초록 ▼

The present invention concerns a disposable article for absorbing a liquid, wherein the article has a substantially non-liquid permeable layer forming an outer packaging surface of the article, and an absorptive material, wherein the outer packaging surface surrounds at least one side of the absorpt

The present invention concerns a disposable article for absorbing a liquid, wherein the article has a substantially non-liquid permeable layer forming an outer packaging surface of the article, and an absorptive material, wherein the outer packaging surface surrounds at least one side of the absorptive material, and wherein said outer packaging surface further includes an opening, through which liquid can pass into the absorptive material. The invention also relates to a method of producing an article and the use of said article in for example the plumbing business, as a drip absorbent, as a residual liquid absorbent, and as a condensate absorbent.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A disposable article for absorbing a liquid, wherein the article consists of (a) an outer packaging surface formed from two layers of liquid impermeable material connected to each other, and optionally fabricated from one uninterrupted piece of material that is folded to form the two layers, said

1. A disposable article for absorbing a liquid, wherein the article consists of (a) an outer packaging surface formed from two layers of liquid impermeable material connected to each other, and optionally fabricated from one uninterrupted piece of material that is folded to form the two layers, said layers defining one compartment between said two layers, said outer packaging surface including (1) an opening or (2) a demarcated lid area, and(b) an absorptive material capable of expanding as a result of absorption of liquid positioned in said compartment, wherein the outer packaging surface surrounds more than one side of the absorptive material, wherein liquid can pass through said opening (i) into the absorptive material, wherein said demarcated lid area (ii) is so formed as to be readily openable prior to use of the article, so as to provide an opening through which liquid can pass into the absorptive material, and(c) optionally, if said opening (i) is present in said outer packaging surface, a liquid impermeable lid which covers or can cover said opening, and thereby protects said absorptive material from liquid, prior to use, and which lid is openable, so liquid can enter such opening, when the device is to be used to absorb liquid,wherein said outer packaging surface is formed as to provide, at least when said absorptive material is unexpanded, a volume space located between said absorptive material and said outer packaging surface such that liquid, which enters the opening (i) or opened demarcated lid area (ii), may be collected in said volume space, and absorbed over time by said absorptive material, without leaking from the article,said article being capable of changing its physical shape as a result of expansion of the absorptive material such that the article increases in at least one physical dimension. 2. The article according to claim 1, wherein the liquid is non water based. 3. The article according to claim 2, wherein the liquid is selected from oil, emulsions, or chemicals. 4. The article according to claim 1, wherein the absorptive material comprises moler and/or carbon black. 5. The article according to claim 1, wherein the liquid is water based. 6. The article according to claim 1, wherein the outer packaging surface is fabricated from one uninterrupted piece of material that is folded to form said two layers. 7. The article according to claim 1, wherein the absorption rate of the absorptive material (2) is between 0.04 g/second/cm2 to 0.30 g/second/cm2 for water. 8. The article according to claim 1, wherein the absorption rate of the absorptive material is between 0.12 g/second/cm2 to 0.15 g/second/cm2 for water. 9. The article according to claim 1, wherein the absorption speed of the absorptive material for 0.05- 0.1 ml of water is less than 30 seconds. 10. The article according to claim 1, wherein the absorptive material of the article has an absorption capacity for water of at least 2.0 g/cm2. 11. The article according to claim 1, wherein the absorptive material of the article has an absorption capacity for water of at least 10 g. of water/g. of material. 12. The article according to claim 1, wherein the absorptive material of the article has an expansion factor of at least 4 when absorbing a liquid. 13. The article according to claim 12, wherein the absorptive material of the article is expanding substantially in height, and substantially not in length and/or width. 14. The article according to claim 1, wherein the absorptive material of the article is made from at least one non woven material. 15. The article according to claim 1, wherein the absorptive material of the article comprises polymethacrylicamide, polyacrylicacid, polymethacrylicacid, polyacrylicamide, polyvinylpyrrolidone or derivatives thereof. 16. The article according to claim 1, wherein the absorptive material of the article comprises carboxymethylcellulose or hydroxyethylcellulose or alginate starches or derivatives thereof. 17. The article according to claim 1, wherein the absorptive material of the article comprises hydrophilic polyurethane foam. 18. The article according to claim 1, wherein the absorptive material of the article comprises polyacrylicacid or salts thereof. 19. The article according to claim 1, wherein at least one side of the outer packaging surface is connected to at least one other side of the outer packaging surface through welding. 20. The article according to claim 1, wherein at least one side of the outer packaging surface is connected to at least one other side of the outer packaging surface through glue tape. 21. The article according to claim 1, wherein the absorptive material is attached to at least one side of the outer packaging surface. 22. The article according to claim 1, wherein the absorbent material is free from attachment to at least one side of the outer packaging surface. 23. A method for absorbing a liquid which comprises (1) providing the article of claim 1,(2) opening the lid area or removing the lid so as to create or expose an opening in said article, and(3) permitting the liquid to come in contact, through said opening, with the absorptive material. 24. The method of claim 23 in which the liquid is a drip, residual liquid, condensate, leak, splash or spill. 25. The method of claim 23 in which the liquid is from a pipe. 26. A method for producing an article as defined in claim 1 comprising establishing a liquid impermeable outer layer material,cutting or punching preferred sizes of an absorptive material,packing the cut or punched absorptive material in the liquid impermeable outer layer material so that said liquid impermeable outer layer material surrounds more than one side of said absorptive material, and so that a volume space is formed between the outer packaging surface and at least two sides of the absorbent material andproviding the liquid impermeable outer layer material with a demarcated lid area or with an opening, and in the latter case, providing a liquid impermeable lid,wherein said lid area or opening may be formed before, during or after said packing. 27. The article of claim 1, wherein the article has a top surface, the opening or demarcated lid area being disposed in the top surface, the horizontal cross-sectional area of the absorptive material is substantially less than the horizontal cross-sectional area of the top surface, thereby creating a substantial volume space disposed between the outer packaging surface and a side of the absorptive material other than the side beneath' the top surface of the article. 28. The article of claim 1, wherein the volume space has a thickness of at least 2 cm between the absorbing material and the outer packaging surface. 29. The article of claim 1, wherein the volume space is at least about 12.6% of the volume of the absorbing material prior to absorption of fluid. 30. The article of claim 1, wherein said volume space is at least 40% of the volume of fluid which said absorptive material can absorb within the first minute of contact with the fluid. 31. The article of claim 1, wherein said absorptive material has a maximal absorptive capacity and said volume space is at least 15% of the maximal absorptive capacity of said absorptive material. 32. The article of claim 1, wherein said absorptive material has a maximal absorptive capacity and said volume space is at least 60% of the maximal absorptive capacity of said absorptive material. 33. The article of claim 1, wherein the article has a top surface, the opening or demarcated lid area being disposed in the top surface, and a bottom surface, wherein as a result of expansion of the absorptive material, the article is capable of increasing in height without increasing in width or breadth. 34. The article of claim 33, wherein as a result of expansion of the absorptive material, the article is capable of increasing in height while decreasing in width and/or breadth. 35. The article of claim 1, said article having at least folding side joining said top surface to said bottom surface, said folding sides being in a bent configuration prior to absorption of liquid by the article, and as a result of absorption of liquid, the top and/or bottom sides are moved, increasing the height of the article, and the folding sides thereupon adopt a less bent configuration, decreasing the width or breadth of the article. 36. The article of claim 1, the volume space being so dimensioned so as to accommodate a substantial expansion of said absorptive material into said volume space. 37. The article of claim 1, said outer packaging surface being flexible.