Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
125 words
An immobilization support material for use in chemical or physical processes for support thereon of supported material, the support consisting of finely-divided animal bone comprising a collagenous matrix of organic fibrous connective tissue material including osein having uniformly distributed therethrough mineral hydroxyapatite, the bone having external surfaces and having internal surfaces provided by internal pores and Haversian canals therein, from the external surfaces of which bone external tissue has been removed, and from the internal surfaces of the internal pores and Haversian canals internal tissue has been removed by dissolving it therefrom, wherein the collagenous matrix is exposed and provides sites for the support thereon of the material to be supported, the cleaned bone containing not more than 0.5% by weight of remaining lipid material.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
125 words
An immobilization support material for use in chemical or physical processes for support thereon of supported material, the support consisting of finely-divided animal bone comprising a collagenous matrix of organic fibrous connective tissue material including osein having uniformly distributed therethrough mineral hydroxyapatite, the bone having external surfaces and having internal surfaces provided by internal pores and Haversian canals therein, from the external surfaces of which bone external tissue has been removed, and from the internal surfaces of the internal pores and Haversian canals internal tissue has been removed by dissolving it therefrom, wherein the collagenous matrix is exposed and provides sites for the support thereon of the material to be supported, the cleaned bone containing not more than 0.5% by weight of remaining lipid material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
An immobilization support material as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cleaned bone contains not more than 0.1% by weight of remaining lipid material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
An immobilization support material as claimed in claim 2, wherein the bone particle size is in the range 0.1-2 mm.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
An immobilization support material as claimed in claim 2, in combination with a chemical cross-linking agent for the collagenous matrix and the material to be supported thereon.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
An immobilization support material as claimed in claim 4, wherein the chemical cross-linking agent is selected from the group consisting of glutaraldehyde, cyanogen bromide, hydrazine, carbodiimide, and Woodward's Reagent K.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
An immobilization support material as claimed in claim 2, wherein the animal bone is poultry bone.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
An immobilization support material as claimed in claim 2, in combination with catalytic material supported thereon.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
An immobilization support material as claimed in claim 7, wherein the catalytic material consists of from 0.25% to 5% by weight of the total of immobilization support material and catalytic material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
An immobilization support material as claimed in claim 7, wherein the catalytic material is an enzymatic material selected from the group consisting of cells and the enzymes catalase, β-galactosidase, pectinase, lipase, glucose oxidase, glucose isomerase, galactase and protease.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
An immobilization support material as claimed in claim 2, wherein the support material is rendered alkaline to produce a positive charge thereon, and in combination with supported material attached by charge attraction.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
An immobilization support material as claimed in claim 2, in combination with supported material attached by adsorption.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
An immobilization support material as claimed in claim 2, in combination with supported material, wherein the immobilization support material has been dried to a moisture content of less than 10% before attachment of the supported material thereto.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
An immobilization support material as claimed in claim 2, wherein osein of the collagenous matrix has been treated with collagenase enzyme to develop attachment sites thereon for attachment of supported material.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
35 words
An immobilization support material as claimed in claim 2, in combination with supported material, wherein the surfaces of the immobilization support material are positively charged to promote attachment of the supported material to the surfaces.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
131 words
A method of making an immobilization support material for support thereon of supported material for chemical and physical processes, the immobilization support material consisting of finely divided animal bone comprising a collagenous matrix of organic fibrous connective tissue material including osein having uniformly distributed therethrough mineral hydroxyapatite, the bone having external surfaces and having internal surfaces provided by internal pores and Haversian canals therein, the method comprising removing external tissue from the external surfaces of finely divided animal bone, and removing internal tissue from the internal surfaces of the pores and Haversian canals by dissolving it therefrom to result in cleaned bone containing not more than 0.5% by weight of remaining lipid material, wherein the collagenous matrix is exposed to provide sites for the support thereon of material to be supported.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
131 words
A method of making an immobilization support material for support thereon of supported material for chemical and physical processes, the immobilization support material consisting of finely divided animal bone comprising a collagenous matrix of organic fibrous connective tissue material including osein having uniformly distributed therethrough mineral hydroxyapatite, the bone having external surfaces and having internal surfaces provided by internal pores and Haversian canals therein, the method comprising removing external tissue from the external surfaces of finely divided animal bone, and removing internal tissue from the internal surfaces of the pores and Haversian canals by dissolving it therefrom to result in cleaned bone containing not more than 0.5% by weight of remaining lipid material, wherein the collagenous matrix is exposed to provide sites for the support thereon of material to be supported.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the cleaned bone contains not more than 0.1% by weight of remaining lipid material.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the bone is of particle size in the range 0.1-2 mm.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as claimed in claim 16, including the step of attaching to the immobilization support material a chemical cross-linking agent for the collagenous matrix and the material to be supported thereon.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the chemical cross-linking agent is selected from the group consisting of glutaraldehyde, cyanogen bromide, hydrazine, carbodiimide, and Woodward's Reagent K.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
13 words
A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the bone is poultry bone.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method as claimed in claim 16, including the step of attaching to the immobilization support material a catalytic material for support thereon.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the catalytic material is an enzymatic material selected from the group consisting of cells and the enzymes catalase, β-galactosidase, pectinase, lipase, glucose oxidase, glucose isomerase, galactase and protease.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the catalytic material consists of from 0.25% to 5% by weight of the total of immobilization support material and catalytic material.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as claimed in claim 16, including the step of heating the immobilization support material to a temperature of about 65° C.-75° C. for a period sufficient to cause pasteurisation thereof.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the bone is washed with a solution of caustic soda of about 0.25% to 10% concentration to dissolve internal tissue from the bone internal surfaces.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method as claimed in claim 16, including the step of attaching material to be supported to the immobilization support material, and wherein the immobilization support material is rendered alkaline to produce a positive charge thereon and the material to be supported is attached by charge attraction.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as claimed in claim 16, including the step of attaching material to be supported to the immobilization support material, and wherein the supported material is attached by adsorption.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method as claimed in claim 16, including the step of attaching material to be supported to the immobilization support material, and wherein the immobilization support material is dried to a moisture content of less than 10% before attachment thereto of the material to be supported.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method as claimed in claim 16, including the step of treating the osein of the collagenous matrix with collagenous enzyme to develop attachment sites thereon for material to be supported thereon.