Process for manufacturing scrubby substrates and substrates made therefrom

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12036638-B2
Application number	US-202117212191-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 25, 2021
Priority date	Mar 18, 2015
Publication date	Jul 16, 2024
Grant date	Jul 16, 2024

Abstract

In-line processes for producing scrubby substrates, and related scrubby substrate cleaning articles. The process may include melting a polymer resin material, and extruding or otherwise dispensing the molten polymer resin material through one or more orifices of a heated nozzle, into a stream of hot inert gas, which attenuates the molten resin, so that the resin forms into elongated globules (rather than fibers or filaments). Such globules may have irregular cross-section and/or irregular thickness along a length of the globules. Alternatively, the molten resin may be formed into substantially continuous or discontinuous string or chain pattern of abrasive fibers, exhibiting a high frequency, low amplitude substantially linear pattern on the base substrate. In either case the globules or abrasive fibers are collected onto at least a portion of a base substrate layer to form a scrubby substrate that is more abrasive than typical meltblown materials.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An in-line process for producing a scrubby substrate, the process comprising:
(a) melting a polar polymer resin material comprising: polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate, polyesters, polyamides, polylactic acid (PLA), polyurethane, polyurea, viscose, rayon, epoxy resins, copolymers or combinations thereof;
(b) extruding or otherwise dispensing the molten polar polymer resin through one or more orifices of a heated nozzle into a stream of hot inert gas which attenuates said molten resin into elongated globules that form a stream of such globules;
(c) creating elongated globules; and
(d) collecting said globules onto at least a portion of a surface of a base substrate layer so that the globules bond directly to the base substrate layer as the molten polymer resin cools, said globules being abrasive once cooled;
wherein a spacing between the one or more orifices of the nozzle and the base substrate layer is less than 1 inch, to aid in globule adhesion to the base substrate layer.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the molten resin includes an organic acid.

3. The process of claim 1 , further comprising adding an abrasive particulate material to the molten polymer resin material.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein the scrubby substrate is loaded with a cleaning composition comprising: water and surfactants.

5. The process of claim 4 , wherein the cleaning composition further comprises an organic solvent other than water.

6. The process of claim 4 , wherein the cleaning composition further comprises a quaternary ammonium compound.

7. The process of claim 1 , wherein the scrubby substrate is loaded with a cleaning composition comprising: an organic acid.

8. The process of claim 7 , wherein the organic acid is citric acid.

9. The process of claim 1 , wherein the polar polymer resin material comprises polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

10. The process of claim 1 , wherein the polar polymer resin material comprises nylon.

11. An in-line process for producing a scrubby substrate, the process comprising:
(a) melting a polar polymer resin material comprising at least one of: polyesters, polyamides, polylactic acid (PLA), polyurethane, polyurea, viscose, rayon, or epoxy resin;
(b) extruding or otherwise dispensing the molten polar polymer resin through one or more orifices of a heated nozzle into a stream of hot inert gas which attenuates said molten resin into elongated globules that form a stream of such globules;
(c) creating elongated globules having an irregular cross-section and/or an irregular thickness along a length of said elongated globules; and
(d) collecting said globules onto at least a portion of a surface of a base substrate layer, so that the globules bond directly to the base substrate layer as the molten polymer resin cools, said globules being abrasive once cooled;
wherein a spacing between the one or more orifices of the nozzle and the base substrate layer is less than 1 inch, to aid in globule adhesion to the base substrate layer.

12. An in-line process for producing a scrubby substrate, the process comprising:
a. melting a polar polymer resin material comprising: polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate, polyesters, polyamides, polylactic acid (PLA), polyurethane, polyurea, viscose, rayon, epoxy resins, copolymers or combinations thereof;
b. extruding or otherwise dispensing the molten polar polymer resin through one or more orifices of a heated nozzle into a stream of hot inert gas which attenuates said molten resin into elongated globules that form a stream of such globules without forming fibers or filaments;
c. creating elongated globules; and
d. collecting said globules onto at least a portion of a surface of a base substrate layer so that the globules bond directly to the base substrate layer as the molten polymer resin cools, said globules being abrasive once cooled;
wherein a spacing between the one or more orifices of the nozzle and the base substrate layer is less than 6 inches, to aid in globule adhesion to the base substrate layer.

13. The process of claim 12 , wherein the spacing between the one or more orifices of the nozzle and the base substrate layer is less than 3 inches.

14. The process of claim 12 , further comprising adding an abrasive particulate material to the molten polymer resin material.

15. The process of claim 12 , wherein the scrubby substrate is loaded with a cleaning composition comprising at least one of (i) water and surfactants or (ii) an organic acid.

16. The process of claim 12 , wherein the polar polymer resin material comprises polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

17. The process of claim 12 , wherein the polar polymer resin material comprises nylon.

Assignees

• Clorox Co

Inventors

• White Edward Jason
• Hugley Samuel

Classifications

• B32B7/05

  the layers not being connected over the whole surface, e.g. discontinuous connection or patterned connection (using interposed adhesives or bonding materials applied in spaced arrangements B32B7/14) · CPC title

• A47L13/17

  containing cleaning agents (A47L13/19 takes precedence {; chemical compositions C11D17/049}) · CPC title

• D04H1/413

  containing granules other than absorbent substances · CPC title

• D04H1/559

  the fibres being within layered webs · CPC title

• D04H1/56

  in association with fibre formation, e.g. immediately following extrusion of staple fibres · CPC title