Cleaning implement comprising a removable cleaning pad having multiple cleaning surfaces

• US 6,101,661 A
• Filed: 03/10/1998
• Issued: 08/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Policicchio, Nicola John, Fereshtehkhou, Saeed, Holt, Steven Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Spisich, Mark
• Application Number:
  US09/037,379
• Time in Patent Office: 889 Days
• Field of Search: 15/208, 15/209.1, 15/228, 15/244.1-244.4
• US Class Current: 15/228
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/16 Cloths; Pads; Sponges metal scraping sponges A47L13/07
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/20 Mops
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/7265 Non-permeable
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2432/00 Cleaning articles, e.g. mops, wipes personal care B32B2555/00
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/00 Layered products comprising a layer with external or internal discontinuities or unevennesses, or a layer of non-planar shape; Layered products comprising a layer having particular features of form
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/06 characterised by a fibrous or filamentary layer mechanically connected, e.g. by needling to another layer, e.g. of fibres, of paper
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/24 one layer being a fibrous or filamentary 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
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/30 one layer being formed of particles, e.g. chips, granules, powder

Abstract

Disclosed is a cleaning implement comprising a handle and a removable cleaning pad. The cleaning pad is designed to provide multiple cleaning Surfaces each of which contact the soiled surface during the cleaning operation. The cleaning pad also preferably has the ability to absorb at least about 10 g of water per g of pad.

Claims

1. An implement for cleaning a surface, the implement comprising:

a. a handle; and

b. a removable cleaning pad having an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the cleaning pad has multiple widths in the z-dimension, and wherein the pad has a t₁₂₀₀ absorbent capacity of at least about 10 g/g.

2. The cleaning implement of claim 1 wherein the lower surface of the cleaning pad comprises two discrete surfaces each of which contact the surface being cleaned.

3. The cleaning implement of claim 1 wherein the lower surface of the cleaning pad comprises three discrete surfaces each of which contact the surface being cleaned.

4. The cleaning implement of claim 1 wherein the cleaning pad has a t₁₂₀₀ absorbent capacity of at least about 20 g of deionized water per g of the cleaning pad.

5. The cleaning implement of claim 1 wherein the removable cleaning pad comprises:

i. a scrubbing layer; and

ii. an absorbent layer.

6. The cleaning implement of claim 5 wherein the scrubbing layer is in direct fluid communication with the absorbent layer.

7. The cleaning implement of claim 5 wherein the cleaning pad further comprises an attachment layer, and wherein the absorbent layer is positioned between the scrubbing layer and the attachment layer.

8. The cleaning implement of claim 7 wherein the scrubbing layer is in direct fluid communication with the absorbent layer.

9. The cleaning implement of claim 7 wherein the attachment layer comprises a material that is essentially fluid impervious.

10. The cleaning implement of claim 1 wherein the cleaning pad has a squeeze-out value of not more than about 40% at 0.25 psi.

11. The cleaning implement of claim 10 wherein the cleaning pad has a squeeze-out value of not more than about 25% at 0.25 psi.

12. The cleaning implement of claim 7 wherein the handle comprises a support head at one end, wherein the support head comprises a means for releasably attaching the cleaning pad to the handle.

13. The cleaning implement of claim 12 wherein the means for releasably attaching the cleaning pad are hooks and the attachment layer comprises a material that will act as loops for mechanically attaching to the hooks.

14. The cleaning implement of claim 13 wherein the support head has an upper surface that is pivotably attached to the handle and a lower surface that comprises the hooks for releasably attaching the cleaning pad to the support head.

15. The cleaning implement of claim 5 wherein the absorbent layer comprises a first layer and a second layer, where the first layer is located between the scrubbing layer and the second layer and the first layer has a width smaller than the second layer.

16. The cleaning implement of claim 15 wherein the absorbent layer further comprises a third layer positioned between the first layer and the scrubbing layer and the third layer has a width smaller than the first layer.

17. The cleaning implement of claim 16 wherein the second layer of the absorbent layer comprises a fibrous material and the first and third layers of the absorbent layer comprises a fibrous material and superabsorbent material.

18. The cleaning implement of claim 17 wherein the absorbent layer comprises at least about 15%, by total weight of the absorbent layer, of the superabsorbent material.

19. The cleaning implement of claim 17 wherein the superabsorbent material is selected from the group consisting of superabsorbent gelling polymers and hydrophilic polymeric absorbent foams.

20. A cleaning implement comprising:

a. a handle; and

b. a removable cleaning pad having a length and a width, the pad comprising;

i. a scrubbing layer comprising, on at least one region, a material comprising a scrim and a spunlaced material; and

ii. an absorbent layer comprising a first layer and a second layer, wherein the first layer is located between the scrubbing layer and the second layer and the first layer has a smaller width than the second layer.

21. The cleaning implement of claim 20 wherein the absorbent layer further comprises a third layer positioned between the first layer and the scrubbing layer and where the third layer has a smaller width than the first layer.

22. The cleaning implement of claim 21 wherein the second layer of the absorbent layer comprises a fibrous material and the first layer and the third layer of the absorbent layer both comprise a fibrous material and superabsorbent material.

23. The cleaning implement of claim 22 wherein the absorbent layer comprises at least about 15%, by total weight of the absorbent layer, of the superabsorbent material.

24. The cleaning implement of claim 23 wherein the superabsorbent material is selected from the group consisting of superabsorbent gelling polymers and hydrophilic polymeric absorbent foams.

25. A cleaning pad having an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the cleaning pad has multiple widths in the z-dimension, and wherein the cleaning pad comprises:

a. a scrubbing layer; and

b. an absorbent layer;

wherein the cleaning pad has a t₁₂₀₀ absorbent capacity of at least about 10 g of deionized water per g of the cleaning pad.

26. The cleaning pad of claim 25 wherein the scrubbing layer is in direct fluid communication with the absorbent layer.

27. The cleaning pad of claim 25 further comprising an attachment layer for mechanically attaching the cleaning pad to a handle of a cleaning implement, wherein the absorbent layer is positioned between the scrubbing layer and the attachment layer.

28. The cleaning pad of claim 27 wherein the attachment layer is essentially fluid impervious and is suitable for being releasably attached to a handle of a cleaning implement having mechanical hooks.

29. The cleaning pad of claim 25 wherein the absorbent layer comprises a first layer and a second layer, where the first layer is located between the scrubbing layer and the second layer and the first layer has a smaller width than the second layer.

30. The cleaning pad of claim 29 wherein the absorbent layer further comprises a third layer positioned between the first layer and the scrubbing layer and the third layer has a smaller width than the first layer.

31. The cleaning pad of claim 30 wherein the second layer of the absorbent layer comprises a fibrous material and the first and third layers of the absorbent layer comprise superabsorbent material.

32. The cleaning pad of claim 31 wherein the absorbent layer comprises at least about 15%, by total weight of the absorbent layer, of the superabsorbent material.

33. The cleaning pad of claim 31 wherein the superabsorbent material is selected from the group consisting of superabsorbent gelling polymers and hydrophilic polymeric absorbent foams.

34. A cleaning pad having an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the cleaning pad has multiple widths in the z-dimension, and wherein the pad has a t₁₂₀₀ absorbent capacity of at least about 5 g/g.

35. The cleaning pad of claim 34 wherein the cleaning pad has a t₁₂₀₀ absorbent capacity of at least about 10 g of deionized water per g of the cleaning pad.

36. The cleaning pad of claim 34 wherein the pad comprises:

i. a scrubbing layer; and

ii. an absorbent layer.

37. The cleaning pad of claim 36 wherein the scrubbing layer is in direct fluid communication with the absorbent layer.

38. An implement for cleaning a surface, the implement comprising:

a. a handle; and

b. a removable cleaning pad having an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the cleaning pad has multiple widths in the z-dimension, and wherein the cleaning pad comprises;

i. a scrubbing layer; and

ii. an absorbent layer;

wherein the lower surface of the cleaning pad comprises two discrete surfaces each of which contact the surface being cleaned, and wherein the cleaning pad has a t₁₂₀₀ absorbent capacity of at least about 10 g of deionized water per g of the cleaning pad.

39. The cleaning implement of claim 38 wherein the cleaning pad has a t₁₂₀₀ absorbent capacity of at least about 20 g of deionized water per g of the cleaning pad.

40. An implement for cleaning a surface, the implement comprising:

a. a handle; and

b. a removable cleaning pad having an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the cleaning pad has multiple widths in the z-dimension, and wherein the cleaning pad comprises;

i. a scrubbing layer; and

ii. an absorbent layer;

wherein the lower surface of the cleaning pad comprises two discrete surfaces each of which contact the surface being cleaned, and wherein the cleaning pad has squeeze-out value of not more than about 40% at 0.25 psi.

41. An implement for cleaning a surface, the implement comprising:

a. a handle; and

b. a removable cleaning pad having an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the cleaning pad has multiple widths in the z-dimension, and wherein the cleaning pad comprises;

i. a scrubbing layer; and

ii. an absorbent layer;

wherein the lower surface of the cleaning pad comprises two discrete surfaces each of which contact the surface being cleaned, and wherein the absorbent layer comprises a first layer and a second layer, wherein the first layer is located between the scrubbing layer and the second layer and the first layer has a width smaller than the second layer.

42. The cleaning implement of claim 41 wherein the absorbent layer further comprises a third layer positioned between the first layer and the scrubbing layer and the third layer has a width smaller than the first layer.

43. The cleaning implement of claim 42 wherein the second layer of the absorbent layer comprises a fibrous material and the first and third layers of the absorbent layer comprise superabsorbent material.

44. The cleaning implement of claim 43 wherein the absorbent layer comprises at least about 15%, by total weight of the absorbent layer, of the superabsorbent material.