Hetero-composite yarn, fabrics thereof and methods of making

Abstract

A hetero-composite yarn useful in making garments comprises a combined biconstituent yarn and a companion yarn, wherein the biconstituent yarn comprises an axial core comprising a thermoplastic elastomeric polymer, and a plurality of wings attached to the core and comprising a thermoplastic, non-elastomeric polymer.

1 - 13 . (Canceled).  
     
     
         14 . A process of making a hetero-composite yarn comprising passing a melt comprising at least one thermoplastic non-elastomeric polymer and a melt comprising a thermoplastic elastomeric polymer through a spinneret to form a plurality of stretchable synthetic polymeric filaments comprising an axial core comprising the elastomeric polymer and a plurality of wings comprising the non-elastomeric polymer attached to the core, quenching the filaments after they exit the capillary of the spinneret to cool the filaments, and collecting the filaments to form a biconstituent yarn, and commingling the biconstituent yarn with a companion yarn.  
     
     
         15 . A process as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the comingling comprises air jet texturing the bioconstituent yarn and the companion yarn together.  
     
     
         16 . A process as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the comingling comprises air entangling the biconstituent yarn and the companion yarn together.  
     
     
         17 . A process as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein one or both of the biconstituent and second yarn before combining, are in the form of a staple yarn.  
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 14 , comprising an additional step, after quenching, of heat-relaxing the fiber so that it exhibits at least about 20% after-boil-off stretch.  
     
     
         19 . The process as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the heat-relaxing is carried out with a heating medium of dry air, hot water or superatmospheric pressure steam at a temperature in the range of about 80° C. to about 120° C. when the heating medium is said dry air, about 75° C. to about 100° C. when the heating medium is said hot water, and about 101° C. to about 115° C. when the heating medium is said superatmospheric pressure steam.  
     
     
         20 . A process of making a synthetic polymer yarn comprising commingling one or more biconstituent filaments with at least one other filament, and forming a synthetic polymer yarn from the commingled filaments, wherein said biconstituent filament comprises an axial core comprising a thermoplastic elastomeric polymer, and a plurality of wings comprising a thermoplastic, non-elastomeric polymer attached to the core.