Classifications

• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D02—YARNS; MECHANICAL FINISHING OF YARNS OR ROPES; WARPING OR BEAMING
  • D02G—CRIMPING OR CURLING FIBRES, FILAMENTS, THREADS, OR YARNS; YARNS OR THREADS
  • D02G3/00—Yarns or threads, e.g. fancy yarns; Processes or apparatus for the production thereof, not otherwise provided for
  • D02G3/02—Yarns or threads characterised by the material or by the materials from which they are made
  • D02G3/12—Threads containing metallic filaments or strips
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D02—YARNS; MECHANICAL FINISHING OF YARNS OR ROPES; WARPING OR BEAMING
  • D02G—CRIMPING OR CURLING FIBRES, FILAMENTS, THREADS, OR YARNS; YARNS OR THREADS
  • D02G3/00—Yarns or threads, e.g. fancy yarns; Processes or apparatus for the production thereof, not otherwise provided for
  • D02G3/44—Yarns or threads characterised by the purpose for which they are designed
  • D02G3/441—Yarns or threads with antistatic, conductive or radiation-shielding properties
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D02—YARNS; MECHANICAL FINISHING OF YARNS OR ROPES; WARPING OR BEAMING
  • D02G—CRIMPING OR CURLING FIBRES, FILAMENTS, THREADS, OR YARNS; YARNS OR THREADS
  • D02G3/00—Yarns or threads, e.g. fancy yarns; Processes or apparatus for the production thereof, not otherwise provided for
  • D02G3/44—Yarns or threads characterised by the purpose for which they are designed
  • D02G3/447—Yarns or threads for specific use in general industrial applications, e.g. as filters or reinforcement

Definitions

• the present invention relates to continuous metal fibers and bundles of continuous metal fibers, e.g. obtained by the bundled drawing of wires. More specifically, the present invention relates to high quality metal fiber yarns and methods of producing these metal fiber yarns.
• Metal fiber bundles can be obtained in various ways. Metal fibers can be obtained by a method of bundled drawing as described e.g. US3379000. Metal fibers can also be obtained e.g. by drawing till final diameter, also called end drawing. Typically, metal fibers are less than 60 ⁇ m in equivalent diameter.
• a metal fiber bundle is generally characterised as an array of parallel metal fibers.
• One type of metal fiber bundles include continuous metal fibers e.g. as obtained by bundled drawing or end drawing and combining these metal fibers into a bundle. Such metal fiber bundles can then be combined to produce metal fiber yarns. These yarns have properties such as a determined strength and electrical resistance.
• An aspect of the claimed invention provides a metal fiber yarn which comprises continuous metal fibers, preferably bundle drawn metal fibers.
• the metal fiber yarn comprises at least 5 bundles of continuous fibers twisted together to form a yarn.
• all of the continuous fiber bundles in the metal fiber yarn are metal fiber bundles.
• Each bundle of continuous metal fibers comprises at least 30 metal fibers and preferably less than 2500 metal fibers.
• each bundle of continuous metal fibers comprises 1000 fibers.
• each bundle of continuous metal fibers comprises 275 or 90 fibers.
• the yarn comprises bundles with different amounts of metal fibers, e.g. bundles with 275 fibers combined with bundles with 90 fibers.
• the amount of continuous fiber bundles in the yarn is preferably equal to or less than 30, such as 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 , 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 , 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29.
• the continuous fiber bundles in the metal fiber yarn are mutually substantially equal in length per unit length of the metal fiber yarn; at the same time, the length of the continuous fiber bundles per unit length of the metal fiber yarn is larger than the unit length of the metal fiber yarn itself.
• the continuous fiber bundles in the metal fiber yarn are twisted in the same direction and at the same pitch.
• metal is to be understood as encompassing both metals and metal alloys (such as stainless steel) or compositions comprising both metal and non-metallic components (such as e.g. steel and carbon).
• the metal fibers are made of stainless steel, such as e.g. AISI 316, 316L, 302, 304.
• the metal fibers are made of FeCrAI-alloys, copper or nickel.
• the metal fibers are multilayer metal fibers such as described in JP 5-177243 and WO 2006/120045, e.g.
• the continuous metal fibers can be produced either by direct or end-drawing or by a bundled drawing technique.
• the bundle or bundles of the yarns according to the present invention are preferably obtained by a bundle-drawing process.
• a bundle-drawing process involves the coating of a plurality of metal wires (a bundle), enclosing the bundle with a cover material to obtain what is called in the art a composite wire, drawing the composite wire to the appropriate diameter and removing the cover and coating material of the individual wires (fibres) and the bundle, as e.g. described in US 3,379,000; US 3,394,213; US 2,050,298 or US 3,277,564.
• the fibers obtained with this process have a cross section which is polygonal, usually pentagonal or hexagonal in shape, and their circumference is usually serrated, as is shown in figure 2 of of US2050298.
• the bundle-drawn process allows the fibre diameter to be reduced further. It has been observed that a reduced fibre diameter also has a positive effect on the flexlife
• the metal fibers in the yarn have a preferred equivalent diameter in the range of 0,5 to 60 ⁇ m, more preferably in the range of 2 to 50 ⁇ m, even more preferably in the range of 6 tot 40 ⁇ m, most preferably in the range of
• Another aspect of the claimed invention provides a metal fiber yarn according to the invention wherein at least part of the metal fiber bundles are plastically preformed, e.g. crimped.
• the metal fiber yarn can further be coated with a suitable coating, preferably Teflon, PVC, PVA, PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) FEP
• the metal fiber yarn can also comprise a lubricant.
• An aspect of the invention provides a high strength metal fiber yarn with good processability and flexibility.
• Another aspect of the invention provides the use of the metal fiber yarn of the invention as resistance heating elements in heatable textile applications, e.g. car seat heating.
• Another aspect of the invention provides the use of the metal fiber yarn of the invention as sewing yarn.
• Another aspect of the invention provides the use of the metal fiber yarn of the invention as lead wire.
• Another aspect of the invention provides the use of the metal fiber yarn of the invention for the production of heat resistant textiles, such as separation material as used in the production of car glass, e.g. for the molding of car glass to the desired shape, or such as metal burner membranes e.g. in woven or knitted form.
• Another aspect of the invention provides the use of the metal fiber yarn of the invention as reinforcement elements in composite materials.
• Another aspect of the claimed invention provides methods for producing the metal fiber yarns according to the present invention.
• an exemplary metal fiber yarn according to the invention is obtained by providing at least 5 bundles of continuous metal fibers.
• a removable core is provided. Removal process can be any process of removing that does not change the spatial arrangement of the surrounding bundles of continuous fibers or composite wires, such as: leaching, dissolving, burning, pulverising, evaporation, ...
• this removable core is made of an iron wire.
• this removable core is water soluble, e.g. made of polyvinylalcohol (PVA).
• the removable core comprises an acid susceptible polymer such as e.g. nylon or an acid susceptible metal such as e.g. copper.
• a construction is then composed wherein the removable wire, fiber or yarn, or a group of removable wires, fibers and/or yarns, is in the core and the continuous fiber bundles, or preferably composite wires, form at least one layer around this core.
• the continuous fiber bundles, or preferably composite wires are twisted around the removable core in one or more layers. If parameters are set such that all continuous fiber bundles, in the preferred embodiment all composite wires, in the layer of the construction have the same cabling angle, the length of all continuous fiber bundles, or preferably composite wires, is substantially equal over a unit length of the construction. In case of more layers of continuous fiber bundles around the removable core, the cabling angle of the different layers is the same. Thereafter the removable core is removed by the appropriate method.
• the cabling angle of the different layers is set such that after leaching the cabling angles of the different layers become the same.
• the matrix and sheet from the composite wires and the removable core are removed.
• the sheet, matrix and removable core are dissolved in appropriate liquid, e.g. acid.
• the matrix and sheet and removable core are removed in a two step process, wherein first the removable core is removed by dissolving in a first liquid, e.g. water and in a second step the matrix and sheet are removed by dissolving in a second liquid, e.g. appropriate acid.
• the length of the metal fiber bundles is equal over a unit length of the metal fiber yarn after removal of the sheet, matrix and removable core. And, as the metal fiber bundles are twisted around the removable core, the length of the metal fiber bundles per unit length is larger than the length of the metal fiber yarn per unit length.
• an exemplary metal fiber yarn according to the invention is obtained by providing at least 5 composite wires drawn till final diameter, each of said composite wires comprising a number of metal filaments in a matrix.
• a construction is composed by twisting the composite wires around each other. As the construction comprises at least 5 composite wires, one or more composite wires automatically migrate to the middle and the other ones compose one or more layers around these wires in the middle, as seen over the cross section of the construction.
• the obtained composites construction is then deformed by the use of a straightener. The straightening operation deforms the cross section of the construction in such a way that the free spaces between the composite wires are divided equally between the composite wires in the cross section of the construction.
• the lengths of the composite wires become substantially equal over a unit length of the cord construction. Thereafter, the matrix and sheet from the composite wires are removed by dissolving the sheet and matrix in appropriate acid. As the length of all composite wires is substantially equal over a unit length of the construction, the length of the metal fiber bundles is substantially equal over a unit length of the metal fiber yarn.
• an exemplary metal fiber yarn according to the invention is obtained by providing at least 5 fiber bundles, preferably each of the bundles are continuous metal fiber bundles, most preferably each of the bundles is a bundle of bundle drawn metal fibers.
• at least one metal fiber bundle is combined with non-metal fiber bundles.
• a thorn is provided. The yarn is assembled by twisting the fiber bundles around the thorn.
• the length of all fiber bundles is substantially equal over a unit length of the yarn and the length of the fiber bundles per unit length is larger than the length of the metal fiber yarn per unit length.
• the metal fiber bundles are twisted around the thorn in two or more layers in one or more steps.
• a fourth method is similar to the third method provided all bundles are bundle drawn metal fibers still in the form of composite wires drawn till final diameter, with each of the composite wires comprising a number of metal filaments in a matrix.
• This method further comprises the step of removing the matrix and sheet from the composite wires after the composing step of the third method, by dissolving the sheet and matrix in appropriate acid.
• the length of the different composite wires is substantially equal over the length of the construction before leaching
• the length of the metal fiber bundles is substantially equal over the length of the metal fiber yarn after leaching.
• the length of the metal fiber bundles per unit length is larger than the length of the metal fiber yarn per unit length.
• a fifth method obtains the metal fiber yarn according to the invention by providing at least 5 fiber bundles, preferably each of the bundles are metal fiber bundles, most preferably each of the bundles is a bundle of bundle drawn metal fibers.
• at least one metal fiber bundle is combined with non-metal fiber bundles.
• a multi-bore orifice plate with the same amount of holes as the amount of fiber bundles in the yarn is provided. Said holes are evenly divided over an imaginary circle on the orifice plate.
• the fiber bundles are guided through said multi-bore orifice plate before they are twisted to form the yarn. By this, all fiber bundles are in the same layer of the yarn and have the same torsion pitch.
• the length of all fiber bundles is substantially equal over a unit length of the yarn.
• the length of the fiber bundles per unit length is larger than the length of the metal fiber yarn per unit length.
• further layers can be added to the yarn by twisting fiber bundles around above obtained yarn.
• a sixth method is similar to the fifth method provided all bundles, are obtained through bundled drawing and wherein each bundle is still in the form of a composite wire, with each of the composite wires comprising a number of filaments in a matrix.
• This method further comprises the step of removing the matrix and sheet from the composite wires by dissolving the sheet and matrix in appropriate acid, after making the construction by use of the multi-bore orifice plate.
• the length of the different composite wires are substantially equal over the length of the construction before leaching
• the length of the metal fiber bundles is substantially equal over the length of the metal fiber yarn after leaching.
• the length of the metal fiber bundles per unit length is larger than the length of the metal fiber yarn per unit length.
• a seventh method obtains the metal fiber yarn according to the invention by providing at least 5 fiber bundles, preferably each of the bundles are metal fiber bundles, most preferably each of the bundles is a bundle of bundle drawn metal fibers.
• the yarn is made in two or more steps: in the first step at least 2 bundles of continuous fibers are twisted around each other and in a second step the remaining bundles are twisted around the first layer. More layers can be added in more steps. To obtain a substantially equal length of all fiber bundles in all layers, the cabling angles of the different layers need to be the same.
• a ninth method is similar to the eight method provided all bundles are obtained through bundled drawing and wherein each bundle is still in the form of a composite wire drawn till final diameter, with each of the composite wires comprising a number of filaments in a matrix.
• This method further comprises the step of removing the matrix and sheet from the composite wires by dissolving the sheet and matrix in appropriate acid, after making the construction.
• the cabling angles of the different layers of the composite wires is set such that after leaching the cabling angles of the different layers become the same.
• the term "equivalent diameter" of a fiber is to be understood as the diameter of an imaginary circle having a surface area equal to the surface of the radial cross section of the fiber.
• the cross section of a fiber has usually a pentagonal or hexagonal shape, and the circumference of the fiber cross section is usually serrated.
• the equivalent diameter is to be understood as the diameter.
• fiber bundle is to be understood as a grouping of individual continuous fibers.
• continuous fiber is to be understood as a fiber of an indefinite or extreme length such as found naturally in silk or such as obtained by a wire drawing process.
• Continuous metal fiber bundle should in the context of this invention be understood as a bundle of continuous metal fibers, which can be obtained by bundling continuous metal fibers or by bundled drawing.
• yarn is to be understood as a continuous strand of fibers, filaments or material in a form suitable for knitting, weaving, or otherwise intertwining to form a textile fabric.
• a yarn can therefore also be composed of first yarns taken together to form a new yarn.
• composite wire is to be understood as the composite wire which is used in the bundled drawing process as known e.g. from US3379000, wherein the composite wire is the totality of metal filaments embedded in the matrix material enveloped in the sheath material.
• the composite wire which is drawn till the desired diameter, is leached, thereby removing the matrix and sheath material, the continuous metal filaments are released and are, from then on, called continuous metal fibers.
• the composite wire turns into a bundle of continuous metal fibers by the leaching process.
• unit length of a yarn is to be understood as the unit length of the yarn when the yarn is in stretched condition.
• Figure 1 shows a graph setting out the average breaking force in function of the amount of continuous metal fiber bundles used in the metal fiber yarn.
• Figure 2 shows the same graph as figure 1 supplemented with results obtained with the metal yarn according to the invention.
• Figure 3 shows schematically starting materials for an exemplary method for obtaining the metal fiber yarn of the invention.
• Figure 4 shows the method for measuring length of fiber bundles in a yarn. reference numbers
• Figure 1 comprises a graph setting out the measured breaking force (Fm) in Newtons (N) of the metal fiber yarns made out of continuous metal fiber bundles consisting out of 275 stainless steel fibers of the AISI 316L type with an equivalent diameter of 12 micron, as a function of the amount of metal fiber bundles in the metal fiber yarn.
• the average measured values are listed in Table 1.
• the breaking force is measured according to ISO 6892/82 with a gauge length of 150 mm, a pre-load of 3 N, a pre-load speed of 5mm/min and a test speed of 30 mm/min.
• the breaking force of the metal fiber yarn increases linearly with the amount of metal fiber bundles in the yarn for yarns comprising 4 or less metal fiber bundles.
• x the amount of metal fiber bundles in the yarn.
• This linear relationship is no longer valid when the amount of metal fiber bundles in the yarn is more than 4: the increase in breaking force of the yarn is much lower.
• This effect might be explained, without pretending to be scientifically correct, by the following: when 5 or more bundles are combined into a yarn, the yarn tries to obtain the smallest diameter possible, so 1 or more bundles tend to move to the center of the yarn. A layered yarn is then obtained, wherein the bundles in the center of the yarn have shorter lengths than the bundles on the outer/n
• a metal fiber yarn according to the invention wherein the metal fiber yarn is produced using a removable core wire.
• Six composite wires, wherein the composite wires each contain 275 stainless steel fibers of the 316L type with an equivalent diameter of 12 micron, are grouped around a removable core, in this example an iron wire.
• the increase in breaking force is now in line with the linear relation as described above.
• Figure 3 shows schematically further examples of constructions of removable core(s) (depicted in the figures as shaded circles 8) together with continuous fiber bundles (depicted in the figures as open circles 7) which are twisted together and wherein the removable core is removed, to form the metal fiber yarn of the invention.
• similar constructions can be made with composite wires around one or more removable wires, where after the whole construction is leached, to form the metal fiber yarn of the invention.
• the length of the individual fiber bundles in the metal fiber yarn is measured on a torsion bench as shown in Figure 4.
• a length of 1 meter of metal fiber yarn (1) is clamped between two clamps as shown in Figure 4.
• One of the clamps (3) is rotatable, but cannot move horizontally, the other clamp (2) is not rotatable but can move back and forward horizontally along the stretching direction of the yarn.
• the horizontally movable clamp (2) is put under load by means of a wire (4) guided over a reversing pulley (5) and connected to a load of 17N (6).
• the yarn is then twisted in the inverse direction of the torsion direction of the metal fiber bundles in the yarn and as many cycles are made as the amount of torsion cycles present in the metal fiber yarn. Because of the torsion being removed out of the yarn, the yarn elongates. As the yarn is put under tension by the weight (6), the load moves downwards (b). As a consequence the horizontally movable clamp (2) moves backwards and the elongation of the yarn is equal to the length (a) over which clamp (2) moves.
• the shortest bundle is under tension between the clamps and the other ones hang down.
• the distance between the clamps is now the length of the shortest bundle in the yarn.
• the yarn elongates again and now the second shortest bundle in the original yarn is under tension. This time the distance between the clamps is the length of the second shortest bundle in the yarn. This cutting, elongation and measuring of the length is repeated until the last bundle is under tension.
• length of a yarn is thus to be understood in the light of this invention, as the length of the yarn when the yarn is stretched under a load of 17N. This is measured as the length L between the clamps on the torsion bench when the yarn is under the load of the 17N and before the yarn is being reversely twisted.
• the term "length of a bundle” is to be understood as the length L n of the single bundle x ⁇ originating from the reversely twisted yarn consisting out of n bundles and put under a load of 17N.
• the length Li of the shortest bundle xi in the yarn is measured as the length between the clamps on the torsion bench when the yarn is reversely twisted and under a load of 17N.
• the length l_2 of the second shortest bundle X2 in the yarn is measured as the length between the clamps on the torsion bench when the yarn is reversely twisted, under a load of 17N and the shortest bundle in the yarn xi has been cut through.
• the length L n of every x ⁇ th bundle in a yarn is measured as the length between the clamps on the torsion bench when the yarn is reversely twisted, under a load of 17N and all xi ...x ⁇ - i shorter bundles in the yarn have been cut.
• Tables 3 and 4 show the results obtained with above described measuring method for the standard available Bekinox® products. [0055] Table 3
• the metal fiber yarn constitutes a construction comprising continuous metal fibers forming a metal fiber yarn.
• the construction comprises at least 5 bundles of continuous fibers, whereof at least one bundle is bundle of metal fibers, preferably bundle drawn metal fibers.
• the bundles of continuous fibers are twisted together to form a yarn.
• Each bundle of metal fibers comprises at least 30 metal fiber filaments.
• the length of the continuous fiber bundles is substantially equal per unit length of the metal fiber yarn and the length of the fiber bundles per unit length of the metal fiber yarn is larger than the unit length of the metal fiber yarn itself.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Textile Engineering (AREA)
• Yarns And Mechanical Finishing Of Yarns Or Ropes (AREA)
• Woven Fabrics (AREA)

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• 2009
  • 2009-11-24 EP EP09756749.9A patent/EP2362918B1/de not_active Not-in-force
  • 2009-11-24 WO PCT/EP2009/065781 patent/WO2010060913A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2009-11-24 US US13/130,958 patent/US20110240626A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2009-11-24 CN CN200980146925.4A patent/CN102224284B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2009-11-24 JP JP2011536903A patent/JP2012509998A/ja active Pending

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