Process for ring-dyeing filaments
AssigneeSpecialty Filaments, Inc.
InventorsJennifer Harris, Monroe Moore, Raymond G. Mainer, Mark Antell, Howard Fish, Ronald Pratt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and a continuous process for manufacturing a ring-dyed polymeric filament. A filament, formed by melt extrusion is directly fed into a tank containing a dye solution for a predetermined period of time. The resulting ring-dyed filament includes an outer cross-sectional region colored with the dye and an inner cross-sectional region not colored with the dye. The outer cross-sectional region may be of uniform thickness over the length of the filament. A quenching step can be performed either before or during the ring-dyeing step.
Claims43
A continuous process for the manufacture of a ring-dyed filament, said process comprising the steps of:
- a. continuously extruding a polymer melt from an extruder to form the filament;
- and,
- b. continuously feeding the extruded filament into a tank containing a dye solution and maintaining the filament in the tank for a predetermined period of time to provide a ring-dyed filament having an outer cross-sectional region colored with said dye and an inner cross-sectional region not colored with said dye.
12 A process as in claim 11 wherein immediately following said annealing step, said process comprises the further step of coating the filament with a lubricant.
A process as in claim 12, wherein said coating step includes the step of contacting the filament with a lubricant applicator roll.
An apparatus for the manufacture of a ring-dyed monofilament, said apparatus comprising:
- a. an extruder section for continuously extruding a polymer melt to form the filament in a downstream direction;
- and,
- b. means for continuously feeding the extruded filament into a tank containing a dye solution and for maintaining the filament in said tank for a predetermined period of time to provide a ring-dyed filament having an outer cross-sectional region colored with said dye and an inner cross-sectional region not colored with said dye.
A continuous process for the manufacture of a ring-dyed filament having more than one ring-dyed region, said process including the steps of:
- a. continuously extruding a polymer melt from an extruder to form the filament;
- and,
- b. continuously feeding the extruded filament into one or more tanks containing at least a first dye and a second dye, said second dye being different in color and more absorbed by the filament than said first dye;
- and,
- c. maintaining the filament in said one or more tanks for a predetermined period of time to provide a ring-dyed filament having an outer cross-sectional region colored by said first and second dyes and an inner cross-sectional region colored by said second dye only.
A continuous process for the manufacture of a ring-dyed filament, said process consisting essentially of the steps of:
- a. continuously extruding a polymer melt from an extruder to form the filament;
- and,
- b. continuously feeding the extruded filament into a tank containing a dye solution and maintaining the filament in the tank for a predetermined period of time to provide a ring-dyed filament having an outer cross-sectional region colored with said dye and an inner cross-sectional region not colored with said dye.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.