CA2159522A1

CA2159522A1 - Dry wipe and process to manufacture a dry wipe

Info

Publication number: CA2159522A1
Application number: CA002159522A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Ashraf Jafri
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-09-29
Filing date: 1995-09-29
Publication date: 1997-03-30

Abstract

A dry wipe capable of being wetted, and then used for cleaning and removing organic films, such as grease, grime, wet paint, inks (printing or otherwise), from almost any surface such as plastic, metal, fabric or skin, when wiped with the moistened or wetted wipe. After wiping the material, the wipe can be rinsed with water, wrung out, dried and used again. The wipe is a fabric, woven or non woven, made from natural or synthetic fibre, the fabric having been uniformly impregnated (through adsorption), either by immersion or spraying with an aqueous solution comprising up to 95% a non-ionic surfactant, up to 10%
triethanolamine and the remainder being water. Optionally a corrosion inhibitor can be added to the solution imparting corrosion free surface to the metal after it has been cleaned. Other optional additives can be used for same purposes.

Description

, ~ 21~9S22 FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a dry wipe which can be wetted for cleaning and removing unwanted grease, paint, grime and inks, after which the fabric can be rinsed, wrung out, dried and reused.
BACKGROUI~D OF THE INV~NTION
Presently untreated trh~mic~lly or otherwise) cotton or synthetic fibre wipes are extensively used by almost all mechanics, printers and other industrial organizations. The wipes, today are meant simply to wipe articles, machines, hands and equipment. Rental agencies provide a delivery and pick-up service oE wipes and rags throughout the industrial world. Clean wipes or rags are delivered to shops and factories on rnonthly or a weekly basis and dirty wipes or rags are picked-up on a prearranged schedule. The purpose of these rental wipes is, to wipe of f the excess grease, grime or any thing that the operator wants to wipe, or when the operator wants to really clean, the operator generally dips the wipe or rag in a solvent, like petroleum sprits or other solvent In the case of printers inks from rollers or printing machines, these are generally removed by using rags or wipes soaked with solvents, mineral sprits, alcohol or thinners. The use of these solvents has not only become a health hazard but a f ire hazard on highways as these rag~ and wipes are transported from printers, mechanics and garages to the recycling depot, for the purpose of cleaning. Many cases of explosion and fires have been reported on highways.

21~9522 Recent innovation in so called "Substantially Dry Wipes" (see CAnA~;An Patent No.2,002,952, US Patent No.
4,946,617 and 5,094,770) uses a non aqueous solution to impregnate a fl ~Yihl~o matrix. This does not satisfy the cleaning needs of printers or mechanics as these impregnated wipes do n~t have the chemistry that will dissolve inks or paints. These wipes are not totally dry and are costly to produce. The process of coating these wipes is carried out by means printing or transferring chemicals from rollers and plates. The matrix is required to be in continuous roll, and it does not lent itself to coating individual pieces of matrix, therefore recycling of wipes may be dif f icult. The process of coating as described in CAnA~;An pa1:ent No.2,002,952, will not be able to coat thin fabrics. A major ingredient used in this (CAnA~liAn patent No.2,002,ss2) is propylene glycol which has a flash point of 103C degrees, which may be a cause of f ire.
BRIEF ~S~MMARY OF THE INVENTION
A dry wipe capable of being wetted, and then used for cleaning and removing organic films, such as grease, grime, wet paint inks (printing or otherwise~ from almost any surface such as plastic, metal, fabric or skin, when wiped with the wipe, moistened or wetted with water. After wiping the unwanted material, the wipe can be rinsed with water, wrung out, dried and used again. The wipe is a fabric, woven or non woven, made from natural or synthetic fibre, the fabric having been uniformly impregnated `` 21~9~22 (through adsorption), either by immersion or spraying with an aqueous solution comprising up to 95 % a non-ionic surfactant, up to 10% triethanolamine and the L~ i n-l~r being water. Optionally a corrosion inhibitor can be added to the said solution imparting a corrosion free surface to metal after it has been cleaned.
Another option i; to add builders in the said solution, such as adding sodium metasilicate, sodium hydroxide, trisodium phosphate and ethyl~n~ m;n~tetraacetic acid (EDTA) salt, in order to make the said solution more active. The quantities of each of these compounds and other such inorganic compounds will be guided by the amour~t of activity required, area of application, health and enviror~ment concerns.
The fabric, after immer6ion or spraying in a continuous manner or otherwise through the said liquid (aqueou~ solution), is passed thorough a squeegee or a pinch roller system to remove the aqueous solution, rendering the said fabric essentially dry. The said impregnated fabric is then dried either in sun or air or both, or passed through hot rollers or an open oven to remove the rc---;n;n~ water resulting in a dry fabric. The said fabric is then cut to the desired sizes and packaged.
It is important to note that this invention allows not only a continuous fabric to be i."~L~..ated but separate pieces may be processed in present day washing and drying machines. The laundry equipment will be able to process new fabric pieces, or reprocessing used wipes that will be `. --washed in the washing machine, rinsed, spin dried and impregnated, by simply using the aqueous solution as a rinse solution and collccting the unabsorbed solution on so called "sud saver" cycle, while the fabric pieces are spun dried. The spun dried fabric piece6 then can be processed through a normal home or industrial drier.
Yet another advan1:age of this invention is that the yarn (thread) can be impregnated, through adsorption ,with the said aqueous solution, dried and used to produce fabric and subsequently used as dry wipes.
In the present inv/ ention it may be pref erable in some cases to use a less adsorbing fabric. Experiments indicate that synthetics may provide a better cleaning ability and abrasive action in some cases as compared to natural fibres such as cotton or foa1n. ~he following fabrics have been f ound to provide good results when impregnated, through adsorption, using the said aqueous solution and subsequently used as wipes:
(a) Polyester (b) Nylon ( c ) Acetate (d) Cotton ( e ) Rayon and a combination thereof. Cotton and Rayon are generally less desirable as wipe substrates as compared to synthetic materials .
It is a well known fact that compounds containing halides (such as are described in r;~nA~ n Patent No.

2159~2~

2,002,952) do cause irritation of the skin and corrosion of metals . In the present invention such c~ ~ _ ullds are avoided .
In the present invention a single composition fulfils the needs of a vast majority of industry and household cleaning needs. The aqueous solution reduces the hazards of pollution and personal health, which were present in prior art practices. Ilo the present invention, even though the water has left the i,l,~Lu~llated the fabric during drying, the wipe regains the lost water when moistened prior to use, and the chemistry reaches almost the aqueous stage it started with. The present invention does not use any fragrance to mask or camouflage any odour that other products may have in the matrix.
It is principal object of the invention to provide a surface cleaning system, wipe or a fabric which when moistened or wetted with water, cleans and removes films such as grease, inks, uncured or wet paint and grime, without spreading or smearing over the surface. This invention is not necessarily designed to remove dust per se or inorganic salts.
It is another object of the invention to provide corrosion free cleanin~ of most metal surfaces, and other material6 such as plastic, rubber and f abrics such as upholstery materials, a s well as natural materials such as wood, without adversely effecting the surfaces in most cases. The chemistry of the said solution is designed not to irritate most skins Under normal use and conditions, ~ 21S9~2~
it is relatively l~uch less hazardous and more environmentally friendly.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed ~ut with more particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the ~ nying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF A SPEC~FIC RMRnnIMRNT:
The present invention relates to a dry wipe capable of cleaning and removing organic and a combination of inorganic unwanted materials such as inks, printing or others, paints (uncured), greases and grime, from most surfaces, including skin as well as fabrics (clothing and upholstery). The dry wipe comprises a substrate made from synthetic or natural fibres. The preferred substrate is a fabric, non-woven, wovel~, knitted or formed by other means.
The fabric can be made from natural or synthetic fibres or a mixture thereof.
The fabric is treated with an aqueous solution comprising 5% to 9596 a non-ionic surfactant, such as a modified fatty alcohol, between 0.0% to 10% triethanolamine and the balance being water. In order to increase the activity of the wipe another option is to add O .1% to 4 . o%
sodium metasilicate and O .1% to 1. 0% sodium hydroxide and 0.1~ to ~ et yl-~Ai ~n~tet :"ce~ ~ ~cid ::lt. A

2159~22 second option is to boost corrosion inhibition properties of triethanolamine's by inrlll~l;n~ 0.1% to 0.5% boric acid.
The said fabric is dipped, soaked or sprayed until each fibre in the said fabric is totally wet with the said aqueous solution. The fabric i6 then passed through a squeegee or a pinch roller or spin dryer, whereby excess aqueous solution is reDIoved as well as ensuring that each f ibre was able to adsorb the said aqueous solution . The fabric is then dried naturally or by means of radiant heat.
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided an aqueous solution comprising water and:
A) Non-ionic surfactant and detergent for example a modified fatty alcohol, ethoxylate propoxylate, B) Softening agent for example triethanolamine, C) An aid in saponiflcation, emulsification of oils and fats, corrosion inhibition and solubilization of paints and some proteinaceous materials, for example sodium metasilicate, D) Water, which can be from the tap, or better.
Formula ~4 1 1) Non-ionic surfactant Fatty alcohol ethoxylate propoxylate 8. 5%
2 ) Triethanolamine 6 . 0%

3) Sodium metasilicate 0.9%

4) Water 84 . 6%
In the blending process for the aqueous solution, the ino ganic ~alt s~dium m--t silicate ~s di~ ved in water 2159~22 prior to mixing wit~l the rest of the ingredients.
Preferably the following 6equence of blending is to be followed to blend the aqueous solution:
1~ Weigh out triethanolamine and transfer to a blending tank (made from st~inleF:ç: or pla6tic) equipped with a motorized mixing propeller capable of blending the aqueou6 solution .
2) Weigh out the surf~ctant and transfer to the above and mix thoroughly.
3 ) Measure the amouht of water and weigh out sodium metasilicate and dissolve in water.
4 ) Add water and sodium meta6ilicate to the above mixture .
The foregoing is a description of a preferred f~mho~ t of the invehtion which is given here by way of example only. The invention which is not to be taken as limited to any of the specific features as described, but comprehends all such variations thereof as come within the scope of the ~rp~n~d claims.

Claims

1. A dry wipe, capable of removing and cleaning organic and a combination of organic and inorganic materials, such as inks, including printers inks, uncured paints, grease, oils and grime from a surface or surfaces and rendering said surface free of such undesirable contamination, which comprises:
a fabric or a non-fabric made from natural or synthetic fibre or a mixture of natural and synthetic fibres woven or non woven or knitted;
said fabric being impregnated (by means of adsorption or absorption) with an aqueous solution, said fabric being thereafter dried;
said aqueous solution comprising by weight 5 % to 95 %
of a non-ionic surfactant as an active ecologically acceptable ingredient, selected from a group of modified fatty alcohol ethoxylate propoxylate.

2. A dry fabric wipe as claimed in Claim 1 that is made from fibres natural or synthetic, or mixture thereof that has been made to adsorb or absorb said aqueous solution, wrung, squeezed or spun into semi-dry condition, and is then dried naturally in sun and wind or forced to dry using radiant or using conventional heating equipment.

3. A dry wipe comprising a filament treated in a similar manner as the fabric of Claim 1 and from similar fibres natural or synthetic and utilized in making a dry wipe fabric and subsequently cut to size as a dry wipe.

4. A fabric dry wipe defined in Claim 1 wherein said fabric comprises a polyester, nylon and acetate.

5. A fabric dry wipe defined in Claim 1 wherein said fabric comprises a mixture of cotton and polyester, cotton and nylon and cotton and acetate.

6. A fabric dry wipe defined in Claim 1 wherein said fabric comprises cotton or rayon or a mixture thereof.

7. A dry wipe capable of cleaning and removing organic and a combination of inorganic unwanted materials such as inks, printing or others, paints (uncured), greases and grime, from most surfaces, including skin as well as fabrics and comprising;
a fabric substrate of non-woven, woven, or knitted material made from natural or synthetic fibres and treated with an aqueous solution comprising 5% to 95% a non-ionic surfactant, such as a modified fatty alcohol, and between 0.0% to 10% triethanolamine;
and between 0.1% to 4.0% sodium metasilicate and 0.1%
to 1.0% sodium hydroxide; and, between 0.1% to 1.0% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid salt; and, the balance being water.

8. A dry wipe capable of cleaning and removing organic and a combination of inorganic unwanted materials such as inks, printing or others, paints (uncured), greases and grime, from most surfaces, including skin as well as fabrics and comprising;
a fabric substrate of non-woven, woven, or knitted material made from natural or synthetic fibres and treated with an aqueous solution comprising 5% to 95% a non-ionic surfactant, such as a modified fatty alcohol;
and between 0.0% to 10% triethanolamine;
and between 0.1% to 4.0% sodium metasilicate and 0.1%
to 1.0% sodium hydroxide; and, between 0.1% to 1.0% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid salt, and treated with an aqueous solution comprising;
non-ionic surfactant and detergent for example a modified fatty alcohol, ethoxylate propoxylate;
softening agent for example triethanolamine;
an aid in saponification, emulsification of oils and fats, corrosion inhibition and solubilization of paints and some proteinaceous materials, for example sodium metasilicate; and water.

9. A dry wipe as claimed in Claim 8 and wherein said solution comprises;
8.5% non-ionic surfactant Fatty alcohol ethoxylate propoxylate;
6.0% Triethanolamine;
0.9% Sodium metasilicate; and, 84.6% Water.