EP3645420A1

EP3645420A1 - System for making available impregnated moist cloths, and a moist cloth for skin disinfection or surface disinfection

Info

Publication number: EP3645420A1
Application number: EP17734721.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Katrin STORBECK; Claas-Florian Hartmann; Lars Teutenberg
Original assignee: Schuelke and Mayr GmbH
Current assignee: Schuelke and Mayr GmbH
Priority date: 2017-06-30
Filing date: 2017-06-30
Publication date: 2020-05-06
Also published as: SG11201913109SA; WO2019001735A1

Abstract

A system (2) for making available moist cloths (14) impregnated with an impregnating solution has a plurality of impregnated moist cloths (14), a storage container (4) for storing the moist cloths (14), and one or more flat, liquid-impermeable separating layers (18) for the separation of two juxtaposed moist cloths (14). The storage container (4) is configured to provide a closed casing for the moist cloths (14) and has a bottom (6) and a closable withdrawal opening (10) from which the moist cloths (14) can be individually withdrawn from the storage container (4). The moist cloths (14) in the storage container (4) are stacked in the direction from the bottom to the withdrawal opening (10). A separating layer (18) is arranged at least between two successive moist cloths (14).

Description

System for providing moistened wet wipes and a wet wipe for

Skin or surface disinfection

TECHNICAL AREA

The invention relates to a system for providing impregnated wet wipes and a wet wipe for skin or surface disinfection, which with a

Soaked disinfectant solution.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

For rapid disinfection of medical devices, wipeable surfaces of all kinds with increased risk of infection and the need for short exposure times and for application on the skin is known impregnated with a drug solution

Use disinfectant wipes. These are often soaked ready for use and stored in a storage container, which allows a fluid-tight storage and a single removal of towels. The provision of ready-to-use wipes is convenient because drug solutions and wipes need not be stored separately and must be associated shortly before or during treatment of the area concerned.

Ready-to-use soaked wet wipes are often zig-zagged (also called Interfold) equipped, stacked in layers and in a tubular film packaging (also known as soft pack or flowpack) kept. During the folding of the wet wipes, successive wipes can overlap in regions, so that when a wet wipe is removed from the storage container, part of the wet wipe following in the stack projects through the removal opening and can then be gripped. It is known to offer pack sizes of 20, 50, 80, 100 or more wet wipes in a single storage container. For the user, larger package sizes are advantageous and economically interesting. When impregnating wet wipes, in particular for disinfection, it is important to apply a sufficient amount of active ingredient with each wipe.

For example, in the surface disinfection is to ensure sufficient effectiveness with low cross-contamination at the same time

Proof of efficacy especially the so-called four-field test

which is specified in the European Standard EN 16615: 2015. In this standard specification, a cloth made of a specific material and size is specified as a standard cloth for wiping tests. The

The wiping tests are carried out over four fields of a surface, whereby only the first field is contaminated with testing organisms. The review of

Efficacy is according to this standard against the test microorganisms Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus hirae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and / or Candida albicans and with a given exposure time. During the

Wiping fields 1-4 within a second with a

Unit weight using the standard cloth or the one to be tested

Cleaning substrate is applied, run over. At the end of the route, i.

Immediately after test field 4, the unit weight is turned over and the four fields are crossed in reverse order within the next second. The detection of colony-forming units (CFU) from each of the test fields 1-4 is carried out by cotton swab method according to EN 16615: 2015. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It has been found in experiments, however, that for larger pack sizes of wet wipes high potencies to provide a desired

Minimum concentration of each cloth are required because after prolonged storage, the concentration of the disinfectant in upper layers of a stack of

Remove wet wipes with time, but increase the concentration in the lower layers over time, so the drug solution in larger stacks can sag over time within the storage container. To ensure the

Effectiveness of appropriate cloths for skin or surface disinfection must therefore be done a drowning of the towels.

It is therefore an object of the invention to propose wet wipes or a corresponding device for dispensing wet wipes in particular for wet wipes for surface and or skin disinfection, which is a largely

consistent impregnation of wet wipes in a storage container irrespective of their position in the stack or allow their storage life reliable, whereby a transfer is no longer required.

The object is achieved by a system for providing impregnated wet wipes with the features of independent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and further developments can be taken from the subclaims and the following description.

A system for providing wet wipes is proposed. The system comprises a plurality of wet wipes impregnated, a storage container for storing the wet wipes and one or more flat, liquid-tight release layers for separating two superimposed wet wipes. The storage container is adapted to a closed enclosure for the To provide wet wipes. The storage container has a bottom and a closable removal opening, from which the wet wipes can be removed individually from the storage container. The wet wipes are in the

Storage container stacked from the bottom towards the closable opening. At least between two consecutive wet wipes, a release liner is arranged.

The wet wipes are made of a flat, soft and soakable material, such as a nonwoven fabric. The composition of the

Nonwoven fabric may depend on the type of impregnation solution and be carried out on a cellulose or viscose basis and optionally also comprise plastic fibers. Mixed fibers are also common. The type and dimensions of the wet wipes can be selected so that the wipes can be used easily and efficiently, especially to disinfect surfaces. By way of example, reference should again be made to the standard EN 16615: 2015, in which the standard wipes for

Wisch try a size of 17.5 cm x 28 cm and a special

Material composition have. Of course, the wet wipes may also have other dimensions. The separating layer is preferably designed so that it can be removed to increase the ease of use just as easily through the removal opening as a wet wipe. It therefore makes sense to produce the release liner as well from a flat, flexible material, for example, from the same material as the wet wipes. The function of the liquid-tightness is to be understood in such a way that a liquid present on the separating layer does not move independently through the liquid

Separation layer can flow or diffuse. The separating layer is preferably designed so that it can withstand a hydrostatic water pressure of up to 100 mm. The separation layer can be configured as one or more layers. In the stacked arrangement of wet wipes in the storage container For example, the dimensions of the interior of the storage box and the dimensions of the stack of wet wipes should be substantially matched. In addition to the use of flexible soft, bag or tubular storage containers, such as soft or flow packs, storage containers with fixed walls can also be provided, alternatively also a mixed form. The object of the storage container is to provide a fluid-tight envelope, which allows easy removal of the wet wipes from the removal opening, while allowing safe storage of the wipes, without the watering solution can drain or dry out.

A key aspect of the invention is the use of release liners for

Separate consecutive wet wipes in the stack. By

Placement of a liquid-tight release liner between two successive wet wipes may occur upon proper storage of the storage container, i. with the soil on a largely horizontal surface, the sagging of the impregnation solution are largely prevented. The separating layer between a lower wet wipe and an upper wet wipe thereon avoids the slow, gravity-assisted drainage of the wetting solution from the upper wet wipe into the lower wipe. In experiments it could be proven that the use of a separating layer can be achieved for a clear and significant reduction of the sagging of an impregnation solution in a stack of wet wipes. In this context, it should be noted that it is not necessary to separate each pair of successive wet wipes by a release liner. Rather, it may also be sufficient to divide the stack of wet wipes into a plurality of sub-stacks or packs of wet wipes and to separate these in each case by a separating layer of the adjacent sub-stacks or packs. The

Degree of impregnation of the wet wipes of a sub-pile, which on its underside liquid-tight is significantly improved compared to a single, larger stack.

When subdividing the total amount of wet wipes into partial stacks, however, the removal of individual wipes from the storage container leads to the fact that successively only one, depending on the subdivision, a certain number of wet wipes can be removed until the user encounters a separating layer. After removing the separating layer, the user can then remove the uppermost wet wipe of the next partial stack.

The impregnated wet wipes can, as is customary in the prior art, be arranged in the storage container such that when pulling out a

Wet cloth from the removal opening the next wet tissue already partially protrudes from the removal opening, so that it can be easily grasped. It is particularly advantageous that the separating layer, however, is designed such that upon removal of a lowermost or last wet wipe of the relevant sub-stack, the relevant separating layer remains in the storage container. This would then have to be manually removed from the storage container and disposed of or used to release the next sub-stack. Depending on the version of the separating layer, this can be used readily as a wet wipe. The user should, however, be made aware that the release liner can not be used for cleaning or disinfection if it is not suitable for this purpose. This could be the case, for example, if the release liner has a two-sided liquid-tight coating or other properties that prevents sufficient impregnation and / or subsequent release of the impregnation solution. Further possibilities for this will be specified below.

Overall, therefore, an efficient system for providing impregnated wet wipes is proposed, which not only leads to improved shelf life, but also in wet wipes for skin or surface disinfection It eliminates drenching in virtually any package size, allowing for efficient processing. In addition to maintaining a required degree of impregnation, an improved stability against the drying of the wet wipes is also achieved.

In an advantageous embodiment, the wet wipes in the stacked state each span a first surface and the release layer spans within the stacked arrangement of wet wipes in each case a second surface which corresponds at least to the first surface. It makes sense that the separating layer completely covers a partial stack, so that its overlapping surface should at least correspond to that of a stacked wet tissue. However, especially when using a flexible separating layer, the area spanned by the separating layer can be larger than that of a stacked wet tissue. Ideally, the release liner is centered on a stacked wet tissue so that a slight overhang is made through the release liner. As a result, it can be prevented in particular at the edges of the stack of wet wipes that the impregnation solution can laterally leak past the partial stacks.

As is conventional in the art, the wet wipes may be folded in a zigzag fold or with a simple fold. As a result, the removal of the wet wipes from the storage container is significantly facilitated, because the folded wet wipes can partially interlock, so as to already protrude the next wet wipe from the removal opening when a wet wipe is pulled out of the removal opening.

The separating layer may comprise a cloth, which is provided at least on one side with a liquid-tight coating. In particular, the cloth may be made of the same material or similar material as the wet wipes, which results in processing on the same manufacturing line as the

Wet wipes allowed. The separating layers could then come from a certain, coated web, which can run together with other webs for the production of wet wipes through the same manufacturing plant.

The coating of the cloth of the separating layer can be realized in different ways. By way of example, a one-sided coating with a polyethylene or other plastic is advantageous for producing a liquid barrier. The plastic, such as the polyethylene, for example, can be applied or attached directly to one side of the cloth. Alternatively, also via a

Intermediate layer in the form of an adhesive, another bonding agent or the like.

If a cloth coated on one side is used as a separating layer, it may be advisable to roughen the coating material at least regionally, so that the partial stacks or the separating layer can not slip due to an excessively smooth coating. The aforementioned, ideally central arrangement of a release liner on a stacked wet tissue or a partial stack can thus be maintained. It is also possible to use an inherently liquid-tight, rough coating material. The separating layer may have at least one fold in the stacked arrangement, by means of which an uncoated side of the cloth is completely concealed to the outside. If about the same or a similar material is used for the release liner as for the wet wipes, it would be sufficient to produce a one-sided coating. By folding edges, which results in complete enclosure of the uncoated side of the blanket, a liquid-tight coating on the release liner is provided both on the side facing the bottom and on the side of the removal opening. If the folded-over sections of the separating layer are directed toward the removal opening, they should abut one another as flush as possible, so that the greatest possible separation layer is present on both sides. In a preferred embodiment, the separating layer has a window fold with which two side wings are formed on the cloth and folded together. A joint of the two folded side wings may be directed to the removal opening. Alternatively, the said joint may also be at the bottom of the

Storage container show. This can result, for example, for production reasons.

The separating layer may have an optical marking with which the separating layer is clearly distinguishable from the wet wipes. As mentioned above, it makes sense to alert a user that the last one

Moist cloth of a partial stack is removed from the storage container and an optionally unusable separation layer is located in front of the removal opening. This should, if it is not usable, removed from the storage container and disposed of directly without being used for cleaning or disinfecting. By way of example, in addition to the other folding, the automatic "take away" of a separating layer when removing the lowermost

Moist cloth of a sub-stack prevents an optical marking can be used, which may include about a conspicuous color, a striking label right in front of the removal opening, a printed symbol or the like.

The wet wipes are preferably combined into sub-stacks, which each have a plurality of wet wipes and are separated by a separating layer of adjacent sub-stacks. The partial stacks have a number from a range of 2 to 50 wet wipes. The partial stacks can be a number from 5 to 25

Have wet wipes. It may be advisable to work the separating layers together with the wet wipes on the same production line, ie in particular to allow folding and stacking. For example, such allows processing of 5, 10 or more webs simultaneously, wherein one or a subset of the total number of webs could be used to make each release liner. A number of 5 to 25 wet wipes for each sub-stack is advantageous because no substantial sagging is expected in these significantly limited sub-stacks. In particular, partial stacks with an amount of 7 to 12 and in particular 10 wet wipes per partial stack can be advantageous.

The storage container is particularly preferably a tubular or bag-shaped soft pack or flow pack. This embodiment is inexpensive, easy to manufacture and can be used in particular for any pack sizes.

The wet wipes are in an advantageous embodiment with a

Soaked disinfectant solution and thus form disinfectant wipes especially for a skin or surface disinfection.

The invention further relates to a surface disinfectant wet wipe impregnated with a disinfectant solution for use in a system having the foregoing features for disinfecting surfaces while avoiding the carryover of microorganisms. The

Arrangement with separating layers in a stack allows a prolonged storage life at the same time largely constant degree of impregnation to meet the

Regulations of the mentioned EN 16615: 2015 with efficient impregnation of the wipes

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Other features, advantages and applications of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the

Embodiments and the figures. All the described and / or illustrated features alone and in any combination form the subject matter of the invention, regardless of their composition in the individual claims or their remittances. In the figures, the same reference numerals for identical or similar objects.

Fig. 1 shows a system for providing wet wipes in a partially cut, three-dimensional representation.

Fig. 2a shows a detailed view of a sub-stack, while Fig. 2b a

Detailed illustration of a separating layer shows. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Fig. 1 shows a system 2 for providing impregnated wet wipes in a three-dimensional partial section. Here is a storage container 4 is shown, which has a bottom 6 and a bottom surface 6, a closed by a cover 8 removal opening 10 and closure seams 12, of which a single is indicated by way of example, which close the storage container 4 around fluid-tight. The storage container 4 may include a

Plastic film and as a tubular or bag-shaped soft pack or

Flowpack be executed. In the illustration, the storage container 4 is cut open on one side to allow a view into its interior.

In the storage container 4, wet wipes 14 are aligned parallel to the bottom 6 and stacked. The resulting stack thus extends from the bottom 6 in the direction of the removal opening 10 and is divided into a plurality of sub-stacks 16, which are each stacked separately by a separating layer 18. For example only, the partial stacks 16 are ten

Wet wipes 14 assembled. This is advantageous in terms of production, since all wet wipes 14 and one separating layer 18 can be produced and stacked in parallel in a single production unit. The separating layers 18 are liquid-tight and prevent the sagging of a

Soaking solution of the individual wet wipes 14 can be maintained over a much longer period of time than without such separating layers 18. It is conceivable that more separating layers 18 and smaller partial stacks 16 or fewer separating layers 18 and larger partial stacks 16 can be realized. This should, depending on the used material of the wet wipes 14, the

Impregnation solution, the package size and the usual conditions of use, e.g. the usual storage or service life, in particular be determined experimentally.

This illustration shows - by way of example only - that the

liquid-tight release liners 18 have a greater width extension than the wet wipes 14. In fact, the release liners 18 span a larger area than the wet wipes 14 in the stack. As a result, the seal in the interior of the storage container 4 can be improved, since the separating layers 18 preferably extend virtually over the entire available cross section in the interior of the storage container 4, for example flush with the latter

Interior surfaces. Of course, the invention is not limited to the use of such an oversize.

The lid 8 shown by way of example does not necessarily have to be present or designed in the form shown. Rather, especially with larger ones

Pack sizes a hinged mounted and latchable designed lid 8 be advantageous, because a self-adhesive locking tab could

repeated wetting with the impregnation solution over the service life have a reduced adhesive force.

Fig. 2a shows an example of a part of a partial stack 16 in a slightly enlarged view. It can be seen that the individual wet wipes 14 are exemplary in are arranged in a zigzag folding, so that there are three superimposed sections 14a, 14b and 14c. A portion 14 a of a lower wet tissue 14 may rest on a lower portion 14 c of an upper wet tissue 14, so that when pulling out the upper wet tissue 14, a portion of the lower wet tissue 14 already protrudes from the removal opening 10. It is preferable not to form the separating layers 18 in such a way that they do not automatically protrude from the removal opening 10 in order to avoid application errors.

In Fig. 2b, a release layer 18 is shown, the example of a so-called

Window folding has. This will be done on an unfolded cloth two

Side wings 18a and 18b formed and folded inwards, on a lower portion 18c, so that two outer edges 20 of a folded separating layer 18 form. Here, depending on the size of the cloth, outer edges 22 of the cloth in the folded state along a center line of the folded separating layer 18th

abut. The surface spanned by the separating layer 18 is then, as indicated in FIG. 1, larger than the area covered by a wet tissue 14.

The release liner 18 may be made of a blanket 26 of a nonwoven fabric, as well as the wet wipes 14. In order to produce the required liquid-tightness, the release liner 18 comprises a liquid-tight plastic coating 24, which in FIG. 2b is directed outwardly in the folded state.

In addition, it should be noted that "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. "It should also be noted that features described with reference to any of the above embodiments are also in combination may be used with other features of other embodiments described above, and reference signs in the claims are not intended to be limiting.

Claims

PATENT APPLICATIONS

A system (2) for providing impregnated with an impregnation solution

Wet wipes (14), comprising:

several wet wipes (14),

a storage container (4) for storing the wet wipes (14), and

one or more flat, liquid-tight separating layers (18) for separating two superimposed wet wipes (14), wherein the storage container (4) is adapted to a

provide a closed enclosure for the wet wipes (14),

wherein the storage container (4) has a bottom (6) and a closable removal opening (10), from which the wet wipes (14) can be removed individually from the storage container (4),

wherein the wet wipes (14) are stacked in the storage container (4) from the bottom toward the discharge opening (14), and

wherein in each case a separating layer (18) is arranged at least between two successive wet wipes (14).

2. System (2) according to claim 1,

wherein the wet wipes (14) each span a first area in the stacked state and the release layer (18) within the stacked array of wet wipes (14) each spans a second area corresponding to at least the first area.

3. System (2) according to claim 1 or 2,

wherein the wet wipes (14) are folded simply or in a zigzag fold.

4. System (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the separating layer (18) comprises a cloth (26) which is provided at least on one side with a liquid-tight coating (24).

5. System (2) according to claim 4,

wherein the liquid-tight coating (24) comprises a plastic which is at least indirectly applied to the cloth (26).

6. System (2) according to claim 4 or 5,

wherein the release liner (18) in the stacked configuration has at least one fold completely obscuring an uncoated side of the blanket (26).

7. System (2) according to claim 6,

wherein the separating layer (18) has a window fold with which on the cloth (26) two side wings (18a, 18b) are formed and folded towards each other, wherein a joint of the two folded side wings (18a, 18b) directed to the removal opening (10) are.

8. System (2) according to one of the preceding claims,

wherein the separating layer (18) has an optical marking with which the separating layer (18) can be clearly distinguished from the wet wipes (14).

9. System (2) according to one of the preceding claims,

wherein the wet wipes (14) are combined into sub-stacks (16), each having a plurality of wet wipes (14) and separated by a release liner (18) of adjacent sub-stacks (16), and

wherein the partial stacks (16) have a number from a range of 2 to 50 wet wipes (14).

10. System (2) according to claim 9,

wherein the partial stacks (16) have a number of 5 to 25 wet wipes (14).

11. System (2) according to one of the preceding claims,

wherein the storage container (4) is a soft pack or flow pack.

12. System (2) according to one of the preceding claims,

wherein the wet wipes (14) are impregnated with a disinfecting solution.

13. wet wipe (14) for surface disinfection, which is impregnated with a disinfectant solution and prepared for the disinfection of surfaces while avoiding the carryover of microorganisms, comprising in a system (2) according to one of claims 1 to 12.