Water-disintegrable article

Abstract

The present invention is an article including a water-disintegrable substrate and a composition applied onto a surface of the substrate. The composition includes between about 3% to about 50% by weight of a surfactant, between about 0.01% to about 5% by weight of water-soluble thickener, and between about 0.5% to about 55% by weight of an abrasive. The article has a disintegration factor according to the INDA FG502.R1(18) Slosh Box Test Method of at least about 40%.

Description

SURFACTANT COATING COMPOSITIONS AND PROCESSES TAILORED FOR WATER-DISINTEGRABLE SUBSTRATES Background

[0001] Cleaning toilets is an undesirable but necessary task. Current methods of cleaning toilets commonly involve applying a cleaning agent within a toilet bowl and then scrubbing the toilet bowl with a handheld tool. The handheld tool generally includes bristles or a cleaning pad that can be used to scour the inner surface of the toilet bowl, removing debris and stains. There are currently a number of cleaning devices for cleaning toilet bowls that include a reusable handle assembly and a disposable pad that is releasably engageable with the handle assembly.

[0002] Existing toilet cleaning devices can have various drawbacks. For example, one drawback is that many users do not want to touch the disposable cleaning head with their hand. For many users, this means that they do not want to touch the disposable cleaning head either during attachment of the cleaning head to the handle assembly or during removal of the dirty disposable cleaning head from the handle assembly. Many prior art toilet cleaning devices require that the user hold the disposable cleaning head in their hand during application to the handle assembly and / or during removal from the handle assembly. Some prior art toilet cleaning devices intended for hands-free attachment of the cleaning head to the handle are in practice difficult to use without holding the cleaning head while attaching to the handle, or the cleaning head does not reliably disconnect from the handle without touching the cleaning head.

[0003] In addition, the cleaning head is disposed of after use, contributing to waste. Disposal of waste materials into a typical landfill provides a relatively stable environment, but one in which the materials do not decompose at an appreciable rate. The art has previously recognized a variety of articles designed for disposal into the toilet or water closet after use, commonly termed "flushable." Flushable articles can, but do not always, completely disperse within the wastewater system. They are principally constructed to avoid clogging the wastewater system. Developing compositions and articles which are more compatible with these waste disposal methods is a goal professed in the current art.Summary

[0004] In one embodiment, the present invention is an article including a water- disintegrable substrate and a composition applied onto a surface of the substrate. The composition includes between about 3% to about 50% by weight of a surfactant, between about 0.01% to about 5% by weight of water-soluble thickener, and between about 0.5% to about 55% by weight of an abrasive. The article has a disintegration factor according to the INDA FG502.R1(18) Slosh Box Test Method of at least about 40%.

[0005] In another embodiment, the present invention is a water-disintegrable article including a substrate and a coating applied onto a surface of the substrate. The coating includes between about 3% to about 50% by weight of a surfactant and between about 0.01% to about 5% by weight water-soluble thickener. The article has a disintegration factor of at least about 25% based on the INDA FG502.R1(18) Slosh Box Test Method and a percent clean of at least about 40%. Brief Description of Drawings

[0006] This disclosure may be more completely understood in consideration of the following detailed description of various embodiments of the disclosure in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0007] FIG.1 is schematic of a printed cleaning article of the present invention.

[0008] FIGS.2A, FIG.2B, and FIG.2C are plan views of different examples of slit patterns according to the present disclosure, which may be used with the cleaning articles of the present invention.

[0009] While the above-identified figures set forth several embodiments of the disclosure, other embodiments are also contemplated, as noted in the description. In all cases, this disclosure presents the invention by way of representation and not limitation. It should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art, which fall within the scope and spirit of the principles of the invention. Detailed Description

[0010] The present invention generally relates to a cleaning article that has high water disintegrability while also having high scouring performance. The cleaning article includes a substrate and a composition coated onto the substrate. In practice, the cleaningarticle can be used in conjunction with a handle assembly to clean any surface, such as a toilet bowl. Due to its ability to disintegrate in water, the cleaning article is flushable and therefore provides a no-touch solution in which the user does not need to physically touch the cleaning article during application of the cleaning article to a handle assembly or removal of the scrubbing head from the handle assembly. In one embodiment, the handle assembly is reusable.

[0011] Substrate constructions used in the present invention generally include any water-disintegrable nonwoven. For example, the substrate can include, but is not limited to: non-woven webs formed from staple fibers, non-woven webs formed from single layer microfibers, non-woven webs formed from multiple layer microfibers, and non-woven webs formed from microfibers of blended compositions. For example, a particularly suitable substrate is a mainly pulp-based paper substrate that is substantially water soluble. “Substantially water soluble” is defined as having a percent disintegration of at least about 40%, particularly at least about 50%, and more particularly at least about 60%.

[0012] The cleaning article includes a composition coated onto the substrate. The composition is dissolvable in water and leaves minimal residue after cleaning. In one embodiment, the entire cleaning article is flushable. By flushable, it is meant that the cleaning article has a disintegrability of great than about 60% according to the INDA FG502.R1(18) Slosh Box Test Method. The composition also offers good foaming properties, increased conformability under pressure, and flexibility. In one embodiment, the composition can be used along with other materials such as surfactants, fragrances, abrasives, minerals, biocides, antimicrobials, and colorants to allow the creation of a wide spectrum of cleaning articles. Thus, depending on the additives, the key characteristics of the composition can be tuned to specifically allow for enhanced oxidizing power, acidity, effervescence, abrasive properties, scent, etc. as needed or desired. In one embodiment, the cleaning article is used to clean and / or remove stains such as hard water stains from toilet bowls.

[0013] The composition generally includes a binding surfactant, a water-soluble thickener, and an abrasive. The binding surfactant of the present invention provides a medium to bind the components of the composition. The binding surfactant functions to maintain the components of the composition together. The binding surfactant must be strong enough to hold the mechanical integrity and provide hardness to the compositionuntil the composition comes into contact with water, at which time it can disintegrate. The binding surfactant can chemically or physically hold together the components of the composition, forming covalent bonds, ionic bonds, hydrogen bonds, Van der Waals interactions, or other secondary interactions, in the presence of the water-containing liquid. When abrasive particles are included, the binding surfactant is also capable of providing a medium in which the abrasive particles can be evenly distributed. The binding surfactant enhances the disintegrability of the cleaning article, offers more conformability and flexibility when abrasive particles are included in dot form, and offers increased foaming properties. The binding surfactant can function to enhance the disintegrability of the cleaning article by allowing water to quickly penetrate into the article network and disintegrate. When the abrasive particles are in dot form, the binding surfactant additionally offers resistance to extraneous forces, such as pressure. In one embodiment, the composition includes between about 3% to about 50% by weight binding surfactant, particularly between about 5% to about 40% by weight binding surfactant, and more particularly, between about 10% to about 30% by weight binding surfactant. Examples of the binding surfactant include, but are not limited to: anionic, nonionic and cationic surfactants, and the like.

[0014] The coating composition may also include an additional surfactant to improve the cleaning or foaming performance of the cleaning article. Examples of suitable surfactants include, but are not limited to: anionic surfactants, nonionic surfactants, and cationic surfactants. Examples of suitable anionic surfactants include, but are not limited to: alkyl and alkyl ether sulfates, sulfated monoglycerides, sulfonated olefins, alkyl aryl sulfonates, primary or secondary alkane sulfonates, alkyl sulfosuccinates, acid taurates, alkyl sulfoacetates, acid isethionates, alkyl glycerylether sulfonate, sulfonated methyl esters, sulfonated fatty acids, alkyl phosphates, acyl glutamates, acyl sarcosinates, alkyl lactylates, anionic fluorosurfactants, sodium lauroyl glutamate, and combinations thereof. Additional suitable anionic surfactants include those disclosed in U.S. Patent Application No.61 / 120,765 and those surfactants disclosed in McCutcheon’s Detergents and Emulsifiers, North American Edition (1992), Allured Publishing Corp. Examples of suitable nonionic surfactants include, but are not limited to: polyoxyethylenated alkyl phenols, polyoxyethylenated alcohols, polyoxyethylenated polyoxypropylene glycols, glyceryl esters of alkanoic acids, polyglyceryl esters of alkanoic acids, propylene glycolesters of alkanoic acids, sorbitol esters of alkanoic acids, polyoxyethylenated sorbitor esters of alkanoic acids, polyoxyethylene glycol esters of alkanoic acids, polyoxyethylenated alkanoic acids, alkanolamides, N-alkylpyrrolidones, alkyl glycosides, alkyl polyglucosides, alkylamine oxides, and polyoxyethylenated silicones. Examples of suitable cationic surfactants include, but are not limited to, those selected from the “quaternary ammonium” class of materials including but not limited to; cetyltrimethylammonium chloride, behenyltrimethylammonium chloride, stearyltrimethylammonium chloride, cetylpyridinium chloride, octadecyltrimethylammonium chloride, hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride, octyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride, decyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride, stearyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride, didodecyldimethylammonium chloride, dioctadecyldimethylammonium chloride, distearyldimethylammonium chloride, tallowtrimethylammonium chloride, cocotrimethylammonium chloride, dipalmitoylethyldimethylammonium chloride, PEG-2 oleylammonium chloride, and salts of these, where the chloride is replaced by halogen, (e.g., bromide), acetate, citrate, lactate, glycolate, phosphate nitrate, sulphate, or alkylsulphate. In one embodiment, the composition includes up to about 5% surfactant, particularly less than about 4% surfactant, and more particularly between about 1% and about 3% surfactant.

[0015] More than one surfactant may be used to produce a desired combination of high cleaning performance and low surface scratching. In general, cleaning performance is benefitted by higher modulus, to the detriment of surface damage avoidance, while lower modulus benefits the avoidance of surface damage, to the detriment of cleaning performance. By using a miscible blend of different surfactants as the binder, the glass transition and stiffness of the binder mixture can be tuned to optimize the balance of cleaning performance and surface damage, avoiding the more costly molecular engineering required to synthesize a single material having the desired glass transition temperature and modulus.

[0016] The water-soluble thickener functions to stabilize the coating composition and ease the coating process. In addition, in conjunction with the surfactant, the water-soluble thickener can also function as a water-soluble binder or co-binder to improve the overall performance of the coated substrate. The combination of the water-soluble thickener and surfactant allows for the desired amount of abrasive content while also maintaining thestability of the abrasive in the coated surface of the cleaning article, contributing to overall scouring performance. In one embodiment, the composition includes between about 0.01% and about 5% by weight water-soluble thickener, particularly between about 0.05% to about 3% by weight water-soluble thickener, and more particularly between about 0.1% to about 1.5% by weight water-soluble thickener. In one embodiment, the water-soluble thickener includes a polysaccharide-based thickener. In one embodiment, the water- soluble thickener can be semisynthetic or a natural polymer. In one embodiment, the water-soluble thickener includes a cellulose-based thickener. Examples of water-based thickeners include, not are not limited to: carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, starch, xanthan gum, and other gums.

[0017] Abrasive particles may be included in the composition. The abrasive particles may be selected based on the application of the cleaning article, such as cleaning food and grease from dishes or cookware, or cleaning mold and mildew from a toilet bowl. The abrasive particles, which may be described as abrasive grains, particulate grains, abrasive minerals, or abrasive filler, may be characterized by a Mohs hardness. In some embodiments, the abrasive particles have a Mohs hardness of less than 3. Examples of abrasive grains having a Mohs hardness of less than 3 include but are not limited to: clays (such as kaolinite, montmorillonite, illite, chlorite clays, talc, soapstone), gypsum, calcium carbonate (such as limestone and marble), mica, halite, and jet. Additionally, numerous soft organic materials can provide the same functions as soft particulate mineral grains, such as crushed or ground shells of nuts / fruits including, but not limited to: almond, argan, coconut, hazelnut, macadamia, pecan, pine, pistachio, and walnut; crushed or ground pits / kernels of fruits including but not limited to: apricot, olive, peach, cherry, plum, palm, and tagua; crushed or ground com cob; crushed or ground shells of arthropods; wood flour; crushed or ground synthetic polymeric materials including but not limited to any thermoplastic polymer or any thermoset polymer; and crushed, ground, or unmodified naturally-derived polymeric materials including, but not limited to: polyhydroxyalkanoates; precision-shaped synthetic polymeric materials. In some embodiments, the abrasive particles include more than one type of particulate grain.

[0018] In some embodiments, the abrasive particles have a Mohs hardness between 1 and 10. In one example, a Mohs hardness up to 3, or between 1 and 3, may be used for non-scratch applications. In another example, a Mohs hardness between 3 and 6, may beused for cleaning stainless steel. The abrasive particles may be made of crushed glass, which may be post-consumer recycled glass. In yet another example, a Mohs hardness above 6 may be used for heavy duty abrasive applications.

[0019] Further, a wide variety of other abrasive minerals or abrasive fillers may be used as abrasive particles. Useful minerals include, but are not limited to, Al2O3(such as “Minex” available from The Cary Co. of Addison, Illinois), SiO2, TiO2, etc. Exemplary fillers include, but are not limited to: CaCO3, talc, etc. Further, the abrasive particles may include inorganic, hard, and small particles. For example, the “Minex” mineral particulate has a median particle size of 2 microns and a Knoop hardness of about 560. Of course, other particle size and hardness values may also be useful.

[0020] Examples of suitable abrasives include, but are not limited to: walnut shell, diatomaceous earth, pumice, calcium carbonate, China clay, talcum, silicon dioxide, wollastonite, silicon carbide, corn cob, iron silicate, and metal oxides such as aluminum oxide, ferric oxide, calcium oxide, magnesium oxide, sodium oxide, and potassium oxide. Further examples of useful abrasive particles include, but are not limited to: fused aluminum oxide, heat treated aluminum oxide, white fused aluminum oxide, black silicon carbide, green silicon carbide, titanium diboride, boron carbide, tungsten carbide, titanium carbide, diamond, cubic boron nitride, garnet, fused alumina zirconia, sol gel abrasive particles, silica, iron oxide, chromia, ceria, zirconia, titania, silicates, metal carbonates (such as calcium carbonate (e.g., chalk, calcite, marl, travertine, marble and limestone), calcium magnesium carbonate, sodium carbonate, magnesium carbonate), silica (e.g., quartz, glass beads, glass bubbles and glass fibers) silicates (e.g., talc, clays, (montmorillonite) feldspar, mica, calcium silicate, calcium metasilicate, sodium aluminosilicate, sodium silicate) metal sulfates (e.g., calcium sulfate, barium sulfate, sodium sulfate, aluminum sodium sulfate, aluminum sulfate), gypsum, aluminum trihydrate, graphite, metal oxides (e.g., tin oxide, calcium oxide), aluminum oxide, titanium dioxide) and metal sulfites (e.g., calcium sulfite), metal particles (e.g., tin, lead, copper), plastic abrasive particles formed from a thermoplastic material (e.g., polycarbonate, polyetherimide, polyester, polyethylene, polysulfone, polystyrene, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene block copolymer, polypropylene, acetal polymers, polyvinyl chloride, polyurethanes, nylon), plastic abrasive particles formed from crosslinked polymers (e.g., phenolic resins, aminoplast resins, urethane resins, epoxyresins, melamine-formaldehyde, acrylate resins, acrylated isocyanurate resins, urea- formaldehyde resins, isocyanurate resins, acrylated urethane resins, acrylated epoxy resins), and combinations thereof. In one embodiment, the composition includes between about 0.5% and about 55% by weight abrasive, particularly between about 2% and about 40% by weight abrasive, and more particularly between about 5% and about 30% by weight abrasive.

[0021] The composition may also include a water-soluble binding agent to increase the durability of the cleaning article prior to disintegration. The water-soluble binding agent functions to maintain the components of the composition together. The water-soluble binding agent must be strong enough to hold the mechanical integrity and provide hardness to the composition until the composition comes into contact with water, at which time it can disintegrate. The water-soluble binding agent can chemically or physically hold together the components of the composition, forming covalent bonds, ionic bonds, hydrogen bonds, Van der Waals interactions, or other secondary interactions, in the presence of the water-containing liquid. The water-soluble binding agent are generally synthetic water-soluble polymers. In one embodiment, the composition includes between about 0.01% to about 10% by weight water-soluble binding agent, particularly between about 0.05% to about 6% by weight water-soluble binding agent, and more particularly, between about 0.1% to about 5% by weight water-soluble binding agent. Examples of the water-soluble binding agent include, but are not limited to: polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylic acid, polyacrylamide, polyethylene glycol, polyamine, polyacrylamide acrylic acid copolymer, and the like.

[0022] More than one water-soluble binding agent may be used to produce a desired combination of high cleaning performance and low surface scratching. In general, cleaning performance is benefitted by higher modulus, to the detriment of surface damage avoidance, while lower modulus benefits the avoidance of surface damage, to the detriment of cleaning performance. By using a miscible blend of soft and hard binder components, the glass transition and stiffness of the binder mixture can be tuned to optimize the balance of cleaning performance and surface damage, avoiding the more costly molecular engineering required to synthesize a single material having the desired glass transition temperature and modulus.

[0023] Other additives can be included in the composition to perform various functions. Examples include, but are not limited to: chelating agents, surfactants, oxidizers, biocides, antimicrobial agents, anti-caking agents, hydrophilic agents, dispersants, co-binders, processing aids, fillers / tougheners, softeners, abrasive particles, desiccants, mold release agents, lubricants, disintegrants, cleaning agents, coupling agents, photoinitiators, thermal initiators, viscosity modifiers, adhesion promoters, grinding aids, wetting agents, dispersing agents, light stabilizers, antioxidants, anti-foam agents, coloring agents, dyes, pigments, and fragrances. Detergents or soaps may also be coated over or otherwise applied to the articles of the invention in a known manner.

[0024] The cleaning article of the present invention is disintegrable when exposed to water for a period of time in order to be easily disposable after use. For example, the cleaning article may start to disintegrate after being exposed to water for less than about 5 minutes, depending on the size of the cleaning article. The water disintegrability of the substrate is defined as the ability of the substrate to disintegrate upon contact with water either through dissolution of the substrate into the water and / or dispersion of the substrate into the water. A substrate having high water disintegrability indicates that the substrate disintegrates to the extent that it can be flushed in water after a relatively short period of time. Water disintegrability, or disintegration factor, is defined according to the INDA FG502 Slosh Box Disintegration test method. The INDA FG502.R1(18) Slosh Box Disintegration test method is used to assess the potential for a substrate to disintegrate when it is subjected to mechanical agitation in water or wastewater. The test system consists of an oscillating box (26 rpm) containing 2.0 liters of tap water or wastewater, in which a single individual nonwoven substrate is run for 60 minutes. Subsequently, the contents of the box are transferred to and then rinsed through a 12.5mm perforated plate sieve. The materials retained on the sieve are recovered and analyzed gravimetrically. The percent of the starting dry mass passing through the 12.5 mm perforated plate sieve after 60 minutes is described as the disintegrability, of disintegration factor, of the substrate.

[0025] Disintegrability (Disintegration) = ൫1 − ^ൗ ^ ൯ x 100Where:A is the dry mass of retained fraction on sieve (g); and B is the initial dry mass of sample (g)

[0026] Substrates that exhibit negligible disintegration tend to retain their strength and remain fully intact after flushing, thereby increasing their potential to contribute to the clogging of drain-lines, sewer pumps and conveyance systems. For a substrate to be flushable, the disintegration factor must be greater than 60% according to the INDA FG502.R1(18) Slosh Box Test Method. In one embodiment, the cleaning article has a disintegration factor of at least about 25%, particularly at least about 30%, more particularly at least about 40%, more particularly at least about 50%, and even more particularly at least about 60%.

[0027] The cleaning article can be sturdy and resistant to water during preparation, storage, and use. "Water resistant" means that the article will not significantly degrade upon contact with water yet will be disintegrable and hence disposable when exposed to water in a single use.

[0028] While the cleaning article of the present invention can disintegrate in water, it also has high scouring performance. The scouring performance of the cleaning article is measured using a Chroma Meter CR-410 colorimeter (available from Konica Minolta Inc., located in Tokyo, Japan) on rusty tile stains that were made from coating vinegar onto a perforated steel panel. The L*A*B* of clean reference tile (L*R, A*R, B*R) as well as the L*A*B* of coated rusty tile (L*S, A*S, B*S of the soiled tiles) are first measured. A 5” x 5” nonwoven sample is then folded twice to form a 2.5” x 2.5” section, and 20 mL of DI water is added onto the rusty tile surface. The rusty stain is then wiped by the sample back and forth for 10 cycles. The tile is then rotated 90°and is wiped again back and forth for another 10 cycles. The L*A*B* of post-scoured tile (sample clean reading L*C, A*C, B*C) is then measured. The “Distance to Clean” as well as “Distance to Dirty” are calculated using the following equations: ^^^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^^ = ^(^∗^ ^∗ ^)^ + (^∗ ^∗ ^ )^(^∗^∗ ^ )^Where: L*R, A*R, B*Rare the clean reference tile L*C, A*C, B*Care the mean color coordinates of the post-scoured tile L*S, A*S, B*Sare the mean color coordinates of the original soiled tile

[0029] The cleaning performance of the cleaning article is calculated as the % of LAB difference before and after wiping the coated rusty tile as shown below: Distance to Dirty % ^^^^^ = Distance to Clean

[0030] In one embodiment, the cleaning article has a percent clean of at least about 40%, particularly at least about 50%, and more particularly at least about 60%.

[0031] Various slit patterns may be usable with the cleaning article, including but not limited to those shown in FIG.2A, FIG.2B, and FIG.2C. Adding slit pattern will dramatically increase the % disintegration and increase the flushability of the final cleaning article. Generally, a slit pattern is configured to provide protruding portions when the expandable sheet, or article, is deployed, which may can facilitate interlocking overlapping layers of the cleaning article and additional performance in various applications, such as trapping of debris in a cleaning application. Non-limiting examples of slit patterns for tension-activated kirigami (TAK) are described in WO Publication No.2021 / 130628 A1, entitled Multi-Slit Tension- Activated, Expanding Sheets, and WO Publication No.2021 / 130659 A1, entitled Tension- Activated Expanding Articles with Multibeam Slits, each of which is incorporated herein by reference. Repeating patterns of slits configured to form protruding portions, such as folding walls or undulating beams, are particularly well-suited to provide interlocking across various degrees of stretch.

[0032] Slits can be characterized as “simple slits” or “compound slits,” where a “simple slit” is defined as having exactly two terminal ends and a “compound slit” has more than two terminal ends. As used herein, the term “single slit pattern” refers to a pattern of individual slits that form individual rows each extending across the sheet transversely (e.g., along a horizontal axis, such as a cross axis), where the rows form a slit pattern of individual rows arranged along the axial length of the sheet (e.g., along a vertical axis, such as an expansion axis), and the pattern of slits in each row is different than the pattern of slits in the directly adjacent rows. For example, the slits in one row may be axially offset or out of phase with the slits in the directly adjacent rows.

[0033] A slit pattern can be described as a multi-slit pattern. The term “multi-slit pattern” is defined herein as a pattern of individual slits that form a first set of adjacent rows, where the individual slits within the first set of adjacent rows are aligned along across axis. In a multi-slit pattern, the first set of adjacent rows form a repeating pattern with at least a second row, where the slits in the first set of adjacent identical rows are offset from the slits in the second row along the cross axis. The term “multi-slit pattern” includes double slit patterns, triple slit patterns, quadruple slit patterns, etc. For example, the term “double slit pattern” refers to a pattern of a plurality of individual slits. The pattern includes a plurality of rows of slits and the individual slits in a first row are substantially aligned with the individual slits in a directly adjacent, second row. A double slit is defined by a slit in a first row that is substantially aligned with a slit in a second row. Together, these two substantially aligned slits form a double slit pattern. A “triple slit pattern” refers to a pattern where individual slits in the first and second row are also aligned to individual slits in an adjacent third row, and so on for quadruple slit patterns and beyond.

[0034] A slit pattern can also be described as a multibeam slit pattern. The term “multibeam slit pattern" is defined as a pattern having one or more simple slits (in addition to the slits forming the single slit or multi-slit pattern) formed between two adjacent slits, where the two adjacent slits are either in the same row or adjacent rows. A beam region, defined as the direct path between the closest terminal ends of two adjacent slits in adjacent rows such as ends experience the highest concentration of forces when tension is applied to a single slit patterned material. A multibeam slit pattern having additional slits added in the beam region that cross through the direct path between closest terminal ends in adjacent rows can create one or more additional force-carrying paths, or additional beams, which have additional stress concentrating terminal ends that can increase the maximum force bearing capacity of the material.

[0035] In general, the expandable sheet may be made in any suitable manner. For example, slit patterns can be formed by extrusion, molding, laser cutting, water jetting, machining, stereolithography or other 3D printing techniques, laser ablation, photolithography, chemical etching, rotary die cutting, stamping, other suitable negative or positive processing techniques, or combinations thereof. For example, rotary die cutting uses a rotary die with cutting surfaces (e.g., blades) to form slits in a sheet substrate according to a slit pattern to provide the expandable sheet.

[0036] In the deployed configuration, the expandable sheet has a plurality of protruding portions. Each protruding portion extends outwardly from a tension plane ofthe expandable sheet in a first direction or in a second direction opposite the first direction. The “tension plane” is defined as parallel to both the expansion axis and the cross axis. When the expandable sheet is wrapped around itself to form overlapping layers, at least some of the protruding portions that extend outwardly in the first direction in each overlapping layer can be interlocked with at least some protruding portions in an adjacent layer that extend outwardly in the second direction.

[0037] Although the slits may have various shapes, each slit may be described as being formed of various slit features, such as segments, segment intersections, and terminal ends. In general, each slit includes at least one segment and at least two terminal ends. A segment of a slit may be described as continuous and linear (e.g., straight) or non- linear (e.g., curved). A segment may also be described relative to the tool used to form the segment. For example, each segment may be cut by a distinct cutting surface on a rotary die.

[0038] Slit pattern may define a plurality of nonrotating beam regions. Each nonrotating beam region may be positioned between adjacent slits in the same row. In some embodiments, each nonrotating beam region may be defined at least partially between two vertical distal end portions of a first slit and two vertical distal end portions of a second slit adjacent to the first slit in the same row. In some embodiments, the vertical ends of adjacent slits may be aligned. For example, one vertical distal end portion of the first slit may be aligned to intersect a horizontal line and one vertical distal end portion of the second slit aligned to intersect the same horizontal line. A vertical distal end portion may be terminal or non-terminal.

[0039] As used herein, the terms “vertical line” and “horizontal line” refer to imaginary lines oriented relative to the expandable sheet that extend substantially parallel to the expansion axis or the cross axis, respectively.

[0040] In some embodiments, the rows of the slit pattern may be staggered. As used herein, the term “staggered row” refers to the locations of substantially all the slits in a given row being out of phase, or phase offset, by a set amount or a minimum distance along the horizontal axis when compared to corresponding slits in a directly adjacent row. In some embodiments, the adjacent rows are out of phase by one half of the horizonal spacing between slits in the row, as measured by the geometric center-to-center distance between slits.

[0041] The repeating slit pattern may define a repeating region within the repeating pattern. The repeating region includes at least two staggered rows of the slits. The repeating region may repeat at least two times along at least one row of the slits in the repeating pattern, at least two times along the expansion axis in the repeating pattern, or both.

[0042] The slits may have one or more orientations in the repeating region. In some embodiments, the repeating region includes at least two slits oriented in the same direction or includes each slit being oriented in the same direction. In some embodiments, the repeating region includes at least one inverted slit in the same row to at least one noninverted slit or includes at least one inverted slit in an adjacent row to at least one noninverted slit. The at least one inverted slit may be an inversion across a horizontal line, which is parallel to the horizontal axis. Such a slit pattern may be described as having slit inversions.

[0043] The repeating slit pattern may also include shifted pattern features. For example, the slits in a row may have one or more shifted pattern features compared to the slits in an adjacent row. As used herein, the term “pattern features” refers to a slit or of a slit feature along the major surface. As used herein, the term “slit feature” refers to a segment, a segment intersection, or an end point of a slit. The term “shifted pattern feature” of an arrangement refers to a shifted location or orientation of a slit or a slit feature compared to a corresponding slit or slit feature in another arrangement. The term “shifted slit” refers to a shift in the location or orientation of an entire slit. The term “shifted slit feature” refers to a shift in the location or orientation of a slit feature in a slit. Different arrangements may be compared by overlaying one region on top of another region and identifying how one or more slits or slit features have shifted.

[0044] To make the article, the coating is first prepared by mixing each component with a high-shear mixer. Water is first added, followed by the binder and the thickener and abrasive. The coating may be applied onto the substrate by any method known to those of skill in the art. For example, by coating or printing. Examples include, but are not limited to: spray-coating, screen-printing, roll-coating (such as, for example, gravure- printing), and flexo-graphic-printing. In one embodiment, the composition is coated at a coating weight range of between about 2% and about 85%, particularly between about 7% and about 55%, and more particularly between about 10% and about 40%.Examples

[0045] The present invention is more particularly described in the following examples that are intended as illustrations only, since numerous modifications and variations within the scope of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Unless otherwise noted, all parts, percentages, and ratios reported in the following examples are on a weight basis. Materials Used in the Examples Abbreviation Description PVA aqueous PVA solution (3%) is prepared from polyvinyl alcohol (Mw146,000-186,000, 99+% hydrolyzed), obtained from Aldrich Chemical Company; Milwaukee, WI FN flushable nonwoven (A6W8060N01, 55gsm), obtained from Sateri Non-woven Co., Ltd, TongLing, China SWE sulfuric acid, mono-C10-16-alkyl 68585-47-7 esters, sodium salts, obtained under the trade designation “STEPANOL WA- EXTRA” from Stepan Co., Northbrook, IL GLP Alkyl polyglycolides, natural fatty alcohol C8-C16, nonionic, 50% solid, obtained under the trade designation “GLUCOPON 425N” from BASF, Florham Park, NJ 07932 BS Triethanolamine linear alkylate sulfonate, anionic, 60% solid, obtained under the trade designation “BIOSOFT-300N” from Stepan Co., Northbrook, IL TCG Alkyl polyglycolide, nonionic, 50% solid, obtained under the trade designation “Triton CG-50” from Dow Chemicals, Midland, MI 48640 P silicon dioxide and aluminum oxide, obtained under the trade designation “Pumice FFF” from CB Minerals LLC, Mamaroneck, NY VZ xanthan gum, obtained under the trade designation “VanZan” from Vanderbilt Minerals, LLC, Norwalk, CT BD blue dye, obtained under the trade designation “Duasyn Acid Blue AE03” from Clariant Corp., Charlotte, NC Table 1: List of Formulations for Gravure Printing Process Preparatory Ingredient (g) Example GLP BS SWE TCG PVA P VZ BD Water TOTAL PE1 25 0 0 0 0 30 0.5 0.02 44.48 100 PE2 0 33.33 0 0 0 30 0.5 0.02 36.15 100 PE3 0 0 68.96 0 0 30 0.7 0.02 0.32 100 PE4 0 0 0 40 0 30 0.7 0.02 29.28 100PE5 0 0 0 0 60 15 0.5 0.02 24.48 100 PE6 0 0 24.74 0 59.74 15 0.5 0.02 0 100 Table 2: Performances of Gravure-Printing Nonwovens Example Nonwoven Coat Disintegration Scouring (%) (%) Comp. Ex. A FN - 75.6 5.1 1 FN PE1 79.3 94 2 FN PE2 81.9 91 3 FN PE3 88.4 97 4 FN PE4 87.2 94 5 FN PE5 55.2 93 6 FN PE6 72.7 85 SAMPLE PREPARATION PROCEDURES Slurry Preparation

[0046] The coating mixture was prepared by mixing each ingredient with high shear mixer in the following order: water, thickener, mineral abrasive, surfactant binder and dye. Coating / Printing Process

[0047] The textured layer can be formed on one or more of the surfaces of the nonwoven substrate using a variety of known techniques such as coating (e.g., roll coat, spray, electrostatic coating) and printing (screen printing, flexographic printing, gravure printing, etc.) Spray Coat

[0048] Flushable nonwoven article was conveyed to a spray booth where a water- soluble slurry containing mineral abrasive was sprayed on the top surface of the web. Within the booth, a spray nozzle applied the slurry at a wet weight of 20-100 GSM. The coated web was then dried by passing the web through an oven having a temperature ranging from 100-120° C to form a flushable non-scratch scouring article with dry solids ranged 0.1-10 GSM.Screen Printing

[0049] A water-soluble slurry containing mineral abrasive was then pumped into the middle of a rotary mesh with a desired print design with holes approximately 2 mm in diameter or less. The slurry was forced through the holes in the screen using a squeegee onto the flushable web. The viscosity of the slurry ranged from 5,000 cps to 35,000 cps. The screen-printed web was then cured in the oven with temperature ranging from 100-120° C. The resulting composition was a flushable scouring article with dried solids ranged 5-50 GSM. Gravure Printing or Rotogravure Printing

[0050] A water-soluble slurry containing mineral abrasive was placed into a bank reservoir. The slurry was transferred onto engraved cylinder to transfer the ink onto the substrate. The viscosity of the slurry ranged from 200 cps to 35,000 cps. The gravure printed web was then cured in the oven with temperature ranging from 100-120° C. The resulting composition was a flushable scouring article with dried solids ranged 5- 50 GSM. TEST METHODS Nonwoven Flushable Test

[0051] A simplified Slosh Box Disintegration INDA FG502.R1(18) test method was used to assess the potential for a product to disintegrate when it was subjected to mechanical agitation in water or wastewater. The test system consisted of an oscillating box (26 rpm) containing 2.0 liters of tap water or wastewater, in which a single individual nonwoven wipe was run for 60 minutes. Subsequently, the contents of the box were transferred to and then rinsed through a 12.5mm perforated plate sieve. The materials retained on the sieve were recovered and analyzed gravimetrically. The measurement was used to calculate the percentage of the wipe’s initial dry mass that had passed through the sieve based on difference. At a minimum, this test was repeated with six replicate wipes. The percentage of the starting dry mass that passed through the 12.5 mm perforated plate sieve after 60 minutes was calculated.

[0052] Nonwoven Scouring Test Rust Tile Preparation Tile Prep: 1. Ceramic tile surfaces were scrubbed with water and non-scratch scouring products. 2. Surface of ceramic tiles was rinsed with IPA and they were allowed to dry fully. 3. Panels were stored covered face to face to prevent surface contamination.

[0053] Perf. Steel Prep: 1. The top and bottom of the perforated steel panels was scoured with HD (Heavy Duty) hand pads / 7447. Note: panels were scoured until no rust / corrosion is visible on either side. 2. Tiles / panels wre assembled for coating within 5 minutes of scouring, since the steel rusts very quickly.

[0054] Coating Procedure: 1. 6 cleaned tiles were set on a baking sheet and one perforated steel panel was placed on top of each tile. 2. Each panel / tile was sprayed with ~5mL of vinegar to evenly cover the tile without draining off the side. 3. A 250g weight (e.g. aluminum weigh boats with resin pellets) was placed on top of each panel / tile. Note: weight shape / size affects shape of the stain on tile 4. The baking sheet containing tiles, panels, and weights was placed in a 205 °F (96 °C) oven for 90 minutes. 5. Tiles were removed from the oven and allowed to cool. 6. Steps 2-5 were repeated to apply a total of 3 coats. Perforated steel panels were not removed or scoured in between coats of the same tile. 7. Tile surface was gently cleaned with water and paper towel to remove any residual material.

[0055] Scouring Test Procedure: 1. A colorimeter was used to obtain a LAB reading of a clean reference tile. 2. Rusty tiles were prepared using the procedures described previously; see Rust Tile Coating Test Method3. A colorimeter was used to obtain the LAB reading of a rusted tile. 4. A 5” x 5” (12.7 cm x 12.7 cm) sample was used to scour rusty tile. 5. FNPC samples were stretched out and formed into balls for optimal 3D structure. 6. 20 mL of DI water was added to rusty tile surface and the surface was wiped for 10 cycles. 7. The tile was rotated 90° and wiped for another 10 cycles. 8. A colorimeter was used to obtain a post-scour tile LAB. 9. Measurements were used to calculate a relative % clean of area.

[0056] Although specific embodiments of this invention have been shown and described herein, it is understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the many possible specific arrangements that can be devised in application of the principles of the invention. Numerous and varied other arrangements can be devised in accordance with these principles by those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the structures described in this application, but only by the structures described by the language of the claims and the equivalents of those structures.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An article comprising: a water-disintegrable substrate; and a composition applied onto a surface of the substrate, wherein the composition comprises: between about 3% to about 50% by weight of a surfactant; between about 0.01% to about 5% by weight of a water-soluble thickener; and between about 0.5% to about 55% by weight of an abrasive, wherein the article has a disintegration factor according to the INDA FG502.R1(18) Slosh Box Test Method of at least about 40%.

2. The article of claim 1, wherein the composition further comprises a water-soluble binding agent.

3. The article of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises between about 5% to about 40% by weight of the surfactant.

4. The article of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises between about 10% to about 30% by weight of the surfactant.

5. The article of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises between about 0.05% to about 3% by weight water-soluble thickener.

6. The article of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises between about 0.1% to about 1.5% by weight water-soluble thickener.

7. The article of claim 1, wherein the water-soluble thickener comprises a polysaccharide-based thickener.

8. The article of claim 1, wherein the water-soluble thickener comprises a cellulose- based thickener.

9. The article of claim 1, wherein the article has a percent clean of at least about 40%.

10. The article of claim 1, wherein the article has a disintegration factor according to the INDA FG502.R1(18) Slosh Box Test Method of at least about 60%.

11. The article of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a nonwoven.

12. A water-disintegrable article comprising: a substrate; and a coating applied onto a surface of the substrate, wherein the coating comprises: between about 3% to about 50% by weight of a surfactant; between about 0.01% to about 5% by weight of a water-soluble thickener; wherein the article has a disintegration factor of at least about 25% based on the INDA FG502.R1(18) Slosh Box Test Method and a percent clean of at least about 40%.

13. The water-disintegrable article of claim 12, wherein the article has a disintegration factor according to the INDA FG502.R1(18) Slosh Box Test Method of at least about 55%.

14. The water-disintegrable article of claim 12, wherein the article has a disintegration factor according to the INDA FG502.R1(18) Slosh Box Test Method of at least about 60%.

15. The water-disintegrable article of claim 12, wherein the composition further comprises a water-soluble binding agent.

16. The water-disintegrable article of claim 12, wherein the composition further comprises abrasive particles.

17. The water-disintegrable article of claim 12, wherein the substrate includes a plurality of cuts.

18. The water-disintegrable article of claim 12, wherein the substrate is a nonwoven.

19. The water-disintegrable article of claim 12, wherein the substrate is a web.

20. The water-disintegrable article of claim 11, wherein the coating is applied onto the substrate by one of coating and printing.

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