JP2018510030A - Floor cleaning articles having strips with differential joint patterns - Google Patents

Abstract

Cleaning products. This cleaning article has a layered structure. The cleaning article includes a sheet and hydrophilic gather strip elements joined together at a plurality of joints. The gather strip element has a plurality of superimposed layers and provides a strip extending outwardly from the joint. Different layers are bonded in different ways, thereby providing a structure that can advantageously provide a dynamically changing area for the strip to the target surface during cleaning under normal use conditions. To do. By changing the surface area, more liquid and associated dust can be removed from the target surface.

Description

  The present invention relates to cleaning articles and, more particularly, to cleaning articles that absorb cleaning liquid from a target surface.

  Various cleaning supplies have been developed for dusting and light cleaning. For example, cloth wastes and paper towels that are used in a dry state or wet with an abrasive and cleaning composition have been used on relatively flat surfaces such as cooktops, showers, sinks, floors and the like. However, cloth and paper towels must be hygienic (the user's hands may touch chemicals, dirt, or surfaces being cleaned) and reachable (with a rag or paper towel in the user's hands). Hands can be difficult to put in hard-to-reach areas) and inconvenient (typically need to move these items when cleaning between closely spaced items) There is a problem for reasons such as.

  To overcome these problems associated with the use of rags and paper towels, the device using felt and hair described in US Pat. No. 823,725 issued in 1906 by Hayden or described in US Pat. No. 4,145,787. A variety of reusable dust collection devices have been used for over a century, such as devices using yarns. In order to address the problem of reusable dust collection devices, disposable cleaning supplies with limited reusability have been developed. These disposable cleaning articles are 6,813,801, 7,003,856, 7,566,671, 7,779,502, 7,937,797, 8, 146,197, 8,151,402, 8,161,594, 8,186,001, 8,245,349, 8,528,151, 8,756, 746, and 8,763,197, may include a brush portion made of synthetic fiber bundles, called tow fibers, attached to a sheet.

  Disposable dusters are provided for wet cleaning, as disclosed in 7,566,671, commonly assigned 7,803,726, and commonly assigned US 2008/0028560. Also good. However, since tow fibers can become matte when wet, they are not suitable for cleaning large or heavily wet surfaces (eg, floors).

  In order to overcome problems with wide and / or heavily wet surfaces, floor sheets have been developed. As disclosed in 7,191,486 and 7,721,381, the floor sheet may contain a large amount of absorbent cellulose, as disclosed in 9,032,577. In addition, at least two inner sheets may be included. As disclosed in commonly assigned US Pat. Nos. 5,960,508, 6,003,191, 6,048,123, and 6,766,552, the floor sheet is liquid-free. Further, AGM may be included to facilitate absorption and retention. According to yet another attempt, the cleaning pad is both hydrophobic and hydrophilic, as disclosed in 7,694,379 and 7,480,956 by the same applicant. . In another attempt, a free floating cuff is included, as disclosed in commonly assigned US Pat. No. 7,028,364. Other related attempts in the art include US 2003/030991, 2011/0041274, 6,245,413, 6,681,434, 6,701,567, No. 7,458,128, No. 7,624,468, No. 8,341,797, No. 8,707,505, and No. 8,863,347.

US 823,725 No. 4,145,787 6,813,801 No. 7,003,856 No. 7,566,671 No.7,779,502 No.7,937,797 No. 8,146,197 No. 8,151,402 No. 8,161,594 No. 8,186,001 No. 8,245,349 No. 8,528,151 No. 8,756,746 No. 8,763,197 No. 7,566,671 No. 7,803,726 US 2008/0028560 No. 7,191,486 No. 7,721,381 9,032,577 No. 5,960,508 No. 6,003,191 No. 6,048,123 No. 6,766,552 No. 7,694,379 No. 7,480,956 No. 7,028,364 US 2003/030991 US 2011/0041274 No. 6,245,413 No. 6,681,434 No. 6,701,567 No.7,458,128 No. 7,624,468 No. 8,341,797 No. 8,707,505 No. 8,863,347

  Although these attempts are aimed at absorbing liquid from wet target surfaces, particularly floors, the problem remains. The generally flat floor sheet provides the same surface throughout the cleaning operation. Dirt can re-attach from saturated floor sheets. Also, a generally flat floor sheet may not be able to clean the floor gap or grout line sufficiently.

  Thus, there is a need for a cleaning article that can be used on wet surfaces and that provides a surface that dynamically changes during cleaning operations.

  The present invention includes a cleaning article having a layered structure. The cleaning article includes a sheet and a hydrophilic gather strip element having a strip and joined to the sheet at an elongated joint. The gather strip element includes a first layer proximate to the sheet and at least one outer layer disposed on the outside thereof. Each of these layers is joined to the sheet by a common elongated bond. The at least one layer is also joined to the sheet by a secondary joint that is not identical to the common joint described above and is spaced from the joint, the at least one layer being joined by this secondary joint. Not joined to the sheet.

It is a disassembled perspective view of the cleaning supplies of this invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a vertical section along line 2-2 in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment cleaning article having an inverted pyramid geometry. FIG. 4 is a broken bottom view of an alternative embodiment having a non-linear central coupling line and an inverted pyramid geometry, with a sinusoidal coupling at the top and a spot-shaped coupling at the bottom. . FIG. 6 is a bottom view of an alternative embodiment having two central joint lines. FIG. 4B is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along line 4B-4B of FIG. 4A. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a vertical section of an alternative embodiment of a gather strip element, each having two sheet materials. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a vertical section of an alternative embodiment of a gather strip element, each having two sheet materials. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a vertical section of an alternative embodiment of a gather strip element, each having two sheet materials. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a vertical section of an alternative embodiment of a gather strip element, each having two sheet materials. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a vertical section of an alternative embodiment of a gather strip element, each having two sheet materials. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a vertical section of an alternative embodiment of a gather strip element, each having two sheet materials. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a vertical section of an alternative embodiment of a gather strip element, each having two sheet materials. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a handle that can be used with the present invention. 1 is a perspective view of a floor cleaning tool that can be used with the present invention. The performance of the floor sheet of this invention and a commercially available floor sheet is shown with the graph.

  Referring to FIG. 1, the cleaning article 10 may be generally elongated and rectangular, but other shapes are contemplated and are feasible. The cleaning article 10 may include two or more components joined in a laminated form, thereby providing the cleaning article 10 suitable for floor cleaning. The cleaning article may have a sheet 12, which forms a framework for attaching other components to the sheet. The cleaning article 10 may also have a gather strip element 25 having a plurality of layers 27 of strips 17, which are laminated, extend outward and have flexibility. An absorbent core may be disposed between the gather strip element 25 and the sheet 12.

  The cleaning article 10 may be disposable. “Disposable” means that the cleaning article 10 is used for a single cleaning operation, or generally several square meters or less, and then discarded. In contrast, the reusable cleaning article 10 is laundered or otherwise returned to its original state after use.

  The cleaning article 10 has at least two, more preferably at least three, four, or more thin layers joined / folded in a laminated state to form the cleaning article 10. The seat 12 may also provide an attachment to a floor cleaning implement, as will be described later. Unless otherwise specified, “joining” as used herein includes a relationship involving direct and contact between two components and a relationship having an intermediate element between the components.

  The cleaning article 10 can have a longitudinal axis LA and a transverse axis TA orthogonal thereto. The cleaning article 10 and its corresponding components can have two longitudinal edges 20 parallel to the longitudinal axis LA and two lateral edges 22 parallel to the transverse axis TA.

  As will be explained below, the strip 17 may advantageously be included substantially or preferably completely within the landing area of the seat 12. In particular, the distal end of the strip 17 may be contained within a landing area defined by two longitudinal edges 20 and two lateral edges 22 of the sheet 12 and is bounded by the landing area. May be. According to this configuration, the pressure is directly applied to the strip 17 when the user presses the cleaning tool against the floor, thereby facilitating the mobility of the strip 17 during use and the dynamic surface area of the cleaning article 10 during use. To the target surface.

  The length of the cleaning article 10 is measured along the longitudinal direction. The width of the cleaning product 10 is perpendicular to the length direction and corresponds to the lateral direction in the plane of the sheet 12. Thickness is defined as the dimension in the Z direction. The XY plane is defined by the plane defined by the cleaning article 10. The Z direction of the cleaning article 10 is a direction perpendicular to the sheet surface. The cleaning article 10 may have a length of 20 to 50 cm and a width of 10 to 20 cm. In particular, the cleaning article has a length of 30 +/− 2 cm and a width of 14 + / when measured in its maximum dimension to fit the head of a typical cleaning implement 70, as will be explained later. -2 cm may be sufficient. The optional core may specifically have a width of 6.5 +/− 2 cm and a length of 26 +/− 2 cm. Of course, those skilled in the art will appreciate that other shapes are possible within the scope of the present invention.

  The cleaning article 10 may have a cleaning surface facing outward and a mounting surface facing the cleaning surface. The attachment surface of the cleaning article 10 may have one or more attachment stripes 30 for attachment to the head of the instrument, and in the illustrated example, has two parallel stripes 30. . Stripe 30 may include a loop element suitable as a complementary attachment to the head of a cleaning implement having a hook.

  The cleaning article 10 may be considered to have one thin layer, or two or more thin layers joined in a face-to-face relationship. The thin layer may be folded in a serpentine manner to provide a plurality of thin layers in the Z direction.

  More particularly, the cleaning article may include a structure having at least one sheet 12 and at least one gather strip element 25. The sheet 12 and the gather strip elements 25 are joined in at least one permanent joint in a face-to-face relationship to form a laminate.

  The sheet 12 may function as a frame for attaching the gather strip element 25. Other thin layers and features may be disposed between the sheet 12 and the gather strip element 25 without departing from the invention.

  Specifically, the sheet 12 may include a synthetic nonwoven sheet 12. According to the sheet 12 having synthetic fibers, the gather strip elements 25 can be easily joined to the sheet. As is known in the art, non-woven fabrics include spunbond, carded, and airlaid materials, which are made from synthetic fibers. Suitable nonwoven sheets may be made in accordance with the same Applicant's 6,797,357.

  Preferably, the sheet 12 includes cellulose, thereby providing absorbency. As is known in the art, the cellulose sheet 12 may be supplemented with and may have a resin having permanent wet strength. Alternatively, the sheet 12 may preferably have a mixture of cellulose and synthetic fibers. Thereby, both absorption and barrier properties are obtained, making the gather strip elements 25 easier to join. “Cellulosic” means that the cellulosic fibers account for the majority of the weight percentage in the component.

  The sheet 12 and / or gather strip element 25 may be hydrophilic. This advantageously absorbs moisture from the surface being cleaned. “Hydrophilic” generally means that the component absorbs moisture during use and retains its moisture during normal use without being subjected to excessive compression.

Specifically, the contrast between the hydrophilic property and the hydrophobic property may be measured as follows. A 1 gram sample of material is oven dried at about 110 ° C. for 12 hours and then conditioned for 5 days at 65% relative humidity / 21 ° C. The sample is then dried again at 110 ° C. for 12 hours. The amount of water obtained is measured as the water content (%):
Moisture content = [(total weight of stored sample at 65% relative humidity−weight of sample after drying) ÷ weight of dried sample] × 100%.

  As used herein, a “hydrophilic material” has a moisture content at 65% of about 2%, 3%, 4%, more than 5%, preferably more than about 6%. Table 1 below shows a comparison between the different types of fibers for the moisture content (%) equilibrated at 65% relative humidity.

  A hydrophilic material may be useful in the invention described herein, but this material may not be strong enough even when used in the disposable cleaning article 10. For this reason, the selection of an appropriate material is important.

  For example, if the gather strip 17 is 100% cellulose, the wet friction coefficient may be too high, making it difficult for the user to move the cleaning article 10 within a specific target surface area. By mixing different materials, the wet coefficient of friction can be optimized while maintaining a surface area for collecting dirt. Also, by using gather strips 17 of different lengths, the cleaning surface area can be increased without excessively increasing the wet coefficient of friction, even if the material is the same, thereby reducing the area within the target surface area. Easy to move.

  With reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the sheet 12 may comprise a laminate of two, three, or more layers. Specifically, this laminate comprises an outwardly facing layer 12A that contacts the cleaning implement, an absorbent central layer / core 12B, and an inwardly facing layer 12C that joins the gather strip element 25. Three layers may be included.

  The outwardly facing layer 12A may comprise a hydroentangled spunbonded nonwoven fabric having a basis weight of 20-80 gsm. A 45 gsm non-woven fabric of Avgor Nonwovens (Tel-Aviv, Israel) has been found to be suitable. As used herein, a nonwoven is a component having a mixture of airlaid and / or wet laid fibers that are not woven.

  The middle layer / core 12B may function as a reservoir for water storage and absorbs and retains liquid collected from the target surface by the gather strip element 25. The middle layer / core 12B may comprise a composite cellulose / synthetic airlaid. A composite fiber available from Suominen (Helsinki, Finland) is preferred as a 135 gsm airlaid containing 85:15 cellulose.

  As is known in the art, the central layer / core 12B may further include an absorbent gel material (AGM). The AGM can increase the retention of absorbed liquid and increase the ability of the cleaning article 10. The cleaning article 10 may not have a foam, thereby saving costs.

  The inwardly facing layer 12C may include a mixture of wet laid fibers formed as a tissue bonded to a synthetic nonwoven using a process such as spunlace, ie hydroentanglement. The inwardly facing layer 12C may comprise a 23 gsm tissue and 17 gsm polypropylene spunbond composite sold under the name Genesis tissue by Suominen (Helsinki, Finland).

  If desired, the dedicated core 12B may be incorporated in the cleaning article 10. The dedicated core 12B may be disposed between any of the layers 12A, 12C of the sheet 12, or may be disposed on a surface directed inward or outward of the sheet 12. . Specifically, the core 12B may include a central layer. The core 12B and / or the additional / alternative central layer may be narrower than the outwardly facing layer 12A and the inwardly facing layer 12C. The core 12B and / or the central layer may have half the width of the outwardly facing layer 12A and the inwardly facing layer 12C and may be arranged about the longitudinal axis. Specifically, the width of the core 12B and / or the central layer is less than or equal to the space between the stripes 30 of the attachment material.

  The width of the core 12B and / or the sheet 12 and the gather strip element 25 is measured as follows. The cleaning article 10 is placed on a flat and horizontal surface. Remove wrinkles and other disturbances to general flatness. The cleaning article is held in tension by the fingertip. In general, L.M. S. Starrett Co. Measure the width between the gather strip 17 and the opposite ends of the core 12B using a steel ruler, vernier caliper, or Toolmaker's Grade Square, available from (Athol, MA.). If desired, the outward facing layers 12A, 12C and layer 27 may be removed to provide unobstructed access for measurement.

  The width of the core 12B is measured along a transverse direction that is parallel to the transverse axis. When the core 12B has a variable width, the width is measured at the narrowest point. The width of the gather strip element 25 is also measured along the lateral direction. The width of the gather strip element 25 is measured between the distal ends of the opposing gather strips 17 that are arranged to face each other across the longitudinal axis and are in the XY plane. If the opposite end of the gather strip element 25, in particular the gather strip 17, has a variable width, the width is measured at the widest point. A width difference of at least 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, or 14 cm (equally divided across the longitudinal axis) is considered suitable for the embodiments described herein.

  The difference in the width between the opposing gather strips 17 and the width of the core 12B is believed to promote the stability of the core 12B and / or the central layer 12B to hold the liquid sent from the gather strip element 25. It is done. Furthermore, it is considered that the absorbed liquid is easily drained from the gather strip 17 by this geometry. In addition, this geometry creates a gap that is believed to facilitate movement of the gather strip 17 and provides a different portion relative to the target surface as the user moves the cleaning article 10 during normal use.

  The three layers 12A, 12B, and 12C can be permanently bonded together using adhesives and / or thermal bonding, as is known in the art of forming the sheet 12. A loop element of any mounting stripe 30 may be joined to the outwardly facing surface of the outwardly facing layer 12A to removably join the cleaning article 10 to the handle 60 or instrument. The stripe 30 may be continuous or discontinuous.

  With reference to FIG. 3, the cleaning article 10 may further include a hydrophilic gather strip 17 disposed within the gather strip element 25. As used herein, gather strip 17 refers to a cantilever strip that extends outwardly from a proximal end to a corresponding distal end. Each gather strip 17 has a proximal end that is at or offset from the longitudinal centerline of the article 10 and has a corresponding (measured in the longitudinal direction) length (measured in the transverse direction). ) Greater than the width and an aspect ratio of at least 1, optionally 2-20, optionally 5-15. The gather strip 17 has a length from the corresponding proximal end proximate to the coupling portion 38 to the corresponding distal end that may be proximate to the lateral edge of the cleaning article, or 3-15 cm, 4-12 cm, or The width may be 5 to 8 cm in detail, and the width may be 3 to 20 cm, 4 to 15 cm, or 6 to 8 cm in detail. These detailed dimensions have been found to be suitable when used for floor cleaning with cleaning utensils.

  As intended by manufacturing, the gather strip is in the XY plane but deforms out of the XY plane by fuzzing prior to use and / or deformation that occurs during use by moving it relative to the target surface. There is a case. The gather strip 17 may be incorporated into one of the sheets 12 described herein or may be disposed on a separate sheet 12. The gather strip 17 may extend in parallel to the width direction of the product, or may be arranged in an acute angle relationship with the width direction of the product. As shown in the figure, the gather strip 17 may be straight, bent, serpentine, or have any desired shape.

  The gather strip element 25 may comprise the same materials as described above with respect to the inwardly facing layer 12C, in particular it may be hydrophilic and more particularly cellulose. As is known in the art, gather strip element 25 and / or sheet 12 may alternatively or additionally include microfibers.

  Referring again to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the gather strip element 25 may include one or more layers that are serpentinely folded over itself. With this configuration, the thickness is at least double, triple, or more. When layer 27 is cut into separate gather strips oriented generally laterally, the double thickness portion provides a loop at the distal end of the corresponding strip 17. The loop is considered beneficial because it facilitates the separation of the strips 17 stacked in the Z direction.

  The folded configuration may be obtained by C-folding as shown in the figure. One skilled in the art will appreciate that cascading C-folds can yield Z-folds, W-folds, or other multi-layer folds (including C-folds) known in the art. .

  The gather strip element 25 may include 2 to 25 layers, 5 to 20 layers, and in particular about 10 layers as the layer 27 of the gather strip 17, depending on the desired absorbency and intended target surface texture. The gather strip 17 arranged at each edge, in particular the longitudinal edge, may advantageously include a loop at the distal end and a free end having a single thickness at the distal end of the gather strip 17. Thereby, the gather strip shows a differential response during cleaning and, according to the predictions, reaches and holds more dust during cleaning.

  In particular, it is believed that the gather strip differential response provides a surface area that dynamically changes relative to the target surface during cleaning under normal use conditions. By changing the surface area, more liquid and associated dust can be removed from the target surface.

  A non-limiting gather strip element 25 having three separate gather strip members is shown. Four gather strip layers 27 are obtained by folding the top sheet near the sheet 12 on itself. Three gather strip layers 27 are obtained by Z-folding the two gather strip 17 layers 27 underneath on the two.

  The sheet 12 and the gather strip element 25 can be joined by a plurality of coupling portions 38, as will be described later. The coupling portion 38 may be by heat, adhesive, ultrasonic waves, or the like, as is known in the art.

  The central coupling 38 may join all the layers 27 / thin layers of the cleaning article 10, thereby ensuring that it is a unitary structure and that individual components are not lost during use. The central joint 38 is common to all layers 27 of the gather strip elements 25 and each layer 27 of the gather strip elements 25 may be joined directly or indirectly to the sheet 12.

  Two outer couplings 38 may be provided to join only the layer 27 of the gather strip element 25 proximate to the sheet 12. In the embodiments described herein, the outer couplings 38 can be spaced at least about 7 cm laterally in the middle. As a result, the outer coupling portion is separated from the core 12B toward the outer side and does not overlap the core. Outer joints 38 or central joints 38 are secondary if these joints only join a portion of the layer 27 of the gather strip element 25 directly or indirectly to the sheet 12. It can be considered as a coupling part 38.

  Typically, all of the layers 27 of the gather strip element 25 are joined to the sheet 12 by at least one joint 38. The layer 27 closest to the sheet 12 can be considered the first layer 27. Subsequent layers 27 are considered to be relatively close to the sheet 12 and may be considered second layer 27, third layer 27, and fourth layer 27 in order. The layer 27 that is far from the sheet 12 and is closest to or in contact with the floor is considered the distal layer 27.

  The coupling portion 38 may be coextensive with the sheet 12 in the longitudinal direction, or may be slightly shorter than the sheet. In an unfavorable embodiment, the outwardly coupled portion may join only those portions of the gather strip element 25 that are far away from and in close proximity to the sheet 12.

  According to this structure, the gather strip 17 provided on the target surface is relatively longer and the gather strip is shorter on the inside. By having gather strips of different lengths, the gather strips 17 can be moved independently of each other and can be separated from each other, resulting in an improved cleaning effect. Separating the gather strips 17, in particular, providing the gather strips 17 as an overlaid layer, both effectively picks up the dirt by the cleaning article 10 and retains the dirt. It is considered important in terms of providing a sufficient area for the surface to be cleaned. For this reason, the layer 27 can be made by simple overlapping with one fold, multiple folds, or no creases.

  Referring again to FIG. 3, the joining of the gather strip element 25 to the sheet may be a sinusoidal coupling 38 or a zigzag coupling 38 (all collectively referred to as a serpentine coupling 38) or other non-linear. This may be done by the shape coupling part 38. This combination 38 pattern provides both a relatively longer gather strip 17 and a relatively shorter gather strip separately. The gather strips 17 also each have a proximal end that is not parallel to the longitudinal axis. This geometry provides a proximal end that is believed to promote gather strip twisting and turbulence during cleaning.

  Alternatively, as disclosed in commonly assigned European Patent Application No. 15162895.5, P & G Case No. 13742F, the central joint 38 may include an array of separate joints 38. . It is anticipated that the separate coupling 38 facilitates the provision of dynamic changes of the gather strip element 25 relative to the target surface during normal use.

  It is believed that the gather strips 17 of different lengths provide different strips 17 and / or portions thereof to the target surface during use. Due to the irregular proximal end of the gather strip 17, it is believed that during use, a different strip 17 or portion thereof is provided to the target surface.

  In general, providing a different gather strip 17 and / or different portions of the gather strip 17 to the target surface during use does not leave the saturated portion of the cleaning article 10 in contact with the target surface. it is conceivable that. When different portions of the gather strip element 25 are provided during use, reattachment is minimized, allowing the unsaturated portion of the gather strip element 25 to contact the target surface and absorb liquid from the target surface. Can be retained. It is believed that improved cleaning results from dynamically changing the effective portion of the gather strip element 25 that contacts the target surface. Significantly, the dynamically changing effective portion of the gather strip element 25 appears automatically and without user intervention other than the normal back and forth stroke that is part of normal cleaning.

  Preferably, the cleaning article does not have tow fibers. Tow fibers that tend to become matte and lump when wet will reduce the cleaning effect. However, in less preferred embodiments, the cleaning article may further include one or more tow fiber films. This thin tow fiber layer can be bonded to the sheet 12 or gather strip element 25 in a face-to-face relationship. The thin tow fiber layer is suitable for direct contact with the target surface during cleaning and may be arranged as such. Alternatively, the tow fiber film may be disposed between the sheet 12 and the gather strip element 25.

  The tow fiber can be a composite. As used herein, “bundle fiber” and / or “tow” are fibers comprising synthetic polymers such as polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene, bio-derived polymers (eg, polylactic acid, biopolyethylene, biopolyester, etc.). Point to. Tow fibers are also fibers derived from natural products such as cellulose, acetylcellulose, flax, hemp, jute, and mixtures thereof, with individual fibers being relatively long strands that are manufactured in bundles. A bundle fiber may be defined as any fiber that has a segmentable end and is at least about 1 cm long. The tow fibers can extend continuously and generally laterally between the lateral edges of the article 10.

  Sheet 12 (s), gather strip element 25, and optional tow fiber layer (s) may be joined by a plurality of permanent joints 38. The coupling portion 38 is intended to minimize or prevent the protruding or detached tow fibers from unraveling. Such sheet 12 (s), gather strip element 25, and optional tow fiber layer (s) are typically directly overlaid with or without intervening members or components therebetween. May have been.

  The coupling portion 38 (s) can be formed by adhesive bonding, thermal bonding, ultrasonic bonding, or the like. In thermal bonding and ultrasonic bonding, energy and compression pressure are applied to the local bonding portion 38 site. The synthetic sheet 12 and synthetic tow fiber are melted at such local sites. By re-solidification, the local material of the sheet 12 and the tow fibers are re-solidified together at such a local site to form a local joint that becomes the joint 38.

  If desired, the sheet 12 may be covered by an outwardly facing liquid impervious barrier. This barrier prevents the user's hand or instrument from coming into contact with the absorbed liquid. Suitable barriers include LDPE films, as is known in the art.

  Referring to FIG. 2B, the gather strip element 25 may include a serpentine folded member having a width that decreases as it approaches the distal edge of the gather strip element 25. This geometry provides an inverted pyramid structure in use. Such a structure of the gather strip element 25 may provide multiple layers 27 of the gather strip element 25 having multiple widths. The width may decrease from the first layer 27 toward the distal layer 27, and the width may decrease monotonically from the first layer 27 toward the distal layer 27. It is anticipated that the inverted pyramid structure advantageously provides more edges to the target surface during cleaning.

  Referring to FIGS. 4A-4B, the cleaning article may not have a common joint 38 that joins all layers 27 of the gather strip element 25 to the sheet 12. Instead, the first coupling portion 38 may join one or more proximal layers 27 to the sheet 12. A second joint 38 may join one or more distal layers 27 to the proximal layer 27. At this time, the distal layer 27 is not directly bonded to the sheet. It can be said that this configuration provides the advantage of avoiding all the components of the layer through the joint 38, especially when the cleaning article 10 is thick in the Z direction.

  Optionally, any of the sheets 12, gather strip elements 25, and / or any layer of tow fibers are completely or by an adhesive, wax, Newtonian or non-Newtonian fluid oil, or combinations thereof Partial coating can improve cleaning and increase the retention of absorbed dust. If desired, the cleaning article 10 can optionally be used with a cleaning solution or other solution that can be used for other purposes, such as surface treatment for appearance or sterilization. A cleaning solution may be pre-applied to the cleaning article 10 to create a pre-moistened cleaning article 10. Alternatively, the cleaning solution may be placed in a separate container and administered to the cleaning article 10 and / or the target surface. The wash solution is mostly water and may comprise at least about 0.5, 2, 5, or 10 wt% solids, or at least about 30 or 50 wt% aqueous solvent, non-aqueous solution, or mixtures thereof.

  Referring to FIGS. 5A-5G, various alternative gather strip elements 25 are shown. Although each gather strip element 25 is shown as having two layers 25, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. The gather strip element 25 may have one, two, three, or more layers 27 having a coupling 38 as shown or different from the coupling 38 shown. Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that a single cleaning article 10 can be obtained by combining various combinations and hybrids of these embodiments as desired.

  Referring to FIG. 5A, the gather strip element 25 may include two sheet materials, each sheet having an open C-fold. It is anticipated that this configuration advantageously provides a generally symmetrically opposed geometry that facilitates cleaning by general back and forth movement and provides a generally uniform thickness cleaning article 10.

  Referring to FIG. 5B, the gather strip element 25 includes two sheet materials, each sheet having a Z-fold with shorter outer legs. It is anticipated that this configuration advantageously provides a generally symmetrically opposed geometry. Each longitudinal edge of the cleaning article 10 has a looped gather strip 17 and two C-folds that provide the two free ends of the gather strip 17. This configuration, which provides both the free end and the loop end of the gather strip 17 and a generally constant thickness, is expected to aid in cleaning with a general back and forth movement.

  Referring to FIG. 5C, the gather strip element 25 includes two sheets of material, and each sheet may have a C-fold oriented in opposite directions. It is anticipated that this configuration advantageously provides a generally symmetrically opposed geometry. Each longitudinal edge of the cleaning article 10 has a looped gather strip 17 and a C-fold providing two free ends of the gather strip 17. This configuration, which provides both the free end and the loop end of the gather strip 17, may be expected to assist in cleaning with a general back and forth movement.

  Referring to FIG. 5D, the gather strip element 25 may include two C-fold sheet materials each oriented in the same direction. It is anticipated that this configuration advantageously provides a looped gather strip 17 on one longitudinal edge and a free end of the gather strip 17 on the other longitudinal edge. With this configuration, various types of gather strips 17 suitable for various cleaning operations are provided.

  Referring to FIG. 5E, the gather strip element 25 includes two sheets of material, each sheet having a Z-fold with a shorter outer leg, and arranged to provide a W-fold. It is anticipated that this configuration advantageously provides two outwardly looped gather strips at each longitudinal edge of the cleaning article 10.

  Referring to FIG. 5F, the gather strip element 25 may include two sheets of material that are folded together. It is anticipated that this configuration advantageously provides a generally symmetrically opposed geometry. Each longitudinal edge of the cleaning article 10 has a C-fold that provides a looped gather strip 17 and one free end of the gather strip 17 with a thickened central region. It is conceivable that having a central region with increased thickness would result in a gather strip 17 that moves and provides a different surface area to the floor during use.

  Referring to FIG. 5G, the gather strip element 25 may include two or more independent serpentine layers 27. Each of the gather strip elements 25 can be joined to the sheet 12 by a dedicated joint 38. Such a gather strip element 25 may each have two banks of gather strips 17 extending outward. This configuration provides the advantage that additional gather strips 17 are available and the inwardly oriented gather strips 17 can be entangled during use. It is anticipated that having different gather strips 17 with different functions will increase the amount of dynamic surface area provided to the floor during use.

  Of course, those skilled in the art will appreciate that combinations and hybrids of the alternatives described above are feasible and contemplated herein. For example, the cleaning article 10 may further have two connecting line 38 lines. One of the lines of the coupling part 38 may be a straight line, or all the lines of the coupling part 38 may be non-linear. When three lines of the coupling part 38 are used, for example, the line of the central coupling part 38 may be a straight line, while the lines of the coupling part 38 may be symmetrically opposed and meandering. Alternatively, one gather strip element 25 may be joined to the sheet by a plurality of coupling portions.

  Referring to FIG. 6, the cleaning article 10 may be removably attachable to the handle 60. Specifically, the attachment system can provide a removable attachment of the cleaning article 10 to a suitable and optional handle 60. The attachment system of the cleaning article 10 and the attachment of the optional complementary handle 60 can include mechanical engagement via adhesive bonding, adhesive bonding, sleeves, and the like. One common attachment system includes a sleeve into which the tooth (s) of the handle 60 can be inserted. A suitable handle 60 is disclosed in commonly assigned US Pat. Nos. 8,578,564 and D674,949S.

  Referring to FIG. 7, the cleaning article 10 may be removably attachable to the instrument 70. Specifically, the floor cleaning tool 70 can allow the user to clean the floor while standing upright. The floor cleaning implement can also be provided for spraying the floor with a cleaning solution or other liquid. A typical floor cleaning tool 70 has a handle 72 that is gripped by a user and a head 74 attached to the handle, preferably pivotally attached thereto. Head 74 is moved in contact with the floor or other target surface. The cleaning implement 70 can be removably attached to the bottom of the head. Preferably, the strip 17 is bounded by the landing area of the head 74 in use, thereby facilitating dynamic movement of the strip 17 during cleaning.

  Removable attachment of the cleaning article 10 to the instrument 70 can be accomplished using an adhesive, a hook and loop system, and a gripper. A gripper and a suitable cleaning device 70 are disclosed in commonly assigned US Pat. No. 6,484,356. A suitable vacuum device 70 is disclosed in US 7,137,169. Suitable spray-type devices 70 are commonly assigned US Pat. Nos. 5,888,006, 5,988,920, 6,842,936, 7,182,537, 7,536,743. No. 7,676,877 and 8,186,898.

  The cleaning article 10 can also be used manually without using the handle 60 or the instrument 70. If desired, the various cleaning articles 10 described herein may be packaged and sold as a kit. This configuration provides the benefit that the user has different cleaning article 10 options for different tasks. For example, if desired, the cleaning supplies 10 having a plurality of sizes can be sold together as one kit. With this configuration, the user can select a specific cleaning article 10 that is most suitable for a sudden work.

  The cleaning article 10 of the present invention is believed to meet unmet needs for modern wood / laminates. A particular cleaning article 10 is configured to have ten layers 27 of strips 17. The width of each strip 17 is about 7 mm. All of the ten layers 27 are joined at the central coupling portion 38. The nearest four layers 27 adjacent to the sheet 12 are also joined by an additional joint 38 disposed laterally outward from the central joint 38.

  Tests were performed on the cleaning article 10 of the present invention described above and two commercially available control samples. The first control sample was a WetJet floor sheet sold by the current assignee. This sample contained AGM. This is also generally considered disposable. The second control sample was a microfiber floorsheet sold by Bona. This is also generally considered reusable for multiple cleaning operations. These two samples are believed to represent a wide range of disposable and reusable floor sheets.

  The test was performed on a 6 mm thick clear polycarbonate plexiglass surface placed on a matte black card paper. For each sample to be tested, the gloss level of this sample was measured using a BYK-Gardner gloss meter.

  A BYK-Gardner ™ “Scrub” Abrasion Tester scrub machine was used to align the samples. After the initial gloss measurement, the surface was treated by spraying 2 mL of a general cleaning solution (Swiffer brand WetJet solution) almost evenly onto the test surface. A 200 gram weight was placed on each sample. Each sample was swung back and forth 50 times. The test surface was then air dried. The final gloss of the surface was examined and each reading was subtracted.

  No soil was used for this test. That is, the change in gloss represents surface damage caused by each sample.

  Each sample was tested 4 times. Each of the repeated tests was performed at three different locations within the test surface, and the effect on glossiness was measured. The results are shown in Table 2. That is, each entry related to the change in glossiness represents an average of 12 data points. The relative surface area of each sample was also measured.

  The data in Table 2 shows that the Bona microfiber sample disadvantageously causes a significant reduction in gloss when tested as described above. There is less gloss loss with the WetJet sample compared to the Bona microfiber sample. It has been shown that loss of gloss can cause surface damage by normal cleaning on a clean test surface. Without being bound by theory, it is believed that the greater surface damage in the microfiber sample may be due to the inclusion of a relatively abrasive material such as nylon.

  Surprisingly, in the samples of the present invention, loss of gloss is minimal and the difference is approximately within standard deviation. While not being bound by theory, less surface damage in this microfiber sample may be due to the advantage of having a movable strip 17 that provides a dynamic surface area to the target surface during use. Conceivable.

  The above test was repeated using 0.77 square meters of RN 104577 Santos mahogany processed hardwood plank laminate wood flooring sold by Home Legend (Fontana, Calif.). The flooring was spiked with soil containing about 2% Ultra Fine Dust (a clay soil sold by PTI soils) suspended in a water / alcohol solution. About 2 mL of this solution was applied to the test surface using a paint roller and allowed to air dry. The soil was rewetted with 2 mL of wash solution. Thereafter, each sample was rotated 25 times back and forth on the flooring. The resulting differences in gloss between samples are shown in Table 3 below.

  According to Table 3, even with a more stringent test due to the presence of particulate dirt on a new flooring, the cleaning article 10 of the present invention minimizes the possibility of surface damage compared to the control sample. It turns out that it was.

  Referring to FIG. 8, the Bona floor sheet and the floor sheet 10 of the present invention were each tested for 10 cycles on the RN 104577 Santo Smartphone hardwood plank flooring described above. Flooring was bisected and each half was used for one sample. The flooring was washed and the initial gloss was recorded. A solution of soil, oil, and isopropyl alcohol was applied to the flooring and allowed to air dry. A commercial WetJet cleaning solution sold by the current assignee was sprayed onto the test surface.

  Each sample was tested eight times before and after by wiping to cover approximately 2.8 square meters in each direction, which was one cycle. At the end of each cycle, the film state of the test surface, i.e. both the appearance of haze and streaking, was measured. This process was repeated for the same sample until the end of 10 cycles.

  FIG. 8 shows that the commercially available Bona microfiber sample showed streaking and haze above the subjective visual detection threshold. In general, both properties increased in an unfavorable direction throughout the test. In contrast, the cleaning article 10 of the present invention advantageously demonstrated streaking and haze levels well below the visual detection threshold (1 on the unitless scale) throughout all 10 cycles.

  The dimensions and values disclosed herein are not to be understood as being strictly limited to the exact numerical values recited. Rather, unless otherwise specified, each such dimension is intended to mean both the recited value and a functionally equivalent range surrounding that value. For example, a dimension disclosed as “40 mm” shall mean “about 40 mm”.

  All references cited herein, including any cross-references or related patents or applications, are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety, unless expressly excluded or otherwise limited. . Citation of any document is not considered prior art to any invention disclosed or claimed herein, or it is combined alone or with any other reference (s) Sometimes it is not considered to teach, suggest or disclose all such inventions. In addition, if any meaning or definition of a term in this document conflicts with the meaning or definition of the same term in a document incorporated by reference, the meaning or definition given to that term in this document applies And

  While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in the art that various other changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, all such changes and modifications included within the scope of this invention are intended to be covered by the appended claims.

Claims (15)

A cleaning product for cleaning the target surface,
An impermeable sheet,
A hydrophilic gather strip (44) element joined to the sheet at an elongated common joint, the gather strip element comprising a first layer proximate to the sheet, and the first layer At least one outer layer disposed on the outside of the first layer, the plurality of layers having strips, each of the layers being attached to the sheet by an elongated joint. And the at least one layer is joined to the sheet by a secondary joint that is not identical to the common joint and is spaced from the common joint, and at least one of the layers A cleaning strip having a gather strip element which is not joined to the sheet by the secondary joint.   The cleaning article of claim 1, wherein the cleaning article does not include tow fibers and mounting sleeves.   The gather strip element has at least three layers, each of which is joined to the sheet by a common joint, further comprising two secondary joints, the first layer comprising: Joined to the sheet by the common joint and the secondary joint, and the layer furthest away from the first layer is joined to the sheet by any of the secondary joints The cleaning article according to claim 2, which is not present.   The cleaning article according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the common coupling portion is disposed symmetrically between the secondary coupling portions.   By a first plurality of layers having strips joined to the sheet only by the common joint and not joined by the secondary joint, and by both the common joint and the secondary joint 5. A second plurality of layers having strips bonded to the sheet, wherein the second plurality is greater than the first plurality. Cleaning products.   Each of the said secondary coupling | bond part is a cleaning article as described in any one of Claims 1-5 which is elongate and contains the spot-shaped coupling | bond part.   The cleaning article according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the common coupling portion is elongated and includes a spot-shaped coupling portion.   The elongate cleaning article according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a common coupling portion disposed in the middle of the outer coupling portion.   The elongate cleaning article according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the core has a core width and the strip has a strip width greater than the core width (45).   The elongate cleaning article according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising at least one distal layer not joined to the sheet.   The at least one distal layer is joined by two outer elongated joints, each of the elongated joints being disposed laterally outward from the core and not overlapping the core; The elongated cleaning article according to claim 10.   The elongate cleaning article according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising an absorbent core disposed between the gather strip element and the sheet.   The core according to claim 12, wherein the core is disposed between the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion, and does not overlap at least one of the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion. Long and narrow cleaning supplies.   14. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising two mounting stripes disposed on the outwardly directed surface of the cleaning article and disposed laterally outward from all of the coupling portions. An elongated cleaning article according to claim 1.   15. An elongate cleaning article according to any one of the preceding claims, removably attached to a cleaning implement, the cleaning implement comprising a head and a handle pivotally attached to the head; And an elongated cleaning article, wherein the head removably receives the cleaning article.

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