Patent Publication Number: US-2012030890-A1

Title: Double sponge to remove waste, absorb liquids and clean surfaces

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     Sponge for removing matter, absorbing liquids and cleaning surfaces having an abrasive layer and an absorbent layer while being structured with a reduced thickness to provide flexibility and ease of use. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Diverse cleaning supplies for home and personal cleanliness are known in the art, including those as follows: 
     Those that are made of two different materials, such as an absorbent material having a defined geometry and a film of abrasive material adapted to the geometry of the absorbent material, giving the product functionality to rub by the abrasive external film surrounding the entire product, with the disadvantage that selectively rubbing and absorption cannot be obtained; 
     Others that are made up of two layers of different textures, one abrasive and another absorbent bonded through a binding area, with the disadvantage that the abrasive layer is essentially not compressible which limits access to cleaning of small spaces; 
     Other cleaning items with two layers have a disadvantage related to its thickness, which decreases entirely an user&#39;s sensitivity when rubbing a specific surface, which creates great wear both in the item to be cleaned and the cleaning article; and 
     Cleaning supplies are available commercially that provide on the one side an abrasive layer and on the other an absorbent layer, wherein the abrasive layer is made of metal, which upon contact with water is oxidized, which can scratch the surfaces on which it is rubbed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The cleaning article of the present invention allows a user to maintain sensitivity to the surface on which friction is being exerted and to the texture of the cleaning article thereby allowing the user to target rubbing on specific areas of a surface, e.g. those areas having high amounts of waste or dirt, due to the thinness of the layers; avoiding striation of frictioned surfaces with the abrasive layer; easy access to tight spaces due to its flexibility and size; compressing of the cleaning article without distortion since upon release of pressure the article is able to fully recover its original form; and selective squeezing of one or both layers that make up the cleaning article. 
     The invention is directed to a dual sponge that makes possible the removal of residues and absorption of liquids in order to clean surfaces. The sponge is made up of two layers, i.e., one abrasive layer and the other an absorbent layer. The sponge has a lesser thickness than sponges presently available in the commercial market, which allows a user to remain sensitive to the surface on which friction is exerted by the sponge, facilitates rubbing in specific areas having a greater waste or dirt load, as well as allows curling around itself without distortion which eases cleanup by rubbing or absorption in small spaces with the advantage that at release of curling pressure, the sponge article fully recovers its initial form. This flexibility also adds the characteristic that the sponge can also be rubbed on itself to facilitate its own cleaning. Additionally, the texture of the abrasive layer avoids damaging a striated surface when cleaned by this sponge. 
     The invention in one embodiment is a dual two-layered sponge wherein each layer has a different texture and is joined at its contour to form a cavity, thereby making it possible to squeeze in an independent and selective way each of the layers of the article, i.e., an abrasive layer, woven or extruded, formed with threads of materials resistant to oxidation, and an absorbent layer with high absorption capacity. This cleaning article differs from commercially available articles because it has a thickness of 20 mm or less, and has an absorption of up to 30 grams of water per gram of absorbent material. Given the thickness of the article, it favors: (a) sensitivity on contact with a surface being cleaned, allowing scrubbing of specific areas of greater accumulation of dirt and (b) curling on itself without release of the force used to roll it, making it possible to access tight spaces to clean without deforming the cleaning article. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The characteristic details of the novel dual sponge are clearly shown in the following description and accompanying drawings. The same reference signs are used to indicate the same parts as described and shown. 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of the dual sponge. 
         FIG. 2  is an sectional view of the dual sponge. 
         FIG. 3  is an longitudinal view of the dual sponge module. 
         FIG. 4  is a isometric view of the sponge article rolled up. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference to the Figures, the invention provides a cleaning article (see  FIG. 1 ) to remove waste and absorb liquids on surfaces, composed of two layers of different textures, one layer being abrasive  1 , which permits removal of waste by friction, and the other layer being absorbent  2  to absorb liquid from surfaces. Each layer has an inner and an outer face, so that the inner faces coincide to define a cavity  3 . 
     The two layers of the cleaning article have the same geometry in mirror image, with matching contours, which are permanently attached at least along a part thereof by attachment means  4  to form the cavity  3 . The attachment means  4  by its characteristics is able to permanently attach the layers  1  and  2  without altering the properties of resilience, absorption, flexibility, and cleaning of the article. Representatively, but not limited to, suitable attachment means include: adhesive, ultrasound, radio frequency, heat, sewing, and/or combination of at least two of the above. Whatever the means of attachment, such allows the cleaning article to be safe for contact with food, cooking utensils and even the human body, so as to be recognized as GRAS (generally recognized as safe). 
     The absorbent layer  2  of the cleaning article optionally comprises the following materials: polyurethane foam, polyester foam, polyester or cellulose sponge, with cellulose sponge being preferable because of its ability to absorb water, with a capacity to hold up to 30 grams of water per gram of cellulose sponge, due to being hydrophilic in addition to its mechanical properties such as resilience, softness, and flexibility, that are present when wet. The thickness of this layer is in the range of about 5.0 mm to about 15 mm, to provide an article of reduced thickness without sacrificing absorbency capacity. 
     The abrasive layer  1  of the cleaning article is optionally: (a) woven with threads which are non-corrosive on contact with water, or (b) extruded forming a network, either woven or extruded with flexible materials, such as at least one of the following: polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyester, nylon, cotton, rayon, polypropylene, bamboo, microfiber, and such abrasive layer forms a continuous network of nodes that are separated by gaps. For this purpose, the threads are woven to form link points, called knots, so that a continuous network is formed with openings or holes which allow the cleaning article to have the characteristic of abrasion, and if the abrasive layer is extruded, it is extruded with separate linking points separated by openings that form a network. The openings are in the range of about 0.5 mm up to about 5.0 mm, forming a network, optionally, all openings are the same size or of varying size. It should be noted that threads that do not have a tear along its length, and the tips of its ends, preferably are aligned to the inside of the cavity, avoiding exposure and generation of scratches which would cause mistreatment to the surface to be cleaned, such as tearing of the skin or scraping of glass, by the edge of the tip of the thread. 
     EMBODIMENTS 
     Example 1 
     In one embodiment, the cleaning article of two layers of different textures as described herein has an abrasive layer of woven PET threads together with a layer of polyurethane foam, both with rectangular geometry, and united at its contour or edges by stitching, matching the inner faces of each layer, to form a cavity. The outer face of the abrasive layer has the right or working side of the fabric while the inner face the reverse. The abrasive layer is formed by a network of nodes, separated by openings of the same size in the range of 0.5 to 5.0 mm, preferably 5.0 mm. 
     In this example, the thickness of each of the layers that make up the cleaning article is in the range of 5.0 mm to 15 mm, making it possible to curl the article on itself so as to expose only one of the two layers, whatever it is, keeping the curled cleaning article accessible for cleaning in tight spaces or absorbing liquids that are on its surface. 
     Another important aspect to note is that since both layers are only joined at their edges, it is possible to compress independently and selectively each layer, minimizing the wear of the other layer, and consequently prolonging the lifetime of the article. This article may be used to clean kitchen utensils. 
     Example 2  
     In another embodiment, the cleaning article of two layers of different textures as described herein has an abrasive layer woven with two different threads of different material woven by a polyester and cotton yarn, forming knots with openings of different sizes, and joined at its contour or edges with an adhesive means to a layer of polyurethane foam, both having a shape of a fish, and where they are matching the inner faces of each layer, defining a cavity. The outer face of the abrasive layer has the right or abrasive side of the weave while the inner face the reverse. The abrasive layer is formed by a network of nodes, separated by different sized openings that are in the range of 0.5 to 5.0 mm, preferably 0.8 mm. 
     In this example, the thickness of each of the layers that make up the cleaning article is in the range of 5.0 mm to 15 mm, making it possible to curl the article around itself, exposing only one of the two layers, whatever it is, keeping the cleaning article curled making it possible to access tight spaces or absorb liquids that are on its surface. 
     Another important aspect to note is that since both layers are only joined at their edges it is possible to compress independently and selectively each layer, minimizing wear of the other layer and as a consequence extending the lifetime of the article. This article can be used for personal hygiene. 
     The exemplary embodiments herein disclosed are not intended to be exhaustive or to unnecessarily limit the scope of the invention. The exemplary embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the present invention so that others skilled in the art may practice the invention. As will be apparent to one skilled in the art, various modifications can be made within the scope of the aforesaid description. Such modifications being within the ability of one skilled in the art form a part of the present invention and are embraced by the appended claims.