Elastic dust cloth

• US 5,292,582 A
• Filed: 04/27/1992
• Issued: 03/08/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Corporation
• Inventors: Morell, Charles J., Gibbs, Lesley L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bell, James J.
• Application Number:
  US07/876,681
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 428/288, 428/903, 428/326, 428/913
• US Class Current: 442/329
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/20 Mops
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/44 Securing scouring-cloths to the brush or like body of the implement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/903 Microfiber, less than 100 micron diameter
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/913 Material designed to be responsive to temperature, light, moisture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/253 Cellulosic [e.g., wood, paper, cork, rayon, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/602 Nonwoven fabric comprises an elastic strand or fiber material

Abstract

An abrasion-resistant elastic cloth which exhibits excellent dust pickup and dust retention is disclosed. A dust mop head cover may be formed from the cloth fabric. The dust mop head cover may be secured to the mop head without fasteners.

Claims

1. A nonwoven dust cloth, said dust cloth comprising at least one elastomeric nonwoven composite web comprising an admixture of:

elastomeric meltblown fibers formed from a material selected from the group consisting of one or more of poly(ethylene-vinyl acetate), thermoplastic polyurethanes, A-B-A'"'"' block copolymers, blends of one or more of poly(ethylene-vinyl acetate), thermoplastic polyurethanes, and A-B-A'"'"' block copolymers, and blends of one or more poly(ethylen-vinyl acetate), thermoplastic polyurethanes, and A-B-A'"'"' block copolymers with one or more polyolefins, and

at least one nonelastomeric fibrous material,

said web having;

elasticity in at least one direction;

said cloth being characterized by a dust gathering capacity of at least about 0.185 grams per inch square of web; and

an abrasion resistance of at least about 50 cycles on a Taber scale.

2. The nonwoven cloth of claim 1 which exhibits an Ames bulk of at least about 0.07 in.

3. The nonwoven cloth of claim 1 which exhibits a non-linting characteristic of less than about 10 particles sized at about 10 microns on a Climet scale.

4. The nonwoven cloth of claim 1 having a water absorbency of at least about 150% of the weight of the cloth.

5. The nonwoven cloth of claim 1 having an oil absorbency of at least about 400% of the weight of the cloth.

6. The nonwoven cloth of claim 1 which is stretchable by at least about 25% and is recoverable by at least about 80%.

7. The nonwoven cloth of claim 1 which exhibits a grab tensile peak load strength of at least about 5 lbs.

8. The nonwoven cloth of claim 1 which exhibits a tear trap peak load strength of at least about 3 lbs.

9. The nonwoven cloth of claim 1 which exhibits a drape of not more than about 4 cm.

10. The nonwoven cloth of claim 1 which exhibits a dynamic coefficient friction of less than about 1 (INDA).

11. The nonwoven cloth of claim 1 which exhibits a thermal stability of at least about 140°

F.

12. The nonwoven cloth of claim 1 which exhibits a chemical stability to at least one of the group of ammonia, caustic, polyethylene glycol and oil.

13. A nonwoven dust cloth, said dust cloth comprising an elastic nonwoven composite web comprising an admixture of:

elastomeric meltblown fibers formed from a material selected from the group consisting of one or more of poly(ethylene-vinyl acetate), thermoplastic polyurethanes, A-B-A'"'"' block copolymers, blends of one or more of poly(ethylene-vinyl acetate), thermoplastic polyurethanes, and A-B-A'"'"' block copolymers, and blends of one or more poly(ethylene-vinyl acetate), thermoplastic polyurethanes, and A-B-A'"'"' block copolymers with one or more polyolefins; and

at least one nonelastomeric fibrous material selected from the group consisting of staple natural fibers, staple synthetic fibers and wood pulp fibers,

said composite web having;

elasticity in at least one direction;

a dust gathering capacity of at least about 0.185 grams per inch square of fabric; and

an abrasion resistance of at least about 50 cycles on a Taber scale.

14. The nonwoven cloth of claim 13 wherein said staple natural fibers are selected from the group consisting of cotton fibers and wool fibers.

15. The nonwoven cloth of claim 13 which exhibits a non-linting characteristic of less than about 10 particles sized at about 10 microns in a Climet scale.

16. The nonwoven cloth of claim 13 having a water absorbency of at least about 150% of the weight of the web.

17. The nonwoven cloth of claim 13 having an oil absorbency of at least about 400% of the weight of the web.

18. The nonwoven cloth of claim 13 which is stretchable by at least about 25% and is recoverable by at least about 80%.

19. The nonwoven cloth of claim 13 which exhibits a grab tensile peak load strength of at least about 5 lbs.

20. The nonwoven cloth of claim 13 which exhibits a tear trap peak load strength of at least about 3 lbs.

21. The nonwoven cloth of claim 18 which exhibits a drape of not more than about 4 cm.

22. The nonwoven cloth of claim 13 which exhibits a thermal stability of at least about 140°

F.

23. The nonwoven cloth of claim 13 which exhibits an Ames bulk of at least about 0.07 in.

24. The nonwoven cloth of claim 13 which exhibits a chemical stability to at least one of the group of ammonia, caustic, polyethylene glycol and oil.

25. A nonwoven dust cloth, said dust cloth comprising an elastic nonwoven composite web containing a mixture of fibers consisting essentially of:

elastomeric meltblown fibers formed from a material selected from the group consisting of one or more of poly(ethylene-vinyl acetate), thermoplastic polyurethanes, A-B-A'"'"' block copolymers, blends of one or more of poly(ethylene-vinyl acetate), thermoplastic polyurethanes, and A-B-A'"'"' block copolymers, and blends of one or more poly(ethylene-vinyl acetate), thermoplastic polyurethanes, and A-B-A'"'"' block copolymers with one or more polyolefins; and

at least one nonelastomeric fibrous material selected from the group consisting of staple natural fibers, staple synthetic fibers and wood pulp fibers,

said composite web having;

elasticity in at least one direction;

a dust gathering capacity of at least about 0.185 grams per inch square of fabric; and

an abrasion resistance of at least about 50 cycles on a Taber scale.