GB2595742A

GB2595742A - New materials, products & methods

Info

Publication number: GB2595742A
Application number: GB2010389.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard Burke Christopher
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2020-06-03
Filing date: 2020-07-07
Publication date: 2021-12-08
Also published as: GB202010389D0

Abstract

A material or other product 10, at least part of which is antimicrobial, the product comprising means for self-attachment (by cold shrink wrapping) of the part to a touchable surface 161 to provide it with an antimicrobial covering 12. Said means may comprise an elastomeric property of said part in conjunction with its form, e.g. such that the product can be applied in a stretched state to an object 161 and relaxed from its stretched state thereby to attach itself to the object 161 in the manner of cold shrink wrapping. The product may be in the form of a sleeve 12 which may have one end closed. The sleeve 12 may be mounted stretched upon a removable supporting core 101, 102, which may be removed such that the sleeve 12 can contract and attach itself to an object 161 placed within the sleeve e.g. a door handle. The product 10 may comprise an antimicrobial component combined in an elastomer e.g. a silicone rubber or EPDM rubber, or vinyl. The means of attachment may comprise a self-adhesive, or may comprise a substrate carrying an antimicrobial film, coating or covering having a self-adhesive property, to be released onto said surface to self-adhere thereto. The product 10 may be a sticky antimicrobial liquid, e.g. epoxy resin. The product 10 may be retrofitted to surfaces likely to be touched to give them a covering which is antimicrobial, e.g. door handles, doorknobs and door push plates. Also disclosed is a method of providing a surface or object 10 with an antimicrobial covering 12, comprising attaching to the surface a material or product at least a part of which is antimicrobial.

Description

TITLE: NEW MATERIALS, PRODUCTS & METHODS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to new materials, products and methods.

BACKGROUND

An aim of the inventor is to improve the availability of antimicrobial surfaces.

THE INVENTION

With the current widespread presence of bio-contaminants, the present inventor has noted that many surfaces harbour microbial contaminants, especially harmful ones, particularly surfkes that are likely to be touched, e.g. inadvertently or without thinking, e.g. many household surfaces, for example door handles and door plates, also on many other handles, also on handlebar controls of e.g. motorbikes, also on bicycle handlebars.

He has conceived the idea of using sheet material to apply an antimicrobial facing to a surface which is likely to be touched. The sheet material may be formed of antimicrobial material and this may be applied to said surface of an existing object. Said material may be in the form of a film, or be a flexible and/or elastic material, e.g. a silicone or other elastomer. Again, the sheet material may carry an antimicrobial coating which it can release onto said surface The inventor has found that the use of silicone enhances the antimicrobial action.

One aspect of the invention consists in a process of making a silicone or other elastomer film, sheet or other covering by incorporating in it an antimicrobial component Another aspect of the invention is to apply antimicrobial material conveniently to an existing surface. This has particular, but not exclusive, application to retrofitting. Thus, for example, embodiments of the product can be used to enable a surface which is likely to be frequently touched to be provided with an antimicrobial coating Another aspect of the invention consists in a material or other product, in which at least part 25 thereof is antimicrobial, the product comprising means for self-attachment of such part to a surface or object.

Another aspect of the invention consists in a material or other product, in which at least part thereof is antimicrobial, the product comprising means for self-attachment of such part to a touchable surface to provide an antimicrobial covering for that surface. -2 -

Another aspect of the invention consists in an antimicrobial film or other (usually sheet-like) layer of silicone or other elastomer mounted on a removable supporting core or other substrate. In embodiments, the substrate comprises a tearable material with a cord that can be pulled to tear the substrate to remove it from the film. In preferred embodiments, the film is cylindrical and is mounted on a cylindrical said substrate, with said cord arranged to tear said material helically, e.g. in a cold shrink method.

Said means may comprise an elastomeric property of said part in conjunction with its form. Said product may have a form such that it can be applied in a stretched state to an object and relaxed from its stretched state thereby to attach itself to the object. Said form may be such that the product can be applied in the manner of cold shrink wrapping. The product may have the form of a sleeve. This may comprise a supporting core upon which the sleeve is mounted stretched. The core may then be (usually destructively) removed from the sleeve to allow the same to contract and thereby attach itself to an object surrounded by the sleeve. The product may comprise an antimicrobial component combined in a silicone rubber, EPDNI rubber or other elastomer. Other suitable materials are vinyl (e.g. PVC or vehicle vinyl wrap) and (usually thermoplastic) polyurethanes, of course re-formulated to include an antimicrobial component.

Another aspect of the invention consists in a method of making any such a product, which comprises combining an antimicrobial component in an elastomer. This is preferably done at the pre-polymerisation stage. The elastomer may comprise a silicone rubber, which is e.g. particularly suitable for household use. Again, the elastomer may comprise an EPDNI rubber. Another aspect of the invention consists in a method comprising mixing or otherwise combining an antimicrobial component and an elastomer component at a pre-polymerisation stage Another aspect of the invention comprises a mix or other combination of an antimicrobial component and an elastomer component at a pre-polymerisation stage.

The product of any such method may have any of the foregoing features of products embodying the invention.

Again, said means may comprise a self-adhesive, e.g. applied to the antimicrobial part.

Again, said product may comprise a substrate carrying an antimicrobial film, coating or other 30 covering, in which said means comprise a self-adhesive property of the coating, such that the substrate can release the covering to self-adhere to said surface, e.g by removing the substrate -3 - (to expose a self-adhesive) before adhering said part to the surface or by removing the substrate after adhering said part to the surface.

In another embodiment, the said product is a liquid, said means for self-attachment being a sticky property of said liquid such that it can adhere to said surface. It may be applied to the surface by means of, for example, spraying, painting (e.g. with a brush) or pouring it on. Once applied, it is allowed to set (harden) by itself, e.g. if it has been mixed with a hardener, or it may be actively set e.g. by curing, e.g. hot, cold or UV curing, to provide a touchable antimicrobial surface. It may comprise, in combination with an antimicrobial component, an epoxy material, e.g. epoxy resin.

A particular aspect of the invention consists in a product that antimicrobial and can be cold shrink-wrapped onto a touchable surface to give it an antimicrobial covering.

Another aspect of the invention consists in a method of providing a surface or object with an antimicrobial surface, which comprises self-attaching thereto a said antimicrobial material or other product, or said film or coating.

Another aspect of the invention consists in a surface or object provided with an antimicrobial surface by means of such a method.

In one preferred embodiment, the product is a compound sleeve which comprises an antimicrobial silicone sleeve outer part mounted, stretched, on a destructively removable inner sleeve in the form of a supporting former for cold shrink wrapping the silicone sleeve onto an object. The shrink ratio of the stretched to the fully relaxed silicone sleeve may be anywhere in the range of from 1.5 to 2.5, preferably substantially 2; though of course the silicone sleeve will not be fully relaxed when applied since there will be some tension allowed to remain to hold it in position on the surface to which it is applied. The thickness of the material of the sleeve will usually be less than 5 mm, preferably less than 3 mm: usually this will be substantially 2 mm but, depending upon the strength of the material this could be substantially less than 1 mm. The aforesaid self-attaching means comprises the elastomeric property of the silicone taken in conjunction with its form, e.g. to make it suitable for cold shrink wrapping.

The product being suitable for cold shrink wrapping means either the antimicrobial part of the product is mounted stretched on a removable support whereby the product can be placed 30 around an object so that removal of the support allows the antimicrobial part to shrink onto the object or that the product is able to be so mounted "Being able to be so mounted" includes the -4 -case of the product being just the antimicrobial part on its own, e.g. in a fully relaxed state, but being so shaped in form that it can be so stretched and mounted on a suitable removable support.

PARTICULAR DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made by way of example to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a product, as a compound sleeve, embodying the invention comprising an antimicrobial sleeve mounted stretched on a destructively removable supporting former sleeve; Figure 2 is a similar view of the compound sleeve placed over a door handle that has a free end, 10 ready for the silicone sleeve to be cold shrink wrapped onto the door handle, Figure 3 is a similar view of the silicone sleeve in situ, cold shrink wrapped onto the door handle, so as to surround the handle, Figures IA, 2A and 3A are schematic end views of the product, seen from the left-hand end of respective Figures 1, 2 and 3; Figure 4 is a perspective view from underneath of an open form product, comprising an antimicrobial silicone part stretched on a rectangular supporting stiff wire removable former ready for self-attaching the silicone part to a flat door plate by cold shrink wrapping; Figure 5 is an enlarged cross-section in the plane 5-5 of Figure 4 of the product: Figure 6 is a corresponding cross-section (in the plane 6-6 of Figure 7) of the antimicrobial 20 silicone part in situ, self-attached to a door plate by cold shrink wrapping; Figure 7 is a perspective view from underneath of the Figure 6 embodiment; Figure 8 is a perspective view of a flat sheet-like form of the antimicrobial product comprising self-adhesive covered by a removable non-stick protective film for applying the product to a flat object, e.g. a door plate, or to an object which cannot readily be surrounded by a sleeve for cold shrink wrapping, and Figure 8A is an underneath view of the Figure 8 embodiment with the protective film removed, showing the self-adhesive in the form of a layer of spots; Figure 9 corresponds to Figure 8, with the product (its protective film having been removed) in situ applied to a door plate (not to scale); -5 -Figure 10 is a perspective view of an example of the product, with sheet-like form but not flat, e.g. in the form of tape, e.g. supplied as a roll, with an enlarged view of the free end of the tape; Figure 11 is a front view of a door with a door handle that has no free end, showing the sheet-like form product of the Figure 10 embodiment, in the form of a tape, in situ wrapped around 5 the door handle and self-adhering thereto; Figure 12 is a perspective view of a form of the product with a self-adhesive antimicrobial coating on a removable support backing; Figure 13 is a perspective view of this form of coating in situ self-adhesively applied on an object, with the support backing removed; Figures 14 and 15 are respectively back and front views of a form of the product with strips of self-adhesive backing, Figure 16 is a front view of a door push plate; Figure 17 is an in situ front view of this door plate with this product self-adhesively applied to it; Figures 18 and 19 are respectively back and front views of a form of the product with strips of self-adhesive backing; Figure 20 is a front view of a door handle (a handle mainly used for pulling), the touch-part of which is cylindrical (being a more modern design of the door handle shown in Figure 11); Figure 21 is an in situ front view of this door handle with this product self-adhesively applied to it; and Figures 22 and 24 are side views of a doorknob and Figure 23 is a corresponding vertical cross-section of a suitable sleeve-form product embodying the invention for shrink-wrapping onto the 20 doorknob; and Figure 25 is a schematic perspective view of the use of a liquid said product.

Referring to the drawings, identical references refer to the same item in the same Figure or different Figures or items that are identical or similar or have similar functions, and references with the same first two digits refer to items that are identical or similar or have similar or 25 related functions.

An antimicrobial product 10, Figure 1, is in the form of a sleeve 10 comprising a compound sleeve 12, 14, this comprising an elastomeric antimicrobial sleeve-like part 12 stretched on a destructively removable sleeve-like supporting core or former 14. The product 10 comprises means for self-attachment of this antimicrobial part 12 to an object in the form of a door handle 16. Such self-attachment means comprise the elastomeric property of said part 12 in -6 -conjunction with its form of a sleeve 12 as being suitable for use for shrink wrapping the object 16. (This suitability is also an attribute of the sleeve part 12 alone even before it has been stretched onto former 14.) The antimicrobial part 12 thus has a form such that it can be applied in a stretched state to an 5 object, e.g. a door handle 16, and (by removing core 14) partly relaxed from its stretched state thereby to attach itself to the object 16, in a method which is cold shrink wrapping.

The method of self-attaching antimicrobial sleeve part 12 to door handle 16 is to provide part 12 mounted stretched supported on core 14, which has ends 101, 102. Embedded helically in core 14 is a strong cord 18, e.g. of nylon, having a free end 20 at core end 101. This free end 20 is threaded through sleeve 10, from its end 101 to its end 102, as shown in dashed lines in Figure 1. Then sleeve 10 is placed on door handle 16 with its end 101 at the pivot end 161 of the door handle 16 and the free end 20 projecting out of end 102, as seen in Figures 2, 2A, Sleeve 10 is then held in position on door handle 16 with one hand while the free end 20 is manually pulled away from the end 102. As this end 20 is pulled, cord 18 destructively helically unwinds or unravels the material of the core 14 from inside the antimicrobial sleeve part 12, starting from end 101 and continuing to end 102. As it does so, antimicrobial sleeve part 12 collapses and shrinks onto door handle 16, progressively from the pivot end 161 towards the free end 162 of the door handle 16, being held tightly to door handle 16 by its elastomeric property. This process is a cold shrink wrapping process. When the core 14 has been completely removed, the shrunk sleeve part 12 forms an antimicrobial surface on door handle 16, as seen in Figures 3, 3A. It is to be noted that, because the sleeve part 12 is shrink-wrapped onto the object 16, it can adapt to a wide range of size and shape (and irregularity of) object 16, while still providing a firm, and/or if required, nonslip covering to object 16.

Preferably, the product 10 is made by a method which comprises a process of making antimicrobial sleeve 12 by combining an antimicrobial component in an elastomer, which preferably comprises a silicone rubber but may comprise an EPDM rubber. Said component may well be in the form of a powder or comminuted material, e.g. comprising antibacterial silver, which is combined with an elastomer component at a pre-polymerisation stage. The method will also include giving the product such a shape form as, in combination with its elastomeric property, will form a self-attachment means for the product 10 to self-attach to an -7 -object, e.g. door handle 16. Finally, the sleeve 12 is stretched onto a core 14. The said shape will usually be cylindrical, but another shape is described in relation to Figure 4.

In another embodiment, product 10, Figure 4, has an open form, with an antimicrobial part 12 in the form of a (rectangular) sheet 121 with re-entrant edges 122 mounted stretched on a 5 supporting destructible core in the form of a wire 141 (see Figure 5) which is rectangular in shape and underlies the whole rectangular perimeter formed by the re-entrant edges 122. A ring-pull handle 142 (being part of wire 141 or fixed to it) is provided at the middle of a (usually shorter) side of the wire 141, as seen in Figures 4 and 5. This product 10 is applied in a method of cold shrink wrapping, in which a (usually flat) object 162, e.g. a door plate 162, is 10 placed in the groove under the re-entrant edges 122, and usually under handle 142 (as is seen clearly in Figure 5) which can then be pulled towards the opposite end 102 of product 10 to remove destructively the supporting wire 141, allowing sheet 121 to collapse around object 162 as seen in Figures 6 and 7, providing it with an antimicrobial outer touch surface 126, Figure 6.

If, alternatively (not shown), the door plate 162 is to be placed above (as seen in Figure 5) handle 142 but still underlying the re-entrant edges 122, a looped cord (e.g. of nylon) or some other extension of handle 142 is passed between door plate 162 and antimicrobial sheet 121 and, in order to collapse and remove support wire 141, is pulled through the region between door plate 162 and outer part 126 antimicrobial sheet 121, pulling support wire 141 with it through this region. It may then be necessary fin order to be able to shrink wrap antimicrobial sheet 121 so as to capture and surround the edges of door plate 162) to round or chamfer the inner corner 163 of the re-entrant edges 122 where these touch door plate 162 around the whole of said perimeter.

In another embodiment of product 10, namely product 103, Figure 8, said means for self-attachment comprises a self-adhesive 24 applied to one face of antimicrobial sheet material 124. The self-adhesive 24 may be in the form of a layer 24 which is continuous or, as shown in Figure 8A, of which at least an area consists only of spots of self-adhesive 24. The self-adhesive 24 may be covered with a protective film 241 (which may be impregnated with a nonstick silicone) that can be pulled off to expose the self-adhesive 24, which can then be touched or pressed to a surface of an object 164, Figure 9 (to adhere thereto), which is to be covered with antimicrobial material 124. Film 241 served to prevent self-adhesive 24 from sticking to anything before this is required. Product 103 may be a distinct piece of material of a size -8 -adapted to an intended object 164. An alternative is for product 103 to be cut to size, as needed.

In a variant, product 10 is in the form of a tape 104, Figure 10, preferably on a roll 1041 but otherwise having similar antimicrobial sheet material 124 and self-adhesive 24. It may also 5 have (not shown) a removable backing layer, such as layer 241, Figure 8, to prevent successive turns on roll 1041 from sticking together. This tape 104 may usefully be elastomeric in order to fit it tightly around an object, e.g. a door handle 165, Figure 11, fixed at both ends (e.g. to a door 166), which handle 165 has such a shape that an antimicrobial sleeve could not be fitted around it to allow use of a cold shrink wrapping method. In this case it is useful for the product 10 104 to comprise an elastomer so that it can be stretched to fit tightly around the door handle 165, which process is therefore a form of cold shrink wrapping. This process is suitable for use in a case in which the handle does not have a constant cross-section along its length.

Another embodiment of product 10, namely product 105, Figure 12, comprises a substrate 145 carrying an antimicrobial film, coating or other covering 125 having a self-adhesive property.

When the covering 125 is pressed onto a surface of an object 167 to self-adhere thereto the substrate 145 can be peeled off or otherwise removed so as to release covering 125 onto that surface to be an antimicrobial covering thereto, as seen in Figure 13.

In the embodiment of Figures 14 to 17, product 10 is in the form of a flat sheet of antimicrobial material 124 with strips of self-adhesive 24 In use, this material 124 is self-adhered to a door 20 push plate 162, covering the whole of the touch surface thereof; as seen in Figure 17.

In the embodiment of Figures 18 to 21, product 10 is in the form of flat sheet of antimicrobial material 124 with strips of self-adhesive 24. In use, this material 124 is wrapped around and self-adhered to a handle 165 of a door handle pull plate 162, covering the whole of the touch surface thereof, as seen in Figure 21.

For a doorknob 166, Figure 22, mounted via a stem 167 to an escutcheon or other backplate 168, there is provided a said product in the form of a shrink-wrap antimicrobial sleeve 12, Figure 23, closed at one end 101, mounted on a former 14 that can be destructively unwound helically starting from end 101 and continuing to end 102 to allow sleeve 12 to shrink-wrap around doorknob 166, as seen in Figure 24. The method of use is similar to that of the embodiment of Figures Ito 3. If desired (not shown in Figure 24), sleeve 12 can be made long -9 -enough to extend (when shrink-wrapped) also over stem 167. Again, if desired, backplate 168 may be covered with an antimicrobial sheet or tape form 124 of said product.

Illustrated schematically in Figure 25 is an alternative embodiment, in which the said product is in the form of a sticky antimicrobial epoxy resin liquid 127 that is painted with brush 124 onto doorknob 166 and adheres thereto. Depending upon its composition, this can simply be left to harden or can be cured as mentioned above. An alternative method of application of the product 127 is to immerse doorknob 166, with or without including backplate 168, into a container 129 of said antimicrobial product 127.

Summary. There has thus been provided a material or other product, at least part of which is antimicrobial, the product comprising means for self-attachment of such part to a touchable surface to provide it with an antimicrobial covering. Said means may comprise an elastomeric property of said part in conjunction with its form, e.g. such that the product can be applied in a stretched state to an object and relaxed from its stretched state thereby to attach itself to the object in the manner of cold shrink wrapping, e.g. the product has the form of a sleeve (e.g. with one end closed) mounted stretched upon a removable supporting core. The product comprises an antimicrobial component combined in an elastomer e.g. a silicone rubber or EPDM rubber, or vinyl. Again, said means may comprise a self-adhesive, or may comprise a substrate carrying an antimicrobial film, coating or covering having a self-adhesive property, to be released onto said surface to self-adhere thereto. The product may be a sticky antimicrobial liquid, e.g. epoxy resin. The product can be retrofitted to surfaces likely to be touched to give them a covering which is antimicrobial, e.g. door handles, doorknobs and door push plates.

A particular aspect of the invention consists in an antimicrobial product that can be cold shrink-wrapped onto a touchable surface to give it an antimicrobial covering.

It will be apparent to one skilled in the art, that features of the different embodiments disclosed herein may be omitted, selected, combined or exchanged and the invention is considered to extend to any new and inventive combination thus formed, taking into account the following Where a preference or particularisation is stated, there is implied the possibility of its negative, i.e. a case in which that preference or particularisation is absent.

Many variations of the invention and embodiments hereinbefore described will be apparent to 30 people skilled in the art and all such variations are to be considered as falling within the scope of the invention.

-10 -The term "antimicrobial" is intended herein to refer to any agent or product tending to inhibit (e.g. prevent) the action of a pathogen, whether this be microbe, virus, fungus, bacteria and/or anything else. A particular concern, for example, is when the pathogen is contagious, or otherwise transmissible or 'catchable', in the sense that it can cause a disease or illness simply 5 by being present on and touched when on a touchable surface. Similarly, there is comprehended within the general ambit of the present invention (in place of the words "antimicrobial product") an agent or product which can inhibit (e.g. prevent) any other substance (e.g. a non-living or inanimate one, e.g. poisons or noxious substances that can be present on, or even exude from, an article having such a touchable surface) from causing illness 10 or debility simply by being present on and touched when on a surface that can be touched.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A material or other product, in which at least part thereof is antimicrobial, the product comprising means for self-attachment of such part to a surface or object.
2. A material or other product, in which at least part thereof is antimicrobial, the product comprising means for self-attachment of such part to a touchable surface to provide an antimicrobial covering for that surface.
3. A product as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which said means comprise an elastomeric property of said part in conjunction with its form
4. A product as claimed in claim 3, which has a form such that it can be applied in a stretched state to an object and relaxed from its stretched state thereby to attach itself to the object.
5. A product as claimed in claim 4, in which said form is such that the product can be applied in the manner of cold shrink wrapping.
6. A product as claimed in claim 5, which has the form of a sleeve.
7. A product as claimed in claim 6, in which the sleeve is closed at one end.
8. A product as claimed in claim 6 or 7, comprising a supporting core upon which the sleeve is mounted stretched, the core being removable from the sleeve to allow the same to contract and thereby attach itself to an object surrounded by the sleeve.
9. A product as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 8, which comprises an antimicrobial component combined in a silicone rubber, EPDNI rubber or other elastomer.
10 A product as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which said means comprise a self-adhesive.
11 A product as claimed in claim 10, which comprises a substrate that carries said part in the form of an antimicrobial film, coating or other covering, in which said means comprise a self-adhesive property of said covering such that the substrate can release said covering to self-adhere to said surface.
12 A product as claimed in claim 10, which is a liquid, said means being a sticky property of said liquid such that it can adhere to said surface or object.
13 A material or product that is antimicrobial and can be cold shrink-wrapped onto a touchable surface to give it an antimicrobial covering.
14 A method of providing a surface or object with an antimicrobial surface, which comprises self-attaching thereto a product as claimed in any preceding claim.A surface or object provided with an antimicrobial surface by means of a method as claimed in claim 14.