Abstract: A surfactant treatment is provided that can result in a sterilization wrap that can have a bacterial filtration efficiency of at least 94 percent as determined according to ASTM F2101. The surfactant treatment includes a surfactant consisting essentially of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. Wrapping packs in a wrap treated with said surfactant treatment in an amount ranging from greater than 0 to 2 weight percent based on the dry weight of the wrap results in the production of fewer wet packs after steam sterilization compared to when packs are wrapped with an identical wrap without said surfactant treatment. A sterilization wrap comprising a nonwoven fabric and a dried residue surfactant treatment that is essentially free of silicon, potassium, phosphorus, and sulfur is also provided, where wrapping packs to be sterilized in the surfactant treated wrap reduces the occurrence of wet packs after steam sterilization compared using an untreated wrap.

Abstract: Sterilization packaging systems with features for sealing a volume against an ingress of contaminants are provided. Such features include a sealing assembly, where the sealing assembly includes a sheet of sterilization material and a clamp for sealing the sheet of sterilization material against a container to seal the volume of the container from contaminants. Also provided is a sealing assembly including a sheet of sterilization material and a clamp having open position and clamped positions. The clamp is configured to extend about a perimeter of a container, the sheet of sterilization material is disposed between the container and the clamp when the clamp is in the clamped position to seal a volume of the container, and the clamp is held in the clamped position by a latch. Exemplary sterilization packaging systems may include other features as well.

Abstract: An improved nitrile rubber formulation and process for making elastomeric nitrile rubber articles from the nitrile rubber formulation are disclosed. In particular, the nitrile rubber formulation can produce nitrile rubber based articles which exhibit force-strain characteristics that are comparable to those of natural rubber latex articles, while maintaining the tensile strength properties of nitrile rubber. The process includes adding a stretch modifier during the compounding of the nitrile rubber formulation. The invention also includes an elastomeric nitrile rubber product made by the process, such as examination glove, surgical glove, etc.

Abstract: A disposable surgical gown is provided. The gown includes a front panel and sleeves formed from a first spunbond layer, a nonwoven (e.g., SMS) laminate, and a liquid impervious, moisture vapor breathable elastic film disposed therebetween. The gown also includes a first and second rear panels formed from a nonwoven laminate that is air breathable and allows for an air volumetric flow rate ranging from about 20 standard cubic feet per minute (scfm) to about 80 scfm. The gown further includes a collar formed from an air breathable knit material positioned adjacent a proximal end of the gown. The collar defines a neck opening having a v-neck shape adjacent the front panel. The v-neck shape forms an angle of greater than 90° at the neck opening. The combination of features results in a reduced-glare gown that is stretchable and impervious to liquids, yet can still dissipate heat and humidity.

Abstract: A method and associated system are provided for splicing a reserve nose wire to a running nose wire in a facemask production line, wherein the running nose wire is supplied continuously from a supply roll. Prior to depletion of the running nose wire, the supply roll is moved from an operating location to an intermediate location that is further from the production line while continuing to supply the running nose wire from the supply roll. The supply roll is then moved from the intermediate location back towards the production line while decelerating the supply roll to a stop, thereby creating an accumulation of the running wire functionally between the supply roll and the production line. With the supply roll at a stop, the running nose wire is continuously supplied from the accumulation and a leading end of a reserve roll of nose wire is spliced to the running nose wire at a location upstream of the accumulation where the running nose wire is at a standstill.

Abstract: A method and associated method are provided or introducing a supply of reserve nose wires in a facemask production line prior to depletion of running nose wires in the production line. A first nose wire source and first cutter system are provided for supplying the running nose wires to the production line. A reserve nose wire source and second cutter system are staged in a stand-by state proximate to the first nose wire source. Prior to depletion of the first nose wire source, the reserve nose wire source and second cutter system are brought up to an operational speed while diverting nose wires from the second cutter system away from the production line. At operational speed of the reserve nose wire source and second cutter system, nose wires from the second cutter system are diverted to the production line while diverting nose wires from the first cutter system away from the production line.

Abstract: An automated system and method wrap the fastening ties around the body of a continuous stream of facemasks in a facemask production line. The facemasks are oriented such that each facemask has a leading pair of ties and a trailing pair of ties extending from a body in a conveying direction of the production line. The leading pair of ties is drawn below the body as the facemask continues to be conveyed in the conveying and wraps under the body. At a wrapping station in the production line, the body is subsequently clamped with an automated clamping device and rotated relative to a rotation axis through the body to cause the leading and trailing pairs of ties to further wrap around the body.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a dispensing assembly. The dispensing assembly includes a container having a plurality of exterior panels that define an internal chamber. The exterior panels include at least opposing side panels and a top panel having an opening configured to dispense a plurality of articles therethrough. The dispensing assembly also includes an article dispensing component housed within the internal chamber that includes a base panel arranged with the top panel of the container so as to form an article storage area. The article storage area is configured to receive the plurality of articles. The base panel is biased towards the top panel via at least one flexible member that is secured to at least one of the opposing side panels of the container. Thus, the flexible member is configured to allow movement of the base panel towards to the top panel as each article is dispensed from the opening.

Abstract: A nitrile-rubber medical exam glove composed of a glove body which is a flexible layer of nitrile-butadiene rubber. The glove body has a chlorinated first surface forming a donning side of the glove body and an un-chlorinated second surface forming a grip side of the glove body. The elastomeric glove also includes a substantially uniform distribution of a release agent distributed over the un-chlorinated second surface of the glove body. The elastomeric glove has: (a) an average thickness of between about 0.03 to 0.12 mm in a palm region of the glove body as measured in accordance with ASTM D3767, procedure A; (b) an un-chlorinated second surface of the glove body characterized by a Surface Root Mean Square Roughness of from about 3.00 μm to about 6.55 μm; and (c) a failure rate of less than about 1 percent when the elastomeric glove is subjected to pinhole leak testing generally in accordance with ASTM D5151-06.

Abstract: A multi-layered face mask coated with discontinuous patterns of phase change material are incorporated into the face mask construction to provide for cooling of the microclimate in the dead space of the face mask. Optimized cooling is achieved by strategic placement of layers coated with a phase change material within the mask construction and the amount and density of the phase change material in contact with the temperature sensitive areas of the face, as well as areas experiencing the maximum amount of flux from exhaled breath. The shape of the mask can also be adjusted to increase skin contact with the phase change material and decrease dead space volume, which reduces the volume of warm exhaled air and can provide sufficient cooling with less phase change material. The discontinuous patterns of phase change material also provide inter-layer spacing between the layers of the mask, which can improve splash resistance.

Abstract: A splash resistant multi-layered structure is provided. The structure includes a specific arrangement of layers of material and a plurality of three-dimensional spacers that helps prevent penetration through the structure by a fluid that contacts an outer surface of the structure due to a state of forced separation that exists between two adjacent layers of the structure due to the presence of the plurality of three-dimensional spacers positioned between the layers. The plurality of three-dimensional spacers can be positioned on one of the adjacent layers of the structure such that a distance at least as large as the maximum height of the plurality of three-dimensional spacers separates the two layers from each other and can be present on a layer of material in a continuous or discontinuous pattern or can be present on a layer of material in a random fashion.

Abstract: A method and associated system are provided for cutting and placing individual nose wires in a facemask production line. A continuous wire is supplied from a supply source to a cutting station in the facemask production line where the continuous wire is cut into individual nose wires having a defined length. A first web is conveyed to a vacuum conveyor, and the individual nose wires are deposited from the cutting station onto the vacuum conveyor such that the nose wires are drawn by vacuum against the first web at a defined spacing and orientation. With the vacuum conveyor, the first web and attached nose wires are conveyed to a folding station wherein the first web and nose wires are combined with a second web such that the nose wires are encapsulated between the first and second webs.

Abstract: A method of using a sterilization wrap system including a permeable material having barrier properties and having a first surface and a second opposing surface, the exterior panel being substantially opaque or having a first level of translucence, and an interior panel including a permeable material having barrier properties and having a first surface and a second opposing surface, the interior panel having a level of translucence that is higher than the translucence of the exterior panel, the panels being joined together over at least a portion of their surfaces. Also disclosed is inspection of the sterilization wrap system for exterior panel breaches by looking for light passing through a panel facing the viewer.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for cutting and placing individual nose wires in a facemask production line. A continuous wire is supplied from a source to a cutting station in the production line. At the cutting station, the wire is engaged with a set of driven feed rollers that advance the wire at a first speed to a cutting roller, wherein the wire is cut into individual nose wires. The individual nose wires from the cutting roller are then engaged by a set of delivery rollers to deposit the individual nose wires onto a running carrier web. The delivery rollers are independently driven relative to the feed rollers and cutting roller such that the nose wires from the cutting roller are initially accelerated and transported away from the cutting roller at a second speed that is greater than the first speed and then decelerated and moved onto the carrier web at a third speed that is less than the first speed.