MXPA97005099A - Shelf cover for shelf and ca - Google Patents

Abstract

A lining mat is described which is designed for the storage of items such as food and for the protection of an area. The lining mat includes an absorbent layer and a bottom surface, the bottom surface has a coefficient of friction greater than about 0.4. The bottom surface of the lining mat must not adhere to the underlying support surface

Description

SHELF COVER FOR SHELF AND DRAWER Field of the Invention The invention relates to a liner cover that is fluid absorbent and is temporarily bonded to a substrate. This is particularly directed to disposable liner covers or mats for use with food and the protection of an area such as a mat or drawer cover or a floor mat.

Background of the Invention Shelf liners are designed to store items such as food. In addition to providing a surface on which to store items, linings also protect the underlying support surface. The liners can typically be constructed of synthetic polymeric materials. The liners have a tendency to slip on the underlying support surfaces. To overcome this problem, pressure sensitive adhesives are placed on the back of a mat or liner cover for securing the liner to the support surface. The use of such adhesives has several disadvantages. A disadvantage is that the adhesive may stick too finely to the upper surface and make it difficult to remove. A second disadvantage is that the adhesive can discolor the support surface c to leave a sticky residue, and a third disadvantage is that the mat or liner can tear at the time of removal. In addition, the cost of the adhesives is a significant part of the cost of the lining mat.

The temporary joint is defined where a liner is attached to a substrate for an unlimited period of time and where the joint can be easily broken when desired.

The patent of the United States of America no. 5,320,895 describes a perforated absorbent pad comprising a laminated tissue absorbent mat placed in the form of a sandwich and sealed between the upper and lower plastic sheets. The pad is perforated to develop a series of holes for the passage of liquid from the meat. The lower plastic sheet is generally impervious to liquids. The pad has a typical thickness of approximately 0.20 inches. Although the patent generally discloses the meat pack tray absorbing pads, it is adaptable to a continuous linear shelf liner material as well as to pre-cut sizes of the liner material. An optional variant is to incorporate the superabsorbent material through the interior tissue laminate.

The patent of the United States of America no. 4,761,341 describes a temporarily bonded construction using a coating of a non-pressure sensitive hot melt adhesive comprising from 5 to 40% of block copolymers A-B-A and 60 to 95% of a plasticizer oil. Additionally, the coating may incorporate a thickening agent which depends on which specific block copolymer is employed. The types of rubber block copolymers useful in the coating include Kraton D and G. The types of the plasticizing oils useful in the coating include petroleum hydrocarbon oils such as polypropylenes and polybutenes having an average molecular weight of between about 350 and about 10,000. The coating is used on a base substrate of paper, plastic, film, sheets and sheets of metal. The outer surface may include plastic, metal, glass or paper as the article to be temporarily joined to the base substrate.

The patent of the United States of America no. No. 4,913,942 discloses a desiccant bag / bundle with front and back porous sheets with a plurality of sealed compartments containing desiccant granules. The purpose is to dehumidify humid or wet environments.

The Japanese patent no. No. 53,061,559 describes the molding of a high polymer material of aromatic vinyl system in a fibrous form and chemically modifying this to impart a polar gas absorbing force to it in place of the activated carbon in a container provided with the air holes on a or more faces which are open or closed freely. The fibrous polymer can be washed with water and regenerated. The primary purpose is to contain gaseous odors that smell bad. The gaseous odors are allowed to enter the chamber permeable to gas and liquid.

From the patents of the United States of North America, the patent of the United States of America no. No. 5,046,604 discloses an odor absorbing shelf liner comprising two porous sheets which are fired together to form a quilted pattern having bags which contain an odor absorbing material.

The Japanese patent no. No. 5,079,518 discloses a liquid state odor absorbing material held by a porous material and wrapped by a film which is gas permeable but not liquid permeable. The primary purpose is to absorb and contain gaseous odors that smell bad.

The Japanese patent no. No. 61,031,162 discloses a deodorant for refrigerator which is placed in water and a moisture permeable container made of a woven or non-woven fabric of synthetic resin, etc., and placed in a refrigerator, car or house. The primary purpose is to absorb and contain gaseous odors that smell bad.

Synthesis of the Invention Briefly, the present invention relates to a shelf, drawer and improved area liner. The invention currently described refers to several modalities that improve the operation, reduce the cost, reduce the number of components and simplify the construction of this product. The liner of the present invention can be used for a number of other uses. For example, the liner can be used as a cabinet and drawer shelf liner, a microwave oven liner, a table mat, a paint rag, car and floor mats, bed pads or other purposes where Absorbency and slip resistance are required.

The general object of the present invention is a liner cover which provides a surface which, when compared to traditional lining materials, is disposable and yet provides absorption of fluids normally encountered in the use of the liner.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a liner mat or cover which is easy to manufacture and is relatively inexpensive.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a product which does not require a pressure sensitive adhesive, but will adequately maintain its position with respect to the underlying surface.

Still further, an object of the present invention is to provide a liner mat which has improved fluid absorbency characteristics.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a liner mat which can be distributed and stored in a rolled form before use without adhering the surfaces which are contacted with each other and without the use of a foil. separation.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent to those skilled in the art with regard to the following description and the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a liner cover of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of the liner cover or mat taken through the mat in section 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the lining mat taken through the mat in section 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a third embodiment of the lining mat taken through the mat in section 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a top view of a frisa material used in the Friction Coefficient test showing the dimensions of the frisa material.

Figure 6 is a side view of the fissile material used in the Friction Coefficient test showing the folded form before installation on the test sled.

Figure 7 is a side view of the sled used in the Friction Coefficient test showing the sled after installation of the frisa material dimension of the frisa material.

Detailed description of the invention With reference to Figure 1, a mat c of liner 10 is shown having an absorbent layer 22 which in turn has an upper surface in contact with the items being stored and a surface (nc shown). The bottom surface should have a coefficient of friction greater than about 0.50, more preferably greater than about 0.75, and more preferably more than about 1.0. The coefficient of friction of the bottom surface is preferably greater than the coefficient of friction of the top surface of the liner mat 10. The bottom surface must not adhere to the underlying support surface. With respect to its non-adhesion to the support surface, the force for peeling the non-slippery layer of the support surface should not be greater than about 50 grams / inch. The peel force is that measured by peeling a liner mat from a stainless steel plate according to ASTM-D 3330. The peel force is more preferably 0 grams / inch. Lining mat 10 is primarily designed to absorb spills from food and beverages that occur in the refrigerator during normal use. Typical fluids which are found using the lining mat include fruits, vegetables, meat and bird fluids including blood and other animal fluids. In addition, the lining mat will reduce odors, can be used to prolong the freshness of the absorbed vegetables by absorbing unwanted moisture that promotes decay, and can be used to absorb juices when thawed in the refrigerator.

A desirable length dimension for the lining mat 10 should not be more than about 50 inches or less than about 5 inches, more preferably no more than about 20 inches or less than about 8 inches, and more preferably no more than about 17 inches or less than about 11 inches. A desirable width dimension for the lining mat 10 should not be more than about 40 inches or less than about 4 inches, more preferably no more than about 18 inches or less than about 6 inches, and more preferably not It should be more than about 15 inches or less than about 9 inches. The length and width dimensions are for a flat mat. The dimensions for a lining mat in a rolled form can be any length or width suitable for distribution or shipping, but must be dimensionable by tearing lines or other means to the sizes indicated for the flat mat.

The support surface on which the lining mat 10 is placed can be a solid shelf, a wire rack, a floor, a meadow grass, bedding and the like.

The liner mat 10 should have a thickness of less than about 15 mm, preferably less than about 10 mm, and more preferably, less than about 5 mm. The thickness is measured using the test method ASTM D645-92. The thickness should be an average of 4 or more locations on the lining mat.

Referring to Figure 2, the lining mat 10 includes an absorbent layer 22 and the non-slip layer 24. The absorbent layer 22 may be of any shape. The upper surface of the absorbent layer 22 makes contact with the articles of the shelf. The absorbent layer 22 can be secured, or retained on the upper side of the non-slippery layer 24. The non-slippery layer should have the same dimensions as the absorbent layer 22. The bottom surface of the non-slippery layer 24 will contact the surface of support.

Referring to Figure 3, the liner mat 10 includes an absorbent layer 22, the non-slippery layer 24, and the liquid impermeable layer 26. The absorbent layer 22 may be of any shape. The upper surface of the absorbent layer 22 makes contact with the articles of the shelf. The absorbent layer 22 may be secured, or retained on the upper side of the layer impermeable to the liquid 26. The non-slippery layer must have the same dimensions as the layer impermeable to the liquid 26. The bottom surface of the non-slippery layer 24 will make contact with the support surface.

Referring to Figure 4, the liner mat 10 includes an upper layer 20, which is permeable to liquid, an absorbent layer 22, a non-slippery layer 24, and a liquid impermeable layer 26. The absorbent layer 22 can be any shape and preferably does not extend beyond the upper layer 20. The upper layer 20 has an upper surface which contacts the articles of the shelf. The absorbent layer 22 can be secured, or retained on the upper side of the liquid impervious layer 26. The non-slippery layer 24 should have the same dimensions as the liquid impervious layer 26. The bottom surface of the non-slippery layer 24 will make contact with the support surface.

In another aspect of the present invention, it is desirable to have the shelf liner mat and drawer slightly curled downward when installed and throughout its life of use. Since the articles enter the refrigerator drawers from the front, the leading edge 70 of the liner mat is the most likely edge that interferes with articles being passed or slid on it. The higher the curl is up, the greater the possibility that the leading edge 70 will bend. The curl effect can be measured by using the modified cantilever bending test IST 90.1-92. The test was modified so that the surfaces of samples with a COF > 0.5 were powder coated with talc and only a flexural rigidity MD was measured for the upper surface, for example background against the horizontal platform, and the bottom, for example the upper surface against the horizontal platform. The ratio of the bending stiffness MD of the upper layer to the bending stiffness MD of the bottom layer of less than about 10 is desirable, but preferably less than about 5 and more preferably less than about 1. The curl effect can also be imparted by engraving the lining mat after it has been laminated.

In yet another aspect of the invention, the ability of the lining mat to be folded and molded into a drawer or refrigerator requires "that the lining mat have a stiffness as measured by the Gurley stiffness test of less than about 5,000. mg, more preferably less than about 2,000 mg, and more preferably less than about 750 mg.

The most preferred method of construction is the continuous clamping of the absorbent layer without a boundary at the edge. The bottom impermeable layer 24 can be coextensive with the liquid permeable top layer 20 and adhere to the top layer 20 in those areas where the top layer 20 and bottom layer 24 are in face-to-face contact . The method for adhering the top layer 20 to the bottom layer 24 can be any suitable method that does not leave an edge which is susceptible to runoff. Typical sealing methods are heat sealing and adhesive sealing. Another method is the ultrasonic bonding on a line inward of the edge of the lining mat 10. When this is done, a free flange or fringe of material may extend about a quarter of an inch outward from the joint line around the periphery of the product. This results in a sharp bond line with less tendency for the material to be drilled than by heat sealing. The most preferred embodiment does not have a free flange edge.

The purpose of the top layer 20 is to increase the durability of the top surface, provide a layer of a lower coefficient of friction, and allow the liquid to penetrate through it to the absorbent layer 22.

A suitable top layer 20 can be made from a wide selection of fabric materials, such as porous foams, cross-linked foams, perforated plastic films, natural fibers (e.g., cotton or wood fibers), synthetic fibers (for example, polyester or polypropylene fibers), or a combination of natural and synthetic fibers. Various woven and non-woven fabrics can be used for the upper layer 20. For example, the upper layer 20 can be composed of a fabric bonded by spinning or melted blowing of polyolefin fibers. The top layer 20 may also be a bonded-carded fabric composed of natural fibers, synthetic fibers, or combinations thereof. In addition, the top layer 20 can also be a nonwoven / hydroentangled natural fiber composite.

The top layer 20 can be composed of an essentially hydrophobic material, and the hydrophobic material can optionally be treated with a surfactant or otherwise processed to impart a desired level of wettability and hydrophilicity. The liquid-permeable top layer 20 can be treated with a surfactant to make it more hydrophilic and, therefore, aid in the absorption of the liquid. The surfactant may include topical additions or internally applied materials such as polysiloxanes. The upper layer 20 can be coated with a grease or a material resistant to sticking, thus allowing the materials to be easily removed. The upper side of the upper layer 20 can be provided with a decorative pattern. If desired, the pattern may be chosen so that the hand-torn lines are mixed or form a part of the pattern. The liner mat 10 may be provided with walls to further contain the fluids released during storage.

Another preferred material for top layer 20 is a polypropylene spunbond fabric. The fabric can contain about 1% to about 6% titanium dioxide pigment to give it a white and transparent appearance. A material joined by uniform spinning is desirable, because it has a sufficient strength to resist being torn or pulled apart during use. The most preferred polypropylene fabrics have a weight of between about 14 to 60 grams per square meter. An optimum weight is between about 30 grams per square meter and around 40 grams per square meter.

The liquid permeable upper layers used on the lining mats may be composed of a white material. The white material has good fluid masking properties and can hide stains from the liquid that has passed through them. In addition, the aesthetics of the lining mat can be improved by printing graphics on the top surface of the top layer 20 which may include instructions for use.

The liquid permeable top layer 20 may also contain a plurality of openings (not shown) formed therein. With the openings present, the fluids released during storage, which are deposited at or near the openings, rapidly migrate into the absorbent layer 22. This helps maintain a persiably drier surface than when the openings are not employed. Therefore, even when the openings are not essential, some additional advantages are obtained with these.

In the most preferred embodiment, the composite materials can be made with a combination of natural fibers and synthetic components. The combination of synthetic components with natural fibers increases the hydrophilicity of the compound by reducing or eliminating the need for surfactant, while "that at the same time a high strength and durability is provided. This combination allows the elimination of the upper layer. An example of a material "fulfilling this criterion is a wet formed tissue constituted by the double recrepair process with a total basis weight of 52 pounds / ream and a latex aggregate of 1.5 to 2.0 pounds / ream. The trade name for this material is WypAll®, wet-formed tissue printed with latex available from Kimberly-Clark Corporation.

An alternative material that also meets this criterion is a polypropylene fabric bonded with non-woven and hydroentangled yarn composed of denier fibers of around 2.8 to about 3.2 having a basis weight of about 14 grams per square meter hydroentangled within fibers of pulp having a basis weight of about 53 grams per square meter using high pressure water jets. The name of commerce. The trade name for this material is HYDROKNIT®, a hydroentangled non-woven cellulose composite material available from Kimberly-Clark Corporation.

The upper surface of the lining mat must have a lower coefficient of friction "than the friction coefficient of the bottom surface of the lining mat. It is desirable to facilitate the slipping of the food articles on the surface without causing the lining mat to slide or bunch. This can be achieved by making the upper surface of a material with a coefficient of friction. lower, by reducing the contact surface area by means such as engraving, drilling, macro-stretching, or creping or by adding discontinuous bands of low coefficient of friction material to reduce surface contact and friction between articles what sor slides on the drawer and shelf lining mat.

The absorbent materials used in the lining mat 10 are designed to absorb fluids, of material including juices, wash water and blood. An acceptable level of absorbency (the weight is divided by the sample area) is preferably greater than 0.01 grams / square inch, more preferably more than 0.05 grams / square inch, and more preferably more than 0.20 grams / square inch. Suitable materials include wood pulp, rayon, cotton and melt blown polymer, such as polyester, polypropylene or coform. The coform is a combination formed by melted blown air of meltblown polymers, such as polypropylene, and absorbent short fibers, such as cellulose. A preferred material is a wet formed tissue using the double recirculation tissue process, since it is low cost, relatively high durability and has good absorbency.

The absorbent material may be a composite consisting of a hydrophilic material which may be formed of various natural and synthetic fibers, of wood pulp fibers, of cotton fibers or of regenerated cellulose, or a mixture of pulp and other fibers. An alternate material is a tissue placed by air.

The absorbent layer 22 may contain particles and superabsorbents which are extremely effective in retaining the released fluids. The superabsorbents have the ability to absorb a large amount of fluid in relation to their own weight. The typical superabsorbents used in the lining mats can absorb from 5 to 60 times more their weight in fluids. However, the absorption mechanism of superabsorbents is usually slower than the fluid absorption rate of the matrix material. The placement of the superabsorbent particles in the central part of the liner mat 10 provides additional time for the superabsorbent particles to absorb the fluid temporarily retained by a transfer member.

The superabsorbents must have high mechanical stability in the swollen state, an ability to rapidly absorb fluid, and a strong liquid agglutination capability to function well in liner mat applications. Hydrofunctional polymers can be found to be good superabsorbents. The superabsorbent may be a hydrogel-forming polymer composition which is insoluble in water, lightly cross-linked, and partially neutralized. This can be prepared from monomers containing acid groups, polymerizable and unsaturated and cross-linking agents. A hydrogel-forming polymer is preferred, which is a partially neutralized degraded copolymer of polyacrylic acid and polyvinyl alcohol. After a polymer is formed, it is mixed cor. about 1% of an anhydrous citric acid powder. Citric acid has been found to increase the ability of the superabsorbent to absorb blood. The finely ground anhydrous citric acid powder, which is devoid of water, together with amounts of fumed silica indicum, is mixed with the polymer which has been screened to an appropriate particle size. This mixture can then be formed into a compound c in a laminated structure. Such superabsorbents can be obtained from Dow Chemical Hoechst-Celanese, and Stockhausen, Inc., among others, and are a partially neutralized salt of the degraded copolymer of polyacrylic acid and polyvinyl alcohol having an absorbency value under load of above 25 grams per gram. .

More preferably, the absorbent layer 22 will be a layer of uniform thickness. Alternatively, the absorbent layer 22 may be composed of two or more absorbent layers having a uniform thickness and having various combinations of thicknesses relative to one another. Alternatively, the lining mat 10 may have a uniform thickness with an upper absorbency material located in the middle portion than at the ends. Superior absorbency can be achieved by using higher absorbency fibers or by adding superabsorbents to the bottom absorbent layer (the layer closest to the bottom surface). Alternatively, a bottom density absorbent layer will distribute the fluid to an increased cup in the x-y directions. The higher density bottom absorbent layer will increase the flow of fluid in the z-direction outwardly of the first absorbent layer, resulting in a first, dryer, absorbent layer.

The upper absorbent layers can be made from a wet-formed tissue sheet and the bottom absorbent layer can be made from a melt-blown polypropylene. In another embodiment, the upper absorbent layer can be ur. compound composed of melted blown fibers and ur. superabsorbent The upper absorbent layer can also be ur. laminate composed of a hydrocolloid material enclosed er. a sheet of tissue formed in wet.

The fluid impermeable layer 26 blocks the passage of fluids and liquids from the absorbent layer 22. The liquid impermeable layer 26 can be made of any desired material having these properties. A good material is a macro-grained polymeric film, such as polyethylene or polypropylene. Two-component films are also used. A preferred material is a polyethylene film. More preferably, the liquid impermeable layer 26 will be composed of a polyethylene film having a thickness in the range of from about 0.01 to about 0.05 mm.

The non-slip layer 24 prevents the shelf liner mat and drawer 10 from slipping or bunching when a side force is applied to the top layer 20. Materials suitable for the non-slip layer 24 can be manufactured from a wide selection. of foams, such as foamed porous, cross-linked foams, plastic films, various woven and non-woven fabrics, intermittent coatings, or continuous coatings. The non-slip layer 24 can be applied to a layer impermeable to the liquid 26 by means of coating or printing. Materials such as silicone rubber, natural rubber, or latex are examples of possible non-slip materials that can be used. The non-slip layer 24 can be added as a discontinuous layer or as a continuous layer. Generally, the coating is applied to a large part of the back surface of the lining mat. However, depending on the size of the lining mat and the non-slip properties of the particular coating used, it may be necessary to only coat a part of the back surface of the lining mat. In some cases, it may be appropriate to place patches of the film or coating on the outer surface. The non-slip coating or film can be applied to any of a variety of application methods.

In the most preferred embodiment, the liquid impermeable layer 26 and the non-slip layer 24 are supplied by a co-extruded film, with a thickness of about 0.75 mils. The coextruded film may be composed of about 75% by weight of a polyethylene layer and about 25% by weight of a polyolefin layer. A suitable type of polyolefin is the KRATON-G block copolymer available from Shell Chemical Company. A suitable coextruded film is identified with the identification number XC2-21-825.1 and is available from Consolidated Thermoplastics Company. The layer impermeable to the polyethylene liquid is adhered to the absorbent layer 22 with a hot-melt adhesive. The non-slip layer 45 preferably covers the entire outer surface of the liquid impervious layer 26.

The non-slippery liquid impervious layer may include a monolayer film composed of a material that will provide the desired COF such as Kraton polyolefins making use of Metallocene technology, or ethyl vinyl acetate. A disadvantage of a monolayer film composed of a material having a high COF is that the film can be blocked when the roll is unraveled. In addition, the KRATON copolymer; polyolefins as they are made using Metallocene technology and available from Consolidated Thermoplastics Company; and ethyl vinyl acetate are more expensive than polyolethylene and will result in an essentially more expensive film compared to a monolayer polyethylene film.

A more preferred method for building a non-slippery liquid impermeable layer is to set a co-extruded film with the desired level of COF on one side and a lower level on the other. With this method it is possible to coextrude a non-slip layer of a high COF material such as Kraton, polyolefin made using the metallocene film technology, or ethyl vinyl acetate onto a lower cost / lower COF polymer layer composed of such a material as polyethylene. The non-slip layer is preferably less than 99% of the total weight of the film composite, more preferably less than 50% of the total weight of the film composite, and more preferably less than 25% of the total weight of the film composite.

The non-slip layer 24 can be adhesively or ultrasonically attached to the absorbent layer 22, or more preferably, the non-slip barrier layer 24 can be extruded directly onto the absorbent layer 22. This embodiment reduces the number of construction steps, eliminates the need of the adhesive layer between the absorbent layer and the non-slip layer, and reduces the stiffness of the composite fabric.

Suitable materials for the non-slip layer 24 can be made from a wide selection of foams, such as porous foam, cross-linked foams, plastic films, woven and non-woven fabrics, intermittent coatings, or continuous coatings. Suitable material for this layer may be any polymer, hot melt, latex or silicone "having sufficient slip resistance properties to retain the liner mat in place with respect to the surface during use. The layer can be generally smooth, free of pores and non-porous after application to the lining mat. Alternatively, the non-slip layer may be porous such as a polyethylene foam which is adhesively attached to the liquid impervious layer.

The coefficient of friction of the outer surface of the non-slip layer 26 is measured by a modification to test number D-1894-93 ASTM. Test method ASTM D-1894-93 covers the determination of the slip and friction coefficients of the plastic film and the sheet when sliding on same or other substances at specified test conditions. The test samples were measured by modifying the ASTM D-1894-93 test. The modified test calls for determining the sliding friction of the exterior of the bottom surface layer by wrapping a 200-gram sled with a bronze plate and sliding the sled with the iron over the test sample to 0.5 ft / minute. Using this test it was found that a coefficient of friction of more than 0.4 can be satisfactory. A preferred coefficient of friction is more than about 1. Preferably, the layer has a coefficient of friction of between 0.4 and 10.0, more preferably between 1.0 and 5.0, and more preferably between 2.0 and 4.0.

The non-slip coatings may have any suitable composition. Generally, the following groups of materials have suitable non-slippery properties: Ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers applied as a hot melt or as a water-based coating having at least 28% vinyl acetate; polyvinyl acetate in water-based emulsions; styrene-butadiene in an emulsion or as a hot melt; cellulose acetate butyrate in a hot melt; ethyl cellulose mixed with a plasticizer and a resin and applied as a hot melt; acrylics in an emulsion system that do not mix; a synthetic rubber hot melt (KRATON® block copolymers having elastomeric and styrene blocks), rubber, resin, plasticizer mixtures and other hot melts including polyethylene (alone or mixed) and polyamides).

Typical such compositions are ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, acrylic terpolymers of methacrylic acids, acrylic copolymers, resin latex / ethylene vinyl acetate emulsions, hot-melt vinyl-ethylene adhesives, synthetic rubber (block copolymers) with elastomeric and styrene components) hot melt adhesives and resin / polyvinyl acetate emulsions. Such materials are available from H.B. Fuller Company, E.l. DuPont and Findley Adhesives, among others. Compositions of these types have found use as water-based and hot-melt coatings for barrier coatings for nonwovens and / or papers.

The non-slippery layer 24 and the liquid impermeable layer 26 can be unitary, for example a layer of material can provide both functions.

In the most preferred embodiment of the present invention the liner mat includes a double reweaned tissue of 52 pounds / ream to which an odor reducing / absorbing material such as caustic soda has been applied. The absorbent layer is coated by extrusion with a KRATON / co-extruded polyethylene film.

Tearing lines can be made according to a number of techniques including drilling or engraving the surface. The tear line can also be formed by other methods such as compression molding or marking. The preferred tear lines are perforations. The tear lines can also be formed at a point of attachment created by a metal engraving roller and a metal roller, instead of a rubber roller. This method is desirable where the upper surface of the upper layer 20 is to be printed since a highlighted surface may interfere with some printing operations.

Examples Description of the Examples: Example 1: VIVA ULTRA paper towel; UPC code 5400019550 Example 2: Rubbermaid Con-Tact decorative coating; Quick Start lock; UPC code 7169160928; Boardwalk pattern.

Example 3: Rubbermaid grip lining, UPC code 7169109509.

Example 4: Composite lining; the absorbent layer is composed of reusable cleaning cloths HANDI-WIPES heavy duty cleaners made by Colgate-Palmolive Company; the adhesive used to laminate the absorbent layer and the non-slip layer together from about one GSM layer of Findley H2096 hot-melt adhesive; and the non-slippery layer is a 0.75 mil thick, two-layer co-extruded KRATON / polyethylene film made by Consolidated Thermoplastics Company; movie designation number SC2-91-825.1.

Example 5: Composite lining; the absorbent layer is composed of a non-engraved sheet of 87 GSM HYDROKNIT which is a 0.4 OSY hydroentangled fabric of spin-bonded polypropylene and 74 GSM of virgin pulp; the adhesive is approximately one GSM layer of Findley H2096 hot melt adhesive; and the non-slippery layer is a KRATON / coextruded 2-layer polyethylene film of 0.75 mil in thickness made by Consolidated Thermoplastics; Film designation number XC2-91-825.1.

Example 6: Composite lining; the absorbent layer is composed of a double reweaned tissue of 52 pounds / ream engraved with (engraved with a diamond pattern of 0.375 inches / a plain width of 0.625 / 1.125 plane / rubber roller of 40 durometers) with extrusion coated with a KRATON film / 0.75 mil thick co-extruded polyethylene. The absorbent / film composition was made by Consolidated Thermoplastics; the compound was designated number XLAM-919-P-321.0.

Rigidity Gurley The force required to bend each sample was measured using a Gurley Digital Stiffness Tester Model 4171-? which together with the weights and the calibration strips are available through Teledyne Gurley, from Troy, New York. The Gurley stiffness test procedure is modeled following the method of the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry (TAPPI) T 543ptn-84. The Guerley Digital Stiffness Tester is an instrument that consists of a balanced fin which is pivoted in the center and to which a variety of weights can be added below its pivot point. The fin moves freely to accommodate the test in both left and right directions which may be analogous to the flexion of the body up and out of the samples.

There is a two-part calibration for the Gurley Stretch Tester. The first calibration is done to ensure that the "Fin" pendulum is oscillating according to the specification against the known material (for example a bronze strip). The Gurley instrument is calibrated following the instruction manual of the Gurley Digital Stiffness Tester in 5% variation with a 50.8 mm wide by 25.4 mm long bronze calibration strip, part Gurley not. 31664. The second calibration is done to ensure that internal electronic calculations and conversions are accurate. The samples that were cut from each liner example are 50.8 m wide by 38.1 mm long. Each sample overlaps the upper part of the Gurley fin by 6.4 mm. During a test, the sample moved against the upper edge of the fin until "the sample is bent and the fin stops contacting the bottom edge of the sample. The release point is measured by an electronic optical encoder which provides a greater degree of accuracy over the Gurley stiffness tester of the previous model as used in TAPPIT 543pm-84. The electronic optical encoder also shows the result on the digital reading. The reading continuously displays readings of the tests carried out in both the left and right directions. The Gurley Model 4171-d tester also automatically computes through an internal microprocessor and displays the average left and right bend stiffness data after each measurement. The average reading is then converted by this Gurley instrument into milligrams of Gurley stiffness in relation to the sample size of 25.4 millimeters wide by 76.2 millimeters long.

The Gurley Stiffness tester can be established as follows. The required weight is held and the base of the instrument is leveled by adjusting the leveling screw until the level bubble is centered and the pendulum pointer is zero. The switches are set to correspond to the weight being used, the position of weight on the pendulum, the width of the specimen being tested, and the length of the specimen. The test procedure can be carried out as follows: 1. Center the specimen strip on the pendulum so that exactly 6.4 millimeters cover the top of the pendulum and exactly 6.4 millimeters will be retained in the jaws. 2. Select an appropriate weight and a hole to read between 2 and 6 on the scale. The specimen should be placed in approximate contact with the pendulum fin before applying force to prevent oscillation in the early stages. 3. Press the button to return the system. The display should read 00-000-00. 4. Press the Steering-Motor switch to make the clamp arm press the specimen against the pendulum.

. Repeat step 4 in the opposite direction to establish both a left scale reading, a right scale reading, and an average reading. 6. Record the average scale reading. 7. Press the select button to achieve a milligram and record calculation. 8. Repeat steps 1 to 7 for each specimen.

The following procedure should be used to obtain samples of Gurley stiffness. A set of samples should be taken from each example. Five samples were cut by measuring 50.8 millimeters by 38.1 millimeters of each liner. The 5 samples of each lining should be cut and handled carefully so as not to affect the stiffness of the sample. The Gurley stiffness is measured for each sample and the values are recorded. The average for stiffness was calculated and recorded. The film side of examples 2 to 6 was put with Johnson baby powder powder, IPC code 8137-003052, made by Johnson Se Johnson Consumer Products Inc., Skillman NJ 08558-9418. The results are presented in Table 1.

Coefficient of friction: The coefficient of friction of the exterior of the bottom surface of the mat examples was measured by a modification of the ASTM test number D-1894-93. Test method ASTM D-1894-93 covered the determination of the slip and friction coefficients of plastic film and sheets when sliding on themselves or other substrates at specified test conditions. The test samples were measured by a modification of the ASTM D-1894-93 test. The modified test calls for the determination of the sliding friction of the exterior of the bottom surface layer by wrapping a 200-gram sled with a brass plate and sliding the sled with the plate over the test sample at 0.5 feet / minute. . The test equipment used included the friction and slip tester TMI Monitor Model number 32-06, a sled of 200 grams, series number A28734, and a supply of bronze plate 0.127 millimeters surface 90 which is assembled as follows: The iron made by Precision Brand Products Inc., UPC code 17305 (1755) was cut and conformed as shown in figures 5 and 6. The normal plate supply surface 90 had a dimension 70 of 2.55 inches, a dimension 72 of 3,235 inches, a dimension 74 of 0.375 inches, and a dimension 76 of 0.31 inches. The standard surface 90 was bent along the lines 78 and 80 as shown in Figure 5 in a j-shaped configuration as shown in Figure 6. The bent lines have a radius of about 0.05 inches. The standard surface 90 is attached to the 200-gram sled as shown in figure 7. The test equipment used included the friction and slide tester TMI Monitor Model number 32-06, and a 200-gram sledge, series number A28734 . The results are presented in Table 1.

Table 1 EXAMPLE SURFACE SURFACE RIGIDITY GURLEY SUPERIOR COF OF FUND COF (mg) 1 0.546 0.563 44.9 2 0.271 > 10 91.1 3 1,935 2,095 469 4 0.392 6.097 117.3 0.299 5.750 695.2 6 0.446 3.094 36.5 Absorbent Capacity: For the absorbent capacity, the following test procedure was used. The test equipment included an exact scale at 0.01 grams and a 0.9% saltwater solution embedding vessel. The salt water solution was maintained at 35 + or - 1 degree C. Three samples of 2.5 inches by 2.5 inches of example were tested. Each sample was weighed and the dry weight was recorded at 0.01 grams. Each sample was then immersed in the salt water solution for 15 seconds. This was then removed and allowed to drain while a corner was gripped with tweezers. Each sample was then weighed and the wet weight recorded at 0.01 grams. The capacity was determined by subtracting the dry weight from the wet weight and dividing by the area of the sample. The results for the absorbent capacity are shown in Table 2.

Table 2 EXAMPLE ABSORBENT CAPACITY (g / inch2) 1 0.474 2 0.015 3 0.132 4 0.394 5 0.312 Rigidity: The stiffness on the upper surface of the lining mat and the bottom surface of the lining mat were measured with the INDA standard test 90.1-92. The test was modified so that the surface of the sample with a COF > 0.5 were powdered with talcum powder. Additionally, only the MD bending stiffness for the upper part was measured, for example, the bottom surface of the liner against the horizontal platform, and for the bottom, for example, the upper surface of the liner against the horizontal platform . A ratio of bending stiffness MD to bending stiffness MD background was calculated. The results are presented in Table 3.

Table 3 EXAMPLE PROPORTION OF RIGIDITY SUPERIOR FLEXION / FUND 1 0.57 2 1.35 3 0.59 4 0.25 5 0.39 6 0.19 Although the invention has been described in conjunction with several specific embodiments, it is understood that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Therefore, this invention is intended to encompass all

Claims (30)

Those alternatives, modifications and variations which fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. CLAIMS

1. A disposable liner mat for the storage of articles comprising an absorbent layer having an upper surface in contact with the articles and a bottom surface in contact with a supporting surface, the bottom surface having a coefficient of friction greater than about 0.4 and does not adhere to the support surface, wherein the absorbent layer is formed of a liquid absorbent material to absorb the liquid released by the stored articles thus preventing the liquid from spilling out of the mat.

2. A disposable liner mat as claimed in clause 1 characterized in that the absorbent capacity of the absorbent layer is greater than about 0.01 g of the liquid released per square inch of mat.

3. A disposable liner mat as claimed in clause 1 characterized in that the mat has a thickness of less than about 15 mm.

4. The disposable liner mat as claimed in clause 1 characterized in that the mat additionally comprises a liquid impermeable layer between the absorbent layer and the bottom surface.

5. A disposable liner mat as claimed in clause 1 characterized in that the mat additionally comprises antibacterial ingredients.

6. A disposable liner mat as claimed in clause 1 characterized in that the mat has a Gurley stiffness of less than about 5000 mg.

7. A disposable liner mat as claimed in clause 4 characterized in that it has a thickness of less than about 15 mm.

8. A disposable liner mat as claimed in clause 1 characterized in that the lining mat additionally comprises a liquid impervious layer associated with the absorbent layer and located between the absorbent layer and the bottom surface.

9. A disposable liner mat as claimed in clause 8 characterized in that the mat comprises antibacterial ingredients.

10. A disposable liner mat as claimed in clause 1 characterized in that the mat additionally comprises a top layer associated with the absorbent layer and between the absorbent layer and the top layer.

11. A disposable liner mat as claimed in clause 1 characterized in that the mat additionally comprises a bottom layer associated with the absorbent layer and between the absorbent layer and the bottom surface.

12. A disposable liner mat as claimed in clause 10 characterized in that the mat additionally comprises a bottom layer associated with the absorbent layer and between the absorbent layer and the bottom surface.

13. A disposable liner mat as claimed in clause 11 characterized in that the absorbent capacity of the absorbent layer is greater than about 0.01 g of liquid released per square inch of mat.

14. A disposable liner mat as claimed in clause 12 characterized in that the ratio of the flexural stiffness MD of the top layer to the flexural stiffness MD of the bottom layer is less than about 10.

15. A disposable liner mat as claimed in clause 13 characterized in that the ratio of the flexural stiffness MD of the top layer to the flexural stiffness MD of the bottom layer is less than about 10.

16. A disposable liner mat for protecting an area comprising an absorbent layer having an upper surface in contact with the articles and a bottom surface in contact with the supporting surface, the bottom surface having a coefficient of friction greater than about 0.4 and does not adhere to the support surface, wherein the absorbent layer is formed of a liquid absorbent material to absorb the liquid found in the protection of an area so that the liquid is prevented from spilling out of the mat.

17. A disposable liner mat as claimed in clause 16 characterized in that the absorbent capacity of the absorbent layer is greater than about 0.01 g of the liquid released per square inch of mat.

18. A disposable liner mat as claimed in clause 16 characterized in that the mat has a thickness of less than about 15 mm.

19. A disposable liner mat as claimed in clause 16 characterized in that the mat further comprises a liquid impermeable layer between the absorbent layer and the bottom surface.

20. A disposable liner mat as claimed in clause 16 characterized in that the mat additionally comprises antibacterial ingredients.

21. A disposable liner mat as claimed in clause 16 characterized in that the mat has a Gurley stiffness of less than about 5000 mg.

22. A disposable liner mat as claimed in clause 19 characterized in that it has a thickness of less than about 15 mm.

23. A disposable liner mat as claimed in clause 16 characterized in that the lining mat additionally comprises a liquid impermeable layer associated with the absorbent layer and located between the absorbent layer and the bottom surface.

24. A disposable liner mat as claimed in clause 23 characterized by the mat comprising antibacterial ingredients.

25. A disposable liner mat as claimed in clause 16 characterized in that the mat additionally comprises a top layer associated with the absorbent layer and between the absorbent layer and the bottom surface.

26. A disposable liner mat as claimed in clause 16 characterized in that the mat additionally comprises a bottom layer associated with the absorbent layer and between the absorbent layer and the bottom surface.

27. A disposable liner mat as claimed in clause 25 characterized in that the mat additionally comprises a bottom layer associated with the absorbent layer and between the absorbent layer and the bottom surface.

28. A disposable liner mat as claimed in clause 26 characterized in that the absorbent capacity of the absorbent layer is more than about 0.01 g of liquid released per square inch of mat.

29. A disposable liner mat as claimed in clause 27 characterized in that the ratio of the bending stiffness MD of the top layer to the bending stiffness MD of the bottom layer is less than about 10.

30. A disposable liner mat as claimed in clause 28 characterized in that the ratio of the bending stiffness MD of the top layer to the bending stiffness MD of the bottom layer is less than about 10.