Fiber bundle for artificial hair

Abstract

To provide a fiber bundle for artificial hair which hardly shrinks in HWS.SOLUTION: There is provided a fiber bundle for artificial hair comprising a plurality of small fiber bundles, in which the small fiber bundle comprises a plurality of fibers. Further, the fiber bundle has the number of twists of 0.5 time / 100 m or more.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a fiber bundle for artificial hair. [Background technology]

[0002] Artificial hair is becoming increasingly important as an alternative to human hair in hair accessories such as wigs, hair accessories, hair bands, doll hair, etc. Materials for artificial hair fibers include acrylic resins, vinyl chloride resins, and polyester resins, and artificial hair fibers made from these resins are commercially available.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a technology for treating base fibers with a specified fiber treatment agent, with the aim of providing a fiber treatment agent that gives the fibers a good luster and smoothness, prevents the fibers from squeaking, and provides excellent volume, even when the fibers are made of vinyl chloride resin. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-285470 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] To fix the shape of artificial hair fiber bundles, a shaping method called hot water setting (hereinafter referred to as HWS) is used. HWS is a technique in which artificial hair fiber bundles, such as braided ones, are immersed in hot water. Conventional artificial hair fiber bundles tend to shrink significantly during HWS, causing problems such as distorting the braided shape and making the ends difficult to manage.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a fiber bundle for artificial hair that is resistant to shrinkage during HWS even after undergoing processing steps. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] As a result of extensive research, the present inventors have found that the above problems can be solved by providing fiber bundles having a specific shape in the fiber bundle for artificial hair, and have thus completed the present invention.

[0008] According to the present invention, the following is provided: [1] A fiber bundle for artificial hair comprising a plurality of small fiber bundles, wherein the small fiber bundles comprise a plurality of fibers and the number of twists of the small fiber bundles is 0.5 times / 100 m or more. [2] The fiber bundle for artificial hair according to [1], wherein the number of twists of the small fiber bundle is 30 times or less per 100 m. [3] The artificial hair fiber bundle according to [1] or [2], wherein the number of the small fiber bundles contained in the artificial hair fiber bundle is 100 to 300 bundles. [4] The fiber bundle for artificial hair according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the number of the fibers per small fiber bundle is 70 to 450. [5] The artificial hair fiber bundle according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the number of twists in the artificial hair fiber bundle is 5 times / m or less. [6] The artificial hair fiber bundle according to any one of [1] to [5], further comprising a fastening member. [7] A fiber bundle for artificial hair according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein the fiber has a shrinkage rate of 10% or less when immersed in water at 94°C for 15 seconds. [8] A fiber bundle for artificial hair according to any one of [1] to [7], wherein a surface treatment agent is adhered to the fiber, and the surface treatment agent is one or more selected from the group consisting of oil, nonionic surfactants, and cationic surfactants. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a fiber bundle for artificial hair that is resistant to shrinkage during HWS even after undergoing processing steps. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The present invention will be described in detail below. The present invention is not limited to these descriptions. The features of the following embodiments can be combined with each other. Furthermore, each feature can be an invention independently. Furthermore, elements in the following embodiments that are not specified in the claims are optional elements and can be omitted. In this specification, any number of "0"s (for example, one or two) may be added to the end of a numerical value. For example, one or two "0"s may be added after "1.4" to make it "1.40" or "1.400."

[0011] <Terminology> In this specification, for example, the expression "X to Y" means that it is equal to or greater than X and equal to or less than Y.

[0012] 1. Artificial hair fiber bundle The artificial hair fiber bundle according to this embodiment includes a plurality of small fiber bundles, and the small fiber bundle according to this embodiment includes a plurality of fibers. The fibers, small fiber bundles, and artificial hair fiber bundle will be described below in this order.

[0013] 1.1 Fiber Examples of raw materials for the fibers according to this embodiment include vinyl chloride resins, polyester resins, polyamide resins, and polyolefin resins. These resins may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Furthermore, if necessary, synthetic fibers may be produced by spinning a resin composition containing additives added to these resins. The resin composition according to this embodiment preferably contains 70% by mass or more of the resin, more preferably 80% by mass or more, and even more preferably 90% by mass or more of the resin, based on 100% by mass of the resin composition. The resin content in 100% by mass of the resin composition may be, for example, 50, 60, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, or 100% by mass, and may be within a range between any two of the values ​​exemplified here.

[0014] 1.1.1 Resin 1.1.1.1 Vinyl chloride resin Examples of vinyl chloride resins according to the present embodiment include vinyl chloride homopolymers, chlorinated vinyl chloride homocopolymers, and vinyl chloride copolymers. These vinyl chloride resins may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0015] Examples of vinyl chloride copolymers include copolymers of vinyl chloride and vinyl esters, such as vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymer and vinyl chloride-vinyl propionate copolymer; copolymers of vinyl chloride and acrylic esters, such as vinyl chloride-butyl acrylate copolymer and vinyl chloride-2-ethylhexyl acrylate copolymer; copolymers of vinyl chloride and olefins, such as vinyl chloride-ethylene copolymer and vinyl chloride-propylene copolymer; and vinyl chloride-acrylonitrile copolymer.

[0016] The vinyl chloride resin according to this embodiment is preferably a vinyl chloride homopolymer or a vinyl chloride-acrylonitrile copolymer, which improves the processability of the fibers and the feel of the artificial hair fiber bundle.

[0017] 1.1.1.2 Polyester resin Examples of polyester resins according to this embodiment include aromatic polyester resins such as polyethylene terephthalate, polytrimethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, and polyethylene naphthalate, and aliphatic polyester resins such as polylactic acid, polyhydroxybutyric acid, polycaprolactone, polybutylene succinate, polybutylene adipate, polyethylene succinate, polyglycolic acid, poly-3-hydroxypropionate, and poly-3-hydroxybutyrate. These polyester resins may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0018] The polyester resin according to the present embodiment is preferably polyethylene terephthalate, as this resin improves the strength and heat resistance of the fiber.

[0019] 1.1.1.3 Polyamide resins Examples of the polyamide resin according to the present embodiment include nylon 6, nylon 66, nylon 11, nylon 12, nylon 6·10, nylon 6·12, and copolymers thereof. These polyamide resins may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0020] 1.1.1.4 Polyolefin resins Examples of polyolefin resins according to this embodiment include polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, ethylene-ethyl acrylate copolymer, and ethylene-propylene copolymer. These polyolefin resins may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0021] The polyolefin resin according to the present embodiment is preferably polypropylene, since the specific gravity of the fiber is small and the weight during use is light, resulting in an excellent feeling when used.

[0022] 1.1.1.5 Other resins Other resins according to this embodiment include, for example, a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl alcohol, an acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer, an acrylonitrile-styrene-butadiene terpolymer, and an ethylene-ethyl (meth)acrylate copolymer.

[0023] Among the resins described above, the resin according to this embodiment preferably contains a vinyl chloride homopolymer and / or a vinyl chloride-acrylonitrile copolymer. It is more preferable that the resin according to this embodiment contains 50% or more, 70% or more, 80% or more, or 90% or more of a vinyl chloride homopolymer and / or a vinyl chloride-acrylonitrile copolymer per 100% by mass of the resin, and it is even more preferable that the resin consists solely of a vinyl chloride homopolymer and / or a vinyl chloride-acrylonitrile copolymer. Such a resin improves the processability of the fiber and further improves the feel of the artificial hair fiber bundle.

[0024] 1.1.2 Other ingredients The resin according to this embodiment can also be a resin composition containing other components as needed. These components include stabilizers, antistatic agents, heat stabilizers, lubricants, colorants, processing aids, plasticizers, reinforcing agents, UV absorbers, antioxidants, fillers, flame retardants, pigments, initial color improvers, conductivity imparting agents, and fragrances. Examples of other components according to this embodiment include hydrotalcite compounds, organic acid zinc salts (e.g., zinc stearate), silica, β-diketone compounds (e.g., dibenzoylmethane), polyols (e.g., dipentaerythritol), epoxy compounds (e.g., epoxidized soybean oil), organic phosphite compounds (e.g., phosphorus-based chelating agents), and polyethylene wax. The resin composition according to this embodiment can contain, for example, up to 10 parts by mass, and more preferably up to 5.5 parts by mass, of the other components per 100 parts by mass of the resin.

[0025] 1.1.3 Surface treatment agents The fiber according to the present embodiment preferably has a surface treatment agent attached thereto. The surface treatment agent according to the present embodiment is preferably one or more selected from the group consisting of oils, nonionic surfactants, and cationic surfactants.

[0026] The amount of the surface treatment agent attached to the fiber according to this embodiment is preferably 0.05 to 1.0% by mass, and more preferably 0.1 to 0.5% by mass, based on 100% by mass of the fiber. The amount of the surface treatment agent attached to the fiber may be, for example, 0.05, 0.06, 0.07, 0.08, 0.09, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, or 1.0% by mass, based on 100% by mass of the fiber, or may be within a range between any two of the values ​​exemplified here. When the amount of the surface treatment agent attached to the fiber is equal to or greater than the lower limit, the artificial hair fiber bundle has excellent combability. When the amount of the surface treatment agent attached to the fiber is equal to or less than the upper limit, the stickiness of the artificial hair fiber bundle can be reduced.

[0027] 1.1.3.1 Oil The surface treatment agent according to this embodiment preferably contains an oil. Examples of the oil according to this embodiment include fatty acid skeleton-containing compounds (fatty acids, glycerides, and organic acid glycerides), polyalkylene glycols, alkyl alkylates, and mineral oils. The use of such types of surface treatment agents results in excellent combability of the artificial hair fiber bundle.

[0028] 1.1.3.1.1 Fatty acid skeleton-containing compounds Examples of the fatty acid skeleton-containing compound according to this embodiment include fatty acids, glycerides, and organic acid glycerides. The fatty acid skeleton-containing compound according to this embodiment preferably includes at least one of a glyceride and an organic acid glyceride. When such a fatty acid skeleton-containing compound is used, the artificial hair fiber bundle has a suitable degree of slipperiness, which makes it easy to prepare braids and improves combability.

[0029] 1.1.3.1.1.1 Fatty acids Examples of fatty acids according to this embodiment include saturated fatty acids such as stearic acid, palmitic acid, myristic acid, lauric acid, and capric acid, and unsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid.

[0030] 1.1.3.1.1.2 Glycerides The glyceride according to the present embodiment refers to a compound in which a fatty acid and one or more hydroxyl groups of glycerin are ester-bonded. Glycerides are also called monoglycerides, diglycerides, or triglycerides depending on the number of fatty acid bonds. Examples of glycerides according to the present embodiment include monostearate glyceride, monopalmitate glyceride, monomyristate glyceride, monolaurate glyceride, monocaprate glyceride, and diglycerides and triglycerides thereof.

[0031] 1.1.3.1.1.3 Organic acid glycerides The organic acid glyceride according to the present embodiment refers to a compound in which a fatty acid and an organic acid are ester-bonded to the hydroxyl group of glycerin. Examples of the organic acid according to the present embodiment include acetic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, succinic acid, and diacetyltartaric acid. Examples of the organic acid glyceride according to the present embodiment include citric acid monoglyceride, succinic acid monoglyceride, and lactic acid monoglyceride.

[0032] 1.1.3.1.2 Polyalkylene glycols Examples of the polyalkylene glycol according to this embodiment include polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, and polyethylene glycol-polypropylene glycol copolymer.

[0033] The average degree of polymerization of the polyalkylene glycol according to this embodiment is preferably 2 to 50, more preferably 3 to 40, even more preferably 4 to 30, and particularly preferably 4 to 20. The average degree of polymerization of the polyalkylene glycol may be, for example, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 35, 40, 45, or 50, or may be within a range between any two of the values ​​exemplified here. When the average degree of polymerization of the polyalkylene glycol is within this range, the artificial hair fiber bundle has appropriate slip resistance, making it easy to prepare braids, etc.

[0034] 1.1.3.1.3 Alkyl alkylate Examples of the alkyl alkylate according to this embodiment include myristyl myristate, isopropyl myristate, octyl oleate, stearyl stearate, isopropyl palmitate, and octyl palmitate.

[0035] 1.1.3.2 Nonionic surfactants Examples of the nonionic surfactant according to this embodiment include polyoxyethylene fatty acid esters, polyoxyalkylene alkyl ethers, polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers, polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil ethers, polyoxyethylene alkylphenyl ethers, sorbitan fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, sucrose fatty acid esters, glycerin fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene block polymers, polyoxyethylene alkylamine ethers, and fatty acid alkanolamides.

[0036] The polyoxyethylene fatty acid ester according to the present embodiment is not particularly limited as long as it is a compound having a polyalkylene glycol skeleton and a fatty acid skeleton. Examples of the polyoxyethylene fatty acid ester according to the present embodiment include polyethylene glycol monostearate, polyethylene glycol distearate, polyethylene glycol monopalmitate, polyethylene glycol dipalmitate, polyethylene glycol monomyristate, polyethylene glycol monolaurate, and polyethylene glycol monocaprate.

[0037] The average degree of polymerization of the polyalkylene glycol skeleton in the polyoxyethylene fatty acid ester according to this embodiment is preferably 5 to 80, more preferably 10 to 70, even more preferably 15 to 60, and particularly preferably 20 to 50. The average degree of polymerization of the polyalkylene glycol skeleton may be, for example, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, or 80, or may be within a range between any two of the numerical values ​​exemplified here. When the average degree of polymerization of the polyalkylene glycol skeleton is within this range, the artificial hair fiber bundle has appropriate slip resistance, making it easy to prepare braids, etc.

[0038] 1.1.3.3 Cationic surfactants Examples of cationic surfactants according to this embodiment include quaternary ammonium salts having an oxyalkylene group, quaternary ammonium salts having an alkyl group such as alkyltrimethylammonium salts, dialkyldimethylammonium salts, and alkyldimethylethylammonium salts, ammonium salts having an ester bond such as stearoxymethylpyridinium salts, fatty acid triethanolamines, and fatty acid triethanolamine formates, and amine derivatives having an alkyl chain such as polyoxyethylene alkylamines, N-alkylpropyleneamines, and N-alkylpolyethylenepolyamines.

[0039] 1.1.4 Fiber properties The fineness of the fiber according to this embodiment is preferably 35d or more, and more preferably 40d or more. The upper limit of the fineness of the fiber according to this embodiment is preferably, for example, 60d. If the fineness of the fiber is equal to or greater than the lower limit, plastic deformation is less likely to occur, and the shrinkage rate of the fiber is reduced. If the fineness of the fiber is equal to or less than the upper limit, the feel is improved.

[0040] The shrinkage of the fiber according to this embodiment is preferably low, and the shrinkage of the fiber when immersed in water at 94°C for 15 seconds is, for example, 15% or less, preferably 10% or less, more preferably 5% or less, and even more preferably 3% or less. Here, the "shrinkage of the fiber" can be defined as the average value of values ​​calculated based on the following formula (1) by measuring the fiber lengths of a plurality of fibers (e.g., n=10) after the heat treatment step described below, before and after immersion in water at 94°C for 15 seconds. (Fiber shrinkage rate [%]) = [{(fiber length before heat treatment) - (fiber length after heat treatment)} / (fiber length before heat treatment)] × 100 (1) The shrinkage rate of the fiber can be adjusted by the type and content of the resin and additives. When the upper limit of the shrinkage rate of the fiber according to this embodiment is within this range, the artificial hair fiber bundle is less likely to shrink during HWS.

[0041] 1.2 Small fiber bundles The artificial hair fiber bundle according to this embodiment includes a plurality of small fiber bundles. In this specification, the term "small fiber bundle" refers to a fiber bundle that includes a plurality of fibers (specifically, 50 or more fibers) and has a twist.

[0042] The number of fibers per small fiber bundle according to this embodiment is, for example, 50 to 500, preferably 70 to 450, and more preferably 80 to 200. The number of fibers per small fiber bundle may be, for example, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 190, 200, 210, 220, 230, 240, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 480, or 500, or may be within a range between any two of the values ​​exemplified herein. When the number of fibers per small fiber bundle is equal to or greater than the lower limit, the number of combing operations in the combing step described below is reduced, resulting in excellent workability. When the number of fibers per small fiber bundle is equal to or less than the upper limit, the occurrence of entanglement and thread breakage is reduced in the drawing step, heat treatment step, and gear processing step described below.

[0043] The twist number of the small fiber bundle according to this embodiment is preferably 0.5 turns / 100 m or more, more preferably 0.5 to 30 turns / 100 m, even more preferably 0.5 to 20 turns / 100 m, and particularly preferably 1 to 4 turns / 100 m. The twist number of the small fiber bundle may be, for example, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, or 40 turns / 100 m, or may be within a range between any two of the values ​​exemplified here. The twist number of the small fiber bundle can be adjusted, for example, by the rotation speed of the bobbin and the rotation speed of the flyer when winding the spun fiber (the method for producing a fiber bundle for artificial hair will be described later). Therefore, the twist number of the small fiber bundle can be calculated from the rotation speed of the bobbin and the rotation speed of the flyer. The twist number of the small fiber bundles can be detected by untwisting the small fiber bundles, and can be the average value of multiple small fiber bundles (for example, n=20). When the twist number of the small fiber bundles is equal to or greater than the lower limit, the occurrence of entanglement and yarn breakage is reduced in the drawing step, heat treatment step, and gear processing step described below. When the twist number of the small fiber bundles is equal to or less than the upper limit, the gears are more likely to engage uniformly in the gear processing step described below, and further, combability is excellent in the combing step described below.

[0044] 1.3 Artificial hair fiber bundle The artificial hair fiber bundle according to this embodiment includes a plurality of small fiber bundles. Preferably, the artificial hair fiber bundle according to this embodiment is composed only of small fiber bundles. Such an artificial hair fiber bundle is less likely to break or tangle during the manufacturing process, has excellent combability during the processing step, and is therefore less likely to shrink during HWS.

[0045] The artificial hair fiber bundle according to this embodiment contains, for example, 10,000 to 40,000 fibers, preferably 15,000 to 35,000 fibers, and more preferably 20,000 to 30,000 fibers. The artificial hair fiber bundle may contain, for example, 10,000, 15,000, 20,000, 25,000, 30,000, 35,000, or 40,000 fibers, or may be within a range between any two of the numerical values ​​exemplified herein. When the number of fibers in the artificial hair fiber bundle is equal to or greater than the lower limit, it is possible to process a large number of threads at once during gear processing, improving workability. When the number of fibers in the artificial hair fiber bundle is equal to or less than the upper limit, heat is more easily transferred to each fiber during gear processing, and the gear waveform shape within the artificial hair fiber bundle is more likely to be uniform.

[0046] The number of small fiber bundles contained in the artificial hair fiber bundle according to this embodiment can be appropriately set depending on the number of fibers contained in the artificial hair fiber bundle and the number of fibers per small fiber bundle. The number of small fiber bundles contained in the artificial hair fiber bundle according to this embodiment is, for example, 50 to 350 bundles, preferably 100 to 300 bundles, and more preferably 150 to 250 bundles. The number of small fiber bundles contained in the artificial hair fiber bundle may be, for example, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 190, 200, 210, 220, 230, 240, 250, 260, 270, 280, 290, 300, 310, 320, 330, 340, or 350 bundles, or may be within a range between any two of the numbers exemplified here. When the number of small fiber bundles contained in the artificial hair fiber bundle is equal to or greater than the lower limit, the occurrence of entanglement and thread breakage is reduced in the drawing step, heat treatment step, and gear processing step described below.When the number of small fiber bundles contained in the artificial hair fiber bundle is equal to or less than the upper limit, the number of times of combing in the combing step described below is reduced, resulting in excellent workability.

[0047] The artificial hair fiber bundle according to this embodiment may have a twist as a whole, in addition to the twist of each small fiber bundle contained therein. The number of twists of the artificial hair fiber bundle is, for example, 10 times / m or less, preferably 5 times / m or less, more preferably 3 times / m or less, and even more preferably no twists (0 times / m) per meter. The number of twists of the artificial hair fiber bundle may be, for example, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, or 0 times / m, or may be within a range between any two of the values ​​exemplified here. The number of twists of the artificial hair fiber bundle can be detected by untwisting the artificial hair fiber bundle. When the number of twists of the artificial hair fiber bundle is equal to or less than the upper limit, the artificial hair fiber bundle is easy to work with when processed, and the gear tends to engage uniformly in the gear processing step described below.

[0048] The artificial hair fiber bundle according to this embodiment preferably further comprises a locking member. The shape of the locking member according to this embodiment is not particularly limited as long as it can hold the artificial hair fiber bundle, but examples include a tape-like member that can be wrapped around the artificial hair fiber bundle, and a clip-like member that can clamp the artificial hair fiber bundle. The locking member according to this embodiment also includes a member for gluing the end of the artificial hair fiber bundle. It is preferable that there are at least two locking members according to this embodiment, located at different positions along the length of the artificial hair fiber bundle. If the locking members are located in such positions, the position of each fiber in the artificial hair fiber bundle will not shift, and the twist of the small fiber bundle and the artificial hair fiber bundle will not easily unravel.

[0049] The mechanism by which the present invention can suppress shrinkage during the HWS process is not yet clear. After production, artificial hair fiber bundles undergo various processes before finally being shaped by HWS. It is believed that the shrinkage problems during HWS described above are due to the various processes performed on the artificial hair fibers and the artificial hair fiber bundles as intermediate products after production. Therefore, providing an artificial hair fiber bundle suitable for processing may suppress these problems. For example, uneven gearing during gear processing may result in areas prone to shrinkage, which may affect the shrinkage rate during the HWS process. Furthermore, if tangles or thread breakage occur in the artificial hair fiber bundle, excessive force may be applied to the fibers during combing, which may result in areas prone to shrinkage, which may affect the shrinkage rate during the HWS process. If the twist number of the multiple small fiber bundles contained in the artificial hair fiber bundle is within an appropriate range, such uneven processing is unlikely to occur, resulting in suppressed shrinkage.

[0050] 2. Manufacturing method for artificial hair fiber bundles The method for producing an artificial hair fiber bundle according to this embodiment is not particularly limited as long as it can form a twist in the fibers. The method for producing an artificial hair fiber according to this embodiment preferably includes a spinning step of spinning a resin or a resin composition containing a resin and an additive to obtain fibers, and a twist forming step of forming twists in the obtained fibers.

[0051] 2.1 Spinning process A known spinning method can be used for the spinning step according to this embodiment. For example, a resin or resin composition can be extruded from a heated cylinder through a nozzle to perform melt spinning. A conventionally known extruder can be used, such as a single-screw extruder, a counter-rotating twin-screw extruder, or a conical twin-screw extruder.

[0052] The melt spinning conditions can be appropriately set depending on the type of resin and resin composition. For example, the cylinder temperature can be set to 150 to 190°C, and the nozzle temperature can be set to 180±15°C. The cross-sectional shape of the nozzle used in this case can be appropriately set depending on the cross-sectional shape of the artificial hair fiber to be produced.

[0053] The undrawn fibers melt-spun from the nozzle may be introduced into a heated cylinder (for example, a heating cylinder temperature of 250°C) and instantaneously heat-treated, and then taken up by a take-up machine installed directly below the nozzle (for example, about 4.5 m away).

[0054] 2.2 Twisting process The twist forming step according to this embodiment is not particularly limited as long as it can form a twist in the small fiber bundle. For example, when a plurality of fibers (a desired number of fibers per small fiber bundle) spun in the spinning step are wound on a take-up machine, the small fiber bundle can be twisted by passing the yarn through a flyer spinning machine or the like and rotating it. The twist number immediately after the twist forming step can be adjusted by lowering the flyer rotation speed relative to the rotation speed of the winding bobbin or by lowering the flyer diameter relative to the bobbin diameter. Furthermore, the twist number of the small fiber bundle immediately after the twist forming step can be set depending on the subsequent draw ratio, etc. The twist number of the small fiber bundle immediately after the twist forming step is a value calculated based on the following formula (2): (Number of twists immediately after the twist forming process [turns / m]) = [{(Flyer rotation speed [rpm]) × (Flyer diameter [cm])} / {(Bobbin rotation speed [rpm]) × (Bobbin diameter [cm])}] / (Number of flyers) (2)

[0055] 2.3 Stretching process The method for producing an artificial hair fiber bundle according to this embodiment can further include a drawing step. In the drawing step, the undrawn small fiber bundles obtained in the twisting step described above are drawn in a drawing machine to obtain a drawn artificial hair fiber bundle. As an example, in the drawing step, the undrawn small fiber bundles can be drawn 2 to 5 times in an air atmosphere at 90 to 110°C. The artificial hair fiber bundle according to this embodiment is less likely to become entangled or break during the drawing step.

[0056] 2.4 Adhesion process The method for producing an artificial hair fiber bundle according to this embodiment can further include an attachment step. The method for the attachment step is not particularly limited as long as it can attach the surface treatment agent to the fiber, and any attachment method can be used. For example, the surface treatment agent may be attached to the fiber by a roll transfer method, or the fiber may be immersed in a solution containing the surface treatment agent. The amount of the surface treatment agent attached to the fiber according to this embodiment can be adjusted by adjusting the amount charged or by adjusting the concentration of each component other than the solvent of the solution containing the surface treatment agent.

[0057] 2.5 Heat treatment process The method for producing an artificial hair fiber bundle according to this embodiment can further include a heat treatment step. In the heat treatment step, the fibers after the drawing step can be heat-treated using a heat treatment machine. The heat treatment step according to this embodiment can be carried out either before or after the attachment step. As an example, in the heat treatment step, the fibers are heat-treated in an air atmosphere at 90 to 120°C so that the fibers shrink to 0.50 to 0.99 times their original size, causing thermal shrinkage of the entire fiber length, thereby obtaining an artificial hair fiber bundle with the desired fineness. The "relaxation rate in the heat treatment step" is a value calculated by dividing the rotational speed of the take-up roller during the heat treatment by the rotational speed of the delivery roller during the heat treatment.

[0058] The twist number of the small fiber bundles according to the present embodiment typically refers to the twist number of the small fiber bundles after the heat treatment step. Therefore, the twist number of the small fiber bundles in the artificial hair fiber bundle according to the present embodiment is a value calculated based on the following formula (3). (Number of twists [times / 100 m]) = (Number of twists immediately after the twist forming process [times / 100 m]) / {(Stretching ratio in the stretching process) × (Relaxation rate in the heat treatment process)} (3)

[0059] 2.6 Packaging and locking process The method for producing an artificial hair fiber bundle according to this embodiment can further include a boxing and locking step. In the boxing and locking step, for example, a locking member can be provided at one end of the artificial hair fiber bundle after the heat treatment step, and the bundle can be boxed from that end. At this time, a twist can be formed in the artificial hair fiber bundle. Therefore, the number of twists in the artificial hair fiber bundle according to this embodiment typically means the number of twists after the boxing (locking) step. After boxing to the desired length, a locking member can be provided at the other end. An artificial hair fiber bundle having a locking member makes it difficult for the small fiber bundles and artificial hair fiber bundle to untwist, making it suitable for boxing, etc., and improving the workability of the processing step described below.

[0060] 3. Method for processing and shaping fiber bundles for artificial hair The artificial hair fiber bundle according to this embodiment can be processed to form an untwisted processed artificial hair fiber bundle. The method for processing the artificial hair fiber bundle according to this embodiment preferably includes a gear processing step and a combing step. The method for shaping the artificial hair fiber bundle includes a HWS step in which the processed artificial hair fibers shaped into a desired shape are immersed in hot water. The method for shaping the artificial hair fiber bundle according to this embodiment can further include a hair shape formation step. Shaping the artificial hair fiber bundle can be performed by a hairdresser, for example, in a beauty salon or the like.

[0061] 3.1 Gear machining process In the gear processing step according to this embodiment, crimping can be achieved by passing the artificial hair fiber bundle between two meshing high-temperature gears. In the case of an artificial hair fiber bundle having a fastening member, the fastening member can be removed before the gear processing step. In the case of a fastening member that glues the artificial hair fiber bundle, the fastening member can be removed by cutting the glued portion. The material of the gear used in the gear processing step, the shape of the gear waves, and the number of gears are not particularly limited. In the gear processing step, the shape of the resulting artificial hair fiber can be controlled by appropriately adjusting the depth of the gear wave grooves, the gear surface temperature, the processing speed, and the pressure conditions between the gears, taking into consideration the fiber material and fineness. These processing conditions are not particularly limited, but as an example, the depth of the gear wave grooves (gear pitch) can be 0.2 to 6 mm, preferably 0.5 to 5 mm, the gear surface temperature can be 30 to 100°C, preferably 40 to 90°C, and the processing speed can be 0.5 to 10 m / min, preferably 1.0 to 8.0 m / min. The artificial hair fiber bundle according to this embodiment has an appropriate number of twists in the small fiber bundle and the artificial hair fiber bundle, so that the gear is easily applied uniformly. Furthermore, the artificial hair fiber bundle according to this embodiment has reduced tangling and thread breakage during the manufacturing process, so that kinked threads are less likely to occur after gear processing, and furthermore, tangling and thread breakage due to gear processing are less likely to occur.

[0062] 3.2 Combing process The combing process according to this embodiment is not particularly limited as long as it can reduce the twist of the artificial hair fiber bundle. For example, combing can be performed by placing the artificial hair fiber bundle over a surface provided with a plurality of protrusions (such as rod-shaped protrusions) and pulling the artificial hair fiber bundle so that it passes between the protrusions. The artificial hair fiber bundle according to this embodiment has a uniform gear, which reduces plastic deformation of the fibers such as tangles, thread breakage, and the generation of frizz, and furthermore, the small fiber bundle has an appropriate number of twists, making it easy to use in the combing process.

[0063] The artificial hair fiber bundle according to this embodiment preferably has excellent combability after the gear processing step (combing step). The combability of the artificial hair fiber bundle can be evaluated, for example, by a hair fiber processing technician (with at least five years of work experience) placing an artificial hair fiber bundle 1500 mm long and weighing 200 g on a 600 mm x 1200 mm surface with 1200 equally spaced 100 mm rod-shaped protrusions, pulling the artificial hair fiber bundle between the protrusions, and combing it based on the ease with which force is applied.

[0064] 3.3 Hair shape formation process The hair shape forming step according to this embodiment is not particularly limited as long as it can form a desired hair shape. In the hair shape forming step according to this embodiment, the processed artificial hair fiber bundle may be cut, the processed artificial hair fiber bundle may be braided or twisted, or the processed artificial hair fiber bundle may be wound around a cylinder to form curled hair.

[0065] 3.4 HWS process In the HWS process according to this embodiment, the artificial hair fiber bundle is immersed in hot water after processing into the desired shape to fix the hair shape. The HWS conditions can be appropriately set depending on the fiber raw material, etc., but one example is immersion in hot water at 70 to 90°C for 10 to 60 seconds. The shrinkage rate in the HWS process can be measured, for example, by gear processing an artificial hair fiber bundle after the heat treatment process, produced by the method described in "2. Method for Producing Artificial Hair Fiber Bundles," under conditions of a gear pitch of 2.5 mm, preheating at 90°C, a gear roll temperature of 90°C, and a gear roll rotation speed of 1 m / min, combing the artificial hair fiber bundle to untwist it, and then braiding a 600 mm long fiber bundle into a braid to obtain a test braided fiber. The shrinkage rate in the HWS process can be measured, for example, by measuring the fiber lengths of test braided fibers (n=10) before and after immersing them in hot water at 95°C for 15 seconds, and calculating the average value based on the following formula (4): (Shrinkage rate in HWS process [%]) = [{(test braided fiber length before heat treatment) - (test braided fiber length after heat treatment)} / (test braided fiber length before heat treatment)] × 100 (4) The shrinkage rate during the HWS process is preferably 25% or less, and more preferably 20% or less. The artificial hair fiber bundle according to this embodiment has reduced plastic deformation of the fibers, such as tangles, thread breakage, and frizz, and therefore has excellent combability during the combing process and is less susceptible to excessive force being applied to the fibers. Therefore, the artificial hair fiber bundle according to this embodiment is less likely to shrink during HWS, is less likely to disrupt the shape of braids, and the ends of the hair are easier to manage.

[0066] 4. How to use fiber bundles for artificial hair The hair accessory product obtained from the artificial hair fiber bundle according to this embodiment is less likely to shrink during HWS, so the shape of braids and the like is less likely to become distorted and the ends of the hair are easier to manage. Therefore, the hair accessory product according to this embodiment can be applied to a variety of styles, but is particularly suitable for braids, including braids and twists. [Example]

[0067] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples. Note that the examples described below are representative examples of the present invention and should not be construed as narrowing the scope of the present invention.

[0068] Example 1 <Spinning process> 100 parts by mass of vinyl chloride resin (manufactured by Taiyo PVC Co., Ltd., product name: TH1000), a total of 5 parts by mass of additives such as plasticizers, stabilizers, and lubricants (specifically, 3 parts by mass of a stabilizer composition, 1 part by mass of epoxidized soybean oil, 0.4 parts by mass of a phosphorus-based chelating agent, and 0.6 parts by mass of polyethylene wax), and 0.5 parts by mass of carbon black were mixed in a blender. The blended materials were kneaded using a φ40 mm single-screw extruder to obtain a resin composition in the form of pellets for spinning. The obtained resin composition in the form of pellets was spun using a φ40 mm single-screw melt spinning machine.

[0069] The stabilizer composition used to obtain the resin composition had the following components and composition: Hydrotalcite compound (Mg4Al2(OH)12CO3·3H2O) 72.6 parts by mass Zinc stearate 13.1 parts by mass Silica ("Carplex (registered trademark) #80" manufactured by DSL Japan Co., Ltd.) 2.2 parts by mass Dibenzoylmethane 2.3 parts by mass Dipentaerythritol 0.9 parts by mass Vinyl chloride resin (manufactured by Taiyo PVC Co., Ltd., product name: TH1000) 8.9 parts by mass

[0070] Other additives used to obtain the resin composition are as follows: Epoxidized soybean oil: ADEKA Cizer (registered trademark) O-130P manufactured by ADEKA Corporation Phosphorus chelating agent: ADEKA CORPORATION "ADEKA STAB (registered trademark) 1030" Polyethylene wax: Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.

[0071] <Twisting process> The spun fibers (120 fibers per small fiber bundle) were wound on a flyer spinning machine, while adjusting the rotation speed of the winding bobbin and the flyer so that the small fiber bundle had the desired twist.

[0072] <Stretching process> The resulting undrawn small fiber bundles were drawn at 100°C at a draw ratio of 3 times.

[0073] <Attachment process> Surface treatment agent A was applied to the artificial hair fiber bundle by the roll transfer method. The conditions for roll transfer were that the roll had a radius of 125 mm, was immersed in a solution containing surface treatment agent A up to a height of 20 mm from the bottom end of the roll, and the roll rotation speed was 0.2 to 8 m / min. The amount of surface treatment agent A applied was 0.1% by mass relative to 100% by mass of the fiber.

[0074] The surface treatment agent A used contained the following components. Surface treatment agent A: Oil: Mineral oil (DKSH Japan Co., Ltd. "Mineral Oil") Nonionic surfactant: Polyoxyethylene alkyl ether (Nikko Chemicals Co., Ltd. "Poly(oxyethylene) oleyl ether") Cationic surfactant: Quaternary ammonium salt type cationic surfactant (Yoshimura Oil Chemicals "F-20")

[0075] <Heat treatment process> The artificial hair fiber bundle was placed in a heat treatment device and subjected to a heat treatment step at 115° C. The relaxation rate during the heat treatment was 0.50 to 0.99 times. The fineness of each fiber contained in the artificial hair fiber bundle was 40d to 60d.

[0076] <Packing and locking process> Basal tape (polypropylene; manufactured by Kitamura Manufacturing Co., Ltd.) was wrapped around one end of the artificial hair fiber bundle, and the artificial hair fiber bundle was packed from that end into a box without forming any twists. After packing up to a length of 400 cm, basal tape was wrapped around the other end, and the excess artificial hair fiber bundle was cut off.

[0077] (Examples 2 to 15, Comparative Examples 1 and 2) Artificial hair fiber bundles were obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except for changing the number of twists of the small fiber bundles and artificial hair fiber bundles, the number of fibers per small fiber bundle, the number of small fiber bundles contained in the artificial hair fiber bundle, the type and amount of surface treatment agent applied, and the presence or absence of a locking member. In all Examples and Comparative Examples, the number of fibers contained in the artificial hair fiber bundle was 24,000.

[0078] The surface treatment agents B and C used in Examples 13 and 14 each contained the following components. In Example 14, the adhesion amount of surface treatment agent B was 0.1% by mass relative to 100% by mass of the fibers. In Example 13, the adhesion amount of surface treatment agent C was 0.3% by mass relative to 100% by mass of the fibers. Surface treatment agent B: Nonionic surfactant: Polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether (NOF Corporation "Unilube (registered trademark) 50MB-26") Cationic surfactant: Quaternary ammonium salt type cationic surfactant (Yoshimura Oil Chemicals "F-20") Surface treatment agent C: Nonionic surfactant: Polyoxyethylene alkyl ether ("Brownon (registered trademark) CH-330L" manufactured by Aoki Oil & Fat Industries Co., Ltd.) Cationic surfactant: alkyltrimethylammonium chloride ("Catinal (registered trademark) DC-80" manufactured by Toho Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.)

[0079] The artificial hair fiber bundles thus produced were subjected to the tests and evaluations described below, and the results are shown in Tables 1 and 2. Note that the artificial hair fiber bundle of Comparative Example 2 had a twist count of 0 turns / m for the small fiber bundles, making it difficult to distinguish between the small fiber bundles, and therefore the number of small fiber bundles was recorded as 0.

[0080] [Table 1]

[0081] [Table 2]

[0082] (fiber shrinkage rate) Several fibers (n=10) contained in the artificial hair fiber bundle were cut to a length of 100 mm, and the fiber lengths were measured before and after immersion in water at 94°C for 15 seconds, and the average value was calculated based on the following formula (1). (Fiber shrinkage rate [%]) = [{(fiber length before heat treatment) - (fiber length after heat treatment)} / (fiber length before heat treatment)] × 100 (1)

[0083] (Combability after gear processing) The artificial hair fiber bundles were subjected to gear processing using a gear machine (SUNG JIN INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.'s "NEW YAKI BRAID CRIMPING M / C-2.5mm") under the following conditions: gear pitch 2.5mm, preheating to 90°C, gear roll temperature 90°C, and gear roll rotation speed 1m / min. Immediately after gear processing, the artificial hair fiber bundles were combed by 10 hair fiber processing technicians (with at least 5 years of work experience). Combing was performed by placing a 1500mm long, 200g mass artificial hair fiber bundle over a 600mm x 1200mm surface with 1200 evenly spaced 100mm rod-shaped protrusions, and pulling the artificial hair fiber bundle through the protrusions. The degree of force felt when combing was rated into two ranks: "Combing requires force and no strings are pulled" or "Combing requires no force and strings are pulled", and was evaluated according to the following criteria. 5:10 People evaluated that the thread could be pulled without exerting force on the comb. 4: 7-9 people rated that the combing was easy and the thread could be pulled. 3: 5-6 people rated it as easy to comb and easy to pull the thread. 2: 2-4 people rated it as easy to comb and easy to pull the thread. 1: Less than one person rated that the combing was easy and the thread could be pulled.

[0084] (Shrinkage rate during HWS process) The artificial hair fiber bundle was subjected to gear processing using a gear machine ("NEW YAKI BRAID CRIMPING M / C-2.5mm" manufactured by SUNG JIN INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.) under the following conditions: gear pitch 2.5 mm, preheating to 90°C, gear roll temperature 90°C, and gear roll rotation speed 1 m / min. Next, the gear-processed artificial hair fiber bundle was combed to untwist it. Combing was performed at a stress of 5 N or more until the twist was unwound (20 to 1,000 times). The combed artificial hair fiber bundle was cut into 600 mm lengths and braided by 10 hair fiber processing technicians (with at least 5 years of work experience) to obtain braided fibers for testing. The test braided fibers (n = 10) were immersed in hot water at 95°C for 15 seconds, and the fiber lengths were measured before and after, and the average value calculated based on the following formula (4) was calculated. (Shrinkage rate in HWS process [%]) = [{(test braided fiber length before heat treatment) - (test braided fiber length after heat treatment)} / (test braided fiber length before heat treatment)] × 100 (4)

Claims

1. A fiber bundle for artificial hair comprising a plurality of small fiber bundles, the fiber bundles comprise a plurality of fibers; The fiber bundle for artificial hair has a twist number of 0.5 times / 100 m or more.

2. 2. The fiber bundle for artificial hair according to claim 1, wherein the number of twists of said small fiber bundle is 30 times or less per 100 m.

3. 3. The fiber bundle for artificial hair according to claim 1, wherein the number of said small fiber bundles contained in said fiber bundle for artificial hair is 100 to 300 bundles.

4. 3. The fiber bundle for artificial hair according to claim 1, wherein the number of said fibers per small fiber bundle is 70 to 450.

5. 3. The fiber bundle for artificial hair according to claim 1, wherein the number of twists of said fiber bundle for artificial hair is 5 times / m or less.

6. 3. The fiber bundle for artificial hair according to claim 1, further comprising a fastening member.

7. 3. The fiber bundle for artificial hair according to claim 1, wherein the fiber has a shrinkage rate of 10% or less when immersed in water at 94°C for 15 seconds.

8. 3. The fiber bundle for artificial hair according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a surface treatment agent is adhered to the fiber, and the surface treatment agent is one or more selected from the group consisting of oil, nonionic surfactants, and cationic surfactants.

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