Conductive composite filaments

Claim 1

A unitary, elongated, electrically conductive, composite, melt-spun filament which in transverse cross-section consists of from 2 to 8 electrically conductive segments whose inner ends are integral with each other at a common center located in the central interior portion of the filament and which radiate outwardly from said center and extend to the perimeter of the filament with the outer ends of said electrically conductive segments being exposed on the outer surface of said filament, the spaces between said electrically conductive segments outwardly from said center being filled with electrically non-conductive segments whereby said electrically conductive segments are isolated from each other except at said center and only the outer ends of said electrically conductive segments are exposed, said electrically conductive segments having an electrical resistance of less than 1×10 13 Ω/cm and consisting essentially of synthetic thermoplastic fiberforming polymer containing uniformly dispersed therein from 3 to 40% by weight of electrically conductive carbon black, said electrically non-conductive segments consisting essentially of synthetic thermoplastic fiber-forming polymer, said electrically non-conductive segments being continuously bonded to said electrically conductive segments along the entire length of said filament, the sum of the cross-sectional areas of said electrically conductive segments being less than 50% of the total cross-sectional area of said filament and the sum of the exposed areas of said electrically conductive segments on the surface of said filament being less than 30% of the total surface area of said filament and wherein said electrically conductive segments and said electrically non-conductive segments are made of the same synthetic thermoplastic fiber-forming polymer.