US5112684A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fillings and other aspects of fibers
Assignee: Invista North America LLC
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Filing: 1990-09-28
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Granted: 1992-05-12
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Expires: 2010-09-28
Abstract
Abstract Fiberballs for filling uses have been prepared from mechanically-crimped fibers having both a primary crimp and a secondary crimp with specific configurations, especially amplitudes and frequencies. The fiberballs may contain a proportion of other fibers, particularly binder fibers.
Inventors
- 👤 Walter B. Halm
- 👤 William J. Jones, Jr.
- 👤 James F. Kirkbride
- 👤 Ilan Marcus
- 👤 Adrian C. Snyder
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 17:52
CPC Classifications
D; D04; D04H; D04H1/00; D04H1/02; A; A47; A47G; A47G9/00; B; B68; B68G; B68G1/00; D04H1/40; D04H1/42; D04H1/4326; D04H1/435; D04H1/4391; D04H1/43918; D04H1/54; D06; D06M; D06M15/00; D06M15/19; D06M15/37; D06M15/507; B68G2001/005; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/29; Y10T428/2904; Y10T428/2907; Y10T428/2909; Y10T428/2913; Y10T428/2922; Y10T428/2924; Y10T428/2929; Y10T428/2931; Y10T428/2933; Y10T428/2962; Y10T428/2964; Y10T428/2967; Y10T428/2969; Y10T428/2982; Y10T428/31504; Y10T428/31652; Y10T428/31663
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
105 words
Fiberballs having a random distribution and entanglement of fibers within each ball, characterized in that the fiberballs have an average diameter of about 2 to about 20 mm, and that the individual fibers have a length of about 10 to about 100 mm and are prepared from fibers having a primary and a secondary crimp, said primary crimp having a frequency of about 14 to about 40 crimps/10 cm and said secondary crimp having a frequency of about 4 to about 16 crimps/10 cm, and whereby the average amplitude of the secondary crimp is at least 4 times the average amplitude of the primary crimp.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
105 words
Fiberballs having a random distribution and entanglement of fibers within each ball, characterized in that the fiberballs have an average diameter of about 2 to about 20 mm, and that the individual fibers have a length of about 10 to about 100 mm and are prepared from fibers having a primary and a secondary crimp, said primary crimp having a frequency of about 14 to about 40 crimps/10 cm and said secondary crimp having a frequency of about 4 to about 16 crimps/10 cm, and whereby the average amplitude of the secondary crimp is at least 4 times the average amplitude of the primary crimp.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
11 words
Fiberballs according to claim 1 wherein the fibers are polyester fibers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
8 words
Fiberballs according to claim 2, that are refluffable.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
Fiberballs according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least 50% by weight of the balls have a cross section such that the maximum dimension of each ball is not more than twice the minimum dimension.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
Fiberballs according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the fibers are coated with a slickener, which is a silicone polymer, in amount about 0.01% to about 1% Si (by weight of the fibers).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
Fiberballs according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the fibers are coated with about 0.05% to about 1.2% (by weight of the fibers) of a slickener which consists essentially of a segmented copolymer of poly(alkyleneoxide) and of poly(ethylene terephthalate).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
133 words
Fiberballs having a random distribution and entanglement of fibers within each ball, said fibers being a blend of load-bearing fibers and binder fibers which optionally contain a material capable of being heated when subjected to microwaves or a high frequency energy source, characterized in that the fiberballs have an average diameter of about 2 mm to about 20 mm and the individual fibers have a length of about 10 to about 100 mm, the loadbearing fibers having primary crimp and a secondary crimp, said primary crimp having a frequency of about 14 to about 40 crimps/10 cm and said secondary crimp having a frequency of about 4 to about 16 crimps/10 cm, and whereby the average amplitude of the secondary crimp is at least 4 times the average amplitude of the primary crimp.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
133 words
Fiberballs having a random distribution and entanglement of fibers within each ball, said fibers being a blend of load-bearing fibers and binder fibers which optionally contain a material capable of being heated when subjected to microwaves or a high frequency energy source, characterized in that the fiberballs have an average diameter of about 2 mm to about 20 mm and the individual fibers have a length of about 10 to about 100 mm, the loadbearing fibers having primary crimp and a secondary crimp, said primary crimp having a frequency of about 14 to about 40 crimps/10 cm and said secondary crimp having a frequency of about 4 to about 16 crimps/10 cm, and whereby the average amplitude of the secondary crimp is at least 4 times the average amplitude of the primary crimp.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
Fiberballs according to claim 7, wherein the binder fibers constitute from about 5 to about 30% by weight of the fiber blend and the load-bearing fibers are polyester fibers.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
Fiberballs according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the binder fibers are polymeric bicomponent sheath/core or side-by-side fibers, consisting essentially of a component polymer with a bonding temperature that is at least 50° C. below the melting temperature of another component polymer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
35 words
Fiberballs according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the binder fibers are polymeric single component binder fibers having a bonding temperature that is at least 50° C. below the melting temperature of the load-bearing fibers.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-05-12 | 1995-11-11 | 1996-05-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-05-12 | 1999-11-11 | 2000-05-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-05-12 | 2003-11-11 | 2004-05-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |