Trelleborg Nabs Patent for Dartex Zoned Coatings

Dartex Zoned Coatings offers the ability to ‘zone’ different polyurethane coatings on support surface covers, allowing a single fabric to perform multiple functions.

Katie Hobbins, Managing Editor

March 28, 2023

2 Min Read
Inventors Richard Haxby and Ilias Alexandrakis holding Trelleborg patent
Image courtesy of Trelleborg

Trelleborg recently announced that its Engineered Coated Fabrics manufacturing facility in Nottingham, England, has received a patent for its Dartex Zoned Coatings. The coatings give the ability to zone support surface covers, allowing the performance of multiple functions through a single cover.

Dartex can be applied to any coated fabric option in the healthcare and medical range, for use in mattress covers — top and encasement, moving and handling, positioning devices, specialist medical furniture, theatre tables, and trolleys and stretchers. It can perform multiple physical properties without joins, welds, or seams. Additionally, it uses Dartex’s polyurethane coating technology for patient comfort and quality, is produced on one roll of fabric for efficient manufacturing, and uses the zoned coatings process to change stretch properties within each zone.

Dartez Zoned Coatings are abrasion resistant to protect against mechanical damage, chemical resistant for durability and longevity, have high friction / low slip and low friction / high slip options for improved patient and mattress handling, high breathability for patient comfort, static dissipation for operating rooms, and high, low, and easy stretch fabric options available.

The patient, number US 11,299,265 B2, was invented by Richard Haxby, Trelleborg technical director, and Ilias Alexandrakis, senior development project manager.

“Trelleborg has a long history of developing intellectual property and understands the value of investing in research to help drive innovation in its chosen industries, including healthcare and medical,” Haxby said. “Dartex Zoned Coatings technology is revolutionary, making it possible for medical device manufacturers to develop the ultimate support surfaces.”

The use of the coatings, according to Alexandrakis, could help medtech manufacturers streamline production and enter the market faster.

“This is an exciting advancement for the industry,” he said. “It will mean that medical device manufacturers can streamline their production processes, potentially saving money and bringing products to market more quickly.”

About the Author

Katie Hobbins

Managing Editor, MD+DI

Katie Hobbins is managing editor for MD+DI and joined the team in July 2022. She boasts multiple previous editorial roles in print and multimedia medical journalism, including dermatology, medical aesthetics, and pediatric medicine. She graduated from Cleveland State University in 2018 with a bachelor's degree in journalism and promotional communications. She enjoys yoga, hand embroidery, and anything DIY. You can reach her at [email protected].

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