Water dispersible commode/bedpan liner

• US 20040126585A1
• Filed: 12/27/2002
• Published: 07/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
• Inventors: Bosselaar, Corneleus J., Kerins, John E., McCormack, Ann L., Sherrod, Earle H.
• Application Number:
  US10/331,145
• Publication Number:
  US 20040126585A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/411.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 15/62 Compostable, hydrosoluble or hydrodegradable materials
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/18 characterised by features of a layer of foamed material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31504 Composite [nonstructural laminate]

Abstract

A water dispersible commode/bedpan liner. The liner is a film useful as a flushable commode or bedpan liner. The liner may be positioned before use and then placed in a toilet afterwards where it is flushed. The film is a two layer co-extruded film. At least half of the film is a predominately water soluble polymer. No more than half of the film is a skin fluid barrier layer of an extrudable polymer that may be biodegradable. The film also includes a chemical that is activated by tap water to help cause the film to break apart.

Claims

1. A flushable bedpan or commode liner comprising:

a water dissolvable/dispersible polymer layer;

an extrudable polymer layer; and

a chemical mechanism;

wherein the liner comprises from about 50 to about 99.5% by weight of the water dissolvable/dispersible polymer and from about 0.5 to about 50% by weight of the extrudable polymer;

further wherein the chemical mechanism is capable of causing the liner to break apart upon exposure to water.

2. The flushable bedpan or commode liner of claim 1, wherein the liner comprises from about 60 to about 95% by weight of the water dissolvable/dispersible polymer and from about 5 to about 40% by weight of the extrudable polymer.

3. The flushable bedpan or commode liner of claim 2, wherein the liner comprises from about 70 to about 90% by weight of the water dissolvable/dispersible polymer and from about 10 to about 30% by weight of the extrudable polymer.

4. The flushable bedpan or commode liner of claim 1, wherein the chemical mechanism comprises a superabsorbent material.

5. The flushable bedpan or commode liner of claim 4, wherein the superabsorbent material is selected from agar, pectin, guar gum, alkali metal salts of polyacrylic acids, polyacrylamides, polyvinyl alcohol, ethylene maleic anhydride copolymers, polyvinyl ethers, hydroxypropylcellulose, polyvinylmorpholinone;

polymers of vinyl sulfonic acid, copolymers of vinyl sulfonic acid, polyacrylates, polyacrylamides, polyvinylpyrridine, hydrolyzed acrylonitrile grafted starch, acrylic acid grafted starch, isobutylene maleic anhydride copolymers and mixtures thereof.

6. The flushable bedpan or commode liner of claim 1, wherein the chemical mechanism comprises a foam.

7. The flushable bedpan or commode liner of claim 6, wherein the foam is selected from a compressed open-cell foam and a swellable foam.

8. The flushable bedpan or commode liner of claim 7, wherein the foam is a compressed open-cell foam selected from a compressed cellulose foam and a composite cellulose-binder structure.

9. The flushable bedpan or commode liner of claim 7, wherein the foam is a swellable foam selected from a polyacrylate foam and a swellable polyurethane foam.

10. The flushable bedpan or commode liner of claim 1, wherein the chemical mechanism comprises a pH sensitive polymer.

11. The flushable bedpan or commode liner of claim 10, wherein the pH sensitive polymer is selected from phthalic acid esters, methylmethacrylate-methacrylic acid copolmyers, acrylic acid resins and acid-functionalized polylactic acid.

12. The flushable bedpan or commode liner of claim 11, wherein the pH sensitive polymer is a phthalic acid ester selected from poly(vinylacetate phthalate), cellulose acetate phthalate, and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose phthalate.

13. The flushable bedpan or commode liner of claim 1, wherein the chemical mechanism comprises an ion-trigger polymer.

14. The flushable bedpan or commode liner of claim 13, wherein the ion-trigger polymer is selected from polymethacrylic acid;

polyvinyl pyrrolidone;

polyvinyl methyl ether;

polyvinyl alcohol;

polyethylene oxide;

hydroxy propyl cellulose;

hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose;

methyl cellulose;

ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose;

isopropyl cellulose;

methyl ether starch;

poly(n-isopropyl acrylamide);

poly(N-vinyl caprolactam);

polyethyl oxazoline;

poly(2-isopropyl-2-oxazoline);

polyvinyl methyl oxazolidone;

polyvinyl methyl oxazolidimone;

poly(2,4-dimethyl-6-triazinylethylene); and

ethylene oxide-propylene oxide copolymers.

15. The flushable bedpan or commode liner of claim 1, wherein the chemical mechanism comprises a water-swellable clay.

16. The flushable bedpan or commode liner of claim 15, wherein the water-swellable clay is bentonite clay.

17. A flushable bedpan or commode liner comprising:

a water dissolvable/dispersible polymer layer;

an extrudable polymer layer; and

a chemical mechanism selected from a water-triggered material, a pH-triggered material, a superabsorbent material, a water-swellable clay and a foam material;

wherein the liner comprises from about 50 to about 99.5% by weight of the water dissolvable/dispersible polymer and from about 0.5 to about 50% by weight of the extrudable polymer;

further wherein the chemical mechanism is capable of causing the liner to break apart upon exposure to water.

18. The flushable bedpan or commode liner of claim 17, wherein the liner comprises from about 60 to about 95% by weight of the water dissolvable/dispersible polymer and from about 5 to about 40% by weight of the extrudable polymer.

19. The flushable bedpan or commode liner of claim 18, wherein the liner comprises from about 70 to about 90% by weight of the water dissolvable/dispersible polymer and from about 10 to about 30% by weight of the extrudable polymer.

20. The flushable bedpan or commode liner of claim 17, wherein the chemical mechanism comprises a superabsorbent material and the superabsorbent material is selected from agar, pectin, guar gum, alkali metal salts of polyacrylic acids, polyacrylamides, polyvinyl alcohol, ethylene maleic anhydride copolymers, polyvinyl ethers, hydroxypropylcellulose, polyvinylmorpholinone;

polymers of vinyl sulfonic acid, copolymers of vinyl sulfonic acid, polyacrylates, polyacrylamides, polyvinylpyrridine, hydrolyzed acrylonitrile grafted starch, acrylic acid grafted starch, isobutylene maleic anhydride copolymers and mixtures thereof.

21. The flushable bedpan or commode liner of claim 17, wherein the chemical mechanism comprises a foam and the foam is selected from a compressed open-cell foam and a swellable foam.

22. The flushable bedpan or commode liner of claim 21, wherein the foam is a compressed open-cell foam selected from a compressed cellulose foam and a composite cellulose-binder structure.

23. The flushable bedpan or commode liner of claim 21, wherein the foam is a swellable foam selected from a polyacrylate foam and a swellable polyurethane foam.

24. The flushable bedpan or commode liner of claim 17, wherein the chemical mechanism comprises a pH sensitive polymer and the pH sensitive polymer is selected from phthalic acid esters, methylmethacrylate-methacrylic acid copolmyers, acrylic acid resins and acid-functionalized polylactic acid.

25. The flushable bedpan or commode liner of claim 24, wherein the pH sensitive polymer is a phthalic acid ester selected from poly(vinylacetate phthalate), cellulose acetate phthalate, and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose phthalate.

26. The flushable bedpan or commode liner of claim 17, wherein the chemical mechanism comprises an ion-trigger and the ion-trigger polymer is selected from polymethacrylic acid;

polyvinyl pyrrolidone;

polyvinyl methyl ether;

polyvinyl alcohol;

polyethylene oxide;

hydroxy propyl cellulose;

hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose;

methyl cellulose;

ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose;

isopropyl cellulose;

methyl ether starch;

poly(n-isopropyl acrylamide);

poly(N-vinyl caprolactam);

polyethyl oxazoline;

poly(2-isopropyl-2-oxazoline);

polyvinyl methyl oxazolidone;

polyvinyl methyl oxazolidimone;

poly(2,4-dimethyl-6-triazinylethylene); and

ethylene oxide-propylene oxide copolymers.

27. The flushable bedpan or commode liner of claim 17, wherein the chemical mechanism comprises a water-swellable clay and the water-swellable clay is bentonite clay.