IP Library Granted Patent US 12692631
Granted Patent B2
US 12692631 · App. 18/269,808 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

Composite fiber, composite mixed-filament fiber including same, woven/knitted fabric, and garment

Inventors: Shinya Nakamichi (Otsu, JP); Kojiro Inada (Otsu, JP); Tomohiko Matsuura (Shizuoka, JP); Masato Masuda (Shizuoka, JP)
Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
D01F8/14D03D15/283D03D15/292D10B2331/04
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12692631
App. No.
18/269,808
Granted
Jul 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A composite fiber that satisfies properties of both stretchability and wear resistance, and that exhibits a delicate worsted-wool feeling closer to wool, a deep natural appearance, and a satisfactory feeling is described, and a woven/knitted fabric and a garment including the composite fiber, where the composite fiber includes a polyester-based thermoplastic resin A and a polyester-based thermoplastic resin B, and satisfies requirements (1) to (4): (1) a difference (M A −M B ) between a weight average molecular weight M A of the polyester-based thermoplastic resin A and a weight average molecular weight M B of the polyester-based thermoplastic resin B is 2,000 to 15,000; (2) in the composite fiber, an apparent thick/thin ratio (D thick /D thin ) of the composite fiber is 1.05 to 3.00; (3) in a cross-section of the composite fiber, the polyester-based thermoplastic resin B covers the thermoplastic resin A, and a ratio (t min /D) of a minimum value t min of a thickness t of the thermoplastic resin B to a fiber diameter D of the composite fiber is 0.01 to 0.10; and (4) in the cross-section of the composite fiber, a circumferential length C t of a portion where the thickness t satisfies 1.00t min ≤t≤1.05t min is C t ≥0.33 C with respect to an entire circumferential length C of the composite fiber.

Claims (19)

1 . A composite fiber comprising a polyester-based thermoplastic resin A and a polyester-based thermoplastic resin B, and satisfying following requirements (1) to (4):

(1) a difference (M A −M B ) between a weight average molecular weight M A of the polyester-based thermoplastic resin A and a weight average molecular weight M B of the polyester-based thermoplastic resin B is 2,000 to 15,000;

(2) in the composite fiber, an apparent thick/thin ratio (D thick /D thin ) of the composite fiber is 1.25 to 3.00;

(3) in a cross-section of the composite fiber, the polyester-based thermoplastic resin B covers the polyester-based thermoplastic resin A, and a ratio (t min /D) of a minimum value t min of a thickness t of the polyester-based thermoplastic resin B to a fiber diameter D of the composite fiber is 0.01 to 0.10; and

(4) in the cross-section of the composite fiber, a circumferential length C t of a portion where the thickness t satisfies 1.00t min ≤t≤1.05t min is C t ≥0.33C with respect to an entire circumferential length C of the composite fiber.

2 . The composite fiber according to claim 1 , wherein a hysteresis loss rate during elongation recovery at a maximum load of 0.5 cN/dtex of the composite fiber is 0 to 70%.

3 . The composite fiber according to claim 1 , wherein a thin/thick length ratio LR1 (L2/L1) of a thin portion length (L2) to a thick portion length (L1) in a fiber axis direction at a measurement load of 0.00166 cN/dtex of the composite fiber is 0.90 to 1.40, and a ratio (LR2/LR1) of a thin/thick length ratio LR2 at a measurement load of 0.11 cN/dtex to the thin/thick length ratio LR1 at the measurement load of 0.00166 cN/dtex is 1.20 to 2.10.

4 . A composite fiber comprising a polyester-based thermoplastic resin A and a polyester-based thermoplastic resin B, and satisfying following requirements (1) to (4):

(1) a difference (M A −M B ) between a weight average molecular weight M A of the polyester-based thermoplastic resin A and a weight average molecular weight M B of the polyester-based thermoplastic resin B is 2,000 to 15,000;

(2) in the composite fiber, an apparent thick/thin ratio (D thick /D thin ) of the composite fiber is 1.05 to 3.00;

(3) in a cross-section of the composite fiber, the polyester-based thermoplastic resin B covers the polyester-based thermoplastic resin A, and a ratio (t min /D) of a minimum value t min of a thickness t of the polyester-based thermoplastic resin B to a fiber diameter D of the composite fiber is 0.01 to 0.10; and

(4) in the cross-section of the composite fiber, a circumferential length C t of a portion where the thickness t satisfies 1.00t min ≤t≤1.05t min is C t ≥0.33C with respect to an entire circumferential length C of the composite fiber,

wherein the composite fiber has a crack on a surface of the composite fiber at least in a portion where an apparent thickness of the composite fiber has a large fiber diameter (D thick ).

5 . A composite mixed-filament fiber, wherein at least another type of filament is further combined with the composite fiber according to claim 1 .

6 . A woven/knitted fabric comprising the composite fiber according to claim 1 at least in a portion.

7 . A woven/knitted fabric comprising the composite mixed-filament fiber according to claim 5 at least in a portion.

8 . A garment comprising the composite fiber according to claim 1 at least in a portion.

9 . A garment comprising the composite mixed-filament fiber according to claim 5 at least in a portion.

10 . A garment comprising the woven/knitted fabric according to claim 6 at least in a portion.