US4856502A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Curable resin coated sheets having reduced tack
Assignee: 3M Co
•
Filing: 1987-05-22
•
Granted: 1989-08-15
•
Expires: 2007-05-22
Abstract
Abstract The present invention relates to orthopedic casting materials having reduced tack and methods for preparing and using such orthopedic casting materials, wherein the materials comprise a nonwoven, stretchable fabric which is impregnated with a curable prepolymer resin. The nonwoven fabric comprises fiber bundles and apertures between the fiber bundles, with each of the fiber bundles comprising a plurality of fibers having interstices therebetween. The curable prepolymer resin is impregnated into the nonwoven fabric such that the interstices between the fibers receive the resin, while leaving the apertures between fiber bundles substantially unoccluded. Such orthopedic casting materials are relatively inexpensive and exhibit improved properties.
Inventors
- 👤 Dean A. Ersfeld
- 👤 Paul E. Hansen
- 👤 Matthew T. Scholz
- 👤 Dennis C. Bartizal
- 👤 Katherine E. Reed
- 👤 Wayne K. Larson
- 👤 Timothy C. Sandvig
- 👤 Richard S. Buckanin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 02:31
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61L; A61L15/00; A61L15/07; A61F; A61F13/00; A61F13/04; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S428/00; Y10S428/913; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/31504; Y10T428/31551; Y10T428/31598; Y10T428/31601; Y10T442/00; Y10T442/10; Y10T442/102; Y10T442/172; Y10T442/184; Y10T442/198; Y10T442/20; Y10T442/2311; Y10T442/2328
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 58
Claim 1
Independent Claim
138 words
An orthopedic support material, comprising a nonwoven, stretchable fabric impregnated with a pre-lubricated curable resin: wherein a major surface of the material exhibits a kinetic coefficient of friction of less than about 1.2; wherein said nonwoven fabric comprises a pattern of fiber bundles and apertures between said fiber bundles, each said fiber bundle comprising a plurality of fibers having interstices therebetween, the average cross-sectional area of each said fiber bundle being from about 0.2 mm 2 to about 1.2 mm 2 ; and wherein said resin is impregnated into the interstices between said fibers of said fiber bundles so as to impart sufficient strength to the material upon curing to be used as an orthopedic support material while leaving the apertures between fiber bundles substantially unoccluded so as to permit sufficient water vapor permeability through the cured material.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
138 words
An orthopedic support material, comprising a nonwoven, stretchable fabric impregnated with a pre-lubricated curable resin: wherein a major surface of the material exhibits a kinetic coefficient of friction of less than about 1.2; wherein said nonwoven fabric comprises a pattern of fiber bundles and apertures between said fiber bundles, each said fiber bundle comprising a plurality of fibers having interstices therebetween, the average cross-sectional area of each said fiber bundle being from about 0.2 mm 2 to about 1.2 mm 2 ; and wherein said resin is impregnated into the interstices between said fibers of said fiber bundles so as to impart sufficient strength to the material upon curing to be used as an orthopedic support material while leaving the apertures between fiber bundles substantially unoccluded so as to permit sufficient water vapor permeability through the cured material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 1 wherein, prior to impregnation with said resin, said nonwoven fabric has from about 10% to about 45% extensibility in the elongated direction when a 2 pound load is applied across a 1.5 inch section of the nonwoven fabric.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 1 wherein the fibers in each said fiber bundle are oriented so as to be generally parallel to one another.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 1 wherein a cross-section of each said fiber bundle contains an average of at least about 100 of said fibers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 1 wherein the average diameter of each individual fiber in each said fiber bundle is from about 1 micron to about 30 microns.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 1 wherein the average void volume within each said fiber bundle is from about 20% to about 98% of the total volume occupied by the fiber bundle.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 1 wherein the weight of said nonwoven fabric is from about 1 ounce per square yard to about 2.5 ounces per square yard.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 1 wherein said nonwoven fabric has from about 15 to about 400 of said apertures per square inch.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 1 wherein the average size of said apertures is from about 0.3 mm 2 to about 16 mm 2 .
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 1 wherein said nonwoven fabric is a spunlaced, hydroentangled, nonwoven fabric.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 1 wherein said nonwoven fabric comprises polyester.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 1 wherein said nonwoven fabric comprises cotton.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 1 wherein said nonwoven fabric comprises nylon.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 1 wherein said nonwoven fabric comprises acrylic.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 1 wherein said nonwoven fabric comprises polypropylene.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 1 wherein said nonwoven fabric comprises fiberglass.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 1 wherein said nonwoven fabric comprises polyarylamide.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 1 wherein said nonwoven fabric comprises carbon.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 1 wherein said resin is an isocyanate functional, polyurethane prepolymer resin.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
40 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 1 wherein sufficient resin is impregnated into the nonwoven fabric such that the resin represents from about 65% to about 90% by weight of the total weight of the orthopedic support material.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
30 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 1 wherein from about 0.1 grams to about 0.3 grams of resin are applied to each square inch of the nonwoven fabric.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
34 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 1 wherein from about 60% to about 100% of the total area of said apertures remains unoccluded after impregnation of said resin into said nonwoven fabric.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
58 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 1 wherein upon curing a laminate comprising 6 layers of said material said laminate has a passive water vapor permeability of at least about 2000 mg H 2 O vapor/m 2 -hr when measured under an atmosphere of about 45% relative humidity and at a temperature of about 22° C.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
67 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 1 wherein upon curing a laminate comprising 6 layers of said material, with each layer having an area of about 4 in 2 , said laminate has an air permeability of from about 30 cm 3 air/second to about 370 cm 3 air/second when an air pressure differential of about 6.4 psi exists between two sides of the laminate.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
52 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 1 wherein after curing a ring laminate comprising 6 layers of said material and having a length of 3 inches and a diameter of 2 inches, said ring laminate has a ring strength of at least about 10 pounds per inch of ring length.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
85 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 1 wherein said prelubricated curable resin comprises a lubricant at the major surface of the material, said lubricant comprising (a) hydrophilic groups which are covalently bonded to the curable resin, or (b) an additive which is incompatible with the curable resin, or (c) a combination of (a) and (b); and wherein said lubricant is present in an amount such that the kinetic coefficient of friction of the major surface of the material is less than about 1.2.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
23 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 26 wherein the lubricant comprises hydrophilic groups which are covalently bonded to the curable resin.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
15 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 27 wherein the lubricant comprises polyethylene oxide.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
17 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 27 wherein the lubricant comprises a polyethoxylated fatty alcohol.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
15 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 29 wherein the lubricant comprises sulfonate groups.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
19 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 28 wherein said lubricant is an additive which comprises a surfactant.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
20 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 31 wherein said surfactant is an alkyl, aryl, or aralkyl ionic compound.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
16 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 31 wherein said surfactant is an alkyl sulfate.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
16 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 31 wherein said surfactant is a polyethoxylated compound.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
16 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 31 wherein said surfactant is an anionic compound.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
16 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 31 wherein said surfactant is a nonionic compound.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
18 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 31 wherein said surfactant is a solid at ambient temperatures.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
25 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 26 wherein said lubricant is an additive which comprises a polymer having a plurality of hydrophilic groups.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
46 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 38 wherein said polymer is comprised of repeating units derived from ethylenically unsaturated monomers selected from the group consisting of acrylamide, vinylpyrrolidone, vinylacetate and its polymeric hydrolyzed derivatives, hydroxy and amino functional lower alkyl acrylates, and combinations thereof.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
15 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 38 wherein said polymer is polyvinyl alcohol.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
19 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 26 wherein said lubricant is an additive which comprises a polysiloxane.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
19 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 26 wherein said lubricant is an additive which comprises a polydimethylsiloxane.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
45 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 26 wherein said lubricant is an additive comprising a mixture of any of the compositions selected from the group consisting of: (i) a surfactant; (ii) a polymer having a plurality of hydrophilic groups; and (iii) a polysiloxane.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
240 words
An orthopedic casting material comprising a nonwoven sheet of polyester impregnated with a pre-lubricated, isocyanate functional, polyurethane prepolymer resin: wherein a major surface of the material exhibits a kinetic coefficient of friction of less than about 1.2; wherein said nonwoven sheet of polyester comprises a pattern of fiber bundles and apertures between said fiber bundles, each said fiber bundle comprising a plurality of fibers having interstices therebetween, the average cross-sectional area of each said fiber bundle being from about 0.2 mm 2 to about 1.2 mm 2 , said nonwoven polyester sheet having from about 10% to about 45% extensibility along its length when a 2 pound force is applied across a 1.5 inch section of said sheet; and wherein said pre-lubricated, isocyanate functional, polyurethane prepolymer resin is impregnated into the interstices between said fibers of said fiber bundles in sufficient quantity such that the resin represents from about 65% to about 90% by weight of the total weight of the orthopedic casting material and imparts sufficient strength to the material upon curing to be used as an orthopedic casting material, said apertures remaining substantially unoccluded such that upon curing a laminate comprising 6 layers of said material said laminate has a water vapor permeability of at least about 2000 mg H 2 O vapor/m 2 -hr when measured under an atmosphere of about 45% relative humidity and at a temperature of about 22° C., thereby substantially avoiding skin maceration.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
240 words
An orthopedic casting material comprising a nonwoven sheet of polyester impregnated with a pre-lubricated, isocyanate functional, polyurethane prepolymer resin: wherein a major surface of the material exhibits a kinetic coefficient of friction of less than about 1.2; wherein said nonwoven sheet of polyester comprises a pattern of fiber bundles and apertures between said fiber bundles, each said fiber bundle comprising a plurality of fibers having interstices therebetween, the average cross-sectional area of each said fiber bundle being from about 0.2 mm 2 to about 1.2 mm 2 , said nonwoven polyester sheet having from about 10% to about 45% extensibility along its length when a 2 pound force is applied across a 1.5 inch section of said sheet; and wherein said pre-lubricated, isocyanate functional, polyurethane prepolymer resin is impregnated into the interstices between said fibers of said fiber bundles in sufficient quantity such that the resin represents from about 65% to about 90% by weight of the total weight of the orthopedic casting material and imparts sufficient strength to the material upon curing to be used as an orthopedic casting material, said apertures remaining substantially unoccluded such that upon curing a laminate comprising 6 layers of said material said laminate has a water vapor permeability of at least about 2000 mg H 2 O vapor/m 2 -hr when measured under an atmosphere of about 45% relative humidity and at a temperature of about 22° C., thereby substantially avoiding skin maceration.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
108 words
An orthopedic casting material as defined in claim 44: wherein the fibers in each said fiber bundle are oriented so as to be generally parallel to one another and wherein a cross-section of each said fiber bundle contains an average of at least about 100 of said fibers; wherein said nonwoven polyester sheet has a weight of from about 1 ounce per square yard to about 2.5 ounces per square yard; and wherein said nonwoven polyester sheet has from about 15 to about 400 of said apertures per square inch, the average size of said apertures ranging from about 0.3 mm 2 to about 16 mm 2 .
Claim 48
Independent Claim
147 words
A method of preparing an orthopedic support material, comprising the steps of: providing a nonwoven, stretchable fabric comprising a pattern of fiber bundles and apertures between said fiber bundles, each said fiber bundle comprising a plurality of fibers having interstices therebetween, the average cross-sectional area of each said fiber bundle being from about 0.2 mm 2 to about 1.2 mm 2 ; and impregnating a curable resin into the interstices between the fibers of the fiber bundles so as to impart sufficient strength to the material upon curing to be used as an orthopedic support material while leaving the apertures between fiber bundles substantially unoccluded so as to permit sufficient water vapor permeability through the cured material, said curable resin being pre-lubricated such that, prior to the completion of curing, a major surface of the material exhibits a kinetic coefficient of friction of less than about 1.2.
Claim 49
Independent Claim
147 words
A method of preparing an orthopedic support material, comprising the steps of: providing a nonwoven, stretchable fabric comprising a pattern of fiber bundles and apertures between said fiber bundles, each said fiber bundle comprising a plurality of fibers having interstices therebetween, the average cross-sectional area of each said fiber bundle being from about 0.2 mm 2 to about 1.2 mm 2 ; and impregnating a curable resin into the interstices between the fibers of the fiber bundles so as to impart sufficient strength to the material upon curing to be used as an orthopedic support material while leaving the apertures between fiber bundles substantially unoccluded so as to permit sufficient water vapor permeability through the cured material, said curable resin being pre-lubricated such that, prior to the completion of curing, a major surface of the material exhibits a kinetic coefficient of friction of less than about 1.2.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
128 words
An orthopedic support material, comprising a nonwoven, stretchable fabric impregnated with a pre-lubricated curable resin: wherein a major surface of the material exhibits a kinetic coefficient of friction of less than about 1.2; wherein said nonwoven fabric comprises a pattern of fiber bundles and apertures between said fiber bundles, each said fiber bundle comprising a plurality of fibers having interstices therebetween, the weight of said nonwoven fabric being from about 1 ounce per square yard to about 2.5 ounces per square yard; and wherein said resin is impregnated into the interstices between said fibers of said fiber bundles so as to impart sufficient strength to the material while leaving the apertures between fiber bundles substantially unoccluded so as to permit sufficient water vapor permeability through the cured material.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
128 words
An orthopedic support material, comprising a nonwoven, stretchable fabric impregnated with a pre-lubricated curable resin: wherein a major surface of the material exhibits a kinetic coefficient of friction of less than about 1.2; wherein said nonwoven fabric comprises a pattern of fiber bundles and apertures between said fiber bundles, each said fiber bundle comprising a plurality of fibers having interstices therebetween, the weight of said nonwoven fabric being from about 1 ounce per square yard to about 2.5 ounces per square yard; and wherein said resin is impregnated into the interstices between said fibers of said fiber bundles so as to impart sufficient strength to the material while leaving the apertures between fiber bundles substantially unoccluded so as to permit sufficient water vapor permeability through the cured material.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
165 words
An orthopedic support material, comprising a nonwoven, stretchable fabric impregnated with a pre-lubricated curable resin: wherein a major surface of the material exhibits a kinetic coefficient of friction of less than about 1.2; wherein said nonwoven fabric comprises a pattern of fiber bundles and apertures between said fiber bundles, each said fiber bundle comprising a plurality of fibers having interstices therebetween; wherein said resin is impregnated into the interstices between said fibers of said fiber bundles so as to impart sufficient strength to the material upon curing to be used as an orthopedic support material while leaving the apertures between fiber bundles substantially unoccluded so as to permit sufficient water vapor permeability through the cured material; and wherein upon curing laminate comprising 6 layers of said material said laminate has a passive water vapor permeability of at least about 2000 mg H 2 O vapor/m 2 -hr when measured under an atmosphere of about 45% relative humidity and at a temperature of about 22° C.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
165 words
An orthopedic support material, comprising a nonwoven, stretchable fabric impregnated with a pre-lubricated curable resin: wherein a major surface of the material exhibits a kinetic coefficient of friction of less than about 1.2; wherein said nonwoven fabric comprises a pattern of fiber bundles and apertures between said fiber bundles, each said fiber bundle comprising a plurality of fibers having interstices therebetween; wherein said resin is impregnated into the interstices between said fibers of said fiber bundles so as to impart sufficient strength to the material upon curing to be used as an orthopedic support material while leaving the apertures between fiber bundles substantially unoccluded so as to permit sufficient water vapor permeability through the cured material; and wherein upon curing laminate comprising 6 layers of said material said laminate has a passive water vapor permeability of at least about 2000 mg H 2 O vapor/m 2 -hr when measured under an atmosphere of about 45% relative humidity and at a temperature of about 22° C.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
175 words
An orthopedic support material, comprising a nonwoven, stretchable fabric impregnated with a pre-lubricated curable resin: wherein a major surface of the material exhibits a kinetic coefficient of friction of less than about 1.2; wherein said nonwoven fabric comprises a pattern of fiber bundles and apertures between said fiber bundles, each said fiber bundle comprising a plurality of fibers having interstices therebetween; wherein said resin is impregnated into the interstices between said fibers of said fiber bundles so as to impart sufficient strength to the material upon curing to be used as an orthopedic support material while leaving the apertures between fiber bundles substantially unoccluded so as to permit sufficient water vapor permeability through the cured material; and wherein upon curing a laminate comprising 6 layers of said material, with each layer having an area of about 4 in 2 , said laminate has an air permeability of from about 30 cm 3 air/second to about 370 cm 3 air/second when an air pressure differential of about 6.4 psi exists between two sides of the laminate.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
175 words
An orthopedic support material, comprising a nonwoven, stretchable fabric impregnated with a pre-lubricated curable resin: wherein a major surface of the material exhibits a kinetic coefficient of friction of less than about 1.2; wherein said nonwoven fabric comprises a pattern of fiber bundles and apertures between said fiber bundles, each said fiber bundle comprising a plurality of fibers having interstices therebetween; wherein said resin is impregnated into the interstices between said fibers of said fiber bundles so as to impart sufficient strength to the material upon curing to be used as an orthopedic support material while leaving the apertures between fiber bundles substantially unoccluded so as to permit sufficient water vapor permeability through the cured material; and wherein upon curing a laminate comprising 6 layers of said material, with each layer having an area of about 4 in 2 , said laminate has an air permeability of from about 30 cm 3 air/second to about 370 cm 3 air/second when an air pressure differential of about 6.4 psi exists between two sides of the laminate.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
26 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 1 wherein said major surface of the material exhibits a kinetic coefficient of friction of 0.93 or less.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
26 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 1 wherein said major surface of the material exhibits a kinetic coefficient of friction of 0.75 or less.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
26 words
An orthopedic support material as defined in claim 1 wherein said major surface of the material exhibits a kinetic coefficient of friction of 0.4 or less.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-08-14 | 1993-02-13 | 1993-08-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-08-14 | 1997-02-13 | 1997-08-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-08-14 | 2001-02-13 | 2001-08-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |