Textured copper tape

Abstract

A method for the fabrication of a textured copper or brass substrate in order to improve its disinfection process. The substrate can be a textured copper or brass tape or any product or touch surface that can be texturized. The textured metallic substrate can be a tape or a sheet or film or panel or any metallic surface that can be texturized (e.g. door knobs, hand rails, medical equipment, or table tops). Thus, already existing touch surfaces can be treated with the inventive texturing to enhance its disinfection effectiveness and reduce the transmission of diseases. The texturization process may be determined by the microbes to be confronted and their determined dimensions and configurations and may be texturized to a depth and width of between 2-10,000 microinches.

Claims

1. A method of disinfecting a copper substrate, comprising the steps of: analyzing the type of microbe or microbes to be disinfected; determining the physical configuration and dimensions of the microbe or microbes; providing a copper substrate; determining the texture to incorporate onto the surface of the copper substrate based upon the physical configuration and dimensions of the microbe or microbes; and texturizing the copper substrate with the determined texture.

2. The method of making a disinfecting copper substrate as recited in claim 1, wherein the depth and width of the texturing is between 5-500 microinches.

3. A method of disinfecting a copper substrate, comprising the steps of: providing a copper substrate; analyzing the environmental conditions of its use; and s determining the texturization to be applied to the substrate based upon its environmental conditions.

4. A textured copper substrate comprising a copper substrate selected from the group consisting of a tape, sheet or panel, wherein the surface of the copper substrate is texturized to a depth and width of between 2-10,000 microinches.

5. The textured copper substrate as recited in claim 4, wherein the depth and width is between 5-125 microinches.

6. The textured copper substrate as recited in claim 3, wherein the depth and width is between 125-500 microinches.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing of a textured tape incorporating features of the invention.

[0013] FIG. 2 is a photo micrograph of the texture depicted in FIG. 1.

[0014] Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] The invention provides a method for the fabrication of a textured copper tape 12, as shown in FIG. 1. The textured copper tape is merely exemplary of the plethora of products that can utilize the invention. The tape can have a release layer 10, followed by an adhesive layer 14. The textured metallic substrate can be the exemplary tape or a sheet or film or panel or any metallic surface that can be texturized (e.g. door knobs or hand rails). Thus, already existing touch surfaces can be treated with the inventive texturing to enhance its disinfection effectiveness and prevent or at least reduce the transmission of disease.

[0016] The preferred metallic substrate copper or brass. Additives of zinc or other materials may be used but are generally less effective at reducing or disinfecting microorganisms, mold, spores, viruses etc.

[0017] The invention is achieved by realizing that the copper substrate must be texturized (as depicted in FIG. 1, elements 16, 17, and 18) in order to activate the copper. The method used to texturize the surface can be accomplished by any known process and the resultant shape, design, depth and other design elements of the texturization can be dictated by the eventual use of the substrate. The texture of the substrate allows the microbes to fall into the activated copper surfaces in order to enhance the disinfection process (increases the points of contact between the microbe and the copper) as opposed to a non-textured surface (that is, smooth or flat).

[0018] The dimensions and configuration of the textured surface preferably matches microbes intended to be confronted. The texturization may take the configuration of a single pattern 16 or a plurality of different patterns 16, 17, and or 18, as depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2. The surface roughness can be between 2-10,000 microinches (uin). The roughness will be dependent upon the specific application. For example, if the use is primarily for viruses, the texturization process and specific configuration of the textured surface will be different than if the use is for a certain bacteria or mold. Viruses are in the size range of 0.005-0.3 microns (um); bacteria 0.3-60 microns; mold 3-12 microns; mold spores 10-20 microns; and anthrax 1-5 microns. These microbes also possess different shapes (e.g. long, short, round, spiral, pointed, etc.). In effect, different microbes are killed by different surface configurations.

[0019] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the invention further realizes that certain mold and spores are large and may settle on top of a textured surface that only uses one type of texturization (e.g. scratches or depressions). The invention realizes that either a different texture is needed (e.g points or protuberances) or the points or protuberances may be added to the original texturing. FIGS. 1 and 2 generally depict the different types of textures 16, 17, and 18 that may be combined

[0020] It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.