System and method for space-dyeing yarn

Abstract

A process for manufacturing spaced dyed yarn for use with tufted or pile carpet including applying one or more colors of dye to one or more yarns in a predetermined spaced relation to form a colorized yarn having a predetermined color pattern.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A space-dyed yarn produced from a process comprising:
 providing a yarn;   feeding at least one strand of the yarn at a predetermined and selectable speed along a machine direction to a dyeing station;   in the dyeing station, selectively applying one or more colors of dye to the at least one strand of the yarn in a predetermined, selectable pattern to form a colorized yarn having a predetermined color pattern; and   fixing the applied dye to the at least one strand of yarn of the colorized yarn.   
     
     
         2 . The space-dyed yarn of  claim 1 , wherein the process further comprises winding the colorized yarn onto a creel. 
     
     
         3 . The space-dyed yarn of  claim 1 , wherein the process further comprises providing the polymeric yarn in a non-dyed form. 
     
     
         4 . The space-dyed yarn of  claim 1 , wherein the yarn is formed from a material selected from a group consisting of natural materials, polymeric materials, and mixture thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The space-dyed yarn of  claim 4 , wherein the polymeric materials are selected from the group consisting of polyesters, polyamides and polyolefins. 
     
     
         6 . The space-dyed yarn of  claim 5 , wherein the polyesters are selected from the group consisting of poly(ethylene terephthalate), poly(butylene terephthalate) and copolymers and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The space-dyed yarn of  claim 5 , wherein the polyamides are selected from the group consisting of nylon 6, nylon 6/6, nylon 6/9, nylon 6/10, nylon 6/12, nylon 11, nylon 12 and copolymers and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The space-dyed yarn of  claim 5 , wherein the polyolefins are selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polypropylene derivatives, and copolymers and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The space-dyed yarn of  claim 4 , wherein the each yarn further comprises an additive selected from the group consisting of lubricants, nucleating agents, antioxidants, ultraviolet light stabilizers, antistatic agents, soil resists, stain resists, antimicrobial agents, flame retardants and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The space-dyed yarn of  claim 1 , wherein the provided polymeric yarn is a textured yarn. 
     
     
         11 . The space-dyed yarn of  claim 1 , wherein the step of feeding at least one strand of the yarn at a predetermined and selectable speed comprising feeding a simultaneously feeding, in the machine direction, a plurality of strands of yarn along a plurality of parallel pathways through a downstream dyeing process; wherein each strand of yarn is feed along one pathway of the plurality of parallel pathways. 
     
     
         12 . The space-dyed yarn of  claim 11 , further comprising, prior to selectively applying one or more colors of dye to the at least one strand of the yarn, pre-steaming the at least one strand of the yarn being feed at the predetermined and selectable speed to effect a raise in the relative moisture content of the yarn to a desired level. 
     
     
         13 . The space-dyed yarn of  claim 11 , wherein the dye color is applied to the strands of yarns within a tight directional tolerance in a longitudinal length dimension of the supplied yarn strand, which is parallel to the machine direction, and in the transverse, width direction of the yard strand. 
     
     
         14 . The space-dyed yarn of  claim 11 , wherein the dyeing station comprises at least one color conduit positioned to overlie the at least one strand of the yarn passing through the dyeing station. 
     
     
         15 . The space-dyed yarn of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one color conduit is positioned substantially transverse to the machine direction of the at least one strand of the yarn passing through the dyeing station. 
     
     
         16 . The space-dyed yarn of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one color conduit comprises a plurality of color conduits in operative communication with a source of pressurized dye color, and wherein each color conduit of the plurality of color conduits is positioned substantially parallel to the adjacent color conduit. 
     
     
         17 . The space-dyed yarn of  claim 16 , wherein each respective color conduit further comprises a plurality of selectively operated jets that are positioned in overlying orientation with the respective passing yarns passing along the plurality of parallel pathways, wherein each respective jet is selectively opened and closed in response to respective command signal received from a control system, and wherein each respective jet delivers dye along a dye delivery axis. 
     
     
         18 . The space-dyed yarn of  claim 17 , wherein the control system is programmed to selectively apply dye from each respective jet on each respective color conduit in accord with a selectable design program. 
     
     
         19 . The space-dyed yarn of  claim 17 , wherein the control system is programmed to selectively apply dye from each respective jet to an individual strand of yarn in one actuation cycle of a respective jet with a start point and stop point of the applied dye being within about 0.500″ of the desired start/stop points. 
     
     
         20 . The space-dyed yarn of  claim 17 , wherein the control system is programmed to selectively apply dye from each respective jet to an individual strand of yarn in one actuation cycle of a respective jet with a start point and stop point of the applied dye being within about 0.050″ of the desired start/stop points. 
     
     
         21 . The space-dyed yarn of  claim 17 , further comprising guiding the yarn being fed through the dyeing station to substantially center each yarn under the dye delivery axis of one respective jet. 
     
     
         22 . A space-dyed yarn produced from a process comprising:
 extruding a plurality of filaments of polymeric material;   combining the filaments to form a plurality of polymeric strands;   drawing the plurality of polymeric strands;   texturizing the plurality of polymeric strands into one or more yarn plugs; and   selectively applying one or more colors of dye to each yarn plug at timed intervals in a spaced relation to form a colorized yarn plug having a predetermined color pattern.   
     
     
         23 . The space-dyed yard of  claim 22 , wherein the process further comprises cooling and pulling the colorized yarn plug to form a colorized yarn. 
     
     
         24 . The space-dyed yard of  claim 22 , wherein the process further comprises winding the textured and colorized yarn onto a creel. 
     
     
         25 . The space-dyed yard of  claim 23 , wherein the process further comprises, prior to winding, tacking the individual colorized yarn. 
     
     
         26 . The space-dyed yarn of  claim 22 , wherein the polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of polyesters, polyamides and polyolefins. 
     
     
         27 . The space-dyed yarn of  claim 26 , wherein the polyesters are selected from the group consisting of poly(ethylene terephthalate), poly(butylene terephthalate) and copolymers and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         28 . The space-dyed yarn of  claim 27 , wherein the polyamides are selected from the group consisting of nylon 6, nylon 6/6, nylon 6/9, nylon 6/10, nylon 6/12, nylon 11, nylon 12 and copolymers and mixtures thereof.