MXPA98008412A - Personal cleaning implement made of stretched linen that provides benefit of suavi - Google Patents

Abstract

A personal cleansing implement is made of a hydrophobic piece of tubular canvas, the piece of tubular canvas being folded along a longitudinal axis thereof to form circumferential folds. The circumferential folds are permanently fixed in a folded condition by joining between a top surface and a bottom surface thereof adjacent to its perimeter, while remaining in the folded condition. The tubular canvas has properties that result in a softness preferred by the consumer in the personal cleaning implement. The properties of the tubular canvas comprise a knot width that varies from 0.18 mm to 0.56 mm, a length of thread that varies from 1.78 mm to 3.68 mm and an average weight per repetition unit that varies from 1.0 x 10 to -4 g . Preferably, the tubular sheet is made substantially of low density polyethylene

Description

PERSONAL CLEANING IMPLEMENT MADE OF STRETCHED LINEN THAT PROVIDES BENEFIT OF SOFTNESS FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a plastic sheet (extruded network), and more particularly to said canvas used for personal cleaning implements, wherein the properties of the canvas are adapted to provide the consumer with a preferred touch designated as softness. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to personal cleaning implements made of diamond mesh tubular canvas, wherein the tubular canvas is permanently stretched.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various cleaning implements have been used to remove dirt and dead skin from the user's body during bathing or showering. Traditionally, cloths of sponge fabric and natural and synthetic sponges held manually have been used. Each of these has one or more significant deficiencies. For example, a sponge has pores that make it difficult to remove the dirt from the implement after the dirt is removed from the body. A cloth often prevents foaming, even when foaming is a primary function of a cleaning implement. Some sponges absorb the cleaners that are intended to help remove the dirt. Neither sponges nor cloths can dry quickly, because they become saturated with water. As a result, they develop unpleasant odors and become a site for the reproduction of bacteria, fungi, etc. In the same way, such implements are typically not suitable for cleaning all parts of the body. The cloths are too soft to stimulate and exfoliate the skin, and the sponges are too rough to clean sensitive areas of the skin. Ball-shaped structures made of polymer network have also been found in the prior art. An example is described in the patent of E.U.A. No. 5,144,744 by Ca pagnoli, issued September 8, 1992. The ball-shaped structures are hand-held and made of diamond-mesh polyethylene. Diamond mesh polyethylene is an extruded web material (canvas) commonly found covering vegetables, meats and poultry meat. The ball-shaped structures have the disadvantage of having a dense central portion that is a material that is effectively discarded and that can be difficult to rinse and dry. An improved canvas construction is found in the US patent. No. 5,491,864, issued February 20, 1996 by Tuthill et al. Tuthill and others have a diamond mesh tubular canvas that is stretched transversally and folded longitudinally to form folds, which are then joined in place. The resulting implement is substantially flat in shape, but has a significant fluff or thickness due to the folds. An important advantage of the flat implement construction is that it lacks the dense central portion, and is therefore easily rinsed and dried. A cleaning implement construction having a noticeable softness benefit to the consumer is desired by consumers. Consumers want an implement that feels soft or fine when rubbed against the skin. Some cleaning implements that commonly consist of the merchant world are ball shaped and lack the benefit of softness. The softness is evaluated by a panel of testers, who are able to differentiate a soft touch from a rough touch and to standardize on a repeatable numerical evaluation system. The patent of E.U.A. No. 4,020,208 by Mercer et al., Assigned to Netton, Ltd., England, describes an extruded plastic sheet having mesh openings configured as hexagons instead of the normal diamond mesh shape. The hexagonal shape is obtained by stretching a standard mesh "to produce a structure that has an improved handle to make it more flexible and ductile". "The improvement arises from the redistribution of the resin at the intersections of the filaments (knots)." Mercer and others define their stretched canvas ideal for having a preferred molecular orientation (result of stretching) and knot lengths that are 3.5 times the diameter of the cross sections of the strands (strands) between the knots. Although Mercer and others describe an alternative to what is probably a softer canvas, the primary interest is with the optimization of the resistance of the plastic canvas.

OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a canvas for a personal cleaning implement of the flat style specified in the U.S. patent. No. 5,491,864, which has properties that make the implement soft to the touch by consumers, when compared to commercial cleaning implements made of canvas. Another object of the present invention is to provide a canvas for a personal cleaning implement of the flat style exemplified in the U.S. patent. No. 5,491,864, which has sufficient elasticity to maintain its shape and softness during use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The diamond mesh canvas is plastic net made by an extrusion process using counter-rotating die heads, each of which has multiple extrusion holes located at the edge of each die. The rotation of the die heads causes the filaments or extruded strands to align in two directions at angles in the machine direction of the extruded tube. The strands intersect periodically to form knots. The two strand directions are typically at acute angles to each other, so that the strands form patterns in knotted diamonds at each corner. The patent of E.U.A. No. 3,957,565 by Livingston et al. Describes this procedure in more detail. A tubular section of diamond mesh canvas can be considered as a series of repeating units joined together. Each repeating unit has a knot attached to two strand portions. The repeating unit forms a "V" with the knot at the apex, and the two strand portions extend therefrom at an acute angle to each other. The knots represent intersections of threads. Each knot has a repeatable length, width and height. The strands have repeatable lengths between the knots, and have consistent cross-sectional shapes. The cross-sectional shapes are a function of the shape of the die in each die head. Typically, the diamond mesh canvas is made of polyolefins, most notably polyethylene. The repeating units have a weight, which can be obtained by measuring a piece of tubular canvas and dividing by the number of knots in the piece.

To measure the dimensions of the knot, a piece of the canvas is stretched, so that the acute angle of each rhombus is at least 30 °. The length of the knot can be measured from one end of the knot to the other along a line that bisects the acute angle of a diamond. The width of the knot can be measured from one side of the knot to the other along a line that bisects the obtuse angle of a rhombus. Since a node represents an intersection of strands, the minimum width of a node is the diameter of a strand. If the canvas is held flat against a surface, the width and length of the knot can be measured parallel to the flat surface. The width of the knot should not be confused with the height of the knot, which is measured perpendicular to the flat surface against which the canvas is placed. The diamond mesh canvas can be distinguished from the checkered mesh network. The mesh grid of frames is obtained from two alternative die heads. However, personal cleaning implements can be made of mesh network of frames because the strands run in the machine direction and perpendicular to the direction of the same, so the stretching or radial or longitudinal folding of the canvas is more difficult than in the case of the diamond mesh canvas, which has strands that run at angles in the direction of the machine and in the direction transverse to it. The patent of E.U.A. No. 4,123,491 by L rsen describes in more detail an alternative die head.

The softness of the personal cleaning implement is a quality perceived by the consumer that is determined by rubbing the implement against the skin. For implements that have a stretched canvas, it is thought that the softness is the result of reduced resistance to torsion in the knots of the canvas, and reduced resistance to flexing in the threads of the same. That is to say, it is thought that the flexibility of the "repetition units" within the stretched canvas to adapt to the contours of the body, as the implement is rubbed against the person's skin, improves the perceived softness. The softness must be balanced against the integrity of the implement, which is equivalent to the elasticity of the canvas to deformation. It is important that the folds of the canvas have sufficient elasticity to conform to the contours of the body without bending over themselves, and that the folds return to their original shape after they are deformed to provide the same performance during repeated uses. It is thought that the same variables that define the elasticity of the implement, define the smoothness of the same. Said variables are: width of the node, length of the thread and weight of the repetition unit. Smaller knots, longer strands, and lighter weights per repeat unit improve softness, while larger knots, shorter strands, and higher weights per repeat unit improve elasticity. It has been found that threads of round cross section provide the optimum elasticity for a given softness in stretched and folded canvas implements. In one aspect of the present invention, a personal cleansing implement comprises a hydrophobic piece of tubular canvas. The piece of tubular sheet is stretched laterally and folded along a longitudinal axis thereof to form circumferential folds. The circumferential folds are permanently fixed in a stretched and folded condition by joining between a top surface and a bottom surface thereof adjacent to its perimeter. The tubular canvas has properties that result in the softness preferred by the consumer in the personal cleaning implement. The properties of the tubular canvas include a knot width that varies from 0.18 mm to 0.56 mm; a strand length that varies from 1.78 mm to 3.68 mm; and an average weight per repetition unit ranging from 1.0 x 10- ^ g to 3.4 x 10- ^ g. Although theoretically weights are possible per repetition unit of less than 1.0 x 10-4-g, any canvas that has an average weight per repetition unit of less than 1.25 x 10 ~ 4 g, is considered to be very difficult to process and manipulate commercially in an extrusion process of diamond mesh canvas with counter-ragged dice. Preferably, the tubular canvas is made substantially of low density polyethylene. It is intended that low density polyethylene include linear low density polyethylene.

The personal cleansing implement may further comprise attachment as in a quilt between the upper and lower surfaces internal to the perimeter of the circumferential folds. The union as in a quilt can occur along a continuous line or at least at one point. The union can be by thermal bonding or sewing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS While the specification concludes with claims that particularly state and clearly claim the present invention, it is thought that it will be better understood from the following description of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which reference numbers Similar identifiers identify identical elements, and in which: Figure 1 is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of the stretched canvas personal cleansing implement that provides the softness benefit of the present invention, depicting folded linen folds attached together by internal union and in the perimeter; Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the canvas thereof, showing a repeating unit; and Figure 3 is an even more enlarged top plan view of a portion of the canvas thereof, showing a knot and the location where the wide dimension is measured.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Figure 1, there is shown a first embodiment of the present invention, which provides a personal cleaning implement that has a soft cloth, and which is generally indicated as 10. The implement 10 it has folds 12 and perimeter joints 14, which are formed between a top surface 16 of folds 12 shown, and a lower surface of folds, not shown. The entire structure of the implement 10 is made of a piece of diamond mesh tubular canvas 20, which is stretched laterally and folded longitudinally to form circumferential folds that rest on one another. While they are stretched and folded, the folds are joined together near their perimeter by stitching or thermal bonding. For larger implements, knit stitches can be formed as in a quilt between the top and bottom surfaces of the folds to help stabilize them from the mutual winding when the implement is used. Alternatively, a continuous line junction 18 below the center of the implement 10 is shown in Figure 1 to serve the same purpose. Although a substantially rectangular implement is shown, any form of perimeter, including the round shape, is feasible. The construction of the preferred personal cleansing implement of the present invention is generally in accordance with the teachings of the U.S. patent. commonly assigned No. 5,491,864, issued to Tuthill et al. On February 20, 1996, which is incorporated herein by reference. Figure 2 shows a portion of the stretched and folded piece of the diamond mesh tubular canvas 20. The canvas 20 has strands 22 and knots 24 where the strands 22 intersect. At the nodes 24, the strands 22 are fused together. The size of the merged connection is a function of the procedure for obtaining the canvas. The strands 22 are preferably circular in cross section, so that they are uniform and have minimal resistance to bending and twisting in any direction. Figure 2 also shows a portion of the canvas 20 separated from the piece thereof to represent a repeating unit 26. The repeating unit 26 has two strand lengths 28 attached to a knot 30. Each length of strand 28 has a length L , which is the length between the knots. Figure 3 shows a node 30, which is formed by the intersection of strands 28 and which comprises only the intersection portion. Looking down on a piece of canvas that rests flat on a surface and is stretched, so that there is at least an angle of 30 ° between the strands 28, the width W of the knot 30 can be measured. The width W is essentially the narrowest dimension of the knot 30 measured parallel to the surface on which it is placed The canvas. Each repeating unit 26 has an average weight that can be determined by weighing a large piece of canvas and dividing that weight by the number of knots counted within the piece of canvas. Researchers have empirically determined that measuring a length of strand L and a knot width W of a repeating unit 26 of the canvas, combined with a measurement of an average weight per repetition unit 26, is sufficient to establish whether a piece of canvas tubular will be perceived as soft when used in a flat and folded personal cleaning implement. It is thought that when these measurements are all at the desired scales, the canvas will be elastically deformable, while the strands will have a low resistance to flexion and torsion and, therefore, offer minimal resistance to traction through the skin. of the implement user. This low resistance to traction and elasticity, are identifiable with the perceived softness. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the knot width W varies from 0.18 mm to 0.56 mm; the length of strand L varies from 1.78 mm to 3.68 mm; and the average weight per repetition unit varies from 1.0 x 10"^ g to 3.4 x 10 ~ g Even more preferably, the strand length L is about 2.54 mm, the knot width is about 0.25 mm, and the weight The average per repetition unit is approximately 1.7 x 10 ~ ^ g Although there are three scales for three variables, the scales are not totally independent, that is, when the values for L and W are at the lower ends of their scales, the value for the average weight would be at the lower end of its scale so that it results in maximum smoothness.If the values for L and W are at the upper ends of their scales, the value for the average weight would be at the upper end of their scale to give optimal elasticity results: If L is high and W is low, the optimal elasticity would be expected to occur in the upper half of the average weight scale, if L is low and W is high, softness would be expected maximum occurred It was in the lower half of the weight scale. The preferred canvas is made substantially of low density polyethylene. Other polymer materials, such as ethylene vinyl acetate and high density polyethylene, can be mixed with low density polyethylene to adjust the elasticity of the canvas for a given series of L,, and average weight per repetition unit. Said diamond mesh tubular canvas can be obtained from Conwed Corporation of Minneapolis, MN, as specification No. 960104-1. While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and which are intended to be covered in the appended claims all those modifications that are within the scope of the invention.

Claims (12)

1. NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION CLAIMS 1. - A personal cleansing implement, characterized in that it comprises a tubular canvas hydrophobic piece, said piece of tubular canvas being laterally stretched and folded along a longitudinal axis of said piece of tubular canvas forming circumferential folds, said circumferential folds being permanently fixed in a stretched and folded condition by joining between an upper surface and a lower surface of said circumferential folds adjacent to a perimeter of said circumferential folds, said tubular canvas having properties that result in a softness preferred by the consumer in said personal cleansing implement , said properties of said tubular canvas being: a) a knot width that varies from 0.18 mm to 0.56 mm; b) a strand length that varies from 1.78 mm to 3.68 mm; and c) an average weight per repetition unit ranging from 1.0 x 10-4- g to 3.4 x lo-'4- g.
2. 2. The personal cleaning implement according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises joining as in a quilt between said upper and lower surfaces internal to said perimeter of said circumferential folds, said joining as in a quilt occurring along a continuous line. 3. - The personal cleaning implement according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises joining as in a quilt between said upper and lower internal surfaces to said perimeter of said circumferential folds, said joining as in a quilt occurring in at least one point . 4.- The personal cleaning implement in accordance with. Claim 1, characterized in that said connection is by thermal bonding. 5. The personal cleaning implement according to claim 1, characterized in that said connection is by sewing. 6. The personal cleaning implement according to claim 1, characterized in that said tubular canvas is made substantially of low density polyethylene. 7. A personal cleansing implement, characterized in that it comprises a hydrophobic piece of diamond mesh tubular canvas, which is stretched laterally and folded along a longitudinal axis of said piece of diamond mesh tubular canvas to form pleats circumferential, said circumferential folds being permanently fixed in a stretched and folded condition by joining between an upper surface and a lower surface of said circumferential folds adjacent to a perimeter of said circumferential folds, said tubular diamond mesh canvas having properties that result a softness preferred by the consumer in said personal cleaning implement, said properties of said tubular canvas of diamond mesh being: a) a knot width of approximately 0.25 mm; b) a strand length of approximately 2.54 mm; and c) an average weight per repetition unit of approximately 1.7 x 10"^ g 8. The personal cleansing implement according to claim 7, characterized in that it further comprises joining as in a quilt between said internal upper and lower surfaces. said perimeter of said circumferential folds, said joining as in a quilt occurring along a continuous line 9.- The personal cleansing implement according to claim 7, characterized in that it further comprises joining as in a quilt between said upper surfaces. and lower internal to said perimeter of said circumferential folds, said joining as in a quilt occurring in at least one point 10. The personal cleaning implement according to claim 7, characterized in that said connection is by thermal bonding. .- The personal cleaning implement according to claim 7, characterized in that said uni n is by sewing. 12. - The personal cleaning implement according to claim 7, characterized in that said tubular canvas is made substantially of low density polyethylene.