Patent Publication Number: US-2004050737-A1

Title: Hygienic wipes

Description:
[0001] This invention relates to the improvements in hygienic wipes, that is pads or the like used for cleaning surfaces or skin in clinical and every day domestic uses.  
       [0002] It is known to provide wipes on the form of pads of fabric or multi-layered paper tissue. It is also known to impregnate such pads with biocidal, disinfectant or astringent liquid, alcohol, or potions.  
       [0003] For many uses, however, such as in connection with young children, it is not desirable to bring liquids of the types mentioned into contact with either the children themselves or with articles with which the children may be expected to come into contact, particularly toys, teething rings, dummies and other comforts. Many of these impregnating materials are either unpleasant to taste, or are actually harmful if ingested in a sufficient quantity.  
       [0004] It is an object of the invention to provide a hygienic wipe which provides a ‘wet’ wipe for cleaning purposes, but is not impregnated with a material which may be harmful or unpleasant if ingested in excess, or if allowed to contact skin or internal membranes, as may be the case with the example chlorinated disinfectants.  
       [0005] In accordance with the invention, a hygienic wipe comprises a pad; for example a multi layer structure of gauzes or tissue, which is impregnated with sterilised water. In the case of ‘wet’ wipes, it is usual to use a non-drying drying impregnating material, which remains moist for some time following exposure.  
       [0006] In accordance with a second feature of the invention, each pad is preferably sealed in an air and water-proof envelope or sachet following impregnation, to ensure that the pad remains moist until required for use, at which time the envelope or sachet will be opened and the pad removed and used.  
       [0007] The envelopes or sachets may be individual wrappings, or be provided in sheets consisting of several such envelopes connected together along severance lines.  
       [0008] The envelopes or sachets are preferably of a non-water or air permeable material, to ensure that the pads encapsulated within them remain at the required degree of moistness until opened for use. The sachet material is also preferably weldable by heat or acoustic methods during the encapsulation process.  
       [0009] The degree of moistness of the pads may be selected e.g. to ensure that moisture does not leak from the pad unless pressure is applied to the pad, but sufficient to ensure that moisture does seep from the pad when he pad is pressed against a surface, to ensure that a moist wipe is provided. 
     
    
    
     [0010] An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:— 
     [0011]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hygienic wipe pad according to the invention;  
     [0012]FIG. 2 shows an array of pads according to FIG. 1, packaged in individual sachets forming a sheet of such sachets; and  
     [0013]FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a method of packaging the pads to form a sheet of sachets. 
    
    
     [0014] As shown in FIG. 1, a hygienic wipe comprises a pad  10 , consisting of multiple layers of superposed tissues of biodegradable gauze. This pad  10  is impregnated with sterilised water, to achieve a degree of moistness whereby the water does not leak from the pad, but is expressed by exerting pressure on the pad, to moisten any surface to which the pad is applied.  
     [0015] As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of pads  10  may be encapsulated in sachets or envelopes  11  of waterproof non-air permeable material, which may be formed into sheets  12  of bliter packaging or the like, separated by perforated or scored lines of severance  13 , so that the sachets  11  can be removed as required and opened for use.  
     [0016] In FIG. 3, pads  10  are placed on a lower sheet  14  of the weldable waterproof non-air permeable material, and a second sheet is of the same material is placed over the pads  10 . A welding knife or die  16  which may for example be a thermal or an acoustic welding head joins the sheets around the pads to form the sachets  11 . The severance lines  13  may be formed at the same time, or in a subsequent step using a scoring or perforating tool (not shown).  
     [0017] Alternatively the pads may be individually wrapped.  
     [0018] The air and watertight packaging ensures that the pads  10  remain moist, at the correct degree of moistness until required for use, as moisture is neither added to or removed from the pads.  
     [0019] Sterilised water has a number of important advantages over pads impregnated with other materials such a lotions, moisturisers, disinfectants, alcohol, biocides or astringents, since it enable a clean wipe to be made but does not itself pose any hazard-either as an allergen or low-level poison, nor does it have any unpleasant taste. This is a great advantage in clinical and domestic environments, particularly where young children are being attended to. For example, a toy or comforter which has been dropped can be wiped with a sterile water wipe without anxiety that the impregnating material may cause a child harm when the toy etc is later put by the child in his her mouth. The wipe can also be used for wiping sensitive areas, such as the eyes with out risk or discomfort, or for cleaning nipples prior to breast feeding, to remove lint from pads, or dried milk.