SPINNERET COMPRISING TRI-ARC HOLES AND TRI-ARC FILAMENTS PRODUCED THEREFROM

• US 20140299143A1
• Filed: 06/20/2014
• Published: 10/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Acetate International LLC (Celanese Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Celanese Acetate LLC (Celanese Corporation)
• Inventors: Bundren, Christopher M., Kizer, Lawton E., Fallon, Denis G., Xue, Lixin
• Application Number:
  US14/310,709
• Publication Number:
  US 20140299143A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 131/332
• CPC Class Codes: A24D 3/04 Tobacco smoke filters characterised by their shape or structure
• CPC Class Codes: A24D 3/064 having non-circular cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: A24D 3/10 of cellulose or cellulose derivatives
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/05 Filamentary, e.g. strands
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/12 Articles with an irregular circumference when viewed in cross-section, e.g. window profiles
• CPC Class Codes: D01D 5/253 with a non-circular cross section; Spinnerette packs therefor D01D5/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 2/28 from organic cellulose esters or ethers, e.g. cellulose acetate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2973 Particular cross section

Abstract

A spinneret having tri-arc holes may be used to produce tri-arc filaments. In some instances, tri-arc holes have a Y-shape with three prongs and each prong having an arc at the end of the prong that tapers from the end of the arc to a connection point of an adjacent arc, and tri-arc filaments have a generally-Y shape cross-section with bulbous or arcing tips. Further, tri-arc filaments may be useful in a plurality of applications including, but not limited to, filters, filters comprising particulate additives, and smoking device filters.

Claims

1. A filament comprising:

a polymer; and

having a tri-arc cross-section having a generally Y-shape cross-section having bulbous or arcing tips.

2. The filament of claim 1, wherein the filament is a dope spun filament.

3. The filament of claim 1, wherein the polymer is cellulose acetate or a derivative thereof.

4. The filament of claim 1, wherein the polymer comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of cellulose acetate, cellulose diacetate, cellulose triacetate, cellulose propionate, cellulose butyrate, cellulose acetate-propionate, cellulose acetate-butyrate, cellulose propionate-butyrate, starch acetate, acrylonitrile, vinyl chloride, vinyl ester, vinyl ether, any derivative thereof, any copolymer thereof, and any combination thereof.

5. The filament of claim 1, wherein the filament has a denier per filament of about 1 dpf to about 30 dpf.

6. The filament of claim 1, wherein the filament has a denier per filament of about 10 dpf to about 30 dpf.

7. The filament of claim 1, wherein the filament has a ratio of arc distance to inter-arc distance of about 0.2 to about 3.

8. The filament of claim 1, wherein the filament has a ratio of inter-arc distance to radius of about 0.5 to about 1.5.

9. The filament of claim 1, wherein the filament has an inter-arc angle of about 45°

to about 150°

.

10. A tow band comprising the filament of claim 1.

11. A filter comprising the filament of claim 1.

12. A smoking device comprising the filament of claim 1.

13. A filament comprising:

a polymer comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of cellulose acetate, cellulose diacetate, cellulose triacetate, cellulose propionate, cellulose butyrate, cellulose acetate-propionate, cellulose acetate-butyrate, cellulose propionate-butyrate, starch acetate, acrylonitrile, vinyl chloride, vinyl ester, vinyl ether, any derivative thereof, any copolymer thereof, and any combination thereof; and

having a multi-lobal cross-section with each lobe having bulbous or arcing tips.

14. The filament of claim 13, wherein the filament has a denier per filament of about 1 dpf to about 30 dpf.

15. The filament of claim 13, wherein the filament has a denier per filament of about 10 dpf to about 30 dpf.

16. The filament of claim 13, wherein the filament is a dope spun filament.

17. The filament of claim 13, wherein the filament has a ratio of arc distance to inter-arc distance of about 0.2 to about 3.

18. The filament of claim 13, wherein the filament has a ratio of inter-arc distance to radius of about 0.5 to about 1.5.

19. The filament of claim 13, wherein the filament has an inter-arc angle of about 45°

to about 150°

.

20. A filament comprising:

cellulose diacetate;

having a denier per filament of about 1 dpf to about 30 dpf; and

having a tri-arc cross-section having a generally Y-shape cross-section having bulbous or arcing tips.