Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CLEANING PADS
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to cleaning pads useful for removing soils from
hard
surfaces and which can be used with a variety of cleaning implements. The
cleaning pads
comprise structures allowing a user to removably attach the cleaning pads to
retaining means. The
present invention further relates to methods of using the cleaning pads with a
cleaning implement
to clean hard surfaces.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The literature is replete with products capable of cleaning hard surfaces such
as ceramic
tile floors, hardwood floors, counter tops and the like. In the context of
cleaning floors, and in
particular in the context of cleaning floors with a cleaning solution,
numerous devices are
described comprising a handle rotatably connected to a mop head having
retaining means for
maintaining an absorbent cleaning pad attached during the cleaning operation.
One example of
such retaining means can be found in the SWIFFER WETJETO cleaning implement,
sold by The
Procter & Gamble Company, and which includes hook fasteners, which are located
at the bottom
surface of the mop head. These hook fasteners can conveniently engage and
retain loop fasteners
located on a top surface of a cleaning pad. Other examples of such retaining
means can be found
in the SWIFFERO cleaning implement, sold by The Procter & Gamble Company, the
CLOROXO READY-MOP cleaning implement, sold by The Clorox Company and on the
GO-
MOPTM cleaning implement, sold by the S.C. Johnson Company, which all have
slitted
attachment structures located on the top of the mop head. These deflectable
slitted structures can
engage at least a portion of a cleaning pad and, as a result, can retain a
cleaning pad about the
mop head of the implement.
These cleaning implements can be viewed as "pad specific" in the sense that
they can
only be used with cleaning pads which have retainable means corresponding to
the type of
retaining means used with a particular cleaning implement.
The "pad specificity" of each cleaning implement can be a source of confusion
for
consumers who already own a cleaning implement, and wish to purchase
additional pads for use
with their cleaning implement. For example, a consumer who has purchased a
cleaning implement
having deflectable slitted structures, might mistakenly purchase refills of
cleaning pads having
loop fasteners and realize that this type of cleaning pad cannot be
effectively attached to this type
of implement.
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2
It is therefore one object of this invention to providc a cleaning pad which
can be used
with a variety of cleaning implements independently of the retaining means of
the cleaning
implement.
In addition, it has been observed that cleaning pads which are originally
designed to be
used with a cleaning implement having slitted structures, typically have
attachment wings which
can be mechanically engaged by the slitted structures located on the top
surface of a mop head.
These attachment wings can be made of low cost fibrous materials. Despite the
presence of
grabable fibers in these types of materials, the attachment wings are not
suitably designed to stay
attached to hook fasteners of an implement and tend to detach from the mop
head either during
the cleaning operation or when the user "lifts" the mop head from the floor
surface. While
"specialized loop" materials are available on the market, these are relatively
expensive and can
substantially increase the manufacturing cost of the pads.
It is therefore another object of this invention to provide an improved
cleaning pad which
does not get prematurely detached from the mop head by having suitable loop
fastener materials
as well as proper design configurations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to cleaning pads which are usable with a variety
of cleaning
implements having different type of retaining means for removably engaging and
retaining a
cleaning pad. In one embodiment, a cleaning pad can have an absorbent layer
having attachment
wing portions which can be removably attached to retaining means located on
the top surface of
the mop head of a first cleaning implement as well as mechanical fasteners
which can be
removably attached to retaining means located on the bottom surface of a
second cleaning
implement. In a preferred embodiment, at least one of the attachment wing
portions of the
cleaning pad has a notch such that the liquid delivered by a nozzle located on
the mop head of an
impletnent is not blocked (or obstructed) by the attachment wing portion
having the notch.
It should be understood that every maximum numerical limitation given
throughout this
specification will include every lower numerical limitation, as if such lower
numerical
limitations were expressly written herein. Every minimum numerical limitation
given throughout
this specification will include every higher numerical limitation, as if such
higher numerical
limitations were expressly written herein. Every numerical range given
throughout this
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specification will include every narrower numerical range that falls within
such broader numerical
range, as if such narrower numerical ranges were all expressly written herein.
All parts, ratios, and percentages herein, in the Specification, Examples, and
Claims, are
by weight and all numerical limits are used with the normal degree of accuracy
afforded by the
art, unless otherwise specified.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is an isometric view of one example of a cleaning implement which can
be used
with the present invention;
Fig. 2 is an isometric view of another example of a cleaning implement which
can be used
with the present invention;
Fig. 3 is an isometric view of another example of a cleaning implement which
can be used
with the present invention;
Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the cleaning implement shown in Fig. 3;
Fig. 5 is an isometric view of a cleaning pad of the present invention;
Fig. 6 is a side view of the cleaning pad shown in Fig. 5 in a "closed"
position;
Fig. 7 is a side view of the cleaning pad shown in Fig. 5 in an "open"
position;
Fig. 8 is a side view of another cleaning pad shown in a "closed" position;
Fig. 9 is a side view of the cleaning pad of Fig. 9 shown in an "open"
position;
Fig. 10 is an isometric view of one cleaning pad of the invention;
Fig. 11 is a side view of the cleaning pad shown in Fig. 10 in a "closed"
position;
Fig. 12 is a side view of another embodiment shown a "closed" position;
Fig. 13 is a top view of one embodiment shown in an "open" position;
Fig. 14 is an isometric view of one cleaning pad of the invention;
Fig. 15 is an isometric view of one cleaning pad of the invention shown in an
"open"
position;
Fig. 16 is an isometric view of one cleaning pad of the invention;
Fig. 17 is an isometric view of one cleaning pad of the invention shown in an
"open"
position;
Fig. 17 is an isometric view of one embodiment of the invention shown in an
"open"
position;
Fig. 18 is an isometric view of another embodiment of the invention shown in
an "open"
position;
Fig. 19a is schematic representation of the first step of one process of
making the
invention;
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Fig. 19b is schematic representation of the second step of one process of
making the
invention;
Fig. 19c is schematic representation of the third step of one process of
making the
invention;
Fig. 20a is schematic representation of the first step of another process of
making the
invention;
Fig. 20b is schematic representation of the second step of another process of
making the
invention;
Fig. 20c is schematic representation of the third step of another process of
making the
invention;
Fig. 21 a is schematic representation of the first step of another process of
making the
invention;
Fig. 2 1 b is schematic representation of the first second of another process
of making the
invention;
Fig. 21 c is schematic representation of the third step of another process of
making the
invention;
Fig. 22 is an isometric view of one cleaning pad of the invention;
Fig. 23 is an isometric view of another cleaning pad of the invention;
Fig. 24 is an isometric view of another cleaning pad of the invention;
Fig. 25 is an isometric view of another cleaning pad of the invention;
Fig. 26 is an isometric view of another cleaning pad of the invention;
Fig. 27 is an isometric view of another cleaning pad of the invention;
Fig. 28 is an isometric view of another cleaning pad of the invention;
Fig. 29 is an isometric view of another cleaning pad of the invention;
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of
the
invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings
wherein like numerals
indicate the same elenlents throughout the views and wherein reference
numerals having the same
last two digits (e.g., 20 and 120) connote similar elements.
1. Definitions
As used herein, the term "comprising" means that the various components,
ingredients, or
steps, can be conjointly employed in practicing the present invention.
Accordingly, the term
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"comprising" encompasses the more restrictive terms "consisting essentially of
and "consisting
of"
As used herein, the term "direct fluid communication" means that fluid can
transfer
readily between two cleaning pad components or layers (e.g., the floor sheet
and the absorbent
layer) without substantial accumulation, transport, or restriction by an
interposed layer. For
example, tissues, nonwoven webs, construction adhesives, and the like can be
present between
the two distinct components while maintaining "direct fluid communication", as
long as they do
not substantially impede or restrict fluid as it passes from one component or
layer to another.
As used herein, the tenn "x-y dimension" refers to the plane orthogonal to the
thickness
of the cleaning pad, or a component thereof. The x and y dimensions correspond
to the length
and width, respectively, of the cleaning pad or a pad component. In general,
when the cleaning
pad is used in conjunction with a handle, the implement will be moved in a
direction parallel to
the y-dimcnsion (or width) of the pad.
As used herein, the tenn "z-dimension" refers to the dimension orthogonal to
the length
and width of the cleaning pad of the present invention, or a component
thereof. The z-dimension
therefore corresponds to the thickness of the cleaning pad or a pad component.
Of course, the present invention is not limited to cleaning pads having four
sides. Other
shapes, such as circular, elliptical, and the like, can also be used. When
determining the width of
the pad at any point in the z-dimension, it is understood that the pad is
assessed according to its
intended use. As used herein, the term "layer" refers to a member or component
of a cleaning pad
whose primary dimension is x-y, i.e., along its length and width. It should be
understood that the
tenn layer is not necessarily limited to single layers or sheets of material.
Thus a layer can
comprise laminates or combinations of several sheets or webs of the requisite
type of materials.
Accordingly, the term "layer" includes the terms "layers" and "layered."
As used herein, the term "hydrophilic" is used to refer to surfaces that are
wettable by
aqueous fluids deposited thereon. Hydrophilicity and wettability are typically
defined in terms of
contact angle and the surface tension of the fluids and solid surfaces
involved. A surface is said
to be wetted by a tluid (i.e., hydrophilic) when either the contact angle
between the fluid and the
surface is less than 90 , or when the fluid tends to spread spontaneously
across the surface, both
conditions normally co-existing. Conversely, a surface is considered to be
"hydrophobic" if the
contact angle is greater than 90 and the fluid does not spread spontaneously
across the surface.
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As used herein, the term "top surface" when referring to a layer of a cleaning
pad or when
referring to a mop head, means the surface which is the furthest away from the
floor surface
during normal cleaning conditions, i.e. the pad being "sandwiched" between the
floor surface and
the mop head.
For purposes of the present invention, an "upper" layer of a cleaning pad is a
layer that is
relatively further away from the surface that is to be cleaned (i.e., in the
implement context,
relatively closer to the implement handle during use). The term "lower" layer
conversely means a
layer of a cleaning pad that is relatively closer to the surface that is to be
cleaned (i.e., in the
implement context, relatively further away from the implement handle during
use). As such, the
floor sheet is preferably the lower-most layer and the absorbent layer is
preferably an upper layer
relative to the floor sheet. The terms "upper" and "lower" are similarly used
when referring to
layers that are multi-ply (e.g., when the floor sheet is a two-ply material).
In terms of sequential
ordering of layers (e.g., first layer, second layer, and third layer), a first
layer is a "lower" layer
relative to a second layer. Conversely, a third layer is an "upper" layer
relative to a second layer.
The terms "above" and "below" are used to describe relative locations of two
or more materials in
a cleaning pad's thickness. By way of illustration, a material A is "above"
material B if material B
is positioned closer to floor surface than material A during normal cleaning
conditions. Similarly,
material B is "below" material A in this illustration.
II. Cleaning implements
Various type of wet cleaning implements are available to users for cleaning a
floor
surface.
Conventional wet cleaning implements typically have a handle connected to a
support
head which can have an absorbent material in the form of a sponge or strings
of an absorbent
material.
"Modern" wet cleaning implements have a handle which is rotatably connected to
a mop
head. The mop head of these implements can have retaining means located on the
top or the
bottom surface of the mop head for mechanically engaging and retaining an
absorbent cleaning
pad. Some of these wet cleaning implements comprise a built-in fluid delivery
mechanism for
delivering a cleaning solution onto a floor surface. The cleaning solution can
be stored in a
container which is removably attachable to the fluid delivery mechanism. Non-
limiting examples
of "modem" cleaning implement include the SWIFFER and SWIFFER WETJETO
cleaning
implements sold by The Procter & Gamble Company, the CLOROX READY-MOP sold by
The
Clorox Company and the GRABBIT GO-MOPT"' sold by The S.C. Johnson company.
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Fig. I shows one example of such a"Modern" wet cleaning implement 10 having a
handle 20, rotatably connected to a mop head 30 which includes retaining means
40 located on
the top surface of the mop head and which are suitable for mechanically
engaging and retaining a
cleaning pad of the present invention. The retaining means 40 located on the
top surface of the
mop head can be deflectable slitted structures such as the ones described in
U.S. patent 6,305,046
to Kingry et al., issued October 23, 2001, and assigned to The Procter &
Gamble Company, but
one skilled in the art will understand that other kinds of retaining means are
suitable to retain a
cleaning pad and provide the same benefits. Non-limiting example 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 one described in U.S. patent 4,
991,250 to Young, issued
February 12, 1991, in U.S. patent 3,698,030 to Lockett, issued October 17,
1972. One skilled in
the art will also understand that the previously described retaining means can
also be located on
the side edges of a mop head and still provide the same benefits. The mop head
30 in the example
shown also comprises a nozzle 50 located substantially adjacent to the leading
edge of the mop
head 30 and which is in fluid communication with a fluid delivery mechanism
(not shown)
located in a housing 60 and a container 70 comprising a cleaning solution. One
skilled in the art
will understand that the nozzle can altematively be connected to the handle of
the implement and
still provide the same benefits.
Fig. 2 shows one example of a cleaning implement which does not include a
built-in fluid
delivery mechanism but which comprises retaining means 40 located on the top
surface of the
mop head such as the ones previously described.
Fig. 3 and 4 show another example of such a"Modern" wet cleaning implement 10
which
is similar to the wet cleaning implement shown in Fig. 1 but which includes
retaining means 80
located on the bottom surface of the mop head 30 as shown in Fig. 4. The
retaining means 80
located on the bottom surface of the mop head 30 are suitable for mechanically
engaging and
retaining a cleaning pad of the present invention. The retaining means 80 can
be hook fasteners
attached to the bottom surface of the mop head and which are suitable for
mechanically engaging
and retaining loop fasteners. One skilled in the art will understand that the
retaining means 80 can
also be loop fasteners attached to the bottom surface of the mop head and
which are engageable
and retainable by hook fasteners and still provide the same benefits.
The cleaning pads of the present invention which are described hereinafter are
intended to
be usable with various type of cleaning implements, including but not limited
to the ones
previously described.
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III. Cleaning Pads
In one aspect, the present invention relates to a cleaning pad, preferably
disposable, which
is removably attachable to various types of cleaning implements, the cleaning
pad comprising:
(a) at least one absorbent layer;
(b) at least one attachment portion connected to the cleaning pad and capable
of
being engaged by retaining means located on the top of a mop head and/or by
retaining means located on the bottom of a mop head;
(c) at least a first retainable means for removably attaching the cleaning pad
to
retaining means located on the top surface of a cleaning implement;
(d) at least a second retaining means for removably attaching the cleaning pad
to
retaining means located at the bottom surface of a cleaning implement;
(e) optionally at least one notch made in a portion of the cleaning pad such
that
the cleaning pad can be attached to attachment structures located on the top
of the mop head without blocking the cleaning solution being delivered by a
nozzle also located on the mop head;
(f) optionally, a liquid pervious floor sheet; wherein the liquid pervious
floor
sheet is preferably an apertured formed film, more preferably a
macroscopically expanded three-dimensional plastic web, having tapered or
funnel-shaped apertures and/or surface aberrations and preferably comprising
a hydrophobic material;
(g) optionally, multiple planar surfaces;
(h) optionally, at least one functional cuff, preferably at least one free-
floating,
looped functional cuff;
(i) a T200 absorbent capacity of at least 5g/g, preferably at least lOg/g,
more
preferably of at least 20 g/g;
(j) optionally, a density gradient throughout at least one absorbent layer;
wherein the density gradient preferably comprises a first absorbent layer
having a density of from about 0.01 g/cm3 to about 0.15 g/cm3, preferably
from about 0.03 g/cm3 to about 0.1 g/cm3, and more preferably from about
0.04 g/cm3 to about 0.06 g/cm3, and a second absorbent layer having a
density of from about 0.04 g/cm3 to about 0.2 g/cm3, preferably from about
0.1 g/cm3 to about 0.2 g/cm3, and more preferably from about 0.12 g/cm3 to
about 0.17 g/cm3; wherein the density of the first absorbent layer is about
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0.04 g/cm3, preferably about 0.07 g/cm3, and more preferably about 0.1
g/cm', less than the density of the second absorbent layer;
(k) optionally, at least one adhesive scrubbing strip, preferably comprising a
material selected from the group consisting of nylon, polyester,
polypropylene, abrasive material, and mixtures thereof; and
During the effort to develop the present cleaning pads, it was discovered that
the
possibility to use a cleaning pad with various type of cleaning implements
having different kind
of retaining means is related to the ability of the cleaning pad to have
retainable means which can
be mechanically engaged and retained by various retaining means.
In one embodiment, a cleaning pad 11 comprises at least an absorbent layer 21
which
serves to retain any fluid and/or soil absorbed by the cleaning pad during its
use with a cleaning
implement. The absorbent layer(s) of the cleaning pad can be made of any type
of absorbent
material known in the art such as those described in PCT application Serial
No. WO 00/27271 to
Policicchio et al, filed November 9, 1999, and assigned to The Procter &
Gamble Company.
Non-limiting examples of absorbent materials suitable for the absorbent layer
of a cleaning pad
are described in Section V infra.
Figures 5 and 6 show a cleaning pad 11 which can be removably attached to
either
retaining means located on the top or the bottom surface of a mop head. In one
embodiment, the
absorbent layer 21 of the pad can have a width which is greater than the width
of a mop head such
that a front and back portions of the absorbent layer 21, form a first and a
second attachment wing
portion 121, 221 of the pad, which are mechanically engageable by attachment
structures located
on the top surface of a mop head. One skilled in the art will understand that
the attachment wing
portions 121, 221 of the pad can be an integral part of the absorbent layer
but also that the
attachment wing portions can be separate layer of material connected to the
absorbent layer 21
and still provide the same benefits. In one embodiment, the width of a
cleaning pad 11 is at least
about 10%, preferably at least about 25%, more preferably at least about 50%
and most preferably
at least about 100% greater than the width of the mop head. In one embodiment,
the width of the
cleaning pad is between about 5 cm and about 50 cm, preferably between about
10 cm and about
40 cm, more preferably between about 20 cm and about 35 cm.
In one embodiment, the cleaning pad 11 is mechanically being engaged by
retaining
means located on the bottom surface of the mop head of the implement. In a
preferred
embodiment, these retaining means are hook fasteners attached to the bottom
surface of the mop
head. In one embodiment, the absorbent layer 21 can be made of a fibrous
material having
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grabable fibers which can be engaged and retained by the hook fasteners
located at the bottom
surface of the mop head.
In another embodiment, the cleaning pad 11 can have at least one, but
preferably two
strips of mechanical fasteners 31, 41 which can be attached to a surface of
the cleaning pad 11,
preferably a top surface of the pad which faces the retaining means located on
the bottom surface
of the mop head. In one embodiment, the strips of mechanical fasteners 31, 41
are strips of loops
fasteners. In one embodiment, strips of hook fasteners can also be attached to
a surface of a
cleaning pad either in addition to or instead of the strips of loops fasteners
31, 41. Among other
benefits, strips of hook fasteners allow the pad to be removably attached to
loop fasteners attached
at the bottom surface of the mop head of an implement.
In one embodiment, the strips of loop fasteners 31, 41 can be attached to the
top surface
of the cleaning pad 11 as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. A non-limiting example of
loop fasteners 31, 41
include strips of a fibrous material which can be adhesively attached to the
absorbent layer 21.
Non-limiting examples of suitable loop fasteners include non-woven materials
which will be later
described. One skilled in the art will understand that the size as well as the
location of the strips
of loop fasteners 31, 41 on the absorbent layer 21 are related to the location
of the hook fasteners
at the bottom of a mop head. In this embodiment, the cleaning pad 11 can be
removably attached
to the mop head of a first cleaning implement having retaining means located
on the top surface of
the mop head but it can also be removably attached to a second cleaning
implement having
retaining means located at the bottom surface of the mop head of this second
implement.
Cleaning pads can be folded in order to be conveniently packaged. In one
embodiment, a
cleaning pad 11 can be folded along a first and a second folding line 1121,
1221 such that the
attachment wing portions 121, 221,cover at least partially the top surface of
the cleaning pad 11 as
shown in Figs. 5 and 6. In this embodiment, the strips of loop fasteners 31,
41 are preferably
attached to the top surface of the attachment wing portions 121, 221 of the
pad. In a preferred
embodiment, the two layers of loop fasteners 31, 41 are substantially adjacent
to the folding lines
1121, 1221 (i.e. leading and trailing edges) of the pad 11. One skilled in the
art will understand
that in this embodiment, the top surface of each attachment wing portion 121,
221 of the pad 11 is
the surface of the wings facing substantially upwards when each attachment
wing 121, 221 is
folded onto the cleaning pad 11. Among other benefits, having the loop
fasteners 31, 41 attached
to the top surface of each attachment wing portion 121, 221 provides a visual
signal to the user
who can readily see the attachment wing portion 121, 221 of the pad as well as
the strips of loop
fasteners. As a result, a user is aware that the cleaning pad is attachable to
retaining means
located on the top or the bottom surface of a mop head. Another benefit of
having the loop
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fasteners 31, 41 attached to the top surface of each portion 121, 221 of the
pad is that a consumer
can attach the cleaning pad directly to the bottom surface of a mop head
having hook fasteners
without having to unfold or "open" the attachment wing portions 121, 221 in
order to access the
strips of loop fasteners 31, 41. Still another benefit of having the loop
fasteners attached to the
top surface of each attachment wing portion of the pad is that when such a pad
is attached to the
hook fasteners located on the bottom surface of a mop head, each attachment
wing portion is in
direct fluid communication with the middle portion of the pad and, as a
result, a greater "volume"
of the absorbent layer, and consequently of the cleaning pad, can be used to
absorb liquid from a
surface.
Fig. 7 shows a cleaning pad 11 in an "opened" position with the attachment
wing portions
121, 221 which are attachable to retaining means located on the top surface of
a mop head.
In one embodiment represented in Fig. 8, the loop fasteners 31, 41 can be
attached to the
top surface of the absorbent layer 21 such that they are "sandwiched" between
the attachment
wing portions 121, 221 and the centered portion of the absorbent layer 21. In
this embodiment, a
user needs to "open" the pad 11 in order to access the strips of loop
fasteners 31, 41 to attach the
pad to retaining means located on the bottom surface of a mop head, as shown
in Fig. 9.
In one embodiment represented in Figs. 10 and 11, a cleaning pad 11 can
optionally, but
preferably have a barrier layer 51 made of a semi-pervious or substantially
impervious material,
located on the top of the cleaning pad 11. The barrier layer 51 can be made of
any impervious
material known in the art, which substantially prevents the passage of a
liquid from one side of
the barrier layer to the other side of this layer. Non-limiting examples of
suitable materials
include plastics such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, and similar
films. In a preferred
embodiment, the impervious layer 51 is made of a clear translucent film of
material which allows
the user to see the soil which has been absorbed in the absorbent layer(s),
especially in the upper-
most absorbent layer 21. A clear translucent impervious layer is beneficial to
let the user know
that it is time to replace the cleaning pad. In addition, a substantially
impervious layer 51 can be
beneficial to prevent the liquid which is absorbed by the pad 11, from coming
in contact with the
bottom surface of the mop head.
In one embodiment, the impervious layer 51 can be located on the top surface
of the
attachment wing portions 121, 221 such that the impervious layer substantially
covers the top
surface of the two attachment wing portions 121, 221. When a user wishes to
use the cleaning pad
11 with a cleaning implement having retaining means located on the top surface
of the mop head,
the user can simply break, tear or cut this impervious layer such that each
attachment wing portion
121, 221 can be attached to the top surface of the mop head. In a preferred
embodiment, the
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impervious layer 51 comprises a perforation line 151 in order to help the user
"break" (i.e.
separate) the impervious layer 51. One skilled in the art will understand that
the same result can
be achieved by at least partially bonding two separate impervious layers
together. In this
embodiment, the strips of loop fasteners 31, 41 are preferably attached to the
top surface of the
impervious layer 51 such that a user can readily attach the cleaning pad 11 to
the bottom surface
of a mop head having hook fasteners without having to break the impervious
layer 51.
In another embodiment represented in Fig. 12, the impervious layer 51 can be
located on
the top surface of the absorbent layer 21 such that it is "sandwiched" between
the attachment
wing portions 121, 221 and the middle portion of the absorbent layer 21. In
this embodiment, the
strips of loop fasteners 31, 41 can be attached to either the top surface of
the attachment wing
portions 121, 221 as previously discussed, or to the top surface of the
impervious layer 51. In still
another embodiment, an impervious layer 51 can be attached to the top surface
of each attachment
wing portions 121, 221.
In one embodiment, the attachment wing portions 121, 221 can be at least
partially
attached to the top surface of the cleaning pad 11 such that each attachment
wing portions 121,
221 is "tacked down" on the top surface of the cleaning pad. By "at least
partially attached" it is
meant that the attachment wing portions 121, 221 are partially bonded to the
top surface of the
absorbent layer 21 and/or the impervious layer 51 but that a user can
"separate" each attachment
wing portion 121, 221 by breaking these partial bonds 2121, 2221. One skilled
in the art will
understand that the partial bonds 2121, 2221 can be created via any process
know in the art. For
example, the partial bonds 2121, 2221 can be created by applying a pressure
sensitive adhesive to
the top surface of the cleaning pad and then and by folding each attachment
wing portion 121,
221 such that these are in contact with the adhesive. Partial bonds 2121, 2221
can also be created
by thermo-bonding the attachment wing portions 121, 221 to the top surface' of
the cleaning pad
11. The partial bonds 2121, 2221 can be formed on any area of the attachment
wing portions 121,
221 as long as they are breakable by a user when the user wishes to attach the
attachment wing
portions 121, 221 to the retaining structures located on the top of a mop
head. Among other
benefits, it is believed that partial (or frangible) bonds between the
attachment wing portions 121,
221 and the top surface of the cleaning pad 11 enhances the structural
integrity of the pad.
Consequently, the cleaning pad 11 is readily and conveniently attachable to
the bottom surface of
a mop head having hook fasteners. The partial bonds 2121, 2221 also prevent
the attachment
wing portions 121, 221 from flipping back and forth when a user wishes to
attach the pad to
retaining means located on the bottom surface of a mop head.
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13
Fig. 13 represents a cleaning pad 11, viewed from the top in an "open"
position and
which can have at least one notch 3121 made on at least one of the attachment
wing portions 121,
221. Among other benefits, a notch 3121 allows the user to attach the pad 11
to the retaining
means located on the top surface of a mop head and which comprises a nozzle
for delivering a
liquid, which is also attached to the top surface of the mop head. One skilled
in the art will
understand that the attachment wing 121 having a notch 3121 does not block or
obstruct the liquid
being delivered from the nozzle during the cleaning operation. In a preferred
embodiment, both
attachment wing portions 121, 221 comprise respectively a notch 3121, 3221
such that the
cleaning pad 11 can be attached to the mop head independently of the
orientation of the leading
edge or trailing edge of the cleaning pad 11. One skilled in the art will also
understand that any
type of notch can be made to the attachment wing portions 121, 221 as long as
it allows the nozzle
on the mop head to dispense the cleaning solution onto a hard surface without
having the cleaning
solution being blocked or obstructed by the cleaning pad.
In one embodiment, shown in Fig. 14 a cleaning pad 11 can have one or more
cuffs,
preferably "free-floating" functional cuffs 61 which can be attached to the
leading edge and/or the
trailing edge of the cleaning pad 11. The functional cuff(s) 61 improves the
cleaning performance
of the cleaning pad, for example in terms of particulates being picked-up by
the pad. As a
cleaning pad comprising functional cuff(s) is wiped back and forth across a
hard surface, the
functional cuff(s) "flip" from side to side, thus picking-up and trapping
particulate matters. The
functional cuffs 61 can be either mono-layer cuffs (i.e. made of a single
layer of material which is
looped) or can be dual-layer cuffs (i.e. two layers of material which are
looped together). Non-
limiting examples of functional cuffs are described in PCT application Serial
No. WO 00/27271
to Policicchio et al, filed November 9, 1999, and in PCT application Serial
No. WO 02/41743 to
Policicchio, filed November 27, 2001, both assigned to The Procter & Gamble
Company.
In one embodiment, a cleaning pad 11 can have a floor sheet 71 that can
function as a
scrubbing layer. In one embodiment, the floor sheet is in fluid communication
with the bottom
surface of the absorbent layer 21 of the cleaning pad 11. Non-limiting
examples of suitable floor
sheets are described in greater details in section V. infra.
In another embodiment, shown in Figs. 15 and 16, a cleaning pad 12 can have an
absorbent layer 12 and a floor sheet 72 which can have a width greater than
the width of the mop
head of a cleaning implement such that the floor sheet 72 comprises a first
and a second
attachment wing portion 172, 272. The first and second attachment wing
portions 172, 272 can
be removably engaged and retained by retaining means located on the top or
bottom of the mop
head. As previously discussed, the attachment wing portions 172, 272 of the
floor sheet can
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respectively have a notch 1172, 1272 which allow a liquid to be delivered from
a nozzle located
on the top of a mop head. In one embodiment, the attachment wing portions 172,
272 of the floor
sheet 72 can be made of a loop fastener type material suitable to be removably
attached to hook
fasteners located at the bottom surface of a mop head. In one embodiment, the
strips of loop
fasteners 32, 42 can be attached to the attachment wing portions 172, 272,
preferably to the top
surface of the attachment wing portions such that the cleaning pad 12 is
removably attachable to
hook fasteners located at the bottom surface of a mop head. In one embodiment,
the attachment
wing portions 172, 272 can be folded onto the top surface of the cleaning pad
and form a first and
a second folding line 2172, 2272. In one embodiment, the attachment wing
portions 172, 272 can
be partially bonded to the top surface of the cleaning pad and/or be partially
bonded to each other
as previously described.
In another embodiment shown in Figs. 17, a cleaning pad 14 comprises at least
one but
preferably multiple absorbent layers 24. In one embodiment, the cleaning pad
14 comprises at
least an absorbent layer 24, a floor sheet 34 which is in direct fluid
communication with the
bottom surface of the absorbent layer 24, a barrier layer 44 which is located
on the top of the
absorbent layer 24, attachment wings 54, 64 for removably attaching the pad to
retaining means
located on the top surface of a mop head and, optionally but preferably, at
least one functional
cuff 74.
The absorbent layer(s) 24 can be made of any of the materials described
hereinafter. In
one embodiment, the cleaning pad 14 comprises at least two, but preferably at
least three
absorbent layers 24 which are consecutively in fluid communication and which
have different
widths such that the overall absorbent core, formed by the multiple absorbent
layers 24, has
multiple widths along the z axis.
In one embodiment, the barrier layer 44 (or backsheet) can be made from a
substantially
impervious material such as polyethethlene, polypropylene, polyester, and
similar films, or from
a semi-pervious material including one or more non-wovens layers such as SMS
(spun-bond,
melblown spun-bond), spun-bonded, carded, thermal bonded or hydro-entangled in
order to keep
liquid and dirt that is absorbed contained within the absorbent core of the
pad 14 while at the
same time helping to keep the bottom of the mop head dry and clean. In one
embodiment, the
barrier layer 44 can be composed of a single layer or multiple layers. When
the cleaning pad 14
is used with a cleaning implement having a built-in fluid delivery mechanism,
and in particular
when this fluid delivery mechanism tends to dribble liquid onto the back of
the pad 14 while the
liquid is being delivered, it is beneficial for the barrier layer 44 to be
semi-pervious rather than
substantially impervious. Without intending to be bound by any theory, it is
believed that if
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some liquid dribbles onto the back of the pad 14 having a barrier layer 44
made of a semi-
pervious, this liquid can penetrate through the substantially impervious layer
and then be
absorbed by the absorbent layer(s) 24. An semi-pervious layer reduces the
accumulation of
liquid onto the back of the pad, which otherwise could potentially drip onto
the floor when a user
removes the pad from the mop head. One example of suitable semi-pervious
material is an
apertured polyethylene film. In one embodiment, apertures can be made to a
barrier layer 44,
made of either a semi-pervious or substantially impervious material, by
cutting holes or slits into
the layer. For example, apertures can be made on a polyethylene film which has
already been
formed or by creating the apertures in the film during its formation. An
example of such a
process is the vacuum forming technology used by Tredegar Industries.
In one embodiment, the cleaning pad 14 comprises at least a pair of attachment
wings 54,
64 which can be attached to one of the layers of the pad 14, preferably the
barrier layer 44. The
attachment wings 54, 64 can be attached to the barrier layer 44 with an
adhesive such as a
hotmelt adhesive which can be applied to a defined area of the barrier layer
44, preferably an area
adjacent to the leading edge and the trailing edge of the barrier layer 44, in
any pattern known in
the art such as beads, spirals or slot coating.
In one embodiment, the attachment wings 54, 64 can be made from plastic films,
non-
wovens, paper or any combination or laminates of these materials. In a
preferred embodiment,
the attachment wings 54, 64 are made from a material having a good dry
strength and a good wet
strength. By "dry strength" it is meant that when the material is
substantially dry, it does not
substantially tear or overly stretch, in particular when the attachment wings
54, 64 are pulled and
then mechanically engaged by retaining means located on the top of a mop head.
By "wet
strength" it is meant that the structural properties of the material do not
substantially degrade
when the material is wet. A good wet strength is beneficial when a liquid gets
in contact
accidentally with the attachment wings 54, 64 during a wet mopping operation.
It is possible to
characterize the type of material used to make the attachment wings 54, 64 by
its Machine
Direction (herein after "MD") and/or its Cross Direction (hereinafter "CD")
properties. One
skilled in the art will understand that by "Machine Direction", it is meant
the direction in which
the greater number of the fibers of a substrate tend to be oriented. The
substrate is typically
stronger in the machine direction, and also experiences less dimensional
variation in the machine
direction. By "Cross Direction", it is meant the direction substantially
perpendicular to the
machine direction. In one embodiment, the attachment wings 54, 64 can be
attached to the
cleaning pad 14 such that the MD of the material is oriented along the length
of the pad (i.e.
parallel to the leading/trailing edges of the pad) and the CD of the material
is oriented along the
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16
width of the pad (i.e. substantially perpendicular to the leading /trailing
edges of the pad).
Without intending to be bound by any theory, it is believed that in this
embodiment, the CD
tensile properties are particularly relevant to the tear resistance of the
attachment wings 54, 64
since this is the direction in which the attachment wings are stretched and
pulled by the user
when the user wishes to attach the wings to the retaining means on the top of
the mop head. In
another embodiment, the attachment wings 54, 64 can be attached to the
cleaning pad 14 such
that the CD of the material is oriented along the length of the pad (i.e.
parallel to the
leading/trailing edges of the pad) and the MD of the material is oriented
along the width of the
pad 14 (i.e. substantially perpendicular to the leading /trailing edges of the
pad). In one
embodiment the tensile strength of the attachment wing 54, 64 in the direction
substantially
perpendicular to the leading/trailing edges of the pad 14 is at least about
300 g/inch, preferably at
least about 500 g/inch and more preferably at least about 700 g/inch. It is
also believed that in
order to have the attachment wings 54, 64 being suitably retained by the
retaining means, the
degree of bulk or the thickness of the material used to make the attachment
wings 54, 64 should
be carefully chosen. In one embodiment, the material used to make the
attachment wings 54, 64
has a thickness of at least about 0.2 mm, preferably at least about 0.25 mm
and more preferably at
least about 0.3 mm when measured under a 0.1 psi force using a caliper gauge.
In addition, it is
believed that the stiffness of the attachment wings 54, 64 can impact on the
ability of the user to
"manipulate" the attachment wings. In one embodiment, the material used to
make the
attachment wings 54, 64 has a basis weight of at least about 15 g/sqm (or 15
gsm), preferably at
least 30 g/sqm (or 30 gsm), and more preferably at least about 40 g/sqm (or 40
gsm). It can also
be beneficial that the attachment wings 54, 64 be substantially tear
resistant, in particular when a
portion of the attachment wings is "tucked" into the deflectable slitted
attachment structures or
gripper which can have sharp edges. It can also be beneficial that the
material used to make the
attachment wings 54, 64 have a certain amount of texture or roughness in order
for the
attachment wings 54, 64 to remain engaged within the retaining structures
located on the top of a
mop head, in particular during the mopping operation. A "smoother" material
having a lower co-
efficient of friction can potentially cause the attachment wings 54, 64 to
slip out of the retaining
means located on the top of a mop head. Non-limiting examples of suitable
materials used to
make the attachment wings include non-wovens such as spun-bonds, spun-bond
melt blown
spun-bonds, hydro-entangled and the like. Plastic materials, in the form of
films, are typically
smoother than non-wovens and tend to be less puncture resistant but can still
be used, although
not preferred, to make the attachment wings 54, 64. In one embodiment, the
attachment wings
54, 64 can be made of a plastic material having a relatively high basis weight
of at least about 25
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17
gsm, more preferably about 30 gsm and even more preferably about 40 gsm. The
attachment
wings 54, 64 can also be made of a film of plastic material which can be
laminated to another
material. The attachment wings 54, 64 can also be made of a plastic material
which can be
modified, i.e. made with co-polymers or embossing to reduce the material's
smoothness. One
possible way to achieve this result is to apply hot melts or the like, to the
surface of the film in
order to create bulk and/or roughness or also by applying an elastomeric
material to the surface of
the attachment wings 54, 64. Non-limiting examples of suitable hotmelt
adhesives include HL-
2238, HL-1461, D-3151 and HL-1620 made by the HB Fuller Company, of St. Paul,
Minnesota,
and H2737, H2738, H2736, HX5275-01, HX5258-01, made by Bostik Findley Inc, of
Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. In one embodiment, a plastic film can also be deformed
or corrugated
by ring rolling type technologies which are well known in the art in order to
create bulk and/or
roughness.
Many of the modern type cleaning implements have a built-in fluid delivery
mechanism
comprising a nozzle removably or permanently attached to the mop head or the
handle of the
implement. As previously discussed, it can therefore be beneficial that at
least one of the
attachment wings 54, 64 have a notch or cut-out 154 as shown in Fig. 17. This
notch or cut-out
154 allows the user to attach the cleaning pad to the mop head of an implement
having a nozzle
located on the top of the mop head while allowing a liquid to be delivered
from the nozzle
without being blocked or obstructed by the attachment wing 54. In a preferred
embodiment, a
cleaning pad 14 comprises a pair of attachment wings 54, 64 each having a
notch or cut-out 154,
164 such that a user can attach the cleaning pad to the mop head independently
of the orientation
of the leading edge or trailing edge of the pad 14. One skilled in the art
will understand that
instead of having an attachment wing 54, 64 made of a continuous layer of
material with a notch
154, 164, the same result can be achieved by providing a cleaning pad with
four separate
attachment wings 541, 542, 641 and 642, attached by pair on each side of the
pad, i.e. on the
leading edge and/or the trailing edge of the pad such that there is a space in
between these two
separate attachment wings located on a same edge as shown in Fig. 18.
In one embodiment, the notch 154 can be made by cutting out a substantially
centered
section of an attachment wing 54. In one embodiment, the attachment wings 54,
64 each having
a notch 154, 164 can be made by providing a layer or web of material 84 from a
roll of material
and by subjecting this layer to a knife which punches out a preferably
symmetrical centered notch
184 as shown in Fig. 19a. The portion of material which has been cut out from
the continuous
web of material 84, is then immediately removed from the web using a vacuum.
At this point of
the process, the layer (web) of material 84 is still in one piece but for the
centered portion which
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18
has been removed. The layer of material can then be cut along its with and
slit in the middle in
order to create the two separate attachment wings 54, 64 as shown in Figs. 19b
and 19c.
In a preferred embodiment represented in Figs. 20a through 20c, the layer of
material 84
is only partially cut in the middle with for example a perforation blade in
order to create a
perforation line 284 defining the outer edges of the attachment wings 54, 64
while maintaining
the integrity of the layer of material 84. Preserving the layer's integrity
can simplify the
manufacturing process since a single layer of material 84 can be tracked more
uniformly relative
to the rest of the pad. The perforations of the centered perforation line 284
can all have the same
size or can vary in length or can also include a succession of short
perforations followed by a
long perforation. As previously discussed, the perforation line 284 allows a
user to separate the
wings easily along a substantially continuous line before attaching to
implement head.
In another embodiment represented in Figs. 21a through 21c, the attachment
wings 54,
64 can be made via a "nesting" process. During the "nesting" process, a
symmetrical and
periodical shape 384 is cut through a web of material 84 as shown in Fig. 21
a. The two layers of
material obtained, and which ultimately form the attachment wings 54, 64, can
then be aligned as
shown in Fig. 21b. The two separate layers 54, 64 can be aligned, for example
by increasing the
speed of one them relative to the other. Once the two separate layers are
properly aligned, these
can be cut along their width to form a pair of attachment wings 54, 64 as
shown in Fig. 21c.
Among other benefits, the "nesting" process reduces the amount of material
being wasted as
previously described when a notch 184 is cut in a centered area of a layer but
it also simplifies the
manufacturing process of the cleaning pad 14. The shape can be any symmetrical
shape as long
as it provides the notches 154, 164 which allow a liquid to be delivered from
a nozzle without
being blocked by the attachment wing 54 or 64. Non-limiting examples of
suitable shapes
include sinusoidal, triangular, rectangular or any combination thereof.
In one embodiment, once the attachment wings 54, 64 have been cut, and
optionally but
preferably notched, these are bonded onto a pad 14. The attachment wings 54,
64 can be bonded
to the pad 14 via any process known in the art. Non-limiting examples of
suitable bonding
processes include adhesive bonding, heat sealing, mechanical crimping,
ultrasonic welding and
the like.
In one embodiment shown in Fig. 22, each attachment wing 54, 64 can be bonded
respectively to a first and a second area 254, 264 which can be substantially
adjacent to the
leading and trailing edges of the pad. In a preferred embodiment the
attachment wings 54, 64 are
respectively bonded to the areas 254, 264 with glue beads which provide a
suitable bond strength.
In one embodiment, each bonding area 254, 264 has a width between about Imm
and about
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15mm. One skilled in the art will understand that when a pad 14 has a fixed
width W, the smaller
the width of each bonding area 254, 264, the greater the distance between the
two attachment
wings 54, 64 can be. Optimizing the distance between two attachment wings 54,
64 is
particularly beneficial when a cleaning pad is used with a cleaning implement
having a wider
mop head. As previously discussed, other types of bonding processes can be
used to bond the
attachment wings 54, 64 to the cleaning pad and provide a suitable bond
strength while
optimizing the distance between two attachment wings. For example, the
attachment wings 54,
64 can be thermo-bonded to the barrier layer of the cleaning pad but in this
case, the materials
used to make the attachment wings and the barrier layer should be chosen
depending on their
bonding compatibility
In one embodiment shown in Figs. 22 and 23, the attachment wings 54, 64 can
optionally
but preferably be partially bonded to the barrier layer 44 of the cleaning pad
in addition to being
bonded to the leading edge and trailing edge of the barrier layer 44. Each
attachment wing 54, 64
can be partially bonded respectively to an area of the barrier layer 44 in
order to form partial
bonds 144, 244 and such that each attachment wing 54, 64 is "tacked down" onto
the top surface
of the barrier layer 44. The partial bonds 144, 244 prevent each attachment
wing from sliding
against the top surface of the barrier layer and keep them in place until a
user "breaks" the partial
bonds 144, 244 by pulling on the attachment wings 54, 64. Without intending to
be bound by
any theory, it is believed that when a cleaning pad 14 is attached to the
bottom surface of a mop
head having hook fasteners, the partial bonds 144, 244 minimize the risk that
the cleaning pad 14
would be removed from the mop head due to shear forces exerted on the pad
during the mopping
operation and in particular when the absorbent layer(s) 24 of the pad
increasingly absorbs a
liquid. The partial bonds 144, 244 also contribute to distribute homogeneously
the shear forces
exerted on the pad 14 to a wider portion of the loop fastener and, as a
result, the partial bonds
144, 244 avoid a concentration of the shear strength to a local area of the
loop fasteners. The
partial bonds 144, 244 are preferably easily frangible or "breakable" by a
user when a user pulls
or peels the attachment wings 54, 64 in order to attach the cleaning pad to
retaining means
located on the top of a mop head. Suitable partial bonds 144, 244 can be made
via any process
known in the art. Non-limiting examples of suitable processes include adhesive
bonding, heat
sealing, mechanical crimping, ultrasonic welding and the like. In one
embodiment, the partial
bonds 144, 244 are formed by applying a low level of a hotmelt adhesive to a
small area of the
top surface of the barrier layer 44 which is preferably not greater than about
36 mm2 in order to
create a spot weld.
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In one embodiment, a partial bond 144 can be located anywhere between the
bonding
area 254 and the loose edge 354 of an attachment wing 54. In a preferred
embodiment, the
distance between the bonding area 254 and a partial bond 144 is between about
1/5 and about 4/5,
preferably between about 1/3 and 2/3 and more preferably about 1/2 the
distance between the
bonding area 254 and the loose edge 354 of the attachment wing 54. Among other
benefits,
leaving a loose edge 354 "unbonded" allows a user to grab the edge 354 of the
attachment wing
54 and pull on the attachment wing 54 in order to break the partial bond 144.
One skilled in the
art will understand that the size, location and bonding strength of the
partial bond 144 can be
adapted while still providing the same benefits.
In one embodiment, the bond strength of the partial bond, based on maximum
peak force,
is between about 30 g/inch width and about 300 g/inch width, preferably
between about 30 g/inch
width and about 200 g/inch width and more preferably between about 30 g/inch
width and about
200 g/inch width. The maximum peak force of the partial bond can be measured
by following
the ASTM test D 1876-95 (Standard Test Method for Peel Resistance also known
as T-Peel
Test). In a preferred embodiment, neither the attachment wing (or attachment
wing portion) nor
the barrier layer (or absorbent layer if no barrier layer is present) are
substantially damaged, i.e.
torn, when a user peels an attachment wing (or attachment wing portion) and
"break" the partial
bond. One skilled in the art will understand that the partial bond strength
can be adjusted
depending on the dry weight of the cleaning pad and the total absorbent
capacity of the pad such
that the partial bond is not broken due to the pad's weight. By "total
absorbent capacity", it is
meant the total amount of deionized water that can be absorbed by the pad. One
skilled in the art
will also appreciate that the amount of shear force exerted to the pad during
the cleaning
operation preferably do not cause the partial bond to break.
In one embodiment, the attachment wings 54, 64 which are bonded adjacent to
the
leading edge and trailing edge of the pad 14, can be partially bonded to each
other as shown in
Fig. 24. The attachment wings 54, 64 can be partially bonded to each other
either by creating at
least one partial bond 484 between two separate and opposite wings as
previously discussed or by
having at least a perforation line 284 located substantially at the center of
a layer of material and
which can be broken by a user to create the attachment wings 54, 64 as
previously described. A
partial bond between the attachment wings 54, 64 improves the "retainability"
of a cleaning pad
to the bottom surface of a mop head having hook fasteners. A partial bond 484
between the
attachment wings 54, 64 is particularly valuable when each attachment wing is
not partially
bonded to the top surface of the cleaning pad and/or when strips of loop
fasteners 94, 104 are
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located on the top of each attachment wings 54, 64, especially when the strips
of loops fasteners
94, 104 are located away from the bonding area 254, 264.
As previously discussed, the cleaning pad 14 of the present invention can be
used with
either a cleaning implement having retaining means located on the top of a mop
head or a
cleaning implement having retaining means located at the bottom of the mop
head. Typically,
retaining means located on the bottom of a mop head are hook fasteners having
hook protrusions
suitable for mechanically engaging and retaining the grabable fibers of loop
materials.
Consequently, the "retainability" of a cleaning pad on the bottom surface of a
mop head having
hook fasteners can be influenced by the type of loop material present on the
cleaning pad. In one
embodiment, strips of loop fasteners 94, 104 can be added to a cleaning pad
14, preferably to a
surface of the cleaning pad which is directly or indirectly accessible by the
hook fasteners of a
mop head. Non-limiting examples of suitable loop fasteners include XPL -99139
available from
3M Corp., Series 800, 804, and 040 loops from Aplix Corp., Series 1000 and
2000 from Velcro
USA Inc. As previously discussed, strips of loop fasteners 94, 104 are
preferably added to an
outer (or top) surface of the cleaning pad 14 which is directly accessible and
engageable by the
hook fasteners of a mop head without requiring a user to pull the attachment
wings 54, 64. In this
configuration, a user can simply apply the top surface of the cleaning pad
against the bottom
surface of the mop head having hook fasteners in order attach the pad to the
implement. In one
embodiment, strips of loop fasteners 94, 104 can be added to the top surface
of the barrier layer
44 (or absorbent layer 24 if no barrier layer is used) such that the strips of
loop fasteners are
"sandwiched" between the attachment wings 54, 64 and the barrier layer 44. In
one embodiment,
the attachment wings 54, 64 can be made of the same type of material as the
functional cuffs
previously described. Among other benefits, not only these attachment wings
54, 64 are
removably attachable to a cleaning implement having retaining means on the top
surface of the
mop head, but also provide the same benefits as the functional cuffs 74 when
the pad 14 is used
with a cleaning implement having hook fasteners. When the cleaning pad is used
with an
implement having hook fasteners at the bottom of the mop head, the "unused"
portion of the
attachment wings 54, 64 can extend outwardly and downwardly such that they can
contact the
floor surface during a typical mopping operation.
In one embodiment, each attachment wing 54, 64 can optionally have
respectively a
perforation line 454, 464 which is substantially adjacent to the bonding areas
254, 264 such that a
user can optionally remove the attachment wings 54, 64 from the pad 14. This
can be the case
when the attachment wings 54, 64 are not needed for retaining a pad about the
mop head of an
implement having hook fasteners.
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As previously discussed, strips of loop fasteners 94, 104 can be attached to
either the top
surface of the barrier layer 44 or the top surface of the attachment wings 54,
64. Many loop
fastener type materials can be viewed as "optimized" in the sense that they
are specifically
designed to be engaged by and removed from hook fasteners materials several
times while
maintaining good retainability properties. By "optimized loop material", it is
meant a material
having a Peel Force greater than about 200g when measured with the Peel Force
Test which is
described in greater details hereinafter. However, a cleaning pad 14 which is
used with cleaning
implements having hook fasteners is only attached to and removed from the mop
head a
relatively small number of times before the pad is used and disposed of.
Consequently, an
"optimized" loop material may not be needed to allow a pad 14 to be retained
to hook fasteners
located on the bottom surface of a mop head. In addition, "optimized" loop
type materials can be
rather costly. In order to minimize the manufacturing cost of a cleaning pad
while providing a
suitable pad which can be used with different types of cleaning implements, a
cleaning pad 14
can comprise relatively small strips of "optimized" loop materials. By
"acceptable retainability
properties" it is meant that a cleaning pad 14 should substantially remain
attached to a mop head
having hooks fasteners during the mopping operation and/or remain
substantially attached to the
mop head when the mop head is lifted from the floor surface. In one
embodiment, a cleaning pad
14 comprises a least two strips 94, 104 of "optimized" loop material, each
having an area of at
least about 100 mm2, preferably at least about 250 mmz, and more preferably at
least about 500
mm 2.
Surprisingly, it was found that for a specific applications such as, cleaning
pads attached
to the hook fasteners of a mop head, other types of loop materials can be used
and still provide
the same benefits as the "optimized" type loop fasteners. In one embodiment, a
cleaning pad 14
can include attachment wings 54, 64 made of a loop fastener material made of a
non-wovens
material having a suitable degree of grabable fibers, bulk and/or thickness.
It was discovered that
the ability of a loop fastener type material to be retained by hook fasteners
and, consequently, the
ability of a cleaning pad to stay attached to a mop head, can decrease if a
liquid is absorbed by
the loop fastener type material. Synthetic fibers are substantially
hydrophobic and, consequently,
do not substantially absorb liquids. In a preferred embodiment, the loop
fasteners can be made
from non-woven materials comprising synthetic fibers which can be in the form
of a mono-layer
or multi-layer type material. In one embodiment, a cleaning pad 14 can have
further include
strips of non-woven loop type material 94, 104 attached to the attachment
wings 54, 64 or the
barrier layer 44 as previously discussed. When additional strips of loop
fasteners 94, 104 are
added to a cleaning pad, the attachment wings 54, 64 can be made of a material
of a material
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23
having a Peel Force of more than about 30 g, but the attachment wings 54, 64
are preferably
made of a material having a Peel Force of less than about 30 g.
In one embodiment shown in Fig. 25, a cleaning pad 14 can have attachment
wings 54,
64 entirely made of a non-woven loop fastener type material. Among other
benefits, the use of a
non-woven loop type material to make the attachment wings 54, 64, simplifies
the manufacturing
process of the cleaning pad since additional strips of loop fasteners are not
needed. As previously
discussed, the thickness of the attachment wings 54, 64, which is related to
the degree of bulk,
can impact on the ability of the attachment wings 54, 64 to be retained by the
attachment
structures located on the top of the mop head. The thickness of the attachment
wings 54, 64 can
also impact on the degree of stiffness of the attachment wings and, as a
result, on the user's
ability to "open" (or pull) the attachment wings and then attach the cleaning
pad 14 to the mop
head. In addition, attachment wings 54, 64 made of thicker/stiffer materials
can have a tendency
to return (or spring back) to their original folded shape. This tendency to
return to their original
folded and/or unfolded shape may not be well accepted by a user. On the other
hand, attachment
wings 54, 64 made of thinner are easier to open by a user and do not have the
same tendency to
return to their original folded and/or unfolded shape once opened by a user.
The advantages
offered by thinner attachment wings 54, 64 must be balanced against their
relatively poor tear
resistance and low degree of bulk, in particular when the attachment wings 54,
64 are attached to
sharp slitted structures. In order to offer the advantages of the thinner
attachment wings while
trying to limit their relative weakness from a consumer point of view, a
cleaning pad can
comprise attachment wings 54, 64 having a width greater than about 50% of the
width of the
cleaning pad 14 such that the attachment wings 54, 64 overlap on the centered
portion 474 of the
pad as shown in Fig. 24. One skilled in the art will understand that by
increasing the width of the
attachment wings 54, 64, it becomes possible to insert more material within
each slitted
attachment structures of the mop head and, as a result, increase the bulk
and/or retainability of the
cleaning pad 14 on the mop head. In one embodiment, at least a portion 554,
564 of the
attachment wings 54, 64, preferably the portion of the attachment wings which
is engaged by the
attachment structures of the mop head, has an overall thickness which is
greater than the
thickness of the remainder of the attachment wing 54, 64.
In one embodiment, a layer of material can be bonded to a portion of each
attachment
wings 54, 64 in order to increase the thickness of this portion.
In another embodiment shown in Fig. 26, a portion of the layer of material
used to make
the attachment wings 54, 64 can be folded (or "looped") and bonded along its
length in order to
increase, i.e. double, the thickness of the attachment wing 54, 64. In yet
another embodiment,
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each attachment wing 54, 64 can be made of at least two juxtaposed layers of
material. Among
other benefits, increasing the thickness of at least a portion of each
attachment wing 54, 64 can
enhance the retainability of this portion of the attachment wings to slitted
attachment structures.
Increasing the thickness of at least a portion of the attachment wings also
enhances the
retainability of the attachment wings to the hook fasteners at the bottom
surface of a mop head.
IV. Test Method
Suitable non-woven or non-woven laminates materials, which can be used as loop
type
fasteners, are identified with the following tests. These tests are aimed at
recreating the usage
conditions of a cleaning pad in both a dry and wet environment as well as
determining the peel
force of suitable loop fasteners materials.
"Dry" and "Wet" tests:
During the "dry" and "wet" tests, various non-woven materials are used to make
attachment wings or strips of loop fasteners which are attached to a cleaning
pad identical to the
SWIFFER WETJETO cleaning pad sold by The Procter & Gamble Company. In
addition, other
commercially available cleaning pads such as the Readymop0 cleaning pad, sold
by The Clorox
Company as well as the GoMopTM cleaning pad, sold by the S. C. Johnson
Company, are tested
as well.
The first test is performed to evaluate the retainability of a substantially
dry cleaning pad
to the hook fasteners at the bottom surface of the mop head of a SWIFFER
WETJET cleaning
implement.
The second test is performed to evaluate the retainability of a cleaning pad
which has
absorbed about 100 ml of deionized water, to the hook fasteners at the bottom
surface of the mop
head of a SWIFFER WETJETO cleaning implement.
These two test were perfomed as follows:
Substantially Dry Pad Attachment Test:
Several cleaning pads are placed such that their bottom surface is laying flat
on a vinyl
floor surface measuring about 3 ft by 3 ft. A SWIFFER WETJETO cleaning
implement having
hook fasteners at the bottom surface of the mop head is then carefully applied
against the top of
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the cleaning pads top surface such that the cleaning pad is substantially
aligned with the bottom
surface of the mop head. A firm pressure of about 0.5 psi is applied
downwardly on the handle of
the cleaning implement for approximately 3 seconds. The pad is then wiped
against the floor
surface, in forward and backward motion for 6 swipes while also moving the mop
head from the
left to the right. The same motion is repeated from the right to the left. The
pressure applied to
the handle of the cleaning implement used during the wiping motion is
approximately 0.25 psi.
The mop head of the implement is then lifted off the floor surface and raised
approximately from
about 12 inches off the floor. If the cleaning pad remains substantially
attached to the mop head,
it is recorded that this cleaning pad passes the "dry test." If the cleaning
pad drops from the mop
head, it is recorded that this cleaning pad fails the "dry test."
Substantially Wet Pad Attachment Test:
Each pad of the previous test is then placed on a bench such that the bottom
surface of
the pad is facing upwards. 100 milliliters of a deionized water is then poured
evenly onto each
pad. Each cleaning pad is left on the bench for approximately 1 minute in
order to let deionized
water evenly penetrate into the pad.
As previously described in the "dry test", each cleaning pad is placed such
that its floor
sheet is laying flat on the same vinyl floor surface. A SWIFFER WETJETO
cleaning implement
is then carefully applied against the top of the cleaning pad back such that
the cleaning pad is
substantially aligned with the bottom surface of the mop head. A firm pressure
of about 0.5 psi is
applied downwardly on the handle of the cleaning implement for approximately 3
seconds. The
pad is then wiped against the floor surface, in forward and backward motion
for 6 swipes moving
from the left to the right. The same motion is repeated from the right to the
left. The pressure
applied to the handle of the cleaning implement used during the wiping motion
is approximately
0.25 psi. The mop head of the implement is then lifted off the floor surface
and raised
approximately from about 12 inches off the floor. If the cleaning pad remains
substantially
attached to the mop head, it is recorded that this cleaning pad passes the
"wet test." If the
cleaning pad drops from the mop head, it is recorded that this cleaning pad
fails the "wet test."
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Table 1
"Dry test" and "Wet test" results
Loop
Wings
Type of Wing fasteners
Wing partially Attachment
Example Cleaning Configura- or Extra
Material bonded to Pass/Fail
Pad tion Strip
the pad
Added
70 gsm
apertured
Uniform
Clorox spun-lace
Commercially separated
Ready 70:30 Dry - Fail
available no wings + No No
mop Rayon:PET Wet - Fail
modification Notch
-0.75mm
thick
250 gsm
core Uniform
II
embossed separated
Commercially Grab-it
onto 15 wings Dry - Fail
available no Go Mop No No
gsm spun- without Wet- Fail
modification
bond, 3.4 Notch
mm thick
Yes - 3M
III loops
Commercially 15 mm
WETJET None None Dry - Pass
available no No wide X
Wet - Pass
modification 1.4 mm
thick
Modified Cleaning Pads having Single layer Material to make attacbment wings
40 gsm spun-
Notched+l2mm
bond, 100% N Dry - Pass
1 WETJET overlap at center None
Polypropylene, o Wet - Fail
wings separated
0.35 mm thick
40 gsm spun-
Notched+l2mm Y
bond, 100%
2 WETJET overlap at center e None Dry - Pass
Polypropylene,
wings separated s Wet - Pass
0.35 mm thick
3 WETJET 40 gsm spun- Notched+ N None
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bond, 100% perforation line o Dry - Pass
Polypropylene, keeping attachment Wet - Pass
0.35 mm thick wings partially
attached
20 gsm spun-
Notched+l2mm
bond, 100% N
4 WETJET overlap at center , None Dry - Pass
Polypropylene, o
wings separated Wet - Fail
0.21 mm thick
20 gsm spun
Notched+25mm Y
bond, 100%
WETJET Polypropylene, fold-over at center , e None Dry - Pass
0.21 mm thick wings separated s Wet - Pass
Notched+
20 gsm spun-
perforation line
bond, 100% N
6 WETJET keeping attachment None Dry - Pass
Polypropylene, o
0.21 mm thick wings partially Wet - Fail
attached
Notched+
20 gsm spun
perforation line Y
bond, 100%
7 WETJET keeping attachment e None Dry - Pass
Polypropylene,
0.21 mm thick wings partially s Wet - Pass
attached
60 gsm spun-
bond- Notched+
meltblown- perforation line Y
8 WETJET spun-bond, keeping attachment e None Dry - Pass
100% wings partially s Wet - Fail
Polypropylene, attached
0.58 mm thick
30 gsm spun-
bond- Notched+
meltblown- perforation line Y
9 WETJET spun-bond, keeping attachment e None Dry - Pass
100% wings partially s Wet - Fail
Polypropylene, attached
0.27 nun thick
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20 gsm spun-
bond- Notched+
meltblown- perforation line Y
WETJET spun-bond, keeping attachment e None Dry - Pass
100% wings partially s Wet - Pass
Polypropylene, attached
0.21 mm thick
Modified pads having Material For Attachment Wing and additional strip of
Material for
Attachment to hook fasteners
gsm spun
Notched+ 12 mm Yes - 3M loops
bond, 100%
11 WETJET overlap at center, No 15 mm wide X Dry - Pass
Polypropylene,
wings separated 1.4 mm thick Wet - Pass
0.21 mm thick
20 gsm spun- Notched+
bond, 100% perforation line Yes - 3M loops
Dry - Pass
12 WETJET Polypropylene keeping No 15 mm wide X
Wet - Pass
attachment wings 1.4 mm thick
0.21 mm thick partially attached
Yes-30 gsm
thru air, 100%
bicomponent,
20 gsm spun- Notched+ 12 mm
0.4mm
bond, 100% over-lap at
13 WETJET No thick/laminated Dry - Pass
Polypropylene, center, wings
to apertured Wet - Pass
0.21 mm thick separated
film
15 mm wide X
0.6mm
20 gsm spun- Notched+
bond, 100% perforation line Yes - 20 gsm
14 WETJET Polypropylene, keeping No spun-bond Dry - Pass
0.21 mm thick attachment wings 36 mm strip Wet - Fail
20 partially attached
20 gsm spun- Notched+ Yes - 20 gsm
15 WETJET bond, 100% perforation line Yes spun-bond Dry - Pass
Polypropylene, keeping 36 mm strip Wet - Pass
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0.21 nun thick attachment wings
20 partially attached
70 gsm
apertured
Clorox Uniform Yes - 20 gsm
spun-lace
16 Ready separated wings spun-bond Dry - Pass
70:30 No
mop + Notch 36 mm strip Wet - Fail
Rayon:PET,
0.75 mm thick
70 gsm
apertured
Clorox Uniform Yes - 20 gsm
spun-lace Dry - Pass
17 Ready separated wings Yes spun-bond
70:30 Wet - Pass
mop + Notch 36 mm strip
Rayon:PET,
0.75 mm thick
250 gsm core
embossed onto Uniform Yes - 20 gsm
Grab-it Dry - Pass
18 15 gsm spun- separated wings No spun-bond
Go Mop Wet - Fail
bond, without Notch 36 nun strip
3.4 mm thick
250 gsm core
embossed onto Uniform Yes - 20 gsm
19 Grab-it Dry - Pass
15 gsm spun- separated wings Yes spun-bond
Go Mop Wet - Pass
bond, without Notch 36 mm strip
3.4 mm thick
Interpretation of the results recorded in Table I
As previously discussed, The "dry test" and the "wet test" are intended to
identify
suitable materials which can be used as loop fasteners either to make the
attachment wings or to
make strips of loop fasteners attached to the pad. In addition, these tests
are also intended to
identify suitable design configurations of the cleaning pad (attachment wings
partially bonded to
the top of the cleaning pad, attachment wings partially bonded to each other,
need/location of an
additional strip of loop fasteners).
The examples I, II and III demonstrate that none of the absorbent cleaning
pads currently
available on the market (as of November 2002) can be used with various
cleaning implements.
The absorbent cleaning pads of examples I and II, which have attachment wings,
are
suitable to be used with a cleaning implement having retaining means located
on the top of a mop
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head but cannot be used with a cleaning implement having hook type fasteners
located at the
bottom surface of a mop head.
Conversely, the absorbent cleaning pad of example III, which does not have any
attachment wings, can be used with a cleaning implement having hook fasteners
at the bottom
surface of a mop head but cannot be used with a cleaning implement having
retaining means
located on the top surface of a mop head.
The cleaning pads of examples 1 through 10 are SWIFFER WETJET type absorbent
cleaning pads which have been modified to include attachment wings made of
various materials
and having various design configurations. The attachment wings of the pads of
examples I
through 10 are suitable to removably attach the pads to implements which have
retaining means
located on the top surface of their mop head. In examples 1 through 10, the
attachment wings are
the sole retainable means used to removably attach the pads to hook type
fasteners, i.e. no
additional strip of loop fasteners materials is added to the pads.
The attachment wings of the pads of examples 1, 2 and 3 are made of the same
material
(i.e. a 40 gsm spun-bond material) and show the benefit of creating a partial
bond between the
attachment wings and the top surface of a pad, or between attachment wings
facing each other
(perforation line), in particular when the cleaning pad is wet.
The attachment wings of the pad of example 4 have the same design
configuration as the
attachment wings of example 1, i.e. attachment wings have no partial bond, but
are made of a
material having a different basis weight (a 20 gsm spun-bond material).
The attachment wings of the pad of example 5 are made of the same material as
the
attachment wings of example 4 but have a different design configuration, i.e.
they are partially
bonded to the top surface of the cleaning pad (as in example 2). Example 5
shows that even with
a material having a lower basis weight, a partial bond between the attachment
wings and the top
surface of the pad can be beneficial and enhance the pad retainability.
The attachment wings of example 6 are made of the same material as the
attachment
wings of examples 4 and 5 and are partially bonded to each other via a
perforation line.
The attachment wings of examples 7 are additionally bonded to the top surface
of the pad
in comparison with the attachment wings of example 6 which are not. Examples 6
and 7
demonstrate the benefit and even superiority of creating a partial bond
between the attachment
wings and the top surface of the pad.
In addition, examples 3 and 6 show that the basis weight, the thickness, and
the degree of
stiffness of the material used to make the attachment wings can have an impact
on the
retainability of a cleaning pad in particular when the cleaning pad is wet.
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The attachment wings of the cleaning pads of examples 8 through 10 have the
same
design configuration, i.e. wings partially bonded to the top surface of the
pad as well as wings
being partially bonded to each other via a perforation line, but are made of a
material (spun-
bond/meltblown/spun-bond) having various basis weights.
Surprisingly, with this specific design configuration, it was found that the
only cleaning
pad which passes both the "dry test" and the "wet test" is the cleaning pad
having wings made of
the lowest basis weight material. Without intending to be bound by any theory,
it is believed that
the meltblown component of this type of non-woven material (SMS) has a
tendency to pin down
some of the grabable fibers of the material. In addition, SMS materials have a
lower degree of
grabable fibers than the spun-bond materials tested in examples I through 7.
It is also believed
that the hook protrusions of the hook fasteners are better able to "pierce"
through the layer of
material having the lowest basis weight. This "piercing" ability through the
material with the
lowest basis weight can explain why the attachment wings of example 10 enhance
the pad
retainability to the bottom surface of the mop head, in particular when the
cleaning pad is wet.
The cleaning pads of examples 11 through 19 are either SWIFFER WETJETO, READY-
MOPO or GO-MOPO type cleaning pads which have been modified to include
additional strips
of loop fasteners materials.
The attachment wings of the cleaning pads of examples 11 and 12 are made of
the same
type of material but have different design configurations. Additional strips
of "optimized" type
loop fasteners (3M XPL -99139), such as the ones located on the barrier layer
of the currently
available SWIFFER WETJETO cleaning pads, were bonded to the top surface of
each attachment
wings. Examples 11 and 12 show that independently of the design configuration
of the
attachment wings, the cleanings pads demonstrate excellent retainability to
the bottom surface of
the mop head. Without intending to be bound by any theory, it is believed that
the excellent
retainability of these pads is due to the high degree of grabable fibers of
the "optimized" strips of
loop fasteners.
The additional strips of loop fasteners of the pad of example 13 is made of a
thru-air non-
woven material which is laminated with an apertured formed film. The thru-air
non-woven
component is composed of 100% synthetic bicomponent fibers having an inner
core, which is a
high melt point polymer, and an outer sheath which is a low melt point
polymer. This type of
non-woven material has a high degree of grabable fibers and, as a result,
embossing is not needed
to enhance its integrity. The material integrity is obtained by partially
melting the outer polymer
of the bicomponent, which fuses fibers together to form this substrate. Since
the tensile strength
of this non-woven is relatively low, it is preferred to laminate this material
onto another non-
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woven in order to create a composite material which has significant grabable
fibers with suitable
tensile strength.
Examples 11, 12 and 13 show that loop fasteners having a high degree of "fiber
to hook"
engagements are beneficial independently of the degree of stiffness of the
material used to make
the wings or the design configuration of the attachment wings on the pad.
Examples 14 and 15 show the benefit of partially bonding the attachment wings
to the
top surface of a pad when the material, which is used for the additional
strips of loop fasteners,
has a relatively low basis weight, a low degree of stiffness and a relatively
low degree of "fiber to
hook" engagements. Without intending to be bound by any theory, it is believed
that the partial
bonds between the attachment wings and the top surface of the pad can offset
the shear forces
exerted on the attachment wings which have the tendency to "slide" on the
barrier layer of the
pad in particular when the pad is wet.
The cleaning pads of examples 16 through 19 are commercially available READY-
MOPO and GO-MOP type cleaning pads which have been modified to include strips
of loop
fasteners made of a 20 gsm spun-bond material, which are bonded to the top
surface of their
attachment wings and are tested in various design configurations.
Again, the pads of examples 17 and 19 when compared to the pads of examples 16
and
18 show the benefit of creating a partial bond between the attachment wings
and the top surface
of the cleaning pad, in particular when the cleaning pads are loaded with a
liquid.
As previously discussed, the cleaning pads of examples 1 through 15 are
modified
SWIFFER WETJETO cleaning pads which are commercially available as of November
2002.
These SWIFFER WETJETO cleaning pads have a dry weight of about 20 g and have a
total
absorbent capacity of about 250 ml of liquid. Consequently, the "wet" weight
of the SWIFFER
WETJETO cleaning pads is about 270 g. In addition, the bottom layer of these
pads, i.e. the
layer in direct contact with the floor surface during the mopping operation,
is made of an
apertured formed polyethelene film which has a coefficient of friction of
about 4 g/sqcm when
wiped on dry floor surface. One skilled in the art will understand that the
results obtained in the
"dry" and "wet" tests can be influenced by the "dry" weight and the "wet"
weight of the pads
being tested. For example, a "lighter" pad is more easily retained by the hook
fasteners of a mop
head in comparison to a "heavier" pad. Moreover, the cleaning pad total
absorbent capacity can
also impact on the pad retainability in particular when the pad is completely
saturated. For
example, two cleaning pads having a same dry weight but having different
absorbent capacities
do not need loop fasteners having identical retention properties. When both
cleaning pads are
fully saturated with a liquid, the cleaning pad having the lowest absorbent
capacity is "lighter"
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than the cleaning pad having the highest absorbent since the absorbent
capacity measures the
ability of a pad to absorb a liquid.
In addition, the coefficient of friction between the bottom layer of a
cleaning pad and the
floor surface during the cleaning operation can also impact on the pad
retainability on the hook
fasteners of a mop head. One skilled in the art will understand that when this
coefficient of
friction is low, the shear forces exerted on the cleaning pad are low in
comparison with a high
coefficient of friction resulting in more shear forces being exerted on the
pad.
Peel resistance test:
In order to better identify suitable materials which can be used for the
attachment wings
and/or the additional strips of loop fasteners, another test is conducted on
various types of
materials.
A series of Peel Resistance Tests is conducted on non-woven materials to
determine their
retainability on hook fasteners which are recovered from a SWIFFER WETJETO
cleaning
implement.
Prior to the test, strips of hook fasteners are removed from the bottom
surface of the mop
head of SWIFFER WETJETO cleaning implements, which are then adhesively
attached to a thin
sheet of paper in order to facilitate their manipulation during the tests.
The Peel Resistance tests which are conducted follow the test protocol from
ASTM test
D 1876-95 (Standard Test Method for Peel Resistance also known as T-Peel Test)
with the
following minor modifications.
l. The test samples consist of various non-wovens and non-woven laminates
tested onto
hook fasteners from a SWIFFER WETJETO cleaning implement.
2. The test samples are strips of non-woven which are about 25 mm wide by 128
mm long.
Each test sample is positioned on the top of flat bench. The strips of hook
fasteners are
about 25 mm by 128 mm long. A strip of hook fasteners is applied against the
top of a non-
woven test sample such that it is substantially aligned with the test sample.
A thin piece (about 2
mm thick ) of foam backing material is attached to the bottom surface of a
weight of about 550 g,
and about 40 mm wide by about 140 mm long, such that it covers the entire
bottom surface of the
weight. The foam backing material and the weight are then carefully applied on
the top of the
hook fasteners and the test sample. Without applying extra pressure, the
weight is slided gently
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on the top of the sample, moving the weight 6 inches forward followed by 6
inches backwards.
This sliding motion of the weight is repeated three times. The intent is of
this sliding motion of
the weight is to apply 0.25 psi pressure in a back and forth motion in order
to simulate the hook
to non-woven engagements both in the Z and X-Y direction which typically
occurs when a
cleaning implement is being used. Note that the non-woven test samples and the
hook fasteners
do not require conditioning as recommended in Section 6.1 in ASTM test D1876-
95.
3. From this point, the method as described in ASTM test D1876-95 is followed.
First,
a portion of about 12 mm at the end of the hook/non-woven composite is
separated and bent in T-
shape as described in Section 5.2 of ASTM test D1876-95.
4. Next, the free unbonded ends are clamped into grippers of a tension testing
machine
with the hook fasteners on the lower clamp and non-woven on the upper clamp,
as described in
Section 7.1 of ASTM test D1876-95.
5. The tension machine is turned on and run until the materials are completely
separated. The Peel Resistance strength is defined by the Maximum load of
force recorded,
expressed in grams, while the composite sample is being de-laminated. The test
is repeated for a
minimum of at least 5 replicates whereby each replicate uses a new piece of
non-woven substrate
but uses the same piece of hook fasteners for each of the replicates. When a
sample of non-
woven is tested, the strip of hook fasteners is applied to a new untested
piece.
Table 2 provides the results of the peel forces which are measured on
different
samples of non-woven materials applied to hook fasteners removed from SWIFFER
WETJETO
implements. For comparison purposes Table 2 also includes a summary from Table
1 of the
results obtained from the "dry" and "wet" tests previously discussed.
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Table 2
Peel Forces Results v. "dry" and "wet" tests
Test Peel Attachment wings partially Attachment wings partially
Example bonded to the top surface of bonded to each other via
sample Force-g
the pad perforation line
Wet Wet
Dry Pad Dry Pad
load load
Gop Mop
attachment
1 1.1 Fail Fail NA NA
wings
material
Ready Mop
attachment
2 19.6 Fail Fail NA NA
wings
material
Pass
20 sm
3 g 73.0 Pass Pass Pass (1)/
Spun-bond Fail
(2)
gsm
4 60.9 Pass Pass Pass Pass
Spun-bond
Not
20 gsm
5 37.5 Pass Pass Not Tested Test
SMS
ed
Not
30 gsm
6 26.6 Pass Fail Not Tested Test
SMS
ed
Not
60 gsm
7 20.2 Pass Fail Not Tested Test
SMS
ed
3M loop Pass Pass
8 244.3 Pass(1) (1) Pass(1) (1)
XPL-99139
30 gsm
thru-air
Not
laminated Pass
9 163.2 Not Tested Teste Pass (1)
20 gsm d (1)
apertured
film
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36
(1) Material tested as an additional strip of loop fastener located on top of
attachment wings
(2) Material tested as actual wing
The Peel Force results of the SMS (spun-bond, melblown spun-bond) materials of
examples 5, 6 and 7 confirm the surprising result previously stated. The SMS
material having the
lowest basis weight (example 6) has a greater Peel Force than similar
materials having a higher
basis weight (examples 6 and 7).
Based on the results recorded in Table 2, it is believed that a material
suitable to
make the attachment wings of a cleaning pad or to make suitable strip of loop
fasteners which can
be added to the pad, has a Peel Force of at least about 30 g, preferably at
least about 40 g, more
preferably at least about 50 g and even more preferably of at least about 60 g
in order to provide
adequate retainability to a cleaning pad in particular if the cleaning is wet.
In one embodiment, a suitable loop material, can have a Peel Force of less
than about
200 g, preferably less than about 180 g, more preferably less than about 150
g.
In one embodiment, a cleaning pad can have loop fasteners such that the
cleaning pad
is removably attachable to the hook fasteners located at the bottom surface of
a mop head. In a
preferred embodiment, the loop fastener type material of the cleaning pad is
selected such that
when the cleaning pad is fully saturated with liquid, the weight of the
absorbed liquid in addition
to the weight of the pad causes the cleaning pad to drop onto the floor
surface head when the mop
head is raised above the floor surface. Among other benefits, such a cleaning
pad allows a user to
know when to replace the pad without having to manipulate the soiled pad to
visually check if the
pad is still able to absorb more liquid.
In one embodiment shown in Fig. 27, a pressure sensitive adhesive can be
applied onto a
portion of at least one layer of any of the previously described cleaning pads
such that the
cleaning pad can be removably attached to a cleaning implement independently
of the presence of
retaining means located on the top or bottom surface of the mop head of the
implement.
In one embodiment, a cleaning pad 16 comprises an absorbent layer 26, a
barrier layer 36
and a pressure sensitive adhesive 46 which is applied to the top surface of
the barrier layer 36
such that the cleaning pad 16 is removably attachable to the bottom surface of
the mop head of
any cleaning implement. The pressure sensitive adhesive 46 is preferably
applied to a
substantially centered area of the top surface of the barrier layer 36 such
that the area covered by
the pressure sensitive adhesive has a surface equal to at least about 10%,
preferably at least 33%,
more preferably at least 66% of the total top surface of the barrier layer 36.
The pressure
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37
sensitive adhesive 46 can be applied such that it forms a uniform layer,
stripes, spirals, beads or
any combinations thereof on the top surface of the barrier layer 36. The
pressure sensitive
adhesive 46 is selected such that it allows the pad to be retained on the
bottom surface of a mop
head in either a dry or a wet environment. In a preferred embodiment, the
pressure sensitive
adhesive 46 demonstrates good cohesive properties in order to reduce the risk
of having residue
left on the bottom surface of a mop head.
In one embodiment, a protecting release sheet of material 136 such as a thin
sheet of
paper, can be applied on the top of the area covered by the pressure sensitive
adhesive 46.
Among other benefits, this protecting release sheet of material 136 preserves
the tackiness of the
pressure sensitive adhesive 46 and also allows the cleaning pads to be folded
and/or stack on top
of each other for packaging. A user can simply peel off this protecting sheet
of material 136
when the user wishes to attach a pad 16 to the bottom surface of a mop head.
One skilled in the art will understand that such a cleaning pad 16 can also
have
attachment wings 56, 66 and/or additional strips of loop fasteners 76, 86 such
that the cleaning
pad 16 can also be removably secured to retaining means located on the top or
bottom surface of
the mop head of a cleaning implement. One skilled in the art will understand
that if a user wishes
to use a cleaning pad 16 having a pressure sensitive adhesive 46, with a
cleaning implement
having retaining means located on the top or the bottom surface of the mop
head, the user can be
instructed not to peel the protecting release sheet 136 from the pad 16.
In one embodiment represented in Fig. 28, a pressure sensitive adhesive can be
applied to
the attachment wings 56, 66 (or attachment wing portions) of any of the
previously described
cleaning pads. In a preferred embodiment, the pressure sensitive adhesive 46
is applied to the
inner surface of the attachment wings 56, 66. By "inner surface" it is meant
the surface of the
attachment wings 56, 66 which faces the top surface of the cleaning pad 16
when the attachment
wings 56, 66 are "folded" onto the top of the pad 16, i.e. absorbent layer 26
and/or barrier layer
36. As previously discussed, sheets of protecting release material 156, 166
can be applied onto
the area of the attachment wings 56, 66 which are respectively covered by the
pressure sensitive
adhesive 46 in order to preserve the adhesive tackiness over a long period of
time. A user can
simply remove this protecting release sheet of material 156, 166 when the user
wishes to attach a
cleaning pad 16 to the top surface of a mop head, in particular when the top
surface of the mop
head does not have any retaining means. A user can press the inner surface of
the attachment
wings 56, 66 against the top surface of a mop head such that the pressure
sensitive adhesive 46
bonds the attachment wings to the mop head. The skilled artisan will
understand that this
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38
cleaning pad 16 can also be used with cleaning implements having retaining
means located on the
top and/or bottom surface of a mop head.
One skilled in the art will understand that such a cleaning pad 16 can also be
attach to
cleaning implements having retaining means located on the top and/or bottom
surface of a mop
head.
In another embodiment shown in Fig. 29, a cleaning pad 18 can have at least an
absorbent layer 28, optionally but preferably a barrier layer 38 attached to
the top surface of the
absorbent layer 28 and at least two attachment wings 48, 58 respectively
attached adjacent to the
leading edge and the trailing edge of the pad and which can have securing
members 148, 158 for
attaching the two attachment wings to each other. In one embodiment, an
attachment wing 48
can have a "male" securing member 148 for engaging a "female" securing member
of the
attachment wing 58. Non-limiting examples of "male" and "female" securing
members 148, 158
include snaps, loop and hook fasteners, belt design, adhesive.
Among other benefits, a cleaning pad 18 having attachment wings 48, 58 with
male and female
securing members 148, 158 can also be attached to a cleaning implement 68
schematically
represented in Fig. 29, which comprises a handle 168 and a mop head 268 and
which does not
have any retaining means suitable to engage and retain a cleaning pad and
located on the top or
the bottom of a mop head 268. One example of such a cleaning implement is a
sponge mop
having a handle connected to a substantially flat support head having an
absorbent material such
as a sponge. During the cleaning operation, a user typically dips the mop head
into a bucked
filled with a cleaning solution. Once the sponge has absorbed some of the
cleaning solution, the
user can sweep the floor surface. However, it is often necessary to rinse the
floor surface and the
amount of liquid left on the surface can take a long time to dry. In addition,
most of the soils,
bacteria and germs are not removed from the surface when this type of sponge
mop is used. It is
believed that cleaning pads, in particular cleaning pads having a T200
absorbent capacity of at
least 5g/g, preferably at least I Og/g, more preferably of at least 20 g/g,
which can be used with a
cleaning implement having retaining means for engaging and retaining a
cleaning pad can
drastically improve the cleaning efficacy in terms of reduction of the level
of soils, bacteria and
germs being left on the floor surface since the cleaning pads absorb the
soiled liquid and are then
disposed of. As consumers may hesitate to purchase a new cleaning implenlent,
any of the
cleaning pads previously described, but preferably the cleaning pads having
attachment wings
comprising male and female securing member 148, 158, can be sold as a kit. A
kit can have at
least one, but preferably a plurality of cleaning pads and would allow a
consumer to try this type
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39
of cleaning pad by using it with any implement having a handle and a support
head which does
not necessarily have any retaining means for engaging and retaining a cleaning
pad. The kit can
comprise instructions instructing the consumer to attach a cleaning pad about
the support head of
an implement, to apply a cleaning solution a floor surface, to sweep the floor
surface with the
cleaning pad being attached to the implement and then to remove and dispose of
the used cleaning
pad. The instructions can further instruct the user not to dip the support
head with the cleaning
pad into a bucket filled with cleaning solution. The instructions can further
instruct the user to
apply the cleaning solution directly to the floor surface. These instructions
can be particularly
beneficial when the cleaning pads used with the implement have a relatively
low squeeze-out
value and/or comprise a super-absorbent material. In another embodiment, a kit
further comprises
a container filled with a cleaning solution. Non-limiting examples of cleaning
solutions are
described in Section V. thereafter. In one embodiment, the container can have
a cap having a flip
top or squirt cap. The container can be a trigger spray container, a squirt
bottle or any other
container which allows a user to apply the cleaning solution onto the floor
surface. The
instructions would include explaining that mop head needs to be completely dry
before attaching
pad. As described above a bottle of cleaning solution could be included in a
trial kit to further
enhance experience. Among other benefits, this kit allows a consumer to
experience the
convenience of cleaning systems using the cleaning pads without having to
incur the cost of a new
cleaning implement. A kit can also include a rebate coupon for a cleaning
system comprising a
cleaning implement comprising a handle rotatably connected to a mop head, the
mop head having
retaining means located on the top or bottom surface of the mop head for
mechanically retaining a
cleaning pad, a fluid delivery mechanism connected to the handle. The fluid
delivery mechanism
can in fluid communication with a nozzle attached to the mop head for
delivering a cleaning
solution on a floor surface. The cleaning system can also include a container
which is removably
attachable to the fluid delivery mechanism.
In order to enable a consumer to try any of the previously disclosed cleaning
pads and
compare the use of such cleaning pads to more conventional sponge or string
mops, or to other
type of cleaning implements having suitable retaining means located on the top
or the bottom
surface of a mop head, it is possible to collect information from a consumer
regarding the
consumer cleaning habits in terms of cleaning frequency of a floor surface and
regarding the type
of cleaning implement used by the consumer to clean a floor surface. The
information collected
can also include the type of floor surface being cleaned (wood surface,
linoleum surface, ceramic
tile surface) and optionally but preferably the number and size of the rooms
been cleaned. The
information can be collected by any method known in the art. Non-limiting
examples of method
for collecting information include, live or phone surveys, surveys sent by
mail or by email,
CA 02504792 2005-05-03
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surveys obtained during the consumer visit of a web site in the Internet and
any combinations
thereof. When the information is collected, it is possible to select a system
of cleaning products
for a floor surface depending on the information collected. For example, a
consumer who owns a
cleaning implement which does not have retaining means located on the top or
the bottom surface
of a mop head and suitable for removably retaining a cleaning pad, can be
provided with at least
one substantially dry cleaning pad comprising attachment wings which have
"male" and "female"
securing members and optionally a container with a cleaning solution. Another
example can be a
consumer who owns a cleaning implement having retaining means located on the
top surface of
the mop head but which does not include a build-in liquid delivery mechanism.
In this example,
the consumer can be provided with a substantially dry cleaning pad having
attachment wings (or
attachment wing portions) and a container with a cleaning solution. The number
of cleaning pads
provided in the system can be related to the floor surface cleaning frequency
of the consumer. In
one embodiment, the system can be a kit comprising at least one of any of the
previously
discussed cleaning pads which can be selected depending on the type of
cleaning implement used
by the consumer as well as the cleaning frequency. In one embodiment, the
system can also
include a container comprising a cleaning solution. The consumer can also be
provided with
information including instructions on how to attach and use the cleaning pads
as previously
described.
V. Miscellaneous
Absorbent material(s) suitable for the absorbent layer.
A cleaning pad of the present invention comprises at least one absorbent
layer.
The layers forming the cleaning pad including the absorbent layer(s) are
preferably made
of a material such that the cleaning pad has a T200 absorbent capacity of at
least 5g/g, more
preferably at least lOg/g, most preferably of at least 20 g/g.
Non-limiting examples of absorbent materials suitable for the absorbent layer
of a cleaning
pad include natural fibers (modified or unmodified) such as cotton, Esparto
grass, bagasse, kemp,
flax, silk, wool, wood pulp, chemically modified wood pulp, jute, ethyl
cellulose, and cellulose
acetate, as well as synthetically made fibers which can be made from polyvinyl
chloride,
polyvinyl fluoride, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyvinylidene chloride,
polyacrylics such as
ORLON , polyvinyl acetate, RayonO, polyethylvinyl acetate, non-soluble or
soluble polyvinyl
alcohol, polyolefins such as polyethylene (e.g., PULPEXO) and polypropylene,
polyamides such
as nylon, polyesters such as DACRON or KODELO, polyurethanes, polystyrenes,
and the like.
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In one embodiment, the absorbent layer(s) can comprise solely naturally
occurring fibers,
solely synthetic fibers, or any compatible combination of naturally occurring
and synthetic fibers.
The fibers useful herein can be hydrophilic, hydrophobic or can be a
combination of both
hydrophilic and hydrophobic fibers. Suitable hydrophilic fibers for use in the
present invention
include cellulosic fibers, modified cellulosic fibers, rayon, polyester fibers
such as hydrophilic
nylon (HYDROFIL ). Suitable hydrophilic fibers can also be obtained by
hydrophilizing
hydrophobic fibers, such as surfactant-treated or silica-treated thermoplastic
fibers derived from,
for example, polyolefins such as polyethylene or polypropylene, polyacrylics,
polyamides,
polystyrenes, polyurethanes and the like.
Suitable wood pulp fibers can be obtained from well-known chemical processes
such as the
Kraft and sulfite processes, as well as from mechanical processes, such as
ground wood, refiner
mechanical, thermomechanical, chemimechanical, and chemi-thermomechanical pulp
processes.
In addition, fibers can optionally be thermally-bonded with a thermoplastic
material to
provide additional overall integrity to the cleaning pad. Thermoplastic
materials useful in the
present invention can be in any of a variety of forms including particulates,
fibers, or
combinations of particulates and fibers. The thermoplastic materials, and in
particular the
thermoplastic fibers, can be made from a variety of thermoplastic polymers,
including polyolefins
such as polyethylene (e.g., PULPEX ) and polypropylene, polyesters,
copolyesters, polyvinyl
acetate, polyethylvinyl acetate, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride,
polyacrylics,
polyamides, copolyamides, polystyrenes, polyurethanes and copolymers of any of
the foregoing
such as vinyl chloride/vinyl acetate, and the like.
Suitable thermoplastic fibers can be made from a single polymer (monocomponent
fibers), or can be made from more than one polymer (e.g., bicomponent fibers).
The absorbent layer(s) of the cleaning pad can also be comprised of a
homogeneous
material, such as a blend of cellulosic fibers (optionally thermally bonded)
and any
superabsorbent materials known in the art. As used herein, the term
"superabsorbent material"
means any absorbent material having a g/g capacity for water of at least about
15 g/g, when
measured under a confining pressure of 0.3 psi. Because a majority of the
cleaning fluids useful
with the present invention are aqueous based, it is preferred that the
superabsorbent materials have
a relatively high g/g capacity for water or water-based fluids. Non-limiting
examples of suitable
superabsorbent materials include water insoluble, water-swellable
superabsorbent gelling
polymers (referred to herein as "superabsorbent gelling polymers") which are
described in U.S.
patent application Serial No. 09/831,480 to Policicchio et al., filed November
9, 1999, and
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42
assigned to The Procter & Gamble Company, which also describe a method of
measuring the
T Zoo absorbent capacity. These materials demonstrate very high absorbent
capacities for water.
Alternatively, the absorbent layer can be comprised of discrete layers of
material, such as
a layer of thermally bonded airlaid material and a discrete layer of a
superabsorbent material.
In a preferred embodiment, the absorbent layer will comprise a thermally
bonded airlaid
web of cellulose fibers (Flint River, available from Weyerhaeuser, WA) and AL
Thermal C
(thermoplastic available from Danaklon a/s, Varde, Denmark), and a swellable
hydrogel-forming
superabsorbent polymer. The superabsorbent polymer is preferably incorporated
such that a
discrete layer is located near the surface of the absorbent layer which is
remote from the floor
sheet. Preferably, a thin layer of, e.g., cellulose fibers (optionally
thermally bonded) are
positioned above the superabsorbent gelling polymer to enhance containment.
Optional Liquid Pervious Floor Sheet.
The floor sheet is the portion of the cleaning pad that contacts the soiled
surface during
cleaning. As such, materials useful as the floor sheet must be sufficiently
durable that the layer
will retain its integrity during the cleaning process. In addition, when the
cleaning pad is used in
combination with a solution, the floor sheet must be liquid pervious, at least
in part, to be capable
of transitioning liquids and soils to the absorbent layer. The floor sheet can
be a monolayer, or a
multi-layer structure one or more of whose layers can be slitted to facilitate
the scrubbing of the
soiled surface and the uptake of particulate matter. The floor sheet
preferably contains openings
(e.g., slits, tapered capillaries or apertures) that provide an easy avenue
for larger particulate
matter to move freely in and become entrapped within the absorbent layer of
the pad. Low
density structures are preferred for use as the floor sheet, to further
facilitate transport of
particulate matter to the pad's absorbent layer. The floor sheet can be made
of any known
pervious material in the art such as the ones described in PCT application
Serial No. WO
00/27271 to Policicchio et al, filed November 9, 1999, and assigned to The
Procter & Gamble
Company. Non-limiting examples of suitable pervious materials for the floor
sheet include
woven and nonwoven materials; polymeric materials such as apertured formed
thermoplastic
films, apertured plastic films, and hydroformed thermoplastic films; porous
foams; reticulated
foams; reticulated thermoplastic films; and thermoplastic scrims. Suitable
woven and nonwoven
materials can comprise natural fibers (e.g., wood or cotton fibers), synthetic
fibers such as
polyolefins (e.g., polyethylene and polypropylene), polyesters, polyamides,
and synthetic
cellulosics (e.g., RAYON ), or from a combination of natural and synthetic
fibers. In a preferred
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embodiment, the cleaning pad 10 comprises a liquid pervious floor sheet which
comprises, at least
in part, an apertured formed film.
In one embodiment, the floor sheet can also comprise, at least on a portion of
the pad's
lower surface, a material that provides significant texture to the pad. For
example, a preferred
means for providing such texture is to form a multilayer composite comprising
a scrim material
(e.g., polypropylene) and a spunlaced material (e.g., polyester).
Cleaning solutions.
As previously discussed, cleaning pads can be used with a cleaning implement
having a
built-in fluid delivery mechanism an/or with a cleaning implement and a
container allowing the
user to dispense a cleaning solution directly onto the floor surface.
The cleaning solution comprises water, at least a surfactant, optionally a
solvent,
optionally a sud suppressor, optionally a buffer, optionally a polymer,
optionally a perfume, and
optionally an antibacterial agent.
Non-limiting examples of suitable composition are described in U.S. patent
application
Serial No. 09/655,221 to Godfroid et al., filed September 5, 2000, U.S. patent
application Serial
No. 09/671,718 to Sherry et al., filed September 27, 2000 and U.S. patent
application Serial No.
09/671,080 to Godfroid et al., filed September 27, 2000, all assigned to The
Procter & Gamble
Company.
While particular embodiments of the subject invention have been described, it
will be
apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications of
the subject invention
can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. In
addition, while the
present invention has been described in connection with certain specific
embodiments thereof, it
is to be understood that this is by way of limitation and the scope of the
invention is defined by
the appended claims which should be construed as broadly as the prior art will
permit.
