MXPA06011088A - Absorbent cleaning pad and method of making same - Google Patents

Abstract

A surface cleaning pad comprising a pad body and an attachment surface associated with the pad body and positioned to face a cleaning implement is provided. The attachment surface comprises a substantially hydrophilic portion and a substantially hydrophobic portion.

Description

ABSORBENT CLEANING PAD AND MANUFACTURING METHOD D? THE SAME FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an absorbent cleaning pad and to a method of manufacturing the absorbent cleaning pad. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Conventional floor mops comprise a handle rotatably connected to a mop head and a disposable absorbent cleaning pad connected to the head of the mop in a variety of different configurations. One side of the disposable absorbent cleaning pad is placed in direct contact with a surface to be cleaned and the opposite side of the cleaning pad is in contact with the mop head. The absorbent pad absorbs and holds fluids, and loosens and traps dirt particles on the cleaning surface. The technique is replete with a wide variety of mechanisms which are configured to attach an absorbent cleaning pad to a mop head. These mechanisms generally allow the releasable attachment of the cleaning pad to the mop head such that the cleaning pad can be removed and Ref .: 176005 discarded after use. For example, a removable absorbent cleaning pad coupled to a mop head is described in U.S. Patent No. 4,114,223. The double side cleaning pad of? 222 wraps the body of the mop head. A plurality of fasteners attached to an open end of the removable cleaning pad are used to adjust the cleaning pad around the body of the mop head. Also a disposable absorbent cleaning pad coupled to a mop head is described in U.S. Patent No. 6,766,552. The disposable absorbent cleaning pad '552 provides VELCRO loop fasteners that are attached with VELCRO hook fasteners placed on the underside of the mop head. Another example of a disposable absorbent cleaning pad coupled to a mop head is described in U.S. Patent Nos. 6,810,554 and 6,807,702. In these examples, the disposable cleaning pad provides extended tie tapes which are configured to be inserted into retainer openings placed in the upper part of the mop head. A disposable absorbent cleaning pad coupled to a mop head is also described in U.S. Patent No. 3,991,431. The 431 removable absorbent cleansing pad provides collapsible clips that engage releasably with rigid tapes placed on the mop head. The hitch between the folding clips and the rigid tapes facilitates the assembly and removal of the cleaning pad of the mop head. Yet another example of a disposable absorbent cleaning pad coupled to a mop head is disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 3,473,184. The mop head of '184 comprises a top plate and a bottom plate separated by a space. The periphery of a disposable absorbent cleaning pad is placed in the space and compressed between the plates. A wing nut placed on the upper plate engages with a threaded fastener coupled to the lower plate. The rotation of the wing nut displaces the top plate to control the size of the space between the plates and the compression of the cleaning pad between the plates. However, there remains a need to further refine and improve absorbent cleaning pads and the mechanisms used to attach a disposable absorbent cleaning pad to a cleaning implement. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a surface cleaning pad comprising a pad body and a bonding surface associated with the pad body and positioned to face the cleaning implement. The binding surface comprises a substantially hydrophilic portion and a substantially hydrophobic portion. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a surface cleaning pad of a unified pad body formed of a composite of air agglomerated fibers is provided. A barrier layer is coupled adjacent a surface facing the cleaning implement of the unified pad body and a hydrophobic layer is coupled adjacent to the barrier layer. A placement adhesive is applied to the hydrophobic layer and placed to hook the cleaning implement. A release sheet is applied on a functional surface of the positioning adhesive. According to yet another embodiment of the invention, there is provided a method for assembling a surface cleaning pad consisting of the step of applying a barrier layer to a cleaning implement facing the surface of a composite of air-agglomerated fibers. The barrier layer is bent at least at one edge of the air-agglomerated fiber composite, thus encapsulating the edge of the agglomerated fiber composite by air. The barrier layer is applied to an opposite surface of the pad body that is positioned to face a surface to be cleaned and a hydrophobic layer is placed over the barrier layer. A positioning adhesive is coupled to the hydrophobic layer, wherein a functional surface of the positioning adhesive is configured to engage a cleaning implement. A release sheet is mounted to the functional surface of the positioning adhesive. In accordance with still another aspect of the invention, there is provided a surface cleaning pad comprising a unified pad body formed of a composite of air agglomerated fibers. The unified pad body includes a surface facing the cleaning implement configured to face the cleaning implement and a surface cleaning surface, wherein at least a portion of the surface cleaning surface is exposed for direct contact with a surface that is going to be cleaned A barrier layer is coupled adjacent the surface facing the cleaning implement of the unified pad body and positioned to face the cleaning implement, wherein the barrier layer comprises a hydrophobic portion. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The invention is better understood from the following detailed description when read in relation to the appended figures. It is emphasized that, according to common practice, the various characteristics of the figures are not to scale. On the contrary, the dimensions of the various features are arbitrarily enlarged or reduced for clarity. The following figures are included in the drawings: Figure 1 is a top silver view of an absorbent cleaning pad in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; Figure 1A is a cross-sectional view of the absorbent cleaning pad taken along line 1A-1A illustrated in Figure 1; Figure IB is a bottom plan view of the absorbent cleaning pad illustrated in Figure 1; Figure 2 is a top plan view of an absorbent cleaning pad in accordance with another example embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2A is a cross-sectional view of the absorbent cleaning pad taken along the line 2A-2A illustrated in Figure 2; Figure 3 is a top plan view of an absorbent cleaning pad in accordance with yet another example embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3A is a cross-sectional view of the absorbent cleaning pad taken along the line 3A-3A illustrated in Figure 3; Figure 4 is a top plan view of an absorbent cleaning pad in accordance with yet another example embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4A is a cross-sectional view of the absorbent cleaning pad taken along the line 4A-4A illustrated in Figure 4; Figure 5 is a top plan view of an absorbent cleaning pad in accordance with yet another example embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5A is a cross-sectional view of the absorbent cleaning pad taken along the line 5A-5A. illustrated in figure 5; Figure 6 is a top plan view of an absorbent cleaning pad in accordance with yet another example embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 6A is a cross-sectional view of the absorbent cleaning pad taken along line 6A-6A illustrated in Figure 6. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Although the invention is illustrated and described herein with reference to specific embodiments, the invention is not intended to be limited to the details shown. Rather, various modifications can be made to the details within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims and without departing from the invention. Also, the modalities selected for illustration in the figures are not shown to scale and are not limited to the proportions shown. As used herein, the term "hydrophilic" is used to refer to surfaces that have an affinity for water and are readily absorbed or dissolved in a liquid. By contrast, "hydrophobic" is used to refer to surfaces that repel or do not tend to combine or dissolve in a liquid. Referring generally to the figures and in accordance with one aspect of the invention there is provided a surface cleaning pad 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 comprising a pad body 120, 220, 320, 420, 520, 620 and a joint surface 122 associated with the pad body and positioned facing a cleaning implement (not shown). The bonding surface 122 comprises a substantially hydrophilic portion, 140, 240 340, 440, 540, 642 and a substantially hydrophobic portion 165, 265, 641. In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided a surface cleaning pad 100, 200 , 300, 400, 500, 600 for use with a cleaning implement. The surface cleaning pad consists of a unified pad body 120, 220, 320, 420, 520, 620 formed of a composite of air agglomerated fibers. A barrier layer 140, 240 340, 440, 540, 640 is coupled adjacent a surface facing the cleaning implement 122 of the unified pad body and a hydrophobic layer 165, 265, 641 is coupled to the barrier layer. A positioning adhesive 160, 260, 360, 560, 660 is applied to the hydrophobic layer and placed to engage the cleaning implement. A release sheet 161, 261, 361, 561, 661 is applied to a functional surface of the positioning adhesive. According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for assembling a surface cleaning pad 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 consisting of the step of applying a barrier layer 140, 240 340, 440, 540, 640 to a cleaning implement facing the surface 122 of a composite of air-agglomerated fibers 120, 220, 320, 420, 520, 620. The barrier layer is folded over at least one edge of the composite of fibers agglomerated by air, thus encapsulating the edge of the composite of air-agglomerated fibers. The barrier layer 140, 240 340, 440, 540, 640 is applied to an opposite surface 121 of the pad body that is positioned to face a surface to be cleaned and a hydrophobic layer 165, 265, 641 is placed over the barrier layer. A placement adhesive 160, 260, 360, 560, 660 is coupled to the hydrophobic layer 165, 265, 641, wherein a functional surface of the positioning adhesive is configured to engage a cleaning implement. A release sheet 161, 261, 361, 561, 661 is mounted to the functional surface of the positioning adhesive. In accordance with still another aspect of the invention there is provided a surface cleaning pad 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 comprising a unitary pad body 120, 220, 320, 420, 520, 620 formed of a compound of fibers agglomerated by air. The body of the unified pad includes a surface facing the cleaning implement 122 configured to face the cleaning implement and a surface cleaning surface 121, wherein at least a portion of the surface cleaning surface 1.21 is exposed for contacting. direct with a surface that is going to be cleaned. A barrier layer 140, 240 340, 440, 540, 640 is coupled adjacent the surface facing the cleaning implement 122 of the unified pad body and positioned to face toward the cleaning implement, wherein the barrier layer 140 , 240 340, 440, 540, 640 comprises a hydrophobic portion 165, 265, 641. With reference specifically to the example embodiment illustrated in Figures 1, 1A and IB, an absorbent cleaning pad is generally designated by the number "100" Generally, the absorbent cleaning pad 100 has a pad body 120 that absorbs and holds fluid from a cleaning surface. The cleaning side 121 of the pad body 120 is configured for the cleaning contact with the cleaning surface. The opposite joining side 122 of the pad body 120 is configured to be positioned facing the cleaning implement (not shown). A barrier layer 140 is folded over sides along the pad body 120 to limit the escape of super absorbent polymer particles (SAP) from the exposed long sides of the pad body 120, if the pad body 120 is a composite of air agglomerated fibers having SAP particles. A pair of thick folds 125 adhered to the cleaning side 121 of the pad body 120 traps and retains particles removed from the cleaning surface. Two barriers for cutting and placing 150 adhere to both the thick folds 125 and the bent portion of the barrier layer 140, as illustrated in Figure IB. A portion of tape 170 adhered to the barrier layer 140 extends beyond an edge of the pad body 120 and is configured to be gripped by a user of the cleaning implement to facilitate detachment of the cleaning pad 100 from the implement. cleaning. An optional film layer 165 adhered to the barrier layer 140 provides a smooth surface for mounting a positioning adhesive 160. The positioning adhesive 160 mounted to the film layer 165 is configured to be releasably mounted to a cleaning implement. . A release layer 161 is removably mounted to the positioning adhesive 160 and removed from the positioning adhesive 160 before being attached to a cleaning implement. Two connecting members 145 adhered to the film layer 165 are configured to be mounted to a lower side of the cleaning implement. Although the cleansing pad embodiment comprises two attachment members 145 and the positioning adhesive assembly (i.e., 160, 165, 161) mounted to the barrier layer 140, the cleansing pad may comprise only two attachment members. 145 mounted to the barrier layer 140 or the placement adhesive assembly mounted to the barrier layer 140. With respect to each component of the cleaning pad 100 of this exemplary embodiment, the pillow body 120 of this example embodiment absorbs and retains fluids and / or other matter that resides on a cleaning surface. The pad body 120 is optionally formed of a composite of air agglomerated fibers. A composite of air-agglomerated fibers is a unified body with an absorbent body generally composed of wood pulp, binder fibers and optionally impregnated with super absorbent polymer particles (SAP). The composite of air-agglomerated fibers is formed by means of fiber agglomeration by air or other process. The binder fibers of the overall structure of the pad body 120 and the wood pulp fibers and the SAP particles provide absorbency to the pad body 120. The term "unified" refers to an air-bonded fiber composite composed of a only composed of material. However, the composite of air-agglomerated fibers can be composed of multiple layers of material adhered to one another. Additional benefits and features of a composite construction of air-agglomerated fibers are described in US Application No. 11 / 240,929. The description of the US application No. 11 / 240,929 is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The width "A" of the cleaning pad 100 can be of any dimension sufficient to cover all or a portion of the width of a surface of a cleaning implement, such as a mop head for example. For illustration purposes only, width "A" may be approximately 14,478 cm (5.7 inches). The length "B" of the cleaning pad 100, as illustrated in Figure 1, can be of any dimension sufficient to cover a portion or the entire length of the cleaning implement. For illustration purposes only, the "B" length may be approximately 29,464 cm (11.6 inches). The thickness of the pad body 120, as illustrated in FIG. 1A, can be of any dimension sufficient to absorb an appropriate volume of fluid and retain its structural integrity when wet. The thick fold 125 facilitates the removal of soil from the surface being cleaned by contact and trapping of large dirt particles. The thick fold 125 can be bent or adhered itself for structural integrity or a single layer thick fold material could be selected to provide improved structural properties. The material of the thick fold 125 has a relatively large and open porous structure for trapping particles and is configured to be flexible, support multiple uses and resist tearing or deformation. The thick fold 125 may additionally be composed of open polyethylene or polypropylene films, foams, air agglomerated fibers, wet agglomerated fibers, or laminations and combinations thereof. The thick fold component 125 may be hydrophilic or hydrophobic. In this example embodiment, a portion of each thick fold 125 is adhered to the wiper side 121 of 1 pad body 140, and the cut and place barriers 150 are adhered to the ends of both thick plies 125 with an adhesive 130. In addition , holding only three sides of each thick fold 125, the closed face folded end 126 of each thick fold 125 is unconstrained and a pocket or sack is formed between the thick fold 125 and the pad body 120. The bag provides a area for storing collected dirt particles removed from the cleaning surface The bag catches large particles by passing the cleaning pad 100 back and forth along the cleaning surface. The sacks also substantially prevent large particles from being redeposited on the cleaning surface. Additional benefits and features of a thick fold are described in US Application No. 11 / 241,437. The description of U.S. Application No. 11 / 241,437 is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The barrier layer 140 covers the joining side 122 of the pad body 120 and is bent over the sides along the pad body 120. The barrier layer 140 is bent over the sides lengthwise to limit the escape of particles of SAP from the sides exposed to the length of the pad body 120, if the pad body 120 is formed of a composite of air agglomerated fibers containing SAP particles. Consequently, the barrier layer 140 may not be required if the pad body 120 does not include SAP particles. Additional benefits and features of a cleaning pad configured to limit the escape of SAP particles are described in U.S. Patent Application No. 11 / 240,726. The description of the US patent application No. 11 / 240,726 is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

The portion of the barrier layer 140 folded on sides along the pad body 120 can be formed of a hydrophilic material to facilitate the removal of fluid from the surface to be cleaned since that portion is in fluid communication with the surface that is to be cleaned. it's going to be cleaned If the barrier layer 140 were formed completely of a hydrophobic material, the sides along the barrier layer 140 would simply push the fluid on the surface to be cleaned, instead of supplying the fluid in the pad body. However, as described below in greater detail, the barrier layer can be formed of a completely hydrophilic material, a completely hydrophobic material, or, alternatively, a partially hydrophilic or partially hydrophobic material. The film layer 165 is used to keep the cleaning implement substantially fluid free and provide a smooth surface for mounting the positioning adhesive 160 and the bonding members 145. The film layer 165 is mounted to the top of the layer barrier 1490 with an adhesive 130. The surface of the film layer 165 is desirably non-porous for proper adhesion of the placement adhesive 160, and is desirably hydrophobic to limit the passage of fluid to the placement adhesive. Non-limiting examples of suitable materials include plastics, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, and similar materials, as well as hydrophobic foams, air-agglomerated fibers, wet agglomerated fibers, and laminations thereof. The film layer 165 optionally takes the form of a film, sheet, or similar substrate. The cut-and-place barriers 150 cover the exposed wide sides of the pad body 120 to limit the leakage of SAP particles from the sides across the width of the pad body 120, if the pad body 120 is optionally formed of a composed of air-agglomerated fibers containing SAP particles. Consequently, barriers for cutting and placing 150 may not be required if the pad body 120 does not include SAP particles. Each cut-and-place barrier 150 overlaps and adheres to both the thick folds 125 and the barrier layer 140 with an adhesive 130. Similar to the barrier layer 140, the cut-and-place barrier 150 desirably forms from a hydrophilic material configured to supply the fluid to the pad body 120 for absorption and removal of the fluid from the cleaning surface. In this embodiment, the cut-and-place barrier layer 150 is optionally formed of a hydrophilic nonwoven material.

The connecting members 145 facilitate the releasable attachment of the cleaning pad 100 to a surface of a cleaning implement. The surface may be the underside surface of a mop head or other portion of a cleaning implement. The binding members 145 adhere to the hydrophobic film layer 165 with an adhesive 130. The attachment members 145 are optionally placed along a portion or the entire length of the barrier layer 140 and are separated by a distance of the sides along the barrier layer 140, as illustrated in FIG. 1. Although two longitudinally placed attachment members 145 are selected for illustration, a cleaning pad can have any number of attachment members 145 placed. in any orientation. In this example embodiment, the joining members 145 are comprised of a hook or loop material such as a VELCRO loop material available from Velero USA Inc. of Manchester, NH, USA. The joining members 145 illustrated in Figure 1 are loop fasteners such as VELCRO loop fasteners optionally configured to engage with hook fasteners such as VELCRO hook fasteners placed on a lower side surface of a commercially available mop head. The functional side of the VELCRO loop or hook material is oriented outwardly from the barrier layer 140. The VELCRO loop and hook clips are configured to withstand the pressure and stress associated with typical mopping and scrubbing movements against a surface cleaning. VELCRO loop and hook fasteners substantially limit cleaning pad 100 from slipping, apelotone, or otherwise detached, either partially or completely, from the cleaning implement. Union members 145 may be optionally designed in such a manner as to allow the joining of multiple types of commercially available mop systems. While the example embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1, 1A and IB uses a loop fastener for attaching to a hook fastener of another component, the cleaning pad is alternately provided with a hook fastener for attachment to a loop fastener. placed in another component. Also, other forms of fasteners are contemplated, including adhesives, co-adhesives, and other known fastening mechanisms. Alternative joining mechanism are described in the US application No. 11 / 241,138. The description of the US application No. 11 / 241,138 is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In this example embodiment, the positioning adhesive 160 provides a joining means for temporarily coupling the cleaning pad 10 to a cleaning implement. The positioning adhesive 160 facilitates the releasable attachment of the cleaning pad 100 to a surface of a cleaning implement. That surface may be the bottom side surface of a mop head or other portion of a cleaning implement. The positioning adhesive 160 is optionally a double-sided adhesive configured to mate with two different surfaces. The underside of the positioning adhesive 160 adheres to the film layer 165 and the suppressor side is covered with the release sheet 161, The adhesive bond between the placement adhesive 160 and the film layer 165 is desirably larger than the adhesive bond between the placement adhesive 160 and the cleaning implement in order to prevent the placement adhesive 160 remain on the surface of the cleaning implement when removing the cleaning pad 100 from the cleaning implement. In other words, it is desirable that by removing the cleaning pad 100 from the cleaning implement, all the positioning adhesive 160 is intact and mounted in the film layer 165 of the cleaning pad and that no residue of the positioning adhesive 160 is left on the cleaning pad. the surface of the cleaning implement. In addition, the adhesive bond between the placement adhesive 160 and the cleaning implement is desirably strong enough such that the positioning adhesive 160 resists the detachment of the cleaning implement when using the cleaning pad. In contrast, the adhesive bond between the positioning adhesive 160 and the cleaning implement is desirably weak enough to detach the cleaning pad 100 from the cleaning implement. A suitable positioning adhesive 160 is currently sold and is distributed by the National Starch and Chemical Corporation of Bridgewater, NJ, USA. Although the length of the positioning adhesive 160 selected for illustration is less than the length "B" of the cleaning pad 100, it should be understood that the length of the positioning adhesive 160 may be of any dimension equal to or less than the length "BH" of the cleaning pad 100. In another example embodiment, not shown in the figures, the length of the positioning adhesive 160 is desirably equal to the length "B" of the cleaning pad 100. From the manufacturing perspective, the it contemplates that a roll of barrier material with a strip of adhesive of continuous laying 160 is advantageous for a high volume production application. In such a case, the barrier roll with continuous placement adhesive would be separated into individual barriers 140 with the placement adhesive 160 to be applied to each cleaning pad 100. The release sheet 161 is applied to the top of the positioning adhesive 160 for Protect and preserve the adhesive layer of the positioning adhesive 160 so that the positioning adhesive 160 retains its adhesion properties. Accordingly, the size of the release sheet 161 is equal to or, more desirably, larger than the placement adhesive 160 to protect all of the placement adhesive 160. The placement adhesive 160 is illustrated as dotted lines to indicate that the adhesive 160 is placed under the release sheet 161. In practice, the cleaning pad 100 is shipped with the release sheet 161 previously applied to the positioning adhesive 160. The user removes the release sheet 161 from the positioning adhesive 160 before using the cleaning pad 100. Although, if the cleaning implement is configured to be mounted with the joining members 145, the positioning adhesive is not required. In such a case, the user is not required to remove the release sheet 161 from the placement adhesive 160. As illustrated in Figure 1, the width of the libration sheet 161 is greater than the width of the placement adhesive 160 for facilitate easy removal of the release sheet 161 from the positioning adhesive 160. In use, the user holds the release sheet 161 in an area where the release sheet 161 is not adhered to the positioning adhesive 160 to prevent contact with the sticky adhesive 160. Alternatively, if the width of the release sheet 161 is less than or equal to the width of the positioning adhesive 160, the user conceivably lifts the release sheet 161 from the sticky adhesive. 160 using a fingernail. In the course of the assembly process, the positioning adhesive 160 is applied to the release sheet 161 before being applied to the film layer 165. The temperature of the post processing adhesive 160 is very large to be applied directly to the film layer 165, because the adhesive Placement 160 could melt or burn the film layer 165. Accordingly, the placement adhesive 160 is first applied to the release sheet 165, allowed to cool to a predetermined temperature and then transferred by coating on the film layer 165. portion of tape 170 is provided to facilitate removal of the absorbent cleaning pad 100 from the cleaning implement. In use, the user pulls hard on the portion of tape 170 to remove the cleaning pad 100 from the cleaning implement without having to touch the dirty pad body 120, the dirty coarse folds 125 or the cleaning implement. The tape portion 170 rests on a plane substantially parallel with the wiper side 121 of the pad body 120 and extends outwardly from the pad body 120, the thick plies 125 and the cleaning implement. Consequently, the tape portion 170 is desirably formed of a rigid or semi-rigid material in such a manner that it retains its shape and orientation parallel with the cleaning side of the pad body. The tape portion 170 is desirably positioned near a corner of the cleaning pad 100 to facilitate easy removal of the cleaning pad 100 from the cleaning implement. In other words, it is considerably easier for the user to detach the corner of the cleaning pad 100 from the cleaning implement than to detach an entire side of the cleaning pad 100 from the cleaning implement. Although the tape portion 170 is adhered to the barrier layer 140 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 1A, the tape portion 170 may also adhere to the pad body 120 or the film layer 165 with an adhesive 130. In another embodiment not illustrated here, the tape portion 170 is integral with and extends from the attachment member, which will be described in greater detail below. Although the embodiment selected for illustration includes only a portion of tape 170, a plurality of portions of tape 170 could be placed on either longitudinal side or corner of cleaning pad 100. The adhesive 130 of the exemplary embodiment can be composed of any sufficient material to provide a bond between the components of the cleansing pad 100. In the exemplary embodiment, and by way of non-limiting example, an exemplary adhesive is manufactured by HB Fuller Company of St. Paul, MN, eg, Part Number 1696 However, someone skilled in the art will recognize that other types of adhesive and other fastening mechanisms are suitable for this application. Details of the construction and assembly of the exemplary cleaning pad are described in U.S. Application No. 11 / 241,138. The description of the US application No. 11 / 241,138 is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Similar to the embodiment of the absorbent cleaning pad illustrated in Figures 1, 1A and IB, the exemplary embodiment of a cleaning pad 200 shown in Figures 2 and 2A is provided with a pad body 220, two thick folds 225, one barrier layer 240, two joining members 245, a positioning adhesive 260 with release sheet 261, a portion of tape 270, a layer of hydrophobic film 265 and a cut-and-place barrier (not shown). In this example embodiment, the width of the film layer 265 is smaller than the width of the film layer 165 of the previous embodiment. The film layer 265 is smaller in this embodiment to reduce the material expense of the cleaning pad 200. The binding members 245 of this embodiment are applied directly to the barrier layer 240. Similar to the embodiment of the absorbent cleaning pad illustrated in figures 2 and 2A, the exemplary embodiment of a cleaning pad 300 shown in FIGS. 3 and 3A is provided with a pad body 320, two thick folds 325, two joining members 345, a tape portion 370, a barrier layer 340, a 360 positioning adhesive with release blade 361, and a cut-and-place barrier (not shown). In this embodiment, the barrier layer 340 is composed of a hydrophobic material, similar to the material of the film layers 165 and 265 of the above embodiments, thereby eliminating the need for a secondary film layer (eg 165 and 265) . The hydrophobic material of the barrier layer 340 limits the fluid to be passed to the cleaning implement to keep the cleaning implement free of dirt. The hydrophobic material of the barrier layer 340 also provides a better surface than a non-woven material for the adhesion of the binding members 345, the tape portion 370 and the positioning adhesive 360. An adhesive 330 is provided to adhere the members bond 345 and tape portion 370 to barrier layer 340. By virtue of the non-porous structure of the barrier layer, less adhesive 330 is required to adequately adhere the bonding members 345 and the tape portion 370 to the Barrier layer 340.

The length of the release sheet 361 of this embodiment is significantly greater than the length of the positioning adhesive 360 to facilitate easy removal of the release sheet 361 from the placement adhesive 360, the benefits of which have already been described. In addition to the modification of the release sheet 361, the attachment members 345 of this embodiment extend along the entire length of the pad body 320 for greater adhesion to the cleaning implement. Similar to the embodiment of the absorbent cleaning pad illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 3A, the exemplary embodiment of a cleaning pad 600 shown in FIGS. 6 and 6A is provided with a pad body 620, two thick folds 625, a layer of barrier 640, two joining members 645, a portion of tape 670, a positioning adhesive 660 with release sheet 661, and a cut-and-place barrier (not shown). In this embodiment, the barrier layer 640 is composed of a single material that is partially hydrophobic and partially hydrophilic. The hydrophobic portion 641 is placed in the central region of the cleaning pad 600 and is configured to limit fluid passing from the pad body 620 to the positioning adhesive and / or the cleaning implement. The width of the hydrophobic portion 641 can be any size equal to or less than the width of the cleaning implement. The hydrophilic portions 642 placed on both folded sides of the cleaning pad 600 are configured to supply the fluid from the cleaning surface and towards the pad body 620 for the absorption and removal of the cleaning surface. As described above, if the barrier layer 640 were formed of a substantially waterproof and hydrophobic material, the sides along the barrier layer would simply push the fluid on the surface to be cleaned, as opposed to supplying the fluid to the body. of pad 620 for absorption. The single barrier layer 640 alleviates the need for a separate film layer, which could represent cost savings. Similar to the embodiment of the absorbent cleaning pad illustrated in FIGS. 1, 1A and IB, the exemplary embodiment of a cleaning pad 400 shown in FIGS. 4 and 4A is provided with a pad body 420, two thick folds 425 (FIG. shows a folded fold), a barrier layer 440, two tie members 445, tape portions 470, and a cut-and-place barrier (not shown). In this example embodiment, the cleaning pad 400 is provided with belts 480 configured to be wound around a cleaning implement. The two straps 480 are oriented along the width of the cleaning pad 400 and positioned to accept the head of the cleaning implement. The belts 480 and the barrier layer 440 define a passage dimensioned and positioned to receive a head portion of a commercially available cleaning implement. In use, the head portion of the cleaning implement is placed under one of the straps 480 and the other strap 480 is optionally lifted or stretched around the head portion of the cleaning implement to fully engage and retain substantially the portion of the head of the cleaning implement. The straps 480 may have an elastic functionality configured to stretch around a head portion of the cleaning implement and retain the cleaning implement. By way of non-limiting example, the elastic belt is formed of a material having an elastic elongation limit of at least about 100 percent and more preferably at least about 250 percent. The straps 480 can optionally be composed of a hook and loop fastening material. Although not shown, in another embodiment, the cleaning pad includes belts formed from the loop and hook material thereby eliminating the need for the 445 union members., the belts would be configured to wrap around the head of a cleaning implement in one configuration and be mounted to one surface of the cleaning implement in another configuration. The belts 480 are also configured to allow the user to operate the cleaning pad 400 independent of a cleaning implement. The cleaning pad 400 can be useful for cleaning by hand any small, delicate, or non-flat surface that a cleaning implement can not clean or is unable to reach. The elastic hand strap 480 can be made of any elastic material sufficiently flexible to accommodate a child and adult hand and rigid enough to firmly hold a child or adult hand. The tape portions 470 are integral with and extends from the straps 480, as illustrated in the figure 4. Similar to the tape portions 170, 270, 370, 470, 670 of the above embodiments, the tape portions 470 are provided for easy removal of the cleaning pad 400 from the cleaning implement. Similar to the absorbent cleaning pad embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 4A, the exemplary embodiment of a cleaning pad 500 shown in FIGS. 5 and 5A is provided with a pad body 520, two thick folds 525 (a fold is shown). bent), a barrier layer 540, two connecting members 545, portions e tape 570, two belts 580 and a cut-and-place barrier (not shown). In this embodiment, the cleaning pad 500 includes a positioning adhesive 560 with a release sheet 561. As described above, the positioning adhesive 560 provides a joining mechanism for temporarily coupling the cleaning pad 500 to a cleaning implement. The positioning adhesive 560 facilitates the releasable attachment of the cleaning pad 500 to a surface of a cleaning implement. The release sheet 561 is applied over the positioning adhesive 560 to protect and preserve the positioning adhesive 560 before use. Although the invention is illustrated and described herein with reference to specific embodiments, the invention is not intended to be limited to the details shown. Rather, various modifications can be made to the details within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims and without departing from the invention. Also the modalities selected for illustration in the figures are not shown to scale and are not limited to the proportions shown. It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known to the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is that which is clear from the present description of the invention.

Claims (25)

1. CLAIMS Having described the invention as above, the content of the following claims is claimed as property: 1. A surface cleaning pad, characterized in that it comprises a pad body and a joint surface associated with the pad body to be oriented towards a work implement. cleaning, the bonding surface comprises a substantially hydrophilic portion and a substantially hydrophobic portion.
2. 2. The surface cleaning pad according to claim 1, characterized in that the bonding surface is defined at least in part by a barrier layer that includes that substantially hydrophilic portion and that substantially hydrophobic portion.
3. 3. The surface cleaning pad according to claim 2, characterized in that it additionally comprises a joining member coupled directly to the substantially hydrophobic portion of the barrier layer.
4. 4. The surface cleaning pad according to claim 3, characterized in that the joining member is placed for attachment with a cleaning implement.
5. 5. The surface cleaning pad according to claim 4, characterized in that the joining member comprises a positioning adhesive.
6. The surface cleaning pad according to claim 2, characterized in that the barrier layer is bent over at least one edge of the body of the pad, thereby encapsulating the edge of the pad body.
7. The surface cleaning pad according to claim 6, characterized in that a bent portion of the barrier layer is substantially hydrophilic.
8. The surface cleaning pad according to claim 6, characterized in that a bent portion of the barrier layer is applied to a surface of the pad body that is opposite the joining surface and positioned to face a surface that goes to be cleaned
9. 9. The surface cleaning pad according to claim 8, characterized in that the bent portion of the barrier layer is substantially hydrophilic.
10. 10. The surface cleaning pad according to claim 1, characterized in that the bonding surface comprises a substantially hydrophobic layer that defines that hydrophobic portion and a substantially hydrophilic layer that defines that hydrophilic layer and associated with the substantially hydrophobic layer.
11. 11. The surface cleaning pad according to claim 10, characterized in that the substantially hydrophilic layer is applied directly to the pad body.
12. 12. The surface cleaning pad according to claim 11, characterized in that the substantially hydrophobic layer is placed on the hydrophilic layer.
13. 13. The surface cleaning pad according to claim 12, characterized in that it additionally comprises a joining member directly coupled to the hydrophobic layer and positioned to face the cleaning implement.
14. 14. The surface cleaning pad according to claim 13, characterized in that the joining member comprises a positioning adhesive.
15. 15. The surface cleaning pad according to claim 1, characterized in that the pad body is formed of a composite of unified agglomerated fibers.
16. 16. A surface cleaning pad for use with a cleaning implement, characterized in that the surface cleaning pad consists of: a unified pad body formed of a composite of air-agglomerated fibers; a barrier layer adjacent a surface facing the cleaning implement of that unified pad body; a hydrophobic layer coupled adjacent to the barrier layer; a placement adhesive applied to the hydrophobic layer and placed to hook the cleaning implement; and a release sheet applied on a functional surface of the positioning adhesive.
17. 17. The surface cleaning pad according to claim 16, characterized in that the barrier layer is bent over at least one edge of the pad body, thereby encapsulating the edge of the pad body.
18. 18. The surface cleaning pad according to claim 17, characterized in that a bent portion of the barrier layer is substantially hydrophilic.
19. 19. The surface cleaning pad according to claim 17, characterized in that a bent portion of the barrier layer is applied to a surface of the pad body that is opposite the joining surface and positioned to face a surface that goes to be cleaned
20. 20. The surface cleaning pad according to claim 19, characterized in that the bent portion of the barrier layer is substantially hydrophilic.
21. 21. A method of mounting a surface cleaning pad, characterized in that it consists of the steps of: a) applying a barrier layer to a cleaning implement facing the surface of a composite of air-agglomerated fibers; b) bending the barrier layer over at least one edge of the air-agglomerated fiber composite, thus encapsulating the edge of the agglomerated fiber composite by air; c) applying the barrier layer to an opposite surface of the pad body that is positioned to face a surface to be cleaned; d) placing a hydrophobic layer on the barrier layer; e) attaching a position adhesive to the hydrophobic layer, wherein a functional surface of the position adhesive is configured to engage a cleaning implement; and f) mounting a release sheet to the functional surface of the positioning adhesive.
22. 22. A surface cleaning pad configured for use with a cleaning implement, characterized in that the surface cleaning pad comprises: a unified pad body formed of a composite of air-agglomerated fibers, the unified pad body having a surface oriented toward the cleaning implement configured to face the cleaning implement and a surface cleaning surface, wherein at least a portion of the surface cleaning surface is exposed for direct contact with a surface to be cleaned; and a barrier layer adjacent the surface facing the cleaning implement of the unified pad body and positioned to face the cleaning implement, wherein the barrier layer comprises a hydrophobic portion.
23. 23. The surface cleaning pad according to claim 22, characterized in that additionally it comprises a positioning adhesive mounted to the hydrophobic portion of the barrier layer, the positioning adhesive includes a release sheet.
24. 24. The surface cleaning pad according to claim 22, characterized in that the barrier layer is folded over at least one edge of the unified pad body, thereby encapsulating the edge of the unified pad body.
25. 25. The surface cleaning pad according to claim 24, characterized in that the bent portion of the barrier layer is substantially hydrophilic.