Process of manufacturing collagen fiber-like synthetic superfine filament bundles

Claim 2

A process of manufacturing a collagen fiber-like bundle composed of synthetic superfine porous filaments and having a denier of 0.01 to 1.5 comprising,

Claim 3

providing an island-in-a-sea type composite filament in which a) a plurality of independent superfine filamentary island constituents continuously extend along the length of said composite filament, and (b) a sea constituent incorporates said island constituents, wherein said island constituents (a) comprise a blended synthetic organic polymer composition consisting of (i) 7 to 93 percent by weight of said island component of a first synthetic organic fiber-forming polymer selected from the group consisting of polyamides, polyesters, and polyolefins for forming a matrix component and (ii) 7 to 93 percent by weight of said island constituent of a second synthetic organic polymer selected from the group consisting of polyesters, polystyrene, polymethyl methacrylate and polyvinyl alcohol and mixtures thereof and having a different solvent solubility from said matrix component polymer, said second polymer forming numerous micro-fiber components dispersed at random in said matrix component; and said sea constituent (b) being a synthetic organic polymer selected from the group of polystyrene, polymethyl methacrylate, polythers, and polyvinyl alcohol and being different in solvent solubility from any one of said matrix and micro-fiber component polymers;

Claim 4

providing an island-in-a-sea type composite filament in which a) a plurality of independent superfine filamentary island constituents continuously extend along the length of said composite filament, and (b) a sea constituent incorporates said island constituents, wherein said island constituents (a) comprise a blended synthetic organic polymer composition consisting of (i) 7 to 93 percent by weight of said island component of a first synthetic organic fiber-forming polymer selected from the group consisting of polyamides, polyesters, and polyolefins for forming a matrix component and (ii) 7 to 93 percent by weight of said island constituent of a second synthetic organic polymer selected from the group consisting of polyesters, polystyrene, polymethyl methacrylate and polyvinyl alcohol and mixtures thereof and having a different solvent solubility from said matrix component polymer, said second polymer forming numerous micro-fiber components dispersed at random in said matrix component; and said sea constituent (b) being a synthetic organic polymer selected from the group of polystyrene, polymethyl methacrylate, polythers, and polyvinyl alcohol and being different in solvent solubility from any one of said matrix and micro-fiber component polymers;

Claim 5

selectively first removing by a specific solvent therefore said sea constituent (b) from said island-in-the-seat composite filament and leaving a bundle of island constituent (a) superfine filaments; and

Claim 6

selectively first removing by a specific solvent therefore said sea constituent (b) from said island-in-the-seat composite filament and leaving a bundle of island constituent (a) superfine filaments; and

Claim 7

A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sea constituent polymer (b) is the same as said dispersed microfiber component polymer (ii), and both said sea constituent and dispersed microfiber components are selectively removed by a specific solvent for said same polymer from said islands-in-the-sea type composite filament at the same time.

Claim 8

selectively secondly removing by a specific solvent therefore either said matrix component (i) or at least one of said dispersed micro-fiber components (ii) from said island constituent superfine filaments, whereby said island constituent superfine filaments are converted into a collagen fiber-like bundle of superfine filaments with microfiber-shaped linear pore extending along said length of said superfine filament.

Claim 9

selectively secondly removing by a specific solvent therefore either said matrix component (i) or at least one of said dispersed micro-fiber components (ii) from said island constituent superfine filaments, whereby said island constituent superfine filaments are converted into a collagen fiber-like bundle of superfine filaments with microfiber-shaped linear pore extending along said length of said superfine filament.

Claim 10

A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one component polymer contained in said island constituent is an adhesive synthetic organic polymer selected from the group of polyurethanes, polyamides, and polyesters effective for adhering said resultant collagen fiber-like superfine filaments with each other and is present in an amount of 7-85 percent by weight of said island constituent.

Claim 11

A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first removal of fibers is carried out by dissolving said sea constituent polymer with a solvent for said sea constituent polymer.

Claim 12

A process as claimed in claim 3, wherein said second removal of said adhesive polymer is carried out incompletely so that a portion of said adhesive polymer remains in order to partially adhere said resultant collagen fiber-like superfine filaments to each other by said residual adhesive polymer.

Claim 13

A process as claimed in claim 5, wherein said adhesive polymer is activated by being dissolved in an organic solvent for said adhesive polymer.

Claim 14

A process as claimed in claim 5, wherein said adhesive polymer is activated by being swollen with an organic swelling agent for said adhesive polymer.

Claim 15

A process as claimed in claim 5, wherein said adhesive polymer is activated by being heated to a proper tempeRature for said adhesive polymer.

Claim 16

A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said matrix component and said dispersed microfiber component have contents of 7 to approximately 35 percent and approximately 65 to 93 percent based on the weight of said island constituent, respectively.