With Crimping Or Crinkling Of Strands Of Filaments Patents (Class 264/168)
  • Patent number: 5800840
    Abstract: An apparatus for producing spun-bond fleece has the process shaft connected to a source of process air and opening into a depositions shaft centrally thereof and flanked by streams of air bypassing the process shaft. The result is a random jumbling of the fibers as they deposit on the moving belt such that a uniform filament density and homogeneous mesh width are obtained without singularities and without conglomeration of the filaments in the shafts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Assignee: Reifenhauser GmbH & Co. Maschinenfabrik
    Inventors: Hans Georg Geus, Detlef Frey
  • Patent number: 5779760
    Abstract: A spinner is adapted to be fixed at one end of a rotatable shaft in a fiberizer, the spinner including a radial wall extending radially out from the shaft and having an upper surface, a dam separating the upper surface into an inner portion and an outer portion, a lower surface, at least one first flow hole connecting the upper surface to the lower surface, and at least one second flow hole connecting the inner portion and the outer portion of said upper surface, and an outer peripheral wall connected to the radial wall and having a plurality of orifices therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Owens Corning Fiberglas Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: William A. Watton, James G. Snyder
  • Patent number: 5772938
    Abstract: A composite storage tank is built which has double wall characteristics. A method of building the tank comprises the steps of applying a viscous resinous core material to a support surface and then winding onto, into or along with the viscous resinous core material discrete filament bundles. The resinous core material encapsulates the filament bundles, but does not significantly penetrate into an interior of the bundles. The substantially resin-free interiors provide flow paths for the ready detection of wall leakage. The resultant composite storage tank has double wall characteristics. A crack or hole in either an inside or outside surface which extends at least to the encapsulated filament bundle interiors will alert the tank's operator/owner to a leakage problem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Inventor: Bruce R. Sharp
  • Patent number: 5766646
    Abstract: A fleece-making apparatus has a vertically extending and horizontally elongated process shaft having upper and lower ends, a nozzle head at the upper shaft end for emitting a multiplicity of continuous thermoplastic strands that descend in the shaft as a curtain, and a foraminous conveyor belt at the lower shaft end for receiving and conveying away the filaments. A main stream of air flows downward in the shaft from the upper shaft end to the lower shaft end and through the belt for cooling and stretching the filaments and depositing the filaments on the belt. A pair of horizontally elongated and downwardly open second inlet slots flank the curtain of filaments below the upper shaft end, a pair of horizontally elongated third inlet slots flank the curtain of filaments below the second slots, and a pair of horizontally elongated third outlet slots flank the curtain of filaments below the third inlet slots and above the lower end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1998
    Assignee: Reifenhauser GmbH & Co. Maschinenfabrik
    Inventors: Hans Georg Geus, Detlef Frey, Bernd Kunze
  • Patent number: 5733490
    Abstract: Synthetic fiber that are capable of spontaneously transporting water on their surface satisfy the equation(1-X cos .theta..sub.a)<0,wherein.theta..sub.a is the advancing contact angle of water measured on a flat film made from the same material as the fiber and having the same surface treatment, if any,X is a shape factor of the fiber cross-section that satisfies the following equation ##EQU1## wherein P.sub.W is the wetted perimeter of the fiber and r is the radius of the circumscribed circle circumscribing the fiber cross-section and D is the minor axis dimension across the fiber cross-section,and wherein the uphill flux value of said fiber is from 2 to 60 cc/g/hr when measured from a reservoir of synthetic urine test fluid along a 20 cm long ramp to an absorbant on an attached platform at 10 cm height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1998
    Assignee: Eastman Chemical Company
    Inventors: Bobby M. Phillips, Shriram Bagrodia, William A. Haile, Harry P. Hall, David A. Casey, J. Nelson Dalton, Ronnie J. Jones, Ronald S. Scalf, Richard D. Neal, Lewis C. Trent, Jack L. Nelson
  • Patent number: 5720838
    Abstract: A doormat is formed by accumulating a large number of monofilaments in a random loop form continuously to present a mottled pattern or a striped pattern by the combination of color monofilaments of two or more colors. This manufacturing device comprises a spinning pack having a rectangular shape for spinning a large number of monofilaments, a plurality of extruders disposed at symmetrical positions in the longitudinal direction of the spinning pack, and a collecting mechanism for collecting the monofilaments spun from the spinning pack. The spinning pack is provided with a resin flowpath unit and a multihole nozzle plate which are superposed, and the resin flowpath unit is connected to the extruders by means of communicating pipe lines disposed at symmetrical positions in the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 24, 1998
    Assignee: Yugengaisya Towa
    Inventor: Akira Nakata
  • Patent number: 5716568
    Abstract: A method for producing polyester bi-component threads on the basis of only one type of polyester is carded out by an "in line" modification of a partial stream with a co-monomer from the substance class of lactones, spinning of the unmodified and modified partial melt stream by means of a bi-component spinneret pack to form bi-component threads, and their further processing and use,
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Assignee: EMS-Inventa AG
    Inventors: Werner Kaegi, Werner Stibal
  • Patent number: 5701644
    Abstract: A method for self-crimping of S/S bi-component fibers on a fiber line includes the steps of main drawing, post-drawing on a cold drawing unit, water application in the tensed state and relaxation at the dryer inlet in the compact closed state, which results in fibers with a novel .OMEGA.-shaped crimping structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1997
    Assignee: EMS-Inventa AG
    Inventors: Werner Kaegi, Werner Stibal, Gunther Schaech, Rainer Straub, Gerhard Schmidt
  • Patent number: 5700490
    Abstract: The invention relates to a cooling assembly for a fiber spinning machine, which forms a cooling zone for the fibers and has openings, through which a cooling fluid flows to the fibers. The cooling assembly is formed by a plurality of overlying annular elements. Arranged between the elements are spacers so as to permit air to flow between the elements into the cooling assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 23, 1997
    Assignee: Barmag AG
    Inventor: Hansjorg Meise
  • Patent number: 5679300
    Abstract: A method for treating a tow of melt-spun filaments to produce a tow of uniformly crimped filaments having a high initial modulus by heat-setting and stuffer box crimping includes the steps of heat-setting the tow, spraying the hot-heat-set tow with an aqueous fiber finish to effect shocklike cooling of the tow, passing the sprayed tow to a pair of squeeze rolls in whose nip it is kneaded through using a defined nip pressure and squeezed off to a fiber finish pickup of 0.7 to 7% by weight of the tow weight, heating the squeezed-off moist tow on a heated multiroll arrangement in such a way that it leaves the multiroll arrangement with a moisture content of 0.5 to 5% by weight of the tow weight and a temperature of 40.degree. to 100.degree. C., feeding the tow with this moisture content and this temperature to a crimping machine and crimping it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1997
    Assignee: Hoechst Trevira GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jurgen Lorenz, Axel Vischer
  • Patent number: 5660789
    Abstract: Polyolefin fibers, suitable for the preparation of nonwoven fabrics, prepared by using a spinneret or extruder with dies having a real or equivalent output diameter of the capillaries or holes greater than 0.4 mm, with the proviso that for fibers having a denier greater than or equal to 4 dtex, the ratio of the output capillary or hole diameter to the denier is greater than or equal to 0.06 mm/dtex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1997
    Assignee: Montell North America Inc.
    Inventors: Leonardo Spagnoli, Giancarlo Braca, Leonardo Pinoca
  • Patent number: 5645782
    Abstract: Polyester carpets of poly(trimethylene terephthalate) are disclosed which have excellent stain-resistance, texture retention and resistance to crushing. The bulked continuous filament yarn used to make the carpets and the process for making the yarns are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 8, 1997
    Assignee: E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: James Milton Howell, Wae-Hai Tung, Frank Werny
  • Patent number: 5618327
    Abstract: A glass fiber insulation product comprises irregularly-shaped glass fibers of two different glasses having differing coefficients of thermal expansion, with the irregularly-shaped dual-glass fibers exhibiting a substantially uniform volume filling nature, and providing improved recovery and thermal conductivity abilities even in the absence of a binder material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1997
    Assignee: Owens-Corning Fiberglas Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: David P. Aschenbeck, Clarke Berdan, II
  • Patent number: 5618328
    Abstract: Apparatus for making dual component fibers is provided and includes a spinner having a peripheral wall. The spinner includes orifices located on the peripheral wall thereof for centrifuging the dual component fibers, with the spinner being divided into a series of generally vertically-aligned compartments by baffles positioned circumferentially around the interior of the peripheral wall. First and second molten thermoplastic materials are supplied to the spinner and directed into alternate ones of the compartments so that adjacent compartments contain different thermoplastic materials. Passages are located in each of the compartments through which the respective molten thermoplastic materials flow to the orifices on the peripheral wall of the spinner. The passages in adjacent ones of the compartments communicate with one another and with the orifices to join the first and second molten thermoplastic materials together into dual component fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 8, 1997
    Assignee: Owens Corning Fiberglass Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: David C. K. Lin, Ronald A. Houpt, Patrick M. Gavin, Richard D. Lawson, Jay W. Hinze
  • Patent number: 5601765
    Abstract: Crimped fibres of solvent-spun cellulose are made and checked for damage in a method in which:i) cellulose is dissolved in an amine oxide solvent to form a hot cellulose solution,ii) the hot cellulose solution is extruded through a die assembly to form a tow of continuous filaments,iii) the tow is passed through a water bath to leach out the amine oxideiv) the tow is crimped by passing through a stuffer box in which it is compressed to apply crimp,v) dry steam being injected into the stuffer box during the crimping process, andvi) the crimped tow leaving the stuffer box is passed through detection means in whichvii) a beam is projected across the path of travel of the tow and is received by receiving means on the opposite side of the tow, the receiving means being calibrated to initiate a signal if obscurement of the beam by the tow varies beyond a predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1997
    Assignee: Courtaulds Fibres (Holdings) Limited
    Inventors: Alan Sellars, Ronald D. Payne, Penny E. Letts, Neville P. Bluckert
  • Patent number: 5591388
    Abstract: Staple fibres of solvent-spun cellulose are made by a method in which:i) cellulose is dissolved in an amine oxide solvent to form a hot cellulose solution,ii) the hot cellulose solution is extruded through a die assembly to form a tow of continuous filaments,iii) the tow is passed through a water bath to leach out the amine oxide,iv) the tow is crimped by passing through a stuffer box in which it is compressed to apply crimp,v) dry steam being injected into the stuffer box during the crimping process, andvi) the crimped tow is passed to a cutter and cut to the desired fibre length. An apparatus is also provided in which the staple fibres can be made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1997
    Assignee: Courtaulds Fibres (Holdings) Limited
    Inventors: Alan Sellars, Patrick A. White, Philip I. Robinson
  • Patent number: 5582667
    Abstract: Multiconstituent fibers prepared from two or more polymers, with at least one of these polymers being randomly dispersed through the fiber, in the form of domains. At least about 40 percent by weight of these domains have one length of at least 20 microns, measured in the direction along the fiber axis, and have another length, measured along the longest line dissecting the domain cross-section in a plane perpendicular to the fiber axis, of at least about 5 percent of the fiber equivalent diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1996
    Assignee: Hercules Incorporated
    Inventors: Rakesh K. Gupta, Jon R. Williams
  • Patent number: 5531951
    Abstract: A method of producing self-texturing filaments that exhibit a desirable tendency to coil rather than to bend sharply or zig zag. The method includes directing a quenching fluid at extruded hollow filaments of a liquid polymer predominantly from one side of the hollow filaments to thereby produce hollow filaments with different orientations on each side. Thereafter the temperature of the hollow filaments is raised to a temperature sufficient for the filaments to relax, but less than the temperature at which the filaments would shrink. When the relaxed filaments are cut into staple lengths, they tend to assume a form that provides a favorable degree of mechanical entanglement that is useful in forming resilient solid structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1996
    Assignee: Wellman, Inc.
    Inventors: Fred L. Travelute, Robert E. Hoffman
  • Patent number: 5509953
    Abstract: An apparatus for making dual component fibers is provided and includes a spinner having peripheral and bottom walls. The spinner includes orifices located on the peripheral wall thereof for centrifuging the dual component fibers, with the spinner being divided into a series of generally vertically-aligned compartments by baffles positioned circumferentially around the interior of the peripheral wall. A first divider is provided in the spinner for directing the first molten thermoplastic material into alternate ones of the compartments, and a second divider is provided for directing the second molten thermoplastic material into the remaining ones of the compartments so that adjacent compartments contain different thermoplastic materials. Passages are located in each of the compartments through which the respective molten thermoplastic materials flow to the orifices on the peripheral wall of the spinner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1996
    Assignee: Owens-Corning Fiberglas Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Patrick M. Gavin
  • Patent number: 5487860
    Abstract: A continuous process for spinning and drawing polyamide filaments with the steps of melting a polyamide and spinning the filaments from the molten polyamide through a spinnerette, quenching the filaments, applying a yarn finish to the filaments, applying steam and heat to the filaments by a steam and heating unit which consists of a steam box and at least one heated godet, drawing the filaments, and optionally texturing the filaments. The resulting filaments have low shrinkage, high crystallinity, and a high percentage of alpha crystals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1996
    Assignee: BASF Corporation
    Inventors: George M. Kent, Ardy Armen
  • Patent number: 5487856
    Abstract: Described is a process for the manufacture of polyamide fibers having improved dye washfastness and heat stability by melt mixing a fiber forming polyamide with an additive such as water, an alcohol, an amine and a heat stabilizer such as a phenolic compound or a phosphite containing aryl groups or a mixture thereof to form a homogeneous mixture, melt spinning polyamide fibers, quenching, drawing and taking up the polyamide fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1996
    Assignee: BASF Corporation
    Inventor: Anil W. Saraf
  • Patent number: 5482527
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for making dual component fibers. The apparatus comprises a distributor, equipment for providing first and second thermoplastic materials to the distributor, a rotatable spinner and a rotation mechanism. The distributor has an outer casing and a divider cup fixedly positioned within the outer casing. The outer casing has first and second orifices extending through its peripheral wall. The divider cup defines with the outer casing first and second chambers for receiving first and second molten thermoplastic materials. The first orifices communicate with the first chamber and the second orifices communicate with the second chamber. The rotatable spinner includes first and second passages in its peripheral wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1996
    Assignee: Owens-Corning Fiberglas Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Witold S. Czastkiewicz
  • Patent number: 5474590
    Abstract: Apparatus for making dual component fibers is provided and includes a spinner having a peripheral wall. The spinner includes orifices located on the peripheral wall thereof for centrifuging the dual component fibers, with the spinner being divided into a series of compartments by baffles positioned circumferentially around the interior of the peripheral wall. The baffles are positioned at an angle of from about 5.degree. to about 75.degree. from vertical, and most preferably about 45.degree. from vertical. The number of orifices on the spinner peripheral wall can thus be increased to increase the throughput of fibers from the spinner while still maintaining a minimum required spacing between orifices for the structural integrity of the spinner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Assignee: Owens-Corning Fiberglas Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: David C. K. Lin
  • Patent number: 5472654
    Abstract: A manually operable device that is used to cut a synthetic material and also singe the end of this newly cut material to prevent it from unravelling. This tool incorporates a separate crimping assembly, cutting assembly, and burning assembly for each of these steps. The crimping assembly holds the material in place during the cutting and burning stages and also aids in fusing the melted ends of the material into a uniform mass. The cutting assembly cuts the material where desired, trims any stray fibers from the cut and/or fused end, and also removes any excess burn from this fused end. The burning assembly, connected to a reservoir, burns a flammable fluid so as to burn or singe the material placed thereover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1995
    Inventor: Margaret A. Crawford
  • Patent number: 5468275
    Abstract: Apparatus for making dual-component thermoplastic fibers, such as glass fibers, comprises a spinner having an orificed peripheral wall for centrifuging fibers from thermoplastic material, the spinner having vertically aligned compartments with first and second thermoplastic materials in alternate compartments, and a series of elongated orifices in the peripheral wall in communication with each of two adjacent compartments to enable centrifuging of both the first and second thermoplastic materials from a single orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1995
    Assignee: Owens-Corning Fiberglas Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: David C. K. Lin, Patrick M. Gavin
  • Patent number: 5464491
    Abstract: A method for producing a mat including a three dimensional filament loop aggregate comprises extruding molten thermoplastic synthetic resin die to form a plurality of filaments. The filaments are heated and descend onto a surface of a cooling liquid, between a pair of rotatable rolls submerged in the cooling liquid. The filaments are all cooled simultaneously by the cooling liquid and form loops on the surface thereof. A first series of loops formed from outermost filaments are supported on one of the rotatable rolls in the cooling liquid, with the loops being horizontal. Rotation of the roll moves these loops into a vertical position. Thereafter, all the loops are integrated, with the loops formed by the outermost filaments being in a vertical position, and the loops formed by the remaining filaments being in the horizontal position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 7, 1995
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Risuron
    Inventor: Minoru Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 5456982
    Abstract: A thermobondable bicomponent synthetic fiber (8,14) with a length of at least about 3 mm, adapted to use in the blending of fluff pulp for the production of hygiene absorbent products, the fiber comprising an inner core component comprises a polyolefin or a polyester, the sheath component comprises a polyolefin, and the core component has a higher melting point than the sheath component, and a process for producing said fiber. The sheath-and-core type fiber is preferably made permanently substantially hydrophilic by incorporating s surface active agent into the sheath component. The long bicomponent fibers (20) form a strong supporting three-dimensional matrix structure (20,24) in the absorbent product upon thermobonding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 10, 1995
    Assignee: Danaklon A/S
    Inventors: Anders S. Hansen, Bjorn Marcher, Peter Schloss
  • Patent number: 5443776
    Abstract: The absorbency of regenerated viscose filaments is improved by overfeeding a continuous tow of partially regenerated filaments onto a moving foraminous support so that regeneration occurs prior to and after the filament tow is overfed onto the moving support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 22, 1995
    Assignee: Courtaulds plc
    Inventors: Alan J. Bartholomew, Paul L. Probert, Michael Richardson, Andrew G. Wilkes
  • Patent number: 5439626
    Abstract: A melt spinning process and the nylon hollow filaments and yarns made by such process which includes extruding molten nylon polymer having a relative viscosity (RV) of at least about 50 and a melting point (T.sub.M) of about 210.degree. C. to about 310.degree. C. from a spinneret capillary orifice with multiple orifice segments providing a total extrusion area (EA) and an extrusion void area (EVA) such that the fractional extrusion void content, defined by the ratio [EVA/EA] is about 0.6 to about 0.95, and the extent of melt attenuation, defined by the ratio [EVA/(dpf).sub.S ], is about 0.05 to about 1.5, in which (dpf).sub.S is the spun denier per filament, the (dpf).sub.S being selected such that the denier per filament at 25% elongation (dpf).sub.25 is about 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1995
    Assignee: E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: James P. Bennett, Benjamin H. Knox, Dennis R. Schafluetzel
  • Patent number: 5427845
    Abstract: Melt-spun filaments having a highly crimped configuration which is imparted by differential cooling, nonwoven webs of the crimped melt-spun filaments, and a process of forming a nonwoven web of the crimped filaments are disclosed. The filaments are formed from a random copolymer of propylene and ethylene or an alpha-olefin co-monomer having at least 4 carbon atoms which provides an enhanced response to filament crimping by differential cooling. The random copolymer may contain from about 0.5 to about 10 percent, by weight, of ethylene or an alpha-olefin co-monomer having at least 4 carbon atoms; and from about 99.5 to about 90 percent, by weight, propylene. The alpha-olefin co-monomer having at least 4 carbon atoms may be 1-butene, 4-methyl-1-pentene, 1-hexene, or 1-octene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1995
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
    Inventors: Lawrence H. Sawyer, Christopher C. Creagan, John C. Faison
  • Patent number: 5417902
    Abstract: Polyester mixed fine filament yarns having excellent mechanical quality and uniformity, and preferably with a balance of good dyeability and shrinkage, are prepared by a simplified direct spin-orientation process by selection of polymer and spinning conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1995
    Assignee: E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: David G. Bennie, Robert J. Collins, Hans R. E. Frankfort, Stephen B. Johnson, Benjamin H. Knox, Joe F. London, Jr., Elmer E. Most, Jr., Girish A. Pai
  • Patent number: 5407620
    Abstract: Described is a new one-step process for the manufacture of twisted nylon yarn, which simultaneously spins, draws and false-twists a nylon yarn. The process operates with a spinning speed of more than 3000 m/min.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1995
    Assignee: BASF Corporation
    Inventors: Donald J. Burchette, Marco A. Luzzatti, Roger H. Fink, Michael A. Davis
  • Patent number: 5407625
    Abstract: A method is disclosed of producing self-texturing filaments that exhibit a desirable tendency to coil rather than to bend sharply or zig zag. The method comprises directing a quenching fluid at extruded hollow filaments of a liquid polymer predominantly from one side of the hollow filaments to thereby produce hollow filaments with different orientations on each side. Thereafter the temperature of the hollow filaments is raised to a temperature sufficient for the filaments to relax, but less than the temperature at which the filaments would shrink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1995
    Assignee: Wellman, Inc.
    Inventors: Fred L. Travelute, Robert E. Hoffman
  • Patent number: 5407621
    Abstract: Polyester fine filaments having excellent mechanical quality and uniformity, and preferably with a balance of good dyeability and shrinkage, are prepared by a simplified direct spin-orientation process by selection of polymer viscosity and spinning conditions, followed by drawing and/or bulking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1995
    Assignee: E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Robert J. Collins, Hans R. E. Frankfort, Stephen B. Johnson, Benjamin H. Knox, Elmer E. Most, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5403426
    Abstract: A method for preparing hydrophobic fiber for processing, inclusive of crimping, cutting, carding, compiling and bonding, without substantial loss in hydrophobic properties in the finished staple or corresponding nonwoven product through initial application of a surface modifier component comprising one or more of a class of water soluble compounds substantially free of lipophilic end groups and of low or limited surfactant properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1995
    Assignee: Hercules Incorporated
    Inventors: Roger W. Johnson, Thomas W. Theyson
  • Patent number: 5399306
    Abstract: Nylon carpet or textile yarn may be produced at an increased rate of throughput/spinneret hole by incorporating into nylon 6.6 polymer a secondary component which improves processability and lustre by suppressing spherulitic growth. The secondary component may be a co-monomer (e.g. hexamethylene diamine/isophthalic acid) which is incorporated during polymerisation to form a random co-polymer, a polymer (e.g. nylon 6) which is molecularly dispersed in the nylon 6.6 polymer without significant copolymerisation occurring or a metal salt (e.g. lithium chloride).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1995
    Assignee: E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Gordon W. Follows, Michael P. Wilson, John Richardson
  • Patent number: 5384082
    Abstract: Polyester filaments of high shrinkage and high shrinkage tension may be prepared by heat treatment of undrawn crystalline filaments of low shrinkage and shrinkage tension, and may be used for making polyester yarns of mixed shrinkage and bulky polyester yarns and fabrics therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1995
    Assignee: E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Hans R. E. Frankfort, Benjamin H. Knox, Girish A. Pai
  • Patent number: 5384390
    Abstract: There are disclosed flame-retardant, high temperature resistant polyimide fibers of the general formula ##STR1## wherein n is an integer larger than 1, A is a tetravalent aromatic group and R is at least one divalent aromatic group. These polyimide fibers have been heat-treated in the unstretched state and have a maximum shrinkage of 14% when heated to a temperature of 400.degree. C. These polyimide fibers are produced by initially spinning crude fibers from a solution of the appropriate polyimide in an aprotic organic solvent, preferably according to the dry-spinning method, which solution optionally contains additives. The crude fibers obtained are washed with water to remove the solvent. The washed crude fibers are dried to a moisture content of less than 5% by mass, are subjected to a heat treatment at a temperature of between 315.degree. C and 450.degree. C, are cooled and, if desired, are crimped and cut to staple fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1995
    Assignee: Lenzing Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Claus Schobesberger, Klaus Weinrotter, Herbert Griesser, Sigrid Seidl
  • Patent number: 5382400
    Abstract: A process for making nonwoven fabric including the steps of meltspinning continuous multicomponent polymeric filaments, drawing the multicomponent filaments, at least partially quenching the multicomponent filaments so that the multicomponents have latent helical crimp, activating the latent helical crimp, and thereafter, forming the crimped continuous multicomponent filaments into a first nonwoven fabric web. By crimping the filaments before the web formation, shrinkage of the web after formation is substantially reduced and the resulting fabric is substantially stable and uniform. In addition, the resulting fabric can have a relatively high loft. The crimp activating step can include heating the multicomponent filaments and preferably includes drawing the multicomponent filaments with a flow of heated air to activate the latent helical crimp.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1995
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
    Inventors: Richard D. Pike, Kurtis L. Brown, Sharon W. Gwaltney, Thomas A. Herschberger, Scott D. Siegel
  • Patent number: 5372756
    Abstract: A light transmitting body (10), (40) has a longitudinal axis (12), (42), and a light radiating surface (14), (46) extending substantially parallel to the axis (12), (42). Where the body is an optical fiber (10), the light radiating surface is the circumferential surface (14) of the fiber (10). Where the body is a rectangular panel (40), the light radiating surface is a rectangular surface (46) of the panel (40). A plurality of striations (16), (44) are formed in the light radiating surface (14), (46) parallel to the axis (12), (42), which cause light entering the body (10), (40) along the axis (12), (42) to be radiated out of the body (10), (40) through the light radiating surface (14), (46) with substantially uniform intensity along the axis (12), (42). The striations (16), (44) may be formed by molding, cold drawing, heating the body (10), (40) under tension, cutting, or by bundling and fusing a plurality of small optical fibers (90) together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 13, 1994
    Inventor: Nobuo Oyama
  • Patent number: 5342188
    Abstract: A device (10) for crimping and cutting dough ropes into pillow-shaped longitudinal lengths is disclosed including a cutting roller (12) and an anvil roller (14). The peripheries (22, 24) of the rollers (12, 14) include a plurality of axially extending, spaced, parallel, linearly straight lands (26, 30) separating, forming, and defining a plurality of grooves (28, 32) therebetween. Compressible tubes (46) are stretched between end plates (36) located on the opposite axial ends of the cutter roller (12) and positioned in each of the grooves (32) thereof. The tubes (46) are compressed in the grooves (32) by the dough ropes as they are being crimped and cut by the abutment of the lands (26, 30) of the rollers (12, 14) together and expand and force the pillow-shaped longitudinal lengths of dough from the grooves (32) when the lands (26, 30) of the rollers (12, 14) separate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 30, 1994
    Assignee: General Mills, Inc.
    Inventor: Craig E. Zimmermann
  • Patent number: 5308564
    Abstract: Spun textile yarns from new polyester staple fiber, and downstream textile articles, such as fabrics and garments, made from such, and blends thereof, wherein the staple fiber is of intentionally mixed denier, the higher denier being about twice the lower denier. Such staple fiber and precursor tows are preferably made by spinning filaments of different deniers, and collecting them in the same filament bundle on the same spinning machine, from orifices/capillaries of different diameters and/or throughputs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 3, 1994
    Assignee: E. I. Du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventor: Teddy H. Grindstaff
  • Patent number: 5308563
    Abstract: A process for producing a conductive supported yarn includes melt spinning non-conductive nylon filaments into a first set of filaments, separating at least one of the filaments from the freshly spun first set into a second set of filaments, providing the second set of filaments to a suffusion coating process so that the suffusion coated second set has a resistivity of between about 10.sup.6 and about 10.sup.9 .OMEGA./cm, and then recombining the first set and the second set to form a supported yarn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 3, 1994
    Assignee: BASF Corporation
    Inventors: John A. Hodan, Otto M. Ilg, Melvin R. Thompson, Donald B. Thompson
  • Patent number: 5302220
    Abstract: A fiber bundle comprising a plurality of composite fibers spun out of a spinneret is blown against a working net conveyor by a drawing force of a high-speed air stream while the air stream is sucked and removed from below the net conveyor to deposit the fiber bundle on the net conveyor to form a web, and the web is then heat-treated to develop crimps and the fibers thermally adhere together at their points of contact, thereby obtaining a nonwoven fabric, wherein the air stream is blown against the web from below the net conveyor for a time before the heat-treatment, with an intensity sufficient to make the web to float in such a manner that the bottom face of the web rise above the net conveyor by 0.2 to 30 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1994
    Assignee: Chisso Corporation
    Inventors: Taiju Terakawa, Shingo Horiuchi, Sadaaki Nakajima
  • Patent number: 5276083
    Abstract: This invention is directed to continuous polyester filaments in tufted form for composing quality carpets having a pleasing appearance. The carpets are formed by use of continuous polyester filaments comprising polyethylene terephthalate resin having at least 85 mol % of ethylene terephthalate. The filament is completed by being placed in a curling stuffing box and applying a flow of heated air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 4, 1994
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Shinkasho
    Inventor: Mitsuru Kawauchi
  • Patent number: 5232647
    Abstract: An acrylic fiber tow which includes 1) monocomponent filaments of each of two acrylonitrile polymers differing in hydrophilic properties, 2) bicomponent filaments of both of said polymers having one interface between polymers components and 3) bicomponent filaments of both of said polymers having more than one interface between polymer components. This fiber, however, in spite of its composition of numerous filaments of differing structure provides a tow bundle having a desirable level of reversible crimp measured in a manner specific to the type of crimp designated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1993
    Assignee: American Cyanamid Company
    Inventors: Spero Sampanis, Ronald E. Pfeiffer, Francesco De Maria, William E. Streetman, Maurice M. Zwick
  • Patent number: 5164205
    Abstract: An apparatus for stamping a monofilament to form shaped portions for slide fastener coupling elements, including: a stationary shaft having a mandrel extending from its one end; a pair of stamping rollers comprising a cylindrical roller and an annular roller; and a monofilament supply roller for supplying a monofilament. The apparatus stamps a monofilament so as to provide coupling head portions, leg turnover portions, deformed portions, grooves, etc. of slide fastener coupling elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1992
    Assignee: Yoshida Kogyo K.K.
    Inventor: Sakae Aimono
  • Patent number: 5145623
    Abstract: Drawing, especially cold-drawing, or hot-drawing or other heat-treatments of spin-oriented crystalline polyester filaments, and particularly polyester feed yarns, that have been prepared by spinning at speeds of, e.g., 4 km/min, and have low shrinkage and no natural draw ratio in the conventional sense, provides useful technique for obtaining uniform drawn filaments of desired denier and thereby provides improved flexibility to obtain filaments and yarns of various sub-deniers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1992
    Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: John P. Hendrix, Jr., Benjamin H. Knox, Joe F. London, Jr., James B. Noe
  • Patent number: 5139725
    Abstract: A process for the manufacture of a crimped polyester yarn obtained from a polyester partially-oriented yarn comprising fabricating a partially-oriented polyester yarn by a high-speed process, cooling the partially-oriented polyester yarn, cold drawing the cooled yarn, and subjecting the cold drawn polyester yarn to a thermal treatment under tensionless conditions or under controlled overfeed conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1992
    Assignee: Rhone-Poulenc Viscosuisse S.A.
    Inventors: Hugo Specker, Paul Schaffner
  • Patent number: 5124111
    Abstract: A method for forming a substantially continuous filament of a thermoplastic work material and for imparting a swirling motion thereto comprises a body member which has a work material supply passage and a gas supply passage formed therein. An outlet nozzle section connects to the body member and has a substantially conically tapered shape. The nozzle section has a nozzle extrusion passage formed therein in communication with the work material supply passage. A housing member operably connects to the body member to delimit a substantially annular gas transfer zone in fluid communication with the gas supply passage and to delimit a substantially annular gas outlet passage around the nozzle section. The housing member includes an exit section having inner wall surfaces which substantially parallel the conically tapered shape of the nozzle section. The inner wall surfaces are in a selected spaced relation from the nozzle section to define the gas outlet passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1992
    Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
    Inventors: Richard F. Keller, Terry L. Springer, Jeffrey J. Jeanquart