U.S. patent application number 09/944384 was filed with the patent office on 2002-03-07 for wipe with a tunnel shaped gripping member.
Invention is credited to Widlund, Urban.
Application Number | 20020026679 09/944384 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27354587 |
Filed Date | 2002-03-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020026679 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Widlund, Urban |
March 7, 2002 |
Wipe with a tunnel shaped gripping member
Abstract
A wipe (100), especially for cleaning the genital and anal
region, having a drying layer (101) with a first surface (102) and
a second surface (103). A tunnel-shaped gripping member (104) is
arranged on the second surface (103), which tunnel-shaped gripping
member (104) has a longitudinal direction and a transverse
direction, with two long sides (108', 109') extending in the
longitudinal direction and two short sides (110', 111') extending
in the transverse direction. An opening (112, 113) extending in the
transverse direction is arranged at least one short side (110',
111') of the tunnel-shaped gripping member (104), the tunnel-shaped
gripping member (104) and the opening (112, 113) having an extent
in the transverse direction which permits insertion of at least one
finger and at most three fingers into the tunnel-shaped gripping
member (104).
Inventors: |
Widlund, Urban; (Pixbo,
SE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Ronald L. Grudziecki
BURNS, DOANE, SWECKER & MATHIS, L.L.P.
P.O. Box 1404
Alexandria
VA
22313-1404
US
|
Family ID: |
27354587 |
Appl. No.: |
09/944384 |
Filed: |
September 4, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60234157 |
Sep 20, 2000 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/227 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45D 2200/1018 20130101;
A47K 7/02 20130101; A47L 13/18 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
15/227 |
International
Class: |
A47L 013/18 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 4, 2000 |
SE |
0003113-8 |
Claims
1. A wipe, comprising: a drying layer having a first surface and a
second surface; a gripping member arranged on the second; the
gripping member is tunnel-shaped and has two long sides extending
in a longitudinal direction and two short sides extending in a
transverse direction, and an opening extending in the transverse
direction is arranged on at least one short side of the
tunnel-shaped gripping member, the tunnel-shaped gripping member
and the opening having an extent in the transverse direction which
permits insertion of at least one finger and at most three fingers
into the tunnel-shaped gripping member.
2. The wipe according to claim 1, wherein the wipe extends beyond
the tunnel-shaped gripping member along the long sides of the
gripping member.
3. The wipe according to claim 2, wherein a gripping tab is
arranged along one long side of the gripping member.
4. The wipe according to claim 3, wherein a gripping tab is
arranged along each long side of the gripping member.
5. The wipe according to claim 4, wherein an outer contour of the
gripping tabs coincides with an outer contour of the drying layer
of the wipe.
6. The wipe according to claim 3, wherein the gripping tab is made
from a material layer included in the gripping member.
7. The wipe according to claim 4, wherein the gripping tabs are
made from a material layer included in the gripping member.
8. The wipe according to claim 1, wherein the drying layer
comprises a liquid-absorbing material.
9. The wipe according to claim 1, wherein a liquid-tight material
layer is arranged between the tunnel-shaped gripping member and the
drying layer of the wipe.
10. The wipe according to claim 1, wherein the gripping member has
a transverse extent which is at least 2.5 centimeters and at most 8
centimeters.
11. The wipe according to claim 10, wherein the gripping member has
a transverse extent which is at least 3 centimeters and at most 6
centimeters.
12. The wipe according to claim 10, wherein the gripping member has
a transverse extent of about 4 centimeters.
13. The wipe according to claim 1, wherein the gripping member is
formed from two material layers which are joined together along two
essentially parallel attachment lines arranged at a distance from
each other corresponding to a width of one to three fingers.
14. The wipe according to claim 13, wherein the drying layer is
made of a hydrophilic material.
15. The wipe according to claim 14, wherein one of the material
layers included in the gripping member is directly attached to the
drying layer along two essentially parallel attachment lines
arranged at a distance from each other corresponding to the width
of one to three fingers.
16. The wipe according to claim 14, wherein one of the material
layers included in the gripping member is indirectly attached to
the hydrophilic material layer along two essentially parallel
attachment lines arranged at a distance from each other
corresponding to the width of one to three fingers.
17. The wipe according to claim 1, wherein the gripping member is
formed from a material layer which is folded into a tube shape and
attached to the wipe along at least one attachment area.
18. The wipe according to claim 1, wherein the gripping member has
a longitudinal extent of at least 5 centimeters.
19. The wipe according to claim 1, wherein the gripping member has
a longitudinal extent of at least 8 centimeters.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims the priority of Swedish
Patent Application No. SE 0003113-8, filed in Sweden on Sep. 4,
2000. The present application also claims the benefit of U.S.
Provisional Application No. 60/234,157, filed in the United States
on Sep. 20, 2000. The contents of Swedish Patent Application No. SE
0003113-8 and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/234,157 are
hereby incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Technical Field
[0003] The invention relates to a wipe having a first surface and a
second surface, with a hydrophilic material layer arranged on the
first surface and a gripping member arranged on the second
surface.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] For cleaning the genital and anal region, for example when
visiting the toilet, or for washing/drying infants or incontinent
bedridden adults, prior to the present invention it has been
customary to use toilet paper, wipes, towelettes or the like.
However, the known drying means are associated with a number of
disadvantages. For example, when using toilet paper or wipes for
drying, an unnecessarily large amount of material is used in order
to form a "handle" to secure the drying material in relation to the
hand and to ensure that the hand which is holding the drying
material is protected from contamination. Moreover, toilet paper
and wipes afford poor precision during the drying procedure and,
especially in the nursing context, result in ineffective and
unhygienic handling of the drying material.
[0006] Another problem arises in connection with wiping cloths for
polishing purposes. Such cloths have to be moved at great speed
across the surface which is to be polished and, as a result of the
friction between the polished surface and the polishing cloth, it
is easy for the polishing cloth to slip out of the user's hand.
Polishing does not always require that the drying material be
hydrophilic, since polishing is often carried out on dry or oily
surfaces. In the latter case, it may be expedient to use a drying
material which absorbs hydrophobic liquids, such as oils.
[0007] To make drying easier, to save material, and to provide
better protection against contamination, it has been proposed, for
example in DE 4117827 and WO 96/16217, to design wipes as pockets
or mitts into which the user can insert a hand. However, such mitts
or pockets still require a relatively large amount of material. In
addition, there is a considerable risk of the mitt or pocket
slipping off the hand, or slipping round the hand during use. Thus,
the known drying mitts do not afford satisfactory protection
against contamination or sufficient precision, holding, and control
during the drying procedure.
[0008] There therefore remains a need for an improved wipe for
cleaning the genital and anal area, for polishing purposes, or for
similar purposes.
SUMMARY
[0009] The present invention provides a wipe of the type mentioned
above which essentially reduces the problems of the known wipes and
mitts.
[0010] A wipe designed according to the invention is principally
distinguished by the fact that the gripping member is a
tunnel-shaped gripping member and has a longitudinal direction and
a transverse direction, with two long sides extending in the
longitudinal direction and two short sides extending in the
transverse direction, and that an opening extending in the
transverse direction is arranged on at least one short side of the
tunnel-shaped gripping member, the tunnel-shaped gripping member
and the opening having an extent in the transverse direction which
permits insertion of at least one finger and at most three fingers
into the tunnel-shaped gripping member.
[0011] As the tunnel-shaped gripping member is relatively narrow
and only accommodates at most three fingers, this ensures that the
wipe can be held more securely in the hand than was the case with
previously known wipes and toilet paper. As at least one finger, in
addition to the thumb, is situated outside the tunnel-shaped
gripping member during use of the wipe, the material of the
gripping member can be held securely between the finger or fingers
inside the gripping member and at least one finger outside the
gripping member. This means that the wipe is prevented from
slipping off the hand during the drying procedure. In addition, the
wipe can be maintained in a predetermined position, as a result of
which soiled parts of the wipe are prevented from inadvertently
coming into contact with surfaces outside the drying location. The
fact that the wipe can be locked in a defined position in relation
to the user's hand also means that the user has greater control
over the wipe during the drying procedure. As a result, drying is
made easier and can be done with greater precision and with a
better end result than has been possible with the previously known
wipes. With a relatively narrow, tunnel-shaped gripping member
according to the invention it is thus possible to achieve greater
protection against soiling of the user's hand, better holding of
the wipe, and greater precision and accuracy in the drying
procedure.
[0012] It is expedient for the wipe to have a greater extent in the
transverse direction than the gripping member, so that the
hydrophilic layer extends beyond the tunnel-shaped gripping member,
at least along the long sides of the gripping member. This provides
better protection for the user's hand and improved holding of the
wipe, because the risk of the tunnel-shaped gripping member turning
about the finger or fingers that have been inserted into the
gripping member is reduced.
[0013] The hydrophilic material layer advantageously comprises
liquid-absorbing material, for example cellulose fluff, cotton
fibers, peat, or similar materials. To hold the layer together, the
latter can also comprise various types of binders, strengthening
fibers, strengthening layers, or similar materials. The hydrophilic
material layer can also be provided with a surface layer of
liquid-permeable material in order to obtain a smooth drying
surface that is comfortable against the skin. Such a surface layer
can also be used to hold together the fibers of the hydrophilic
material layer, to increase the tensile strength, to reduce
fluffing, and to make it possible to use unbonded absorption
material such as cellulose fluff pulp or superabsorbent particle
material.
[0014] Although different people have different sizes of fingers,
it has been found that a wipe, in which the tunnel-shaped gripping
member has an extent in the transverse direction of at least 2.5
centimeters and at most 8 centimeters, fits most users and permits
insertion of one to three fingers. In a wipe with a tunnel-shaped
gripping member having an extent in the transverse direction which
is at least 3 centimeters and at most 6 centimeters, most users can
insert one or two fingers, and, in a tunnel-shaped member having an
extent in the transverse direction which is about 4 centimeters,
most can insert one finger. Since the tunnel-shaped gripping member
can be made of flexible material such as nonwoven, plastic film, or
similar, the gripping member can be presented in a collapsed state,
for example during transport and storage, in which case the
gripping member assumes a tunnel shape only at the time of use,
when the user inserts one or more fingers into the gripping member.
The relevant width is therefore the width of the tunnel-shaped
member when it is in its use state.
[0015] According to one embodiment of the invention, at least one
gripping tab is arranged along at least one long side of the
tunnel-shaped gripping member. Such a gripping tab is intended to
be gripped between two fingers and thereby ensure reliable securing
of the wipe in the user's hand. It is advantageous for a gripping
tab to be arranged along each long side of the tunnel-shaped
gripping member, giving a symmetrical arrangement. A wipe with a
tunnel-shaped gripping member surrounded by two side tabs is used,
for example, by inserting the middle finger, or the middle finger
and the ring finger, into the tunnel-shaped member and by securing
the gripping tabs between the finger/fingers inserted into the
gripping member and the surrounding fingers. In the former case,
the gripping tabs are thus secured between the middle finger and
the index finger or ring finger. In the latter case, with two
fingers inserted into the gripping member, the gripping tabs are
secured between the middle finger and index finger on one side and
between the ring finger and little finger on the other side.
[0016] To facilitate cutting the wipes according to the invention,
the outer contour of the gripping tabs can be designed to at least
partially coincide with the outer contour of the hydrophilic
material layer of the wipe.
[0017] In addition, the gripping tabs can be made from the same
material layer as the tunnel-shaped gripping member.
[0018] To prevent liquid being transferred from the hydrophilic
material layer to the user's hand, a liquid-tight material layer
can be arranged between the tunnel-shaped gripping member and the
hydrophilic material layer of the wipe.
[0019] The tunnel-shaped gripping member can be formed from two
material layers which are joined together along two essentially
parallel attachment lines arranged at a distance from each other
corresponding to the width of one to three fingers. One of the
material layers included in the tunnel-shaped gripping member can
be the hydrophilic material layer of the wipe, or a further layer
attached thereto, for example a liquid-tight layer, as a result of
which the other material layer included in the tunnel-shaped
gripping member is directly or indirectly attached to the
hydrophilic material layer along two essentially parallel
attachment lines arranged at a distance from each other
corresponding to the width of one to three fingers.
[0020] According to an alternative embodiment, the tunnel-shaped
gripping member is formed from a material layer which is folded
into a tube shape and attached to the wipe along at least one
attachment line. A further possibility is to use an element which
is hose-shaped or tube-shaped from the outset and is attached to
the second surface of the wipe.
[0021] To allow most of a finger to be inserted into the
tunnel-shaped gripping member, it is preferable for the latter to
have a longitudinal extent of at least 5 centimeters and preferably
of at least 8 centimeters.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0022] The invention will now be described in greater detail with
reference to the figures shown in the attached drawings. Of
these:
[0023] FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a wipe according to a first
embodiment of the invention, seen from the side which, during
drying, is intended to be directed away from the drying area;
[0024] FIG. 2 shows a section along the line II-II through the wipe
in FIG. 1;
[0025] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of how the wipe in FIGS. 1
and 2 can be securely held during use;
[0026] FIG. 4 shows a plan view of a wipe according to a second
embodiment of the invention, seen from the side which, during
drying, is intended to be directed away from the drying area;
[0027] FIG. 5 shows a section along the line V-V through the wipe
in FIG. 4;
[0028] FIG. 6 shows a plan view of a wipe according to a third
embodiment of the invention, seen from the side which, during
drying, is intended to be directed away from the drying area;
[0029] FIG. 7 shows a section along the line VII-VII through the
wipe in FIG. 6;
[0030] FIG. 8 shows a plan view of a wipe according to a fourth
embodiment of the invention, seen from the side which, during
drying, is intended to be directed away from the drying area,
and
[0031] FIG. 9 shows a section along the line IX-IX through the wipe
in FIG. 8.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0032] The wipe 100, shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, is shown from the side
which is intended to be gripped during use and comprises a first
layer, the drying layer 101, made of liquid-absorbing or at least
hydrophilic material. Suitable materials in this case are layers of
tissue, thin flexible layers of absorbent foam, and textiles or
textile-like material, preferably so-called nonwoven material
comprising absorbent or at least hydrophilic fibers. Examples of
fibers that can be used in this connection are cellulose fibers,
regenerated cellulose, polyester, polyolefin fibers which have been
rendered hydrophilic, or similar fibers. Although the drying layer
101 comprises absorbent material, it does not need to consist
entirely of absorbent material and can contain nonabsorbent binding
fibers, strengthening fibers, or similar materials. For example,
nonwoven material consisting of fiber mixtures with absorbent and
nonabsorbent fibers can be used. However, it is preferable for the
fibers included to consist essentially of fibers which are
hydrophilic or which have been treated to obtain a hydrophilic
surface, for example, with wetting agents or by chemical or
physical modification of the fibers.
[0033] The drying layer 101 has a drying surface 102 which is
intended to be directed towards the surface which is to be dried,
and a gripping surface 103 on which a tunnel-shaped gripping member
104 is arranged.
[0034] The tunnel-shaped gripping member 104 is formed from a
second layer 105 which is attached to the drying layer along two
parallel attachment lines 106, 107 by gluing, welding, or similar
means. The join between the drying layer 101 and the second layer
105 can be made continuous along the full extent of the attachment
lines 106, 107 or can be in the form of attachment points or
attachment areas arranged along the attachment lines 106, 107. The
tunnel-shaped gripping member 104 has longitudinal side edges 108,
109 which extend in the longitudinal direction of the wipe 100 and
are delimited, in the transverse direction of the wipe 100, by the
parallel attachment lines 106, 107, which are preferably arranged
at a distance of 2.5 to 8 centimeters from each other, more
preferably 3 to 6 centimeters, and most preferably at a distance of
about 4 centimeters. The distance between the attachment lines
should be such that at least one finger can be easily inserted into
the space delimited by the drying layer 101 and the second layer
105 and by the attachment lines 106, 107. However, the distance
should preferably not be so great as to allow more than three
fingers to be inserted into the gripping member 104.
[0035] The second layer 105 can consist of the same material as the
drying layer or of some other layer material suitable for the
purpose. The second layer 105 can be chosen from a larger group of
materials, since no requirements in terms of absorption properties
are placed on this layer. Thus, the second layer 105 can be a layer
of tissue, a nonwoven layer, a plastic film, or a paper layer, or a
similar material.
[0036] The wipe 100 may have a trapezoidal shape with a
longitudinal direction and a transverse direction and with two
equal long side edges 108', 109' extending in the longitudinal
direction and two end edges 110', 111' extending in the transverse
direction, of which one end edge 110' is slightly shorter than the
other end edge 111'. In the illustrative embodiment shown, the
tunnel-shaped gripping member 104 has an opening 112, 113 at each
end edge 110', 111' of the wipe 100.
[0037] The two layers 101, 105 included in the wipe have
essentially the same shape and planar extent, which means that the
second layer 105, in addition to the tunnel-shaped gripping member
104, forms a longitudinal grippable side tab 114, 115 between each
attachment line 106, 107 and the corresponding side edge 108', 109'
of the wipe 100.
[0038] When using the wipe 100, one of the fingers of the hand 116,
preferably the middle finger 117, is inserted into the
tunnel-shaped gripping member 104 at the shorter end edge 110' of
the wipe, as is shown in FIG. 3. The index finger 118 and the ring
finger 119 are inserted between the drying layer 101 and the second
layer 105 on both sides of the tunnel-shaped gripping member 104,
as a result of which the longitudinal side tabs, or gripping tabs
114, 115, of the second layer 105 can be held securely between the
middle finger 117 and the index finger 118 or ring finger 119. The
two gripping tabs 114, 115 are not essential to the invention but
increase the grippability of the wipe 100.
[0039] The wipe 400 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is again seen from the
side which is intended to be gripped during use. The wipe 400
comprises a drying layer 401 with a drying surface 402 and a second
surface 403 that is directed away from the drying surface 402. A
further material layer, the protective layer 421, is arranged on
the second surface 403 of the drying layer 401. The protective
layer 421 is preferably a layer of tissue, a nonwoven layer, or a
liquid-tight layer such as a plastic layer, or a hydrophobic
nonwoven layer. Alternatively, the protective layer 421 can be a
laminate of an absorbent or hydrophilic layer and a liquid-tight
layer, for example a layer of tissue and a plastic layer.
[0040] A tunnel-shaped gripping member 404, which is formed from
two material layers 405', 405" which are joined together along two
parallel attachment lines 406, 407, for example by adhesive
bonding, stitching, or welding, is attached to that surface of the
protective layer 421 directed away from the drying layer 401. The
attachment lines 406, 407 define the transverse extent of the
gripping member 404 and thus form side edges 408, 409 of the
gripping member 404, while the open ends at the end edges 410',
411' of the wipe form end edges 410, 411 of the gripping member
404.
[0041] The attachment of the tunnel-shaped gripping member 404 to
the protective layer 421 is made along a central band-shaped
attachment area 422 extending in the longitudinal direction of the
wipe 400. Like the joining of the tunnel-shaped gripping member
404, this join can be made using any technique suitable for the
purpose, such as adhesive bonding, stitching, or welding with heat
or ultrasound. The join can be in the form of a continuous seam
along the whole of the band-shaped attachment area 422, or it can
be discontinuous and consist of two or more individual attachment
areas.
[0042] Like the dry wipe shown in FIGS. 1-3, the wipe 400 may have
a trapezoidal shape with a longitudinal direction and a transverse
direction and with two equal long side edges 408', 409' extending
in the longitudinal direction and two end edges 410', 411'
extending in the transverse direction, of which one end edge 410'
is slightly shorter than the other end edge 411'. The tunnel-shaped
gripping member 404 has an opening 412, 413 at each end edge 410',
411'.
[0043] The drying layer 401 has an essentially rectangular shape
and is the same length as the protective layer 421, but slightly
narrower than this layer. The protective layer 421 defines the
planar extent of the wipe 400 and thus has the same shape as the
wipe 400. The protective layer 421 is intended to protect the
user's hand against soiling and should therefore be sufficiently
wide to be able to cover all the fingers of the hand except the
thumb.
[0044] The two material layers 405', 405" which form the
tunnel-shaped gripping member 404 extend in the transverse
direction of the wipe beyond the attachment lines 406, 407 between
the layers 405', 405" and form, in the same way as in the
embodiment in FIGS. 1-3, gripping tabs 414, 415, which can be held
securely between the user's fingers for more reliable gripping of
the wipe 400. The material layers 405', 405" can be of any suitable
material but are preferably made of a soft and pliable material
such as tissue, nonwoven, or plastic film. The material layers
405', 405" can be of the same material or of different
materials.
[0045] The wipe shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is used in the same way as
the wipe in FIGS. 1-3. Thus, one, two, or three fingers are
inserted into the tunnel-shaped gripping member 404 through an
opening 412, 413, preferably the opening 412 situated at the
shorter end edge 410' of the wipe 400, and one or both of the
gripping tabs 414, 415 is/are held securely between a finger
inserted into the gripping member 404 and at least one adjacent
finger outside the gripping member 404 in order to achieve secure
holding of the wipe in the hand. It is expedient, but not
necessary, for the two layers 405', 405" in the gripping member 404
to be connected to each other within the gripping tabs 414, 415,
since such connection between the layers 405', 405" increases the
stability of the gripping tabs 414, 415 and makes these easier to
grip.
[0046] The wipe 600, shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, comprises a drying
layer 601 and a tunnel-shaped gripping member 604 with two long
sides 608, 609 and two short sides 610, 611. The tunnel-shaped
gripping member 604 is formed from a rectangular material layer 605
which has been folded into a tube shape and has been attached with
a join 622 between the side edges of the material layer 605 to the
drying layer 601, in the same way as in the wipe shown in FIGS. 4
and 5. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the wipe 600 can
of course, as in FIGS. 4, 5, 8 and 9, comprise further material
layers for protecting the user's hand against soiling, for example
a liquid-tight layer between the gripping member 604 and the drying
layer 601.
[0047] FIGS. 8 and 9 show an alternative way of obtaining a wipe
800 with a tunnel-shaped gripping member 804 having long sides 808,
809 and short sides 810, 811 and made from a separate material
layer 805 which is attached to the wipe 800 along two parallel
attachment lines 806, 807. The wipe 800 does not have grippable
side tabs but has a liquid-tight material layer 821 arranged
between the drying layer 801 and the tunnel-shaped gripping member
804.
[0048] Although the wipes in the illustrative embodiments have a
trapezoidal shape, it is of course possible, within the scope of
the invention, to use a number of other shapes. For example,
square, rectangular, circular, oval or triangular wipes can be
used. The size of the wipe can of course be varied according to the
area of use. However, the wipe should have a width which
corresponds at least to two finger widths. It is also sufficient
for the tunnel-shaped gripping member to be provided with a finger
opening at just one end of the gripping member. The length of the
gripping member should correspond to at least 75% of one finger
length and preferably a whole finger length, and the gripping
member need not extend the full length of the wipe.
[0049] Although only preferred embodiments are specifically
illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated that many
modifications and variations of the present invention are possible
in light of the above teachings and within the purview of the
appended claims without departing from the spirit and intended
scope of the invention.
* * * * *