Trilobal filaments and spinnerets for producing the same
AssigneeAladdin Manufacturing Corporation
InventorsMaarten Meinders, Paul Pustolski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Various implementations include a filament that includes three lobes that extend from a central portion of the filament, and the central portion defines an axial void. Each lobe bulges outwardly at its proximal end adjacent the central portion and has edges that form a continuous concave curve toward its distal end relative to an axis A-A that extends through the distal end of the respective lobe and the central portion of the filament. Thus, a width of each lobe at the proximal end thereof is greater than a width of each lobe at or adjacent the distal end, and adjacent edges of adjacent lobes intersect each other at concave proximal ends of the adjacent edges.
Claims16
A filament formed from a thermoplastic polymer, the filament comprising three lobes that extend from a central portion of the filament, each lobe comprising a proximal end adjacent the central portion and a distal end radially spaced apart from the proximal end of a respective lobe, and each lobe comprising first and second surfaces,
- wherein:
- an entire length of each surface of each lobe extends between the proximal end and the distal end of the respective lobe, and the entire length of each surface defines a continuous concave curve as viewed from a plane extending through the distal end of the respective lobe and along an axially extending center line of the filament,
- distal ends of the surfaces of each respective lobe intersect at the distal end of the respective lobe,
- a width of each lobe is greatest at the proximal end of the respective lobe,
- adjacent surfaces of adjacent lobes define a corner at an intersection of proximal ends of the adjacent surfaces, and the overall filament, as viewed from an end view thereof, has an outermost surface that is defined by said surfaces of said lobes,
- and
- the central portion defines an axial void, wherein the void is triangular and has three sides that intersect at adjacent ends thereof, an entire length of each side of the void is arcuate and concave shaped as viewed from a central axis extending axially through the void, and wherein a cross-sectional area of the void is 2% to 3.5% of a cross-sectional area of the filament.
A filament formed from a thermoplastic polymer, the filament comprising three lobes that extend from an axial center of the filament,
- a first lobe comprising a first lobe proximal end adjacent the axial center and a first lobe distal end radially spaced apart from the proximal end, and the first lobe comprising first and second surfaces, and
- a second lobe comprising a second lobe proximal end adjacent the axial center and a second lobe distal end radially spaced apart from the proximal end, and the second lobe comprising third and fourth surfaces,
- wherein:
- an entire length of each surface of the first lobe extends between the proximal end and the distal end of the first lobe, and the entire length of each surface defines a continuous concave curve as viewed from a plane perpendicular to an axial length of the filament,
- distal ends of the surfaces of the first lobe intersect in a tip portion at the distal end of the first lobe,
- a width of the first lobe is greatest at the proximal end of the first lobe and progressively decreases along a line from the proximal end of the first lobe to the distal end of the first lobe,
- the third surface of the second lobe adjacent to the first lobe defines a corner at an intersection of proximal ends of the adjacent surfaces, and
- a filament central portion adjacent the central axis defining an axial void, wherein the axial void is triangular and has three sides that intersect at adjacent ends thereof, an entire length of each side of the void is arcuate and concave shaped as viewed from the central axis extending through the plane, and wherein a cross-sectional area of the void is 2% to 3.5% of a cross-sectional area of the filament.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.