Blanket for health care use

Abstract

A medical health care blanket or fabric, formed of micro-denier fibers, e.g., polyester or other suitable polymer, has at least one raised surface, and incorporates an antimicrobial system having durable antimicrobial properties after at least 50, 100, 150, or even up to 200 industrial laundering cycles. A method of contributing to a sanitary health care environment is also described.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A medical health care blanket comprising:
 a fabric of micro-denier polymer fibers having at least one raised surface, and   an antimicrobial system applied to the fabric and having durable antimicrobial properties after at least 50 industrial laundering cycles.   
     
     
         2 . A medical health care blanket of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer of the polymer fibers is selected from among polyester, polypropylene, polyamide, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The medical health care blanket according to  claim 1 , wherein the antimicrobial system has durable antimicrobial properties after at least 100 industrial laundering cycles. 
     
     
         4 . The medical health care blanket according to  claim 1 , wherein the antimicrobial system has durable antimicrobial properties after at least 150 industrial laundering cycles. 
     
     
         5 . The medical health care blanket according to  claim 2 , wherein the antimicrobial system has durable antimicrobial properties after at least 200 industrial laundering cycles. 
     
     
         6 . The medical health care blanket of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric has a double face knit configuration with velour/velour surface finishes. 
     
     
         7 . The medical health care blanket of  claim 1 , wherein the antimicrobial system comprises:
 an antimicrobial agent,   a rechargeable sequestering agent isolating the antimicrobial agent, and   a binding agent binding the sequestering agent to surfaces of the polymer fibers.   
     
     
         8 . The medical health care blanket of  claim 7 , wherein the antimicrobial agent comprises peroxide. 
     
     
         9 . The medical health care blanket of  claim 7 , wherein the sequestering agent is a complex of metal oxide, metal salt, metal peroxide, and hydrogen peroxide. 
     
     
         10 . The medical health care blanket of  claim 7 , wherein the rechargeable sequestering agent comprises zinc oxide, or zinc hydroxide, or zinc salt. 
     
     
         11 . The medical health care blanket of  claim 7 , wherein the rechargeable sequestering agent comprises zinc oxide and/or zinc salt. 
     
     
         12 . The medical health care blanket of  claim 9 , wherein the metal is selected from the group of: zinc, magnesium, and zirconium. 
     
     
         13 . The medical health care blanket of  claim 9 , wherein the metal salt is selected from the group of: chloride, nitrate, acetate, and bromide. 
     
     
         14 . The medical health care blanket of  claim 7 , wherein the sequestering agent is rechargeable by contact with a peroxide antimicrobial agent. 
     
     
         15 . The medical health care blanket of  claim 7 , where the binding agent comprises an acrylate or polyurethane. 
     
     
         16 . The medical health care blanket of  claim 1 , wherein the antimicrobial system comprises:
 an antimicrobial agent, and   a rechargeable sequestering agent isolating the antimicrobial agent, the rechargeable sequestering agent being incorporated in the polymer fibers as micro-dimensioned or nano-dimensioned particles.   
     
     
         17 . The medical health care blanket of  claim 16 , wherein the micro-dimensioned or nano-dimensioned particles of the rechargeable sequestering agent are is distributed throughout the cross section of the polymer fibers. 
     
     
         18 . The medical health care blanket of  claim 16 , wherein the micro-dimensioned or nano-dimensioned particles of the rechargeable sequestering agent are distributed in a relatively greater concentration in an outer layer of the polymer fibers. 
     
     
         19 . The medical health care blanket of  claim 17  or  18 , wherein the micro-dimensioned or nano-dimensioned particles of the rechargeable sequestering agent are exposed on an outer surface of the polymer fibers. 
     
     
         20 . A method of contributing to a sanitary health care environment, comprising:
 1) providing a medical health care blanket of  claim 1  having a predetermined enhanced level of antimicrobial protection, and   2) subjecting the medical health care blanket to frequent industrial laundering cycles including contact with an aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide, thereby to recharge antimicrobial protection provided by the medical health care blanket to at least a predetermined minimum acceptable level, and   3) repeating step 2) for at least 50 industrial laundering cycles.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the multiple industrial laundering cycles comprises at least 100 industrial laundering cycles. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the multiple industrial laundering cycles comprises at least 150 industrial laundering cycles. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the multiple industrial laundering cycles comprises at least 200 industrial laundering cycles. 
     
     
         24 . A medical health care fabric material comprising:
 a fabric of micro-denier polymer fibers having at least one raised surface, and   an antimicrobial system having durable antimicrobial properties after at least 50 industrial laundering cycles.   
     
     
         25 . A medical health care fabric material of  claim 24 , wherein the polymer of the polymer fibers is selected from among polyester, polypropylene, polyamide, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         26 . The medical health care fabric material of  claim 24 , wherein the antimicrobial system has durable antimicrobial properties after at least 100 industrial laundering cycles. 
     
     
         27 . The medical health care fabric material of  claim 24 , wherein the antimicrobial system has durable antimicrobial properties after at least 150 industrial laundering cycles. 
     
     
         28 . The medical health care fabric material of  claim 24 , wherein the antimicrobial system has durable antimicrobial properties after at least 200 industrial laundering cycles. 
     
     
         29 . The medical health care fabric material of  claim 24 , wherein the antimicrobial system comprises:
 an antimicrobial agent,   a rechargeable sequestering agent isolating the antimicrobial agent, and   a binding agent binding the sequestering agent to surfaces of the polyester polymer fibers.   
     
     
         30 . The medical health care fabric material of  claim 24 , wherein the antimicrobial system comprises:
 an antimicrobial agent, and   a rechargeable sequestering agent isolating the antimicrobial agent, the rechargeable sequestering agent being incorporated in the polymer fiber as micro-dimensioned or nano-dimensioned particles.   
     
     
         31 . The medical health care fabric material of  claim 30 , wherein the micro-dimensioned or nano-dimensioned particles of the rechargeable sequestering agent are distributed throughout the cross section of the polymer fibers. 
     
     
         32 . The medical health care fabric material of  claim 30 , wherein the micro-dimensioned or nano-dimensioned particles of the rechargeable sequestering agent are distributed in a relatively greater concentration in an outer layer of the polymer fibers. 
     
     
         33 . The medical health care fabric material of  claim 31  or  32 , wherein the micro-dimensioned or nano-dimensioned particles of the rechargeable sequestering agent are exposed on an outer surface of the polymer fibers.