Antimicrobial fire-retardant yarn and method of manufacturing same

Abstract

A composite yarn includes an aramid fiber and a second fiber incorporating therein at least one of an antimicrobial and a fire retardant. The second fiber is at least one of wrapped around the aramid fiber and entangled with the aramid fiber.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A composite yarn, comprising:
 an aramid fiber; and   a second fiber incorporating therein at least one of an antimicrobial and a fire retardant;   wherein the second fiber is at least one of wrapped around the aramid fiber and entangled with the aramid fiber.   
     
     
         2 . The composite yarn of  claim 1 , wherein the aramid fiber and the second fiber are staple fibers entangled with one another. 
     
     
         3 . The composite yarn of  claim 2 , further comprising a third staple fiber including the other of the antimicrobial and the fire retardant, wherein the third staple fiber is entangled with the aramid staple fiber and the second staple fiber. 
     
     
         4 . The composite yarn of  claim 2 , wherein the aramid fiber is a meta-aramid fiber. 
     
     
         5 . The composite yarn of  claim 2 , wherein the aramid fiber is a para-aramid fiber. 
     
     
         6 . The composite yarn of  claim 3 , wherein at least one of the second fiber and the third fiber is made from a synthetic material. 
     
     
         7 . The composite yarn of  claim 6 , wherein the second fiber and the third fiber are made from a synthetic material. 
     
     
         8 . The composite yarn of  claim 7 , wherein the second and third fibers are made from synthetic materials using an extrusion process, and wherein the antimicrobial and the lire retardant are added to the synthetic materials comprising the second and third fibers, respectively, before the extrusion process. 
     
     
         9 . The composite yarn of  claim 2 , wherein the second fiber includes the antimicrobial and the fire retardant. 
     
     
         10 . The composite yarn of  claim 9 , wherein the second fiber is made from a synthetic material. 
     
     
         11 . The composite yarn of  claim 10 , wherein the second fiber is made from a synthetic material using an extrusion process, and wherein the antimicrobial and the fire retardant are added to the synthetic material comprising the second fiber before the extrusion process. 
     
     
         12 . The composite yarn of  claim 2 , wherein the antimicrobial is zinc omadine. 
     
     
         13 . The composite yarn of  claim 12 , wherein a concentration of zinc omadine in the composite yarn is between about 100 and about 5000 ppm. 
     
     
         14 . The composite yarn of  claim 2 , wherein the aramid fiber comprises about 20% by weight or less of the composite yarn. 
     
     
         15 . The composite yarn of  claim 1 , wherein the aramid fiber comprises a continuous filament core. 
     
     
         16 . The composite yarn of  claim 15 , wherein the second fiber comprises an outer sheath wrapped around the aramid filament core. 
     
     
         17 . A body support comprising:
 a foam layer; and   a sleeve enclosing the foam layer, the sleeve including   an aramid fiber, and   a second fiber incorporating therein at least one of an antimicrobial and a fire retardant,   wherein the second fiber is at least one of wrapped around the aramid fiber and entangled with the aramid fiber.   
     
     
         18 . The body support of  claim 17 , wherein the aramid fiber and the second fiber are staple fibers entangled with one another. 
     
     
         19 . A method of making a composite yarn, the method comprising:
 providing a first plurality of aramid staple fibers comprising about 20% by weight or less of the composite yarn;   providing a second plurality of staple fibers incorporating therein at least one of an antimicrobial and a fire retardant; and   mixing the first and second pluralities of fibers.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 using an extrusion process to make the second plurality of staple fibers from a synthetic material; and   adding at least one of the antimicrobial and the fire retardant to the synthetic material comprising the second plurality of staple fibers before the extrusion process.