IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,377,001
Granted Patent B2
US 12,377,001 · App. 17/549,958 · Granted Aug 5, 2025

Fine hollow fibers having a high void fraction

Inventors: Eric E. Lennon (Roswell, GA); John H. Conrad (Alpharetta, GA); Douglas J. Hulslander (Stone Mountain, GA); David W. Hall (Alpharetta, GA)
Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
A61F13/51121A61F13/511A61F13/514A61F13/51401A61L15/24D01D5/08D01D5/24D01F6/04D01F8/06D04H1/4291D04H1/435D04H1/43914D04H3/007D04H3/009D04H3/011D04H3/018A61F2013/51009A61F2013/51026
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,377,001
App. No.
17/549,958
Granted
Aug 5, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A hollow fiber that extending along at least a portion of the fiber along a longitudinal axis thereof and is defined by an interior wall is provided. Through selective control over the manner in which it is formed, the present inventors have discovered that the hollow fiber can exhibit a unique combination of a high void fraction and small fiber size that makes it particularly suitable for use in certain applications, such as in nonwoven webs for absorbent articles.

Claims (6)

1. A spinneret for forming a hollow fiber, the spinneret containing a spin plate that defines a plurality of capillaries having one or more spaced apart slots, wherein at least a portion of the one or more spaced apart slots have a width and length such that the ratio of the length to the width is greater than 5, the width of the one or more spaced apart slots being from 0.08 to 0.2 millimeters, wherein the one or more spaced apart slots further have an outer diameter that is defined as a distance between outer edges of the one or more spaced apart slots, the outer diameter being greater than 0.6 millimeters, wherein the one or more spaced apart slots occupy a total open area of from 0.10 to 0.40 square millimeters, and wherein the one or more spaced apart slots have an end distance between the one or more spaced apart slots of from 0.18 to 0.5 millimeters, the end distance between the one or more spaced apart slots being measured from a top surface of each of the one or more spaced apart slots.

2. The spinneret of claim 1 , wherein the length of the one or more spaced apart slots is from 0.4 to 2.0 millimeters.

3. The spinneret of claim 1 , wherein the one or more spaced apart slots have an inner diameter that is from 0.2 to 2.0 millimeters.

4. The spinneret of claim 1 , wherein the one or more spaced apart slots have a C-shape.

5. The spinneret of claim 1 , wherein the capillaries contain from 2 to 10 spaced apart slots.

6. A method for forming a hollow fiber, the method comprising extruding a thermoplastic composition through the capillaries of the spinneret of claim 1 .

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 14, 2021
From: LENNON, ERIC E.; CONRAD, JOHN H.; HULSLANDER, DOUGLAS J.; HALL, DAVID W.
To: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.
Reel/Frame 058496/0425 →
Continuity (3)
Division 15517561
Provisional Application 62094166 · Dec 19, 2014
Related Publication 20220096283A1 · Mar 31, 2022
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