Laminate cleaning implement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cleaning products, such as shampoos and hard surface cleaners, are inefficient and cumbersome, requiring multiple handling steps and often result in incomplete cleaning due to the need to handle wet, slippery bottles, and can lead to bacterial growth and unpleasant odors in reusable cleaning implements.
Innovation Solution
A laminate cleaning implement comprising a facing sheet, a backing sheet, and a substrate with an active agent, where the sheets are mechanically intermeshed to form tufts that protrude outwardly, allowing the active agent to be released upon exposure to use conditions, providing efficient cleaning and soil capture without the need for separate containers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cleaning products are sold in bottles or closed vessels containing water, then the cleaning product can be stored and transported, but the weight increases and shipping and storage costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the water component from the cleaning product formulation, creating a water-free or low-water product that is applied directly to the surface. This eliminates the need for heavy plastic bottles while maintaining cleaning effectiveness, directly resolving the contradiction between storage capability and weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and composition parameters of the cleaning product by removing water and using alternative carriers or application methods. This parameter change reduces weight while preserving the core cleaning function, allowing storage and transport without heavy bottling.
2Ease of operation
If the user must dispense cleaning product from a bottle onto the target surface and then distribute it using a sponge or towel, then the cleaning product can be applied, but the process becomes inefficient and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cleaning product and application implement into a single integrated unit. The cleaning composition is impregnated directly into the sponge or towel, eliminating the separate steps of dispensing from a bottle and then applying with an implement. This single-step application directly addresses the time loss and operational inefficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning product is pre-applied or pre-impregnated into the sponge or towel during manufacturing, so that the user receives a ready-to-use implement. This preliminary action eliminates the need for the user to perform the dispensing and application steps separately, reducing time and simplifying operation.
3Reliability
If a bottled shampoo is used, then the cleaning product can be stored, but the user must repeatedly handle the shampoo container with wet, slippery, soapy hands
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the need for a separate storage bottle by integrating the cleaning composition directly into the application sponge or towel. This extraction of the bottle eliminates the handling problem entirely, as the user only handles the dry or less slippery sponge/towel implement rather than a slippery bottle with soapy hands.
4Productivity
If reusable cleaning implements such as sponges or washcloths are used extensively, then the cleaning implement can be reused, but bacterial growth and unpleasant odors develop
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs disposable cleaning implements that are discarded after limited use rather than being extensively reused. This eliminates the bacterial growth and odor problems associated with reusable sponges and washcloths, as each new implement starts clean and is discarded before contamination can develop. The low cost of the disposable implement makes this economically viable.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The laminate cleaning implement streamlines the cleaning process, eliminates the need for multiple handling steps, provides superior cleaning and soil removal, and offers improved sanitation by eliminating bacterial growth and odors associated with reusable implements.
Implementation Method 1
a substrate comprising an active agent wherein the substrate is disposed between the facing sheet and the backing sheet and wherein upon exposure to conditions of intended use the active agent is released
Implementation Method 2
the facing sheet, the substrate, and the backing sheet are mechanically intermeshed to provide one or more discrete tufts protruding outwardly from the laminate
Data Source
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AI summary
A laminate cleaning implement with a facing sheet, a substrate, and optionally a backing sheet. The facing sheet, the substrate, and the optional backing sheet are mechanically intermeshed. The mechanically intermeshing can provide one or more discrete tufts protruding outwardly from the laminate.