U.S. patent application number 10/517870 was filed with the patent office on 2005-12-01 for cotton swab used for cosmetic or medical purposes or for body care.
This patent application is currently assigned to Paul Hartmann AG. Invention is credited to Mangold, Rainer, Michelmann, Jana, Rompp, Angela.
Application Number | 20050267395 10/517870 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 29762743 |
Filed Date | 2005-12-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050267395 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Mangold, Rainer ; et
al. |
December 1, 2005 |
Cotton swab used for cosmetic or medical purposes or for body
care
Abstract
A cotton swab used for cosmetic or medical purposes or for body
care, comprises a stick, at least one end of which is provided with
a fiber material forming a cotton head, the fiber material
comprising microstaple fibers that are at least 7 mm long.
Inventors: |
Mangold, Rainer;
(Herbrechtingen, DE) ; Rompp, Angela; (Zell u.,
DE) ; Michelmann, Jana; (Heidenheim, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DREISS, FUHLENDORF, STEIMLE & BECKER
POSTFACH 10 37 62
D-70032 STUTTGART
DE
|
Assignee: |
Paul Hartmann AG
Heidenheim
DE
|
Family ID: |
29762743 |
Appl. No.: |
10/517870 |
Filed: |
December 16, 2004 |
PCT Filed: |
July 15, 2003 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP03/07627 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
604/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D04H 1/425 20130101;
D04H 1/435 20130101; D04H 1/43832 20200501; Y10T 442/637 20150401;
Y10T 442/698 20150401; A45D 2200/1063 20130101; Y10T 442/69
20150401; A61F 13/38 20130101; Y10T 442/614 20150401; D04H 1/43835
20200501; D04H 1/5412 20200501; Y10T 442/697 20150401; D04H 1/43838
20200501; A61K 2800/28 20130101; Y10T 442/638 20150401; D04H 1/02
20130101; D04H 1/04 20130101; A45D 34/04 20130101; A61K 8/0208
20130101; D04H 1/55 20130101; Y10T 442/2525 20150401; Y10T 442/689
20150401; A45D 2200/1036 20130101; Y10T 442/2508 20150401; A61Q
19/10 20130101; A45D 2200/1018 20130101; Y10T 442/641 20150401;
Y10T 442/692 20150401; D04H 1/54 20130101; Y10T 442/619 20150401;
A45D 2200/1054 20130101; D04H 1/43828 20200501; D04H 1/4258
20130101; D04H 1/492 20130101; D04H 1/5414 20200501; D04H 1/60
20130101; D04H 1/5418 20200501; Y10T 442/626 20150401; Y10T 442/699
20150401; Y10T 442/615 20150401 |
Class at
Publication: |
604/001 |
International
Class: |
A61M 035/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 15, 2002 |
EP |
02400033.3 |
May 5, 2003 |
DE |
103 21 906.4 |
Claims
1-18. (canceled)
19. A cotton swab for cosmetic or medical purposes or for body
care, the swab comprising: a stick; and a fiber material forming a
cotton head at at least one end of the stick, the fiber material
comprising micro staple fibers of at least 7 mm in length.
20. The cotton swab of claim 19, wherein the micro staple fibers
are polyester (PES) or viscose fibers.
21. The cotton swab of claim 19, wherein a portion of micro staple
fibers compared to a mass of said fiber material is 3 to 50 weight
%.
22. The cotton swab of claim 21, wherein a portion of micro staple
fibers compared to a mass of said fiber material is 5 to 30 weight
%.
23. The cotton swab of claim 22, wherein a portion of micro staple
fibers compared to a mass of said fiber material is 5 to 20 weight
%.
24. The cotton swab of claim 19, wherein said fiber material
additionally comprises up to 97 weight % of cotton fibers.
25. The cotton swab of claim 24, wherein said fiber material
additionally comprises up to 60 to 97 weight % of cotton
fibers.
26. The cotton swab of claim 25, wherein said fiber material
additionally comprises up to 70 to 95 weight % of cotton
fibers.
27. The cotton swab of claim 24, wherein said cotton fibers are
cotton noils.
28. The cotton swab of claim 19, wherein said fiber material
comprises thermally meltable binding fibers.
29. The cotton swab of claim 28, wherein a portion of said
thermally meltable binding fibers compared to a mass of said fiber
material is 5 to 20 weight %.
30. The cotton swab of claim 29, wherein a portion of said
thermally meltable binding fibers compared to a mass of said fiber
material is 5 to 15 weight %.
31. The cotton swab of claim 28, wherein said thermally meltable
binding fibers are multi-component fibers or bi-component
fibers.
32. The cotton swab of claim 31, wherein said multi-component
fibers have a fiber thickness of 1.3 to 10 dtex.
33. The cotton swab of claim 32, wherein said multi-component
fibers have a fiber thickness of 1.3 to 3 dtex.
34. The cotton swab of claim 31, wherein said multi-component
fibers have a fiber length of 3 to 60 mm.
35. The cotton swab of claim 28, wherein said binding fibers are
copoly ester (CO-PES)/polyester (PES) bi-component fibers.
36. The cotton swab of claim 31, wherein a melting point of said
thermally meltable binding fibers or of a low melting component of
said multi-component fibers is lower than a melting point of said
micro staple fibers.
37. The cotton swab of claim 19, wherein a removal resistance of
said fiber material from said end of said stick is larger than
30N.
38. The cotton swab of claim 37, wherein a removal resistance of
said fiber material from said end of said stick is larger than
40N.
39. The cotton swab of claim 19, wherein a sinking duration of said
fiber material in an aqueous solution is at least 3 seconds.
40. The cotton swab of claim 39, wherein a sinking duration of said
fiber material in an aqueous solution is at least 3.4 seconds.
41. The cotton swab of claim 40, wherein a sinking duration of said
fiber material in an aqueous solution is at least 4 seconds.
42. The cotton swab of claim 40, wherein a sinking duration of said
fiber material in an aqueous solution is at least 4.5 seconds.
43. The cotton swab of claim 19, wherein a water retaining capacity
of said fiber material is at least 21 g/g (g liquid per g fiber
material).
44. The cotton swab of claim 43, wherein a water retaining capacity
of said fiber material is at least 23 g/g (9 liquid per g fiber
material).
45. The cotton swab of claim 19, wherein said fiber material
contains a softener.
46. The cotton swab of claim 19, wherein said fiber material
forming said cotton head is produced from a fiber fleece or a fiber
fleece strip having a specific weight of 0.5 to 8 g/m.
47. The cotton swab of claim 46, wherein said fiber material
forming said cotton head is produced from a fiber fleece or a fiber
fleece strip having a specific weight of 1 to 2 g/m.
47. The cotton swab of claim 46, wherein said fiber fleece or the
fiber fleece strip is a card fleece which is oriented in a machine
direction.
Description
[0001] The invention concerns a cotton swab for cosmetic or medical
purposes or for body care, comprising a stick, at least one end of
which is provided with a fiber material forming a cotton head.
Cosmetic or medical cotton swabs of this type serve to clean,
remove make-up or apply cosmetic products or in the medical field,
to clean wounds or apply ointments.
[0002] There are a plurality of conventional cotton swabs of this
type. EP 0 402 140 B1 discloses a cotton pad comprising a cotton
head of lipophilic polyolefin microfibers. The term microfibers is
largely undefined.
[0003] EP 0 363 533 A1 describes a cotton swab whose fiber material
comprises cotton fibers and thermally meltable bi-component fibers
whose portion is defined, by way of example, to be at least 10
weight %. This document does not provide any further
information.
[0004] DE 101 23 971 C2 discloses a cleaning stick for cleaning
electrical or electromechanical components. It has a pointed end
which is surrounded by a piece of cloth, following the conical
shape of the stick, to thereby produce a sealed conical end on a
cleaning stick. The material may be a woven polyester or,
alternatively, a polyester nylon microfiber material.
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 4,100,324 describes a fiber mixture of wood
pulp fibers and thermoplastic microfibers having an average fiber
diameter of less than 10 .mu.m. Due to the fact that this fiber
mixture is essentially produced simultaneously with spinning of the
microfibers by introducing an air flow and a pulp fiber flow into
the region of the spinning head for the microfibers, the fibers are
connected and the microfibers fix the pulp fibers in a state in
which the microfibers are still at increased temperatures and not
yet solidified. The microfibers therefore have a matrix-forming
effect on the wood pulp fibers, and embed the wood pulp fibers in a
hinged, i.e. non-rigid, manner even for very small microfiber
content of down to 1 weight %. Further fibers or particulate
material may be introduced, including synthetic fibers such as
nylon fibers or natural fibers such as cotton, flax, jute and
silk.
[0006] Due to the production of the fiber mixture substantially in
situ together with formation of microfibers using the melt blown
method, the microfibers lose their independence in the fiber
product and are modified and fixed while soft by means of the
contact to the wood pulp fibers. They can no longer be used as an
individual fiber component or as fiber type for producing a product
i.e. for introduction into a production process.
[0007] In accordance with the teaching of U.S. Pat. No. 4,100,324,
the combined flow of melt blown microfibers and wood pulp fibers is
introduced into a gap between two vacuum rollers and formed into a
fleece having a very high weight per unit area of 50 g/m.sup.2 to
nearly 200 g/m.sup.2. The fiber mixture has attained its final
fleece shape directly following fleece formation. Subsequent
fraying out, i.e. separation of the fibers is no longer
possible.
[0008] There are conventional cotton swabs having a cotton head
which consists of 100% cotton fibers.
[0009] It is the underlying purpose of the present invention to
improve a cotton swab of the above-mentioned type such that it
feels softer without considerably reducing the stability of the
cotton head. Moreover, the cleaning effect should be improved
compared to swabs of 100% cotton.
[0010] This object is achieved with a cotton swab in accordance
with the invention in that the fiber material comprises micro
staple fibers having a length of at least 7 mm.
[0011] The term micro staple fibers used above means synthetic
fibers of a fiber strength of .ltoreq.1 dtex. The term micro staple
fibers thereby means that microfibers of a defined length or
defined length range are used for producing the fiber fleece layer
or a band or cord-shaped fiber fleece for the cotton head at the
free ends of the cotton swabs, the fibers having been previously
formed in a separate production method. These separated staple
fibers are then deposited to form the fiber material. Fibers formed
by spinning fleece or melt blown methods, with (see U.S. Pat. No.
4,100,342) the fiber forming and fleece forming processes being
essentially carried out in one step, are not used. On the contrary,
microfibers of a certain length or of a certain length region
(>7 mm) are used which are formed in a production method which
is separate from the fleece forming process. It has turned out that
synthetic micro staple fibers can provide a cotton swab or the
cotton head of a cotton swab with more softness and therefore with
an excellent haptic effect for the user while surprisingly not
reducing the cleaning or make-up removing effect or the solidity of
the cotton head. In fact, inventive cotton swabs having micro
staple fibers of a length of at least 7 mm actually have superior
cleaning and make-up removing effect and are better suited to e.g.
remove fat-containing dirt from the ear than are cotton swabs which
consist of 100% cotton fibers.
[0012] Due to the fineness of the micro staple fibers, the
available surface of the fiber material which can come into contact
with the skin surface to be cleaned, is also larger compared to
pure cotton swabs. This large surface therefore also delimits a
large number of microgaps and openings which may serve to receive
impurities, skin particles, fat-containing dirt or make-up.
[0013] The length of the micro staple fibers which can be used is
preferably 10 to 38 mm, in particular, 15 to 32 mm.
[0014] In a further embodiment of the invention, the micro staple
fibers may be polyester (PES) or viscose fibers.
[0015] The portion of micro staple fibers relative to the mass of
the fiber material is preferably 3 to 50 weight %, in particular 5
to 30 weight % and most preferably 5 to 20 weight %.
[0016] The fiber material may additionally advantageously comprise
up to 97 weight %, in particular 60 to 97 weight % and preferably
70 to 95 weight % of cotton fibers. Cotton fibers are
advantageously included, in particular, when the cotton swab should
be suited to receive a face-cleaning solution or to remove make-up
using a make-up removing agent having a high liquid portion. Cotton
noils are preferably used as cotton fibers.
[0017] To produce the inventive cotton swab, the synthetic micro
staple fibers produced in a separate process are deposited to form
fleece in accordance with conventional fleece formation methods. If
different fiber types are used, these are preferably previously
mixed in an air flow and then deposited. If additional thermally
meltable binding fibers are present, the fleece may be thermally
fixed in an "air-through-method" with a precisely adjustable gas
temperature, thereby preferably preventing thermal and thereby
structural influence or impairment of the synthetic micro staple
fibers.
[0018] In order to obtain a high internal solidity of the fiber
material in the cotton head, the fiber material advantageously
comprises thermally meltable binding fibers. The portion of
thermally meltable binding fibers compared to the mass of fiber
material is, in particular, 5 to 20 weight % and preferably 5 to 15
weight %.
[0019] In a further embodiment of the invention, the binding fibers
may be multi-component fibers, in particular, bi-component fibers,
having a carrier component which melts at higher temperatures and a
binding component which melts at lower temperatures.
[0020] The multi-component fibers, in particular, bi-component
fibers advantageously have a fiber thickness of 1.3 to 10 dtex, in
particular 1.3 to 3 dtex and a fiber length of 3 to 60 mm.
Advantageously core/jacket fibers or side-to side fibers are
used.
[0021] Bi-component fibers having a copolyester (CO-PES) as low
melting component and polyester (PES) as higher melting component
have turned out to be advantageous.
[0022] In one particularly important further embodiment of the
invention, the melting point of the thermally meltable binding
fibers or the low melting component (e.g. CO-PES) of the
multi-component fibers is lower than the melting point of the micro
staple fibers. Micro staple fibers of polyester material may e.g.
be used having a melting point of approximately 256.degree. C. and
CP-PES/PES bi-component fibers having a melting point of the low
melting component CP-PES of 110.degree. C. and of the higher
melting component PES of 255.degree. C. In this case, the fiber
fleece may be thermally solidified to produce the cotton head
without thermally changing the higher melting component of the
bi-component fibers and the micro staple fibers.
[0023] In a further particularly important embodiment of the
invention, the removing resistance of the fiber material forming
the cotton head which represents a measure for the binding of the
fiber material to the free end of the stick and also for the fiber
adhesion, is at least 30 N, preferably at least 40 N, as measured
in accordance with the following removal test.
[0024] Removal Test:
[0025] The removal resistance or the peeling-off resistance of a
cotton head during removal from the free end of the stick of a
cosmetic or medical cotton swab is determined using the following
removal test. Towards this end, a sample holder 2 (FIG. 1) and a
tensile testing device 3 (FIG. 2) according to DIN 51221 are used.
The sample holder 2 comprises a holding block 4 with a bore 6 whose
diameter is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the stick 8
of the cotton swab. The diameter of the bore 6 is thereby 3 to 5%
larger than the outer diameter of the stick 8 of the cotton swab
such that even with a tolerance for the outer diameter of the stick
of .+-.3%, the stick region of the cotton swab can still be
slidably reciprocated in the bore, substantially without
resistance. To carry out the test, the cotton head is separated
from a cotton swab on the side which is not tested and this free
end of the cotton swab is inserted through the bore 6 of the
holding block 4. The sample holder 2 comprising the swab to be
tested is clamped in the tensile testing device 3 (FIG. 2). The
free end 10 of the cotton swab which is disposed through the sample
holder 2 is thereby fixed in the lower clamp 12 of the tensile
testing device 3 (FIG. 2). The sample holder 2 itself is fixed in
the upper clamp 14 of the tensile testing device. The tensile
testing device is adjusted such that the clamps 12, 14 move apart
with a testing speed of 300 mm/min, wherein the upper clamp 14 is
moved away from the stationary lower clamp 12 at the testing speed,
as shown. The testing force which acts between the clamps is
thereby measured. The maximum tensile force determined during
testing is rounded off to a decimal and stated in Newtons. Each
test terminates by shearing the stick 8 of the cotton swab from the
cotton head 16 and pulling it through the bore 6 of the holding
block 4 of the sample holder 2.
[0026] In order to optimize absorption capacity, the fiber material
of the inventive cotton swab advantageously has a sinking duration
in an aqueous solution of at least 3 sec., preferably at least 3.4
sec., with particular preference at least 4 sec., and optimally at
least 4.5 sec.
[0027] It is also advantageous if the water retaining capacity of
the fiber material in accordance with the presently described
absorption capacity test is at least 21 g/g, and preferably at
least 23 g/g.
[0028] Both tests are carried out on the fiber material in the
disposed state in which it can be directly used to produce the
cotton head.
[0029] The more hydrophilic the overall fiber material is, the
faster it sinks in the aqueous liquid. This is desirable only to a
limited degree, in particular for cleaning fatty skin surfaces. It
has turned out that fiber materials comprising microfibers having a
sinking duration of more than 3 sec. achieve a much better cleaning
effect than pure cotton fiber materials. This does not mean that a
slightly higher sinking duration necessarily entails a worse water
retaining capacity. The inventive cotton swabs of higher softness
achieve higher absorption capacities or at least as good a water
retaining capacity as pure cotton swabs, whose water retaining
capacity is below 22.5 g/g in the test described below.
[0030] Sinking Duration Test and Absorption Capacity Test:
[0031] The following test is described in PH.EUR.1997, Monografie
Verbandwatte aus Baumwolle. It is a test for absorption capacity by
determining the sinking duration of a wire basked filled with fiber
material in a liquid and the water retaining capacity. The wire
basked used in this case, is a cylindrical basket of copper wire
with a wire diameter of 0.4 mm. The height is 80 mm, the diameter
is 50 mm, the mesh width is 15-20 mm and the mass is 2.7+/-0.3 g. A
glass having a diameter of 11-12 cm is used.
[0032] A test amount of 5 g of fiber material in the form of a
deposited fleece is placed into the wire basked. The basket is
previously weighed with an accuracy of 0.01 g (M1). The 5 g of
specimen material constitute the mass M2. The glass is filled with
demineralized water to a level of approximately 100 mm and the
filled basket is dropped onto the water from a height of 10 mm. The
time needed to sink below the surface, i.e. the sinking time, is
measured with a stop watch. Directly after determination of the
sinking time, the basket is lifted out of the water and is
horizontally held along its longitudinal axis for 30 s of dripping.
After elapse of the dripping time, the basket is put into a
counterbalanced beaker (M3) and weighed with an accuracy of 0.01 g
(M4).
[0033] The water retaining capacity is given by 1 g / g = M 4 - ( M
2 + M 3 ) M 2 - M 1
[0034] The sinking time and the water retaining capacity are given
as an average value of three measurements. The sinking time of
preferred fiber material for the production of cotton swabs is at
least 3 seconds and the water retaining capacity is at least 21
g/g. This can be obtained through selection of the portion of
absorbing fibers and/or through the addition of hydrophiliation
agents.
[0035] In a further embodiment of the invention, the fiber material
advantageously contains softener, preferably in an amount of at
least 0.2 weight % of the mass of the fiber material. The softeners
are preferably used for treating added cotton fibers. Softeners may
be used which comprise a fatty acid condensation product and/or
functional polydimethyl siloxanes and/or polyethylenes.
[0036] Particularly good qualities of the inventive cotton swab are
obtained if its fiber material forming the cotton head is produced
from a fiber fleece strip or a fiber fleece cord of a specific
weight of 0.5 to 8 g/m, in particular 1 to 2 g/m. The fiber fleece
thereby preferably has a width of 10-20 mm, in particular 12-18 mm.
The cord-shaped or strip-shaped section of the fiber fleece
supplied during the production process is thereby very thin and is
preferably also very narrow and is moreover extremely well-suited
to be wrapped around the free end of the stick and be mounted
thereto in a conventional manner.
[0037] In a particularly advantageous manner, the fiber fleece or
the fiber fleece strip for producing the cotton head is a card
fleece which is oriented in the machine direction. This produces
high tensile strength in the cord or strip-shaped fiber fleece
which facilitates production of the cotton head at the free end of
the stick.
[0038] Further features, details and advantages of the invention
can be extracted from the following claims and the drawing and the
following description of a preferred embodiment of the
invention.
[0039] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a sample holder for a
cotton swab for carrying out the removal test;
[0040] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of the tensile testing device
for carrying out the removing test; and
[0041] FIG. 3 shows a view of a cosmetic cotton swab.
[0042] FIGS. 1 and 2 were explained above.
[0043] FIG. 3 shows a typical cosmetic cotton swab 20 with a stick
22 and a cotton head 24, at both ends of the stick 22, made from a
fiber material having micro staple fibers of a length of at least 7
mm and a fiber thickness of .ltoreq.1 dtex.
[0044] A preferred composition of the fiber material comprises 3 to
50 weight %, in particular 5 to 30 weight % and preferably 5 to 20
weight % of micro staple fibers 0.9 dtex thick. Moreover, the fiber
material comprises up to 97 weight %, in particular 60 to 95 and
preferably 70 to 95 weight % of cotton. The above-mentioned
microfibers are polyester or viscose fibers of 18 to 38 mm in
length.
[0045] In accordance with a particularly preferred embodiment, the
fiber material comprises 90 weight % of cotton fibers, preferably
cotton noils and 10 weight % micro staple fibers. To form a cotton
head, approximately 0.02 to 0.3 g, in particular 0.02 to 0.05 g
fiber material is used. The head diameter, measured transversely to
the longitudinal direction of the stick is 3 to 12 mm, in
particular 3.5 to 5.5 mm.
[0046] The head length, measured in the longitudinal direction of
the stick is 10 to 35 mm, in particular 11 to 16 mm. The stick
diameter is approximately 2.4 to 5.5 mm.
[0047] The following table shows measured values of the sinking
duration test and absorption capacity test (water retaining
capacity), wherein four samples of a mixture of 10 weight %
polyester microfibers 0.9 dtex thick and 90 weight % of cotton
fibers and three samples of a mixture of 25 weight % polyester
microfibers 0.9 dtex thick and 75 weight % cotton fibers were
tested and compared with a sample of a 100% cotton fiber cotton
cord. Addition of 10% micro staple fibers already increases the
softness thereby increasing the sinking duration and the water
retaining capacity.
1 Cotton cord Cotton cord of 90% Cotton cord of 75% cotton Test of
100% cotton noils/10% micro fibers noils/25% micro fibers features
unit cotton noils Sample 1 Sample 2 Sample 3 Sample 4 Sample 1
Sample 2 Sample 3 Sinking Sec 3.02 3.75 4.33 3.58 3.70 5.33 4.78
4.52 time 2.95 3.70 3.56 3.04 3.79 4.97 4.24 4.71 2.95 3.31 3.56
3.96 3.71 5.14 5.47 4.34 3.16 3.52 3.72 3.36 3.64 4.92 4.95 5.05
2.90 3.64 3.49 3.14 2.99 4.84 5.08 5.34 x/s 3.0/0.1 3.6/0.2 3.8/0.3
3.4/0.4 3.6/0.3 5.0/0.2 4.9/0.4 4.8/0.4 g/g 21.9 24.4 22.7 22.3
22.4 25.1 25.6 24.2 Water 22.4 24.7 23.6 19.6 21.7 26.1 23.1 25.8
retaining 21.3 23.1 22.3 22.6 23.0 25.1 26.0 23.8 capacity 22.7
23.4 22.8 22.0 23.4 24.2 24.8 25.3 22.0 25.2 23.1 21.3 21.6 26.4
26.0 26.3 x/s 22/0.5 24.2/0.9 22.9/0.5 21.6/1.2 22.4/0.8 25/0.9
25/1.2 25/1.1 x arithmetic average s standard deviation
* * * * *