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AssigneeInvista North America S.A R.L.
InventorsJames E. Van Trump, Carmen A. Covelli, Jamie Lee Gossler, David J. Marfell, Clive Mapp
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The invention provides a process for treating a polyester fiber comprising the steps of providing a bicomponent fiber comprising poly(ethylene terephthalate) and poly(trimethylene terephthalate) which has been heat-treated at a first temperature and cooled to lower than about 70° C. and has an initial crimp contraction value and a developed crimp contraction value, applying tension to the fiber of about 0.001 to 0.088 dN/tex, heat-treating the fiber at a second heat-treating temperature no lower than about 75° C. and no higher than the first heat-treating temperature, cooling the fiber to lower than the second heat-treating temperature, and releasing the tension from the fiber to give a fiber having a reduced crimp contraction value. The invention also provides a bicomponent fiber comprising poly(ethylene terephthalate) and poly(trimethylene terephthalate) having a reduced crimp contraction value of about 6% to 15%.
A bicomponent fiber comprising poly(ethylene terephthalate) and poly(trimethylene terephthalate) having a reduced crimp contraction value of about 6% to about 15%, wherein the fiber is derived from a precursor fiber having a developed crimp contraction value of about 20% to about 80%.
A bicomponent fiber comprising poly(ethylene terephthalate) and poly(trimethylene terephthalate) having a restored crimp contraction value that is about 70% to about 100% of the precursor fiber's developed crimp contraction value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.