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US 2003/0192121 A1Published application
Infection control mat
AssigneeT. L. Clark, Incorporated
InventorsJames J. Fleming, Joseph A. Kittner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An infection resistant mat having individual segments containing foam padding and a contiguous cover of impervious material. The cover is constructed by radio frequency (RF) sealing of the seams which eliminates portals of entry of infectious organisms, vermin or fluid. Air channels within the cover communicate between the segments to allow air pressure equalization among the several segments during use. The contiguous cover creates hinges between the segments that allow the mat to be folded for storage. The mat also can be constructed with only one padded section.
Claims26
An infection-control mat for use by a child to rest on a floor, the mat having a sealed cover formed around a pad;
- the cover comprising a top sheet and a bottom sheet made of liquid-impervious material, the top sheet being readily distinguishable from the bottom sheet so that a resting side of the mat is distinguished from a floor side, whereby the mat may be consistently placed with the bottom sheet in contact with the floor, thereby maintaining the upper sheet as the resting side of the mat and providing more sanitary conditions of use of the mat.
A contamination resistant mat comprising:
- a contiguous cover comprising a top cover sheet of a first color and a bottom cover sheet of a second color distinguishable from the first color, said top and bottom cover sheets being hermetically sealed together by radio frequency welded seams having no portals of entry for contaminating material;
- and
- at least one segment comprising a padding material hermetically sealed between the top and bottom cover sheets.
A mat for placement on an unsanitary area for use as a rest mat by a user, comprising:
- a resting surface for contact by the user comprised of a top cover sheet of comprising a substantially smooth surface which is impervious to fluid or air and a first distinguishable indicia, said top sheet having a peripheral edge;
- a surface for contact with the unsanitary area comprised of a bottom cover sheet of comprising a substantially smooth surface which is impervious to fluid or air and a second distinguishable indicia, said bottom sheet having a peripheral edge, said top and bottom sheets bonded together at their respective peripheral edges to form a hermetically sealed cover;
- and
- at least one segment of comprised of padding material between said top and bottom cover sheets, wherein the first distinguishing indicia of the top sheet and the second distinguishing indicia of the bottom sheet allow a user to visualize and differentiate the mat resting surface from the surface for contact with the unsanitary area so that the surface for contact with the unsanitary area can be placed on the unsanitary area to avoid pacing the resting surface of the mat on the unsanitary area thereby avoiding contamination of the resting surface of the mat by contact with the unsanitary area.
1 more element
A process for making a sealed, infection resistant mat, comprising:
- placing a first sheet of cover material of a first distinguishable color on a metallic nest, said first sheet of cover material having peripheral edges;
- placing a padding material on said first sheet of cover material;
- placing a second sheet of cover material of a second distinguishable color over said padding material, said second sheet of cover material having a peripheral edge, the peripheral edges of said second sheet of cover material being placed in contact with said peripheral edges of said first sheet of cover material;
- applying a platen against said second sheet of cover material;
- and
- applying radio frequency energy through said platen to seal said peripheral edges of said second sheet of cover material to said peripheral edges of said first sheet of cover material with said padding in between, thereby creating a contiguous, visually observable sealed seam from said peripheral edges, the sealed seam having no portals of entry for contaminants.
3 more elements
A process for making a sealed, infection resistant mat, comprising:
- placing a first sheet of cover material on a metallic nest, said first sheet of cover material having peripheral edges;
- placing segments of padding material on said first section of cover material at predetermined positions corresponding to padded mat segments,
- placing a second sheet of cover material over said padding material, said second sheet of cover material having a peripheral edge, the peripheral edges of said second sheet of cover material being placed in contact with said peripheral edges of said first sheet of cover material;
- applying a platen against said second sheet of cover material;
- applying radio frequency energy through said platen to seal said peripheral edges of said second sheet of cover material to said peripheral edges of said first sheet of cover material with said padding in between, thereby creating a contiguous sealed seam from said peripheral edges, the sealed seam having no portals of entry for bacteria, vermin or fluids;
- and
- applying radio frequency energy to said first and second cover materials in a pattern between the predetermined segments whereby a seal is formed between the segments with at least one airflow channel formed therein.
4 more elements
A method of providing an infection-control rest surface for a child to rest on a padded surface on a floor, the method comprising
- forming a mat having a sealed cover formed around a pad;
- the cover comprising a top sheet and a bottom sheet made of liquid-impervious material, the top sheet being readily distinguishable from the bottom sheet so that a sleeping side of the mat is distinguished from a floor side, and
- consistently placing the bottom sheet in contact with the floor, thereby maintaining the upper sheet as the sleeping side of the mat and providing more sanitary conditions of use of the mat.
A method of positioning a rest mat on an unsantiary support surface to enhance the sanitary use of the mat by an individual resting on the rest mat, comprising:
- positioning the rest mat over the unsanitary support surface, said rest mat having a cover comprising a top cover sheet comprising a first distinguishing indicia and a bottom cover sheet comprising a second distinguishable indicia and at least one padded segment hermetically sealed between the top and bottom cover sheets;
- orientating the rest mat with a resting side of the mat for contact by the user resting on the mat facing away from the unsanitary support surface by recognizing the top cover sheet by the first distinguishable indicia and orientating that side away from the unsanitary surface;
- orientating the rest mat with a support surface contacting side of the mat facing the support surface by recognizing the bottom cover sheet by the second distinguishable indicia and orientating that side toward the unsanitary surface;
- placing the support surface contacting side of the mat on the resting surface and avoiding placement of the resting side of the mat on the support surface, thereby enhancing the sanitary use of the mat by the individual resting on the mat by avoiding placement of the resting side of the mat on an unsanitary support surface.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.