US 12,377,001 B2
Fine hollow fibers having a high void fraction
Eric E. Lennon, Roswell, GA (US); John H. Conrad, Alpharetta, GA (US); Douglas J. Hulslander, Stone Mountain, GA (US); and David W. Hall, Alpharetta, GA (US)
Assigned to Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc., Neenah, WI (US)
Filed by Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc., Neenah, WI (US)
Filed on Dec. 14, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/549,958.
Application 17/549,958 is a division of application No. 15/517,561, granted, now 11,224,546, previously published as PCT/US2015/064871, filed on Dec. 10, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/094,166, filed on Dec. 19, 2014.
Prior Publication US 2022/0096283 A1, Mar. 31, 2022
Int. Cl. D01D 5/00 (2006.01); A61F 13/511 (2006.01); A61F 13/514 (2006.01); A61L 15/24 (2006.01); D01D 5/08 (2006.01); D01D 5/24 (2006.01); D01F 6/04 (2006.01); D01F 8/06 (2006.01); D04H 1/4291 (2012.01); D04H 1/435 (2012.01); D04H 1/4391 (2012.01); D04H 3/007 (2012.01); D04H 3/009 (2012.01); D04H 3/011 (2012.01); D04H 3/018 (2012.01); A61F 13/51 (2006.01)
CPC A61F 13/51121 (2013.01) [A61F 13/511 (2013.01); A61F 13/514 (2013.01); A61F 13/51401 (2013.01); A61L 15/24 (2013.01); D01D 5/08 (2013.01); D01D 5/24 (2013.01); D01F 6/04 (2013.01); D01F 8/06 (2013.01); D04H 1/4291 (2013.01); D04H 1/435 (2013.01); D04H 1/43914 (2020.05); D04H 3/007 (2013.01); D04H 3/009 (2013.01); D04H 3/011 (2013.01); D04H 3/018 (2013.01); A61F 2013/51009 (2013.01); A61F 2013/51026 (2013.01)] 6 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A spinneret for forming a hollow fiber, the spinneret containing a spin plate that defines a plurality of capillaries having one or more spaced apart slots, wherein at least a portion of the one or more spaced apart slots have a width and length such that the ratio of the length to the width is greater than 5, the width of the one or more spaced apart slots being from 0.08 to 0.2 millimeters, wherein the one or more spaced apart slots further have an outer diameter that is defined as a distance between outer edges of the one or more spaced apart slots, the outer diameter being greater than 0.6 millimeters, wherein the one or more spaced apart slots occupy a total open area of from 0.10 to 0.40 square millimeters, and wherein the one or more spaced apart slots have an end distance between the one or more spaced apart slots of from 0.18 to 0.5 millimeters, the end distance between the one or more spaced apart slots being measured from a top surface of each of the one or more spaced apart slots.