US20070074366A1 - Absorbent cleaning pad and method of making same - Google Patents
Absorbent cleaning pad and method of making same Download PDFInfo
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- US20070074366A1 US20070074366A1 US11/241,438 US24143805A US2007074366A1 US 20070074366 A1 US20070074366 A1 US 20070074366A1 US 24143805 A US24143805 A US 24143805A US 2007074366 A1 US2007074366 A1 US 2007074366A1
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- Prior art keywords
- pad
- pad body
- surface cleaning
- cleaning implement
- barrier
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
- A47L13/00—Implements for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings
- A47L13/10—Scrubbing; Scouring; Cleaning; Polishing
- A47L13/20—Mops
Definitions
- the present invention relates to an absorbent cleaning pad and to a method for fabricating the absorbent cleaning pad.
- Conventional floor mops comprise a handle rotatably connected to a mop head and a disposable absorbent cleaning pad coupled to the mop head.
- One side of the disposable absorbent cleaning pad is placed in direct contact with a surface to be cleaned and the opposing side of the cleaning pad is coupled to the mop head.
- the absorbent pad absorbs and retains fluids, and loosens and traps dirt particles on the cleaning surface.
- a disposable absorbent cleaning pad coupled to a mop head is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,766,552.
- the disposable absorbent cleaning pad provides VELCRO loop fasteners which couple with VELCRO hook fasteners positioned on the underside of a mop head.
- a disposable absorbent cleaning pad coupled to a mop head is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,810,554 and 6,807,702.
- the disposable cleaning pad provides attachment tabs which are configured for insertion into retaining apertures positioned on the topside of the mop head.
- a surface cleaning pad having a pad body configured for attachment to a cleaning implement and a tab coupled to the pad body and extending beyond an edge of the pad body.
- the tab is configured to be grasped by a user of the cleaning implement to facilitate detachment of the pad body from the cleaning implement.
- a method for assembling a surface cleaning pad.
- a barrier is applied to a surface of an airlaid composite.
- the barrier is then folded over at least one width-wise edge of the airlaid composite, thereby encapsulating the width-wise edge of the airlaid composite.
- a surface cleaning pad having a pad body.
- the surface cleaning pad also includes means coupled to the pad body for attaching the pad body to a cleaning implement and facilitating use of the surface cleaning pad to clean a surface with the cleaning implement. Also included is a means coupled to the pad body for engaging the surface cleaning pad to a hand of a user and facilitating use of the surface cleaning pad to clean a surface without use of the cleaning implement.
- Another aspect of the invention provides a surface cleaning pad having a pad body with a width generally corresponding to that of a head portion of a cleaning implement.
- a perforated sheet is oriented to extend substantially across the pad body in a width-wise direction.
- the perforated sheet has end portions fastened to the pad body, a central portion between the end portions that is not fastened to the pad body, and a surface extending across the central portion in the width-wise direction configured to couple with a bottom side of the head portion of the cleaning implement.
- the perforated sheet is separable into independent segments configured to couple with a top side of the head portion of the cleaning implement.
- Yet another aspect of the invention provides a surface cleaning pad having a pad body formed from an airlaid composite and having a cleansing surface configured for cleansing contact with a surface to be cleaned and an opposite surface configured to be positioned facing a cleaning implement.
- the surface cleaning pad also has a barrier adhered to and substantially covering the opposite surface of the pad body and a pair of scrubbing members adhered to the cleansing surface of the pad body.
- FIG. 1 is a bottom view of an absorbent cleaning pad in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention
- FIG. 2 is an end view of the absorbent cleaning pad illustrated in FIG. 1 ;
- FIG. 3 is a bottom view of an absorbent cleaning pad in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 4 is a right side view of the absorbent cleaning pad illustrated in FIG. 3 ;
- FIG. 5 is an end view of the absorbent cleaning pad illustrated in FIG. 3 ;
- FIG. 6 is an end view of an absorbent cleaning pad in accordance with yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
- FIGS. 7-16 illustrate exemplary assembly and fabrication steps for making the absorbent cleaning pad illustrated in FIG. 6 ;
- FIG. 17 is an end view of an absorbent cleaning pad in accordance with still another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 18 is a top view of the absorbent cleaning pad illustrated in FIG. 17 ;
- FIG. 19 is an end view of an absorbent cleaning pad in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 20 is a top view of the absorbent cleaning pad illustrated in FIG. 19 ;
- FIGS. 21-25 illustrate exemplary assembly and fabrication steps used to make the absorbent cleaning pad illustrated in FIGS. 19 and 20 ;
- FIG. 26 is an end view of an absorbent cleaning pad in accordance with yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 27 is a top view of the absorbent cleaning pad illustrated in FIG. 26 ;
- FIG. 28 is a top view of an absorbent cleaning pad in accordance with still another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 29 is a partial end view of the absorbent cleaning pad illustrated in FIG. 28 , showing an overlapping flap portion;
- FIG. 30 is a right side view of an absorbent cleaning pad in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 31 is a top view of an absorbent cleaning pad in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
- FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an absorbent cleaning pad designated generally by the numeral “ 10 ”.
- the absorbent cleaning pad 10 has a pad body formed from an airlaid composite and having a cleansing surface configured for cleansing contact with a surface to be cleaned and an opposite surface configured to be positioned facing a cleaning implement.
- the surface cleaning pad also has a barrier adhered to and substantially covering the opposite surface of the pad body and a pair of dirt entrapment members adhered to the cleansing surface of the pad body.
- the exemplary absorbent cleaning pad 10 is provided with an absorbent layer in the form of an airlaid composite 20 , dirt entrapment surfaces in the form of two lofty cuffs 25 , a barrier layer 40 , and two attachment members 45 .
- Each lofty cuff 25 is folded into two equal segments and positioned along the length “B” of the airlaid composite 20 .
- a single 3-D apertured film strip 35 is sandwiched between the folded layers of each lofty cuff 25 .
- An adhesive 30 binds both sides of the 3-D apertured film strip 35 to the inner surfaces of the lofty cuff 25 .
- a portion of the width of each lofty cuff 25 is bonded to a cleaning side 21 of the airlaid composite 20 using an adhesive 30 .
- the lofty cuffs 25 are positioned so that the closed-face folded ends 26 face each other.
- the barrier layer 40 is adhered to the backing side 22 of the airlaid composite 20 using an adhesive 30 .
- attachment members 45 are adhered to the barrier layer 40 using an adhesive 30 .
- the attachment members 45 are composed of hook or loop material such as VELCRO loop material available from Velcro USA Inc. of Manchester, N.H.
- the functional side of the VELCRO loop material faces away from the barrier layer 40 .
- the attachment members 45 are optionally positioned along the entire length of the barrier layer 40 and are separated by a distance “C” from the side edges of the barrier layer 40 , as illustrated in FIG. 2 .
- the airlaid composite 20 of the exemplary embodiment absorbs and retains fluids and/or other matter residing on a surface to be cleaned.
- the lofty cuff 25 serves to facilitate the removal of soils from the surface being cleaned by contacting and trapping larger soil particles.
- the lofty cuff 25 may provide structural integrity and rigidity by being folded and adhered to itself or a single ply of lofty cuff material could be selected to provide these properties.
- the 3-D apertured film strip 35 within each cuff 25 provides structural integrity and improved rigidity to the lofty cuff 25 and further traps particles from small solid particles to those suspended in liquid. However, the use of 3-D apertured film strip 35 within each cuff 25 is optional.
- the barrier layer 40 substantially prevents fluid from passing from the airlaid composite 20 to the mop head or other structure to which the cleaning pad 10 may be attached. If the cleaning pad 10 is configured to be attached to a mop head, the barrier is configured to keep the mop head substantially free of fluid.
- the attachment members 45 provide a single attachment mechanism to temporarily couple the absorbent cleaning pad 10 to the mop head.
- the attachment members 45 facilitate releasable engagement of the cleaning pad 10 to a surface of a cleaning implement. That surface may be the bottom side surface of a mop head or another portion of a cleaning implement.
- the attachment members 45 are VELCRO loop fasteners adhered to the barrier layer and optionally configured to couple with hook fasteners such as a VELCRO hook fastener(s) on a bottom-side surface of a commercially available mop head.
- the VELCRO loop and hook fasteners are configured to withstand the pressure and stress associated with typical mopping and scrubbing motions against a surface being cleaned.
- the VELCRO loop and hook fasteners substantially limit the absorbent cleaning pad 10 from shifting, bunching, or otherwise becoming unattached, either partially or in whole, from the mop head.
- the attachment member(s) 45 may optionally be designed in such a way as to allow for attachment to multiple types of commercially available mop systems as described in further detail later.
- FIGS. 1 and 2 utilizes a loop fastener for attachment to a hook fastener of another component
- the cleaning pad is alternatively provided with a hook fastener for attachment to a loop fastener of another component.
- other forms of fasteners are contemplated as well, including adhesives, co-adhesives, and other known fastening mechanisms.
- the airlaid composite 20 is a unitized body with an absorbent core optionally composed of wood pulp and binder fibers.
- the binder fibers form the overall structure of the airlaid composite 20 , and the wood fibers provide absorbency.
- the term “unitized” refers to the airlaid as being composed of one material composite. However, the airlaid composite 20 may be composed of multiple material layers adhered to one another.
- the airlaid composite 20 is commonly fabricated using an airlaying process, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,172,276, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
- airlaying is a process by which a fibrous non-woven layer is formed.
- bundles of small fibers i.e. binder fibers according to the exemplary embodiment, are separated and entrained in an air supply and then deposited by a forming head onto a forming screen in multiple stages, usually with the assistance of a vacuum supply.
- the randomly deposited fibers then are bonded to one another using, for example, hot air or a spray adhesive.
- the barrier layer 40 may be composed of a semi-pervious or impervious material.
- the barrier layer 40 can be made of any material known in the art, which substantially limits the passage of fluid.
- suitable materials include plastics such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, and similar materials, as well as hydrophobic foams, airlaids, wetlaids, and laminations thereof.
- the barrier optionally takes the form of a film, sheet, or similar substrate. Further details of exemplary barriers are described in U.S. application Ser. No. xx/xxx,xxx, filed concurrently herewith (Attorney Docket No. TCO4-122US). The disclosure of U.S. application Ser. No. xx/xxx,xxx is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
- the lofty cuff 25 material has a relatively large and open pore structure to trap particles and is configured to be flexible, sustain multiple uses and resist tearing or deformation.
- the lofty cuff 25 may optionally be composed of apertured polyethylene or polypropylene films, foams, airlaids, wetlaids, or laminations and combinations thereof.
- the lofty cuff 25 component may be either hydrophilic or hydrophobic. Further details of exemplary cuffs are described in U.S. application Ser. No. xx/xxx,xxx, filed concurrently herewith (Attorney Docket No. TCO4-129US). The disclosure of U.S. application Ser. No. xx/xxx,xxx is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
- the attachment member 45 may be composed of any structure or material providing an attachment mechanism to a cleaning implement such as a commercial mop head. Some examples include hook and loop fasteners, adhesives, cohesives, snap-in structures, magnetic elements or any other attachment mechanism commonly known in the art. These materials may optionally have elastic functionality.
- the 3-D apertured film strip 35 may optionally be composed of polyethylene or polypropylene films.
- the adhesive 30 of the exemplary embodiment may be composed of any material sufficient to provide a bond between the absorbent cleaning pad components.
- one exemplary adhesive is manufactured by H.B. Fuller Company of St. Paul, Minn., e.g., Part Number 1696.
- H.B. Fuller Company of St. Paul, Minn. e.g., Part Number 1696
- the width “A” of the airlaid composite 20 may be any dimension sufficient to cover all or a portion of the width of a surface of a cleaning implement, such as a mop head for example.
- the width “A” may be about 5.7 inches.
- the length “B” of the airlaid composite 20 as illustrated in FIG. 1 , may be any dimension sufficient to cover all or a portion of the length of the cleaning implement.
- the length “B” may be about 11.6 inches.
- the thickness “E” of the airlaid composite 20 may be any dimension sufficient to absorb an appropriate volume of fluid and retain its structural integrity when wet.
- the length and width of the attachment member 45 may be any dimension suitable to adequately couple with another structure such as a mop head.
- the distance “C” separating the side of the airlaid composite 20 and the side of the attachment member 45 may be any dimension suitable to adequately couple the attachment member with the cleaning implement.
- the length and width of the barrier layer 40 may be any dimension sufficient to cover all or a portion of the airlaid composite 20 .
- the length of the lofty cuff 25 may be any dimension sufficient to cover all or a portion of the length “B” of the airlaid composite 20 .
- the width “D” of the folded lofty cuff 25 may be any dimension sufficient to cover a portion of the width “A” of the airlaid composite 20 .
- the width “D” should be small enough to provide adequate surface area for the airlaid composite 20 and large enough to provide an adequate scrubbing surface area to remove particles from the cleaning surface.
- an exemplary embodiment of an absorbent cleaning pad 110 is shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 .
- the absorbent cleaning pad 110 is provided with an airlaid composite 120 , two lofty cuffs 125 , a barrier layer 140 , and two attachment members 145 .
- the absorbent cleaning pad 110 is additionally provided with Super Absorbent Particles (SAP) 150 dispersed throughout at least a discrete zone of the airlaid composite 120 .
- SAP 150 may be “zoned” as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 .
- the SAP 150 may be dispersed evenly throughout the body of the airlaid composite 120 .
- the barrier layer 140 illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 is especially advantageous.
- the barrier layer 140 is folded over the two width-wise sides or edges 124 of the airlaid composite 120 . As illustrated in FIG. 4 , the folded sides 141 of the barrier layer 140 are adhered to the airlaid composite 120 , using an adhesive 130 .
- the SAP 150 in this embodiment is concentrated in the center of the width of the airlaid composite 120 designated by dimension “F”, and is isolated from the open and exposed length-wise sides 123 .
- the SAP 150 is substantially concentrated in the center of the width of the airlaid composite 120 to prevent the SAP 150 from escaping out of the exposed length-wise sides 123 of the airlaid composite 120 .
- the SAP 150 may be concentrated in the center of the width “A 1 ” and the length “B 1 ” of the airlaid composite 120 , thereby isolating SAP 150 from the entire periphery of the airlaid composite 120 .
- the barrier layer 140 is not required to cover the length-wise sides 123 or the width-wise sides 124 to prevent the escapement of SAP 150 along the periphery of the airlaid composite 120 .
- the exemplary embodiment of an absorbent cleaning pad 210 shown in FIG. 6 is provided with an airlaid composite 220 , two lofty cuffs 225 , a barrier layer 240 , two attachment members 245 , and super absorbent particles (SAP) 250 .
- the Super Absorbent Particles (SAP) 250 are dispersed throughout the entire airlaid composite 220 . Accordingly, to reduce or prevent the escapement of SAP 250 from the exposed sides of the airlaid composite 220 , the barrier layer 240 is especially advantageous.
- the barrier layer 240 is folded over the length-wise of the airlaid composite 220 , and the cut-and-place barrier layer 260 is attached to the width-wise sides of the airlaid composite 220 , with some overlap, in order to prevent the SAP 250 from escaping along the periphery of the airlaid composite 220 .
- FIGS. 7-16 Exemplary steps used to fabricate the embodiment of cleaning pad 210 shown in FIG. 6 are illustrated in FIGS. 7-16 . Many of the following steps illustrated in FIGS. 7-16 are also relevant to the fabrication of the prior exemplary embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1-5 .
- the material used to form lofty cuff 225 is unwound and cut (designated by the triangle symbol) to a predetermined length and width.
- An adhesive 230 is then applied to a single side of the lofty cuff 225 .
- the lofty cuff 225 is folded over itself, maintaining the adhesive 230 on the interior of the fold, as illustrated in FIG. 8 .
- a portion of the width of the lofty cuff 225 is adhered to the airlaid composite 220 using an adhesive 230 , as illustrated in FIG. 9 .
- An adhesive 230 is then applied to the barrier side 222 of the airlaid composite 220 , before the barrier side 222 is centered and applied to the sheet used to form barrier layer 240 , as illustrated in FIG. 10 .
- a plurality of airlaid composites 220 are centered and applied to the sheet forming barrier layer 240 , and the airlaid composites 220 are separated by a distance “G”, also illustrated in FIG. 10 .
- An adhesive 230 is applied to a single side of a “cut-and-place” barrier layer 260 ( FIG. 11 ) that is cut to a predetermined length and width.
- the width “H” of the cut-and-place barrier layer 260 may optionally be smaller than the width “J” of the barrier layer 240 .
- the adhesive side of the cut-and-place barrier layer 260 is centered and applied over the width-wise ends of adjacent airlaid composites 220 , as illustrated in FIG. 11 .
- the adhesive 230 on the underside of the cut-and-place barrier layer 260 bonds the cut-and-place barrier layer 260 to the airlaid composite 220 and the sheet forming barrier layer 240 .
- the cut-and-place barrier layer 260 traverses the gap “G” between two adjacent airlaid composites 220 and overlaps the width-wise ends of the airlaid composites 220 .
- the material forming attachment member 245 is unwound and cut (designated by the triangle symbol) to a predetermined length and width, as illustrated schematically in FIG. 12 .
- An adhesive 230 is then applied to the non-functional side of the attachment member 245 , as illustrated in FIG. 13 .
- the non-functional, adhesive side of the attachment member 245 is applied to the barrier layer 240 , as illustrated in FIG. 14 .
- the free ends of the barrier layer 240 extending along the length of the airlaid composite 220 are each folded over and adhered to the cut-and-place barrier layer 260 and the lofty cuff 225 , as illustrated in FIG. 15 .
- the barrier layer 240 partially overlaps the lofty cuffs 225 , thereby encapsulating a portion of the lofty cuffs 225 .
- the absorbent cleaning pads 210 are finally cut and separated from one another, as illustrated in FIG. 16 .
- the exemplary embodiment of an absorbent cleaning pad 310 illustrated in FIGS. 17 and 18 is provided with an airlaid composite 320 , two lofty cuffs 325 , a barrier layer 340 , and two attachment member strips 345 .
- the airlaid composite 320 does not include Super Absorbent Particles (SAP), and the periphery of the airlaid composite 320 need not be sealed.
- SAP is optionally concentrated in the center of the airlaid composite 320 , to prevent SAP from escaping from the airlaid composite.
- the barrier layer 340 differs from the barrier layer illustrated in the previous exemplary embodiment.
- the barrier layer 340 of this exemplary embodiment serves two purposes, i.e. preventing fluid from contacting the cleaning implement to which it is attached and providing an attachment mechanism to fasten the absorbent cleaning pad 310 to the cleaning implement.
- attachment members 345 e.g., loop strips
- an attachment member(s) on the underside of a cleaning implement such as a mop head (not shown).
- the attachment members 345 may be VELCRO loop strips and the attachment members on the underside of the mop head may be VELCRO hook strips, or visa versa.
- FIGS. 17 and 18 provides a secondary mop head attachment mechanism.
- the barrier layer forms two tab portions 355 that may be inserted into retaining structures of an cleaning implement, such as the ones described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,305,046.
- retaining structures such as the ones described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,305,046.
- the retaining means located on the top surface of a cleaning implement such as a mop head are suitable for mechanically engaging and retaining a sheet of material incorporated with or attached to an absorbent cleaning pad.
- retaining means located on the top surface of a mop head include clamps, clips, mechanical fasteners such as hook or loop fasteners, pins and the like such as the ones described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,250 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,698,030.
- One skilled in the art will also understand that the previously described retaining means can also be located on the sides or other surfaces of a mop head and still provide the same benefits.
- the barrier layer 340 is adhered to the barrier side 324 of the airlaid composite 320 using an adhesive 330 . Both side edges of the barrier layer 340 are folded a first time forming two wing portions 356 . A portion of each wing portion 356 is adhered to the barrier layer 340 using an adhesive 330 . The barrier layer 340 is folded a second time to form four tab portions 355 , as illustrated in FIGS. 17 and 18 . The tab portions 355 are adhered to the wing portions 356 using an adhesive or cohesive strip 330 . The four tab portions 355 are free to separate from the airlaid composite 320 , as illustrated by the dotted line segment in FIG. 17 . The tab portions 355 are configured to insert into retaining structures on the top or side of a mop head.
- the exemplary embodiment of an absorbent cleaning pad 410 is provided with an airlaid composite 420 , two lofty cuffs 425 , a barrier layer 440 , Super Absorbent Particles (SAP) 450 dispersed throughout the airlaid composite 420 , and two attachment members 445 configured to couple with a portion of a cleaning implement such as a mop head.
- SAP Super Absorbent Particles
- the SAP 450 are dispersed throughout the entire airlaid composite 420 .
- the barrier layer 440 is folded over the length-wise sides of the airlaid composite 420 to prevent the SAP 450 from escaping along the longitudinal periphery of the airlaid composite 420 .
- the cut-and-place barrier layer 460 prevents the SAP 450 from escaping along the transverse periphery of the airlaid composite 420 .
- this exemplary embodiment provides a secondary means for attachment.
- the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 19 and 20 is provided with four flap portions 470 .
- the tab portions 470 are free to separate from the airlaid composite 420 , as illustrated by the dotted line segment in FIG. 19 .
- the four flap portions 470 can be inserted into retaining structures positioned on the top or side of a mop head, such as the ones described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,305,046.
- retaining structures positioned on the top or side of a mop head, such as the ones described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,305,046.
- many other types of retaining means are suitable to retain an absorbent cleaning pad and provide the same benefits.
- the flap portions 470 are configured to withstand the pressure and stress associated with typical mopping and scrubbing motions against a surface being cleaned and are configured to limit the absorbent cleaning pad 410 from shifting, bunching, or otherwise becoming unattached, either partially or in whole, from the mop head.
- the length “K”, width “L” and thickness of the flap portions 470 may be any dimension sufficient to reach and be adequately retained by the retaining structures disposed on the cleaning implement.
- the flap portions 470 may be composed of numerous materials. Some examples include loop material, polyethylene or polypropylene films, wetlaids, wovens, nonwovens, airlaids, polyester films, or laminations and combinations thereof. These materials may be either hydrophilic or hydrophobic and optionally have elastic functionality.
- the four flap portions 470 may be individually adhered to the barrier layer 440 using adhesive 430 .
- the four flap portions 470 may also provide an optional attachment member 465 configured to couple with the attachment members 445 .
- the attachment member 445 may be a loop fastener and the attachment member 465 may be a hook fastener (or visa versa), but one skilled in the art will understand that other kinds of retaining means are suitable to retain the flap portions 470 to the absorbent cleaning pad 410 .
- FIGS. 7-16 and 21 - 25 Exemplary steps that can be used to fabricate cleaning pad 410 of the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 19 and 20 are illustrated in FIGS. 7-16 and 21 - 25 .
- FIGS. 7-16 were previously described with reference to another exemplary cleaning pad embodiment.
- material used to form each of the four attachment members 465 is unwound and cut to a predetermined length.
- An adhesive 430 is then applied to the non-functional side of each attachment member 465 .
- the material used to form each flap portion 470 is unwound and cut to a predetermined length and width, as illustrated in FIG. 22 .
- the adhesive side of the attachment member 465 is positioned and applied to each flap portion 470 , as illustrated in FIG. 23 .
- An additional bead of adhesive 430 is applied to the ends of the four flap portions 470 , as illustrated in FIG. 24 .
- the flap portions 470 are each adhered to the barrier layer 440 using the adhesive 430 as illustrated in FIG. 25 .
- the optional attachment members 465 are coupled with the attachment members 445 .
- the final fabrication steps are illustrated in FIGS. 15 and 16 .
- an absorbent cleaning pad 510 illustrated in FIGS. 26 and 27 is provided with an airlaid composite 520 , two lofty cuffs 525 , a barrier layer 540 folded over the length-wise sides of the airlaid composite 520 , and Super Absorbent Particles (SAP) 550 dispersed throughout the entire airlaid composite 520 .
- the cut-and-place barrier layer 560 prevents the SAP 550 from escaping along the transverse periphery of the airlaid composite 520 .
- An additional bead of adhesive 530 is applied to the ends of the perforated flap portions 570 .
- the exemplary embodiment of the absorbent cleaning pad provides two means for attachment to a conventional mop head, as the perforated flap portions 570 are capable of separating along the perforation line 574 .
- the two perforated flap portions 570 are configured to couple with the bottom side of a mop head.
- the de-perforated flap portions 570 form four flap portions 570 .
- the separate flap portions 570 can be inserted into retaining structures on the top or side of a mop head, such as the ones described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,305,046.
- Optional attachment member 565 may be a loop fastener that is adhered to the barrier layer 540 with adhesive 530 .
- the optional attachment member 565 is advantageous if the two tab portions 570 are not comprised of a loop material that could attach to a mop head.
- Two tab portions 575 are provided to ease the removal of the absorbent cleaning pad 510 from the mop head.
- the user tugs on the two tab portions 575 to remove the absorbent cleaning pad 510 from the mop head without having to contact dirty airlaid composite 520 , dirty lofty cuff 525 or the mop head.
- the two tab portions 575 extend outward from the airlaid composite 520 , lofty cuff 525 and mop head. It is optional that only one tab portion may be provided on flap portion 570 and the tab portions 575 could be positioned on any longitudinal side of the absorbent cleaning pad 510 .
- the tab portion 575 may also extend outward at each or one transverse end 580 of the absorbent cleaning pad 510 , if so desired.
- the length “M”, width “N” and thickness of the flap portions 570 may be any dimension suitable to permit the user to remove the absorbent cleaning pad 510 .
- the flap portions 570 may be composed of many different materials. Some examples include loop material, polyethylene or polypropylene films, wetlaids, wovens, nonwovens, airlaids, polyester films, or laminations and combinations thereof. These materials may be either hydrophilic or hydrophobic and optionally have elastic functionality.
- an absorbent cleaning pad 610 illustrated in FIGS. 28 and 29 is provided with an airlaid composite, two lofty cuffs, a barrier layer folded over the length-wise and the width-wise sides of the airlaid composite, Super Absorbent Particles (SAP) dispersed throughout the entire airlaid composite, and two attachment members 645 configured to couple with a mop head 680 .
- SAP Super Absorbent Particles
- this exemplary embodiment provides a secondary means for attachment.
- the four overlapping flap portions 670 are configured to engage a mop head 680 .
- the flap portions 670 wrap around the mop head 680 and attach to each other, thereby coupling the absorbent cleaning pad 610 to the mop head, as illustrated in FIG. 29 .
- the flap portions 670 may be composed of VELCRO fasteners, or any other material capable of coupling one flap portion 670 to another.
- a third attachment member 645 adhered to the barrier layer 640 is optionally provided to couple with the mop head to further limit the absorbent cleaning pad 610 from shifting, bunching, or otherwise becoming unattached, either partially or in whole, from the mop head.
- an exemplary embodiment of an absorbent cleaning pad 710 illustrated in FIG. 30 is additionally provided with an extendable tab portion 770 .
- the extendable tab portion 770 has a “Z” shape when viewed from the side and is configured to unfold and extend in the indicated direction.
- the extended tab portion 770 unfolds to provide a greater distance between the user and the dirty cleaning pad and mop head.
- the extendable tab portions 770 could optionally be positioned on any side of the absorbent cleaning pad 710 .
- the extendable tab portion 770 is stored in a Z-shape position as shown to avoid contact with the dirty cleaning surface.
- the user pulls and extends the tab portion 770 until the absorbent cleaning pad 710 separates from the mop head.
- an exemplary embodiment of an absorbent cleaning pad 810 illustrated in FIG. 31 is additionally provided with a mechanism for engaging the hand of a user such that the cleaning pad can be used, without the need for a cleaning implement, for hand-cleaning a surface.
- the cleaning pad 810 is provided with a hand strap 880 , for example.
- the material used to form hand strap 880 is optionally elastic, though a wide variety of materials can be used.
- An additional bead of adhesive 830 is applied to the ends of the perforated flap portions 870 and hand strap 880 .
- the absorbent cleaning pad 810 also provides perforated flap portions 870 that can be used to couple with a top or bottom side of a mop head. In this manner, the absorbent cleaning pad 810 is similar to several embodiments described previously.
- the elastic hand strap 880 is configured to permit the user to operate the absorbent cleaning pad 810 independent from a cleaning implement such as a mop.
- the elastic hand strap 880 provided on the absorbent cleaning pad 810 may be useful for cleaning any small, delicate, or non-planar surface that a mop head can not clean or is unable to access.
- the elastic hand strap 880 may be composed of any elastic material flexible enough to stretch around a child and an adult-sized hand and rigid enough to firmly grip a child and an adult-sized hand.
- the perforated flap portions 870 themselves are optionally composed of an elastic material to provide a hand strap to permit the user to operate the absorbent cleaning pad 810 independent from a mop. In such an embodiment, the hand strap 880 can be eliminated.
Abstract
Description
- The present invention relates to an absorbent cleaning pad and to a method for fabricating the absorbent cleaning pad.
- Conventional floor mops comprise a handle rotatably connected to a mop head and a disposable absorbent cleaning pad coupled to the mop head. One side of the disposable absorbent cleaning pad is placed in direct contact with a surface to be cleaned and the opposing side of the cleaning pad is coupled to the mop head. The absorbent pad absorbs and retains fluids, and loosens and traps dirt particles on the cleaning surface.
- There are several mechanisms used to attach a cleaning pad to a mop head. These mechanisms generally allow for releasable attachment of the cleaning pad to the mop head so that it can be removed and discarded after use.
- For example, a disposable absorbent cleaning pad coupled to a mop head is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,766,552. The disposable absorbent cleaning pad provides VELCRO loop fasteners which couple with VELCRO hook fasteners positioned on the underside of a mop head. A disposable absorbent cleaning pad coupled to a mop head is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,810,554 and 6,807,702. In these examples, the disposable cleaning pad provides attachment tabs which are configured for insertion into retaining apertures positioned on the topside of the mop head.
- Nevertheless, there continues to be a need to further refine and improve absorbent cleaning pads and the mechanisms used to attach a disposable cleaning pad to a cleaning implement.
- According to one aspect of the invention, a surface cleaning pad is provided having a pad body configured for attachment to a cleaning implement and a tab coupled to the pad body and extending beyond an edge of the pad body. The tab is configured to be grasped by a user of the cleaning implement to facilitate detachment of the pad body from the cleaning implement.
- According to another aspect of the invention, a method is provided for assembling a surface cleaning pad. A barrier is applied to a surface of an airlaid composite. The barrier is then folded over at least one width-wise edge of the airlaid composite, thereby encapsulating the width-wise edge of the airlaid composite.
- According to still another aspect of this invention, a surface cleaning pad is provided having a pad body. The surface cleaning pad also includes means coupled to the pad body for attaching the pad body to a cleaning implement and facilitating use of the surface cleaning pad to clean a surface with the cleaning implement. Also included is a means coupled to the pad body for engaging the surface cleaning pad to a hand of a user and facilitating use of the surface cleaning pad to clean a surface without use of the cleaning implement.
- Another aspect of the invention provides a surface cleaning pad having a pad body with a width generally corresponding to that of a head portion of a cleaning implement. A perforated sheet is oriented to extend substantially across the pad body in a width-wise direction. The perforated sheet has end portions fastened to the pad body, a central portion between the end portions that is not fastened to the pad body, and a surface extending across the central portion in the width-wise direction configured to couple with a bottom side of the head portion of the cleaning implement. The perforated sheet is separable into independent segments configured to couple with a top side of the head portion of the cleaning implement.
- Yet another aspect of the invention provides a surface cleaning pad having a pad body formed from an airlaid composite and having a cleansing surface configured for cleansing contact with a surface to be cleaned and an opposite surface configured to be positioned facing a cleaning implement. The surface cleaning pad also has a barrier adhered to and substantially covering the opposite surface of the pad body and a pair of scrubbing members adhered to the cleansing surface of the pad body.
- Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings, of which:
-
FIG. 1 is a bottom view of an absorbent cleaning pad in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 2 is an end view of the absorbent cleaning pad illustrated inFIG. 1 ; -
FIG. 3 is a bottom view of an absorbent cleaning pad in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 4 is a right side view of the absorbent cleaning pad illustrated inFIG. 3 ; -
FIG. 5 is an end view of the absorbent cleaning pad illustrated inFIG. 3 ; -
FIG. 6 is an end view of an absorbent cleaning pad in accordance with yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention; -
FIGS. 7-16 illustrate exemplary assembly and fabrication steps for making the absorbent cleaning pad illustrated inFIG. 6 ; -
FIG. 17 is an end view of an absorbent cleaning pad in accordance with still another exemplary embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 18 is a top view of the absorbent cleaning pad illustrated inFIG. 17 ; -
FIG. 19 is an end view of an absorbent cleaning pad in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 20 is a top view of the absorbent cleaning pad illustrated inFIG. 19 ; -
FIGS. 21-25 illustrate exemplary assembly and fabrication steps used to make the absorbent cleaning pad illustrated inFIGS. 19 and 20 ; -
FIG. 26 is an end view of an absorbent cleaning pad in accordance with yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 27 is a top view of the absorbent cleaning pad illustrated inFIG. 26 ; -
FIG. 28 is a top view of an absorbent cleaning pad in accordance with still another exemplary embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 29 is a partial end view of the absorbent cleaning pad illustrated inFIG. 28 , showing an overlapping flap portion; -
FIG. 30 is a right side view of an absorbent cleaning pad in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and -
FIG. 31 is a top view of an absorbent cleaning pad in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention. - Although the invention is illustrated and described herein with reference to specific embodiments, the invention is not intended to be limited to the details shown. Rather, various modifications may be made in the details within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims and without departing from the invention. Also, the embodiments selected for illustration in the figures are not shown to scale and are not limited to the proportions shown.
- Referring to the overall structure of one exemplary embodiment,
FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an absorbent cleaning pad designated generally by the numeral “10”. Generally, theabsorbent cleaning pad 10 has a pad body formed from an airlaid composite and having a cleansing surface configured for cleansing contact with a surface to be cleaned and an opposite surface configured to be positioned facing a cleaning implement. The surface cleaning pad also has a barrier adhered to and substantially covering the opposite surface of the pad body and a pair of dirt entrapment members adhered to the cleansing surface of the pad body. - More specifically, the exemplary
absorbent cleaning pad 10 is provided with an absorbent layer in the form of anairlaid composite 20, dirt entrapment surfaces in the form of twolofty cuffs 25, abarrier layer 40, and twoattachment members 45. - Each
lofty cuff 25 is folded into two equal segments and positioned along the length “B” of theairlaid composite 20. A single 3-D aperturedfilm strip 35 is sandwiched between the folded layers of eachlofty cuff 25. An adhesive 30 binds both sides of the 3-D aperturedfilm strip 35 to the inner surfaces of thelofty cuff 25. A portion of the width of eachlofty cuff 25 is bonded to acleaning side 21 of theairlaid composite 20 using an adhesive 30. Thelofty cuffs 25 are positioned so that the closed-face foldedends 26 face each other. Thebarrier layer 40 is adhered to thebacking side 22 of theairlaid composite 20 using an adhesive 30. - Two
attachment members 45 are adhered to thebarrier layer 40 using an adhesive 30. In this embodiment, theattachment members 45 are composed of hook or loop material such as VELCRO loop material available from Velcro USA Inc. of Manchester, N.H. The functional side of the VELCRO loop material faces away from thebarrier layer 40. Theattachment members 45 are optionally positioned along the entire length of thebarrier layer 40 and are separated by a distance “C” from the side edges of thebarrier layer 40, as illustrated inFIG. 2 . - In functional terms, the
airlaid composite 20 of the exemplary embodiment absorbs and retains fluids and/or other matter residing on a surface to be cleaned. Thelofty cuff 25 serves to facilitate the removal of soils from the surface being cleaned by contacting and trapping larger soil particles. Thelofty cuff 25 may provide structural integrity and rigidity by being folded and adhered to itself or a single ply of lofty cuff material could be selected to provide these properties. The 3-Dapertured film strip 35 within eachcuff 25 provides structural integrity and improved rigidity to thelofty cuff 25 and further traps particles from small solid particles to those suspended in liquid. However, the use of 3-Dapertured film strip 35 within eachcuff 25 is optional. Thebarrier layer 40 substantially prevents fluid from passing from theairlaid composite 20 to the mop head or other structure to which thecleaning pad 10 may be attached. If thecleaning pad 10 is configured to be attached to a mop head, the barrier is configured to keep the mop head substantially free of fluid. - The
attachment members 45 provide a single attachment mechanism to temporarily couple theabsorbent cleaning pad 10 to the mop head. In other words, theattachment members 45 facilitate releasable engagement of thecleaning pad 10 to a surface of a cleaning implement. That surface may be the bottom side surface of a mop head or another portion of a cleaning implement. - In the exemplary embodiment and still referring to
FIG. 1 and 2, theattachment members 45 are VELCRO loop fasteners adhered to the barrier layer and optionally configured to couple with hook fasteners such as a VELCRO hook fastener(s) on a bottom-side surface of a commercially available mop head. The VELCRO loop and hook fasteners are configured to withstand the pressure and stress associated with typical mopping and scrubbing motions against a surface being cleaned. The VELCRO loop and hook fasteners substantially limit theabsorbent cleaning pad 10 from shifting, bunching, or otherwise becoming unattached, either partially or in whole, from the mop head. The attachment member(s) 45 may optionally be designed in such a way as to allow for attachment to multiple types of commercially available mop systems as described in further detail later. - While the exemplary embodiment illustrated in
FIGS. 1 and 2 utilizes a loop fastener for attachment to a hook fastener of another component, the cleaning pad is alternatively provided with a hook fastener for attachment to a loop fastener of another component. Also, other forms of fasteners are contemplated as well, including adhesives, co-adhesives, and other known fastening mechanisms. - Referring now to the material composition of the exemplary embodiment, the
airlaid composite 20 is a unitized body with an absorbent core optionally composed of wood pulp and binder fibers. The binder fibers form the overall structure of theairlaid composite 20, and the wood fibers provide absorbency. The term “unitized” refers to the airlaid as being composed of one material composite. However, theairlaid composite 20 may be composed of multiple material layers adhered to one another. - The
airlaid composite 20 is commonly fabricated using an airlaying process, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,172,276, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. According to U.S. Pat. No. 6,172,276, airlaying is a process by which a fibrous non-woven layer is formed. In the airlaying process, bundles of small fibers, i.e. binder fibers according to the exemplary embodiment, are separated and entrained in an air supply and then deposited by a forming head onto a forming screen in multiple stages, usually with the assistance of a vacuum supply. The randomly deposited fibers then are bonded to one another using, for example, hot air or a spray adhesive. - Additional benefits and features of an airlaid composite construction are disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. xx/xxx,xxx, filed concurrently herewith (Attorney Docket No. TCO4-118US). The disclosure of U.S. application Ser. No. xx/xxx,xxx is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Although this embodiment includes a absorbent pad body formed from an airlaid composite, this invention is not limited to an absorbent pad body having an airlaid structure. Other absorbent pad body materials, structures and/or processes are contemplated as well. For example, an absorbent core made of long polymeric filaments prepared by expanding a polymer tow, disclosed in International Publication No. WO 2004/017883, is also contemplated for use as an absorbent pad. The disclosure of International Publication No. WO 2004/017883 is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
- The
barrier layer 40 may be composed of a semi-pervious or impervious material. Thebarrier layer 40 can be made of any material known in the art, which substantially limits the passage of fluid. Non-limiting examples of suitable materials include plastics such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, and similar materials, as well as hydrophobic foams, airlaids, wetlaids, and laminations thereof. The barrier optionally takes the form of a film, sheet, or similar substrate. Further details of exemplary barriers are described in U.S. application Ser. No. xx/xxx,xxx, filed concurrently herewith (Attorney Docket No. TCO4-122US). The disclosure of U.S. application Ser. No. xx/xxx,xxx is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. - The
lofty cuff 25 material has a relatively large and open pore structure to trap particles and is configured to be flexible, sustain multiple uses and resist tearing or deformation. Thelofty cuff 25 may optionally be composed of apertured polyethylene or polypropylene films, foams, airlaids, wetlaids, or laminations and combinations thereof. Thelofty cuff 25 component may be either hydrophilic or hydrophobic. Further details of exemplary cuffs are described in U.S. application Ser. No. xx/xxx,xxx, filed concurrently herewith (Attorney Docket No. TCO4-129US). The disclosure of U.S. application Ser. No. xx/xxx,xxx is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. - The
attachment member 45 may be composed of any structure or material providing an attachment mechanism to a cleaning implement such as a commercial mop head. Some examples include hook and loop fasteners, adhesives, cohesives, snap-in structures, magnetic elements or any other attachment mechanism commonly known in the art. These materials may optionally have elastic functionality. - The 3-D
apertured film strip 35 may optionally be composed of polyethylene or polypropylene films. The adhesive 30 of the exemplary embodiment may be composed of any material sufficient to provide a bond between the absorbent cleaning pad components. In the exemplary embodiment and by way of non-limiting example, one exemplary adhesive is manufactured by H.B. Fuller Company of St. Paul, Minn., e.g., Part Number 1696. However, one skilled in the art will recognize that other types of adhesive and other fastener mechanisms are suitable for this application. - Referring to the size of the exemplary embodiment components as illustrated in
FIGS. 1 and 2 , the width “A” of theairlaid composite 20 may be any dimension sufficient to cover all or a portion of the width of a surface of a cleaning implement, such as a mop head for example. For the purposes of illustration only, the width “A” may be about 5.7 inches. The length “B” of theairlaid composite 20, as illustrated inFIG. 1 , may be any dimension sufficient to cover all or a portion of the length of the cleaning implement. For the purposes of illustration only, the length “B” may be about 11.6 inches. - The thickness “E” of the
airlaid composite 20, as illustrated inFIG. 2 , may be any dimension sufficient to absorb an appropriate volume of fluid and retain its structural integrity when wet. The length and width of theattachment member 45 may be any dimension suitable to adequately couple with another structure such as a mop head. The distance “C” separating the side of theairlaid composite 20 and the side of theattachment member 45 may be any dimension suitable to adequately couple the attachment member with the cleaning implement. The length and width of thebarrier layer 40 may be any dimension sufficient to cover all or a portion of theairlaid composite 20. - The length of the
lofty cuff 25 may be any dimension sufficient to cover all or a portion of the length “B” of theairlaid composite 20. The width “D” of the foldedlofty cuff 25 may be any dimension sufficient to cover a portion of the width “A” of theairlaid composite 20. The width “D” should be small enough to provide adequate surface area for theairlaid composite 20 and large enough to provide an adequate scrubbing surface area to remove particles from the cleaning surface. - Similar to the absorbent cleaning pad embodiment illustrated in
FIGS. 1 and 2 , an exemplary embodiment of anabsorbent cleaning pad 110 is shown inFIGS. 3, 4 and 5. Theabsorbent cleaning pad 110 is provided with anairlaid composite 120, twolofty cuffs 125, abarrier layer 140, and twoattachment members 145. Theabsorbent cleaning pad 110 is additionally provided with Super Absorbent Particles (SAP) 150 dispersed throughout at least a discrete zone of theairlaid composite 120. In other words, theSAP 150 may be “zoned” as in the embodiment shown inFIG. 3 . Alternatively theSAP 150 may be dispersed evenly throughout the body of theairlaid composite 120. - Resulting from the addition of
SAP 150, thebarrier layer 140 illustrated inFIGS. 3, 4 and 5 is especially advantageous. To prevent the escapement of the zonedSAP 150 during usage, handling, or shipping of thecleaning pad 110, thebarrier layer 140 is folded over the two width-wise sides oredges 124 of theairlaid composite 120. As illustrated inFIG. 4 , the foldedsides 141 of thebarrier layer 140 are adhered to theairlaid composite 120, using an adhesive 130. - The
SAP 150 in this embodiment is concentrated in the center of the width of theairlaid composite 120 designated by dimension “F”, and is isolated from the open and exposedlength-wise sides 123. TheSAP 150 is substantially concentrated in the center of the width of theairlaid composite 120 to prevent theSAP 150 from escaping out of the exposedlength-wise sides 123 of theairlaid composite 120. Though not illustrated, it is also envisioned that theSAP 150 may be concentrated in the center of the width “A1” and the length “B1” of theairlaid composite 120, thereby isolatingSAP 150 from the entire periphery of theairlaid composite 120. In such case, thebarrier layer 140 is not required to cover thelength-wise sides 123 or thewidth-wise sides 124 to prevent the escapement ofSAP 150 along the periphery of theairlaid composite 120. - Additional benefits and features of a “zoned” SAP construction are disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. xx/xxx,xxx, filed concurrently herewith (Attorney Docket No. TCO4-119US). The disclosure of U.S. application Ser. No. xx/xxx,xxx is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
- Similar to the absorbent cleaning pad embodiment illustrated in
FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the exemplary embodiment of anabsorbent cleaning pad 210 shown inFIG. 6 is provided with anairlaid composite 220, twolofty cuffs 225, abarrier layer 240, twoattachment members 245, and super absorbent particles (SAP) 250. In this exemplary embodiment, the Super Absorbent Particles (SAP) 250 are dispersed throughout theentire airlaid composite 220. Accordingly, to reduce or prevent the escapement ofSAP 250 from the exposed sides of theairlaid composite 220, thebarrier layer 240 is especially advantageous. Thebarrier layer 240 is folded over the length-wise of theairlaid composite 220, and the cut-and-place barrier layer 260 is attached to the width-wise sides of theairlaid composite 220, with some overlap, in order to prevent theSAP 250 from escaping along the periphery of theairlaid composite 220. - Exemplary steps used to fabricate the embodiment of
cleaning pad 210 shown inFIG. 6 are illustrated inFIGS. 7-16 . Many of the following steps illustrated inFIGS. 7-16 are also relevant to the fabrication of the prior exemplary embodiments illustrated inFIGS. 1-5 . As illustrated inFIG. 7 , the material used to formlofty cuff 225 is unwound and cut (designated by the triangle symbol) to a predetermined length and width. An adhesive 230 is then applied to a single side of thelofty cuff 225. Thelofty cuff 225 is folded over itself, maintaining the adhesive 230 on the interior of the fold, as illustrated inFIG. 8 . - A portion of the width of the
lofty cuff 225 is adhered to theairlaid composite 220 using an adhesive 230, as illustrated inFIG. 9 . An adhesive 230 is then applied to thebarrier side 222 of theairlaid composite 220, before thebarrier side 222 is centered and applied to the sheet used to formbarrier layer 240, as illustrated inFIG. 10 . At this stage, a plurality ofairlaid composites 220 are centered and applied to the sheet formingbarrier layer 240, and theairlaid composites 220 are separated by a distance “G”, also illustrated inFIG. 10 . - An adhesive 230 is applied to a single side of a “cut-and-place” barrier layer 260 (
FIG. 11 ) that is cut to a predetermined length and width. The width “H” of the cut-and-place barrier layer 260 may optionally be smaller than the width “J” of thebarrier layer 240. The adhesive side of the cut-and-place barrier layer 260 is centered and applied over the width-wise ends of adjacentairlaid composites 220, as illustrated inFIG. 11 . The adhesive 230 on the underside of the cut-and-place barrier layer 260 bonds the cut-and-place barrier layer 260 to theairlaid composite 220 and the sheet formingbarrier layer 240. In other words, the cut-and-place barrier layer 260 traverses the gap “G” between two adjacentairlaid composites 220 and overlaps the width-wise ends of theairlaid composites 220. - Referring now to
FIG. 12 , the material formingattachment member 245 is unwound and cut (designated by the triangle symbol) to a predetermined length and width, as illustrated schematically inFIG. 12 . An adhesive 230 is then applied to the non-functional side of theattachment member 245, as illustrated inFIG. 13 . The non-functional, adhesive side of theattachment member 245 is applied to thebarrier layer 240, as illustrated inFIG. 14 . The free ends of thebarrier layer 240 extending along the length of theairlaid composite 220 are each folded over and adhered to the cut-and-place barrier layer 260 and thelofty cuff 225, as illustrated inFIG. 15 . Thebarrier layer 240 partially overlaps thelofty cuffs 225, thereby encapsulating a portion of thelofty cuffs 225. Theabsorbent cleaning pads 210 are finally cut and separated from one another, as illustrated inFIG. 16 . - Similar to the absorbent cleaning pad embodiment illustrated in
FIG. 6 , the exemplary embodiment of anabsorbent cleaning pad 310 illustrated inFIGS. 17 and 18 is provided with anairlaid composite 320, twolofty cuffs 325, abarrier layer 340, and two attachment member strips 345. In this exemplary embodiment, theairlaid composite 320 does not include Super Absorbent Particles (SAP), and the periphery of theairlaid composite 320 need not be sealed. However, it is envisioned that SAP is optionally concentrated in the center of theairlaid composite 320, to prevent SAP from escaping from the airlaid composite. - The
barrier layer 340 differs from the barrier layer illustrated in the previous exemplary embodiment. Thebarrier layer 340 of this exemplary embodiment serves two purposes, i.e. preventing fluid from contacting the cleaning implement to which it is attached and providing an attachment mechanism to fasten theabsorbent cleaning pad 310 to the cleaning implement. - The exemplary embodiment illustrated in
FIGS. 17 and 18 provides attachment members 345 (e.g., loop strips) configured to couple with an attachment member(s) on the underside of a cleaning implement such as a mop head (not shown). By way of non-limiting example, theattachment members 345 may be VELCRO loop strips and the attachment members on the underside of the mop head may be VELCRO hook strips, or visa versa. - In addition to the attachment mechanism provided by the
attachment members 345, the exemplary embodiment shown inFIGS. 17 and 18 provides a secondary mop head attachment mechanism. The barrier layer forms twotab portions 355 that may be inserted into retaining structures of an cleaning implement, such as the ones described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,305,046. However, one skilled in the art will understand that a wide variety of other types of retaining structures are suitable to retain an absorbent cleaning pad and provide the same benefits. - The retaining means located on the top surface of a cleaning implement such as a mop head are suitable for mechanically engaging and retaining a sheet of material incorporated with or attached to an absorbent cleaning pad. Non-limiting examples of retaining means located on the top surface of a mop head include clamps, clips, mechanical fasteners such as hook or loop fasteners, pins and the like such as the ones described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,250 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,698,030. One skilled in the art will also understand that the previously described retaining means can also be located on the sides or other surfaces of a mop head and still provide the same benefits.
- Referring still to
FIGS. 17 and 18 , thebarrier layer 340 is adhered to thebarrier side 324 of theairlaid composite 320 using an adhesive 330. Both side edges of thebarrier layer 340 are folded a first time forming twowing portions 356. A portion of eachwing portion 356 is adhered to thebarrier layer 340 using an adhesive 330. Thebarrier layer 340 is folded a second time to form fourtab portions 355, as illustrated inFIGS. 17 and 18 . Thetab portions 355 are adhered to thewing portions 356 using an adhesive orcohesive strip 330. The fourtab portions 355 are free to separate from theairlaid composite 320, as illustrated by the dotted line segment inFIG. 17 . Thetab portions 355 are configured to insert into retaining structures on the top or side of a mop head. - Referring now to
FIGS. 19 and 20 , similar to the absorbent cleaning pad embodiment illustrated inFIG. 6 , the exemplary embodiment of anabsorbent cleaning pad 410 is provided with anairlaid composite 420, twolofty cuffs 425, abarrier layer 440, Super Absorbent Particles (SAP) 450 dispersed throughout theairlaid composite 420, and twoattachment members 445 configured to couple with a portion of a cleaning implement such as a mop head. - In this exemplary embodiment, the
SAP 450 are dispersed throughout theentire airlaid composite 420. Similar to the embodiment illustrated inFIG. 6 , thebarrier layer 440 is folded over the length-wise sides of theairlaid composite 420 to prevent theSAP 450 from escaping along the longitudinal periphery of theairlaid composite 420. The cut-and-place barrier layer 460 prevents theSAP 450 from escaping along the transverse periphery of theairlaid composite 420. - In addition to the mop head attachment mechanism provided by the
attachment members 445, this exemplary embodiment provides a secondary means for attachment. The exemplary embodiment illustrated inFIGS. 19 and 20 is provided with fourflap portions 470. Thetab portions 470 are free to separate from theairlaid composite 420, as illustrated by the dotted line segment inFIG. 19 . The fourflap portions 470 can be inserted into retaining structures positioned on the top or side of a mop head, such as the ones described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,305,046. However, one skilled in the art will recognize that many other types of retaining means are suitable to retain an absorbent cleaning pad and provide the same benefits. - The
flap portions 470 are configured to withstand the pressure and stress associated with typical mopping and scrubbing motions against a surface being cleaned and are configured to limit theabsorbent cleaning pad 410 from shifting, bunching, or otherwise becoming unattached, either partially or in whole, from the mop head. In this exemplary embodiment, the length “K”, width “L” and thickness of theflap portions 470 may be any dimension sufficient to reach and be adequately retained by the retaining structures disposed on the cleaning implement. - The
flap portions 470 may be composed of numerous materials. Some examples include loop material, polyethylene or polypropylene films, wetlaids, wovens, nonwovens, airlaids, polyester films, or laminations and combinations thereof. These materials may be either hydrophilic or hydrophobic and optionally have elastic functionality. - The four
flap portions 470 may be individually adhered to thebarrier layer 440 using adhesive 430. The fourflap portions 470 may also provide anoptional attachment member 465 configured to couple with theattachment members 445. As a non-limiting example, theattachment member 445 may be a loop fastener and theattachment member 465 may be a hook fastener (or visa versa), but one skilled in the art will understand that other kinds of retaining means are suitable to retain theflap portions 470 to theabsorbent cleaning pad 410. - Exemplary steps that can be used to fabricate
cleaning pad 410 of the exemplary embodiment shown inFIGS. 19 and 20 are illustrated inFIGS. 7-16 and 21-25.FIGS. 7-16 were previously described with reference to another exemplary cleaning pad embodiment. Referring now toFIG. 21 , material used to form each of the fourattachment members 465 is unwound and cut to a predetermined length. An adhesive 430 is then applied to the non-functional side of eachattachment member 465. The material used to form eachflap portion 470 is unwound and cut to a predetermined length and width, as illustrated inFIG. 22 . - The adhesive side of the
attachment member 465 is positioned and applied to eachflap portion 470, as illustrated inFIG. 23 . An additional bead of adhesive 430 is applied to the ends of the fourflap portions 470, as illustrated inFIG. 24 . Theflap portions 470 are each adhered to thebarrier layer 440 using the adhesive 430 as illustrated inFIG. 25 . Theoptional attachment members 465 are coupled with theattachment members 445. The final fabrication steps are illustrated inFIGS. 15 and 16 . - Similar to the absorbent cleaning pad embodiment illustrated in
FIGS. 19 and 20 , the exemplary embodiment of anabsorbent cleaning pad 510 illustrated inFIGS. 26 and 27 is provided with anairlaid composite 520, twolofty cuffs 525, abarrier layer 540 folded over the length-wise sides of theairlaid composite 520, and Super Absorbent Particles (SAP) 550 dispersed throughout theentire airlaid composite 520. The cut-and-place barrier layer 560 prevents theSAP 550 from escaping along the transverse periphery of theairlaid composite 520. An additional bead of adhesive 530 is applied to the ends of theperforated flap portions 570. - The exemplary embodiment of the absorbent cleaning pad provides two means for attachment to a conventional mop head, as the
perforated flap portions 570 are capable of separating along theperforation line 574. In a united state, the twoperforated flap portions 570 are configured to couple with the bottom side of a mop head. In a separated state, thede-perforated flap portions 570 form fourflap portions 570. Theseparate flap portions 570 can be inserted into retaining structures on the top or side of a mop head, such as the ones described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,305,046.Optional attachment member 565 may be a loop fastener that is adhered to thebarrier layer 540 with adhesive 530. Theoptional attachment member 565 is advantageous if the twotab portions 570 are not comprised of a loop material that could attach to a mop head. - Two
tab portions 575, optionally contiguous with theflap portions 570, are provided to ease the removal of theabsorbent cleaning pad 510 from the mop head. In use, the user tugs on the twotab portions 575 to remove theabsorbent cleaning pad 510 from the mop head without having to contactdirty airlaid composite 520, dirtylofty cuff 525 or the mop head. The twotab portions 575 extend outward from theairlaid composite 520,lofty cuff 525 and mop head. It is optional that only one tab portion may be provided onflap portion 570 and thetab portions 575 could be positioned on any longitudinal side of theabsorbent cleaning pad 510. Thetab portion 575 may also extend outward at each or onetransverse end 580 of theabsorbent cleaning pad 510, if so desired. - The length “M”, width “N” and thickness of the
flap portions 570 may be any dimension suitable to permit the user to remove theabsorbent cleaning pad 510. Theflap portions 570 may be composed of many different materials. Some examples include loop material, polyethylene or polypropylene films, wetlaids, wovens, nonwovens, airlaids, polyester films, or laminations and combinations thereof. These materials may be either hydrophilic or hydrophobic and optionally have elastic functionality. - Similar to the absorbent cleaning pad embodiment illustrated in
FIGS. 26 and 27 , the exemplary embodiment of anabsorbent cleaning pad 610 illustrated inFIGS. 28 and 29 is provided with an airlaid composite, two lofty cuffs, a barrier layer folded over the length-wise and the width-wise sides of the airlaid composite, Super Absorbent Particles (SAP) dispersed throughout the entire airlaid composite, and twoattachment members 645 configured to couple with amop head 680. - In addition to the mop head attachment mechanism provided by the
attachment members 645, this exemplary embodiment provides a secondary means for attachment. The four overlappingflap portions 670 are configured to engage amop head 680. In use, theflap portions 670 wrap around themop head 680 and attach to each other, thereby coupling theabsorbent cleaning pad 610 to the mop head, as illustrated inFIG. 29 . Theflap portions 670 may be composed of VELCRO fasteners, or any other material capable of coupling oneflap portion 670 to another. - A
third attachment member 645 adhered to the barrier layer 640 is optionally provided to couple with the mop head to further limit theabsorbent cleaning pad 610 from shifting, bunching, or otherwise becoming unattached, either partially or in whole, from the mop head. - Similar to the absorbent cleaning pad embodiment illustrated in
FIGS. 19 and 20 , an exemplary embodiment of anabsorbent cleaning pad 710 illustrated inFIG. 30 is additionally provided with anextendable tab portion 770. Theextendable tab portion 770 has a “Z” shape when viewed from the side and is configured to unfold and extend in the indicated direction. Theextended tab portion 770 unfolds to provide a greater distance between the user and the dirty cleaning pad and mop head. Theextendable tab portions 770 could optionally be positioned on any side of theabsorbent cleaning pad 710. - In use, the
extendable tab portion 770 is stored in a Z-shape position as shown to avoid contact with the dirty cleaning surface. To separate theabsorbent cleaning pad 710 from the mop head, the user pulls and extends thetab portion 770 until theabsorbent cleaning pad 710 separates from the mop head. - Similar to the absorbent cleaning pad embodiment illustrated in
FIGS. 26 and 27 , an exemplary embodiment of anabsorbent cleaning pad 810 illustrated inFIG. 31 is additionally provided with a mechanism for engaging the hand of a user such that the cleaning pad can be used, without the need for a cleaning implement, for hand-cleaning a surface. In this embodiment, thecleaning pad 810 is provided with ahand strap 880, for example. The material used to formhand strap 880 is optionally elastic, though a wide variety of materials can be used. An additional bead of adhesive 830 is applied to the ends of theperforated flap portions 870 andhand strap 880. - The
absorbent cleaning pad 810 also provides perforatedflap portions 870 that can be used to couple with a top or bottom side of a mop head. In this manner, theabsorbent cleaning pad 810 is similar to several embodiments described previously. - The
elastic hand strap 880 is configured to permit the user to operate theabsorbent cleaning pad 810 independent from a cleaning implement such as a mop. Theelastic hand strap 880 provided on theabsorbent cleaning pad 810 may be useful for cleaning any small, delicate, or non-planar surface that a mop head can not clean or is unable to access. - The
elastic hand strap 880 may be composed of any elastic material flexible enough to stretch around a child and an adult-sized hand and rigid enough to firmly grip a child and an adult-sized hand. In another embodiment (not shown), theperforated flap portions 870 themselves are optionally composed of an elastic material to provide a hand strap to permit the user to operate theabsorbent cleaning pad 810 independent from a mop. In such an embodiment, thehand strap 880 can be eliminated. - Although the invention is illustrated and described herein with reference to specific embodiments, the invention is not intended to be limited to the details shown. Rather, various modifications may be made in the details within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims and without departing from the invention. Also, the embodiments selected for illustration in the figures are not shown to scale and are not limited to the proportions shown.
Claims (54)
Priority Applications (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US11/241,438 US20070074366A1 (en) | 2005-09-30 | 2005-09-30 | Absorbent cleaning pad and method of making same |
CA002559773A CA2559773A1 (en) | 2005-09-30 | 2006-09-15 | Absorbent cleaning pad and method of making same |
MXPA06010956A MXPA06010956A (en) | 2005-09-30 | 2006-09-25 | Absorbent cleaning pad and method of making same. |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US11/241,438 US20070074366A1 (en) | 2005-09-30 | 2005-09-30 | Absorbent cleaning pad and method of making same |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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US20070074366A1 true US20070074366A1 (en) | 2007-04-05 |
Family
ID=37900555
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US11/241,438 Abandoned US20070074366A1 (en) | 2005-09-30 | 2005-09-30 | Absorbent cleaning pad and method of making same |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
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US (1) | US20070074366A1 (en) |
CA (1) | CA2559773A1 (en) |
MX (1) | MXPA06010956A (en) |
Cited By (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP2055222A1 (en) * | 2007-10-29 | 2009-05-06 | VERMOP Salmon GmbH | Mop holder and corresponding mop cover |
US20110158740A1 (en) * | 2009-08-27 | 2011-06-30 | Freudenberg Household Products Lp | Spray mop |
US9999333B2 (en) | 2013-03-01 | 2018-06-19 | Sharkninja Operating Llc | Floor cleaning appliance |
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-
2005
- 2005-09-30 US US11/241,438 patent/US20070074366A1/en not_active Abandoned
-
2006
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- 2006-09-25 MX MXPA06010956A patent/MXPA06010956A/en unknown
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US6846448B2 (en) * | 2001-12-20 | 2005-01-25 | Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. | Method and apparatus for making on-line stabilized absorbent materials |
US20040019995A1 (en) * | 2002-07-31 | 2004-02-05 | Bluebonnet Industrial Brush Company, Inc. | Scuff mark removal tool for floors |
US7175727B2 (en) * | 2002-08-30 | 2007-02-13 | Kimberley-Clark Worldwide, Inc. | Shaped absorbent pads and associated method for making |
US6692172B1 (en) * | 2003-04-14 | 2004-02-17 | Hsing-Yuan Hsu | Mop assembly with liquid detergent supply |
US20050000047A1 (en) * | 2003-04-25 | 2005-01-06 | Karl Kelly | Floor cleaning implement |
US6844066B2 (en) * | 2003-05-19 | 2005-01-18 | Rayonier Products And Financial Services Company | Superabsorbent cellulosic fiber and method of making same |
US20050039287A1 (en) * | 2003-08-21 | 2005-02-24 | Moser Michelle M. | Mop head having a plurality of rectangular extensions |
Cited By (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP2055222A1 (en) * | 2007-10-29 | 2009-05-06 | VERMOP Salmon GmbH | Mop holder and corresponding mop cover |
US20110158740A1 (en) * | 2009-08-27 | 2011-06-30 | Freudenberg Household Products Lp | Spray mop |
US9999333B2 (en) | 2013-03-01 | 2018-06-19 | Sharkninja Operating Llc | Floor cleaning appliance |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
CA2559773A1 (en) | 2007-03-30 |
MXPA06010956A (en) | 2007-04-13 |
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