GB2379864A

GB2379864A - Improvements in disposable cleaning cloths

Info

Publication number: GB2379864A
Application number: GB0122101A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mark Laing
Original assignee: Reckitt Benckiser UK Ltd
Current assignee: Reckitt Benckiser UK Ltd
Priority date: 2001-09-12
Filing date: 2001-09-12
Publication date: 2003-03-26
Anticipated expiration: 2021-09-12
Also published as: GB2379864B; GB0122101D0

Abstract

The invention relates to improvements in cleaning devices, and in particular to disposable cleaning cloths which are capable of being attached to brooms and mops and the like. The cleaning cloth 10 comprises a substantially planar sheet having at least two ties 12 formed integrally with said cloth, in which the ties are at least partially separable from the cloth e.g. by the perforations 11.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN CLEANING DEVICES The invention relates to improvements in cleaning devices, and in particular to disposable cleaning cloths which are capable of being attached to brooms and mops and the like.

There are available on the market a number of disposable cloths or wipes used for domestic cleaning which may be dry and use anti-static properties to pick up dust and the like, or may be impregnated with a formulation that could clean, polish or deliver another benefit. It is particularly convenient for the user to be able to attach such cloths to brooms or mops or other such handled tools to provide a greater reach when cleaning ceilings or other far off places, or to prevent the user from having to kneel on the floor whilst cleaning the floor.

Such cloths are typically attached to such brooms or mops by clip arrangements at one or more edges. However, as the cloth is not firmly attached, when the broom or mop is lifted from the floor, the cloth may be left behind therefore making it difficult to move around the floor. Thus the cleaning operation is less effective.

The use of such cloths is restricted to brooms having the appropriate clips and there is also a cost involved in providing clips on the brooms.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a disposable cleaning cloth which can be used

on its own or which can conveniently be attached to another cleaning device such as a broom or mop.

The invention therefore provides a cleaning cloth comprising a substantially planar sheet having at least two ties formed integrally with said cloth, in which the ties are at least partially separable from the cloth.

Preferably the at least two ties are at least partially separable from the cloth by means of one or more lines of perforations.

The cleaning cloth is preferably provided with four ties.

The cloth is preferably substantially square or rectangular and the ties are formed at corners of the cloth.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the ties can be at least partially separated from the cloth by tearing.

The ties preferably remain attached to the cloth.

The cloth may be made from a sponge material.

The cloth may be dry or impregnated with a cleaning or an anti-static formulation.

Preferably each cloth is separably attached to at least one adjacent cloth.

The invention also provides a cleaning device comprising a handle and a head and a cleaning cloth attached to the head by means of the at least one tie.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :- Fig. 1 is a plan view of a cloth according to the present invention showing one pattern of perforations; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the cloth of Fig. 1 showing the ties formed from the perforated regions; and Figs. 3 and 4 are plan views of cloths showing two alternative perforation patterns.

Referring first to Fig. 1, a disposable cleaning cloth 10 according to the present invention is illustrated. Typical materials used for manufacturing such cloths 10 include one or more of the following fibres; cotton, cellulose, wool, polypropylene, polyethylene, acetate, polyamide, viscose, polyacrylonitrile. However, the invention is not restricted to these fibres. They may be woven or otherwise formed and can have reinforcing threads woven through them. The cloth 10 may be dry and have anti-

static properties and/or may be impregnated with formulations such as: For Cleaning Cleaning

Sodium lauryl sulphate 3% Ethoxylated alcohol 0. 3% Butoxypropanol 4% Citric acid 0. 2% Ethanolamine 1% Fragrance 0. 1% Preservative 0. 01% Water to 100% Antibacterial cleaner

Butoxypropanol 4% Isopropyl alcohol 2% Ethoxylated alcohol 2% Benzalkonium chloride 0. 5% Sodium bicarbonate 0. 2% Fragrance 0. 1% Preservative 0. 01% Water to 100% Polish

Carnauba wax 0. 5% Polyethylene wax 1. 0%

Sorbitan ester 0. 6% Ethoxylated Sorbitan ester 2% Low aroma solvent 160/190 C 4% Fragrance 0. 1% Water to 100%

The cloth 10 may also be impregnated with an antistatic formulation. The cloth 10 may be of any convenient shape for polishing; typically they are square or rectangular although the invention is not limited to such shapes. Preferably such cloths 10 are provided each in multiples, on rolls, or in packages.

Cloth 10 is provided with an arrangement of perforations 11 in a pattern which allows the user to tear the cloth 10 to produce ties 12 for tying the cloth 10 to another cleaning device, such as a broom or a mop.

The pattern of perforations 11 is such that four ties 12 can be produced at the four corners of the cloth 10, which ties 12 preferably remain attached to the cloth after they are formed, as shown in Fig. 2. Figs. 3 and 4 provide alternative patterns which could be used, although the invention is not limited to the three illustrated patterns.

The size and number of the perforations is preferably selected to be suitable to allow the cloth 10 to tear with a moderate degree of force, although not sufficient to allow tearing whilst the cloth is being used on its own. Alternatively, for more strenuous cleaning applications, the perforations may be desired to

act as a cutting guide for scissors. The size and number of the perforations may also be partly determined by the nature of the cloth 10 or its intended application. The length of the ties is selected such that the cloth can easily be tied to a broom or mop and that will therefore be dependent on the size of the broom or mop head of which it is intended to be used.

As an example, for a cloth which is approximately 20 x 30cm, having the configuration of ties shown in Fig. 4, the resulting ties could be conveniently 12cm long. For the configuration as shown in Fig. 1, the ties will be shorter as they are on the shorter side of the cloth and could be in the order of 9cm long.

Where a number of cloths 10 are provided on a roll, each cloth 10 may be joined to one or two adjacent cloths 10, by a row of perforations, which enable each cloth 10 to be torn off easily.

Claims

CLAIMS : 1. A cleaning cloth comprising a substantially planar sheet having at least two ties formed integrally with said cloth, in which the ties are at least partially separable from the cloth.
2. A cleaning cloth as claimed in claim 1 in which the at least two ties are at least partially separable from the cloth by means of one or more lines of perforations.
3. A cleaning cloth as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the cleaning cloth is provided with four ties.
4. A cleaning cloth as claimed in claim 3 in which the cloth is substantially square or rectangular and the ties are formed at corners of the cloth.
5. A cleaning cloth as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the ties can be at least partially separated from the cloth by tearing.
6. A cleaning cloth as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the ties remain attached to the cloth.
7. A cleaning cloth as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the cloth is made from a sponge material.

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8. A cleaning cloth as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the cloth is dry or impregnated with a cleaning or an anti-static formulation.
9. A plurality of cleaning cloths as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which each cloth is separably attached to at least one adjacent cloth.
10. A cleaning device comprising a handle and a head and a cleaning cloth as claimed in any one of the preceding claims attached to the head by means of the at least one tie.