ES2954470T3 - Skin care fabric - Google Patents

Abstract

A skin care fabric for medical, pharmaceutical or cosmetic use includes at least 80% by weight of microfibers whose fibers have a diameter of less than 50 microns and are a blend of polyamide and polyester, wherein the fabric has been subjected to a division process by a treatment with alkaline solution, which divides each microfiber producing fine fibers very close together in a parallel structure that has a capillary effect and an abrasive effect. The fabric has a surface weight of less than 180 g/m2 and is loaded with medical, pharmaceutical or cosmetic active agents. The fabric is a warp knitted fabric having a first surface on one opposite side and a second surface on the other opposite side, wherein the first surface is mechanically scraped and cut making it fluffy yet compact short pile to leave the least amount of fibers possible. loose fibers as possible on the skin during use and resulting in a further enlargement of the surface of the fabric structure, having a water absorbency of at least four times the surface weight of the fabric. (Automatic translation with Google Translate, without legal value)

Description

DESCRIPTION

Skin care fabric

field of invention

The present invention relates to a skin care fabric for medical, pharmaceutical or cosmetic use comprising at least 80% by weight of divided microfibers whose fibers have a diameter of less than 50 micrometers before being divided and are a mixture of polyamide and polyester, where the fabric has been subjected to a division process through an alkaline solution treatment, dividing each microfiber producing fine fibers closely packed in a parallel structure that has a capillary effect and an abrasive effect, and being a at the same time the fabric loaded with medical, pharmaceutical or cosmetic active ingredients.

Background

Skin care fabrics are known for their various uses, particularly for facial use. They typically come in convenient blade sizes for one-handed handling and are often folded into a box for the user to choose a separate blade. These are usually made from cellulose, making them very economical. Unfortunately, because those fabrics tend to tear easily when used in humid conditions, they are not suitable in a humid environment.

The fabric described in United States Patent Application Publication No. 2010-0322989 is a skin care fabric with an abrasive effect and is composed of microfibers loaded with active agents and intended for single, wet use. The textile surface has undergone a division process. The fabric has a mesh structure and intermediate mesh spaces or interstices. The effect of this grid was to create space for the divided microfiber filaments, which are loaded with the active agents.

During use, the fabric is moistened, usually with water, which washes the active agents from the fabric and transfers them to the skin. Depending on the active ingredients, they may cleanse the skin, disinfect, apply a cream or moisturizer, or provide a pharmaceutical product for the medical treatment of a region of the skin.

Brief compendium of embodiments of the invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide an initially mentioned skin care fabric with improved water absorption. It has been found that water absorbency is an important criterion for the usefulness of such fabric. When, for example, you wipe your face, it is important that the tissue is wet enough, but not dripping. Also for medical use, it is important that there are no drips or tears that contaminate the environment. On the other hand, the fabric itself should not be too heavy, it should have a firm grip and feel soft on the face. You also do not want the fabric to leave loose fibers on the skin.

The skin care fabric according to the invention has a surface weight of less than 180 g/m2 and is a warp knitted fabric. The skin care fabric according to the invention has a first surface and a second surface, which desirably is formed on a side of the fabric that is opposite to the side of the fabric where the first surface is formed. Furthermore, the first surface is roughened and mechanically cut, thus making it spongy and, at the same time, compact with a short pile to leave the least possible amount of fibers on the skin during use and resulting in a further enlargement of the surface. of the fabric structure, which has a water absorbency of at least four times the surface weight of the fabric. The second surface is not mechanically roughened. However, the warp knitting structure on the second surface allows a firm grip on the user's hand during use of the fabric. The fabric according to the invention is single-use and can be recycled.

During use, the fabric is moistened, usually with water, which washes the active agents from the fabric and transfers them to the skin. Depending on the active ingredients, they can then clean the skin, disinfect it, apply a cream or moisturizer to it and/or provide the skin with a pharmaceutical product. It can be used on both normal skin and wounded and scarred skin.

According to one aspect of the invention, the fabric has a relatively low weight per surface area, which is also an economic advantage for a single-use fabric, since the use of raw material is reduced.

Tissue structure has been found to be important for the ability to store a fluid. For this reason, the fabric according to one embodiment of the invention is a warp knitted fabric. Warp knitting is a family of weaving methods in which the yarn zigzags throughout the fabric, that is, following adjacent columns of fabric, rather than a single row. For comparison, knitting across the width of the fabric is called weft stitch.

Since warp knitting requires that the number of separate strands of yarn ("ends") be equal to the number of stitches in a row, warp knitting is almost always done by machine rather than by hand. All warp knitted fabrics can stretch and are much more flexible than knitted fabrics. After cutting a knitted fabric, a warp or weft may become loose, which is undesired by a user of a skin fabric. This cannot happen with warp knitted fabrics. Additionally, unlike normal knitted fabrics, warp knitted fabrics are race-resistant. Due to the relatively complex manufacturing with many loops, the thickness of a warp knitted fabric is relatively high and the fabric itself is very compact. These structural features facilitate water storage within the tissue and reduce fluid leakage from the tissue. Therefore, it has been found that the currently preferred fabric for the use described above is a warp knitted fabric.

Warp knitted fabric undergoes a splitting process that splits the microfibers into numerous filaments. This process increases the surface area of the tissue, and the increased surface area allows a greater amount of active agents to be incorporated into the tissue. Furthermore, the capillary effect further retains water in the interstices between the fine filament members. The abrasive effect of the fabric results from the relatively sharp edges of the filament, which has a three-cornered cross section. Due to the abrasive effect, dry skin cells can be easily removed, thanks to the large amount of water that washes the skin.

The mechanically roughened and cut side of the first surface of the fabric further increases the surface area of the fibers. The cut eliminates short ends and defines a flat surface. Preferably, the rough, cut side is compressed and/or sanforized to become more compact and prevent the filament fibers from becoming loose and sticking to the skin during use. Furthermore, water absorption is better when the fabric is compact so that it provides a large number of interstices that form capillary spaces. However, this first surface remains spongy. Although for some embodiments it is possible to treat the second surface the same as the first surface, it is preferred that the second surface remains in the original state and is not roughened or cut. The second surface is the slightly glossier surface and lends itself to a firm grip by the user, while the first surface resembles flannel and has a duller appearance and is softer to the touch by the user.

In a currently preferred embodiment, the fabric according to the invention comprises a pure polyamide fiber in addition to the microfiber, being much thinner than the microfiber. This has the advantage of holding the warp knitted fabric together after the splitting process, as the polyamide fiber is not affected by the splitting process.

In another currently preferred embodiment, the active agents are encapsulated in liposomes. This is an advantage for supplying pharmaceutical agents and drugs. Liposomes are composite structures made of phospholipids and may contain small amounts of other molecules. Although liposomes can range in size from the low micrometer range to tens of micrometers, unilamellar liposomes are typically in the lower size range to allow their attachment to the surface and accumulation in pathological areas for the treatment of diseases.

Other currently preferred embodiments are described below.

Brief description of the drawings.

Aspects and advantages of the invention are set forth in the present description, or may be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practicing embodiments of the invention. Those skilled in the art will better appreciate the features and aspects of such embodiments, and others, upon review of the specification. A complete and enabling description of the present invention, including the best mode thereof for one skilled in the art, is set forth more particularly in this specification, including reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

Figure 1 shows an image of the second surface of a fabric of the invention but before division, with a magnification factor of 41 times the actual size;

Figure 2 shows an image of the first surface of a fabric of the invention but before division, with a magnification factor of 41 times the actual size;

Figure 3 shows an image of the second surface of a fabric of the invention after division, roughening and mechanical cutting, but before being loaded with the agents, with a magnification factor of 41 times the actual size;

Figure 4 shows an image of the first surface of a fabric of the invention after division, roughening and mechanical cutting, but before being loaded with the agents, with a magnification factor of 41 times the actual size;

Figure 5 shows an image of the second surface of a finished fabric of the invention, with a magnification factor of 41 times the actual size;

Figure 6 shows an image of the first surface of a finished fabric of the invention, with a magnification factor of 41 times the actual size;

Figure 7 shows an image of the cut side of the fibers of a fabric of the invention but before division, with a magnification factor of 1500 times the actual size;

Figure 8 shows an image of the cut side of the fibers of a finished fabric of the invention, with a magnification factor of 1500 times the actual size;

Figure 9 shows an image of an end edge view of a finished fabric according to the invention, with a magnification factor of 100 times the actual size;

Figure 10 shows an image of an end edge view of a finished fabric according to the invention, with a magnification factor of 75 times the actual size;

Figure 11 shows an enlarged view of the section outlined by the square in the image of Fig. 10, with a magnification factor of 150 times the actual size shown in Fig. 10;

Figure 12 shows an enlarged view of the section outlined by the square in the image of Fig. 11, with a magnification factor of 680 times the actual size shown in Fig. 11.

Description of Exemplary Embodiments of the Invention

Reference will now be made in detail to the present exemplary embodiments of the invention, in which one or more examples are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The detailed description uses numerical designations to refer to features in the drawings. The same or similar designations have been used in the drawings and in the description to refer to the same or similar parts of the embodiments of the invention.

Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not as a limitation of the invention. Indeed, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and variations can be made to the present invention. For example, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment may be used in another embodiment to produce a further embodiment. Therefore, the present invention is intended to cover modifications and variations that fall within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

The ranges and limits mentioned herein should be understood to include all sub-ranges lying within the prescribed limits, including the limits themselves, unless otherwise indicated. For example, a range of 100 to 200 also includes all possible sub-ranges, examples of which are 100 to 150, 170 to 190, 153 to 162, 145.3 to 149.6, and 187 to 200. Additionally, a limit of up to 7 also includes a limit of up to 5, up to 3, and up to 4.5, as well as all sub-ranges within the limit, such as approximately 0 to 5, which includes 0 and includes 5 and 5, 2 to 7, which includes 5.2 and includes 7.

Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of a second surface 2 of a skin care fabric for medical, pharmaceutical or cosmetic use comprising at least 80% by weight of microfibers 3 whose fibers have a diameter of less than 50 microns and are a blend of polyamide and polyester, where the fabric has a surface weight of less than 180 g/m2, where the fabric is a warp knitted fabric. Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of a first surface 1 of the embodiment of a skin care fabric shown in Fig. 1. However, in Figs. 1 and 2, the fabric is shown in its raw and untreated state.

The Figs. 3 and 4 show the same fabric as Figs. 1 and 2, except that the fabric shown in Figs. 3 and 4 has further been subjected to a splitting process by alkaline solution treatment, splitting each microfiber 3 shown in Fig. 3 to produce fine fibers or filaments 5 (Fig. 4) that are closely packed in a parallel structure forming interstices that have a capillary effect and the filaments 5 produce an abrasive effect when they come into contact with the user's skin. The first surface 1 shown in Fig. 4 is further made rough and mechanically cut making it spongy and, at the same time, compact with short pile to result in a further enlargement of the surface of the fabric structure while simultaneously reduces the fabric's ability to release loose fibers from the fabric, so that as few fibers as possible adhere to the skin during and immediately after use. The water absorbency of this resulting fabric shown in Fig. 4 is at least four times its surface weight.

The Figs. 5 and 6 show the same fabric as Figs. 3 and 4, except that the fabric shown in Figs. 5 and 6 has been further loaded with medical, pharmaceutical or cosmetic active agents, which cannot be distinguished with the naked eye in Figs. 5 and 6. Preferably, the second surface 2 shown in Fig. 5 has not been made rough and is therefore firm and easy to grasp by the user. Furthermore, according to a preferred embodiment, the fabric shown in Figs. 5 and 6 has been additionally compressed and/or sanforized to become more compact.

By way of example, the microfibers may comprise 40% by weight of polyamide and 60% by weight of polyester, /- 5% in each case.

According to the images shown in all figures of the skin care fabric, the fabric comprises in addition to the microfiber 3, a pure polyamide fiber 4 which may have a weight in the range of approximately 38-55 dtex. Pure polyamide 4 fiber does not change after the splitting process. The pure polyamide 4 fiber can be easily identified in the figures.

A currently preferred fabric according to the invention has been found to have an average pile height on the first sponge surface 1 in a range of about 10% to 60% of the total thickness of the fabric, preferably in a range of about 25-55 %. Additionally, warp knit fabric has a better stitch count in the range of about 16-20 stitches per centimeter.

In some embodiments, the active agents are desirably encapsulated in liposomes. Preferably, the active agents are particles having diameters in the range of between about 20 and 130 nanometers.

The fabric may be loaded with active agents in the range of 5 g to 20 g of the active agents per square meter of fabric, preferably in the range of 9 g to 15 g/m2. Desirably, individual sheet embodiments of the fabric may have an area of between about 100 and 300 cm2, preferably about 190-220 cm2.

The Figs. 7 and 8 show the fibers present in the fabric according to Figs. 1 and 2 (Fig. 7) and Figs. 5 and 6 (Fig. 8), but in an enlarged view. By comparing the state of the fabric at the different stages shown in these figures, it can be seen that the microfibers 3 form a rope before splitting and separate into single filament fibers 5 after splitting. Furthermore, it can be seen that the polyamide 4 fiber remains intact.

The Figs. 9 to 12 show end edge views (revealed by a cross section through a sheet) of the finished fabric according to the invention at different degrees of magnification. In Figs. 9 and 10, the polyamide fiber 4, which holds the fabric together even after mechanical treatment, is close to the second surface 2, while the first surface 1 is fluffy with the filament 5.

As indicated by the rectangle shown in Figs. 10 and 11, each of Figs. 11 and 12 shows a further enlargement of a section taken from their respective Fig. 10 and 11 above. Polyamide 4 fibers can be easily identified and distinguished from 5 filament fibers to 3 split microfibers.

Embodiments of the fabric according to the invention showed good results in water absorption tests and are preferred for all types of uses on the skin, including facial uses, medical uses, pharmaceutical uses and cosmetic uses.

List of reference numbers

1 First surface

2 Second surface

3 Microfiber

4 Polyamide fiber

5 Microfiber filament after splitting

Claims (14)

1. A skin care fabric for medical, pharmaceutical or cosmetic use comprising at least 80% by weight of split microfibers whose fibers have, before being split, a diameter of less than 50 micrometers and are a mixture of polyamide and polyester, where the fabric has been subjected to a division process by an alkaline solution treatment, dividing each microfiber producing fine fibers closely packed in a parallel structure that has a capillary effect and an abrasive effect, where the fabric has a surface weight of less than 180 g/m2 and is loaded with medical, pharmaceutical or cosmetic active agents, wherein the fabric is a warp knitted fabric having first and second surfaces, wherein the first surface is cut and made mechanically rough making it fluffy and at the same time compact short pile to leave the least possible amount of fibers on the skin during use and result in a further increase in surface area of the fabric structure, which has a water absorption of al minus four times the weight of the surface of the fabric. 2. The skin care fabric according to claim 1, wherein the second surface is not rough and therefore has a firm grip. 3. The skin care fabric according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fabric has been sanforized to make it more compact. 4. The skin care fabric according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the microfibers comprise 40% by weight of polyamide and 60% by weight of polyester, /-5% in each case. 5. The skin care fabric according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein in addition to the microfiber, the fabric comprises a pure polyamide fiber with a weight of 38-55 dtex. 6. The skin care fabric according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the average pile height is 10% to 60% of the total thickness of the fabric. 7. The skin care fabric according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the average pile height is 25 to 55% of the total thickness of the fabric. 8. The skin care fabric according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the warp knitted fabric has a stitch count of 16 to 20 stitches per centimeter. 9. The skin care fabric according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the active agents are encapsulated in liposomes. 10. The skin care fabric according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the active agents are particles having diameters between 20 and 130 nanometers. 11. The skin care fabric according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fabric is loaded with 5 g to 20 g of active agents per square meter of fabric. 12. The skin care fabric according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fabric is loaded with 9 g to 15 g of active agents per square meter of fabric. 13. The skin care fabric according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fabric has an area of approximately 100-300 cm2. 14. The skin care fabric according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fabric has an area of approximately 190-220 cm2.