U.S. patent application number 16/615576 was filed with the patent office on 2020-06-11 for cleaning article with decorative particles.
The applicant listed for this patent is 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY. Invention is credited to Gregory G. Mehsikomer, Shridhar B. Shinde, Myhanh T. Truong.
Application Number | 20200180112 16/615576 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 62528854 |
Filed Date | 2020-06-11 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20200180112 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Truong; Myhanh T. ; et
al. |
June 11, 2020 |
CLEANING ARTICLE WITH DECORATIVE PARTICLES
Abstract
The present invention is a cleaning article including a
substrate, a base coating on at least a surface of the substrate,
and a surface coating disposed on the base coating. The surface
coating includes water, a binder, a cross-linker, a thickener, and
decorative particles. The decorative particles constitute between
about 30 to about 300 grams per square meter wet basis weight of
the cleaning article. At least about 50% of the decorative
particles remains on the cleaning article after use.
Inventors: |
Truong; Myhanh T.; (Cottage
Grove, MN) ; Shinde; Shridhar B.; (Bhosari-Pune,
IN) ; Mehsikomer; Gregory G.; (Maplewood,
MN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY |
St. Paul |
MN |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
62528854 |
Appl. No.: |
16/615576 |
Filed: |
May 17, 2018 |
PCT Filed: |
May 17, 2018 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/US2018/033083 |
371 Date: |
November 21, 2019 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62510300 |
May 24, 2017 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 13/16 20130101;
A47L 13/06 20130101; B24D 11/00 20130101; A47L 17/08 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B24D 11/00 20060101
B24D011/00; A47L 13/06 20060101 A47L013/06; A47L 17/08 20060101
A47L017/08; A47L 13/16 20060101 A47L013/16 |
Claims
1. A cleaning article comprising: a substrate; and a base coating
on at least a surface of the substrate; and a surface coating
disposed on the base coating, the surface coating comprising:
water; a binder; a cross-linker; a thickener; and decorative
particles, wherein the decorative particles constitute between
about 30 to about 300 grams per square meter wet basis weight of
the cleaning article, and wherein at least about 50% of the
decorative particles remains on the cleaning article after use.
2. The cleaning article of claim 1, wherein the binder is selected
from the group consisting of: polyurethane, polyester, acrylic,
styrene butadiene, melamine formaldehyde resin, and combinations
thereof.
3. The cleaning article of claim 1, wherein the surface coating
comprises between about 5 and about 25% by weight water.
4. The cleaning article of claim 1, wherein the surface coating
comprises between about 25 and about 70% by weight binder.
5. The cleaning article of claim 1, wherein the surface coating
comprises between about 1 and about 20% by weight crosslinker.
6. The cleaning article of claim 1, wherein the surface coating
comprises between about 2 and about 30% by weight decorative
particles.
7. The cleaning article of claim 1, wherein the surface coating
comprises between about 0.5 and about 3% by weight thickener.
8. The cleaning article of claim 1, wherein the decorative
particles comprise between about 1 and about 30 wt % of the
cleaning article.
9. The cleaning article of claim 1, wherein the binder constitutes
between about 30 and about 300 grams per square meter wet basis
weight of the cleaning article.
10. The cleaning article of claim 1, wherein the substrate
comprises fibers.
11. The cleaning article of claim 10, wherein a ratio of fiber size
to decorative particle size is between about 0.1 to about 2.
12. The cleaning article of claim 1, wherein the decorative
particles are between about 30 to about 500 microns each in
size.
13. The cleaning article of claim 10, wherein the fibers have a
length of between about 20 and about 150 millimeters.
14. The cleaning article of claim 1, where a thickness of the
cleaning article is between about 2 and about 50 millimeters.
15. The cleaning article of claim 1, where the cleaning article has
a basis weight of between about 50 and about 1500
grams/meter.sup.2.
16. The cleaning article of claim 1, where the substrate comprises
a nonwoven web, foam, paper, fabric or combination thereof.
17. The cleaning article of claim 1, where the decorative particles
comprise glitter, melamine minerals, natural minerals or
combination thereof.
18. The cleaning article of claim 1, further comprising abrasive
particles.
Description
FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a cleaning article. In
particular, the present disclosure relates to a cleaning article
having decorative particles.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Cleaning articles, such as scouring materials, are produced
in many forms. These cleaning articles may be formed from any known
material used for cleaning or scouring and may include abrasive
particles and other additives to increase their cleaning power.
Examples of useful cleaning articles are formed from natural or
synthetic sponges and nonwoven articles.
[0003] Nonwoven abrasive articles generally have a nonwoven web
(e.g., a lofty open fibrous nonwoven web), abrasive particles, and
a binder material (commonly termed a "binder") that bonds the
fibers within the nonwoven web to each other and secures the
abrasive particles to the nonwoven web. Examples of nonwoven
abrasive articles include nonwoven abrasive hand pads and surface
conditioning abrasive discs and belts such as those marketed by 3M
Company of Saint Paul, Minn. under the trade designation
SCOTCH-BRITE.
SUMMARY
[0004] In one embodiment, the present invention is a cleaning
article including a substrate, a base coating on at least a surface
of the substrate, and a surface coating disposed on the base
coating. The surface coating includes water, a binder, a
cross-linker, a thickener, and decorative particles. The decorative
particles constitute between about 30 to about 300 grams per square
meter wet basis weight of the cleaning article. At least about 50%
of the decorative particles remains on the cleaning article after
use.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] FIG. 1A is a photograph of a cleaning article of the present
invention.
[0006] FIG. 1B is a perspective view of a cleaning article of the
present invention.
[0007] FIG. 2A is a magnified view of a cleaning article of the
present invention with decorative glitter particles.
[0008] FIG. 2B is a microscopic photograph of a first embodiment of
decorative particles on the cleaning article of the present
invention.
[0009] FIG. 2C is a microscopic photograph of a second embodiment
of decorative particles on the cleaning article of the present
invention.
[0010] FIG. 3 is a magnified view of a cleaning article of the
present invention with decorative plastic particles.
[0011] It should be understood that numerous other modifications
and embodiments can be derived by those skilled in the art, which
fall within the scope and spirit of the principles of the
disclosure. The figures may not be drawn to scale.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] FIG. 1A shows a photograph and FIG. 1B shows a perspective
view of the cleaning article 10 of the present invention, which may
be a scouring pad, having a durable surface coating that includes
decorative particles. The surface coating of the cleaning article
minimizes the amount of decorative particles that flake off during
the coating process and during use without adversely affecting the
cleaning efficiency of the cleaning article.
[0013] The cleaning article 10 includes a substrate 12 with a base
coating 14 and a surface coating 14. The base coating 14 is
embedded within the substrate 12. The surface coating 16 is then
coated over the substrate 12 and the base coating 14. In one
embodiment, the substrate 12 includes a top surface 18 and a bottom
surface 20 opposite the top surface 18. In one embodiment, the top
surface 18 and bottom surface 20 are generally planar. While FIG. 1
depicts the cleaning article 10 as being generally rectangular, it
is understood that any number of shapes and sizes of the substrate
may be used for the cleaning article 10. For example, the cleaning
article 10 may be circular, triangular, or square surfaces may be
provided.
[0014] Generally, either or both the top surface 18 and bottom
surface 20 are working surfaces that are intended to make contact
with the surface to be cleaned. In one embodiment, more than two
working surfaces may be included. For example, if the substrate 12
has a cube shape, it may be that all six sides of the cube are
working surfaces intended to contact the surface to be cleaned. In
addition, although in FIG. 1, the surfaces are shown as including a
texture but as a whole are generally planar, it is not essential
that the working surface be planar. The working surface may be
textured, patterned, angled, concavely or convexly curved. The
working surface may include raised regions and recessed
regions.
[0015] In one embodiment, the cleaning article 10 has a thickness
of between about 2 and about 50 millimeters, particularly between
about 15 and about 35 millimeters, and more particularly between
about 10 and about 18 millimeters. In one embodiment, the cleaning
article has a basis weight of between about 50 and about 1500
grams/meter.sup.2, particularly between about 300 and about 1200
grams/meter.sup.2, and more particularly between about 500 and
about 900 grams/meter.sup.2.
[0016] The substrate 12 may be any known material in the art used
for wiping, cleaning, or scouring. Useful substrates include, but
are not limited to: natural or synthetic sponges, pads formed of
metal fibers such as steel wool pads or pads formed of narrow
aluminum, bronze or plastic fibers or ribbons, paper, fabrics,
knitted fabric, including three dimensional knitted spacers, woven
fabric, and nonwoven fabric, polyurethane foams, and reticulated
foams.
[0017] Nonwoven articles are particularly suitable as a substrate
for the cleaning article 10. A nonwoven article is a web of fibers
bonded to one another. One exemplary nonwoven web that may be
suitable as the substrate 12 of the cleaning article 10 is the
open, lofty, three-dimensional air-laid nonwoven substrate
described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,958,593 to Hoover et al, the
disclosure of which is included herein. This nonwoven web is formed
by randomly disposed fibers. One commercial product comprising such
a nonwoven web is that sold under the trade designation
"Scotch-Brite" available from 3M Company, St. Paul, Minn.
[0018] Typically, the nonwoven fiber web includes an entangled web
of fibers 22. The fibers may include continuous fiber, staple
fiber, or a combination thereof. For example, the fiber web 22 may
include staple fibers having a length of between about 20 to about
150 millimeters, particularly between about 40 and about 70
millimeters, and more particularly between about 40 and about 56
millimeters, although shorter and longer fibers (e.g., continuous
filaments) may also be useful. The fibers may have a fineness or
linear density of at least about 1.7 decitex (dtex, i.e.,
grams/10000 meters), at least about 6 dtex, or at least about 17
dtex, and less than about 560 dtex, less than about 280 dtex, or
less than about 120 dtex, although fibers having lesser and/or
greater linear densities may also be useful. If a spunbond nonwoven
is used, the filaments may be of substantially larger diameter, for
example, up to about 2 mm or more in diameter. It is contemplated
that fibers of mixed denier can be used in the manufacture of a
nonwoven web in order to obtain a desired surface finish. The use
of larger fibers is also contemplated, and those skilled in the art
will understand that the invention is not limited by the nature of
the fibers employed or by their respective lengths, linear
densities and the like.
[0019] The fiber web 22 may be made, for example, by conventional
air laid, carded, stitch bonded, spun bonded, wet laid, and/or melt
blown procedures. Air laid fiber webs may be prepared using
equipment such as, for example, that available under the trade
designation RANDO WEBBER from Rando Machine Company of Macedon,
N.Y.
[0020] Nonwoven fiber webs are typically selected to be compatible
with adhering binders and abrasive particles, if included, while
also being compatible with other components of the cleaning
article, and typically can withstand processing conditions (e.g.,
temperatures) such as those employed during application and curing
of the curable binder precursor. The fibers may be chosen to affect
properties of the cleaning article such as, for example:
flexibility, elasticity, durability or longevity, abrasiveness, and
finishing properties. Examples of fibers that may be suitable
include, but are not limited to: natural fibers, synthetic fibers,
and mixtures of natural and/or synthetic fibers. Examples of
synthetic fibers include, but are not limited to: those made from
polyester (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate), nylon (e.g.,
hexamethylene adipamide, polycaprolactam), polypropylene,
acrylonitrile (i.e., acrylic), rayon, cellulose acetate,
polyvinylidene chloride-vinyl chloride copolymers, and vinyl
chloride-acrylonitrile copolymers. Examples of suitable natural
fibers include, but are not limited to: cotton, wool, jute, and
hemp. The fiber may be of virgin material or of recycled or waste
material, for example, reclaimed from garment cuttings, carpet
manufacturing, fiber manufacturing, or textile processing. The
fiber may be homogenous or a composite such as a bicomponent fiber
(e.g., a co-spun sheath-core fiber). The fibers may be tensilized
and crimped, but may also be continuous filaments such as those
formed by an extrusion process. Combinations of fibers may also be
used.
[0021] In those nonwoven cleaning articles including a lofty open
nonwoven fiber web (e.g., hand pads, and surface conditioning discs
and belts, flap brushes, or nonwoven abrasive webs used to make
unitized or convolute abrasive wheels) many interstices between
adjacent fibers are substantially unfilled by the binder and
optically abrasive particles, resulting in a composite structure of
extremely low density having a network on many relatively large
intercommunicated voids. The resulting lightweight, lofty,
extremely open fibrous construction is essentially non-clogging and
non-filling in nature, particularly when used in conjunction with
liquids such as water and oils. These structures also can be
readily cleaned upon simple flushing with a cleansing liquid,
dried, and left for substantial periods of time, and then reused.
Towards these ends, the voids in these nonwoven abrasive articles
may make up at least about 75 percent, and preferably more, of the
total space occupied by the composite structure.
[0022] To chemically bind the fibers together, the web 22 may be
reinforced, for example, by the application of the base coating 14,
which typically is a resin to bond the fibers at their mutual
contact points to form a three-dimensionally integrated structure
as described in Hoover et al. In some constructions, an additional
second base coating is applied over the first base coating to
further reinforce the web. The selection and amount of binder
actually applied can depend on any of a variety of factors
including, for example: the fiber weight in the nonwoven web, the
fiber density, the fiber type, as well as the contemplated end use
for the finished article. Exemplary methods of applying the base
coating include: roll coating, spray coating, dry powder coating,
suspended powder coating, powder dropping, liquid dip coating,
fluidized bed powder coating, electrostatic powder coating,
critical gas dilution liquid resin coating, or other commonly used
coating processes.
[0023] Other known means of forming a three-dimensionally
integrated structure from the nonwoven fibers are within the scope
of the present invention. As an alternative or in addition to the
base coating applied to the fibers to form the nonwoven, the fibers
may be melt-bonded together at a portion of points where they
contact one another to form a three-dimensionally integrated
structure, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,935 to Heyer et
al.
[0024] The base coating 14 generally includes water, binder,
anti-foaming agent, additive, and pigment. In one embodiment, the
base coating 14 includes between about 10 and about 50 wt % water,
particularly between about 15 and about 45 wt % water, and more
particularly between about 20 and about 40 wt % water. In one
embodiment, the base coating 14 includes between about 40 and about
70 wt % binder, particularly between about 40 and about 60 wt %
binder, and more particularly between about 35 and about 45 wt %
binder. In one embodiment, the base coating 14 includes between
about 0.01 and about 1 wt % anti-foaming agent, particularly
between about 0.01 and about 0.75 wt % anti-foaming agent, and more
particularly between about 0.05 and about 0.5 wt % anti-foaming
agent. In one embodiment, the base coating 14 includes between
about 2 and about 10 wt % additive, particularly between about 5
and about 7 wt % additive, and more particularly between about 7
and about 7 wt % additive. The selection of additive will depend on
the binder selection. In one embodiment, the base coating 14
includes between about 0.2 and about 2 wt % pigment, particularly
between about 0.5 and about 1.5 wt % pigment, and more particularly
between about 0.6 and about 1 wt % pigment.
[0025] The base coating 14 may be applied to the substrate 12 by
roll coating, spray coating, immersion coating, or other known
coating techniques. The surface coating 16 may then be applied over
the base coating 14 by roll coating, spray coating, immersion
coating, or other known coating techniques.
[0026] The selection and amount of the base coating 14 actually
applied to the substrate 12 can depend on any of a variety of
factors including, for example, the substrate type. If the
substrate is a nonwoven, factors to consider include the fiber
weight in the nonwoven web, the fiber density, the fiber type, as
well as the contemplated end use for the finished article. In one
embodiment, the coating weight of the base coating 14 may range
from about 50 to about 300 gsm(dry), and particularly from about
100 to about 200 gsm(dry). In one embodiment, the coating weight of
the surface coating 16 may range from about 50 to about 400
gsm(wet), and particularly from about 150 to about 250
gsm(wet).
[0027] The surface coating 16 generally includes water, a binder, a
crosslinker, a thickener and decorative particles 24. In one
embodiment, the surface coating 16 includes between about 5 to
about 25% by weight water, particularly between about 10 and about
25% by weight water and more particularly between about 15 and
about 25% by weight water.
[0028] The binder incorporated in the surface coating 16 may be the
same binder or different from the binder incorporated in the base
coating 14. The binder is any substance that will cohere to the
substrate. Following curing, the binder may be water soluble or
water insoluble. In one embodiment, the binder of the surface
coating 16 is a resin. Suitable resins include, but are not limited
to: phenolic resins, polyurethane resins, polyureas,
styrene-butadiene rubbers, nitrile rubbers, epoxies, acrylics, and
polyisoprene. The binder may be water soluble. Examples of water
soluble binders include water-soluble binders include surfactants,
polyethylene glycol, polyvinylpyrrolidones, polylactic acid (PLA),
polyvinylpyrrolidone/vinyl acetate copolymers, polyvinyl alcohols,
carboxymethyl celluloses, hydroxypropyl cellulose starches,
polyethylene oxides, polyacrylamides, polyacrylic acids, cellulose
ether polymers, polyethyl oxazolines, esters of polyethylene oxide,
esters of polyethylene oxide and polypropylene oxide copolymers,
urethanes of polyethylene oxide, and urethanes of polyethylene
oxide and polypropylene oxide copolymers.
[0029] Examples of suitable curable binders include resole phenolic
resins, novolac phenolic resins, epoxy resins, polymerizable
acrylic monomers oligomers and polymers, alkyd resins, cyanate
resins, aminoplast resins, urea-formaldehyde resins, urethane
resins (one-part and two-part), and combinations thereof. Depending
on the curable binder precursor system selected, an appropriate
curative (e.g., a crosslinker, catalyst, or initiator) may also be
present. The selection and amounts of suitable such curatives are
well known in the abrasives art. An example of a commercially
available polyurethane resin includes, but is not limited to,
Alberdingk.RTM. U9380, available from AlberdingK Boley Inc. located
in Greensboro, N.C.
[0030] Curable binder compositions may contain various additives.
For example, conventional resin filler(s) (e.g., calcium carbonate
or fine fibers), lubricant(s) (e.g., alkali metal salts of stearic
acid and light petroleum oils), grinding aid(s) (e.g., potassium
fluoroborate), wetting agent(s) or surfactant(s) (e.g., sodium
lauryl sulfate), defoamer(s), pigment(s), dye(s), biocide(s),
coupling agent(s) (e.g., organosilanes), plasticizer(s) (e.g.,
polyalkylene polyols or phthalate esters), thickeners, and
combinations thereof. Typically, the curable binder precursor will
include at least one solvent (e.g., isopropyl alcohol, methyl ethyl
ketone, water) to facilitate coating of the curable binder
precursor on the nonwoven fiber web, although this is not a
requirement.
[0031] In some embodiments, the curable binder precursor is a
urethane prepolymer. Examples of useful urethane prepolymers
include, but are not limited to, polyisocyanates and blocked
versions thereof. Typically, blocked polyisocyanates are
substantially unreactive to isocyanate reactive compounds (e.g.,
amines, alcohols, thiols) under ambient conditions (e.g.,
temperatures in a range of from about 20.degree. C. to about
25.degree. C.), but upon application of sufficient thermal energy,
the blocking agent is released, thereby generating isocyanate
functionality that reacts with the amine curative to form a
covalent bond.
[0032] Useful polyisocyanates include, for example, aliphatic
polyisocyanates (e.g., hexamethylene diisocyanate or
trimethylhexamethylene diisocyanate); alicyclic polyisocyanates
(e.g., hydrogenated xylylene diisocyanate or isophorone
diisocyanate); aromatic polyisocyanates (e.g., tolylene
diisocyanate or 4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate); adducts of any
of the foregoing polyisocyanates with a polyhydric alcohol (e.g., a
diol, low molecular weight hydroxyl group-containing polyester
resin, and/or water); adducts of the foregoing polyisocyanates
(e.g., isocyanurates, biurets); and mixtures thereof.
[0033] Useful commercially available polyisocyanates include, for
example, those available under the trade designation ADIPRENE from
Chemtura Corporation, Middlebury, Conn. (e.g., ADIPRENE L 0311,
ADIPRENE L 100, ADIPRENE L 167, ADIPRENE L 213, ADIPRENE L 315,
ADIPRENE L 680, ADIPRENE LF 1800A, ADIPRENE LF 600D, ADIPRENE LFP
1950A, ADIPRENE LFP 2950A, ADIPRENE LFP 590D, ADIPRENE LW 520, and
ADIPRENE PP 1095); polyisocyanates available under the trade
designation MONDUR from Bayer Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa. (e.g.,
MONDUR 1437, MONDUR MP-095, or MONDUR 448); and polyisocyanates
available under the trade designations AIRTHANE and VERSATHANE from
Air Products and Chemicals, Allentown, Pa. (e.g., AIRTHANE APC-504,
AIRTHANE PST-95A, AIRTHANE PST-85A, AIRTHANE PET-91A, AIRTHANE
PET-75D, VERSATHANE STE-95A, VERSATHANE STE-P95, VERSATHANE STS-55,
VERSATHANE SME-90A, and VERSATHANE MS-90A).
[0034] To lengthen pot-life, polyisocyanates such as, for example,
those mentioned above, may be blocked with a blocking agent
according to various techniques known in the art. Exemplary
blocking agents include ketoximes (e.g., 2-butanone oxime); lactams
(e.g., epsilon-caprolactam); malonic esters (e.g., dimethyl
malonate and diethyl malonate); pyrazoles (e.g.,
3,5-dimethylpyrazole); alcohols including tertiary alcohols (e.g.,
t-butanol or 2,2-dimethylpentanol), phenols (e.g., alkylated
phenols), and mixtures of alcohols as described.
[0035] Exemplary useful commercially available blocked
polyisocyanates include those marketed by Chemtura Corporation
under the trade designations ADIPRENE BL 11, ADIPRENE BL 16,
ADIPRENE BL 31, ADIPRENE BL 46, and ADIPRENE BL 500; and blocked
polyisocyanates marketed by Baxenden Chemicals, Ltd., Accrington,
England under the trade designation TRIXENE (e.g., TRIXENE BL 7641,
TRIXENE BL 7642, TRIXENE BL 7772, and TRIXENE BL 7774).
[0036] Typically, the amount of any urethane prepolymer present in
the curable binder precursor is in an amount of from about 10 to
about 40 percent by weight, particularly in an amount of from about
15 to about 30 percent by weight, and even more particularly in an
amount of from about to about 25 percent by weight based on the
total weight of the curable binder precursor, although amounts
outside of these ranges may also be used.
[0037] Exemplary curatives for urethane prepolymers include
aromatic, alkyl-aromatic, or alkyl polyfunctional amines,
preferably primary amines. Examples of useful amine curatives
include 4,4'-methylenedianiline; polymeric methylene dianilines
having a functionality of 2.1 to 4.0 which include those known
under the trade designations CURITHANE 103, commercially available
from the Dow Chemical Company, and MDA-85 from Bayer Corporation,
Pittsburgh, Pa.; 1,5-diamine-2-methylpentane; tris(2-aminoethyl)
amine; 3-aminomethyl-3,5,5-trimethylcyclohexylamine (i.e.,
isophoronediamine), trimethylene glycol di-p-aminobenzoate,
bis(o-aminophenylthio)ethane, 4,4'-methylenebis(dimethyl
anthranilate), bis(4-amino-3-ethylphenyl)methane (e.g., as marketed
under the trade designation KAYAHARD AA by Nippon Kayaku Company,
Ltd., Tokyo, Japan), and bis(4-amino-3,5-diethylphenyl)methane
(e.g., as marketed under the trade designation LONZACURE M-DEA by
Lonza, Ltd., Basel, Switzerland), and mixtures thereof. If desired,
polyol(s) may be added to the curable binder precursor, for
example, to modify (e.g., to retard) cure rates as required by the
intended use. The amine curative should be present in an amount
effective (i.e., an effective amount) to cure the blocked
polyisocyanate to the degree required by the intended application;
for example, the amine curative may be present in a stoichiometric
ratio of curative to isocyanate (or blocked isocyanate) in a range
of from 0.8 to 1.35; for example, in a range of from 0.85 to 1.20,
or in a range of from 0.90 to 0.95, although stoichiometric ratios
outside these ranges may also be used.
[0038] In one embodiment, the binder cures to be generally clear or
colorless. A binder that cures to be generally clear or colorless
is more easily colored to a desired selected color. A binder that
cures to be generally clear or colorless may also accentuate
decorative particles 24 of the cleaning article 10. A binder that
may have a color or cloudiness may be difficult to achieve a
desired color. Examples of binders that cure to be generally
colorless include styrene-butadiene rubbers, acrylics, and
epoxies.
[0039] In one embodiment, the surface coating 16 includes between
about 25 and about 70% by weight binder, particularly between about
40 and about 70% by weight binder, and more particularly between
about 50 and about 65% by weight binder. In one embodiment, the
binder constitutes between about 30 and about 300 grams per square
meter (GSM) wet basis weight of the cleaning article, particularly
between about 60 and about 150 GSM wet basis weight of the cleaning
article, and more particularly between about 75 and about 125 GSM
wet basis weight of the cleaning article.
[0040] In one embodiment, various processing techniques may be
applied to all or a portion of the binder in the base coating 14 or
the surface coating 16 to enhance the resistance to wear. For
example thermal curing, UV curing, or e-beam curing may be used
with the appropriately selected resins. In this embodiment, uncured
portions wear faster than cured portion.
[0041] The surface coating 16 includes a crosslinker to promote
linking of the polymer chains. In one embodiment, the surface
coating 16 includes between about 1 and about 20% by weight
crosslinker, particularly between about 2 and about 15% by weight
crosslinker, and more particularly between about 3 and about 9% by
weight crosslinker. Examples of suitable crosslinkers include, but
are not limited to, amino crosslinkers, such as: methylated
melamine resins, mixed ether melamine resins, butylated melamine
resins, urea resins, butylated urea resins, benzoguanamine resins,
and glycoluril resins. Examples of commercially available
crosslinkers include, but is not limited to: Cymel.RTM. 373 and
385, available from Allnex located in Overland Park, Kans.;
Resimine 714, 730, 731, 735 and 740, available from King
Industries, Inc. located in Norwalk, Conn.
[0042] A thickener is included in the surface coating 16 to
increase the viscosity of the surface coating composition. In one
embodiment, the surface coating 16 includes between about 0.5 and
about 3% by weight thickener, particularly between about 0.5 and
about 2.5% by weight thickener and more particularly between about
0.5 and about 2% by weight thickener. Examples of suitable
thickeners include, but are not limited to, cellulosic thickeners,
silicone elastomers, synthetic polymers, chemical based thickeners
and combinations thereof. An example of a commercially available
cellulosic thickener includes, but is not limited to, CAB-O-SIL,
available from Cabot Corporation located in Alpharetta, Ga.
[0043] The surface coating 16 of the present invention includes
decorative particles 24 to enhance the aesthetic appearance of the
cleaning article 10. As mentioned above, the decorative particles
24 are compatible with the clear binder resin of the surface
coating 16. The decorative particles may include, but are not
limited to: glitter, synthetic minerals, and natural minerals.
Examples of suitable glitters include, but are not limited to:
polyester glitters, polypropylene glitters, polyethylene glitters,
and combinations thereof. An example of a commercially available
polyester glitter includes, but is not limited to, Silver Sparkle
Flake, available from Meadowbrook Inventions, located in
Bernardsville, N.J. FIG. 2A shows a magnified view of a cleaning
article 10 of the present invention having decorative glitter
particles 24a in the surface coating. FIG. 2B is a microscopic
photograph of a first embodiment of decorative particles on the
cleaning article of the present invention. FIG. 2C is a microscopic
photograph of a second embodiment of decorative particles on the
cleaning article of the present invention. FIG. 3 shows a magnified
view of a cleaning article 10 of the present invention having
decorative plastic particles 24b in the surface coating.
[0044] In one embodiment, the surface coating 16 includes between
about 2 and about 30% by weight decorative particles 24,
particularly between about 2 and about 20% by weight decorative
particles and more particularly between about 3 and about 10% by
weight decorative particles. In one embodiment, the decorative
particles include between about 1 and about 30 wt % of the cleaning
article, particularly between about 3 and about 15 wt % of the
cleaning article, and more particularly between about 4 and about 8
wt % of the cleaning article. In one embodiment, the decorative
particles constitute between about 30 to about 300 grams per square
meter (GSM) wet basis weight of the cleaning article, particularly
between about 50 to about 200 GSM wet basis weight of the cleaning
article, and more particularly between about 60 to about 150 GSM
wet basis weight of the cleaning article.
[0045] In one embodiment, the decorative particles are between
about 30 to about 500 microns each in size, particularly between
about 30 and about 300 microns in size, and more particularly
between about 30 and about 200 microns in size.
[0046] In order for the decorative particles 24 to be retained on
the cleaning article 10 while providing the desired aesthetic
affect, the size of the decorative particles 24 can be chosen
relative to the size of the fibers in the fiber web 22. In one
embodiment, a ratio of fiber size to decorative particle size is
between about 0.1 to about 5, particularly between about 0.1 and
about 3, and more particularly between about 0.1 and about 2.
[0047] The base coating 14, the surface coating 16 or both may
include optional additives. For example, the additives may be
dispersed throughout the binder of the coatings or separately
applied following application of the coating. Exemplary additives
include, but are not limited to: a crosslinker, filler, catalyst,
fragrance, perfume, microcapsules, antibacterial agents,
antimicrobial agents, antifungal agents, antifoaming agents,
thickeners, fillers, or abrasives. In one embodiment, including
filler such as titanium dioxide in the surface coating 16 aids in
covering the color substrate, which may be the color of a base
coating 14.
[0048] It may be particularly advantageous to include abrasive
particles 26 on the cleaning article 10 to enhance the scouring
ability of the cleaning article 10. The abrasive particles 26 may
be included in the base coating 14, the surface coating 16, or may
be separately applied after application of the base coating 14 or
the surface coating 16, if included. The abrasive particles 26 that
may be used in the cleaning article 10 include all known abrasive
materials as well as combinations and agglomerates of such
materials. Suitable abrasive materials include inorganic materials,
for example aluminium oxide (including ceramic aluminium oxide,
heat-treated aluminium oxide, and white-fused aluminium oxide),
silicon carbide, tungsten carbide, alumina zirconia, diamond,
ceria, cubic boron nitride, silicon nitride, garnet, and
combinations thereof. Suitable abrasive materials also include
softer, less aggressive materials such as polymeric particles and
crushed natural materials (for example, crushed nut shells).
Suitable polymeric materials for the abrasive particles include
polyamide, polyester, poly(vinyl chloride, poly(methacrylic) acid,
polymethylmethacrylate, polycarbonate, polystyrene, and
melamine-formaldehyde condensates. The abrasive particles should
have a particle size small enough to allow them to penetrate into
the bonded web 12' and, subject to that, it is contemplated that
abrasive agglomerates, for example those described in U.S. Pat.
Nos. 4,625,275 and 4,799,939, may also be used. In one embodiment,
the average particle sizes of the abrasive particles 26 range from
about 1 to about 2000 microns.
[0049] In one embodiment, when the abrasive particles 26 are
included in the base coating 14 or the surface coating 16, the
coating includes between about 22 and about 65 wt % abrasive
particles 26, particularly between about 22 and about 50 wt %
abrasive particles 26, and more particularly between about 22 and
about 40 wt % abrasive particles 26.
[0050] In one embodiment, the abrasive particles 26 are added to
the cleaning article 10 separately from the base coating 14 and the
surface coating 16. In this case, the abrasive particles 26 are
added in an abrasive coating 28 after application of the base
coating 14. The abrasive coating 28 generally includes water,
binder, abrasive particles 26 and pigment. In one embodiment, the
abrasive coating 28 includes between about 10 and about 25 wt %
water, particularly between about 15 and about 25 wt % water, and
more particularly between about 28 and about 25 wt % water. In one
embodiment, the abrasive coating 28 includes between about 10 and
about 30 wt % binder, particularly between about 15 and about 30 wt
% binder, and more particularly between about 20 and about 25 wt %
binder. In one embodiment, the abrasive coating 28 includes between
about 22 and about 65 wt % abrasive particles 26, particularly
between about 22 and about 50 wt % abrasive particles 26, and more
particularly between about 22 and about 40 wt % abrasive particles
26. In one embodiment, the abrasive coating 28 includes between
about 0.2 and about 2 wt % pigment, particularly between about 0.5
and about 1.5 wt % pigment, and more particularly between about 0.6
and about 1 wt % pigment.
[0051] In one embodiment, the cleaning article 10 includes a
nonwoven substrate. The base coating 14 is a prebond binder that
serves to reinforce the fibers of the web together. In other words,
without the base coating 14, the nonwoven substrate does not have
the structural integrity to maintain its shape through use and the
base coating 14 is essential to holding the structure of the
nonwoven together. The surface coating 16 having the decorative
particles 24 is applied over the base coating 14. The cleaning
article 10 may also include abrasive particles 26 added in the base
coating 14, the surface coating 16, or separately. One suitable
method of making this embodiment is to roll coat the base coating
14 over the fibers of the nonwoven and then to spray coat the
surface coating 16. It is understood that the base coating 14
penetrates within the fiber web 22 to secure and reinforce the web
22 creating a nonwoven article with structural integrity. Also, it
is understood that the surface coating 16 is applied over the base
coating 14 to cover the base coating 14. The surface coating 16 may
also partially penetrate into the fibers of the web 22.
[0052] To make the cleaning article 10 as previously discussed, the
nonwoven can be prepared by first forming a fiber web 22 by using
crimped staple fibers in a "Rando Webber" web-forming machine
(available from Rando Machine Corporation, Macedon, N.Y.). The
binder is applied to the fibers the nonwoven web to facilitate
bonding of the fibers at their mutual contact points by the base
coating 14. In one embodiment, the binder is roll coated onto the
web 22. This coated web is then oven-dried to cure the binder of
the base coating 14. Then, the web 22 is spray coated with the
surface coating 16, which includes the decorative particles 24.
This coated web is then oven-dried to cure the binder of the
surface coating 16.
[0053] In another embodiment, the nonwoven can be prepared by first
forming a web by using crimped staple fibers in a "Rando Webber"
web-forming machine (available from Rando Machine Corporation,
Macedon, N.Y.). The binder is applied to the fibers the nonwoven
web to facilitate bonding of the fibers at their mutual contact
points by the base coating 14. In one embodiment, the binder is
roll coated onto the web 22. This coated web is then oven-dried to
cure the binder of the base coating 14 (intermediated web). Then,
the web is spray coated with the surface coating 16, which includes
the decorative particles 24 sprayed independently in series with
the surface coating 16 (decorative web). This coated web is then
oven-dried to cure the binder of the surface coating 16. This can
be done in one continuous process on a single process manufacturing
line or can be broken down into several process steps in different
manufacturing lines.
[0054] The cleaning article 10 of the present invention is a
decorative cleaning tool that can clean a surface while retaining
the decorative particles and not adversely affecting the cleaning
efficiency of the cleaning tool. One particularly suitable
application for the cleaning article 10 is as a scouring article
utilized in cleaning, scrubbing and scouring dishes, pots, and
pans. Such a cleaning article is intended to be used in excess of 5
independent cleaning cycles. The presence of the decorative
particles does not substantially affect the ability of the cleaning
article to clean, or scour, a surface.
[0055] The decorative particles of the surface coating 16
substantially remain on the cleaning article 10 even after use.
Loss of the decorative particles can be visually evaluated by
putting the samples in a soap solution with intermediate stirring
for about 30 minutes. The loose decorative particles which dislodge
from the cleaning article are collected to estimate the percent
loss of decorative particles when put in actual use. Generally, any
dislodged decorative particles are transferred to the surface being
cleaned. In one embodiment, at least about 98%, at least about 95%,
at least about 90%, at least about 80%, at least about 75%, at
least about 60%, and at least about 50% of the decorative particles
remain on the cleaning article after use.
[0056] Although specific embodiments of this invention have been
shown and described herein, it is understood that these embodiments
are merely illustrative of the many possible specific arrangements
that can be devised in application of the principles of the
invention. Numerous and varied other arrangements can be devised in
accordance with these principles by those of ordinary skill in the
art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
Thus, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to
the structures described in this application, but only by the
structures described by the language of the claims and the
equivalents of those structures.
EXAMPLES
[0057] The present invention is more particularly described in the
following examples that are intended as illustrations only, since
numerous modifications and variations within the scope of the
present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
Unless otherwise noted, all parts, percentages, and ratios reported
in the following examples are on a weight basis.
Materials
TABLE-US-00001 [0058] Component Name Description Supplier NEXYLON
PA66 Nylon 6,6 staple fiber (7 dtex, EMS-CHEMIE (Neumunster) 40 mm
length, crimped) GmbH & Co. KG, Neumunster, Germany CR-4510
Phenol formaldehyde resin SI Group India Limited, (72% solids)
Maharashtra, India SS AF 5520 Silicone antifoam emulsion Supreme
Silicones, (60% solids) Maharashtra, India Green Pigment Dispersion
Green pigment (50-60% Shreya Aniline Industries solids) Private
Ltd., Mumbai, India Brown fused alumina 240 Aluminum oxide
particles Guiyang Baiyun Abrasives Co., Ltd., Guiyang, China
Calcium carbonate Calcium carbonate particles Tara Minerals and
Chemicals, Private Ltd., India ALBERDINGK U 9380 Aliphatic
polyester Alberdingk Boley Inc., polyurethane aqueous Greensboro,
North Carolina, dispersion (33% solids) USA CYMEL 385 Methylated
high imino Allnex USA, Inc., Alpharetta, melamine resin
(crosslinking Georgia, USA agent) (85% solids in water) Polyester
Jewels Silver polyester glitter flakes Meadowbrook Inventions,
(0.006 inch, hexagon shape) Inc., Bernardsville, New Jersey, USA
CAB-O-SIL M5 Untreated fumed silica Cabot Corporation, Boston,
(thickener) Massachusetts, USA SCOTCH-BRITE Heavy Nonwoven scouring
pad 3M Company, St. Paul Duty Scouring Pad Minnesota, USA
Test Methods
Schiefer Cut Test
[0059] Schiefer cut testing was performed to evaluate the relative
abrasiveness of the glitter coated nonwoven scouring materials. The
test was performed in a generally similar manner as described in
U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,512 (Palaikis et al). The nonwoven scouring
materials tested were cut into circular pad (8.25 cm in diameter).
The test was conducted with the nonwoven scouring pad rotating at
250 rpm for 5000 revolutions under a load of 2.25 kg with water
applied to the surface of the circular acrylic work piece (10.16 cm
in diameter) at a rate of 40-60 drops per minute. Results are given
as the weight loss of the acrylic work piece and are reported as
grams per 5000 revolutions. Results are reported for the two major
surfaces (top and bottom) of each of the nonwoven scouring pads
tested.
Gardner Wear Test
[0060] Wear testing was performed to evaluate the durability of the
glitter coated nonwoven scouring materials. In this test the
nonwoven scouring material was rubbed against an abrasive surface
with the weight loss (of the nonwoven scouring material) noted
after the test. Wear testing was performed in a generally similar
manner as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,681,361 (Sanders, Jr.) with
the differences being that the test sample size was a 8.5
cm.times.8.5 cm, the abrading material was a 220 Grit Abrasive Belt
(having aluminum oxide particles), the downward load applied to the
test sample was 2.25 kg, and the results are reported as weight
loss in grams per 50 cycles (back and forth equals 1 cycle).
Cleaning Efficiency Test
[0061] A 5.08 cm.times.22.86 cm 18 gauge stainless steel panel was
coated with a food soil mixture made up of 120 grams milk, 60 grams
cheddar cheese, 120 grams hamburger, 120 grams tomato juice, 120
grams cherry juice, 20 grams flour, and 100 granulated sugar, and
one egg. The coated panel was baked in an oven at 230.degree. C.
for one hour. The panel was alternately coated and baked three
times. The coated panel was then placed in a tray containing
approximately 250 ml of a 4% aqueous dishwashing soap solution. A
7.5 cm.times.10.0 cm pad of the nonwoven scouring material was
inserted into the holder of a Gardner Heavy Duty Wear Tester No.
250. The nonwoven scouring pad was then run back and forth on the
coated panel under an applied force of 2.25 kg until the coated
panel was clean (no coated material visually remained on the
panel). The number of cycles (back and forth equals one cycle)
required to result in a clean panel was recorded. The nonwoven
scouring pad was removed from the holder and then washed thoroughly
under running tap water, so that all the food particles which were
entrapped in the pad were washed off. Excess water was then removed
(by shaking), and the test was repeated with the next coated panel.
The test was repeated until 8 panels were tested. The cleaning
efficiency of the scouring pad is reported as the Percent
Performance Yield.
Glitter Loss Estimation
[0062] A 3 inch.times.4 inch (7.6 cm.times.10.2 cm) pad of the
glitter coated nonwoven scouring material was used for this test.
The initial weight of the pad was recorded (Al). One liter of a
lukewarm (40.degree. C.) 2% aqueous dishwashing soap solution was
prepared and stirred well to create a foamy solution. The pad was
then immersed in the soap solution for a 30 minutes with moderate
stirring so that the pad was not stationary in the soap solution.
The pad was then removed from the soap solution and the pad was
squeezed for about one minute so that any soap solution taken up by
the pad was squeezed out of the pad and back into the soap solution
in the test container.
[0063] The soap solution was then filtered through a fine gauge
fabric into another container. The initial weight of the fabric in
grams was noted. The fabric only allowed only the soap solution to
pass through to the second container, whereas any solid material
(glitter particles, loose minerals, fibers, etc.) remained on the
fabric surface. The fabric having the filtered solid materials was
then allowed to dry and the weight after drying in grams was noted
in grams. The solid material (glitter particles, loose minerals,
fibers, etc.) that had collected on the fabric was removed from the
fabric and weighed. The weight in grams was recorded as (A2). The
estimated % Glitter Loss based on the initial weight of the glitter
coated nonwoven scouring nonwoven scouring pad was calculated as: %
Glitter Loss=(A2/A1).times.100.
Example 1
[0064] A lofty nonwoven web was prepared from NEXYLON PA66 nylon
staple fibers. The nonwoven web was formed on a conventional
air-laying web forming machine (available from the Rando Machine
Corporation of Macedon, N.Y., under the trade designation
RANDO-WEBBER). The thickness of the nonwoven web was 12.03 mm and
the area weight (basis weight) of the web was approximately 190
grams per square meter (gsm). The nonwoven web was then impregnated
with a prebond resin solution (Formulation 1) using a standard
two-roll coater. The coated web was then dried and the prebond
resin cured by passing the coated web through an oven having a
temperature ranging from 125-140.degree. C., yielding a prebonded,
lofty nonwoven web. The amount of prebond resin solution coated as
dry solids was 322 gsm.
[0065] The resultant prebonded, lofty nonwoven web was then spray
coated on both major surfaces (top and bottom) with a binder
solution containing abrasive particles (Formulation 2) to a wet
add-on basis weight of 460 gsm. The coated web was then dried and
the binder cured by passing the web through an oven having a
temperature ranging from 140-180.degree. C. to form a strong
abrasive coating on the lofty nonwoven web.
[0066] The resultant abrasive particle coated web was then spray
coated on both major surfaces (top and bottom) with a binder
solution containing glitter particles (Formulation 3) to a wet
add-on basis weight of 75 gsm. The coated web was then dried and
the binder cured by passing the web through an oven having a
temperature ranging from 140-180.degree. C. to form a glitter
particle coating on the lofty nonwoven web.
[0067] Formulations 1, 2 and 3 are provided in Table 1.
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 1 Components Formulation 1 Formulation 2
Formulation 3 CR-4510 67.60 wt % 23.00 wt % -- SS AF 5520 0.50 wt %
-- Green Pigment Dispersion 0.80 wt % 0.80 wt % -- Water 31.10 wt %
20.20 wt % 22.00 wt % Brown fused alumina 240 -- 46.00 wt % --
Calcium carbonate -- 10.00 wt % -- ALBERDINGK U 9380 -- -- 61.69 wt
% CYMEL 385 -- -- 7.31 wt % Polyester Jewels -- -- 8.00 wt %
CAB-O-SIL M5 -- -- 1.00 wt %
Example 2
[0068] Glitter coated nonwoven scouring pads were prepared as
described for Example 1 except that the thickness of the nonwoven
web was approximately 12.63 mm and the amount of ALBERDINGK U 9380
in Formulation 3 was 49.35 wt %.
Example 3
[0069] Glitter coated nonwoven scouring pads were prepared as
described for Example 1 except that the thickness of the nonwoven
web was approximately 11.89 mm, the amount of ALBERDINGK U 9380 in
Formulation 3 was 49.35 wt %, and the wet add-on basis weight of
the binder solution containing glitter particles was 121 gsm.
[0070] The glitter coated nonwoven scouring pads of Examples 1-3
were evaluated using the test methods described above. SCOTCH-BRITE
Heavy Duty Scouring Pads (11 mm approximate pad thickness) were
also tested as control samples. Schiefer Cut Test and Gardner Wear
Test results are provided in Table 2 and Table 3. The data in Table
3 was obtained after machine washing the nonwoven scouring pads for
2 hours. Cleaning Efficiency results are provided in Table 4. The
glitter coated nonwoven scouring pads still had a good glitter
appearance after testing.
TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 2 Schiefer Cut Weight Gardner Wear Weight Pad
Loss (grams/5000 Loss (grams/50 cycles) Thickness revolutions) Top
Top Surface/ Example (mm) surface/Bottom surface Bottom Surface
Example 1 11.89 3.86/3.23 5.48/5.27 Example 2 12.63 4.32/4.02
6.11/5.26 Example 3 12.03 4.55/4.06 5.12/3.86 Control 10.74
4.69/4.86 7.28/8.25
TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 3 Schiefer Cut Weight Gardner Wear Weight Pad
Loss (grams/5000 Loss Thick- % revolutions) (grams/50 cycles) ness
Shrink- Top surface/Bottom Top Surface/Bottom Example (mm) age
surface Surface Example 8.77 20.85 2.43/2.35 8.09/7.81 1 Example
8.79 20.76 2.57/2.11 6.44/7.73 2 Example 9.51 20.81 2.53/2.66
7.12/6.09 3 Control 8.83 25.34 2.19/2.02 8.70/7.98
TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 4 Control Example 1 Example 2 Example 3 (No.
of (No. of (No. of (No. of Panel No. cycles) cycles) cycles)
cycles) 1 76 87 98 75 2 84 92 79 72 3 84 91 84 76 4 80 94 89 75 5
80 97 94 87 6 89 109 108 96 7 103 110 99 114 8 108 119 107 134
Average no. of cycles 88.00 99.88 94.75 91.13 Ratio* 0.0909 0.0801
0.0844 0.0878 Performance Yield 100.00 88.12 92.85 96.59 (%)**
*Ratio = Number of Panels cleaned/Average number of cycles for each
individual test sample **Performance Yield (%) = (Ratio value of
individual test sample/Ratio value of Control) .times. 100
Example 4
[0071] An additional example of a glitter coated nonwoven scouring
pad was prepared as described for Example 1 and two test samples of
this material were used for estimating the percent glitter loss
using the Glitter Loss Estimation test described above.
Test Sample 1: A1=6.7582 grams; A2=0.0366 grams; estimated %
Glitter Loss=0.5416% Test Sample 2: A1=6.7582 grams; A2=0.0074
grams; estimated % Glitter Loss=0.1095%
[0072] Although the present invention has been described with
reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will
recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
* * * * *