GB2148706A

GB2148706A - Improvements in and relating to fillings for articles and filled articles

Info

Publication number: GB2148706A
Application number: GB08427093A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Charles Robert William Fleet; Paul Sidney Fanthorpe
Original assignee: Fogarty PLC
Current assignee: Fogarty PLC
Priority date: 1983-11-04
Filing date: 1984-10-26
Publication date: 1985-06-05
Also published as: GB2148706B; GB8427093D0

Abstract

A filling for articles such for example as pillows and quilts, comprises an intimate mixture of at least two types of fibre, one having a relatively low decitex value and the other a relatively higher decitex value 1 some of the fibres, preferably those of low decitex value, having a relatively low slick and the others, preferably those of relatively higher decitex value, having a relatively high slick. The proportion of the two types of fibre, and the proportions of the fibres having relatively low and high slick, are selected to provide the required characteristics for the filled article. The characteristics which are variable by varying the proportions of fibres are firmness, thermal insulation, handle and washability. By suitable selection of fibres, a range of mixtures can be provided to provide a range of articles, e.g. pillows, all of which contain the same amount of filling but which have varying characteristics e.g. are classified as soil, medium and firm.

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in and relating to fillings for articles and filled articles The present invention is concerned with fibre fillings for articles, and with filled articles, such as supporting articles, e.g. pillows and cushions, and thermally insulating articles, e.g. quilts (both conventional and continental) and quilted materials.

Crimped synthetic fibres of decitex value 6 to 7 are conventionally used for filling purposes. Early fibres had low levels of spin finish, which was relatively non-permanent to washing. The resultant filled articles were very stodgy with poor compression and recovery characteristics. Fibre producers throughout the world therefore pursued the following lines of development, in order to improve the productcharacteristics and performance.

For pillows, fibre producers used special crimps, such as helical, spiral and higher amplitude saw-tooth crimps, which crimps were also combined with increasing the slickness ofthe fibre. The increased slickness was achieved by using silicone and similar surface finishes which reduced fibre to fibre friction and allowed the maximum bulkto be created bythe crimp effects. Fibre producers also produced coarser decitexfibres, hollowfibres, and special section trilobal and quadralobal fibres to increase the strength and bulk ofthe fibre. In the case ofthe holiow fibres the polymercostwas also reduced.

These developments have resulted in pillows with much greater compression and recovery and enabled lowerweights offilling to be used to give a similar bulk (when not under load).

Such pillows are extremely springy and, particularly where high levels of surface slickener have been used, feel very slippery. These characteristics have been described by the fibre manufacturers as giving increased softness. However,mostconsumersfindthe feel of such articles to be artificial and unnatural.

A similar line of development has taken place with quilts and other insulating articles with the object of increased bulk and therefore insulation,with slickeners being used to aid in this and to provide greater softness and handle. Such articles have a lowfibre density and exhibit a very loose handle and are slippery, particularly where quilt constructions are employed which are intended to create maximum quilt bulk and thickness. As with pillows, where fibres of high slickness are involved, an unpleasant, unnatural feel to the product is created. It may also have excessive bulk which is not attractive to sleep under and makes the bed less neat in appearance.

A pillow should provide a certain degree of support with sufficient compressibility to also shape itself to head and neck. Fibre-filled pillows have been sold in a number of grades, such as soft, medium and firm, according to the degree ofsupportthey provide.

Conventionally, these grades are achieved by varying the amount of fibre filling: thus for a conventional 29 inch x 18 inch (74cm x cm) pillow, a soft pillow might contain 540 grams of 6.1 decitex highly bulked potyesterfibre, while medium and firm pillows might contain, say, 625 grams and 710 grams, respectively of the same fibre filling. The disadvantage of using different amounts ofthe same fibre filling for different degrees of support isthatthe softer pillows are under-filled and therefore flat with poor recovery from compression, while the firmer pillows are over-filled and therefore have virtually no compressibility and therefore poor shaping characteristics to head and neck.

It has previously been believed that fibre fillings with lower decitex values (finerfibres) are more compressible (softer), and have lower resilience and thermal conductivity than coarserfibres, and are mechanically weaker.

We have now realised that the properties offibre fillings can be optimised by employing an intimate mixture of at least two types of fibre, one of relatively low decitexvalue and one of higher decitex value, some of which have relatively low slick and some of which have a relatively high slick, and controlling the proportions ofthe fibres according to the characteristics desired.

According to one aspect ofthe present invention, there is provided a filling for a filled article comprising an intimate blend of at least two types of fibre, one type of fibre having a relatively low decitex value and the othertype of fibre having a relatively higher decitexvalue, some ofthefibres having a relatively low slick and the others having a relatively high slick, the proportion ofthe two types of fibre and the proportions ofthe fibres having a relatively low slick and a relatively high slick being selected to provide the required characteristics for the articles to be filled therewith.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a filled article having a filling as defined above, the proportions ofthe two types of fibres and ofthose having a relatively low slick and those having a relatively higher slick having been selected to provide the article with the required characteristics.

So far as supporting and thermally insulating filled articles are concerned, the characteristics which can be varied by varying the fibres are firmness, handle, thermal insulating and washability.

The fibres having a relatively high slick may be treated, for example, by being siliconised or otherwise, to reduce the fibre to fibre friction. The fibres having a relatively low slick may be untreated and thereforehavea higherfibretofibrefrictionwhichhas the effect of increasing the cohesion of the filling structure.

It is found thatthe washability of the filling and filled articles is improved by increasing the proportion of relatively lowslickfibres. Increasing the proportion of low decitexfibres increased the thermal insulation provided thereby.

The low decitex fibres may advantageously have a relatively low slick while the higher decitex fibres have a relatively high slick. To improve the handle of the filled article (where handle is appropriate, e.g. for quilts) the proportion ofthe higher decitex high slick fibres is increased. However increasing the proportion of relatively low decitex low slickfibres increases the firmness of a filled article.

Thus for quilts and quilted materials, to increase the thermal insulation,the proportion of relatively low decitexfibres is increased, while increasing the proportion of low slickfibres improvesthewashability. The handle is improved by increasing the proportion of relatively higher decitex high slickfibres. So far as supporting articles such as pillows and cushions are concerned,thewashability is increased by increasing the proportion of relatively low slickfibres whereas the firmness is increased by increasing the proportion of relatively low decitex low slick fibres.

Preferablythefibres, which are syntheticfibres, have a length between 10 and 120 millimetres, optionally of about 60 millimetres, and both types of fibre may have the same ordifferent lengths.

Advantageously the fibres are crimped and both typesoffibre may havethe same crimp frequency and amplitude, or they may be differentforthe two types offibre. For example the fibres of relatively low decitexvalue may have a crimp with a higher frequency and loweramplitudethanthefibresof relatively higher decitex value.

Preferablythefibres having a relatively low decitex value have a decitexvalue in the range of about 1 to 3.5 or4 and the fibres having a relatively higher decitex value have a decitex value in the range of about 4 or 5 to 20.

We have additionally found that by appropriately selecting the two types offibres and the degree of slicknessofthefibres, a rangeofmixturescanbe produced forfilling a range of like articles, to provide a range of like articles having different characteristics but each containing substantially the same amount of filling.

According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a plurality of like articles having substan tiallyequal amountsofsyntheticfibrefilling as described above, the characteristics ofthe articles being controlled by the provision of different proportions of the two types of fibres and ofthefibres having a relatively low slick and a relatively high slick in different ones of said pluralityofarticles.

A preferred filling material for a pillow comprises an intimate mixture of lotto 30%, preferably 20%, of untreated low slick crimped fibres having a decitex value of about3.3 and 70to 90%, preferably about 80% of highly bulked siliconised high slickfibres having a decitexvalue of about 12. A pillow made using this filling materialcontainsabout630gmofthe mixture and would be classified as soft.

It has been found that, by suitably adjusting the proportions ofthe above fibres in the mixture, mixtures can be created for medium and firm pillows, with the pillows having approximatelythe same amounts ofthe mixture.

For example, fora medium pillow, the proportion of low decitex low slickfibres is increased to between 40 and 60%, preferablyabout50%, andforafirm pillow the proportion of low decitex low slickfibres is increased to 80% or more, preferably about 90%. The proportion of high decitex high slickfibres is correspondingly reduced to between 40 and 60%, preferably about 50%, and 20% or less, preferably about 10%, respectively. In each case the pillow contains about 630 gm ofthe relevant mixture.

The same principle can, of course, be used in other fibre-filled articles, such as cushions, quilts, and materials, for example for sleeping bags and clothing.

Claims

1. Afilling for a filled article comprising an intimate blend of at leasttwotypes of fibre, onetype of fibre having a relatively low decitexvalue and the othertype of fibre having a relatively higher decitex value, some of thefibres having a relatively low slick and others having a relatively high slick, the proportion ofthe two types of fibre and the proportions of the fibres having a relatively low slick and a relatively high slick being selected to provide the required characteristics forthe article to be filled therewith.

2. Afilling as claimed in claim 1,wherein at least some of thefibres of the onetype of fibre have a relatively low slick and at least some ofthefibres ofthe othertype of fibre have a relatively high slick.

3. Afilling acclaimed in claim 1,wherein the fibres ofthe one type of fibre have a relatively low slick and the fibres ofthe othertype of fibre have a relatively high slick.

4. Afilling as claimed in anyone of the preceding claims,whereinthefibres having a relatively high slick are treated to reduce the fibre to fibre friction and the fibres having a relatively low slick are untreated.

5. Afilling as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein thefibres are crimped.

6. Afilling as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fibres are synthetic fibres having a length between 10 and 120mm.

7. Afilling as claimed in any one ofthe preceding claims,whereinthefibres of the onetype of fibre have a decitexvalue in the range of about 1 to 3.5 and the fibres ofthe othertype of fibre have a decitexvalue in the range of about4to 20.

8. Afilling acclaimed in claim 1 substantially as herein described.

9. Afilled article having a filling as claimed in any one ofthe preceding claims, the proportions of the two types of fibres and of the fibres having a relatively lowslickandthosehavinga relatively high slick having been selected to provide the article with the required characteristics of handle and/orthermal insulation andlorfirmness and/orwashability.

10. Afilled article as claimed in claim 9 substantially as herein described.

11. A plurality of filled articles having substantially equal amounts of synthetic fibre filling as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, the characteristics of the articles being controlled by the provision of different proportions of the two types of fibres and of the fibres having a relatively low slick and a relatively high slick in different ones of said plurality of articles.

12. A pluralityofarticles as claimed in claim 11, substantially as herein described.