Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Coated or structually defined flake – particle – cell – strand,... – Rod – strand – filament or fiber
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-17
2001-11-13
Edwards, N. (Department: 1774)
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Coated or structually defined flake, particle, cell, strand,...
Rod, strand, filament or fiber
C428S322700, C428S393000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06316102
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to rayon fibers, and more particularly to rayon fibers with ion-generating characteristics and a method for manufacturing such fibers.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ceramics that radiate far infrared rays, when adhered to clothing, are known to promote blood flow. However, due to the relatively low temperatures of the human body (40° C. or lower), it is difficult for a person's body heat to bring the ceramics to a temperature that is high enough to radiate high levels of far infrared rays. As a result, the effect on the body is minimal. In addition, there were no rayon fibers with antibiotic, deodorant, and far infrared radiation characteristics until a few years ago. Prior to then, washing and dry cleaning often did not remove dirt, smells, and germs from clothing made from mixes of rayon fiber, cotton, and/or synthetic fibers, in particular underwear, sheets, futon covers used at hospitals and other medical facilities, and kitchen utensils. Thus, such materials were non-hygenic. Also, since they did not radiate far infrared rays, they could not raise the temperature of the skin surface and did not promote blood circulation.
Various solutions to these problems have been proposed. One example, disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication Heisei 2-169764 Official Bulletin, is a rayon fiber that has electrotreated fibers with 3-4% tourmaline by weight adhered or impregnated thereon, the tourmaline particles having a diameter of 2 &mgr;m or less. Another example, disclosed in Patent Publication Heisei 4-327207 Official Bulletin, is a rayon fiber impregnated with or having adhered thereon ultra fine tourmaline particles as a ceramic. In this process, the tourmaline particles are mixed with alkali cellulose, carbon disulfide, and caustic soda. The mixture is vacuum kneaded, ripened, and then spun into rayon fibers. Tourmaline is believed to provide a stable electrical charge effect that electrically stimulates the electropotential of the skin surface. The tourmaline radiates stimulating far infrared rays to the skin surface and, through a multiplying effect, improves the body's metabolism and blood circulation.
Also, Patent Publications Heisei 3-215266 Official Bulletin and Heisei
5-98506
Official Bulletin teach public compound ceramics with deodorant and antibiotic characteristics. These ceramics comprise fine magnesia particles used as the base and one of alumina, silica, zinc oxide, titanium, zeolite, serpentine, hornblende, oyastone, or the like mixed in as the additive. These references also teach methods of manufacturing these compound ceramics as well as fibers containing these ceramics.
Rayon fiber is commonly manufactured from cellulose, an inert carbohydrate found in cell walls of plants, wood, cotton, and other materials. In one method, purified cellulose is treated with caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) to form alkali cellulose. After the alkali cellulose has aged, carbon disulfide is added to form cellulose xanthate, which is dissolved in sodium hydroxide. This viscous solution, known as viscose, is forced through spinnerettes, thimble-like devices with tiny holes through which the viscose is pumped to form the rayon fibers. Emerging from the holes, jets of viscose enter a coagulating bath of acids and salts, in which they are reconverted to cellulose and coagulated to form a solid filament. The filament may be manipulated and modified during the manufacturing process to control luster, strength, elongation, filament size, and cross section.
Processes for manufacturing clothing with ceramics having ion-generating characteristics typically involve both dry and wet pulverization of ceramics to create a powder. This dispersion of ceramics (e.g., tourmaline powder) in water is added to alkaline cellulose in a kneader together with carbon disulfide and caustic soda, forming viscose. The viscose, containing the ceramics, is then spun to form rayon fiber.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One problem with prior art processes for using tourmaline in fabric is that they do not produce good quality viscose. When the dispersion of ceramics in water is added to alkaline cellulose in the kneader, together with carbon disulfide and caustic soda, the alkaline cellulose typically already has the minimum necessary water. Thus, if the water portion of the dispersed solution is added, excess water is retained on the surface of the alkaline cellulose. As a result, the surface of the alkaline cellulose is covered with a film of water molecules, impeding its reaction with the carbon disulfide and making it very difficult to obtain high quality viscose.
Another problem with prior art methods of manufacturing clothing with ceramics is that it is extremely difficult to clean the manufacturing equipment after use. Typically, the ceramics dispersion is processed in stages, such as ripening, filtering, and foam removal. During such multi-stage processing the ceramics solution flows through and adheres to a series of pipes and tanks. When the manufacturing process is complete, it is very difficult to clean the interior of these pipes and tanks.
With particular regard to the use of fine magnesia particles as the substrate, the manufacturing process is too complicated and is not yet practically applicable.
Accordingly, it is a principle object and advantage of the present invention to overcome these problems and to provide improved methods for manufacturing good quality rayon fiber with fine ceramic particles.
In one aspect, the present invention provides rayon fiber comprising cellulose and ceramic content. The ceramic content is formed of a powder comprising 10-40% tourmaline by weight, 10-40% serpentine by weight, and 40-80% silica by weight. In one embodiment, the powder has an average particle diameter of less than 0.5 &mgr;m. In another embodiment, the weight of ceramics in the fiber is 5-15% of the weight of cellulose in the fiber. In yet another embodiment, the powder comprises 15-25% tourmaline by weight, 15-25% serpentine by weight, and 50-70% silica by weight.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing fibers with ion-generating characteristics, comprising forming viscose substantially without any ceramics; forming a dispersed aqueous ceramics solution; mixing the ceramics solution with the viscose to form viscose containing ceramics; and spinning the viscose containing ceramics into fibers.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing rayon fibers with ion-generating characteristics, comprising wet pulverizing ceramic powder to form a dispersed aqueous ceramics solution; adding the ceramics solution to cellulose pulp; adding caustic soda and carbon disulfide to the cellulose pulp, to form viscose containing ceramics; and spinning the viscose containing ceramics into fibers. In this method, the ceramic powder comprises 10-40% by weight tourmaline, 10-40% by weight serpentine, and 40-80% by weight silica.
For purposes of summarizing the invention and the advantages achieved over the prior art, certain objects and advantages of the invention have been described above and as further described below. Of course, it is to be understood that not necessarily all such objects or advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other objects or advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.
All of these embodiments are intended to be within the scope of the invention herein disclosed. These and other embodiments of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments having reference to the attached figures, the invention not being limited to any particular preferred embodiment(
Edwards N.
Jewel Power Co., LTD
Knobbe Martens & Olson Bear LLP.
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