CLEANING ARTICLE HAVING AN ABSORBENT BASE MATERIAL

Abstract

The invention relates to a cleaning article (100) having an absorbent base material formed by a flat material (101), with a first (102) and a second side surface, wherein a coating (112) is provided on at least the first side surface (102) and confers to said first side surface (102) of the cleaning article (100) a higher frictional force than that of an uncoated first side surface (102), wherein the coating (112) comprises a plurality of coating lines (114) and, when an imaginary grid network (200) consisting of lines extending parallel, equidistantly and vertically to one another and with an edge length of 7 mm for each grid quadrant (206) is laid over the first side surface (102) of the cleaning article (100), said first side surface (102) has a first degree of coating coverage of at least 15% in the region of at least 5 grid quadrants (208) per 25 cm.sup.2, and a second degree of coating coverage of no more than 8% in the region of at least 5 grid quadrants (210) per 25 cm.sup.2.

Claims

1. A cleaning article (100) comprising an absorbent base material formed by a flat material (101) having a first side face (102) and a second side face, wherein a coating (112) that has been provided on at least the first side face (102) imparts elevated abrasiveness to the first side face (102) of the cleaning article compared to an uncoated first side face (102), and wherein the coating (112) comprises a multitude of coating lines (114) and wherein, when an imaginary grid (200) composed of parallel, equidistant lines running at right angles to one another with an edge length of 7 mm of each grid square (206) is placed over the first side face (102) of the cleaning article (100), the first side face (102) has a first degree of coverage of coating of at least 15% in the region of at least 5 grid squares (208) per 25 cm.sup.2 and a second degree of coverage of coating of at most 8% in the region of at least 5 grid squares (210) per 25 cm.sup.2.

2. The cleaning article (100) of claim 1, wherein the first side face (102) has a first degree of coverage of at least 15% in the region of at least 8, and at most 35 grid squares (208) per 25 cm.sup.2.

3. The cleaning article (100) of claim 1, wherein the case of a coating (112) having at least 10 grid squares (208) per 25 cm.sup.2 having the first degree of coverage of at least 15%, and at least 5 grid squares of these have a degree of coverage of at least 20%.

4. The cleaning article (100) of claim 1 wherein the grid squares (208) have an upper limit in the degree of coverage per 25 cm.sup.2 of the first degree of coverage of at most 50%.

5. The cleaning article (100) of claim 1 wherein the coating (112) has a coverage quotient; ascertained from the number of grid squares (210) per 25 cm.sup.2 of the second degree of coverage of not more than 8% divided by the number of grid squares (208) per 25 cm.sup.2 of the first degree of coverage of at least 15%, of at least 0.1 and at most 3.0.

6. The cleaning article (100) of claim 1 wherein, the coating (112) has at least one region at least 2 and at most 30 grid squares (208) of the first degree of coverage of at least 15% are in a directly adjacent arrangement.

7. The cleaning article (100) of claim 1 wherein the coating (112) has or has been formed from a multitude of individual patterns (120) formed from coating lines (114).

8. The cleaning article (100) of claim 7, wherein at least one individual pattern (120) has at least one section (128) that runs at right angles to any direction in the first side face (102) and an imaginary tangent (134) applied thereto runs at right angles to any direction (130) in the first side face (102).

9. The cleaning article (100) of claim 7 at least one individual pattern (120) takes the form of a group of patterns (124) comprising at least two pattern elements (126) formed from coating lines (114).

10. The cleaning article (100) of claim 9, wherein a first pattern element (126) encircles at least regions of a second pattern element (126) or further pattern elements (126), and/or in that a first pattern element (126) is assigned to and arranged in contact with a second pattern element (126) or further pattern elements (126) alongside.

11. The cleaning article (100) of claim 7 wherein at least one individual pattern (120) on at least the first side face (102) is surrounded on all sides by an uncoated outer region.

12. The cleaning article (100) of claim 1 wherein the coating (112) covers the at least first side face (102) essentially over its entire extent.

13. The cleaning article, of claim 1 wherein the coating (112) may be distributed uniformly or non-uniformly across the cleaning article (100).

14. The cleaning article (100) of claim 1 wherein the first side face (102) has a degree of coverage by the coating (112) of at least 6% and at most 50%.

15. The cleaning article (100) of claim 1 wherein the coating lines (114) have a line width of at least 0.2 mm and at most 2.0 mm.

16. The cleaning article (100) of claim 1 wherein the coating lines (114) have a length corresponding to at least 5 times the width of the respective coating line (114).

17. The cleaning article (100) of claim 1 wherein the coating lines (114) have a height of at least 0.1 mm and of at most 0.8 mm.

18. The cleaning article (100) of claim 1 wherein the coating lines (114) take the form of continuous lines and/or lines that are interrupted at least in regions, where the interruption is not longer than 10 times the line width of the line adjacent to this site of interruption.

19. The cleaning article (100) of claim 1 wherein the coating (112) has a basis weight of at least 5 g/m.sup.2 and of at most 50 g/m.sup.2.

20. The cleaning article (100) of claim 1 wherein the coating (112) is polymer-based and formed from materials having a Shore A hardness of at least 30 and of at most 95.

21. The cleaning article (100) of claim 1 wherein the first side face (102) having the coating (112) has a dynamic coefficient of friction in accordance with ASTM D1894-01 of at least 0.2 and of not more than 1.5.

22. The cleaning article (100) of claim 6 further comprising wherein at least one region, in which at least 2 grid squares (210) of the second degree of coverage of not more than 8% are in a directly adjacent arrangement.

Description

[0075] Further features and details and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the drawings and description of the cleaning article of the invention which follows. The figures show:

[0076] FIG. 1 a diagram of a first side face of a cleaning article of the invention,

[0077] FIG. 2 a diagram of a first side face of a further cleaning article of the invention,

[0078] FIG. 3 a diagram of a first side face of a further cleaning article of the invention,

[0079] FIGS. 4a-c) various individual patterns of the coating,

[0080] FIGS. 5a-c) a diagram of the determination of the grid squares and

[0081] FIG. 6 a schematic diagram, not to scale, of a detail of a Shore A hardness measuring instrument.

[0082] FIG. 1 shows a top view of the first side face 102 of a cleaning article 100 of the invention, in the configuration of a cosmetic pad, wherein the first side face 102 faces the user's skin on use for face cleansing. The cleaning article 100 consists of a base material composed of nonwoven materials composed of a mixture of natural cellulose-based fibers and synthetic fibers. This base material forms a wadding layer and is consolidated in that bonding of the fiber mixture is obtained by partial melting of the synthetic fibers.

[0083] In the case of a multilayer base material, the bonding of the plies can be achieved by calendering or laminating.

[0084] The base material of the cleaning article has a base ply having a grammage of preferably 80-300 g/m.sup.2.

[0085] As FIG. 1 shows, a coating 112 composed of coating lines 114 is provided on the first side face 102 of the cleaning article 100. The coating 112 serves to remove skin flakes and makeup etc. in the case of face cleansing. The coating lines 114 are polymer-based. The material of the coating preferably has a Shore A hardness of 70-95. The coating lines are applied by means of a gravure method, wherein the cleaning article 100 is conducted between a gravure roll and an opposing roll. The width of the coating lines 114 in the present case is 0.5-1.0 mm. The height of the coating lines is preferably 0.2-0.4 mm, and so no unpleasant tactile effects occur on the skin by virtue of the coating pattern applied.

[0086] The coating shown in FIG. 1 has a multitude of individual patterns 120 formed by coating lines 114. In the case presented, preferably every individual pattern 120 is formed by groups of patterns 124, where the groups of patterns 124 here consist of four pattern elements 126. In the present groups of patterns, there are pattern elements 126 arranged encircling one another or else alongside one another and in contact with one another. No coating material has been applied between the individual pattern elements of every individual group of patterns that forms an individual pattern, i.e. there is an uncoated region 116 therein. In this way, the coating lines 114 overall achieve a degree of coverage on the first side face of about 10-25%. By virtue of the individual elements 120 as such, an overall area coverage of 30-40% of the first side face 102 is obtained, meaning that the clear areas outside the individual patterns 120, i.e. the outer uncoated regions 118 surrounding the individual patterns, take up about 60-70% of the first side face 102. In this way, the abrasiveness of the cleaning article 100 on the skin can be configured in an advantageous manner with simultaneously only minor impairment of the desired properties ascribed to the base material of the cleaning article, for example softness and/or absorption properties, which are not significantly influenced by the coating.

[0087] FIGS. 2 and 3 show further embodiments of cleaning articles 100. Thus, as shown in FIG. 2, the coating 112 on the first side face 102 may consist of a multitude of individual patterns 120 formed from coating lines 114, wherein the individual patterns 120 are in the form of groups of patterns 124 composed of at least 3 pattern elements 126, composed here of concentric circles. This gives rise to uncoated regions 116, 118 within the individual patterns and also outside the individual patterns. The individual patterns may also intersect with, overlap or touch one another, as apparent from FIG. 2.

[0088] With the coating 112, it is also possible for individual patterns 120 in rows that form words, formed here from coating lines 114, to be produced on the first side face of the cleaning article, as shown in FIG. 3. Here too, uncoated regions 116, 118 arise within and outside the individual patterns.

[0089] In addition, a coating in which the individual patterns 120 can intersect, overlap or touch one another, but each individual pattern in itself can still be seen and they especially cannot be connected by a continuous line running from one lateral edge of the cleaning article 122a to an opposite lateral edge of the cleaning article 122b, has the advantage that there are no preferential directions. The edges of the cleaning article 100 are considered in each case to be two opposite edges of the cleaning article 100. In this way, the abrasive properties can be improved in all directions.

[0090] Particular preference is given here to a coating in which, owing to the configuration of the individual patterns 120, at least one individual pattern 120, preferably at least 20% of the individual patterns 120, on the first side face, more preferably every individual pattern 120, has a section or region 128 that runs at right angles, i.e. with an angle 132 of 90, to any direction 130 in the surface of the cleaning article 100, as shown in schematic form in FIG. 4a. In this way, any direction of movement can be faced by a proportion that runs at right angles thereto and hence has the optimal abrasion effect for this direction of movement.

[0091] The optimal manifestation of the advantages mentioned is achieved in that the individual patterns 120 are discrete from one another and especially do not merge into one another in such a way that the individual patterns 120 lose resolution in the entirety of the patterns, as is the case, for example, for the individual rhombuses or squares in a grid pattern.

[0092] Further preferred individual patterns are shown by FIGS. 4a-4c, it being possible both for different individual patterns to be combined with one another, as shown by FIGS. 4a-4b, and additionally also for the individual patterns to have a difference with regard to the formation of the coating lines both in terms of the height thereof and in terms of the width thereof. Furthermore, it is also conceivable to execute the coating lines not in a continuous, sustained manner but in an interrupted manner at least in sections, such as a dotted, dashed-and-dotted or dotted manner, as shown, for example, in FIG. 4a, provided that this does not lead to dissolution of the overall pattern in that the patterns as such can no longer be seen. The individual patterns formed from coating lines may also consist entirely of coating lines composed of a continuity of dots, as shown by way of example in FIG. 4c.

[0093] If an individual pattern 120 is composed of multiple pattern elements 126 as a group of patterns 124, these may, as shown in FIGS. 4a and 4b, encircle one another at a distance over the full circumference, but may also encircle one another such that there are points of contact. In addition, it is also possible that the individual pattern elements of a single pattern 120 are arranged to form regions of contact or intersection, as shown, for example, by FIG. 4c. The individual patterns according to FIGS. 4a to 4c may be formed analogously to FIG. 2 such that the individual patterns intersect, touch or overlap with one another.

[0094] The dynamic coefficient of friction of the coated side face of the cleaning article according to FIG. 1, measured in accordance with ASTM D 1894-01, is between 0.4 and 0.7.

[0095] The degrees of coverage on the first side face of a cleaning article are judged using an imaginary grid. The determination is elucidated in detail with reference to FIGS. 5a-c:

[0096] FIG. 5a shows, by way of example, a cleaning article 100 of rectangular dimensions by the top view of the first side face with a coating 112 distributed over the entire extent of the first side face. FIG. 5a is likewise intended to show, by way of example, a schematic detail from a sheetlike material 101 with a coating 112 applied thereto. It is possible by way of example to punch or cut cleaning articles 100 of smaller dimensions out of the sheetlike material 101, for example round cosmetic pads, as illustrated in FIG. 5b. The degrees of coverage are judged using an imaginary grid 200. The grid 200, formed from an arrangement of lines, wherein a first array 202 of parallel, equidistant lines is intersected by a second array 204 of parallel, equidistant lines to form right angles, consists of grid squares 206, each having an edge length of 7 mm. The grid may be placed in any desired manner over a cleaning article and its coating 112. Although the grid 200 here is provided with the arrays of lines at an angle of 45 to the edge 122 in the case of a rectangular cleaning article, no preferential direction for placement of the grid is intended for the judgement. The individual grid squares 206 and the degree of coverage present in each are ascertained. The evaluation is based on grid squares per 25 cm.sup.2 having a first degree of coverage of at least 15% and grid squares per 25 cm.sup.2 having a second degree of coverage of at least 8%. In the consideration of cleaning articles having a dimension other than 25 cm.sup.2, the number of grid squares having a first degree of coverage of at least 15% ascertained on the first side face of the cleaning article and the number of grid squares having a second degree of coverage of at most 8% are correspondingly standardized to 25 cm.sup.2. For the evaluation of the degree of coverage of the coating in relation to the respective grid squares, it is possible to use any desired evaluation methods, for example computer-assisted graphic and drawing programs. The judgement is shown by way of example for cleaning articles 100 in the configuration of round cosmetic pads as shown schematically in FIG. 5b: The grid 200 can be placed on as desired and the evaluation of the coating 112 on the cosmetic pads 100 is undertaken in relation to the grid squares of edge length 7 mm. In the evaluation, exclusively grid squares that are completely within the region of the cleaning article are used for the determination. Grid squares that are intersected by the boundary line (edge) 122 of the cleaning article 100, i.e. the cosmetic pad here, are disregarded for the consideration of the grid squares to be counted.

[0097] In the two cosmetic pads from FIG. 5b, the coating has 21 or 20 grid squares having a first degree of coverage of at least 15% and each coating has 10 grid squares having a second degree of coverage of at least 8%, as shown further in FIG. 5c. The fully filled grid squares here symbolize the first degree of coverage of at least 15% and the grid squares having a stripe pattern symbolize the second degree of coverage of at least 8%. This results in a coating having a coverage quotient, ascertained from the number of grid squares having the second degree of coverage divided by the number of grid squares having the first degree of coverage, of 0.5 for the cosmetic pads. This form of evaluation can be undertaken in any cleaning articles irrespective of their geometric shape or dimensions, for example round, oval, angular or any other shape.