Electrically conductive elastic composite yarn, methods for making the same, and articles incorporating the same

• US 7,926,254 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2009
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adidas AG
• Original Assignee: Textronics Incorporated (Adidas AG)
• Inventors: Consoli, Omero, Karayianni, Eleni, Regenstein, Klaus J., Coulston, George W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Piziali; Andrew T
• Application Number:
  US12/365,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20090145533A1
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: 428/364, 428/373, 428/374, 428/369, 573/10, 573/15
• US Class Current: 57/310
• CPC Class Codes: D02G 3/328 containing elastane
• CPC Class Codes: D02G 3/441 Yarns or threads with antistatic, conductive or radiation-shielding properties electroconductive, anti-static or radiation-shielding filaments D01F1/09, D01F1/106; anti-static fabrics D03D15/533; conducting, insulating or anti-static layers for floor coverings D06N7/0042
• CPC Class Codes: D04B 1/18 elastic threads
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/16 antistatic; conductive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2922 Nonlinear [e.g., crimped, coiled, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2924 Composite
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2925 Helical or coiled
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2936 Wound or wrapped core or coating [i.e., spiral or helical]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/294 including metal or compound thereof [excluding glass, ceramic and asbestos]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3008 Woven fabric has an elastic quality
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3065 Including strand which is of specific structural definition
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/313 Strand material formed of individual filaments having different chemical compositions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3146 Strand material is 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 442/3976 Including strand which is stated to have specific attributes [e.g., heat or fire resistance, chemical or solvent resistance, high absorption for aqueous composition, water solubility, heat shrinkability, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/601 Nonwoven fabric has an elastic quality
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/602 Nonwoven fabric comprises an elastic strand or fiber material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/608 Including strand or fiber material which is of specific structural definition
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/655 Metal or metal-coated strand or fiber material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/696 Including strand or fiber material which is stated to have specific attributes [e.g., heat or fire resistance, chemical or solvent resistance, high absorption for aqueous compositions, water solubility, heat shrinkability, etc.]

Abstract

An electrically conductive elastic composite yarn comprises an elastic member that is surrounded by at least one conductive covering filament(s). The elastic member has a predetermined relaxed unit length L and a predetermined drafted length of (N×L), where N is a number preferably in the range from about 1.0 to about 8.0. The conductive covering filament has a length that is greater than the drafted length of the elastic member such that substantially all of an elongating stress imposed on the composite yarn is carried by the elastic member. The elastic composite yarn may further include an optional stress-bearing member surrounding the elastic member and the conductive covering filament. The length of the stress-bearing member is less than the length of the conductive covering filament and greater than, or equal to, the drafted length (N×L) of the elastic member, such that a portion of the elongating stress imposed on the composite yarn is carried by the stress-bearing member.

Claims

1. A method for forming an electrically conductive elastic composite yarn comprising:

an elastic member having a relaxed length (L);

at least one conductive covering filament surrounding the elastic member, and at least one inelastic synthetic polymer yarn surrounding the elastic member, wherein the conductive covering filament has a length, and the inelastic synthetic polymer yarn has a length that is shorter than the length of the conductive covering filament;

the method comprising the steps of;

drafting the elastic member to a drafted length N×

L where N is from about 1.2 to about 8.0;

twisting the conductive covering filament and the inelastic synthetic polymer yarn with the drafted elastic member; and

thereafter

allowing the elastic member to relax.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrically conductive elastic composite yarn further comprises a second conductive covering filament surrounding the elastic member,

the method further comprising the steps of:

twisting the second conductive covering filament with the drafted elastic member and the first conductive covering filament; and

thereafter

allowing the elastic member to relax.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrically conductive elastic composite yarn further comprises a second inelastic synthetic polymer yarn surrounding the elastic member,

the method further comprising the steps of:

twisting the second inelastic synthetic polymer yarn with the elastic member, the conductive covering filament and the first inelastic synthetic polymer yarn; and

thereafter

allowing the elastic member to relax.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the elastic member comprises a synthetic bicomponent multifilament textile yarn.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the inelastic synthetic polymer yarn is selected from the group consisting of continuous filament yarns, multifilament flat yarns, partially oriented yarns, textured yarns, and bicomponent yarns.