Wound dressing made from silver-linked gel-forming fibres
A wound dressing composed of gel-forming fibres (for example carboxymethyl cellulose or alginate) that have silver ions ionically linked to a fraction of their exchangeable sites. The fibres are silvered by contacting an assembly of precursor fibres with a silver-ion solution simultaneously so that up to about 20% of exchangeable sites are occupied and the silver distribution is substantially uniform; intended users are clinicians and wound-care providers. The patent also claims the specific manufacturing process conditions that avoid irreversible gelling during silvering.
(57) What the patent covered
This write-up was generated by AI from the patent's text and may contain mistakes, so check it against the original patent before relying on it.
The main independent claim covered a process: form an assembly of precursor gel-forming fibres having exchangeable sites, prepare a solution of silver ions (soluble silver salt in an aqueous organic solvent), and essentially simultaneously contact the entire assembly with the entire solution under conditions that do not cause irreversible gelling so that silver ions link to not more than about 20% of the exchangeable sites and the silver distribution over sites is essentially uniform (evidenced by uniform coloration).
Distinguishing feature: Simultaneous, whole-assembly contact with a limited-quantity silver-ion solution to achieve a substantially uniform, low-level (≤~20%) silver loading without causing irreversible gelling.
Novelty 3/5. Incorporating silver into dressings was known; the patent focused on a specific simultaneous-contact process and controlled substoichiometric silver loading for gel-forming fibres rather than gradual or partial contacting used previously.
Manufacturing
Likely manufactured by producing gel-forming fibres (carboxymethylated cellulose or alginate), assembling fibres into an array, preparing a silver-ion solution (soluble silver salt in water plus organic cosolvent), bathing the entire fibre assembly essentially simultaneously under controlled time/temperature to avoid irreversible gelation, draining/rinsing, drying and converting into dressings (cutting/laminating).
Materials: Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) fibres or calcium/sodium alginate fibres, soluble silver salt (e.g. silver nitrate) in aqueous organic solvent, standard packaging nonwoven substrate or cover (likely rayon or polyester), aqueous processing solvents (water with organic cosolvent).
Manufacturability 4/5. Process requires wet-chemical bath control (concentration, solvent, time, temperature) and gentle handling to avoid premature gelling; part count is low but process control and web-handling equipment are needed.
Market demand
No demand check has been run for this patent. Likely search terms: silver wound dressing CMC fibres, alginate silver dressing uniform silver, carboxymethyl cellulose antimicrobial dressing. The links in the sidebar open these searches.
Buyers: Clinics, hospitals, wound-care clinics and medical supply purchasers.
Before manufacturing
No related continuation or divisional patents in force were found. Design patents, trademarks and unrelated patents may still cover the product.
Regulatory requirements for silver-containing dressings and demonstration of uniform silver distribution for product claims; patent lapsed but other patents on silver dressings and regulatory standards may still apply.
About 1.5% of lapsed patents are later revived by their owners. This page is a research lead, not legal advice. Obtain a freedom-to-operate opinion before manufacturing.