Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
-- 2 --
~L2~d'3~
BAO.[Gl~Ul:o 01 r ~ l~NTI ~
Thi~ invention relates to a roughened cleaning
~ponge par-ticularly :EOI~ delicz~e ~urfaces~ and tG
method of manLI:facturing it.
~ he roughened sponge of this in~entio~ i~
particularly useful for cleaning scratch ~ulnerable
surfares~ sueh as ths surfaces o~ ~tai~les6 ~teel
objects, or objects coated with a thin layer of
plastics like cooking pots and pan6~ or motor vehicle
windshields~ Such objects, in fact7 ~hile ha~ing
inherently hard surfaces, are quite vulnerable to
scratching sinc~- this ~ould jeopardize their proper
use or operation~
It is a well known fact that scratche~ on stain-
less ~teel pot~ ~d pa;~s or no~-adherent plastic
~oatings, addition~ to marring their appearanGe
may encourage ~ood sticking during the oooking
process, while in the instance of a windshield, any
æcratches are liable to in~er~re with a clear Yie~y
especially whe~ drivi~g in the rain or fogO
On the other hana9 such objects do require
periodic cleaning7 ana occa6ionPlly al50 removal o~
~ard or stuck depo~itæO
~ or ~ueh cleaning purposes as specified abo~e~
either ~elt-like rags are currently utiliæed or
~ponges incorporating scraping fillers, eOg. diamond
powders, as we~l as roughened sponges including a
core o~ a sponge-like material and a roughening ou~er
cover ~or ki~chen application~9 and those same
a~rasi~e filled ~ponge~ and known hard rubber scraper6
i~
-- 3 --
:IZ3L~9
for winashield cleaning applications.
It has been found in actual practice that prior
sponge~ including abrasive fillers may indeed originate
much feared ~cratche~, whereas elt type rag~ may lack
fretting ability and above allg owing to their
substantially two-dimensio~al nature, do not lend
themselve~ to the application o~ a large $1at surface
again~t the object to be cleaned. Such rag~ are9 in
fact~ held rolled up in one hand, ~o that the sur~aoe
to be cleaned i9 o~ly eng~ged in practice ~y the crests
of the individual folds thus formed in the rag~
Another di~advantage of such rags, as well as of prior
abrasive filled sponges9 i9 that they can present no
~tiff side or corner edge~ ~hus, they cannot be
useful to carefully clean, ~or example, the peripheral
corner~ o~ pot ~nd pan bottoms, and any other areas
having corner~, ridged or rece~ses9 ~uch a8 the handle~
of pots and the like eooking utensil~. Nor are kno~n
~crapers in the form of hard rubber blades9 ~or
cleani~g wi~dshield~, de~oid o~ problem~. ~he same,
i~ fact, where provided as individual cleaning tools
both for ~craping purposes and for wiping a~ay
wa~hi~g ~a~er from a windæhield9 and form, therefore~
primarily scraping and not cleaning tools, aB against
6ponges, rags, and the like. Not even the sponge strip
~ometimes assoeiated with the same ca~ provide
accurate cleaning9 because the spo~ge strip i~
supported, like the ha~d rubbsr blade, in a rigid
~trip like ~tructure lnhich car~ot accommodate the
wind~hield crown:ing. :Further~ t~e pro~i~ion of a
~ Q ~
handle on ~uch scrapers makes them unwieldy~
The cited pri.or ~ponge~ including a roughened
eovering are essentially of two types. ~ first sponge
type comprises a core formed from a non-thermoplastic
foamed material and a fabric portio~, also formed
from non-thermoplastic materi~ls, whioh is wrapped
and ~ewn around the core. This construction has the
disadvantage o~ invol~ing manual processing and
being time con~uming. The roughened ~ponges of the
~econd type comprise a sponge-like core of a non-
thermoplastic materi~ and a fabric covering of a
thermoplastic material. The fabric i~ here in the
form of a tubing. l~a~ufacture provide~ for manual
introduction of the ~ponge like insert into its
outer sheath and sealing of it~ ends. ~he sealing
i practically o~ a li~ear type ~d of ~omewhat
limite~ ~trength oning to ~he ~mall amou~ of thermo-
plastic material available for the p~rpose~ in
practice just that provided by *he yarns cf the
roughening fahric. In addition to being ~lo~ to
manufacture 9 such prior sponge~ tend in use to open
up a~ ~he ~ealed end~ whi~h are constantly under
stress ~rom the spo~ge core tenai~g to expana.
~ s mentioned abo~e~ such prior ~ponges with
outer rougheni~g ~a~rics lack any stiff side or corner
edge~
S~MMARY O TEE I~VEN~IO~
It i~ a primary object o~ thi~ invention to
proYide a roughen~d cleaning sponge9 ~hich can
retain unaltered its original shape9 eYen after
~z~
prolonged use, and incorporate3 a scrapi:ng mea:lls of
it s owrl~,
Another ob; ect of this invention is to pro~ide
a method of ma~ufacturing sponges according to the
invention, which can a~`ord a fast BpOnge production
rate without waste, the sponges obtained with thi~
method requiring no f~rther processi~g Isr fini~hi~g
~tep~
Starting from a cleaning spo~ge of the general
type outli~ed hereinabo~e and comprising a core o~
a sponge-like material which iæ covered e~ternally
with a roughening fabric coveri~g, the obj ect~ of
this invention are achieved by that the inventive
spollge has the following characteristics:
a) the sporlge-like material core comprises a
thermoplastic plastics;
b) the rougheni~g fabric covering ~lso comprises
a thermoplastic plastics9 lthe fabric coveri~g blank
being provided in tubular form;
c) the cro~swise closures are obtai~ed bg heat
sealing in the ~orm of a J3trip-lil{e b~a; a~d
- d) the heat ~ea:Led end ~trip-like ba~d~ ha~re
their respective front ~3ide ana outwa:ra corners
~tifflg shaped.
QLccsrding to the invention9 the fabric tubing
i~ a }mit ~abri~, that i8 having a ~mooth weft and
~Narp garns projecting therefro~ into loop~ o~ a gi~erL
len~sth a~d orll~ protruding from one ~ide with respect
to the weft ~ a portion oiE the loop~ being cut o:E~
to provide two respective scraping pile~30 Said cut
.. . .. .. ....
.
-- 6
~ Q ~
of~ portions of the loops amounting approximately to
40~ o~ the total loop numberO
~ urthermore~ according to the inve~tion, the
projecti~g l.oop~ are arranged to protrude inwardly
of the tubular fabric blankO
A1SQ according to this inventiong the heat sealed
end bands or ~trip~ have a cro~swise dimension in
the ra~ge from about ? to 10 mm.~ this sealing
providing for a oompacting sealing applica~ion of
compression under heat to both the thermoplastic
material. of the roughening fabric and thermoplastic
material of the sponge~like core.
~ dvantageousl~ the ~idth of ~aid heat sealed
strips ~ould be about 7 mm. ~ccording to a further
aspect of the in~ention, the outer edge~ of the heat
~ealed ætrip Btand o~t of the roughe~ed aponge-
longitudi~al eide~, in the fi ~ shed conaition of the
sponge, th~æ affording ~ull acce~ a~ility to the
remotest o~ the area~ or corner~ to be clea~edO
I:~ actual practice7 good re~ult~ ha~e been
achieved b~r UsiIlg a sponge core ~d roughening fabric
which re~lt in a heat sealed edge about ~ mm thicko
The method of this i~vention" for the ma~mfacture
of roughe~ed ~leaning spo~ge~ accorai~g to other
aspect~ of the invention, distinguishe~; itself by the
use of a ~ponge~ e thermoplastic plastics core as
an elonga-te secti onal blank and of a tubular rough-
enillg :~abric coverirlg with inwardly projectin,g loops~
and is characterissed ~ th~Lt it compri~es the
~ollo~qing processi~g ~;teps:
- 7 ~ ~L2~L~3~ 3
~ ) i~sertio~ of the roughening Eabric through
a liniDg tubiDg;
B) turning said tubular fabric i~side out by
backfitting ~aid fa~ric over ~aid lining tubi~g
sub~tantially for t~e full length thereo;
C) se~ering of the tubular fabric at the opposed
end of the lining tubin~ to the end thereof where
the tubular fa~ric has been inserted therethrough9
ana with~rawal from within said lining tubing o~ the
tubular fabric present therein3
D)introduc~ion through said lining tubing9 and
substantially *or the full length thereof9 of a core
~ectional or extruded ~lank formed -from a sponge-like
material, and severing of the same to separation;
E) simultaneou~ withdrawal from the lining
tubing of both the outer tubular fabric and sponge-
like ma~erial core located în~ernally to said lining
tubing~ thereby said core i8 positioned wi~hi~ said
tu~ular abric with its loop~3 out~rds and a contin~us
~;tarti~g ~lank o~ con~idera~e length, e,.g. five
meters long, is Iormea; and
:1?) sep~atiorl from said bl~ of individual
sponges b~ means o~ a w~de stri~i~e heat sealed
ba~a produced lmder t~rust ana compression9 ~ollowed
by severing along the ~eat seP:~ ed band midline to
separa~e a completed cleaning sponge from said
co~ti~uou~3 starting bl a~k.
Furthermore7 according to the in~ention7 on the
ha~f-ja~7s of the heat sealing he~a, the heat ~ealing
rec~ptacles or impressio~s are such as to form~
_ 8 --
~LZ~
during the heat ~ealing process~ outer end corner
edges ~hich protrude from the longitudinal sides of
the fini~hed cleaning ~ponge.
In addition to incorporating to the roughened
cleaning sponge a scrapi~g means of compact
configuration~ ~ivhich means also unctionss, advantage-
ously~ as a sealing means fQir the sponge itself 7 an
advaIl~age of this i~vention proposal resides in the
pro~i~ion of a~ e~ctremely simple and rapid
ma~ufacturing procedure which requires no fi~ishiIlg
step:~: for the manufactu:red sponges.
As for the number of the opened, or cut off,
loopsS excellent result~ have been obtained with a
number of cut off loops on the order of 40~ of the
loop ~otalO
A further advan~age of the ~ponge~ of this
inYention i~ that optimum filling of the roughen ~g
fabri~ with the spo~ge core is achieved, which
positively ~oids the formation of ~oid pocket~
betwee~ the spnnge a~a covering ~uch a~ ~ould result
in u~wanted wri~k~es on the sponge surface in use.
~hi~ solid filli~g of the tubular fabric i~ achieved
quite simply a~d easil~ through the use of the cited
assembling lining tubing.
~RI~ DE~CRIPTIO~ OF THE DRAWI~GS
~ urther ~eatures9 advantages, and details of
the roughened æponge and related manufac~uring method,
according to th~ ~nvention~ will be more readily
~der~tood from the follo~iDg description, with
re~erence to the accompanying drawings~ which
- 9~
illustr~te schematioally a preferred embodiment vf
the inventiorl5, a;~d where:
:Figure 1 i~ a per~pec-tive view o 'a roughened
cleaning sponge incorporating a scraping me~s 5,
according to thiæ inYention;
Figure 2 is a pla~ vlew of the same;
Figure 3 is a ~ide elevation viev~ of the sponge
o f Figllre 1;
~ igure 4 i~ a ~ront view of the same;
Fig~e 5 is a sectiorlal view ta;ken along the line
V-V in Figllre 3;
:Ei'igure 6 is a sectional view taken through the
tubular fabric employed for a roughening fabric;
~ igure 7 is a longitlldinal sec:tion view through
a lining tubing or ho3e for slee~ and assembling
the ~abric" shown during a fabric sleeving ~tep;
:Figure 8 i9 a ~ectional vie~v ~imilar to Figure
7, wikh the rougheni~g fa~ric ~leevedj
Fig~e 9 i8 a :3ectiona~ vie~R ~milar to Figures
7 a~d 8 showing a ~ponge section~l blank introducea
through the lini~lg tubi
Figure 10 is a similar sectional view take~
thrcugh the ~ining tubing or :hose9, shovlli~g ~ 9tar'ting
blank already assembled at the leading portion
thereof,
Figure 11 i~ a l~ngituainal ~3ection view t~rough
the csmple~ed starting blank; and
~ igure 12 i~ a theoreti~al cross-~ec-tional view
i11u~tI ating the material displaceme~t during the
making OI heat sealed e~d ba~d~.
- ~o ~
~LZ~9~
DES~RIP~IO~ O~ THE PR~FERRED E~BODIMEN~S
. .
~ king reference to the drawing figures, some
o~ which are drawn to different scales~ similar part~
are designated wi~h the same reference characters.
This cleaning sponge is generally indicated at
1 and comprises, in a manner known per ~e~ a core 2
of a sponge-like or e~panded material ? and an outer
fabric covering wi~h rougheni~g functionæg indicated
at 3.
According to the in~ention7 both the sponge core
2 and roughening fabric 3 are formed from a thermo~
plastic plast L,CS~ that iB on~ accepting heat sealing
or ultrasonic ~elding. The thermoplastic material,
both for the roughening fabric and sponge core~ is
selec~ed to ~imultaneously provide for heat sea~ing
of the ends and the formation of a scrapi~lg mean~
directiy from the materials utiliæed~ wlthout
in~ol~ing a~g insert or supporting elements~
The ~abric employed i9 a tu ~ lar or hose fabric
~ith looped ~arp g2rns, or knit fabric, ~hich loop~, .
in the preferred embodimen~ dicated, are arranged
to face inward~ as shown i~ Figure 60 In a preferred
ex~mple; polye~ter ~arn has been u~ed for the weft
and polypropylene yarn for the warp~ th~ yaxns
having a diameter on the order of 0,2 mm, while the
loop~ had a height of about 3 mm and a length between
the loop legs of about 1 mm. The number of ope~ed~
or eut off~ loops amounted to about 40~ o~ the loop
total. The height of the sponge oore was 2.5 mm~
I~ thi~ way, and as explained hereinafter, it ha~
been pos~ible to form a good heat sealed band ~ith
~craper functïon3~ That heat sealed ba~d has a
considerable width, e.g. a ~idth of 7 mm~ and a
thickness adequate to pro~ide, on the one ~ide~
optimum scraping rigidity, and on the other side9
a favorable flexing ability in use of the sponge~
~ Yith the dimensions specified a~ove, a
fa~orable thickness on the order o~ about 1.3 mm and
e~d ai~placements of the material are achie~ed, said
displacements resulting in the formation of end
corner edges or ~lap~ which stand ~lightly proud of
the sponge longitudinal ~ide~ as clearly brought V~lt
by Fi~lre 2~ ~he heat sealed band i5 indicated at 4,
~nd 4a designates the projecting end corner edges,
while 4b designa~es the projecting ~nd flaps and 4e
the front scraping side. Owing to the very nature
o~ the heat sealing proce~s~ the value speci~ied
should be regarded a~ an averæge value beca~e thick-
ne~;s devia~ions may, of co~rse, occur along the length
of the sealed band 40
~ he materia~ displacemerlt~ ~vhich result in the
fo~mation of ~he coF~er edge~3 4a and flaps 4b,
protruding later~lg~ are accomplished forcibly on
heat sealing through the use of correspondingly
shaped receptacles or impressions in the heat se~l ing
3aws, or alternatively~ by changing the pressure
~alue selected therefor.
~ ccording to the in~en~ion, ~or the manuIacture
QI t~e propo~ed ~po~ges" a preassembled blank of
a ~on~idera~le le~gth, e . g. 5 m5, is first pro~rided.
- ~2 -
~Z~
The same i~ prepared u~ng a lining tubing~ indicated
at 5~ ~ir~t th~ tubular fabric 3 is inserted there-
through~ and then the tubular fabric i~ rever~ed onto
the outer ~urface of the lining tubing 59 as shown in
~igure 7. At this point~ the tubular fabric 3 i~
~e~ered at the opposed end 5b of the lining tubing 5
to the inlet end 5a9 and the fabric p~rtion is with
dra~n from the interior of the tubing 5. ~hus ? the
condition of Figure 8 is established. ~ this poin~t
the sponge sectional bla~k 2, in the form of an
elongate ~ectional blank, is inserted through the
lining tubing 59 as shown in Figure 9, and the same is
severed at the end 5a of the tubing. As brought out
by the Figure6, the loops of the fabric 3 will now be
facing outwards. By grasping with onel 5 hands, at the
end-5b~ both the f~bric 3 ~nd initial portio~ o~ the
~ponge aectional blank 2, a pulling force i3 applied
to simultaneously withdra~ ~rom the lining tubi~g 5
both the outer fabric 3 ~a inner sponge sectional
blank 2, ~ich is automatically positio:ned withi:n said
fabric, as sho~ in Figure 10. The ~tarting blank
formed by the fa~ric 3 a:~d sponge oore 2 i~ indicated
at 6 in Figure 11.
Shown schematically at 7 i~:L Figure 12 are the
lines of action of heat sealing jaws for the formation
o the sea ed bands 4~ Indicated at 8 a:re the a~eas
of fabric material 3 ~d ~ponge material 2. v~hichS,
during the heat sealing step" are displaced and
compressed into the sealed bands 4. ThP same may be
produced either a~ si:~gle or double seams~ or even
- 13 -
simultaneously on two ad~acent ~ponges. In the latter
case~ the common band~ of double the thicknes6,
will be separated by means o~ a blade element or ~he
like~
It ma~ be appreciated from the foregoing -that
with the teachings of this invention it becomes
possible to effectively achie~e the objects thereof~
both in connection with the compo~ite construction
sponge and manufacturing method it di~clo~e~.
In practicing the invention, it ~ill be pos~ible
to replace the materials speci~ied above ~ith other
thermoplastic materials~ s~;ch~ s, f~r the we~t yarn,
polyamides, Nylon, A1godo~ polyethylene, polypropyl-
ene, raf~ia, and the like, while for the warp yarn,
polyethylene, ~ylon~ polyester, Algodon, etc~ mag be
used, and de~iatio~s from the specified dimensions
ma~ be made without departing ~rom the scope of thi~
in~ention. Sub~tantial ~o the same i~ the incorporation
to the sponge with roughe~ed co~ering of ~craping
means as ~e~l, ~hlc~ advantageously pro~ide for the
sponge sealing. ~11 this ~ithout involving a~y
additional ~inishi~g steps.
Heat sealing could be replaced by an ultrasonic
or any other ~uitable sealing process.
It is also contemplated, of course, by the
in~e~tiGn that sponges may be provided with sealed
ban~s haYing diferen~ pro~iles, as indica~ed in
~igures 13~149 or sponges be provided with periph~ral~
~y extending sealed bands~ as shown in ~igure 15~ or
wi~h intermediate sealed spots, as shown in ~igure
~ 14 --
16, or in the form of a padded element, etc~
The manufacturing method could be Putomated
by replacin~ the manual withdrawal of the fabric
and sponge core from the lining tubing with ~ome
automatic withdrawal procedure7 again without
departing frQm the invention scope.
~ 11 of the features that may be inferred from
the specification, claims, and drawings are regarded
as essential to this i~ve~tion, both indi~idually
and in arly desired combination thereof.
