Patent Publication Number: US-2015067945-A1

Title: Disposable Wipe

Description:
The current application claims a priority to the U.S. Provisional Patent application Ser. No. 61/875,401 filed on Sep. 9, 2013. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a cleaning device. More specifically, the present invention is a disposable wipe that can be worn by the user as a glove. Furthermore, the present invention may include the use of a cleaning solution to aid in the cleaning of surfaces, humans, animals, etc. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Cloths or other wiping products are commonly owned cleaning products used to sweep up dirt and debris, soak up a spill, or otherwise clean a desired surface. Typical wipes comprise a single sheet of material that is either woven or non-woven, and can be designed such that they are disposable or reusable. Wipes are versatile cleaning products, thus they are used for a variety of cleansing reasons, such as cleaning a kitchen or bathroom surface, cleansing an individual&#39;s skin, or wiping a pet&#39;s fur coat. Depending on the intended use, wipes may be used in conjunction with various cleaning solutions to further enhance the functionality of the wipe. These cleaning solutions are commonly purchased separately and applied to the wipe before use. Whether used in conjunction with a cleaning solution or not, wipes are typically manipulated by a single hand of an individual as the wipe is used to clean a surface. Precise movement of the wipe is often hindered, as conventional wipes suffer from deformation by friction while in use. This makes it difficult to press the wipe flat against the surface and thus efficiently and effectively clean the surface. Additionally, any removed filth can easily be transferred to the user as the wipe becomes crumpled. 
     Therefore it is the object of the present invention to provide an improved disposable wipe that can be worn on the hand of an individual. An absorbent sheet is heat sealed to a sanitary glove, such that the absorbent sheet can be readily manipulated by the hand of the individual. The sanitary glove is ambidextrous in design, such that the present invention can be used by either right or left handed individuals. Additionally, the sanitary glove is liquid resistant, such that any fluid wiped up with the absorbent sheet is not transferred to the skin of the individual. The absorbent sheet may comprise perforations in between each thumb and finger portion of the glove. The perforations allow the absorbent sheet to be ripped into small sections of material that can then be used for targeted cleaning using a single finger. It is also possible for the absorbent sheet to retain a cleansing solution that is dispensed upon use of the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the present invention with the sanitary glove having three finger portions. 
         FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the present invention with the sanitary glove having three finger portions. 
         FIG. 3  is a top sectional view showing the absorbent sheet being heat sealed to the sanitary glove. 
         FIG. 4  is a rear elevational view showing the hand opening and the interior of the sanitary glove. 
         FIG. 5  is a right side sectional view showing the cleaning solution being retained by the absorbent sheet. 
         FIG. 6  is top plan view of the absorbent sheet having perforations interspersed between the first thumb portion, second thumb portion, and each of the at least one finger portion. 
         FIG. 7  is a top plan view showing the sanitary glove having only one finger portion. 
         FIG. 8  is a rear elevational view showing the interior of the sanitary glove having only one finger portion. 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the present invention with the open end of the sanitary glove being sealed shut by a temporary seam. 
     
    
    
     DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION 
     All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. 
     The present invention is a disposable wipe that can be worn on an individual&#39;s hand. The disposable wipe comprises an absorbent sheet  1  and a sanitary glove  2 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . The absorbent sheet  1  is connected to the sanitary glove  2  and provides the cleaning surface of the present invention. The sanitary glove  2  allows the present invention to be worn by an individual, such that the individual can control the flatness of the absorbent sheet  1  as the disposable wipe is used to clean. After use, the disposable wipe can be removed from the hand of an individual by inverting the sanitary glove  2  inside out. The soiled disposable wipe can then be sanitarily handled by the individual by holding the interior surface of the sanitary glove  2 . 
     The absorbent sheet  1  is constructed from a non-woven material, and can be designed in any shape or size. Ideally, the absorbent sheet  1  is larger than the sanitary glove  2 , such that excess absorbent sheet  1  extends around the profile of the sanitary glove  2 . The sanitary glove  2  is constructed from a liquid resistant material, such that the hand of an individual does not get wet from cleaning chemicals or the mess that is being cleaned. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sanitary glove  2  is constructed form polyethylene or polypropylene; however, it is possible for the sanitary glove  2  to be made out of any other material(s). 
     The sanitary glove  2  is designed such that it is ambidextrous, thus allowing the disposable wipe to be used by any individual. This absolves the need to manufacture disposable wipes for both left and right handed individuals. In reference to  FIG. 1 , The sanitary glove  2  comprises a palm portion  24 , a first thumb portion  21 , a second thumb portion  22 , an at least one finger portion  23 , a receiving volume  25 , and an open end  26 . The first thumb portion  21 , the second thumb portion  22 , and the at least one finger portion  23  are adjacently connected to the palm portion  24 , thus forming the body of the sanitary glove  2 . In this way, the first thumb portion  21 , the second thumb portion  22 , the at least one finger portion  23 , and the palm portion  24  delineate the receiving volume  25 . The receiving volume  25  is the interior open space of the sanitary glove  2  in which the individual places his or her hand. The receiving volume  25  is accessed through the open end  26 , which is positioned across the palm portion  24  opposite the at least one finger portion  23 . 
     In reference to  FIG. 2 , the at least one finger portion  23  is positioned in between the first thumb portion  21  and the second thumb portion  22 . In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the at least one finger portion  23  is specifically three finger portions. Each of the three finger portions is designed to receive one of an index finger, middle finger, or ring finger. The inner portion of the at least one finger portion  23  is designed to receive the middle finger of an individual, while the two outer finger portions of the at least one finger portion  23  are designed to receive the index finger or ring finger of an individual. Similarly, both the first thumb portion  21  and the second thumb portion  22  are designed to receive either the thumb or pinky finger of an individual. In this way, the sanitary glove  2  is designed such that it is ambidextrous. For example, the thumb of an individual is placed in the first thumb portion  21  and the pinky finger of the individual is placed in the second thumb portion  22  for a right handed individual, or vice versa for a left handed individual. 
     In reference to  FIG. 3 , the absorbent sheet  1  is adjacently connected to the first thumb portion  21 , the second thumb portion  22 , the at least one finger portion  23 , and the palm portion  24 . In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the absorbent sheet  1  is heat sealed to the sanitary glove  2 , and as such, the disposable wipe comprises an at least one heat seal seam  3 . The at least one heat seal seam  3  connects the absorbent sheet  1  to the first thumb portion  21 , the second thumb portion  22 , the at least one finger portion  23  and the palm portion  24 . In other embodiments of the present invention, the absorbent sheet  1  is connected to the sanitary glove  2  through the use of an epoxy, glue, or similar material. However, the use of heat sealing is preferable, as there are no chemicals involved in the process. In addition to the methods of connection described, it is possible for the absorbent sheet  1  to be connected to the sanitary glove  2  in any other way. 
     In reference to  FIG. 5 , the absorbent sheet  1  may comprise a plurality of perforations  11 . The plurality of perforations  11  are interspersed between the first thumb portion  21 , each of the at least one finger portion  23 , and the second thumb portion  22 . Each of the plurality of perforations  11  extends from the palm portion  24  to the outer edge of the absorbent sheet  1 . The plurality of perforations  11  allows the absorbent sheet  1  to be readily and purposefully torn by the individual, such that sections of the absorbent sheet  1  may be manipulated independently of each other. For example, the absorbent sheet  1  can be ripped along the plurality of perforations  11 , such that a section of the absorbent sheet  1  around the individual&#39;s index finger can be used to clean small and/or hard to reach areas. 
     In reference to  FIG. 6 , the disposable wipe may also comprise a cleaning solution  12 . The cleaning solution  12  can be any known cleanser, and is retained by the absorbent sheet  1 . In this way, the cleaning solution  12  is dispensed from the absorbent sheet  1  onto the surface, human, animal, etc. as the disposable wipe is used. If no cleaning solution  12  is initially retained by the absorbent sheet  1 , then the individual may choose the cleaning solution  12  of his or her liking and apply the cleaning solution  12  to the absorbent sheet  1  before the disposable wipe is used. 
     In some embodiments of the present invention when the cleaning solution  12  is used, the open end  26  of the sanitary glove  2  is closed shut by a temporary seam  4 . The temporary seam  4  isolates the receiving volume  25  from the external environment of the sanitary glove  2  when the disposable wipe is being transported, stored, etc. The temporary seam  4  is intended to prevent the cleaning solution  12  from leaking into the receiving volume  25 , such that the cleaning solution  12  does not come in contact with the hand of the individual. When an individual wishes to use the disposable wipe, the temporary seam  4  is broken, thus allowing the individual to access the receiving volume  25  through the open end  26 . The temporary seam  4  can be formed by any known sealing method, such as using a perforated pull tab or an adhesive positioned along the length of the open end. The temporary seam  4  may extend along both the sanitary glove  2  and the absorbent sheet  1 , as shown in  FIG. 9 , or across only the open end  26  of the sanitary glove  2 . 
     In reference to  FIG. 7-8 , in an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the at least one finger portion  23  is specifically one finger portion. In this way, the sanitary glove  2  forms a mitt shape with two thumb portions, one thumb portion on each side of the mitt. For a right handed individual, the thumb of the individual is placed in the first thumb portion  21 , while the remaining fingers are placed in the at least one finger portion  23 . Optionally, the pinky finger of the right handed individual may be placed in the second thumb portion  22 . Conversely, for a left handed individual, the thumb of the individual is placed in the second thumb portion  22 , while the remaining fingers are placed in the at least one finger portion  23 . Optionally, the pinky finger of the left handed individual may be placed in the first thumb portion  21 . 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, materials for the absorbent sheet  1  and the sanitary glove  2  are provided in rolls. The rolls of material are simultaneously loaded onto a glove making machine. The glove making machine would then cut the unrolled materials using templates for both the absorbent sheet  1  and the sanitary glove  2 . Once the absorbent sheet  1  and the sanitary glove  2  are cut from the unrolled material using the templates, the absorbent sheet  1  and the sanitary glove  2  are then heat sealed together. It is also possible for the disposable wipe to be constructed using any other known manufacturing process. 
     Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.