Methods, processes, and apparatuses for producing welded substrates

Abstract

A welded yarn may have a cross section about a plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the welded yarn wherein the cross-sectional area is comprised of two or more distinct portions, wherein the degree of welding in each portion is different, which may also result in different fiber volume ratios compared to raw yarn substrates.

1 . A welded yarn comprising:
 a. a first portion along a cross-section of said yarn;   b. a second portion along said cross-section of said yarn, wherein a fiber volume ratio of said first portion is different than a fiber volume ratio of said second portion, and
 wherein said first portion is welded. 
   
     
     
         2 . The welded yarn according to  claim 1  wherein said welded yarn is further defined as being generally cylindrical in shape, wherein said first and second portions are further defined as being generally circular in shape along a radial cross section of said yarn, and wherein said second portion is positioned interiorly with respect to said first portion. 
     
     
         3 . The welded yarn according to  claim 1  wherein said fiber volume ratio of said first portion is greater than 55 percent, and wherein said fiber volume ratio of said second portion is less than 95 percent. 
     
     
         4 . The welded yarn according to  claim 1  wherein said fiber volume ratio of said first portion is at least 79 percent. 
     
     
         5 . The welded yarn according to  claim 2  wherein said first portion is further defined as being between 0.2 percent and 60 percent of a radius of said welded yarn. 
     
     
         6 . The welded yarn according to  claim 1  wherein a plane defining said planar cross-section is oriented perpendicular with respect to a longitudinal axis of said welded yarn. 
     
     
         7 . The welded yarn according to  claim 1  wherein said first portion extends inward from a periphery of said planar cross-section by an equal amount about said periphery. 
     
     
         8 . The welded yarn according to  claim 1  wherein said welded yarn is further defined as being made of a cellulosic-based material. 
     
     
         9 . The welded yarn according to  claim 1  wherein said fiber volume ratio of said first portion is greater than that of said second portion. 
     
     
         10 . The welded yarn according to  claim 1  wherein said welded yarn further comprises a third portion, wherein said third portion is positioned between said first and second portions, and wherein a degree of welding of said third portion is different than both said degree of welding of said second portion and said degree of welding of said first portion. 
     
     
         11 . The welded yarn according to  claim 1  wherein said fiber volume ratio of said first portion is at least 75 percent, and wherein said fiber volume ratio of said second portion is not greater than 95 percent. 
     
     
         12 . The welded yarn according to  claim 1  wherein said first portion is further defined as comprising up to 25 percent of a surface area of said planar cross-section of said welded yarn. 
     
     
         13 . The welded yarn according to  claim 1  wherein said first portion is further defined as comprising up to 40 percent of a surface area of said planar cross-section of said welded yarn. 
     
     
         14 . The welded yarn according to  claim 1  where said planar cross-section of said welded yarn is further defined as being generally oval in shape. 
     
     
         15 . The welded yarn according to  claim 1  wherein said second portion is not welded. 
     
     
         16 . The welded yarn according to  claim 1  wherein said first potion is not welded. 
     
     
         17 . The welded yarn according to  claim 1  wherein said second portion is further defined as having said fiber volume ratio of at least 79 percent and said first portion is further defined as having said fiber volume ratio greater than that of said second portion. 
     
     
         18 . A welded yarn comprising:
 a. a first portion extending inward from an outer periphery of said welded yarn;   b. a second portion extending outward from a geometric center of said welded yarn,
 wherein said second portion terminates at an inward boundary of said first portion, 
 wherein a degree of welding of said first portion is different than a degree of welding of said second portion. 
   
     
     
         19 . The welded yarn according to  claim 18  wherein an amount by which said first portion extends inward from said outer periphery is substantially uniform about said outer periphery. 
     
     
         20 . The welded yarn according to  claim 18  wherein said welded yarn contains no material other than a cellulosic-based biopolymer. 
     
     
         21 . The welded yarn according to  claim 18  wherein said fiber volume ratio of said first portion is at least 10 percent different than said fiber volume ratio of said second portion. 
     
     
         22 . The yarn according to  claim 18  wherein said first portion is further defined as being welded and said second portion is further defined as being raw. 
     
     
         23 . The yarn according to  claim 18  wherein said fiber volume ratio of said first portion is greater than 60 percent. 
     
     
         24 . The yarn according to  claim 18  wherein said fiber volume ratio of said first portion is at least 77 percent. 
     
     
         25 . The yarn according to  claim 18  wherein said fiber volume ratio of said second portion is greater than 79 percent. 
     
     
         26 . The yarn according to  claim 18  further comprising a bonding material having a chemical composition that is substantially identical to a chemical composition of both said first portion and said second portion, and wherein said chemical composition is a cellulose-based biopolymer. 
     
     
         27 . The yarn according to  claim 26  wherein said bonding material is further defined as being positioned in said first portion only. 
     
     
         28 . A yarn comprising:
 a. a first portion extending inward from an outer periphery of said yarn, wherein an amount by which said first portion extends inward from said outer periphery is substantially uniform about said outer periphery;   b. a second portion outward from a geometric center of said yarn, wherein said second portion terminates at an inward boundary of said first portion, wherein a fiber volume ratio of said first portion is different than a fiber volume ratio of said second portion.   
     
     
         29 . A yarn characterized in that a cross-sectional area of said yarn increases by less than 100 percent when said yarn is cut along a plane oriented perpendicularly with respect to a longitudinal axis of said welded yarn, and wherein a chemical composition of said yarn is uniform throughout said yarn. 
     
     
         30 . The yarn according to  claim 31  wherein said cross-sectional area of said yarn increases by less than 50 percent when said yarn is cut along said plane. 
     
     
         31 . The yarn according to  claim 31  wherein said chemical composition is further defined as a biopolymer.