Multi-component fibers having enhanced reversible thermal properties and methods of manufacturing thereof

• US 7,241,497 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2004
• Issued: 07/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Outlast Technologies GmbH
• Original Assignee: Outlast Technologies, Incorporated
• Inventors: Haggard, Jeffrey S., Hartmann, Mark H., Magill, Monte C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Salvatore; Lynda
• Application Number:
  US11/022,561
• Publication Number:
  US 20050164585A1
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 428/373, 428/398, 428/402.21, 428/402.22, 428/402.2, 442/361
• US Class Current: 428/373
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 1/10 Other agents for modifying properties
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 8/04 from synthetic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/43828 sheath-core
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/4383 sea-island
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/43832 side-by-side
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/43838 Ultrafine fibres, e.g. microfibres
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/43912 fibres with noncircular cross-sections
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/43918 nonlinear fibres, e.g. crimped or coiled fibres
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 3/16 with bonds between thermoplastic filaments produced in association with filament formation, e.g. immediately following extrusion
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 20/02 using latent heat
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 20/023 the latent heat storage material being enclosed in granular particles or dispersed in a porous, fibrous or cellular structure
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0366 reinforced, e.g. by fibres, fabrics H05K1/036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/14 Thermal energy storage
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249938 Composite or conjugate fiber [e.g., fiber contains more than one chemically different material in monofilament or multifilament form, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2913 Rod, strand, filament or fiber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2915 including textile, cloth or fabric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2929 Bicomponent, conjugate, composite or collateral fibers or filaments [i.e., coextruded sheath-core or side-by-side type]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2931 Fibers or filaments nonconcentric [e.g., side-by-side or eccentric, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2933 Coated or with bond, impregnation or core
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2975 Tubular or cellular
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2984 : Microcapsule with fluid core [includes liposome]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2985 : Solid-walled microcapsule from synthetic polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2987 : Addition polymer from unsaturated monomers only
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/637 : Including strand or fiber material which is a monofilament composed of two or more polymeric materials in physically distinct relationship [e.g., sheath-core, side-by-side, islands-in-sea, fibrils-in-matrix, etc.] or composed of physical blend of chemically different polymeric materials or a physical blend of a polymeric material and a filler material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/638 : Side-by-side multicomponent strand or fiber material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/64 : Islands-in-sea multicomponent strand or fiber material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/641 : Sheath-core multicomponent strand or fiber material

Abstract

The invention relates to a multi-component fiber having enhanced reversible thermal properties and methods of manufacturing thereof. The multi-component fiber comprises a fiber body formed from a plurality of elongated members, at least one of the elongated members comprising a temperature regulating material dispersed therein. The temperature regulating material comprises a phase change material. The multi-component fiber may be formed via a melt spinning process or a solution spinning process and may be used or incorporated in various products where a thermal regulating property is desired. For example, the multi-component fiber may be used in textiles, apparel, footwear, medical products, containers and packagings, buildings, appliances, and other products.

Claims

1. A fabric comprising a plurality of fibers blended together, wherein at least one fiber exhibits enhanced reversible thermal properties and comprises:

at least one inner member comprising a blend of a first polymeric material and a non-encapsulated phase change material, wherein the inner member extends through substantially the length of the fiber, and wherein the first polymeric material has a partial affinity for the non-encapsulated phase change material, such that the non-encapsulated phase change material forms a plurality of domains dispersed within the first polymeric material; and

an outer member forming the exterior of the fiber and surrounding the inner member, wherein the outer member comprises a second polymeric material.

2. The fabric of claim 1, wherein the fabric comprises a plurality of fibers exhibiting enhanced reversible thermal properties, and wherein at least two fibers comprise different non-encapsulated phase change materials.

3. The fabric of claim 1, wherein the fiber comprises a plurality of inner members surrounded by the outer member.

4. The fabric of claim 3, wherein at least two of the inner members comprise different non-encapsulated phase change materials.

5. The fabric of claim 1, wherein the plurality of fibers are blended together by a woven process or a non-woven process.

6. The fabric of claim 1, wherein the plurality of fibers are blended together by a spunbond process.

14. The fabric of claim 1, wherein the non-encapsulated phase change material has a transition temperature in the range of 22°

C. to 40°

C.

15. The fabric of claim 1, wherein the non-encapsulated phase change material is selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbons.

16. The fabric of claim 15, wherein the first polymeric material comprises polyethylene-co-vinyl acetate having between 5 percent and 90 percent by weight of vinyl acetate.

17. The fabric of claim 16, wherein the polyethylene-co-vinyl acetate has between 5 percent and 50 percent by weight of vinyl acetate.

18. The fabric of claim 16, wherein the polyethylene-co-vinyl acetate has between 18 percent and 25 percent by weight of vinyl acetate.

19. The fabric of claim 1, wherein the second polymeric material comprises a polyester.

20. The fabric of claim 19, wherein the polyester has a number average molecular weight of at least 20,000.

7. A fabric comprising a plurality of fibers blended together, wherein at least one fiber exhibits enhanced reversible thermal properties and comprises:

a fiber body formed from a plurality of elongated members, at least one of the elongated members comprising a temperature regulating material dispersed therein, wherein the temperature regulating material comprises a phase change material and a plurality of microcapsules that contain the phase change material, and the phase change material is selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbons.

8. The fabric of claim 7, wherein the at least one of the elongated members is an inner member extending through at least a portion of the fiber body.

9. The fabric of claim 7, wherein the elongated members are arranged in an island-in-sea configuration, a segmented-pie configuration, a core-sheath configuration, a side-by-side configuration, or a striped configuration.

10. The fabric of claim 7, wherein a cross sectional shape of the fiber body is circular, multi-lobal, octagonal, oval, pentagonal, rectangular, square-shaped, trapezoidal, or triangular.

11. The fabric of claim 7, wherein the fiber body is between 0.1 and 1000 denier.

12. The fabric of claim 7, further comprising an additive dispersed within at least one of the elongated members, wherein the additive is selected from the group consisting of water, surfactants, dispersants, anti-foam agents, antioxidants, thermal stabilizers, light stabilizers, UV stabilizers, microwave absorbing additives, reinforcing fibers, conductive fibers, conductive particles, lubricants, process aids, fire retardants, anti-blocking additives, anti-fogging additives, anti-static additives, anti-microbials, crosslinkers, controlled degradation agents, colorants, pigments, dyes, fluorescent whitening agents, optical brighteners, fillers, coupling agents, reinforcement agents, crystallization agents, nucleation agents, and mixtures thereof.

13. The fabric of claim 7, wherein the plurality of fibers are blended together by a woven process, a non-woven process, or a knitted process.