Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces – auxiliary compositions – Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing – Heterogeneous arrangement
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-24
2002-01-22
Douyon, Lorna M. (Department: 1751)
Cleaning compositions for solid surfaces, auxiliary compositions
Cleaning compositions or processes of preparing
Heterogeneous arrangement
C510S439000, C510S108000, C510S238000, C510S470000, C510S475000, C510S477000, C134S042000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06340663
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an improved general purpose cleaning wipe which comprises a wipe combined with a liquid solution comprising surfactant and a hydrophilic polymer. The improved wipe surprisingly accomplishes the desired but difficult-to-achieve goals of enhanced cleaning, with little or no filming or streaking, without buffing the surface cleaned with the wipe.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Cleaning wipes have been formulated for specific purposes. For example, cleaning wipes containing inverse emulsions (i.e., water-in-lipid) are particularly useful in removing perianal soils from infants. These baby wipes are claimed to be more aesthetically pleasant to use on skin, since they essentially contain a waxy coating which, among other characteristics, prevents premature release of the aqueous liquid cleaning composition contained in the inverse emulsion. Examples of these inverse emulsion impregnated wipes are depicted in Cabell et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,908,707, Mackey et al., WO 97/40814, Mackey et al., WO 96/14835 and Moore, EP 750063. It is quite clear that these types of wipes do not consider improved cleaning of hard surfaces as paramount.
Clark et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,666,621, discloses pretreating a nonwoven substrate (essentially, a sheet laminated from wood pulp and polyester) with a low level of acrylic polymer emulsion, which is allowed to cure. Thereafter, the impregnated sheet is moistened with alcohol, surfactant and demineralized water. It is quite clear that the function of the acrylic polymer emulsion is to function as a binder for the sheet, since the patent admits that the use thereof is critical “ . . . to suppress linting (of the sheet) during a cleaning operation.” (Clark et al., column 4, lines 3-4). However, the polymer does not function as a cleaning active in the cleaning wipe of Clark.
Other references disclose the use of glycoside surfactants in hard surface cleaners (e.g., Malik, U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,931 and Maekawa et al., JP Heisei 10 (1998)-8090), but do not mention that these types of surfactants can be loaded onto cleaning wipes, and, most importantly are not combined with hydrophilic polymers in a cleaning solution before being loaded onto cleaning wipes.
Salka et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,514,369, disclose foaming shampoo compositions comprising glycoside surfactant, betaine, amine oxide and a “slip agent,” which could be a polyacrylate, such as acrylamidomethylpropanesulfonic acid (Cosmedia HSP-1180, from Henkel Corp.). As shampoos, the concentrations of the ingredients are relatively high (at least 7% total surfactants) and plainly, the formulations are meant to be viscous, pearlescent liquids, which are unsuitable for cleaning hard surfaces and, especially, are not intended to be loaded onto wipes.
Thus, none of the related art teach, disclosure or suggest an improved cleaning wipe impregnated with a liquid cleaner comprising a glycoside nonionic surfactant and a hydrophilic polymer. Additionally, such related art does not teach, disclose or suggest the advantages and benefits of the inventive cleaning wipe.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to an improved cleaning wipe impregnated with a liquid cleaning composition in which a hydrophilic polymer, a surfactant, optionally, at least one solvent and water are combined to provide enhanced cleaning of hard surfaces, without the need for rinsing with water, and in which not only is complete cleaning effected, but done so without the leaving of a significant residue, which is typically called streaking/filming. Surfaces treated with the wipes, especially glossy hard surfaces, such as glass, mirrors, chrome, tile, shiny metallic surfaces, painted surfaces, porcelain (or other hard, glossy surfaces, whether made of natural or composite materials), and the like, are rendered brighter and shinier in appearance.
In one aspect, the invention is directed to a cleaning wipe which requires no scrubbing, buffing, polishing or rinsing, comprising:
(a) a wipe which preferably comprises at least one layer of nonwoven material;
(b) a liquid cleaner which comprises:
(i) a surfactant;
(ii) a hydrophilic polymer; and
(iii) the remainder, water,
said wipe used to clean surfaces without rinsing, streaking or filming.
In another aspect, the invention is directed to a cleaning wipe as just described in which the liquid cleaner also contains at least one water-soluble or dispersible organic solvent having a vapor pressure of at least 0.001 mm Hg at 25° C., said at least one organic solvent present in an amount effective to help solubilize or disperse the surfactant and/or hydrophilic polymer into the aqueous phase.
In yet another aspect, the invention is directed to a method for cleaning a hard surface, comprising the steps of:
applying to the surface a cleaning wipe combined with a discrete amount of liquid cleaner, said liquid cleaner comprising:
(i) a surfactant;
(ii) a hydrophilic polymer; and
(iii) the remainder, water,
whereby the surfaces are cleaned without the need for scrubbing, wiping, or immediate rinsing, and are free from streaking and filming.
It is therefore an object and an advantage of the present invention to provide a cleaning wipe impregnated with a liquid cleaner which contains a low residue surfactant, preferably such as a glycoside, to greatly improve the streaking and filming performance of such a wipe.
It is another object and another advantage of the present invention to provide a cleaning wipe impregnated with a liquid cleaner in which one of the ingredients thereof is a hydrophilic polymer, at least one of whose purposes is to promote improved streaking/filming on a surface cleaned with said wipe.
It is yet another object and yet another advantage of the present invention to provide a cleaning wipe which has low to no streaking and filming.
It is still a further object and still a further advantage of the present invention to provide a consumer convenient cleaning means which cleans surfaces without the need to rinse with water.
It is another object and a further advantage of the present invention to provide a cleaning wipe which cleans hard surfaces and, especially with respect to glossy surfaces, leaves the surface clean, bright and shiny.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides an improved cleaning wipe comprising an absorbent/adsorbent wipe, preferably made of at least one layer of nonwoven material, the wipe being impregnated with a liquid cleaner. The wipe provides excellent cleaning with no or little streaking/filming and imparts resistance to soiling to the surface cleaned therewith.
The cleaning wipe is preferably impregnated with a liquid cleaner which preferably is a single phase solution or dispersion, having a viscosity generally less than about 1,000 Centipoise (“cps”). The liquid cleaner has the following ingredients:
(i) a surfactant;
(ii) a hydrophilic polymer; and
(iii) the remainder, water.
Preferably, at least one water-soluble or dispersible organic solvent having a vapor pressure of at least 0.001 mm Hg at 25° C. and present in a solubilizing- or dispersion-effective amount may be incorporated into the liquid cleaner.
Additional adjuncts in small amounts such as cosurfactants, chelating agents, buffers, fragrances, dyes, and the like can be included to provide desirable attributes of such adjuncts.
In the application, effective amounts are generally those amounts listed as the ranges or levels of ingredients in the descriptions which follow hereto. Unless otherwise stated, amounts listed in percentage (“%'s”) are in weight percent (based on 100% active) of the cleaning composition.
1. The Substrate
The substrate for the wipe is generally an absorbent or adsorbent material. Preferably, it is a nonwoven sheet, which is at least one layer, made of wood pulp; or a blend of wood pulp and a synthetic fiber, without limitation, such as polyester, rayon, nylon, polypropylene, polyethylene, other cellulose polymers; or a synthetic fiber or mixture of such fibers. The nonwovens may include nonwoven
Blum Robert L.
Deleo Malcolm A.
Ochomogo Maria G.
Pappalardo Paul A.
Swayne Elizabeth N.
Douyon Lorna M.
Hayashida Joel J.
The Clorox Company
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