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DESCRIPTION
WOVEN OR KNITTED FABRIC AND CLOTHES CONTAINING CRIMPED
COMPOSITE FILAMENTS AND HAVING AN AIR PERMEABILITY WHICH
INCREASES WHEN THE FABRIC IS WETTED WITH WATER
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a woven or knitted
fabric and clothes containing crimped composite filaments
and having an air permeability which increases when the
fabric is wetted with water or, for example, sweat.
Particularly, the present invention relates to a woven or
knitted fabric comprising composite filaments comprising
a polyester component and a polyamide component bonded
together in a side-by-side or eccentric core-sheath type
structure, and having manifested crimps. Moreover, the
present invention relates to a woven or knitted fabric
and clothes having an air permeability which reversibly
and efficiently increases when the fabric is wetted with
water, in comparison with that upon drying.
It has been known that a woven or knitted fabric
containing crimped synthetic filaments can be used for
sportswear such as skiwear, windbreakers and outdoor
wear, and outerwear such as raincoats and men and women's
coats, etc.
However, when the above-mentioned conventional woven
or knitted fabric is wetted with water or, for example,
by sweat, problems that the fabric sticks to the skin to
make the wearer feel uncomfortable, and the drying speed
is slow, occur.
In order to solve the above problems, an air-
permeable self-adjusting type woven or knitted fabric
having an air permeability that is increased by wetting
with water and that is decreased by drying has been
proposed. When one wears clothes prepared from the
conventional woven or knitted fabric, and the clothes are
wetted with sweat, the air permeability of the clothes
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increases so as to rapidly remove the water remaining in
the clothes to dry the clothes. Moreover, the air
permeability of the clothes decreases after drying to
increase the warmth-retaining effect of the clothes.
Therefore, good wearability of the clothes can always be
maintained regardless of whether the wearer sweats or
not.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication
(Kokai) No. 2003-41462 (Patent Reference 1) discloses an
air permeable self-adjusting type woven or knitted fabric
comprising composite filaments (A) in which a modified
poly(ethylene terephthalate) containing a sulfonate group
and a nylon are bonded together in a side-by-side type
structure, and filaments (B) the dimensions of which do
not substantially change even when the humidity changes.
Although the air permeability of the woven or knitted
fabric is reversibly increased upon wetting with water in
comparison with that upon drying, an amount of change in
air permeability is practically insufficient.
Furthermore, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication
(Kokai) No. 10-77544 (Patent Reference 2) discloses a
woven or knitted fabric comprising 30% by weight or more
of synthetic multifilaments yarn which is formed from a
moisture-absorbent polymer (for example, copolymerized
polyester polymers in which a hydrophilic compound is
copolymerized and a polyether ester amide polymers) and
which is one heat-treated so that the yarn has a twist
multiplier of 6,800 to 26,000.
Still furthermore, Japanese Unexamined Patent
Publication (Kokai) No. 2002-180323 (Patent Reference 3)
discloses a woven or knitted fabric formed from cellulose
acetate filaments (having a percentage of crimp less than
10% at a humidity of 95% RH or more, and a percentage of
crimp of 15 to 20% and a number of crimps of 25/25.4 mm
at a humidity of 65%, and a percentage of crimp of 20% or
more at a humidity of 45% RH or less.
The woven or knitted fabrics disclosed in Patent
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References 1 and 2 exhibit an air permeability which
increases upon absorbing moisture. However, the extent
of the change in air permeability is practically
insufficient and, thus, an air permeable self-adjusting
woven or knitted fabric having a still larger change in
air permeability has been desired.
Patent Reference 1 Japanese Unexamined Patent
Publication (Kokai) No. 2003-41462
Patent Reference 2 Japanese Unexamined Patent
Publication (Kokai) No. 10-77544
Patent Reference 3 Japanese Unexamined Patent
Publication (Kokai) No. 2002-180323
Disclosure of the Invention
An object of the present invention is to provide a
woven or knitted fabric comprising crimped composite
filaments and having an air permeability which increases
when the fabric is wetted with water and clothes
containing the woven or knitted fabric, the woven or
knitted fabric and clothes having an air permeability
which increases to an adequately high degree for
practical use upon being wetted with water in comparison
with that upon drying.
The woven or knitted fabric of the present invention
comprises a yarn comprising composite filaments formed
from a polyester resin component and a polyamide resin
component different from each other in thermal shrinkage
and bonded together in a side-by-side structure or in an
eccentric core-in-sheath structure, and has crimps
manifested by heat treatment applied thereto, the crimped
composite filaments being contained in a content of 10 to
100% by mass in the woven or knitted fabric, and
satisfying the following requirement:
(DCF - HCF) >_ 10%
wherein DCF represents a percentage of crimp of a sample
of crimped composite filaments taken from the woven or
knitted fabric, determined by leaving the sample to stand
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for 24 hours in a test environment at a temperature of
20 C at a humidity of 65% RH to dry and HCF represents a
percentage of crimp of another sample of the taken
crimped composite filaments, determined by immersing the
other sample in water at a temperature of 30 C for 2
hours, pulling up the sample from the water, holding the
sample between a pair of filter paper sheets in the
ambient atmospheric air at a temperature of 30 C at a
humidity of 90% RH within 60 sec after pulling up the
sample, leaving the sample under a pressure of 0.69 mN/cm2
for 5 seconds to lightly wipe water from the sample,
whereby the woven or knitted fabric exhibit an air
permeability which increases when the fabric is wetted
with water.
In the woven or knitted fabric of the present
invention comprising crimped composite filaments and
having an air permeability which increases when the
fabric is wetted with water, the polyester resin
component comprises a modified polyester resin in which,
5-sodiosulfoisophthalic acid is copolymerized in an
amount of 2.0 to 4.5 molar % based on the content of the
acid component.
In the woven or knitted fabric of the present
invention comprising crimped composite filaments and
having an air permeability which increases when the
fabric is wetted with water, the yarn comprising the
crimped composite filaments has a number of twists of 0
to 300 turns/m.
In the woven or knitted fabric of the present
invention comprising crimped composite filaments and
having an air permeability which increases when the
fabric is wetted with water, the woven or knitted fabric
contains the crimped composite filaments and other
filaments different from the crimped composite filaments.
In the woven or knitted fabric of the present
invention comprising crimped composite filaments and
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having an air permeability which increases when the
fabric is wetted with water, the other filaments are
selected from non-crimped filaments or filaments showing
a difference in percentage of crimp DCF - HCF of 10% or
less.
In the woven or knitted fabric of the present
invention comprising crimped composite filaments and
having an air permeability which increases when the
fabric is wetted with water, when the woven or knitted
fabric comprising the crimped composite filaments is
subjected to determination of the stretchability of a
stretchable woven fabric in accordance with JIS L1096,
8.14.1 (Method B, except that the load value applied to a
sample woven or knitted fabric test piece is altered to
1.47 N, where the woven or knitted fabric is a woven
fabric, a stretchability of the woven fabric in at least
one direction selected from the warp direction and the
weft direction is 10% or more, and where the woven or
knitted fabric is a knitted one, the stretchability of
the knitted fabric in at least one direction selected
from the course direction and the wale direction is 10%
or more.
In the woven or knitted fabric of the present
invention comprising crimped composite filaments and
having an air permeability which increases when the
fabric is wetted with water, the woven or knitted fabric
comprising the crimped composite filaments has a multi-
ply structure, and at least one ply thereof comprises the
crimped composite filaments in an amount of 30 to 100
mass% based on the weight of the ply.
In the woven or knitted fabric of the present
invention comprising crimped composite filaments and
having an air permeability which increases when the
fabric is wetted with water, the woven or knitted fabric
is a knitted fabric having a tubular knitted stitch, and
the loop of the tubular knitted stitch is formed from a
yarn comprising the crimped composite filaments and the
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other filaments.
In the woven or knitted fabric of the present
invention comprising crimped composite filaments and
having an air permeability which increases when the
fabric is wetted with water, the woven or knitted fabric
is a woven fabric, the yarn containing composite
filaments is a doubled yarn of the crimped composite
filaments and the other or the warp filaments, and the
warp and weft yarns or the warp or weft yarn of the woven
fabric is constituted from a doubled yarn of the crimped
composite filaments and the other filaments.
In the woven or knitted fabric of the present
invention comprising crimped composite filaments and
having an air permeability which increases when the
fabric is wetted with water, the yarns composed of the
crimped composite filaments and the yarn composed of the
other filaments are alternately arranged with one each
other in at least one direction selected from the warp
direction and the weft direction, or in at least one
direction selected from the course direction and the wale
direction.
In the woven or knitted fabric of the present
invention comprising crimped composite filaments and
having an air permeability which increases when the
fabric is wetted with water, from the crimped composite
filaments and the other filaments, a core-sheath
composite yarn is formed, the core portion of the
composite yarn is formed from the crimped composite
filaments, and the sheath portion is formed from the
other filaments.
In the woven or knitted fabric of the present
invention comprising crimped composite filaments and
having an air permeability which increases when the
fabric is wetted with water, the other filaments are
selected from polyester filaments.
In the woven or knitted fabric of the present
invention comprising crimped composite filaments and
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having an air permeability which increases when the
fabric is wetted with water, the woven or knitted fabric
is one treated with a water-absorbing agent.
In the woven or knitted fabric of the present
invention comprising crimped composite filaments and
having an air permeability which increases when the
fabric is wetted with water, the woven or knitted fabric
is one treated with a water-repellent treatment.
In the woven or knitted fabric of the present
invention comprising crimped composite filaments and
having an air permeability which increases when the
fabric is wetted with water, the woven or knitted fabric
is dyed.
In the woven or knitted fabric of the present
invention comprising crimped composite filaments and
having an air permeability which increases when the
fabric is wetted with water,
when a dried sample is prepared by leaving a test
sample of the woven or knitted fabric to stand for 24
hours in an environment at a temperature of 20 C at a
humidity of 65% RH, separately a water-wetted sample is
prepared by immersing a test sample of the woven or
knitted fabric in water at a temperature of 30 C for 2
hours, pulling up the test sample from the water, holding
the test sample between a pair of filter paper sheets in
the ambient atmospheric air at a temperature of 30 C at a
humidity of 90% RH within 60 seconds after pulling up the
test sample, and leaving the test sample under a pressure
of 490 N/m2 (50 kgf/m2) for 1 minute to lightly remove
water from the test sample, and the air permeabilities of
the dried sample and the water wetted sample are
determined in accordance with JIS L 1096-1998, 6.27.1,
Method A, (fragile type air permeability testing machine
method) a rate of change in air permeability of the woven
or knitted fabric calculated in accordance with the
following equation:
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Rate of change (%) in air permeability =
{[(Air permeability of water wetted sample) - (Air
permeability of dried sample)]/(Air permeability of dried
sample)} x 100
is 30% or more.
Clothes comprising the woven or knitted fabric of
the present invention comprising the crimped composite
filaments and having dimensions which are reversibly
enlarged when the fabric is wetted with water to increase
the air permeability thereof.
In the clothes of the present invention, at least
one of the flank, the side, the breast, the back and the
shoulder of the clothes is formed from the woven or
knitted fabric comprising the crimped composite
filaments.
In the clothes of the present invention, each of the
portions of the clothes formed from the woven or knitted
fabric comprising the crimped composite filaments has an
area of 1 cm2 or more.
In the clothes of the present invention, the woven
or knitted fabric comprising the crimped composite
filaments is selected from tubular knitted fabrics and
mesh-like coarse woven or knitted fabrics.
The clothes of the present invention, are selected
from outerwear, sportswear and underwear.
The crimped composite filaments contained in the
woven or knitted fabric of the present invention have a
characteristic property that the percentage of crimp of
the filaments decreases 10% or more upon wetting with
water in comparison with one upon drying. The woven or
knitted fabric containing the crimped composite filaments
therefore exhibits a significantly increased air
permeability upon wetting with water in comparison with
one upon drying. Accordingly, in the case where the
woven or knitted fabric containing a crimped composite
filaments of the present invention is used as a material
for forming whole or a part of outerwear, sportswear or
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underwear, when the clothes a wearer wears are wetted with
water, for example, due to wearer's sweating, the air
permeability of the clothes increases, and the water
component retained within the clothes is dried and released.
When the clothes are thus adequately dried, the air
permeability decreases, and the warmth retention is
improved. The wearability is therefore always kept
excellent, and the clothes contribute to the maintenance of
wearer's good health.
In one aspect, there is provided A woven or knitted
fabric comprising a yarn comprising composite filaments
formed from a polyester resin component and a polyamide
resin component, different from each other in thermal
shrinkage and bonded together in a side-by-side structure or
in an eccentric core-sheath structure, and having crimps
manifested by heat treatment applied thereto,
wherein the polyester resin component has an intrinsic
viscosity of 0.30 to 0.39 and a polyamide resin component
has an intrinsic viscosity of 1.0 to 1.4, and
the crimped composite filaments being contained in a
content of 10 to 100% by mass in the woven or knitted
fabric, and satisfying the following formula
(DCF - HCF) ? 10%
wherein DCF represents a percentage of crimp of a sample
of crimped composite filaments taken from the woven or
knitted fabric, determined by leaving the sample to stand
for 24 hours in a test environment at a temperature of 202C
at a humidity of 65% RH to dry and HCF represents a
percentage of crimp of another sample of the taken crimped
composite filaments, determined by immersing the another
sample in water at a temperature of 302C for 2 hours,
pulling up the sample from the water, holding the sample
between a pair of filter paper sheets in the ambient
atmospheric air at a temperature of 302C at a humidity of
90% RH within 60 sec after pulling up the sample, leaving
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the sample under a pressure of 0.69 mN/cm2 for 5 seconds to
lightly wipe out water from the sample, whereby the woven or
knitted fabric exhibit an air permeability which increases
when the fabric is wetted with water.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is an explanatory cross-sectional view showing
an example of the cross-sectional profile of a side-by-side
type crimped composite filament contained in the woven or
knitted fabric of the present invention.
Fig. 2 is an explanatory cross-sectional view showing
another example of the cross-sectional profile of a side-by-
side type crimped composite filament contained in the woven
or knitted fabric of the present invention.
Fig. 3 is an explanatory cross-sectional view showing
still another example of the cross-sectional profile of a
side-by-side type crimped composite filament contained in
the woven or knitted fabric of the present invention.
Fig. 4 is an explanatory cross-sectional view showing
one example of the cross-sectional profile of an eccentric
core-in-sheath type crimped composite filament contained in
the woven or knitted fabric of the present invention.
Fig. 5 is an explanatory front view of clothing (a
shirt) in which a plurality of portions formed from the
woven or knitted fabric of the present invention having an
air permeability which increases when the fabric is wetted
with water are arranged on the front of the clothes.
Fig. 6 is an explanatory front view of clothing (a
shirt) in which a single portion formed from the woven or
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knitted fabric of the present invention having an air
permeability which increases when the fabric is wetted
with water is arranged on the front of the clothes.
Fig. 7 is an explanatory front view of clothing (a
5 shirt) having an undersleeve portion and a side portions
formed from the woven or knitted fabric of the present
invention having an air permeability which increases when
the fabric is wetted with water.
Fig. 8 is a graph showing a change in relative
10 humidity in a gap between the skin and clothing (a shirt)
during wearing of the present invention (Example 1) and
comparative clothes (shirt) falling outside the scope of
the present invention (Comparative Example 1)), when the
clothes are worn and subjected to the following wearing
test procedures containing rest (with wind at 1.5 m/sec)
-> running -> rest (without wind) --f rest (with wind at
1.5 m/sec).
Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention
The crimped composite filaments contained in the
woven or knitted fabric of the present invention having
an air permeability which increases when the fabric is
wetted with water is formed from a polyester resin
component and a polyamide component, and has a side-by-
side type or an eccentric core-in-sheath type composite
filament structure.
For a side-by-side type composite filament having,
for example, an approximately circular cross-sectional
profile as shown in Fig. 1, a section 1 comprising a
polyester resin component and a section 2 comprising a
polyamide resin component are bonded together with a
side-by-side relationship, and extend along the
longitudinal axis of the composite filament to form an
integral composite filament.
For a side-by-side type composite filament as shown
in Fig. 2, the cross-sectional profile is elliptic, and a
section 1 and a section 2 are preferably bonded together
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approximately along the major axis of the elliptic cross-
sectional profile.
For a side-by-side type composite filament having a
cross-sectional profile as shown in Fig. 3, a section 1
comprising a polyester resin component and a section 2
comprising a polyamide resin component 2 are bonded
together in such a manner that part of the peripheral
face 2a of the section 2 is exposed to the outside and
the remaining peripheral face portion is bonded to the
section 1.
In Fig. 3, the section 1 showing a crescent shape
comprises of a polyester resin component, and the section
2 showing an approximately elliptic cross-sectional
profile comprises a polyamide resin component. However,
the section 1 may also be composed of a polyamide resin
component, and the section 2 may also be composed of a
polyester resin component.
For an eccentric core-in-sheath type composite
filament having a cross-sectional profile as shown in
Fig. 4, a section 2 comprising a polyamide resin
component is included in a section 1 comprising a
polyester resin component, and the peripheral face of the
section 2 is never exposed to the outside. The central
point la of the section 1 never agrees with the central
point 2b of the section 2, and the central points la and
2b are apart from each other.
The cross-sectional contour of a composite filament
contained in the woven or knitted fabric of the present
invention is not restricted to those as shown in Figs. 1
to 4. The shape may be triangular, quadrangular,
polygonal, etc., or it may be internally hollow.
For a side-by-side type composite filament and an
eccentric core-in-sheath type composite filament, the
polyester resin component and the polyamide resin
component are different in thermal shrinkage from each
other. As a result, an amount of thermal shrinkage of
the section 1 and one of the section 2 produced when the
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composite filament is heated, are different from each
other, and crimp of the composite filament are
manifested.
In the cross-sectional profile of the composite
filament in the present invention, the mass ratio, of the
section 1 to the section 2 that are bonded together, is
preferably from 30:70 to 70:30, more preferably from
40:60 to 60:40.
The polyester resin component comprises a
polycondensation product of an acid component comprising
at least one aromatic dicarboxylic acid, and a diol
component comprising at least one alkylene glycol.
The acid component preferably comprises terephthalic
acid, as a major component. The diol component
preferably contains, as a major component, ethylene
glycol, propylene glycol, butylene glycol, etc. The
polyester resin component preferably comprises, as a
copolymerization component, a compound having at least
one functional group selected from an alkali metal
sulfonate group, an alkaline earth metal sulfonate group
and a phosphonium salt group. That is, the polyester
resin component preferably comprises a modified
polyester, for example, a poly(ethylene terephthalate)
copolymer, a poly(propylene terephthalate) copolymer or a
poly(butylene terephthalate) copolymer containing, as a
copolymerization component, an aromatic dicarboxylic acid
having, as a functional group, the sulfonic acid salt
group as mentioned above. The above compounds for
copolymerization each having a sulfonic acid salt group
contribute to improving an adhesive property of the
polyester resin component thus obtained to the polyamide
resin component.
The poly(ethylene terephthalate) copolymer modified
with the copolymerization component containing a sulfonic
acid salt group is particularly preferably used as the
polyester resin component of the crimped composite
filament for the woven or knitted fabric of the present
1
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invention, because it has an excellent flexibility and a
low polymer price.
Examples of the aromatic dicarboxylic acid having a
sulfonic acid salt group include 5-sodium
sulfoisophthalic acid and its ester derivatives and 5-
phosphnium isophthalic acid and its ester derivatives.
Moreover, examples of the hydroxyl compound containing a
sulfonate group include sodium p-hydroxybenzenesulfonate.
Among these compounds, 5-sodium sulfoisophthalic acid is
preferably used. The content of the above
copolymerization component is preferably from 2.0 to 4.5
molar % based on a molecular amount of the acid component
of the polyester polymer containing the copolymerization
component. When the content of the copolymerization
content is less than 2.0 mol%, the resultant composite
filaments exhibits a sufficient crimping property, while
the section composed of the polyester resin component and
the section composed of the polyamide resin component may
be separated at the interface between them from each
other. Moreover, where the content of the above
copolymerization component exceeds 4.5 molar and when
the resultant undrawn composite filaments are drawn and
heat-treated, crystallization of the section composed of
the resultant polyester resin component insufficiently
proceeds, and thus it becomes necessary to increase the
drawing and heat treatment temperature, and the increased
temperature causes breakages, of the resultant yarns,
which often occur during the drawing and heat treatment
procedures.
There is no restriction on the type of the polyamide
resin used as the polyamide resin component as long as it
has an amide bond in the principal chain and it has fiber
forming property. Examples of the polyamide resin
include nylon 4, nylon 6, nylon 66, nylon 46 and nylon
12. Among these resins, nylon 6 and nylon 66 are
preferably used in the present invention in view of the
excellent flexibility, its relatively low polymer price
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and the high stability in production step of the
polyamide resin.
The polyester resin component and the polyamide
resin component may be respectively, independently from
each other and optionally contain at least one type of
additives selected from pigments, delustering agents,
stain-proofing agents, fluorescent brighteners, flame
retardants, stabilizers, antistatic agents, light-
resistant agents and UV absorbers.
There is no specific restriction on the thickness of
individual filaments in the composite filaments and the
number of individual filaments contained in one yarn.
However, the thickness of the individual filaments is
preferably in the range of from 1 to 10 dtex, more
preferably from 2 to 5 dtex. The number of composite
filaments contained in one yarn of the composite
filaments is preferably from 10 to 200, more preferably
from 20 to 100.
Furthermore, in the composite filaments contained in
the woven or knitted fabric of the invention, the
polyamide resin section formed from the polyamide resin
component has a higher thermal shrinkage and a higher
moisture absorption self-elongation than those of the
polyester resin section formed from the polyester resin
component.
Consequently, when the composite filaments usable
for the present invention having a side-by-side or
eccentric core-in-sheath type composite filament
structure are heated, the polyamide resin section shrinks
greater than the polyester resin section. As a result,
the composite filament manifests a crimped structure
wherein the resin section having a larger shrinkage
amount is situated inside, and the resin section having a
smaller shrinkage amount is situated outside. When the
yarn containing a non-crimped composite filament is
heated to manifest crimps in the resultant composite
filaments, the resultant yarn containing crimped
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composite filaments has a higher bulkiness and a shorter
apparent yarn length than those of the non-crimped
composite filament yarn.
When a crimped composite filament used in the
present invention is wetted with water, the polyamide
resin section in the crimped composite filament absorbs a
larger amount of water than that of the polyester resin
section, and exhibits a larger self-elongation. (In
general, the self-elongation of the polyester resin
section caused by water wetting is close to zero.) As a
result, the percentage of crimp of a water-wetted crimped
composite filament becomes lower than that of a dried
crimped composite filament; the apparent length of the
water-wetted crimped composite filament becomes greater
than that of the dried crimped composite filament.
Moreover, when the water-wetted crimped composite
filament is dried, the polyamide resin section is
dehydrated and shrunk. However, because the polyester
resin section has substantially no dimensional change,
the percentage of crimp of the dried crimped composite
filament recovers to the initial one, and the apparent
length thereof recovers to the initial one.
As explained above, in the crimped composite
filament contained in the woven or knitted fabric of the
invention, the percentage of crimp decreases upon being
wetted with water, and the apparent length of the
filament increases. The percentage of crimp and the
apparent length of the crimped composite filament recover
the initial ones upon drying. In the woven or knitted
fabric formed from yarns containing crimped composite
filaments having the above properties, the percentage of
crimp of the crimped composite filaments decreases upon
being wetted with water. As a result, the length of the
crimped composite filament-containing yarn increases; a
gap between yarns in the woven or knitted fabric
increases; the area of the fabric increases; and the air
permeability of the fabric increases.
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The air permeability of the woven or knitted fabric
can be determined in accordance with JIS L 1096-1998,
6.27.1. A Method (Fragile type air permeability testing
machine method).
In the woven or knitted fabric containing a crimped
composite filaments of the present invention, it is
important that the air permeability upon being wetted
with water be higher than that upon drying. Preferably
the air permeability upon being wetted with water is 30%
or more, more preferably 80 to 500% higher than that upon
drying.
A change (%) in air permeability is calculated from
the following equation:
change (%) in air permeability = [(air permeability
of a water wetted sample) - (air permeability of a dried
sample)]/(air permeability of a dried sample) x 100
wherein the dried sample is prepared by leaving a test
sample of the woven or knitted fabric to stand for 24
hours in an environment at a temperature of 20 C at a
humidity of 65% RH, separately the water wetted sample is
prepared by immersing a test sample of the woven or
knitted fabric in water at a temperature of 30 C for 2
hours, pulling up the test sample from the water, holding
the test sample between a pair of filter paper sheets in
the ambient air at a temperature of 30 C at a humidity of
90% RH within 60 seconds after pulling up the test
sample, and leaving the test sample under a pressure of
490 N/cm2 (50 kgf/m2) for 1 minute to lightly remove water
in the test sample.
For clothes having a rate of change in air
permeability of less than 30%, the air permeability of
the clothes become insufficient when the wearer wears the
clothes containing the water-wetted woven or knitted
fabric and sweats. The clothes then cause the wearer to
feel increased stuffiness or sultriness.
The woven or knitted fabric of the present invention
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contains the crimped composite filaments in a content of
to 100 mass%, and the content is preferably from 40 to
100 mass%. When the content is less than 10 mass%, the
effect of the crimped composite filaments, namely, a
5 reversible change between an increase and decrease in air
permeability caused by wetting with water and drying of
the woven or knitted fabric thus obtained becomes
insufficient.
For the woven or knitted fabric of the present
10 invention, the crimped composite filament is contained in
yarns for forming the woven or knitted fabric. The
percentage of crimp of the crimped composite filaments
decreases upon wetting with water, whereby the apparent
length of the yarn containing the crimped composite
filament increases. As a result, the area of the woven
or knitted fabric increases so as to increase the
openings between yarns. Consequently, the air permeable
opening area and the air permeability increase.
In order to enable the crimped composite filament-
containing yarn to increase or decrease the apparent
length thereof with a high efficiency, in response to a
decrease or an increase of the crimping property of the
crimped composite filaments and, thereby, the air
permeability of the woven or knitted fabric to increase
or decrease with high efficiency, the yarn is preferably
a non-twisted or soft twisted one having a number of
twists of 0 to 300 turns/m, particularly more preferably
a non-twisted yarn. When the number of twists exceeds
300 turns/m, the resultant crimped composite filaments
within the yarn mutually restrict the deformation
thereof. Thus, a change in the percentage of crimp of
the composite filaments, upon being wetted with water or
drying, is also restrained and a change in the apparent
length of the yarn is also restricted. Therefore, the
change in the air permeability of the woven or knitted
fabric may be also restricted.
In addition, a yarn containing the crimped composite
CA 02579144 2007-03-02
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filaments may be subjected to an air interlacing and/or
false twist and crimping treatment. However, in this
case, a number of interlacing among the filaments in the
yarn is preferably from about 20 to 60/m.
The yarn containing crimped composite filaments
optionally contains other type of filaments than the
crimped composite filaments. The other filaments can be
selected from non-crimped filaments and filaments having
a difference in percentage of crimp DCF - HCF of less than
10%. There is no specific limitation to the type of a
polymer for forming the other filaments. Examples of the
polymer include polyesters, for example, poly(ethylene
terephthalate), poly(trimethylene terephthalate) and
poly(butylene terephthalate), polyamides, for example,
nylon 6 and nylon 66, polyolefins, for example,
polyethylene and polypropylene, acrylic polymers, p- or
m-aramid polymers and modified polymers of the above
mentioned polymers. Moreover, the other filaments may be
selected from such filaments appropriate for clothes as
natural fibers, regenerated fibers and semi-synthetic
fibers. Among these filaments, filaments of polyester,
for example, poly(ethylene terephthalate), poly(propylene
terephthalate), poly(butylene terephthalate) or modified
polyester in which the above copolymerization component
is copolymerized are appropriate in view of the
dimensional stability upon being wetted with water and
the compatibility (filament-combinability, mixed
knittability or mixed weavability and dyeability) with
the composite filaments. Moreover, there are no specific
restrictions to individual filament thickness of the
other filaments and the number of individual filaments
per yarn. However, in order to enhance the moisture
absorption of the woven or knitted fabric and increase
the air permeability of the fabric upon moisture-
uptaking, the individual filament thickness is preferably
from 0.1 to 5 dtex (more preferably 0.5 to 2 dtex), and
the number of the individual filaments per yarn is
CA 02579144 2007-03-02
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preferably from 20 to 200 (more preferably from 30 to
100). In addition, other filaments may be air interlaced
and/or conventionally false twisted and crimped so that
the number of interlacing becomes about 20 to 60/m.
In the woven or knitted fabric of the present
invention, the crimped composite filaments and the other
filaments may respectively constitute at least one type
of yarns, and these yarns may be mixed woven or knitted.
Alternatively, the crimped composite filaments and the
other yarn may constitute together a combined yarn, and
air combining may be employed to form the combined yarn.
Moreover, the crimped composite filaments yarn and the
other filaments yarn may constitute together a doubled
and twisted yarn or a doubled yarn, or they may also
constitute a composite false twisted crimped yarn.
There is no restriction to the woven or knitted
structures and the number of woven or knitted plies in
the woven or knitted fabric of the present invention.
The woven or knitted structures include, for example,
weave structures such as plain weave, twill weave and
satin weave, and a knitting stitch such as plain
knitting, circular rib knitting, a tuck float knitting,
plating stitch, a dembigh stitch and a half tricot
stitch. Moreover, the above woven or knitted structures
may each include a single ply structure and a multi-ply
structure having two or more plies.
For the woven or knitted fabric of the present
invention, in order to ensure the movability and
deformability (crimp-changeability) of the crimped
composite filaments in the woven or knitted fabric, the
crimped composite filaments preferably have
stretchability in the warp direction and/or weft
direction. The stretchability is preferably 10% or more
(more preferably 20% or more, still more preferably from
25 to 1500).
Next, for the woven or knitted fabric of the present
invention, the composite filaments contained in the woven
CA 02579144 2007-03-02
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or knitted fabric of the invention have a crimped
structure formed by manifesting their latent
crimpability. It is important that the composite
filaments satisfy the requirement represented by the
following expression:
DCF - HCF ? 10 ( %) (preferably 50 (%)>_ DCF - HCF ? 10
(%) )
wherein DCF (%) is a percentage of crimp of the composite
filaments upon drying, and HCF (%) is a percentage of
crimp of the composite filaments upon being wetted with
water. When DCF - HCF is less than 10%, the air
permeability of the resultant fabric upon being wetted
with water might not efficiently increase, unpreferably,
in comparison with that upon drying.
The percentage crimp of a crimped composite filament
in the woven or knitted fabric herein is determined by
the following procedure. First, a woven or knitted
fabric is left to stand in an atmosphere at 20 C and 65%
RH for 24 hours. Small samples (n = 5) each having
dimensions of 30 cm x 30 cm are cut out from the
conditioned woven or knitted fabric in the same direction
thereof. Composite filaments are taken out from each
small sample. A load of 1.76 mN/dtex (200 mg de) is
applied to the composite filament sample, and the
filament length LOf is determined. One minute after
removal of the load, a load of 0.0176 mN/dtex (2 mg/de)
is applied to the filament, and the filament length Llf
is determined. Moreover, the composite filament sample
is immersed in water at 30 C for 2 hours, and then taken
out. The sample is held between a pair of filter paper
sheets within 60 sec after taking out, in the ambient air
atmosphere at 30 C and 90% RH, and then a pressure of 0.69
mN/cm2 is applied to the sample for 5 sec to lightly wipe
out water. A load of 1.76 mN/dtex (200 mg de) is applied
to the sample, and the filament length LOf' is
determined. One minute after removal of the load, a load
CA 02579144 2007-03-02
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of 0.0176 mN/dtex (2 mg/de) is applied to the sample, and
the filament length Llf' is determined. The percentage
of crimp DCF (%) upon drying and the percentage of crimp
HCF (%) upon being wetted with water are calculated from
the following formula.
Percentage of crimp DCF (%) upon drying = ((LOf -
Llf)/LOf) x 100
Percentage of crimp HCF (%) upon being wetted with
water = ((LOf' - Llf')/LOf') x 100
The difference (DCF - HCF) (%) is calculated from the
above DCF and HCF values. In addition, n is then 5, and
the average values are calculated.
The woven or knitted fabric of the invention may be
subjected to water absorption treatment. When the woven
or knitted fabric is subjected thereto, the air
permeability of the fabric is likely to be improved even
with a small amount of sweat. A conventional water
absorption treatment is satisfactory for such a
treatment. The following procedure is exemplified as a
preferred water absorption treatment: a water absorption
treatment agent such as a poly(ethylene glycol
diacrylate) or its derivative, or a poly(ethylene
terephthalate)-poly(ethylene glycol) copolymer is allowed
to adhere in an amount of 0.25 to 0.50% by weight based
on the weight of the woven or knitted fabric to the woven
or knitted fabric. Examples of the water absorption
treatment method include a bath treatment method in which
a water absorption treatment agent is added to a dyeing
solution during dyeing, and a dipping method in which a
woven or knitted fabric is dipped in a water absorption
treatment solution and squeezed with a mangle before a
dry-heat final set, a gravure coating method and screen
printing method.
Furthermore, the woven or knitted fabric of the
present invention may be subjected to a water-repellent
treatment. The water-repellent treatment may be a
conventional one. For example, such a method as
CA 02579144 2007-03-02
22 -
described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 3133227 and
Japanese Examined Patent Publication (Kokoku) No. 4-5786
is appropriate. That is, the method comprises mixing a
commercially available fluororesin water repellant (e.g.,
trade name of Asahi Guard LS 317, manufactured by Asahi
Glass Co., Ltd.) used as a water repellant with a
melamine resin (optional component) and a catalyst to
form a treatment agent containing about 3 to 15% by
weight of the water repellant, and treating the surface
of the woven or knitted fabric with the treatment agent
at a pickup ratio of about 50 to 90%. Examples of the
method of treating the surface of the woven or knitted
fabric with the treatment agent include a padding method
and a spraying method. Of these methods, the padding
method is most preferred because the treatment agent
penetrates into the interior of the woven or knitted
fabric.
In addition, the pickup ratio is a proportion (%) of
a weight of the treatment agent to a weight of the woven
or knitted fabric (prior to imparting the treatment
agent).
When the water repellency of the woven or knitted
fabric after a water repellent treatment is evaluated in
accordance with JIS L 1092 6.2 (Spray Test), it is
preferably evaluated to point 4 or more, more preferably
point 5 (highest point).
For the water-repellent woven or knitted fabric thus
obtained, because the percentage of crimp of the
composite filaments contained in the woven or knitted
fabric is efficiently decreases upon wetting with water,
the yarn length of the composite filaments increases. As
a result, openings in the woven or knitted fabrics are
made large to improve the air permeability of the fabric.
On the other hand, because the percentage of crimp ratio
of the composite filaments increases upon drying, and a
yarn length of the composite filaments is decreased. As
a result, the openings in the woven or knitted fabric are
CA 02579144 2007-03-02
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made small to decrease the air permeability of the
fabric.
The woven or knitted fabric of the present invention
may be dyed. The conditions of dyeing will be explained
in detail.
The woven or knitted fabric in the present invention
includes the following embodiments: (1) a woven or
knitted fabric having a multiply structure with at least
two plies, and at least one ply containing the crimped
composite filaments in an amount of 30 wt.% or more based
on the total weight of the filaments from which the ply
is formed; (2) a knitted fabric having a tubular knitting
structure in which the loops of the tubular stitch are
formed from yarns containing the composite filaments and
the other filaments; (3) a woven fabric formed from warp
yarns and/or a weft yarns of the weave structure, in
which yarns the composite filaments and the other
filaments are combined in parallel with each other; (4) a
woven or knitted fabric wherein the composite filaments
yarns and the other filaments yarns are used as
constituent yarns, and alternately arranged with every
one yarn or every a plurality of yarns (5) a woven or
knitted fabric containing the composite filaments and the
other filaments as a core-in-sheath type composite yarn
in which the composite filaments are situated in the core
portion and the other filaments are situated in the
sheath portion.
Moreover, for a woven or knitted fabric containing
the composite filaments and other filaments, when a
filament length A of the composite filaments and a
filament length B of the other filaments are in the
relationship i A < B upon drying, the air permeability of
the fabric preferably increases upon being wetted with
water. Conversely, when A > B or A = B, the air
permeability of the fabric may not increase upon being
wetted with water, for the following reasons: when the
percentage of crimp of the composite filaments decreases
CA 02579144 2007-03-02
24 -
and the composite filaments are elongated by being wetted
with water, the other filaments have no allowance for the
elongation and cannot be adapted to the elongation of the
composite filaments; as a result, the percentage of
openings in the woven or knitted fabric decreases.
Herein, the filament length is determined by the
following measurement. First, a woven or knitted fabric
is left to stand in an atmosphere at 20 C and 65% RH for
24 hours. Small samples (n = 5) each having dimensions
of 30 cm x 30 cm are cut out from the conditioned woven
or knitted fabric. One composite filament yarn and
another different filament yarn are taken out of each
sample. A filament length A (mm) of the composite
filaments yarn and a filament length B (mm) of the other
different filaments yarn are determined. During the
determination, a load of 1.76 mN/dtex (200 mg/de) is
applied to the sample filament yarn when the yarn is non-
elastic, and a load of 0.0088 mN/dtex (1 mg/de) is
applied to the sample filament yarn when the yarn is
elastic. Herein, the composite filaments yarn and the
other different filaments yarn must be taken out of the
small sample in the same direction. For example, when
the composite filaments yarn is taken out of the warp
yarns (or weft yarns) of the woven or knitted fabric, the
other different filaments yarn must also be taken out of
the warp yarns (or weft yarns). Moreover, when composite
yarns are formed from the composite filaments yarn and
the other different filaments yarn, and the woven or
knitted fabric is formed from the composite yarns, the
composite yarns are taken out of the cut small sample (30
cm x 30 cm) (n = 5), and the composite filaments yarn and
the other different filaments yarn are further taken out
of the composite yarn. Measurements are similarly made
on the taken-out yarns.
As explained above, in order to make a difference
between a length A of the composite filaments yarn and a
length B of the other different filaments yarn, the
CA 02579144 2007-03-02
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following methods are exemplified: when the woven or
knitted fabric is woven or knitted from the composite
filaments yarn and the other different filaments yarn, a
method comprising adjusting the shrinkage of the other
different filaments yarn in boiling water to 15% or less
(more preferably 10% or less); and a method in which
during conjugating the composite filaments yarn with the
other different filaments yarn, the other different
filaments yarn is overfed to the conjugating procedure.
In order to ensure the movability of composite
filaments in the woven or knitted fabric of the present
invention, the basis mass of the fabric is preferably
adjusted to 300 g/m2 or less (more preferably 100 to 250
g/m2)
The woven or knitted fabric of the present invention
can be easily produced by, for example, the following
process.
A modified polyester having an intrinsic viscosity
of 0.30 to 0.43 (determined at 35 C with o-chlorophenol
used as a solvent), in which 5-sodium sulfoisophthalic
acid is copolymerized in an amount of 2.0 to 4.5 mol%,
and a polyamide having an intrinsic viscosity of 1.0 to
1.4 (determined at 30 C with m-cresol used as a solvent)
are melt-spun together through a spinneret for a side-by-
side or eccentric core-sheath composite filaments. It is
particularly important that the intrinsic viscosity of he
polyester resin component be 0.43 or less. When the
intrinsic viscosity of the polyester resin component is
higher than 0.43, the viscosity of the polyester
component increases, and thus the physical properties of
the resultant composite filaments become close to those
of the yarns formed from only the polyester yarns, and
thus the desired woven or knitted fabric in the present
invention cannot be obtained unpreferably. Conversely,
when the intrinsic viscosity of the polyester resin
component is less than 0.30, the melt viscosity of the
resin becomes too low and thus the spinnability of the
CA 02579144 2007-03-02
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resin decreases and fluff formation takes place often.
As a result, the quality and the productivity might
decrease.
A spinneret as disclosed in, for example, Fig. 1 in
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2000-
144518, wherein the extrusion holes of the high viscosity
side are separated from those of the low viscosity side,
and the extrusion linear speed of the high viscosity side
is lowered (cross-sectional area of the extrusion holes
being increased). Moreover, a molten polyester is
preferably passed through the high viscosity side
extrusion holes, and a molten polyamide is preferably
passed through the low viscosity side extrusion holes and
extruded melt flows are cooled and solidified. The
weight ratio of the polyester component to the polyamide
component is, as explained above, preferably from 30:70
to 70:30 (more preferably from 40:60 to 60:40).
Furthermore, a separate drawing system wherein melt
composite spinning is conducted, the spun yarn is wound
once, and the wound yarn is drawn, may be adopted. A
direct drawing system wherein the spun yarn is drawn and
heat treated without winding may also be adopted. A
conventional spinning and drawing conditions may be
adopted for the process. For example, when a direct
drawing system is conducted, a yarn is spun at a speed of
about 1,000 to 3,500 m/min, and the spun yarn is
successively drawn and wound at temperatures of 100 to
150 C. The draw ratio is suitably selected so that the
composite filaments finally obtained exhibit an
elongation at break of 10 to 60% (preferably 20 to 45%)
and a tensile strength at break of about 3.0 to 4.7
cN/dtex.
Herein, the composite filaments preferably satisfy
the requirements (1) and (2), simultaneously.
(1) The percentage of crimp DC of the composite
filaments upon drying is from 1.5 to 13% (preferably from
2 to 6%).
CA 02579144 2007-03-02
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(2) A difference (DC - HC) between the percentage
of crimp DC upon drying and the percentage of crimp HC
upon wetting with water of composite filaments is 0.5% or
more (preferably 1 to 50).
The term "upon drying" designates the state of a
sample having been allowed to stand in an environment at
a temperature of 20 C at a humidity of 65% RH for 24
hours. On the other hand, the term "upon being wetted
with water" designates the state of a sample that is
immediately after immersing the sample in water at 30 C
for 2 hours. Numerical values obtained by the methods
explained below will be used as the percentage of crimp
DC upon drying and the percentage of crimp HC upon being
wetted with water, respectively.
First, using a rewinding frame having a frame
peripheral length of 1.125 m, a composite yarn is wound
at a constant speed under a load of 49/50 mN x 9 x total
tex (0.1 gf x total denier) applied to the yarn to form a
small hank having a number of winding of 10 times. The
small hank is twisted to form a double ring, and the
twisted hank is treated in boiling water for'30 minutes
under an initial load of 49/2,500 mN x 20 x 9 x total tex
(2 mg x 20 x total denier) applied to the hank. After
the boiling water treatment, the treated hank is dried in
a drier at 100 C for 30 minutes, and then further treated
with a dry heat at 160 C for 5 minutes while the initial
load is kept applied. After dry heat treatment, the
initial load is removed, and the hank is allowed to stand
in an environment at 20 C and 65% RH for 24 hours. The
initial load and a heavy load of 98/50 mN x 20 x 9 x
total tex (0.2 gf x 20 x total denier) are then applied
to the hank, and the hank length LO is determined. The
heavy load alone is immediately removed, and the hank
length L1 is determined at a stage of 1 minute after the
load removal. Moreover, the hank is immersed in warm
water at 20 C for 2 hours while the initial load is kept
CA 02579144 2007-03-02
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applied. The hank is then taken out, and a pressure of
0.69 mN/cm2 (70 mgf/cm2) is applied to the hank with a
filter paper sheet so that water is lightly wiped out.
The initial load and the heavy load are then applied, and
the hank length LO' is determined. The heavy load alone
is then immediately removed, and the hank length L1' is
determined at a stage of 1 minute after removal of the
load. The percentage of crimp DC (%) upon drying, the
percentage of crimp HC (%) upon being wetted with water
and the difference (DC - HC) (%) between the percentage
of crimp upon drying and that upon being wetted with
water are calculated from the above determined numerical
values using the following calculation expression:
Percentage of crimp DC (o) upon drying = ((LO -
L1) /L0) x 100
Percentage of crimp HC (o) upon being wetted with
water = ((LO' - L1')/LO') x 100
The percentage of crimp HC of the composite
filaments during wetting with water is preferably in the
range of from 0.5 to 10.0% (more preferably from 1 to
3%).
When the percentage of crimp DC of the composite
filaments upon drying is less than 1.5%, a change in
percentage of crimp upon being wetted with water
decreases, and thus, a change in the air permeability of
the woven or knitted fabric may decrease. Conversely,
when the percentage of crimp DC of the woven or knitted
fabric upon drying is greater than 13%, the crimp is
hardly changed upon being wetted with water because the
crimping is too strong, and thus an extent of change in
the air permeability of the woven or knitted fabric may
also decrease. Moreover, when a difference (DC - HC)
between the percentage of crimp DC upon drying and the
percentage of crimp HC upon being wetted with water of
the woven or knitted fabric is less than 0.5%, an extent
of a change in the air permeability of the woven or
knitted fabric may also decrease.
CA 02579144 2007-03-02
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Next, the woven or knitted fabric is prepared from
the composite filaments alone or from the composite
filaments and other filaments in combination, and the
crimp of the composite filaments is manifested by heat
treatment, for example, such a dyeing treatment.
Herein, it is important, as explained above, that in
the production of a woven or knitted fabric, the
composite filaments be woven or knitted in an amount of
wt.% or more (more preferably 40 wt.% or more), on the
10 basis of the weight of the woven or knitted fabric.
Moreover, there is no specific restriction to the woven
or knitted structure, and it may be appropriately
selected from the afore-mentioned structures.
The dyeing temperature is preferably from 100 to
140 C (more preferably from 110 to 135 C). The holding
time at the highest temperature during dyeing procedure
is preferably from 5 to 40 minutes. When the woven or
knitted fabric is dyed under the above-mentioned
conditions, a difference in thermal shrinkage between the
polyester component and the polyamide component in the
composite filaments manifests the crimps thereof.
Selection of the above-mentioned polymers as the
polyester component and the polyamide component enables
the resultant composite filaments take a crimped
structure during the manifestation of the crimp in which
the polyamide component is located inside portions of the
crimps.
After the dyeing is completed, the dyed woven or
knitted fabric is usually subjected to a dry-heat final-
set procedure. The dry-heat final-set temperature is
preferably from 120 to 200 C (more preferably from 140 to
180 C), and the first heat-set time is preferably from 1
to 3 minutes. When the dry-heat final-set temperature is
lower than 120 C, wrinkles generated during dyeing might
remain. Moreover, the dimensional stability of finished
articles may be insufficient. Conversely, when the dry
CA 02579144 2007-03-02
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heat final set temperature is higher than 200 C, the crimp
of the composite filaments manifested during dyeing may
be decreased, and the filaments may be hardened so as to
cause the hand of the fabric to be stiff.
The woven or knitted fabric of the present invention
may be subjected to various treatments, for example,
conventional raising, UV-ray shielding or imparting
functions with agents such as antibacterial agents,
deodorants, moth-proofing agents, luminous agents,
retroreflective agents, negative-ion-generating agents
and water absorption agents.
The woven or knitted fabric of the present invention
can be used for forming at least a part of the clothes,
for example outerwear, sportswear and underwear by
utilizing the characteristic that the percentage of crimp
significantly decreases upon wetting with water the
crimped composite filaments contained therein and
consequently increasing the air permeability thereof.
The clothes of the present invention contain the
woven or knitted fabric of the invention containing
crimped composite filaments and having an air
permeability that increases upon being wetted with water,
and are characterized in that the dimensions of the
clothes are reversibly enlarged upon being wetted with
water to increase the air permeability and exhibit a
ventilation effect.
The clothes of the present invention include
outerwear, sportswear and underwear.
In a preferred embodiment of the clothes of the
present invention, the clothes have a portion having no
dimensional change when wetted with water, and a portion
that reversibly increases the dimensions (reversibly
increases the area) upon being wetted with water. In
this embodiment, because the enlargement of the area
caused upon being wetted with water is partially
effected, neither the dimensions of the clothes as a
whole nor the gap between the clothes and the skin of the
CA 02579144 2007-03-02
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wearer is excessively enlarged. That is, when a wearer
puts the clothes of the above embodiment on and sweats, a
portion having dimensions (area) increased upon being
wetted with sweat bulges outside so that an air gap
between the skin of the wearer and the portion increases
to increase the air permeability of the wetted portion
and the ventilation effect.
For the clothes of the present invention, a portion
having no dimensional change upon being wetted with water
designates a portion that has a change in area caused by
water wetting of less than 5%, and a portion having a
dimensional change when wetted with water designates a
portion having a change in area caused upon being wetted
with water of 5% or more. A change in area of a clothes
portion is determined by the following method.
A woven or knitted fabric is allowed to stand in an
environment at 20 C and 65% RH (hereinafter referred to as
during drying) for 24 hours, and a sample (square sample,
cm (warp) x 20 cm (weft)) is cut out in the same
20 direction as the woven or knitted fabric. The area (cm2)
of the sample is defined as an area upon drying. On the
other hand, the sample is immersed in water at 30 C for 5
minutes (hereinafter referred to as upon being wetted
with water), pulled up, and then held between 2 filter
paper sheets within 60 sec after pulling up. A pressure
of 490 N/m2 (50 kgf/m2) is applied for 1 minute to remove
a water component present among filaments. The area (cm2)
of the wetted sample is then determined. When the area
is reduced by water wetting the sample, the case is also
included in the case in which "the sample has no
dimensional change upon being wetted with water."
change in area (%) = ((area during water wetting) -
(area during drying))/(area during drying) x 100
There is no specific restriction to the type of the
embodiments of the clothes in the present invention.
Examples of the woven or knitted fabric forming a portion
that has no dimensional change upon being wetted with
CA 02579144 2007-03-02
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water include organic natural fibers, for example,
cotton, wool and hemp fibers, organic synthetic fibers,
for example, polyester fibers, nylon fibers and
polyolefin fibers, organic semi-synthetic fibers, for
example, cellulose acetate fibers and organic regenerated
fibers, for example, viscose rayon fibers.
Among the fibers, polyester fibers are appropriate
in view of the fiber strength and handleability. The
polyester fibers are produced from a dicarboxylic acid
component and a diglycol component. It is preferred to
mainly use terephthalic acid as the dicarboxylic acid
component. It is preferred to mainly use, as the
diglycol component, at least one alkylene glycol selected
from ethylene glycol, trimethylene glycol and
tetramethylene glycol. Moreover, the polyester may be
made to contain a third component in addition to the
dicarboxylic acid component and the glycol component.
Examples of the third component include a cationic dye-
dyeable anionic component, for example,
sodiosulfoisophthalic acid, a dicarboxylic acid other
than terephthalic acid, for example, isophthalic acid,
naphthalenedicarboxylic acid, adipic acid, and sebacic
acid, and a glycol compound other than an alkylene glycol
such as diethylene glycol, poly(ethylene glycol),
bisphenol A and bisphenolsulfone. At least one of these
compounds may be used.
Filaments having no dimensional change upon being
wetted with water may optionally contain at least one of
the following agents or materials: delustering agents
(titanium dioxide), micropore-forming agents (metal salt
of organic sulfonic acid), anti-coloring agents, thermal
stabilizers, flame retardants (diantimony trioxide),
fluorescent brighteners, coloring pigments, antistatic
agents (metal salt of a sulfonic acid), a hygroscopic
agents (poly(oxyalkylene glycol)), antibacterial agents
and other inorganic particles.
There is no specific restriction to the shape of
1, 1 1
CA 02579144 2007-03-02
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filaments having no dimensional change upon being wetted
with water. It may be either filaments (multifilaments)
or a staple fiber. In view of obtaining a high
flexibility, multifilaments are preferred. Moreover, the
filaments may be ones false twisted and crimped, twisted
or air interlaced. There is no specific limitation to
the thickness of the filaments. However, in view of
obtaining a high flexibility, the filaments preferably
have an individual filament thickness of 0.1 to 3 dtex, a
number of filaments of 20 to 150 and a total thickness of
30 to 300 dtex. There is no specific restriction to the
cross-sectional profile of the individual filament and
the filament may have a triangular, flat, cross,
hexagonal or hollow cross-sectional shape, in addition to
a regular circular cross-sectional shape.
There is no specific restriction to the structure of
the woven or knitted fabric that has no dimensional
change even when wetted with water, and conventional ones
may be used. Examples of the weave structure of the
woven fabric include three foundation weaves, namely
plain weave, twill weave and satin weave, derivative
weaves, for example, derivative twill weave, one side
double structures, for example, warp double weave and
weft double weave, and warp velvet weave. The type of
the knitted fabric may be a weft knitted fabric or a warp
knitted fabric. Preferred examples of the weft knitted
stitch include a plain stitch, a rubber stitch, a double
face stitch, a purl stitch, a tuck stitch, a float
stitch, a half cardigan rib stitch, a lace stitch and a
plating stitch. Examples of the warp knitting stitch
include a single dembigh stitch, a single atlas stitch, a
double cord stitch, a half tricot stitch, a fleecy stitch
and a jacquard stitch.
In the above embodiments of the clothes of the
present invention, portions, the dimensions of which are
reversibly enlarged upon wetting with water, are locally
arranged, and the other portions are formed from a woven
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or knitted fabric the dimensions of which are not changed
even upon wetting with water. Sites where the wearer sweats
relatively much are appropriate as the portions the
dimensions of which are reversibly enlarged upon wetting
with water. Examples of the appropriate portions made of
the woven or knitted fabric are as follows: portions 6 made
of the woven or knitted fabric and arranged in a front of a
cloth 4 schematically shown in Figure 5; a portion 8 made of
the woven or knitted fabric and located in a breast 7 of a
cloth 4 schematically shown in Fig.6; and at least one
portion 11 made from the sides 9, a back (not shown) and
lower portions of sleeves 10 of a cloth 4 schematically
shown in Fig.7. Preferred areas of woven or knitted fabric
portions the dimensions of which are reversibly enlarged
upon wetting with water are 1 cmZ or more per woven or
knitted fabric portion of the clothes and 500 to 10000 cmZ
in total. It is appropriate that the ratio of a total area
of the woven or knitted fabric portions to a total area of
the clothes be from 5 to 70%. When the area ratio is
smaller than 5%, the space volume between the clothes and
the skin upon wetting with water is not sufficiently large,
and thus a sufficient ventilation effect cannot be obtained
sometimes. Conversely, when the area ratio is larger than
70%, the dimensions of the clothes as a whole may be changed
upon being wetted with water.
The woven or knitted fabric of the present invention is
used as a fabric for forming a portion of the clothes the
dimensions of which are reversibly enlarged upon being
wetted with water.
There are no specific restrictions to the woven or
knitted fabric structure and a number of plies of the woven
or knitted fabric the dimensions of which are reversibly
enlarged by wetting with water, for the clothes. The
following are appropriately exemplified as the woven or
knitted fabric: woven structures, for example, plain weave,
twill weave and satin, and knitting stitch, for example,
plain knitting stitch, an interlock
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stitch, a circular rib fabric, a tuck float fabric, a
plating stitch, a dembigh stitch and a half tricot
stitch. A tubular knitted or a mesh-like woven or
knitted fabric is particularly preferred.
For a change in dimensions of the above-mentioned
portions, the change in the area is preferably 10% or
more, more preferably from 15 to 30%. When the change in
the area is less than 10%, a space volume between the
clothes and the skin upon wetting with water does not
increase so much, and the ventilation effect may be
insufficient. The woven or knitted fabric for forming
the portions having a dimensional change upon wetting
with water can be easily obtained by, for example, the
production process explained above.
The woven or knitted fabric for clothes of the
present invention is preferably subjected to a water
absorbent treatment. The water absorbent treatment
enables the treated woven or knitted fabric to exhibit an
increased air permeability even upon wetting with a small
amount of sweat. There is no specific limitation to the
type of the water absorbent treatment. The following
procedure is exemplified as a preferred water absorbent
treatment: a water absorbent treatment agent, for
example, a poly(ethylene glycol diacrylate) or its
derivative, or a poly(ethylene terephthalate)-
poly(ethylene glycol) copolymer is applied to the woven
or knitted fabric, in an amount of 0.25 to 0.50 wt.%
based on the weight of the woven or knitted fabric.
Examples of the water absorbent treatment method include
a bath treatment method in which a water absorbent
treatment agent is added to a dyeing solution during
dyeing, and a coating method in which, for example, a
woven or knitted fabric is dipped prior to dry heat final
set in a water absorbent treatment solution, and squeezed
with a mangle, a gravure coating method and a screen
printing method.
The clothes of the present invention are prepared
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from the above woven or knitted fabric having no
dimensional change upon wetting with water and the above-
mentioned woven or knitted fabric the dimensions of which
are reversibly enlarged upon wetting with water, by a
conventional process. The woven or knitted fabrics of
the present invention may be subjected to various
treatments, for example, dyeing, water absorbent
treatment, conventional raising, UV-ray shielding
treatment or function-imparting treatment with, for
example, antibacterial agents, deodorants, moth-proofing
agents, luminous agents, retroreflective agents,
negative-ion generating agents and water repellants.
When a wearer puts the clothes of present invention
on, and sweats, portions of the clothes the dimensions of
which are reversibly enlarged upon wetting with water are
enlarged, and the portions flutter during wearer's
movement to produce a ventilation effect (bellows effect)
to cause the wearer to be released from a stuffy feeling
and the stickiness created by the sweating. Excellent
wearable comfortability can thus be obtained. The
performance of the clothes of the present invention will
be further explained in Example 4 and Comparative Example
3 to be explained later by making reference to Fig. 8.
The clothes of the present invention can be
appropriately used as outerwear, sportswear, underwear,
etc. In addition, accessories such as buttons may be
safely attached to the clothes of the invention.
Examples
The woven or knitted fabric and clothes of the
present invention will be further explained by with
reference to the following examples.
In examples and comparative examples, the following
tests were conducted.
<Intrinsic Viscosity of Polyester>
o-Chlorophenol was used as a solvent, and
measurements were made at 35 C.
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<Intrinsic Viscosity of Polyamide>
m-Cresol was used as a solvent, and measurements
were carried out at a temperature of 30 C.
<Tensile strength and elongation at break>
A filament sample was left to stand in a
thermohygrostat chamber at an atmospheric temperature of
25 C at a humidity of 60% RH for one day and night. The
sample was then set in a Tensilon (trademark) tensile
tester (manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation) with a
sample length of 100 mm, and stretched at a rate of 200
mm/min, and the tensile strength (cN/dtex) and the
elongation (%) at break were determined. In addition, n
was 5 and the average values were obtained.
<Shrinkage in boiling water>
The shrinkage in boiling water (hot water shrinkage)
(o) was determined by the method specified in JIS L 1013-
1998 17-15. In addition, n was 3, and the average value
was obtained.
<Percentage of crimp of composite filaments>
Using a rewinding frame having a frame peripheral
length of 1.125 m, a composite yarn was rewound at a
constant speed while a load of 49/50 mN x 9 x total tex
(0.1 gf x total denier) was applied to the yarn, to form
a small hank having wound 10 times. The small hank was
twisted to form a double ring, and the twisted hank was
treated in boiling water for 30 minutes while an initial
load of 49/2,500 mN x 20 x 9 x total tex (2 mg x 20 x
total denier) was applied. The hank treated in boiling
water was dried with a drier at a temperature of 100 C for
30 minutes, and then further treated with a dry heat at
160 C for 5 minutes while the initial load was applied
thereto. After dry heat treatment was completed, the
initial load was removed, and the hank was left to stand
in an environment at 20 C and 65% RH for 24 hours. The
initial load and a heavy load of 98/50 mN x 20 x 9 x
total tex (0.2 gf x 20 x total denier) were then applied
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to the hank, and the length LO of the hank was measured.
The heavy load alone was immediately removed, and 1
minute after the load removal, the length L1 of the hank
was measured. Moreover, the hank was immersed in warm
water at a temperature of 30 C for 2 hours while the
initial load was applied thereto. The hank was then
taken out, and within 60 sec after taking out the hank,
the hank was lightly wiped with a filter paper sheet,
while applying a pressure of 0.69 mN/cm2 (70 mgf/cm2) to
the hank with a filter paper sheet, 30 cm x 30 cm. The
initial load and the heavy load were then applied, and
the length LO' of the hank was measured. The heavy load
alone was then immediately removed, and 1 minute after
removal of the load the length L1' of the hank was
measured. The percentage of crimp DC (%) of the filament
sample upon drying, the percentage of crimp HC (%) of the
sample upon wetting with water and the difference (DC -
HC) (%) between the percentage of crimp upon drying and
that upon wetting with water were calculated from the
data of the above mentioned measurements in accordance
with the following equations.
Percentage of crimp DC (%) upon drying = ((LO -
L1)/L0) x 100
Percentage of crimp HC (%) upon wetting with water =
((LO' - L1') x 100
Percentage of crimp HC (%) upon wetting with water =
((LO' - L1')/LO') x 100
In addition, n is 5, and the average values are
obtained.
<Percentage of Crimp of Composite Filaments in Woven or
Knitted Fabric>
A woven or knitted fabric was left to stand in an
air atmosphere at a temperature of 20 C at a humidity of
65% RH for 24 hours. Small samples each having
dimensions of 30 cm x 30 cm were taken (n = 5) from the
woven or knitted fabric in the same direction thereof. A
composite filament was taken out from each small sample.
1, 1 1
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A load of 1.76 mN/dtex (200 mg de) was applied to the
composite filament, and the length L2 of the filament was
measured. One minute after removal of the load, a load
of 0.0176 mN/dtex (2 mg/de) was applied to the filament,
and the length L3 of the filament was measured.
Moreover, the filament was immersed in water at a
temperature of 30 C for 2 hours, and then taken out.
Within 60 sec after taking out, the sample was held
between filter paper sheets, each in dimensions of 30 cm
x 30 cm, and a pressure of 0.69 mN/cm2 (70 mgf/cm2) was
applied thereto for 5 sec to lightly wipe out water. A
load of 1.76 mN/dtex (200 mg de) was applied to the
sample, and the length L2' of the filament was measured.
One minute after removal of the load, a load of 0.0176
mN/dtex (2 mg/de) was applied to the sample, and the
length L3' of the filament was measured. The percentage
of crimp DCF (%) upon drying, the percentage of crimp HCF
(%) upon being wetted with water and the difference (DCF -
HCF) (%) between the percentage of crimp upon drying and
that upon being wetted with water were calculated from
the data measured as mentioned above in accordance with
the following equations. In addition, n was 5, and the
average values were obtained.
Percentage of crimp DCF (%) upon drying = ((LOf -
Llf) /Llf) x 100
Percentage of crimp HCF (%) upon wetting with water =
((LOf' - Lif')/Llf') x 100
<Air permeability>
The air permeability (ml/cm2/sec) of a fabric sample
upon drying and the air permeability (ml/cm2/sec) upon
being wetted with water were measured in accordance with
JIS L 1096-1998 6.27.1, Method A (Fragile-type testing
machine method). The term "upon drying" designated the
state of a sample left to stand in an environment at a
temperature of 20 C at a humidity of 65% RH for 24 hours.
On the other hand, the term "upon being wetted with
water" designated the state of a sample that was
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subjected to the following procedures: the sample was
immersed in water at a temperature of 30 C for 2 hours,
pulled up from the water, and within 60 sec after pulling
up the sample, held between a pair of filter paper sheets
each having dimensions of 50 cm x 50 cm, while a pressure
of 490 N/m2 (50 kgf/m2) was being applied to the sample
for 1 minute to remove the water present among the
filaments. The air permeability is then determined (n =
5), and the average values are obtained. The change in
air permeability is calculated from the following
equation:
Change (%) of air permeability = ((air permeability
upon wetting with water) - (air permeability upon
drying))/(air permeability upon drying) x 100
<Stretch percentage of Woven or Knitted Fabric>
The stretch elongation (%) in the warp direction and
that in the weft direction of a woven or knitted fabric
were determined by the same method as JIS L 1096 8.14.1,
Method B (Constant Load Method) except that the load was
changed to 1/10 (1.47N = 0.15 kgf).
The average of the measured data (n = 5) was
calculated.
<Measurement of length of yarn>
First, a woven or knitted fabric is left to stand in
an air atmosphere at 20 C and 65% RH for 24 hours. Small
samples (n = 5) each having dimensions of 30 cm x 30 cm
are taken from the woven or knitted fabric. One
composite filaments yarn and another filaments yarn were
taken out from each sample. A yarn length A (mm) of the
composite filaments yarn and a yarn length B (mm) of the
different filaments yarn were measured. In the
measurement, a load of 1.76 mN/dtex (200 mg/de) was
applied to a sample yarn when the yarn is a non-elastic
yarn, and a load of 0.0088 mN/dtex (1 mg/de) was applied
to a sample yarn when the yarn is an elastic one. In
addition, n was 5, and the average was calculated.
<Water Repellency>
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The water repellency of the woven or knitted fabric
was determined in accordance with JIS L 1092, 6.2 Spray
Test.
<Change in dimensions>
A woven or knitted fabric is allowed to stand in an
environment at a temperature of 20 C at a humidity of 65%
RH for 24 hours, and square samples (20 cm (warp) x 20 cm
(weft) were taken in the same direction as the woven or
knitted fabric. The area (cm2) of each sample is defined
as an area (cm2) upon drying. The sample was immersed in
water at a temperature of 20 C for 5 minutes (hereinafter
referred to as upon being wetted with water), then held
between a pair of filter paper sheets while applying a
pressure of 490 N/m2 (50 kgf/m2) to the sample for 1
minute to remove water present among filaments. The area
of the sample was determined and defined as an area of
the sample (cm2) upon being wetted with water. A change
(%) in dimensions was calculated from the following
equation defining the change in area of the sample.
Change in area (%) = ((area upon wetting with water)
- (area upon drying))/(area upon drying) x 100
Example 1
A nylon 6 having an intrinsic viscosity [1i] of 1.3
was melted at 270 C, and a modified poly(ethylene
terephthalate) in which 2.6 mol% of 5-sodium
sulfoisophthalic acid was copolymerized and that had an
intrinsic viscosity [ti] of 0.39 was melted at 290 C. Both
molten polymers were extruded through a spinneret for
side-by-side type composite filaments in an extrusion
rate of 12.7 g/min for each polymer. The spinneret was
one described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication
(Kokai) No. 2000-144518. The spinning nozzle was formed
from two arc-shaped slits A and B arranged substantially
on one the same circumference at a spacing d. The area
SA of the arc-shaped slit A, the slit width Al, the area
SB of the arc-shaped slit B, the slit width B1 and the
1, 1 1
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area SC surrounded by the inner peripheral faces of the
arc-shaped slits A and B simultaneously satisfy the
following requirements (1) to (4):
(1) B1 < Al
(2) 1.1 SA/SB _< 1.8
(3) 0.4 S (SA + SB)/SC 5 10.0
(4) d/Al 3.0
The poly(ethylene terephthalate) was extruded through the
slit A side, and the nylon 6 was extruded through the
slit B side to form a side-by-side type undrawn composite
filaments yarn having a cross-sectional profile as shown
in Fig. 1. The undrawn filament yarn was cooled to be
solidified, and a spinning oil was imparted thereto. The
filament yarn was drawn and heat treated at a speed of
1,000 m/min, by preheating with a preheating roller at a
temperature of 60 C, and drawing and heat treating between
the preheating roller and a heating roller having a speed
of 3,050 m/min and heated at 150 C at a draw ratio of
3.05. The resultant yarn was wound up. A composite
filaments yarn of 84 dtex/24 fil was obtained.
The drawn composite filaments yarn thus obtained had
a tensile strength at break of 3.4 cN/dtex and an
elongation at break of 40%. Moreover, when the composite
filaments yarn was subjected to a treatment in boiling
water to cause the filaments to crimp, the filaments yarn
had a percentage of crimp DC upon drying of 3.3% and a
percentage of crimp HC upon being wetted with water of
1.6%. Thus the difference (DC - HC) between the
percentage of crimp DC upon drying and the percentage of
crimp HC upon wetting with water was 1.7%.
Using a 28-gauge double tubular knitting machine, a
tubular knitted fabric having an interlock stitch with a
knitting density of 42 courses/2.54 cm and 35 wales/2.54
cm was prepared from non-twisted composite filaments
yarns (no treatment with boiling water was applied and no
crimp was manifested on the filaments) alone.
I. I I
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The tubular knitted fabric was dyed at a temperature
of 130 C for a peak temperature-keeping time of 15 minutes
to manifest the latent crimpability of the composite
filaments yarn. During dyeing, a water-absorbent agent
(poly(ethylene terephthalate)-poly(ethylene glycol)
copolymer) was added to the dyeing bath in an amount of 2
ml per liter of the dyeing solution. The water-absorbent
agent was imparted to the knitted fabric by the bath
treatment during dyeing. Then the tubular knitted fabric
was dry heat final set at 160 C for one minute.
The knitted fabric thus obtained had a basis weight
of 214 g/m2, and had a stretch percentage of 70% in the
warp direction, and a stretch percentage of 110% in the
weft direction, an air permeability upon drying of 90
ml/cm2/sec, an air permeability upon being wetted with
water of 370 ml/cm2/sec and a change in air permeability
of 311%. The significant improvement of the air
permeability upon wetting with water was confirmed with
satisfactory. Moreover, composite filaments taken from
the knitted fabric had a percentage of crimp DCF upon
drying of 68% and a percentage of crimp HCF upon being
wetted with water of 22%. That is, the difference (DCF -
HCF) between the percentage of crimp upon drying and the
one upon wetting with water was 46%.
Example 2
The same composite filaments yarn as used in Example
1 and a conventional poly(ethylene terephthalate)
multifilaments yarn (84 dtex/30 f) were used. Using 28-
gauge double tubular knitting machine in the same manner
as in Example 1, the composite filaments yarns and the
poly(ethylene terephthalate) multifilaments yarns were
alternately fed to the machine with every one yarn to
form a tubular knitted fabric having an interlock stitch
with a knitting density of 54 courses/2.54 cm and 34
wales/2.54 cm. The tubular knitted fabric was subjected
to dyeing, water absorbent treatment and dry heat final
set in the same manner as in Example 1.
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The knitted fabric thus obtained had a basis weight
of 206 g/m2, and exhibited a stretch percentage of 50% in
the warp direction, a stretch percentage of 100% in the
weft direction, an air permeability upon drying of 150
ml/cm2/sec, an air permeability upon being wetted with
water of 280 ml/cm2/sec and a change in air permeability
of 87%. The knitted fabric was satisfactory because the
air permeability upon being wetted with water was greatly
improved. Moreover, a composite filaments taken from the
knitted fabric had a percentage of crimp DCF upon drying
of 63% and a percentage of crimp HCF upon wetting with
water of 20%. That is, the difference (DCF - HCF) between
the percentage of crimp upon drying and that upon being
wetted with water was 43%.
Comparative Example 1
A nylon 6 having an intrinsic viscosity [fl] of 1.3
and a modified poly(ethylene terephthalate) in which 2.6
mol% of 5-sodium sulfoisophthalic acid was copolymerized
and that had an intrinsic viscosity of 0.48 were melted
at 270 C and 290 C, respectively, extruded through a
spinneret for forming a side-by-side type composite
filaments (explained in Example 1) in an extrusion rate
of 12.7 g/min for each polymer to form a side-by-side
type composite filaments having a cross-sectional profile
as shown in Fig. 1. The extruded filaments were cooled
to solidify them, and a spinning oil was imparted
thereto. The undrawn filament yarn thus obtained was
drawn and heat-treated at a speed of 1,000 m/min, by
preheating by a preheating roller at a temperature of
60 C, and drawing and heat treating between the preheating
roller and a heating roller at a speed of 2,700 m/min at
a temperature of 150 C. The resultant filament yarn was
wound. A composite filament yarn of 84 dtex/24 fil. was
obtained. The drawn composite filaments yarn thus
obtained had a tensile strength at break of 2.3 cN/dtex
and an elongation at break of 41%. The composite
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filaments yarn was subjected to a treatment in boiling
water and the percentage of crimp of the resultant
filaments was measured. The percentage of crimp DC upon
drying was 1.2% and a percentage of crimp HC upon being
wetted with water was 3.9%. Thus the difference (DC -
HC) between the percentage of crimp DC upon drying and
the percentage of crimp HC upon being wetted with water
was -2.7%.
From the composite filaments yarns, a tubular
knitted fabric was prepared in the same manner as in
Example 1. The resultant tubular knitted fabric was
subjected to dyeing, water absorbent treatment and dry
final set in the same manner as in Example 1.
The knitted fabric thus obtained had a basis weight
of 170 g/m2, and exhibited a stretch percentage of 52% in
the warp direction, a stretch percentage of 102% in the
weft direction, an air permeability upon drying of 230
ml/cm2/sec, an air permeability upon being wetted with
water of 160 ml/cm2/sec and a change in air permeability
of -30%. The knitted fabric was unsatisfactory because
the air permeability upon being wetted with water was
low. Moreover, a composite filament taken from the
knitted fabric had a percentage of crimp DCF upon drying
of 54% and a percentage of crimp HCF upon being wetted
with water of 65%. That is, the difference (DCF - HCF)
between the percentage of crimp upon drying and that upon
being wetted with water was -11%.
Example 3
The same side-by-side type composite filaments yarns
as in Example 1 were produced. The composite filaments
yarns were supplied to a conventional 28-gauge tricot
knitting machine. The composite filaments yarns were fed
to a back guide bar of the knitting machine at a full
set. On the other hand, a conventional false twisted,
crimped poly(ethylene terephthalate) multifilament yarns
(33 dtex/36 fil.) having a percentage of crimp of 20%
were simultaneously fed to a front guide bar of the
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tubular knitting machine at a full set to give a knitted
fabric having a half tricot stitch (back: 10-12, front:
23-10) with an on-machine density of 80 courses/2.54 cm.
The knitted fabric was dyed at 130 C for a peak
temperature-keeping time of 15 minutes so that the latent
crimpability of the composite filaments was manifested.
The knitted fabric was then subjected to padding
treatment with a fluororesin water repellent treatment
liquid. The treated knitted fabric was then dried at a
temperature of 100 C, and dry heat final set at a
temperature of 160 C for 1 minute.
The knitted fabric thus obtained had a basis weight
of 220 g/m2, and had a stretch percentage of 13% in the
warp direction, a stretch percentage of 30% in the weft
direction, a water repellency of 5 points, an air
permeability upon drying of 45 ml/cm2/sec, an air
permeability upon being wetted with water of 64 ml/cm2/sec
and a change in air permeability of 42%. The knitted
fabric was satisfactory because the air permeability upon
wetting with water was greatly enhanced. Moreover,
composite filaments taken from the knitted fabric
exhibited a percentage of crimp DCF upon drying of 64% and
a percentage of crimp HCF upon being wetted with water of
32%. That is, the difference (DCF - HCF) between the
percentage of crimp upon drying and that upon being
wetted with water was 32%.
Comparative Example 2
A side-by-side type composite filaments yarns were
produced from a nylon 6 and a 5-sodium sulfoisophthalic
acid-copolymerized poly(ethylene terephthalate) resin in
the same manner as in Comparative Example 1.
Using the composite filaments yarns, a knitted
fabric was prepared in the same manner as in Example 3.
The knitted fabric was subjected to dyeing, water
repellency treatment and dry final set.
The knitted fabric thus obtained had a basis weight
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of 210 g/m2, and exhibited a stretch percentage of 12% in
the warp direction, a stretch percentage of 22% in the
weft direction, a water repellency of 5 points, an air
permeability upon drying of 54 ml/cm2/sec, an air
permeability upon being wetted with water of 41 ml/cm 2/sec
and a change in air permeability of -24%. The knitted
fabric was unsatisfactory because the air permeability
upon being wetted with water was low. Moreover,
composite filaments taken from the knitted fabric
exhibited a percentage of crimp DCF upon drying of 56% and
a percentage of crimp HCF upon being wetted with water of
62%. That is, the difference (DCF - HCF) between the
percentage of crimp upon drying and that upon being
wetted with water was -6% which was unsatisfactory
Example 4
A nylon 6 having an intrinsic viscosity [Ti] of 1.3
and a modified poly(ethylene terephthalate) in which 2.6
mol% of 5-sodium sulfoisophthalic acid was copolymerized
and that had an intrinsic viscosity of 0.39 were melted
at 270 C and 290 C, respectively, extruded through the
same composite spinning spinneret as in Example 1, at an
extrusion rate of 12.7 g/min for each polymer, to form a
side-by-side type composite filaments yarn. The extruded
yarn was cooled to be solidified, and a spinning oil was
imparted thereto. The yarn was then drawn and heat-
treated at a speed of 1,000 m/min, by preheating by a
preheating roller at a temperature of 60 C, and drawn and
heat treated between the preheating roller and a heating
roller having a speed of 3,050 m/min a temperature of at
150 C. The resultant yarn was wound. A composite
filament yarn of 84 dtex/24 fil was obtained. The drawn
composite filament yarn thus obtained had a tensile
strength of 3.4 cN/dtex and an elongation at break of
40%. When the composite filaments yarn was subjected to
a treatment in boiling water and the percentage of crimp
was measured, it was found that the percentage of crimp
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DC upon drying was 3.3% and the percentage of crimp HC
upon being wetted with water was 1.6%. The difference
(DC - HC) between the percentage of crimp upon drying DC
and the percentage of crimp upon being wetted with water
HC was therefore 1.7%.
The composite filaments yarn (that was not subjected
to treatment in boiling water, and that had no crimps,
and non-twisted) alone was used, to produce a tubular
knitted fabric having a plain knitting stitch and a
density of 65 courses/2.54 cm and 37 wales/2.54 cm, by
using a 28-gauge double tubular knitting machine.
The tubular knitted fabric was dyed at 130 C for a
peak temperature-keeping time of 15 minutes to manifest
the latent crimpability of the composite filaments yarn.
The tubular knitted fabric was then subjected to dry heat
final set at a temperature of 160 C for 1 minute.
The knitted fabric thus obtained (knitted fabric
having dimensions that were reversibly increased upon
wetting with water) had a basis weight of 120 g/m2, a
knitting density of 71 courses/2.54 cm and 61 wales/2.54
cm, and exhibited a dimensional change of 21% (7% in the
warp direction and 13% in the weft direction).
Separately, using a 28-gauge double knitting
machine, a tubular knitted fabric having an interlock
stitch with a gray fabric density of 45 courses/2.54 cm
and 41 wales/2.54 cm was prepared from a false twisted
and crimped poly(ethylene terephthalate) yarn (56 dtex/72
fil.). The knitted fabric was similarly dried as above.
The knitted fabric (that had no dimensional change caused
by wetting with water) was then cut and sewn to give a
shirt with a half-sleeve length.
Next, the breast (15 cm long and 20 cm wide) alone
of the shirt was cut and removed, and a cut piece of the
composite filaments yarn knitted fabric was sewn and
fixed to the breast of the shirt as shown in Fig. 6.
A panelist wore the shirt thus obtained, and a
wearing test was conducted in a room adjusted to a
In ~
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temperature of 28 C and a humidity of 50% RH according to
the wearing step mentioned below, and the humidity within
the clothes (space between the skin and the clothes) was
determined. The results are shown by a curve A in Fig.
8. During physical exercise, the panelist hardly felt
stuffy due to the ventilation effect of the piece of the
composite filament knitted fabric arranged in the breast
of the shirt. After the physical exercise, the panelist
felt significantly less stuffy, and felt comfortable due
to the ventilation effect in combination with the wind.
Wearing test:
rest for 5 minutes (with wind at 1.5 m/sec) -+
running for 15 minutes (10 km/h) -+ rest for 10 minutes
(without wind) -* rest for 20 minutes (with wind at 1.5
m/sec)
Comparative Example 3
A panelist wore the same shirt prepared from the
false twisted and crimped poly(ethylene terephthalate)
yarn (56 dtex/72 f) alone as in Example 1, and the same
wearing test as in Example 4 was conducted. The results
are shown by a curve B in Fig. 8. The panelist who wore
the shirt felt significantly stuffy during physical
exercise because the shirt had substantial no ventilation
effect. Moreover, the stuffy feeling lasted for a long
time after the physical exercise was finished, and the
panelist felt uncomfortable.
Industrial Applicability
The woven or knitted fabric of the present invention
containing crimped composite filaments and clothes of the
present invention containing the woven or knitted fabric
exhibit an air permeability that is increased upon
wetting with water to promote drying of the woven or
knitted fabric. Drying of the woven or knitted fabric
causes the air permeability to decrease and to improve
the warmth retention. The woven or knitted fabric is
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therefore useful for outerwear, sportswear, underwear and
other clothes.
