Method for making extruded, oriented fiber

• US 6,613,254 B1
• Filed: 10/13/2000
• Issued: 09/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Shiffer, Irwin J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tentoni, Leo B.
• Application Number:
  US09/687,873
• Time in Patent Office: 1,054 Days
• Field of Search: 264/40.1, 264/40.3, 264/40.6, 264/40.7, 264/129, 264/210.8, 264/211.12, 264/211.14, 264/342.RE, 731/60, 700/122
• US Class Current: 264/40.1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/92019 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/92028 Force; Tension
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/92085 Velocity
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/92095 Angular velocity
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/92123 Diameter or circumference
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/92209 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/9238 Feeding, melting, plasticising or pumping zones, e.g. the melt itself
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/9239 Screw or gear
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/924 Barrel or housing
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/92409 Die; Nozzle zone
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/92466 Auxiliary unit, e.g. for external melt filtering, re-combining or transfer between units
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/0018 combined with shaping by orienting, stretching or shrinking, e.g. film blowing B29C48/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/05 Filamentary, e.g. strands
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/92 Measuring, controlling or regulating
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/12 PP, i.e. polypropylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/005 Oriented
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/731 Filamentary material, i.e. comprised of a single element, e.g. filaments, strands, threads, fibres cables B29L2031/707
• CPC Class Codes: D01D 5/08 Melt spinning methods D01D5/0023 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention includes processes for making fibers, which processes include an extrusion step wherein molten polymers are extruded through an extrusion die, thereby forming at least one extruded filament; and an orientation step, wherein the filament is drawn to align the molecules of the filament, and wherein multivariate data analysis techniques are used to analyze data regarding various process variables and, optionally, process variables are adjusted in response to the multivariate data analysis.

Claims

1. A process for making filaments, comprising:

an extrusion step wherein molten polymers are extruded through an extrusion die, thereby forming at least one extruded filament; and

an orientation step, wherein the filament is drawn to align the molecules of the filament;

wherein multiple process variables of the extrusion step are monitored and data collected with respect thereto, the collected data is analyzed using a projections to latent structures technique and, optionally, process variables are adjusted in response to the analysis.

2. The process of claim 1 further comprising a quenching step after the extrusion step and prior to the orientation step, wherein process variables of the orientation step and the quenching step are monitored and data collected from the extrusion, orientation and quenching steps is analyzed using the projections to latent structures technique.

3. The process of claim 1 further comprising a step selected from the group consisting of quenching step, relaxation step, annealing step, coating step and winding step.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein the process is one to manufacture surgical sutures and the product variables are selected from the group consisting of diameter, roundness, tensile strength, elongation and knot strength of the extruded and/or oriented filament and the process variables are selected from the group consisting of extruder feed temperature, extruder transition temperature, extruder meter temperature, extruder die adapter temperature, extruder die cavity temperature, extruder melt temperature, extruder inlet water temperature, extruder outlet water temperature, extruder barrel pressure, extruder filter pressure, extruder pack pressure, extruder screw speed, extruder pump speed, quench tank temperature, take away godet speed, godet roller speeds, godet roller temperatures, oven temperatures and godet draw ratios.