Anti-microbial balanced weave wearable undergarment and process therefore

• US 10,342,714 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2018
• Issued: 07/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alpha1 Engineering Technology Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Alpha1 Engineering Technology Group, Inc.
• Inventors: Dan-Jumbo, Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): Stephens, Jacqueline F
• Application Number:
  US15/911,032
• Publication Number:
  US 20180256411A1
• Time in Patent Office: 494 Days
• Field of Search: 604384, 604367, 604361, 604360, 604359
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/42 with wetness indicator or alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/49007 Form-fitting, self-adjusting disposable diapers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/495 with faecal cavity
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/496 in the form of pants or briefs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/51121 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/5116 being formed of multiple layers A61F13/5123 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/58 Adhesive tab fastener elements A61F13/5611, A61F13/5616, A61F13/66 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/8405 Additives, e.g. for odour, disinfectant or pH control
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/422 the alarm being a colour change
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/51139 being woven or knitted fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/586 on lateral flaps
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/8414 with anti-microbic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/8426 with metallic salts
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2300/404 Biocides, antimicrobial agents, antiseptic agents

Abstract

In an embodiment, a garment, such as a smart pull-up, includes at least one outer section and a midsection attached to the outer section. The midsection includes a first antimicrobial membrane patch layer configured to contact a wearer'"'"'s body, a second antimicrobial membrane patch layer disposed adjacent to the first antimicrobial patch layer, and an air gap disposed between the first patch and second antimicrobial patch layers. The first and second antimicrobial patch layers each are formed from respective balanced warp big tows and fill tows in a plain-weave pattern, and each layer include copper filaments disposed in a plurality of the tows, each of the copper filaments including at least Cu+/Cu+++ ions. Such a smart pull-up may be suitable for either adult who cannot use the toilet, or child, or healthy adult and, therefore, may urinate and defecate himself/herself.

Claims

1. A wearable weave that comprises:

at least one outer section;

a midsection attached to the at least one outer section, such that the midsection comprises;

a first antimicrobial layer configured to contact a wearer'"'"'s body, such that the first antimicrobial layer comprises a center sublayer between two outer sublayers, such the center sublayer comprises;

a first balance plain weave pattern, such that a plurality of first warp tows in the first antimicrobial layer each respectively comprise a first 1 to 3 filaments and each filament in the first 1 to 3 filaments respectively comprises a first copper that comprises at least one of;

first Cu+ ions, first Cu+++ ions, or combinations thereof; and

a plurality of first fill tows, such that each fill tow in the plurality of first fill tows respectively comprises a first nanomaterial that consists of a second copper that comprises material that comprises the first fill tows and at least one of;

second Cu+ ions, second Cu+++ ions, or combinations thereof; and

a second antimicrobial layer disposed adjacent to the first antimicrobial layer; and

an air gap disposed between the first and second antimicrobial layers, such that the second antimicrobial layer comprises;

a second balance plain weave pattern, such that each second warp tow in a plurality of second warp tows respectively comprises a second 1 to 3 filaments such that each filament in the second 1 to 3 elements respectively comprises a third copper that comprises at least one of third Cu+ ions, third Cu+++ ions, or combinations thereof; and

a plurality of second fill tows such that each second fill tow in the plurality of second fill tows respectively comprises a second nanomaterial that comprises a fourth copper that comprises at least one of fourth Cu+ ions or fourth Cu+++ ions; and

a gap disposed between the first and the second antimicrobial layers, such that the gap consists of air.

2. The wearable weave of claim 1, further comprising:

each outer sublayer comprising a respective core that comprises a foam material; and

the at least one outer section comprises a third layer that comprises a balance of third warp tows and third fill tows in a plain-weave pattern.

3. The wearable weave of claim 1, wherein the outer section comprises:

a third layer that comprises a balance of third warp tows and third fill tows in a plain-weave pattern; and

a third 1 to 3 copper filaments respectively disposed in a plurality of third warp tows, such that each of the third 1 to 3 filaments consist of the third copper that comprises at least one of a third Cu+ ions or a third Cu+++ ions.

4. The wearable weave of claim 1, wherein the outer section includes adhesive flaperons.

5. The wearable weave of claim 1, further comprising the first and second antimicrobial layers each configured to absorb moisture.

6. The wearable weave of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second antimicrobial layers comprises at least one nano-copper sensor configured to detect excrement.

7. The wearable weave of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second antimicrobial layers comprises a respective sublayer of a cellulose substance disposed over at least one side of the warp first or second tows or the first or second fill tows.

8. The wearable weave of claim 1, wherein each of the first and of the second 1 to 3 filaments comprises Cu+++ ions configured to kill bacteria and virus located below a surface of a skin.

9. The wearable weave of claim 1, further comprising the gap configured to hold excrement between the first antimicrobial layer and the second antimicrobial layer of the midsection.

10. The wearable weave of claim 1, further comprising a third layer disposed adjacent to a side of the second antimicrobial layer opposite to the gap and configured to impede an excrement leak from the second antimicrobial layer.

11. The wearable weave of claim 1, further comprising:

a first nanomaterial tube copper sensor disposed adjacent to the first antimicrobial layer and configured to detect excrement; and

a second nanomaterial tube copper sensor disposed adjacent the second antimicrobial layer and configured to detect excrement.

12. The wearable weave of claim 11, wherein the first and second nanomaterial tube copper sensors each comprises respectively:

nanomaterial and each copper filament configured such that a space exists between the nanomaterial and the filament.

13. The wearable weave of claim 11, wherein the first and the second nanomaterial tube copper sensors each comprise respectively:

a warp tow that comprises one of a nanomaterial and a micro-copper filament of a copper that comprises at least Cu+ ions; and

a fill tow that comprises the other of the nanomaterial and the micro-copper filament and configured such that a space exists between the nanomaterial and the micro-copper filament.

14. The wearable weave of claim 11, further comprising the first and second nanomaterial tube copper sensors disposed in the first and second antimicrobial layers, respectively.

15. The wearable weave of claim 11, further comprising a third nano-copper sensor disposed on the second antimicrobial layer.

16. A multi-walled nanomaterial tube copper bio-sensor configured to sense at least one of:

a load, a strain, or a liquid, via a configuration that comprises;

rows of multi-walled nanofibers spaced apart from one another, such that the rows of multi-wall nanofibers consist of copper; and

filaments spaced apart from the rows of multi-walled nanofibers, and disposed substantially perpendicular to the rows of multi-walled nanofibers, such that each filament in the filaments consists of a continuous filament that comprises at least one of;

Cu+ ions or Cu+++ ions.

17. The multi-walled nanomaterial tube copper bio-sensor of claim 16, further comprising:

rows of nanofibers comprising multi-walled nanofibers and filaments interwoven to form complex bio-sensors.

18. The multi-walled nanomaterial tube copper bio-sensor of claim 16, further comprising:

warp tows that comprise the filaments; and

fill tows that comprise the rows of multi-walled nanofibers.

19. The multi-walled nanomaterial tube copper bio-sensor of claim 16, further comprising:

a substrate that comprises sides;

the rows of multi-walled nanofibers being disposed on one side of the substrate; and

the filaments being disposed on another side of the substrate.

20. The multi-walled nanomaterial tube copper bio-sensor of claim 16, wherein the filaments comprise the Cu+ ions configured to kill bacteria and virus located below a surface of a skin.

21. The multi-walled nanomaterial tube copper bio-sensor of claim 16, wherein the filaments comprise the Cu+ and the Cu+++ ions configured to kill bacteria and virus located below a surface of a skin.

22. A process for indicating excrement, the process comprising:

sensing excrement via sensing at least one of;

a load, a strain, or a liquid, via a nano-copper sensor comprising an integrated multi-walled conductive nanofiber and antimicrobial complex copper ions sensor system acting as at least one of;

an autonomous, or self-regulating sensor comprising rows of multi-walled conductive nanofibers spaced apart from one another, and copper filaments spaced apart from the rows of multi-walled conductive nanofibers and from one another and disposed substantially perpendicular to the rows of multi-walled conductive nanofibers, the rows of multi-walled conductive nanofibers comprising copper, and each filament in the copper filaments comprising a continuous filament and a copper comprising at least one of;

second Cu+ ions or second Cu+++ ions; and

generating, in response to sensing the excrement, an excrement indication via the nano-copper sensor.

23. The process of claim 22, further comprising generating the excrement indication via causing the integrated multi-walled conductive nanofiber and antimicrobial complex copper ions sensor system to change color.

24. The process of claim 22, further comprising generating, in response to sensing the excrement for longer than a threshold period of time, an excrement-persistence indication via the integrated multi-walled conductive nanofiber and antimicrobial complex copper ions sensor system.

25. The process of claim 22, further comprising:

causing the integrated multi-walled conductive nanofiber and antimicrobial complex copper ions sensor system to change to a first color; and

causing the integrated multi-walled conductive nanofiber and antimicrobial complex copper ions sensor system to change from the first color to a second color in response to the integrated multi-walled conductive nanofiber and antimicrobial complex copper ions sensor system sensing the excrement for longer than a threshold period of time.

26. A process of forming a wearable weave, the process comprising:

attaching a first outer section of the wearable weave to a first end of a midsection of the wearable weave, the midsection comprising;

a first antimicrobial layer configured to contact a wearer'"'"'s body, the first antimicrobial layer comprising a center sublayer between two outer sublayers, each outer sublayer comprising a respective core comprising a cellulose, the center sublayer comprising;

a first balance plain weave pattern, such that a plurality of first warp tows in the first antimicrobial layer each respectively comprise a first 1 to 3 filaments, each filament in the first 1 to 3 elements respectively comprising a first copper comprising at least one of first Cu+ ions or first Cu+++ ions; and

a plurality of first fill tows, each first fill tow in the plurality of first fill tows respectively comprising a first nanomaterial comprising a second copper comprising a material comprising the first fill tows and at least one of second Cu+ ions or second Cu+++ ions;

a second antimicrobial layer disposed adjacent to the first antimicrobial layer, the second antimicrobial layer comprising;

a second balance plain weave pattern, such that each second warp tow in a plurality of second warp tows each respectively comprise a second 1 to 3 filaments, each filament in the second 1 to 3 elements comprising a third copper comprising at least one of third Cu+ ions or third Cu+++ ions; and

a plurality of second fill tows, each second fill tow in the plurality of second fill tows comprises a second nanomaterial comprising a fourth copper comprising at least one of fourth Cu+ ions or fourth Cu+++ ions, each second warp tow being wider than each second fill; and

a gap disposed between the first and second antimicrobial layers such that the gap consists of air; and

attaching a second outer section of the wearable weave to a second end of the midsection of the wearable weave.

27. The process of claim 26, further comprising:

the cellulose comprising a honeycomb design for absorbing and holding a liquid;

mating the first outer section to the first end of the midsection; and

attaching the second outer section to the second end of the midsection.

28. The process of claim 26, further comprising:

adhering the first outer section to the first end of the midsection;

adhering the second outer section to the second end of the midsection; and

an air gap separating the first outer section from the second outer section.