Spinneret plate for producing a bulked continuous filament having a three-sided exterior cross-section and a convex six-sided central void
A spinneret plate for producing a thermoplastic synthetic polymer filament having an exterior configuration with three sides and a generally delta-shaped void extending centrally and axially therethrough, each side of the filament defining a smoothly curved contour extending between a first with a second tip with an inwardly extending depressed region being disposed adjacent to each tip, the void having a geometric center and three major apices, each side of the void being convex in shape and having a first and a second end, each side of the void being formed from two facets that meet to define a minor apex intermediate the first and second end of each side. The spinneret is characterized by a cluster of three Y-shaped orifices centered about a central point. Each Y-shaped orifice has three linear legs joined at a junction point. A connection point of the edges of the two legs located in the straight line connecting to the junction point and the central point corresponds to the minor apex of the void. Each leg has an axis therethrough. One leg of each orifice extends radially outwardly from the junction point with the axis of the outwardly extending leg aligning with a radius extending outwardly from the central point. The axes of each of the other two legs of each orifice project toward a point disposed intermediate adjacent orifices, each intermediate point corresponding to the major apex of the void. Each radially outwardly extending leg is wider than the other legs of the Y-shaped orifice.
1 . A spinneret plate for producing a synthetic polymer filament having an exterior configuration with three sides with each side of the filament defining a smoothly curved contour extending between a first and a second end, each side of the filament having an inwardly extending depressed region being disposed adjacent to each end of each side, the filament having a generally delta-shaped void extending centrally and axially therethrough, the void having a geometric center and three major apices, each side of the void being convex in shape and having a first and a second end, each side of the void being formed from two facets that meet to define a minor apex intermediate the first and second end of each side,
the spinneret plate having a cluster of three Y-shaped orifices centered about a central point, each Y-shaped orifice having a three linear legs joined at a junction point, a connection point of the edges of two legs located in the straight line connecting the junction point and the central point corresponding to the minor apex of the void,
each leg having an axis therethrough, one leg of each orifice extending radially outwardly from the junction point, the axis of the radially outwardly extending leg aligning with a radius extending outwardly from the central point,
the axes of each of the other two legs of each orifice projecting toward a point disposed intermediate adjacent orifices, each intermediate point corresponding to the major apex of the void.
2 . The spinneret plate of claim 1 wherein the radially outwardly extending leg of each of the Y-shaped orifices is wider than the other legs of the Y-shaped orifice.
3 . The spinneret plate of claim 1 wherein the radially outwardly extending leg of each of the Y-shaped orifices has an extended circular tip.
4 . The spinneret plate of claim 3 wherein the ratio of the diameter of the extended circular tip to the width of the outwardly extending leg is about 1.0 to about 4.0.