DE10010015A1 - Cleaning cloth for use in clean rooms contains heat-moldable material folded over to form several layers and then welded along edge which is not limited by folds to produce pouch with sealed edge and opening for hand opposite it - Google Patents

Abstract

The cleaning cloth for use in clean rooms contains a heat-moldable material. This is folded over to form several layers and then welded along an edge (3) which is not limited by folds (2,2') to produce a pouch with a sealed edge (3) and an opening for the hand opposite it. Independent claims are incldued for (a) a method of making the cleaning cloth; and (b) a device for making the cloth.

Description

The invention relates to a wipe for use in the techniques of pure working as well as a ver drive and device for its manufacture.

In several industries, contaminants are used production processes at high risk the cleanliness of surfaces in manufacturing Environment, such as this in the half managerial, pharmaceutical, optical and Space industry is the case. In this together hang has cleaned the surfaces with the Purpose-designed, ultra-pure Wipes proven to be particularly effective. Suitable te wipes are e.g. B. from textiles or others porous fabrics, whose procurement ensures that after wiping the brush cleaning procedure most of the impurities, that are on the surfaces mentioned, from Wipe are included. The secure for the Production of the cloths selected starting material lines, manufacturing processes and subsequent cleaning process that only the smallest quantities in the door of harmful deposits, such as in for example particles, fiber fragments, oil residues from the Yarn production or traces of ionic impurities who are transferred to the surface to be cleaned that and stay there.

In this regard, the edges of the  Wipers to be rated as critical because the wipes - usually from textile roll goods - for the purpose their packaging in correspondingly specified Format sizes can be divided. At the edge of the cloth result from a mechanical cutting process loose fibers, fiber fragments or particles. This would loosely there without further processing steps stick, could be released during the wiping process and so the surface cleanliness after wiping affect.

To counteract this, it is made of z. B. US 4,888,229 known, an approximately 5 mm wide Randbe to merge richly such towels, so that there is hardly any left after this manufacturing step free fibers, fiber fragments or particles present are. This relatively wide, thermally consolidated Edge, which is characterized by the in the above. Patent edge fusion described in writing, works because of its hardness and rigidity also disadvantageous. It can by the hard edge when wiping on the surfaces to be cleaned come to the formation of undesirable calls and emp sensitive surfaces can be destroyed.

Another type of thermal cutting edge warping The mold can be separated using a laser beam. A cloth edge forms with each other other fused filament or fiber ends of the used yarns or fibers. Disadvantage of this edge however, is their relatively low mechanical linear Tensile strength. In the event of improper or rough on It can be used for wipers made of fabrics high elasticity lead to edge tears, whereby then a particle release from the edge area is not  can be excluded.

Wipers using the techniques of pure work usually have one square or rectangular shape and unfolded an edge length of approx. 230 mm. But since at every wiping a cleaning effect only in sol areas of a wipe leaves a certain contact pressure between Cloth and surface to be cleaned working with a conventional wipe only one very small part of the wipe area effectively ge uses. The reason is as follows:

A conventional, e.g. B. double-folded cleanroom wipe of the usual dimensions 11 , 5 × 11.5 cm (after folding) must normally be held firmly when used in the edge area between thumb and forefinger so that it can be moved over the surface to be cleaned. As a result, it is physiologically unavoidable to lift your thumb when wiping. This in turn leads to a simultaneous lifting of the palm and thus to a significant reduction in the effective wiping area of the cloth. This is now limited to the four fingertips and part of the middle finger links.

Disadvantage of this physiological condition for the It is wiping that it is tougher when removing Impurities (paints, varnishes) or incrustations (dried splashes of acid, salts) especially when Use without solvent the friction between cloth and surface the holding force between thumb and Index finger exceeds. So it comes over when wiping the impurities for shifting the layers among themselves.  

Mittens for cleaning purposes are known from DE 730 258, DE 19 20 788, DE 298 11 160 U1, EP 0 638 277 A1. However, these are unsuitable for the tasks of precision cleaning. In addition to the wipe according to the invention, they have many disadvantages:
Low sensitivity, higher material usage, longer dressing and undressing times, necessity to provide several sizes, larger potential contaminant areas, only one-sided usability due to the one-sided position of the thumb.

It is an object of the invention to do so to improve that with equally low trans of contaminants from the wipe towards the cleaning surface, both its cleaning efficiency and its handling improved and at the same time the risk of surface damage the wiping process is reduced.

According to the invention this is within the characteristics of Claim 1, for a manufacturing method according to An saying 17 and for a device for manufacturing solved according to claim 29. Advantageous design tion forms and developments of the invention resulting from the ge in the subordinate claims named features.

For the wipes according to the invention can be preferred wise elastic structures, such as. B. knitted fabrics, knitted fabrics ke, polymer network structure, polymer foam or Woven, fleece, flock, stitchbond structures or flat  Combinations of these structures are processed, the at least thermally deformable materials, such as e.g. B. contain polymer fibers or yarns, it can also be pure polymer structures. Be particularly advantageous in terms of high cleaning These wipes are also made of microfa for efficiency sern or yarns.

The production of the wipes according to the invention can also be done automatically.

Manual fabrication of small series

That for the production of the wiping according to the invention cloths used before the manuel len usually a square or rectangular form.

Starting from such a single-layer, textile Ge According to the invention, this will be formed once or more times folded. It is with the techniques of the pure Practiced practice anyway, wipes in front fold their insert several times so that this ar beitsgang vorwegge time-saving by the invention is taken. In the example folded twice Condition shows the wipe in two places, four each exposed, linear, i.e. a total of eight open and two edges formed by folding. By shape-separating welding using ultrasound or the use of temperature-controlled punching tools arises according to the invention instead of the eight exposed one only rectangular or arched or any differently shaped welding edge, which is a comparative to US 4,888,229 very small thickness and width and also in the profile view of the wipe  is arranged in the center, so that when wiping does not come into contact with the surface. For the an Ul Traschall press can be used. By the shape the sonotrode cutting knife combination used becomes the shape of the welding edge and thus the last finite shape of the wipe determined. It can welding solely through thermal deformation of the material used can be achieved without there are significant changes in material properties ten is coming. Alternatively, for the separating Ver but also weld an electrically heated pro serve film eaters, which in a suitable press is installed.

To make an edge-free wipe the inner sides of the invention Wipers can be turned outside so that too the welding edge connecting the layers is arranged on the inside and contamination of the surface to be cleaned area by particles from the edge area or a Violation of the same prevented by scoring becomes.

The wipe according to the invention can be used within its Shaping the entire hand or the forehand up enclose behind the metacarpal. So it doesn't have to be held firmly with the thumb when wiping the entire palm is raised not mandatory and it will be considerably larger larger effective wiping area than with thumb-pointer usable wipers. This gives a possible reduction in cleaning time. When removing tough dirt or when However, it could also clean rough surfaces  the wipe of the invention to side Ver shifts come when the cloth is not very hand tightly encloses. With a fixing bar or separator slot that is in the area of one of the finger twos located and parallel to the through the Insertion opening aligned fingers is, the wipe can be seated without displacement when wiping, also on rough or slightly sticky surfaces be secured against surfaces.

Because so the shape and size of the wipe that is active usable area corresponds to the Verunreini potential wiping cloth carried without pressure Chen shares, as is the case with square wipes is present, significantly reduced.

The wipes according to the invention can also be used in this way be formed that between their layers a mate rial is inserted, which is the wipe volume, its elasticity for surface adaptation and / or its absorbency increases. For example wise a fleece, a superabsorbent or a retiku lated foam as elastic and absorbent Material before the folding process according to the manufacture the prepared knitted fabric or woven on who the. If necessary, the material can at least partially wisely connected to the wipe layers and the wipes then by folding, separating and ver melt, as already described, are manufactured. It may be sufficient that the connection alone by merging the layers in the corresponding Edge area is secured.

In addition, but also instead of increasing the volume the, elastic or absorbent material can  the folding process over one half of the surface liquid-tight film can be placed and attached. Such a film is particularly effective in Work with cleaning products related to the wipes according to the invention are used, advantageous when between the folded layers an open interference has been kept in the for example the fingers can be inserted so that direct skin contact with the liquid detergent is prevented.

The wipes of the invention can be used alone, however also with the already mentioned absorbent material soaked in a suitable cleaning agent be set. In this case it is particularly good stig to pack such wipes before use ken. You can do it individually or in predetermined Lot sizes in for the cleaning agent used resistant and dense packaging materials, such as e.g. B. Foil bags are included, under Resistance especially the chemical solubility or avoidance of chemical reactions is meant. Suitable plastic or metal foils can be used for this lien or metal-coated plastic films, the are welded accordingly at their edges, A find sentence.

The wipes soaked with detergent can but also in a stacked form in stable containers nits, e.g. B. with hermetic lid closure be closed, for example to evaporate detergent from the wipe.

Wipes according to the invention can be used alone Spread your fingers securely on the front part of the  Hand held, which at the same time an opti effective cleaning surface is given. there doesn't need the wipe like. e.g. B. in a row cleaning glove, time-consuming over the whole hand including the thumb overstripped or stripped become. The hold and manageability can be achieved with Hil ver a fixing bar or separating slot be improved.

One right compared to a cleaning glove reduced size of the wipe enables and unites increases the technical use of formtren ultrasonic welding process as the basis of a fully automated manufacturing process.

The wipe according to the invention has no sharp ones and brittle edges and is therefore highly gentle on the surface for cleaning critical Surfaces can be used.

Wipes according to the invention can be different a cleaning glove, insert on both sides and after turning the inner surfaces outwards, can even four-sided use.

The invention is intended to be illustrated below by means of examples are described in more detail.

Show:

Figure 1 shows in three steps the manufacture of an example of a wipe according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows an example of a wipe according to the invention with an arcuate, welded th edge area.

Fig. 3 is a partial section of a wipe according to the invention with an additional material;

Figure 4 is a partial sectional view of another example of a wipe according to the invention with egg ner lining of a flüssigkeitsun permeable, planar material.

5 a peelable from a roll, are obtained four-folded structure, from the wipes by separating welding Fig.

Fig. 6 is a schematic representation of a wipe with a separation slot and

Fig. 7 shows a device for the production of wipes from a pre-folded structure removable from a roll.

In Fig. 1, seen from top to bottom, in three steps one way of producing a wipe according to the invention is shown. In this case, a double-layered structure with a fold 1 is produced from a square base structure here, best consisting of a material mentioned in the introductory part of the description. As indicated in the middle representation, this double-layer Ge is folded again around the line drawn in dashed lines in the upper representation, so that in a preliminary stage there is a four-layer structure with edges obtained by folding 2 and 2 '.

In this case, the approx edge areas are welded together, so that, in this case, square Wipe can be obtained.

However, as indicated by the dashed line 3 , it is more favorable to form at least part of the edge in an arc shape, this being possible in one process step with the melting of the unfolded edge area, so that an arc-shaped edge 4 can be obtained. The arcuate edge 4 can have the shape of a partial circle, in which all layers are connected with a weld seam.

In the example shown in FIG. 2, the procedure for producing it is the same as for the example according to FIG. 1, but only the edge 7 is formed in a bo-shaped manner, but deviates from the pitch circle shape, so that ergonomically more favorable considerations of the hand shape are taken Conditions achieved who.

The edges 4 and 7 , but also the corners 5 are advantageous for cleaning corner and edge areas on angled surfaces, so that they can deliver better cleaning results compared to conventional wipes.

In FIG. 2, an engagement 6 can also be seen, which is formed between the folded layers and into which at least the fingers of one hand can be inserted.

Both the example according to FIG. 1 and the example according to FIG. 2 can be turned over after the first use, so that the surfaces previously lying inside can also be used.

In Fig. 3 an example of a modified wipe according to the invention is shown in partial section, a material 9 or 9 'is arranged between folded layers of the starting structure, for example, a volume increase, a higher elasticity for adaptation to the surface to be cleaned and / or serves as a liquid reservoir. An example of such a liquid-storing material are superabsorbents, which have the property that stored liquid is released when pressure is exerted.

Furthermore, an exposed fold 8 between the outer layers, which in turn can include the materials 9 and 9 ', is shown, which is accessible through the engagement 6 for one hand or the fingers of one hand.

In Fig. 4 another possibility for the Wei further education of a wipe according to the invention is Darge, which can be used alone, but also in combination with the example of FIG. 3. Here, a liquid-impermeable material Ma 10 is arranged between the individual layers of a wipe according to the invention. This can be, for example, a film made of metal, plastic or a metallbe coated plastic film that prevents a skin contact with the hand or the fingers inserted into the open fold 8 .

In FIG. 5, a four-layer folded here Ge is shown as forming precursor. For an automated production, this preliminary product can, for example, be wound up on a roll and pulled off from there and guided over a flat work surface.

Individual wipes, which with ge dashed lines indicated in their outer contour are by welding in their shape and Maintain size and be isolated at the same time.

In the example shown here of a four-layer folded structure, the engagement openings 6 are located in areas in which the edges are formed by folds, so that an edge hardening preventing the release of fibers and particles is not absolutely necessary.

In addition, in this representation, the arrangement of the fixing webs 11 on such a wipe is also indicated by a straight dashed line. Such a fixing web 11 can be obtained on a wipe at least by welding the inner layers of the folded structure.

When using such a wipe, the fixing web 11 is located between adjacent fingers of a hand inserted into the wipe through the engagement opening 6 and offers an additional hold, so that the handling is significantly improved.

Due to the concave contour of the front part, the wipers shown in Fig. 5, an adaptation to the hand contour is given.

But there is also the option of wiping in not shown shape square or rectangular  train by using the individual wipes in front of the pre-folded structures with a straight weld by separating welding, in which all are stacked lying layers of the structure with a weld connected, can be obtained.

Instead of Fixiersteges 11 but also an accordingly oriented separating slit 12 may be formed, wherein it is favorable, 12 'such as to produce derum whose edges that all layers mitein other connecting weld is present.

Such an embodiment is indicated in the example according to FIG. 6.

The introduction of a separating slot 12 , instead of the fixing webs 11 , has the advantage that a wiping cloth provided with a separating slot 12 can also be turned over, so that the layers previously located on the inside can also be used for cleaning. In addition, it is favorable for cleaning particularly sensitive surfaces to use the wipe when turned, since the risk of sharp-edged edges of the weld seam can be completely ruled out.

The length of the fixing webs 11 or separating slots 12 should be at least 20 mm.

In Fig. 6 it is also shown that the edge 8 'at the engagement opening 6 of a wipe can be solidified to prevent the release of fibers and particles, which should be carried out especially if this edge 8 ', the Engagement opening 6 is formed, is not a folded edge of folded layers of the Gebil used.

The solidification of the edge 8 'by an energy entry, z. B. by heating, which can be achieved with a heating bar or a laser. The solidification can also be achieved by means of rolling ultrasonic knives.

A knife part of a sonotrode knife combination which has a contour which follows the lines 17 , 17 'and 12 ', as shown in FIG. 6, can be used to produce wipers with a contour, as shown in FIG. 5. As a result, individual wipes with little waste can be produced and separated from a material strip by welding. With the dashed line edge 17 'of such a knife part, the proportion of waste between wipers subsequently produced is also separated and, in contrast to the example shown in FIG. 7, the individual pieces of waste can fall directly into a waste collecting container arranged below the ultrasonic punch 16 .

The knife part, which follows the line 12 ′, can form or introduce a fixing web 11 or a separating slot 12 .

FIG. 7 shows an example of a device as can be used for the automated production of wipes according to the invention.

Here, a pre-folded structure, as shown for example in Fig. 5 ge, is withdrawn from a roll and transported by means of at least one roll 15 over a flat work surface in the direction of the arrow in a clocked form from a storage container 13 .

In each of these transport cycles, a wiping cloth is produced by separating welding with the aid of a sonotrode of an ultrasonic punch 16 . It is expedient for the clocked transport, as in the example shown in FIG. 7, to use two rollers 15 oriented orthogonally to the transport direction, which are arranged on both sides of the ultrasonic punch 16 , in order to achieve a straight-line transport and a tension on the folded Secure structures upright during welding. The shape of the sonotrode corresponds to the contour of peripheral areas of the finished wipe, which are welded together.

But it can also be a non-folded structure with a device, not shown, folded at least once and then the ultrasonic punch 16 supplied.

In the wipe form shown here, the starting material used for the manufacture of the wipes is not fully utilized and the remaining part is then guided into a waste collection container 14 and can be made available to other useful use or recycling in collected form.

The unusable part of the starting material can be reduced if the shape and size of the wipes is optimized accordingly, as is the case for. B. in the examples of wipers shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is the case. The generation of waste can be completely avoided if square or rectangular wipes with outside, straight-line weld seams are produced.

The working surface of a device is advantageous for the production of wipes at an angle inclined downwards from the horizontal. there the angle of inclination can be a maximum of 90 °.

The ultrasonic punch 16 with sonotrode are then inclined accordingly to the work surface.

The obtained by separating welding and united Tents wipes fall or slide along the inclined formed by part of the work surface Level in a collecting container, not shown or arrive at a packaging facility.

Claims (30)

1. wipe for use in the techniques of pure working, which consists of an at least thermally deformable sheet-containing structure, characterized in that the wipe is formed by at least one fold ( 1 ) of the structure in two or more layers ( 2 ) and at least one edge area, which is not delimited by folded edges ( 2 , 2 '), is joined to form an edge ( 4 ) by a weld connecting all layers; and an engagement opening ( 6 ) is formed on an exposed fold. 2. wipe according to claim 1, characterized in that at least four Layers with a sweat connecting the layers are joined together. 3. wipe according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the structure is a Fabric, knitted fabric, fleece, flock, knitted fabric is or from a polymer network structure, Stitchbond-Ge form or a polymeric foam blank or a flat combination of such structures consists. 4. Wipe according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the wiping edge ( 4 ) resulting from the welding of the layers has an arc shape or an angular shape. 5. wipe according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that for cleaning usable area of the wipe about the size a human hand or at least the size the area occupied by the forehand contour che corresponds. 6. Wipe according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that between the layers of the folded wipe is a material ( 9 , 9 '), the volume increase, the increase in the elasticity of the surface adaptation and / or as a liquid reservoir serves. 7. wipe according to claim 6, characterized in that the material of the wipe with the material ( 9 , 9 '), which serves to increase the volume, increase the elasticity of the surface adaptation or as a liquid storage, at least partially in the edge region and / or is connected flat. 8. wipe according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the material ( 9 , 9 '), which serves as a liquid reservoir, is a superabsorbent. 9. wipe according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the wipe with a cleaning agent or an application agent is soaked. 10. wipe according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it is in before use one for the cleaning or application agent  resistant and impervious packaging or enclosed in a container. 11. Wipe according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it is lined with a liquid-impermeable sheet Ma ( 10 ). 12. wipe according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the interior Parts are turned outside. 13. A wiping cloth according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that at least the fixing fingers ( 11 ) aligned in inner layers to form a parallel to the fingers of a hand introduced through the engagement opening ( 8 ) are connected to one another. 14. Wiping cloth according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that, starting from the ver welded edge region, a separating slot ( 12 ) aligned parallel to the fingers of a hand inserted through the engagement opening ( 8 ) is formed, the edges ( 12 ') of which are formed by a weld seam connecting all layers. 15. Wipe according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the fixing web ( 11 ) or the separating slot ( 12 ) has a length of at least 20 mm. 16. Wipe according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the material of the structure is solidified at the edge ( 8 ') of the engagement opening ( 6 ). 17. A method for producing a wipe for use in the techniques of pure work, characterized in that an at least thermally deformable mate rial-containing structure folded in two or more layers and edge areas which are not due to the resulting ge rounded edges ( 2 , 2 ') are bounded to form an edge on which all the layers are welded together. 18. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that the layers by separating welding. 19. The method according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that the wiping edge ( 4 ) obtained by joining together is formed in an arc or angular shape when the welding is separated. 20. The method according to any one of claims 17 to 19, characterized in that for separating and Ultrasonic welding is used. 21. The method according to claim 20, characterized in that a shaped Sonotrode cutting combination is used. 22. The method according to any one of claims 17 to 21, characterized in that the wipe with  its inner parts turned outwards becomes. 23. The method according to any one of claims 17 to 22, characterized in that an at least once folded structure is pulled off a roll and outer edge regions by means of a sonotrode cutting combination, apart from an engagement opening ( 6 ) to form a continuous or two parallel to one another aligned edge (s) on which all layers are welded together. 24. The method according to claim 23, characterized in that at least the inner layers of the folded structure are tied together to form a fixing web ( 11 ). 25. The method according to claim 24, characterized in that the layers coexist other welded. 26. The method according to claim 23, characterized in that a separating slot ( 12 ) is formed, the edges ( 12 ') of which are connected to a welding seam connecting all layers. 27. The method according to any one of claims 17 to 26, characterized in that the structure is solidified at the edge ( 8 ') of the engagement opening ( 6 ). 28. The method according to claim 27, characterized in that the structure at the edge ( 8 ') of the engagement opening ( 6 ) is solidified by an energy entry. 29. Device for the production of wipes for use in the techniques of pure work, characterized in that a folded structure over a flat, inclined to the horizontal working surface is guided in a timed form and an ultrasonic punch ( 16 ) with a sonotrode is oriented with respect to the angle of inclination of the work surface, so that the wiping wipes obtained and separated by separating welding fall as a result of gravitational force into a collecting container or to a packaging device. 30. The device according to claim 29, characterized in that the shape of the Sono trode the outer contour of marginal areas of the Wipes.