Fabrics with Silver-Containing Yarn for Health Care Facility Rooms

Abstract

A portfolio of textile furnishings for a health care facility room includes a substantial array of such furnishings commonly used in health care facilities. Furnishings include silver containing yarns disposed within fabrics to provide a silver content effective to reduce microbial and allergenic effects and to reduce odor and infections.

1 . A portfolio of textile furnishings for a health care facility room comprising a substantial array of furnishings selected from a group including bedding, curtains, window treatments, wallcoverings, bath linens, floor coverings, furniture covers, and accessories wherein each furnishing for the health care facility room includes a fabric having a construction comprising first and second sets of yarns wherein the second set of yarns includes at least one silver-containing yarn. 
   
   
       2 . The portfolio of textile furnishings of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the furnishings of the portfolio is bedding and wherein the bedding is selected from the group including mattress cover, bottom sheet, top sheet, and pillow cover, 
   
   
       3 . The portfolio of textile furnishings of  claim 1  wherein one of the furnishings includes a bottom sheet. 
   
   
       4 . The portfolio of textile furnishings of  claim 1  wherein one of the furnishings includes a top sheet. 
   
   
       5 . The portfolio of textile furnishings of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the furnishings is a shower curtain or a privacy curtain. 
   
   
       6 . The portfolio of textile furnishings of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the furnishings is a window treatment selected from among a group including decorative treatments, room darkening treatments, and privacy treatments. 
   
   
       7 . The portfolio of textile furnishings of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the furnishings is a bath linen selected from the group including bath cloths, hand towels, bath towels, and bath mats. 
   
   
       8 . The portfolio of textile furnishings of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the furnishings is a furniture cover selected from the group including arm rest covers, head rest covers, chair covers, and sofa covers. 
   
   
       9 . The portfolio of textile furnishings of  claim 1  wherein at least one furnishing is an accessory selected from the group including floor coverings, floor mats, wallcoverings, table cloths, and doilies. 
   
   
       10 . The portfolio of textile furnishings of  claim 1  wherein at least one furnishing contains a different proportion of silver-containing yarns than another furnishing. 
   
   
       11 . The portfolio of textile furnishings of  claim 1  wherein one or more furnishings include a fabric wherein each of the second set of yarns includes two or more silver-containing yarns disposed immediately adjacent each other. 
   
   
       12 . The portfolio of textile furnishings of  claim 1  wherein one or more furnishings of the portfolio include a fabric having a construction wherein the silver-containing yarns are stitched into the fabric. 
   
   
       13 . The portfolio of textile furnishings of  claim 1  wherein one or more furnishings of the portfolio include a fabric having a construction wherein the silver-containing yarns are laid into the fabric. 
   
   
       14 . The portfolio of textile furnishings of  claim 1  wherein one or more furnishings of the portfolio include a fabric having a construction wherein the silver containing yarns are at least partially exposed and visible in the fabric. 
   
   
       15 . The portfolio of textile furnishings of  claim 1  wherein one or more furnishings of the portfolio include a fabric having a construction wherein the silver containing yarns are generally concealed and hidden within the fabric. 
   
   
       16 . The portfolio of textile furnishings of  claim 1  wherein one or more furnishings of the portfolio include a fabric having a construction wherein the silver-containing yarns are laid into the fabric and wherein one or more furnishings of the portfolio include a fabric having a construction wherein the silver-containing yarns are stitched into the fabric. 
   
   
       17 . The portfolio of textile furnishings of  claim 16  wherein the fabric having the silver-containing yarns laid into the fabric are used in furnishings selected from a sub-group including curtains, window treatments, accessories, bath linens, and furniture covers; and, wherein fabrics having the silver-containing yarns stitched into the fabric are used in furnishings selected from a sub-group including mattress covers, bottom sheets, top sheets, pillow covers, curtains, and window treatments. 
   
   
       18 . The portfolio of textile furnishings of  claim 1  wherein one or more furnishings of the portfolio include a fabric having a construction wherein the silver-containing yarns are generally concealed and hidden in the fabric; and, wherein one or more furnishings of the portfolio include a fabric having a construction wherein the silver-containing yarns are at least partially exposed and visible in the fabric 
   
   
       19 . The portfolio of textile furnishings of  claim 18  wherein the fabric having the silver-containing yarns that are generally concealed and hidden in the fabric are used in furnishings selected from a sub-group including curtains, window treatments, accessories, bath linens, and furniture covers; and, wherein fabrics having the silver-containing yarns that are at least partially exposed and visible are used in furnishings selected from a sub-group including mattress covers, bottom sheets, top sheets, pillow covers, curtains, accessories, and window treatments. 
   
   
       20 . A portfolio of textile furnishings for a health care facility room wherein each textile furnishing comprises a fabric that includes a first set of yarns and a second set of yarns wherein the second set of yarns includes a series of spaced-apart subsets with each subset including two or more silver-containing yarns disposed immediately adjacent each other, and further wherein the yarns of the second set of yarns are spaced throughout the fabric such that the fabric contains substantially fewer yarns from the second set than from the first set. 
   
   
       21 . The portfolio of textile furnishings of  claim 20  wherein one or more furnishings of the portfolio include a fabric having a construction wherein the silver-containing yarns are laid into the fabric and wherein one or more furnishings of the portfolio include a fabric having a construction wherein the silver-containing yarns are stitched into the fabric. 
   
   
       22 . The portfolio of textile furnishings of  claim 21  wherein a fabric having the silver-containing yarns laid into the fabric are used in furnishings selected from a sub-group including curtains, window treatments, wallcoverings, accessories, bath linens, and furniture covers and wherein fabrics having the silver-containing yarns stitched into the fabric are used in furnishings selected from a sub-group including mattress covers, bottom sheets, top sheets, pillow covers, curtains, wallcoverings, and window treatments. 
   
   
       23 . The portfolio of textile furnishings of  claim 20  wherein one or more furnishings of the portfolio include a fabric having a construction wherein the silver-containing yarns are generally concealed and hidden in the fabric and wherein one or more furnishings of the portfolio include a fabric having a construction wherein the silver-containing yarns are at least partially exposed and visible in the fabric 
   
   
       24 . The portfolio of textile furnishings of  claim 23  wherein fabrics having the silver-containing yarns that are generally concealed and hidden in the fabric are used in furnishings selected from a sub-group including curtains, window treatments, wallcoverings, accessories, bath linens, and furniture covers and wherein fabrics having the silver-containing yarns that are at least partially exposed and visible are used in furnishings selected from a sub-group including mattress covers, bottom sheets, top sheets, pillow covers, curtains, accessories, wallcoverings, and window treatments. 
   
   
       25 . A method of forming a portfolio of textile furnishings for use in a health care facility room, the method comprising:
 a. selecting a fabric having a construction comprising first and second sets of yarns wherein the second set of yarns includes at least one silver-containing yarn; and,   b. incorporating the selected fabric into a substantial array of furnishings for use in a health care facility room wherein the array of furnishings is selected from a group including bedding, curtains, wallcoverings, window treatments, bath linens, furniture covers, and accessories.   
   
   
       26 . The method of forming a portfolio of textile furnishings of  claim 25  wherein selecting a fabric having a construction comprising first and second sets of yarns with the second set of yarns including at least one silver-containing yarn comprises selecting a first group of fabrics having silver-containing yarns laid into the fabric and selecting a second group of fabrics having silver-containing yarns stitched into the fabric. 
   
   
       27 . The method of forming a portfolio of textile furnishings of  claim 26  wherein selecting a fabric having a construction comprising first and second sets of yarns with the second set of yarns including at least one silver-containing yarn comprises selecting at least one group of fabrics wherein the second set of yarns includes two or more silver-containing yarns disposed immediately adjacent each other. 
   
   
       28 . The portfolio of textile furnishings of  claim 25  wherein forming the portfolio includes selecting first and second types of fabric with the first type of fabric having silver containing yarns laid into the fabric and with the second type of fabric having silver-containing yarns stitched into the fabric; incorporating fabrics of the first type of fabric in furnishings selected from a sub-group including curtains, window treatments, wallcoverings, accessories, bath linens, and furniture covers; and, incorporating fabrics of the second type of fabric in furnishings selected from a sub-group including mattress covers, bottom sheets, top sheets, pillow covers, curtains, wallcoverings, and window treatments. 
   
   
       29 . A vertical blind forming a window treatment comprising:
 a. a plurality of substantially opaque panels;   b. a plurality of sheer transparent or translucent panels;   c. wherein the plurality of transparent or translucent panels are distributed among the plurality of substantially opaque panels;   d. wherein the panels are interconnected and movable into at least two orientations such that in one orientation the vertical blind permits substantial light transmission there through and in another orientation the vertical blind permits substantially less light transmission there through; and,   e. wherein at least one of the pluralities of panels includes a fabric having at least two sets of yarns and wherein one set of yarns includes at least one silver-containing yarn.   
   
   
       30 . The vertical blind fabric of  claim 29  wherein silver-containing yarn is incorporated in the fabric to produce proportions of silver by weight of 1.5% to 5% for anti-microbial and anti-allergenic application. 
   
   
       31 . The vertical blind fabric of  claim 28  wherein silver-containing yarn is incorporated in the fabric to produce proportions of silver by weight of greater than 5%. 
   
   
       32 . A vertical blind forming a window treatment comprising:
 a. a series of fabric panels including a first set of panels and a second set of fabric panels;   b. each set of panels including a yarn content including numbers, types, and weights utilized;   c. each set of panels including a stitch construction including a series of stitches utilized;   d. the yarn content and/or the stitch construction of the first set of fabric panels differing from the yarn content and/or the stitch construction of the second set of fabric panels;   e. the panels being connected together and movable relative to each other between at least a first orientation and a second orientation;   f. in the second orientation selected panels of one of the first set or second sets of panels substantially overlapping selected panels of one of the second or first sets of panels;   g. in the first orientation selected panels of one of the first set or second sets of panels overlapping selected panels of one of the second or first sets of panels less than in the second orientation; and,   h. at least one yarn being included in one or more of the fabric panels is a silver-containing yarn.   
   
   
       33 . The vertical blind of  claim 33  wherein a proportion of the yarns contain silver, and wherein the proportion is such that the silver content is between about 1.5% and 5%. 
   
   
       34 . The vertical blind of  claim 33  wherein a proportion of the yarns contain silver, and wherein the proportion is such that the silver content is more than about 5%. 
   
   
       35 . The vertical blind of  claim 33  wherein in the first orientation the vertical blind permits substantial transmission of electromagnetic radiation in a particular bandwidth through the vertical blind and wherein in the second orientation the vertical blinds permit substantially less transmission of electromagnetic radiation in a particular bandwidth through the blind. 
   
   
       36 . The vertical blind of  claim 35  wherein the first set of panels includes substantially opaque panels, wherein the second set of panels includes sheer translucent or transparent panels, and wherein the particular bandwidth of electromagnetic radiation includes the bandwidth of visible light.