Foaming hand sponge for bodily cleansing with color change indicator

• US 8,440,606 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2007
• Issued: 05/14/2013
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Eashoo, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): ASDJODI, MOHAMMADREZA
• Application Number:
  US11/777,134
• Publication Number:
  US 20090018047A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,133 Days
• Field of Search: 510/438, 510/238, 510/416, 510/414
• US Class Current: 510/438
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 7/03 containing soap or other cleaning ingredients, e.g. impregnated
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2800/28 Rubbing or scrubbing compositions; Peeling or abrasive compositions; Containing exfoliants
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2800/42 Colour properties
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 8/0208 Tissues; Wipes; Patches
• CPC Class Codes: A61Q 19/10 Washing or bathing preparations
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/049 Cleaning or scouring pads; Wipes
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/407 containing absorbing substances, e.g. activated carbon
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/413 containing granules other than absorbent substances

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 bodily cleansing, the cleansing product comprising:

an absorbent material, a polymeric network, an exfolliant agent, and a cleansing composition, the polymeric network being present in an amount of no greater than 50% (by total weight product), the cleansing composition comprising a 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 polymeric network comprises polymers selected from the group consisting of modified starches, styrene maleic anhydride copolymer, metal salt neutralized ethylene methacrylic acid copolymer, polyether-block-polyurethane, polyethyloxazoline, water-soluble polyurethane, and combinations thereof, and wherein the cleansing product further comprises a sponge material, the sponge material comprising melamine-foam material.

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 absorbent material further comprises a superabsorbent material.

4. The cleansing product as set forth in claim 3 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).

5. 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.

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

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

8. The cleansing product as set forth in claim 1 wherein the exfolliant agent is selected from the group consisting of an exfolliant disc, an exfolliant ridge, or exfolliant particles embedded into an outer surface of the cleansing product.

9. A cleansing product for bodily cleansing, the cleansing product comprising:

an absorbent material, a polymeric network, an exfolliant agent, a coloring agent, and a cleansing composition, the polymeric network being present in an amount of no greater than 50% (by total weight product), the cleansing composition comprising a 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, 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, and wherein the polymeric network comprises polymers selected from the group consisting of modified starches, styrene maleic anhydride copolymer, metal salt neutralized ethylene methacrylic acid copolymer, polyether-block-polyurethane, polyethyloxazoline, water-soluble polyurethane, and combinations thereof, and wherein the cleansing product further comprises a sponge material, the sponge material comprising melamine-foam material.

10. The cleansing product as set forth in claim 9 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.

11. The cleansing product as set forth in claim 9 wherein the absorbent material further comprises a superabsorbent material.

12. The cleansing product as set forth in claim 9 wherein the polymeric network comprises a polymer having a glass transition temperature of at least about 20°

C.

13. The cleansing product as set forth in claim 9 wherein the polymeric network further comprises a plasticizing agent.

14. The cleansing product as set forth in claim 9 wherein the absorbent material further comprises an elastomeric random block polymer.