EP1438450A2

EP1438450A2 - Composite yarn

Info

Publication number: EP1438450A2
Application number: EP02762501A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Laurent Thiriot
Original assignee: Kermel SNC
Current assignee: Kermel SNC
Priority date: 2001-06-28
Filing date: 2002-06-27
Publication date: 2004-07-21
Anticipated expiration: 2022-06-27
Also published as: ES2321170T3; US20040216443A1; FR2826669A1; CN1537183A; DE60230786D1; CN100489169C; ATE420227T1; EP1438450B1; WO2003002797A3; WO2003002797A2; BR0211301A; JP2004532367A; NO20035840L; US7107750B2; BR0211301B1; FR2826669B1; NZ530342A; NO324985B1; AU2002328353B2; CA2451023A1

Abstract

The invention relates to composite yarn of bright color. It is obtained from yarn or fibers of at least two types, yarn or fibers of bright color and temperature-stable and/or smothering yarn or fibers. The yarn and the textile articles obtained from said yarn provide excellent protection against heat and/or flame.

Description

Composite wire

The present invention relates to the field of brightly colored composite wires and particularly high visibility composite wires. It relates more particularly to a composite yarn which can be used to make bright colored or even high visibility clothing and which offers good protection against heat and / or flame.

In some areas of industry, workers may be exposed to heat or flame. They must therefore wear protective clothing made from specially adapted textile threads. Protective clothing is subject to standards designed to guarantee a protection threshold. We cite in particular the standard EN 531.

On another level, bright colored clothing is sometimes required in order to present a high visibility, in order to signal the presence of workers. There are thus royal blue, fluorescent yellow, fluorescent orange, fluorescent red wires. The use of different colors of clothing can serve as a distinctive sign, and can make it possible, for example, to distinguish several teams on a site or in an intervention area. The bright color of workers' clothing varies in a wide range of colors.

Thus, for example, royal blue colored threads are known, which make it possible to obtain a good level of visibility. There are also known yellow yarns, orange yarns and red yarns which allow a sufficient level of visibility to be obtained, vis-à-vis the visibility criteria which are for example defined in the EN standard.

471.

In several industries, workers need to wear clothing that is simultaneously protective against fire hazards and brightly colored, especially highly visible. Known for this purpose brightly colored son, especially yellow, meeting the criteria of high visibility and fire protection.

These are intrinsically heat resistant wires containing yellow pigments.

This solution is, for example, not suitable for obtaining high-visibility orange-colored wires meeting the criteria of standard EN 471 and having heat protection properties. No fluorescent orange wires are known which provide sufficient fire protection.

The object of the present invention is to provide a solution to this problem by presenting new textile yarns of bright color and particularly of high visibility offering protection against risks linked to fire, in particular new orange textile yarns. To this end, the invention provides a brightly colored composite wire with a core surrounded by an envelope comprising at least:

• brightly colored wires or fibers A

• at least one type of yarn or fiber chosen from the following group: - thermostable yarn or fiber B

- choking threads or fibers C causing a gaseous release likely to inhibit the combustion of adjacent products when the threads or fibers are subjected to a flame and characterized in that the envelope comprises at least threads or fibers A The composite thread of the invention is a brightly colored wire. As a vivid color, we can cite for example bright red, royal blue. The term “brightly colored wire” preferably means wires whose luminance factor β defined in standard EN 471 is at least equal to 0.2.

The composite wire is preferably a high visibility wire, yellow orange or red. High visibility is characterized by the chromaticity coordinates and the luminance factor, in accordance with standard EN 471. The methods for measuring the chromaticity coordinates and the luminance factor are specified in standard CIE 15: 2: 1968.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the composite wire is a high visibility wire whose chromaticity coordinates and the luminance factor are chosen from: the chromaticity coordinates included in the ellipse defined by the pairs of coordinates (X; Y) (0.610; 0.390), (0.544; 0.376), (0.579, 0.341), (0.655; 0.344) with a luminance factor β greater than 0.40 the chromatic coordinates included in the ellipse defined by the pairs of coordinates (X ; Y) (0.387; 0.610), (0.356; 0.494), (0.398, 0.452), (0.460; 0.540) with a luminance factor β greater than 0.76 the chromaticity coordinates included in the ellipse defined by the pairs of coordinates ( X; Y) (0.655; 0.344), (0.579; 0.341), (0.606, 0.314), (0.690; 0.310) with a luminance factor β greater than 0.25 According to a preferred characteristic of the invention, the wires or fibers A are orange, yellow or red yarns or fibers, with op properties ticks such as a composite yarn envelope according to the invention produced solely from these yarns or fibers would have chromaticity coordinates and a luminance factor chosen from: the chromaticity coordinates included in the ellipse defined by the pairs of coordinates (X ; Y) (0.610; 0.390), (0.544; 0.376), (0.579, 0.341), (0.655; 0.344) with a luminance factor β greater than 0.40. These are fluorescent orange wires or fibers. - the chromaticity coordinates included in the ellipse defined by the pairs of coordinates (X; Y) (0.387; 0.610), (0.356; 0.494), (0.398, 0.452), (0.460; 0.540) with a higher luminance factor β at 0.76. These are fluorescent yellow yarns or fibers. the chromaticity coordinates included in the ellipse defined by the pairs of coordinates (X; Y) (0.655; 0.344), (0.579; 0.341), (0.606, 0.314), (0.690; 0.310) with a luminance factor β greater than 0.25. These are fluorescent red yarns or fibers.

Composite yarn is obtained from yarns or fibers of several types, yarns or fibers A, B and / or C. If a yarn or fiber has both the characteristics of yarns or fibers of two types B and C by example, it falls under each of these types.

Yarns or fibers A enter into the composition of the envelope of the composite yarn, so that they appear on the surface of the composite yarn of the invention.

By thread, we can mean a continuous multifilament object, a continuous spun of fibers, obtained from a single type of fibers, or a mixture of fibers, for example fibers B and C in intimate mixture, or fibers B and / or C with other fibers. We can also hear a continuous thread obtained by assembling several threads or filaments, or a continuous monofilament.

The yarns or fibers A can for example be yarns or fibers based on polyethylene terephthalate comprising a pigment introduced before spinning and imparting the required color to the yarns or fibers. The pigment is advantageously orange in color. It may for example be orange threads sold by the company Trevira under the reference Texturgarn Typ 501 V.

It can also be yarns or fibers based on polyethylene terephthalate, the color of which is provided by a dye or a dye. This surface treatment may for example comprise a step of introducing the threads or fibers into a solution containing a dye corresponding to the desired color. The composite yarn of the invention can comprise yarns or fibers A of different natures.

The wires or fibers B have a thermostable character. These are threads or fibers whose shrinkage and loss of mechanical properties are limited after short-term exposure to a flame (of the order of 3 to 4 seconds). Mention is made, by way of example, of threads or fibers based on thermostable polymers, such as polyamide-imide, polyparaphenylene. terephthalamide, polymetaphenylene isophthalamide, polyimides, polybenzimidazole (PBI), polyparaphenylene-2,6-benzobisoxazole (PBO), melamine, polyacrylate. The yarns or fibers are preferably yarns or fibers based on paraaramides. The wires B can be made of a mixture of fibers, generally in an intimate mixture. They may, for example, be intimate mixtures of aramid fibers and flame-retardant viscose-based fibers, for example a mixture of polyamide-imide fibers and flame-retardant viscose fibers, optionally with paraphenylene terephthalamide fibers. The yarns can also consist of polymetaphenylene isophthalamide fibers, or mixtures of these fibers with in particular polyparaphenylene terephthalamide fibers.

The yarns or fibers B of the invention may consist of a combination of yarns or fibers that do not have a thermostable character and other yarns or fibers, such as choking yarns or fibers for example. The threads or fibers B formed by this association meet the standard EN 531. Mention may be made, for example, of a combination of cotton threads or fibers having no thermostable character and choking threads or fibers such as modacrylic fibers.

The composite yarn of the invention can comprise yarns or fibers B of different natures.

The yarns or fibers B possibly present in the envelope of the composite yarn of the invention can be dyed prior to the preparation of the composite yarn by any technique known to those skilled in the art, in order to present a color in accordance with the color wires or fibers A of the envelope.

The threads or fibers C are threads or fibers of suffocation, causing a gassing during their combustion. These threads or fibers prevent or limit the combustion of neighboring threads or fibers. The gas evolution generally results from the decomposition of the material constituting the wire or the fiber. It can also be derived from an additive or primer. By way of example of choking fibers, mention is made of modacrylic fibers and PPAN fibers (preoxidized polyacrylonitrile). Composite yarns can be used comprising at least two twisted yarns, a thermostable yarn and a yarn comprising choking fibers, alone or as a mixture. It is also possible to use an untwisted yarn, comprising suffocation fibers, alone or in a mixture. By way of example, the following can be used as yarns causing gas evolution: - yarns of modacrylic fibers or PPANs - yarns of fibers in intimate mixture comprising modacrylic fibers or PPANs and thermostable fibers chosen for example from aramids, polybenzimidazole, PBO, fibers of phenolic resins, fibers of glass, carbon, melamine. - twisted yarns comprising a yarn comprising thermostable fibers, alone or as a mixture, and one of the yarns of fibers described above. By way of example of fiber yarns comprising modacrylic fibers, mention may be made of Protex M or S fibers sold by the company Kaneka, Lufnen VF1 and VE1 fibers, Super valzer fibers.

The son or fibers C preferably have a limit oxygen index greater than 30%. The composite yarn of the invention can comprise yarns or fibers C of different natures.

The yarns or fibers C possibly present in the envelope of the composite yarn of the invention are generally dyed prior to the preparation of the composite yarn by any technique known to those skilled in the art in order to present a color in agreement with the color of the wires or fibers A of the envelope.

The yarns or fibers A, B and / or C of the invention at least partially define the structure and construction of the composite yarn. The threads or fibers A, B and / or C can for example be used in combination with threads or fibers of type other than A, B or C.

Each type of yarns or fibers A, B and / or C of the invention can comprise yarns or fibers of different types.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the core of the composite wire of the invention comprises at least wires or fibers B and or wires or fibers C. The core of the composite wire can for example consist of a yarn spun from B fibers and C fibers in an intimate mixture. The core and / or the envelope of the composite yarn of the invention may each consist of a yarn spun from fibers of the same kind or of different natures in intimate mixture.

The envelope of the composite yarn of the invention may comprise, in addition to yarns or fibers A, also yarns or fibers B and / or yarns or fibers C. According to a particular characteristic of the invention, the envelope of the composite yarn of the invention comprises at least wires or fibers A and wires or fibers C, and the core comprises at least wires or fibers B. The core can for example consist of a wire spun from fibers B, alone or in admixture, for example in intimate admixture with other fibers. According to another particular characteristic of the invention, the envelope of the composite yarn of the invention comprises at least son or fibers A and son or fibers B, and the core comprises at least son or fibers C. The soul can for example be constituted by a yarn spun from fibers C, alone or in a mixture, for example in intimate mixture with other fibers.

The wires or fibers A, for example based on polyethylene terephthalate, preferably cover at least 60% of the surface of the high visibility wire of the invention. The yarns or fibers A advantageously represent at least 20% by weight relative to the total weight of the yarn of the invention preferably at least 40%. Generally this proportion by weight is less than or equal to 70%.

The proportion by weight in the composite yarn of the invention of yarns or fibers B is preferably greater than 30%. The weight ratio of threads or fibers C relative to threads or fibers A, for example based on polyethylene terephthalate, is preferably between 25/75 and 75/25.

The composite yarn of the invention can be obtained by any technique known to a person skilled in the art of concomitant spinning of yarns or fibers constituting the envelope and of yarns or fibers constituting the core. In particular, it can be any method of winding son or fibers constituting the envelope around son or fibers constituting the core. As a winding technique, mention may be made, for example, of wrapping, around continuous yarns or yarns of fibers, for example. This process is known to those skilled in the art. We can also cite the process known as Dref, implemented by a spinning loom from the house of Fehrer. According to this process, the threads or fibers are wound around the core, which therefore does not undergo axial twisting as in conventional spinning processes.

In particular, the Dref 3 process can be used to obtain the composite yarn according to the invention. This process and its operation have already been described several times in the specialized textile literature, in particular in the article by Fuchs H., "Herstellung von Mehrkomponentengarnen mit Hilfe des Friktionsspinverfahrens",

Melliand Textilberichte, Band 64, 1983, s.618-622.

The Dref 2 process can also be used to prepare the composite yarn of the invention. This process has also been described several times in the specialized textile literature. The yarns obtained by this process are generally coarser than those obtained by the Dref 3 process.

The methods described above have no limiting character. The composite yarn of the invention can be used for obtaining textile articles. These textile articles can be woven or knitted. The composite threads according to the invention at least partially define the structure and construction of the textile article. For example, in addition to the composite yarn of the invention, the article may also include yarns of a type different from the latter. The textile article can for example comprise yarns A, B or C or other types of yarns. The textile article may in particular comprise yarns B when the composite yarn does not include yarns or fibers B. Similarly, the article can include yarns or fibers C when the composite yarn does not include yarns or fibers C for example.

In a woven article, for example a woven surface, the composite threads of the invention can for example constitute weft threads and / or warp threads.

Other details or advantages of the invention will appear more clearly in the light of the example given below without limiting effect.

EXAMPLE A composite yarn is prepared by concomitant spinning ("core-spinning") of the yarn of fibers of the envelope around the yarn of fibers of the core.

The core fiber yarn represents, in relation to the total weight of the yarn:

• 30% by weight of paraaramid fibers

• 10% by weight of modacrylic fibers in intimate mixture

The yarn of the envelope fibers includes:

• 50% by weight of polyethylene terephthalate fibers

• 10% by weight of modacrylic fibers in intimate mixture. The wire is subjected to the tests defined in standards EN 471 and EN 531. The wire conforms to these standards, with classification A, B1, C1 for standard EN 531.

Claims

1. Composite wire of bright color with a core surrounded by an envelope characterized in that it comprises at least:

• brightly colored wires or fibers A

• at least one type of yarn or fiber chosen from the following group:

- thermostable wires or fibers B

- choking threads or fibers C causing a gaseous release likely to inhibit the combustion of adjacent products when the threads or fibers are subjected to a flame and characterized in that the envelope comprises at least threads or fibers A

2. Composite wire according to claim 1 characterized in that the chromaticity coordinates and the luminance factor of the wire are chosen from:

- the chromaticity coordinates included in the ellipse defined by the pairs of coordinates (X; Y) (0.610; 0.390), (0.544; 0.376), (0.579, 0.341), (0.655; 0.344) with a higher luminance factor β at 0.40

- the chromaticity coordinates included in the ellipse defined by the pairs of coordinates (X; Y) (0.387; 0.610), (0.356; 0.494), (0.398, 0.452), (0.460; 0.540) with a higher luminance factor β at 0.76

- the chromaticity coordinates included in the ellipse defined by the pairs of coordinates (X; Y) (0.655; 0.344), (0.579; 0.341), (0.606, 0.314), (0.690; 0.310) with a higher luminance factor β to 0.25 characterized in that it comprises at least:

• wires or fibers A with optical properties such as a composite wire envelope comprising only these wires or fibers A would have chromaticity coordinates and a luminance factor chosen from: the chromaticity coordinates included in the ellipse defined by the pairs of coordinates (X; Y) (0.610; 0.390), (0.544; 0.376), (0.579, 0.341), (0.655;

0.344) with a luminance factor β greater than 0.40

- the chromaticity coordinates included in the ellipse defined by the pairs of coordinates (X; Y) (0.387; 0.610), (0.356; 0.494), (0.398, 0.452), (0.460; 0.540) with a higher luminance factor β at 0.76 - the chromaticity coordinates included in the ellipse defined by the pairs of coordinates (X; Y) (0.655; 0.344), (0.579; 0.341), (0.606, 0.314), (0.690; 0.310) with a higher luminance factor β at 0.25

- choking threads or fibers C causing gas evolution when subjected to a flame and characterized in that the envelope comprises at least threads or fibers A

3. Composite wire according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the core comprises at least:

- B yarns or fibers and / or

- C yarns or fibers

4. Composite wire according to claim 1 to 3, characterized in that the envelope comprises wires or fibers C.

5. Composite wire according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the envelope comprises son or fibers B.

6. Composite wire according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that:

• the envelope comprises at least wires or fibers A and wires or fibers C • the core comprises at least wires or fibers B

7. Composite wire according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that:

The envelope comprises at least wires or fibers A and wires or fibers B

• the core comprises at least C wires or fibers

8. Composite wire according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wires or fibers A are based on polyethylene terephthalate and in that they comprise a pigment introduced before spinning, giving it the required color.

9. Composite wire according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the son or fibers B are based on a synthetic material chosen from polyamide- imide, polyparaphenyleneterephthalamide, polymetaphenylene isophthalamide, polybenzimidazole, polyparaphenylene-2,6-benzobisoxazole, melamine, polyacrylate

10. Composite wire according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wires or fibers C are based on modacrylic fibers or preoxidized polyacrylonitrile.

11. Composite wire according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wires or fibers A cover at least 60% of the surface of the brightly colored wire.

12. Composite wire according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wires or fibers A represent at least 20% by weight relative to the total weight of the wire, preferably at least 40%.

13. Composite wire according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is obtained by a concomitant spinning technique of the son or fibers of the envelope and the son or fibers of the core, such as wrapping for example.

14. Use of a composite yarn according to one of the preceding claims for obtaining textile articles.