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Cleaning implement comprising melamine foam

Inactive Publication Date: 2007-03-22
THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, despite the apparent suitability of those pieces of melamine foam, it has been found that cleaning performance is occasionally not sufficient to meet consumer expectations, in particular when it relates to remove tough soils such as dried food stains or greasy soap scum, which may typically be found in kitchens and bathrooms.
It is well known that when heat-compression of the melamine foam is performed at a temperature which is too low and / or during a too short period, excessive elastic decompression might occur.
Moreover, it is well recognized that heat-compressing melamine foam at relatively high temperatures, e.g. about 250 to about 350° C., may lead the melamine foam suffering from yellowing, discoloration, decomposition or burning.

Method used

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  • Cleaning implement comprising melamine foam
  • Cleaning implement comprising melamine foam
  • Cleaning implement comprising melamine foam

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

examples

[0078] A cleaning implement 1 was made using a melamine-formaldehyde resin foam raw material commercially available under the trade name Basotect® from BASF. The melamine foam was submitted to heat-compression at about 273° C. for about 2.5 minutes between two heated metal plates of a commercially available plate press. The compression factor is about 2.0:1. The resulting cleaning implement 1 provides excellent cleaning performance benefit, in particular on tough soils, and very good thermal compression stability upon storage, even under stressed storing conditions. Furthermore, the cleaning implement 1 shows improved mechanical performances and therefore improved durability when compared to non-thermally compressed melamine foams currently available on the market.

Comparative Data

[0079] The following examples will further illustrate the present invention. The cleaning implements are made by heat-compressing melamine-formaldehyde resin foam raw material commercially available under...

experiment 1

formance.

[0080] A comparative greasy soap scum and neat kitchen dirt removal performance study is conducted according to the test method as previously described. The study involves a cleaning implement 1 according to the present invention (Cleaning implement 1) and a comparative / reference cleaning implement (Cleaning implement C). For both cleaning implements, the number of stroke cycles needed to perfectly clean the surface is measured. Performances on greasy soap scum and neat kitchen dirt removal is evaluated for the exemplified cleaning implement (Implement 1) with respect to the reference cleaning implement (Cleaning implement C). The corresponding performances are expressed in terms of Cleaning Index, which was calculated according to the following formula:

Cleaning index (CI)=(NS1 / NS2)×100

[0081] Where NS1=number of stroke cycles needed for the reference cleaning implement C. [0082] NS2=number of stroke cycles needed for the tested cleaning implement 1.

[0083] Results are prese...

experiment 2

the Heat-compression Under Stressed Storing Conditions.

[0085] Cleaning implements 1, A and B, are produced as indicated above and stored for about 120 hours at about 35° C. in a relative humidity of about 80%. The stability of the heat-compression under stressed conditions has been assessed using the test method as described herein above. The corresponding stabilities are expressed in terms of Rebound factor, which was calculated according to the formula as previously described. The lower the rebound factor, the lower decompression of the melamine foam after heat-compression is obtained, and therefore the better stability of the heat-compression under stressed conditions is achieved for the corresponding cleaning implements.

[0086] Results are presented in the table below.

CleaningCleaningCleaningimplement 1implement Aimplement BRebound factor8.93421.3(%)

[0087] The above results clearly show the improved stability upon moist storage of a cleaning implement 1 according to the presen...

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Abstract

The present invention relates to a cleaning implement (1) suitable for hard surface cleaning comprising heat-compressed melamine foam, wherein the heat-compressed melamine foam has been heat-compressed at about 250° C. to about 300° C., for about 1 minute to below about 3 minutes.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 718092, filed on 16 Sep. 2005.TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] The present invention relates to a cleaning implement comprising heat-compressed melamine foam. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a cleaning implement wherein the melamine foam has been thermally-compressed at a selected range of temperatures and upon selected duration. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Melamine-formaldehyde resin foams, also referred to herein as melamine foams, are well known in the art for use in industrial applications, for example, as heat or sound insulating materials as well as for fire protection purposes. Indeed, in the automotive industry, melamine foam is commonly used to insulate motor compartments and driver cabins of cars and trucks. [0004] Recently, a novel application for such melamine foams in the area of hard surface cleaning has been discovered. Indeed, ...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): A47L13/16
CPCB29C44/5636A47L13/16Y10T428/249981
Inventor GONZALES, DENIS ALFREDBOGAERTS, IRISCHILDS, STEPHEN LEEVANLIERDE, JAN PAUL MARIA
Owner THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY
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