BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a hospital space that is partitioned using biodegradable curtains according to one aspect of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of a biodegradable hospital curtain according to one aspect of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view of the biodegradable hospital curtain taken along the line III-III; FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of the biodegradable hospital curtain of FIG. 3; and
FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of an upper portion of the biodegradable hospital curtain of FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as oriented in FIG. 1. However, it is to be understood that the invention may assume various alternative orientations and step sequences, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings and described in the following specification are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise.
A biodegradable hospital curtain 1 (FIG. 1) may be utilized in a space 2 of a hospital or the like to form a privacy barrier for a patient on a bed 3 or the like in the individual patient's space 4. The biodegradable curtain 1 is configured to be mounted to a commercially available ceiling track system 5 via hangers 6 having rollers (not shown) that movably support the hangers 6 from the ceiling track system 5. It will be understood that the biodegradable hospital curtain 1 may be utilized with other suitable curtain support systems, and the ceiling track system 5 and hangers 6 simply represent a typical existing system utilized in hospitals.
Curtain 1 is made of a biodegradable sheet of material 18 comprising non-woven polylactic acid (“PLA”) fibers that are fused together. Various suppliers provide PLA plastic for solid articles and PLA fiber for fabrics. One example of a commercially available non-woven sheet material is a TERRAMAC material available from Unitika Ltd. of Osaka, Japan. PLA plastic and fibers are available from NatureWorks LLC of Minneapolis, Minn. This company supplies polylactide polymer under the brand name NatureWorks™, and Ingeo™ fibers that are made from polylactide. In general, the PLA material of sheet 18 is naturally fire-resistant, such that additional fire retardant chemicals do not need to be added to the material to meet current building code flammability requirements. It will be understood that sheet 18 may be made of PLA film or fabric woven from PLA fibers. However, a non-woven material is generally more aesthetically appealing than a film, and is also more cost-effective than a woven material. Although woven materials are better able to withstand laundering, PLA material cannot withstand the high temperatures required to launder hospital curtains, and this property of woven materials is therefore not critical to the curtain 1.
With further reference to FIG. 2, curtain 1 is made of a sheet of biodegradable material 18, and defines an upper peripheral edge 7, a lower peripheral edge 8, and side edges 9 and 10 that extend between the upper edge 7 and lower edge 8. In use, the lower edge 8 is typically spaced upwardly somewhat from a floor surface 11 to form a gap 12 that may be several inches or more. Referring again to FIG. 2, the biodegradable hospital curtain 1 may include an upper zone or portion 13 adjacent to the upper peripheral edge 7, a ventilated portion 14 having a plurality of openings 16, and a lower zone or portion that does not include any openings to thereby provide privacy for hospital patients. As described in more detail below, a plurality of PLA grommets 20 are secured to the sheet of material 18 to provide support for curtain 1 when installed on hangers 6. In the illustrated example, the upper zone or portion 13 has a height “A” of about 2-3 inches, the vented zone or portion 14 has a height “B” of about 20 inches, and the lower zone or portion 15 has a height “C” of about 72 inches. Dimension B is 20 inches due to the specifications typically required by hospitals, but this dimension could be different if required for a particular application. Similarly, dimension C may be any size that is suitable for a particular application. The upper and lower edges 21 and 22, respectively, of the ventilated zone or portion 14 are shown as dashed lines in FIG. 2. However, it will be understood that the openings 16 may be positioned such that there is no clear boundary line between the ventilated portion 14 and the upper portion 13 and/or lower portion 15. Also, in the illustrated example all of the openings 16 are positioned below the grommets 20. However, the openings 16 could be positioned around the grommets 20, such that the upper portion 13 having the grommets 20 overlaps the ventilated portion 14.
With further reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the sheet of material 18 may be folded-over to form an edge portion 23 along upper edge 7, and a lower edge portion 24 at lower edge 8. Upper flap 25 and lower flap 26 may be secured by a stitch line 27, or other suitable connecting arrangement. Alternately, the edges of curtain 1 may be “plain”, without folded-over flaps 25 and 26. The edges 7-10 may be formed by laser-cutting a sheet of material. The laser-cutting provides a clean cut, and melts the cut ends of the PLA fibers of sheet 18. The ends of the fibers may melt to adjacent fibers, thereby forming an edge that is resistant to fraying or other such degradation.
With further reference to FIG. 4, grommet 20 is preferably made of a substantially solid polylactic acid material, and the grommets 20 are positioned in openings 29 in the sheet of material 18 formed by a edges 30 of material 18. In the illustrated example, grommets 20 are made of a substantially solid polylactic material that is biodegradable in a manner similar to the sheet of material 18. Grommet 20 may include an annular groove 31 that receives edge 30 of material 18. The edge 30 of material 18 may be bonded to the grommets 20 at groove 31 utilizing adhesive or other suitable bonding arrangement. Alternately, the grommets 20 may be molded onto the sheet of material 18 utilizing an insert molding process or the like. Alternately, the grommets 20 may be heated and subject to pressure to thereby permanently deform the grommets at annular groove 31, thereby pinching or clamping the edge portion 30 of the sheet of material 18 in annular groove 31 to thereby secure the grommet 20 to the sheet 18. In the illustrated example, grommets 20 are ring-shaped, with a substantially circular cross section. Grommets 20 reinforce the sheet 18 at openings 29 to thereby provide for support of curtain 1 when installed on hangers 6.
With further reference to FIG. 5, sheet of material 18 includes a plurality of openings 16 forming the ventilated zone or portion 14. The openings 16 may be made in the sheet of material 18 by cutting the material utilizing a push or die-cutting or other suitable process. Openings 16 may also be cut utilizing a laser. Laser-cutting may melt the ends of adjacent fibers together, thereby producing an edge that is resistant to fraying and the like. In the illustrated example, the openings 16 have an oval shape, and are positioned at regularly spaced intervals. However, openings 16 may have virtually any shape, and may be positioned in virtually any pattern.
The hospital curtain 1 of the present invention provides a cost-effective solution to numerous problems associated with prior hospital curtains. The curtain 1 of the present invention can be disposed of after use, thereby eliminating the need to launder a large number of curtains to ensure sanitary conditions are maintained in a hospital setting. Furthermore, the polylactic acid material does not require the addition of flame retardant chemicals, such that the curtain meets the requirements for hospitals without introducing additional chemicals into the hospital environment. Because the grommets are also made a polylactic acid material, the entire curtain is biodegradable to thereby minimize the environmental impact.
In the foregoing description, it will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the concepts disclosed herein. Such modifications are to be considered as included in the following claims, unless these claims by their language expressly state otherwise.
Patent Application
20080087389
