Abstract: A light-weight fabric and method for producing the fabric, the method comprising providing a selected mass of starting material comprising fibers of the starting material, the fibers being in the range of about 5 cm to 30 cm in length and orienting the fibers in the selected mass to produce a loose web of fibers. The fibers in the loose web of fibers are mechanically attached or felted to provide structural integrity to the web and thus tighten the web of fibers into the fabric. The fabric is light weight and thus less than approximately 100 GSM in weight, more specifically less than approximately 50 GSM and may even be about approximately 25 GSM. The fabric can be used in wound care dressings.

Abstract: A negative pressure wound dressing and method of making same includes a flexible foamed polymeric material having a plurality of channels or holes formed by a laser within the cellular structure thereof, the flexible foamed polymeric material for use to contact a wound contact surface in negative pressure wound treatment.

Abstract: A method for forming an article where a friable material is supported by or enclosed by a non-friable material. The article comprises one or more layers of non-friable fibers surrounding the friable material fibers wherein at least some of the non-friable fibers are oriented in a Z plane and at least some of the non-friable fibers are oriented in an XY plane. The fibers are oriented in the Z plane via a felting process such as needle punching through the assembly of the article. The resulting article is a non-woven article even where one or more layer for the article was provided as woven or non-woven layer of fibers.

Abstract: A method of forming one or more perforations, holes, or capillaries in a hydrogel material, hydrocolloid material, hydrogel adhesive or silicone adhesive comprising directing a focal point of a laser beam to a surface of the material or adhesive at one or more locations to form one or more perforations, holes, or capillaries having a selected diameter. The perforated hydrogel material or adhesive can be used in wound care dressings, wearable sensors, or devices intended to contact living tissue. The perforated material or adhesive may also be provided in contact with an exudate holding mechanism such as an open cell foam material to further increase the exudate absorbance of the hydrogel or hydrocolloid wound care dressing.

Abstract: An assembly and method of producing one or a plurality of reservoirs or wells having a bulge when viewed in cross-section, in a foam material, with a laser processing system. The assembly comprises a housing configured to receive a galvo therein, and wherein the first housing has exterior surface topography comprising a plurality of apertures; a compression mechanism comprising an exterior surface topography having a plurality of surface protrusions thereon for compressing the material passing over at least one of the plurality of surface protrusions; and wherein the housing and the compression mechanism are spaced apart providing a gap there between for receiving a web of the material therein. Laser processing comprises compressing the material around a target area on a first surface of the material and concurrently directing a focal point of a laser beam to the target area to produce the reservoirs.

Abstract: A variable air access mechanism and method of varying air access comprising a first film with a predetermined amount of total air access openings to be formed by removal of laser cut chads; a portion of the chads only partially cut; and a second film adhered to the first film wherein removal of the second film in a first direction opens all of the air access openings or removal of the second film in an opposing direction leaves the partially cut chads attached to the first film such that only selected chads are removed.