GB2418357A - Water decomposable washing or skin treatment aid - Google Patents

Water decomposable washing or skin treatment aid Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2418357A
GB2418357A GB0421069A GB0421069A GB2418357A GB 2418357 A GB2418357 A GB 2418357A GB 0421069 A GB0421069 A GB 0421069A GB 0421069 A GB0421069 A GB 0421069A GB 2418357 A GB2418357 A GB 2418357A
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GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
skin treatment
washing
pockets
aid
soap
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB0421069A
Other versions
GB2418357B (en
GB0421069D0 (en
Inventor
Roy Alfred Ackroyd
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Individual
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Individual
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to GB0421069A priority Critical patent/GB2418357B/en
Publication of GB0421069D0 publication Critical patent/GB0421069D0/en
Publication of GB2418357A publication Critical patent/GB2418357A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2418357B publication Critical patent/GB2418357B/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47KSANITARY EQUIPMENT NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; TOILET ACCESSORIES
    • A47K7/00Body washing or cleaning implements
    • A47K7/02Bathing sponges, brushes, gloves, or similar cleaning or rubbing implements
    • A47K7/03Bathing sponges, brushes, gloves, or similar cleaning or rubbing implements containing soap or other cleaning ingredients, e.g. impregnated
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61KPREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
    • A61K8/00Cosmetics or similar toiletry preparations
    • A61K8/02Cosmetics or similar toiletry preparations characterised by special physical form
    • A61K8/0216Solid or semisolid forms
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61QSPECIFIC USE OF COSMETICS OR SIMILAR TOILETRY PREPARATIONS
    • A61Q19/00Preparations for care of the skin
    • A61Q19/10Washing or bathing preparations

Landscapes

  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Epidemiology (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
  • Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
  • Birds (AREA)
  • Dermatology (AREA)
  • Detergent Compositions (AREA)
  • Cosmetics (AREA)

Abstract

A washing or skin treatment aid formed from a water soluble plastics film material which after coming into contact with water retains its physical structure for a sufficient period of time as to enable it to be used as a flannel or sponge for personal washing, but which thereafter dissolves in the water so that it will drain away with the washing water, leaving no structural bulk to be disposed of. A preferred material is polyvinyl acetate. At least the outer surface of the film material is corrugated, or ridged, or formed with upstanding nodes, to create a rough surface. The aid may be constructed from laminated sheets with the skin treatment compound and/or soap trapped between the layers. The aid may be constructed as a sachet subdivided internally into at least two pockets, different pockets containing different materials. The composition or thickness, or both, of the film making up the sachet walls can vary from one region to another.

Description

Title: Improved personal washing or skin treatment aid
Field of Invention
This invention concerns devices such as flannels, sponges and the like which are commonly used when washing and showering.
Background to the invention
Flannels have been used when washing to assist in cleansing the skin due to the mild abrasive action of the material against the surface of the skin. Soap is commonly used in addition and it is known to impregnate flannel-like devices with soap, particularly so-called medicated soaps, and to pre-pack such medicated devices in sealed bags or sachets, which are broken when the device is to be used to allow the impregnated material to be withdrawn and employed in a conventional manner while washing or showering.
Such pre-packed washing aids have two advantages. In the first place they obviate the need to have soap on hand, and secondly, if suitably pre-packed in sterile or at least clean- room conditions, the flannel is biologically clean when it is required for use.
Although less abrasive, sponges are also popular washing aids, particularly when showering and it is also known to impregnate sponges with soap and pre-pack the impregnated devices which therefore possess the same advantages as pre-packed soap impregnated flannels.
The use of such pre-packed washing aids is of particular use in public washrooms, hospitals, dental and medical surgeries, schools, hotels and restaurants, ferries and cruise facility of being able to wash their hands or bathe or shower and in addition to expecting to be provided with soap will count it a considerable advantage if they are also provided with washing aids such as flannels or sponges and the like. However, such aids can, in general, only be used once and then be discarded, since each member of the public will want fresh, clean and unused washing aids. In situations of high usage such as motorway washrooms, hotels, hospitals, schools and other large-scale institutions, the removal and disposal of the used washing aid can represent a significant cost to the organisation if, as increasingly under present local authority legislation, it has to be treated as trade waste.
Object of the Invention It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a washing aid which has all the advantages of pre- packed soap impregnated devices, but which does not suffer from the aforementioned waste-disposal problem.
Summary of the invention
According to the present invention, a washing or skin treatment aid is formed from a water soluble plastics film material selected from the range of such materials, such that in use after coming into contact with water it will retain its physical structure for a sufficient period of time as to enable it to be used as a flannel or sponge for personal washing but which thereafter rapidly dissolves in the water so that it will drain away with the washing water, leaving no structural bulk to be disposed of.
A preferred plastics material is polyvinyl acetate (commonly referred to as PVA) such as is employed in the manufacture of bait bags (used by fishermen), and dissolvable thread for stitching wounds or cuts such as after surgery. Bait bags are employed to contain fish bait and after being closed are tied or otherwise secured to a fishing line near or adjacent a fishing hook before casting. After entering the water on being cast, the wall of the bag begins to dissolve in the water but by selecting the PVA grade and/or thickness of the bag material, the wall remains intact for a sufficient time after casting, for the bait bag to have reached the bottom of the river or lake (or the seabed) intact, so that the bag will only disperse to expose the bait, after the hook and bait have settled on the bed of the river or sea, or bottom of the lake. Such bags are available from ESP of Drennen whose telephone number is 01865 748989.
At least the outer surface of the film material may be corrugated or otherwise formed with ridges or upstanding nodes to generate a relatively rough surface with which the skin can be rubbed during washing.
According to another aspect of the invention, the plastics film may be impregnated with a skin treatment composition and/or soap which may be medicated.
According to a further aspect of the invention, impregnation may be achieved by constructing the washing aid from laminated sheets of the film with the treatment composition and/or soap between the layers. This may be trapped in place by sealing the edges of the sheets in any convenient manner so as to form a laminated structure of sheets of water- soluble plastics film sealed around their edges to create a stack of pockets or envelopes within at least some of which is trapped a skin treatment composition or soap.
Where the aid is to be used to cleanse the skin first and thereafter assist in applying a medicated or therapeutic compound to the skin, outer pockets may be filled with soap (which may nevertheless still be medicated if required) and inner pockets are filled with the medication or therapeutic compound with or without soap as well.
Where the aid is simply for washing purposes, all the pockets are filled with soap.
The invention is not limited to a device containing a plurality of pockets but includes the case of a sachet formed from two sheets of the soluble plastics film sealed around their edges to form a closed envelope containing the skin treatment aid or soap or both.
A sachet constructed from only two sheets of film may nevertheless be subdivided internally into two or more pockets each containing the same treatment composition or soap (which may be medicated) or in which different pockets contain different materials such as soap in one and a medication or therapeutic compound in another.
Where of single sachet or multiple layer laminated construction, the film composition or thickness or both may be varied as between one sheet and another in a laminated structure or even from one region to another of each sheet such as in single but internally sub- divided sachet, so that the different sub-divisions are, for example, enclosed by film having different degrees of water solubility, so that, for example, the wall of one sub- division will dissolve more quickly than the other opposite wall, leaving structure in place with which to rub the skin after the contents have been released by the other wall having dissolved, or the walls of one sub-division will dissolve more quickly than adjoining sub- divisions so that the contents of the one sub-division are released before those of the adjoining sub-division.
In a particularly preferred form of aid embodying the invention, two sheets of film are sealed peripherally and intermediately so as, for example, to dehme a plurality of similar closed pockets within the boundary of the sheets. If the sheets are constructed so as to possess thick and thin regions, typically in the form of a square matrix of thick and thin strips alternating in two orthogonal directions across the sheets, then if one is laid over another with the thick and thin regions of the two sheets in alignment, and so that the junctions between the thick and thin regions comprise the boundaries of the pockets, and the two sheets are joined along those junctions, the result will be an internally sub-divided sachet and if soap or other treatment material occupies the thin walled pockets and the thick walled pockets are left empty, the device will dissolve preferentially in the thin walled regions releasing the soap shortly after coming into contact with water, but will then take the form of a lattice structure of the thicker material which remains intact for longer to allow it to be used to rub the skin in known manner, before the lattice also dissolves.

Claims (24)

1. A washing or skin treatment aid formed from a water soluble plastics film material which after coming into contact with water retains its physical structure for a sufficient period of time as to enable it to be used as a flannel or sponge for personal washing but which thereafter dissolves in the water so that it will drain away with the washing water, leaving no structural bulk to be disposed of.
2. A washing or skin treatment aid as claimed in claim 1 formed from polyvinyl acetate.
3. A washing or skin treatment aid as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein at least the outer surface of the film material is corrugated, or otherwise formed with ridges, or is formed with upstanding nodes, to create a rough surface with which the skin can be rubbed during washing.
4. A washing or skin treatment aid as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 when constructed from laminated sheets of the film with a skin treatment compound and/or soap between the layers.
5. A washing or skin treatment aid as claimed in claim 4 wherein the soap or skin treatment compound is trapped in place by sealing the edges of the sheets to create a stack of pockets within at least some of which is trapped a skin treatment compound or soap.
6. A washing or skin treatment aid as claimed in claim 5 which in use is to be used to cleanse the skin first and thereafter assist in applying a skin treatment compound to the skin, in which outer pockets of the laminated stack are filled with soap and inner pockets are filled with a skin treatment compound.
7. A washing or skin treatment aid as claimed in claim 6 wherein the inner pockets also include soap.
8. A washing or skin treatment aid as claimed in any of claims 4 to 7 wherein the film composition or thickness or both varies as between one sheet and another in the laminated structure.
9. A washing or skin treatment aid as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 constructed as a sachet formed from two sheets of the soluble plastics film sealed around their edges to form a closed envelope, containing a medicated or therapeutic skin treatment compound or soap or both.
10. A washing or skin treatment aid as claimed in claim 9 in which the sachet is subdivided internally into at least two pockets.
11. A washing or skin treatment aid as claimed in claim 10 wherein the sachet has two pockets each of which contains the same skin treatment compound or soap.
12. A washing or skin treatment aid as claimed in claim 10 wherein different pockets contain different materials.
13. A washing or skin treatment aid as claimed in claim 10 wherein at least one of the pockets contains soap and at least another of the pockets contains a skin treatment compound.
14. A sachet as claimed in any of claims 9 to 13 wherein the film composition or thickness or both varies from one region to another of each sheet so that the different sub- divisions are enclosed by film having different degrees of water solubility.
15. A sachet as claimed in claim 14 wherein the wall of one sub-division dissolves more quickly than the other opposite wall, leaving structure in place with which to rub the skin after the contents have been released by the other wall having dissolved.
16. A sachet as claimed in claim 14 wherein the walls of one sub-division will dissolve more quickly than adjoining sub-divisions so that the contents of the one sub-division are released before those of an adjoining sub-division.
17. A sachet as claimed in any of claims 9 to 16 wherein two sheets of film are sealed peripherally and intermediately so as to define a square matrix of similar closed pockets within the boundary of the sheets, and the sheets are constructed so as to possess thick and thin regions, such that when one is laid over the other the thick and thin regions align and the junctions between the thick and thin regions comprise the boundaries of the pockets, and the two sheets are joined along those junctions, so as to provide an internally sub- divided sachet, and soap or other treatment material occupies the thin walled pockets and the thick walled pockets are left empty, so that in use in the presence of water the device will dissolve preferentially in the thin walled regions releasing the soap or other material shortly after coming into contact with water, but will then take the form of a lattice structure of the thicker material which remains intact for longer to allow it to be used to rub the skin before the lattice also dissolves.
18. A washing aid as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 in which the plastics film is Impregnated with soap.
19. A washing aid as claimed in claim 18 wherein the soap is a medicated soap.
20. A washing aid as claimed in any of claims I to 3 wherein soap is trapped between layers of the film which are sealed around their edges to create a stack of pockets within which the soap is trapped.
21. A skin treatment aid as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 in which the plastics film is impregnated with a skin treatment composition.
22. A skin treatment aid as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 in which a skin treatment compound is trapped between layers of the film which are sealed around their edges to create a stack of pockets within which the compound is trapped.
Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows Cl 190/A
1. A skin treatment aid formed from a water soluble plastics film material which after coming into contact with water retains its physical structure for a sufficient period of time as to enable it to be used as a flannel or sponge for personal washing but which thereafter dissolves in the water so that it will drain away with the washing water, leaving no structural bulk to be disposed of, in which two layers of the film are sealed together to define at least one pocket therebetween, and the skin treatment compound is trapped within the pocket.
2. A skin treatment aid as claimed in claim I fonned from polyvinyl acetate.
3. A skin treatment aid as claimed in claim I or 2 wherein at least the outer surface of at least some of the film material is corrugated, or otherwise fonned with ridges, or is formed with upstanding nodes, to create a rough surface with which the skin can be rubbed during washing. . .e .e
4. A skin treatment aid as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the skin treatment .
compound Is soap.
I....e 5. A skin treatment aid as claimed in any of claims I to 3 wherein the treatment I. . compound is a medicated or therapeutic compound. ë
6. A skin treatment aid as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the treatment compound is a mixture of soap and a medicated and/or therapeutic compound.
7. A skin treatment aid as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 when constructed from laminated sheets of the film with skin treatment compound between the layers.
8. A skin treatment aid as claimed in claim 7 wherein the edges of the sheets are sealed to create a stack of pockets for the skin treatment compound.
9. A skin treatment aid as claimed in claim 7 which in use is to be used to cleanse the skin first by washing and thereafter to apply a skin treatment compound to the skin, in which outer pockets of the laminated stack are filled with soap and inner pockets are filled with another skin treatment compound.
10. A skin treatment aid as claimed in any of claims 7 to 9 wherein the film composition or thickness or both varies as between one sheet and another in the laminated structure.
A skin treatment aid as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 constructed as a sachet.
12. A skin treatment aid as claimed in claim 11 in which the sachet is subdivided internally into at least two regions.
13. A washing or skin treatment aid as claimed in claim 12 wherein each region contains the same skin treatment compound. ore.
a 14. A skin treatment aid as claimed in claim 12 wherein different regions contain different skin treatment compounds. -e ..e
15. A skin treatment aid as claimed in claim 14 wherein at least one of the regions contains soap and at least another contains another skin treatment compound. .
16. A skin treatment aid as claimed in any of claims 12 to 15 wherein the composition or thickness or both of each layer of film varies from one region to another so that different sub-divisions are enclosed by film having different degrees of water solubility.
17. A skin treatment aid as claimed in claim 16 wherein the layer of film defining one wall of one sub-division dissolves more quickly than the film defining the opposite wall, so 1\ that structure remains in place with which to rub the skin after the contents of the sub- division have been released by the dissolving of the one wall.
18. A skin treatment aid as claimed in claim 12 wherein the layers of film defining both walls of one sub-division will dissolve more quickly than those of an adjoining sub-division so that the compound in the one sub-division is released before the walls of the adjoining sub-division dissolves.
19. A skin treatment aid as claimed in claim 12 wherein two sheets of film are sealed peripherally and intermediately so as to define a matrix of similar closed pockets within the boundary of the sheets, and the sheets possess differentially soluble regions, such that when one is laid over the other similarly soluble regions are aligned, and the junctions between the differentially soluble regions comprise the boundaries of the pockets, and the two sheets are joined along those junctions so as to create the internal sub-divisions in the sachet, and a treatment compound occupies some of the pockets, the walls of which will dissolve in use before the walls of other pockets which are left empty, so that in use and in the presence of water, the compound is released before the walls of the said other pockets dissolve, the latter forming a lattice structure which remains intact to allow it to be used to rub the skin before ..
the wall of the said other pockets also dissolve. P..
20. A skin treatment aid as claimed in claim 19 wherein the walls of the pockets which #.o, are to define the lattice have a greater thickness than those of the pockets containing a treatment compound 21. A skin treatment aid as claimed in any of claims 1 to 20 in which the plastics film is also impregnated with skin treatment compound.
22. A skin treatment aid as claimed in claim 21 wherein the film impregnating compound is soap.
23. A skin treatment aid as claimed in claim 22, wherein the soap is a medicated soap.
24. A skin treatment aid as claimed in claim 22 wherein the soap is a therapeutic soap.
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GB0421069A 2004-09-22 2004-09-22 Improved personal washing or skin treatment aid Expired - Fee Related GB2418357B (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0421069A GB2418357B (en) 2004-09-22 2004-09-22 Improved personal washing or skin treatment aid

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB0421069A GB2418357B (en) 2004-09-22 2004-09-22 Improved personal washing or skin treatment aid

Publications (3)

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GB0421069D0 GB0421069D0 (en) 2004-10-27
GB2418357A true GB2418357A (en) 2006-03-29
GB2418357B GB2418357B (en) 2006-08-09

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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2007070178A1 (en) * 2005-12-15 2007-06-21 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Health-and-hygiene appliance comprising a dispersible component

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0905313A2 (en) * 1997-09-26 1999-03-31 Uni-Charm Corporation Water-disintegratable fibrous sheet containing modified polyvinyl alcohol
EP1046747A1 (en) * 1999-04-20 2000-10-25 Uni-Charm Corporation Water-decomposable cleaning article and manufacturing method therefor
FR2856911A1 (en) * 2003-07-03 2005-01-07 Oreal Single-use cosmetic article, e.g. wipe for cleansing and/or applying care substance to skin or hair, comprises fibrous support that shrinks and becomes elastic, or disintegrated upon contact with water at specified temperature
US20050118237A1 (en) * 2003-12-01 2005-06-02 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Water disintegratable cleansing wipes

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0905313A2 (en) * 1997-09-26 1999-03-31 Uni-Charm Corporation Water-disintegratable fibrous sheet containing modified polyvinyl alcohol
EP1046747A1 (en) * 1999-04-20 2000-10-25 Uni-Charm Corporation Water-decomposable cleaning article and manufacturing method therefor
FR2856911A1 (en) * 2003-07-03 2005-01-07 Oreal Single-use cosmetic article, e.g. wipe for cleansing and/or applying care substance to skin or hair, comprises fibrous support that shrinks and becomes elastic, or disintegrated upon contact with water at specified temperature
US20050118237A1 (en) * 2003-12-01 2005-06-02 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Water disintegratable cleansing wipes

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2007070178A1 (en) * 2005-12-15 2007-06-21 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Health-and-hygiene appliance comprising a dispersible component
US7612031B2 (en) 2005-12-15 2009-11-03 Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Health-and-hygiene appliance comprising a dispersible component and a releasable component disposed adjacent or proximate to said dispersible component; and processes for making said appliance

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2418357B (en) 2006-08-09
GB0421069D0 (en) 2004-10-27

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PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 20080922