Abstract: Thermal impulse heat welding, or “bar sealing”, is used to bond thermally sensitive laminate barrier materials such that they will pass AAMI level 4 testing (ASTM 1670 and 1671-b). In bar sealing, overlapping layers of thermally sensitive laminate barrier materials are melted and fused together to create a substantially solid bond at and/or adjacent the surface. No substantially un-melted areas remain within the fused bond area on the surface.

Abstract: A surgical garment and a method is provided. The surgical garment includes a body portion that extends over at least part of the back and at least part of the front of the patient. The body portion is fluid resistant and is made of a material that reduces heat transfer to the environment. The body portion has at least one opening section, and has a pair of arm openings for accommodating the arms of the user. An attachment mechanism is carried by the body portion. The attachment mechanism is configured to releaseably attach and detach the body portion such that the opening section is closed and opened. During detachment of the attachment mechanism, the body portion is configured to at least partially cover an operating table to protect the table from contaminants. The body portion may extend over the sides of the operating table. The method includes the step of covering the patient with a surgical garment that has at least one material therein that reduces heat transfer from the patient to the environment.

Abstract: There is provided a laminate of nonwoven fabrics for barrier applications which has improved ratios of barrier and strength to weight, of softness to strength and of vapor transmission to barrier. The laminate has a meltblown layer sandwiched between spunbond layers to produce an SMS laminate. The meltblown and spunbond layers may have between 0.1 to 2.0 weight percent of a fluorocarbon and the meltblown layer preferably between 5 and 20 weight percent polybutylene. The laminate also may have pigments if desired. Such laminates are useful for garments.