Multilayer protective cover including nonwoven material

Abstract

A protective cover includes a composite sheet including a substrate formed from a nonwoven material. The substrate has a first surface and an opposite second surface, and a first layer of plastic film is adjacent the substrate first surface. The protective cover also includes a first end, a second end, a first lateral edge extending between the first and the second end, a second lateral edge extending between the first end and the second end, and an axis extending between the first lateral edge and the second lateral edge. The composite sheet is folded about the axis and the first end of the composite sheet is proximate the second end of the composite sheet. The protective cover also includes a partially enclosed space having an opening proximate the first and second ends of the composite sheet, and the first layer of plastic film is within the partially enclosed space.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A protective cover, comprising:
 a composite sheet comprising:
 a substrate formed from a nonwoven material, the substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; and 
 a first layer of plastic film adjacent the substrate first surface; 
 wherein the nonwoven material has a puncture resistance exceeding 500 N; 
   a first end, a second end, a first lateral edge extending between the first and the second end, a second lateral edge extending between the first end and the second end, and an axis extending between the first lateral edge and the second lateral edge;   the composite sheet being folded about the axis such that the first end of the composite sheet is proximate the second end of the composite sheet; and   a partially enclosed space having an opening proximate the first and second ends of the composite sheet, wherein the first layer of plastic film is within the partially enclosed space.   
     
     
         2 . The protective cover of  claim 1 , further comprising a second layer of plastic film adjacent the substrate second surface. 
     
     
         3 . The protective cover of  claim 2 , wherein the second layer of plastic film is thicker than the first layer of plastic film. 
     
     
         4 . The protective cover of  claim 2 , further comprising disposing at least one third layer of plastic film on an exterior surface of the second layer of plastic film. 
     
     
         5 . The protective cover of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one third layer of plastic film comprises two discrete layers of plastic film disposed on the exterior surface of the second layer of plastic film, and wherein the discrete layers each define a smaller surface area than the second layer of plastic film. 
     
     
         6 . The protective cover of  claim 1 , further comprising heat sealing the lateral edges of the portion of the composite sheet extending between the first end and the axis to the lateral edges of the portion of the composite sheet extending between the second end and the axis. 
     
     
         7 . The protective cover of  claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven material comprises needlepunched polyester fibers. 
     
     
         8 . A protective cover, comprising:
 a first panel having a first end, a second end, a first lateral edge extending between the first end and the second end, and a second lateral edge extending between the first end and the second end, the first panel comprising:
 a first layer of nonwoven material, the first layer of nonwoven material having a first surface and an opposite second surface; and 
 a first layer of plastic film adjacent the first surface of the first layer of nonwoven material; 
   a second panel having a first end, a second end, a first lateral edge extending between the first end and the second end, and a second lateral edge extending between the first end and the second end, the second panel comprising:
 a second layer of nonwoven material, the second layer of nonwoven material having a first surface and an opposite second surface; and 
 a second layer of plastic film adjacent the first surface of the second layer of nonwoven material; 
   wherein the first panel is disposed with respect to the second panel such that the first layer of plastic film of the first panel is in facing opposition to the second layer of plastic film of the second panel;   a first coupling between the first panel and the second panel, the first coupling located proximate the respective first lateral edges of the first and second panels;   a second coupling between the first panel and the second panel, the second coupling located proximate the respective second lateral edges of the first and second panels; and   an opening defined between the first and second panels proximate the respective first ends of the first and second panels;   wherein the first and second layers of nonwoven material each have a puncture resistance exceeding 500 N.   
     
     
         9 . The protective cover of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second panels are each part of a single sheet of composite material. 
     
     
         10 . The protective cover of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second layers of nonwoven material each have a puncture resistance exceeding 1000 N. 
     
     
         11 . The protective cover of  claim 8 , wherein the first panel and the second panel are heat-sealed together at the first and second couplings. 
     
     
         12 . The protective cover of  claim 8 , further comprising a third layer of plastic film having an interior surface adjacent the second surface of the first layer of nonwoven material and a fourth layer of plastic film having an interior surface adjacent the second surface of the second layer of nonwoven material. 
     
     
         13 . The protective cover of  claim 12 , further comprising a fifth layer of plastic film coupled with an exterior surface of the third layer of plastic film and a sixth layer of plastic film coupled with an exterior surface of the fourth layer of plastic film. 
     
     
         14 . A protective cover, comprising:
 a composite sheet having a first end, a second end, a first lateral edge extending between the first and the second end, a second lateral edge opposite the first lateral edge and extending between the first end and the second end, and an axis extending between the first lateral edge and the second lateral edge;   wherein the composite sheet defines a first panel between the first end, the axis, and the first and second lateral edges;   wherein the composite sheet defines a second panel between the second end, the axis, and the first and second lateral edges;   each of the first and second panels comprising:
 a substrate formed from a nonwoven material having a puncture resistance exceeding 500 N, the substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; and 
 a first layer of plastic film disposed adjacent the substrate first surface; 
   the composite sheet being folded about the axis such that the portion of the first layer of plastic film disposed on the portion of the composite sheet extending between the first end and the axis is in facing opposition to the portion of the first layer of plastic film disposed on the portion of the composite sheet extending between the second end and the axis; and   a partially enclosed space defined between the first and second panels.   
     
     
         15 . The protective cover of  claim 14 , wherein the portion of the composite sheet extending between the first end and the axis is heat-sealed together with the portion of the composite sheet extending between the second end and the axis. 
     
     
         16 . The protective cover of  claim 14 , further comprising a second layer of plastic film disposed adjacent the substrate second surface. 
     
     
         17 . The protective cover of  claim 16 , wherein the first layer of plastic film has a first thickness and the second layer of plastic film has a second thickness, and wherein the first thickness is less than the second thickness. 
     
     
         18 . The protective cover of  claim 17 , further comprising a third layer of plastic film disposed adjacent an exterior surface of the second layer of plastic film. 
     
     
         19 . The protective cover of  claim 18 , wherein the third layer of plastic film has a third thickness that is greater than the first and second thicknesses. 
     
     
         20 . The protective cover of  claim 19 , wherein the third layer of plastic film is disposed adjacent both the portion of the composite sheet extending between the first end and the axis and the portion of the composite sheet extending between the second end and the axis.