Cleaning tool

• US 7,745,354 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2005
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
• Original Assignee: Unicharm Corporation
• Inventors: Tsuchiya, Akemi, Fujiwara, Masatoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Chriss; Jennifer A
• Application Number:
  US11/300,268
• Publication Number:
  US 20060137116A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,657 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 442/123
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 25/34 Shaped forms, e.g. sheets, not provided for in any other sub-group of this main group
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 43/90 having two or more relevant hetero rings, condensed among themselves or with a common carbocyclic ring system
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 65/08 Magnoliopsida [dicotyledons]
• 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: A47L 13/20 Mops
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/38 Other dusting implements using adhesive surfaces A47L25/005
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/40 Cleaning implements actuated by electrostatic attraction; Devices for cleaning same; Magnetic cleaning implements
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/18 Liquid substances or solutions comprising solids or dissolved gases
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2250/20 All layers being fibrous or filamentary
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2432/00 Cleaning articles, e.g. mops or wipes
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/085 spaced apart pieces on the surface of a layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 3/263 characterised by a layer having non-uniform thickness
• 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 5/26 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 7/12 using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/049 Cleaning or scouring pads; Wipes
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/382 Vegetable products, e.g. soya meal, wood flour, sawdust
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/48 Medical, disinfecting agents, disinfecting, antibacterial, germicidal or antimicrobial compositions
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 10/00 Physical treatment of fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics, or fibrous goods made from such materials, e.g. ultrasonic, corona discharge, irradiation, electric currents, or magnetic fields; Physical treatment combined with treatment with chemical compounds or elements
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 10/08 : Organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 13/224 : Esters of carboxylic acids; Esters of carbonic acid
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 13/238 : Tannins, e.g. gallotannic acids
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 23/06 : Processes in which the treating agent is dispersed in a gas, e.g. aerosols aerosol compositions C09K3/30
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 23/10 : Processes in which the treating agent is dissolved or dispersed in organic solvents; Processes for the recovery of organic solvents thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2525 : Coating or impregnation functions biologically [e.g., insect repellent, antiseptic, insecticide, bactericide, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/659 : Including an additional nonwoven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/671 : Multiple nonwoven fabric layers composed of the same polymeric strand or fiber material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/692 : Containing at least two chemically different strand or fiber materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/697 : Containing at least two chemically different strand or fiber materials

Abstract

An indoor cleaning tool having a dry fibrous base material is provided. An antigenicity-reducing composition including an antigenicity-reducing component, an oil and a surfactant are applied to the fibrous base material. Preferably, the antigenicity-reducing component is an extract of an olea or a ligustrum plant extracted with water or an organic solvent.

Claims

1. A cleaning tool for indoor wiping comprising:

an electrostatic fibrous base material electrostatically chargeable at least during use;

wherein

the electrostatic fibrous base material comprises a combination of two or more types of fiber having different triboelectric series and an antigenicity-reducing component for reducing antigenicity of allergy-inducing substances, and

the antigenicity-reducing component includes oleuropein derived from an olive leaf extract and is achieved by

adding ethanol to the extract to prepare a 0.6% oleuropein solution defining an antigenicity-reducing agent;

adding at least water to the antigenicity-reducing agent to prepare an antigenicity-reducing component dilute solution; and

applying the antigenicity-reducing component dilute solution to the fibrous base material to obtain the antigenicity-reducing component.

2. The cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the electrostatic fibrous base material comprises fibers processed with electret treatment.

3. The cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the electrostatic fibrous base material is hydrophobic.

4. The cleaning tool according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of a binder component and a surfactant added to the antigenicity-reducing component dilute solution.

5. The cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the electrostatic fibrous base material is white.

6. The cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the antigenicity-reducing component is provided at 0.001 percent or more by weight and 10 percent or less by weight per 100 percent weight portion of the electrostatic fibrous base material.

7. The cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the antigenicity-reducing agent further comprises a hygroscopic supplement.

8. The cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the combination has fibers of a first type having a charge property showing minus-polarity and another fibers of a second type having a charge property showing positive polarity, wherein the fibers of said first and second type are alternately arranged.

9. A cleaning tool as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a cleaning sheet comprising the electrostatic fibrous base material; and

a handle mounted to the cleaning sheet.

10. The cleaning tool according to claim 9, wherein the cleaning sheet further comprises:

a protective sheet attached on the electrostatic fibrous base material and both sheets are made from non-woven fabric transversely cut into multiple strips;

a strip sheet located on a bottom of the cleaning sheet; and

a brush section, including at least one fiber bundle, with the antigenicity-reducing component provided between the protective sheet and the strip sheet.

11. The cleaning tool according to claim 10, wherein the brush section comprises a first fiber bundle attached to a bottom of the base material sheet and a second fiber bundle in contact with a bottom of the first fiber bundle.

12. The cleaning tool according to claim 11, wherein the protective sheet, the base material sheet, the first and second fiber bundles, the brush section and the strip sheet are bonded together along a first bonding line.

13. The cleaning tool according to claim 12, wherein

the cleaning sheet further comprises at least one second bonding line extending along a longitudinal direction of the cleaning sheet to bond the protective sheet, the base material sheet, the first and second fiber bundles together;

and

the brush section and the strip sheet are not bonded to the protective sheet, the base material sheet, the first and second fiber bundles along said second bonding line.

14. The cleaning tool according to claim 13, wherein the cleaning sheet further comprises a holding space configured between the protective sheet and the base material sheet and between the first and second bonding lines to allow the handle to be inserted and fixed in the cleaning sheet.

15. The cleaning tool according to claim 10, wherein each said fiber bundle is made from non-woven fabric transversely cut into multiple strips.

16. The cleaning tool according to claim 9, wherein said combination has fibers of a first type having a charge property showing minus-polarity and another fibers of a second type having a charge property showing positive polarity, and the fibers of said first and second type are alternately arranged.

17. The cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the antigenicity-reducing component dilute solution has 10 percent by weight of the antigenicity-reducing agent and 90 percent by weight of water.

18. The cleaning tool according to claim 8, wherein the fibrous base material comprises non-woven fabrics cut into strips, and the fibers of the non-woven fabrics comprise polypropylene and have a fiber diameter not less than 0.1 μ

m and not more than 10 μ

m.

19. The cleaning tool according to claim 18, wherein the nonwoven fabric defines fiber bundle layers.

20. A cleaning tool for indoor wiping comprising:

an electrostatic fibrous base material electrostatically chargeable at least during use;

wherein

the electrostatic fibrous base material comprises a fiber bundle and an antigenicity-reducing component added to said fibrous base material for reducing antigenicity of allergy-inducing substances, and

the antigenicity-reducing component includes oleuropein derived from an olive leaf extract and is achieved by

adding ethanol to the extract to prepare a 0.6% oleuropein solution defining an antigenicity-reducing agent;

adding at least water to the antigenicity-reducing agent to prepare an antigenicity-reducing component dilute solution; and

applying the antigenicity-reducing component dilute solution to the fibrous base material to obtain the antigenicity-reducing component.

21. The cleaning tool according to claim 20, wherein the fiber bundle is processed with electret treatment.

22. The cleaning tool according to claim 20, wherein the fiber bundle is hydrophobic.

23. The cleaning tool according to claim 20, further comprising at least one of a binder component and a surfactant added to the antigenicity-reducing component dilute solution.

24. The cleaning tool according to claim 20, wherein the electrostatic fibrous base material is white.

25. The cleaning tool according to claim 20, wherein the antigenicity-reducing component is provided at 0.001 percent or more by weight and 10 percent or less by weight per 100 percent weight portion of the electrostatic fibrous base material.

26. The cleaning tool according to claim 20, wherein the antigenicity-reducing component dilute solution has 10 percent by weight of the antigenicity-reducing agent and 90 percent by weight of water.

27. The cleaning tool according to claim 20, wherein the fibrous base material comprises non-woven fabrics cut into strips, and the fiber bundle of the non-woven fabrics comprises polypropylene and has a fiber diameter not less than 0.1 μ

m and not more than 10 μ

m.

28. The cleaning tool according to claim 27, wherein the nonwoven fabric defines fiber bundle layers.