US20120227203A1

US20120227203A1 - Textured wipes

Info

Publication number: US20120227203A1
Application number: US12/897,488
Authority: US
Inventors: William Ouellette; Nikhil Dani; Bernard Hill
Original assignee: Clorax Co
Current assignee: Clorox Co; Clorax Co
Priority date: 2006-02-24
Filing date: 2010-10-04
Publication date: 2012-09-13

Abstract

A wipe formed of a base layer and a secondary layer. The wipe has an initial caliper of at least about 0.5 mm, a basis weight of less than about 55 gsm and a % DIB of about 20-95%. The base layer is formed of a non-biodegradable material such as thermoplastic polymer and the secondary layer is formed of a biodegradable material such as wood pulp, cellulose and/or regenerated cellulose. The top surface of the secondary layer generally includes a non-uniform distribution of fibers.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present invention is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 12/715,160 filed Mar. 1, 2010, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 11/361,105 filed Feb. 24, 2006, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,696,109.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to wipes, more particularly to cleaning wipes, and even more particularly to a low-density cleaning wipe that can be formed to give the consumer the appearance that the cleaning wipe has additional perceived bulk and thickness. The present invention also relates to cleaning substrates that can be used as cleaning wipes which can be used to deliver cleaning, disinfecting and/or surface protective compositions to hard and/or soft surfaces. The cleaning substrate may or may not be a pre-loaded cleaning substrate.
A variety of liquid and solid or semi-solid ingredients have been deposited onto various forms of substrates for a variety of purposes. Typically, the substrates are wipes, formed of either a woven or non-woven material, and containing a liquid active composition. In one form, a non-woven material is soaked in a liquid cleaning active, and packaged in a canister. One example of this form of a disposable cleaning wipe is a product manufactured and sold by The Clorox Company under the trademark Clorox® Disinfecting Wipes.
Cleaning wipes have long been used for a variety of purposes. Such cleaning wipes have contained various compounds to accomplish their intended purpose. Cleaning wipes have included soaps and detergents to clean hard surfaces such as tiles, ceramics, counter tops, floors, and the like, as well as soft surfaces such as fabrics and upholstery. Wipes have been formulated with personal care products, for example to clean an individual's hands. Cleaning wipes have also included ammonia to clean glass surfaces. Alcohol and various other biocides, such as quats, and biguanides have been included on cleaning wipes to disinfect a variety of surfaces. Cleaning wipes have also or alternatively included waxes to polish and clean furniture. Cleaning wipes have also been formulated to clean many other types of surfaces (e.g., leather surfaces, plastic surfaces, metal surfaces, tires, automobile interiors, etc.).
All of the foregoing examples are limited in at least one or more of the following ways. First, many of the wipes or substrates have a basis weight of 45 to 80 gsm or more since higher basis weight substrates have the ability to effectively absorb and retain cleaning compositions. Secondly, many of the existing wipes are flat. It has been found that many consumers traditionally reject flat, low basis weight cleaning wipes and substrates because such wipes and substrates appear too flimsy or thin for the consumer to effectively clean surfaces or cannot hold sufficient cleaning lotion for controllable release during use. Thirdly, many of the existing cleaning substrates are geared toward maximizing absorption capacity and are not designed to controllably release a pre-loaded cleaning composition.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,042,453 to Conway, et al. discloses a tufted non-woven water-laid fibrous web with high bulk and absorbency. The tufted non-woven webs described by Conway may be produced at basis weights as low as 0.5 ounces per square yard (osy), but most materials are at least 1 osy or higher. The '453 patent discloses a tufting process for non-woven substrates, which process increases absorbency and softness and also creates the appearance of bulk even at low basis weights. Since this invention is focused on increasing absorption capacity, it is limited to tufted non-woven webs that quickly absorb fluids rather than non-wovens, which slowly and controllably release fluids.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,650,214 to Anderson, et al. discloses a soft, elastic-like web material with raised rib texture patterns. The '214 patent refers to a wide variety of methods for forming textured webs including thermoforming, applying high-pressure plates or rolls, hydraulic forming, casting and embossing. The '214 patent teaches webs that are capable of exhibiting “elastic-like” behavior without the need for more expensive traditional elastomeric materials. The '214 patent is limited in that it requires that the web material contain elastomeric materials which enable the web to stretch and deform along at least one axis. Therefore, the '214 patent does not teach the use of textured web materials outside the area of elastic-like applications.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,172,276 to Hetzler, et al. describes an absorbent, low-density web material used for personal care products. To maximize absorbency of the web material, the '276 patent teaches that the web material should have a pore size distribution where more than 50 percent of the pore diameters are between 80 and 400 microns, as measured by a receding liquid. The '276 patent teaches that in low-density substrates, a high percentage of large pore sizes are beneficial for wicking and absorbency; however, the '276 patent only references receding liquid curves without any mention of the significance of advancing liquid curves or the relative importance between the two curves. Furthermore, the claims of the '276 patent are directed to the percentage of pores with diameters between 80 and 400 microns, and not the percentage of cumulative volume held in specific pore sizes. The '276 patent is limited to a personal care product for absorbing menses, a relatively viscose liquid, and with more than 50 percent of the pores diameters being between 80 and 400 microns.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2004/0131820 discloses tufted fibrous webs with discontinuous portions defining a longitudinal axis. The '820 patent publication discloses fibrous webs being formed from spunbond or meltblown fibers with basis weights anywhere in the range of 10 to 500 gsm. The '820 patent publication is limited to webs with asymmetrical deformations having a longitudinal axis that are absorbent or non-absorbent, but not to substrates capable of controllably releasing fluids.
United States Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0203162 to Fenwick, et al. discloses a process for creating a non-woven fabric using three-dimensional surface features that are air permeable. The non-woven fabric disclosed in the '163 patent publication has a basis weight from 3 to 400 gsm. The non-woven material disclosed in the '163 patent publication is primarily directed toward personal care products, and is limited in that such products are required to have a three-dimensional surface with features that are air permeable.
United States Patent Application Publication No. 2003/00118816 to Polanco, et al. discloses a high loft, low-density non-woven web with a basis weight of 0.3 to 25 osy. The '188 patent publication requires that the non-woven web have spunbond, crimped bicomponent fibers of A/B side-by-side morphology. In addition, the non-woven material disclosed in the '188 patent publication is designed for its fast wicking and absorption capacity, rather than its ability to controllably release fluids.
PCT Patent Publication No. WO2004/098869 to Pourdeyhimi et al. discloses three dimensional molded non-woven materials that comprise thermoplastic components to make the substrate more rigid and stiff. The '869 patent publication teaches three-dimensional non-woven materials that have basis weights in the range of 90 to 350 gsm and are designed to act as sturdy compression supports. Therefore, the '869 patent publication does not disclose three-dimensional non-woven substrates with low basis weights.
European Patent Publication No. WO/0066057 to White et al. discloses a method of manufacturing non-woven materials having surface features and the materials produced thereby. The '057 patent publication discloses the formation of non-woven materials into a three-dimensional non-woven web and coating the web with raised ridges. The non-woven materials may have low basis weights of about 0.25 to 50 osy. The '057 patent publication is limited to absorbent, non-woven webs with continuous fibers having ridges, and does not describe or suggest non-woven low basis weight substrates, which are capable of controllably releasing fluids.
European Patent No. 0664842 to Milligan describes a meltblown non-woven web formed with thermoplastic polymer fibers. The meltblown non-woven web has a low packing density and is air permeable because it is generally used for filtration devices. The '842 patent is limited to meltblown non-woven materials with thermoplastic fibers.
In view of the present state of the art of substrates such as cleaning wipes, there remains a need for a substrate that has both wet strength and soft bulk so as to appear to a consumer to have sufficient durability and bulkiness for using in cleaning a variety of surfaces.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to wipes, more particularly to cleaning wipes, and even more particularly to a low-density cleaning wipe that address one or more of the deficiencies in the prior art as set forth above. The wipe in accordance with the present invention is formed of materials that result in the appearance and perception to a consumer of a wipe that has desirable bulkiness, thickness, and durability required for common cleaning activities. The wipe in accordance with the present invention can be used with one or more cleaning compounds to deliver cleaning, disinfecting and/or surface protective compositions to hard and/or soft surfaces; however, the wipe can have other or additional uses. When the wipe is used in combination with one or more cleaning compounds, the one or more cleaning compounds can be pre-loaded on the wipe to form a pre-loaded cleaning wipe; however, this is not required. The wipe of the present invention is designed to have at least two distinct layers. The base layer or first layer is a reinforcing layer that provides strength and durability to the wipe. The base layer can be formed from Polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, viscose, PLA, or any other fibrous material or combinations thereof. The formation of said base layer maybe by spunbond, meltblown, carded, airlaid, wetlaid, thermalbond, hydroentangling, needling, or combinations thereof. As can be appreciated, the base layer can be formed of one or more materials. As also can be appreciated, the base layer can be formed of one or more layers. The secondary layer is the other primary layer that forms the wipe. The secondary layer is applied to the top and/or bottom surface of the base layer. The secondary layer is designed to add perceived thickness to the wipe. The secondary layer is formed of or includes different material from the base layer. The secondary layer generally includes or is formed of absorbent materials so that the wipe can retain, and controllably release, one or more cleaning compounds or other materials when the wipe is being used on a hard and/or soft surface; however, this is not required. As can be appreciated, the secondary layer can be formed from pulp, bicomponent fiber, Polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, viscose, PLA, or any other fibrous material or combinations thereof. The formation of said base layer may include, but is not limited to: airlaid, wetlaid, hydroentangling, spunlace, needling, etc. or combinations thereof.
In one non-limiting aspect of the present invention, the wipe of the present invention is designed to have a certain range of Basis Weight (BW) to Percentage Drop in Bulk (% DIB) and/or a certain range of Initial Caliper (C_i) to Percentage Drop in Bulk (% DIB). For purposes of the present invention, Basis Weight (BW) is defined as the weight of a dry wipe in grams per square meter (gsm). As defined herein, a dry wipe does not include any liquid or dry material (e.g., water, cleaning compounds, paste, wax, etc.) that has been applied to or absorbed on the base layer or secondary layer. For purposes of the present invention, Initial Caliper (C_i) is defined as the average thickness of the wipe in millimeters (mm), measured under a pressure of about 0.01 psi, when the wipe is in a dry state and prior to any of the secondary layer being removed from the base layer. For purposes of the present invention, Final Caliper (C_f) is defined as the average thickness of the wipe in millimeters (mm), measured under a pressure of about 0.01 psi, when the wipe is in a dry state and after the secondary layer has been mostly or fully removed from the base layer. This removal or dissolving of the secondary layer is achieved by exposing the wipe compounds or other materials that, dissolve the secondary layer while leaving the base layer unaffected. In the case of a wipe constructed with a PP spunbond base layer and an airlaid, or wetlaid, pulp secondary layer, a 30 second to 1 minute agitation in an 80-90% concentration of sulfuric acid effectively dissolves the secondary pulp layer while leaving the base layer untouched. It should be noted the compound used to dissolve the secondary layer, while leaving the base layer unaffected will be a function of the materials used in the construction of the secondary and base layers. The appropriate compound should be apparent to one skilled in the art. The Final Caliper (C_f) is essentially the average thickness of the base layer. For purposes of the present invention, Percentage Drop in Bulk (% DIB) is defined by the formula % DIB=100·(Ci_i−C_f)/C_i. In one non-limiting embodiment of the invention, the Initial Caliper (C_i) of the wipe is at least about 0.5 mm and the Percentage Drop in Bulk (% DIB) is at least about 20%. It has been found through consumer testing that wipes which meet such parameters have a perceived bulk that is acceptable to consumers. Wipes that do not have these two minimum parameters were perceived by consumers as being too thin or flimsy to accomplish the intended cleaning task. In one non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the Initial Caliper (C_i) of the wipe is at least about 0.5 mm and the Percentage Drop in Bulk (% DIB) is about 20-95%. In another and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the Initial Caliper (C_i) of the wipe is about 0.5-13 mm. In still another and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the Initial Caliper (C_i) of the wipe is about 0.5-6.5 mm. In yet another and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the Initial Caliper (C_i) of the wipe is about 0.55-5 mm. In still yet another and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the Initial Caliper (C_i) of the wipe is about 0.6-3.2 mm. As can be appreciated, wipe having an Initial Caliper (C_i) of greater than 13 mm can be used; however, the cost of creating such a wipe generally will outweigh the perception of a consumer to need or use such a thick wipe. In another and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the Percentage Drop in Bulk (% DIB) of the wipe is about 20-90%. In still another and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the Percentage Drop in Bulk (% DIB) of the wipe is about 25-80%. In yet another and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the Percentage Drop in Bulk (% DIB) of the wipe is about 30-70%. In still yet another and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the Percentage Drop in Bulk (% DIB) of the wipe is about 35-55%. In another non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the ratio of C_fto C_iof the wipe is at least about 1.25:1. In another and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the ratio of C_fto C_iis about 1.25-20:1. In still another and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the ratio of C_fto C_iis about 1.3-10:1. In yet another and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the ratio of C_fto C_iis about 1.4-5:1. In still yet another and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the ratio of C_fto C_iis about 1.4-2:1. In a further and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the ratio of C_fto C_iis about 1.5-1.8:1.
In another and/or alternative aspect of the present invention, the dry wipe of the present invention has a base layer that is equal to or greater in initial thickness than the secondary layer. In one non-limiting embodiment of the invention, a base layer that is equal or greater in thickness than the secondary layer. In one non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the thickness ratio of the base layer to the secondary layer is at least about 1.01:1. In another and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the thickness ratio of the base layer to the secondary layer is about 1.01-4:1. In still another and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the thickness ratio of the base layer to the secondary layer is about 1.05-3:1. In yet another and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the thickness ratio of the base layer to the secondary layer is about 1.1-2:1. In still yet another and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the thickness ratio of the base layer to the secondary layer is about 1.4-1.8:1.
still another and/or alternative aspect of the present invention, the wipe of the present invention is designed to have a certain range of Basis Weight (BW) to Percentage Drop in Bulk (% DIB). For purposes of the present invention, the Basis Weight (BW) of the wipe is defined as the weight of a dry wipe in grams per square meter (gsm). For purposes of the present invention, Percentage Drop in Bulk (% DIB) is defined by the formula % DIB=100·(Ci_i−C_f)/C_i. In one non-limiting embodiment of the invention, the Basis Weight (BW) of the wipe is less than about 55 gsm and the Percentage Drop in Bulk (% DIB) is at least about 20%. It has been found through consumer testing that wipes which meet such parameters have a perceived bulk that is acceptable to consumers. Wipes that do not have these two minimum parameters were perceived by consumers as being too thin or flimsy to accomplish the intended cleaning task. In one non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the Percentage Drop in Bulk (% DIB) of the wipe is about 20-99%. In another and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the Percentage Drop in Bulk (% DIB) of the wipe is about 20-90%. In still another and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the Percentage Drop in Bulk (% DIB) of the wipe is about 25-80%. In yet another and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the Percentage Drop in Bulk (% DIB) of the wipe is about 30-80%. In still yet another and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the Percentage Drop in Bulk (% DIB) of the wipe is about 40-75%. In a further and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the Percentage Drop in Bulk (% DIB) of the wipe is about 35-55%. In another and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the Basis Weight (BW) of the wipe is about 20-55 gsm. In still another and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the Basis Weight (BW) of the wipe is about 30-55 gsm. In yet another and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the Basis Weight (BW) of the wipe is about 35-55 gsm. In still yet another and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the Basis Weight (BW) of the wipe is about 40-55 gsm. In a further and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the Basis Weight (BW) of the wipe is about 45-55 gsm. As can be appreciated, a wipe having a Basis Weight (BW) of greater than 55 gsm can be used; however, the cost of creating such a wipe generally will outweigh the perception of a consumer to need or use such a wipe. In another and/or alternative non-limiting embodiment of the invention, the base layer constitutes at least about 10 weight percent of the dry wipe and the secondary layer constitutes at least about 10 weight percent of the dry wipe. In one non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the base layer constitutes about 10 to 90 weight percent of the dry wipe, typically about 10-60 weight percent of the dry wipe, more typically about 15-50 weight percent of the dry wipe, even more typically about 20-40 weight percent of the dry wipe, and still even more typically about 25-35 weight percent of the dry wipe. In another and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the secondary layer constitutes about 10 to 90 weight percent of the dry wipe, typically about 30-90 weight percent of the dry wipe, more typically about 50-90 weight percent of the dry wipe, even more typically about 60-85 weight percent of the dry wipe, and still even more typically about 70-80 weight percent of the dry wipe. In still another and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the weight ratio of the secondary layer of the dry wipe to the base layer of the dry wipe is about 1-9:1, typically about 1.1-8:1, more typically about 1.5-6:1, still more typically about 2-5:1, and still even more typically about 2.5-4:1.
In yet another and/or alternative aspect of the present invention, the secondary layer of the wipe of the present invention can be applied to the base layer in distinct piles on the base layer of the wipe to create an average Initial Caliper (C_i) of the wipe and an average Basis Weight (BW) of the wipe; however, this is not required. When the secondary layer of the wipe is at least partially formed from distinct piles of material, the secondary layer has a non-uniform distribution of material that forms the secondary layer. Generally, the distinct piles of material of the secondary layer are pulp fibers; however, it can be appreciated that fibers, selected from the following, non-limiting list (PP, PE, viscose, PLA, pulp, etc. and combinations thereof) can be used to fully or partially form one or more of the distinct piles. It can be appreciated that several mechanisms can be used to partially or fully secure the secondary layer to the base layer (e.g., stitching, needle punching, hydroentangling, thermal bonding, etc. or combinations thereof). The secondary layer can be air laid and/or wet laid on the base layer during the formation of the wipe of the present invention. Non-limiting methods for forming distinct piles of secondary layers on the base layer are disclosed in United States Patent Publication No. 2003/0211802, which is fully incorporated herein by reference. The stacking in piles process has been found to reduce the amount of material of the secondary layer that is required to be applied to the base layer of the wipe so as to create a desired perceived bulk and thickness of the wipe which is acceptable to a consumer. It has been found that the average spacing of the piles of secondary layer from each other affects the perceived bulk and thickness of the wipe. Generally, the average spacing of the piles of secondary layer from one another is about 0.5-7 mm, typically 1-5 mm, and more typically 2-4 mm. It has also been found that the average height of the piles of secondary layer affects the perceived bulk and thickness of the wipe. Generally the average height of the piles of secondary layer is at least about 0.5 mm, typically 0.5-1.3 mm, and more typically 0.5-6.5 mm.
In still yet another and/or alternative aspect of the present invention, the wipe of the present invention can have a controlled pore volume distribution; however, this is not required. The pore volume distribution of the wipe enables controlled release of a fluid composition onto a surface. The wipe may be a pre-loaded wipe, which is either moistened by a consumer prior to use or moistened prior to packaging. The composition loaded onto the wipe may contain dry and/or liquid compositions that are used to clean hard or soft surfaces; however, it can be appreciated that the dry and/or liquid compositions can have other or additional uses. As used herein, the term “hard surface” includes, but is not limited to, bathroom surfaces (tub and tile, fixtures, ceramics), kitchen surfaces, countertops, appliances, flooring, glass, automobiles and the like. “Soft surfaces” include but are not limited to fabrics, leather, carpets, furniture, upholstery and other suitable soft surfaces. The wipe of the present invention can be used in a variety of household, industrial and/or institutional applications. The wipe can be a cleaning wipe that is dimensioned and/or configured for, and intended for, direct manual cleaning of the desired surface, as by manually wiping the surface. The wipe can also or alternatively be dimensioned and/or configured for use with a cleaning implement or tool, for example a mop, scrubber, etc, which in turn may be manually, semi-manually, or automatically operated.
In another and/or alternative aspect of the present invention, the wipe of the present invention can be comprised of natural fibers, synthetic fibers, continuous fibers, staple fibers, discontinuous fibers, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, PET, copolymers of polypropylene, copolymers of polyethylene, copolymers of PET, water soluble polymers (such as pva, pla, etc.), wood pulp, regenerated cellulose, nylon, cotton, bicomponent fibers, continuous fibers, and combinations thereof including blends or layers of one or more of the above fibers. The wipe can include a non-woven material comprising meltblown, spunbond, spunlaid, SMS (spunbond-meltblown-spunbond), coform, airlaid, wetlaid, carded webs, thermal bonded, through-air-bonded, thermoformed, spunlace, hydroentangled, needled, chemically bonded and combinations thereof. In one non-limiting embodiment of the invention, the secondary layer is at least partially formed of a biodegradable material such as, but not limited to, cellulose material (e.g., wood pulp, cellulose, regenerated cellulose, cotton, etc.) and/or biodegradable polymer (e.g., PLA, PVA, adipic acid polymer, etc.). As defined herein, a biodegradable material is a material that is partially or fully soluble in water. The secondary layer contributes to the absorbent properties of the wipe. In one non-limiting aspect of the invention, the cellulose material includes fibers such as hardwood, softwood, and viscose fibers (e.g., wood pulp, rayon, etc.). Such fibers can include virgin fibers, recycled fibers, bleached fibers, unbleached fibers or partially bleached fibers. Fibers of different pulp types can be used such as, but not limited to, mechanical pulps, semi-mechanical pulps, bleached chemithermomechanical pulps (BCTMP), etc. In another and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the secondary layer includes at least about 20 weight percent cellulose material and/or biodegradable polymer, typically at least about 40 weight percent cellulose material and/or biodegradable polymer, more typically a majority weight percent cellulose material and/or biodegradable polymer, even more typically at least about 70 weight percent cellulose material and/or biodegradable polymer, still even more typically at least about 80 weight percent cellulose material and/or biodegradable polymer, yet even more typically at least about 90 weight percent cellulose material and/or biodegradable polymer, and still yet even more typically about 95-100 weight percent cellulose material and/or biodegradable polymer. In another and/or alternative non-limiting embodiment, the base layer includes a polymer material. In one non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the base layer includes polymer filaments that include one or more non-biodegradable polymers and/or copolymers such as, but not limited to, polyolefins, polyesters, polyamides, polycarbonates, polyurethanes, polyvinylchloride, polytetrafluoroethylene, polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate. In another and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the one or more non-biodegradable polymers and/or copolymers include thermoplastic polymers and/or copolymers. In still another and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this embodiment, the base layer includes at least about 20 weight percent thermoplastic polymer and/or copolymer, typically at least about 40 weight percent thermoplastic polymer and/or copolymer, more typically a majority weight percent thermoplastic polymer and/or copolymer, even more typically at least about 70 weight percent thermoplastic polymer and/or copolymer, still even more typically at least about 80 weight percent thermoplastic polymer and/or copolymer, yet even more typically at least about 90 weight percent thermoplastic polymer and/or copolymer, and still yet even more typically about 95-100 weight percent thermoplastic polymer and/or copolymer.
One non-limiting object of the present invention is to provide an improved wipe that reduces the amount of material used to form the wipe and maintains a perceived bulkiness and feel that is acceptable to a consumer.
Another and/or alternative non-limiting object of the present invention is to provide an improved wipe that has sufficient strength to be used as a cleaning wipe on hard and/or soft surfaces.
Still another and/or alternative non-limiting object of the present invention is to provide an improved wipe that can be preloaded or loaded by a consumer with one or more cleaning compounds so that the wipe can be used to clean hard and/or soft surfaces.
Yet another and/or alternative non-limiting object of the present invention is to provide an improved wipe that is formed of multiple layers that are at least formed of different materials.
Still yet another and/or alternative non-limiting object of the present invention is to provide an improved wipe that is formed of a reinforcing base layer and an absorbent secondary layer.
Another and/or alternative non-limiting object of the present invention is to provide an improved wipe that has a base layer formed of material that is fully or partially non-biodegradable and has a secondary layer formed of a material that is fully or partially biodegradable.
Still another and/or alternative non-limiting object of the present invention is to provide an improved wipe that has a % DIB of 20-95%.
Yet another and/or alternative non-limiting object of the present invention is to provide an improved wipe that has a base weight of less than about 55 gsm.
Still yet another and/or alternative non-limiting object of the present invention is to provide an improved wipe that has an initial caliper of at least 0.5 mm.
Another and/or alternative non-limiting object of the present invention is to provide an improved wipe that has a secondary layer having a non-uniform distribution of material.
Yet another and/or alternative object of the present invention is to provide an improved wipe having reduced raw material costs.
These and other objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and following the description of the invention taken together with the accompanied drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference may now be made to the drawings, which illustrate various attributes of the invention wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a wipe in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevation view of the wipe of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the wipe of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a graph of the basis weight of several prior art wipes and versus the percent drop in bulk of such wipes;

FIG. 5 is a graph of the initial caliper of several wipes versus the percent drop in bulk of such wipes;

FIG. 6 is a graph of the pore volume distribution for the prior art sample of a Clorox® Disinfecting Wipe showing the A1, R1 and A2 curves;

FIG. 7 is a graph of the pore volume distribution for the prior art sample of a Lysol® Sanitizing Wipe showing the A1, R1 and A2 curves;

FIG. 8 is a graph of the pore volume distribution for the prior art sample of a Kirkland® Wipe showing the A1, R1 and A2 curves;

FIG. 9 is a graph of the pore volume distribution for a substrate of the present invention, manufactured by PGI under the code M40206 which is 30 gsm spunbond material, showing the A1, R1 and A2 curves;

FIG. 10 is a graph of the pore volume distribution for a substrate of the present invention, manufactured by PGI which is 50 gsm spunbond material, showing the A1, R1 and A2 curves; and,

FIG. 11 is a graph of the pore volume distribution for a substrate of the present invention, trilayer laminate of 15 gsm spunbond materials on either side of a single ply tissue with all three layers embossed together, showing the A1, R1 and A2 curves.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is directed to a novel wipe that can be used in a variety of applications. As used herein, the term “wipe” is intended to include any material on which a cleaning composition may be loaded. In a functional application, a wipe can be used to clean an article or a surface, as by wiping the article or surface with the wipe. The wipe of the present invention can include woven and/or non-woven materials. Such woven and/or non-woven materials can be fully or partially made from a plurality of fibers, sponges, films and/or other similar materials onto which one or more cleaning compositions can be loaded as described herein. The wipe of the present invention can be used by itself (e.g., used by hand) and/or attached to a cleaning implement (e.g., floor mop, handle, etc.), or a hand held cleaning tool (e.g., a toilet cleaning device, etc.).
“Cleaning composition” as used herein, is any fluid and/or solid composition used for cleaning hard and/or soft surfaces. Cleaning means any treatment of a surface which serves to remove or reduce unwanted or harmful materials such as soil, dirt or microbial contamination from a surface, and/or which imparts a desirable or beneficial aesthetic, health or safety effect to the surface such as depositing thereon a fragrance, color or protective coating or film.
“Pre-loaded wipes” as used herein, are wipes which are moistened, such as by wetting the wipe with a liquid composition prior to use by the consumer. “Pre-loaded wipes” as used herein, may also refer to wipes that are moistened prior to packaging in a generally moisture impervious container or wrapper. “Pre-loaded wipes” as used herein may even include dry wipes that are impregnated with liquid and dried prior to packaging or solid actives, including but not limited to cleaning agents. Furthermore, “pre-loaded wipes” as referred to herein may, in addition, or in the alternative, include wet wipes that have been pre-moistened with liquid compositions, including but not limited to, liquid compositions, such as cleaning agents or lotions.
As used herein, the term “x-y dimension” of the wipe refers to the plane orthogonal to the thickness of the wipe. The x and y dimensions correspond to the length and width, respectively, of the wipe. In this context, the length of the wipe is the longest dimension of the wipe, and the width the shortest. Of course, the present invention is not limited to the use of wipes having a polygonal shape (e.g., square, rectangular, etc.). The wipe can have other shapes, such as circular, elliptical, and the like.
As used herein, the term “z-dimension” refers to the dimension orthogonal to the length and width of the wipe of the present invention, or a component thereof. The z-dimension therefore corresponds to the thickness of the wipe. As used herein, the term “z-dimension expansion” refers to imparting bulk or thickness to the wipe. Bulk or thickness can be imparted to a wipe by a wide variety of methods such as, but not limited to, air laying, wet laying, air texturing, abrasion bulking, embossing, thermoforming, SELFing and/or other suitable methods.
As used herein, the term “fiber” refers to a thread-like object or structure from which textiles and non-woven fabrics are commonly made. The term “fiber” is meant to encompass both continuous and discontinuous filaments, and other thread-like structures having a length that is substantially greater than its diameter.
As used herein, the terms “non-woven” or “non-woven web” means a web having a structure of individual fibers or threads which are interlaid, but not in a regular and identifiable manner as in a woven or knitted web. The fiber diameters used in non-wovens are usually expressed in microns, or in the case of staple fibers, denier. Non-woven webs may be formed from many processes such as, but not limited to, by meltblowing, spunbonding, and/or bonded carded web processes.
As used herein, the term “basis weight” means the weight per unit area of the substrate or wipe. One method of determining basis weight, therefore, is to weigh a known area sample that is representative of the wipe or substrate. The units of basis weight are typically expressed as grams per square meter (gsm).

Non-Woven Materials

The wipe of the present invention can include non-woven materials. Such non-woven materials, when used, can include materials that are meltblown, spunbond, spunlaid, SMS (spunbond-meltblown-spunbond), coform, airlaid, wetlaid, carded webs, thermal bonded, through-air-bonded, thermoformed, spunlace, hydroentangled, needled, chemically bonded and combinations thereof.
“Meltblown” means fibrous webs formed by extruding a molten thermoplastic material through a plurality of fine, usually circular, die capillaries as molten threads or filaments into converging high velocity heated gas (e.g., air) streams, which attenuate the filaments of molten thermoplastic material to reduce their diameter, which may be to microfiber diameter. Thereafter, the meltblown fibers are carried by the high velocity gas stream and are deposited on a collecting surface to form a web of randomly dispersed meltblown fibers. Such a process is disclosed for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,849,241, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. Meltblown fibers are microfibers which may be continuous or discontinuous, are generally less than about 0.6 denier, and are generally self bonding when deposited onto a collecting surface. Meltblown fibers, when used in the wipe of the present invention can be substantially continuous in length; however, this is not required.
“Spunbond” refers to fibrous webs comprised of small diameter fibers which are formed by extruding molten thermoplastic material as filaments from a plurality of fine capillaries of a spinneret having a circular or other configuration, with the diameter of the extruded filaments then being rapidly reduced as by, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,340,563; 3,692,618; 3,802,817; 3,338,992; 3,341,394; 3,502,763; 3,502,538; and 3,542,615, each of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. Spunbond fibers are quenched and generally not tacky when they are deposited onto a collecting surface. Spunbond fibers are generally continuous and generally have average deniers larger than about 0.3, and typically between about 0.6 and 10; however, other diameters can be used.
A multilayer laminate wipe is a wipe wherein two or more of the layers are spunbond and some meltblown such as a spunbond/meltblown/spunbond (SMS) laminate as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,041,203 and 5,169,706, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference. The SMS laminate wipe can be made by sequentially depositing onto a moving conveyor belt or forming wire first a spunbond web layer, then a meltblown web layer and last another spunbond layer and then bonding the laminate in a manner described above. Alternatively, one or more of the wipe layers can be made individually, collected in rolls and combined in a separate bonding step.
“Spunlaid” materials are nonwoven fabrics made by the extrusion of filaments which are then laid down in the form of a web and subsequently bonded. The subsequent bonding of the filaments can be accomplished by a variety of different bonding techniques.
As used herein, the term “through-air bonding” or “TAB” means the process of bonding a nonwoven, for example, a bicomponent fiber web in which air which is sufficiently hot to melt one of the polymers of which the fibers of the web are made is forced through the web. The air velocity is generally between about 100 and 500 feet per minute and the dwell time can be several seconds (e.g., up to 6 seconds). The melting and re-solidification of the polymer provides the bonding. Though air bonding has relatively restricted variability and requires the melting of at least one component to accomplish bonding, such a process is particularly useful in connection with webs with two components like conjugate fibers or those which include an adhesive. In the through-air bonder, air having a temperature above the melting temperature of one component and below the melting temperature of another component is directed from a surrounding hood, through the web, and into a perforated roller supporting the web. Alternatively, the through-air bonder may be a flat arrangement wherein the air is directed vertically downward onto the web. The operating conditions of the two configurations are similar, the primary difference being the geometry of the web during bonding. The hot air melts the lower melting polymer component and thereby forms bonds between the filaments to integrate the web.
“Hydroentangled” or “spunlace” refers to materials created by a method that involves forming either a dry-laid or wet-laid fiber web, where after the fibers are entangled by means of very fine water jets under high pressure. A plurality of rows of water jets is directed towards the fiber web, which is carried on a moving wire. The entangled web is thereafter dried. Those fibers which are used in the material can be synthetic or regenerated staple fibers, e.g. polyester, polyamide, polypropylene, rayon and the like, pulp fibers or a mixture of pulp fibers and staple fibers. Spunlace material can be produced to a high quality at reasonable cost and display high absorption capability. Spunlace materials are frequently used as wiping materials for household or industrial applications and as disposable materials within health care industries, etc.
As used herein, the term “coform” means a process in which at least one meltblown die head is arranged near a chute through which other materials are added to the base material or the web while it is forming. Such other materials may be pulp, superabsorbent particles, cellulose or staple fibers, for example. Coform processes are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,818,464, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
The term “carded web” refers to non-woven materials formed by the disentanglement, cleaning and intermixing of fibers to produce a continuous web of generally uniform basis weight, suitable for subsequent processing. This is achieved by passing the fibers between relatively moving surfaces covered with card clothing. The carding processes as they are known to those skilled in the art and further described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,488,928, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. As used herein, “bonded carded web” refers to webs that are made from staple fibers which are sent through a combing or carding unit which breaks apart and aligns the staple fibers in the machine direction to form a generally machine direction-oriented fibrous non-woven web. Such fibers are usually purchased in bales which are placed in a picker which separates the fibers prior to the carding unit. Once the web is formed, it then is bonded by one or more of several known bonding methods. One such bonding method is powder bonding, wherein a powdered adhesive is distributed through the web and then activated, usually by heating the web and adhesive with hot air. Another suitable bonding method is pattern bonding, wherein heated calendar rolls or ultrasonic bonding equipment are used to bond the fibers together, usually in a localized bond pattern, though the web can be bonded across its entire surface if so desired. Another suitable and well-known bonding method, particularly when using conjugate staple fibers, is through-air bonding.
The non-wovens, when used in the wipe of the present invention, can be produced by one or more of the known processes described above and any combinations of these processes. In addition, any changes or modifications to the process known to one skilled in the art should also be considered to be within the scope of the present invention.

Types of Fibers

The wipe of the present invention can include natural fibers, synthetic fibers, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyester, PET, wood pulp, regenerated cellulose, nylon, cotton, bicomponent fibers, continuous fibers, and combinations thereof including blends or a layers of one or more of the above fibers. In one non-limiting embodiment of the invention, the wipe includes a plurality of fibers having a denier of about 0.3 to 10.
Suitable thermoplastic fibers can be made from a single polymer (monocomponent fibers), or can be made from more than one polymer (e.g., bicomponent or multicomponent fibers). Multicomponent fibers are described in U.S. Pat. App. No. 2003/0106568, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. Bicomponent fibers are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,613,704 and references therein, which are incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. Multicomponent fibers of a wide range of denier or dtex are described in U.S. Pat. App. 2002/0106478, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
As used herein, the term “bicomponent fibers” refers to fibers formed from at least two different polymers extruded from separate extruders but spun together to form one fiber. Bicomponent fibers are also sometimes referred to as conjugate fibers or multicomponent fibers. The polymers are arranged in a substantially constant position in distinct zones across the cross-section of the bicomponent fibers and extend continuously along the length of the bicomponent fibers. The configuration of such a bicomponent fiber may be, for example, a sheath/core arrangement wherein one polymer is surrounded by another, or may be a side-by-side arrangement, a pie arrangement, or an “islands-in-the-sea” arrangement, each as is known in the art of multicomponent, including bicomponent, fibers. The “bicomponent fibers” may be thermoplastic fibers that comprise a core fiber made from one polymer that is encased within a thermoplastic sheath made from a different polymer or have a side-by-side arrangement of different thermoplastic fibers. The first polymer often melts at a different, typically lower, temperature than the second polymer. In the sheath/core arrangement, these bicomponent fibers provide thermal bonding due to melting of the sheath polymer, while retaining the desirable strength characteristics of the core polymer. In the side-by-side arrangement, the fibers shrink and crimp creating z-direction expansion. Bicomponent fibers can be splittable fibers, such fibers being capable of being split lengthwise before or during processing into multiple fibers each having a smaller cross-sectional dimension than the original bicomponent fiber. Splittable fibers have been shown to produce softer nonwoven webs due to their reduced cross-sectional dimensions. Representative splittable fibers useful in the present invention include type T-502 and T-512 16 segment PET/nylon 6 2.5 denier fibers; and type T-522 16 segment PET/PP splittable fibers, all available from Fiber Innovation Technology, Johnson City, Tenn. Bicomponent fibers that can be used in the wipe of the present invention, when such fibers are used, can include sheath/core or side-by-side fibers having the following polymer combinations: polyethylene/polypropylene, polyethylvinyl acetate/polypropylene, polyethylene/polyester, polypropylene/polyester, copolyester/polyester, and the like. Particularly suitable bicomponent thermoplastic fibers for use herein are those having a polypropylene or polyester core, and a lower melting copolyester, polyethylvinyl acetate or polyethylene sheath (e.g., those available from Danaklon a/s, Chisso Corp., and CELBOND®, available from Hercules). These bicomponent fibers can be concentric or eccentric. As used herein, the terms “concentric” and “eccentric” refer to whether the sheath has a thickness that is even, or uneven, through the cross-sectional area of the bicomponent fiber. Eccentric bicomponent fibers can be desirable in providing more compressive strength at lower fiber thicknesses.
The fibers in the wipe can include hydrophilic fibers and/or hydrophobic fibers. The use of hydrophilic fibers in the wipe can be desirable so as to increase the absorption and retention fluids in the wipe, which is particularly beneficial for increasing the loading capacity of low-density and/or synthetic wipes. Suitable hydrophilic fibers for use in the wipe can include cellulosic fibers, modified cellulosic fibers, rayon, cotton, and polyester fibers, such as hydrophilic nylon (HYDROFIL®). Suitable hydrophilic fibers for use in the wipe can also be obtained by hydrophilizing hydrophobic fibers, such as surfactant-treated or silica-treated thermoplastic fibers derived from, for example, polyolefins such as polyethylene or polypropylene, polyacrylics, polyamides, polystyrenes, polyurethanes and the like. Surfactant treatment of the surface of hydrophobic thermoplastic fibers can include the application of nonionic and/or anionic surfactant by spraying the fiber with a surfactant, by dipping the fiber into a surfactant and/or by including the surfactant as part of the polymer melt in producing the thermoplastic fiber. Upon melting and re-solidification, the surfactant will tend to migrate to the surfaces of the thermoplastic fiber. Suitable surfactant includes nonionic surfactant such as Brij® 76 manufactured by ICI Americas, Inc. of Wilmington, Del., and various surfactants sold under the Pegosperse® trademark by Glyco Chemical, Inc. of Greenwich, Conn. In addition to nonionic surfactant, anionic surfactant can also be used to create a hydrophilic treatment. Such surfactant can be applied to the thermoplastic fibers at levels of, for example, from about 0.2 to about 1 g per square meter of thermoplastic fiber.
In one non-limiting embodiment of the invention, the wipe of the present invention includes a base layer and a secondary layer that is secured to the base layer. The base layer and/or secondary layer can be formed of one or more layers of material. The base layer can be formed of one or more types of material. Likewise, the secondary layer can be formed of one or more types of material. In one non-limiting configuration of the wipe, the base layer includes one or more materials that are different from the materials included in the secondary layer. In one non-limiting aspect of this configuration, the base layer includes woven and/or non-woven fibers, which fibers are formed of one or more thermoplastic polymers. The one or more thermoplastic polymers that form the fibers of the base layer can be hydrophilic and/or hydrophobic. In another and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this configuration, the base layer is typically formed of non-biodegradable materials; however, this is not required. In one specific configuration, 60-100 percent of the base layer is formed of non-biodegradable materials. In still another and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this configuration, the base layer generally functions as the reinforcement layer of the wipe to add structural integrity to the wipe. In yet another and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this configuration, the secondary layer is designed to be applied to the base layer and function as the principal absorbent layer. In still yet another and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this configuration, the secondary layer is typically fully formed of biodegradable materials; however, the secondary layer can include biodegradable materials. In a further and/or alternative non-limiting aspect of this configuration, the secondary layer can include woven and/or non-woven fibers.
FIGS. 1 to 3 illustrated one non-limiting wipe of the present invention. Wipe 10 is formed of two principal layers, a base layer 20 and secondary layer 30. The base layer 20 is illustrated as being formed of woven fibers. These woven fibers are typically formed of a thermoplastic polymer that is non-biodegradable. One such non-biodegradable thermoplastic polymer is polyolefin, such as polyethylene or polypropylene. As can be appreciated, the base layer can be partially or fully formed of non-woven fibers of non-biodegradable thermoplastic polymer. Base layer 20 is designed to function primarily as the reinforcing structure of wipe 10. Secondary layer 30 is illustrated as being formed of non-woven fibers that are applied to the top surface of the base layer. As can be appreciated, the bottom surface of the base layer can also include a secondary layer. As can be appreciated, the secondary layer can include woven fibers. As best illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the secondary layer is a non-uniform layer of non-woven fibers. The top surface of the secondary layer includes a plurality of discreet pilings or mounds 40 of non-woven fibers. These piling or mounds of non-woven fibers are spaced close together and have generally the same height so that a consumer believes, upon handling and viewing the wipe, that the wipe has a generally uniform thickness. The non-woven fibers are typically applied to the base layer by an airlaid or wetlaid process; however, other processes can be used. An adhesive can be used to secure the non-woven fibers together and/or secure the non-woven fibers to the base layer; however, other or additional arrangements can be used to secure the non-woven fibers together and/or secure the non-woven fibers to the base layer. The non-woven fibers of the secondary layer are typically formed of biodegradable material such as, but not limited to wood pulp. As such, during the use of the wipe the thickness of the wipe reduces as the fibers of the secondary layer dissolve, degrade and/or shear off during the use of the wipe. Consequently, the initial caliper of the wipe is greater than the final caliper of the wipe. The initial caliper of the wipe is generally about 0.5-5 mm, and typically about 0.5-1 mm. The thickness ratio of the base layer to the secondary layer is generally about 0.2-2:1, and typically about 0.3-1.5:1, and more typically about 1-1.5:1.
As shown in the graph of FIG. 5, one non-limiting wipe in accordance with the present invention is designated on the graph as the Tweener wipe. The Tweener wipe has an initial caliper C_iof about 0.63 mm. The initial caliper of the Tweener wipe is greater than the initial caliper of the prior art Lysol wipe (New Lysol), the prior art Clorox wipe, and the prior art Kirkland wipe which all had an initial caliper of about 0.46 mm. Only the prior art Bounty wipe had an initial caliper of greater than 0.5 mm, namely about 0.85 mm. The graph in FIG. 5 illustrates that the % DIB of the Tweener wipe is about 40%. As such, an initial caliper of about 0.63 mm for the Tweener wipe results in a final caliper C_fof about 0.378, this the thickness of the base layer of the Tweener wipe is about 0.378 mm and the thickness of the secondary layer is about 0.252 mm. The Bounty wipe is a double layer paper towel wherein the material is pulp based. As such, the % DIB is about 100% since the Bounty towel does not have a reinforcement layer. Accordingly, the durability of the Bounty wipe is significantly less than the wipe of the present invention. The Lysol wipe is shown to have a % DIB of about 15%. As such, the reinforcement base layer of the Lysol wipe constitutes about 85% of the thickness of the wipe and the absorbent layer of the Lysol wipe constitutes about 15% of the thickness of the wipe. Therefore, the Lysol wipe has less absorbent capacity than the wipe of the present invention due to a thinner absorbent layer. The result is that the Lysol wipe is more expensive since the base layer is the more expensive component of the two layers, and the Lysol wipe has a perceived flimsier constitution than the wipe of the present invention due to the thin initial caliper and the lower % DIB. The Lysol wipe is also not able to controllably release as much fluid during use due to the lower level of material used in the secondary absorbent layer. The Twiggy wipe has a % DIB of about 40% which is about the same as the wipe of the present invention; however, the Twiggy wipe has a lower initial caliper than the wipe of the present invention. As such, the Twiggy wipe has less absorbent capacity and less controllable release of lotion than the wipe of the present invention due to a thinner absorbent layer. The Twiggy wipe has a perceived flimsier constitution than the wipe of the present invention due to the thinner initial caliper and the lower base weight. The CDW wipe has a % DIB of about 60% which is greater than the wipe of the present invention; however, the CWD wipe has a lower initial caliper than the wipe of the present invention. As such, the CDW wipe has less durability than the wipe of the present invention due to a thinner base layer, and the CDW wipe has a perceived flimsier constitution than the wipe of the present invention due to the thinner initial caliper and the lower base weight.

Basis Weight and Density

The wipe of the present invention has a basis weight of over 15 gsm, typically over 30 gsm and more typically at least about 40 gsm and up to about 55 gsm. The density of the dry wipe of the present invention is generally less than about 0.2 g/cc, typically less than about 0.12 g/cc, and more typically about 0.005 to 0.07 g/cc. The lower basis weight and density of the wipe of the present invention are desirable because such a wipe is less costly to produce, yet the wipe of the present invention still retains sufficient strength and dispensing capacity to be effective for cleaning
As illustrated in the graph of FIG. 4, the basis weight of the Tweener wipe of the present invention is about 52 gsm. As stated above, a certain combination of basis weight of the wipe, initial caliper of the wipe and the % DIB of the wipe has been shown to form a low cost wipe that is durable, has sufficient absorbency, which has a perceived thickness and integrity to a customer when using such wipe during a cleaning process. FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate that prior art wipes do not fall within these important parameter combinations. Only by falling within the parameters for a wipe as defined in the present invention can a low cost wipe having the desired durability, absorbency and perceived thickness and integrity be obtained.

Pre-Loaded Wipes and Cleaning Tools

The wipe of the present invention is designed to be used with a cleaning solution. The cleaning solution can be preloaded on the wipe or subsequently applied by a user of the wipe. The wipe can be in the form of a standard wipe or pad. The wipe can be produced in the form of a continuous roll; however, this is not required. When the wipe is formed in a continuous roll, the continuous roll can perforated at intervals to define user-generated cut sheets; however, this is not required. The roll of wipe, with or without perforations, can be packaged in a suitable container or overwrap. It is also within the scope of the present invention to produce the wipe as a plurality of individual cut sheets. Thus in yet a further embodiment, the wipe, when formed into individual sheets, can be die-cut or otherwise sized into the desired appropriate shape and size. The individual sheets of wipe can be packaged in a suitable container or overwrap.
The wipe can be individually sealed with a heat-sealable and/or glueable thermoplastic overwrap (such as, but not limited to, polyethylene, Mylar and the like); however, this is not required. The wipes can be packaged as numerous, individual sheets that may or may not be preloaded with a cleaning compound. The cleaning wipes can be formed as a continuous web during the manufacturing process and loaded into a dispenser, such as a canister with a closure or a tub with closure.
The wipe can include an impermeable or backing layer, for example, as a moisture barrier, and/or may include an attachment layer to facilitate attachment of the wipe to a cleaning tool. Impermeable layers, when used, can include a polymeric film such as, but not limited to, a polyvinyl alcohol/acetate films or the like. An attachment layer, when used, can take any form to provide the function of securing the wipe to a correspondingly appropriate cleaning tool. An attachment layer, when used, can include, for example, a high loft fibrous material, or tufted or looped material formatted to attach to a hook material. Suitable tools to which the wipe can be attached include, but not limited to, floor mops, tub and tile cleaning tools, toilet cleaners, automatic tools, robotic devices and the like.

Z-Direction Expansion

The wipe of the present invention can undergo processing to expand the thickness of the secondary layer in the z-direction to increase the perceived bulk and thickness of the wipe while maintaining a low basis weight of the wipe; however, such an expansion process is an optional process. The Z-direction expansion of the wipe of the present invention, when practiced, can reduce the density of the wipe in two dissimilar ways: overall density and localized density. Overall density of the wipe is calculated by 1) measuring the overall caliper of the wipe over a large area (i.e. ˜25 cm²), and 2) dividing the basis weight (in grams per cm²) by the caliper (in cm) to yield the density of the wipe in g/cc. Localized density of the wipe is determined in a similar manner except that the caliper is the average of the thinnest portion of the wipe measured perpendicular to the surface of the wipe.
The overall caliper or initial caliper C_iof the wipe is a measurement of the highest to lowest point on the wipe and the local caliper is a measurement of the thickness of the wipe at a given point. The wipe of the present invention may be essentially flat wherein the local caliper is substantially equal to the overall caliper. However, the wipe of the present invention can be textured as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 wherein the local caliper and the overall caliper have substantially different values. In one non-limiting embodiment of the invention, the wipe of the present invention has a local caliper that is less than about 10% to75% of the overall caliper of the wipe, and typically less than about 15%-60% of the overall caliper of the wipe. When measuring the overall caliper of the wipe, the measurement pressure should be about 0.01 psi. Any caliper measurement equipment capable of measuring at this pressure is generally suitable for measuring the overall caliper. The SDL Atlas Digital Thickness Gauge, Model #M034A is one non-limiting device for measuring the caliper of the wipe. The local caliper is best measured using a microscope without applying any pressure to the substrate; however, other or additional methods can be used to measure the local caliper.
Various processes can be utilized to achieve Z-direction expansion, when such Z-direction expansion is applied to the wipe. A non-limiting first type of process can be used to decrease both overall density and local density of the wipe. A non-limiting second type of process can be used to decrease the overall density of the wipe without significantly altering the local density of the wipe. Non-limiting examples of the first type of process include, but are not limited to, bulking via abrasion, air texturing, heat activation to bulk by gathering with blends of fibers and/or bicomponent fibers, or combinations thereof. Non-limiting examples of the second type of process include, but are not limited to, thermoforming, bicomponent heat shrinking, convoluted forming wires, male-male mated rolls, embossing rolls, “SpaceNet”, ring-rolling, SELFing, and/or combinations thereof.
The process of thermoforming the wipe, using forming wires or forming surfaces to create texture in a non-woven material is well known in the art. The non-woven materials of the wipe are formed around a textured wire or forming surface using heat to shape the fibers into place on the wipe. Similarly, embossing or heated male-male mated rolled with interlocking dual pin rolls use heat and/or pressure to create textured non-woven materials and are also widely used in the art.
The term “bicomponent heat shrinking”, refers to a process of crimping fibers that may be achieved using combinations of heat shrinkable polymers with non-heat shrinkable polymers. The combination heat shrinkable and non-heat shrinkable polymers may be either sheath-core arrangement or extended side-by-side in a substantially continuous thermoplastic bicomponent filament. The z-direction expansion occurs because as the bicomponent fibers are heated, the melting point of one polymer differs from the other polymer, thereby causing one polymer to expand while the other polymer retains its normal length, thus creating a crimping effect. Suitable bicomponent fibers include, but are not limited to, polyethylene/polypropylene, polyethylvinyl acetate/polypropylene, polyethylene/polyester, polypropylene/polyester, copolyester/polyester, and the like.
The term “SpaceNet” refers to materials comprising a synthetic thermoplastic fiber network of fibers and have topographical features as illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,731,062, 5,851,930 and 6,007,898, which are incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, and typically have greater than 50 percent open area. Generally, SpaceNet material is a woven network of polyester fibers that is thermoformed into a pattern having topographical features using forming wire, bonding wire and/or forming surface. The SpaceNet materials have an open-mesh structure having a filigree like appearance.
The terms “ring-rolling” or “pre-corrugating” refer to a process of partial disentanglement of web material fibers which can be accomplished by passing the web through a nip between grooved or patterned rolls. The ring-rolling process has been thoroughly described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,107,364; 5,143,679; 5,156,793; and 5,167,897, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The term “SELFing” is a modified form of a ring a rolling method, which stands for “Structural Elastic-like Film”. In the SELFing process the web material is passed through ring rollers with non-continuous ridges or groves so that some portions of the web remain flat or unactivated. SELFing is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,518,801; 5,650,214; and 6,114,263, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/669,329, filed Sep. 25, 2000; all are incorporated herein by reference. Traditionally, the SELFing process creates usable elasticity by reducing the effective modulus of a web or film, allowing the web to stretch and bounce back to its original shape. The wipe of the present invention can be at least partially formed using the SELFed materials to increase the bulk while leaving unactivated or flat zones to maintain web stability; however, this is not required.

Test Methods: Pore Volume Distribution

The pore volume distribution curves for the various wipes, shown in FIGS. 6 to 11, were determined with the liquid porosimetry technique (TRI Autoporosimeter) developed at the Textile Research Institute (TRI) in Princeton, N.J., USA. The technique is described more in detail by Miller and Tyomkin in the Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, volume 162 (1994), pages 163-170. The chamber of the Autoporosimeter was equipped with a nitrocellulose-cellulose acetate membrane having a nominal pore diameter of 1.2 μm (Millipore type RAWP, Millipore Corporation, Bedford, Mass., USA). The test solution was 0.01 percent by weight of Triton X-100 surfactant added to deionized water that has an aqueous surface tension of 30 dynes/cm. Triton X-100 is a nonionic surfactant available from the Union Carbide Chemical and Plastics Co. of Danbury Conn., and described generically as octylphenoxy polyethoxy ethanol.
The machine instructions for the TRI Autoporosimeter include starting and continuously leaving on the computer, printer, and monitor and balance. Next, a 0.01% Triton X-100 solution was added into the fluid reservoir with a hexadecane layer covering the test solution to reduce evaporation. Then, the following values were entered as prompted into the computer, 1 g/cm³for the density, 30 dyne/cm for the surface tension and 1 for cosine θ. Next, the equilibrium balance was set to 10 mg/min and the maximum thickness was set to the measured caliper of the test substrate at 0.05 psi rounded up to the nearest 0.1 mm. Then, the actual height value for the pressure chamber was entered into the program. The number of parallel cycles was set to 1. The interval was set for 10 seconds. The symbol “r” was chosen for radius and the following radii values were used: 5, 10, 25, 50, 75, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500 (um). The chosen radii values were used to produce the Advancing 1, Receding 1 and Advancing 2 curves. Finally, the prompts from the computer program were followed to complete the TRI tests.
To process the data, the ACK51.exe program was run to process the raw data files and obtain a Pore Volume Distribution (PVD) file. Next, the PVD file was opened in Microsoft Excel and the text was converted to columns. To create the pore volume distribution curves, the cumulative volume vs. radii valued were plotted and graphed. Finally, the plots normalized to 100% of total capacity cumulative volume vs. radii to allow for an accurate comparison between the curves by accounting for the fact that different substrates have varying load capacities.
The specific TRI test procedure used to create the cumulative pore volume curves, shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, was performed as follows. First, the porous membrane is positioned in a pressure chamber on a balance accurate to +/−0.0001. The membrane is maintained at the same height as a reservoir of test fluid and then pressure is applied to the membrane until all the fluid drains out. Next, a valve is closed to restrict liquid flow to the membrane and the pressure chamber is reopened to put in a 55 mm square test substrate onto the membrane. With the test substrate in the pressure chamber, the chamber is re-pressurized, the valve is opened to begin the test. The pressure is decreased in specific increments until equilibrium is reached at each new pressure level and then the fluid loss or gain on the balance is measured.
The first set of measurements was obtained by incrementally reducing pressure until atmospheric pressure is reached. This first pressure reduction pass is called “Advancing 1 or A1” because these are measurements of the fluid absorbing or advancing into the test substrate. The second set of measurements is created by incrementally increasing the pressure until it is back to its maximum level. This second set of pressure increasing measurements is called “Receding 1 or R1” because these are measurements of fluid receding or leaving the test substrate. Finally, the third set of measurements is obtained by once again incrementally reducing pressure until atmospheric pressure is reached. This third set of measurements is called “Advancing 2 or A2” because these are measurements of fluid absorbing or advancing into the test substrate for a second time.
Fluid is mostly absorbed and retained in non-woven materials of the wipe in the capillaries that are formed between the fibers in the non-wovens. The ability of a porous material, such as a non-woven, to absorb and retain liquid can be characterized by the capillary pressure of liquid in the pores of the material. The capillary pressure is defined by the LaPlace equation that is well known in the art and is defined as follows: P=(2γ cos θ)/r. In the LaPlace equation, P is the capillary pressure, γ is the surface tension of the wetting liquid, θ is the contact angle between the liquid and the capillary wall, and r is the effective pore radius of the capillary. The surface tension (γ) of the Triton solution is 30 dynes/cm. By inputting values for γ and cos θ into the LaPlace equation, the effective pore radius (r) can be calculated from the applied capillary pressure (P).
The measured “cumulative volume” (CV) is the sum of the fluid in the reservoir on the balance in the substrate sample. The total cumulative volume of fluid absorbed varies by wipe from about 6:1 to about 12:1 grams of fluid per gram of wipe. Most wipes have a loading capacity in the range of about 10 to 12 grams of fluid per gram of the wipe.

Test Methods: Equilibrium Capacity

A solution of Triton x-100 solution, same as used for the PVD test, was prepared using 0.01% Triton and de-ionized water. Samples of several different wipes were measured and cut into 8″×7″ segments with the 8″ dimension in the machine direction (MD). Each wipe sample was then weighed and the weight was recorded as dry weight (DW). Next each wipe sample was placed into the Triton x-100 solution and left for 1 minute. The wipe sample was then removed from the solution and hung to dry with the MD of the sample in the vertical direction for 1 minute. Then the wipe sample was weighed and recorded as wet weight (WW). EC is expressed in units of grams/gram. This is also commonly referred to as the X-load. The following equation was used to determine the equilibrium capacity (EC) of each wipe sample: EC=(WW−DW)/DW.

Test Methods: Preloaded Wipe Preparation Process

Prior to conducting Pore Volume Distribution (PVD) or Equilibrium Capacity (EC) tests on the commercial wipes, Clorox Disinfecting Wipe, Lysol Wipe, and Kirkland Wipe, it was necessary to remove the cleaning lotion that has been loaded onto each of the wipes. The following process for removing the cleaning lotion from commercial wipes was used. The commercial wipe was first soaked in a sufficient amount of isopropyl alcohol to completely cover the wipe. Next, the wipe was then gently agitated in the IPA, so as not to disrupt the pore structure of the web, for at least one minute. Then the wipe was removed from the IPA bath and placed into a vessel with a new solution IPA for one minute. After both baths were complete, the wipe was hung and left to drain for about 5 minutes, until most of the IPA was gone. Then the complete two-bath process is repeated using de-ionized water instead of IPA. When the de-ionized baths are completed, the wipe was moved to a drying rack and allowed to completely dry. The drying process was under normal conditions, with adequate airflow, for approximately 12 to 24 hours. The dried commercial wipes were then used for EC and PVD testing.

Test Methods: Fluid Retention

A final set of tests to measure fluid retention was performed on the PG1 30 gsm material, test wipe 4, and the Clorox Disinfecting Wipe, test wipe 1. Using a cylindrical apertured plunger in a cylindrical container, the PGI 30 gsm wipe was loaded to EC with Triton x-100 solution and then squeezed dry between an apertured plate and a plunger. The PGI 30 gsm wipe retained 26% of the loaded fluid and released 74%. The same method was used on the Clorox Disinfecting Wipe and it retained 40% of the loaded fluid and released 60%. The same test was repeated on each wipe, but the second time a blotter was used on the apertured plate to prevent fluid from being trapped in between the plate and wipe. In the second test, the PGI 30 gsm wipe retained only 5% of the loaded fluid and released 95%. The same method was used on the Clorox Disinfecting Wipe and it retained 20% of the loaded fluid and released 80%. In both retention tests, the PGI 30 gsm wipe showed that it is capable of releasing about 10-15% more fluid than the Clorox Disinfecting Wipe. The ability of a wipe to release more of the loaded fluid is a benefit because less cleaning fluid can be used on the wipe to obtain the same cleaning benefit since a greater percentage of the loaded fluid is reaching the surface to be cleaned.

EXPERIMENTAL DATA

	Percent CV in	Radius at 50%	Equilibrium	Hysteresis (A1-
Test Substrate	A1 at r = 75 um	CV for A1	Capacity (g/g)	R1 at 50% CV)

1) Clorox Disinfecting Wipe	40	80	5.9	60
2) Lysol Wipe	42	90	5.8	50
3) Kirkland Wipe	20	105	8.6	65
4) PGI-30 gsm	2	190	5.2	160
5) PGI-50 gsm	1	225	4.7	200
6) Trilayer Substrate	10	150	5.8	95
7) Reemay-34gsm*	2	225	2.2	125
8) BBA-44 gsm*	5	170	3.9	205

*indicates non-inventive comparative test substrates.

In FIGS. 6 to 11, a line with triangle data points depicts Advancing 1 (A1) curve. The Receding 1 (R1) curve is depicted by a line with diamond shaped data points. The Advancing 2 (A2) curve is depicted by a line with square shaped data points.
FIG. 6 illustrates the pore volume distribution of a prior art wipe sample sold commercially by the Clorox Company under the trademark Clorox® Disinfecting Wipes. The wipe sample depicted in FIG. 6 is made of a flat spunbond non-woven material comprised of both polymer and cellulose fibers produced by Alhstrom Corporation. As indicated in the table above and shown in FIG. 6, the Advancing 1 (A1) curve is created by incrementally decreasing the pressure on the wipe to increase fluid absorption. In the A1 curve for FIG. 6, the wipe absorbed 40 percent of its total cumulative volume at a pore size of 75 um. In addition, the radius at 50 percent cumulative volume for A1 is 85. These two data points illustrate that pores with a radius of 85 um and smaller will contain the majority of the cumulative volume initially absorbed onto the wipe. The wipe represented in FIG. 1 depends largely upon the absorption of fluid by smaller sized pores with a radius of 85 um and smaller.
FIG. 7 illustrates the pore volume distribution of a prior art non-woven wipe sample comprised of both polymer and cellulose fibers and sold commercially by the Reckitt & Coleman under the trademark Lysol® Sanitizing Wipes. In the A1 curve of FIG. 7, the wipe absorbed 42 percent of its total cumulative volume at a pore size of 75 um. Similar to the data in FIG. 6, this data illustrates that pores with a radius of 75 um and smaller contain at least 42 percent of the cumulative volume, thus a substantial portion of the total cumulative volume is held within relatively small sized pores. In addition, the pore radius at 50 percent cumulative volume for A1 confirms that small pores sized 90 um and smaller hold the majority of the fluid on the wipe.
FIG. 8 illustrates the pore volume distribution of a prior art wipe comprised of a combination of polymeric and cellulosic fibers and sold commercially by Costco under the trademark Kirkand® Wipes. In the A1 curve for FIG. 8, the wipe absorbed 20 percent of its total cumulative volume at a pore size of 75 um. While 20 percent is not as high as the 40 and 42 percent shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, it is still a significant portion of the cumulative volume. Additionally, the pore radius at 50 of cumulative volume for A1 is 105 um. Similar to FIGS. 6 and 7, the Kirkland substrate illustrates that the majority of the total cumulative volume contained on the wipe is held within a relatively small sized pore with a radius of 105 um or smaller.
FIGS. 6 to 8 each illustrate that 20 percent or more of the cumulative volume initially absorbed into the wipe is contained in pores with a radius of 75 um or smaller. Additionally, the majority of the cumulative volume initially absorbed into each of the wipes in FIGS. 6 to 8 is contained with pores with a radius of 105 um or smaller. This test data illustrates that the smaller sized pores are integral to the absorption and retention of fluid within the prior art wipes.
FIGS. 9 to 11 illustrate a wipe according to another aspect of the present invention. FIG. 9 illustrates the pore volume distribution for a hydrophilic, spunbond wipe from Polymer Group, Inc. (PGI) with a basis weight of 30 gsm, made under the code M40206. FIG. 10 illustrates the pore volume distribution for a hydrophilic spunbond wipe from Polymer Group, Inc. (PGI) with a basis weight of 50 gsm. FIG. 11 is a laminate of about 15 gsm spunbond materials on either side of a single ply tissue, with all three layers embossed together.
The first common feature that each of these wipes share is that the dry wipes absorb less than 20 percent of the cumulative volume at a pore radius of 75 microns and smaller. In FIGS. 9 and 10, the PGI spunbond wipes of 30 and 50 gsm respectively absorb only 2 and 1 percent of CV for A1 at a pore radius of 75 um and smaller. Similarly, the trilayer substrate, illustrated in FIG. 11, absorbs only 10 percent of CV for A1 at a pore radius of 75 um and smaller. In contrast to the prior art wipes, the absorption data points for A1 illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 11 establish that the large majority of the cumulative volume is not held in pores with a radius of 75 um and smaller. Therefore, the wipes illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 11 absorb less than 20 percent of the A1 cumulative volume of the fibrous web at a pore radius of 75 microns or smaller, more particularly less that 15 percent of the A1 cumulative volume of the fibrous web at a pore radius of 75 microns or smaller, and even more particularly no more than about 10 percent of the A1 cumulative volume of the fibrous web at a pore radius of 75 microns or smaller. Furthermore, the wipes illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 11 absorb less than 8 percent of the A1 cumulative volume of the fibrous web at a pore radius of 50 microns or smaller, more particularly less that 5 percent of the A1 cumulative volume of the fibrous web at a pore radius of 50 microns or smaller, and even more particularly no more than about 2 percent of the A1 cumulative volume of the fibrous web at a pore radius of 50 microns or smaller. Similarly, the range of radius sizes at 50 percent CV for A1, for the wipes of FIGS. 9 to 11, greater than 105 um. These values are significantly greater than the values of the pore radius sizes at 50 percent CV for A1 of the prior art wipes. For the wipes illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 11, at least 50 percent of the pore volume is contained within pores with a radius size of about 110 to 250 microns. Therefore, the large majority of the cumulative volume for the wipes illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 11 is held in substantially larger sized pores than that of the prior art wipes.
Another distinction between the wipes illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 11 and the prior art wipes is that all three prior art wipes have relatively lower hysteresis values as compared to the wipes of FIGS. 9 to 11. Hysteresis is measured by the distance between A1 and R1 at 50 percent CV. For the purposes of measuring hysteresis, the 50 percent CV point is half of the average of the A1 max CV and the A2 max CV. The hysteresis values for the prior art wipes of about 35 to 70 indicate that the pores are more likely to retain the fluid than compared to wipes having higher hysteresis values, such as the wipes illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 11. Wipes having hysteresis values of greater than about 80 as indicate by the wipes of FIGS. 9 to 11 are better able to controllably release fluids when a consumer using the wipe applies pressure to the wipe. FIGS. 9 to 11 illustrate wipes having hysteresis values of about 85 to 180. The wipes illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10 have hysteresis values of about 120 to 180. A wipe that controllably releases a pre-loaded fluid is desirable because the cleaning power of the wipe lasts longer if the wipe is able to controllably release fluid. Similarly, a wipe with a controlled release of fluid is cost effective because the wipe does not have to be pre-loaded with as much fluid to last the same amount of time as a wipe that retains and does not easily release pre-loaded fluid. The wipes illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 11 generally retain most of the pre-loaded fluid in larger pores than those of the prior art wipes, while still maintaining sufficient absorbency. The absorbency of the wipe is measured as Equilibrium Capacity (EC) and the wipes illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 11 have an EC of greater than about 4 g/g. The larger pores of the low-density wipes illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 11 are more easily disrupted or modified under the pressure that such wipes would normally experience in use as compared to the prior art wipes. This disruption, via applied pressure, of the pore size and shape during use effectively dispenses the liquid from the wipe. By modifying the applied pressure, the user can control the rate of liquid released from the wipe.
Test wipes 7 and 8, Reemay 34 gsm, under BBA code number 2014, and BBA 44 gsm respectively, are non-inventive test wipes. The Reemay wipe is a spunbond PET material, which is bonded together by flat calendar rolls. The BBA 44 gsm material is a spunbond polypropylene material that is held together by thermal dot bonding points. Test wipes 7 and 8 were tested to demonstrate that wipes, which are formed in a similar manner to the wipes illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 11, do not inherently have the same PVD and EC values as the wipes illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 11. Specifically, both test wipes 7 and 8 absorb less than 20 percent of the A1 cumulative volume of the fibrous web at a pore radius of 75 microns, but neither one of the wipes 7 or 8 have an EC of greater than 4 g/g. Since neither of wipes 7 or 8 have an EC of greater than 4 g/g, such wipes are not suitable for use as a cleaning wipe because the wipes do not absorb enough fluid to be effective as a cleaning wipe. It has been found that an EC of greater than about 4 g/g, typically greater than about 4.4 g/g, and more typically greater than about 4.6 g/g results in a wipe that a user can properly and desirably control the rate of liquid released from the wipe during use of the wipe.
It is to be understood that this invention is not limited to particularly exemplified systems or process parameters that may, of course, vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments of the invention only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any manner. All publications, patents and patent applications cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent or patent application was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. References herein to “one embodiment”, “one aspect” or “one version” of the invention include one or more such embodiment, aspect or version, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains. Although a number of methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice of the present invention, the preferred materials and methods are described herein.
Although only a few exemplary embodiments of this invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the following claims. It will also thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained, and since certain changes may be made in the constructions set forth without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention, which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Claims

1. A wipe comprising a base layer and a secondary layer, said wipe having an initial caliper of at least about 0.5 mm and a % DIB of at least about 20%, said base layer at least partially formed of non-biodegradable material, said secondary layer at least partially formed of biodegradable material, said base layer and said secondary layer including different materials.

2. The wipe as defined in claim 1, wherein said base layer includes a majority weight percent of thermoplastic polymer material, a majority weight percent of said base layer including non-biodegradable material, said secondary layer includes a majority weight percent of one or more materials selected from the group consisting of wood pulp, cellulose, regenerated cellulose, cotton, and biodegradable polymer, a majority weight percent of said secondary layer including biodegradable material.

3. The wipe as defined in claim 1, wherein said wipe has a basis weight of less than about 55 gsm.

4. The wipe as defined in claim 1, wherein said wipe has a final caliper, a ratio of said final caliper to said initial caliper of said wipe is about 1.25-20:1.

5. The wipe as defined in claim 1, wherein said base layer and said secondary layer have an initial thickness, a ratio of said thickness of said base layer to said secondary layer is about 1-4:1.

6. The wipe as defined in claim 1, wherein said base layer and said secondary layer have an initial weight, a ratio of said weight of said secondary layer to said base layer is about 1-9:1.

7. The wipe as defined in claim 1, wherein said secondary layer includes a non-uniform distribution of non-woven fibers in a top surface of said secondary layer.

8. A wipe comprising a base layer and a secondary layer, said wipe having an initial caliper and a final caliper, a basis weight of about 50-110 gsm and a % DIB of about 20-95%, said initial caliper about 0.5-6.5 mm, a ratio of said final caliper to said initial caliper is about 1.3-10:1, a majority weight percent of said base layer formed of a non-biodegradable material, a majority weight percent of said secondary layer formed of a biodegradable material, said base layer and said secondary layer including different materials, said secondary layer including one or more materials selected from the group consisting of wood pulp, cellulose, regenerated cellulose, cotton, and biodegradable polymer, said base layer including thermoplastic polymer material.

9. The wipe as defined in claim 8, wherein said % DIB of is about 40-75%.

10. The wipe as defined in claim 8, wherein said an initial caliper of said wipe of about 0.5-5 mm.

11. The wipe as defined in claim 8, wherein said ratio of said final caliper to said initial caliper of said wipe is about 1.4-5:1.

12. The wipe as defined in claim 8, wherein said base layer and said secondary layer have an initial thickness, a ratio of said thickness of said base layer to said secondary layer is about 1-3:1.

13. The wipe as defined in claim 12, wherein said ratio of said thickness of said base layer to said secondary layer is about 1.1-2:1.

14. The wipe as defined in claim 8, wherein said base layer and said secondary layer have an initial weight, a ratio of said weight of said secondary layer to said base layer is about 1-6:1.

15. The wipe as defined in claim 14, wherein said base layer and said secondary layer have an initial weight, a ratio of said weight of said secondary layer to said base layer is about 1.1-4:1.

16. The wipe as defined in claim 8, wherein said secondary layer includes a non-uniform distribution of non-woven fibers in a top surface of said secondary layer.

17. The wipe as defined in claim 8, wherein said wipe has a local caliper, said local caliper less than about 10-75% of said initial caliper.

18. The wipe as defined in claim 8, wherein at least about 80 weight percent of said secondary layer including one or more materials selected from the group consisting of wood pulp, cellulose, and regenerated cellulose, at least about 80 weight percent of said base layer including thermoplastic polymer material.

19. The wipe as defined in claim 8, wherein said secondary material including pores that have an average radius of about 75 to 250 microns, at least about 50 percent of an A1 cumulative volume is designed to be contained within pores with a radius size of over 105 microns, less than about 20 percent of an A1 cumulative volume is designed to be contained within pores with a radius size of less than about 75 microns, said wipe designed to have an equilibrium capacity of greater than about 4 g/g.

20. The wipe as defined in claim 8, wherein said wipe has a hysteresis value of at least about 85.