Abstract: The present invention relates to a multicomponent fibrous nonwoven structure and the process and apparatus for producing the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to a process for forming nonwoven materials using a forming chamber in conjunction with multiple fiber sources and a forming surface to create multicomponent nonwoven materials with varying features. The materials so produced are suitable for use in a wide variety of applications including personal care products such as diapers, feminine pads and adult incontinence products.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a duo-functional nonwoven composite having a support layer with a top surface and a bottom surface separated by a thickness. On the bottom surface of the support layer is a fibrous nonwoven web with all or a portion of the fibers being formed from a material which is soluble in a fluid such as water. At least a portion of the fibers extend through the thickness of the support layer from the bottom surface and project beyond the top surface to give the top surface a cloth-like appearance. Upon wetting the top surface of the support layer by a fluid such as water, urine or menses, the soluble fibers begin to shrink and dissolve until all or a portion of the filaments have retracted back into and through the thickness of the support layer. In so doing, the applied fluid is transported substantially away from the top surface of the composite.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a synthetic fecal fluid composition which is useful with respect to the development of personal care devices such as diapers, training pants and incontinence garments which serve to collect and contain fecal matter. The synthetic fecal fluid composition of the present invention has a greater ability to retain liquid thereby improving its simulation of the actual material. As a result, this material is an improvement over prior materials which dewatered too quickly and therefore acted as poor supplements for use in the testing and development of personal care products. the composition contains a mixture of approximately 70 to 90% by weight of liquid such as water and approximately 10 to 30% by weight of solids including both water-soluble and water-insoluble components.

Abstract: Disclosed is an abrasion resistant fibrous nonwoven structure composed of (1) a matrix of meltblown fibers having a first exterior surface, a second exterior surface, and an interior portion; and (2) at least one other fibrous material integrated into the meltblown fiber matrix so that the concentration of meltblown fibers adjacent each exterior surface of the nonwoven structure is at least about 60 percent, by weight, and the concentration of meltblown fibers in the interior portion is less than about 40 percent, by weight. This fibrous nonwoven structure provides useful strength and low-lint characteristics as well as an abrasion resistance that is at least about 25 percent greater than that of homogenous mixture of the same components. The fibrous nonwoven structure of the present invention may be used as a moist wipe.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a fluid evacuation system which is particularly well-suited for removing liquids from the site of a surgical procedure. In one configuration the system is in the form of a pad which can be placed directly on a patient or used in conjunction with a surgical drape. The pad is connected to a vacuum source and as fluids flow across the top surface of the pad, they are drawn down into a fluid receiving chamber and then removed via a suction line. As a result, fluids present during a surgical procedure are taken completely away from the operating site. In another configuration, the system is in the form of a suction rail which operates in the same fashion but can be molded or formed into a particular shape and then attached to a surgical drape in the expected path of fluid run-off.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a high wicking liquid absorbent composite suitable for a wide number of uses including personal care products and the process for making the same. The composite is made from a relatively uniform mixture of from about 5 to about 20 percent fine wettable fiber, from about 3 to about 30 percent pulp fibers, from about 50 to about 90 percent superabsorbent and from 0 to about 10 percent binder, the percentages being on a dry weight basis. The mixture is compressed into a composite having a density of from about 0.1 to about 0.5 grams per cubic centimeter and a vertical wicking height of at least about 10 centimeters in one hour. The process involves forming a sheet comprising 50 to 90 percent fine wettable fiber and 10 to 50 percent pulp fiber on a dry weight basis. The sheet is then fiberized into a plurality of individual fibers within an air stream.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a fluid collection pouch which is extremely simple in design. The pouch utilizes a blank of fluid impervious material having a generally triangular shape including a first side and a second side joined at a common end point to themselves and at their distal ends to opposite ends of a third side. By joining the first and second sides to one another a fluid receiving chamber is formed with the third side forming an open end to the chamber and the joined distal ends of the first and second sides forming a flap portion which extends above the open end of the chamber. The fluid collection pouch is particularly well-suited for use in surgical procedures in which case it may be joined to a surgical drape in the expected path of fluid run-off or provided with a fenestration in the flap portion for registry with a corresponding fenestration in the surgical drape.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a multicomponent fibrous nonwoven structure and the process and apparatus for producing the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to a process for forming nonwoven materials using a forming chamber in conjunction with multiple fiber sources and a forming surface to create multicomponent nonwoven materials with varying features. The materials so produced are suitable for use in a wide variety of applications including personal care products such as diapers, feminine pads and adult incontinence products.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an incise system for surgical drapes and the resultant surgical drape. The incise system is a two layer structure including a first layer of incise with an adhesive bottom surface for adhering the layer to a surgical drape and/or the skin of a patient. The first layer of incise further defines a fenestrated area removably attached to the remainder of the first layer by a line of perforations. The second layer of incise is generally coextensive with and releasably attachable to the first layer of incise so as to cover the fenestrated area of the river layer.To use the incise system of the present invention the two layer structure is applied to the patient's skin such that the fenestrated area of the first layer of incise directly overlies the intended incision area. An incision can then be made directly through the two layers of incise. Once the procedure is completed, the top (second) layer of incise is peeled from the bottom (first) layer.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a biodegradable latex web material which is suitable as a replacement for plastic in a wide variety of uses due to its good overall strength and its ratio of wet strength to dry strength. The material includes a web of cellulose fibers which, prior to treatment with a saturant, has a breaking length in the dry state ranging from about 0.80 to about 6.20 km. Optionally, the web can contain synthetic fibers to improve the tear strength of the material. In order to obtain tensile strengths which are comparable to plastics, the fibrous web is saturated with a latex composition which may be natural, synthetic or a combination of natural and synthetic polymers. In addition to latex, other additives may be incorporated into the saturant for special end use properties. The latexes used will have glass transition temperatures (Tg) of between about -50.degree. C. and about 20.degree. C.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a shoe cover which has an open-ended bottom such that when the shoe cover is placed over a shoe, the uppers portion of the shoe is covered and protected while the sole of the shoe is at least partially exposed so that the traction of the shoe itself may be utilized by the wearer. In more refined embodiments, the shoe cover is provided with a number of methods for providing additional securement of the shoe cover to the shoe of a wearer.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a surgical instrument transport tray for handling, moving, sterilizing and storing wrapped instrument sterilization pans. With the tray there is less risk of the wrapping being torn or otherwise breached after sterilization of the contents. Without the tray, the wrapping used to maintain the sterility of the contents is sometimes damaged, thereby necessitating the removal of the damaged wrap followed by rewrapping and re-sterilizing the pan and its contents. The risk of such damage, increased cost and lost time are reduced by way of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an agricultural mulch made from a fibrous cellulosic web having a certain breaking length and which had been surface-coated with a latex coating to improve wet strength and handling properties. The material of the present invention, once formed, is particularly suitable for use in agricultural applications to control weeds, soil moisture and temperature. The mulch can be engineered to have useful life which will correspnd to the growing cycle of a specific crop. Unlike plastic, once the crop has been harvested, the material of the present invention is much more suitable for composting due to the degradable nature of the product.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a surgical drape or patient cover for use in central venous catheterizations of patients who require intravenous drug therapy and/or parenteral nutrition. The patient cover includes a mainsheet and a reinforcement sheet with two spaced apart triangular shaped fenestrations for use in the insertion of a central venous catheter into either the subclavian or basilic areas of the body.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a process for repulping or reclaiming fibers from latex-impregnated materials such as latex impregnated papers. The process involves treating the latex-impregnated material with an alkali solution for a sufficient period of time to separate the latex polymer from the fibers. This is followed by a washing step to rinse away the latex polymer thereby leaving the reclaimed fibers for subsequent use such as the formation of new paper stock.

Abstract: A tampon having a single layer wrap of fibers attached together by a powder binder. The wrap is embossed around a tampon pledget. The wrap in one embodiment includes a blend of hydrophobic synthetic fibers and hydrophilic cellulosic fibers laminated together with bonding powder. Another embodiment has only hydrophilic cellulosic fibers laminated together with bonding powder.

Abstract: A triiodide-phosphoric acid stain when applied to either moist or dry fiber samples produces a range of colors indicative of the fiber species and the degree of refining of the fiber. The stain is made from an aqueous triiodide solution of about 0.6M in potassium iodide and about 0.1M in iodine and is mixed with an acid solution about 77 percent by weight of phosphoric acid in a ratio of about 1 to 100 v/v of triiodide to acid just prior to its application to the fiber samples to be stained.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a surgical drape with an external extremity pouch for use in conjunction with limb surgery. Drapes used in such surgery are typically of sufficient size to completely cover the patient and extend down over the sides of the operating table. Such drapes are further provided with a fenestration to permit the extension of the limb through the drape from the underside to the external surface of the drape. The drape of the present invention has an extremity pouch attached to the external surface of the drape on the portion which hangs over the side of the operating table. The pouch is adapted to receive and isolate an exposed limb such as a leg or arm should it become necessary to extend the limb over the side of an operating table during a surgical procedure.

Abstract: A dispenser which may be sealed and sterilized, containing surgical absorbent pads for use during surgical operations, each surgical pad associated with an indicator strip rigidly affixed at one end to the inner wall of the dispenser such that removal of the absorbent pad extends the indicator strip to the exterior of the dispenser, the strip being of a length sufficient to prevent it inadvertent reintroduction into the dispenser, the spent absorbent pads reassociated with the exterior indicator strips to provide a visual positive accounting of absorbent pads used during the operation, the dispenser biased with a weighted flange extending from the bottom surface to land on a sterile field in a dispensing position when tossingly directed from a container towards the sterile field.

Abstract: A flexible tear resistance composite sheet material is disclosed comprising a web of thermoplastic microfibers with from 35 to 80 percent by weight of staple fibers homogeneously dispersed throughout the web. The composite is subjected to a sufficient quantity of heat and pressure such that the thermoplastic microfibers at least partially melt and compact into a contiguous sheet with the intact staple fibers being dispersed therein. Located throughout the sheet are a plurality of voids which act as tear stops. The resulting material has a void volume of about 33 to about 55 percent and a machine direction slit trapezoidal tear resistance greater than or equal to 1.7 kg per 100 g/m.sup.2 equivalent basis weight. Also disclosed herein is a process for making the composite sheet material.