Systems and methods for producing a bundle of filaments and/or a yarn

Abstract

Systems for producing M yarns, wherein M≥1, include N extruders, M spin stations, and a processor, wherein N>1. Each extruder includes a polymer having a color, hue, luster, and/or dyeability characteristic, which are different from each other. Each spin station produces one yarn comprising at least one bundle of filaments. Each spin station comprises at least one spinneret through which filaments are spun from at least two molten polymer streams received by the respective spin station and N spin pumps upstream of the spinneret for the respective spin station. Each spin pump is paired with one of the N extruders. The processor is in electrical communication with the N*M spin pumps and is configured to adjust the volumetric flow rate of the polymers pumped from each spin pump to achieve a ratio of the polymers to be included in each M yarn.

1 . A system for producing at least one bundle of filaments, the system comprising:
 N extruders, wherein N is an integer greater than 1, each extruder comprising a polymer having a color, hue, luster, and/or dyeability characteristic, the colors, hues, lusters, and/or dyeability characteristics of the polymers in the N extruders being different from each other   wherein a first extruder of the N extruders is configured to extrude a first polymer selected from a group consisting of a polyamide, a polyester, and a polyolefin, and a second extruder is configured to extrude a second polymer selected from a group consisting of a polyamide, a polyester, and a polyolefin, wherein the first polymer and the second polymer are different; and   at least one spin station for receiving molten polymer streams from the N extruders, the spin station comprising:   at least one dynamic manifold, wherein the dynamic manifold comprises N inlets and at least N+1 outlets, wherein each inlet is in fluid communication with a respective one of N extruders, and at least one inlet is in communication with at least two outlets via channels that extend between the inlet and the outlets and comprises at least one valve that controls flow of the polymer stream between the at least one inlet and the at least two outlets;   a first spinneret of a plurality of spinnerets through which a plurality of melt-spun filaments are spun from at least two of the molten polymer streams received by the spin station, wherein the first spinneret is in fluid communication with one of the at least two outlets, and wherein all of the plurality of spinnerets are downstream of the at least one dynamic manifold; and   a group of N spin pumps upstream of the dynamic manifold, wherein each spin pump is in fluid communication and is paired with one of the N extruders; and   a processor in electrical communication with the N spin pumps, the processor being configured to execute computer readable instructions that cause the processor to adjust a volumetric flow rate of the polymers pumped by each spin pump to achieve a ratio of the polymers to be included in a yarn comprising the filaments spun from the at least one spinneret.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to determine the volumetric flow rate of each polymer to be pumped by each spin pump and generate the instructions to the spin pumps based on the volumetric flow rate determinations. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to determine an amount of time during which the determined volumetric flow rate of each polymer is pumped by each spin pump. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to randomly vary the amount of time during which the determined volumetric flow rate of each polymer is pumped by each spin pump. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to randomly vary the volumetric flow rate of each polymer to be pumped by each spin pump. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the spin station is a first spin station, the group of N spin pumps being the first group of N spin pumps and the system further comprises a second spin station and a second group of N spin pumps upstream, wherein each spin pump of this second group of spin pumps is in fluid communication and is paired with one of the N extruders, wherein:
 the ratio is a first ratio for the first spin station, and   the instructions further cause the processor to adjust the volumetric flow rate of the polymers pumped from each spin pump of this second group of spin pumps to achieve a second ratio of the polymers to be included in the filaments spun from the spinneret of the second spin station.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the first ratio and the second ratio are different. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system comprises M spin stations and M groups of N spin pumps upstream of the at least one dynamic manifold for each of the M spin stations, wherein each spin pump of each of the M groups of spin pumps is in fluid communication and is paired with one of the N extruders, wherein M is an integer greater than one, and wherein:
 the instructions further cause the processor to adjust the volumetric flow rate of the polymers pumped from each spin pump of each of the M groups of spin pumps to achieve M ratios of the polymers to be included in the filaments spun from the at least one spinneret of each M spin station.   
     
     
         9 .- 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein an average denier per filament of each of the plurality of filaments is substantially constant wherein it does not vary by more than ±5% along a length of each filament. 
     
     
         12 .- 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the spin station further includes at least one mixing plate disposed between the at least one spinneret and the at least one manifold, the at least one mixing plate defining one or more channels through which one or more molten polymer streams flow through the at least one mixing plate to the at least one spinneret. 
     
     
         17 . The system of any  claim 11 , wherein:
 the filaments spun from the first spinneret include at least a first group of filaments and a second group of filaments,   the first group of filaments have a first color, hue, luster, and/or dyeability characteristic, the first group of filaments being extruded from a first of the N extruders, and   the second group of the filaments have a second color, hue, luster, and/or dyeability characteristic,   the second group of filaments being extruded from a second of the N extruders.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein: the filaments spun from the first spinneret further include a third group of filaments, the third group of the filaments have a third color, hue, luster, and/or dyeability characteristic, wherein the third color, hue, luster, and/or dyeability characteristic is a mixture of the first color, hue, luster, and/or dyeability characteristic and the second color, hue, luster, and/or dyeability characteristic. 
     
     
         19 .- 102 . (canceled) 
     
     
         103 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the filaments spun from the first spinneret are produced at a speed of at least 2600 meters per minute. 
     
     
         104 . A yarn comprising a plurality of filaments along a length:
 wherein the plurality of filaments comprises a first filament;   wherein the first filament has a first color, hue, luster, and/or dyeability characteristic at a first radial cross section at a first location along the length of the yarn; and   wherein the first filament has a second color, hue, luster, and/or dyeability characteristic at a second radial cross section at a second location along the length of the yarn;   wherein the first color, hue, luster, and/or dyeability characteristic is different than the second color, hue, luster, and/or dyeability characteristic.   
     
     
         105 . The yarn of  claim 104 , wherein an average denier of the first filament is substantially constant wherein it does not vary by more than ±5% between the first and second locations. 
     
     
         106 . The yarn of  claim 105 , wherein a first composition of the first filament at the first location is a polymer selected from the group consisting of a polyamide, a polyester, and a polyolefin, and wherein a second composition of the first filament at the second location is a polymer selected from the group consisting of a polyamide, a polyester, and a polyolefin, and wherein the first composition is different from the second composition. 
     
     
         107 . The yarn of  claim 106 , wherein the plurality of filaments comprises a second filament;
 wherein the second filament has a third color, hue, luster, and/or dyeability characteristic at a first radial cross section at the first location along the length of the yarn; and   wherein the second filament has a fourth color, hue, luster, and/or dyeability characteristic at the second radial cross section at the second location along the length of the yarn;   wherein each of the first, second, third, and fourth colors, hues, lusters, and/or dyeability characteristics is different than each other.   
     
     
         108 . The yarn of  claim 107 , wherein an average denier of the second filament is substantially constant wherein it does not vary by more than ±5% between the first and second locations. 
     
     
         109 . The yarn of  claim 108 , wherein a first composition of the second filament at the first location is a polymer selected from the group consisting of a polyamide, a polyester, and a polyolefin, and wherein a second composition of the second filament at the second location is a polymer selected from the group consisting of a polyamide, a polyester, and a polyolefin, and wherein the first composition is different from the second composition. 
     
     
         110 . The yarn of  claim 107 , wherein the plurality of filaments comprises a third filament;
 wherein the third filament has a fifth color, hue, luster, and/or dyeability characteristic at a first radial cross section at the first location along the length of the yarn; and   wherein the third filament has a sixth color, hue, luster, and/or dyeability characteristic at the second radial cross section at the second location along the length of the yarn;   wherein each of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth colors, hues, lusters, and/or dyeability characteristics is different than each other.