MX2008007398A - Cleaning tool with attachment projections providing additional cleaning functionalities - Google Patents

Abstract

A cleaning tool (10) , such as a mop, used for cleaning a surface includes a cleaning head (14) having a face (IS) with a plurality of projections (20) extending therefrom. A cleaning pad (32) is removably attached to the cleanin head face by engagement with the projections, the pad being formed of a first material (34) having a thickness and composition such that the projections penetrate through the pad and extend beyond an outer planar surface of the first material. The projections thus serve to securely attach the cleaning pa to the head and also provide an abrasive scrubbing functionality to the cleaning tool .

Description

CLEANING TOOL WITH UNION PROJECTIONS THAT PROVIDE ADDITIONAL CLEANING FUNCTIONALITIES Background Cleaning tools, such as mops, are commonly used to clean surfaces and other objects found in industrial and residential facilities. Mops typically include an elongated handle with a scrub head attached to the handle. A cleaning cloth or disposable component pad can be attached to the mop head, the cleaning cloth configured to collect dirt, lint, fluid, and other materials from a surface when the scrub head is moved on the surface. The disposable cleaning cloth can be designed to pick up these materials in a dry or wet state. Once the disposable cleaning cloth reaches the end of its designed life, the user can remove the cleaning cloth from the scrubbing head and subsequently dispose of the cleaning cloth. At such a time, a new disposable cleaning cloth can be applied to the scrubbing head in order to resume or initiate cleaning.

Various configurations have been used in the art to removably attach cleaning cloths to the scrubbing head or other cleaning implements. For example, a conventional method uses joining means provided on the upper side of the scrubbing head, such as slots, snaps, or other mechanical means formed in the scrub head. The wipers have side edges that are pulled by the user to extend over the top side of the scrubbing head to tuck them into the retention slots or otherwise be hooked by snaps or other devices on the top side of the scrub head. scrub.

It is also known in the art to use hook fasteners arranged on the underside or "application" side of the scrub head, the hook fasteners engage directly with the wiper cloth material, or with the compatible hook material provided on the cleaning wiper cloth, to secure the cleaning cloth in relation to the scrubbing head. Reference is made, for example, to U.S. Patent No. 5,419,015 which discloses a scrub head with a work pad attached removably thereto by hook fasteners located in recessed areas of the application side of the head of the head. scrub.

The bottom surface of a conventional scrubbing head is generally flat and the disposable wiping cloth is pressed flat against the surface to be cleaned, which is typically also a substantially uniform flat surface. The smaller particles can be properly removed and retained by the scrubbing head, cleaning in this way is often ineffective in capturing and retaining larger particles, such as dust or lint accumulation, from the surface to be cleaned. For example, dust and / or lint balls may be detached from the disposable cleaning cloth either during cleaning, or after the scrub head has been lifted from the surface that was freshly cleaned. In this regard, it has also been proposed in the art to configure cleaning pads or disposable pads intended for use with mops with multiple cleaning functions, including an "abrasive" or scrubbing feature. For example, the cleaning surface of the cleaning cloth may include raised areas or "tufts" of increased density to provide the cleaning cloth with an abrasive characteristic, as well as a desired degree of absorbency. Reference is made, for example to U.S. Patent No. 6,797,357, which discloses a disposable cleaning cloth that can be used with a scrubbing head, wherein the cleaning cloth has a macroscopic three-dimensional surface topography created by peaks. formed in the cleaning cloth material. It is alleged that this structure provides the cleaning cloth with the improved ability to lift and retain particles of particulate dirt.

UK Patent GB 2031039 discloses a disposable wiping cloth for dusting a non-woven fabric having areas of various degrees of etching. These areas have different degrees of structural integrity and a desired cleaning characteristic for the working view of the cleaning cloth.

U.S. Patent No. 4,741,941 discloses a non-woven fabric useful as a cleaning wiping cloth having separate projections for the placement areas. The projections make cleaning cloths particularly useful for scrubbing applications.

Conventional disposable cleaning cloths for use with the scrubbing heads can also be a composite or laminate of different materials that provides the cleaning cloth with different functionalities. For example, an abrasive material can form a layer of a multilayer product that also includes an absorbent layer.

Conventional methods for increasing the versatility of cleaning wipes intended for use with a cleaning implement, such as a mop, involve significant and relatively expensive modifications to the cleaning cloth material. The present invention seeks to provide an improved cleaning device using a disposable cleaning cloth with multiple cleaning functionalities while avoiding relatively complicated and often prohibitively expensive cleaning cloth modifications.

Synthesis Various features and advantages of the invention will be pointed out in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through the practice of the invention.

The present invention provides a cleaning tool, which in certain exemplary embodiments may be a mop, for use in cleaning any variety of surfaces. The cleaning tool provides unique and efficient means for attaching a disposable cleaning pad or cloth to a cleaning head of the cleaning tool while also providing the number of cleaning functionalities, including abrasive or scrubbing functionality. The cleaning tool is therefore useful for cleaning surfaces that require more than the cleaning action of the cloth from a soft cleaning cloth to remove all unwanted materials. For example, the cleaning tool can provide a generally aggressive scouring or abrasive functionality to remove large adhering matter, as well as a cleaning functionality to remove particles from finer surfaces, dust, etc. The multiple functionalities are provided by the combination of the cleaning head and the pad, and are not dependent on the complex or diverse structure of the cleaning pad alone.

In a particular embodiment, the cleaning tool includes a cleaning head having an application face with a plurality of projections extending therefrom. With a mop attachment, this cleaning head corresponds to the mop head attached to a handle by any conventional means, preferably a pivot arrangement. In alternative embodiments, the cleaning head can be a component that is erect only that is held in the hand of the user, or attached to a cleaning implement held in the hand. The cleaning head can be a component that is attached to an energized cleaning machine, such as a shock absorber, scraper, etc.

A pad is attached removable to one side of the head cleaning application by engagement with the projections. This pad is formed of a first material having a composition and thickness such that the projections penetrate through the material of the pad and extend beyond an outer planar surface of the first material. In this way, the projections provide abrasive scrubbing functionality, and the pad material provides a different cleaning functionality to the cleaning tool. In certain embodiments, the pad may be made of a selected material to provide a less abrasive, or more abrasive, functionality compared to the projections, or an absorbent functionality, or a relatively non-abrasive cloth cleaning functionality.

In one embodiment, the pad may comprise openings adapted to receive the projections. Such openings may be formed by the penetration of heated pins, by stamping, or by laser ablation, or any known method. In another embodiment, the projections penetrate through the porous pad, displaced material on the sides as the projections pass through the pad. In such embodiments, the pad may be substantially free of openings or other openings other than the pores that are inherent in the porous material of the pad itself.

The projections can be defined in several patterns on the application face of the cleaning head. For example, the projections can be defined in a uniform pattern over generally the entire surface area of the application face. In an alternative embodiment, the projections can be defined in discrete regions on the application face, for example along the edges of the application face, or in a discrete middle region. The projections can have the same or different configuration within different discrete regions depending on the desired cleaning functionalities of the different regions. For example, the projections may have a first configuration and spacing along the edges of the application face to provide more intense scrubbing functionality as compared to a middle region of the application face.

The projections may vary in form and configuration, but generally include a base part and a head part. The head part is designed to penetrate through the cleaning pad material and provides a desired degree of abrasion cleaning, while allowing for the relatively easy removal of the cleaning head pad by a user pulling the pad out of the cleaning head. At the same time, the projections provide sufficient strength in the plane cutting forces generated in use of the cleaning tool to prevent the pad from sliding or moving relative to the cleaning head, for example, as a mop is moved in a motion from back to front through a floor surface. In a particular embodiment, the projections have a width dimension of the head portion that is not greater than the base, and extend generally linearly from the base portion to the head portion. For example, the projections may have a cylindrical or conical configuration with a flat or pointed head portion. In one embodiment, the projections are raised from the cleaning head at an acute angle, such that the axis of any given projection is between, for example, about 5 degrees and 45 degrees from the vertical relative to a horizontal surface of the cleaning head. In another embodiment, the projections comprise a curved part that can, for example, form a hook. In a related embodiment, a plurality of projections have hook portions at their distal ends that are oriented in a single direction such that the performance of the projections during cleaning will depend on the direction of cloth cleaning. When the cleaning head is moved approximately in the direction defined by the orientation of the hooks defined by the projections, the hooks may hook to the fibers or other debris, either when the cleaning head is moved in the opposite direction, materials engaged by the hooks can be released or the hooks may not be as possible to hook and hold the fibers or other material. It is recognized that if the projections are curved or at an angle other than 90 degrees, the size of the openings in the cleaning pad may need to be increased to facilitate easy attachment of the pad to the cleaning head.

To facilitate manufacture, the projections can be formed integrally with the cleaning head, for example, by being molded directly on the cleaning head, or defined on the application face in a subsequent cutting, milling, edging, laser or other operation formed.

The pad can be formed in any way from suitable material or combinations of materials, which allow the penetration of projections with minimal force by the user. For example, the pad may be formed of an open cell foam, such as a melamine or urethane foam, a relatively stiff nonwoven material, such as a spin-bonded material. In addition to serving to attach the pad to the cleaning head, these materials also possess characteristics to achieve a desired cleaning functionality, such as absorbency, abrasion, etc. In general, the pad material can be any suitable material having sufficient structural integrity to allow penetration of the projections with adequate friction engagement to ensure that the pad does not slip relative to the cleaning head with the use of the tool cleaning. Various exemplary materials for use as the first pad material are described in detail below.

The cleaning pad may also include one or more additional layers of material adhered to the first material. For example, a second material may be attached on at least a portion of the first material, with this second material selected primarily to provide the cleaning tool with a desired cleaning functionality that may not be obtainable with the first material. This second material can be a non-woven material, a foam, an abrasive filament fabric, etc. The projections may extend completely through and beyond an outer planar face of the second material. In an alternative embodiment, the projections extend into the second material, but not beyond the outer planar face of the material until the cleaning tool is used. The second material can be generally compressive in such a way that the penetration of the projections beyond the outer face of the second material can be controlled by the user as a function of the degree of application force applied to the tool by the user. For example, to clean surfaces that require an abrasive scouring action, the user can apply a greater compressive force to the tool to cause the projections to extend through the second material. For less aggressive cleaning, the user can apply less force in such a way that the projection heads are recessed within the second material.

In a particularly unique embodiment, a cleaning agent, such as a disinfectant, bleach, or other cleaning compound, is contained within the pad and is released with the hooking of the pad by the projections. This agent may be in liquid form, or granular and stored within a defined recess in the pad. The agent can be stored directly within the recess with a film or other sealing material disposed on the recess. With sufficient application of force, the projections will extend through the recess and pierce the film, thereby releasing the cleaning agent. In an alternative embodiment, the agent can be contained in a bag placed within the recess. The bag may adhere directly within the recess, or held within the recess by an overlapping second pad material, such as a nonwoven material. With sufficient application of force, the projections will pierce the bag material and release the cleaning agent.

Aspects of the invention will be described in more detail below by reference to particular non-limiting embodiments in the drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cleaning tool configured as a mop incorporating aspects of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a bottom view of the cleaning head of the tool of Figure 1, shown in a partial cross section.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the application face of the cleaning head with the disposable pad removed and particularly illustrates an incorporation of the projections in a uniform pattern over the surface area of the application face.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a cleaning head with attached pad that particularly illustrates the height relationship of several components.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of a cleaning head with attached pad.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of yet another embodiment of a cleaning head with attached pad.

Figure 7 is a bottom perspective view of an embodiment of a cleaning head with attached pad incorporating an agent within a recess in the pad.

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of a cleaning head taken along the lines indicated in Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of a pad incorporating a cleaning agent within a defined recess in the pad.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, and is not meant as a limitation of the invention. For example, the features illustrated or described as part of an embodiment may be used with another embodiment to still produce a third embodiment. It is intended that the present invention include these and other modifications and variations.

The present invention provides a cleaning tool 10 intended to clean any shape of a desired surface. In the illustrated embodiments, the tool 10 is illustrated as a mop. Various constructions are well known in the art and need not be described in detail here for an appreciation or understanding of the present invention. It should also be appreciated that the cleaning tool 10 is not limited to a mop attachment, and encompasses any form of cleaning instrument that incorporates the new aspects of the invention, such as an implement held in the hand, mounted machine implement (for example, a cushion pad), etc.

With reference to Figures 1 to 4, in particular, the cleaning tool 10 is incorporated as a mop where the handle 12 is pivotally attached to the cleaning head 14 (mop head) in the manner of any conventional form or mechanism in pivot 13. The cleaning head 14 includes a rear surface 18 and an opposing application face 16, as particularly seen in Figure 2. The cleaning head 14 can be made of any conventional rigid material, such as a molded plastic, and the like. A plurality of projections 20 generally extends transversely from the application face 16. The projections 20 can be defined in various patterns on the application face 16. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 through 4, the projections 20 extend in a uniform pattern generally over the entire surface area of the application face 16. The number and spacing of the projections 20 may vary widely within the scope of the invention as long as a minimum number and arrangement of projections 20 is provided to ensure that the pad component 32 (described in detail below) is securely attached to the application face 16. The number and location of the projections 20 will also determine the degree of abrasion or scrubbing functionality provided by the projections 20.

The projections 20 may vary in shape and configuration, but generally include a base portion 24 and a head portion 22. The head portion 22 is designed to penetrate through the cleaning pad 32 and provides a desired degree of abrasion to the head. cleaned. In this regard, the head portion 22 can have a generally pointed configuration, as illustrated in Figures 1 through 4, or a cylindrical face as illustrated in Figure 6. The projections 20 are designed to provide sufficient strength to complete in the plane generated by the pad 32 in use of the cleaning tool 10, for example, when the pad head 14 is moved back and forth across a surface. The projections 20 prevent the pad 32 from slipping or moving with respect to the application surface 16 when subjected to such full forces. The projections 20 are also configured to allow the pad 32 to be removed from the head of the mop 14 by a user simply by pulling the pad out of the application surface 16. In this regard, the projections 20 have a width dimension of head that is generally no larger than the base dimension. For example, the projections 20 may have a conical configuration in which the sides of the projections 20 thin from a relatively wide base portion 24 to a part of the truncated head 22, as seen in Figures 1 through 4. In a alternative embodiment, the projections 20 can have a cylindrical configuration, as illustrated for example in Figure 6. The sides 26 of the projections 20 can be linear from the base part 24 to the head part 22. For example, with Referring to Figure 2, the sides 26 are linear and taper toward the head part 22. In the embodiment of Figure 6, the sides are linear and generally parallel to define the cylindrical configuration of the projections 20. The cylindrical projections 20 illustrated in Figure 6 may further include a pointed or truncated head portion 22 at the distal end of the projections 20.

The projections 20 can be defined on the application face 16 by any conventional means. To facilitate manufacture, the projections 20 can be formed integrally with the cleaning head 14, for example, being molded directly into the cleaning head. In alternative embodiments, the projections 20 can be defined on the face in a subsequent operation, such as a grind, cut, or other suitable operation designed to form the projections 20. In still an alternative embodiment, the projections 20 can be separately attached or adhered to the application face 16.

As mentioned, a pad 32 is attached removably to the application face 16 of the cleaning head 14 by engagement with the projections 20. This pad 32 is formed of a first material 34 having a thickness and composition such that the projections 20 penetrate through the material of the pad. For example, with reference to Figure 4, the application face 16 has a planar surface A and the projections 20 have a height C relative to the planar surface A. The pad 32 has an outer planar surface B which is intermediate to the planar surface A and the height C of the projections 20. With reference to Figure 2, when the pad 32 is mounted to the application surface 16, at least the head portions 22 of the projections 20 penetrate through the first material 34 and hence define a plurality of scrubbing elements on a desired pattern of the surface area with respect to the first material 34.

The first material 34 of the pad 32 provides a desired cleaning functionality that can be more or less abrasive than the projections 20. The first material 34 can also provide any degree of absorbency or any other combination of functional characteristics. The first material 34 can be any form of suitable material, or combination of materials that provide the desired cleaning functionality, as well as structural integrity, which allows the penetration of the projections 20 with minimal force while frictionally engaging with the projections to resist full forces in the plane with the use of the cleaning tool 10. Any number of available materials can be used in this regard, including open cell foams, non-woven fabrics, etc. These non-woven materials or foams also possess several characteristics to provide any desired cleaning functionality, such as absorbency, abrasion, etc. Various material specimens for use as the first pad material 32 are described in greater detail below.

The projections 20 can be provided in discrete areas or regions on the application face 10. For example, in an embodiment of Figure 5, the projections 20 are provided in discrete areas 30b and 30c along the edges of the application face. 16. A separate discrete zone 30a is provided in a middle region of the application face. The discrete zones 30a, 30b, and 30c of the projections 20 can be separated by areas of the application face 16 that are void of the projections 20. These discrete zones can be provided at any desired location on the application face 16 depending on the desired cleaning functionality. For example, the projections 16 can be provided at the leading or trailing edge of the application face 16, particularly for a mop incorporation of the cleaning tool 10, so that the projections 20 provide an initial abrasive scrubbing action when the mop it is pushed by the user in the forward direction. Another discrete region of the projections 20 can be provided at the trailing edge of the application face 16. Similarly, the projections 20 can be provided along the side edges of the application face 16.

The projections 20 may vary in size, number, configuration, and spacing between the different discrete regions. For example, even with reference to Figure 5, the projections 20 in the discrete regions 30b and 30c have a conical configuration and are spaced relatively apart in comparison to the cylindrical projections 20 in the discrete middle region 30a of the application face 16. The projections 20 may also have a different hardness or flexibility in the different discrete regions, depending on the desired cleaning functionality to be achieved from the projections 20 in the respective discrete regions. It should be appreciated that any combination of projections 20 in any pattern of discrete regions on the application face 16 is within the scope and spirit of the invention.

The cleaning pad 32 may also incorporate one or more additional layers of material 38 adhered, laminated, or otherwise bonded on at least a portion of the first material 34. This second material 38 is selected to provide the desired tool 10 with a desired cleaning functionality that may not be possible with the first material 34 which is used primarily to attach the pad 32 to the projections 20. This second material 38 may be any suitable material, including a non-woven material, foam, abrasive filament fabric, etc., depending on the particular desired cleaning functionality. Various materials suitable for the second material 38 are described in greater detail below. With reference to Figure 5, the second material 38 is illustrated as a nonwoven fabric that extends completely over the surface of the first open cell material 34. It should be appreciated that the second material 38 may be provided in discrete regions on the first material 34. depending on the desired location of the cleaning functionality of the second material 38. In this embodiment, the projections 20 extend completely through and beyond an outer planar surface of the second material 34.

In an alternative embodiment, illustrated for example in Figure 6, the first material 34 of the pad 32 is defined by a planar surface B. The projections 20 extend completely through the first material 34 and beyond the planar surface B. The second material 38 has an outer planar surface C. The projections 20 extend into the second material 38, but do not extend beyond the planar surface C of the second material. However, the second material can be generally compressive, such as a spunbond non-woven fabric, such that the penetration of the projections beyond the outer face of the second material 38 can be controlled by the user of the cleaning tool 10 as a function of the degree of application of the force applied to the cleaning head 14 by a user. For example, the cleaning surfaces which require an abrasive scouring action, the user can apply a greater compressive force to the cleaning head 14 to cause the material 38 to compress and the projections 20 to extend at least partially beyond the outer face of the second material 38. For less aggressive cleaning, the user can apply less force to the cleaning head 14 in such a way that the head portions of the projections 20 remain recessed within the second material 38.

The cleaning pad 32 can provide various functionalities in addition to presenting a surface having a desired cleaning functionality. For example, pad 32 can be configured to supply any form of agent to the surface to be cleaned. In a particular embodiment, the agent is a cleaning agent, such as a disinfectant, a bleach, or other cleaning compound, which is contained within the pad and released with the engagement of the pad 32 by the projections 20. This can achieved in several ways. For example, with reference to Figures 7 and 8, the agent may be a liquid, a powder, or a granular composition stored in a pouch 44. This pouch 44 is, in turn, contained in a recess 48 defined in the pad 32 on a number of projections 20. These recessed projections 20 may have a different size (height) and configuration than the projections 20 in the other areas of the application face 16, as particularly illustrated in Figure 8. The bag 44 it can be contained within the recess 48 by any conventional means, including an adhesive, friction adjustment, etc. In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 7 and 8, an additional second porous material 30 is disposed on the first material 34 and also serves to hold the bag 44 within the recess 48, as particularly illustrated in Figure 8. When sufficient force compressive is applied by the user to the cleaning head 14, the projections 20 arranged adjacent to the bag 44 will break the bag and release the cleaning agent 42. The agent 42 is then free to migrate out of the bag 44 and through the second material 38 of the pad 32. Migration can be aided in humid environments where the pad 32 is exposed to liquid, for example, in a wet mop application.

In an alternative embodiment, the cleaning agent 42 can be contained directly in the recess 48 without the use of a bag or other structure. For example, with reference to Figure 9, the agent 42 is contained in the recess 48, which is sealed with a film material 46, or any other suitable sealing material. The projections 20 extend at least partially into the recess 48 and, with sufficient compression force applied to the cleaning head 14 by the user, the projections 20 will pierce the film 46 and allow the cleaning agent 42 to migrate out to through film 46, as illustrated in Figure 9.

It should be appreciated that the embodiments illustrated in Figures 7 through 9 for releasing an agent contained within the cleansing pad 32 are non-limiting examples of any number of arrangements for releasing an agent from the pad 32 by engagement of the projected pad. 20. All such variations are within the scope and spirit of the invention. For example, the agent may be in a granular or powder form homogeneously dispersed throughout the material of the pad 34 such that at least a portion of the agent 42 is forced or pushed out of the pad 32 with engagement of the pad with the projections 20. The agent can be contained in capsules that are broken to release the agent with the attachment of the pad 32 to the projections 20, or with the compression of the pad 32.

Several examples of agents 42 that can be supplied by pad 32 include cleaning agents such as floor wax, scouring agents, disinfectants, deodorants, bleach, etc. The agent 42 can also act as a biosensor to indicate the presence of a biological agent, such as anthrax, or chemical agents. In one such bioluminescent system, the agent 42 includes B lymphocytes, which contain antibodies to the target analytes and a fluorescent jellyfish green protein that is activated when the antibodies contact the target analytes. Various types of biosensors are described in the patent application of the United States of America serial number 10/277, 170, filed on October 21, 2002, and entitled "Networks for Health Care with Biosensors", which is assigned to the assignee of the present application. All the contents of the patent application of the United States of America number 10 / 277,170 are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety for all purposes. The biosensor can be a fluorescent protein or a genetically engineered cell in a pathogen identification sensor that shines when the biosensor detects the presence of the particular bacterium or chemical agent. An example of a fluorescent protein can be found in the patent of the United States of America number 6,197,928 entitled "Fluorescent Protein Sensors for the Detection of Analytes", which was granted on March 6, 2001. All the contents of the patent of United States of America number 6,197,928 are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety for all purposes.

The disposable cleaning cloth pad 32 can be electrostatically charged either uniformly, or in a pattern, in order to assist in the capture and retention of the generally smaller particles therein. Methods for providing the electrostatic charge (e.g., electret) in a nonwoven fabric are well known. Examples include U.S. Patent No. 6,365,086, issued April 2, 2003 to Knight et al., And U.S. Patent No. 5,401,446, issued March 28, 1995 to Tsai et al. both of which are here incorporated by reference.

As described above, the first material 34 of the disposable pad 32 may be an open cell foam material, such as an aminoplast foam (eg, foams made of urea-formaldehyde resins or melamine-formaldehyde resins) or a phenolic foam such as a foam made of phenol-formaldehyde resin, wherein the foam has suitable mechanical properties for frictional engagement with the projections 20 to adhere the pad 32 to the cleaning head 14, as well as to contact and clean a surface. Melamine-based foam has been recognized in the art as an effective cleaning agent. A detailed description of aminoplast foams, for example, condensation products of formaldehyde based on urea, melamine, dicyanodiamide and / or derivatives thereof, are found, for example, in Kunststoff-Hanbuch, volume X, Vieweg-Becker " Duroplaste ", Karl Hanser Veriag, Munich, 1968, pages 135 et seq., Especially 466-475, including the bibliography cited therein. Corresponding information on phenoplast foams is found, for example, in Ullmann, Enyclopadie der technischen Chemie, 3rd edition, volume 15 (1964), pages 190-1, including the literature mentioned therein.

The principles for making melamine-based foam are well known in the art. Melamine-based foams are currently manufactured by BASF (Ludwigshafen, Germany) under the brand name of BASOTECT. For example, him BASOTECT 2011, with a density of around 0.01 grams per cubic centimeter, can be used. Foam blocks with melamine base for cleaning are marketed by Procter & gamble (from Cincinnati, Ohio) under the brand name of MR: CLEAN, and under the name of CLEENPRO by LEC, Inc., of Tokyo, Japan. Melamine-based foam is also marketed for acoustic and thermal insulation by many companies such as American Micro Industries (of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania).

Principles for the production of the melamine-based foam are described by H. Mahuke et al., In EP-B 071 671, published on December 17, 1979. In accordance with EP-B 017 671, they are produced by foaming of an aqueous solution or dispersion of a melamine-formaldehyde condensation product comprising an emulsifier (eg, alkyl metal sulfonates and alkylaryl metal sulfonates such as sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate), an acid curing agent, and an agent of blowing, such as a C5-C7 hydrocarbon, and curing the melamine-formaldehyde condensate at an elevated temperature.

U.S. Patent No. 6,503,615, issued January 7, 2003 to Horri et al., Discloses a wiper cleaner made from an open cell foam such as a melamine-based foam, the wiper cloth cleaner has a density of 5 to 50 kilograms per cubic meter in accordance with JIS K 6401, a tensile strength of 0.6 to 1.6 kilograms per square centimeter in accordance with JIS K 6301, an elongation at break of 8 to 20% in accordance with JIS K 6301, and a number of cells of 80 to 300 cells per 25 millimeters as measured in accordance with JIS K 6402. Melamine-based foams have such mechanical properties that they can be used within the scope of the present invention.

Brittle foams can be made, as described in German publication DE-AS 12 97 331, of phenolic components, urea-based components, or melamine-based components, in aqueous solution with a blowing agent and a hardening catalyst.

The entire description of the patent of the United States of America number 6,608,118 is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Melamine-based foams are also described in British patent GB 1443024, issued on July 21, 1976.

In addition, any aminoplast foam or other rigid or brittle foam described in U.S. Patent No. 4,125,664, entitled "Formed Foam Plastics Goods", issued November 14, 1978 to H. Clesemann, incorporated herein by reference , can be used to produce the products of the present invention. Other foams that are believed to be useful within the scope of the present invention include those described in U.S. Patent No. 4,666,948, "Preparation of Flexible Malemina Foams," issued May 19, 1987 to Woemer et al.; and U.S. Patent No. 5,234,969, "Cure Phenolic Foams," issued August 10, 1993 to Clark et al .; U.S. Patent No. 6,133,332, "Processes for Producing Phenolic Resin Foams," issued October 17, 2000 to T. Shibanuma; and WO 91/14731, "Stable Aminoplast Cellular Foams and Processes for Manufacturing," published October 3, 1991, by Mader et al., all of which are incorporated herein by reference. The latter, WO 91/14731, describes cellular foams obtained by the use of halogenated, unsaturated polyalcohol in a precondensed condensate constituent and a partially esterified dodecylbenzolsulfonic acid preferably with a fatty alcohol and a long chain polyhydric alcohol, such as a polyethylene glycol, in a constituent hardening foaming agent.

In one embodiment, the foam material may comprise a thermoset foam, and thermosetting components of the cleaning foam which may comprise about 50%, over 60%, over 80%, or over 90% of the mass of the foam. Alternatively, the solid polymeric components of the cleaning foam may consist essentially of one or more thermoset materials. In another embodiment, the cleaning foam is substantially free of thermoplastic materials. In another embodiment, the cleaning foam does not comprise more than 50% or any of a selected component of polyolefin materials, polyurethanes, silicones, and polyesters.

In other embodiments, the first material 34 may be a material formed in an open, porous structure that has sufficient strength to adhere the pad 32 to the protuberances 20, as desired, and harden to form a hard, scratchy surface on the pad 32. Suitable materials are plentiful and can be either natural or synthetic materials. Possible exemplary materials can include any known abrasive materials formed in the desired open structure. Possible synthetic materials can be polymeric materials, such as. For example, bonded nonwoven fabrics formed of molten or uncured polymer which can then harden to form the desired abrasive layer.

Other materials used as abrasives in known commercial scrubbing products may also be used, such as perforated nylon covers, nylon nets, and materials similar to those found in other abrasive products such as, for example, the SCOTCHBRITE pads of the 3M Corp. , of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

In one embodiment, the first material 34 of the pad 32 may include a spunbond fabric, such as may be formed using a thermoplastic polymer material. Usually, any suitable thermoplastic polymer that can be used to form meltblown non-woven fabrics can be used for the abrasive layer of the scrub pads. For example, in one embodiment, the material may include melt blown nonwoven fabrics formed with a polyethylene or a polypropylene thermoplastic polymer. Polymer alloys can also be used in the abrasive layer, such as polypropylene alloy fibers and other polymers such as polyethylene terephthalate. Compatibilizers may be needed for some polymer combinations to provide an effective blend. In one embodiment, the abrasive polymer is substantially free of halogenated compounds. In another embodiment, the abrasive polymer is not a polyolefin, but comprises a material that is more abrasive than say, polypropylene or polyethylene (for example, having bending modules of about 1200 mega-pascals or more, or a Shore hardness D of 85 or more).

Thermo-fixed polymers can also be used, as well as photo-curable polymers and other curable polymers.

The first layer of material 34 can be a fabric comprising fibers of any suitable cross-section. For example, the fibers of the abrasive layer may include rough fibers with circular or non-circular cross sections. In addition, non-circular cross-section fibers may include fibers in slots or multi-lobed fibers such as, for example, "4DG" fibers. (especially fibers with deep grooves of polyethylene terephthalate, with a cross-section shape of eight points). Additionally, the fibers can be single component fibers, formed from a single polymer or copolymer, or they can be multi-component fibers.

In an effort to produce an abrasive layer that has desirable combinations of physical properties. In one embodiment, polymeric non-woven fabrics made of filaments and multicomponent or bicomponent fibers can be used. The bicomponent or multi-component polymer fibers or filaments include two or more polymeric components that remain distinct. The various components or multi-component filaments are arranged in substantially different zones through the cross-section of the filaments and extend continuously along the length of the filaments. For example, the bicomponent filaments may have a side-by-side or core and sheath arrangement. Typically, one component exhibits different properties than the other such that the filaments exhibit properties of the two components. For example, one component can be polypropylene which is relatively strong and the other component can be polyethylene which is relatively soft. The final result is a strong yet non-woven fabric.

In one embodiment, the material layer 34 comprises metallocene polypropylene or "single site" polyolefins for improved strength and abrasion. Single-site material copies are available from H.B. Fuller Company, from Vadnais Heights, Minnesota.

In another embodiment, the material layer 34 may include a precursor fabric comprising a planar nonwoven substrate, having a distribution of meltable attenuated thermoplastic fibers such as the polypropylene fibers thereof. The precursor fabric can be heated to cause the thermoplastic fibers to shrink and form remaining nodular fibers imparting an abrasive character to the resulting fabric material. The remaining nodular fibers may comprise between about 10% and about 50% by weight of the total fiber content of the fabric and may have an average particle size of about 100 microns or greater. In addition to the fibers that are used to form the remaining nodular, the precursor fabric may contain cellulose fibers and synthetic fibers having at least one component with a melting point higher than the polypropylene to provide strength. The precursor tissue can be placed wet, placed by air, or made by other methods. In one embodiment, the precursor fabric is substantially free of papermaking fibers. For example, the precursor fabric can be a fibrous nylon fabric containing polypropylene fibers (for example, a bonded and carded fabric comprising both nylon fibers and polypropylene fibers).

The material used to form the material layer 34 may also contain various additives as desired. For example, various stabilizers may be added to a polymer such as light stabilizers, heat stabilizers, processing aids, and additives that increase the thermal aging stability of the polymer. In addition, auxiliary wetting agents, such as hexanol, antistatic agents such as alkyl potassium phosphate, and alcohol repellents such as various fluoropolymers (for example DuPont 9356H repellent) may also be present. The desired additives may be included in the abrasive layer either through the inclusion of the additive to the polymer in the matrix or alternatively through the addition to the abrasive layer after formation, such as through the spraying process.

As described, a second material 38 can be incorporated with the pad 32 for its desired cleaning functions. This material 38 can be any conventional non-woven "soft" fabric capable of grinding or polishing a surface. Alternatively, the fabric can be made of a rougher material so that the second material 38 is rougher abrasive than the first material 34. For example, the material 38 can be any of the nonwoven abrasive fabrics described above or a foam material abrasive In this case, the cleaning tool 10 can be used so that the second material 38 is capable of scrubbing rough surfaces that could otherwise damage the first material 34, particularly a foam material. In fact, the second material 34 may be a fabric that is better able to remove the dried or ground food substrates in the dirt and some other unwanted elements from a surface that is to be cleaned in other example embodiments. The fabric 34 may comprise abrasive grit or melt blown munitions attached to a fibrous substrate.

It should be understood that the present invention includes various modifications that can be made to the incorporations of the cleaning tool 10 as described herein as fall within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims (16)

R E I V I N D I C A C I O N S

1. A cleaning tool for use in cleaning a surface, comprising: a cleaning head having an application face with a plurality of projections extending therefrom; a pad removably attached to said cleaning head application face by contacting said projections, said pad formed of a first material and having a thickness such that said projections penetrate through said pad and extend beyond a surface outer plane of said first material; wherein said projections provide abrasive scrubbing functionality in addition to a cleaning functionality of said pad.

2. The cleaning tool as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that said projections are defined in a uniform pattern generally over the entire face.

3. The cleaning tool as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that said projections are defined in a plurality of discrete regions on said face, with said projections having a different configuration between at least two of said discrete regions to provide functions of Different cleaning to different areas of said cleaning head face.

4. The cleaning tool as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that said projections comprise a head and a base part, with said head part having a width no greater than a base part.

5. The cleaning tool as claimed in clauses 1 to 4, characterized in that said projections are formed integral with said cleaning head.

6. The cleaning tool as claimed in clauses 1 to 5, characterized in that said pad comprises an open porous material that engages frictionally with said projections.

7. The cleaning tool as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that said pad comprises a second material placed on at least a part of said first material, said second material selected to provide said cleaning tool with a desired cleaning function different from that of the first material.

8. The cleaning tool as claimed in clause 7, characterized in that said second material comprises a non-woven fabric, said projections extending beyond a flat outer surface of a non-woven fabric.

9. The cleaning tool as claimed in clause 7, characterized in that the second material comprises a non-woven fabric, said projections extending in but not beyond a flat outer surface of said non-woven fabric.

10. The cleaning tool as claimed in clauses 1 to 9, characterized in that it also comprises an agent contained within said pad, said agent being released with the contact of said pad by said projections.

11. The cleaning tool as claimed in clause 10, characterized in that said agent is contained within a recess defined in said pad.

12. The cleaning tool as claimed in clause 11, characterized in that said agent is contained within a bag placed within said recess, said bag being broken by said projections to release said agent.

13. The cleaning tool as claimed in clause 11 characterized in that said agent is stored directly within said recess, said recess covered by a film member that is pierced by said projections to release said agent.

14. The cleaning tool as claimed in clauses 1 to 13, characterized in that said projections have an axis at an acute angle to the cleaning head.

15. The cleaning tool as claimed in clauses 1 to 13, characterized in that said projections comprise an arched section in the shape of a hook.

16. The cleaning tool as claimed in clauses 1 to 14, characterized in that said tool is configured as a mop, said cleaning head is configured as a mop head and said pad comprises a disposable component that can be attached to said head. mop. SUMMARY A cleaning tool, such as a mop, used to clean a surface includes a cleaning head having a face with a plurality of projections extending therefrom. A cleaning pad is removably attached to the cleaning head face by contacting the projections, the pad is formed of a first material having a thickness and composition so that the projections penetrate through the pad and extend beyond an outer flat surface of the first material. The projections therefore serve to securely hold the cleaning pad to the head and also provide an abrasive scrubbing function to the cleaning tool.