Cleaning sponge

Abstract

To provide a cleaning sponge which has good foaming and retention properties of detergent foam and gives a good feeling of use to the sponge as a whole regardless of the front and back. [Solution] The cleaning sponge 10 has a skeletal shape and is characterized by having a frame member 12 made of a foamable material with through holes 14a, 14b formed on its main surface, a first foam-generating material 16 which contains a smaller amount of air in terms of volume than the frame member 12 and is housed in the through hole 14a, a second foam-generating material 18 which contains a larger amount of air in terms of volume than the frame member 12 and is housed in the through hole 14b, and a mesh-like skin member 20 which covers the outer periphery of the frame member 12 and positions the first foam-generating material 16 and the second foam-generating material 18.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] This invention relates to a sponge used for washing and cleaning vehicle bodies, water areas, tableware, etc. [Background technology]

[0002] Cleaning sponges are required to have various characteristics and functions depending on their use and purpose, such as hardness for wiping off dirt, water drainage, penetration of cleaning agents (detergents), retention, foaming, foam retention, etc. For this reason, it has been proposed to give cleaning sponges various characteristics by varying the foaming state, material, shape, etc., or by combining them.

[0003] For example, the cleaning sponge disclosed in Patent Document 1 is basically constructed by laminating a nonwoven fabric layer having excellent dirt wiping properties and a sponge layer. The sponge layer is a combination of a surface layer having excellent water absorption and cleaning properties and an intermediate layer having excellent water drainage and quick drying properties. Here, the difference between the surface layer and the intermediate layer is due to their foaming properties, and the surface layer is configured to have finer foaming mesh than the intermediate layer. A cleaning sponge with such characteristics can achieve both wiping properties and detergent washability, and is thought to be able to easily expel moisture and dirt that penetrates inside. However, by improving the drainage properties and foam-breaking properties of the intermediate layer, the durability of the detergent and the foam produced by the detergent is reduced, and there is a problem that the frequency of adding detergent increases when using continuously.

[0004] In addition, the cleaning sponge disclosed in Patent Document 2 adopts a configuration in which a recess is formed in the center of the sponge body and a foaming sponge body is fitted into this recess. Both the sponge body and the foaming sponge body are made of foamable sponge, but the foaming sponge body is formed to have finer foaming mesh than the sponge body, and this difference improves foaming and water retention. A cleaning sponge with such characteristics can improve the foaming and retention of detergent while also ensuring a soft wiping surface by the sponge body. However, in a configuration in which a recess is formed on one main surface of the sponge body and the foaming sponge body is fitted into it, the foam formed by the foaming sponge body is mainly released to the open surface side of the recess, which can cause problems such as a difference in foam generation state on both main surfaces of the sponge body, resulting in a different feeling of use. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2015-221119 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2007-68750 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Therefore, the object of this invention is to provide a cleaning sponge that has good foaming and retention properties when used with detergent, while providing a good feel when used on the entire sponge, regardless of whether it is used on the front or back. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the cleaning sponge according to the present invention comprises a frame member made of a foaming material that forms the skeleton shape of the cleaning sponge and has through holes formed in the main surface thereof, a first foam-generating material that has a smaller volumetric capacity for containing air than the frame member and is accommodated in the through holes, and a second foam-generating material that covers the outer periphery of the frame member and determines the position of the first foam-generating material. and a mesh-like skin member for achieving the above object.

[0008] In addition, in the cleaning sponge having the above characteristics, it is preferable to arrange a second foam-generating material, which has a coarser layer for containing air than the frame member, in addition to the first foam-generating material in the through hole. With such a feature, it is possible to improve the foaming property and generate a large amount of foam in a short time compared to a structure using only the first foam-generating material.

[0009] In addition, in the cleaning sponge having the above-mentioned characteristics, the through hole may be divided into a plurality of holes, and either the first foam-generating material or the second foam-generating material, or both, may be disposed in each of the through holes. By having such a characteristic, it becomes easy to maintain the shape of the frame member.

[0010] Furthermore, in the cleaning sponge having the above characteristics, the skin member, the first foam-generating material, and the second foam-generating material may all be made of a fibrous material, and the skin member may be made of a material that is more flexible than the first foam-generating material and the second foam-generating material. By having such characteristics, it is possible to reduce the possibility of abrasions occurring when wiping an object to be wiped. Effect of the Invention

[0011] A cleaning sponge having the above-mentioned characteristics can provide good foaming and detergent retention, while providing a good feel when using the sponge as a whole, regardless of whether it is on the front or back. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a configuration of a cleaning sponge according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a cleaning sponge according to the embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the section AA in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a modified example in which four through holes are provided in the frame member. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] The following describes in detail the embodiments of the cleaning sponge of the present invention with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiments shown below are some of the preferred forms of the cleaning sponge of the present invention, and even if some of the configuration is changed, it can be considered as part of the present invention as long as the effect of the sponge is achieved.

[0014] [composition] First, the basic configuration of a cleaning sponge according to an embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 3. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a cleaning sponge according to an embodiment, and Fig. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a view showing a cross-section taken along line AA in Fig. 2. A cleaning sponge 10 according to this embodiment is basically composed of a frame member 12, foam-generating materials (first foam-generating material 16, second foam-generating material 18), and a skin member 20.

[0015] The frame member 12 is an element for maintaining the skeletal shape of the cleaning sponge 10, and is made of a foaming material. A specific example of the foaming material is urethane. The frame member 12 has through holes 14 (14a, 14b) formed on the main surface as shown in Figs. 1 to 3. In the case of the embodiment, the frame member 12 has two through holes 14 (through holes 14a, 14b) formed through a partition wall. In general, when a large proportion of through holes are formed in a flexible foaming material compared to its volume, it becomes difficult to maintain the shape. In response to this, a partition wall is formed to separate the through holes (through holes 14a, 14b in this embodiment), which allows the skeletal shape to be maintained. It can be made easier.

[0016] The foam-generating material according to this embodiment is composed of a first foam-generating material 16 and a second foam-generating material 18. The first foam-generating material 16 is composed of fibers that retain more water (retain more foam) than the second foam-generating material 18, and the second foam-generating material 18 is composed of fibers that generate more foam due to detergent (better foaming) than the first foam-generating material 16. Here, the first foam-generating material 16 has a smaller air content in volume ratio than the frame member 12, and has better water retention. The second foam-generating material 18 is composed of a larger air content in volume ratio than the frame member 12, and has better stretchability. For this reason, when the first foam-generating material 16 retains detergent or water containing detergent and the cleaning sponge 10 is stretched, the second foam-generating material 18 and the frame member 12 can generate a lot of foam.

[0017] The relationship between the characteristics of the generated foam and the properties of the foam-generating material is as follows. When the gaps constituting the foam-generating material are coarse (when the gaps between the fibers are large), the average diameter of the generated foam (air bubbles) is large, and the total amount of foam generated appears to be large. Therefore, a large amount of foam can be generated in a short time. On the other hand, when the gaps constituting the foam-generating material are fine (when the gaps between the fibers are small), the average diameter of the generated foam (air bubbles) is small, and the foam becomes so-called fine foam. Therefore, when the same amount of foam is generated, the foam can last longer than bubbles with large air bubbles. Also, when the fibers are highly hydrophilic and the gaps between the fibers are small, the amount of water that can be held within the material is large. Therefore, it becomes possible to contain an abundance of detergent or water containing detergent in the gaps between the fibers (also called the inside of the material), and even if the foam decreases, it is possible to regenerate foam by expanding and contracting the material, and the sustainability of foam generation can be improved while eliminating the trouble of absorbing water. Therefore, it is preferable to make the second foam-generating material 18 a material in which the gaps between the fibers are larger (coarse mesh) than those of the first foam-generating material 16 and the frame member 12, thereby improving the foaming ability of the cleaning sponge 10 as a whole. Also, it is preferable to make the first foam-generating material 16 a material in which the gaps between the fibers are smaller (fine mesh) than those of the second foam-generating material 18 and the frame member 12, thereby improving the water retention ability of the cleaning sponge 10 as a whole.

[0018] As an example of a specific material, the first foam-generating material 16 is made by rolling up a polyester (polyethylene terephthalate) net (PET net), and the second foam-generating material 18 is made by rolling up a polyethylene net (PE net). The frame member 12 is made of soft urethane foam.

[0019] As described above, the second foam-generating material 18 has a larger mesh (gap between fibers) than the first foam-generating material 16. Therefore, the basis weight of the net constituting the second foam-generating material 18 is lighter than the basis weight of the net constituting the first foam-generating material 16. As a specific example, the basis weight of the second foam-generating material 18 is set to 11 g / m 2±10%, the basis weight of the first foam-generating material 16 is 50 g / m 2 The deviation can be within the range of about ±10%. The frame member 12 may be selected so as to satisfy the above conditions by selecting the density and resilience.

[0020] In this embodiment, the first foam-generating material 16 and the second foam-generating material 18 thus configured are accommodated in the through holes 14a, 14b formed in the frame member 12, respectively. With this configuration, even if the first foam-generating material 16 and the second foam-generating material 18 are made of a material with no fixed shape, the cleaning sponge 10 as a whole can maintain its shape. In addition, since the shape can be maintained by the frame member 12, an area corresponding to the main surface of the frame member 12 can be secured for the contact surface with the object to be wiped. The accommodation positions of the first foam-generating material 16 and the second foam-generating material 18 relative to the through holes 14a, 14b are not limited.

[0021] The skin member 20 is an element that covers the outer periphery of the frame member 12 and plays a role in determining the position of the first foam-generating material 16 and the second foam-generating material 18 housed in the through holes 14a, 14b. The skin member 20 is made of a mesh-like material, and allows detergent and water supplied from the outside to permeate the first foam-generating material 16 and the second foam-generating material 18, and also allows foam formed via the first foam-generating material 16 and the second foam-generating material 18 to be sent out to the outer periphery. The triangular pattern shown on the surface of the cleaning sponge 10 in FIG. 1 represents the mesh of the skin member 20. Although the pattern is shown only on a part of the skin member 20 in the drawing, the mesh is provided on the entire skin member 20.

[0022] In addition, in this embodiment, the skin member 20 covering the outer periphery of the frame member 12 is connected to the first foam-generating material 16 and the second foam-generating material 18 with thread, thereby preventing the skin member 20 from becoming biased and the first foam-generating material 16 and the second foam-generating material 18 from becoming misaligned.

[0023] The skin member 20 thus constructed is made of a material more flexible than the first foam-generating material 16 and the second foam-generating material 18, so as to prevent scratches from occurring when wiping an object. The first foam-generating material 16 and the second foam-generating material 18 expand and contract when subjected to an external force, and expand when the external force is released, forming a film caused by the detergent that forms the foam, taking in air into the film (foam formation), and discharging the foam, thereby generating a large amount of foam. For this reason, the first foam-generating material 16 and the second foam-generating material 18 need to be hard (elastic) to maintain the expansive force of the material as a whole. Therefore, when these materials come into direct contact, the object to be wiped may be damaged. In contrast, the skin member 20 does not require expansiveness to generate foam, so the fibers that form the net can be made finer and made of a softer material. Therefore, even if the first foam-generating material 16 and the second foam-generating material 18 are contained inside and the foam generation efficiency and foam maintenance rate are improved, there is no risk of damaging the object to be wiped. An example of the material constituting the skin member 20 that plays such a role is a fiber made of acrylic.

[0024] [Effect] In the cleaning sponge 10 configured as described above, the entire cleaning sponge 10 including the first foam-generating material 16 and the second foam-generating material 18 is impregnated with cleaning detergent and water, or cleaning detergent, or water in which the detergent is diluted, and foam caused by the detergent is generated by squeezing (kneading) the entire cleaning sponge 10. Then, an object is wiped with the foam held on the outer periphery of the cleaning sponge 10. If the foam decreases due to repeated wiping actions or the passage of time, the entire cleaning sponge 10 is squeezed again to encourage foam generation.

[0025] [effect] The cleaning sponge 10 configured as above can improve the foaming and retention of detergent, and the sustainability of foam generation. In addition, the first foam-generating material 16 and the second foam-generating material 18 that generate foam are housed in the through holes 14a, 14b provided in the frame member 12, so that the cleaning sponge 10 as a whole can provide a good feeling of use regardless of whether it is on the front or back. In addition, by including two types of foam-generating materials with different properties, it is possible to improve the efficiency of foam generation, as well as the time for which the generated foam is maintained and the sustainability of foam generation.

[0026] [Variations] In the above embodiment, the frame member 12 is provided with two through holes 14a and 14b. This is because, when providing through holes of the same volume for a frame member 12 of the same volume, it is easier to maintain the shape (maintain the skeletal shape) of the frame member 12 by dividing the through holes into a plurality of through holes and providing partitions. From the viewpoint of the present invention, the number of through holes is not limited, and may be one or three or more. For example, when the frame member 12 is provided with four through holes (through holes 14a to 14d) as shown in Fig. 4, it is preferable to accommodate the first foam-generating material 16 in the through holes 14a and 14c, and the second foam-generating material 18 in the through holes 14b and 14d. This is because such a configuration can maintain a good balance between the amount of foam generated, the maintenance time, the sustainability of foam generation, and the like.

[0027] In the above embodiment, the foam generating material is described as having the first foam generating material 16 and the second foam generating material 18, each of which has a different function. However, the foam generating material does not necessarily have to be of two types, and it may be of one type (first foam generating material 16), or may be of three or more types of foam generating materials (including at least one that corresponds to the first foam generating material 16).

[0028] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, it is described that one through hole 14a, 14b accommodates either the first foam-generating material 16 or the second foam-generating material 18. However, one through hole 14a, 14b may accommodate both the first foam-generating material 16 and the second foam-generating material 18. [Explanation of symbols]

[0029] 10... Cleaning sponge, 12... Frame member, 14 (14a, 14b)... Through hole, 16... First foam generating material, 18... Second foam generating material, 20... Skin member.

Claims

1. A frame member made of a foam material having a skeleton shape of a cleaning sponge and having through holes formed in a main surface thereof; a first bubble-generating material that has a smaller volumetric capacity of air than the frame member and is accommodated in the through hole; a mesh-like skin member covering the outer periphery of the frame member and positioning the first foam-generating material.

2. 2. The cleaning sponge according to claim 1, wherein in addition to the first foam-generating material, a second foam-generating material having a coarser layer for containing air than the frame member is disposed in the through hole.

3. The cleaning sponge according to claim 2, characterized in that the through hole is formed into a plurality of divided holes, and each through hole is provided with either the first foam-generating material or the second foam-generating material, or both.

4. 4. The cleaning sponge according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the skin member, the first foam-generating material, and the second foam-generating material are all made of a fibrous material, and the skin member is made of a material that is more flexible than the first foam-generating material and the second foam-generating material.

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