CA1229474A

CA1229474A - Flexible, flat, sand containing composite body for external application

Info

Publication number: CA1229474A
Application number: CA000408036A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Gunter H. Tesch
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1981-07-27
Filing date: 1982-07-26
Publication date: 1987-11-24
Also published as: JPS5827557A; DE3274998D1; ATE24744T1; EP0071211A3; EP0071211A2; EP0071211B1

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A flexible flat composite body for external application in the treatment of a body having in its simplest form of construction, an actively needle-bondable fiber layer (2), a counter layer (3) and an intermediate layer (1) of rock particles such as sand, chips and the like. The fiber layer (2) and the counter layer (3) are needle-bonded to each other through the intermediate layer (1). The counter layer (3) may consist of a layer of fibers or a soft, elastic synthetic plastic sheet. It may have bowl like depressions to be willed with rock particles.

Description

Lug The invention concerns a flexible, flat composite body containing sand or the like for external application in the treatment of bodies.
In the meaning of the present invention, the treatment of bodies includes the treatment of both human and animal bodies, with obviously forms of embodiment suitable for the particular application being used. The treatment may have a therapeutic purpose, or it may be cosmetic or intended to induce relaxation.
In medical science, the application of compresses, tapes or wrappings to parts of the body to be treated is widely known. These bandages consist of several layers of linen or gauze. They're saturated as needed with hot or cold water to either heat the part of the body involved or to cool and extract heat from it. In many cases, active ingredients, such as linseed, potato chips, flowers of hay and the like are packed into the tapes. Windings of this type have a low heat capacity and consequently the thermal effect is rapidly attenuated. The application must be renewed often.
It has been proposed in DOS 27 42 030, to use, in a treatment with constant, decreasing or increasing temperature medical all-purpose packs which release a dry or humid heat and contain a subdivided, sieve-like system of chambers/ consisting of a textiles material and filled in part with sand as the carrier of therapeutic substances. The packs may be used with or without there-peptic subst~ces dissolved in water. The packs consist of small fabric bags, subdivided at intervals of approxi-mutely 6 cm into several chambers by means ox transverse seams. To prevent the formation of cavities by the seams between the chambers and the skin, the chambers are only filled loosely with sand. This is to insure that the pack is resting uniformly against the skin. The effect ~2~7~
is, however, only partially achieved, since due to the loose sand filling, the sand shifts and the effect on the heat on the skin be-comes irregular. Furthermore, if the textile wall is damaged, the sand runs out. Efficient production line production of the packs is not possible because the sand must be filled in after the chambers have been made, and the latter can be sealed after this only.
The present invention seeks to provide a flexible, come posit body for the -treatment of bodies, which has certain ad van-taxes over the above described state of the art thereby making inapplicable in a more universal manner and capable of being produced more efficiently. according to the present invention there is provided a composite body made from an actively needle-bondable fiber layer and a counter layer needle-bonded to each other through an intermediate layer containing rock particles, such as sand, chips or the like and which intermediate layer further comprises a physiologically active ingredient.
Preferably, the fiber layer and the counter layer are needle-bonded together with a stitch density of 2 - 200 stitches/
cm . Further forms of embodiment of the composite body according to the invention will become apparent from the following disclosure.
The needle-bonding of rock or sand particles between a fiber layer and a counter layer offers a number of advantages. Firs-t, it makes possible efficient production on a conveyor belt, wherein the individual layers are placed continuously on a conveyor belt, needle-bonded and wound into a roll or cut into plates or sections.
Subsequently, the composite body may be cut into any flat shape desired, and the sand particles are prevented from running out at C

the cut edges by the inserted holding fibers. It is further possible to cut orifices into the sheet, for example, for face masks. When sand with A large variation in grain sizes is used, there is no separation by grain size because the numerous holding fibers inserted in a distribution over the entire surface prevent the grains of sand from laterally shifting.

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Composite bodies prepared by needle bonding with granular material particles incorporated therein are known from OH PUS 4 96 462 and DOS 28 55 059. However, the material particles incorporated consist of active ingredients, such as activated charcoal, fertilizers and the like having a relatively low density which do not have the heat capacity of rock particles. The latter have the additional advantage of a relatively high weight per unit area, whereby a uniform pressure is applied to the skin of the body. In contrast to the active ingredients, such as activated charcoal, floccules, fibers, which by their nature do not resist the passage of the felting needles since they either crumble easily or are readily pierced by the needles, it was surprising to find that felting needles may be inserted through a layer of rock particles. There existed an assumption that the needles would be destroyed by the sand grains. It was found, however, that this is not the case because the sand particles give way on the elastic fiber backing. It was further surprising to discover that the grains of sand do not run between the fibers of the actively needle-bondable layer of fibers. Needle bonding densities the fiber layer to the extent that the sand does not run out. -A further advantage is obtained, when orate at Sue example active ingredients are distributed in the granular or powder form in the Mayer of rock particles. Since active ingredients, such as for example hay flowers, camomile flowers, almond bran, are very light, separation in the case of loose aggregation in the chambers very often occurs in the known composites. However, this does not take place in the composite bodies according to the invention. Another advantage achieved simultaneously is that the active ingredients remain in a uniform distribution, even if the composite body is deformed, shaken or set on its edge.
Examples of embodiments of the invention shall be explained in detail with the aid of the draying, in ~29~
which partial segments of the composite bodies are schematically shown.
In the drawing:
. Figure 1 shows a composite body in cross section, Figure 2 shows a further embodiment of the composite body in cross section, Figure 3 shows a further form of embodiment in cross section, at an intermediate stage of the production of the composite body, Figure 4 shows the same composite body in a cross section after completion, Figure 5 shows a further form of embodiment in a cross section, Figure 6 shows the same composite body in a top view.
In the form of embodiment of the composite body according to Fig. 1, a layer 1 of rock particles is enclosed between an actively needle-bondable layer 2 of fibers and a counter layer 3. The layers 2 and 3 are needle bonded to each other through the intermediate layer 1. Needle bonding may be effected by a needle process known in the needle felting industry, such as described for example by R. Krcma in "Handbook of Textile Composites", Dicier Fachverlag Press, Frank~urt/Main, 1970, p.
198-202. In this method, felting needles with a triangular needle shaft and lateral counter hooks directed toward the point of the needle are most frequently used Other forms, such as fork needles and loop needles, are also used. The stitch-bonding needles 30 mentioned in the book by R. Krcma, may also be used in the needle bonding of the composite body. The felting needles-grip in the course of their insertion in the fiber layer 2 individual fibers or bundles of fibers and twist them into the counter layer 3. The fiber layer 2 must for 35 this purpose be actively needle-bondable, i.e. it must be possible to seize fibers from this layer, with a part of the fiber remaining anchored in the layer It is not only the two layers 2 and I that Lee :

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joined with each other, but also the rock particles of the intermediate layer 1 are prevented from lateral shifting by the holding fibers 4, inserted in large numbers and in a distribution over the entire surface area of the composite body. It is possible thereby to cut the composite body into any flat shape desired, with-out losing appreciable amounts of the rock particles through the cut edges.
It is further feasible to divide the composite body produced in the sheet form by weld cutting into individual, commercial sizes. If thermoplastic fibers are used, in particular the edges of the individual pieces may be reinforced by welding. If desired, a strip of a thermoplastic material may be welded onto the edge in the shape of a U, by the effect of heat and pressure, whereby the composite body is given a more pleasing appearance.
The layer 1 of rock particles may consist of natural rock materials, for example sand, having by definition a grain size of 0.02 to 2 mm. But coarse sand and even gravel and finely gained chips may also be used, if they do not entirely prevent the insertion of the felting needles. Advantageous common properties of these materials are their relatively high heat retention, their relatively high weight with respect to a given layer thickness and their inert behavior toward wetting fluids in application and the active ingr ens potentially added for body treatment.
Loam or a sandy clay or talcum are also suit able for use in layer 1.
The counter layer 3 may consist of different materials. It must not split during the insertion of the needles and must be able to hold the holding fibers 4 inserted elastically, for example by clamping or twixt in, i.e. the counter layer must be passively needle-bondable. For example, sheets of synthetic plastics of aloft, elastic material, fiber layers of sufficient density, which are further densifiea and felled by the ~Z;~34~
needle process so that they retain the rock particles, together with adhesively bonded giber composites, are suitable. The counter layer 3 may be actively needle-bondable which makes it possible to needle-bond the composite body additionally from the counter side. It it further possible to place a synthetic plastic sheet or the like as the counter layer a further actively needle bondable layer of fibers and to needle-bond the composite body from both sides.
The layer of fibers, used either as the layer

2 or as the counter layer 3, may be predensified by a so crate needle bonding process or it may be bonded to a carrier layer, such as a sheet of a synthetic plastic, a fiber composite or the like, in order to facilitate hand-lying in production or to prevent the running of fine part lies prior to the needle bonding of the composite Cody. A great variety of textile fibers may be considered as the fiber material. It may consist of a thermoplastic synthetic fibers, such as polypropylene or polyester fibers, which may be thermoplastic ally deformed welded or cut. For special applications, for example where the outer layer is to be contacted directly with the skin of the body, absorbent liners, such as cotton, cellulose or viscose may be used. Water swelling or water soluble fibers, such as polyvinyl alcohol fibers and the like, may further be used to prepare wet deformable composite bodies.
The latter are suitable for example for facial masks, cut prom afloat blank and adapted after wetting to the shape of the face.
As shown in Figure 2 r a synthetic plastic sheet S of a fibrous composite may be used as the counter layer.
As shown in the figure it is provided with bowl like depressions or nubs 6, which may be obtained for example by deep drawing while it is in the hot, plastic state The depressions 6 are filled with rock porticoes 7. In this example the layer of rock particles is thus not coherent but is divided into numerous portions. The needle stitches may be distributed in a unfurl density I
over the entire surface of the composite body, but they may also by-pass the depressions 6. In the first case the depressions 6 will be perforated in the form of a sieve, with the holding fibers 4 inserted, for example in the case of jetting by body fluids, such as perspiration, blood serum, conducting the liquid through the counter layer by capillary action. In the second case, the depressions 6 remain intact. They may further be filled selectively with different particles of materials, for example alternating several adjacent rows with sand and a row of active ingredients used in the body treat-mint, such as hay flowers, linseed, almond bran and the like.
In the form of embodiment of the composite body shown in Fig. 3 and 4 rows or strips 9 of rock particles 10 are placed on an actively bondable fiber layer 8. They represent an interrupted intermediate layer, through which the needles are inserted. An actively needle-bondable fiber layer 11 is placed on the rows of the rock particles 10 and the composite body needle bonded from the top in strips between the rows 9 (holding fibers 12 in Fig. 3). The composite body is thereupon again needle-bonded, this time from the side ox the counter layer 8 and with a uniformly dense distribution of the stitches (holding fibers 13 in Fig.
4). By this mean, the two covering layers 8 and 11 are needle bonded more densely in the areas between the rows 9, than through the rows 9 themselves. By the suitable choice of the density of the holding fibers 12 and 13 r the flexibility of the composite body may be controlled, for example a higher flexibility in the direction trays-tersely to the rows, than parallel to it, may be produced.
The areas of the rows 9 which in use are in contact with the skin, have a softer touch than the more densely bonded areas between the rows 9.
The form of embodiment according Jo jig. and Fig. 4 is also suitable for the alternating arrangement of rows 9, one of which consists of sand and the other of I
particles of the active ingredient.
Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 show a composite body, with a configuration similar to that of the example of Fig.
1. Identical reference symbols are used for identical parts. The composite body is merely drawn in the inverse position, it the fiber layer 2 is on the bottom, the counter layer 3 on top. Upon the latter, a further layer 14 of particles, such as dry clay, ingredients used in the treatment of the body, odor ants, or the like is placed.
The layer 14 is needle-bonded by means of a further fiber layer 15, possibly predensified, to the composite body.
As seen in the top view of Fig. 6, the area of the layer 14 may be limited in an adaptation to a specific application.
Additional layers of particles, such as the layer 14, may be bonded adjacently to or over each other.
The active ingredients may be present in a very general manner in the form of granules, powders, floccules or fibers. They may be present, as described hereinabove, separately from the rock particles, or they may be mixed in with the rock particles. In the latter case, the rock particles serves delineates for the active ingredients, or to better distribute them over the entire area of the composite body.
Binders bondable by activation may also he used as the rock particles. Gypsum may be used for example as the binder. In this manner, for example ban-dazes for setting bone fractures may be prepared. The composite body is saturated with water immediately prior to its application to the injured member, adapted to said member and the latter immobilized until the gypsum has set. By the addition of binders, composite bodies with unilateral flexibility may be produced. As an example, the form of embodiment according to Fig. 3 and 4 is cited.
The an isotropy of the flexibility of the composite body described in the example may be reinforced by the addition and activation of a binder to the rock particles 10, where-by the rows 9 are rigidized, while the interstices remain flexible.

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Finally, facial masks, for example for cosmetic applications, may be prepared by deep-drawing or by wet shaping. In this case, loose bonding may be of advantage.
They may be rigidized by means of binder mixed in with S the rock particles and activated after shaping. The eye and nose portions may be set free by the simple cutting ox swamping of orifices. It is an important advantage of the composite body of the invention that the rock particles and possibly the particles of the active ingredients are prevented from dropping out by the hold-in fibers 4 inserted.
If thermoplastic fibers are used, the sections may be cut for example by means of hot punching irons, wherein the fibers are simultaneously welded together at the cut edges, so that the edges cannot fray out.
The use of sand, especially of washed quartz sand, together with a sterilizable fiber material, such as cotton or polypropylene, offers the advantage that the material may be prepared in a hygienically satisfactory manner and that it is completely inert in relation to body treating fluids. Disinfectants may be added. When used as a face mask, the usual active ingredients for facial treatment may be added. Massaging may be effected through the composite material, with the latter not losing its coherence, as the usual fang packs and the like.
The composite body may be removed from the skin as a whole, without leaving residues.
A composite body according to the invention, made in small widths or cut into sections, Moe further be used as a bandage or wrap. By virtue of the rock particles needle-bonded into the composite body, which in this case should have a smaller grain size, for example of the order or Al to 1.0 mm, such a bandage or a wrap is not only capable of holding humidity and releasing it uniformly to the body, it is also possible to heat the composite body prior to application, for example in hot water, whereupon the bandage and particularly the wrap is able to release heat and humidity to the go Jo surface of the body over an extended period of time.
According to an example of embodiment not shown in the drawing, a heating pad may be prepared in a simple manner with the aid of the composite body according to the invention. Such a heating pad consists for example of two composite bodies according to the invention placed flat on each other, between which is arranged a sheet with resistance wires welded in. In place of this sheet, however, a conventional heating pad insert may also be provided between the two composite bodies.
According to a preferred embodiment, the two composite bodies according to the invention are fixedly connected with each other at three of their edges in the manner of a sack, while at its fourth edge is prude with devices to close this sack-like configuration, such as snap buttons, a zipper or the like The heating part of this heating pad may be taken out to wash or clean the composite body forming the cover and reinserted after cleaning. By the incorporation of the rock particles in the two composite bodies, the heat retaining capacity of the heating pad may be increased, i.e. a heating pad may be provided which releases heat even when current is not supplied to the pad.
Depending on the size of the heating pad, it may be designed as a heating blanket.
Lowe composite bodies accord no to the invention may be used dry to release heat, to weight surgical wounds, etc., or they may be applied wetted with aqueous liquids.
The wetting liquid may consist of water or a dispersion of active ingredients in water, e.g. plant extracts, aluminum acetate a dispersion of almond oil, odor ants.
An example of the preparation of a composite body according to Figure 1 is as follows:
The fiber layer 2 and the counter layer 3 were made identically from the same material in the following manner: A fiber mixture of 200 g/m2 of polyp ester fibers with a fiber titer of OWE and 17 dtex and the staple length of 90 mm, was placed onto carrier sheet of I I
polyethylene and having a thickness of 0.1 mm. The fibers were prebonded to the sheet by means of conventional felting needles with 45 stitches/cm2~ Such a prebonded fiber layer was placed with the fiber beards upward on the feeder table of the needle machine and a layer of washed quartz sand with a grain size of 0.5-0.75 mm and in an amount of 7 kg/m2, was sprinkled on it. The layer was then covered with an identically prebonded fiber layer, with -the fiber beards downward. The entire composite body was needle-bonded with conventional 25 gauge felting needles and with 30 stitches/cm2. A
composite body with an approximate weight per unit area of 7.4 kg/m2 was obtained.
An example of the preparation of a composite body according to Figure 2 is as follows:
As the counter layer 5 a numbed sheet of polyp ethylene with cylindrical depressions (nubs) of a diameter of 1 cm and a depth of 5 mm, 7700 nubs is used. The nubs were filled level with quartz sand and then covered with a layer of polypropylene fibers, 17 dtex, staple length 90 mm, 200 g/m2. The composite body was needle-bonded with conventional I gauge felting needles with 30 stitches/cm2. A composite body of approximately 1.8 kg/m2 weight per unit area was obtained.
The nubs were perforated by the needle stitches. No sand could fall out.
An example of the preparation of a composite body according to Figure 3 and 4 it as follows:
As in the example for Figure 1, two identically prebonded fiber layers 8 and 11, were prepared Onto the layer 8, quart sand was placed, as before in an amount of 5 kg~m2 parallel strips adjacent to each other and then needle-bonded by means of conventional felting needles -- but in an arrangement of rows -- with 30 stitches~m2, adjacent to the rows of sand. The composite body was then turned over and again needle bonded by means of conventional feting needles, but with the usual uniform distribution of the felting needles on the needle hoard, with 30 stitches/cm2.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A flexible, composite body for medicinal external appli-cation, comprising an actively needle-bondable fiber layer and a counter layer needle-bonded with each other through an inter-mediate layer containing rock particles and a physiologically act-ive ingredient whereby the needled holding fibers reduce lateral shifting of the particles.

2. A composite body according to claim 1 wherein the rock is sand.

3. A composite body according to claim 1 wherein the rock is loam, sandy clay or talcum.

4. A composite body according to claim 1 wherein the part-icles are chips.

5. A composite body according to claim 1 wherein the fiber layer and the counter layer are needle-bonded with a stitching density of 20-200 stitches/cm2.

6. A composite body according to claim 1 or 5 wherein the counter layer comprises fiber material.

7. A composite body according to claim 1 wherein the counter layer contains actively needle-bondable fiber material and the intermediate layer is needle-bonded from both sides.

8. A composite body according to claim 1 wherein the active ingredient is soluble in liquids.

9. A composite body according to claim 1 wherein the active ingredient has components soluble in liquids.

10. A composite body according to claim 1 wherein the coun-ter layer has bowl-like depressions.

11. A composite body according to claim 1 or 10 wherein the counter layer comprises a soft elastic synthetic plastic sheet.

12. A composite body according to claim 1 wherein the rock particles have a grain size of 0.02 to 3 mm.

13. A composite body according to claim 10 wherein the fiber layer and the counter layer are needle-bonded to each other away from the depressions.

14. A composite body according to claim 10 wherein some depressions are filled with the rock particles and other depres-sions with a solid, active ingredient in powder or granular form which active ingredient is useful in the treatment of bodies.

15. A composite body according to claim 1 wherein the rock particles are arranged such that the intermediate layer comprises areas which are filled with rock particles and areas free of rock particles and the areas filled with rock particles form a pattern.

16. A composite body according to claim 15 wherein the part-icle filled portions are arranged in strips.

17. A composite body according to claim 15 wherein the needle-bonding is denser through the particle free areas of the intermediate layer, than through the particle filled areas.

18. A composite body according to claim 15 wherein at least a portion of at least some of the areas free of rock particles contain a solid active ingredient in powder or granular form.

19. A composite body according to claim 1 wherein in the intermediate layer containing the rock particles, the active in-gredient is distributed in solid form.

20. A composite body according to claim 19 wherein the active ingredient or particles of a substance containing the active ingredient is present in the form of lumps, granules or powder.

21. A composite body according to claim 19 wherein the active ingredient is integral with the rock particles.

22. A composite body according to claim 19 wherein the active ingredient is coated or adhesively bonded to the rock part-icles.

23. A composite body according to claim 1 wherein a binder is distributed in the intermediate layer, said binder being bond-able by activation.

24. A composite body according to claim 23 wherein the binder is gypsum.

25. A composite body according to claim 1 which is joined with a further composite body.

26. A composite body according to claim 25 wherein the two composite bodies are joined by needle-bonding.

27. A composite body according to claim 25 or 26 wherein the further composite body has an intermediate layer with part-icles of a solid active ingredient for the treatment of bodies.

28. A composite body according to claim 1 wherein the active ingredient is arranged as a layer of particles in external con-tact with the fiber layer or the counter layer and that a further fiber layer is needle-bonded, through the layer of active ingred-ient particles, with the composite body.

29. A composite body according to claim 25 wherein a heating sheet or pad is arranged between the two individual composite bodies.

30. A composite body according to claim 29 wherein the two individual composite bodies form a sack by being joined at three of their edges.