Self-crimped foamed fibers
AssigneeAllied Corporation
InventorsHsin L. Li, Theodore Largman, Hendrikus J. Oswald
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Crimped foamed fibers are produced by a process which eliminates any mechanical deformation steps. The process comprises the step of forming foamed fibers having a plurality of randomly arranged cells distributed asymetrically over a given cross section and occupying at least about 10% of the cross sectional area of the fiber, and heating the foamed fibers while maintaining the fibers under no load condition to produce a crimped foamed fiber. The crimped foamed fibers are used in apparel, carpet fibers, thermal insulation, acoustic and filtration.
Claims11
A method of forming self-crimped foamed fibers comprising the steps of:
- (a) melt spinning a foamed fiber of an effective cross-sectional area having a plurality of randomly-arranged cells of an effective diameter of at least about 1.mu. distributed asymmetrically over the effective cross-section of the foamed fiber taken substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of the foamed fiber, the minimum cross-sectional area occupied by the cells at least about 0.1A, where A is the effective cross-sectional area of the foamed fiber, the asymmetrical distribution of the randomly-arranged cells being such that the foamed fiber is capable of crimping under a no load condition;
- and
- (b) heating the foamed fiber under conditions sufficient to produce a crimped foam fiber having at least one crimp/inch, the cross sectional area of the crimped foamed fiber being not more than about 10% greater than the effective area of the foamed fiber prior to the heating step.
A method of forming a self-crimped foamed fibers comprising the steps of:
- (a) melt spinning a foamed fiber of an effective cross-sectional area having a plurality of randomly-arranged cells distributed asymmetrically over the effective cross-section of the foamed fiber taken substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of the foamed fiber, the minimum cross-sectional area occupied by the cells is at least about 0.lA, where A is the effective cross-sectional area of the foamed fiber, the asymmetrical distribution of the randomly-arranged cells being such that the foamed fiber is capable of crimping under a no load condition;
- and
- (b) heating the foamed fiber under conditions sufficient to produced a crimped foam fiber having at least one crimp/inch, the cross sectional area of the crimped foamed fiber being not more than about 10% greater than of the effective area of the foamed fiber prior to the heating step.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.