Hybrid yarns formed with fibers having rounded tips and method of making the same

Abstract

A hybrid yarn and a fabric including the hybrid yarn are provided. The hybrid yarn is formed of a plurality of fibers of a plurality of different fiber compositions. The fibers of different configurations are homogenized and intimate with one another throughout the yarn. The yarn may be formed using fibers made of the same material or a plurality of different materials. The different fiber compositions may include fibers of three or more different cross sections, fibers made of different materials or a combination of the two. Fibers having tips or ends are made so that the tips are rounded rather than squared to improve the manufacture and quality of the yarn. The materials may be synthetic and/or natural materials. Fabrics made with the hybrid yarn will have selectable functional features and also be of lighter weight than previously possible. Hybrid spinnerets may be used to produce hybrid yarns with three or more different fiber cross sections wherein spinneret portals that have tips are made with the tips rounded.

1 . A hybrid yarn comprising a plurality of fibers, wherein the plurality of fibers includes fibers of at least three different fiber shapes, wherein three of the different fiber shapes are:
 one that has a cross section that is at least partially voided,   one that is Y-shaped, and   one that is W-shaped,   wherein the Y-shaped fibers include three tips and the W-shaped fibers include five tips, wherein each of the tips of the Y-shaped fibers and the W-shaped fibers is rounded.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The hybrid yarn of  claim 1  wherein the fibers are textured after extrusion so that they are homogenized and intimate with one another throughout the yarn. 
     
     
         4 . The hybrid yarn of  claim 1  wherein the fibers of the yarn are made of the same material. 
     
     
         5 . The hybrid yarn of  claim 1  wherein the fiber with a cross section that is at least partially voided comprises between about 15% and about 85% of the total number of fibers of the hybrid yarn. 
     
     
         6 . The hybrid yarn of  claim 1  wherein the number of fibers of each of the three different fiber shapes is the same. 
     
     
         7 . A spinneret comprising a plurality of portals through which a liquid material may pass to form a plurality of fibers corresponding to the number of portals of the spinneret, wherein the plurality of portals includes at least three different portal shapes, wherein three of the different portal shapes are:
 one that is configured to produce a fiber cross section that is at least partially voided,   one that is a Y-shaped, and   one that is W-shaped,   wherein the Y-shaped portals include three tips and the W-shaped portals include five tips, wherein each of the tips of the Y-shaped portals and the W-shaped portals is rounded.   
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A method of making a hybrid yarn comprising the steps of:
 heating a polymeric material sufficiently so that the polymeric material is of a liquid form;   directing the polymeric material in liquid form to a surface of a spinneret so that strands of the liquid polymeric material passes through the spinneret, wherein   the spinneret includes a plurality of portals, wherein the plurality of portals includes three different portal shapes, wherein the three different portal shapes are:
 one that has an annular shape configured to produce a fiber cross section that is at least partially voided, 
 one that is a Y-shaped portal, and 
 one that is a W-shaped portal, 
 wherein the Y-shaped portals include three tips and the W-shaped portals include five tips, wherein each of the tips of the Y-shaped portals and the W-shaped portals is rounded; 
   directing a cooling medium at the strands of the liquid polymeric material passing through the plurality of portals of the spinneret to solidify the liquid material into a plurality of fibers of the polymeric material that are spaced from one another, wherein   the plurality of fibers are of three different fiber shapes, wherein the three different fiber shapes are:
 one that has a cross section that is at least partially voided, 
 one that is a Y-shaped, and 
 one that is W-shaped, 
 wherein the Y-shaped fibers include three tips and the W-shaped fibers include five tips, wherein each of the tips of the Y-shaped fibers and the W-shaped fibers is rounded; and 
   texturing the plurality of fibers together to form the hybrid yarn with a homogenous and intimate combination of the plurality of fibers.   
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the polymeric material is polyester. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising the step of twisting the plurality of fibers of polymeric material together to form the hybrid yarn after the step of texturing. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the step of combining the plurality of fibers of polymeric material with fibers of one or more other materials including manmade and natural materials.