U.S. patent application number 10/526847 was filed with the patent office on 2006-06-15 for flocked substrates for use as scouring materials.
Invention is credited to Estrella Cabrero Gomez, Maria del Carmen Martin Rivera.
Application Number | 20060123573 10/526847 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36582103 |
Filed Date | 2006-06-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060123573 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rivera; Maria del Carmen Martin ;
et al. |
June 15, 2006 |
Flocked substrates for use as scouring materials
Abstract
A cleaning article comprises a flocked substrate (1) wherein the
flock (3) comprises fibres that are arranged substantially
perpendicular to the substrate and have a maximum length of 2.0 mm,
the fibres being substantially free of abrasive particles. In one
embodiment, the flocked substrate is laminated to a layer of foam
(9) to provide a hand-held cleaning pad. In another embodiment, the
substrate is a wipe.
Inventors: |
Rivera; Maria del Carmen
Martin; (Madrid, ES) ; Cabrero Gomez; Estrella;
(Madrid, ES) |
Correspondence
Address: |
3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
PO BOX 33427
ST. PAUL
MN
55133-3427
US
|
Family ID: |
36582103 |
Appl. No.: |
10/526847 |
Filed: |
August 29, 2003 |
PCT Filed: |
August 29, 2003 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/US03/27223 |
371 Date: |
November 16, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/118 ; 15/114;
15/209.1; 15/229.11; 15/244.3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B32B 5/022 20130101;
B32B 5/142 20130101; D06Q 1/10 20130101; A47L 13/16 20130101; B32B
3/266 20130101; B32B 2432/00 20130101; B32B 5/18 20130101; B32B
2266/0278 20130101; B32B 2307/726 20130101; B32B 27/12 20130101;
B32B 27/308 20130101; B32B 2307/546 20130101; D04H 11/00 20130101;
B32B 5/12 20130101; B32B 5/245 20130101; B32B 7/14 20130101; B32B
5/024 20130101; B32B 27/304 20130101; B32B 2262/0261 20130101; B32B
23/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
015/118 ;
015/114; 015/209.1; 015/229.11; 015/244.3 |
International
Class: |
A47L 13/12 20060101
A47L013/12 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 5, 2002 |
GB |
0220585.4 |
Jun 12, 2003 |
GB |
0313566.2 |
Claims
1. The use, as a domestic scouring material, of a flocked substrate
wherein the flock comprises fibres that are arranged substantially
perpendicular to the substrate and have a maximum length of 2.0 mm,
the fibres being substantially free of abrasive particles.
2. The use of a flocked substrate as claimed in claim 1, in which
the flock comprises fibres having a length in the range of from 0.4
to 0.8 mm.
3. The use of a flocked substrate as claimed in claim 1, in which
the flock comprises fibres having a titre in the range of from 15
to 80 dtex.
4. (canceled)
5. (canceled)
6. (canceled)
7. The use of a flocked substrate as claimed in claim 1, in which
the flock comprises fibres of a polyamide material.
8. The use of a flocked substrate as claimed in claim 1, in which
the flock is secured to the substrate by an adhesive layer that
does not substantially alter the flexibility of the substrate.
9. The use of a flocked substrate as claimed in claim 8, in which
the flock is secured to the substrate by an acrylic adhesive or a
PVC resin.
10. The use of a flocked substrate as claimed in claim 1, in which
the flock is non-uniformly disposed over the substrate.
11. The use of a flocked substrate as claimed in claim 1, in which
the substrate is a woven web material or a non-woven web
material.
12. The use of a flocked substrate as claimed in claim 1, in which
the flocked substrate is laminated to a layer of foam.
13. The use of a flocked substrate as claimed in claim 1, in which
the substrate is a wipe material part of the liquid-absorbent
surface of which is exposed and available for use as a wipe.
14. A cleaning article comprising a flocked substrate laminated to
a layer of foam, wherein the flock comprises fibres that are
arranged substantially perpendicular to the surface of the
substrate to which they are secured and have a maximum length of
2.0 mm, the fibres being substantially free of abrasive
particles.
15. A cleaning article as claimed in claim 14, in which the layer
of foam comprises a pad suitable for hand-held use.
16. A cleaning article as claimed in claim 14, in which the foam is
a polyurethane or a cellulosic foam.
17. A cleaning article as claimed in claim 14, in which the foam
has a thickness in the range of from 0.5 to 5.0 cm.
18. A cleaning article as claimed in claim 14, in which the flock
is non-uniformly disposed over the substrate.
19. A cleaning article as claimed in claim 14, in which the
substrate is a woven web material or a non-woven web material.
20. A cleaning article comprising a flocked wipe, wherein the flock
comprises fibres that are arranged substantially perpendicular to
the surface of the wipe to which they are secured and have a
maximum length of 2.0 mm, the fibres being substantially free of
abrasive particles.
21. A cleaning article as claimed in claim 20, in which the flock
is applied to the wipe in such a way that at least one area of a
liquid-absorbent surface of the wipe remains exposed.
22. A cleaning article as claimed in claim 21, in which the flock
is applied only on one surface of the wipe.
23. A cleaning article as claimed in claim 22, in which the flock
is applied only to certain parts of a surface of the wipe.
24. (canceled)
25. A cleaning article as claimed in claim 24, in which the wipe
comprises a material having a basis weight in the range of from 15
to 300 gm/m.sup.2.
26. A cleaning article as claimed in claim 25, in which the flock
comprises fibres having a length in the range of from 0.4 to 0.8
mm.
27. A cleaning article as claimed in claim 26, in which the flock
comprises fibres having a titre in the range of from 15 to 80
dtex.
28. (canceled)
29. (canceled)
30. (canceled)
31. A cleaning article as claimed in claim 30, in which the flock
comprises fibres of a polyamide material.
32. A cleaning article as claimed in claim 31, in which the flock
is secured to the substrate by an adhesive layer that does not
substantially alter the flexibility of the substrate.
33. A cleaning article as claimed in claim 32, in which the flock
is secured to the substrate by an acrylic adhesive or a PVC resin.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to substrates that are
suitable for consumer use as scouring materials for cleaning
surfaces in various environments, including domestic, industrial,
hospital and food industry environments.
[0002] Substrates that provide a scouring action are widely used
for cleaning in the domestic environment, being most frequently
employed for cleaning cooking utensils and for cleaning surfaces in
kitchens and bathrooms. Scouring substrates that are already known
for such uses include resin-bonded non-woven webs of the type
described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,958,593. Those webs may incorporate
abrasive particles to enhance their abrasive action.
[0003] Also known for scouring cooking utensils are pads that are
formed from a continuous tow of crimped or undulated filaments, as
described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,362. Those pads may also
incorporate abrasive particles to enhance their abrasive
action.
[0004] It has also been proposed, in GB-A-1 539 477 and WO
02/06009, to use flocked substrates for domestic cleaning and to
enhance the abrasive action of the substrates by depositing
abrasive particles (in the form of beads of resin) on the free ends
of the flock fibres.
[0005] With the increasing use, in many environments, of surfaces
that can be damaged by aggressive abrasive materials, there is a
growing demand from consumers for cleaning substrates that have a
softer abrasive action but which, nevertheless, are able to remove
material such as dirt, grease, burnt-on food etc. quickly and
thoroughly. Consumers also require cleaning substrates that are
themselves easy to clean (for example, simply by rinsing after use)
and retain no undesirable odours and no undesirable residues (e.g.
pieces of food) that could subsequently contaminate other surfaces
on which they might be used. It is an object of the present
invention to enable those requirements to be met.
[0006] The present invention is based on the surprising discovery
that flocked substrates in which the flock fibres are short in
comparison with those previously-proposed for use in domestic
scouring substrates can function efficiently as scouring materials
without the need to deposit any abrasive particles on the flock
fibres. The absence of abrasive particles on the flock fibres
reduces the likelihood that the substrate will damage a surface
that is being cleaned.
[0007] The present invention accordingly provides, for use as a
domestic scouring material, a flocked substrate wherein the flock
comprises fibres that are arranged substantially perpendicular to
the substrate and have a maximum length of 2.0 mm, the fibres being
substantially free of abrasive particles.
[0008] Flocked substrates in which the flock fibres have a length
of less than 2.0 mm and are free of abrasive particles have already
been proposed for use as polishing pads in certain industrial
processes (see WO 98/45112, FR-A-2 799 403 and EP-A-1 057 590 which
describe the use of flocked substrates for polishing items such as
optical glass and semiconductor substrates). In those industrial
processes, the polishing pads are typically used in combination
with some form of polishing compound.
[0009] The present invention also provides a cleaning article
comprising a flocked substrate laminated to a layer of foam,
wherein the flock comprises fibres that are arranged substantially
perpendicular to the surface of the substrate to which they are
secured and have a maximum length of 2.0 mm, the fibres being
substantially free of abrasive particles. The foam can be of any
type known to be suitable for domestic cleaning, including
cellulosic foams having a density in the range of from 75 to 125
Kg/m.sup.3 and polyurethane foams having a density in the range of
from 18 to 30 Kg/m.sup.3. A cleaning article of that type, which
may be in the form of a pad suitable for hand-held use, offers the
user two different cleaning actions that are useful when cleaning
surfaces, namely a scouring action provided by the flocked surface
of the pad and a wiping action provided by the opposed foam surface
of the pad.
[0010] The present invention further provides cleaning article
comprising a flocked wipe, wherein the flock comprises fibres that
are arranged substantially perpendicular to the surface of the wipe
to which they are secured and have a maximum length of 2.0 mm, the
fibres being substantially free of abrasive particles.
[0011] The term "wipe" as used herein means liquid-absorbent web
material that is suitable for use in either a dry or a damp
condition to remove an unwanted substance from a surface by means
of a wiping action. Wipes are often classified, in accordance with
their durability, as "disposable" (meaning that they are intended
to be discarded immediately after use), "semi-disposable" (meaning
that it is possible to wash and re-use them a limited number of
times), and "reusable" (meaning that they are intended to be washed
and re-used). Known wipe materials generally have a basis weight in
the range of from 15 to 300 gm/m.sup.2, although materials having a
higher basis weight can be used, and comprise knitted, woven and
non-woven materials. Wipe materials are often hydrophilic but can
also be specifically constructed to absorb non-aqueous liquids, for
example grease and oil.
[0012] In a cleaning article in accordance with the invention, the
flock should be applied in such a way that at least one area of a
liquid absorbent surface of the wipe remains exposed. A cleaning
article of that type also offers the user two different cleaning
actions that are useful when cleaning surfaces, namely a scouring
action provided by the flocked area(s) of the wipe and a wiping
action provided by the exposed liquid absorbent area(s).
[0013] Typically, both sides of a wipe provide the same wiping
action. If, however, a cleaning article in accordance with the
invention comprises a wipe in which the wiping action is provided
by one side of the wipe only then the flock fibres should be
applied so that part at least of the surface on that one side
remains exposed.
[0014] By way of example, embodiments of the invention will now be
described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0015] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic cross-section of a scouring
substrate;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a patterned scouring substrate;
[0017] FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic cross-section of a hand-held
cleaning pad;
[0018] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a hand-held cleaning
pad;
[0019] FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic cross-section of another cleaning
article; and
[0020] FIGS. 6 and 7 are plan views of other cleaning articles.
[0021] The scouring substrate 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a flocked
substrate in which the flock comprises fibres 3 arranged
substantially perpendicular to the substrate material 5, and
secured to the substrate material by a layer of adhesive 7.
[0022] Flocked substrates of the general type shown in FIG. 1, and
processes for manufacturing them, are well known. In the
conventional processes, a layer of adhesive is applied to the
substrate material and, while the adhesive is still tacky, flock
fibres are attracted to it electrostatically so that they become
embedded at one end in the adhesive and stand up generally
perpendicular to the substrate material. The substrate is then
heated in an oven to dry and cure the adhesive layer.
[0023] For the manufacture of the scouring substrate 1, any woven
or non-woven flexible material suitable for domestic cleaning (i.e.
able to withstand hot water and cleaning fluids) can be used for
the substrate material 5. One suitable material is a woven
polyester/cotton material comprising 65% polyester and 35% cotton,
and having a basis weight of 105 g/m.sup.2.
[0024] Any fibres known to be suitable for flocking and also
suitable for domestic cleaning (i.e. able to withstand hot water
and cleaning fluids) can be used for the flock 3. A particularly
suitable material is polyamide, especially in the form of nylon 6
or nylon 6.6, but polypropylene or polyester fibres could also be
used. The fibres, which may be coloured as required, preferably
have a titre (mass per unit length) in the range of from 15 to 80
dtex (more preferably in the range of from 22 to 50 dtex) and are
cut to a length no greater than 2.0 mm. It has been found that a
particularly effective scouring action is achieved using fibres
having a length of 0.8 mm and a titre of 44 dtex, or a length of
0.4 mm and a titre of 22 dtex.
[0025] The flock 3 may be applied evenly over the substrate
material, in which case it is preferably applied in an amount of
from 150 to 180 g/m.sup.2. Alternatively, the flock 3 may be
applied so that it forms a pattern over the surface of the
substrate material 5: a process by which that can be achieved is
well-known and involves applying the adhesive 7 to the surface in
the required pattern, usually by some form of printing process,
with the result that the flock fibres will be adhered to the
substrate only in the areas to which the adhesive has been applied.
FIG. 2, for example, shows a pattern that is achieved by omitting
the adhesive 7 from regularly-spaced rectangular patches 11 of the
substrate material 5. In this case, the flock fibres 3 will adhere
to the substrate material 5 everywhere except in those patches,
where the substrate will remain exposed. The size of the patches 11
can be altered to change the area of the substrate material 5 that
is not covered by the flock 3, and the shape of the patches 11 can
also be changed.
[0026] The adhesive selected to bind the flock 3 to the substrate
material 5 should also be suitable for domestic cleaning (in
particular, it should be able to withstand hot water and cleaning
fluids), and should not adversely affect the flexibility of the
substrate material. Suitable adhesives are acrylic adhesives and
PVC (polyvinylchloride) resins, and are applied in an amount (for
example, about 90 to 140 g/m.sup.2) that will yield a very thin
layer on the substrate material.
[0027] It has been found that a flocked substrate constructed as
described above with reference to FIG. 1 will provide an effective
scouring action in the domestic environment, sufficient not only to
clean kitchen and bathroom surfaces but also to remove burnt-on
food from cooking utensils using normal liquid detergents, despite
the absence of any abrasive particles on the flock fibres 3. The
scouring action has been found to be comparable to, and in some
cases better than, that of non-woven, non-scratch, domestic
scouring materials that are currently commercially available
including some that contain plastic (or other soft) abrasive
particles. On the other hand, the absence of abrasive particles
from the flocked substrate substantially eliminates the risk of any
damage being done to the surface that is being cleaned. The flocked
substrate has been found not to trap residues of material removed
from the surface that is being cleaned, so that any residues
remaining on the substrate after use are easily removed by simply
rinsing the substrate in water. If desired, the substrate can be
washed in hot water and detergent, and then re-used.
[0028] The appearance of the flocked substrate can be varied by
using a substrate material that is coloured, or carries a printed
design, and applying the flock 3 in such a way that the colour or
printed design remains apparent.
[0029] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a flocked
substrate 1 as described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 is
laminated to a layer of foam 9 as shown in FIG. 3 The laminate may
then be cut into pads of a suitable size for domestic cleaning, in
particular for hand-held use. The foam 9 can be of any type known
to be suitable for domestic cleaning, including cellulosic foams
having a density in the range of from 75 to 125 Kg/m.sup.3 and
polyurethane foams having a density in the range of from 18 to 30
Kg/m.sup.3.
[0030] The foam can be of any suitable thickness but it has been
found that thicknesses in the range of from 0.5 to 5.0 cm are
particularly useful for domestic cleaning. When a thinner layer of
foam is used, the laminate can be cut into pads having a larger
surface area (e.g. having dimensions of up to 20 cm by 20 cm). A
thicker layer of foam may be more suitable for pads having a
smaller surface area (e.g. dimensions of about 7 cm by 9 cm).
[0031] By way of example, a cleaning pad 13 that comprises a
flocked substrate 15 laminated to a layer of foam 17 is shown in
FIG. 4. In this case, the flock is applied on the substrate to form
the pattern illustrated in FIG. 2: that is not essential, however,
and the flock could be applied to form other patterns, or be
applied continuously over the substrate.
[0032] FIG. 5 shows a cleaning article 21 that also comprises a
flocked substrate in which the flock comprises fibres 23 arranged
substantially perpendicular to the substrate 25, and secured to the
substrate by a layer of adhesive 27. In this case, however, the
substrate 25 comprises a wipe suitable for consumer use for
cleaning surfaces. The wipe 25 may be "disposable" (meaning that it
intended to be discarded immediately after use), "semi-disposable"
(meaning that it is possible to wash and re-use it a limited number
of times), or "reusable" (meaning that it is intended to be washed
and re-used). Known wipe materials generally have a basis weight in
the range of from 15 to 300 gm/m.sup.2, although materials having a
higher basis weight could be used. Woven and knitted materials are
suitable, as are non-woven materials including dry-laid, wet-laid
and spun-bonded materials which may, as appropriate, be
thermally-bonded, resin-bonded, ultrasonically-bonded,
needle-punched, hydro-entangled etc.
[0033] Materials suitable for disposable wipes include spun-bond
and spun-lace non-woven materials having a basis weight in the
range of from 15 to 75 g/m.sup.2 and formed, for example, from PET,
rayon, viscose, wood pulp, polypropylene, natural fibres, polyamide
or mixtures thereof. Examples of disposable wipe materials are
available under the trade names: "Sontara" from DuPont; and
"TenoLace" from Tenotex of Temo d'Isola, Italy.
[0034] Materials suitable for semi-disposable wipes include
spun-lace non-woven materials having a basis weight in the range of
from 75 to 250 g/m.sup.2 and formed, for example, from fibres or
microfibres of polyester, polyamide, viscose. Examples of
semi-disposable wipe materials are available under the trade names
"Scotch-Brite.TM. Dusting Cloth" from 3M Company of St. Paul,
Minn., USA; and "Sontara" from DuPont.
[0035] Materials suitable for reusable wipes include knitted,
woven, thermo-bonded, latex-coated, and chamois-type materials
having a basis weight in the range of from 100 to 300 g/m.sup.2 and
formed, for example, from fibres or microfibres of PET, rayon,
viscose, polypropylene, natural fibres, polyamide or mixtures
thereof. An example of a reusable wipe is available under the trade
name "Ideal" from Lever of Madrid, Spain.
[0036] Wipes are often hydrophilic but can also be specifically
constructed to absorb non-aqueous liquids. Microfibre wipes, for
example, are intended to remove grease from surfaces.
[0037] Typically, both sides of the wipe 25 will provide the same
wiping action. If, however, only one side of the wipe 25 provides a
wiping action then the flock fibres 23 are applied to the wipe in
such a way that a sufficient area of that one side of the wipe
remains exposed and can be used to provide a wiping action. For
example, in such a case the flock fibres 23 could be applied only
to the other (non-wiping) side of the wipe 25.
[0038] The description above of the flock 3 of FIGS. 1 to 3 applies
also to the flock 23 of cleaning article 21. The flock 23 can
likewise be applied either evenly over the surface of the wipe 25,
in which case it is preferably applied in an amount of from 150 to
180 g/m.sup.2, or more preferably so that it forms a pattern over
the surface of the wipe 25 in the manner described above. In the
latter case, use of a screen coating process for applying the
adhesive 27 in a desired pattern on the surface of the wipe
material is preferred, because it enables a very thin layer of a
high-viscosity adhesive to be applied: that, in turn, enables the
liquid-absorbent properties of the non-coated regions of the
surface and the liquid-absorbent properties of the other surface of
the wipe (as appropriate) to be retained.
[0039] The flock 23 may be applied to the surface of the wipe 25 in
the pattern illustrated in FIG. 2 or, by way of example, in the
alternative patterns illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. Other patterns
could be used, including non-ordered patterns if desired.
[0040] FIG. 6 shows a pattern that is achieved by printing adhesive
27 onto the wipe 25 as two perpendicular sets of parallel lines;
and FIG. 7 shows a pattern that is achieved by printing adhesive 27
onto the wipe 25 as one set of parallel lines. When the surface of
the wipe 25 to which the flock is applied is liquid-absorbent, the
flock is preferably applied in such a way that the liquid-absorbent
properties are retained in the un-flocked areas. The flock is also
preferably applied in such a way that any liquid-absorbent
properties of the other surface of the wipe are unaffected. For
some applications, it may be desirable to apply the flock only in
one selected area of the wipe 25, for example, in one corner.
[0041] The adhesive selected to bind the flock 23 to the wipe 25
should also be suitable for use in the conditions for which the
wipe is intended (for example, able to withstand hot water and
cleaning fluids). Preferably, it should not adversely affect either
the flexibility of the wipe or, as already mentioned, the
liquid-absorbency of the uncoated parts of the wipe surface.
Suitable adhesives and coating weights are as described above for
the adhesive 7 of FIG. 1.
[0042] If desired, a further coating of adhesive can be applied on
top of the first layer, after the flock has been applied and the
first layer of adhesive has cured. This additional process step is
already known in the textile art for increasing the durability of
flocked materials.
[0043] It has been found that a flocked wipe constructed as
described above with reference to FIG. 5 will, through use of the
flocked surface, provide an effective scouring action sufficient
not only to clean work surfaces but also to remove burnt-on food
from cooking utensils using normal liquid detergents, despite the
absence of any abrasive particles on the flock fibres 23. The
scouring action has been found to be comparable to, and in some
cases better than, that of non-woven, non-scratch, domestic
scouring materials that are currently commercially available
including some that contain plastic (or other soft) abrasive
particles. On the other hand, the absence of abrasive particles
from the flock fibres 23 substantially eliminates the risk of any
damage being done to the surface that is being cleaned. At the same
time, the unflocked surface or surface areas of the wipe are
available to provide the normal wiping action for which the wipe 25
is intended. The flocked surface or surface areas of the wipe 25
have been found not to trap residues of material removed from a
surface that is being cleaned, so that any residues remaining on
the wipe after use are easily removed by simply rinsing the wipe in
water.
[0044] The wipe 25 will typically be of a size suitable for hand
use but could, for example, be of a larger size suitable for use on
a mop head for cleaning floors.
* * * * *