Scrub Testing Devices and Methods

• US 20090078035A1
• Filed: 09/26/2008
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLC (Dow, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLC (Dow, Inc.)
• Inventors: Graf, Irina V., Harris, John Keith, Moore, Linda A., Traub, Eric Robert, Morabito, Paul L., Mecca, Jodi M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,997,118 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/150.R
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 3/56 Investigating resistance to wear or abrasion
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 3/567 by submitting the specimen to the action of a fluid or of a fluidised material, e.g. cavitation, jet abrasion G01N3/565 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention provides, in one embodiment, a device for performing scrub testing on a plurality of samples simultaneously, including a plurality of scrubbing devices. A stage is provided which positions the plurality of samples in contact with the plurality of scrubbing devices. The scrubbing devices can individually be provided with different weights to produce different forces on the samples. A motion producing device produces one or both of linear and rotational motion between the brushes and the samples. The scrubbing devices are held in the stage so as move freely vertically.

Claims

1. A method of determining the scrub resistance or wet adhesion of materials, comprising:

preparing a plurality of samples of one or more material;

contacting the plurality of samples of material with scrubbing devices;

generating relative motion between the scrubbing devices and samples; and

analyzing the samples to determine the resistance of the material to scrubbing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the analyzing step determines the area of material removed from each of the samples.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the analyzing step is performed by one or both of imaging of the amount of area removed from each of the samples and measuring the change in thickness of the material.

11. The method as in any one of claims 1, 4, 6 and 10, wherein the samples include one or more of a solid material, a coating, and a film on a substrate.

13. The method as in any one of claims 1, 4, 6 and 10, wherein each of the scrubbing devices contacts a respective sample with a predetermined amount of force.

14. The method as in any one of claims 1, 4, 6 and 10, wherein the motion is one of linear and non-linear motion.

15. The method as in any one of claims 1, 4, 6 and 10, wherein the motion is generated for a predetermined amount of time.

16. The method as in any one of claims 1, 4, 6 and 10, further including the step of imaging the samples before analyzing the samples.

4. A method of determining the stain resistance of materials or efficacy of scrubbing media, or scrubbing devices, comprising:

preparing a plurality of samples of one or more materials;

applying a staining agent to the plurality of samples;

adding one or more scrubbing media to the samples;

contacting the plurality of samples of one or more materials with scrubbing devices;

generating motion between the scrubbing devices and samples; and

analyzing the samples to determine the amount of stain that is removed.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the analyzing step determines the extent of staining imparted to each of the samples.

6. A method of determining the efficacy of scrubbing media, comprising:

preparing a plurality of samples of one or more materials, the samples including a substrate with one or more test material disposed thereon to be acted upon by the scrubbing media;

adding one or more scrubbing media to the samples;

contacting the plurality of samples with a corresponding number of scrubbing devices;

generating motion between the scrubbing devices and samples; and

analyzing the samples to determine the effect of the scrubbing media upon the one or more test material.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the test material includes one or more of soil, wax, soap film, staining material, grease, oil, and food material.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the scrubbing media includes one or more solvents, cleaning fluid, abrasive, a carrier, surfactants, and bleaching agents.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the analyzing step determines the efficacy of the scrubbing media.

10. A method of determining the efficacy of scrubbing devices, comprising:

preparing a plurality of samples of material;

contacting the plurality of samples of material with a corresponding number of scrubbing devices;

generating motion between the scrubbing devices and samples; and

analyzing the samples to determine the efficacy of the scrubbing devices.

12. The method of claim 10, further including adding an amount of scrubbing media to the samples one or both of before and during the generating motion step wherein the scrubbing media includes one or more solvents, cleaning fluid, abrasive, a carrier, and surfactants.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the analyzing step determines the efficacy of the scrubbing devices.

18. A device for performing testing on a plurality of samples simultaneously, comprising:

a scrubbing device array including a plurality of scrubbing devices;

a stage for holding the plurality of samples in contact with the plurality of scrubbing devices; and

a motion producing device that produces one or both of linear and non-linear motion between the scrubbing devices and the samples.

19. The device of claim 18, further including a mechanism for providing a predetermined force to each of the plurality of scrubbing devices.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the force-adjusting device includes one or more weights.

21. The device of claim 18, wherein the motion producing device is a shaker.

22. The device of claim 18, wherein each of the plurality of scrubbing devices includes one or more of bristles, fabric or sheets of material, composite materials, plastic, rubber, blades, multi-blade devices, sandpaper, and abrasives incorporated onto or into a fabric.

23. The device of claim 18, wherein each of the plurality of scrubbing devices includes a brush.

24. The device of claim 18, wherein each of the brushes has a generally rectangular or round cross sectional shape.

25. The device of claim 18, wherein each of the scrubbing devices is sized and shaped to have a contact area from about 5% to about 75% of an area of each of the plurality of samples.

26. The device of claim 18, further including a plurality of scrub device holders corresponding to the number of scrubbing devices.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein each of the plurality of brush holders are adapted to be weighted.

28. The device of claim 26, wherein each of the plurality of scrub device holders are hollow for receiving one or more weights.

29. The device of claim 25, wherein the scrub device holders are held in the scrubbing device array and permitted to move vertically.

30. The device of claim 18, further includes a mechanism for delivering scrubbing media to each of the samples.

31. An assembly for performing testing on a plurality of samples simultaneously, comprising:

a plurality of scrubbing device bodies;

a scrubbing device detachably connected to each of the scrubbing device bodies;

a block including a plurality of openings formed therethrough, each of the openings sized and shaped to receive one of the scrubbing device bodies;

a substrate provided with a test material thereon, the substrate disposed underneath and sealingly connected to the block;

a base plate connected underneath the substrate; and

a motion producing device that produces one or both of linear and non-linear motion to the assembled block, substrate and base plate.

32. A system for performing high throughput scrub analysis, comprising:

a scrubber assembly including a scrubbing device array having a plurality of scrubbing devices, a stage for holding at least one sample tray in contact with the plurality of scrubbing devices, each sample tray including a plurality of samples, and a motion producing device that produces one or both of linear and non-linear motion between the scrubbing devices and the samples;

a robotic mechanism for loading and unloading the scrubber assembly with the sample trays.

33. The system of claim 32, further including a base to which the scrubber assembly and the robotic mechanism are fixed.

34. The system of claim 32, further including a media dispensing station disposed to dispense media to the at least one sample tray.

35. The system of claim 32, further including a stacking station, positioned to be accessed by the robotic mechanism.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the stacking station is configured either or both of unscrubbed sample trays and scrubbed sample trays.

37. The system of claim 32, further including a washing and drying station, positioned to be accessed by the robotic mechanism.

38. A method of operating a high throughput scrubbing system, comprising:

a) inputting into a computer a number of sample trays to be loaded onto a scrubber assembly;

b) removing a sample tray from a source of sample trays, wherein each of the sample trays includes a plurality of samples;

c) adding scrubbing media to the sample tray;

d) loading the sample tray onto an open position of the scrubber assembly;

e) determining if the scrubber assembly is fully loaded and repeating steps b-d until the scrubber assembly is full of sample trays;

f) operating the scrubber assembly according to a test protocol;

g) removing, washing and drying all of the sample trays upon completion of the test protocol at a washing and drying station;

h) transferring the dried sample trays from the washing and drying station to a plate stacking station;

i) determining if there are more sample trays to be tested by comparing the number of sample trays transferred at step h and the number of sample trays inputted scrubbed at step a; and

j) ending the operation of the system if there are no more sample trays to be tested.