Slip-resistant, moisture absorbent sheet material

Claims

I claim:

1. A sheet material comprising:

a first layer formed of a slip-resistant, non-absorbent and thermally non-conductive thermoplastic material, said first layer being formed with a plurality of apertures having wall sections therebetween, said first layer having an outer, exposed surface and an inner surface;

a second layer formed of a first portion and a second portion, said first portion being affixed to said inner surface of said first layer and overlying said second portion, said first portion of said second layer including a mixture of moisture-wicking fibers and moisture-absorbent fibers which are intertwined with one another in all directions throughout the thickness of said first portion, said second portion having fibers which are non-adsorbent and non-absorbent, said second layer having sufficient tear strength to substantially prevent movement of said wall sections of said first layer relative to one another under the application of a shear force to said first layer.

2. The sheet material of claim 1 in which said moisture-wicking fibers are acrylic fibers.

3. The sheet material of claim 1 in which said moisture-absorbent fibers are cellulosic fibers.

4. The sheet material of claim 1 in which said fibers which are non-adsorbent and non-absorbent are polyester fibers.

5. The sheet material of claim 1 in which said first layer is formed of an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer.

6. The sheet material of claim 1 in which said ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer has a vinyl acetate content in the range of about 3% to 40% by weight.

7. The sheet material of claim 1 in which said first layer has in the range of about 7 to 107 apertures per square centimeter.

8. The sheet material of claim 1 in which said apertures are square in shape, said apertures forming spaced columns of first wall sections and spaced rows of second wall sections which intersect said first wall sections, said first layer having in the range of about 8 to 9 columns of first wall sections per lineal centimeter and in the range of about 8 to 9 rows of second wall sections per lineal centimeter.

9. The sheet material of claim 1 in which said wall sections of said first layer have a height dimension and a width dimension each in the range of about 0.38 to 3.8 millimeters.

10. The sheet material of claim 1 in which said moisture-wicking fibers, said moisture absorbent fibers, and said non-adsorbent, non-absorbent fibers each have a length in the range of about 1.9 to 7.6 centimeters.

11. The sheet material of claim 1 in which said moisture-wicking fibers, said moisture-absorbent fibers, and said non-adsorbent, non-absorbent fibers each have a substantially round cross section.

12. The sheet material of claim 1 in which said moisture-wicking fibers, said moisture-absorbent fibers and said non-adsorbent, non-absorbent fibers are crimped.

13. The sheet material of claim 1 in which said first portion of said second layer has a mixture in the range of about 25% to less than 50% moisture-wicking fibers, and 75% to greater than 50% moisture-absorbent fibers, by weight.

14. The sheet material of claim 1 in which said first portion of said second layer has a mixture in the range of about 30% to 40% moisture-wicking fibers, and 60% to 70% moisture-absorbent fibers, by weight.

15. The sheet material of claim 1 in which said second layer has a basis weight in the range of about 2 to 5 ounces per square yard.

16. The sheet material of claim 1 in which said moisture-wicking fibers contain an antimicrobial agent.

17. The sheet material of claim 1 in which said moisture-wicking fibers and said moisture-absorbent fibers each have a denier per filament in the range of about 0.75 to 3.0.

18. The sheet material of claim 1 in which one of said slip-resistant, non-absorbent and thermally non-conductive thermoplastic material forming said first layer, and said moisture-wicking fibers forming a portion of said second layer, are at least partially meltable to permit heat bonding of said first and second layers.

19. The sheet material of claim 18 in which said thermoplastic material is partially meltable.

20. A sheet material, comprising:

a first layer formed of a slip-resistant, non-absorbent and thermally conductive thermoplastic material, said first layer being formed with a plurality of apertures having wall sections therebetween;

a second layer formed of a first portion affixed to said first layer and a second portion underlying said first portion, said first portion including a mixture of moisture-wicking fibers and moisture-absorbent fibers which are intertwined with one another in all directions throughout the thickness of said first portion, said second portion including fibers which are non-adsorbent and non-absorbent, said second layer having sufficient tear strength to substantially prevent movement of said wall sections of said first layer relative to one another under the application of a shear force to said first layer;

a third layer affixed to said second portion of said second layer, said third layer being formed of a cushioning material.

21. The sheet material of claim 20 in which said moisture-wicking fibers are acrylic fibers.

22. The sheet material of claim 20 in which said moisture-absorbent fibers are cellulosic fibers.

23. The sheet material of claim 20 in which said fibers forming said second portion of said second layer are polyester fibers.

24. The sheet material of claim 20 in which said first layer is formed of an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer.

25. The sheet material of claim 20 in which said ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer has a vinyl acetate content in the range of about 3% to 40% by weight.

26. The sheet material of claim 20 in which said first layer has in the range of about 7 to 107 aperture per square centimeter.

27. The sheet material of claim 20 in which said apertures are square in shape, said apertures forming spaced columns of first wall sections and spaced rows of second wall sections which intersect said first wall sections, said first layer having in the range of about 8 to 9 columns of first wall sections per lineal centimeter and in the range of about 8 to 9 rows of second wall sections per lineal centimeter.

28. The sheet material of claim 20 in which said wall sections of said first layer have a height dimension and a width dimension each in the range of about 0.38 to 3.8 millimeters.

29. The sheet material of claim 20 in which said second layer has a mixture in the range of about 25% to less than 50% moisture-wicking fibers, and 75% to greater than 50% moisture-absorbent fibers, by weight.

30. The sheet material of claim 20 in which said moisture-absorbent fibers contain an antimicrobial agent.

31. The sheet material of claim 20 in which said moisture-wicking fibers and said moisture-absorbent fibers each have a denier per filament in the range of about 0.75 to 3.0.

32. The sheet material of claim 20 in which said cushioning material forming said third layer is a urethane foam.

33. The sheet material of claim 20 in which said cushioning material forming said third layer is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of latex foam, crosslinked polyethylene foam, ethylene-vinyl acetate foam, ethylene-vinyl acetate enhanced crosslinked polyethylene foam, sponge rubber foam and vinyl sponge foam.

34. A sheet material comprising:

a first layer formed of a slip-resistant, non-absorbent and thermally conductive thermoplastic material, said first layer being formed with a plurality of apertures having wall sections therebetween;

a second layer formed of a first portion affixed to said first layer and a second portion underlying said first portion, said first portion including a mixture of moisture-wicking fibers and moisture-absorbent fibers which are intertwined with one another in all directions throughout the thickness of said first portion, said second portion including fibers which are non-absorbent and non-adsorbent, said second layer having sufficient tear strength to substantially prevent movement of said wall sections of said first layer relative to one another under the application of a shear force to said first layer;

a third layer affixed to said second portion of said second layer, said third layer being formed of a first cushioning material;

a fourth layer affixed to said third layer, said fourth layer being formed of a second cushioning material.

35. The sheet material of claim 34 in which said moisture-wicking fibers are acrylic fibers.

36. The sheet material of claim 34 in which said moisture-absorbent fibers are cellulosic fibers.

37. The sheet material of claim 34 in which said fibers forming said second portion of said second layer are polyester fibers.

38. The sheet material of claim 34 in which said first layer is formed of an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer.

39. The sheet material of claim 34 in which said ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer has a vinyl acetate content in the range of about 3% to 40% by weight.

40. The sheet material of claim 34 in which said first layer has in the range of about 7 to 107 apertures per square centimeter.

41. The sheet material of claim 34 in which said apertures are square in shape, said apertures forming spaced columns of first wall sections and spaced rows of second wall sections which intersect said first wall sections, said first layer having in the range of about 8 to 9 columns of first wall sections per lineal centimeter and in the range of about 8 to 9 rows of second wall sections per lineal centimeter.

42. The sheet material of claim 34 in which said wall sections of said first layer have a height dimension and a width dimension each in the range of about 0.38 to 3.8 millimeters.

43. The sheet material of claim 34 in which said second layer has a mixture in the range of about 25% to less than 50% moisture-wicking fibers, and 75% to greater than 50% moisture-absorbent fibers, by weight.

44. The sheet material of claim 34 in which said moisture-wicking fibers contain an antimicrobial agent.

45. The sheet material of claim 34 in which said first cushioning material forming said third layer is a urethane foam.

46. The sheet material of claim 34 in which said second cushioning material forming said fourth layer is a thermoformable foam material.

47. The sheet material of claim 46 in which said thermoformable foam material is cross-linked polyethylene foam.

48. The sheet material of claim 34 in which said first cushioning material forming said third layer is selected from the group consisting of urethane foam, sponge rubber foam, vinyl sponge foam and ethylene vinyl acetate foam.