U.S. patent application number 14/787297 was filed with the patent office on 2016-04-21 for scouring pad for washing dishes.
The applicant listed for this patent is 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY. Invention is credited to Sang-Won Eun.
Application Number | 20160106291 14/787297 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 52280555 |
Filed Date | 2016-04-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160106291 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Eun; Sang-Won |
April 21, 2016 |
SCOURING PAD FOR WASHING DISHES
Abstract
The present disclosure provides a scouring pad for washing
dishes comprising: (a) a plurality of degradable polyester divided
yarns heat-treated at 120 C to 170 C and (b) a plurality of
degradable polyester filament yarns, wherein the individual
filament yarns are aligned in parallel to each other and the
individual divided yarns are positioned between the adjacent two
filament yarns and are connected to the adjacent two filaments.
Inventors: |
Eun; Sang-Won; (Hwaseong-si,
Gyeonggi-do, KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY |
Saint Paul |
MN |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
52280555 |
Appl. No.: |
14/787297 |
Filed: |
July 9, 2014 |
PCT Filed: |
July 9, 2014 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/US2014/045904 |
371 Date: |
October 27, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/118 ;
15/229.12 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 13/12 20130101;
A47L 13/16 20130101; A47L 17/08 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A47L 13/16 20060101
A47L013/16; A47L 13/12 20060101 A47L013/12 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 12, 2013 |
KR |
10-2013-0082366 |
Claims
1. A scouring pad for washing dishes comprising: a plurality of
individual degradable polyester divided yarns heat-treated at
120.degree. C. to 170.degree. C.; and a plurality of individual
degradable polyester filament yarns, wherein the individual
filament yarns are aligned in parallel to each other and the
individual divided yarns are positioned between adjacent two
filament yarns and are connected to the adjacent two filaments.
2. The scouring pad of claim 1, wherein the divided yarns are
heat-treated at 130.degree. C. to 160.degree. C.
3. The scouring pad of claim 1, wherein the divided yarns are
formed of polylactic acid.
4. The scouring pad of claim 1, wherein the filament yarns are
formed of polylactic acid.
5. The scouring pad of claim 1, having a border sewing line.
6. The scouring pad of claim 5, wherein the border sewing line is
formed of biodegradable polyester filament yarns.
7. The scouring pad of claim 6, wherein the border sewing line is
formed of polylactic acid.
8. The scouring pad of claim 1, wherein the divided yarns have a
thickness of 550 to 650 deniers, and is formed of 23 to 30
filaments.
9. The scouring pad of claim 1, wherein the filament yarns have a
thickness of 350 to 450 deniers.
10. The scouring pad of claim 1, further comprising a sponge.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a scouring pad for washing
dishes. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a
scouring pad for washing dishes, which contains a biodegradable
polymer.
BACKGROUND
[0002] A scouring pad for washing dishes is widely used for
removing contaminants stained on dishes and the like. The scouring
pad is generally formed of a polymer fiber. Accordingly, when the
scouring pad is discarded after it is used, there may incur an
environmental pollution problem according to processing of a waste
polymer. In order to solve the problem, a scouring pad for washing
dishes manufactured by using an environmentally-friendly polymer
have been developed.
[0003] Regarding the environmentally-friendly polymer, for example,
Korean Patent Registration No. 10-0501468 discloses high intensity
biodegradable polyester resin and manufacturing method thereof.
Korean Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-2012-0114507 also
teaches thermally adhesive co-polyester having excellent
biodegradable feature, manufacturing method thereof, and binder
fiber containing the same. However, the scouring pad products using
the environmentally-friendly polymer in prior art have a problem
that cleaning power is low, or bubble are not generated well. The
aforementioned products may occur a problem of making scratches on
surfaces of dishes which are cleaning targets.
SUMMARY
[0004] The disclosed scouring pad provides an
environmentally-friendly scouring pad for washing dishes, which
exhibits excellent cleaning power and forms bubbles better, does
not cause scratches of surfaces of dishes, by resolving the
problems mentioned above.
[0005] An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a
scouring pad for washing dishes comprising: (a) a plurality of
degradable polyester divided yarns heat-treated at 120.degree. C.
to 170.degree. C. and (b) a plurality of degradable polyester
filament yarns, wherein the individual filament yarns are aligned
in parallel to each other and the individual divided yarns are
positioned between the adjacent two filament yarns and are
connected to the adjacent two filaments.
[0006] The divided yarn may be the divided yarns heat-treated at
130.degree. C. to 160.degree. C., preferably, poly-lactic acid
heat-treated at 130.degree. C. to 160.degree. C.
[0007] The divided yarn may have a thickness of 550 to 650 deniers,
and may be formed of 23 to 30 filaments.
[0008] The filament yarn may be poly-lactic acid, and may have a
thickness of 350 to 450 deniers.
[0009] The scouring pad may have a border sewing line. The border
sewing thread may be biodegradable polyester filament yarn, and
preferably, may be poly-lactic acid.
[0010] The present disclosure also provides the scouring pad for
washing dishes further comprising a sponge.
[0011] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to
provide an environmentally-friendly scouring pad for washing
dishes, which exhibits excellent cleaning power and forms bubbles
better even without abrasives, does not cause scratches of surfaces
of dishes, and naturally degrades when being discarded.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 illustrates a structure of a scouring pad for washing
dishes according to an exemplary embodiment of the present
disclosure in which the divided yarns are positioned between the
adjacent two filament yarns and are connected to the adjacent two
filaments;
[0013] FIG. 2 illustrates the scouring pad according to the
exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged picture of the scouring pad
of FIG. 2;
[0015] FIG. 4 shows a picture of scouring pads according to an
example and comparative examples 1 to 5, and partially enlarged
pictures of the scouring pads;
[0016] FIG. 5 illustrates a result of a comparison of cleaning
power of the scouring pads according to the example and comparative
examples 4 and 5;
[0017] FIG. 6 illustrates a result of a comparison of scratch
resistance of the scouring pads according to the example and
comparative examples 1 to 5;
[0018] FIG. 7a shows a state in which oil is adsorbed to the sample
according to the example when taken from a top, and FIG. 7b shows a
state in which oil is adsorbed to the sample according to the
example when taken from a side.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0019] As illustrated in FIG. 1, a scouring pad for washing dishes
according to the present disclosure comprises (a) a plurality of
degradable polyester divided yarns 20 heat-treated at 120.degree.
C. to 170.degree. C. and (b) a plurality of degradable polyester
filament yarns 10, wherein the individual filament yarns 10 are
aligned in parallel to each other and the individual divided yarns
20 are positioned between the adjacent two filament yarns 10 and
are connected to the adjacent two filaments 10. In the structure,
the filament yarns 10 correspond to basic frames of the pad, and
the divided yarns 20 are positioned next to the filament yarns.
[0020] A fiber may be divided into cotton yarn and filament yarn
according to a length and a manufacturing method thereof. The
cotton yarn is manufactured by performing a cotton carding process
of evenly engaging and arranging single fibers, such as cotton,
linen, and wool, in a direction of a fiber axis several times, and
twisting the single fibers at the last stage. Meanwhile, the
filament yarn is manufactured by combining several strands of
infinitely long fibers (filament yarn), such as a silk fiber or an
artificial fiber, side by side, and twisting the fibers.
[0021] In the present disclosure, biodegradable polyester may be
used as the filament yarn. The biodegradable polyester may be
derived and obtainable from nature, such as biomass, and thus is a
naturally degradable environmentally-friendly material.
[0022] For example, poly-lactic acid (PLA) may be used as the
biodegradable polyester. The biodegradable polyester filament yarn
may also be used for forming a basic frame of the scouring pad, but
may be used for forming a border sewing thread. In this case, the
border sewing thread formed of the biodegradable polyester filament
yarn is more environmentally-friendly, compared to a border sewing
thread formed of a non-biodegradable fiber, such as nylon.
[0023] When the filament yarn forms the basic frame, it is
preferable to use the biodegradable polyester, particularly,
poly-lactic acid, with a thickness of, for example, 350 to 650
deniers. When the thickness of the biodegradable polyester filament
yarn has lower than 350 deniers, it is difficult to maintain an
intensity of the biodegradable polyester filament yarn. When the
thickness of the biodegradable polyester exceeds 650 deniers, the
scouring pad is stiff, such that flexibility deteriorates.
[0024] When the filament yarn forms the border sewing thread of the
scouring pad, it is preferable to use the biodegradable polyester,
particularly, poly-lactic acid, with a thickness of, for example,
800 to 1200 deniers. When the thickness of the biodegradable
polyester filament yarn has lower than 800 deniers, the intensity
thereof is weak, so that there are concerns regarding unraveling of
the sewing thread. When the biodegradable polyester filament yarn
exceeds 1,200 deniers, cost is increased, thereby degrading
economical feasibility, and the scouring pad becomes stiff, thereby
degrading flexibility.
[0025] The divided yarn refers to filament yarn obtained by
applying static electricity to the multifilament, and then opening
the multifilament (spreading a bundle of fibers and making the
spread fibers sparse) to be divided. It is more economical to make
thread by dividing the multifilament as described above, compared
to making thin thread from the beginning.
[0026] In the present disclosure, biodegradable polyester
heat-treated at 120.degree. C. to 170.degree. C., and preferably at
130.degree. C. to 160.degree. C., may be used as the divided yarn.
For example, poly-lactic acid heat-treated at 120.degree. C. to
170.degree. C., preferably at 130.degree. C. to 160.degree. C., may
be used. There may incur a problem that the divided yarn may be
broken when temperature of the heat treatment exceeds 170.degree.
C., and the divided yarn may not be hard under the heat treatment
at the temperature lower than 120.degree. C.
[0027] The biodegradable polyester used as the divided yarn
provides excellent cleaning power, and exhibits an excellent effect
of forming bubbles even without abrasives. The reason seems to be
that many air-contact surfaces exist between the divided yarn
fibers, and that bubbles are stored in the air contact surfaces, so
that the bubbles are maintained for a longer time.
[0028] A thickness of the heat-treated biodegradable polyester is
550 to 650 deniers, and poly-lactic acid divided yarn with 23 to 30
fils is preferably used as the heat-treated biodegradable
polyester. The divided yarn having the aforementioned thickness
prevents foreign materials, such as rice paste, from being easily
stuck in a scouring pad in a process of washing dishes, and allows
the scouring pad to be easily dry and simultaneously prevents germs
from easily living.
[0029] The scouring pad according to the present disclosure has the
aforementioned divided yarn structure, thereby preventing minimal
scratches on the surfaces of dishes, which are targets for
cleaning. The reason is that the scouring pad according to the
present disclosure does not include an abrasive film, contrary to
the conventional scouring pad.
[0030] In the present disclosure, the filament yarn may be
manufactured by a common method widely known to the field. For
example, the filament yarn may be manufactured by spinning a PLA
fiber extracted from corn. In this case, the filament yarn formed
of 100% of poly-lactic acid may be manufactured. The filament yarn
manufactured may have excellent durability and excellent
biodegradability, thereby securing basic mechanical performance as
a scouring pad. The manufactured filament yarn is formed of a
natural component, so that the manufactured filament yarn may
naturally degrade in land even when the manufactured filament yarn
is discarded after it is used. The filament yarn is woven to a PLA
mesh net by a spinning process. The divided yarn and the filament
yarn are woven by a comed method, which is a method in which the
divided yarns connect the filament yarns in a zigzag manner in a
state that the filament yarns form a basic frame. The manufactured
mesh net has a shape of a checkerboard having openings (see FIG.
3).
[0031] The scouring pad manufactured by the present disclosure may
have one layer, or may have a structure in which two scouring pads
enclose sponge in a sandwiched shape while having the sponge
interposed therebetween. The sponge may be manufactured from bean
produced from nature as a raw material. Accordingly, the scouring
pad having the sandwiched shape may be an environmentally-friendly
product.
EXAMPLE
[0032] Filament yarn with 100% of poly-lactic acid was manufactured
by spinning a PLA fiber extracted from corn. The manufactured
filament yarn was woven to a PLA mesh net by a spinning process.
Details of the manufactured PLA mesh net are represented in Table 1
below.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Fiber Material Function and role Denier
Filament yarn 100% PLA Basic frame 400 Divided yarn 100% PLA Strong
cleaning power 600, 25 fils Form sufficient bubbles Filament yarn
100% PLA Sewing 1000
[0033] A full sized picture of the sample manufactured in the
example is represented in FIG. 2, and a partially enlarged picture
of the sample manufactured in the example is represented in FIG.
3.
Comparative Examples 1 to 5
[0034] Samples of comparative examples 1 to 5 were manufactured
identically to the sample of the example. Main components of each
sample are represented in Table 2 below.
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Comp. Comp. Comp. Exam- Comp. Comp. 1 2 3
ple 4 5 First PP Biode- PLA PLA PLA PLA compo- fiber gradable fiber
fiber fiber fiber nent PET fiber (100%) (100%) (100%) Second PET
PLA PLA compo- film divided film nent yarn Sewing PP PP PLA PLA
Nylon PLA Thread
[0035] Comp. 1: Scotch-Brite mesh net scouring pad (available from
3M Company)
[0036] Comp. 2: Biodegradable PET scouring pad (available from 3M
Company)
[0037] Comp. 3: PLA mesh net scouring pad (available from 3M
Company)
[0038] Comp. 4: PLA scouring pad (available from Seoryong Co.,
Ltd.)
[0039] Comp. 5: PLA scouring pad (available from Hankook Tamina
Co., Ltd.)
[0040] A picture of the samples of the example and comparative
examples 1 to 5 is represented in FIG. 4. In FIG. 4, the first row
shows the full sized pictures of the respective samples, and the
second row shows the partially enlarged pictures of the respective
samples.
[0041] Evaluation Test
[0042] 1. Cleaning power test (rice removal test)
[0043] (1) Preparation of rice paste: 15 g of cooked rice was put
in 500 ml of water, and then mixed during 10 minutes by a mixer, to
prepare rice paste.
[0044] (2) Preparation of coating panel: A rice paste solution was
coated on a Sus 2 inches.times.9 inches panel with a uniform
thickness by using a #60 coater rod to prepare a coating panel.
[0045] (3) The coating panel was mounted on a crock meter. The
scouring pad sample of the example, and the scouring pad samples of
comparative examples 4 and 5 were sequentially mounted on a
circular jig having a radius of 1 cm, to make the circular jig for
10 cycles reciprocate.
[0046] (4) After the reciprocation, a degree of cleaning was
observed (qualitative analysis)
[0047] (5) Efficiency of cleaning may be digitized by measuring a
weight before and after washing, as shown below.
Efficiency of cleaning (%)={(weight before cleaning-weight after
cleaning)/(weight before cleaning)}.times.100
[0048] The result of the cleaning power test is represented in FIG.
5.
[0049] As illustrated in FIG. 5, it can be seen that the sample
according to the example scrapes out rice paste to exhibit
excellent cleaning power even without an abrasive, but rice paste
left as it is in the samples of comparative examples 4 and 5.
[0050] 2. Bubble forming performance test
[0051] (1) Preparation of detergent: A detergent solution of 5 ml
of Na-DBS and 50 ml of water was put in a beaker, followed by being
slowly stirred so as not to form bubbles.
[0052] (2) Bubble forming test: The scouring pad samples of the
example and comparative examples 1 to 5 were folded by two or three
layers and put in a circular jig having a radius of 5 cm, and fixed
to a bottom of the circular jig, followed by making a plastic load
with 2 g pumping reciprocate upward and downward at 1,800 rpm by
100 cycles.
[0053] (3) A height of bubbles was calculated by measuring an
uppermost height and a lowermost height of the bubbles formed by
the pumping movement.
(Bubble height=uppermost height of bubbles-lowermost height of
bubbles)
[0054] A result of the calculation of the bubble heights is
represented in Table 3 below.
TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Comp. Comp. Comp. Exam- Comp. Comp. 1 2 3
ple 4 5 Bubble 3 cm 2 cm 1 cm 3 cm 1 cm 1 cm height
[0055] As the result of the test, the sample according to the
example exhibits excellent bubble forming performance, compared to
the samples of comparative examples 2 to 5, and exhibits the same
level of bubble forming performance as that of the sample of
comparative example 1.
[0056] 3. Scratch resistance test
[0057] (1) Preparation of acryl plate: A release paper was peeled
off from a non-used acryl plate, and the acryl plate was cleaned
with acetone one time, and was cleaned by using heptanes three
times, to prepare the acryl plate.
[0058] (2) Non-Scratch Test: The acryl plate was fixed to a crock
meter, and then the sample of the example and comparative examples
1 to 5 were mounted on a circular jig having a radius of 1 cm,
followed by making the samples reciprocate 30 times.
[0059] The result of the test is represented in FIG. 6. As the
result of the test, the sample according to the example exhibits
little scratches compared to the samples of Comparative Examples 1
to 5.
[0060] 4. Oil adsorption test
[0061] (1) Initial weights of the sample of the example and
comparative examples 1 to 3 were measured.
[0062] (2) Next, each sample was soaked in an oil bath for two
minutes.
[0063] (3) Each sample was dried on a holding stand for two
minutes, and then a weight of each sample was measured again.
Oil adsorption ratio(g/g)=(weight after adsorption-weight before
adsorption)/(weight before adsorption)(g)
[0064] The result of the test is represented in Table 4 below.
TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Oil adsorption ratio Example (20 .times. 22
cm) 400.4 Example (18 .times. 20 cm) 391.9 Comparative Example 1
221.5 Comparative Example 2 140.8 Comparative Example 3 (25 .times.
25 cm) 160.4 Comparative Example 3 (23 .times. 23 cm) 165.2
[0065] FIG. 7a shows a state in which oil is adsorbed to the sample
according to the example when taken from a top. FIG. 7B shows a
state in which oil is adsorbed to the sample according to the
example when taken from a side.
[0066] As the result of the test, the sample according to the
example exhibits an excellent oil adsorption ratio compared to the
samples of comparative examples 1 to 3.
[0067] 5. Others
[0068] A component of a sewing thread of the sample of comparative
example 4 is nylon, so that the sample is not biodegradable. The
sample of comparative example 4 is formed of the second component
of the PLA film, but is not formed of the divided yarn, thereby
having a problem of causing scratches.
[0069] The sample of Comparative Example 5 uses the PLA fiber which
is not heat-treated, so that cleaning power deteriorates.
* * * * *