AUSTIN, TX--(Marketwired - Apr 3, 2014) - EPIC Corporation (PINKSHEETS: EPOR) ("EPIC"), and Ronald S. Tucker, EPIC's president, announced "EPIC is pleased to announce that the United States Patent Office, as of April 1, 2014, it issued a Design Patent per the application for an industrial and medical textile ("AcuFAB"). AcuFAB is EPIC's one of a kind spacer fabric that besides being a product itself, is also the base material for the production of other products for the consumer, home healthcare and healthcare markets."
"Obtaining the patent for AcuFAB was very important for various reasons. The least of which was to demonstrate that EPIC's claim of having a proprietary industrial and medical textile was a reality," said Mr. Tucker. "Now we have something to provide OEM's that will make their own products or private label products made by EPIC truly unique and add value because they are made with AcuFAB®. AcuFAB® will add value to all products in which it is a part due to the utility value of its design."
"AcuFAB® is designed as an acupressure overlay support surface," stated Mr. Tucker. "Although its primary functions are to help prevent the development of pressure sores, provide a more restful sleep by easing chronic pain, reduce stress and stiffness, and provide for faster wound healing. AcuFAB® is so versatile it adds value to numerous products that can be sold in consumer, home healthcare and healthcare markets and market segments."
Spacer Fabrics
Spacer Fabrics have top and bottom textiles held by equal distant fibers can provide technological solutions to medical conditions. With the optimization of materials and technologies spacer fabrics have two important properties: (1) they insure a directed transport of fluids and heat becomes possible; and (2) pressure resistance. These qualities of restrictive pressure and micro-climate, which prevents overheating and sweating of the skin, ensure their use for medical textiles. They can be used as compression bandages, to decrease peaks in bed coverings and shoes, and can be used for operating tables and wheelchairs.i
Spacer fabrics that consist of two textile layers held by spacer threads in defined and flexible spacing provide interesting textile solutions for medical use. The mechanical, micro-climate features provide excellent air-permeability and thermoregulation. This allows such textile structures to be used to prevent chronic wounds.ii
AcuFAB® as a Spacer Fabric
AcuFAB®, as a space fabric, has a unique and proprietary design and architecture. Its architecture consists of 100% polyester yarn knitted into alternating ridges which provide limited resistive pressure points and channels which provide a micro-climatic quality running down the length of the fabric, with a single flat surface formed at the bottom of the channels. Its ridges and channels are designed to conform to and run parallel to the meridian acupressure points in the human body. This architecture allows for the soft ridges to support the whole body weight with limited pressure points contacting the body's surface tissues. The ridges are also designed to apply pressure against the acupressure points giving a natural gentle massage effect and ease chronic pain while sleeping. The ridges never lose their shape, cave in or matt.
The channels apply no pressure against the body's surface tissues allowing for micro-climate features with natural air-permeability preventing overheating and sweating of the skin. This means more blood carrying oxygen reaches the body's surface tissues and there is a natural air flow within the fabric that helps maintain a more temperate body temperature.
Definition of Support Surface
The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel has defined "support surfaces" as "[A] specialized devise for pressure redistribution designed for management of tissue loads, micro-climate, and other therapeutic functions (i.e. . . . overlay, . . . seat cushion overlay)."iii
Characteristics of Support Surfaces
The characteristics of each support surface depends on the design and architecture of the particular product. The basic characteristics of a support surface include its physical concept; its components; its features; and its categories.iv
Support Surface Characteristics of AcuFAB®
AcuFAB® has the following support surface characteristics:
Physical Concepts of Support Surfaces Related to AcuFAB®
- Envelopment. This depends on the mattress, but a pressure point of a bony structure may have no pressure due to resting in the alternating channels between the restrictive pressure ridges.
- Fatigue. Due to the architecture of the fabric and the heat treatment of the 100% polyester restrictive pressure ridges will maintain their shape indefinitely.
- Life Expectancy. The fabric can effectively fulfill its designed purpose for 5 or more years.
- Pressure. The restrictive pressure ridges provide a limited pressure point against a point of interest and no pressure against a point of interest adjacent to and parallel with the ridge.
- Pressure Redistribution. The restrictive pressure ridges distribute the body weight over limited contact points of the body's surface tissues.
Components of Support Surfaces Related to AcuFAB®
- PAD. AcuFAB® is made of 100% polyester fibers used to provide comfort, protection and positioning.
- Open Cell. The structure of the pad is made of 100% knitted polyester fibers and include no barriers between the knitted fibers that prevent air, other gases and fluids to pass through the fabric.
- Solids. The restrictive pressure ridges made of heat treated 100% polyester fibers will retain their size and shape under ordinary conditions.
- Air. The design and architecture of the fabric with its restrictive pressure ridges limit pressure points against the bodies surface tissues, and the alternating channels allow for free flow of air without using an external devise.
Features of Support Surfaces Related to AcuFAB®
- Zone. The fabric forms a segment with a channel that separates two restrictive pressure ridge running parallel to the channel. Both the ridges and the channel run length wise down the fabric. The segment thus provides a single redistribution of air capability.
- Multi Zone Surface. The fabric, depending on its width, has many segments or zones and each may have different redistribution capabilities.
- Low Air Loss. The multiple segments or zones provide natural air flow which assists in managing the heat and humidity of the body's surface tissues.
Categories of Support Surfaces Related to AcuFAB®
- Overlay. AcuFAB® is designed to be placed directly on top of an existing surface, e.g. mattresses, wheel chairs, and other seats or chairs.
- Non-powered. AcuFAB® does not require or use an eternal source of energy to function as it was designed to do.
Conclusion
AcuFAB® is a one of a kind spacer fabric and qualifies as a support surface due to its defined characteristics. Its properties of restrictive pressure ridges and channels, which possess mechanical and micro-climate qualities, help pervert the development of pressure sores, provide for faster wound healing and provide a more restful sleep.
About EPIC
EPIC is a private special purpose financial services company with a focus on healthcare and medical products and service companies. Visit www.epiccor.com for corporate information and http://www.otcmarkets.com/stock/EPOR/quote for investor and financial information.
i Eiser P. Harch K. Wigger-Alberti (eds): Textiles and the Skin. Currr Probl Dermal. Basel, Karger, 2003, vol 31, p82 - 97
"Functional Textiles in Prevention of Chronic Wounds, Wound Healing and Tissue Engineering" U. Wallina, Department of Dermatology and Dermatological Alergology, The Friedrich Schiller University of Jena; M. Hide, W. Muller-Litz, D. Obenauf, Textile Research Institute Thuringia-Vobtland e.V., Grease, Germany; and J. Ashcan, PO Box 37, Kenmore, Old, Australia
ii Danish Medical Bulletin - No. 1 February 2008. oVl. 55 pages 72-77, "Advanced Textile Materials and Biopolymers in Would Management" by Salving Pertly, Doctor (Technological Sciences), Associated Professor
iii National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel - Support Surface Standards Initiative, "Terms and Definitions Related to Support Surfaces" ver. 01/29/2007
iv ibid.