U.S. patent application number 12/280882 was filed with the patent office on 2009-07-16 for wear indicator for a flocked scouring material.
Invention is credited to Carmen Martin Rivera, Stephane Thioliere.
Application Number | 20090178223 12/280882 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36178828 |
Filed Date | 2009-07-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090178223 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Martin Rivera; Carmen ; et
al. |
July 16, 2009 |
WEAR INDICATOR FOR A FLOCKED SCOURING MATERIAL
Abstract
A scouring material is disclosed that comprises upstanding flock
fibres secured to a substrate web material by an adhesive. The
colours of the fibres and adhesive being such that the apparent
colour of a flocked area of the substrate changes as the flock
fibres in that area wear away.
Inventors: |
Martin Rivera; Carmen;
(Madrid, ES) ; Thioliere; Stephane; (Marly le Roi,
FR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
PO BOX 33427
ST. PAUL
MN
55133-3427
US
|
Family ID: |
36178828 |
Appl. No.: |
12/280882 |
Filed: |
February 14, 2007 |
PCT Filed: |
February 14, 2007 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/US07/03879 |
371 Date: |
March 11, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/229.11 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 13/16 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
15/229.11 |
International
Class: |
A47L 13/10 20060101
A47L013/10 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 28, 2006 |
GB |
0603875.6 |
Claims
1-12. (canceled)
13. A scouring material comprising upstanding flock fibers secured
to a substrate web material by an adhesive, the colors of the
fibers and adhesive being such that the apparent color of a flocked
area of the substrate changes as the flock fibers in that area wear
away.
14. The scouring material as claimed in claim 13, in which the
fibers and the adhesive are of differing colors whereby the color
of the adhesive becomes visible as the fibers wear away.
15. The scouring material as claimed in claim 14, in which the
color of the adhesive contrasts with the color of the substrate
material.
16. The scouring material as claimed in claim 13, in which the
flock fibers are applied only to discrete areas of the substrate
material, the surface of the substrate material being exposed
between those discrete areas.
17. The scouring material as claimed in claim 13, in which the
flock fibers are formed of a polyamide material.
18. The scouring material as claimed in claim 13, in which the
flock fibers have a length in the range of from 0.4 to 0.8 mm.
19. The scouring material as claimed in claim 13, in which the
flock fibers have a titre in the range of from 15 to 80 dtex.
20. The scouring material as claimed in claim 13, in which the
flock fibers are applied to the substrate material in an amount
sufficient to obscure the adhesive.
21. The scouring material as claimed in claim 13, in which the
adhesive is an acrylic adhesive or a PVC resin.
22. The scouring material as claimed in claim 13, in which the
substrate is a liquid-absorbent knitted, woven, or non-woven
textile material.
23. The scouring material as claimed in claim 13, in which the
scouring material is laminated to a layer of foam, or a sponge
cloth material, or a wipe material.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to flocked materials that are
suitable for consumer use as scouring materials for cleaning
surfaces in various environments, including domestic, industrial,
hospital and food industry environments.
[0002] Materials 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 materials that are already known
for such uses include resin-bonded non-woven webs of the type
described in US-A-2 958 593. Those webs may incorporate abrasive
particles to enhance their abrasive action.
[0003] It has also been proposed, in GB-A-1 539 477 and WO
02/06009, to use flocked materials for domestic cleaning and to
enhance the abrasive action of the materials by depositing abrasive
particles (in the form of beads of resin) on the free ends of the
flock fibres. Alternative products, comprising pile fabrics, which
are intended to provide an enhanced abrasive action in combination
with a wiping action are described in BP-A-0 632 990. Flocked
materials, and processes for manufacturing them, are well known. In
the conventional processes, a layer of adhesive is applied to a
substrate web 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 material is then
heated in an oven to dry and cure the adhesive layer.
[0004] WO 2004/021855 describes products, comprising flocked
materials, that are intended to meet the growing demand from
consumers for cleaning articles that (i) have a softer abrasive
action but which, nevertheless, are able to remove material such as
dirt, grease, burnt-on food etc. quickly and thoroughly; and (ii)
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.
[0005] For environmental and cost reasons, consumers wish to obtain
the maximum life from cleaning articles. On the other hand, they
also wish to ensure that a cleaning article is replaced on time,
before it becomes ineffective. To that end, for certain cleaning
articles, wear indicators have been proposed to provide the user
with an indication that the article is nearing the end of its
useful life. In the field of wipes, for example, WO 2001/047403
describes how an anti-microbial formulation is applied to a
sanitizing wipe in combination with an indicator that changes
colour when the formulation is exhausted, and WO 2005/072594
describes a wipe that is provided with an active graphic to
indicate to the user when the wipe should be discarded. Wear
indicators are also known outside the field of domestic cleaning
articles: US-A-6 895 631, for example, describes a buffing pad
comprising a mixture of long fibres of one colour and short fibres
of another colour, in which the short fibres only become apparent
when the long fibres have been destroyed, indicating that the pad
should be replaced.
[0006] The present invention is directed specifically to flocked
scouring materials, and is concerned with the problem of providing
a user of such a material with an indication that it is approaching
the end of its useful life.
[0007] The present invention provides a scouring material
comprising upstanding flock fibres secured to a substrate web
material by an adhesive, the colours of the fibres and adhesive
being such that the apparent colour of a flocked area of the
substrate changes as the flock fibres in that area wear away.
[0008] The fibres and the adhesive may be of differing colours
whereby the colour of the adhesive becomes visible as the fibres
wear away. Advantageously, the colour of the adhesive contrasts
with that of the substrate material.
[0009] By way of example, scouring materials in accordance with the
invention will be described with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic cross-section of a piece of flocked
scouring material;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a piece of patterned flocked
scouring material;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic cross-section of a hand pad
incorporating a flocked scouring material; and
[0013] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the hand pad of FIG. 3.
[0014] The flocked scouring material 1 shown in cross-section in
FIG. 1 comprises flock fibres 3 arranged substantially
perpendicular to a substrate web material 5, and secured to the
substrate material by a layer of adhesive 7.
[0015] As already indicated above, flocked materials of the general
type shown in FIG. 1, and processes for manufacturing them, are
well known. In the conventional processes, a layer of adhesive 7 is
applied to the substrate material 5 and, while the adhesive is
still tacky, flock fibres 3 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 material
is then heated in an oven to dry and cure the adhesive layer. If
desired, flock fibres can be applied to the other side of the
substrate material 5 in the same manner.
[0016] The flock fibres 3 may be applied evenly over the substrate
material 5 or may be applied so that they form a pattern over the
surface of the substrate material. A process by which a pattern of
flock fibres can be achieved is well-known and involves applying
the adhesive 7 to the substrate material 5 in the required pattern,
usually by some form of printing process, with the result that the
flock fibres 3 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 applying the adhesive 7 to
regularly-spaced rectangular patches 11 of the substrate material
5. In this case, the flock fibres 3 will adhere to the substrate
material 5 in those patches, while the substrate material 5 will
remain exposed elsewhere. The size of the patches 11 can be altered
to change the area of the substrate material 5 that is covered by
the flock 3, and the shape of the patches 11 can also be
changed.
[0017] Through a suitable choice of the substrate material 5 and
the flock fibres 3, the flocked surface can be used to scour a
surface i.e. to exert an abrasive action on the surface to remove
dirt that cannot be removed just by wiping the surface.
[0018] Cleaning articles can be formed by cutting a flocked
scouring material as described above into pieces, the size of which
will depend on the intended use of the articles. For use by hand in
the domestic environment, a suitable size could be about 30 cm by
30 cm. An alternative type of scouring article can be formed by
laminating the flocked scouring material to another material that
may simply provide a support for the scouring material or may
provide an alternative cleaning action.
[0019] FIGS. 3 and 4, for example, shows a cleaning article 12 that
is formed by laminating flocked scouring material 1 as described
above to another material, in this case a layer of foam 9, to form
a hand pad. 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. The foam
9 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 hand 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). It will be appreciated
that the flock 3 could be applied continuously over the substrate
material 5 of the scouring material 1, instead of being applied in
a pattern as shown in FIG. 4.
[0020] Scouring materials and scouring articles as described above
with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4 are also described in WO
2004/021855. The scouring material and/or any other material to
which it is laminated may, if required, be impregnated with a
cleaning composition.
[0021] In accordance with the present invention, the adhesive 7 and
the flock fibres 3 have different colours so that, as the fibres
wear away, the colour of the adhesive becomes increasingly visible
until it dominates and provides an indication to the user that the
scouring action of the material or article has diminished. The
colours selected for the adhesive and the fibres should be such
that the change in appearance of the scouring material/article is
clearly visible. Suitable colour combinations will be described
below.
The Substrate Material
[0022] Any woven or non-woven flexible material suitable for
cleaning surfaces (i.e. able to withstand, at least, hot water and
cleaning fluids) can be used for the substrate material 5
depending, among other factors, on whether or not the flocked
material 1 is to be used on its own as a cleaning article or is to
be laminated to another material, for example a sponge.
[0023] If the flocked material 1 is to be used on its own as a
scouring article, it will typically be cut to a size of about 30 cm
by 30 cm. The substrate material 5 may be a disposable,
semi-disposable or reusable textile wipe material, in which case
the flock fibres 3 are applied to the substrate so that a part of
the surface of the substrate (for example, one side thereof)
remains exposed and can be used to provide a wiping action as well
as a scouring action to a surface that is being cleaned. The
textile wipe material may be of woven, knitted or non-woven
construction and will typically have a basis weight in the range of
from 15 to 300 g/m.sup.2, although materials having a higher basis
weight could be used. Suitable non-woven wipe materials for the
substrate material 5 include dry-laid, wet-laid, spun-bond and spun
lace materials and may, as appropriate, be thermally-bonded,
resin-bonded, ultrasonically-bonded, needle-punched,
hydro-entangled, latex-coated etc. The textile wipe material may
comprise natural fibres (for example cotton fibres) and/or man-made
fibres (for example PET, rayon, viscose, polypropylene, polyamide,
or polyester fibres). Any of the previously-mentioned substrate
materials may also be used when the flocked scouring material is to
be laminated to another material.
The Flock Fibres
[0024] Any fibres known to be suitable for flocking and also
suitable for cleaning (i.e. able to withstand, at least, hot water
and cleaning fluids) can be used for the flock fibres 3, provided
that they are available in a suitable colour having regard to the
colour selected for the adhesive (see below). 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 should have a titre (mass per unit length) and
length appropriate to the type of cleaning operation in which the
flocked substrate will be used, in particular the aggressiveness of
the scouring action required and the nature of the surface to be
cleaned.
[0025] The amount of flock fibres 3 deposited on the substrate
material 5 should be sufficient to obscure the adhesive 7 and
should also be selected having regard to the scouring action that
the substrate 1 is required to provide. WO 2004/021855, for
example, describes scouring substrates in which flock fibres having
a length in the range of from 0.4 to 0.8 mm and a titre in the
range of from 15 to 80 dtex are applied to a substrate material in
an amount of from 150 to 180 g/m.sup.2.
[0026] Abrasive particles may be applied to the flock fibres 3, if
required to enhance the scouring action. The abrasive particles may
comprise an abrasive mineral that is adhered to the fibres 3 by a
resin, or they may simply comprise beads of resin without abrasive
mineral. Alternatively, as described in our WO 2004/021855, the
fibres 3 themselves may provide the required scouring action.
The Flocking Adhesive
[0027] The adhesive 7 selected to bind the flock fibres 3 to the
substrate material 5 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 the flexibility of the substrate material 5.
Suitable adhesives are acrylic adhesives and PVC
(polyvinylchloride) resins, and are applied in an amount that will
yield a very thin layer on the substrate material. A typical
coating weight for the adhesive is about 90 to 140 g/m.sup.2.
Colour Selection for the Flock Fibres and the Flock Adhesive
[0028] As described above, the adhesive 7 and the flock fibres 3
have different colours so that, as the fibres wear away, the colour
of the adhesive becomes increasingly visible until it dominates.
This colour change in the flocked areas of the material 1
indicates, to the user, that the scouring action of the material is
disappearing.
[0029] Examples of colour combinations for the adhesive 7 and the
flock fibres 3 that have been found suitable for use on a light
green substrate material 1 are:
(i) red adhesive and violet fibres (ii) pink adhesive and turquoise
fibres (iii) violet adhesive and orange (021C/165C) fibres where:
the red colour is PANTONE.RTM. "Warm Red"; the violet colour is
reference no. 2587, 265 or 266 on the PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM.RTM.;
the pink colour is reference no. 238 or 239 on the PANTONE MATCHING
SYSTEM.RTM.; the turquoise colour is reference no. 312, 313 or 3135
on the PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM.RTM.; and the orange colour is
PANTONE.RTM. "Orange 021" or reference no. 165 on the PANTONE
MATCHING SYSTEM.RTM..
[0030] It will be appreciated, however, that other colour
combinations could be used and that the choice of colours will be
influenced by the colour of the substrate material 1. In addition,
although it is preferred that the adhesive 7 should be coloured so
that it is visible against the substrate material 1, that is not
essential. As an alternative, it is possible to use a transparent
adhesive 7 in combination with flock fibres 3 that are of a
contrasting colour to the substrate material 1: in that case, as
the flock fibres wear away, it is the colour of the underlying
substrate material 1 (rather than the colour of the adhesive 7)
that becomes apparent in the flocked areas.
[0031] Embodiments of the invention are described in greater detail
in the following examples:
EXAMPLE 1
A Hand Pad Comprising a Flocked Substrate Material Laminated to a
Layer of Foam
[0032] The flock fibres were polyamide fibres of a turquoise colour
(see above) having a length of 0.8 mm and a titre of 44 dtex; the
flocking adhesive was an acrylic adhesive of a red colour (see
above), and the substrate material was a light green, coated
non-woven material comprising 35% polyester and 65% cotton having a
basis weight of 105 g/m.sup.2. The flock fibres were applied to one
surface of the substrate material in shaped, spaced areas forming a
repeating pattern that covered approximately 50% of the surface of
the substrate material. The substrate material was laminated, on
its un-flocked side, to a layer of cellulosic sponge having a
thickness of 2 cm and a density (when dry) of about 29
kg/m.sup.3.
[0033] The hand pad was subjected to normal domestic use during
which it was observed that the red colour of the adhesive in the
flocked areas became increasingly apparent as the turquoise flock
fibres wore away.
EXAMPLE 2
A Hand Pad Comprising a Flocked Substrate Material Laminated to a
Sponge Cloth Material
[0034] The flocked substrate material was the same as that of
Example 1 above. The substrate material was laminated, on its
un-flocked side, to a sponge cloth material having a thickness of
2.5 mm and a basis weight (when dry) of about 260 g/m.sup.2.
[0035] The hand pad was subjected to normal domestic use during
which it was observed that the red colour of the adhesive in the
flocked areas became increasingly apparent as the turquoise flock
fibres wore away.
EXAMPLE 3
A Wipe Comprising a Flocked Substrate Material
[0036] The flock fibres were polyamide fibres of a dark blue colour
having a length of 0.8 mm and a titre of 44 dtex; the flocking
adhesive was an an acrylic-styrene resin of a red colour (see
above), and the substrate material was a blue reusable non-woven
wipe material, specifically a viscose-polyester latex coated wipe
formed by the process of carding, crosslapping and needletacking
and having a basis weight of about 120 g/m.sup.2. The flock fibres
were applied to the substrate material in shaped, spaced areas
forming a repeating pattern that covered approximately 15% of the
surface of the substrate material.
[0037] The wipe was subjected to normal domestic use during which
it was observed that the red colour of the adhesive in the flocked
areas became increasingly apparent as the blue flock fibres wore
away.
* * * * *