Biodegradable hospital curtain

Abstract

A biodegradable hospital curtain is made of a sheet of biodegradable material such as polylactic acid (PLA). The PLA material may be a woven or non-woven material made of PLA fibers. The curtain may include a plurality of openings adjacent an upper portion of the curtain to provide ventilation. The sheet material may be perforated to form the ventilation openings, thereby eliminating the need to sew or otherwise secure a mesh material or the like along an upper edge of the curtain to provide for ventilation. The curtain may include solid PLA grommets to provide for support of the biodegradable hospital curtain on hangers or the like of a curtain support system in hospital environments and the like.

1 . A biodegradable hospital curtain, comprising:
 a sheet of thin flexible material comprising biodegradable polylactic acid fibers, the sheet of material defining generally horizontal upper and lower peripheral edges and opposite side edges extending between the upper and lower edges, the sheet of material further defining an upper ventilating portion extending adjacent the upper edge, and a lower portion below the upper ventilating portion, wherein the ventilating portion includes a plurality of openings through the sheet of material to provide air flow through the upper ventilating portion of the curtain, wherein the openings through the sheet of material are positioned at a sufficient height to substantially prevent viewing through the perforations of the curtain by an adult standing adjacent the curtain when the curtain is in an upright use position wherein the lower peripheral edge is adjacent a floor surface; wherein:   the lower portion of the sheet of material is substantially free of perforations; and wherein:   the upper ventilating portion and the lower portion of the sheet of material comprise two portions of a single piece of material without a seam connecting the upper ventilating portion and the lower portion.   
   
   
       2 . The hospital curtain of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the sheet of material comprises non-woven fibers.   
   
   
       3 . The hospital curtain of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the openings through the sheet of material are defined by edges of the material formed by a plurality of free ends of polylactic acid fibers resulting from cutting the material to form the openings.   
   
   
       4 . The hospital curtain of  claim 1 ., wherein:
 the openings of the upper ventilating portion form a non-random pattern.   
   
   
       5 . The hospital curtain of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the openings form horizontal rows of openings.   
   
   
       6 . The hospital curtain of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the openings are circular.   
   
   
       7 . The hospital curtain of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the sheet of material includes a plurality of grommet openings adjacent the upper edge of the sheet of material, and including:   a grommet positioned in each opening to support the curtain on hangers, wherein the grommets are made of a biodegradable material.   
   
   
       8 . The hospital curtain of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the grommets are substantially ring-shaped.   
   
   
       9 . The hospital curtain of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the grommets are made of a polylactic acid material.   
   
   
       10 . A biodegradable hospital in, comprising:
 a sheet of thin flexible biodegradable material, the sheet defining generally horizontal upper and lower peripheral edges and opposite side edges extending between the upper and lower edges, the sheet of material further defining an upper ventilating portion extending adjacent the upper edge, and a lower portion below the upper ventilating portion, wherein the ventilating portion includes a plurality of openings through the sheet of material to provide air flow through the upper ventilating portion of the curtain, wherein the openings through the sheet of material are positioned at a sufficient height to substantially prevent viewing through the perforations of the curtain by an adult standing adjacent the curtain when the curtain is in an upright use position wherein the lower peripheral edge is adjacent a floor surface; wherein:   the lower portion of the sheet of material is substantially free of perforations; and wherein:   the upper ventilating portion and the lower portion of the sheet of material comprise two portions of a single piece of material without a seam connecting the upper ventilating portion and the lower portion;   the sheet of material includes a plurality of grommet openings adjacent the upper edge of the sheet of material, and including:   a grommet positioned in each opening to support the curtain on hangers, wherein the grommets are made of a biodegradable material.   
   
   
       11 . The hospital curtain of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the sheet is made of a polylactic acid material.   
   
   
       12 . The hospital curtain of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the sheet comprises polylactic acid fibers.   
   
   
       13 . The hospital curtain of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the sheet comprises a non-woven material.   
   
   
       14 . The hospital curtain of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the grommets are made of a polylactic acid material.   
   
   
       15 . A biodegradable hospital curtain, comprising:
 a sheet of polylactic acid material, the sheet of material defining upper and lower peripheral edges and opposite side edges extending between the upper and lower edges, the sheet of material having a plurality of openings adjacent the upper peripheral edge; and:   grommets secured to the sheet of material and defining peripheral edges of the openings, wherein the grommets are made of a biodegradable material and provide for supporting the curtain in a hanging configuration on hangers of an overhead curtain support system.   
   
   
       16 . The hospital curtain of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the sheet of material comprises polylactic acid fibers.   
   
   
       17 . The hospital curtain of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the sheet of material comprises a nonwoven material.   
   
   
       18 . The hospital curtain of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the grommets are made of a polylactic acid material.   
   
   
       19 . (canceled) 
   
   
       20 . A biodegradable hospital curtain, comprising:
 a sheet of biodegradable polylactic acid material, the sheet of material defining generally horizontal upper and lower peripheral edges and opposite side edges extending between the upper and lower edges, the sheet of material further defining an upper ventilating portion extending adjacent the upper edge, and a lower portion below the upper ventilating portion, wherein the ventilating portion includes a plurality of openings through the sheet of material to provide air flow through the upper ventilating portion of the curtain, wherein the openings through the sheet of material are positioned at a sufficient height to prevent looking through the perforations by an adult standing adjacent the curtain when the curtain is in an upright use position wherein the lower peripheral edge is adjacent a floor surface; wherein:   the lower portion of the sheet of material is substantially free of perforations.   
   
   
       21 . The biodegradable hospital curtain of  claim 20 , wherein:
 the upper ventilating portion and the lower portion are two portions of a single sheet of material, without a seam connecting the upper and lower portions.   
   
   
       22 . The biodegradable hospital curtain of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the sheet of material includes a plurality of grommet openings adjacent the upper peripheral edge; and including:   a plurality of grommets in the grommet openings.   
   
   
       23 . (canceled) 
   
   
       24 . The biodegradable hospital curtain of  claim 23 , wherein:
 the grommets are made of a substantially solid polylactic acid material.   
   
   
       25 . The biodegradable hospital curtain of  claim 22 , wherein:
 the grommet openings are circular, and the grommets are ring-shaped.   
   
   
       26 . (canceled) 
   
   
       27 . The biodegradable hospital curtain of  claim 26 , wherein:
 the sheet of material comprises non-woven polylactic acid fibers.   
   
   
       28 . The biodegradable hospital curtain of  claim 20 , wherein:
 the sheet of material is substantially free of fire retardant chemicals.