Patent ID: 7087303

Claim:
A bulked continuous filament formed from a synthetic polymer, the filament having a three-sided exterior configuration and a minor radius (R 1 ) and a major radius (R 2 ), the ratio of the major radius (R 2 ) to the minor radius (R 1 ) defining an exterior modification ratio (R 2 /R 1 ) in the range from about 1.4 to about 2.5, each side defining a smoothly curved contour extending between a first and a second rounded tip, each side having an inwardly extending depressed region disposed adjacent to each rounded tip, each rounded tip having a tip radius (R 3 ), the ratio of the major radius (R 2 ) to the tip radius (R 3 ) defining a tip ratio (R 2 /R 3 ) in the range from about 2.0 to about 10.0, the filament having a generally delta-shaped void extending centrally and axially therethrough, the void having a geometric center and three major apices, each side of the void being convex in shape and having a first and a second end, each side of the void being formed from two facets that meet to define a minor apex intermediate the first and second ends thereof, the distance (R M ) from the geometric center of the void to each major apex and the distance (R m ) from the geometric center of the void to each minor apex defining an apex ratio (R M /R m ) in the range from about 1.0 to about 1.55, and the void being oriented within the filament such that each major apex extends toward the approximate midpoint of one side of the exterior of the filament and each minor apex extends toward an exterior tip of a filament.