US2004265583A1PendingUtilityA1

Splittable multicomponent polyester fibers

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Assignee: FIBER INNOVATION TECHNOLOGY INCPriority: Sep 15, 1999Filed: Jul 16, 2004Published: Dec 30, 2004
Est. expirySep 15, 2019(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Jeffrey S. DuganFrank Harris
D04H 1/43918D04H 1/43914D04H 1/43912D04H 1/43838D04H 1/43832Y10T428/2913D04H 1/46D06N 3/0015Y10T428/2929Y10T156/1062Y10T442/637Y10T428/2931Y10T442/615Y10T442/622D04H 1/495D01F 8/14Y10T428/2973D04H 1/435Y10T442/609Y10T442/614
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Claims

Abstract

The mechanically divisible multicomponent fibers have at least a first component including poly(lactic acid) polymer and at least a second component including an aromatic polyester. The multicomponent fibers are particularly useful in the manufacture of nonwoven structures, and in particular nonwoven structures used as synthetic suede.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
That which is claimed:  
     
         1 . A splittable multicomponent fiber comprising: 
 at least one polymer component comprising a poly(lactic acid) polymer; and    at least one polymer component comprising a thermoplastic aromatic polyester polymer, wherein said polymer components are extruded together to provide continuous contiguous polymer segments that extend along the length of the fiber, and wherein said multicomponent fiber is mechanically dissociable into a plurality of separate microfilaments selected from the group consisting of microfilaments comprising the thermoplastic aromatic polyester and microfilaments comprising poly(lactic acid), each microfilament being in the range of about 1.5 denier per filament or less.    
     
     
         2 . The fiber of  claim 1 , wherein said thermoplastic aromatic polyester polymer comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polycyclohexane terephthalate, polyethylene napthalate, and copolymers and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         3 . The fiber of  claim 1 , wherein said aromatic polyester is poly(ethylene terephthalate).  
     
     
         4 . The fiber of  claim 1 , wherein said fiber is selected from the group consisting of segmented round fibers, segmented oval fibers, segmented rectangular fibers, segmented ribbon fibers, and segmented multilobal fibers.  
     
     
         5 . The fiber of  claim 1 , wherein said fiber is a pie/wedge fiber.  
     
     
         6 . The fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio of said poly(lactic acid) polymer component to said aromatic polyester polymer component ranges from about 80/20 to about 20/80.  
     
     
         7 . The fiber of  claim 6 , wherein the weight ratio of said poly(lactic acid) polymer component to said aromatic polyester polymer component is about 65:35 to about 35:65.  
     
     
         8 . The fiber of  claim 1 , wherein said fiber is selected from the group consisting of continuous filaments, staple fibers, and meltblown fibers.  
     
     
         9 . The fiber of  claim 1 , wherein said fiber is a staple fiber.  
     
     
         10 . The fiber of  claim 1 , wherein said multicomponent fiber is dissociable by mechanical operations selected from the group consisting of impinging the multicomponent fiber-with high pressure water, carding the multicomponent fiber, crimping the fiber, and drawing the multicomponent fiber.  
     
     
         11 . The fiber of  claim 1 , wherein said aromatic polyester polymer is poly(ethylene terephthalate), the weight ratio of said poly(lactic acid) polymer component to said poly(ethylene terephthalate) polymer component is from about 65:35 to about 35:65, and the fiber has a pie/wedge configuration.  
     
     
         12 . A fiber bundle comprising a plurality of poly(lactic acid) polymer microfilaments and a plurality of thermoplastic aromatic polyester microfilaments, said microfilaments having originated from a common multicomponent fiber, each microfilament being in the range of about 1.5 denier per filament or less.  
     
     
         13 . The fiber bundle of  claim 12 , wherein said microfilaments are prepared by mechanically dissociating a poly(lactic acid) polymer component and a thermoplastic aromatic polyester component of said multicomponent fiber.  
     
     
         14 . The fiber bundle of  claim 12 , wherein said aromatic polyester microfilaments are formed of a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polycyclohexane terephthalate, polyethylene napthalate, and copolymers and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         15 . The fiber bundle of  claim 12 , wherein said aromatic polyester is poly(ethylene terephthalate).  
     
     
         16 . The fiber bundle of  claim 12 , wherein said microfilaments have an average size ranging from about 0.05 to about 1.5 denier.  
     
     
         17 . A fabric comprising a plurality of splittable multicomponent fibers comprising at least one polymer component comprising a poly(lactic acid) polymer and at least one polymer component comprising a thermoplastic aromatic polyester polymer, wherein said polymer components are extruded together to provide continuous contiguous polymer segments that extend along the length of the fiber, and wherein said multicomponent fibers are mechanically dissociable into a plurality of separate microfilaments selected from the group consisting of microfilaments comprising the thermoplastic aromatic polyester and microfilaments comprising poly(lactic acid), each microfilament being in the range of about 1.5 denier per filament or less.  
     
     
         18 . The fabric of  claim 17 , wherein said aromatic polyester microfilaments are formed of a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polycyclohexane terephthalate, polyethylene napthalate, and copolymers and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         19 . The fabric of  claim 17 , wherein said aromatic polyester is poly(ethylene terephthalate).  
     
     
         20 . The fabric of  claim 17 , wherein said fabric is selected from the group consisting of nonwoven fabrics, woven fabrics, and knit fabrics.  
     
     
         21 . The fabric of  claim 17 , wherein said fabric is a nonwoven fabric selected from the group consisting of wet-laid nonwoven fabrics, dry-laid nonwoven fabrics, and direct-laid nonwoven fabrics.  
     
     
         22 . The fabric of  claim 17 , wherein said fabric is a hydroentangled dry-laid nonwoven fabric.  
     
     
         23 . The fabric of  claim 17 , wherein said fabric further comprises a disperse dye.  
     
     
         24 . A fabric comprising a plurality of poly(lactic acid) microfilaments and a plurality of thermoplastic aromatic polyester microfilaments, wherein each microfilament is in the range of about 1.5 denier per filament or less.  
     
     
         25 . The fabric of  claim 24 , wherein said aromatic polyester microfilaments are formed of a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polycyclohexane terephthalate, polyethylene napthalate, and copolymers and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         26 . The fabric of  claim 24 , wherein said aromatic polyester is poly(ethylene terephthalate).  
     
     
         27 . The fabric of  claim 24 , wherein said fabric is selected from the group consisting of nonwoven fabrics, woven fabrics, and knit fabrics.  
     
     
         28 . The fabric of  claim 24 , wherein said fabric is a nonwoven fabric selected from the group consisting of wet-laid nonwoven fabrics, dry-laid nonwoven fabrics, and direct-laid nonwoven fabrics.  
     
     
         29 . The fabric of  claim 24 , wherein said fabric is a hydroentangled dry-laid nonwoven fabric.  
     
     
         30 . The fabric of  claim 24 , wherein said fabric further comprises a disperse dye.

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