Sharp color effect yarn

Abstract

Processes are provided for the manufacture of color effect face yarns for use in tufted goods. These color effect yarns may exhibit unique color effects and contain a lower overall denier, thereby allowing the production of tufted goods with a greater than normal tuft density per unit area. Consequently, this can result in finer color effects and/or sharper definition of color effects in the tufted goods and expands the design possibilities for such products.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process for manufacturing a face yarn for tufted products, said process comprising:
 (a) drawing a plurality of initial singles yarns to thereby form a plurality of drawn singles yarns, wherein said initial singles yarns comprise continuous filament yarns that are undrawn, wherein said initial singles yarns comprise two or more singles yarns exhibiting different colors, wherein each of said drawn singles yarns has a denier of 100 to 320;   (b) stuffer box crimping said drawn singles yarns to thereby form a plurality of drawn and crimped singles yarns;   (c) converging said drawn and crimped singles yarns to thereby form a yarn bundle comprising bundled single yarns; and   (d) entangling said yarn bundle to entangle said bundled singles yarns and thereby form said face yarn.   
     
     
         2 . The process according to  claim 1 , further comprising twisting, false-twisting, and/or wrapping of said face yarn subsequent to said entangling of step (d). 
     
     
         3 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein said face yarn comprises in the range of 2 to 8 singles yarns. 
     
     
         4 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein said face yarn comprises a total denier of 200 to 3600. 
     
     
         5 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein said initial singles yarns are formed from a polyamide, a polyester, a polyolefin, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein said initial singles yarns are formed from at least one polyamide. 
     
     
         7 . A tufted goods face yarn manufactured according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         8 . A tufted good comprising said face yarn manufactured according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         9 . A process for manufacturing a face yarn for tufted products, said process comprising:
 (a) drawing a plurality of initial singles yarns to thereby form a plurality of drawn singles yarns, wherein said initial singles yarns comprise continuous filament yarns that are undrawn, wherein said initial singles yarns comprise two or more singles yarns exhibiting different colors, wherein each of said drawn singles yarns has a denier of 100 to 320;   (b) stuffer box crimping said drawn singles yarns to thereby form a plurality of drawn and crimped singles yarns;   (c) entangling said drawn and crimped singles yarns to thereby form a plurality of entangled singles yarns;   (d) converging said entangled singles yarns to thereby form a yarn bundle comprising bundled single yarns; and   (e) entangling said yarn bundle to entangle said bundled singles yarns and thereby form said face yarn.   
     
     
         10 . The process according to  claim 9 , further comprising twisting, false-twisting, and/or wrapping of said face yarn subsequent to said entangling of step (e). 
     
     
         11 . The process according to  claim 9 , wherein said face yarn comprises in the range of 2 to 8 singles yarns. 
     
     
         12 . The process according to  claim 9 , wherein said initial singles yarns are formed from at least one polyamide. 
     
     
         13 . A tufted goods face yarn manufactured according to  claim 9 . 
     
     
         14 . A tufted good comprising said face yarn manufactured according to  claim 9 . 
     
     
         15 . A process for manufacturing a face yarn for tufted products, said process comprising:
 (a) drawing a plurality of initial singles yarns to thereby form a plurality of drawn singles yarns, wherein said initial singles yarns comprise continuous filament yarns that are undrawn, wherein said initial singles yarns comprise two or more singles yarns exhibiting different colors, wherein each of said drawn singles yarns has a denier of 200 to 320;   (b) crimping said drawn singles yarns to thereby form a plurality of drawn and crimped singles yarns;   (c) converging said drawn and crimped singles yarns to thereby form a yarn bundle comprising bundled single yarns; and   (d) entangling said yarn bundle to entangle said bundled singles yarns and thereby form said face yarn, wherein said face yarn comprises in the range of 2 to 8 singles yarns.   
     
     
         16 . The process according to  claim 15 , wherein each of said initial singles yarns comprises 10 to 20 filaments, wherein said face yarn comprises a total denier of 200 to 3600. 
     
     
         17 . The process according to  claim 16 , wherein said drawing of step (a) draws said initial singles yarn at a draw ratio in the range of 2.5 to 5.0. 
     
     
         18 . The process according to  claim 17 , wherein said initial singles yarns are formed from at least one polyamide. 
     
     
         19 . A tufted goods face yarn manufactured according to  claim 17 . 
     
     
         20 . A tufted good comprising said face yarn manufactured according to  claim 17 .