GB2192327A

GB2192327A - Cleaning pad

Info

Publication number: GB2192327A
Application number: GB08530598A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Rex William Sheffield Haynes; Roy Edward Warner
Original assignee: S R HOLBROOK Ltd
Current assignee: S R HOLBROOK Ltd
Priority date: 1985-12-12
Filing date: 1985-12-12
Publication date: 1988-01-13
Also published as: GB8530598D0

Abstract

A cleaning pad comprises a permeable water-absorbing body enclosed in an envelope 12, 14 of an open mesh fabric. The water-absorbing body may comprise layers of open cell plastics foam e.g. polyurethane foam. The open mesh fabric may be a knitted fabric having strips of stiff synthetic plastics film e.g. polyester film running through it. The edges 16 of the pad may be heat sealed, or one edge may be left open to allow insertion of the user's hand. The pad may have the form of a mitt and may be used for scouring pots and pans. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Cleaning pad This invention relates to a cleaning or scouring pad for cleaning pots and pans and it is among the objects of the present invention to provide an improved cleaning pad of this kind.

According to the invention there is provided a cleaning pad for pots and pans, comprising a permeable water-absorbing body, enclosed in an envelope of open mesh fabric.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the permeable water-absorbing body comprises one or more layers of open-celled synthetic thermoplastics sponge material and the open-mesh fabric incorporates strips of polyester film exposed on the exterior of the pad to form cutting or scraping surfaces for removing food deposits from pots and pans.

In its preferred form the pad is formed by interposing the layer or layers of plastics foam between two layers of the open-mesh fabric to form a sandwich and bonding the materials of the sandwich together along seams defining the periphery thereof by localised melting of the material of the plastics foam and causing the melted material of the plastics foam to flow around the yarns of the knitted fabric to provide a secure union along said seams.

An embodiment of the invention is described below by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a scouring pad embodying the invention, FIGURE 2 is an end view of the pad in Figure 1, FIGURE 3 is a detail view to a large scale showing a preferred form of knitted fabric providing the exterior of the scouring pad, and FIGURE 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a stage in the manufacture of the scouring pad.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a scouring pad embodying the invention has the general form of a rectangular slab having upper and lower surfaces 12 and 14 respectively provided by a knitted openmesh fabric, with a plurality of layers of open-cell plastics foam, for example expanded polyurethane foam, interposed between the fabric layers providing the upper and lower surfaces 12, 14. The fabric layers providing the surfaces 12 and 14 and the interposed foam layers are united, adjacent the four sides of the pad, by respective seams 16 in which, as will appear from what follows, the upper and lower fabric layers are united by the foam material having been fused and compressed in the region of said seams.

The fabric pieces providing the exterior of the pad are intended to perform a scouring function as well as to contain the foam interior and a preferred fabric for the exterior of the pad is one which comprises a body of knitted yarn having on its exterior face a series of narrow ribbons of stiff synthetic plastics film, for example of polyester film, intertwined with loops of the knitted yarn.In Figure 3, the polyester ribbons are indicated at 20 and the knitted yarn at 18. Referring to Figure 4, in the manufacture of the pad, pieces 13, 15 of the knitted fabric referred to and providingthe upper and lower surfaces 12, 14 respectively, have, sandwiched between them, three layers, indicated at 22, of open-celled thermoplastics foam, preferably polyurethane foam, the plastics film ribbons being on the faces of the fabric pieces which face away from the foam. The sandwich of foam pieces 22 and fabric pieces 13, 15 is then united, along seams 16, by compressing the sandwich materials together and applying heat in the regions of said seams whereby the plastics foam material between the fabric pieces is melted and flows around the yarns of the fabric pieces 13, 15 to provide a secure bond.Instead of the plastics foam material being melted, in the last-noted step, by the direct application of heat, high frequency welding or ultrasonic welding may be used in appropriate cases, allowing a wide range of materials to be used.

The particular form of pad described with reference to the drawings is of particular use for scouring and cleaning "non-stick" pans having a coating of a material such as PTFE. The pad may, of course, be made of any size or shape. Furthermore, one edge of the pad may be left unwelded to allow the insertion of the user's hand and, indeed, the pad may have the overall form of a mitt to fit the user's hand. In this form, the pad is particularly suited for use by arthritic persons.

It will be appreciated that other forms of fabric capable of having an abrasive or scouring effect and having a relatively open mesh may be utilised in place of the particular form of fabric described.

1. A cleaning pad for pots and pans, comprising a permeable water-absorbing body, enclosed in an envelope of open mesh fabric.

2. A cleaning pad according to claim 1, wherein said permeable, water-absorbing body and/or said open-mesh fabric are/is of, or incorporates, synthetic thermoplastic material and wherein the pad has been formed by interposing a body of the synthetic thermoplastic permeable water-absorbing material between two layers of said open mesh fabric to form a sandwich, and subsequently bonding together the materials of the sandwich along seams by localised melting of such thermoplastics material, said seams defining the periphery of the pad.

3. A cleaning pad according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said water-absorbing body comprises open-cell plastics foam.

4. A cleaning pad according to any preceding claim, wherein said open-mesh fabric incorporates strips of thin sheet plastics material.

5. A cleaning pad according to claim 4 wherein said strips of thin sheet plastics material are strips of polyester sheet material.

6. A method of making a cleaning pad, comprising interposing a body of permeable, water-absorbing thermoplastics material between opposing layers of an open mesh fabric to form a sandwich, and

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Cleaning pad This invention relates to a cleaning or scouring pad for cleaning pots and pans and it is among the objects of the present invention to provide an improved cleaning pad of this kind. According to the invention there is provided a cleaning pad for pots and pans, comprising a permeable water-absorbing body, enclosed in an envelope of open mesh fabric. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the permeable water-absorbing body comprises one or more layers of open-celled synthetic thermoplastics sponge material and the open-mesh fabric incorporates strips of polyester film exposed on the exterior of the pad to form cutting or scraping surfaces for removing food deposits from pots and pans. In its preferred form the pad is formed by interposing the layer or layers of plastics foam between two layers of the open-mesh fabric to form a sandwich and bonding the materials of the sandwich together along seams defining the periphery thereof by localised melting of the material of the plastics foam and causing the melted material of the plastics foam to flow around the yarns of the knitted fabric to provide a secure union along said seams. An embodiment of the invention is described below by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a scouring pad embodying the invention, FIGURE 2 is an end view of the pad in Figure 1, FIGURE 3 is a detail view to a large scale showing a preferred form of knitted fabric providing the exterior of the scouring pad, and FIGURE 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a stage in the manufacture of the scouring pad. Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a scouring pad embodying the invention has the general form of a rectangular slab having upper and lower surfaces 12 and 14 respectively provided by a knitted openmesh fabric, with a plurality of layers of open-cell plastics foam, for example expanded polyurethane foam, interposed between the fabric layers providing the upper and lower surfaces 12, 14. The fabric layers providing the surfaces 12 and 14 and the interposed foam layers are united, adjacent the four sides of the pad, by respective seams 16 in which, as will appear from what follows, the upper and lower fabric layers are united by the foam material having been fused and compressed in the region of said seams. The fabric pieces providing the exterior of the pad are intended to perform a scouring function as well as to contain the foam interior and a preferred fabric for the exterior of the pad is one which comprises a body of knitted yarn having on its exterior face a series of narrow ribbons of stiff synthetic plastics film, for example of polyester film, intertwined with loops of the knitted yarn.In Figure 3, the polyester ribbons are indicated at 20 and the knitted yarn at 18. Referring to Figure 4, in the manufacture of the pad, pieces 13, 15 of the knitted fabric referred to and providingthe upper and lower surfaces 12, 14 respectively, have, sandwiched between them, three layers, indicated at 22, of open-celled thermoplastics foam, preferably polyurethane foam, the plastics film ribbons being on the faces of the fabric pieces which face away from the foam. The sandwich of foam pieces 22 and fabric pieces 13, 15 is then united, along seams 16, by compressing the sandwich materials together and applying heat in the regions of said seams whereby the plastics foam material between the fabric pieces is melted and flows around the yarns of the fabric pieces 13, 15 to provide a secure bond.Instead of the plastics foam material being melted, in the last-noted step, by the direct application of heat, high frequency welding or ultrasonic welding may be used in appropriate cases, allowing a wide range of materials to be used. The particular form of pad described with reference to the drawings is of particular use for scouring and cleaning "non-stick" pans having a coating of a material such as PTFE. The pad may, of course, be made of any size or shape. Furthermore, one edge of the pad may be left unwelded to allow the insertion of the user's hand and, indeed, the pad may have the overall form of a mitt to fit the user's hand. In this form, the pad is particularly suited for use by arthritic persons. It will be appreciated that other forms of fabric capable of having an abrasive or scouring effect and having a relatively open mesh may be utilised in place of the particular form of fabric described. CLAIMS

6. A method of making a cleaning pad, comprising interposing a body of permeable, water-absorbing thermoplastics material between opposing layers of an open mesh fabric to form a sandwich, and bonding the materials of the sandwich together by localised melting of said thermoplastics material along seams defining the periphery of the pad.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein the materials of the sandwich are bonded together along said seams by the application of heat and pressure.

8. A method according to claim 6 wherein the materials of the sandwich are bonded together along said seams by high frequency welding.

9. A method according to claim 6 wherein the materials of the sandwich are bonded together along said seams by ultrasonic welding.

10. A cleaning pad substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

11. A method of making a cleaning pad, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

12. Any novel feature or combination of features described herein.