Fine Hollow Fibers Having a High Void Fraction:

Eric E. Lennon, Roswell, GA; John H. Conrad, Alpharetta, GA; Douglas J. Hulslander, Stone Mountain, GA; and David W. Hall, Alpharetta, GA.
Assigned to Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc., Neenah, WI.

Filed: 12/14/21
Issued: 8/5/25

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.