Wound dressing and method for manufacturing the same

Abstract

A method for producing a wound dressing wherein a curable silicone mixture is extruded onto a generally planar molding surface. The silicone mixture defines a first surface adjacent the planar surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The molding surface is heated at a curing temperature sufficient to cause the silicone mixture to cross-link. The silicone mixture is uniformly spread over the molding surface such that the silicone mixture has a generally uniform thickness and the second surface is substantially planar. The second surface of the silicone mixture is laminated to an absorbent material after the silicone mixture has started to cross-link and transform to a gel due to exposure to the heated molding surface.

1 . A method for producing a laminated structure, comprising the steps of: 
 extruding a curable polymeric mixture onto a generally planar molding surface having a pattern of perforating elements, the polymeric mixture defining a first surface adjacent the planar surface and a second surface opposite the first surface;    maintaining the molding surface at a curing temperature sufficient to cause the polymeric mixture to cure;    uniformly spreading the polymeric mixture over the molding surface such that the polymeric mixture has a generally uniform thickness and the second surface is substantially planar, the polymeric mixture extending around the perforating elements of the molding surface;    laminating the second surface of the polymeric mixture onto a porous web after the polymeric mixture has started to cure due to exposure to the heated molding surface; and    curing the polymeric mixture a predetermined period of time prior to lamination to the porous web such that the polymeric mixture has sufficiently cured to define a cohesive film having a plurality of apertures formed by the perforating elements.    
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of the apertures are formed independently from pores of the porous web.  
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the polymeric mixture is exposed to the molding surface at least 1 second at the curing temperature prior to lamination onto the porous web.  
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the molding surface is a continuously moving conveyer belt.  
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric mixture comprises a silicone elastomer and a silicone gel in a predetermined ratio.  
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of perforating elements extend from the planar molding surface and have a height greater than the thickness of the polymeric mixture after the spreading thereof on the molding surface.  
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of: 
 rolling the porous web onto the polymeric mixture via a nip roller, the porous web and polymeric mixture passing through a clearance defined between the molding surface and the nip roller to laminate the polymeric mixture onto the porous web.    
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the clearance is defined as being less than the combined thickness of the polymeric mixture and the porous web, the porous web compressing onto the polymeric mixture as it passes through the clearance.  
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the second surface of the polymeric mixture has only partially cured prior to lamination onto the porous web so as to laminate a first surface of the porous web.  
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the porous web is a foam material having surface irregularities, the polymeric mixture extending over the surface irregularities.  
   
   
       11 . A method for producing a laminated structure, comprising the steps of: 
 extruding a curable polymeric mixture onto a generally planar molding surface, the polymeric mixture defining a first surface adjacent the planar surface and a second surface opposite the first surface;    maintaining the molding surface at a curing temperature sufficient to cause the polymeric mixture to cure;    uniformly spreading the polymeric mixture over the molding surface such that the polymeric mixture has a generally uniform thickness and the second surface is substantially planar;    laminating the second surface of the polymeric mixture onto a web material after the polymeric mixture has started to cure due to exposure to the heated molding surface; and    forming a plurality of apertures in the polymeric mixture with a plurality of perforating elements extending from the molding surface, the apertures of the polymeric mixture formed irrespective of the properties of the web material.    
   
   
       12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the web material has a plurality of surface irregularities, the apertures of the polymeric material formed independently from the surface irregularities of the web material.  
   
   
       13 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the molding surface is a continuously moving conveyer belt.  
   
   
       14 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the polymeric mixture comprises a silicone elastomer and a silicone gel in a predetermined ratio.