Patent Grant
9974311
1. Field of the Invention
Materials which are capable of controlling odour arising from certain organic matter. More particularly, materials are configured to control odours by using benign bacterial agents to consume and digest the organic matter which can otherwise lead to bad odours and to a method of manufacturing such odour control materials. The effect of the odour control materials is long lasting.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are many instances where owing to deposits of organic matter on surfaces, offensive odours can arise through the presence of the organic matter and its decomposition. In fact, many materials utilized in household applications are susceptible to soiling by organic based material, which if allowed to remain, can give rise to malodours.
Deposits of organic materials on surfaces may also give rise to other concerns. Many of the organic materials, such as bodily fluids like sweat, blood and saliva, organic waste such as feces and urine, spilt food such as syrup and eggs, and beverages such as milk, wine and soft drinks etc., are capable of supporting bacterial growth. Some of the bacteria that may grow as a result of a deposit of organic material may give rise to odour due to decomposition and incomplete digestion of the organic material. Some of the bacteria may also have the potential of causing disease in persons exposed to them.
In order to control/reduce odours, there have been attempts to reduce the number of bacteria present on surfaces by utilizing various anti-microbial agents. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,110,504 and 5,024,840, which describe applying anti-microbial agents to carpet in a manner similar to the way stain blockers are applied to carpet. However, the use of anti-microbials raises concerns such as the potential that some of the bacteria may become resistant to effects of the anti-microbials, and the release of such anti-microbials into the environment may have a detrimental effect on the environment.
Many bacterial and fungal genera are known for use in odour control due to their capability for producing enzymes that are capable of breaking down organic material. Several such bacterial genera such as Bacillus, Lactobacillus, Enterobacter, Streptococcus, Nitrosomonas, Nitrobacter, Pseudomonas, Alcaligens and Klebsiella amongst others are known for use in such applications, with Bacillus and Lactobacillus sp. being the most prevalent in use in various applications.
For example, European Patent Application No. 732,396 describes use of Bacillus sp. for odour control of feedstuffs used in farming and JP Patent Application No. 7-031,668 describes its use for odour control of toilets, shoe boxes and pet litter. Other uses of Bacillus for odour control baby diapers and wallpaper are described in JP Patent Application Nos. 2-2-121,665 and 3-059,199 respectively. Preparations of sporulated Bacillus in a form suitable for spraying or otherwise distributing on a deposit, especially of pet urine and feces, on a carpet for controlling odour are presently marketed by The Bramton Company of Dallas, Tex. under the trademark OUTRIGHT. Once the deposit is deodorized, the bacteria are depleted from the site or disposed of along with the deodorized material. In the event of a new deposit of organic material on the carpet, the treatment must be repeated.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,974,691 and 7,314,748 disclose methods for controlling odour associated with spills of organic material which involve applying to surfaces, including carpet, plastic and wood, a preparation of dormant bacteria, which when activated are effective to control odours. The dormant bacterial preparation is adhered to the surface, such that when the treated surface is exposed to organic material which can cause odours, the dormant bacteria are capable of becoming active and digest the organic material.
Although, the methods described in the U.S. '691 and '748 patents are effective for surface treating fibrous materials, including carpet, batting used for mattresses, pillows and pads, as well as other relatively porous surfaces encountered in the household or commercial environment, semiporous surfaces such as wood and nonporous surfaces such as plastic, they are not effective in treating non-fibrous materials that are subjected to surface abrasion. Therefore, there remains a need to counteract the effects of deposits of organic material, and especially for controlling odour associated with the deposits, including in non-fibrous materials such as thermoplastics, where the effects of the odour control are preventative and long lasting, even in high wear applications.
Other patent documents of general interest include: Canadian Pat. Document Nos. 2,243,011 and 2,369,469; U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,636,927, 3,720,606, 3,720,606, 3,892,846, 3,941,090, 4,465,019, 4,607,594, 4,680,212, 4,704,989, 4,839,212, 4,844,010, 4,925,707, 4,946,672, 5,154,594, 5,683,575, 5,741,553, 5,863,882, 6,265,191, 6,325,934, 6,967,025, 7,507,402, 7,795,119; U.S. Pat. App. Pub. Nos. 2003/0003138, 2003/0012810, 2003/0089381, 2003/0126688, 2008/0075794 and 2012/0114579; PCT Intl Pat. App. Pub. Nos. 96/19611, 97/25865, 99/46350, 00/03752, 00/63338, 02/33035, 03/056096, 03/064755; Pat. App. Pub. Nos. 0039522, 0076447, 0476915, 0878202, and 1096959; U.K. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2362814; Japanese Pat. Document Nos. 5-153971, 7-222790, and 9-28377; Czechoslovakian Pat. Document No. CS246119; and Soviet Union Pat. Document No. SU1091889.
Other non-patent documents of general interest include:
An object is to provide an improved product capable of controlling odours arising from organic matter, and methods of making the product.
This object and others are provided by a molded (i.e. compression molded, injection molded, blow molded, extrusion molded, etc.) Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) thermoplastic, having benign dormant bacteria embedded generally throughout, buried within, and presented on the surface thereof. The benign dormant bacteria presented on the surface of the molded product are activatable, upon exposure to organic matter, to generate enzymes and digest the organic matter while controlling the production of offensive odours. Abrasive wear of the surface of the molded product exposes fresh benign dormant bacteria buried within the molded product to the surface of the product to provide renewed and additional odour control.
Examples of molded products include automotive products such as car seats, child safety seats, carpet underlay, and headliners; marine products such as life jackets; electronics accessory products such as work station mats and mouse pads; sport and leisure products such as sports mats, gym mats exercise mats, yoga mats, garden mats, personal protective equipment, sport protective pads, toys and games, camping bedrolls, backpacks, hand shopping baskets, luggage, travel bags and visors; footwear such as shoes, clogs, flip flops, slippers, insoles and boots; and toys such as play mats and blocks, etc.
According to an embodiment the molded product is formed into fibers, pellets, sheets, blocks or tiles.
According to another embodiment the sheet, block, or tile form of the molded product is formed into a secondary structure by cutting, abrading, shaping, forming or additional molding.
According to another embodiment the fiber form of the molded product is formed into a secondary structure by braiding, twisting, weaving, knitting, crocheting, knotting, spinning, crimping or felting.
According to yet another embodiment of the present invention the secondary structure is formed into threads, yarns or textiles.
Examples of textiles include floor coverings, bedding, drapery, upholstery, a towel, at least a portion of an article of clothing, and at least a portion of a footwear.
Examples of floor coverings include carpets, carpet tiles, mats and rugs.
Examples of articles of clothing include dresses, coats, socks, pants, shirts, jackets and headwear.
Therefore, in accordance with one embodiment there is provided a product capable of controlling odours arising from organic matter, said product comprising:
an admixture of a moldable thermoplastic and benign dormant bacteria in a sporulated form, formed by admixing said benign dormant bacteria into said moldable thermoplastic when said moldable thermoplastic is melted, said admixture being molded into a molded product;
said benign dormant bacteria being embedded throughout said molded product, including being buried within a body of said molded product, including being presented on a surface of said molded product, said benign dormant bacteria presented on said surface being activatable upon exposure of said surface to said organic matter;
wherein said benign activated bacteria digest said organic matter to control production of offensive odours, and abrasive wear of said surface of said molded product exposes fresh benign dormant bacteria buried within said body to said surface for additional odour control.
In accordance with another aspect there is provided a secondary structure formed by cutting, abrading, shaping, forming, or additional molding, a sheet, block or tile form of the above product.
In accordance with another aspect there is provided a secondary structure formed by braiding, twisting, weaving, knitting, crocheting, knotting, spinning, crimping or felting a fiber form of the above product.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of making a product capable of controlling odours arising from organic matter, comprising the steps of:
wherein said benign activated bacteria digest said organic matter to control production of offensive odours and abrasive wear of said surface of said molded product exposes fresh benign dormant bacteria buried within said body to said surface for additional odour control.
In accordance with yet another aspect there is provided a product capable of controlling odours arising from organic matter, said product being formed by the above method.
In accordance with yet another aspect there is provided a use of benign dormant bacteria in a sporulated form in the preparation of a product capable of controlling odours arising from organic matter, said product comprising an admixture of a moldable thermoplastic and benign dormant bacteria in a sporulated form, formed by admixing said bacteria and said moldable thermoplastic when said moldable thermoplastic is melted, said admixture being molded into a molded product, said benign dormant being embedded throughout said molded product, including being buried within a body of said molded product and being presented on a surface of said molded product, said benign dormant bacteria presented on said surface being activatable upon exposure of said surface to said organic matter, wherein said benign activated bacteria digest said organic matter to control production of offensive odours and abrasive wear of said surface exposes fresh benign dormant bacteria buried within said body to said surface for additional odour control.
The present invention is described in more detail with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof as shown in the appended drawings. While the present invention is described below including preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited thereto. Those of ordinary skill in the art having access to the teachings herein will recognize additional implementations, modifications, and embodiments which are within the scope of the present invention as disclosed and claimed herein.
A product capable of controlling odours arising from organic matter is shown generally with reference numeral 10 in
Preferably, the product 10 contains a surface population of the dormant bacteria 12 large enough to digest the organic matter at a rate sufficient to control by reducing or eliminating odours associated with the organic matter. In this regard, good results have been obtained with between 106 and 108 of the benign dormant bacteria 12, estimated by calculating colony forming units (cfu), being present on the surface of the product 10, per square inch. Preferably, the surface population of the benign dormant bacteria 12 will be at least 107 cfu per square inch.
Beneficially, abrasive wear of the surface 14 of the product 10 exposes fresh benign dormant bacteria buried in the body to the surface 14 for additional odour control. Accordingly, the product 10 contains a buried population of the benign dormant bacteria 12 large enough to continue to digest the organic matter at a rate sufficient to control odours associated with the organic matter as the surface wears. In this regard, good results have been obtained with between 1012 and 1016 of the benign dormant bacteria 12 being present per cubic inch of the product 10.
The present invention comprehends adding an effective amount of benign dormant bacteria to reduce and thus control odours. While certain ranges are identified it will be understood that different applications may have different insult levels typically, which can vary. For example, a shoe insole may have a heavy daily load of sweat, whereas another application may not receive such continual insults. In all cases it is preferable to provide the beneficial bacteria are present on a surface initially when insults occur, and to remain present during and after wear due to being incorporated into the material. As such the specific amounts of bacteria present are intended to be shown as examples and not as limitations per
The product 10 is preferably made by first melt-blending at a bacteria compatible temperature range a mixture comprising a moldable thermoplastic, then continuing to blend the moldable thermoplastic mixture in a double-roller blending or kneading machine, and adding a mixture of benign dormant bacteria in a sporulated form. Preferably, one or more of a foaming agent (i.e. 3 to 10% w/w), a cross-linking agent (i.e. 1 to 5% w/w), a lubricant (i.e. 0.5% to 2% w/w), and a filler, can be included in the moldable thermoplastic mixture depending on the application, as will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art. The ingredients may be melt-blended together all at once, or in separate stages. In generally, it has been found that up to 1% w/w of an aqueous mixture of benign dormant bacteria can be added to a moldable thermoplastic mixture comprising EVA. However, it is contemplated that lower or higher % w/w of aqueous mixture of benign dormant bacteria may be used, depending on the moldable thermoplastic being used, for example in the range of 0.01% to 5%
The bacteria compatible temperature range is governed mostly by the melting temperature of the moldable thermoplastic being used, and temperatures of up to 175° C. have yielded acceptable results. It is helpful that the bacteria compatible temperature range be sufficient to melt the moldable thermoplastic so that the mixture of benign dormant bacteria and other ingredients will homogeneously blend or knead, and an effective amount of the benign dormant bacteria will be present to control odours. It will be understood that the bacteria compatible temperature range does not exceed a temperature at which the sporulated bacteria are destroyed. While certain bacteria compatible temperature ranges are identified it will be understood that different applications will require different temperatures. As such the temperatures described herein are intended to be shown as examples only and not as limitations.
The melt-blended product is then transferred from the blending/kneading machine and formed by molding into the molded with the benign dormant bacteria 12 being embedded generally throughout the product 10, including being buried within the body of the product 10 and being presented on a surface 14 of the product 10. The benign dormant bacteria 12 presented on the surface 14 of the product 10 are activatable upon exposure of the surface 14 of the product 10 to the organic matter, upon activation, the benign activated bacteria digest the organic matter to control production of offensive odours. As mentioned above, abrasive wear of the surface 14 of the product 10 preferably exposes fresh benign bacteria 12 buried in the body to the surface 14 for additional odour control.
The moldable thermoplastic may be an open-cell foam, or a close-cell foam, which can be compression molded, injection molded, blow molded, or extrusion molded, according to techniques well known in the art. Although preferred thermoplastics are EVA, those persons skilled in the art will appreciate that other moldable thermoplastic materials may be used in place of EVA, such as for example a polyethylene, a polypropylene, a polyvinyl chloride, a polyamide, an elastane or a polystyrene. All such moldable thermoplastics may be used herein.
It is important that the moldable thermoplastic mixture, when combined with the mixture of benign dormant bacteria, can be molded into the specific shape desired for the product 10, and a sufficient amount of the benign dormant bacteria 14 survive the processing and molding steps to form the product 10. The product 10 may be formed into numerous shapes and sizes for countless applications.
For example, the product 10 may be formed into a fiber by extruding the moldable thermoplastic mixture impregnated with the mixture of benign dormant bacteria into fibers or filaments. The present invention also contemplates forming a secondary structure by braiding, twisting, weaving, knitting, crocheting, knotting, spinning, crimping, or felting, the fiber form of product 10, using techniques which are well known in the art.
Alternately, the product 10 may be formed into a sheet, a block, or a tile, by compression molding, injection molding, blow molding, or extrusion molding, using techniques well known in the art.
For example, compression molding can be used to make insoles for shoes, as follows. After forming the melt-blended product containing the moldable thermoplastic mixture and the mixture of benign dormant bacteria, it is kneaded at room temperature (i.e. about 20 to 25° C.) for about 10 minutes, and then rolled into sheets. The sheets are cut, compressed into large sheets at 170° C. to 175° C., and a pressure of about 150 kg/cm2 for 10 to 20 minutesduring which process cross-linking takes place and the product is foamed. It is then pressed into an insole mold at approximately 160° C. for 15 minutes.
As another example, injection molding can be used to make one piece shoes, as follows. After forming the melt-blended product containing the moldable thermoplastic mixture and the mixture of benign dormant bacteria, it is brought to a temperature of 70° C. and injected into a mold. The mold is then hot pressed in an oven at 160° C. for 7 minutes.
Forming a secondary structure by cutting, abrading, shaping, forming, or additional molding, the sheet, block, or tile, using well known techniques, is also contemplated.
As can now be appreciated, the moldable thermoplastic mixture impregnated with the benign dormant bacteria, can be made in large batches, and formed into bricks that are then cut into sheets, or it can be extruded into sheets, in either case, the sheets can then be put into molds and cold or hot formed into shapes, such as, for example, insoles or sandal beds. Alternately, the moldable thermoplastic mixture impregnated with the benign dormant bacteria can be extruded, placed onto molds, or injected into molds, for shaping.
The following is a non-exhaustive list of the numerous applications contemplated for the product 10 according to various embodiments of the present invention:
Many bacterial genera are known to produce enzymes that are capable of breaking down organic matter. Such bacteria are particularly useful where the organic matter, if allowed to remain, will give rise to malodours. Several such bacterial genera such as Bacillus, Lactobacillus, Enterobacter, Streptococcus, Nitrosomonas, Nitrobacter, Pseudomonas, Alcaligens, and Klebsiella amongst others are known for use in such applications, with Bacillus and Lactobacillus sp. being the most prevalent in use in various applications. Strains of bacteria from the genera Bacillus are useful in practicing the present invention. The preferred benign dormant bacteria 12 are those which when activated by the presence of organic matter, produce an enzyme to break down and assist with digesting the organic matter, creating only water and carbon dioxide as by-products. Once the organic matter has been digested the preferred benign dormant bacteria 12 return to a dormant state until organic matter is presented again and the cycle repeats.
Preferably, the mixture of benign dormant bacteria for use in the present invention includes one or more strains of Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus subtilus, Bacillus Licheniformis, Bacillus Cerus, Bacillus, Alvei, Bacillus Coagulans, Bacillus Pumillus, Bacillus Simplex, Bacillus Brevis, and Bacillus Amyloliquefaciens, which are available for example from Envera, LLC, whose address is 220 Garfield Ave., West Chester, Pa., 19380, U.S.A. More preferably, the strains of bacteria for use in the present invention are selected from Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus subtilus, and Bacillus Licheniformis species. Each of these species a) effectively express enzymes that break down particular types of organic matter, without producing odorous metabolites, b) are ubiquitous in nature, c) are non-hazardous to humans, and d) are included in the Domestic Substances List (DSL) in Canada, and are therefore eligible to be imported and used within Canada.
The selection of the strains of bacteria for use in the present may depend upon many factors. One such factor is the nature of the organic matter most commonly expected for the particular application. However, the most common forms of organic matter include bodily fluids, or organic waste. In most cases, to activate the benign dormant bacteria, the organic matter will need to contain carbon, nitrogen, and sufficient moisture content. Typically the bodily fluids include sweat, blood, saliva, and semen. Typical organic wastes include feces, urine, soil, beverages, such as, tea, milk, wine, and soft drinks, other food, such as, syrup, and eggs, and like.
In an indoor environment, the nature of the deposits of organic matter may differ from those of an outdoor environment. Therefore, due consideration may need to be given to the environment where the product 10 will most likely be used. Depending upon the nature of the deposited organic matter, the mixture of benign dormant bacteria 12 may be selected to contain strains having enhanced activity against such materials. Another factor that may affect the nature of the deposit is the geographical location of the surface of the product. This factor would especially relate to the nature of deposits of out-doors soil and to the nature of food deposits. Different regions are known to have different soil types and different regions may also have differences in the foods commonly consumed due to cultural and environmental factors. In addition, the temperature of the product will influence the activity of the bacteria. Depending on the strain selected the bacteria will tend to exhibit enhanced activity at higher temperatures. At lower ambient temperatures, more active strains may be desired.
The mixture of benign dormant bacteria will typically comprise of one or more strains selected from the species described above, and a carrier. When utilizing a mixture of more than one strain, each of the individual strains may comprise between 3% and 97% of the total of the benign dormant bacteria present in the mixture. These percentages are based on the total cell number. When mixtures of more than two strains are employed, each of the strains is most preferably present in an amount of from 10% to 60% of the total bacteria in the preparation. Particularly preferred mixtures of benign dormant bacteria for general use in almost all applications are as follows:
Bacillus megaterium
Bacillus subtilus
Bacillus licheniformis
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention an effective amount of a bacterial composition comprising one or more strains selected from the group consisting of Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus subtilus, Bacillus Licheniformis, Bacillus Cerus, Bacillus, Alvei, Bacillus Coagulans, Bacillus Pumillus, Bacillus Simplex, Bacillus Brevis, and Bacillus Amyloliquefaciens are provided in a state in which the composition may be combined with a moldable thermoplastic material. The effective amount is a sufficient number of benign dormant bacteria 12 to provide a relatively uniform coverage on the surface 14 of the product 10 such that when any portion of the surface 14 is exposed to a deposit of an odour causing organic matter, the activated benign bacteria will undergo rapid growth and consume the odour causing organic matter. The factors that can affect the number of benign dormant bacteria 12 to be used relate in most part to the nature of the product 10. As mentioned above, however, for most products between about 106 and 108 benign dormant bacteria per square inch of the surface 14 of the product is most effective with about 107 cfu per square inch being most preferred.
The bacteria may be provided in an aqueous carrier or a dry powder carrier. The purpose of the carrier is to transport the benign dormant bacteria 12 to, and facilitate with dispersing the benign dormant bacteria 12 throughout, the melt-blended mixture of moldable thermoplastic during the kneading step. In this regard, the aqueous carrier is preferred over the dry powder carrier, because the dry powder carrier has been found to be susceptible to dispersing into the air when being applied to the kneading moldable thermoplastic mixture. This phenomenon is problematic because when portions of the benign dormant bacteria mixture are dispersed into the air, concentrations of some components of the melt-blended product will vary, which may adversely affect characteristics of the resulting product 10.
Distilled water can be used as the aqueous carrier if the benign dormant bacteria mixture will be combined with the moldable thermoplastic mixture immediately. According to this embodiment, the benign dormant bacteria 12 are in a spray dried, dry powder form, and simply rehydrated in the water to form the benign dormant bacteria mixture on site, just before the benign dormant bacteria mixture is combined with the moldable thermoplastic mixture, as discussed above. Preferably, the aqueous benign dormant bacteria mixture contains between 0.0001% and 2% w/w of the benign dormant bacteria, with the remainder being distilled water. What is desired is for the aqueous benign dormant bacteria mixture to contain a sufficient amount of benign dormant bacteria to result in at least 106 benign dormant bacteria being present at the surface of the product 10 per square inch, as mentioned above, without introducing too much water to the moldable thermoplastic mixture so as not to significantly alter the characteristics or quality of the resulting product.
However, if the benign dormant bacteria mixture will not be used immediately, the aqueous form of the benign dormant bacteria mixture will preferably also include:
It is contemplated that the benign dormant bacteria mixture may be provided in either a concentrated form, which will need to be diluted prior to being used, or in a ready to use form, which may be directly applied to the moldable thermoplastic mixture at the appropriate stage in the manufacturing process.
The preferred dry powder carrier is calcium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate in a fine powder form. It has been found that the dry powder form of the benign dormant bacteria mixture does not require a preservative, since the lack of moisture both inhibits germination of the benign dormant bacteria, and inhibits growth of outside bacteria. Thus, the preferred dry powder form of the benign dormant bacteria mixture includes:
A test specimen of product 10 was prepared according to an embodiment of the present invention, as follows.
The presence of activatable benign dormant bacteria on the surface of the test specimens of the product 10 was tested as follows:
The surface population of the benign dormant bacteria in the test specimens of the product 10 was estimated as follows:
The results ranged between 1.11×109 and 1.55×109 potential colony forming units of growth per one square inch of test specimen. This test confirmed that the desired number of benign dormant bacteria was exposed on the surfaces of the test specimens of the product 10.
When the surfaces of the test specimens were roughed up by scraping with a piece of plastic, the results ranged between 0.92×109 and 1.33×109 potential colony forming units of growth per one square inch of test specimens. This test confirmed that abrasive wear of the surface of the product 10 exposed sufficient fresh benign dormant bacteria buried in the body to the surface for additional odour control.
The present invention is further described by means of the examples, presented below. The use of such examples is illustrative only and in no way limits the scope and meaning of the invention or of any exemplified term, nor to any particular preferred embodiments described herein. Indeed, many modifications and variations of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading this specification. The invention is therefore to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims.
The following example describes a method for making a pressed footbed for a sandal, as shown in
megaterium, Bacillus subtilus,
Preparing/Mixing EVA Mixture
The following example describes a method for making an EVA footbed for a sandal, as shown in
megaterium, Bacillus
subtilus, and Licheniformis in
Preparing/Mixing EVA Mixture
The following example describes an alternate method for making an EVA footbed for a sandal, as shown in
megaterium, Bacillus subtilus,
Preparing/Mixing EVA Mixture
The following example describes a method for making an EVA insole for a shoe, as shown in
Bacillus subtilus, and Licheniformis in a ratio of
Preparing/Mixing EVA Mixture
While reference has been made to various preferred embodiments of the invention other variations, implementations, modifications, alterations and embodiments are comprehended by the broad scope of the appended claims. Some of these have been discussed in detail in this specification and others will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Those of ordinary skill in the art having access to the teachings herein will recognize these additional variations, implementations, modifications, alterations and embodiments, all of which are within the scope of the present invention, which invention is limited only by the appended claims.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20150086519 A1 | Mar 2015 | US |
