TRILOBAL YARNS FOR APPLICATION ON DENTAL FLOSS, DENTAL FLOSS INCLUDING THE SAME AND USE OF TRILOBAL YARNS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF DENTAL FLOSS

Abstract

The present invention refers to yarns made of hollow trilobal cross section filaments, comprising from 90 to 99% of polypropylene, and between 1 and 10% of other polyolefin resins, for the application on dental floss. This invention additionally refers to the production process of the yarns made of hollow trilobal cross section filaments. This invention additionally refers to dental floss comprising hollow trilobal cross section filaments, and the use of hollow trilobal cross section filaments for the manufacture of dental floss. The yarn described in this invention has linear density or title in the range from 400 to 1200 dtex, and it is twisted with a twist level from 10 to 160 twists per meter.

Claims

1.-8. (canceled)

9. A yarn comprising a plurality of filaments entangled with one another, each filament having a hollow trilobal cross-section, and each filament comprising polypropylene and a masterbatch comprising a polyolefin resin.

10. The yarn of claim 9, wherein the entangled plurality of filaments are twisted with 10 to 160 twists per meter.

11. The yarn of claim 9, wherein the polyolefin resin is polyethylene.

12. The yarn of claim 9, further comprising one or more additives selected from dyestuffs and pigments.

13. The yarn of claim 9, wherein the yarn has a linear density of 400 dtex to 1200 dtex.

14. The yarn of claim 9, wherein a ratio of the polypropylene to the masterbatch in each filament is 90:10 to 99:1.

15. A yarn comprising a plurality of filaments entangled with one another such that each filament is in contact with one or more adjacent filaments, each filament being hollow such that the yarn has a plurality of apertures, and each filament having a trilobal cross-sectional shape, wherein each filament is formed from polypropylene and optionally a masterbatch comprising a polyolefin resin.

16. The yarn of claim 15, wherein each filament is formed of polypropylene.

17. The yarn of claim 15, wherein each filament is formed of the polypropylene and the masterbatch comprising the polyolefin resin and the ratio of the polypropylene to the masterbatch in each filament is 90:10 to 99:1.

18. The yarn of claim 17, wherein the polyolefin resin is polyethylene.

19. The yarn of claim 15 wherein the entangled plurality of filaments are twisted with 10 to 160 twists per meter.

20. The yarn of claim 15, further comprising one or more additives selected from dyestuffs and pigments.

21. The yarn of claim 15, wherein the yarn has a linear density of 400 dtex to 1200 dtex.

22. A dental floss formed from the yarn of claim 9.

23. A dental floss formed from the yarn of claim 15.

24. A process for manufacturing a yarn comprising a plurality of filaments entangled with one another and each having a hollow trilobal cross-section, comprising: melting a raw material in an extruded of a melt spinning machine to obtain a molten mass, the raw material comprising polypropylene pellets and optionally a pigment masterbatch comprising a polyolefin resin and pigment; pumping the molten mass through spinnerets of the melt spinning machine to thereby produce filaments that are each hollow and have a trilobal cross-section; cooling the filaments to solidify the filaments; entangling the filaments with air; and twisting the entangled filaments to form the yarn.

25. The process of claim 24, wherein the filaments are twisted at 10 to 160 twists per meter.

26. The process of claim 24, wherein the raw material comprises the polypropylene pellets and the pigment masterbatch.

27. The process of claim 26, wherein the pigment masterbatch comprises polyethylene.

28. The process of claim 24, further comprising lubricating the filaments prior to entangling the filaments with air.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] A real example of the present invention is a yarn made of continuous filaments with hollow trilobal cross section, containing from 90 to 99% polypropylene (PP), and between 1 to 10% other polyolefin based masterbatches (pigments), being preferred 95% polypropylene (PP) and 5% polyolefin resin, particularly polyethylene (PE), for the application on dental floss.

[0019] The dental floss object of this invention comprises yarns made of continuous filaments with hollow trilobal cross section containing from 90% to 99% polypropylene (PP), and between 1 to 10% other polyolefin based masterbatches (pigments), being preferred 95% polypropylene (PP) and 5% polyolefin resin, particularly polyethylene (PE).

[0020] Some advantages presented by the dental floss object of the present invention are: Improved capacity of bacterial plaque removal due to the filaments cross section shape, and additionally this improvement is enhanced more 40% when the yarn is additivated with special pigments for this application, like : Pigment Blue 15:3 C.I. 74160, Pigment Green 7 C.I. 74260, Pigment Red 149 C.I. 71137 and Pigment White 6 C.I. 77891; Increased wax and flavours pick up capacity; Better comfort and ease of use for the consumer, due to the increased filament flexibility provided by the hollow cross section; Less weight (for the dental floss producer, who sells the dental floss by meter), provided by the hollow cross section yarn, having more bulk and less weight.

[0021] Beyond the cited advantages, the dental floss object of the present invention deforms elastically its cross cut section when it is forced to pass between tight interdental space, making easier and more comfortable the cleaning procedure made by the consumer, when compared with the traditional dental floss made with solid cross section filaments.

[0022] The yarn object of the present invention has a linear density or title in the range between 400 and 1200 dtex, it is twisted with a twist level between 10 and 160 twists per meter, in order to increase its strength during its use. The twisted yarn has an increased protection against the breaking or tearing of individual filaments or even the whole yarn when it is subjected to friction. Specifically to the subject of the present invention, said friction occurs between the yarn and the teeth, during the tooth cleaning procedure made by the consumer, when the yarn is forced to pass through interdental space.

[0023] Another statement of the present invention is the hollow trilobal filament production process. This referred process comprises the following steps:

[0024] multifilament melt spinning using synthetic resins as raw material;

[0025] to feed the extrusion melt spinning machine with raw material in form of polypropylene in pellets;

[0026] to melt the polypropylene in the extruder and, when applied, in this step is dosed the pigment masterbatch (1 to 10%), to obtain coloured yarn in different colours;

[0027] to pump the molten mass throughout the spinnerets, to generate a product in form of continuous filament yarn;

[0028] cool down the hot molten filaments with air to turn it solid, and subsequently lubricate, draw, tangle the filaments with air, and finally wind the yarn onto paper tubes;

[0029] to twist the yarn with 10 to 160 twists per meter.

[0030] The present invention additionally refers to the use of hollow trilobal cross section filaments for the manufacture of dental floss.

EXAMPLES

[0031] Find below the technical data of 2 dental floss products experimentally produced:

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Dental Floss Item Unity 500/160 700/320 Composition — 100% PP 100% PP Linear Density (Title) dtex 490 to 520 690 to 720 Number of filaments Number 160 320 Cross section — hollow hollow trilobal trilobal Breaking strength N >18 >26 Tenacity cN/dtex   >3.5   >3.5 Elongation % 20 a 40 20 a 40 Twist level twists/meter  65  65