Granted Patent B2

US 7,036,299 · App. 10/323,302 · Granted May 2, 2006

Abstract

Claims (14)

1. A spun yarn having a total boil-off shrinkage of at least about 22% comprising cotton and a bicomponent staple fiber comprising poly(ethylene terephthalate) and poly(trimethylene terephthalate) said bicomponent staple fiber having:

a) a tow crimp development value of about 35% to about 70%;

b) a tow crimp index value of about 14% to about 45%;

c) a length of about 1.3 cm to about 5.5 cm; and

d) a linear density of about 0.7 decitex per fiber to about 3.0 decitex per fiber;

e) the difference between the crimp index and the crimp development values is about 24% to about 35% absolute;

wherein the bicomponent staple fiber is present at a level of about 20 wt %, to about 65 wt %, based on total weight of the spun yarn; and

wherein the cotton is present at a level of about 35 wt % to about 80 wt %, based on total weight of the spun yarn.

2. The spun yarn of claim 1 having a coefficient of variation of mass no higher than about 22% and wherein the bicomponent staple fiber is present at a level of about 20 wt % to less than 50 wt %, based on the total weight of spun yarn.

3. The spun yarn of claim 1 further comprising about 1 wt % to 30 wt % poly(trimethylene terephthalate) monocomponent staple fiber.

4. A bicomponent staple fiber comprising poly(ethylene terephthalate) and poly(trimethylene terephthalate) and having a tow crimp development value of about 40% to about 60% and a tow crimp index value of about 14% to about 27%, wherein the difference between the crimp index and the crimp development values is about 24% to about 35% absolute.

5. The spun yarn of claim 1 comprising the bicomponent staple fiber of claim 4 .

6. The bicomponent staple fiber of claim 4 wherein the difference between the crimp index and the crimp development values is about 30% to about 35% absolute.

7. A fabric selected from the group consisting of knits and wovens and comprising the spun yarn of claim 1 .

Assignments (9)