Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
Reexamination Certificate
2004-01-23
2004-11-30
Boyer, Charles (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
For cleaning a specific substrate or removing a specific...
C510S384000, C510S391000, C510S432000, C510S503000, C510S504000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06825158
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to an improved general purpose cleaning wipe which includes a wipe combined with a liquid cleaning composition having a biocide and a biocide release agent. Although the invention is principally directed to a cleaning wipe, the invention has broader applications and includes an improved liquid solution comprising a biocide and a biocide release agent that can be used alone or in combination with a towel, cloth, rag, sponge, squeegee, and the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Cleaning wipes have long been used for a variety of purposes. Such cleaning wipes have contained various compounds to accomplish their intended purpose. For example, cleaning wipes have included inverse emulsions (i.e. water-in-liquid) to clean infants. Cleaning wipes have also included waxes to polish and clean furniture. Cleaning wipes have further included soaps and detergents to clean an individual's hands, counter tops, floors, and the like. Cleaning wipes have also included ammonia to clean glass surfaces. Alcohol and various other biocides have been included on cleaning wipes to disinfect a variety of surfaces.
One type of biocide that has been used in cleaning wipes is quaternary ammonium salts commonly referred to as quats. Liquid cleaners applied to cleaning wipes typically include relatively large amounts of quat. It has been observed that only about 50% of the quat on a cleaning wipe is released from the wipe when the wipe is applied to a surface. As a result, added quat is included in the liquid cleaner to ensure that the desired amount of quat transfers to the cleaned surface. Although quats are excellent biocides, quats can cause skin irritation when used in too high of concentrations. Furthermore, liquid cleaners having a high quat content are subject to various local, state and/or federal regulations due to the toxicity of the quat in high concentrations. In addition to the regulatory and skin irritation concerns associated with quats, quats are typically the highest cost component of the cleaner, thus larger quat concentrations translate into higher product costs.
There have been various attempts to develop liquid cleaners having improved quat release from the cleaning wipes. Some cleaning formulations use a high weight percentage of isopropyl alcohol to promote quat release from the cleaning wipe. It has been observed that isopropyl alcohol in amounts of over about 12% can improve the quat release from the wipe. The use of isopropyl alcohol is also beneficial in that the alcohol has its own antimicrobial properties and cost substantially less than quats. Although the use of isopropyl alcohol in the cleaning formulation improves quat release from the wipe, a substantial amount of quat still remains on the cleaning wipe after use. In addition, local, state and/or federal governments have begun to promulgate regulations on the amount of isopropyl alcohol that can be used in cleaners. Indeed, in California, regulations have been proposed to regulate the use of cleaners containing over 5 weight percent isopropyl alcohol. As a result, cleaners having high concentrations of isopropyl alcohol may be less preferred.
In view of the present state of the art of cleaning wipes containing quats, there is a demand for a quat containing liquid cleaner-that can be applied to a cleaning wipe formulated to have improved quat release without having to incorporate high weight percentages of isopropyl alcohol or any other type of alcohol.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to an improved cleaning wipe impregnated with a liquid cleaning composition that includes a biocide and a biocide release agent. The cleaning composition is generally a liquid cleaner; however, the cleaning composition may be in a solid or semi-solid form. The cleaning composition can be concentrated or unconcentrated. The cleaning composition is generally applied to a cleaning wipe and loaded onto the cleaning wipe to a desired loading ratio; however, the cleaning composition can be used separately from a cleaning wipe. When the cleaning composition is loaded or impregnated onto a cleaning wipe, the cleaning composition is formulated to have a viscosity that allows such loading. Typically, the viscosity of the cleaning composition is less than about 1,000 centipoise (“cps”) when the cleaning composition is loaded or impregnated onto a cleaning wipe. The viscosity of the cleaning composition can be greater than 1000 cps when the cleaning composition is used separately from a cleaning wipe.
In one aspect of the present invention, the dry cleaning wipe onto which the cleaning composition is loaded generally includes an absorbent and/or adsorbent material. In one embodiment, the cleaning wipe includes, but is not limited to, a nonwoven material. In one aspect of this embodiment, the nonwoven material includes but is not limited to, nonwoven, fibrous sheet materials. In another aspect of this embodiment, the nonwoven material includes, but is not limited to, meltblown, coform, air-laid, spun bond, wet laid, bonded-carded web materials, and/or hydroentangled (also known as spunlaced) materials. In another embodiment, the cleaning wipe includes woven materials. In one aspect of this embodiment, the woven material includes, but is not limited to, cotton fibers, cotton
ylon blends and/or other textiles. In yet another embodiment, the cleaning wipe includes a sponge and/or sponge-like material. In one aspect of this embodiment, the sponge and/or sponge-like material includes, but is not limited to, regenerated cellulose and/or polyurethane foams. In still another embodiment, the cleaning wipe includes wood pulp, a blend of wood pulp, and/or synthetic fibers. In one aspect of this embodiment, the synthetic fibers include, but are not limited to, polyester, rayon, nylon, polypropylene, polyethylene, and/or cellulose polymers. In still another embodiment, the cleaning wipe includes a binder. In a further embodiment, the liquid loading capacity of the cleaning wipe is sufficient to retain the desired amount of cleaning composition on the cleaning wipe. In one aspect of this embodiment, the liquid loading capacity of the cleaning wipe is at least about 10% of the dry weight of the cleaning wipe. In another aspect of this embodiment, the liquid loading capacity of the cleaning wipe is about 50%-1000% of the dry weight of the cleaning wipe. This loading capacity is expressed as loading ½ to 10 times the weight (or, more accurately, the mass) of the dry cleaning wipe. In still another aspect of this embodiment, the liquid loading capacity of the cleaning wipe is about 200%-800% of the dry weight of the cleaning wipe. In yet another aspect of this embodiment, the liquid loading capacity of the cleaning wipe is about 250%-500% of the dry weight of the cleaning wipe. In still yet another aspect of this embodiment, the liquid loading capacity of the cleaning wipe is about 300%-450% of the dry weight of the cleaning wipe. In still a further embodiment, the cleaning composition is impregnated, dosed, loaded, metered, or otherwise dispensed onto the cleaning wipe. The loading of the cleaning wipe can be accomplished in several ways including, but not limited to, treating each individual wipe with a discrete amount of cleaning composition, mass treating a continuous web of cleaning wipes with the cleaning composition, soaking the entire web of cleaning wipes in the cleaning composition, spraying the cleaning composition in a stationary or moving web of cleaning wipes, and/or impregnating a stack of individually cut and sized cleaning wipes in a dispenser. In yet a further embodiment, the cleaning wipe has a density of about 0.01-1,000 grams per square meter (referred to as “basis weight”). In one aspect of this embodiment, the cleaning wipe has a density of about 25-120 grams/m
2
. In still yet a further embodiment, the cleaning wipe is produced as a sheet or web which is cut, die-cut or otherwise sized into the desired appropriate shape and size. In another embodiment, the cleaning wipe has a wet
Mitra Shuman
Scott Wayne B.
Shaffer Glen A.
Simon Richard E.
Vieira Kenneth
Boyer Charles
Fay Sharpe Fagan Minnich & McKee
The Clorox Company
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