FOAMING HAND SPONGE WITH COLOR CHANGE INDICATOR

• US 20090018048A1
• Filed: 07/12/2007
• Published: 01/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Uecker, Chris, Wenzel, Scott W., Bunyard, William Clayton, Qin, Jian, Lostocco, Michael Ralph, Mundschau, Stacy Averic
• Granted Patent: US 8,343,908 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 510/438
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/16 Cloths; Pads; Sponges metal scraping sponges A47L13/07
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/17 containing cleaning agents A47L13/19 takes precedence ; chemical compositions C11D17/049
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/02 Synthetic macromolecular fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/067 Wood fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2432/00 Cleaning articles, e.g. mops or wipes
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/022 Non-woven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/024 Woven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/026 Knitted fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/245 another layer next to it being a foam layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/26 another layer next to it also being fibrous or filamentary relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers B32B5/12

Abstract

A cleansing product suitable for making the cleaning of both inanimate and animate surfaces more fun and effective for children is disclosed. Specifically, the cleansing product is capable of expanding in volume under certain temperature conditions, and in some embodiments, can additionally include a coloring agent, providing a color change to indicate when sufficient cleansing has been performed.

Claims

1. A cleansing product for cleaning inanimate surfaces, the cleansing product comprising:

an absorbent material, a polymeric network, and a cleansing composition, the cleansing composition comprising from about 1% (by weight cleansing composition) to about 40% (by weight cleansing composition) surfactant, wherein the cleansing product is capable of expanding to a size of from about 80% to about 100% of its final expanded volume when contacted with warm water having a temperature of from about 19°

C. to about 65°

C. in no sooner than about 10 seconds.

2. The cleansing product as set forth in claim 1 wherein the absorbent material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of nonwoven webs, woven materials, knit materials, wet-strength papers, and combinations thereof.

3. The cleansing product as set forth in claim 1 wherein the cleansing product further comprises a sponge material, the sponge material comprising a material selected from the group consisting of a cellulose material, a melamine-foam material, polyurethane, latex, thermoplastics, and combinations thereof.

4. The cleansing product as set forth in claim 1 wherein the absorbent material further comprises a superabsorbent material.

5. The cleansing product as set forth in claim 4 wherein the superabsorbent material is present in the absorbent material of the cleansing product in an amount of from about 0.1% (by total weight absorbent material) to about 20% (by total weight absorbent material).

6. The cleansing product as set forth in claim 1 wherein the polymeric network comprises a polymer having a glass transition temperature of at least about 20°

C.

7. The cleansing product as set forth in claim 6 wherein the polymeric network comprises polymers selected from the group consisting of fully-hydrolyzed polyvinyl alcohol, partially-hydrolyzed polyvinyl alcohol, modified polyvinyl alcohol, starch, modified starches, acid/acrylate copolymers, styrene maleic anhydride copolymer, ethylene acrylic acid copolymer, metal salt neutralized ethylene methacrylic acid copolymer, polyether block amide copolymer, polyether-block-polyurethane, polyethylene oxide, water-soluble polyester, water-soluble copolyester, polyethyloxazoline, water-soluble polyurethane, polyacrylamides, and combinations thereof.

8. The cleansing product as set forth in claim 1 wherein the polymeric network further comprises a plasticizing agent.

9. he cleansing product as set forth in claim 1 wherein the polymeric network is present in the cleansing product in an amount of no greater than 50% (by total weight product).

10. The cleansing product as set forth in claim 1 wherein the absorbent material further comprises an elastomeric random block polymer.

11. The cleansing product as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a disinfectant.

12. A cleansing product for cleaning inanimate surfaces, the cleansing product comprising:

an absorbent material, a polymeric network, a coloring agent, and a cleansing composition, the cleansing composition comprising from about 1% (by weight cleansing composition) to about 40% (by weight cleansing composition) surfactant, wherein the cleansing product is capable of expanding to a size of from about 80% to about 100% of its final expanded volume when contacted with warm water having a temperature of from about 19°

C. to about 65°

C. in no sooner than about 10 seconds, and wherein the coloring agent is capable of changing the color of the cleansing product when the cleansing product is contacted with warm water in no sooner than 15 seconds.

13. The cleansing product as set forth in claim 12 wherein the absorbent material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of nonwoven webs, woven materials, knit materials, wet-strength papers, and combinations thereof.

14. The cleansing product as set forth in claim 12 further comprising a sponge material, the sponge material comprising a material selected from the group consisting of a cellulose material, a melamine-foam material, polyurethane, latex, thermoplastics, and combinations thereof.

15. The cleansing product as set forth in claim 12 wherein the absorbent material further comprises a superabsorbent material.

16. The cleansing product as set forth in claim 12 wherein the polymeric network comprises a polymer having a glass transition temperature of at least about 20°

C.

17. The cleansing product as set forth in claim 16 wherein the polymeric network comprises polymers selected from the group consisting of fully-hydrolyzed polyvinyl alcohol, partially-hydrolyzed polyvinyl alcohol, modified polyvinyl alcohol, starch, modified starches, acid/acrylate copolymers, styrene maleic anhydride copolymer, ethylene acrylic acid copolymer, metal salt neutralized ethylene methacrylic acid copolymer, polyether block amide copolymer, polyether-block-polyurethane, polyethylene oxide, water-soluble polyester, water-soluble copolyester, polyethyloxazoline, water-soluble polyurethane, polyacrylamides, and combinations thereof.

18. The cleansing product as set forth in claim 12 wherein the polymeric network further comprises a plasticizing agent.

19. The cleansing product as set forth in claim 12 wherein the polymeric network is present in the cleansing product in an amount of no greater than 50% (by total weight product).

20. The cleansing product as set forth in claim 12 wherein the absorbent material further comprises an elastomeric random block polymer.