MXPA97003544A

MXPA97003544A - Implement for personal cleaning and deconstrucc method

Info

Publication number: MXPA97003544A
Application number: MXPA/A/1997/003544A
Authority: MX
Inventors: Michael Girardot Richard; Norman Reiboldt Howard; Brown Tuthill Lyle; Paul Dirksing William
Original assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
Priority date: 1994-11-14
Filing date: 1997-05-14
Publication date: 1997-08-01

Abstract

The present invention relates to a personal cleaning implement, comprising a block of substantially rectangular hydrophobic fibrous material, said block of fibrous material being a piece of mesh in the form of a tubular diamond, which is stretched laterally, said piece of tubular mesh, with the longitudinal axis of said piece of tubular mesh to form circumferential folds, said piece of tubular mesh being subjected to heat in a stretched and joined condition, said block of fibrous material having an upper surface, a lower surface and a perimeter said upper surface and said lower surface being joined together, adjacent to said perimeter by a linking means, said block of fibrous material having a low density central part.

Description

IMPLEMENT FOR PERSONAL CLEANING AND CONSTRUCTION METHOD Cross Reference of the Related Request This is the Continuation in Part of my previous application, with Serial No. 08/221, 430 entitled: IMPLEMENT FOR PERSONAL CLEANING OF DOUBLE TEXTURE AND METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION, presented on March 31, 1994, the which is still pending.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to hand tools used for personal cleansing, and more particularly, to implements that have a rubbing surface made of diamond-shaped hydrophobic mesh. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A variety of cleaning implements have been used to remove dirt and dead skin from the body during bathing in a tub or shower bath. Traditionally, fleece cloths or natural and synthetic sponges have been used for washing.

For example, a sponge has pores, which make it difficult to remove dirt from the implement once it has been removed from the body. A cloth for washing often prevents the production of foam, even though this is the main function of a cleaning implement. Some sponges absorb cleaners that are meant to help remove dirt. Neither sponges nor wash cloths can be dried quickly, because they become water storage. As a result, an unpleasant odor develops and becomes a place for the proliferation of bacteria, mold, etc. Also, such implements are normally unsuitable for cleaning all parts of the body. The wash cloths are too soft to stimulate and exfoliate the skin, and the sponges are too rough to clean sensitive areas of the skin. Structures in the form of spheres made of polymer mesh have been found in prior art. One example is described in US Patent No. 5, 144,744 of Campagnoli, issued September 8, 1992. The spherical structures are manual and made of diamond-shaped polyethylene mesh. The diamond-shaped polyethylene mesh is a mesh of extruded material, which is commonly used to pack vegetables, meats, and poultry. The structures in the form of spheres can be made by stretching multiple tubular pieces of diamond-shaped mesh transversely to their tubular shafts and placing each piece on separate support posts. The supported pieces, maintained in a stretched condition, are ordered either parallel to the angle, or at different angles to one another. Holding the stretched pieces together at their centers, and then releasing the pieces from the support posts, each piece is presented again towards the fastened center, to generate a shape similar to a sphere.

A previous art of structures in the form of spheres, has the stretched pieces of diamond-shaped mesh together, united in their centers, producing a dense and hard core, which prevents rinsing and drying. Although the surface of a sphere-shaped structure may have a large open area, it is difficult to clean the center of the implement to use it again. The implements of this type available in the market, are sold by The Body Shop of London, England; and by Bilange of New York, N.Y. Personal cleaning implements made of diamond-shaped mesh have usually been constructed by hand.

These constructions are very expensive. What has been missing is a diamond mesh implement that has a construction, which can be produced automatically.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In practice, the implement for personal cleansing of the present invention, an extruded mesh which has a diamond-shaped mesh pattern, is used to form a contact surface with the body. The diamond-shaped mesh material, is produced in tubular form from a flexible polymer. In a preferred aspect of the present invention, a personal cleaning implement contains a tubular piece of diamond-shaped hydrophobic mesh, which is stretched laterally to expand the diamond-shaped mesh. The stretched piece of piped mesh is joined to the longitudinal axis of the tubular mesh to form five-circumferential folds. The folds are heated to form a block of substantially rectangular fibrous material. The block of fibrous material, has upper and lower surfaces, and a perimeter. The upper and lower surfaces are linked together, by means of connection, to the perimeter and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the piped mesh. The personal cleaning implement may also contain means to hang it. The linking means may contain fired wire through the upper and lower surfaces, or may have a thermal bond. If the thermal link is used, it is preferable that it be intermittent, since in this way, the flexibility to bend the implement along the link line will be maintained. The implement may also have other cushioned or mottled links between the upper and lower surfaces towards the perimeter, since the folds experience a minimum winding over each other, when the implement is rubbed against the surface of the skin. However, the construction of the implement is such that the central part of the implement, which is used for cleaning, has a minimum of dense areas, so that the implement can be completely rinsed and dried quickly to be used again. In another preferred aspect of the present invention, a method for making a personal cleansing implement, comprises a series of steps, the first is cutting from the same source a tubular piece of diamond-shaped mesh. . The tubular piece of mesh, has a longitudinal axis. The additional steps include the stretching of the tubular piece of mesh, transverse to the longitudinal axis, and then the tubular piece of stretched mesh, is coupled with the longitudinal axis of the tubular piece of mesh, to form circumferential folds in the piece tubular mesh. Another step exposes the tubular mesh piece stretched and blended to sufficient heat to heat the tubular mesh piece in an expanded and folded condition to form a block of substantially rectangular fibrous material. The upper and lower surfaces are linked together, by means of a link adjacent the perimeter of the block of fibrous material, and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the piped mesh. The bonding step of the upper surface to the lower surface may include sewing or intermittent thermal bonding operations. The thermal link includes ultrasonic welding. The method can additionally comprise the steps of subsequent hardening of the implement, in order to increase its elevation, and the attachment of a tie through the personal cleaning implement, so that, in this way, the implement can be dried sustained from a support .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Although this description concludes with the claims that particularly indicate and distinctly claim the present invention, we believe that the present invention will be better understood, from the following description of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the drawings that accompany them, in which the similar reference numbers identify the identical elements and where: FIGURE 1 is a planar top view of a preferred embodiment of the personal cleansing implement of the present invention, which describes a block of rectangular folded fibrous material with a tie; FIGURE 2, is a side elevation view thereof, showing the implement that is generally flat and that has parts linked within its perimeter; FIGURE 3, is a planar top view of another preferred embodiment of the present invention, describing a piece of tubular mesh partially stretched on a wire grid, the mesh being stretched transverse or laterally to its tubular axis and joined to form pleats circumferential; FIGURE 4, is a flat top view thereof, showing the entire piece of a tubular mesh coupled with the wire grid, and the mesh and grid placed inside a furnace; FIGURE 5, is a flat top view of the same, showing the grid and the mesh removed from the furnace and intermittently linked, just inside the wire grids; FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view thereof, showing the linking tools, approaching both the upper surface and the lower surface of the rectilinear block of fibrous material, while the block of fibrous material remains on the grid; FIGURE 7, is a planar top view thereof, showing the rectangular block of bonded fibrous material, removed from the grid; and FIGURE 8, is a planar top view thereof, showing the posterior tempering of the rectangular block of fibrous material, which is intended to increase its elevation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGURES 1 and 2, there is shown a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, in which an implement for personal cleansing is provided, and which is generally indicated as 10. The implement 10, is made of a diamond-shaped tubular mesh. The commercial mesh in the form of diamond is extruded, cooled and rolled into reels for storage, transportation and handling. When the implements for personal cleaning are going to be manufactured, said material is not mistreated and is cut into the desired lengths to be assembled. Alternatively, the diamond-shaped mesh could already be formed and fed directly in an assembly process of the implement. In the present invention, a cut length of some feet of the diamond-shaped mesh is laterally stretched, transverse to the longitudinal axis of the piped mesh, folded, and then similarly heated, in an expanded condition . Alternatively, the diamond-shaped mesh could be stretched and subjected to heat in said expanded condition. Alternatively, the diamond-shaped mesh could be stretched and subjected to heat when formed, and then supplied in a condition already expanded for the assembly of the implement.

The hot mesh forms a block of elastic fibrous material 12. The block of fibrous material 12 has an upper surface 14, and a lower surface 16, and a perimeter 18. The tubing of which it is made has a longitudinal axis 20. The openings in the mesh, improve the production of foam when the block of fibrous material 12, is rubbed against the body, in the presence of a cleaner and water. 90 percent of the open area is achieved by lateral stretch of the mesh, providing better foam production, than 20 percent of the open area, which is normally found in an unstretched mesh. The elasticity to the deformation is also generated in the mesh, by heating in a stretched and joined condition. We believe that this is beneficial for the bonding of the upper surface 14, and the lower surface 16 of the block of fibrous material 12, to the perimeter 18 of the others, in order to maintain the preferred flat shape of the block of fibrous material. The bond is preferable only along the edges of the perimeter, which are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the piped mesh. This link can be thermal or sewing operations. The sewing operation allows a connection, which is less rigid and dense than that provided by heat sealing. However, the rigidity of the thermal link can be minimized along with the length of the link, making the link intermittent. The ultrasonic link is a preferred method for providing an intermittent thermal link. Each link is preferably approximately 5 mm wide, approximately 5 mm long, and spaced by approximately 2 mm. A continuous link fusion can also be successful. Implement 10 has a large open area, elasticity, and its materials are hydrophobic. This combination provides a significant amount of foam when used with a skin cleanser in liquid, gel, or solid form. The implement is held in one hand. The cleaner is preferably added to the implement, instead of applying it directly to the skin. The cleaner is then rubbed against the skin, by means of the implement in the presence of water, of a dirt remover and exfoliator of the skin inside the implement. It is believed that the production of foam, improves the removal of dirt and exfoliates the skin from the surface of the body. The implement of the present design, has been developed to enable a substantially greater amount of foam and improve the consistency of the same, than it is possible to obtain, generally, with a cloth to wash or with a sponge. Once the bath in tub or shower is finished, the implement 10 can be quickly rinsed and dried, thus avoiding the slow drying of the wash cloths or sponges. The construction of the implement 10, provides a part in the center, which does not have a hard or dense core, in contrast to the similar implements of Campagnoli's, where all the pieces of the object, are joined together to the center of the implement. It is believed, therefore, that the structure of the implement 10 will be more sanitary than said personal cleansing implements of the prior art.

In order to accelerate the drying of the implement 10, a tied loop 30 is attached to the implement 10, in such a way that the implement 10 can be supported on a support. The loop 30 is preferably made of a hydrophobic rope material, which is adhered near a corner or a linked edge of the implement. The tied loop 30 can be used in the form of a handle or as a means for hanging. In the larger measurement modes, the block of fibrous material 12 may have an upper surface 14 and a lower surface 16, padded together inside the perimeter of the link. That is, the link by stitching or thermal operation, is used to join the folds of the diamond-shaped mesh, with some mottles to prevent the long folds rolling on each other, when you want the implement is rubbed against the skin. However, a link line below the center of the implement, parallel to the perimeters of the links, is performed exceptionally well, over the longer implements. It has also been found that, a later tempering of the attached implements, tends to shrink, especially the rectangular perimeter, while increasing the thickness or elevation of the implement. However, said subsequent tempering provides an optional but beneficial step. This can be particularly beneficial, for rectangular sizes that are six inches (150 mm) per side.

FIGURES 3 to 7 show a preferred method for constructing the implement 10. FIGURE 3 shows a piece of polyethylene diamond-shaped mesh 40, which initially is in an unstretched condition 42 of FIG. approximately 60 mm in diameter. The tubing 40 is stretched over the tapered fin of a flat wire grid, or a tapered plate 44, to a width of about 240 mm, so that the elastic stretch of the tubing is transverse to the longitudinal axis 20. The result of the elastic stretch, is the diamond-shaped mesh 40, which has a diamond with acute angles of about 5o in condition 42, which is transformed into the stretched piped mesh 46, which has more open diamonds of acute angles of about 45 °. The piped mesh 40 is also coupled with its longitudinal axis 20, to form circumferential folds 48, in a stretched piped mesh. FIGURE 4 shows a wire grid 44, and a stretched casing 46, with folds 48, placed in a furnace 50, for a period of about 5 to 20 minutes at the temperature of 140 ° C. The grid is supported on a oven 50, by means of a support that is not shown, in this way, the folds 48, are not deformed during heating. The result of the heating of the transversely stretched piped mesh, preferably made of polyethylene, is that the transverse stretch is transformed into a heat condition. Also, the folds 48 are subjected to heat to also preserve their shapes.

When the tubed mesh 46 subjected to heat is removed from the furnace 50, with a grid 44, the link 52 occurs just inside the wire gratings, before the grid is removed. The link 52 is preferably an intermittent thermal link, using an ultrasonic oven and a fixed anvil, having the desired seal pattern. Said link could also be continuous and carried out, by means of the link by an impulse or hot bar or a dialectric link. The sewing operation is also possible, but is not so easily adapted to the high speed of the production lines, which is a key object of the present invention. When bonding occurs, it is desirable that the folds of the upper surface do not (accommodate) nest over the folds of the lower surface, since by avoiding this, the elastic rise created by the folds is maintained. The formation many small folds circumferentially, and the firm grip of the mesh on the grid, during the bonding operation, helps maintain the orientation of the folds, and thus, they do not nest with each other. FIGURE 6, shows a piped mesh 46, in the tongs of a heat-bonding die 54, to form a block of substantially flat and rectangular fibrous material 12, which is approximately 160 mm long, and 160 mm wide and 50 mm thick, when not compressed . The dies 54, are heated by means of a heat source not shown, but which is common in the art. The dies 54, may also be a combination of peak and anvil of ultrasound, which is not heated, but generates heat in the material to be sealed in the linking operation 52. The generation of ultrasound heat vibration , is also commonly known in the art. FIGURE 7 shows a block of substantially rectangular fibrous material 12, before the loop is installed. As described in FIGS. 1 and 2, it is a rope attached, which is preferably threaded, through the block of fibrous material 12 having large openings in the diamond-shaped mesh, preferably located in a corner of the implement 10. The rope is tied, to form a tied loop 30, which can be hung from a support (not shown), to dry the implement 10, after being used. FIGURE 8, shows a rectangular block of bonded fibrous material, placed in an oven at the temperature of 140 ° F, for 5 minutes for the subsequent tempering, with the intention of increasing the elevation of the implement, in relation to its rectangular dimensions. It is believed that the residual orientation of the extruded mesh acts to shrink the rectangle or the lateral dimensions, while slightly increasing the thickness dimension, when the bonding implement is exposed to this uniform temperature furnace. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the personal cleansing implement of the present invention, the diamond-shaped tubular mesh of the fibrous material block 12 can be obtained commercially from NSW Corportion of Roanoke, VA. with the specification number PT 589-01, and is described in the form of a mesh for the body, which has a density of 2.3 grams per foot. If the links are used by sewing operation, instead of thermal ones, the seams are preferably made with hydrophobic polyester yarn. This thread is commercially available in Beachwood, Ltd, Ohio. This has a specification number 2743 MAA. The attached rope 30 is preferably made of hydrophobic braided rope made of polypropylene. Said rope is commercially available in Chicago's Maxi-Cord, 111. This has a W-01 specification number, and is 3.5 mm in diameter. Although the embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art, that various changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and that in the appended claims, it is intended to include all those modifications that are within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

R E I V I N D I C A C I O N S

1. A personal cleansing implement, comprising a block of substantially rectangular hydrophobic fibrous material, said block of fibrous material being a piece of tubular diamond-shaped mesh, which is laterally stretched, said piece of tubular mesh being joined with the longitudinal axis of said piece of tubular mesh to form circumferential folds, said piece of tubular mesh being subjected to heat in a stretched and joined condition, said block of fibrous material having an upper surface, a lower surface and a perimeter, said top surface being and said lower surface bonded together, adjacent said perimeter by a linking means, said block of fibrous material having a low density central part.

2. The personal cleansing implement as described in claim 1, further characterized in that it additionally contains a means for hanging said personal cleansing implement.

3. The personal cleansing implement as described in Claim 1, further characterized in that said linking means contains a seam.

4. The personal cleansing implement as described in claim 1, further characterized in that said link means contains a thermal link 5.

The personal cleansing implement as described in claim 4, further characterized in that said link Thermal is intermittent to provide a flexible link in the direction of the link.

The personal cleansing implement as described in Claim 4, further characterized in that the thermal bonding is carried out by said compression of the upper and lower surfaces of said block of fibrous material between an ultrasonic furnace and an anvil fixed.

The personal cleansing implement as described in Claim 1, further characterized in that said folds, subjected to heat in said piece of the mesh, provide said block of fibrous material with a high elevation, which is elastic to the loads applied to said upper and lower surfaces.

8. The personal cleaning implement as described in Claim 1, further characterized in that it additionally contains links between said upper and lower internal surfaces, said perimeter of said block of fibrous material to reduce the winding of said folds over the other folds when said implement is rubbed against a surface of the body.

9. A method for manufacturing a personal cleaning implement, comprising the steps of: a) cutting a tubular piece of diamond mesh from the same source, said tubular mesh piece having a longitudinal axis. (b) the transverse stretching of said tubular mesh piece, to said longitudinal axis. c) the joining of said stretched tubular piece of mesh, with said longitudinal axis to form circumferential folds in said tubular mesh pieces; d) exposing said stretched tubular piece of mesh, said folds having formed therewith with sufficient heat, to heat said tubular piece of mesh in an expanded and folded condition to form an elastic block of fibrous material, said block of fibrous material having a top surface and a lower surface, and a perimeter; and e) the connection of said upper surface and said lower surface joined, adjacent to said perimeter.

The method as described in Claim 9, which additionally comprises the step of attaching a rope through said personal cleaning implement, and so that said implement can be held on a support so that it can be I know that.

The method as described in claim 9, further characterized in that said link step contains seams.

The method as described in Claim 8, further characterized in that said link step contains a thermal link.

The method as described in Claim 12, further characterized in that said thermal bonding is carried out by compression in an ultrasonic heating furnace and an anvil against said upper and lower surfaces of said block. fibrous material.

14. The method as described in Claim 12, further characterized in that said thermal link is intermittent, to provide a flexible link in the direction of the link. The method as described in Claim 9, further characterized in that said bonding and exposure to the heating steps produce said block of fibrous material, which is elastic to the loads applied to said upper and lower surfaces. The method as described in Claim 9, which additionally comprises the step of cushioning said upper and lower internal surfaces together, said perimeter of said block of fibrous material to reduce the winding of the folds on each of the others, when said implement is rubbed against the surface of the body. The method as described in Claim 9, which further comprises the step of further annealing said block of fibrous material after said linking step. EXTRACT OF THE INVENTION An implement for personal cleansing (10) which comprises a piece of tubular hydrophobic mesh material in the form of diamond, which is stretched to expand the diamond-shaped mesh, attached along the longitudinal axis (20) of the piece tubular material for forming circumferential folds and subjected to heat to obtain an expanded and folded condition to form a block of fibrous material (12) substantially rectangular. The upper surfaces (14) and the bottom of the block of fibrous material (12) are bonded together adjacent to the perimeter (18) of the fibrous material block (12) by linking means. Preferred binding means are spinning stitching or intermittent thermal bonding. Ultrasonic bonding is most preferred. A string tie is attached to the implement (10) to hang it from a support during drying.