Classifications

• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D01—NATURAL OR MAN-MADE THREADS OR FIBRES; SPINNING
  • D01F—CHEMICAL FEATURES IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CARBON FILAMENTS
  • D01F8/00—Conjugated, i.e. bi- or multicomponent, artificial filaments or the like; Manufacture thereof
  • D01F8/04—Conjugated, i.e. bi- or multicomponent, artificial filaments or the like; Manufacture thereof from synthetic polymers
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K47/00—Medicinal preparations characterised by the non-active ingredients used, e.g. carriers or inert additives; Targeting or modifying agents chemically bound to the active ingredient
  • A61K47/30—Macromolecular organic or inorganic compounds, e.g. inorganic polyphosphates
  • A61K47/36—Polysaccharides; Derivatives thereof, e.g. gums, starch, alginate, dextrin, hyaluronic acid, chitosan, inulin, agar or pectin
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K47/00—Medicinal preparations characterised by the non-active ingredients used, e.g. carriers or inert additives; Targeting or modifying agents chemically bound to the active ingredient
  • A61K47/30—Macromolecular organic or inorganic compounds, e.g. inorganic polyphosphates
  • A61K47/36—Polysaccharides; Derivatives thereof, e.g. gums, starch, alginate, dextrin, hyaluronic acid, chitosan, inulin, agar or pectin
  • A61K47/38—Cellulose; Derivatives thereof
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K9/00—Medicinal preparations characterised by special physical form
  • A61K9/0012—Galenical forms characterised by the site of application
  • A61K9/0019—Injectable compositions; Intramuscular, intravenous, arterial, subcutaneous administration; Compositions to be administered through the skin in an invasive manner
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K9/00—Medicinal preparations characterised by special physical form
  • A61K9/0012—Galenical forms characterised by the site of application
  • A61K9/0031—Rectum, anus
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K9/00—Medicinal preparations characterised by special physical form
  • A61K9/0012—Galenical forms characterised by the site of application
  • A61K9/0053—Mouth and digestive tract, i.e. intraoral and peroral administration
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08L—COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS
  • C08L1/00—Compositions of cellulose, modified cellulose or cellulose derivatives
  • C08L1/08—Cellulose derivatives
  • C08L1/26—Cellulose ethers
  • C08L1/28—Alkyl ethers
  • C08L1/286—Alkyl ethers substituted with acid radicals, e.g. carboxymethyl cellulose [CMC]
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08L—COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS
  • C08L5/00—Compositions of polysaccharides or of their derivatives not provided for in groups C08L1/00 or C08L3/00
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08L—COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS
  • C08L5/00—Compositions of polysaccharides or of their derivatives not provided for in groups C08L1/00 or C08L3/00
  • C08L5/08—Chitin; Chondroitin sulfate; Hyaluronic acid; Derivatives thereof
• • 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
  • 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
  • D01D5/28—Formation of filaments, threads, or the like while mixing different spinning solutions or melts during the spinning operation; Spinnerette packs therefor
  • D01D5/30—Conjugate filaments; Spinnerette packs therefor
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T428/00—Stock material or miscellaneous articles
  • Y10T428/29—Coated or structually defined flake, particle, cell, strand, strand portion, rod, filament, macroscopic fiber or mass thereof
  • Y10T428/2913—Rod, strand, filament or fiber
  • Y10T428/2929—Bicomponent, conjugate, composite or collateral fibers or filaments [i.e., coextruded sheath-core or side-by-side type]

Definitions

• This invention relates generally to fibers having a high surface area and to their method of construction.
• round fibers are used in the textile art.
• the cross-sectional shape of a round fiber is circular.
• round fibers have an outer surface area of that is minimal, defined by (3.14)x(fiber diameter)x(fiber length), and the two ways to increase the surface area of a given length of a round fiber is to increase its diameter, thereby resulting in the fiber occupying a larger amount of space and having an increased weight, or by using many small round fibers to increase the surface area while using the same amount of weight
• nanofibers or electrospun technology has its benefits.
• space and weight are tightly controlled, thereby requiring use of a fiber with the highest surface area possible.
• Non-round fibers having an increased surface area relative to round fibers are known. Such fibers have multiple lengthwise extending legs, with each leg extending radially outwardly from a central axis of the fiber to form lengthwise extending channels on the surface of the fiber. Although the known legs provide an increased surface area to the fiber, lending to improving the filtration, sound and fluid absorbency and capillary action, further improvements in accordance with the invention provide significant increases in the surface area of fibers, thereby further enhancing their filtration, sound and fluid absorbency characteristics.
• Small diameter fibers are commonly made with the "islands in the sea” design. This is where many small fibers made up of one material are extruded within another sacrificial material, so that once the outer sacrificial material is washed away, what remains are many small individual diameter fibers. This allows the encapsulated plurality of fibers to be stretched when cooled while still maintaining their inner shape, but allowing for smaller diameter, individual fibers to be made.
• a high surface area fiber includes an inner fiber extending along a longitudinal central axis.
• the inner fiber has a plurality of legs extending lengthwise in generally parallel relation with one another and with the central axis. Each of the legs extends radially away from the central axis to a first peak.
• First channels are formed between adjacent legs. The first channels extend in generally parallel relation with one another and with the central axis. At least some of the legs have protrusions extending laterally outwardly therefrom. The protrusions extend lengthwise in generally parallel relation with one another and with the central axis.
• each leg has opposite first sides, wherein each of the opposite first sides having a plurality of the protrusions extending laterally outwardly therefrom.
• each leg converge toward their respective peak.
• each protrusion extends to a second peak, wherein each of the protrusions has opposite second sides converging toward their respective second peak.
• the inner fiber is formed from a first material extending coincident with the central axis, and an outer sheath, separate from the inner fiber, is formed from a second material mat encapsulates the first material, wherein the first and second materials are different.
• the second material is dissolvable in a solvent.
• the second material can be provided to dissolve in water.
• a method of constructing a high surface area fiber includes extruding an inner fiber having a longitudinal central axis and a plurality of legs extending lengthwise in generally parallel relation with one another and with the central axis, with each of the legs extending radially away from the central axis to a first peak to form first channels between adjacent legs, wherein the first channels extend in generally parallel relation with one another and with the central axis.
• the method further includes extruding protrusions simultaneously with the legs, with the protrusions extending laterally outwardly from at least some of the legs and extending lengthwise in generally parallel relation with one another and with the central axis to form second channels between adjacent protrusions.
• the method further includes co- extruding an outer sheath about the inner fiber from a second material that is different from the first material, such that the outer sheath at least partially fills the first and second channels.
• the method former includes extruding each leg having opposite first sides, and extruding a plurality of the protrusions extending outwardly from each of the opposite first sides.
• the method further includes extruding the opposite sides of each leg converging toward the peak.
• the method further includes extruding each protrusion extending to a second peak, and extruding each of the protrusions having opposite second sides converging toward the second peak.
• the method further includes providing the second material as being dissolvable in a solvent
• the method can further include providing the second material as being dissolvable in water.
• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a high surface area fiber constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.
• Figure 2 A is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the line 2-2 of Figure 1 ;
• Figure 2B is a view similar to Figure 2A with an outer sheath of the extruded fiber having been dissolved away;
• Figure 3A is a cross-sectional similar to Figure 2A of a fiber constructed in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.
• Figure 3B is a view similar to Figure 3 A with an outer sheath of the extruded fiber having been dissolved away;
• Figure 4 is an enlarged partial view of the fiber of Figure 2B;
• Figure 5 is an enlarged partial view of the fiber of Figure 3B.
• Figure 6 is a partial perspective view of a plurality of high surface areas fibers constructed in accordance with another aspect of the invention shown coextruded within a sacrificial sheath.
• Figure 1 illustrates a high surface area filament, and referred to hereafter as fiber 10, constructed in accordance with the invention.
• the fiber 10 can be formed having any suitable continuous length and diameter, as desired.
• the fiber 10 includes a continuous inner fiber 11 that extends lengthwise along a longitudinal central axis 12.
• the inner fiber 11 has a plurality of legs 14 extending lengthwise in generally parallel relation with one another and with the central axis 12.
• Each of die legs 14 extend radially outwardly in branched fashion away from a central body 16 of the inner fiber
• each of the channels 20 extend in generally parallel relation with one another and also with the central axis 12.
• At least some of the legs 14, and shown here as each of the legs 14, have elongate ridges and also referred to as lobes, ridges, fingers, protrusions or arms 22, extending laterally outwardly therefrom.
• Each of the arms 22 extends radially outwardly to a second peak 24.
• the arms 22 extend lengthwise continuously in generally parallel relation with one another and with the central axis 12, and thus, continuous second channels 26 are formed between adjacent arms 22.
• the lengthwise extending legs 14 and arms 22 of the inner fiber 11 provide the inner fiber 11 with an increased surface area, as compared to a cylindrical monofilament, which in turn enhances the ability of the fiber 10 to filter and absorb sound and/or fluid when woven, knit, braided, or otherwise formed into a fabric.
• a textile fabric formed with the fibers 10, whether the fibers 10 are interlaced via weaving, knitting, or braiding, also referred to as interlaced yarns or filaments, or whether the fabric is formed as a nonwoven material, having a web formed at least in part including small fibers 10, is able to function with an increased capacity to filter and/or absorb particulate, sound, and fluid.
• the fiber 10 is initially formed as a bi-component co-extrusion, with the inner fiber 11 being extruded from a first material having the geometric features described above extruded coincident with the central axis 12, and with an outer sheath 28 being simultaneously extruded, referred hereafter as coextruded, from a second material about the first material.
• the outer sheath 28 can fully encapsulate or partially encapsulate the inner fiber 11 to either completely fill or at least partially fill the first and second channels 20, 26, wherein the first and second materials are different types of material.
• the first material can be extruded from a standard thermoplastic resinous material, such as polypropylene, polyester, nylon, polyethylene, thermoplastic urethanes, co-polyesters, or liquid crystalline polymers, by way of example and without limitation.
• the second material is extruded from a sacrificial, dissolvable resinous thermoplastic, such as, but not limited to, polyactide (PLA), co-polyester (PETG), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), ethylene- vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH), or a water-soluble thermoplastic polymer resin.
• the outer sheath 28 can be readily dissolved, when desired, including immediately thereafter, or after forming the desired end product, such as a textile material, whether woven, knit, braided, or a nonwoven.
• the fiber 10 can first be processed as a generally standard monofilament having a generally circular cross-section, or otherwise, including a generally oval or flatted cross- section, and then after forming the end product, the outer sheath 28 can be dissolved to exposed the encapsulated inner fiber 11.
• processing the inner fiber 11 into the textile fabric can be made easy, as with a standard monofilament, and thereafter, the more complex shape of the inner fiber 11 can be exposed by dissolving the outer sheath 28 away from the inner fiber 11.
• any suitable solvent can be used, depending on the material content of the second material, such as NaOH, acids, or in the case of a water-soluble polymer such as Exceval, water can be used to dissolve the outer sheath 28.
• a plurality of the fibers 10 can be coextruded within a single sacrificial outer sheath 28, whereupon dissolving the outer sheath 28, the plurality of individual fibers 10 are exposed for individual use.
• the central body 16 of the inner fiber 11 can be formed having any desired cross- sectional geometry, including round, oval, or otherwise.
• the legs 14 extend radially outwardly from the central body 16 along the entire length of the central body 16 and have opposite sides, referred to hereafter as first sides 30.
• the opposite first sides 30 of each leg 14 converge toward the first peak 18.
• Each of the opposite first sides 30 have at least one, and shown as a plurality of the arms 22 extending laterally outwardly therefrom.
• Each arm 22 extends along the entire length of the leg 14 from which it extends, and each arm 22 has opposite sides, referred to hereafter as second sides 32, converging toward the second peak 24.
• each leg 14 is increased by the additional surface area provided by the sides 32 of each arm 22 extending outwardly therefrom.
• the legs 14 and arms 22 can be configured having any desired shape or contour, such as shown in
• FIGs 2 A, 2B wherein the legs 14 are generally serpentine or zig-zag shaped, as a result of the sinuous pattern of the aims 22 extending outwardly therefrom, and also as shown in Figures 3 A, 3B, wherein the legs 14 are generally triangular in shape and the arms 22 extend outwardly from the opposite sides 30 in generally mirror relation with one another.
• the number of legs 14, arms 22 and associated first and second channels 20, 26 can be provided as desired, and further, that legs 14, arms 22 and associated first and second channels 20, 26 are nano-sized in width and height, such as between about 200-1000 nanometers, depending on the application.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Pharmacology & Pharmacy (AREA)
• Epidemiology (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Textile Engineering (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
• General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Dermatology (AREA)
• Nutrition Science (AREA)
• Physiology (AREA)
• Infusion, Injection, And Reservoir Apparatuses (AREA)
• Nonwoven Fabrics (AREA)
• Extrusion Moulding Of Plastics Or The Like (AREA)
• Medicinal Preparation (AREA)

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• 2014
  • 2014-09-12 CN CN201480056767.4A patent/CN105683427A/zh active Pending
  • 2014-09-12 EP EP14844332.8A patent/EP3044354A2/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2014-10-07 CA CA2926810A patent/CA2926810A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2014-10-07 WO PCT/US2014/059437 patent/WO2015054208A1/en active Application Filing

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