Bleaching and dyeing; fluid treatment and chemical modification – Fluid treatment – Combined liquid and gas or vapor
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-22
2002-12-17
Stinson, Frankie L. (Department: 1746)
Bleaching and dyeing; fluid treatment and chemical modification
Fluid treatment
Combined liquid and gas or vapor
C008S151200, C068S01300A, C068S200000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06494922
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a process for space-dyeing fine denier yarns. In general, the process involves wrapping fine denier yarns with a wrapper yarn before space dyeing the composite bundle of yarns, and subsequently unwrapping the fine denier yarns for further processing as individual yarns. The invention also relates to an apparatus for wrapping of fine denier yarns for space dyeing and subsequently unwrapping the fine denier yarns for further processing, an intermediate yarn product formed of bundled fine denier yarns suitable for space-dyeing in a continuous process, and an end product, fine denier yarn which results from the process carried out on the intermediate yarn product.
Continuous dye lines are typically used for space-dyed carpet yarns. Carpets are typically tufted from yarns in the 1000-3000 denier range. However, there is a large potential market for space dyed fine denier yarns to be used in end uses such as automotive upholstery. Typically the denier range for this type of space-dyed yarns is 150 to 500 denier. Some automotive upholstery fabric is spaced-dyed using a proprietary needle injection dye process. Quality problems with this process are significant and typically result in dye spot length differences between the outside of the package and the inside, or core, of the package. This can cause significant pattern repeat defects in the finished fabric. Some fabric manufactures typically back-wind 1 package, and then parallel wind the back-wound yarn with another space dye yarn just to hide the pattern repeat defects. This can require that a significant percentage of the yarn be scrapped, since a good portion of the core yarn on each package is not dyed the same shade as the rest of the package.
Five hundred denier continuous filament polyester can be space-dyed in a continuous process. However, this fine denier yarn is very fragile and can cause problems in subsequent processing, for example, trying to separate the yarn ends from the coil and get them onto a yarn package at the winder. Of course, the problem would be even greater with yarns as fine as 150 denier.
Productivity issues are also present. Applicant's applicator, dye line and winder are set up to run at a maximum speed of 500 YPM with 48 running yarn ends. With these speeds, running 150 denier yarn would not be economically practical because of lack of productivity.
Consideration has been given to many ways to get a sufficient number of ends through the dye line so that productivity would rise to the level of commercial practicability. For example, consideration has been given to the concept of dyeing the yarn, but not coiling so that it could be wound without having to separate the yarn from the coiled form. However, if the yarn isn't coiled or compacted in some manner there is no way to obtain adequate time for steam fixation washing, drying, and so forth.
Yarn wrapping per se is a conventional process. However, known prior art uses of this process involve wrapping a yarn to achieve a wrapped end product. To applicant's knowledge, the prior art does not disclose the formation of an intermediate yarn product which is processed, whereupon the intermediate yarn product is disassembled into its constituent, end use parts with the wrapper yarn being sacrificed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a process for space-dyeing fine denier yarns in a series of steps.
It is another object of the invention to provide a process for space-dyeing fine denier yarns in a continuous process.
It is another object of the invention to provide a process for space-dyeing fine denier yarns while bundled together to form a yarn of sufficient size and strength to withstand the space-dyeing processing conditions.
It is another object of the invention to provide a process for space-dyeing fine denier yarns wherein a sacrificial wrapper yarn is used to form a yarn bundle of sufficient size to be dyed in a efficient and productive manner.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved in the preferred embodiments disclosed below by providing a method for space-dyeing yarns, comprising the steps of wrapping a plurality of feed yarns with a sacrificial wrapper yarn to form a composite yarn bundle, space-dyeing the composite yarn bundle, removing the wrapper yarn from around the feed yarns, separating the feed yarns into individual yarns for further processing.
According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the method includes the step of winding the composite yarn bundle onto a yarn package after the space-dyeing step.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the step of removing the wrapper yarn from around the feed yarns comprises the step of unwrapping the wrapper yarn from around the feed yarns.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the step of removing the wrapper yarn from around the feed yarns comprises the step of cutting the wrapper yarn away from the feed yarns.
A further embodiment of the method according to the invention comprises the steps of spreading the composite yarn bundle to expose the wrapper yarn in advance of the feed yarns to a blade and cutting the wrapper yarn away from the feed yarns at a point in advance of the feed yarns.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the method includes the step of aspirating the cut wrapper yarn to remove it from the feed yarns.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the method includes the step of winding the separated feed yarns onto individual yarn packages.
According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the process steps are carried out in a continuous process on a single apparatus having a series of process stations.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the process steps are carried out in a series of discrete steps on separate machines.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the steps of coiling, steaming and dyeing the composite yarn bundle take place after space-dyeing and before separating the wrapper yarn from the feed yarns.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, each of the plurality of feed yarns comprises a synthetic yarn having a denier of 500 or less.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, each of the plurality of feed yarns comprises a synthetic yarn having a denier of 150 or less.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the step of wrapping a plurality of feed yarns with a sacrificial wrapper yarn comprises the step of wrapping the feed yarns with between 2 and 10 wraps of the wrapper yarn per inch.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the wrapper yarn comprises a yarn having a denier of between 20 and 150 denier.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the step of space-dyeing the composite yarn bundle comprises the step of passing the composite yarn bundle through a plurality of yarn-dyeing stations, each of said yarn dyeing stations including a rotatable pattern member permitting a dye to be applied to the yarn in seriatim only when disposed in a selected angular disposition relative to said yarn bundle, each pattern member being associated with a different color dye, the speed of each member controlling the angle through which each of the members rotates during repetitive time periods so that the disposition required to permit dyeing of yarn by each color may be obtained at selected times.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the method includes the step of coordinating the location along the yarn bundle at which each member permits dye to be applied, whereby each different color dye may be applied along different amounts of the yarn bundle and at selected locations.
According to yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, the step of space-dyeing the composite yarn bundle comprises the steps of feeding said y
Haselwander Jack G.
Rhyne Jeffrey T.
Adams, Schwartz & Evans P.A.
Belmont Textile Machinery Co. Inc.
Stinson Frankie L.
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