ARTICLES AND METHODS USING SHAPE-MEMORY POLYMERS

• Main Authors: ANGADJIVAND, SEYED A, LEWANDOWSKI, KEVIN M, MARTIN, PHILIP G, JONES, MARVIN E, RULE, JOSEPH, D, SEBASTIAN, JOHN M
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French
• Published: 21.07.2011
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; BRAIDING; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS, ORSURGICAL ARTICLES; COTTON-WOOL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION, OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS,NON-WOVEN FABRICS; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; KNITTING; LACE-MAKING; MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARYMATERIAL; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS, OR SURGICALARTICLES; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS INGENERAL; NON-WOVEN FABRICS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; TEXTILES; TRANSPORTING; TRIMMINGS; WADDING; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

Articles comprise: a nonwoven fiber web and one or more strips bonded to the nonwoven fiber web. The strips comprise a shape-memory polymer that has a strained temporary shape and an intrinsic shape. If heated at or above a transition temperature, the strip at least partially converts from the strained temporary shape to the intrinsic shape, thereby causing at least one of folding, cupping, or puckering of the nonwoven fiber web. Methods of heating the articles to provide folded, cupped, and/or puckered articles are also disclosed. L'invention porte sur des articles comprenant : une toile de fibres non tissées et une ou plusieurs bandes collées à la toile de fibres non tissées. Les bandes comprennent un polymère à mémoire de forme qui a une forme temporaire contrainte et une forme intrinsèque. Si elle est chauffée à une température de transition ou au-dessus d'une température de transition, la bande est convertie au moins en partie de la forme temporaire contrainte à la forme intrinsèque, ce qui provoque de cette manière au moins un événement parmi le pliage, le bombement ou le plissage de la toile de fibres non tissées. L'invention porte également sur des procédés de chauffage des articles pour fournir des articles pliés, bombés et/ou plissés.