JPS6040089A - Processed feather - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides for the use of washable filled articles such as pillows and quilts.
(as used herein, the term "feather" includes feathers and/or fluff).

Water-resistant finishes consisting of feathers have been known for a long time. For example, [Tab -0-Quit
The method known as the ``Method'' was developed for the United States government in the 1990s. Jin's method involves tanning the feathers in hot water with chromium salts. Although this method imparts water resistance to the feathers, they have a poor feel, and the method results in waste problems and the aggressive chemicals used attack the equipment.

A more recent development is the process developed by Henkel GynbH, known as the "Averain J process, which also involves tanning with chromium compounds and the use of mordants. This process solves the waste problem. However, the treated feathers still have a poor texture and must be stored in the absence of air, and aggressive chemicals are used that are easily flammable, and toxic. The b5 problem still remains.

A method of treating feathers to give improved hygienic properties for use as filling for rewashed cushions, quilts, bedding, etc. is also proposed in German Auglegeschrlf No. 22.21≠1. ing. [Tsuka-
The treatment method, known as the (Noear) J method, uses aluminum salts of lower fatty acids, e.g.

AI (OH)200CCH3) and then to
This includes heat treatment at temperatures higher than 0°C.

The trend in technology is thus to use inorganic materials rather than polymers to treat feathers.

The inventors have developed an improved water-resistant finish for feathers (flnls).
h) is currently being developed. Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention provides that the finished down has improved drying properties after laundering, increased texture and resistance to alumping.
). This resistance to bacteria and agglomeration reduces the risk of odor development in incompletely dried feathers. The down according to the invention can also have improved filling power (bulk) and soil resistance.

The low friction fluorocarbon polymer finish can be, for example, a curable fluorocarbon polymer (eg, tetrafluoroethylene V7 polymer or fluoroalkyl acrylate copolymer).

A particularly suitable polymer is available as Ruaapol FFF from Rudolf Hizmi GmbH.

The advantage of applying fluorocarbon polymer finishes to feathers, compared to tanning, is that there is no need to use two-step processes involving hazardous or toxic chemicals (therefore, there is no need to use a two-step process involving hazardous or toxic chemicals). There are no waste risks and there are fewer problems with waste.) The use of non-aggressive chemicals is
It also ensures that attacks on the equipment used are minimized.

Several polymers may be considered that impart a water-repellent, low-friction polymeric finish to the feathers. Among them, there is silicone (silicone is manufactured by Aualegesbrt
ft proposed as a finishing agent for feathers in the specification of No. JAJRI7RIH).

The inventors have surprisingly discovered that about 90% of the high degree of water, stain and oil resistance, medium hand retention and bacterial resistance essential for healthy long-term product performance of down-filled articles
It has been found that a well-matched combination is better provided by fluorocarbon finishes. The inventors have also found that bacteriostatic agents can be conveniently applied in conjunction with fluorocarbon finishes.

Besides enhanced final product performance, there are advantageous process characteristics. Some silicone hydrophobic finishes may be unsuitable for process plant applications;
It has a limited "batch life" and is not suitable for continuous bath technology. Research has shown that they are at room temperature or high temperature.
Even in the case of misalignment, it is easy to use the Exos Chiron (e
xhaus+t) L.

This additionally indicates that there is no such thing. In contrast, we have shown that one part fluorocarbon polymer emulsion is
It has been found that "batch life" and therefore continuous bath technology can be used. The inventors also found that they can be used at room temperature and at high temperatures (typically 30-60°C, e.g. 30°C).
It has been established that the method can be applied to feathers by the exhaust sealing technique at temperatures (-%°C). This means that the fabric (thread) is generally
It is noteworthy that in other areas, typically textiles, where finishing cannot be achieved with fluorocarbon polymers by And it is inconsistent with experience.

Application solutions can be prepared from aqueous emulsions that are stable at solid 10-tiot4. Emulsions typically contain cationic emulsifiers. Depending on whether the method of application is by continuous bath technique, evaporation method or spraying, the emulsion is diluted to ~/1/II by weight of the emulsion! 0.9/l
The amount of dry solids impregnated into the feather, Q,t
-is weight percent (for example, 0.3 to io weight percent).

To ensure consistent and effective application on the feathers and therefore optimal final product performance, the feathers should undergo an efficient cleaning process before application of the fluorocarbon.

If desired, the feathers may first be "dedusted" to remove any particulate contaminants prior to thorough aqueous, solvent or combination cleaning.

The equipment for the cleaning process has a liquid to feather ratio of 10-11
0:l, for example 1o-to:i, should be used to give intense physical action and good feather separation.

The cleaning agent can be used for aqueous cleaning. The wash temperature is typically yo'c. One or more wash cycles may be used depending on the fat and wax content of the feathers and the amount of dirt present. Post-rinsing should be sufficient to remove residual surfactant, dirt particles and loose materials. Finally, centrifugation or other methods are used to remove the water, leaving about ∆≈≈≈≈≈≈ (by dry weight) of water in the feathers. This amount is suitable for subsequent application of the fluorocarbon finish by continuous bath or exhaust pouring methods. If a batch process is used and the feathers are first dried and stored, they can be loaded into the application plant in the dry state and no prior infiltration is necessary. Application and subsequent product performance are not affected. However, if application of a fluorocarbon finish by spraying method is to be used, the performance will depend on the moisture content of the down
Enhanced when used in iss.

Continuous bath technology and Exosciron technology have been used with liquid to feather ratios of about 10:/ to 2 o:t for fluff, feathers and feather to fluff powders. In both of these methods, the pH of the liquid is adjusted using a readily volatile acid, such as acetic acid. ~r,.

can be adjusted to Continuous bath technology can use pre-emulsified fluorocarbons; concentrations of 1.0-30.9/l. The exhaust seal technology is / 11/II~to
A concentration of 1/1 can be used. In each case, the treatment agent is
For example /3-43 at room temperature or high temperature, e.g. 41"C
; can be applied for minutes. Constant agitation of the bath is preferred to ensure completely uniform application of the fluorocarbon to the highly extended and complex surfaces of the feathers. After treatment, the continuous bath liquid can be recycled for reuse after refortification with polymer. The exhaust bath uses up the chemicals and can be drained. Subsequent partial drying by centrifugation or other methods should leave 3 to asqb of moisture on the feathers.

Final drying of the feathers and curing of the fluorocarbon may then be performed. These are one combination stage,
or λ can be performed in two separate operations. Curing is preferably carried out at a temperature of 60°C or higher (eg 60-200°C). When the finish is curable at high temperatures, it may be applied at a relatively high temperature (e.g. 130°C to
It is preferred to cure at 0°C, for example in some cases about iro°C. Generally, the higher the operating temperature, the
The time required is short. At tro.degree. C., the curing time is 6 minutes. Lower temperatures can also be carried out, but in the case of high temperature curable materials this may result in a time penalty (longer curing time) and some loss of fastness. Very high temperatures are not normally used in the treatment of feathers, but no adverse effects are found when used in plants that provide rapid air exchange with the complete opening of individual feathers treated with fluorocarbon polymers. .

In fact, good feather bulk (filling force) development occurs under conditions in which preheated air enters the drying/curing chamber and passes upwardly through the mechanically agitated feathers.

As mentioned above, feathers or fluff with a fluorocarbon finish are flowable. They (when present in the kill) can be washed like pillows or quilts with synthetic fillings in a conventional washing machine. for example,
In standard tests.

A quilt filled with untreated down had a dry time of 70 minutes, while a similar quilt filled with down with a cured fluorocarbon finish had a dry time of only 35 minutes. This drying time is equivalent to the drying time for a polyester-filled quilt (which is comparable to the drying time SS minutes for a quilt filled with chrome-tanned feathers from either the Tan-au-Quill or Averdine methods). ).

In the down-filled low-density articles (e.g., quilts or pillows) of the present invention, the low surface friction imparted by the fluorocarbon polymer finish facilitates the relative movement of a feather (or portions of feathers); And it appears that drying can be aided by increasing air flow through the packing.

Feathers present in laundered pillows or quilts should be thoroughly and preferably quickly dried, as there are significant potential problems of bacterial and fungal attack, physical destruction and odor generation in the case of wet down. It is important that

When a very high level of bacterial resistance is desired, bacteriostatic agents can be used in dry weight uptake/%~! It can be applied together with fluorocarbons in a bath in an amount to provide fluorocarbons.

The following examples are given by way of illustration only.

The load of white gun fluff supplied from several silos is 70Kp.
It was processed by the following method using an automatic horizontal centrifugal washer/extractor. The treatment solution was prepared from a fluorocarbon emulsion to a concentration of 39/l (by weight of emulsion).

prescription l a) Prepare from silo.

b) Fill with water, raise the temperature to 0 °C, and add lucogen (
Rucogsn) HL K T I is added.

e) Wash for 10 minutes, drain and pre-dry.

d) Rinse cold for 3 minutes, drain and pre-dry.

e) Rinse cold for 5 minutes, drain and pre-dry.

f) Centrifuge.

g) Rinse cold for a good minute, drain and pre-dry.

h) Centrifuge, loosen with steam and centrifuge.

Prescription 2 Todoroki) Fill with processing liquid from the chemical holding tank.

b) Cold process with alternating rotation for 20 minutes.

C) Drain) and pre-dry.

d) Centrifuge. − e) Loosen with steam.

f) Centrifuge.

g) Discharge to the silo.

The fluff in the discharge silo had an absorbed moisture content of 3 s.

This wet nutok is dried in a hot air vertical drying/curing device.
Supplied in patches of p. Treatment lasted for 30 minutes. At this time, the temperature inside the device is set to #JtxO immediately after inserting the material.
℃, it was gradually increased until reaching tzo ℃ and maintained at iro'c for the last t minutes.

After discharge from the curing device, the fluff was transported in an air duct system to a cooling device. The fluff temperature was lowered to about 2J°C within j minutes and then bagged.

Pillows and quilts were manufactured from this material to the following specifications.

Pillow fluff filling weight: 110 fi Type of cloth cover, cotton wool @, 212.9/m'
Dimensions 74'c++IX4'#cm Quilt fluff filling total weight 72011 (per channel)
E) Type of cloth cover: Cotton fluff-resistant camprick (Cotto)
n Downproof Cambrlc) 100
'A, / 3097m'' Dimensions 137cm x 20
The tests for 0 cm treated fluff and untreated fluff were as follows.

Pillows and quilts made from treated and untreated fluff are washed in a laundromat washing machine for Q minutes;
It was then subjected to centrifugal dehydration at approximately 1 u00 rpm for 3 minutes before final spin drying. They are.

Each was removed from the rotary dryer at predetermined intervals and weighed. Rotational alignment was continued until the products returned to their original dry weight.

The pillow filled with untreated fluff took 60 minutes compared to 0.30 minutes for treated fluff, while the quilt comparison took 13 minutes vs. 30 minutes.

Comparison of fluorocarbon-finished feathers and silicone-finished feathers (including fluff)! A sample of I was gently placed in a 211 graduated cylinder (the cylinder is tilted at an angle Qjo from the vertical) and its drained water i1 was carefully poured downward onto the cylinder wall. The cylinder was then placed back upright and sealed with a rubber stopper.

The following series of steps were then performed.

1. Tilt the cylinder 30 degrees from the vertical.

Pass the cylinder horizontally, rotate it O0, and then return it to the starting position. Stir once.

3. Repeat stirring a total of three times.

l cycle.

≠, return cylinder to upright position, remove stopper, and wait 30 seconds.

j, the height x (c-”) of the feather above the waterline (determining the best average horizontal level of an uneven surface) and the depth y below the waterline.

6. Step 3~ until you get the ≠ cycle reading! Repeat.

The results are displayed as a price in the table below.

Q is calculated as follows: Correct answer i% (above the water line) X+yX100ts Negative capacity Q (below the water line)! +ax ioochi (untreated feathers generally become completely submerged, i.e. the negative capacity is ioo r4
It is. (Conversely, ideally water-repellent performance is indicated by a negative capacitance of zero and a positive value of ioo4). (small difference between this value and the first cycle value).

Claims (1)

Claims: 70. A treated feather having a water-repellent, bacteria-resistant, low friction, hardened fluorocarbon polymer finish on the surface of the feather. The processed feather according to claim 1, wherein the fluorocarbon polymer is a fluoroalkyl acrylate copolymer. 3. A method for treating feathers, characterized in that an aqueous emulsion of a curable fluorocarbon polymer is applied to the feathers and said polymer is cured. 4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the emulsion is applied by exhaustion. 3. The method according to claim 3 or 7, wherein the fluorocarbon polymer is a fluoroalkyl acrylate copolymer. 8. A method according to any one of claims 3 to j-7, wherein the feathers are thoroughly cleaned before application of the fluorocarbon polymer. 2. The cleaning method according to claim 1, wherein said cleaning is carried out by washing with water followed by partial water removal, leaving a residual water content of j. Method. t. The method according to any one of claims 3 to 7 b, wherein the polymer is cured at 130 to 170°C. Processed feathers having a water-repellent, bacteria-resistant, low-friction, hardened fluorocarbon polymer finish on the surface of the down feathers, or obtained by applying an aqueous emulsion of a hardenable fluorocarbon polymer to the feathers and curing said polymer. 1. A filled article comprising a fabric casing having feathers as a filling.