Extruded Component With Antimicrobial Glass Particles

Abstract

An extruded component formed from an extruded material having antimicrobial components is disclosed. The extruded material may be formed from polymers and formed into a generally elongated shape. The antibacterial components may be included within at least a portion of the material forming the extruded component. The extruded component may be a filament and may include silver glass particles. In some embodiments, the extruded component may be a single component system, a bi-component system, or a tri-component system.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This patent application is a Divisional of U.S. Utility patent application Ser. No. 13/006,686, filed Jan. 14, 2011, which in turn claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/295,403, filed Jan. 15, 2010. The entire disclosure of both the above documents is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

This invention is directed generally to antimicrobial materials, and more particularly to antimicrobial materials formed as filaments.

2. Description of the Related Art

Many filaments are formed from extrusion for a variety of uses. The filaments are often coated with a dye to create a filament of a chosen color. The filaments may be combined with each other to form a fabric or other useful object. Filaments and fabrics have been coated with antimicrobial materials to create an item useful in regulating microbes. The antimicrobial materials are typically coated on the outer surface of the filaments.

SUMMARY

This invention is directed to an extruded component including one or more antimicrobial components incorporated within the extruded component during the manufacturing process. The antimicrobial components may be sized relative to a cross-sectional dimension of the extruded component such that the antimicrobial components are mixed within the material forming the antimicrobial components. The extruded component may be a filament. In at least one embodiment, the filament may have a generally cylindrical shape and may have an outer diameter less than about ten microns. The antimicrobial components may be, but are not limited to being, silver, aluminum, copper, and zinc. These and other embodiments are described in more detail below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the presently disclosed invention and, together with the description, disclose the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an extruded component.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the extruded component, a bi-component filament, taken along section line 2-2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the extruded component, a tri-component filament, taken along section line 3-3 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the bi-component filament of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the bi-component filament of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the tri-component filament of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the tri-component filament of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown in FIGS. 1-7, this invention is directed to an extruded component (10) including one or more antimicrobial components (12) incorporated within the extruded component (10) during the manufacturing process. The antimicrobial components (12) may be sized relative to a cross-sectional dimension of the extruded component (10) such that the antimicrobial components are mixed within the material forming the antimicrobial components (12). The extruded component (10) may be a filament. In at least one embodiment, the filament may have a generally cylindrical shape and may have an outer diameter less than about ten microns. The antimicrobial components (12) may be, but are not limited to being, silver, aluminum, copper, and zinc.

The extruded component (10) may include an extruded material forming a generally elongated shape and may include an antibacterial component formed from silver glass in the extruded materials. The extruded component (10) may be a filament having any appropriate configuration. In particular, extruded component may be a single component, as shown in FIG. 1, a bi-component, as shown in FIG. 2, a tri-component, as shown in FIG. 3, or any appropriate configuration. The bi-component of FIG. 2 may include a core component (14) forming a generally elongated shape and a second component (16) supporting the core (14). The core component (14) may include silver glass particles. In at least one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the second component (16) may form a sleeve surrounding the core (14) and may be positioned radially outward from the core (14). In one embodiment, the core (14) may be positioned concentrically within the second component (16). In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the core component (14) and the second component (16) may each form a half of a cross-section of the extruded component (10). In yet another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the core component (14) and the second component (16) may each form portions of a cross-section of the extruded component (10). More specifically, the core component (14) and the second component (16) may each form one or more pie shaped pieces that together form a filament. The core component (14) and the second component (16) may be positioned in an alternating configuration. By changing the configuration of the extruded component (10), the core component (14) including the one or more antimicrobial components (12) may be positioned to provide the most effective, efficient use of the antimicrobial properties of the antimicrobial components (12).

In an alternative embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the extruded component (10) may be formed from a tri-component, such that the extruded component (10) includes three components. The tri-component may include an appropriate cross-sectional layout of the sections. In at least one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the sections may be concentric and include the core component (14), a second component (16) and a third component (18). In one embodiment, the core (14), may be positioned concentrically within the second component (16), which may be positioned concentrically within the third component (18). In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the sections may be positioned adjacent to each other, and in yet another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the sections may be pie shaped pieces forming a filament. By changing the configuration of the extruded component (10), the core component (14), including one or more antimicrobial components (12), may be positioned to provide the most effective, efficient use of the antimicrobial properties of the antimicrobial components (12).

The extruded component (10) may be formed from polymers, such as, but not limited to, polyethylene pellets. The extruded component 10 may be formed from materials, such as, but not limited to, polymers including Nylon 6,6; Nylon 6, Polyester, Kevlar, Nomex, and other appropriate materials. The Nylon 6,6 may be extruded at temperatures of between about 280 degrees Celsius and about 300 degrees Celsius. The polyethylene pellets may include a dye. Various colored dyes may be used depending on the desired color. The antimicrobial component (12) may be mixed with the polymer during manufacturing of the filament. In at least one embodiment, the silver glass particles may be mixed with the polyethylene pellets. In at least one embodiment, the silver glass particles with dye are positioned within the polyethylene pellets and may be used to form a master batch. The master batch may be combined with polyethylene pellets such that the master batch forms less than ten percent of the mixture forming the extruded material (10). As such, a viscosity of the mixture is reduced by less than about ten percent. The starting viscosity may be about 0.7, which may then reduced to about 0.62 to 0.64 upon the addition of the master batch.

The foregoing is provided for purposes of illustrating, explaining, and describing embodiments of this invention. Modifications and adaptations to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of this invention.

Claims

1. An extruded filament, comprising:

an extruded multi-component material comprising: an extruded core component including an antimicrobial component comprising silver glass particles, said core component being generally sector shaped in cross section and having two sides and an arc; and a second component co-extruded with said core component that does not include any antimicrobial component, said second component also being generally sector shaped in cross section and having two sides and an arc;

wherein a plurality of said core components and a plurality of said second components are positioned side to side with said arcs of said pluralities of components forming a perimeter of said filament; and

wherein said core component and said second component each comprise a hydrophobic polymer.

2. The extruded component of claim 1, wherein said hydrophobic polymer comprises polyethylene.

3. The extruded component of claim 1, wherein said core component and said second component each include dye.

4. The extruded component of claim 1, wherein a viscosity of said core component is at least ninety percent of a viscosity of said second component.

5. The extruded component of claim 1, further comprising:

a third component, said third component being generally sector shaped in cross section and having two sides and an arc;

wherein said filament further comprises said third component;

wherein said third component also comprises a hydrophobic polymer.

6. The extruded component of claim 6, wherein said third component includes an antimicrobial component comprising silver glass particles, and said third component being generally sector shaped.

7. The extruded component of claim 6, wherein said third component does not include any antimicrobial component, and said third component being generally sector shaped in cross section and having two sides and an arc.

8. An extruded component, comprising:

an extruded tri-component material comprising: a core component including an antimicrobial component comprising silver glass particles; a second component that does not include any antimicrobial component; a third component;

wherein said core component, said second component, and said third component are positioned adjacent to each other and form a circular shape in cross-section;

wherein said core component and said second component each comprise a hydrophobic polymer.

9. The extruded component of claim 8, wherein said hydrophobic polymer comprises polyethylene.

10. The extruded component of claim 8, wherein said core component and said second component each include dye.

11. The extruded component of claim 8, wherein a viscosity of said core component is at least ninety percent of a viscosity of said second component.

12. The extruded component of claim 8, wherein said third component includes an antimicrobial component comprising silver glass particles.

13. The extruded component of claim 8, wherein said third component does not include any antimicrobial component.