Bicomponent monofilament

Abstract

In one embodiment, a fabric comprises a plurality of functional monofilaments shaped to provide anchoring of a coating applied to the fabric and exhibits improved resistance to peeling away of the coating from the fabric. The second embodiment is a fabric comprised of a plurality of bicomponent monofilaments having a first component with at least one receptacle containing a second component, and the fabric exhibiting improved gripping compared to fabric constructed of conventional monofilaments. Methods for making the monofilaments and fabrics are also described.

1 . A method of making a bicomponent filament exhibiting improved gripping, comprising the steps of: 
 extruding low melt polyester monofilament with one or more U-shaped channels running along the length of the monofilament;    orienting the extruded monofilament as necessary;    inserting TPU into the U-shaped channel to create a bicomponent monofilament; and    heating, if necessary, the bicomponent monofilament to bond the TPU to the low melt polyester.    
   
   
       2 . A bicomponent monofilament made by a method according to  claim 1 .  
   
   
       3 . A fabric comprising one or more bicomponent monofilaments according to  claim 2 .  
   
   
       4 . A method of making a fabric comprised of bicomponent filaments, comprising the steps of: 
 extruding low melt polyester monofilament with one or more longitudinal grooves providing respective cavities running along the length of the monofilament;    orienting the extruded monofilament as necessary;    inserting TPU into the groove to create each bicomponent monofilament;    heating, if necessary, the bicomponent monofilament to bond the TPU to the low melt polyester; and    using the bicomponent monofilaments to form the fabric which exhibits improved sheet restraint and sheet guiding properties compared to fabric constructed of non-bicomponent filaments.    
   
   
       5 . A bicomponent monofilament made by a method according to  claim 4 .  
   
   
       6 . A fabric comprising one or more bicomponent monofilaments according to  claim 5 .  
   
   
       7 . A method of mechanically anchoring a coating to a fabric, comprising the steps of: 
 forming a fabric from monofilaments which include one or more longitudinal grooves providing respective cavities running along the length of the monofilament; and    applying a coating to said fabric so that the coating fills the cavity and is thereby mechanically locked in place, whereby the locked in place coating exhibits improved resistance to peeling away from the fabric compared with a fabric not constructed of grooved monofilaments.