U.S. patent application number 11/842505 was filed with the patent office on 2008-02-28 for cleaning cloth and a mop using the same.
This patent application is currently assigned to SADOVSKY LTD.. Invention is credited to Shmuel Sadovsky.
Application Number | 20080047089 11/842505 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38800905 |
Filed Date | 2008-02-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080047089 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sadovsky; Shmuel |
February 28, 2008 |
CLEANING CLOTH AND A MOP USING THE SAME
Abstract
The invention provides a cleaning cloth for cleaning dirty
surfaces wherein the cloth has two major surfaces of different
roughnesses, on opposite sides thereof, characterized in that the
cloth is formed by a continuous weaving or knitting process
utilizing at least two different filaments wherein an non-scratch
abrasive monofilament is knitted into at least one of the
surfaces.
Inventors: |
Sadovsky; Shmuel; (Rishon Le
Zion, IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LUCAS & MERCANTI, LLP
475 PARK AVENUE SOUTH, 15TH FLOOR
NEW YORK
NY
10016
US
|
Assignee: |
SADOVSKY LTD.
Bat Yam
IL
|
Family ID: |
38800905 |
Appl. No.: |
11/842505 |
Filed: |
August 21, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/228 ;
15/209.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D04B 1/16 20130101; A47L
13/20 20130101; A47L 13/16 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
15/228 ;
15/209.1 |
International
Class: |
A47L 13/20 20060101
A47L013/20; A47L 25/00 20060101 A47L025/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 22, 2006 |
IL |
177619 |
Claims
1. A cleaning cloth for cleaning dirty surfaces wherein said cloth
has two major surfaces of different roughnesses, on opposite sides
thereof, characterized in that said cloth is formed by a continuous
weaving Of knitting process utilizing at least two different
filaments wherein an non-scratch abrasive monofilament is knitted
into at least one of said surfaces.
2. A cleaning cloth according to claim 1, wherein said filaments
are polymeric filaments.
3. A cleaning cloth according to claim 1 wherein said non-scratch
abrasive monofilament is a polyamide.
4. A cleaning cloth according to claim 1 wherein said non-scratch
abrasive monofilament is selected from the group consisting of
polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene, and polyamide.
5. A cleaning cloth according to claim 1 comprising a first
microfiber filament and a second polyamide filament.
6. A cleaning cloth according to claim 5 comprising between about
75%-95% microfiber and about 5%-25% of a non-scratch abrasive
monofilament selected from the group consisting of polyester,
polypropylene, polyethylene, and polyamide.
7. A cleaning cloth according to claim 1 wherein said non-scratch
abrasive monofilament is woven or knitted into one of said surfaces
in a pattern of spaced apart rows.
8. A cleaning cloth according to claim 5 wherein said polyamide is
a nylon strip of about 100-300 micron thickness.
9. A cleaning cloth according to claim 5 wherein said polyamide is
a plurality of nylon filaments of about 100-300 micron
thickness.
10. A cleaning cloth for cleaning dirty surfaces according to claim
1 in combination with a mop on which said cleaning cloth is
arranged.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to the cleaning of surfaces,
typically of floor surfaces.
[0002] More particularly, the invention provides a dual-use
cleaning cloth, usually used in the wet state to clean all home
surfaces, and car windows, including but not limit to floors,
tiles, baths, toilets, wood and metal surfaces, glass surfaces etc,
one side of the cloth being arranged to absorb loose dirt while the
opposite side of the cloth is arranged to remove dirt adhering to
the surface being cleaned.
[0003] The invention also relates to a mop carrying the dual-use
cloth as will be described.
[0004] Almost all cloths in use today for cleaning surfaces are of
a rough textile weave, both sides of the cloth having similar
surfaces. Such cloths are quite satisfactory for general use but
are not effective in removing dirt adhering to the surface being
cleaned.
[0005] Early attempts at solving the problem were to attach, for
example by stapling or sewing, an abrasive section to the normal
cleaning cloth or sponge. This practice, besides being unaesthetic
and labor intensive also limited the available cleaning area. This
situation led to the development of various dual-usage cloths,
which are described in the patent literature, however as far as
applicant has been able to determine, none of these proposed cloths
have come into general use, possibly because the manufacturing
costs were too high.
[0006] A review of recent patents will provide an assessment of
this state of the art.
[0007] A combination cleaning pad is disclosed by Sadovsky in U.S.
Pat. No. 5,408,718. A central core has two large parallel surfaces,
and a cover sewn to the central core. The cover includes an
abrasive portion and an absorbing portion. The abrasive portion
covers part of one of the major surfaces.
[0008] In U.S. Pat. No. 5,804,274 Nordin proposes a cleaning cloth
wherein multiple short loops project from one face of the cloth and
both long and short loops cover the opposite face which is the face
to be used in removing clinging dirt. Fenkes in U.S. Pat. No.
6,305,431 B1 proposes a mixture of loops and exposed ends to attack
attached dirt substances. However as both surfaces of the cloth
have the same structure, each side of the cloth has to be
configured for both normal use and for the removal of said attached
dirt substances.
[0009] The wet cleaning cloth disclosed by Heitz in U.S. Pat. No.
6,491,998 B1 does have two different surfaces--on one side
unbundled elastic fibers project 2-12 mm from the textile carrier.
The fibers are typically plastic and are claimed to enter hollows
in the floor being cleaned and to remove dirt therefrom.
[0010] In International Patent No. WO2006/018051 Freudenberg
discloses a cleaning cloth having a planar textile structure, one
side being pattern printed using liquid containing abrasive
particles. This application method greatly limits the size of the
particles to be deposited and thus the abrasive surfaces made in
this manner are likely to become clogged quickly in normal use.
[0011] There is therefore a need for a large area cleaning cloth,
which has non-scratch abrasive means on one side and is economical
to manufacture. It is therefore one of the objects of the present
invention to obviate the disadvantages of prior art cleaning cloths
and to provide a cloth which is easily manufactured and not
subjected to clogging.
[0012] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
simple pattern which can easily be modified to increase or decrease
the proportion of the surface having non-scratch abrasive
properties.
[0013] The present invention achieves the above objects by
providing a cleaning cloth for cleaning dirty surfaces wherein said
cloth has two major surfaces of different roughnesses, on opposite
sides thereof, characterized in that said cloth is formed by a
continuous knitting or weaving process utilizing at least two
different filaments wherein a non-scratch abrasive monofilament is
knitted into at least one of said surfaces.
[0014] In preferred embodiments of the present invention said
non-scratch abrasive monofilament is knitted into only one of said
surfaces, although it is possible in other embodiments to weave or
knit such a filament into both surfaces but in different ratios so
that the two surfaces have different degrees of roughness.
[0015] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention there is
provided a cleaning cloth, wherein the filaments are polymeric
filaments.
[0016] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention there is
provided a cleaning cloth wherein the non-scratch abrasive
monofilament is a polyamide.
[0017] In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention
there is provided a cleaning cloth wherein the non-scratch abrasive
monofilament is a polyethylene
[0018] In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention
there is provided a cleaning cloth wherein the non-scratch abrasive
monofilament is a polyester
[0019] In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention
there is provided a cleaning cloth wherein the non-scratch abrasive
monofilament is a polypropylene
[0020] In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention
there is provided a cleaning cloth wherein the non-scratch abrasive
monofilament is selected from the group consisting of polyester,
polypropylene, polyethylene, and a polyamide such as nylon 6/6.RTM.
of Dupont.
[0021] In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention
there is provided a cleaning cloth comprising a first microfiber
filament and a second polyamide filament.
[0022] In yet a further preferred embodiment of the present
invention there is provided a cleaning cloth comprising between
about 75%-95% microfiber and about 5%-25% of a non-scratch abrasive
monofilament selected from the group consisting of polyester,
polypropylene, polyethylene, and a polyamide such as nylon 6/6.RTM.
of Dupont.
[0023] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention
there is provided a cleaning cloth wherein the non-scratch abrasive
monofilament is knitted or woven into one of the surfaces in a
pattern of spaced apart rows.
[0024] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention
there is provided a cleaning cloth wherein the polyamide is a nylon
strip of about 100-300 micron thickness.
[0025] In a most preferred embodiment of the present invention
there is provided a cleaning cloth wherein the polyamide is a
plurality of nylon filaments of about 100-300 micron thickness.
[0026] In yet a further embodiment of the invention a cleaning
cloth for cleaning dirty surfaces is provided in combination with a
mop on which the cleaning cloth is arranged.
[0027] It will thus be realized that the novel cloth of the present
invention can be manufactured in a continuous process utilizing two
different types of filaments: monofilament and multifilament. The
degree of roughness can be easily defined and altered during
different manufacturing processes simply by using more than one
type of monofilament together with more than one type of
multifilament as well as changing the spacing between the soft
lines and the non-scratch abrasive lines.
[0028] The invention will now be described in connection with
certain preferred embodiments with reference to the following
illustrative figures so that it may be more fully understood.
[0029] With specific reference now to the figures in detail, it is
stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for
purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments of
the present invention only and are presented in the cause of
providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily
understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of
the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show
structural details of the invention in more detail than is
necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention, the
description taken with the drawings making apparent to those
skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be
embodied in practice.
IN THE DRAWINGS
[0030] FIG. 1 is a detail elevational view of a preferred
embodiment of the cleaning cloth according to the invention;
[0031] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment wherein the
non-scratch abrasive areas comprise parallel lines;
[0032] FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view of an embodiment showing a
first embodiment of a polymeric monofilament used as the
non-scratch abrasive portion of the cloth;
[0033] FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view of an embodiment showing a
second embodiment of a polymeric monofilament used as the
non-scratch abrasive portion of the cloth;
[0034] FIG. 5 is an elevational view of a mop and an attached cloth
according to the invention.
[0035] There is seen in FIG. 1 an enlarged detail of a cleaning
cloth 10 for cleaning dirty surfaces wherein the cloth 10 is formed
with two major surfaces 12, 14 (seen in FIG. 2) of different
roughness, on opposite sides thereof.
[0036] The warp threads 16 are shown extending in a horizontal
direction. The weft threads 18 are seen crossing and re-crossing
the warp threads 16. The non-scratch abrasive filament 20 is also
woven into the warp threads 16, but in a manner wherein the loops
22 extend outwards from one of the surfaces of the cloth.
[0037] The cloth 10 is formed by a continuous weaving or knitting
process utilizing two different filaments 18, and 20, wherein an
non-scratch abrasive monofilament 20 is knitted or woven into one
of the surfaces to project therefrom.
[0038] Preferably the non-scratch abrasive areas are formed by
polymeric filaments 20. The preferred non-scratch abrasive
monofilament is a polyamide, particularly polyester, polypropylene,
polyethylene, polyamide nylon 6/6 and others. This material
combines hardness, flexibility, wear resistance and low price.
[0039] The basic cleaning cloth 10 comprises a first microfiber
filament, introduced as warp and weft threads 16 and 18, providing
good absorption characteristics, and a second polyester
polypropylene, polyethylene, polyamide nylon 6/6 filament 20 which
serves as the non-scratch abrasive material. Typical ratios are in
the range of between about 75%-95% microfiber and about 5%-25%
polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene, and a polyamide such as
nylon 6/6.RTM. of Dupont.
[0040] The preferred pattern of the cleaning cloth 10 wherein the
non-scratch abrasive monofilament 20 is knitted or woven into one
of the surfaces 12 in a pattern of spaced apart rows, is seen in
FIG. 2. The knitting or weaving process is arranged to position the
polyamide rows projecting from a first surface 12 of the cloth and
being flush with the opposite surface thereof 14.
[0041] Referring now to FIG. 3, there is seen a nylon strip 24 of
about 100-300 micron thickness and a width of about 1 mm. A strip
of this size is suitable for use as a thread for a knitting or a
weaving process used to manufacture the non-scratch abrasive
component of the cloth. The strip 24 is strong, flexible and
suitable for service as an non-scratch abrasive area or line. The
strip 24 is supplied using a spool 26 standard for the machine used
to manufacture the cloth 10.
[0042] Referring now to FIG. 4, there is depicted a detail of a
cleaning cloth wherein the polyamide strip is composed of a group
of 4 nylon filaments 28 of about 100-300 micron thickness.
[0043] The four filaments 28 are arranged in a single line, as seen
in the figure. Again, a standard spool 26 is used.
[0044] FIG. 5 shows a cleaning cloth 10 for cleaning dirty surfaces
in combination with a mop 30 on which cleaning cloth 10 is
arranged.
[0045] The corners 32 of the cloth 10 are held to the mop 30 by
means of a readily-opened clamp 34. Thus the cloth 10 can be
readily reversed as needed to tackle adhering dirt particles.
[0046] It will be evident to those skilled in the art that the
invention is not limited to the details of the foregoing
illustrative embodiments and that the present invention may be
embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit
or essential attributes thereof. The present embodiments are
therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not
restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the
appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all
changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of
the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.
* * * * *