Abstract: A substance delivery system has a three dimensional structure with outermost surface features and spaces for containing a substance. The substance has a level below the outermost surface features such that the substance is protected from inadvertent contact with external surfaces. The substance remains protected until the three dimensional structure is sufficiently deformed into a substantially two dimensional structure and the substance is thereby exposed to contact an external surface without compliance of the external surface being necessary. Deforming is preferably achieved by a compression force, wherein the outermost surface features of the three dimensional structure deform in a direction of the compression force.

Abstract: A method for making a flexible film having pressure sensitive adhesive protected from inadvertent adherence. The method coats a forming screen with an interconnected layer of pressure sensitive adhesive and places a piece of flexible film in contact with the layer of adhesive. The layer of adhesive preferentially adheres to the piece of flexible film. The forming screen has a plurality of recesses therein. The coating step applies the layer of adhesive without bridging the recesses. Another step forms the piece of flexible film to create a plurality of protrusions extending into the recesses. The plurality of protrusions are registered with the interconnected layer of pressure sensitive adhesive by virtue of using the same screen to transfer adhesive and to form protrusions. The forming screen may be wrapped around a rotating drum and the piece of flexible film may be a portion of a continuous web of flexible film. Preferably, the plurality of protrusions are conical, with a base diameter of 0.

Abstract: An absorbent article, such as a diaper, a sanitary napkin, a panty liner, an adult incontinence device, a bandage, or the like is provided which has: (a) a liquid pervious topsheet defining a body-facing side of the absorbent article; (b) a liquid impervious backsheet joined to the topsheet and defining a garment-facing side of the absorbent article; (c) an absorbent layer being positioned between the topsheet and the backsheet; and (d) an adhesive system located on the backsheet. The adhesive system comprises a plurality of three-dimensional protrusions which are deformable into a substantially two-dimensional configuration and an interconnected network of adhesive surrounding the protrusions which is protected from inadvertent contact with external surfaces until the three-dimensional protrusions are deformed into a substantially two-dimensional configuration.

Abstract: An absorbent article, such as a diaper, a sanitary napkin, a panty liner, an adult incontinence device, a bandage, or the like is provided which has: (a) a liquid pervious topsheet defining a body-facing side of the absorbent article; (b) a liquid impervious backsheet joined to the topsheet and defining a garment-facing side of the absorbent article; (c) an absorbent layer being positioned between the topsheet and the backsheet; and (d) an adhesive system located on the backsheet. The adhesive system comprises a plurality of three-dimensional protrusions which are deformable into a substantially two-dimensional configuration and an interconnected network of adhesive surrounding the protrusions which is protected from inadvertent contact with external surfaces until the three-dimensional protrusions are deformed into a substantially two-dimensional configuration.

Abstract: A semi-enclosed, substance delivery applicator comprising: (a) a three-dimensional structure having outermost surface features and spaces between the outermost surface features for containing a substance, the substance having a level internal to the outermost surface features such that the substance is protected from inadvertent contact with external surfaces, the three-dimensional structure forming at least a portion of a semi-enclosed applicator body having at least one opening and an internal cavity; and (b) a substance, having substantial resistance to flow prior to delivery to a target surface, occupying the spaces of the three-dimensional structure, the substance remaining protected until the three dimensional structure is sufficiently deformed into a substantially two dimensional structure and the substance is thereby exposed to contact a surface of an object without compliance of the surface being necessary, the substance having an effective viscosity upon activation which permits the substance to be

Abstract: A method of making a gas permeable material having a diffusive gas permeability at 0.21 atmosphere diffusive driving force in the range of about 0.5.times.10.sup.5 cm.sup.3 /100 square inches/day to about 2.times.10.sup.5 cm.sup.3 /100 square inches/day. The method comprises the step of coating a pattern of spots of a gas impermeable material onto a porous substrate, followed by a step of enlarging the pattern of spots to cover greater than about 95% of the porous substrate such that the gas permeability occurs only through openings between the pattern of spots. The gas impermeable material is preferably a hot melt adhesive and the porous substrate is preferably a nonwoven. The step of enlarging the pattern of spots includes smearing substantially circular spots into oblong spots as the pattern of spots is printed onto the porous substrate until the oblong spots partially overlap. The smearing is achieved by operating a printing screen at a surface speed higher than a draw rate of the porous substrate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for making a seamless apertured belt comprising the steps of: (a) providing a strip of material having two opposing ends and having a length at least equal to a finished belt length; (b) providing an aperture pattern having a length substantially equal to the finished belt length, the pattern including a plurality of two-dimensional geometrical shapes, the pattern having opposing end edges which can be tiled together; (c) removing a pre-determined portion of each end of the pattern and joining the pre-determined portions to one another along the opposing end edges to form a re-etch pattern; (d) forming apertures in the strip corresponding to the two-dimensional geometrical shapes in the pattern, the strip remaining free of apertures in regions near each end comprising fusion zones; (e) fusing the ends of the strip to one another such that the fusion zones form a common fusion zone; and (f) forming apertures in the common fusion zone corresponding to the re-etch pattern.

Abstract: A method of making a gas permeable material having a diffusive gas permeability at 0.21 atmosphere diffusive driving force in the range of about 0.5.times.10.sup.5 cm.sup.3 /100 square inches/day to about 2.times.10.sup.5 cm.sup.3 /100 square inches/day. The method comprises the step of coating a pattern of spots of a gas impermeable material onto a porous substrate, followed by a step of enlarging the pattern of spots to cover greater than about 95% of the porous substrate such that the gas permeability occurs only through openings between the pattern of spots. The gas impermeable material is preferably a hot melt adhesive and the porous substrate is preferably a nonwoven. The step of enlarging the pattern of spots includes smearing substantially circular spots into oblong spots as the pattern of spots is printed onto the porous substrate until the oblong spots partially overlap. The smearing is achieved by operating a printing screen at a surface speed higher than a draw rate of the porous substrate.

Abstract: A substance delivery system has a three dimensional structure with outermost surface features and spaces for containing a substance. The substance has a level below the outermost surface features such that the substance is protected from inadvertent contact with external surfaces. The substance remains protected until the three dimensional structure is sufficiently deformed into a substantially two dimensional structure and the substance is thereby exposed to contact an external surface without compliance of the external surface being necessary. Deforming is preferably achieved by a compression force, wherein the outermost surface features of the three dimensional structure deform in a direction of the compression force.

Abstract: A composite material for controlling oxygen flux into a thermal cell comprises a bottom sheet formed to have a pocket. The bottom sheet is impermeable to oxygen. A plurality of particles is placed in the pocket. The plurality of particles reacts exothermally when exposed to oxygen. A top sheet is sealed to the bottom sheet at a flange around the pocket to enclose the plurality of particles such that the particles cannot fall out of the pocket. The top sheet has a substrate which is highly permeable to oxygen. The substrate is coated with an oxygen permeable silicone based elastomer to a thickness which regulates an oxygen flux into the pocket when the top sheet is exposed to oxygen. The composite material further comprises an oxygen impermeable barrier film bonded to the top sheet by pressure sensitive adhesive for preventing exposure of the top sheet to oxygen until the body warmer is intended to be used.

Abstract: A method for making a flexible film having pressure sensitive adhesive protected from inadvertent adherence. The method coats a forming screen with an interconnected layer of pressure sensitive adhesive and places a piece of flexible film in contact with the layer of adhesive. The layer of adhesive preferentially adheres to the piece of flexible film. The forming screen has a plurality of recesses therein. The coating step applies the layer of adhesive without bridging the recesses. Another step forms the piece of flexible film to create a plurality of protrusions extending into the recesses. The plurality of protrusions are registered with the interconnected layer of pressure sensitive adhesive by virtue of using the same screen to transfer adhesive and to form protrusions. The forming screen may be wrapped around a rotating drum and the piece of flexible film may be a portion of a continuous web of flexible film. Preferably, the plurality of protrusions are conical, with a base diameter of 0.

Abstract: A dual chamber-child-resistant blister package is provided. The blisters of the package include a storage chamber and a discharge chamber. In addition, the blister includes restraint means for preventing the medicament from moving from the storage chamber to the discharge chamber until a predetermined force is applied to the blister package. The medicament may not be dispensed directly from the storage chamber, since a nonrupturable layer is located adjacent the storage chamber of the blister. The nonrupturable layer includes an opening, or a mechanism such as a score line for forming and opening) through which the medicament can pass adjacent the discharge chamber. A rupturable layer is also provided to seal the medicament within the blister. Typically, the rupturable layer is located adjacent the nonrupturable layer to seal the opening in the nonrupturable layer. The blister package may also include indicia associated with the blisters to help insure compliance with complex therapeutic regimens.

Abstract: A package suitable for storing and dispensing potentially dangerous materials. The package is resistant to opening by children but readily openable by adults, particularly adults having impaired manual dexterity of their hands and/or fingers. The package includes a bottle having a finish portion. The finish portion has a platform with at least one resiliently deformable pushtab secured to the platform. The resiliently deformable pushtabs contain a vertical extensions which engage the interlocking pawls on the innermost surface of the closure skirt when the closure is fully assembled onto the finish portion. To remove the closure, the opposed pushtabs must be depressed prior to unscrewing to the closure to disengage the pushtab extensions from the interlocking pawls on the closure.

Abstract: A child resistant attachment for containers used for storing and dispensing potentially dangerous materials, such as medicament tablets or the like, the attachment being resistant to opening by children but readily openable by adults, particularly adults having impaired manual dexterity of their hands and/or fingers. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the attachment comprises a finish portion including thread ring with an integrally molded annular tab ring or collar generally concentric to the thread ring and a closure which is releasably secured to the thread ring by means of complementary screw threads. The tab ring or collar preferably includes a pair of resiliently deformable spring-like pushtabs containing vertical extensions which engage interlocking pawls on the innermost surface of the closure skirt when the closure is fully assembled onto the finish portion.

Abstract: A child resistant attachment for containers used for storing and dispensing potentially dangerous materials, such as medicament tablets or the like, the attachment being resistant to opening by children but readily openable by adults, particularly adults having impaired manual dexterity of their hands and/or fingers. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the attachment comprises a finish portion including thread ring with an integrally molded annular tab ring or collar generally concentric to the thread ring and a closure which is releasably secured to the thread ring by means of complementary screw threads. The tab ring or collar preferably includes a pair of resiliently deformable spring-like pushtabs containing vertical extensions which engage interlocking pawls on the innermost surface of the closure skirt when the closure is fully assembled onto the finish portion.

Abstract: A child resistant attachment for containers used for storing and dispensing potentially dangerous materials, such as medicament tablets or the like, the attachment being resistant to opening by children but readily openable by adults, particularly adults having impaired manual dexterity of their hands and/or fingers. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the attachment comprises a finish portion including thread ring with an integrally molded annular tab ring or collar generally concentric to the thread ring and a closure which is releasably secured to the thread ring by means of complementary screw threads. The tab ring or collar preferably includes a pair of resiliently deformable spring-like pushtabs containing vertical extensions which engage interlocking pawls on the innermost surface of the closure skirt when the closure is fully assembled onto the finish portion.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention there is provided an easy to use mechanically operated bite force gauge for measuring the bite force at which a patient's dentures will begin to slip or dislodge within their mouth. The bite force two opposing beams each of which extends longitudinally between back and front ends. The beams are joined together by a back support column and by a bending support column. The bending support column defines, on each beam, a yielding member located between the two support columns and an extension member located between the bending support column and the front end. Thereafter, when biting forces are applied to the yielding members so that the two yielding members move towards each other, the extension members will move away from each other. The bite force gauge includes a force detector to measure the amount of force being applied to the yielding members by measuring the distance that the extension members move away from each other when the biting forces are applied.

Abstract: A child resistant attachment for containers used for storing and dispensing potentially dangerous materials, such as medicament tablets or the like, the attachment being resistant to opening by children but readily openable by adults, particularly adults having impaired manual dexterity of their hands and/or fingers. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the attachment comprises a finish portion including thread ring with an integrally molded annular tab ring or collar generally concentric to the thread ring and a closure which is releasably secured to the thread ring by means of complementary screw threads. The tab ring or collar preferably includes a pair of resiliently deformable spring-like pushtabs containing vertical extensions which engage interlocking pawls on the innermost surface of the closure skirt when the closure is fully assembled onto the finish portion.