SPINNERET COMPRISING TRI-ARC HOLES AND TRI-ARC FILAMENTS PRODUCED THEREFROM
A spinneret having tri-arc holes may be used to produce tri-arc filaments. In some instances, tri-arc holes have a Y-shape with three prongs and each prong having an arc at the end of the prong that tapers from the end of the arc to a connection point of an adjacent arc, and tri-arc filaments have a generally-Y shape cross-section with bulbous or arcing tips. Further, tri-arc filaments may be useful in a plurality of applications including, but not limited to, filters, filters comprising particulate additives, and smoking device filters.
1 . A filament comprising:
a polymer; and
having a tri-arc cross-section having a generally Y-shape cross-section having bulbous or arcing tips.
2 . The filament of claim 1 , wherein the filament is a dope spun filament.
3 . The filament of claim 1 , wherein the polymer is cellulose acetate or a derivative thereof.
4 . The filament of claim 1 , wherein the polymer comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of cellulose acetate, cellulose diacetate, cellulose triacetate, cellulose propionate, cellulose butyrate, cellulose acetate-propionate, cellulose acetate-butyrate, cellulose propionate-butyrate, starch acetate, acrylonitrile, vinyl chloride, vinyl ester, vinyl ether, any derivative thereof, any copolymer thereof, and any combination thereof.
5 . The filament of claim 1 , wherein the filament has a denier per filament of about 1 dpf to about 30 dpf.
6 . The filament of claim 1 , wherein the filament has a denier per filament of about 10 dpf to about 30 dpf.
7 . The filament of claim 1 , wherein the filament has a ratio of arc distance to inter-arc distance of about 0.2 to about 3.
8 . The filament of claim 1 , wherein the filament has a ratio of inter-arc distance to radius of about 0.5 to about 1.5.
9 . The filament of claim 1 , wherein the filament has an inter-arc angle of about 45° to about 150°.
10 . A tow band comprising the filament of claim 1 .
11 . A filter comprising the filament of claim 1 .
12 . A smoking device comprising the filament of claim 1 .
13 . A filament comprising:
a polymer comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of cellulose acetate, cellulose diacetate, cellulose triacetate, cellulose propionate, cellulose butyrate, cellulose acetate-propionate, cellulose acetate-butyrate, cellulose propionate-butyrate, starch acetate, acrylonitrile, vinyl chloride, vinyl ester, vinyl ether, any derivative thereof, any copolymer thereof, and any combination thereof; and
having a multi-lobal cross-section with each lobe having bulbous or arcing tips.
14 . The filament of claim 13 , wherein the filament has a denier per filament of about 1 dpf to about 30 dpf.
15 . The filament of claim 13 , wherein the filament has a denier per filament of about 10 dpf to about 30 dpf.
16 . The filament of claim 13 , wherein the filament is a dope spun filament.
17 . The filament of claim 13 , wherein the filament has a ratio of arc distance to inter-arc distance of about 0.2 to about 3.
18 . The filament of claim 13 , wherein the filament has a ratio of inter-arc distance to radius of about 0.5 to about 1.5.
19 . The filament of claim 13 , wherein the filament has an inter-arc angle of about 45° to about 150°.
20 . A filament comprising:
cellulose diacetate;
having a denier per filament of about 1 dpf to about 30 dpf; and
having a tri-arc cross-section having a generally Y-shape cross-section having bulbous or arcing tips.