Foaming hand sponge with color change indicator

• US 8,343,908 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2007
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• 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: Mundschau, Stacy Averic, Wenzel, Scott W., Lostocco, Michael Ralph, Bunyard, William Clayton, Qin, Jian, Uecker, Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): Eashoo, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): ASDJODI, MOHAMMADREZA
• Application Number:
  US11/777,136
• Publication Number:
  US 20090018048A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,000 Days
• Field of Search: 510/438, 510/217, 510/238, 510/108, 510/180
• 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, wipes personal care B32B2555/00
• 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 cleaning product for cleaning inanimate surfaces, the cleaning product comprising:

an absorbent material, an encapsulated or coated superabsorbent material present in the absorbent material in an amount of from about 0.1% by total weight absorbent material to about 20% by total weight absorbent material, a polymeric network, and a cleaning composition, the polymeric network being present in an amount of no greater than 50% by total weight product, the cleaning composition comprising from about 1% by weight cleaning composition to about 40% by weight cleaning composition surfactant, wherein the cleaning 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 polymeric network comprises polymers selected from the group consisting of modified starches, styrene maleic anhydride copolymer, polyether-block-polyurethane, polyethyloxazoline, water-soluble polyurethane, and combinations thereof.

2. The cleaning 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 cleaning product as set forth in claim 1 wherein the cleaning 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 cleaning 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.

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

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

7. The cleaning product as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a disinfectant.

8. The cleaning product as set forth in claim 1 wherein the polymeric network comprises polymers selected from the group consisting of modified starches, styrene maleic anhydride copolymer, polyethyloxazoline, and combinations thereof.

9. The cleaning product as set forth in claim 1 wherein the cleaning product further comprises a sponge material, wherein the sponge material comprises a melamine-foam material.

10. A cleaning product for cleaning inanimate surfaces, the cleaning product comprising:

an absorbent material, an encapsulated or coated superabsorbent material present in the absorbent material in an amount of from about 0.1% by total weight absorbent material to about 20% by total weight absorbent material, a polymeric network, a coloring agent, and a cleaning composition, the polymeric network being present in an amount of no greater than 50% by total weight product, the cleaning composition comprising from about 1% by weight cleaning composition to about 40% by weight cleaning composition surfactant, wherein the cleaning 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, wherein the coloring agent is capable of changing the color of the cleaning product when the cleaning product is contacted with warm water in no sooner than 15 seconds, and wherein the polymeric network comprises polymers selected from the group consisting of modified starches, styrene maleic anhydride copolymer, polyether-block-polyurethane, polyethyloxazoline, water-soluble polyurethane, and combinations thereof.

11. The cleaning product as set forth in claim 10 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.

12. The cleaning product as set forth in claim 10 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.

13. The cleaning product as set forth in claim 10 wherein the polymeric network comprises a polymer having a glass transition temperature of at least about 20°

C.

14. The cleaning product as set forth in claim 10 wherein the polymeric network further comprises a plasticizing agent.

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