MXPA99007450A - Cotton hisopos with sua tips - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a swab, comprising: elongated stick with first and second ends opposite each other, the stick is formed of a rolled paper with left and right edges cut harmonically with at least two maximum amplitudes and at least one minimum amplitude, the left and right edges, when rolled, form the first and second respective ends, and absorbent coating surrounding each of the first and second ends

Description

COTTON HISOPOS WITH SOFT TIPS DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to cotton swabs useful for cleaning the ear or for applying cosmetics. The swabs that have an absorbent cover on the tip and an elongated stick are well known. Cotton is generally used as the absorbent material that covers the tip. Stick materials are often made of wood, rolled paper or plastic. Conventional swabs are typically constructed by applying the absorbent coating directly on the ends of the stick. An adhesive can be used to hold the absorbent coating more firmly in place on the swab. Problems with costs and functioning have been associated with traditional swabs for a long time. U.S. Patent 5,127,899 (Schmerse, Jr.), highlights the problem of damage to the eardrum when the swabs are applied inappropriately to clean the outer ear. The patent suggests that damage can be avoided by placing a flat disc on each of the distal ends of the swab below the cotton liners. This disc is dimensioned to avoid the entry of the swab into the human ear canal. Although it is a useful improvement, the flat disc increases the rigidity of the tips covered with cotton, making them harder. There are also manufacturing difficulties which provide the flat disc with the ends of the swab stick. U.S. Patent 4,718,889 (Blasius, Jr. et al.), Discloses the use of a resilient mattress placed between the end of the stick and the absorbent cover. This resilient mattress is designed to provide some degree of protection against damage in case the stick does not protrude through the absorbent cover. However, the toothpick does not become substantially softer, and it is also more difficult to manufacture. U.S. Patent 5,531,671, U.S. Patent 5,709,010 and U.S. Patent 5,766,143 all to Bennett disclose swabs having rods at each end formed of an outwardly tapered conical member having a hollow center. The conical tapered hollow members provide expanded hyssop ends which return to the softer and larger tips and still use less cotton and paper in their manufacture. A die-cut paper is used to form the rod. The mirror image of the curved left and right edges limits a length of the paper. It is evident that such additional improvements are necessary in "swab technology." These improvements should be focused on softer ends and less construction materials to reduce costs. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a swab with more ends. It is a further object of the invention to provide a swab that requires less construction material to reduce costs and at the same time show improved functionality.Another objective of the present invention is to provide a swab whose ends are uniformly without tabs or Flags protruding from the swab rod According to a first aspect of the invention, a swab is provided which includes: - an elongated stick with first and second ends opposite each other, the stick is formed of a rolled paper with edges left and right cut harmonically with at least two amplitude maximums and at least a minimum of amplitude, the left and right edges are wound forming the first and second respective ends; and - an absorbent cover that surrounds each of first and second ends. Any way of harmonic cutting can be suitable along the left and right edges. For purposes of this invention, harmonic is defined as alternating projections and valleys along the edges forming the ends of the stick. The illustrative harmonic cuts are rounded sinusoidal, triangular sawtooth shape and square tooth patterns. However, a pattern in the form of saw teeth or with square teeth with angles of up to 90 degrees in the valley or minimum amplitude is less preferred than a rounded pattern or greater than 90 degrees in the inclined patterns. The sharp inclined contact points along the left and right edges result in weak areas where tear lines can be formed. In a first modality, the harmonic cut is a curved sinusoidal pattern of left and right edges. One aspect of this mode is that the leading and trailing edges should be cut perpendicular to a minimum of the amplitudes, that is, through the lowest or deepest portion of the harmonic curves. When the front and rear edges are cut through the maximum amplitude of the left and right edges, protruding tongues or flags on the ends of the stick result after rolling paper on a toothpick (for example a rod). In an additional mode, the harmonic cut is a toothed pattern with a maximum of flat amplitude and a minimum of flat amplitude. The curved corners instead of the right angles constitute the transition from the minimum to maximum areas. The front and rear edges are serrated. The serrated edges of this mode are orthogonally transverse to the maximum length. Advantageously, the intersection of the leading and trailing edges with the maximum amplitude occurs through different regions of the maximum amplitude. The formation of the different saw edges of the front and rear edges is preferred over a straight cut because the former sticks more firmly than the latter. However, along the areas adjacent to the left and right edges, the serrated edge results in an unwanted tongue or flag. The problem is avoided by ending the formation of saw teeth during a short distance with a straight cut near the respective left and right edges. A further aspect of the invention is a process for making swabs. The steps of the process include: (a) preparing a swab rod when cutting a paper to obtain left and right edges in harmonic pattern with at least two maximum amplitudes with at least a minimum amplitude along each edge; (b) rolling the cut paper into a rod; and (c) placing an absorbent cover around each end of the swab rod. The above features, advantages and objectives of the present invention will be more fully appreciated through the following detailed discussion which describes the invention by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a view in perspective on the swab plant according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a top plan view of a first embodiment of a die-cut paper that forms a toothpick for the swab described in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a highly schematic view of the process for preparing hyssop rods of the present invention; Figure 4 is a top plan view of a second embodiment of a die-cut paper that forms a toothpick for the swab described in Figure 1; and Figure 5 is a side elevational view of a rolled stick formed from the die-cut paper of Figure 4. It has been found that soft tipped swabs can be obtained from rolled paper whose left and right edges follow a harmonic pattern with at least two maximum amplitudes and at least two minimum amplitudes.The maximum and the minimum along the left and right edges are preferably aligned symmetrically or aligned almost symmetrically.Figure 1 illustrates a swab 1 with an elongated stick 2 with first and second ends 4, 6 at opposite ends of each other An absorbent covering 8 surrounds the ends 4, 6. Cotton is the most preferred absorbent coating, however, other synthetic or natural materials may also be used. of flexible and absorbent properties For example, the absorbent coating can be made of rayon, polyurethane or other matte fibers synthetic foams or fibers. Figure 2 illustrates a first embodiment of a die cut paper 10. The paper is formed from a flat cellulose sheet 12 with left and right edges 14, 16 curved in the form of an image to the mirror, cut out along the same. These edges trace a sinusl pattern with four maximum left-side amplitudes 18a, b, c, d and four maximum amplitudes to the right 20a, b, c, d. The sinusl curve also includes five minimum amplitudes on the left side 22a, b, c, d, e and five minimums of right amplitude 24a, b, c, d e. At opposite ends of the paper are the front and rear edges 26 and 28 of straight cut and parallel to each other. The leading and trailing edges 26 and 28 intersect orthogonally the respective minimum amplitudes 22e-24e and 22a-24a. The toothpick and the conical members are unitarily formed as a swab stick in a process indicated in Fig. 3. The process begins with the preparation of die cut paper shown in Fig. 2. A continuous roll 30 paper sheet is fed. between a pair of cutters 32 having rotating blades. The blades are in the shape of a wheel (eg, 7.6 cm (3 inches) in diameter) placed to provide a certain number of maximum and minimum amplitudes per centimeter (inch) of paper. The change in the size of the wheel allows to alternate the amplitude. Each of the cutters and paper is synchronized to supply left and right cut edges as exact mirror images. Subsequently, a curling roller 34 places a multitude of folds 36, as shown in Figure 2, parallel to each other along the length of the cut paper. The folds help to roll the rod. In an alternative embodiment, the curling roller 34 can be placed before the cutters. Downstream for crimping, the paper with the left and right edges die cut passes through a second cutter 98 oriented perpendicular to the movement of the die cut sheet to divide sections of the sheet. Each division cut is synchronized so that it occurs along the minimum amplitude which results in a leading edge 26 and a trailing edge 28 shown in Figure 2. Subsequently, each segment of paper divided, cut by die, is rolled tightly in the winding station 40. Optionally, adhesives can be sprayed onto the die-cut paper to help prevent unwinding of the rod. Then cotton fibers are applied in station 42 in conventional well-known manner to each end of the swab rods and thus constitute the cotton absorbent coating. As a reference with respect to the cotton fiber wrapping and application stages, these are known from US Pat. No. 3,090,080 (Pellicone et al.), US Pat. No. 3,452,650 (Cobb) and the patent. Canadian 990,564 5 (Cottrell). Figure 4 depicts a second paper mode 110 cut by die. This paper is formed from a flat cellulosic sheet 112 with left and right edges 114, 116 in the form of mirror-image saw teeth, cut out at one length thereof. These edges show two maximum amplitudes on the left side 118a, b and two maximum amplitudes on the right side 120a, b. A single minimum amplitude 122 and 124 is formed at the respective left and right edges placed between the respective maximum amplitudes. The curved corners 119a, b and 121a, b constitute a transition from the minimum amplitude to the maximum regions of the cut, at opposite ends of the paper are the leading and trailing edges 126 and 128 having a portion 125 in the form of a central sawtooth and end portions 129 of straight cut. The edges 126 and 128 front and At the rear, the respective maximum amplitudes 118b-120b and 118a-120a are iptersected perpendicularly. Figure 5 illustrates paper 110 die cut and rolled. The resulting rod is obtained by tightly winding in the direction D the die cut paper 110, starting from the leading edge 126 towards the rear edge 128. Adhesive is placed along the leading edge 126 to seal the same and prevent unwinding. The first and second ends 4, 6 prevent any tab or flag from protruding by having a straight cut portion 129 on the back edge 128 glued with adhesive. The foregoing description and the drawings illustrate selected embodiments of the present invention and, in light thereof, various modifications may be suggested by those familiar in the art, all of which are within the spirit and scope of this invention.

Claims (22)

CLAUSES

1. Hyssop, comprising: elongated stick with first and second ends opposite each other, the stick is formed of a rolled paper with left and right edges cut harmonically with at least two maximum amplitudes and at least a minimum amplitude, the left and left edges right, when rolled, form the first and second respective ends; and absorbent coating surrounding each of the first and second ends.

2. Hyssop as described in clause 1, wherein the absorbent coating is cotton.

3. Hyssop as described in clause 1 or clause 2, where there are three to five maximum amplitudes in each of the left and right edges of the paper.

4. Swab as described in any of the preceding clauses, further comprising a leading edge and a trailing edge traversing perpendicularly the respective minimum amplitude.

5. Swab as described in any of the preceding clauses, comprising a leading and a trailing edge traversing perpendicularly the respective maximum amplitude.

6. Swab as described in clause 5, where the maximum amplitude is in numbers of two.

7. Hyssop as described in clause 6, where the maximum amplitude are straight flat edges.

8. Hyssop as described in clause 7, where the minimum amplitude are straight flat edges.

9. Hyssop as described in clause 5, wherein the area under the first maximum amplitude is greater than the area under the second maximum amplitude.

10. Hyssop as described in any of the preceding clauses, where there are no angles less than 120 degrees along the left or right edges with the exception of any intersection at the leading and trailing edges.

11. Hyssop as described in clause 5, wherein the leading edge has serrated teeth along a central section and at both ends is a section of straight cut.

12. Paper with left and right edges cut harmonically with at least two maximum amplitudes and at least a minimum amplitude, the left and right edges, when rolled, form the first and second respective ends of an elongated stick.

13. Paper as described in clause 12, where 3 to 5 maximum amplitudes are formed on each of the left and right edges of the paper.

14. Paper as described in clause 12 or clause 13, which further comprises a leading and a trailing edge traversing perpendicularly the respective minimum amplitude.

15. Paper as described in any of clauses 12-14, further comprising a leading and a trailing edge traversing perpehdicularly the respective maximum amplitude.

16. Paper as described in any of clauses 12-15, where the maximum amplitude is in numbers of two.

17. Paper as described in any of Clauses 12-16, where the maximum amplitude are straight flat edges.

18. Paper as described in any of clauses 12-17, where the minimum amplitude are straight flat edges.

19. Paper as described in any of clauses 12-18., Where an area under the first of the maximum amplitudes is greater than the area below the second of the maximum amplitudes.

20. Paper as described in any of clauses 12-19, where there are no angles less than 120 degrees along the left or right edges. With the exception of any intersection of the leading and trailing edges.

21. Paper as described in any of clauses 12 ^ 20, wherein the leading edge is in the form of a sawtooth along a central section and both ends are in section of straight cut.

22. Process for preparing a swab, comprising: (i) preparing a swab rod by cutting a paper along the left and right edges in a harmonic pattern that defines at least two maximum amplitudes and at least one minimum amplitude; (ii) roll the cut paper into a rod; and (ii) placing an absorbent coating around the opposite ends of the rolled rod.