A CARPET, A CARPET PILE YARN, AND A METHOD FOR PRODUCING THE SAME

Abstract

A carpet comprising a backing and pile comprising looped or cut tufts of pile yarn attached to and extending from the backing. The pile yarn comprises un-twisted, entangled filaments. The filaments are self-crimped and optionally textured multi-component filaments. A first component of the multi-component filament comprises a first thermoplastic polymer and a second component of the multi-component filaments comprises a second thermoplastic polymer. The first and the second thermoplastic polymer have different yield behavior, whereby the multi-component filaments are self-crimping.

Claims

1. A carpet, the carpet comprising a backing and a pile comprising looped or cut tufts of pile yarn attached to and extending from the backing, wherein the pile yarn comprises un-twisted, entangled filaments, the filaments being self-crimped, and optionally textured, multi-component filaments, a first component of the multi-component filament comprising a first thermoplastic polymer and a second component of the multi-component filament comprising a second thermoplastic polymer, wherein the first and the second thermoplastic polymers have different yield behavior, the multi-component filaments thereby being self-crimping.

2. The carpet according to claim 1, wherein the first and/or the second thermoplastic polymer is distributed eccentrically over the cross-section of the multi-component filament; and/or wherein the multi-component filament is a bi-component filament; and/or wherein the first and the second thermoplastic polymer have at least one of: different stress relaxation response, different melt flow rate, different elastic rate, and different intrinsic viscosity.

3. The carpet according to claim 1, wherein multi-component filaments are bi-component filaments, and/or wherein the first thermoplastic polymer is present in an amount of 5 to 95 wt % in the multi-component filament, and the second thermoplastic polymer is present in an amount of 95 to 5 wt %.

4. The carpet according to claim 1, wherein the pile yarn is obtainable by a process comprising the steps of: extruding at least a first melt comprising the first thermoplastic polymer and a second melt comprising the second thermoplastic polymer into a multitude of multi-component filaments; drawing and solidifying the multitude of multi-component filaments to provide a multitude of self-crimped multi-component filaments; optionally texturing and/or stretching the drawn multitude of multi-component filaments; and collecting the multitude of multi-component filaments entangled as a pile yarn.

5. (canceled)

6. The carpet according to claim 1, wherein the cross-section of the multi-component filament is bi-lobal, tri-lobal or quad-lobal.

7. The carpet according to claim 6, wherein the cross-section of the multi-component filament is tri-lobal or quad-lobal, and wherein the sides of the tri-lobal and/or the quad-lobal cross-section are concave.

8. The carpet according to claim 1, wherein: the first thermoplastic polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyethyleneterephthalate (PET), modified PET, polybutyleneterephthalate (PBT), poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT), co-polyesters, polyamides (PA), modified polyamides, co-polyamides, polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polylactic acid (PLA), polybutylene succinate (PBS), polyethylene furanoate (PEF), and polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA); and the second thermoplastic polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyethyleneterephthalate (PET), modified PET, polybutyleneterephthalate (PBT), poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT), co-polyesters, polyamides (PA), modified polyamides, co-polyamides, polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polylactic acid (PLA), polybutylene succinate (PBS), polyethylene furanoate (PEF), and polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA).

9. (canceled)

10. The carpet according to claim 8, wherein: the first thermoplastic polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyethyleneterephthalate (PET), modified PET, polybutyleneterephthalate (PBT); and the second thermoplastic polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyethyleneterephthalate (PET), modified PET, and polybutyleneterephthalate (PBT).

11. The carpet according to claim 1, wherein the difference in intrinsic viscosity between the first thermoplastic polymer and the second thermoplastic polymer is at least 0.01 dl/g, and wherein the difference in intrinsic viscosity between the first thermoplastic polymer and the second thermoplastic polymer is 0.40 dl/g or less, and/or wherein the liner mass density of the yarn is 500 to 5000 dtex, and/or wherein the bulk of the yarn is at least 15%.

12. The carpet according to claim 1, wherein the cross-section of the multi-component filament is bi-lobal, wherein a first lobe comprises the first thermoplastic polymer and the second lobe comprises the second thermoplastic polymer; or the cross-section of the multi-component filament is tri-lobal, wherein one to two lobes comprises the first thermoplastic polymer and the remaining one to two lobes comprises the second thermoplastic polymer.

13. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. A method of producing a carpet comprising a backing and a pile comprising looped or cut tufts of pile yarn attached to and extending from the backing, wherein the pile yarn comprises un-twisted, entangled filaments, wherein the filaments are self-crimped, and optionally textured, multi-component filaments, the method comprising the steps of: extruding a first melt comprising a first thermoplastic polymer and a second melt comprising a second thermoplastic polymer, wherein the first and the second thermoplastic polymer have different yield behavior, into a multitude of multi-component filaments, a first component of the multi-component filament comprising the first thermoplastic polymer and a second component of the multi-component filament comprising the second thermoplastic polymer; drawing and solidifying the multi-component filaments to provide a multitude self-crimped multi-component filaments; optionally texturing and/or stretching the drawn multi-component filaments; collecting the multitude of multi-component filaments entangled as a pile yarn; attaching the pile yarn to the backing to provide the backing with tufts of pile yarn extending from the backing; and optionally cutting the looped piles, whereby providing cut tufts of the pile yarn extending from the backing.

16-27. (canceled)

28. A pile yarn comprising un-twisted, entangled filaments, the filaments being self-crimped, and optionally textured, multi-component filaments, a first component of the multi-component filaments comprising a first thermoplastic polymer and a second component of the multi-component filaments comprising a second thermoplastic polymer, wherein the first and the second thermoplastic polymers have different yield behavior, the multi-component filaments thereby being self-crimping.

29. The pile yarn according to claim 28, wherein the first and/or the second thermoplastic polymer is distributed eccentrically over the cross-section of the multi-component filament; and/or wherein the multi-component filament is a bi-component filament; and/or wherein the first and the second thermoplastic polymer have at least one of: different stress relaxation response, different melt flow rate, different elastic rate, and different intrinsic viscosity.

30. The pile yarn according to claim 28, wherein the multi-component filaments are bi-component filaments, and/or wherein the first thermoplastic polymer is present in an amount of 5 to 95 wt % in the multi-component filament, and wherein the second thermoplastic polymer is present in an amount of 95 to 5 wt %.

31. The pile yarn according to claim 28, wherein the pile yarn is obtainable by a process comprising the steps of: extruding at least a first melt comprising the first thermoplastic polymer and a second melt comprising the second thermoplastic polymer into a multitude of multi-component filaments; drawing and solidifying the multi-component filaments to provide a multitude of self-crimped multi-component filaments; optionally texturing and/or stretching the drawn multi-component filaments; and collecting the multitude of multi-component filaments entangled as a pile yarn.

32. (canceled)

33. The pile yarn according to claim 28, wherein the cross-section of the multi-component filament is bi-lobal, tri-lobal or quad-lobal.

34. The pile yarn according to claim 33, wherein the cross-section of the multi-component filament is tri-lobal or quad-lobal and wherein the sides of the tri-lobal and/or the quad-lobal cross-section are concave.

35. The pile yarn according to claim 28, wherein: the first thermoplastic polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyethyleneterephthalate (PET), modified PET, polybutyleneterephthalate (PBT), poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT), co-polyesters, polyamides (PA), modified polyamides, co-polyamides, polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polylactic acid (PLA), polybutylene succinate (PBS), polyethylene furanoate (PEF), and polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA); and the second thermoplastic polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyethyleneterephthalate (PET), modified PET, polybutyleneterephthalate (PBT), poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT), co-polyesters, polyamides (PA), modified polyamides, co-polyamides, polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polylactic acid (PLA), polybutylene succinate (PBS), polyethylene furanoate (PEF), and polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA).

36. (canceled)

37. The pile yarn according to claim 35, wherein: the first thermoplastic polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyethyleneterephthalate (PET), modified PET, polybutyleneterephthalate (PBT); and the second thermoplastic polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyethyleneterephthalate (PET), modified PET, and polybutyleneterephthalate (PBT).

38. The pile yarn according to claim 28, wherein the difference in intrinsic viscosity between the first thermoplastic polymer and the second thermoplastic polymer is at least 0.01 dl/g and wherein the difference in intrinsic viscosity between the first thermoplastic polymer and the second thermoplastic polymer is 0.40 dl/g or less, and/or wherein the liner mass density of the yarn is 500 to 5000 dtex, and/or wherein the bulk of the yarn is at least 15%.

39. The pile yarn according to claim 33, wherein the cross-section of the multi-component filament is bi-lobal, wherein a first lobe comprises the first thermoplastic polymer and the second lobe comprises the second thermoplastic polymer and/or the second lobe does not comprise the first thermoplastic polymer; or the cross-section of the multi-component filament is tri-lobal, wherein one to two lobes comprises the first thermoplastic polymer and the remaining one to two lobes comprises the second thermoplastic polymer.

40-54. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0057] These and other aspects, features and advantages of which the invention is capable of will be apparent and elucidated from the following description of embodiments of the present invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0058] FIG. 1 showing a close up of a carpet with wrap yarn, weft yarn and pile yarn;

[0059] FIG. 2a-b shows cross-sections of filaments with a tri-lobal cross-section according an embodiment;

[0060] FIG. 3 shows a cross-section of filaments with a dog bone like cross-section according an embodiment;

[0061] FIG. 4 shows photographs of pile yarn comprising a) conventional filaments (control); b) filaments with a dog bone like cross-section; and c) filaments with a tri-lobal cross-section;

[0062] FIG. 5 shows photographs of carpets with pile yarn comprising a) conventional filaments (control), b) to d) filaments according an embodiment

EXPERIMENTAL

[0063] Filament Spinning

[0064] Various pile yarn comprising un-twisted, entangled filaments were produced by fiber spinning. As known in the art, in polymer spinning the polymers are melted in an extruder and volumetrically pumped into a spinneret that has a die with multiple small precision extrusion holes. In spinning bi-component filaments, two types of polymers are fed to each extrusion hole.

[0065] Subsequently, the melt is drawn from the extrusion holes and cooled with air to solidify the resulting filaments. The drawing of the filaments induces self-crimping. The filaments may be drawn upon solidifying, as well once they have solidified.

[0066] The drawn filaments are fed in to a texturizing jet where hot air is blown parallel to the filaments, pushing them in to a compacting zone where the filament is piled into a slow moving “plug” that is cooled while the filaments are in a “bent” state so as to retain the bend in the filaments. After cooling, the filaments are pulled off the plug to be wound on a bobbin. Filaments obtained in this manner were used in the examples below.

[0067] Alternatively, drawn filament may be pulled through a texturizing jet where room temperature air is blown at high velocity perpendicular to the filament causing random and chaotic movement of the filaments. This caused the filaments to crimp and entangle.

[0068] Bulk and Shrinkage Test Methods

The bulk and the shrinkage of the yarn was assessed by the following procedure: [0069] 1. Wind two skeins (Skein #1 and Skein #2, respectively) of yarn of sufficient revolutions to result in a loading of 0.0009 grams per denier when stressed with a 50 gram weight (1300 denier yarn: 22 revolutions, 2000 denier yarn: 14 revolutions; and 2600 denier yarn: 11 revolutions). Place a paper clip on each skein and hang the skeins on separate hooks. [0070] 2. Hang a 50 gram weight on the first skein (Skein #1—Bulk). Hang a 10 lb. (4540 gram) weight on the second skein (Skein #2—Shrinkage). [0071] 3. Read skein length L1 for Skein #1 and L2 for Skein #2. [0072] 4. Remove the weights and place the skeins in bulk oven at appropriate temperature (Temps: PP=120° C.; PA6=160° C.; and PET=180° C.) for five minutes. [0073] 5. Take skeins out of oven and condition for one minute [0074] 6. Hang 50 gram weight from Skein #1 and a 10 lb. (4540 gram) weight from Skein #2. [0075] 7. After 30 seconds, read skein length L3 for Skein #1 and L4 for skein #4. [0076] 8. Calculate % bulk (Skein #1) and % shrinkage (Skein #2) based on L1 to L4 using the following formulas:

% Bulk (Skein #1)=100*(L1−L3)/L1

% Shrinkage (Skein #2)=100*(L2−L4)/L2

L1=Skein #1 length with 50 gm wt. before heating
L2=Skein #2 length with 10 lb wt before heating
L3=Skein #3 length with 50 gm wt. after heating
L4=Skein #4 length with 10 lb. wt. after heating

[0077] Filament

[0078] The linear mass density of the yarns used was about the same (i.e. about 2600 to 2900 denier). The cross-section of two types of filaments according the invention are depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3. The first type of filament had a tri-lobal cross-section (cf. FIG. 2). The filaments with a tri-lobal cross-section comprise PET (Eastman F61HC having an intrinsic viscosity of 0.61) and PBT (Ticona 1401 having a MFR of 54). The second type of filament had a dog bone like cross-section (cf. FIG. 3). The filaments with a dog bone like cross-section comprise PET (Eastman F61HC having an intrinsic viscosity of 0.61) and PET (Nanya having an intrinsic viscosity of 0.67).

[0079] As can be seen from FIG. 4, pile yarn with filaments according to the present invention provides significantly bulkier pile yarn. The textured yarn with mono-component filaments having a round cross-section (control) had a bulk of 12%, whereas the yarn with bi-component filaments with dog bone like cross-section had a bulk of nearly 20% and the yarn with bi-component filaments with tri-lobal cross-section had a bulk of about 40%. A slight variation in the bulk (i.e. 1 to 2 units of percentage) could be seen depending on the proportions (25/75 to 75/25) of the two components.

[0080] Carpets

[0081] Further, the various pile yarn was used to prove sample carpets. In short, samples were produced by a machine tufting technique using a gauge of 10 needles per inch. The stitch rate (number of tufts in 10 cm) was varied to provide the desired pile weight.

[0082] A number of sample carpets were provided, as can be seen from table 1 below.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 sample carpets Pile Pile Pile yarn height weight Assessment Control 9 mm 1000 g/m.sup.2 — Dog bone 9 mm 1000 g/m.sup.2 Better touch and softer feeling compared to Control Tri-lobal 9 mm 1000 g/m.sup.2 Very dense surface Tri-lobal 9 mm  750 g/m.sup.2 More dense surface than Control Tri-lobal 9 mm  600 g/m.sup.2 Similar density and feel as Control

[0083] Interestingly, it was found that with the yarn comprising filaments having a dog bone like cross section, a better touch and softer feeling compared to control with the same amount of pile yarn was provided. It is envisaged that the amount of pile yarn can be reduced using the dog bone like cross section, still having a corresponding feeling as for the Control. Further, for some applications the better touch and the softer feeling is a highly desired property. Similar results were obtained with a pile height of 12 mm.

[0084] Further, it was found that the increased bulk provided by the tri-lobal filaments (cf. above) implies that much less pile yarn (40%) of this type is required to provide a carpet with essentially the same density and feeling as for the Control. Turning to FIG. 5, it can also be seen that yarn with filaments having a tri-lobal cross section provide very much improved coverage. Corresponding results were obtained with a pile height of 12 mm as well. Further, also with shorter pile (e.g. 6 mm) the amount of pile yarn could be reduced using the tri-lobal filaments.