Systems and methods for dyeing fibers
OwnerWilliam Douglas Grierinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems, methods, and devices are described that dispense microdroplets of dye onto individual filaments or fibers and infuse them into the interior of such filaments and/or fibers in a highly controlled manner. Control of dye dispensing permits changing the dye applied to a fiber during a dyeing operation, and supports the generation of patterns in woven products via the dyeing process. The resulting systems and methods require much less water and generate much less waste than conventional dyeing processes.
Claims35
A system for producing a colored filament comprising:
- a source of a filament, the filament comprising a polymer;
- a colorant application unit configured to receive the filament from the source, comprising a print head, wherein the print head is in fluid communication with a primary colorant;
- a colorant infusion unit configured to received a coated filament from the colorant application unit, comprising a source of infrared radiation, wherein the colorant infusion unit is in communication with a first vacuum source;
- and
- a drive unit configured to impel the filament from the source and through the colorant infusion unit and the colorant infusion unit.
A method of providing a colored filament comprising;
- impelling a filament through a colorant application unit and a colorant infusion unit;
- dispensing a primary colorant to a first segment of the filament as it is moves through the colorant application unit by a print head of the colorant application unit to generate a first segment of a coated filament;
- and
- applying a first infrared irradiation to the coated filament at a pressure below that of ambient air pressure as it moves through the colorant infusion unit, thereby dispersing the primary colorant within the coated filament to generate a first segment of a colored filament.
A system for producing a colored filament comprising:
- a first source providing a first filament, the first filament comprising a first polymer;
- a second source providing a second filament, the second filament comprising a second polymer;
- a first colorant application unit configured to receive the first filament from the first source, comprising a first print head, wherein the first print head is in fluid communication with a source of a first primary colorant;
- a second colorant application unit configured to receive the second filament from the second source, comprising a second print head, wherein the second print head is in fluid communication with a source of a second primary colorant;
- a first colorant infusion unit configured to received a first coated filament from the first colorant application unit, comprising a first source of infrared radiation, wherein the first colorant infusion unit is in communication with a first vacuum source;
- a second colorant infusion unit configured to received a second coated filament from the second colorant application unit, comprising a second source of infrared radiation, wherein the second colorant infusion unit is in communication with a second vacuum source;
- a first drive unit configured to impel the first filament from the source and through the first colorant application unit and the first colorant infusion unit;
- and
- a second drive unit configured to impel the second filament from the source and through the second colorant application unit and the second colorant infusion unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.