METHOD OF MANUFACTURING YARN AND YARN OBTAINED IN THAT MANNER

Abstract

Method for manufacturing yarn, wherein said yarn comprises a plurality of continuous filaments, wherein said method comprises at least the following steps: the step of spinning, preferably melt spinning, a plurality of continuous filaments; andthe step of treating said plurality of continuous filaments by means of a pressurized fluid supplied by two or more nozzles, and wherein one or more of said nozzles deliver said fluid at a varying pressure and/or rate and/or temperature.

Claims

1-17. (canceled)

18. A method for manufacturing yarn, comprising: melt spinning a first plurality of continuous filaments and a second plurality of continuous filaments; treating the first and second pluralities of continuous filaments with a first fluid and a second fluid; wherein a first nozzle treats the first plurality of continuous filaments with the first fluid having a first fluid characteristic that is selected from the group consisting of a pressure, a rate, a temperature, and combinations thereof; a second nozzle treats the second plurality of continuous filaments with the second fluid having a second fluid characteristic that is selected from the group consisting of a pressure, a rate, a temperature, and combinations thereof; and wherein each of the members of the groups of first and second fluid characteristics are independently controllable.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first plurality of continuous filaments is treated with the first fluid during a time period, wherein a first member selected from the group of the first fluid characteristics is changed during the time period.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the second plurality of continuous filaments is treated with the second fluid during the time period, wherein a first member selected from the group of the second fluid characteristics is changed during the time period.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the change of the first member of the first fluid characteristic occurs at a different time than the change of the first member of the second fluid characteristic.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first member of the first fluid characteristic is different from the first member of the second fluid characteristic.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the first plurality of continuous filaments comprises filaments of a first color or dyeability, and the second plurality of continuous filaments comprises filaments of a second color or dyeability, and the first color or dyeability is different from the second color or dyeability.

24. A yarn made from the method of claim 23, wherein the method further comprises combining the first and second pluralities of continuous filaments.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the first plurality of continuous filaments is wetted with wetting agents before being treated.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the first plurality of continuous filaments comprises a first sub-thread and a second sub-thread; wherein the first sub-thread comprises a first group of continuous filaments and the second sub-thread comprises a second group of continuous filaments; and wherein the first group of continuous filaments comprises filaments of a first color or dyeability, the second group of continuous filaments comprises filaments of a second color or dyeability, and the second plurality of continuous filaments comprises filaments of a third color or dyeability.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the first sub-thread is wetted with wetting agents after extrusion and wherein the second sub-thread is not wetted after extrusion.

28. The method of claim 18, wherein the first plurality of continuous filaments is treated with the first fluid during a time period having a start time and an end time, and wherein the second plurality of continuous filaments is not treated with the second fluid at either the start time or the end time but is treated with the second fluid for a portion of the time period.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the first plurality of continuous filaments is treated with the first fluid during the time period, wherein a first member selected from the group of the first fluid characteristics is changed during the time period.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the second plurality of continuous filaments is treated with the second fluid during the portion of the time period, wherein a first member selected from the group of the second fluid characteristics is changed during the portion of the time period.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the change of the first member of the first fluid characteristic occurs at a different time than the change of the first member of the second fluid characteristic.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the first member of the first fluid characteristic is different from the first member of the second fluid characteristic.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the first plurality of continuous filaments comprises filaments of a first color or dyeability, and the second plurality of continuous filaments comprises filaments of a second color or dyeability, and the first color or dyeability is different from the second color or dyeability.

34. A yarn made from the method of claim 33, wherein the method further comprises combining the first and second pluralities of continuous filaments.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the first plurality of continuous filaments is wetted with wetting agents before being treated.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein the first plurality of continuous filaments comprises a first sub-thread and a second sub-thread; wherein the first sub-thread comprises a first group of continuous filaments and the second sub-thread comprises a second group of continuous filaments; and wherein the first group of continuous filaments comprises filaments of a first color or dyeability, the second group of continuous filaments comprises filaments of a second color or dyeability, and the second plurality of continuous filaments comprises filaments of a third color or dyeability.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the first sub-thread is wetted with wetting agents after extrusion and wherein the second sub-thread is not wetted after extrusion.

Description

[0038] In order to better demonstrate the features of the invention, some preferred embodiments are described below, by way of example without any limiting character, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0039] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of the device according to US 824 suitable for executing an exemplary method according to one embodiment of the invention, and

[0040] FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic diagram of the device according to US 259 suitable for executing an exemplary method according to one embodiment of the invention.

[0041] FIG. 1 shows a device suitable for carrying out the invention, and corresponds to FIG. 1 of US 824, which illustrates that one or more or all of the nozzles 3.1-5.1-6.1 of respectively the pre-interlacing installation 3 and/or the post-interlacing installation 5 and/or the crimping installation 6 may be controlled to deliver fluid at a varying pressure, in accordance with claim 1 and/or any of the dependent claims.

[0042] The installations 3, 5 and 6 are comprised in a melt spinning device. In this example, the melt spinning device comprises a spinning installation 1, a cooling installation 2, a preparation installation 12, a pre-interlacing installation 3, a drafting installation 4, a post-interlacing installation 5, a crimping installation 6, an interconnecting installation 7, and a winding installation 8. In principle, the installations can be disposed below one another and/or beside one another. The spinning installation 1 is thus usually coupled to 2, 3 or more extruding installations so as to obtain three polymer melts in dissimilar colorations or dyeabilities or properties or denier or cross-section.

[0043] The spinning installation 1 in this exemplary embodiment has a spinning beam 1.2 which on the lower side thereof supports a plurality of spinning nozzles 1.1. The spinning beam 1.2 is in this case embodied so as to be heated. Each of the spinning nozzles 1.1 by way of a separate melt infeed 1.3 may be coupled to a plurality of spinning pumps (not illustrated here). A polymer melt can thus be extruded so as to form a multiplicity of filaments at each of the spinning nozzles 1.1. To this end, the spinning nozzles 1 on the lower sides thereof have a plurality of nozzle bores. As illustrated here a total of three or more spinning nozzles 1.1 so as to extrude three or more filament bundles of dissimilar colors are provided. To this end, the melt spinning device illustrated is particularly suitable for producing a so-called tricolor and/or tri-dyeable composite thread or yarn, or a so-called multicolor and/or multi-dyeable composite thread or yarn.

[0044] The cooling installation 2 by way of which the freshly extruded filaments are cooled is disposed, preferably directly downstream of the spinning installation 1. The filaments for cooling in the cooling installation 2 are preferably impinged with cooling air. The cooling air herein can be fed radially from the inside to the outside, transversely, or radially from the outside to the inside. The cooling installation 2 is assigned a preparation installation 12 and a plurality of collective thread guides 13 in order for the filaments after the cooling to in each case be collected so as to form bundles and to form a sub-thread 9 or bundle. The preparation installation 12 has at least one wetting means 12.1 in order for the sub-threads 9 to be conjointly prepared. However, there is also the possibility that the preparation installation 12 contains a plurality of wetting agents 12.1 so that each of the sub-threads 9 or bundles is capable of being separately wetted.

[0045] The treatment of the sub-threads 9 first takes place by the pre-interlacing installation 3. The pre-interlacing installation 3 has a plurality of pre-interlacing nozzles 3.1 which by separate compressed-air lines 3.2 and separate compressed-air actuating means 3.3 are coupled to a compressed-air source (not illustrated here). The pre-interlacing installation 3 in this exemplary embodiment possesses a total of three separate pre-interlacing nozzles 3.1 so that each of the sub-threads 9 or bundles could be imparted separate pre-interlacing in the pre-interlacing nozzles 3.1. The pre-interlacing installation 3 is followed by the drafting installation 4 which has a plurality of godets 4.1 and 4.2 for drafting the sub-threads 9. The godets 4.1 and 4.2 are preferably configured as godets which are wrapped multiple times, the godet jacket of said godets preferably being embodied so as to be heatable. The sub-threads 9 thus can first be thermally treated and drafted. It is to be expressly mentioned at this point that the configuration of the drafting installation 4 is exemplary. In principle, the drafting installation 4 can also have a plurality of godets in order for the sub-threads 9 or bundles to be drafted in a plurality of stages. The drafting installation 4 in the thread run is followed by the post-interlacing installation 5.

[0046] The post-interlacing installation 5 has a plurality of post-interlacing nozzles 5.1 which by a plurality of compressed-air infeed lines 5.2 and a plurality of compressed-air actuating means 5.3 are connected to a compressed-air source (not illustrated here). To this extent, the post-interlacing nozzles 5.1 can be separately controlled, wherein the respective setting of the compressed air is freely selectable, possibly as being variable in accordance with claim 1 or any of the dependent claims. In this exemplary embodiment, each sub-thread or bundle is likewise assigned a separate post-interlacing nozzle 5.1.

[0047] The post-interlacing installation 5 is in the example followed by the crimping installation 6.

[0048] The crimping installation 6 is embodied as a so-called stuffer box crimping unit and to this end has a plurality of texturizing nozzles 6.1. Each of the texturizing nozzles 6.1 is configured in two parts and has a conveying part and a staffing part so as to compress an infed thread to form a thread plug. The filaments herein are deposited in arcs and loops so that a crimp is created. To this end, the texturizing nozzles 6.1 by way of a plurality of supply lines 6.2 and a plurality of setting means 6.3 are connected to a fluid source (not illustrated here). The fluid herein by a plurality of heating means 6.4 can in each case be heated to a predetermined temperature in a manner separate for each texturizing nozzle 6.1. The respective setting means 6.3 herein are suitable for controlling the heating temperature of the fluid as well as the pressure of the fluid. To this extent, each of the texturizing nozzles 6.1 of the crimping installation 6 is separately controllable. The crimping installation 6 in this exemplary embodiment has three texturizing nozzles 6.1 so that each of the sub-threads 9 or bundles generated in the spinning installation 1 could be separately texturized, possibly in a varying manner in accordance with claim 1. The pre-interlacing nozzles 3.1 of the interlacing installation 3, the post-interlacing nozzles 5.1 of the post-interlacing installation 5, and the texturizing nozzles 6.1 of the crimping installation 6 in terms of the guiding cross section thereof are configured in such a manner that, alternatively to the sub-threads 9, a composite sub-thread 10 formed from a plurality of sub-threads 9 could also be treated. The production of a composite thread 11 in which all sub-threads 9 first are separately pre-interlaced by the pre-interlacing nozzles 3.1 in the pre-interlacing installation 3 is thus illustrated in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1. After the drafting of the sub-threads 9, two of the sub-threads 9 are collected so as to form a composite sub-thread 10 and are post-interlaced in parallel with the third sub-thread 9 by two post-interlacing nozzles 5.1 in the post-interlacing installation 5. One of the post-interlacing nozzles 5.1 herein remains devoid of a function.

[0049] In the following crimping installation 6, likewise only two texturing nozzles 6.1 may be used herein in order for the composite sub-thread 10 and the third sub-thread 9 to be separately crimped. To this extent, dissimilar mixed colors can be generated in the later composite thread 11. The thread plugs 15 generated by the crimping installation 6 are cooled on the circumference of a cooling drum 14 and by a downstream take-off installation 17 are dissolved so as to in each case form a crimped composite sub-thread 10 and a crimped sub-thread 9. The crimped threads are subsequently collected in the interconnecting installation 7 so as to form the composite thread 11. The interconnecting installation 7 herein is preferably formed by an entanglement nozzle in which the sub-thread 9 and the composite sub-thread 10 are connected to one another by a plurality of entanglement knots.

[0050] At the end of the process, the composite thread 11 may be wound in the winding installation 8 so as to form a wound package 18. In the method according to the invention which is capable of being carried out by the melt spinning device illustrated in FIG. 1, a varying property of the yarn can be obtained along the length of the yarn.

[0051] The nozzles 3.1, 5.1 and/or 6.1 may be comprised in a device as illustrated in FIG. 2, which corresponds to FIG. 2 of US 259. The exemplary embodiment has a plate-shaped support 10.1. The plate-shaped support 10.1 holds a total of three nozzles 10.2, 10.3, and 10.4, which are disposed on a reference circle 10.6 at a uniform angular pitch. A thread guide 10.5 is held on the support 10.1 in the center of the reference circle 10.6. A guide groove 10.7 which penetrates the support 10.1 from a front end side 10.8 is assigned to the thread guide 10.5.

[0052] The entanglement nozzles 10.2 to 10.4 that are integrated on the support 10.1 are assigned a plurality of placing slots 10.10, 10.11, and 10.12. The placing slots 10.10 to 10.12 penetrate the support 10.1, wherein the placing slots 10.10 and 10.12 open out towards the front end side 10.8 of the support, and wherein the placing slot 10.11 of the entanglement nozzle 10.3 opens into the guide groove 10.7.

[0053] The entanglement nozzle 10.2 is formed by an insert member which is held in a receptacle opening 10.25 of the support 10.1. The receptacle opening 10.25 and the insert member 10.22 herein extend from an upper side of the support 10.1 and a lower side of the support 10.1.

[0054] A compressed air connector 10.15 which by way of a supply bore 10.18 is connected to the receptacle opening 10.25 is configured on a rear end side 10.9 of the support 10.1.

[0055] The device of FIG. 2 could be controlled to perform a method in accordance with the invention, for example in accordance with Tables 1, 2 or 3 here below, respectively relating to the programmed activation of each nozzle following an on/off pattern over time, and relating to the programmed delivery of random air pressure to a nozzle, or a combination of both for obtaining a more complicated patterning.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Programming activation of each nozzle-ON/OFF over time. Time Time Time Time Time Time Time Nozzle 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 . . . 10-2 ON OFF OFF ON OFF ON OFF . . . 10-3 OFF ON OFF ON ON ON OFF . . . 10-4 OFF OFF ON OFF ON ON OFF . . .

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Programming random air pressure to a nozzle. Time Time Time Time Time Time Time Nozzle 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 . . . 10-2 6 psi 1 psi 4 psi 0 psi 3 psi 0 psi 2 psi . . .

TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Programming random air pressure to a nozzle. Time Time Time Time Time Time Time Nozzle 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 . . . 10-2 6 bar 1 bar 4 bar 0 bar 3 bar 0 bar 2 bar . . .

[0056] In possibility 1, one or more nozzles deliver the fluid, more particularly air, at a varying rate at least in that said nozzles deliver said fluid intermittently. Herein, the programming ON creates separation or dominance, and the programming OFF creates muting or blending. In possibility 2 or 3, one (or more) nozzles deliver the fluid, more particularly air, at a varying pressure. Said varying pressure may be provided as a pre-set pattern, or as a randomized pattern.

[0057] Yarn obtained in accordance with the method of the invention may show a varying color over the length of said yarn. Preferably said variation is without repeat in a yarn length of at least 20 cm, or even better at least 100 cm, or at least 1500 cm.

[0058] The aspects and concepts disclosed in the claims and drawings may be combined with one another as long as they are not mutually contradictory. The present invention is by no means limited to the embodiments described above, however the method and yarn thereby obtained may be realized according to various variants without departing from the scope of the present invention.