Patent ID: 8318615

Claim:
A composite fabric material ( 20 ) for absorbing and retaining fluid emitted from a body producing the fluid until evaporation thereof occurs, comprising: an absorbent first layer ( 22 ) for absorbing and retaining fluid emitted from a body producing the fluid, said first layer having a bare surface ( 28 ) through which said fluid is received, said first layer ( 22 ) comprising a fabric comprising acetate fibers and fibers of greater strength than said acetate fibers, said fabric being fabricated so that said acetate fibers are predominant on one side of the fabric and said fibers of greater strength are predominant on the other side of the fabric, said fabric being brushed on the one side on which the acetate fibers predominate; and a vapour permeable and liquid impervious second layer ( 24 ) of microporous polyurethane for preventing transmission of fluid absorbed and retained in the absorbent first layer therethrough, said second layer being adhered to the brushed side of said first layer so that the thickness of the composite fabric material ( 20 ) is in the range of about 0.5 to 1.5 mm, said second layer being adhered by an adhesive applied at discontinuous locations of the interface between said first and second layers so as to form between said fabric and said second layer a volume of open spaces and brushed fibers in which fluid received by said first layer is caused to be entrapped and by way of which evaporation of the received and entrapped fluid occurs through said second layer, and wherein said fabric being brushed is brushed sufficiently prior to being adhered to the second layer so as to provide the composite fabric material with a liquid absorption capacity of between about 3 and 9 g per g of material.