7.5 crimps per inch (CPI), and to a similar Crimp Index (CHI) of about 11, and give similar TBRM results (see Table B and Figure 14). In other words, when these two types of fibers are crimped to similar crimp levels (similar CPI and CHI), the resulting blllkin~ of the fibers (as 15 measured by TBRM) is virtually incli~tinguishable, despite the differences in their cross-sections, which are visible in magnified photographs, as shown in Figures 10 to 13.
T~RT F B
Pressllre He;~ht (inches) under such Pressnre (psi) S~m~rle A S~n~rle B Sample C S~mple D
0.001 5.873 5.925 5.46 5.419 0.005 4.412 4.419 3.932 4.006 0.010 3.497 3.473 3.208 3.251 0.040 1.694 1.643 1.952 1.972 0.20 0.535 0.550 0.861 0.861 In all the above co.llL,~u~Li~e tests, where the b-llkin~ of fiberfill 30 comprising identifier fibers of the invention was co~ alcd with the blllkines~ of fiberfi11 comprising fibers of similar cross-section except that all voids were clear (i.e., without identifier), the crimping of each set of fibers that were compared was carried out in the same stuffer-box machine under the same conditions (using thesame velocity, tclll~claLwc profile and ~l~.7~:iWeS). Figure 15 is a m~gnified 35 photograph of crimped 4-void fibers according to the invention, showing some 4-void cross-sections somewhat similarly to those in the (m~Enified) photographs in Figs. 1, 4, and 5, except that more of the fiber can be seen so this photograph can show that these fibers have indeed been crimped conventionally, using such a CA 0223394~ l998-04-02 W O 97/1389S PCTrUS95/12799 stuffer-box. Similarly, Figure 16 is a (m~gnified) photograph like that in Figure 15, except of crimped 3-void fibers according to the invention.
The multi-void fibers of the invention may be processed into products such as batts and fiberballs (sometimes referred to as clusters) and further S processed into pillows, filled apparel, comforters, cushions and like bedding and fi-rni~hin~ mz~t~ri~l, as disclosed in the art, including that specifically mentioned herein, and art such as LeVan U. S. Patent Nos. 3,510,888, and 4,999,232, and various Marcus patents, including U. S. PatentNos. 4,618,531, 4,783,364, 4,794,038, 4,818,599, 4,940,502, and 5,169,580, and U. S. Patent No . 5,088,140 (Belcher et al). Although, hitherto, most fiberfill has comprised cut fiber, such as has been disclosed above, there has been growing commercial interest in using deregistered tows of continuous fil~ment~ as fiberfill, as disclosed for example by Watson in U. S. Patent Nos. 3,952,134 and 3,328,850. Accordingly, application of the invention to fiberfill in the form of deregistered tows of continuous fil~ment~ is also contemplated herein, and the invention is not confined to cut fibers nor to fiberfill comprising such cut fibers. Additionally, as well understood in the art, it has been commonplace to mix or blend fibers for use as filling material. Accordingly, it is contemplated that fiberfill according to the invention may consist e~sçnti~lly entirely of identifier fibers according to the invention, or these identifier fibers may be mixed witn other fibers, thus, the fiberfill filling m~t~ri~l may be identified by all or a portion of its fibers being such i~entifil~r fibers. Reference is made in this regard to my copending application No.
(DP-4711-D), being filed simultaneously herewith, the disclosures of which is hereby expressly included herein by reference, and which solves the problem of identifying and differe~ti~ting hollow filling fibers (cont~ining a single continuous void throughout their fiber length) and fiberfill comprising such filling fibers. Fiberfill, as is well understood by those skilled in the art, is shorthand for fiberfill filling material, or more shortly fiberfillin~ material, and refers to a bulky mass of fibers used to fill articles, such as pillows, cushions and other filrni~hin~
m~tt~ri~l~, including other bedding materials, such as sleeping bags, mattress pads, quilts, comforters, duvets and the like, and in apparel, such as parkas and other in~ul~tt-cl articles of apparel, whether quilted or not. Crimp is an important ch~r~cteristic and provides the bulk that is an e~çnti~l requirement for fiberfill.
Generally, the fibers are crimped by mechanical means, usually in a stuffer-box crimper, as described, for example, in Halm et al. in USP 5,112,684. Crimp can also be provided by other means, such as asymmetric qu~nching or using bicomponent fil~m~-nt~ as reported, for example, by Marcus in USP 4,618,531 and W O 97/13895 PCTrUS95/12799 in USP 4,794,038, and in the literature referred to therein, so as to provide "spiral crimp". All this is well understood by those skilled in this art.
-
TIT~,F, Improvements In And Relating To Fiber Identification This invention concerns improvements in and relating to fiber identification, and includes a novel method of making a multi-void fiber with a characteristic by which it can later be identified, novel multi-void fibers so marked as to be iclentifi~hle, and products and materials including such marked fibers,especially fiberfill filling materials (often referred to shortly as "fiberfill") and products, including batts, fiberballs and other products comprising such marked fibers and materials comprising them, and processes and a~p~dlus for obtaining such multi-void fibers and their products and materials.
A fiber m~nuf~blrer~s customers clçrn~ncl consictency in ~clro~ ce from the fibers provided by the m~nnf~cturer. In other words, the m~nllf~cturerls customers require that the properties of any particular fiber not vary appreciably from batch to batch of that fiber as the different batches of that fiber are produced over several years. The fiber m~nllf~rtnrer, however, has a need to be able to identify fiber from different production batches, while ~ g the consistency and uniformity that the customers require. Much notoriety has been given to fiber identification in criminology, for example, as a way to bring murderers or othercriminals to justice. ~nllf~cblrers also, however, have other more mlm~l~ne and practical reasons for nee~ling to identify the production batch of particular fibers.
So it has long been desirable to find a cheap yet effective system for identifying fibers. Previously, for in~tslrlce, one method has been to add a chemical or nuclear marker to the fiber, but this method has added expense and complications and hashad disadvantages, such as the ease with which some one other than the fiber mz~nnf:~eturer can add the same marker, after manufacture, and so confuse this system for identification.
In particular, there has long existed a need for an economical way to identify and differentiate resilient multi-void fibers (especially polyester multi-void fibers) that are crimped and used as fiberfill in products such as batts, fiberballs and other filling materials and filled articles, such as pillows, filled apparel, comforters, cushions and such like bedding and fi~rni~hinp material. Asindicated, it is important that any identifier system should not change the ~ performance and L~lo~clLies ofthe fibers.
Examples of such crimped multi-void resilient filling fibers include those disclosed by Ch~mp~r~eria et al in U. S. Patent No. 3,745,061, and in EP A2 0 067 684 (Jones et al), having 4 voids (sometimes referred to as holes) with a solid axial core, and by Broaddus in U. S. Patent No. 5,104,725~ having 7 or more CA 0223394~ 1998-04-02 W O 97tl3895 PCT~US95/12799.
voids, arranged ~,vith a central void and other voids arranged around the central void. Both 4-void and 7-void polyester filling fibers have been produced and sold commercially, and have been used as fiberfill. Broaddus compared properties of fiberfill comprising his 7-void filling fibers with those of fiberfill comprising prior corn~nercial 4-void filling fibers and also with those of fiberfill comprising hollow filling fibers. The most i~ ol Li~lt ~l~ pCl lies to compare for use as fiberfill are the bulk properties; measurement of bulk ~lo~cllies (referred to as TBRM for "Total Bulk Range Measurement") have been described, e.g., by Tolliver in U.S. Patent No. 3,772,137, and so have frictional p~ lies (that were also measured by Broaddus and are also important for fiberfill). Both of these crimped multi-voidfilling fibers have shown significant advantages over resilient crimped hollow filling fibers (such as disclosed by Tolliver in U. S. Patent No. 3,772,137) in their performance as filling materials, especially when such multi-void filling fibershave had a smooth round peripheral surface. The disclosure of each of the above patent specifications is expressly included herein by reference. In addition, multi-void filling fibers with a smooth round peripheral surface and with only three longitudinal voids, are disclosed by Hern~n~ et al. in U.S. Patent No. 5,458,971(DP-6320), the disclosure of which is also included herein, by reference.
The present invention solves this need to identify and differentiate multi-void fibers by providing a visual identifying marker in the configuration of the cross-section of the multi-void fiber. This marker identifies the multi-voidfiber only visually, i.e., without si~nific~ntly affecting perforrnance of the fiber.
Fibers with such a visual identifying marker according to the present invention are often referred to herein as "identifier fibers" (or '~identifier fil~ment~") The terms "fiber" and "filament" are often used herein inclusively, without intending that use of one term should exclude the other.
Accordingly, this invention provides a process for preparing multi-void filaments of a synthetic polymer, comprising the steps of post-coalescence melt-spinning the synthetic polymer through segmented spirming capillarv orifices so the resulting freshly-spun molten streams coalesce and form continuous filarnents having at least three voids, and q~ nching to solidify the fil~mentc, and, if desired, drawing the resultant solid fil~mlont~, and/or further proce~ing, and/or converting to staple fiber, characterized in that molten polymer is also spun insmall amount through one or more separate small orifices located so as to form, respectively, one or more small protuberances that are visually icl~ntifi~hle on an inside surface of, respectively, one or more voids of the multi-void filaments.
There is also provided, as a new article, a multi-void synthetic polymer fiber, having at least three continuous lon~ 1in~1 voids, wherein the CA 0223394~ 1998-04-02 W O 97/13895 PCTrUS95/12799.
multi-void cross-section of the fiber shows characteristic polymer m~t~-ri~l that protrudes into one or more of the voids from an inside surface of the void or voids; in other words, the cross-section shows that one or more such void is partially filled with characteristic polymer material that protrudes from a wall into 5 such partially-filled void, thus said characteristic protruding polymer material dirr~,~;,llially identifies said fiber from similar multi-void synthetic polymer fibers that do not contain any such protruding polymer material usually but does not significantly differentiate the performance properties of said fiber from said similar fibers.
According to a further aspect, this invention provides fiberfill filling material, and articles comprising such m~teri~l, comprising resilient crimped multi-void filling fibers that are of a synthetic polymer, wherein said multi-void filling fibers have at least three continuous voids throughout their fiber length, and wherein said fiberfill filling material is identified by all or a predetermined 15 proportion of said fibers having a multi-void cross-section that shows characteristic polymer material that protrudes into a preclet~rmin~l number and predetermined pattern of the voids from an inside surface of the void or voids.
According to other aspects disclosed herein, fiberfill (and including filled articles thereof) is provided wherein said fiberfill comprises resilient 20 crimped multi-void filling fibers of synthetic polymer, apd wherein, e.g., at least 10 percent by weight of said fibers have a multi-void cross-section which shows that one or more such void contains (i.e., is partially filled with) characteristic protruding polymer material (i.e., that protrudes from an inside surface into such partially-filled void), whereby said characteristic protruding polymer material 25 differentially identifies said fiber from a multi-void synthetic polymer fiber whose multi-void cross-section is similar except that it does not contain any such characteristic protruding polymer m~tcri~l and wherein the bulk properties of said fiber as filling m~t~ri~l are ees~nti~lly similar to the bulk properties of such a multi-void synthetic polymer fiber that is of similar cross-section except that it 30 does not contain any such characteristic protruding polymer material; such multi-void fibers may contain at least three continuous longitudinal voids (i.e., throughout their fiber length), as will be understood.
Polymer material protruding from a surface of a wall of an internal void of a (first) multi-void fiber of a synthetic material is used to identify said 35 (first) multi-void fiber and differentiate it from other multi-void fibers of similar cross-section and having similar bulk properties to those of the first (identified and differentiated) multi-void fiber, except, of course, that the other multi-void fibers CA 0223394~ l998-04-02 W O 97/13895 PCTrUS95/12799 do not have the polymer material protruding from a surface of a wall of an internal void.
Other aspects include methods, ~ Lus and products disclosed herein.
S Preferred features include using polyester polymer as the material for the synthetic polymer of the multi-void fiber and/or the characteristic polymer material, and preferably for both, including using the same polyester polymer for both, and using the invention for 4-hole fibers, 7-hole fibers, and/or 3-hole fibers with a smooth round periphery, such as are mentioned in the art and above, especially any such multi-void fibers with only 1 of the holes (i.e., voids) partially filled.
In most respects, the fiberfill filling m~teri~l~ and resilient crimped multi-void filling fibers of the invention are prepared conventionally by methods known in the art, such as referred to herein. Preferred multi-void filling fibers are prepared from polyester polymers, especially poly(ethylene terephth~ te), and this preferred embodiment is described herein more particularly, for convenience, it being lm~ r~tood that applopliate modification can be made by those skilled in the art for other synthetic polymers, such as polyamides or polypropylene, to take account of their differences, e.g., in melting conditions and plo~l Lies, such as melt viscosity. One such disclosure in the art is Ch~mp~neria et al U.S. Patent No. 3,745,061, which discloses multi-void synthetic fil~mentc and a spinneret capillary for spinning such fil~3mentc cont~ininp four substantially equillimencional and equi-spaced parallel continuous voids from synthetic polymers, including polyesters, in Figure 1 thereof.
Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings are m~gnified (625X) photographs of cross-sections of 4-void filz~ment~, Fig. 1 being of preferred filaments according to the invention, whereas Fig. 2 is of prior art filaments for comparison, as discussed in Example 1.
Figure 3 is an enlarged view of a spinneret capillary, taken looking at the lower face of the spinneret, for spinning ~lc;r~ d 4-void fil~ment~ of the invention as in Fig 1, 4 and 5.
Figures 4-7 are m~gnified photographs of cross-sections of 4-void fil~ment~, Figs. 4 and 5 being of preferred filz~ment~ according to the invention, whereas Figs. 6 and 7 are of prior art fil~ment~ for comparison. Figs. 4 and 7 are of m~gnification 500X. Figs. 5 and 6 are of m~gnification 1000X. These are rli~cn~se~ in Example 3.
Figure 8 is a graph plotting TBRM data, heights in inches versus pl'e~ ,S in psi, as discussed also in Example 3.
CA 0223394~ l998-04-02 W O 97/13895 PCTrUS95/12799 Figure 9 is an enlarged view of a spinneret capillary, taken looking at the lower face of the ~h~elc~l, for spinning preferred 3-void fil~ment~ of the invention as in Figs. 10 and 11.
Figures 10-13 are m~gnified photographs of cross-sections of 3-void S fil~ment~, Figs. 10 and 11 being of ~lerell~d identifier fil~ment.~ according to the invention, whereas Figs. 12 and 13 are of filaments without identifier, for comparison. Figs. 10 and 12 are of m~gnific~tion 500X. Figs. 11 and 13 are of m~gnification lOOOX. These are discussed in Example 4.
Figure 14 is a graph plotting TBRM data, heights in inches versus 1O plC:S5ul~ in psi, as discussed also in Example 4.
Figures 15 and 16 are m~gnified photographs showing not only cross-sections of preferred fibers of the invention, but also that the fibers are crimped, as described later herein.
Referring to Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings, showing an 15 enlarged view of a spinneret capillary for spinning 4-void identifier filaments of the present invention, the similarity to that of Figure 1 of Ch~mp~neria will benoted. The capillary is formed of four individual segments ~lesi~n~tP~I generally 11, 12, 13 and 14intheformofT-shapedslotswithfourradialslots 15, 16, 17 and 18 r~ tin~ outwards to join outer peripheral slots 19, 20, 21, 22 that are 20 curved to form arcs of an incomplete circle. At each end of each peripheral slot, 19, 20, 21 and 22, are enlarged "toes" 23 and 24, 25 and 26, 27 and 28, and 29 and 30, respectively, being enlarged ends of said slot to assist in post-coalescence of the emerging molten polymer to form the desired multi-void solid fils~ment, as is known in the art, such as Tolliver, U. S. Patent No. 3,772,137. An hllpoll~ll and 25 novel difference in Figure 3 herein (that differentiates from Figure 1 of Ch~mp~n~ria) is the provision of an orifice 40. Molten polymer extruded through orifice 40 solidifies and coalesces on an internal wall of one of the voids of the fil~nnent formed by post-coalescence of molten polymer extruded through slots 11, 12, 13 and 14, to form a protuberance partially filling one of the voids. The 30 relative location of the protuberance within the void may vary along a length of the filament, as will be understood.
Magnified cross-sections of such identifier filaments of the invention, cont~ining 4 voids, one of which is partially filled with polymer that protrudesfrom an internal wall of such void, are shown in Figure 1, at 625X m~gnification.
35 In contrast, similarly m~gnified cross-sections of conventional 4-void filzlment~
are shown in Figure 2. As mentioned, the cross-sections in Figs. 1 and 2 have been greatly magnified. Fiberfill fil~mente are so fine that, without m~gnification, it is doubtful that anyone would be able to see any void in the cross-section, or CA 0223394~ l998-04-02 W O 97/13895 PCTnUS95/12799 whether the filQment is solid, hollow, or multi-void, let alone be able to recognize if any void is partially filled with protruding polymer.
As may be seen from Examples hereinafter, both types of fil~ment~
can be prepared to have comparable performance and properties as filling S materials. In other words, an objective has been achieved in this respect. This will be discussed more hereinafter.
To summarize this point, without ~ pa~ g and ex~mining greatly-m~gnified carefully-cut cross-sections and co",p~ g the fil~ment~, most people would be unable to determine significant difference between fil~ment~ of the 10 invention and conventional fil~ment~ of the art. So the objective of the invention has been achieved economically by use of a ~lirre~ L spinneret capillary to givethe fil~ment a different cross-sectional configuration int~rn~lly, without affecting the exterior of the fil~ment or its p~lrollllance, i.e., wherein the difference can only be determined visually, after ex~mining a greatly-magnified carefully-cut 15 cross-section of the fil~ment As will readily be understood, the invention lends itself to many variations. For in~t~nce the number and pattern of the protuberances in relation to the voids may be varied, especially with fil~mentc having larger numbers of voids, such as 7 voids, bearing in mind that it has generally been thought desirable to20 maximize the void content to take advantage of the presence of the voids. It will generally be desirable for the protuberance to fill about 25 to about 50% of thevolume of the void, and generally to extend to an amount of about 25 to 50% of the average web thickne~ of the fil~ment between adjacent voids, bearing in mindthe above, and the objective of having a characteristic that is relatively easy to 25 detect visually, especially when using the sarne polymer material. It is not n~ ce~c~ry to provide every fil~ment (i.e., 100%) with identifier, but a regulated (i.e., predetermined) proportion (e.g., at least about 10% by weight) of particularly-identified fil~ment~ may be included, and recorded, for a batch of fiber that is sold. Furthermore, although it is less costly, so generally preferred, to 30 spin fil~ment~ from a single polymer, so the polymer m~teri~l is the same in the protuberance as in the rest of the fil~ment different polymers may be used, if desired, so as to provide better identification for merges or batches of fiber. In other words, fiberfill (one or more batches) according to the invention can be identified by providing a predetermin~d proportion (that may be recorded, and 35 may vary up to 100%) of the con~titllent filling fibers with a pre~etermined number and predetermined pattern of voids co"l~ i"g visual identifier, i.e., characteristic polymer material protruding into, i.e., partially filling, such void(s), as described, and these details may all be recorded.
CA 0223394~ l998-04-02 W O 97/13895 PCTrUS95/12799 As mentioned above, and as demonstrated in the Examples, partially filling one or more voids of the multi-void f1lling fibers (according to the invention) did not significantly change the bulk properties or performance of the fibers as fiberfill. Applicant has also found that the extent to which the voids are filled has not significantly changed the bulk properties or performance. So long as all the voids remain to some degree, the buL~c performance properties have not been significantly affected. This is different from what has been taught in the art for hollow fibers. So this was a new and surprising finclin~ In other words, partially filling one or more voids in a multi-void filling fiber (according to the invention) has not been found to affect the bulking properties of the multi-voidfilling fibers, whereas the art has taught that extruding extra polymer so it coalesces onto the internal surface of a hollow fil~mçnt will change the blllkine~
of the resulting hollow fil~ment In contrast to hollow fibers, it seems that it is the presence of the particular number of voids, located symmetrically or regularly around the cross-section of the multi-void fiber, rather than the relative sizes of the various voids in the cross-section, that determines the bnlkiness The invention is further illustrated in the following Examples, all parts and percentages being by weight, unless otherwise indicated. The levels ofcoatings (slickeners and finishes) applied to the fil~ment~ were OWF (with regard to the weight of the fiber). Relative Viscosity (sometimes referred to as LRV) and void content (by volume, by a flotation method) were determined by the methods referred to in U.S. Patent No. 4,712,988 (Broaddus et al.). Bulk measurements were determin.od by the method referred to in Tolliver U.S. Patent No. 3,772,137referred to hereinabove, and crimp measurements çcs~nti~lly as described therein.
Fiber-to-fiber friction values for fiberfill filling (staple) fibers are generally obtained by what is known as Staple Pad Friction (SPF) mea~u~ llL~.
As used herein, a staple pad of the fibers whose friction is to be measured is sandwiched between a weight on top of the staple pad and a base that is underneath the staple pad and is mounted on the lower crosshead of an Instron 1122 m~rhinP (product of Instron Fngin~ering Corp., Canton, Mass).
The staple pad is prepared by carding the staple fibers (using a SACO-Lowell roller top card) to form a batt which is cut into sections, that are 4.0 ins in length and 2.5 ins wide, with the fibers oriented in the length dimension of the batt. Enough sections are stacked up so the staple pad weighs 1.5 g. The - weight on top of the staple pad is of length (L) 1.88 ins, width (W) 1.52 ins, and height (H) 1.46 ins, and weighs 496 gm. The surfaces of the weight and of the base that contact the staple pad are covered with Emery cloth (grit being in CA 0223394~ 1998-04-02 W O 97/13895 PCT~US95/12799 220 to 240 range), so that it is the Emery cloth that makes contact with the surfaces of the staple pad. The staple pad is placed on the base. The weigh~ is placed on the middle of the pad. A nylon monofil line is ~tt~.'h,o~ to one of the smaller vertical (WxH) faces of the weight and passed around a small pulley up 5 to the upper crosshead of the Instron, making a 90 degree wrap angle around the pulley.
A cu~ uLer interfaced to the Instron is given a signal to start the test.
The lower crosshead of the Instron is moved down at a speed of 12.5 in/min.
The staple pad, the weight and the pulley are also moved down with the base, 10 which is mounted on the lower cr-)~shP~(l Tension increases in the nylon monofil as it is stretched between the weight, which is moving down, and the upper crosshead, which remains stationary. Tension is applied to the weight in ahorizontal direction, which is the direction of orientation of the fibers in thestaple pad. Initially, there is little or no movement within the staple pad. The15 force applied to the upper crosshead of the Instron is monitored by a load cell and increases to a threshold level, when the fibers in the pad start moving pasteach other. (Rec~llce of the Emery cloth at the interfaces with the staple pad, there is little relative motion at these interfaces; essenti~lly any motion results from fibers within the staple pad moving past each other.) The threshold level 20 inr~ t~s what is required to overcome the fiber-to-fiber static friction and is recorded.
The coefficient of friction is d~L~ uled by dividing the measured threshold force by the 496 gm weight. Eight values are used to eolllL~uL~ the average SPF. These eight values are obtained by making four d~Lt~ ti~-ns on 25 each of two staple pad samples.
l~XAl~lP~,lh 1 Filaments were spun from poly(ethylene terephth~l~te) of relative viscosity (LRV) 20.4, at a polymer t~lllpt;:l~Lul~ of 291-297~C, at 1195 ypm (1092 30 mpm), through a spinneret with 388 capillaries, at a throughput per capillary of 0.234 lbs./hr. (0.106 kg./hr.), using capillary orifice designs as shown in Figure 3.
The spun l~l~mentc were assembled to form a rope of 922,000 relaxed drawn denier. The rope was drawn in a conventional m~nner, using a draw ratio of 3.39X in a hot, wet spray draw zone ~ ed at 90~C. The drawn filaments 35 were crimped to three different levels, i.e., to obtain three different levels of crimp, and co,~ olldingly of blllkine~ (namely, Support Bulk (i.e., bulk at 0.2 psi) heights of 0.6, 0.8 and 0.9 inches measured on a stack of carded webs, as described by Tolliver), in a conventional stuffer box crimper of cantilever type CA 0223394~ l998-04-02 W O 97/13895 PCTrUS95/12799.
(3.5 in, 8.9 cm size), and the crimped ropes were relaxed in an oven at 180~C
before cutting. A conventional zlntict~tic overlay finish of about 0.07% by weight was applied to every sample. The first (lowest bulk) fiber had, however, also been slickened before relaxing with a finish co~ ;lli"g about 1% silicone per weight of fiber. The resulting filaments were all cut to staple of length 2 inches (5.4 cm).
Cross sections of the reslllting cut fibers of the invention are shown in Figure 1, and show a solid axial core and four parallel continuous internal voids, one of which contains a protuberance on an inside surface of the void to serve as an identification mark. The outside peripheries of the fibers were round and smooth.
The fibers were found to have an average void content of 17.1 % and a denier perfilament of about 5.5.
For comparison, these Samples of fibers of the invention were compared with current conventional 4-void fibers, of average void content 15.5%,crimped to similar levels of crimp (providing similar Support Bulk levels), of the same denier and which were made similarly, except for using a capillary similar to that of Figure 3, herein, but without any orifice 40 for an identifier, in otherwords, similar to that in Figure 1 of Champaneria, as discussed above. The cross-sections of these conventional fibers were similar to those of the invention (Figure 1) except that all four voids were clear, i.e., there were no protuberances that act as identifier marks as shown in Figure 1.
As indicated, the performance and properties of the two sets of fibers as fiberfill filling material were compared and found to be esse~ti~lly similar, i.e., the bnlkine~ of each pair of the fiberfill samples was found to be similar, despite the differences in cross-section of the fibers. The friction measurements of theslickened fibers were, respectively, 0.265 and 0.293, i.e., e~nti~lly similar.
F.X~l~IP~,F 2 Two types of fibers (one according to the invention, with an identifier, and the other of conventional cross-section, without such identifier) were prepared 30 e~nti~lly as described in Example 1, except that they were spun through spinnerets having 212 capillaries, and were of higher density. The void contentsof the filaments, as drawn, were about 17.9% and 19.8%, respectively, and the relaxed drawn deniers were about 14.4 and 14.3, respectively, for the fiber of the invention (having the identifier) and the conventional fiber. The properties of 35 both types of fibers were again compared and both fibers were found to have essentially the same properties, and the same performance as fiberfill.
CA 0223394~ l998-04-02 W O 97/13895 PCTIUS95/12799.
~,X~n~PT/F.3 Fil~ment~ were spun from poly(ethylene terephth~l~te) of relative viscosity (LRV) 20.4, at a polymer temperature of 291-297~C at 1277 ypm (1167 mpm), through a spinneret with 363 capillaries, at a throughput per capillary of0.278 lbs./hr. (0.126 kg./hr.), using capillary orifice designs as shown in Figure 3 herein. The spun filaments were assembled to form a rope of 65,000 relaxed drawn denier. The rope was drawn in a conventional manner, using a draw ratio of 2.9X in a hot, wet spray draw zone m~int~in~-l at 95~C. The drawn filaments were crimped to two different levels, to obtain two levels of crimp (and 10 correspondingly two levels of blllkiness, namely Support Bulk, measured as described by Tolliver for carded webs in U.S. Patent 3,772,137), as given for Sample A and for Sample C in TABLE A below, in a conv~llLional stuffer box ~,fi~ ,. of cantilever type (1.0 in, 2.5 cm size) and the crimped ropes were relaxed in an oven at 180~C before cutting. A conventional ~nti~t~tic overlay finish of 15 about 0.15% per weight was applied to every sample. The resnlting filaments were all cut to staple of length 2 inches (5.4 cm).
Cross-sections of the re~lllting cut identifier fibers are shown in Figures 4 and 5. Each such fil~ment contains a solid axial core and four parallel continuous voids, one of which contains a protuberance of an inside surface of the 20 void to serve as an identification mark. These fibers have a void content of about 12.5%.
The above fibers were compared with current conventional 4-void fibers (crimped to similar levels of crimp, providing similar levels of blllkinec~, as described above, as given for Sample B and for Sample D in TABLE A), of the 25 sarne denier and which were made similarly, except for using a conventional capillary (without orifice 40, in other words, similar to Figure 1 of Ch:~mps~n~ria as discussed above). These conventional fibers are shown in Figures 6 and 7.
These cross-sections were similar to those of the invention, except that they contain no fiber identification marker, i.e., there are no protuberances that act as 30 identifier marks as shown in Figures 4 and 5.
Sarnple A (identifier fibers) and Sample B (conventional fibers) were crimped to similar crimp levels of about 4.5 crimps per inch (CPI), and a Crimp Index (CHI) of about 7. Table A shows that the TBRM data measured for such Samples are very similar, so much so that, when the data are plotted on a graph, as 35 shown in Figure 8, Curves A and B are virtually indistinguishable. Similarly,Sample C (identified fibers) and Sample D (conventional fibers) were crimped to similar crimp levels of about 7 crimps per inch (CPI), and to a similar Crimp Index (CHI) of about 11, and give similar TBRM results (see Table A and Figure CA 0223394~ l998-04-02 W O 97/13895 PCTrUS95/12799.
8). In other words, when these two types of fibers are crimped to similar crimp levels (similar CPI and CHI), the reslllting blllkinecc of the fibers (as measured by TBRM) is almost the same, despite the differences in their cross-sections, whichare visible in magnified photographs, as shown in Figures 4 to 7.
s TABT.F A
Pressure He~ht (inches) nnder such Pressure (psi) Saml le A S~n~ple B S~n~le C S~n~le D
0.001 5.930 5.944 5.295 5.311 0.005 4.316 4.387 3.816 3.855 0.010 3.370 3.425 3.098 3.132 0.040 1.588 1.609 1.869 1.879 0.20 0.500 0.527 0.813 0.822 As indicated hereinabove, a 3-void filling fiber with a smooth round peripheral surface is disclosed by Hernandez et al. in U.S. Patent No. 5,458,971, so the following Example 4 was performed to make 3-void filling fibers with and without identifiers in one of the voids, and to compare their properties and performance as fiberfill.
Fig. 9 shows a spinneret capillary for spinning identifier filaments with three voids. It will be noted that the capillary is segmenteA, with three segmentc 51 disposed symmetrically around an axis or central point C. Each segme~t ~L consists of two slots, namely a peripheral arcuate slot 52 and a radial slot ~, the middle of the inside edge of peripheral arcuate slot ~ being joined to the outer end of radial slot 53, so each segment forms a kind of "T-shape" with the top of the T being curved convexly to form an arc of a circle. Each peripheral arcuate slot 52 extends almost 120 deg. around the circumference of the circle.
Each radial slot 53 comes to a point 54 at its inner end. Points 54 are spaced from the central point C. Each peripheral arcuate slot ~ is separated from its neighbor by a distance which is referred to as a "tab". The short faces of neighboring peripheral arcuate slots ~ on either side of each tab are parallel to each other and parallel to the radius that bisects such tab. In many respects, the capillary design shown in Figure 9 is typical of designs used in the art to provide hollow filaments by post-coalescence spinning through segmented orifices. Points 54 at the inner ends of radial slots 53 are provided in the spinneret capillary design shown in Fig.
9, however, to improve coalescence of the polymer at the center of the fil~ment,i.e., to ensure that the three voids do not become connected. An important and novel difference in Figure 9 herein (that differentiates from orifice designs of the CA 0223394~ l998-04-02 W O 97/13895 PCTrUS95/12799.
prior art) is the provision of an orifice 60. Molten polymer extruded through orifice 60 solidifies and coalesces on an internal wall of one of the voids of the filament formed by post-coalescence of molten polymer extruded through slots 51, 52 and 53 to form a protuberance partially filling one of the voids and acting 5 as an identifier when the cross-section of that fil~ment is çx~mined under m~gnification. The relative location of the identifier protuberance within the void may vary along a length ofthe fil~ment as will be understood. Also, as may be understood and as has already been explained for multi-void fibers contz~ininp more than three voids, the invention lends itself to many variations. For example, 10 more than one void may be partially filled by providing, correspondingly, more than one orifice like orifice 60.
T~'XAl~IPT,F 4 Filaments were spun from poly(ethylene terephth~l~t.-) of relative viscosity (LRV) 20.4, at a polymer temperature of 291-297~C at 1277 ypm (1167 mpm), through a spinneret with 363 capillaries, at a throughput per capillary of0.278 lbs./lLr. (0.126 kg.lhr.), using capillary orifice designs as shown in Figure 9.
The spun fil~ment~ were assembled to form a rope of 65,000 relaxed drawn denier. The rope was drawn in a conventional manner, using a draw ratio of 2.9X
20 in a hot, wet spray draw zone m~int~inç<l at 95~C. The drawn fil~mentc were crimped to two different levels, to obtain two levels of crimp (and correspondingly two levels of b--lkiness, namely Support Bulk, measured as described by Tolliver for carded webs in U.S. Patent 3,772,137, as given for Sample A and for Sample C in TABLE B below), in a conventional stuffer box 25 crimper of cantilever type (1.0 in, 2.5 cm size) and the crimped ropes were relaxed in an oven at 180~C before cutting. A conventional ~nti~t~tic overlay finish of about 0.15% per weight was applied to every sample. The resulting fil~mentc wereall cut to staple of length 2 inches (5.4 cm).
Cross-sections of the resulting cut identifier fibers are shown in 30 Figures 10 and 11. Each such fil~ment contains a solid axial core ~nd three parallel continuous voids, one of which contains a protuberance of an inside surface of the void to serve as an identification mark. These fibers have a voidcontent of about 18%.
The above fibers were compared with 3-void comparison fibers 35 (crimped to similar levels of crimp, providing similar levels of blllkin~ , as described above, as given for Sample B and for Sample D in TABLE B), of the same denier and which were made similarly, except for using a capillary without any extra orifice 60, i.e., a capillary as described and illustrated in Fig. 2 of CA 0223394~ l998-04-02 W O 97/1389~ PCTrUS95/12799 aforesaid U.S. Patent No. 5,458,971. These co~ ison fibers are shown in Figures 12 and 13, and their cross-sections are similar to those of the invention, except that they contain no fiber identification marker, i.e., there are no protuberances that act as identifier marks as shown in Figures 10 and 11.
Sample A (identified fibers) and Sample B (comparison fibers) were crimped to similar crimp levels of about 4.5 crimps per inch (CPI), and to a Crimp Index (CHI) of about 7. Table B shows that the TBRM data measured for such Samples are very similar, so much so that, when the data points are plotted on agraph, as shown in Figure 14, Curves A and B are extremely close together.
10 Similarly, Sample C (identified fibers) and Sample D (conventional fibers) were crimped to similar crimp levels of about 7.5 crimps per inch (CPI), and to a similar Crimp Index (CHI) of about 11, and give similar TBRM results (see Table B and Figure 14). In other words, when these two types of fibers are crimped to similar crimp levels (similar CPI and CHI), the resulting blllkin~ of the fibers (as 15 measured by TBRM) is virtually incli~tinguishable, despite the differences in their cross-sections, which are visible in magnified photographs, as shown in Figures 10 to 13.
T~RT F B
Pressllre He;~ht (inches) under such Pressnre (psi) S~m~rle A S~n~rle B Sample C S~mple D
0.001 5.873 5.925 5.46 5.419 0.005 4.412 4.419 3.932 4.006 0.010 3.497 3.473 3.208 3.251 0.040 1.694 1.643 1.952 1.972 0.20 0.535 0.550 0.861 0.861 In all the above co.llL,~u~Li~e tests, where the b-llkin~ of fiberfill 30 comprising identifier fibers of the invention was co~ alcd with the blllkines~ of fiberfi11 comprising fibers of similar cross-section except that all voids were clear (i.e., without identifier), the crimping of each set of fibers that were compared was carried out in the same stuffer-box machine under the same conditions (using thesame velocity, tclll~claLwc profile and ~l~.7~:iWeS). Figure 15 is a m~gnified 35 photograph of crimped 4-void fibers according to the invention, showing some 4-void cross-sections somewhat similarly to those in the (m~Enified) photographs in Figs. 1, 4, and 5, except that more of the fiber can be seen so this photograph can show that these fibers have indeed been crimped conventionally, using such a CA 0223394~ l998-04-02 W O 97/1389S PCTrUS95/12799 stuffer-box. Similarly, Figure 16 is a (m~gnified) photograph like that in Figure 15, except of crimped 3-void fibers according to the invention.
The multi-void fibers of the invention may be processed into products such as batts and fiberballs (sometimes referred to as clusters) and further S processed into pillows, filled apparel, comforters, cushions and like bedding and fi-rni~hin~ mz~t~ri~l, as disclosed in the art, including that specifically mentioned herein, and art such as LeVan U. S. Patent Nos. 3,510,888, and 4,999,232, and various Marcus patents, including U. S. PatentNos. 4,618,531, 4,783,364, 4,794,038, 4,818,599, 4,940,502, and 5,169,580, and U. S. Patent No . 5,088,140 (Belcher et al). Although, hitherto, most fiberfill has comprised cut fiber, such as has been disclosed above, there has been growing commercial interest in using deregistered tows of continuous fil~ment~ as fiberfill, as disclosed for example by Watson in U. S. Patent Nos. 3,952,134 and 3,328,850. Accordingly, application of the invention to fiberfill in the form of deregistered tows of continuous fil~ment~ is also contemplated herein, and the invention is not confined to cut fibers nor to fiberfill comprising such cut fibers. Additionally, as well understood in the art, it has been commonplace to mix or blend fibers for use as filling material. Accordingly, it is contemplated that fiberfill according to the invention may consist e~sçnti~lly entirely of identifier fibers according to the invention, or these identifier fibers may be mixed witn other fibers, thus, the fiberfill filling m~t~ri~l may be identified by all or a portion of its fibers being such i~entifil~r fibers. Reference is made in this regard to my copending application No.
(DP-4711-D), being filed simultaneously herewith, the disclosures of which is hereby expressly included herein by reference, and which solves the problem of identifying and differe~ti~ting hollow filling fibers (cont~ining a single continuous void throughout their fiber length) and fiberfill comprising such filling fibers. Fiberfill, as is well understood by those skilled in the art, is shorthand for fiberfill filling material, or more shortly fiberfillin~ material, and refers to a bulky mass of fibers used to fill articles, such as pillows, cushions and other filrni~hin~
m~tt~ri~l~, including other bedding materials, such as sleeping bags, mattress pads, quilts, comforters, duvets and the like, and in apparel, such as parkas and other in~ul~tt-cl articles of apparel, whether quilted or not. Crimp is an important ch~r~cteristic and provides the bulk that is an e~çnti~l requirement for fiberfill.
Generally, the fibers are crimped by mechanical means, usually in a stuffer-box crimper, as described, for example, in Halm et al. in USP 5,112,684. Crimp can also be provided by other means, such as asymmetric qu~nching or using bicomponent fil~m~-nt~ as reported, for example, by Marcus in USP 4,618,531 and W O 97/13895 PCTrUS95/12799 in USP 4,794,038, and in the literature referred to therein, so as to provide "spiral crimp". All this is well understood by those skilled in this art.
-
Claims (7)
1. Process for preparing multi-void filaments of a synthetic polymer, comprising the steps of post-coalescence melt-spinning the synthetic polymer through segmented spinning capillary orifices so the resulting freshly-spun molten streams coalesce and form continuous filaments having at least three voids, and quenching to solidify the filaments, and, if desired, drawing the resultant solid filaments, and/or further processing, and/or converting to staple fiber, characterized in that molten polymer is also spun in small amount through one ormore separate small orifices located so as to form, respectively, one or more small protuberances that are visually identifiable on an inside surface of, respectively, one or more voids of the multi-void filaments.
2. A process according to Claim 1, wherein said synthetic polymer is a polyester.
3. A process according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein said molten polymer is also a polyester.
4. Articles that are multi-void fibers of a synthetic polymer and having at least three continuous voids throughout their fiber length, and a multi-void cross-section that shows characteristic polymer material that protrudes into one or more of the voids from an inside surface of the void or voids.
5. Articles that comprise fiberfill filling material comprising resilient crimped multi-void filling fibers that are of a synthetic polymer wherein said multi-void filling fibers have at least three continuous voids throughout their fiber length, and wherein said fiberfill filling material is identified by all or a predetermined proportion of said fibers having a multi-void cross-section that shows characteristic polymer material that protrudes into a predetermined numberand predetermined pattern of the voids from an inside surface of the void or voids.
6. Articles according to Claim 4 or 5, wherein said synthetic polymer is a polyester.
7. Articles according to Claim 4 or 5, wherein said synthetic polymer is a polyester, and wherein said characteristic polymer material is also a polyester.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002233945A CA2233945A1 (en) | 1995-10-12 | 1995-10-12 | Improvements in and relating to fiber identification |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002233945A CA2233945A1 (en) | 1995-10-12 | 1995-10-12 | Improvements in and relating to fiber identification |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2233945A1 true CA2233945A1 (en) | 1997-04-17 |
Family
ID=4162287
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002233945A Abandoned CA2233945A1 (en) | 1995-10-12 | 1995-10-12 | Improvements in and relating to fiber identification |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2233945A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN117468105A (en) * | 2023-12-27 | 2024-01-30 | 江苏德力化纤有限公司 | High-quality special-shaped hollow polyester fiber and preparation method thereof |
-
1995
- 1995-10-12 CA CA002233945A patent/CA2233945A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN117468105A (en) * | 2023-12-27 | 2024-01-30 | 江苏德力化纤有限公司 | High-quality special-shaped hollow polyester fiber and preparation method thereof |
| CN117468105B (en) * | 2023-12-27 | 2024-03-12 | 江苏德力化纤有限公司 | High-quality special-shaped hollow polyester fiber and preparation method thereof |
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| EP0783607B1 (en) | Improvements in pillows and other filled articles and in their filling materials | |
| EP0648870B1 (en) | Polytetrafluoroethylene fiber, cottony material containing the same, and process for producing the same | |
| CA1208899A (en) | Trilobal filaments exhibiting high bulk and sparkle | |
| EP0086103B2 (en) | Process for producing a non-woven fabric of hot-melt-adhered composite fibers | |
| EP0316195A2 (en) | Polyallylene Sulfide nonwoven fabric | |
| MXPA97002077A (en) | Improvements in pillows and other articles with filling and in their rell materials | |
| WO1993002234A1 (en) | Hollow filament cross-sections containing four continuous voids | |
| US6010789A (en) | Polyester staple fiber | |
| JP2002501989A (en) | Filament with trilobal cross section and trilobal void | |
| US5540993A (en) | Relating to fiber identification | |
| US5540994A (en) | Fiber identification | |
| US5484650A (en) | Hollow fiber identification | |
| US5523155A (en) | Filament having a triangular cross-section and 3 or 6 axially extending voids | |
| US5723215A (en) | Bicomponent polyester fibers | |
| CA1048765A (en) | Mixed cross-section staple filament mixtures and yarn therefrom | |
| US5882794A (en) | Synthetic fiber cross-section | |
| CA2233945A1 (en) | Improvements in and relating to fiber identification | |
| US5527611A (en) | Relating to hollow fiber identification | |
| EP0873438A1 (en) | Improvements in and relating to fiber identification | |
| AU607278B2 (en) | New polyester fiberfill | |
| EP0871807A1 (en) | Improvements in and relating to hollow fiber identification | |
| CA2233913A1 (en) | Improvements in and relating to hollow fiber identification | |
| KR19990064194A (en) | Improved Fiber Identification Method | |
| JP3872169B2 (en) | Spinneret for core-sheath composite fiber | |
| EP0376625B1 (en) | Acrylic synthetic fiber and process for preparation thereof |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Discontinued |