GB2372425A

GB2372425A - Article of wear suitable for treating skin complaint

Info

Publication number: GB2372425A
Application number: GB0104572A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jane Mary Etherington
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-02-23
Filing date: 2001-02-23
Publication date: 2002-08-28
Also published as: GB0104572D0

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for particular, but not exclusive , use in the treatment of a skin complaint. The invention provides a method of using a liquid-permeable material preferably polypropylene having a resistance to rewetting, the method comprising either the step of manufacturing a lining from said material for locating between, and in contact with, skin and a separate article or the method comprising the step of locating said material between, and in contact with, skin. An article is also provided for wearing on the hand, wherein said article is manufactured from liquid permeable material having a resistance to rewetting. The material preferably has at least one side provided with a plurality of uniformly distributed indentations.

Description

PROTECTIVE ARTICLE The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for particular, but not exclusive, use in the treatment of a skin complaint.

There is a wide variety of skin complaints which can be both painful and debilitating for the sufferer. Dry skin conditions involving, for example, eczema, or dermatitis, can be treated with creams which moisturise and re-hydrate the skin.

Although such treatments can be extremely effective, their benefits tend to be very short term in circumstances where the problem skin is exposed to liquid. These circumstances generally arise where the subject is bathing in water, washing clothes or other items, or wearing articles which are poorly ventilated and tend to result in the subject sweating. Ironically, the latter circumstance frequently arises as a consequence of the subject attempting to protect problem skin. For example, a subject having dry hands will often wear rubber gloves when washing a car, for example, so as to provide a barrier between the problem skin and the cleaning liquid. The intention of the subject is to prevent the problem skin from becoming dried by the wetting of the skin, the washing away of any previously applied cream, and any subsequent process of evaporation. However, the gloves presently available are both gas and liquid impermeable and therefore have very poor ventilation characteristics.

As a result, the wearer's hands tend to become warm and, in turn, tend to sweat. Thus, rather than preventing an undesirable exposure to liquid, use of conventional rubber gloves can often result in the wearer's hands being unexpectedly exposed to sweat for long periods of time.

As sweat is secreted from a subject's skin, any moisturising cream previously applied tends to be removed from the skin pores and generally washed from the hands. The prolonged contact of problem skin with sweat moisture generally has a tendency to further irritate the problem skin and can even cause chapping of the hands. Similar problems can also be encountered when articles other than rubber gloves are worn by a subject. For example, the wearing of a wig can often be uncomfortable and cause skin irritation as a result of sweating from the scalp.

It is an object of the present invention to address the problems discussed above.

A first aspect of the present invention provides for the use of a liquidpermeable material, having a resistance to rewetting, for the manufacture of an article lining to be worn for the treatment of a skin complaint. The material may comprise a nonwoven ayer The material may also comprise a plastics material which may be a thermoplastics material. Furthermore, the material may comprise polypropylene and is preferably 100% polypropylene. It is particularly desirable for each square metre of the material to comprise no more than approximately 23 grams of polypropylene. Preferably, the material comprises 17 grams of polypropylene. Each square metre of the material ideally comprises no less than approximately 95 kilometres of polypropylene fibres.

It is further desirable for the material to comprise a sheet having at least one side provided with a plurality of indentations. Both sides of said sheet of material may however be provided with a plurality of indentations, and it is particularly desirable for the indentations provided to be uniformly distributed over said sheet of material.

The aforementioned skin complaint is preferably a dry skin problem.

Furthermore, the skin complaint may be dermatitis or eczema.

A second aspect of the present invention provides a method of using a liquid-permeable material having a resistance to rewetting, the method comprising the step of manufacturing a lining from said material for locating between, and in contact with, skin and a separate article.

A third aspect of the present invention provides a method of using a liquid-permeable material having a resistance to rewetting, the method comprising the step of locating said material between, and in contact with, skin and a separate article normally worn in contact with said skin.

A fourth aspect of the present invention provides an article for wearing on the hand, wherein said article is manufactured from a liquid-permeable material having a resistance to rewetting. The article is preferably manufactured solely from a liquid-permeable material having a resistance to rewetting. The article is preferably a glove.

The material referred to in connection with the aforementioned methods and articles preferably comprises a nonwoven layer. The material may also comprise a plastics material which may be a thermoplastics material. Furthermore, the material may comprise polypropylene and is preferably 100% polypropylene. It is particularly desirable for each square metre of the material to comprise no more than approximately 23 grams of polypropylene. Preferably, the material comprises 17 grams of polypropylene. Each square metre of the material ideally comprises no less than approximately 95 kilometres of polypropylene fibres.

In the context of the present invention, a material having a resistance to rewetting is one which, having received liquid from the surface of an adjacent article, tends not to allow said liquid to be transferred back to said article surface. Those skilled in the art will be familiar with materials having a resistance to rewetting and will be familiar with the processes by which this can be achieved. For example, a material which tends to resist rewetting may hold absorbed liquid in a gel or may comprise small holes configured so as to allow the ready flow of liquid therethrough in one direction but to resist liquid flow in an opposite direction.

In the present invention, a liquid-permeable material, having a resistance to rewetting, may be located adjacent problem skin. The liquid-permeable characteristic ensures good ventilation properties so as to assist in keeping adjacent skin cool. The tendency for sweating is thereby reduced. If sweat is secreted, then the liquid-permeable characteristic allows the sweat to be transported from the problem skin into the material. The resistance of the material to rewetting then ensures that the problem skin remains free from the secreted sweat and is not undesirably exposed to liquid for prolonged periods of time. As a result, sweat secreted from or adjacent the problem skin has less opportunity to wash away any previously applied moisturising cream. Furthermore, the problem skin is less likely to chap.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure I is a schematic perspective view of the top side of a left-hand glove according to the present invention; and Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of the bottom side of the glove shown in Figure 1.

A left-hand glove I is shown in Figures I and 2 of the accompanying drawings. The glove 1 is manufactured from three separate portions 2,3, 4 of a liquid-permeable material having a resistance to rewetting. In the present embodiment, the three portions are stamped or cut from a sheet of polypropylene.

This sheet is manufactured in a nonwoven form from endless polypropylene fibres. A preferred material, which is commercially available, is COROSOFT (tam) manufactured by Corovin GmbH. The particular embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 is manufactured from material having approximately 17 grams and 95 kilometres of polypropylene fibres per square metre of material. As partially illustrated in the accompanying drawings, both sides of this material are provided with a plurality of uniformly distributed indentations 5. Although Figures 1 and 2 show the indentations 5 on only certain areas of the material, the indentations 5 are in practice uniformly distributed across the whole of the material. Each of the indentations 5 has a diamond shape (although other shapes may be used) and has a length and width of approximately 0.5 millimetres. The indentations serve to thin the material and allow for the ready transport of liquid into and through the material.

The first and third portions 2,4 of material are mirror images of one another and form the front and back of the glove 1. In an alternative embodiment, these portions 2,4 may be joined directly to one another to form an acceptable glove article. However, the present embodiment provides a glove 1 which is more comfortable to wear through use of the second portion 3 of material. This second portion 3 provides a side element to the glove I which spaces the first and third portions 2,4 from one another and thereby provides a more tailored article of clothing. The portions 2,3, 4 of material may be joined to one another either by appropriate stitching or by melting/welding at the interfaces 6,7 of adjacent portion edges.

In use, the glove 1 may be worn between the skin and a conventional rubber glove. The liquid-permeable characteristics of the glove 1 ensures that ventilation is not compromised. If the wearer's hand begins to secrete sweat, then this sweat is transported and retained from the skin by means of the glove 1. The potentially harmful effects to problem skin of prolonged exposure to liquid is thereby mitigated.

The glove 1 may also be used on its own without being covered by a second glove. This may be desirable in humid conditions and particularly desirable where the user is active and therefore prone to sweating. The glove 1, or any article according to the present invention, may also be used in cases where there has been no diagnosed skin problem.

The present invention is not limited to the specific embodiment and method described above. Alternative arrangements and suitable materials will be apparent to a reader skilled in the art. For example, the liquid-permeable material can be a perforated film or a net of plastics or textile material. The material may be a laminate of two of more layers of film, net or nonwoven material. As an alternative to polypropylene, the material may comprise nature fibres such as cellulose or cotton, or synthetic fibres such as polyethylene, polyester, polyurethane, nylon or regenerated cellulose. It is also possible, of course, to use a material made from fibres including two or more components and mixtures of different fibre types.

Claims

CLAIMS: I. Use of a liquid-permeable material, having a resistance to rewetting, for the manufacture of an article lining to be worn for the treatment of a skin complaint.
2. Use of a material as claimed in claim 1, wherein said material comprises a nonwoven layer.
3. Use of a material as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said material comprises a plastics material.
4. Use of a material as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said material comprises a thermoplastics material.
5. Use of a material as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said material comprises polypropylene.
6. Use of a material as claimed in claim 5, wherein said material is 100% polypropylene.
7. Use of a material as claimed in claim 6, wherein each square metre of said material comprises no more than approximately 23 grams of polypropylene.
8. Use of a material as claimed in claim 6, wherein each square metre of said material comprises 17 grams of polypropylene.
9. Use of a material as claimed in any of claims 6 to 8, wherein each square metre of said material comprises no less than approximately 95 kilometres of polypropylene fibres.
10. Use of a material as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said material comprises a sheet having at least one side provided with a plurality of indentations.
11. Use of a material as claimed in claim 10. wherein both sides of said sheet of material are provided with a plurality of indentations.
12. Use of a material as claimed in claim 10 or 11, wherein said indentations are uniformly distributed over said sheet of material.
13. Use of a material as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said skin complaint is a dry skin problem.
14. Use of a material as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said skin complaint is dermatitis or eczema.
15. A method of using a liquid-permeable material having a resistance to rewetting, thp mpthorJ rAmnri < ; : ino thp dpn of m !'lnl1f !'lrtl1rino !'I lininG from < ; : !'IirJ . - -----'0'---... ----- ----'r----"o -.. - ---r ~. "'---'--'-"-0 - """-0.. U. --. material for locating between, and in contact with, skin and a separate article.
16. A method of using a liquid-permeable material having a resistance to rewetting, the method comprising the step of locating said material between, and in contact with, skin and a separate article normally worn in contact with said skin.
17. An article for wearing on a hand, wherein said article is manufactured from a liquid-permeable material having a resistance to rewetting.
18. An article as claimed in claim 17, wherein said article is manufactured solely from a liquid-permeable material having a resistance to rewetting.
19. An article as claimed in claim 17 or 18, wherein said article is a glove.
20. A method or article as claimed in any of claims 15 to 19, wherein said material comprises a nonwoven layer.
21. A method or article as claimed in any of claims 15 to 20, wherein said material comprises a plastics material.
22. A method or article as claimed in any of claims 15 to 21, wherein said material comprises a thermoplastics material.
23. A method or article as claimed in any of claims 15 to 22, wherein said material comprises polypropylene.
24. A method or article as claimed in claim 23, wherein said material is 100% polypropylene.
25. A method or article as claimed in claim 24, wherein each square metre of said material comprises no more than approximately 23 grams of polypropylene.
26. A method or article as claimed in claim 24, wherein each square metre of said material comprises 17 grams of polypropylene.
27. A method or article as claimed in any of claims 24 to 26, wherein each square metre of said material comprises no less than approximately 95 kilometres of polypropylene fibres.
28. A method or article as claimed in any of claims 15 to 27, wherein said material comprises a sheet having at least one side provided with a plurality of indentations.
29. A method of article as claimed in claim 28, wherein both sides of said sheet of material are provided with a plurality of indentations.
30. A method or article as claimed in claim 28 or 29, wherein said indentations are uniformly distributed over said sheet of material.