Cleaning articles including scouring bodies that form printed instructions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11103117-B2
Application number	US-201716097430-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 24, 2017
Priority date	Apr 29, 2016
Publication date	Aug 31, 2021
Grant date	Aug 31, 2021

Abstract

In one example, a scouring article comprises: a backing layer having opposed first and second major surfaces; and a visually discernable functional material provided on at least one of the first and second major surfaces; wherein the functional material comprises a resin, and further wherein the functional material is configured to communicate information to a user of the scouring article regarding an intended end-use application of the scouring article. In another example, an abrasive article comprises: a pad having a scrubbing surface; and a plurality of shaped abrasive structures disposed on the scrubbing surface; wherein the plurality of shaped abrasive structures are arranged to provide an indication regarding a characteristic of the abrasive structures.

First claim

The claimed invention is:

1. A scouring article, comprising:
a backing layer having opposed first and second major surfaces;
a visually discernable functional material provided on at least one of the first and second major surfaces;
wherein the functional material comprises a resin, and further wherein the functional material is formed in a shape comprising at least one of a letter, a number, a character, a symbol, and a glyph to communicate information to a user of the scouring article regarding an intended end-use application of the scouring article;
wherein the functional material provides a visual indicator regarding a condition of the scouring article over a range of conditions, whereby as the scouring article is used, the functional material wears away, and there is a correlation between scouring performance of the scouring article and an amount of functional material remaining on the backing layer such that scouring performance declines with a reduction in the amount of functional material over the range of conditions.

2. The scouring article of claim 1 , wherein as the functional material wears away, it becomes less visually discernable.

3. The scouring article of claim 1 , wherein a relationship exists between a conspicuity of the functional layer and a scouring performance of the scouring article.

4. The scouring article of claim 1 , wherein the functional material includes graphical indicia and/or alphanumeric information that indicates a single intended end-use application of the scouring article in two different manners.

5. The scouring article of claim 4 , wherein the functional material is configured to communicate information to a user of the scouring article regarding the single intended end-use application of the scouring article in two languages.

6. The scouring article of claim 1 , wherein the functional material includes at least one of information and use instructions, and further wherein the at least one of information and use instructions includes at least one of the following phrases: non-scratch, heavy-duty, kitchen, and bath.

7. The scouring article of claim 1 , wherein a first portion of the functional material is configured to communicate information to a user of the scouring article regarding an intended end-use application of the scouring article, and a second portion of the functional material is configured in an array of scouring bodies arranged proximate the first portion.

8. The scouring article of claim 1 , wherein the functional material is configured to communicate a size of abrasive particles included in the functional material.

9. The scouring article of claim 1 , wherein the backing layer comprises at least one of an open lofty nonwoven substrate, a fabric substrate, and a textile substrate.

10. The scouring article of claim 1 , wherein the resin is disposed on the backing layer to communicate the information with a multi-faceted texture that is raised from the backing layer.

11. The scouring article of claim 1 , wherein at least about 50% of the functional material lies above an imaginary plane defined by a plane connecting peaks of the backing layer.

12. The scouring article of claim 1 , wherein the reduction in the amount of functional material over the range of conditions correlates to an increase in visible pitting of the functional material.

13. The scouring article of claim 1 , wherein the range of conditions comprises at least: an unused condition, a slightly worn state, a significantly worn state, and a nearly entirely worn state.

14. An abrasive article comprising:
a pad having a scrubbing surface; and
a plurality of shaped abrasive structures disposed on the scrubbing surface;
wherein the plurality of shaped abrasive structures are arranged to provide an indication regarding a characteristic of the abrasive structures;
wherein the plurality of shaped abrasive structures are arranged to form a plurality of shapes comprising at least one of a letter, a number, a character, a symbol, and a glyph; and
wherein the plurality of shapes are legible by viewing the plurality of shaped abrasive structures after the plurality of shaped abrasive structures are approximately seventy-five percent consumed.

15. The abrasive article of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of shaped abrasive structures includes at least one of graphical indicia and/or alphanumeric information indicating the intended end-use application of the abrasive article.

16. The abrasive article of claim 14 , wherein the characteristic of the plurality of shaped abrasive structures comprises a size of particulates of the abrasive structures.

17. The abrasive article of claim 14 , wherein the characteristic of the plurality of shaped abrasive structures comprises a cleaning activity that the abrasive structure is configured to be performed.

18. The abrasive article of claim 14 , wherein the characteristic of the plurality of shaped abrasive structures comprises a surface that the abrasive structure is configured to be cleaned.

19. The abrasive article of claim 14 , wherein the characteristic of the plurality of shaped abrasive structures comprises an effectiveness of the abrasive structures.

Assignees

• 3M Innovative Properties Co

Inventors

• Gorrell Matthew W
• Raithel David C
• Carlson Lauren K
• Gardner Jr James P

Classifications

• A47L13/16 Primary

  Cloths; Pads; Sponges (metal scraping sponges A47L13/07) · CPC title

• G09F3/00

  Labels, tag tickets, or similar identification or indication means (medals or badges A44C3/00; making labels B31D1/02; sheets temporarily attached together B42F; labelling B65C; labels on record carriers G11B23/38, G11B23/40); Seals; Postage or like stamps · CPC title