Cleaning device and method

Abstract: Wipers in roll form (40) or separate sheets are stored in a plastic bag. A reclosable outlet (18) is provided for the bag. In use with roll-form wipers (40), a restricted outlet is provided so as to provide resistance to the withdrawal of a strip of wipers from the bag, and allow them to be torn off along perforation lines delineating the wipers from one another. Preferably, the wiper material has a cleaning liquid absorbed in it. The bag material is a laminate comprising aluminum foil sandwiched between layers of polyester (72) with an inner layer of polyethylene (70). This material is highly resistant to attack by aggressive solvents. In use with separate wipers, the bag has a slide-fastener closure (92) which gives a wide outlet opening and adhesive-free closing.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to dispensers and containers for cleaning materials, particularly for wipers for use in cleaning surfaces, and to methods of using such wipers. A known type of wiping material is supplied in elongated strips wound into rolls. Individual sheets of wiping material are delineated from one another in the strip by lines of weakness such as perforation lines. The wipers are torn from the strip along the perforation lines. US-B-6,220,435 and EP-A-0 364 896 discuss how such wipers typically are dispensed from a container such as a plastic tub with a restricted outlet opening through which the end of the strip can be pulled. The restricted outlet opening provides sufficient resistance to the movement of the material through the opening so that the end wiper can be torn loose from the remainder of the strip by pulling on it with one hand. The roll of wipers in the tub is pre-moistened either by the manufacturer before being placed in the tub, or by the user. Typically, the tub and the roll of wipers are sold separately and combined by the user, who pours liquid solvent into the tub, where it is absorbed by the roll of cleaning material. In such prior devices in which the roll is presaturated by the manufacturer, presaturated replacement rolls of wiping material are supplied in separate individual sealed foil pouches. When the roll supplied in the tub by the manufacturer is used up, the tub is opened up, the sealed package holding a replacement roll is opened, the roll is inserted into the tub, and the end of the wiper strip is threaded through the restricted outlet opening. Thus, the tub is reused a number of times. There are several problems with such prior dispensers. One problem is that the tubs are relatively large and expensive to make. Another is that the material of which they are made often deteriorates when some of the more aggressive cleaning solvents are used. For example, solvents such as methyl propyl ketone ("MPK") methyl ethyl ketone ("MEK"), acetone, napthas, etc. attack and greatly weaken or destroy the plastic material of the tubs. Thus, the tubs well might not have a very long shelf life, and might not be re-useable, under certain circumstances. Other problems with such prior dispensing systems is that they require the handling of either a liquid cleaning solution, or a roll containing such a cleaning solution. This exposes workers using the cleaning materials to potentially toxic liquids and fumes (VOC emissions) and the cleaning liquid itself. Moreover, when the user refills the tub with solvent, or places a new roll in the tub by hand, there is a significant opportunity for the wipers or cleaning solution to become contaminated. Another disadvantage of the prior systems here under discussion is that they require a substantial length of time to refill the tub, either with a new roll of material and a liquid, or with a pre-wetted roll of wiper material. Another problem with such prior systems is that the tub is relatively bulky, difficult to handle and requires substantial storage space. Another problem which is met in supplying pre-moistened wipers in sealed packages is that the security of the sealed package often is compromised when the more aggressive cleaning solvents such as those described above are used. Three-layer laminations of polyethylene as an inside layer, polyester as an outside layer, with aluminum foil in between have been used, but the foil layer sometimes develops cracks where the material is folded or bent. Such cracks can compromise the security of the container. Further problems exist with certain types of resealable bags containing pre-moistened folded or flat separate wipers in a stack. The seals comprise a strip of adhesive covering a hole in one wall of the bag. The hole in the bag often is relatively small, thus making it relatively difficult to remove the wipers from the bag. Also, the adhesive seal often adheres to the hands or the gloves of the user, thus increasing the possibility of contamination of the wipers in the bag, slowing the use of the wipers, and, possibly reducing the adhesion provided by the adhesive. Further, the integrity of the re-sealing of the bag depends on the integrity of the adhesive, and upon attaching it to the bag material without folds. This sometimes is difficult to do. An industrial cleaning device of the aforementioned type is described in PCT application WO96/28262. This device has an outer container holding wipes and an inner frangible container containing solvents. Consequently, the wipes may be kept dry until just before use. In US-A-4,185,754 and US-A-4,002,264, domestic cleaning devices are described. Various embodiments are discussed. However, none are used with aggressive solvents. OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a product which eliminate or alleviates the foregoing problems. In particular, it is an object to provide a dispenser and cleaning method in which the cost of using the dispenser and wipers is reduced. It is a further object to provide wiping applicator dispensing containers which have a relatively long shelf life, even when they contain aggressive cleaning materials. Another object of the invention is to provide a cleaning method and dispensing device which minimizes user contact with the materials, and minimizes contamination and VOC emissions into the workplace. Additionally, an object of the invention is to provide such a dispensing device which is more compact, easier to handle and less hazardous to use than prior devices of a similar type. It is a further object to provide a reclosable dispenser package or bag which has a relatively large opening for removing folded flat wipers, and has a closure device which does not rely on adhesives for re-closing the bag. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention from one aspect, there is provided an industrial cleaning device containing a strip of cleaning sheets formed into a roll according to the appended independent Claim 1, the preamble of which is based on EP-A-0 364 896. According to the present invention from another aspect, there is provided an industrial cleaning device containing one or more individual cleaning wipers according to the appended independent claim 2, the preamble of which is based on US-A-4,185,754. Preferred embodiments are defined in the dependent claims. The foregoing and other advantages and features of the invention will be set forth in or apparent from the following description and drawings. IN THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a perspective view of a wiper dispenser constructed in accordance with one aspect of the present invention. Figures 2 and 3 are perspective views of a portions of the dispenser shown in Figure 1, with the remainder of the dispenser broken away, Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Figure 1; Figure 5 is cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Figure 1; Figure 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the material of which the bag shown in Figure 1 is made; Figure 7 is a top plan view of a portion of perforated strip of wiper material stored in the dispenser shown in Figure 1; Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8-8 of Figure 1, with the cover over the dispensing outlet removed; Figure 9 is a perspective view of another wiper dispensing bag of the present invention; and Figure 10 is a cross-sectional and schematic view taken along line 10-10 of Fig. 9. GENERAL DESCRIPTION Figure 1 is a perspective view of a dispensing package 10 constructed in accordance with the present invention. The package 10 comprises a bag having a front wall 12 and a rear wall 14 (see Figs. 5 and 8) which are sealed together at their edges 16 to form a sealed bag. As it is shown most clearly in Figs. 5 and 8, the bag has a lower portion 11 and an upper portion 13. The lower portion 11 of the bag contains a strip of wiper material forming a flattened roll 40. The portion 13 extends beyond the portion 11 where the roll 40 is located so as to provide room for a dispensing outlet fixture 18 (Fig. 1). The outlet fixture 18 (Fig. 1) includes a cylindrical cap base member 24 (also see Figs. 3 and 4) with a snap-on cap 20 attached to the cylindrical structure 24 by a pair of elongated plastic flexures 22. The cap base 24 has four pie-shaped flexible plastic tabs 32 which project radially inwardly on the inside of the base 24, with slots 34 separating the projections 32 from one another. Five tabs 32 forming a "star" pattern also can be used. The projections 32 form a restrictive outlet opening structure 30 which impedes the movement of wiper material, such as the wiper 28, when it is pulled outwardly through the outlet opening. The projections 32 bend and flex (as shown in Figure 8) so as to allow the material to be pulled through the outlet opening with a certain degree of impedance. This allows the wiper material to be pulled out until the leading wiper is torn away from the succeeding portions of the wiper strip. The structure 24 has internal threads and is screwed onto an outlet spout 26 (see Figures 2 and 4) which has external threads 52. The cap base structure 24 can be removed from the spout 26 by unscrewing it to gain access to the interior of the bag. OPENING THE BAG When the package 10 (shown in Figure 1) is shipped from the manufacturer, the outlet opening preferably is scaled by means of a foil covering 68, shown in dashed lines in Figure 4, over the end of the outlet spout 26 to keep the package securely sealed until ready for use. As it is shown in Fig. 2, when the dispenser is to be used, the cap base structure 24 is screwed off the spout 26 to expose the interior of the package through the outlet opening. The leading edge of the wiper strip is shown at 28 in Figure 2. The user grasps the end 28 of the strip, pushes it through the outlet flaps 32 in the base structure 24, and screws the cap structure 24 back on to the spout 26. As it is shown in Fig. 3, with the cap 20 removed, the end 28 of the wiper strip extends from the outlet opening. The end 28 can be pulled by the user outwardly until the first perforation is reached, at which point the friction of the wiper rubbing against the flaps 32 usually is sufficient to cause the first wiper to tear lose from the subsequent wipers. The user can give the wiper a little harder tug to tear if off, if necessary. Then, the protruding end of the next wiper sheet is pushed back into the spout, if necessary, the lid 20 is snapped shut and the wiper is used. As it is shown in Figure 8, the roll 40 has a hollow core 42 which is considerably flattened from its normal cylindrical shape. Nonetheless, the roll still issues successive coils of wiper material 64 and 66 from the central hole 42, as the outer end 28 of the wiper strip is pulled past the flaps 32. OUTLET FIXTURE STRUCTURE Referring to Figure 4 as well as Figures 1-3 and 8, the outlet opening fixture 18 is well known. The cap base 24 has a beveled outlet edge at 60, and the flaps 32 are molded integrally into the cap base structure. The flexures 22 and the cap 20 also are molded integrally with the cap base. The cap 20 includes a cover portion 54 with a snap ridge 56 which mates with a groove 58 around the upper outer edge of the base 24 to snap the cover on to and off of the cap base. The spout structure 26 includes a bottom flange 62 extending outwardly which is bonded to the edges of a circular hole cut in the material 13 of the top portion of the bag. The material of the outlet fixture 18 preferably is polyethylene. The inner surface of the bag material also is polyethylene so that the bag and outlet fixture are easily thermally bonded together. WIPER MATERIAL As noted above, the wiper material is formed into an elongated strip, a portion of which is shown in Figure 7. The strip includes a substantial number of individual sheets 48 and 50, usually approximately 100 per roll. The sheets are delineated from one another by perforation lines 46 which are designed so that the material is strong enough to allow it to be pulled out of the opening, but weak enough so that, with a slightly greater pull, the end can be torn lose from the remainder of the strip. The material of which the strip is made depends upon the use to which the wipers are to be put. For uses in which extremely particle-free wipers are not required, such as in cleaning automobiles, airplanes and other vehicles prior to painting, or at other times, a highly suitable material is a hydroentangled mixture of synthetic fibers and cellulose fibers such as that sold under the trademark "TechniCloth" by the Texwipe Company. Other usable materials include those which are absorbent, do not fall apart easily when moistened, are resistant to the solvents absorbed into them and are sufficiently inexpensive for the use. The materials also should be capable of using perforations to facilitate tearing. CLEANING LIQUID Preferably, the wipers in the roll 40 are pre-moistened when packaged at the factory. This is done by encasing the roll in the bag, and pouring a pre-measured quantity of cleaning liquid into the bag for sealing it with the seal 68. Preferably, the end 28 of the first wiper is pulled outwardly from the center core to a position where it is adjacent the outlet spout 26 so that it can be easily grasped by a user. The cleaning liquid can be any of a wide variety of liquids used for cleaning purposes, including water, isopropyl alcohol, etc. For many applications, such as for cleaning the surfaces of aircraft and automobiles before painting, it is preferred to use more aggressive cleaning solvents such as acetone, MPK, MEK or mixtures of those substances together with naphtha and other aromatic hydrocarbons. Such aggressive solvents often are deleterious to the materials of which typical prior art wiper tubs are made. The quantity of cleaning liquid absorbed into the wiper material varies depending upon the use to which it is to be put. Thus, the quantity can be anywhere from enough to moisten the entire roll, which is approximately 20 to 25 percent of saturation ("wetted"), up to or exceeding absorbive capacity ("saturation"). In some uses to which the wipers may be put, the cleaning substance will comprise or contain a biocide to be used in killing germs. Such wipers often are used in pharmaceutical manufacturing to clean and sterilize working surfaces. Therefore, the term "cleaning liquid" as used herein includes biocides or mixtures of biocides with other liquids. BAG MATERIAL In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the material of which the bag containing the wiper roll is made, consists of a laminate including at least one layer of metal foil, preferably aluminum foil, to serve as a vapor barrier, and a plurality of plastic layers. As it is shown in Figure 6, which is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the bag material, an inner layer 70 of polyethylene of .0002" thickness is provided. Secured to this is a layer 72 of polyester, then the layer 74 of aluminum foil, and an outer layer 76 of polyester. The aluminum layer is .00035" thick, and the polyester layers are .00048" in thickness. Each layer is secured to the succeeding layer using permanent adhesives resistant to solvent attack. The laminate differs from prior laminates for similar bags primarily in the addition of the inner layer 72 of polyester between the polyethylene layer and the foil layer. The applicant has recognized that the polyethylene is brittle and tends to crack under normal handling and that such cracks also tend to cause the metal foil to tear. The polyester layer is more flexible and minimizes the tearing of the foil. The laminate is know for use in bags for iodine solution used in hospitals, etc., but is not believed to be known for use in wiper bags. The laminate also is strong and tough enough to resist tearing when a wiper is being pulled out of the bag. PORTABILITY Figure 8 illustrates the compactness and portability of the dispenser 10. Because the roll 40 has been flattened to a high degree, the entire package is less bulky to carry then if the roll were cylindrical. Thus, the package can be inserted into a large pocket 80 in the work clothing 82 of a worker so that it can be carried with the worker and will be very handy. The pocket 80 preferably has an upper edge which is restricted as by means of a button flap so as to hold the bag down against an upwardly and outwardly pull on the wiper material 28. The pocket 80 also can represent a tool pouch or shop apron worn around a worker's waist, or a receptacle for holding the dispenser 10 at a workstation. Although the preferred form of the bag shown in Figs. 1-8 is one formed by two sheets, heat-sealed together at the edges, it should be understood that other bag constructions can be used instead, if desired. For example, a bag also can be made out of tubular material which is cut off and heat-sealed at both ends to form a closed bag. Other bag structures can be used as well. ZIP-PACK Figs. 9 and 10 shown an alternative embodiment of the invention which is shown in use for housing and dispensing separate individual wipers, as opposed to those in a strip formed into a roll. The bag 90 has a front wall 12 and a rear wall 14 (Fig. 10) secured together along a border 16 around the entire package. Rather than a circular hole into which a dispenser fixture is secured, as in the embodiment shown in Figs. 1-8, the bag 90 has a wide opening formed along the majority of one side of the bag, which is closed by a plastic or metal slide fastener 92. The slide fastener is conventional, comprising elongated continuous flexible polyethylene grippers 98 heat sealed to the edges of the bag opening as shown in Fig. 10, and a slide fastener 96 which forces the grippers together or separates them, depending upon which direction it is moved. A disposable label using pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) 94 covers the zipper structure for shipping and storage until ready for use. As is it shown in Fig. 10, which is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the bag 90, the bag contains a plurality of separate wipers 102, stacked one on top of the other. The wipers can be made of any of a variety of woven, knitted or hydroentangled natural or synthetic fibers. They can be folded or unfolded. For example, in automobile manufacturing, it is desired to have quarter-folded wipers; that is, wipers which are folded once and then folded a second time. However, in clean room applications, it usually is preferred to have wipers which are folded differently, either with the edges folded over once and again upon themselves, as with facial tissues, or simply flat and unfolded. The wipers 102 are pre-moistened with pre-determined quantities of liquid cleaning solutions as with the wipers described above and stored in roll form. When the user desires to remove a wiper from the bag 90 for use, the disposable label 94 is removed and discarded, and the zipper pull 96 is moved from its closed position to the opposite end, the upper edge of the top wall 12 is lifted up, as shown in dashed lines 100 in Fig. 10, and the user can easily withdraw one or more of the wipers from the package. Then, when finished, the user can slide the slider 96 to its initial position to reclose the package. The zipper type package shown in Figs. 9 and 10 is easier to use and more certainly re-closable than prior similar bags using an adhesive strip as a closure over a hole. This type of package also is better than zip-lock closures where two stirps of polyethylene snap together to form a liquid seal. The opening through which wipers can be withdrawn is much larger and easier to use. The zipper uses no adhesives which can stick to the hands and gloves of the user. In addition, it is not necessary to make certain that the surfaces onto which the prior adhesive strip is attached are smooth so as not to leave any gaps in the closure of the package. Thus, it is easier to securely close the bag. In addition, the slider 96 can be easier to operate, especially if the user is wearing gloves, than an adhesive strip, which might require one to push his or her fingernails underneath the edge of the strip to lift it, thus requiring the removal of gloves. Preferably, the material of which the walls of the bag 90 are made is the same as that for the bag shown in Figs. 1-8, thus making the bag more versatile and usable with a wide variety of both aggressive and milder cleaning solutions. It is to be understood that the foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the invention is provided by way of example of the numerous different forms the invention can take. Therefore, without naming numerous specific alternatives, it should be understood that the claims are intended to cover not only the invention as specifically described above in its preferred embodiment, but also numerous equivalent structures which those skilled in the art can use to practice the invention without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims: A cleaning device comprising: a sheet material dispenser bag (10) having at least one flexible side-wall (12, 14), a strip of cleaning sheets(48, 50) delineated from one another by lines of weakness (46), said strip being contained within said bag, said bag having an outlet fixture (18) forming a restricted outlet opening (30) through which said sheets can be pulled with substantial resistance so as to allow a sheet extending through said outlet opening to be withdrawn and torn free from said strip when pulled out through said outlet opening, in which said strip is formed into a roll (40) and said roll is flattened and has a hollow core hole from which said sheet material can be withdrawn longitudinally, said hole being aligned so as to exit towards said outlet opening, and a cleaning liquid solvent absorbed into said sheets, said side wall being made of a plurality of layers forming a laminate comprising a layer (74) of aluminum foil and a first layer (76) of polyester material secured to said aluminium foil, characterized in that : said cleaning device is an industrial cleaning device, said liquid solvent is an industrial cleaning liquid solvent, said liquid solvent is acetone, methyl propyl ketone or methyl ethyl ketone or mixtures of those substances together with naphtha and other aromatic hydrocarbons, and said laminate comprises two additional layer being an inner layer (70) of polyethylene and a second polyester layer (72) secured to the inner layer (70), wherein said layer (74) of aluminium foil is secured to said second polyester layer (72) and said first layer (76) of polyester material is secured to said aluminium foil to form an outer layer of the laminate. A cleaning device comprising: a sheet material dispenser bag (90) having at least one flexible wall (12, 14), one or more individual pre-moistened cleaning wipers (102), said wipers being contained within said bag, said bag having an elongated opening and a slide fastener (92) for closing said opening, and a cleaning liquid solvent absorbed into said wipers (102), said wall (12,14) being made of a plurality of layers forming a laminate comprising an inner layer (70) of polyethylene, a layer (74) of aluminium foil and an outer layer (76) comprising a first layer of polyester material secured to said aluminum foil, characterized in that : said cleaning liquid is an industrial cleaning device, said liquid solvent is an industrial cleaning liquid solvent, said liquid solvent being acetone, isopropyl alcohol, methyl propyl ketone or methyl ethyl ketone or mixtures of those substances together with naphtha and other aromatic hydrocarbons, said fastener is made of plastic strips (98) sealed to the bag material at the edges of said opening and a slider (96), and a second polyester layer (72) is secured between said inner layer (70) and said aluminium foil layer (74). An industrial cleaning device according to claim 1 further comprising a removable cap (20) on said outlet opening. A method of cleaning a surface of an article being manufactured in a manufacturing process, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing an industrial cleaning device as defined in Claim 1; and (b) pulling one end of said strip out of said bag and tearing off at least one of said sheets from said strip and using said at least one sheet for wiping said surface. A method of cleaning a surface of an article being manufactured in a manufacturing process, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing an industrial cleaning device as defined in Claim 2; and (b) removing at least one sheet from said bag and using said at least one sheet for wiping said surface. A method according to either Claim 4 or Claim 5, wherein said surface is the surface of a vehicle to be painted, and said industrial cleaning liquid solvent is suitable for cleaning said surface to be painted.

Inventors: RUSSO PETER B, RUSSO, PETER B.
Applicants: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS, ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
Application year: 1999
Main classification: B65D83
IPC codes: B65D83, B08B1