Sterilization wrap with additional strength sheet

• US 20070026472A1
• Filed: 07/28/2005
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: O&M Halyard, Inc. (Owens and Minor Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Lewis, Clarita, Prokash, Holly, Aroch, Maya
• Granted Patent: US 7,922,983 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/7.320
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 46/23 with means to retain or hold surgical implements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/30 Containers specially adapted for packaging, protecting, dispensing, collecting or disposing of surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments for wound clamps A61B17/10; for ligaturing clips A61B17/122; packages or dispensers for surgical gloves or finger-stalls A61B42/40
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/33 Trays
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/07 Steam
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/14 Plasma, i.e. ionised gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/206 Ethylene oxide
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/208 Hydrogen peroxide
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/26 Accessories or devices or components used for biocidal treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/181 Flexible packaging means, e.g. permeable membranes, paper
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/24 Medical instruments, e.g. endoscopes, catheters, sharps
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2250/02 2 layers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2250/20 All layers being fibrous or filamentary
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/0215 Thermoplastic elastomer fibers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/0276 Polyester fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/062 Cellulose fibres, e.g. cotton
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/581 Resistant to cut
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/5825 Tear resistant
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/7145 Rot proof, resistant to bacteria, mildew, mould, fungi
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2439/40 Closed containers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2535/00 Medical equipment, e.g. bandage, prostheses, catheter medical patches B32B2556/00
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2553/00 : Packaging equipment or accessories not otherwise provided for
• 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 7/14 : applied in spaced arrangements, e.g. in stripes
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/559 : the fibres being within layered webs
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/56 : in association with fibre formation, e.g. immediately following extrusion of staple fibres
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 3/14 : with bonds between thermoplastic yarns or filaments produced by welding

Abstract

A sterilization wrap is provided. The sterilization wrap includes a first sheet that is configured for providing a barrier to prevent at least some bacteria from passing therethrough while allowing sterilization gas to pass therethrough. A second sheet is attached to the first sheet. The second sheet is located on the first sheet so that a perimeter of the second sheet is contained entirely within a perimeter of the first sheet.

Claims

1. A sterilization wrap, comprising:

a first sheet configured for providing a barrier so as to prevent at least some bacteria from passing therethrough, said first sheet configured to allow sterilization gas to pass therethrough, said first sheet having a perimeter; and

a second sheet attached to said first sheet, said second sheet having a perimeter and said second sheet located on said first sheet so that said perimeter of said second sheet is contained entirely within said perimeter of said first sheet.

2. The sterilization wrap as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second sheet is configured for providing a barrier so as to prevent at least some bacteria from passing therethrough.

3. The sterilization wrap as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second sheet has a higher porosity than said first sheet.

4. The sterilization wrap as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second sheet has a higher basis weight than said first sheet.

5. The sterilization wrap as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first sheet is a laminate having a spunbonded layer, a meltblown layer, and a spunbonded layer.

6. The sterilization wrap as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first sheet is made of a pair of laminates that each have a spunbonded layer, a meltblown layer, and a spunbonded layer, and wherein the pair of laminates are joined by a plurality of spaced apart and separate bond points, and wherein each of the pair of laminates has a basis weight of from about 16.96 gsm to about 118.69 gsm.

7. The sterilization wrap as set forth in claim 1, wherein both said first and second sheets have a rectangular shaped upper surface, and wherein said second sheet is oriented on said upper surface of said first sheet such that the sides of said second sheet are oriented generally at 45°

angles to the sides of said first sheet.

8. The sterilization wrap as set forth in claim 1, wherein the surface area of said second sheet is from 27% to 54% of the surface area of said first sheet.

9. The sterilization wrap as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second sheet is attached over the entire area of the bottom surface of said second sheet to said first sheet.

10. The sterilization wrap as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second sheet is attached over less than the entire area of the bottom surface of said second sheet to said first sheet.

11. The sterilization wrap as set forth in claim 1, wherein the perimeter of said second sheet is attached to said first sheet.

12. The sterilization wrap as set forth in claim 11, wherein the perimeter of said second sheet is attached intermediately to said first sheet.

13. A sterilization wrap, comprising:

a first sheet adapted for use in a sterilization environment, said first sheet providing bacterial filtration to prevent at least some bacteria from passing therethrough, said first sheet configured to allow sterilization gas to pass therethrough for sterilizing objects, said first sheet having a perimeter and having an upper surface with a surface area, said first sheet includes a laminate that has a spunbonded layer, a meltblown layer, and a spunbonded layer; and

a second sheet attached to said upper surface of said first sheet to provide strength so as to resist tearing therethrough, said second sheet having a perimeter and said second sheet located on said first sheet so that said perimeter of said second sheet is contained entirely within said perimeter of said first sheet, said second sheet having an upper surface with a surface area, said second sheet configured to allow sterilization gas to pass therethrough.

14. The sterilization wrap as set forth in claim 13, wherein said second sheet has a higher porosity than said first sheet.

15. The sterilization wrap as set forth in claim 13, wherein said second sheet has a higher basis weight than said first sheet.

16. The sterilization wrap as set forth in claim 15, wherein said second sheet has a basis weight greater than 118.69 gsm.

17. The sterilization wrap as set forth in claim 13, wherein said first sheet includes an additional laminate that has a spunbonded layer, a meltblown layer, and a spunbonded layer, and wherein said pair of laminates are joined by a plurality of spaced apart and separate bond points, and wherein each of the pair of laminates has a basis weight of from about 16.96 gsm to about 118.69 gsm.

18. The sterilization wrap as set forth in claim 13, wherein said first and second sheets are made from the same material.

19. The sterilization wrap as set forth in claim 13, wherein said second sheet is made from a material selected from the group consisting of a foam, a woven web, a high loft material, and a bicomponent spunbond.

20. A sterilization wrap, comprising:

a first sheet adapted for use in a sterilization environment, said first sheet providing bacterial filtration to prevent at least some bacteria from passing therethrough, said first sheet configured to allow sterilization gas to pass therethrough for sterilizing objects, said first sheet having a perimeter and having an upper surface with a surface area, said first sheet includes a laminate that has a spunbonded layer, a meltblown layer, and a spunbonded layer, wherein the laminate has a basis weight of from about 16.96 gsm to about 118.69 gsm; and

a second sheet attached to said upper surface of said first sheet to provide strength so as to resist tearing therethrough, said second sheet having a perimeter and said second sheet located on said first sheet so that said perimeter of said second sheet is contained entirely within said perimeter of said first sheet, said second sheet having an upper surface with a surface area, said second sheet configured to allow sterilization gas to pass therethrough, wherein said second sheet has a basis weight greater than 118.69 gsm;

wherein said surface area of said second sheet is less than half of said surface area of said first sheet, and wherein said first and second sheets are attached to one another through an attachment selected from the group consisting of adhesives, hook and loop type fasteners, tape, and bonding.