JP7228275B2 - skin care fabric - Google Patents

Description

The present invention is a medical, pharmaceutical or cosmetic skin care fabric , the fibers having a diameter of less than 50 microns and comprising at least 80% by weight of microfibers which are a mixture of polyamide and polyester, wherein It is subjected to a splitting step by treatment to split each microfiber to create closely packed microfibers with a parallel structure having capillary and abrasive effects, and is therefore useful for medical, pharmaceutical or cosmetic active agents. It relates to a skin care fabric filled with a drug).

Skin care fabrics are known for a variety of uses, especially for the face. They usually come in sheet sizes that are practical to hold in one hand, and are often folded into a box so that the user can extract one individual sheet. They are generally made of cellulose and are therefore very inexpensive. Unfortunately, these fabrics tend to tear easily when used in damp conditions, making them unsuitable for damp environments.

The fabric described in U.S. Patent No. 5,200,000 is a disposable, wet-use skin care tissue consisting of active agent-filled microfibers with an abrasive effect, and the application is for all purposes to this effect. incorporated herein by reference. The textile surface has been subjected to a dividing process. The tissue has a grid structure and intermediate spaces or interstices in the grid. The effect of this grid was to create space for the split microfiber filaments to be loaded with active agent.

In use, the fabric is typically wetted with water to transport the active agent in the fabric and deliver the active agent to the skin. Depending on the active agent, they can then cleanse, disinfect, apply creams or moisturizers to the skin, or provide medicaments for medical treatment of the skin area.

US Patent Application Publication No. 2010-0322989

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a skin care fabric as mentioned at the outset with improved water absorption. Water absorption has been found to be an important criterion for the usefulness of such fabrics. For example, when washing the face, it is important that the fabric is sufficiently wet, but not dripping. Also, in medical applications, it is important that droplets and break-ups do not contaminate the surroundings. On the other hand, the fabric itself should not be too heavy, it should give a good grip and the surface should feel soft. In addition, it is undesirable for loose fibers of the fabric to remain on the skin.

The skin care fabric according to the invention has a surface weight of less than 180 g/m ² and is a warp-knitted fabric. A skin care fabric according to the present invention has a first surface and a second surface, the second surface desirably being formed on the side of the fabric opposite to the side of the fabric on which the first surface is formed. In addition, the first surface is mechanically It is roughened and cut so that it is fluffy yet short and dense. The second surface is not mechanically roughened. However, the warp-knit structure of the second surface allows the user's hand to grip tightly during use of the fabric. The fabric according to the invention is disposable and can be recycled.

In use, the fabric is typically wetted with water, which carries the active agent in the fabric and delivers it to the skin. Depending on the active agent, they can then cleanse, disinfect, apply a cream or moisturizer to the skin, and/or provide a medicinal product to the skin. It can be used not only on normal skin, but also on damaged or scarred skin.

According to one aspect of the invention, the fabric has a relatively low weight to surface area, which is also an economic advantage for disposable fabrics due to reduced raw material usage.

It has been found that the structure of the fabric is important with respect to its ability to store fluids. Thus, fabrics according to embodiments of the present invention are warp-knitted fabrics. Warp knitting is a type of knitting in which the yarns zigzag along the length of the fabric, ie, follow adjacent rows rather than in a single row. For comparison, knitting across the width of the fabric is called weft knitting.

Because warp knitting requires that the number of individual strands ("ends") of a yarn be equal to the number of stitches in a row, warp knitting is most often done by machine rather than by hand. All warp knit fabrics are stretchable and much softer than woven fabrics. After cutting the fabric, the warp or weft may become loose, which is not desired by users of skin fabrics. This cannot happen with warp knit fabrics. Furthermore, in contrast to regular knitted fabrics, warp knitted fabrics are run resistant. Due to the relatively complex production with many loops, the thickness of the warp-knitted fabric is relatively thick and the fabric itself is very dense. These structural features facilitate water storage within the fabric and reduce liquid dripping from the fabric. Accordingly, it has been found that the currently preferred fabric for the above uses is a warp knit fabric.

Warp-knitted fabrics are subjected to a splitting process that splits the microfibers into a number of filaments. This step expands the surface area of the fabric, which allows a higher amount of active agent to be bound to the fabric. In addition, the capillary effect retains more water in the interstices between the fine filament members. The abrasive effect of the fabric is due to the relatively sharp edges of the filaments, which have a triangular cross-section. Due to its abrasive effect, dry skin cells can be easily removed with the help of copious amounts of water washing the skin.

The mechanically roughened and cut surface of the first surface of the fabric further increases the surface area of the fibers. The cut eliminates the short ends and defines a flat surface. Preferably, the roughened cut surface is then compressed and/or shrink-proofed to make it more dense and prevent the filament fibers from loosening and sticking to the skin during use. Furthermore, water absorption is best when the fabric is dense to provide a large amount of interstices that form capillary gaps. Nevertheless, this first surface remains fluffy.

In some embodiments, the second surface can be treated in the same manner as the first surface, but preferably the second surface is left in its original state, not roughened and cut. The second surface is a slightly glossy surface suitable for a user to grip tightly, while the first surface resembles flannel and has a matte appearance and gives the user a soft touch.

In a currently preferred embodiment, the fabric according to the invention comprises, in addition to microfibers, pure polyamide fibers which are much finer than microfibers. Polyamide fibers are unaffected by the splitting process and thus have the advantage of holding the warp knit fabric together after the splitting process.

Further, in currently preferred embodiments, the active agent is encapsulated in a liposome. This is an advantage for pharmaceutical, drug delivery. Liposomes are complex structures made of phospholipids and may contain small amounts of other molecules. Although liposomes can vary in size from the low micrometer range to tens of micrometers, unilamellar liposomes are usually relatively low in order to allow surface attachment and accumulation in lesioned areas for treatment of disease. in the size range.

Further presently preferred embodiments are described below.

Aspects and advantages of the invention may be set forth in, or are obvious from, the description herein, or may be learned through practice of embodiments of the invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art will better appreciate the features and aspects of such and other embodiments upon review of the specification. A complete and enabling disclosure of the invention, including the best mode thereof for those skilled in the art, is described in more detail herein, including with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 2 shows a photograph of the second surface of the fabric of the present invention before splitting at 41 times actual size magnification. Figure 2 shows a photograph of the first surface of the fabric of the present invention before splitting at 41 times actual size magnification. Figure 2 shows a photograph of the second surface of the fabric of the present invention, mechanically roughened and cut after splitting, before active agent loading, at a magnification of 41 times actual size. Figure 2 shows a photograph of the first surface of the fabric of the present invention, mechanically roughened and cut after splitting, before active agent loading, at a magnification of 41 times actual size. Figure 2 shows a photograph of the second surface of the finished inventive fabric at 41 times actual size magnification. Figure 2 shows a photograph of the first surface of the finished inventive fabric at 41 times actual size magnification. 1 shows a photograph of the cut surface of the fibers of the fabric of the invention before splitting at 1500 times actual size magnification. 1 shows a photograph of the cut surface of the fibers of the finished inventive fabric at 1500 times actual size magnification. Figure 2 shows a photograph of an edge view of a finished fabric according to the invention at 100x magnification of actual size. Figure 2 shows a photograph of an edge view of a finished fabric according to the invention at 75x actual size magnification; FIG. 11 shows an enlarged view of the boxed cross-section of the photograph of FIG. 10 shown in FIG. 10 at a magnification of 150 times actual size; FIG. 12 shows an enlarged view of the boxed cross-section of the photograph of FIG. 11 shown in FIG. 11 at a magnification of 680 times actual size;

Reference will now be made in detail to the exemplary embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The detailed description uses numerical designations to refer to features of the drawings. Like or similar designations in the drawings and description are used to refer to like or similar parts of embodiments of the invention.

Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. Indeed, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and alterations can be made to this invention without departing from the scope or spirit of this invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used on another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

It is to be understood that ranges and limitations referred to herein include the limitation itself and all sub-ranges within the stated limitation, unless otherwise stated. For example, the range 100-200 includes all possible subranges, examples of which are 100-150, 170-190, 153-162, 145.3-149.6, and 187-200. Further, the limitation of up to 7 includes the limitations of up to 5, up to 3, and up to 4.5, and all subranges within such limitations, such as from about 0 to 5, inclusive of 0 and 5, and 5.2-7, inclusive of 5.2 and 7.

Figure 1 shows a medical, pharmaceutical or cosmetic skin care fabric , wherein the fibers have a diameter of less than 50 microns and contain at least 80% by weight of microfibers 3 which are a mixture of polyamide and polyester, said fabric has a surface weight of less than 180 g/m2 and said fabric is a warp-knitted fabric. FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the first surface 1 of the skin care fabric embodiment shown in FIG. However, in Figures 1 and 2, the fabric is shown in its raw and untreated state.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show the same fabric as FIGS. 1 and 2, but the fabric shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 has been further subjected to a splitting step by alkaline solution treatment, resulting in each of the micros shown in FIG. The fibers 3 are split to create fine fibers or filaments 5 (Fig. 4) that are closely packed in a parallel structure forming interstices with a capillary effect, the filaments 5 producing an abrasive effect when in contact with the user's skin. The first surface 1 shown in FIG. 4 is designed so that loose fibers are removed from the fabric in order to provide a fabric structure with a more enlarged surface and to minimize the fibers adhering to the skin during and immediately after use. To reduce the shedding performance of the fabric, it is mechanically roughened and cut to make it fluffy yet short and dense. The water absorption of this resulting fabric, shown in Figure 4, is at least four times its surface weight.

Figures 5 and 6 show the same fabric as Figures 3 and 4, but the fabric shown in Figures 5 and 6 contains medical, pharmaceutical, and medical materials, although not visible to the naked eye in Figures 5 and 6. It is further filled with a therapeutic or cosmetic active agent. Preferably, the second surface 2 shown in Figure 5 is not roughened so that it can be gripped firmly and easily by the user. Additionally, according to a preferred embodiment, the fabric shown in Figures 5 and 6 is further compressed and/or preshrunk to make it more dense.

As an example, a microfiber may comprise 40% by weight polyamide and 60% by weight polyester at +/-5% each. Additionally, the microfibers may desirably have a weight in the range of about 150-200 dtex.

According to the photographs shown in all the figures of the skin care fabrics, the fabrics, in addition to microfibers 3, contain pure polyamide fibers 4, which can have a weight in the range of about 38-55 dtex. Pure polyamide fibers 4 remain unchanged after the splitting process. Pure polyamide fibers 4 are easily identifiable in the figure.

Presently preferred fabrics according to the present invention may have an average pile height on the fluffy first surface 1 in the range of about 10% to 60%, preferably in the range of about 25% to 55% of the total thickness of the fabric. Found. Warp-knit fabric vests also have stitch counts in the range of about 16-20 stitches per centimeter.

In some embodiments, active agents are desirably encapsulated in liposomes. Preferably, the active agent is a particle having a diameter in the range of about 20-130 nanometers.

The ^{fabric can be loaded with active agent in the range of about 5-20 g per square meter of fabric, preferably in the range of about 9-15 g/m 2 .} Individual sheet embodiments of fabric may desirably have an area of about 100-300 cm ² , preferably about 190-220 cm ² .

7 and 8 are enlarged views of the fibers present in the fabric according to FIGS. 1 and 2 (FIG. 7) and the fibers present in the fabric according to FIGS. 5 and 6 (FIG. 8). Comparing the state of the fabric at the various stages shown in these figures, it can be seen that the microfibers 3 build up strands before splitting and are separated into single filament fibers 5 after splitting. Furthermore, it can be seen that the polyamide fibers 4 are not damaged.

Figures 9-12 show edge views (as viewed by cross-cutting the sheet) of a finished fabric according to the invention at different degrees of magnification. 9 and 10, the polyamide fibers 4 that hold the fabric together even after mechanical treatment are present near the second surface 2 and the first surface 1 is fluffy with filaments 5 .

As indicated by the rectangles shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, each of FIGS. 11 and 12 shows a further enlargement of the cross-section taken from the respective preceding FIGS. The polyamide fibers 4 are easily identifiable and distinguishable from the filament fibers 5 of the split microfibers 3 .

Embodiments of fabrics according to the present invention show good results in water absorption tests and are preferred in all types of skin applications, including facial, medical, pharmaceutical and cosmetic.

1 first surface 2 second surface 3 microfiber 4 polyamide fiber 5 microfiber filament after splitting

Claims (15)

A medical, pharmaceutical or cosmetic skin care fabric , wherein the fibers have a diameter of less than 50 microns and comprise at least 80% by weight of microfibers which are a blend of polyamide and polyester, said fabric being treated with an alkaline solution. to split each microfiber to create closely packed microfibers in a parallel structure with capillary and abrasive effects, said fabric having a surface weight of less than 180 g/ ^m2 wherein said fabric is loaded with a medical, pharmaceutical or cosmetic active agent, said fabric is a warp-knitted fabric having a first surface and a second surface , said first surface being mechanically roughened; A skin care fabric which is planarized and cut to be short-haired and densified, resulting in a fabric structure with a further enlarged surface, and having a water absorbency of at least 4 times the surface weight of said fabric. 2. The skin care fabric of claim 1, wherein said second surface is non-roughened . 3. A skin care fabric according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fabric is pre-shrunk to make it more compact. A skin care fabric according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said microfibers comprise 40% by weight polyamide and 60% by weight polyester at +/−5% each. Skin care fabric according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said microfibers are 150-200 dtex microfibers. Skin care fabric according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein in addition to said microfibers said fabric comprises pure polyamide fibers having a weight of 38-55 dtex. A skin care fabric according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pile height of the skin care fabric is on average 10% to 60% of the total thickness of the fabric. A skin care fabric according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pile height of the skin care fabric is on average 25% to 55% of the total thickness of the fabric. A skin care fabric according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said warp knitted fabric has a stitch count of 16 to 20 stitches per centimeter along the stitch . A skin care fabric according to any preceding claim, wherein the active agent is encapsulated in liposomes. A skin care fabric according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said active agent is a particle having a diameter of 20-130 nanometers. A skin care fabric according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said fabric is loaded with 5 g to 20 g of active agent per square meter of said fabric. A skin care fabric according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said fabric is loaded with between 9g and 15g of active agent per square meter of said fabric. Skin care fabric according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said fabric has an area of 100-300 cm ² . Skin care fabric according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said fabric has an area of 1 90-220 cm ² .

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