The present invention relates to impermeable bed linen characterised by perspirant and flame-retardant properties.

The invention represents the ideal solution to a problem that is often experienced both in private and public health facilities, including hotels.

The problem refers to the situation in which individuals may suffer from losses of organic liquids that impregnate the bed mattress.

This fact can occur in different situations: for example, in the case of small children sleeping without diaper, elder people affected from incontinence, patients recovering from surgical operations or menstruating women.

The same is true when the individual is holding his/her head on the pillow and loses organic liquids that get the pillow case dirty and impregnate the pillow.

A similar situation can also occur when the individual loses blood or mucus from the nose and/or mouth or vomits.

In these situations, the only way to prevent damages to the mattress or pillow has been traditionally represented by the use of impermeable plastic linen (usually made of PVC) that can hold organic liquids and maintain the integrity of mattress and pillow.

However, the PVC linen are far from being the ideal solution to the problem, since they are characterised by non-perspiration.

For this reason, they increase the patient's perspiration with numerous negative consequences, not simply related to general unpleasantness, but also to the onset of skin rashes and injuries, known as"bedsore"in the case of long hospitalisation periods.

The advantage of the new bed linen of the invention is represented by

the capability of combining impermeable and perspirant properties for the first time.

As a matter of fact, the invention is capable of perfectly holding organic liquids and at the same time allow for normal perspiration of the individual on the bed.

This excellent result is made possible by the fact that the bed linen of the invention has been obtained with a completely innovative technique, which provides for a multi-layer structure, composed of a micro-perforated hydrophilic membrane, characterised by high permeability and flame- retardant properties, and at least one layer of perspirant and flame-retardant fabric, of polyester type.

The combination of two layers of perspirant materials is capable of holding organic liquids, thanks to the specific properties of the micro- perforated hydrophilic membrane.

This characteristic of the membrane originates from the fact that the cross-section of the micro-perforations is smaller than the dimensions of organic liquid molecules (which cannot, therefore, pass through them) and larger than the dimensions of sweat molecules (which can pass through them).

The micro-perforated membrane also acts as a good barrier against the penetration of dust and acari, which are prevented from passing from the mattress to sheets and blankets.

It must be noted that the bed linen of the invention complies with the current safety regulations of public health facilities and hotels, being, as mentioned earlier, characterised by flame-retardant properties.

As an additional evidence of the great efficacy of the bed linen of the invention, it must be said that the same can be washed at temperatures up to 60°C in the washing machine and dried in a very short time.

Finally, it must be noted that different traditional items, including pillow cases and sheets with any size and shape, can be realised within the scope of the invention, as well as mattress covers, drawsheets for sanitary use and

similar articles.

For major clarity the description of invention continues with reference to the enclosed drawings, which are intended for purposes of illustration and not in a limiting sense, whereby: - Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a sheet according to the invention in the two-layer embodiment; - Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of a sheet according to the invention in the three-layer embodiment; - Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of a pillow case according to the invention in the embodiment with two-layer structure on each side of the pillow case; - Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of a pillow case according to the invention in the embodiment with three-layer structure on each side of the pillow case.

With reference to Fig. 1, the sheet of the invention (1) is obtained through the superimposition of two layers, with the first layer (2) made of polyester fabric (or similar perspirant and flame-retardant fabric) and the second layer (3) consisting in a very thin micro-perforated hydrophilic membrane.

In particular, this first embodiment of the sheet of the invention is placed on the bed in such a way that the micro-perforated layer (3) faces the mattress and the softer, more comfortable layer (2) faces upwards and is in contact with the patient's body.

In the alternative embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the sheet is characterised by a"sandwich-type"structure, in which the micro-perforated hydrophilic membrane (3) is positioned between two layers (2) of perspirant and flame-retardant fabric.

This means that both the patient's body and the mattress surface are in contact with a layer (2) of perspirant and flame-retardant fabric.

In this specific instance, the layer (2) under the micro-perforated membrane (3) basically has a protective function, preventing the micro- perforated membrane (3) from peeling-off and damaging due to the continuous energetic friction created on the mattress surface by the patient's

movements.

With reference to Fig. 3, the pillow case of the invention (10) is traditionally composed of two rectangular pieces of fabric (10a, 10b) sewn together, it being provided that each piece of fabric has a multi-layer structure obtained through the superimposition of a layer (20) of polyester fabric (or similar perspirant and flame-retardant fabric) and a layer (30) made of a very thin micro-perforated hydrophilic membrane.

In particular, the membrane (30) is placed on the inside of the two pieces of fabric (10a, 10b) of the pillow case (10).

In this way, the micro-perforated membrane (30) of each piece of fabric is in contact with the pillow, and the softer, more comfortable layer (20) is in contact with the patient's head.

In the alternative embodiment of Fig. 4, the pillow case is characterised by opposite pieces of fabric with"sandwich-type"structure, in which the micro-perforated hydrophilic membrane (30) is positioned between two layers (20) of perspirant and flame-retardant fabric.

This means that both the patient's head and the pillow surface are in contact with a layer (20) of perspirant and flame-retardant fabric.

In this case, the perspirant and flame-retardant layer (20) on the inside of the pillow case (10) basically has a protective function, preventing the micro-perforated membrane (30) from peeling-off and damaging due to the continuous friction created on the pillow surface by the patient's head movements.