Fiberfill clusters and methods of manufacturing same

Abstract

The invention provides a discrete fiberfill cluster that is made up of a plurality of fibers that are randomly intermingled with one another. Within the plurality of fibers there are 25 to 3600 fibers having a denier of 0.2 to 12.0 and a length of 8 to 160 mm. The plurality of fibers are randomly and non-uniformly oriented with respect to one another. Within the discrete fiberfill cluster, there are: one or more relatively densely populated regions of fibers having a first degree of entanglement; and, proximate to at least one of the one or more relatively densely populated regions, one or more relatively less densely population regions of fibers having a second degree of entanglement that is less than the first degree of entanglement.

1 - 61 . (canceled) 
     
     
         62 . A method of making at least one discrete fiberfill cluster, the method comprising:
 obtaining a discrete bundle of a plurality of 25 to 3600 fibers having a denier of 0.2 to 12.0 and a length of 8 to 160 mm, the plurality of fibers being longitudinally arranged together; and   disrupting the longitudinal arrangement of at least some of the plurality of fibers of the bundle such that they extend irregularly three-dimensionally and intermingle to form a discrete fiberfill cluster,   wherein the disrupting of the longitudinal arrangement of at least some of the plurality of fibers of the bundle comprises positioning the bundle between engagement sides of at least a pair of disrupting members such that the disrupting sides contact the bundle, and translating at least one first disrupting member with respect to at least one second disrupting member along a pathway that extends both longitudinally along a longitudinal of the fibers of the bundle and laterally along a lateral direction oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.   
     
     
         63 . The method according to  claim 62 , wherein disrupting the longitudinal arrangement of at least some of the plurality of fibers of the bundle comprises disrupting the longitudinal arrangement of only some of the plurality of fibers of the bundle such that a bundle remnant portion of the plurality of fibers of the bundle remain longitudinally arranged together and are intermingled with the fibers that extend irregularly three-dimensionally. 
     
     
         64 . The method according to  claim 63 , wherein:
 the fibers that extend irregularly three-dimensionally form an outer region that extends outwardly from the bundle remnant portion; and   the bundle remnant portion comprises a higher density of fibers than the outer region.   
     
     
         65 . The method according to  claim 62 , wherein disrupting the longitudinal arrangement of at least some of the plurality of fibers of the bundle comprises disrupting the longitudinal arrangement of all of the plurality of fibers of the bundle such that none of the plurality of fibers remain longitudinally arranged together. 
     
     
         66 . The method according to  claim 65 , wherein disrupting the longitudinal arrangement of all of the plurality of fibers of the bundle forms at least one inner relatively densely populated three-dimensional region of fibers, and an outer relatively less densely population region of fibers extending three-dimensionally outwardly from the at least one inner relatively densely populated region. 
     
     
         67 . The method according to  claim 62 , wherein a distance between the disrupting sides remains substantially constant during the disrupting. 
     
     
         68 . The method according to  claim 62 , wherein:
 the at least one first disrupting member translates along an arcuate pathway for at least a first portion of time; and/or   the at least one first disrupting member translates along an elliptical pathway for at least a first portion of time; and/or   the at least one first disrupting member translates along a random orbital pattern for at least a first portion of time; and/or   at least one of the engagement sides comprises a substantially flat and smooth surface; and/or   at least one of the engagement sides comprises a substantially planar array of particles or projections.   
     
     
         69 . The method according to  claim 62 , wherein the disrupting of the longitudinal arrangement of at least some of the plurality of fibers of the bundle comprises subjecting the bundle to at least one stream of a gas and/or liquid. 
     
     
         70 . The method according to  claim 62 , wherein the discrete bundle is obtained from filament yarn, and is a bundle comprising a plurality of 25 to 3600 fibers having a denier of 0.2 to 12.0 and a length of 8 to 76 mm, the plurality of fibers being longitudinally arranged together, said fibers having a mingled nip portion wherein the plurality of fibers are entangled with each other; and wherein said disrupting the longitudinal arrangement disrupts the plurality of fibers adjacent to the mingled nip portion, thereby forming at least one outer region of fibers extending three-dimensionally outwardly from the mingled nip portion, wherein, following said disrupting, the plurality of fibers are randomly and non-uniformly oriented with respect to one another, and the mingled nip portion, which corresponds to a bundle remnant portion of the plurality of fibers, has a higher density of fibers than the at least one outer region. 
     
     
         71 . The method according to  claim 70 , wherein said disrupting the longitudinal arrangement comprises subjecting the bundle to:
 treatment in a fiber opening machine;   treatment in a garnet machine; or   air treatment.   
     
     
         72 . The method according to  claim 70 , wherein:
 the plurality of fibers forming the fiberfill cluster are from a segment of intermingled filament yarn, and the mingled nip portion of the cluster corresponds to a mingled nip portion of the intermingled filament yarn;   the plurality of fibers in the mingled nip portion extend non-linearly along their longitudinal length; and   no fibers within the cluster are bonded together.   
     
     
         73 . The method according to  claim 62 , further comprising, prior to the disrupting, bonding at least some of the plurality of fibers of the bundle together at at least one point along the longitudinal length of the bundle to form at least one bonding point. 
     
     
         74 . A fiberfill cluster formed by the method according to  claim 62 . 
     
     
         75 . A discrete fiberfill cluster comprising:
 a plurality of fibers that are intermingled with one another, the plurality of fibers comprising 25 to 3600 fibers having a denier of 0.2 to 12.0 and a length of 8 to 160 mm,   wherein the plurality of fibers form:
 a bundle remnant portion comprising some of the plurality of fibers being longitudinally arranged together; and 
 an outer region of fibers extending three-dimensionally outwardly from the bundle remnant portion comprising some of the plurality of fibers randomly and non-uniformly oriented with respect to one another, and 
 wherein the bundle remnant portion comprises a higher density of fibers than the outer region. 
   
     
     
         76 . The discrete fiberfill cluster according to  claim 75 , wherein:
 the bundle remnant portion comprises fewer fibers than the outer region (e.g., at least 25%, at least 50%, or at least 75% fewer fibers than the outer region); and/or   the plurality of fibers are from a segment of intermingled filament yarn, and the bundle remnant portion of the discrete fiberfill cluster corresponds to a mingled nip portion from the intermingled filament yarn; and/or   the bundle remnant portion is a portion of a segment of a filament yarn; and/or   less than about 50% (e.g., less than about 25%) of the plurality of fibers of the outer region are entangled together or with at least one fiber of the bundle remnant portion.   
     
     
         77 . The discrete fiberfill cluster according to  claim 75 , comprising at least one bonding point wherein at least some of the plurality of fibers are bonded together. 
     
     
         78 . The discrete fiberfill cluster according to  claim 75 , wherein the fiberfill cluster defines a length, a width and a thickness, and wherein:
 the length and width are greater than the thickness; and/or   the length is greater than the width; and/or   the length is within the range of about 0.5 to about 6.5 cm; and/or   the width is within the range of about 0.5 to about 6.5 cm; and/or   the fiberfill cluster defines a substantially ovoidal shape; and/or   the fiberfill cluster defines a substantially spherical shape.   
     
     
         79 . The discrete fiberfill cluster according to  claim 75 , wherein:
 the plurality of fibers have a denier of about 0.7 to about 1.7; and/or   the plurality of fibers of the bundle have a longitudinal length of about 20 to about 50 mm; and/or   the fiberfill cluster has a density of about 0.08 to 0.70 mg/cm 3  (e.g., about 0.10 to about 0.50 mg/cm 3 ); and/or   the plurality of fibers comprises about 50 to about 500 fibers.   
     
     
         80 . The discrete fiberfill cluster according to  claim 75 , wherein the plurality of fibers are fibers selected from polyamide, polyester, polypropylene, polylactic acid, poly(butyl acrylate), acrylic, acrylate, acetate, polyolefin, nylon, rayon, lyocell, aramid, spandex, viscose, and modal fibers, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         81 . Insulation or filling material, or an article, comprising a plurality of the discrete fiberfill clusters according to  claim 75 .