Cleaning implement comprising a modified open-cell foam
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Solution Overview
Problem
Melamine-formaldehyde foams used in cleaning hard surfaces tend to crumble when wetted, leading to inefficient soil and stain removal, and lack durability.
Innovation Solution
A cleaning implement comprising melamine-formaldehyde foam with a d90/d10 ratio above 1.65 and a compression deflection force above 3.25 psi, incorporating at least one linear polymer, is designed to enhance durability and cleaning efficacy by maintaining structural integrity when used with solvents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If melamine-formaldehyde foam is used to clean hard surfaces, then soil and stain removal performance is improved, but the foam crumbles and lacks durability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the foam's physical parameters by controlling the d90/d10 ratio to above 1.65 and compression deflection force to above 3.25 psi. These parameter changes optimize the foam cell structure to prevent crumbling while maintaining cleaning effectiveness, directly resolving the contradiction between durability and structural integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite foam structure combining melamine-formaldehyde resin with specific cell architecture characteristics. The composite nature of the foam, with its controlled cell size distribution and wall thickness, provides both the durability needed to prevent crumbling and the structural integrity for effective cleaning
2Reliability
If substantial amounts of solvent are used to improve cleaning performance, then soil and stain removal is enhanced, but foam durability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the foam's physical parameters (d90/d10 ratio and compression deflection force), the patent creates a foam structure that is less sensitive to solvent exposure. This allows effective cleaning with reduced solvent amounts while maintaining foam integrity and durability
3Reliability
If melamine foam is made softer for better cleaning, then cleaning efficacy is improved, but durability upon use deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the foam's mechanical parameters by setting compression deflection force above 3.25 psi and d90/d10 ratio above 1.65. This creates a foam with balanced softness for cleaning efficacy and robustness for durability, resolving the contradiction between these two properties
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 solution provides improved durability and effective removal of greasy soap scum and kitchen dirt from hard surfaces while ensuring surface safety, outperforming commercially available cleaning implements in robustness and cleaning performance.
Implementation Method 1
melamine foam in particular, when wetted with an appropriate solvent, such as tap water, removes soils and/or stains from a hard surface when said hard surface is brought into contact with said wetted modified open-cell foam
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a cleaning implement that includes a melamine-formaldehyde foam. The melamine-formaldehyde foam cleaning implement has a d90/d10 ratio above 1.65 and a compression deflection force above 3.25 psi. Additionally the present invention encompasses processes for making and methods for cleaning hard surfaces with a cleaning implement according to the present invention.