Shapeable articles and methods of making and using the same

• US 10,639,021 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2017
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solventum Intellectual Properties Company (Solventum Corp.)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Parthasarathy, Ranjani V., Cohen, Hannah C., Rong, Haoming, Engler, Amanda C., Bedingham, William, Powley, Nicholas R., Karls, Korey W., Vostal, Michael J., Scholz, Matthew T., Stevens, Michelle H., Heapy, Catherine D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hammond, Ellen C
• Application Number:
  US16/345,231
• Publication Number:
  US 20190290252A1
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/02 for holding wounds open; Tractors specula A61B1/32 ; drainage appliances for wounds A61M27/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00526 Methods of manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00858 high friction, non-slip on handles A61B2017/00429
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00871 polymeric
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00946 malleable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00964 composite
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0225 flexible, e.g. fabrics, meshes, or membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/00 Layered products comprising a layer of metal
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/043 of metal B32B15/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/046 of foam
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/14 next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/18 comprising iron or steel B32B15/011, B32B15/012 and B32B15/013 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 15/20 comprising aluminium or copper B32B15/016 and B32B15/017 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/103 Metal fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2266/0278 Polyurethane
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2266/08 Closed cell foam
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/54 Yield strength; Tensile strength
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/546 Flexural strength; Flexion stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2535/00 Medical equipment, e.g. bandage, prostheses, catheter medical patches B32B2556/00
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/065 : of foam
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 : of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/12 : next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/14 : next to a particulate layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/08 : characterised by added members at particular parts layer formed of separate pieces of material which are juxtaposed side-by-side B32B3/14, B32B3/18
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/28 : characterised by a layer comprising a deformed thin sheet , i.e. the layer having its entire thickness deformed out of the plane, e.g. corrugated, crumpled B32B29/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/022 : Non-woven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/024 : Woven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/026 : Knitted fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/028 : Net structure, e.g. spaced apart filaments bonded at the crossing points
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/16 : characterised by features of a layer formed of particles, e.g. chips, powder or granules layer formed of natural mineral particles B32B19/00; layer being formed of wood fibres, chips or particles B32B21/02
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/18 : characterised by features of a layer of foamed material
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/245 : another layer next to it being a foam layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/26 : another layer next to it also being fibrous or filamentary relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers B32B5/12
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/30 : one layer being formed of particles, e.g. chips, granules, powder
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/32 : at least two layers being foamed and next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/04 : Interconnection of layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/05 : the layers not being connected over the whole surface, e.g. discontinuous connection or patterned connection using interposed adhesives or bonding materials applied in spaced arrangements B32B7/14
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/08 : by mechanical means
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/12 : using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties

Abstract

Shapeable articles, kits including one or more of the shapeable articles, and methods of making and/or using the shapeable articles. The shapeable articles include a shapeable member that can be shaped or manipulated into three-dimensional shapes without the use of tools and hold those shapes after removal of the force required to achieve the shape. The shapeable articles could have a variety of uses including use as surgical retractors to move and/or restrain non-target tissue and/or organs to improve access to the target tissue and/or organs.

Claims

1. A manually shapeable article comprising:

a shapeable member comprising;

a first sheet comprising a first major surface and a second major surface, wherein the first major surface and the second major surface are on opposite sides of the first sheet, wherein the first sheet further comprises a land portion extending between and connecting a plurality of structured elements, wherein each structured element of the plurality of structured elements comprises a protrusion extending from the land portion on the first major surface of the first sheet;

a second sheet comprising a first major surface and a second major surface, wherein the first major surface and the second major surface are on opposite sides of the second sheet, wherein the second sheet further comprises a land portion extending between and connecting a plurality of structured elements, wherein each structured element of the plurality of structured elements comprises a protrusion extending from the land portion on the first major surface of the second sheet;

wherein the first sheet is attached to the second sheet such that the second major surface of the first sheet faces the first or second major surface of the second sheet;

a first coversheet attached to a first major surface of the shapeable member; and

a second coversheet attached to a second major surface of the shapeable member, wherein one or both of the first coversheet and the second coversheet comprises a compressible layer, the compressible layer comprises closed cell foam.

2. An article according to claim 1, wherein each structured element of the first sheet comprises a depression on the second major surface that corresponds to the protrusion extending from the first major surface of the first sheet.

3. An article according to claim 1, wherein each structured element of the second sheet comprises a depression on the second major surface that corresponds to each protrusion extending from the first major surface of the second sheet.

4. An article according to claim 1, wherein the land portion between the plurality of structured elements on the first sheet is attached to the land portion between the plurality of structured elements on the second sheet.

5. An article according to claim 1, wherein one or both of the first sheet and the second sheet comprises a metal foil.

6. An article according to claim 1, wherein one or both of the first sheet and the second sheet comprises a polymeric sheet comprising the land portions and the plurality of structured elements.

7. An article according to claim 1, wherein one or both of the first coversheet and the second coversheet exhibits tensile elongation greater than zero and 1000% or less.

8. An article according to claim 1, wherein one or both of the first coversheet and the second coversheet comprises one or more layers selected from a foam layer, a polymeric film, a nonwoven sheet, a woven sheet, a knitted sheet, a mesh sheet, and a net sheet.

9. An article according to claim 1, wherein the compressible layer exhibits compression set of 50% or less of an original thickness when tested according to ASTM D3575.

10. An article according to claim 1, wherein the shapeable member comprises one or more slits formed through the shapeable member, wherein each slit of the one or more slits extends from an edge of the shapeable member inward toward a center of the shapeable member.

11. An article according to claim 1, wherein the shapeable member comprises a window opening formed therein, wherein the shapeable member forms a frame around the window opening.

12. An article according to claim 11, wherein the first coversheet and the second coversheet extend over the window opening formed in the shapeable member.

13. An article according to claim 1, wherein the article comprises a stiffness of 100 N or less according to a three-point bend test.

14. An article according to claim 1, wherein one or both of the first coversheet and the second coversheet comprises an outer surface facing away from the shapeable member, and wherein the outer surface comprises a copolymer composition having a mean coefficient of friction of at least 0.2.

15. An article according to claim 1, wherein one or both of the first coversheet and the second coversheet comprises an outer surface facing away from the shapeable member, and wherein the outer surface comprises a copolymer composition having a mean coefficient of friction of up to 0.45.