Claims
- 1. A washable pad, at least comprising an assembly of a moisture-absorption element which is positioned between a moisture-permeable top-layer material and a moisture-impermeable bottom-layer material, each with a thickness and an area which are such that the materials have substantially the same surface area and, in the position of use, the top surface of the moisture-absorption element bears against the bottom surface of the moisture-permeable top-layer material and the bottom surface of the absorption element bears against the top surface of the moisture-impermeable bottom-layer material, and in which the moisture-permeable top-layer material, the moisture-absorption element and the moisture-impermeable bottom-layer material are joined together to form a single unit, wherein the moisture-impermeable bottom-layer material is intrinsically moisture-impermeable and bonding is present between the moisture-permeable top-layer material and the moisture-impermeable bottom-layer material via perforations, which are present in the moisture-absorption element, in the form of bonding points, wherein the moisture-absorption element and the moisture-permeable top-layer material are at least locally bonded together.
- 2. A washable pad according to claim 1, wherein the moisture-absorption element and the moisture-permeable top-layer material are bonded together using a spot coating layer of bonding material which is a thermoplastic material or a material which crosslinks under the influence of heat and/or pressure.
- 3. A washable pad according to claim 1, wherein the moisture-absorbing element comprises a combination of moisture-absorbent fibres and a moisture-dispersing layer on one or both sides.
- 4. A washable pad according to claim 1, wherein there is a border finish present, to which end the moisture-absorption element is smaller than the moisture-permeable top-layer material and the moisture-impermeable bottom-layer material, and in that the moisture-permeable top-layer material and the moisture-impermeable bottom-layer material are bonded to one another at the periphery of the washable pad.
- 5. A washable pad according to claim 4, wherein thermoplastic material is applied to the top and/or bottom surface of the moisture-permeable top-layer material, or the top surface of the moisture-impermeable bottom-layer material, at the location of the borders and/or the perforations, in order to promote the bonding between the moisture-permeable top-layer material and the moisture-impermeable bottom-layer material.
- 6. A washable pad according to claim 1, wherein there is a border finish in which the moisture-impermeable bottom-layer material is turned over onto the top surface of the moisture-permeable top-layer material and is bonded thereto.
- 7. A washable pad according to claim 1, wherein the moisture-impermeable bottom-layer material, on the top surface which faces towards the moisture-absorption element, is coated, over at least part of this surface, with a layer of bonding material which bonds the moisture-absorption element and the moisture-impermeable bottom-layer material together.
- 8. A washable pad according to claim 7, wherein in the border regions thereof, there is also moisture-impermeable bottom-layer material which bears against and bonds to the moisture-permeable top-layer material.
- 9. A method for forming a washable pad in which a moisture-permeable top-layer material is placed at least against a top surface of a moisture-absorption element, and a moisture-impermeable bottom-layer material is placed against a bottom surface thereof, and the moisture-permeable top-layer material), the moisture-absorption element and the moisture-impermeable bottom-layer material are joined together to form a single unit, wherein the starting material for the moisture-impermeable bottom-layer material is intrinsically moisture-impermeable and a moisture-absorption element is provided with perforations distributed over its surface, which perforations extend through the entire thickness of this element, and in at least some of the perforations the moisture-permeable top-layer material and the moisture-impermeable bottom-layer material are brought into contact with one another and bonded to one another by supplying heat and/or exerting pressure, so that bonding points are formed, wherein an assembly is formed from a moisture-absorption element and a moisture-permeable top-layer material which bears against its top surface, and then a moisture-impermeable bottom-layer material is placed against the bottom surface of the moisture-absorption element, and in that this moisture-impermeable bottom-layer material is joined to the assembly, by supplying heat and/or exerting pressure.
- 10. A method according to claim 9, wherein a layer of bonding material is provided over at least part of the surface of the moisture-impermeable bottom-layer material, on its side facing towards the moisture-absorption element.
- 11. A method according to claim 9, wherein the moisture-absorption element is made smaller than the moisture-permeable top-layer material and the moisture-impermeable bottom-layer material, and in that also the borders of the moisture-permeable top-layer material and moisture-impermeable bottom-layer material are bonded to one another.
- 12. A method according to claim 9, wherein thermoplastic material is applied to the top and/or bottom surface of the moisture-permeable top-layer material, or the top surface of the moisture-impermeable bottom-layer material, at the location of the borders and/or the perforations, prior to bonding of the moisture-permeable top-layer material and the moisture-impermeable bottom-layer material.
- 13. A method according to claim 9, wherein a border finish is formed, in which the surface area of the moisture-impermeable bottom-layer material is made larger than the surface area of the moisture-absorption element and the moisture-permeable top-layer material, and in the border regions the moisture-impermeable bottom-layer material is turned over onto the moisture-permeable top-layer material and is joined thereto.
- 14. A method according to claim 9, wherein the moisture-absorption element and the moisture-permeable top-layer material are joined to form an assembly with the aid of a method selected from:
a) stitching; b) stepping/quilting; c) needling; d) joining by means of high-frequency or ultrasonic welding; e) joining using a spot coating layer of bonding material which is present on that side of the moisture-permeable top-layer material which faces towards the moisture-absorption element, by supplying heat and/or exerting pressure; and f) joining using a spot coating layer of bonding material on that side of the moisture-absorption element which faces towards the moisture-permeable top-layer material by supplying heat and/or exerting pressure.
- 15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the formation of the assembly is brought about and the moisture impermeable bottom-layer material is bonded to this assembly at the same time.
- 16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the assembly is formed by using a spot coating layer of bonding material which is present on that side of the moisture-permeable top-layer material which faces towards the moisture-absorption element or by using a spot coating layer of bonding material on that side of the moisture-absorption element which faces towards the moisture-permeable top-layer material and by supplying heat and/or applying pressure.
- 17. A method according to claim 14, wherein in the border regions of the pad which is to be formed, moisture-impermeable bottom-layer material is also placed against the outer surface of the moisture-permeable top-layer material and is joined thereto by supplying heat and/or applying pressure, so as to form a liquid-tight border finish.
- 18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the moisture-impermeable bottom-layer material has a larger surface area than the assembly of the moisture-permeable top-layer material and moisture-absorption element and projects at least partly outside this assembly; and in that the projecting parts are folded over to lay against the moisture-permeable top-layer material, to which they are joined.
- 19. A method according to claim 17, wherein separate strips of moisture-impermeable bottom-layer material, by being folded over, are made to bear against the top side of the moisture-permeable top-layer material and the bottom side of the moisture-impermeable bottom-layer material, and are joined to the moisture-permeable top-layer material and the bottom-layer material.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
1012368 |
Jun 1999 |
NL |
|
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This is a continuation application of PCT/NL00/00370 filed May 30, 2000, which PCT application claims priority of Dutch patent application number 1012368 filed Jun. 16, 1999, the contents of both of which are herein incorporated by reference.
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
PCT/NL00/00370 |
May 2000 |
US |
Child |
10022459 |
Dec 2001 |
US |