Bleaching and dyeing; fluid treatment and chemical modification – Chemical modification of textiles or fibers or products thereof – Treating textiles or fibers from synthetic resin or natural...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-14
2001-10-09
Einsmann, Margaret (Department: 1751)
Bleaching and dyeing; fluid treatment and chemical modification
Chemical modification of textiles or fibers or products thereof
Treating textiles or fibers from synthetic resin or natural...
C008S490000, C008S614000, C008S115560, C008S115540
Reexamination Certificate
active
06299651
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to fabrics comprised of individual fibers within which esterified triclosan has been diffused. This process imparts long-lasting durable antimicrobial, germicidal, and fungicidal properties to textiles which has heretofore not been achieved with triclosan alone.
DISCUSSION OF THE PRIOR ART
All U.S. Patents cited within this disclosure are herein entirely incorporated by reference.
There has been a great deal of attention in recent years given to the hazards of antimicrobial contamination from potential everyday exposure. Noteworthy examples of such concern include the fatal consequences of food poisoning due to certain strains of
Eschericia coli
being found within undercooked beef in fast food restaurants; Salmonella contamination causing sicknesses from undercooked and unwashed poultry food products; and illnesses and skin infections attributed to
Staphylococcus aureus
, yeast, and other unicellular organisms. With such an increased consumer interest in this area, manufacturers have begun introducing antimicrobial agents, such as triclosan, available from Ciba-Geigy under the tradename Irgasan®, within various household products. For instance, certain brands of polypropylene cutting boards, liquid soaps, etc., all contain this very effective antimicrobial compound. Generally, the incorporation of triclosan within liquid or polymeric media has been relatively simple. However, there is a long-felt need to provide effective, durable, and long-lasting antimicrobial characteristics within textiles, in particular apparel fabrics, which is extremely difficult to accomplish with triclosan. There are commercially available textile products comprising acrylic and/or acetate fibers co-extruded with triclosan (for example Hoechst Celanese markets such acetate fabrics under the name Microsafe™ and Courtaulds markets such acrylic polymer fabrics under the name Amicor™). However, such an application is limited to those types of fibers; it does not work specifically for and within polyester, polyamide, cotton, lycra, etc., fabrics. Furthermore, this co-extrusion procedure is very expensive, particularly when compared to the inventive process.
Triclosan and its derivatives, as well as the antimicrobial properties possessed by such compounds, have been taught within U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,506,720 and 3,904,696, both to Model et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,929,903, to Noguchi et al., and Swiss Patent 459,656, to Bindler et al. Textile surface treatments incorporating triclosan and triclosan derivatives have also been taught in order to impart temporary antimicrobial characteristics to apparel fabrics. Triclosan and its derivatives, and dispersions thereof, are favorable textile treatment agents most notably because of their low toxicity to skin, as well as their high levels of antimicrobial, germicidal, etc., activity. However, because of its high volatility at elevated temperatures and its high solubility within high pH aqueous media, triclosan tends to easily wash off a fabric substrate after very few laundry applications. Also, as noted above, chlorine bleach readily reacts with triclosan thereby decreasing its antimicrobial capabilities. Textile treatments incorporating triclosan and its derivatives, including some esterified products, are disclosed within U.S. Pat. No. 3,753,914, to Berth et al., and Swiss Patent 450,347, to Bindler. Neither of these patents teach nor fairly suggest a procedure whereby a triclosan ester is specifically diffused within individual fibers of a fabric, thereby providing long-lasting bactericidal, fungicidal, germicidal, etc., effects on the fabric substrate. The Swiss patent discusses impregnating a fabric; however, such a treatment is merely a surface application which fills the interstices between the yarns (as defined within the
Dictionary of Fiber
&
Textile Technology
). This difference between the prior art and the inventive process is particularly distinguishable since diffusion requires very high temperatures in order to fully effectuate the introduction of the triclosan within each individual fiber. Furthermore, the amounts of triclosan and triclosan derivatives applied to the fabrics within the teachings of this reference are much too low for durability within standard washing operations. Thus, there is no teaching or fair suggestion which provides for a long-lasting antimicrobial treatment for textile fabrics. As a result, there still remains a need within the fabric industry to provide an antimicrobial triclosan derivative application to fabrics which is durable, which is difficult to remove through standard washing techniques, which is not susceptible to antimicrobial degradation upon contact and reaction with chlorine bleaches, and which allows the triclosan base compound to retain substantially all of its antimicrobial properties throughout the entire fabric application.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
It is thus an object of the invention to provide an improved, long-lasting antimicrobial finish for textile substrates. A further object of the invention is to provide a relatively inexpensive procedure during the manufacture and/or dyeing of fabrics for incorporating triclosan esters within individual textile fibers to impart durable and long-lasting germicidal, fungicidal, and antimicrobial properties to fabrics. Another object of the invention is to provide a fabric for the apparel industry which retains antimicrobial compounds therein through at least twenty-five laundry cycles (equivalent to one year with washing every other week). Yet another object of this invention is to provide an antimicrobial fabric for use in the food service industry , such as in table linens, napery, and the like, and not necessarily within apparel.
Accordingly, this invention concerns a method of imparting long-lasting antimcrobial properties to a fabric comprising the sequential steps of
(a) providing at least one triclosan ester derivative; and
(b) contacting said tricyclo sanester derivative with a textile at a temperature and for a period of time sufficient to effectuate the diffusion of said triclosan ester derivative within the individual fibers of said textile.
Furthermore, this invention also concerns a further more specific method of imparting long-lasting antimicrobial properties to a fabric comprising the sequential steps of
(a) providing a triclosan ester derivative;
(b) introducing said triclosan ester derivative into a dye bath wherein said dye bath contains at least one textile dyestuff;
(c) introducing a textile into said dye bath;
(d) agitating said dye bath and raising the temperature of said dye bath to a temperature, under standard dye bath pressure, and for a period of time sufficient to effectuate diffusion of said triclosan ester derivative and said dyestuff within the individual fibers of said textile; and
(e) removing the treated textile from said dye bath.
Nowhere within the prior art have such specific methods utilizing a triclosan ester derivative been disclosed or practiced. Preferably, prior to introduction within the dye bath, the triclosan ester is dispersed within an aqueous medium through addition of a surfactant, such as Triton™ X-301, manufactured by Union Carbide. The preferred dye bath is a component of a jet dye machine, such as a Hisaka jet dyeing machine.
Any ester derivative of triclosan is contemplated within this invention. Of particular preference, due to their ease of manufacture and their effectiveness in providing antimicrobial properties to a fabric are triclosan acetate, triclosan propionate, triclosan benzoate, triclosan-4-nitrobenzoate, and triclosan hexanoate. This list is merely one showing the preferred compounds of this invention and is not intended to limit its scope. Any standard dye, dyestuff, or colorant utilized within a textile jet dyeing process is also contemplated. The amount of dye or colorant may need to be adjusted from usual levels to compensate for the added triclosan ester derivative treatment. It is believed that the presence of triclosan ester, acted as a typ
Einsmann Margaret
Milliken & Company
Moyer Terry T.
Parks William S.
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