US2750944A - Absorbent bandage - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent 6 ABSORBENT BANDAGE Duane H. Tollstrup, North Hollywood, Calif.

No Drawing. Application September 27, 1954, Serial No. 458,660

4 Claims. (Cl. 128-490) This invention relates to a composition of matter and more particularly to an absorbent bandage having a high absorbent quality with a minimum of bulk.

The principal object of this invention is to produce a sterilized composition particularly useful as antiseptic surgical bandages, dressings, compresses and is especially useful as a catamenial device of either the external or insertion type.

It is a further object of this invention to produce a bandage of the type described characterized by its simplicity, economy, efliciency and absence of excessive bulk.

The invention is characterized by the use of swelling bentonite, otherwise known as montmorillonite.

Various clays having substantially the same physical and chemical analysis are known as bentonites having various abilities to absorb water. When the term bentonite" is used herein, there is meant a swelling bentonite, and to obtain the advantages of the present invention in order to be characterized as a swelling bentonite, such bentonite in its dry powdered form should be capable of absorbing at least eight times its weight in water. The present invention utilizes this absorbent quality of bentonite or montmorillonite by combining the same with vegetable fibers, preferably cotton, to provide a bandage which can be sterilized and cut or shaped in any desired form.

A dry cubic inch or" swelling bentonite when subjected to water forms a stable jell in which there is estimated to be more than 9 /2 billion individual flakes having a com bined surface area of more than 1 acre in extent. Each tiny flake is avid for liquid and surrounds itself with a semi-rigid sheath or hull of liquid many times thicker than the particle itself. This invention utilizes this property in conjunction with the well-known absorptive quali ties of vegetable fiber to provide an absorbent bandage having increased absorptive advantages and decreased bulk.

" ice It has been discovered that by combining small amounts of hentonite with cotton or other fibrous material, a composition is formed which is 100% more absorptive than fibrous material used alone. It has also been proven that this composition will have the same absorptive quality with one-half the bulk of using fibrous material alone.

An optimum composition will consist of vegetable fibers and 35% bentonite. However, the invention is not limited to this ratio or even approximately this ratio as it has been shown that the vegetable fiber may vary from 50% to of the composition with the bentonite varying from 5% to 50%.

Any desirable method of combining the bentonite with the fibrous material may be used. One method found satisfactory is to shread the fibrous material and powder the bentouite dispersing each equally and evenly through the composition. Probably the most satisfactory and easily constructed combination is ellected by alternating a layer of fibrous material such as a thin layer of cotton with a layer of powdered bentonite and repeating this process until a bandage of the desired thickness and absorptive quality has been attained. Such bandage may then be sterilized and cut or rolled into any shape or size for convenient use. Particularly a composition formed of such alternate layers as above described may be cut or shaped to form a very efficient catamenial device.

While there has been described what is at present considered preferred embodiments of the present invention, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the essence of the invention and it is intended to cover herein all such changes and modifications as come within the true spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An absorbent bandage comprising from 50% to 95% cotton fibers and from 5% to 50% bentonite.

2. An absorbent bandage comprising from 50% to 95% cotton fibers and from 5% to 50% montmoriilom'te.

3. A catarnenial device comprising a roll of alternate layers of cotton and dry powdered bentonite.

4. A catamenial bandage comprising from 50% to 95% cotton fibers and from 5% to 50% dry powdered bentonite.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,331,271 Gilchrist Oct. 5, i943

Claims (1)

1. AN ABSORBENT BANDAGE COMPRISING FROM 50% TO 95% COTTON FIBERS AND FROM 5% TO 50% BENTONITE.