Patent Application
20140013501
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a skin cleansing implement that is advantageously used with a liquid cleanser.
2. Description of the Related Art
Personal cleansing products have traditionally been marketed in a variety of forms such as toilet bars, creams, lotions, and gels. These formulations have attempted to satisfy a number of criteria to be acceptable to consumers. These criteria include cleansing effectiveness, skin feel, skin mildness and lather volume. Ideal personal cleansers should gently cleanse the skin or hair, cause little or no irritation, and not leave the skin or hair overly dry after frequent use. Consumers who use toilet bars expect certain tactile attributes while cleansing and have heretofore been reluctant to use liquid body washes which typically provide an entirely different tactile feel. Applicants have surprisingly found that an implement could be constructed to mimic the tactile attributes of toilet bars while providing the unique benefits of body washes.
Washing implements combining a plurality of materials are known. For example U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,434 to Juarez issued on Jun. 29, 1999 discloses a body washing and scrubbing device with a pliable cover and an inner core containing small bead-like or ovoid objects. ES 2150868 (A1) to Quiroga Perez published on Dec. 1, 2000 discloses a dispenser sponge for liquids, gels or soaps. The device provides grooves for holding e.g. liquids and a porous surface for dispensing and distributing the contents onto the skin. U.S. Pat. No. 7,318,682 to Anderson issued on Jan. 15, 2008 discloses an apparatus that combines a pouf attached to a squeezable container. When the squeezable container is squeezed, it delivers liquid to the pouf to apply the liquid to the skin of the user. However it was unexpectedly found that the inventive implement solves the problem of providing the combined unique attributes of toilet soap and liquid body wash in personal cleansing.
In one aspect of the invention is a cleansing implement for depositing a liquid cleanser on the skin of a user, including but not limited to:
In another aspect of the invention is a process of making a cleansing implement including but not limited to the steps of:
In a further aspect of the invention is a method of cleansing the skin or hair including but not limited to the steps of:
Referring now to the drawings in which like figures represent like elements,
Apertured first surface 14 is formed of a foamed, pliable, resin surrounding apertures 30 and apertured second surface 16 is formed a smooth, non-foamed, pliable, thermoplastic resin surrounding apertures 32.
In
In use the consumer will dispense liquid body wash into implement 10 by pouring the liquid body wash into well 34 and through apertures 36 whereupon the resilient core 50 will absorb the body wash up to its capacity. Next the consumer will expose the implement 10 to water while squeezing in order to generate lather. Next the consumer will rub the implement via second surface 16 on their skin in the same manner as they would a toilet bar followed by rinsing. In a preferred embodiment, bristles 40 will massage the skin and enhance lather production.
In one aspect of the invention is a cleansing implement for depositing a liquid cleanser on the skin of a user, comprising:
Advantageously the number of apertures on the first surface each having an area in the range of about 25 to 50 square mm are in the range of about 25 to 100 in number and the number of apertures on the second surface each having an area of about 25 to 50 square mm are in the range of about 25 to 100 in number.
Preferably the length of the implement along its major axis is less than 15 cm. Preferably the length of the implement along its major axis is less than 14, 13 or 12 cm and greater than 7, 8, 9, or 10 cm. More preferably a plurality of soft plastic bristles orthogonal and attached to the second surface are each about 0.6 mm thick and about 2 mm long substantially surrounding each aperture and the surface of the second surface surrounding the apertures is substantially smooth. Most preferably the second surface has one or more centrally disposed apertures each having a surface area that is larger than the other apertures defined by the second surface. Preferably the second surface is composed of a non-foamed material and first surface is composed of a foamed plastic and a woven mat composite.
In another aspect of the invention is a process of making a cleansing implement including but not limited to the steps of:
Preferably the inventive process further includes the steps of:
Advantageously at least 10 grams of polymeric mesh sponge are inserted inside the shell. Preferably at least 12, 14, 16, and 18 grams are used. More preferably at least 2 or more separate sponges are employed to make up this total.
In a further aspect of the invention is a method of cleansing the skin or hair including but not limited to the steps of:
Flexible outer shell 12 is composed of at least two zones of materials having different textures exposed to the touch. First surface 14 includes a foamed plastic with a rough surface finish, preferably a composite with a woven fibrous sheet. The remaining outer shell (second surface 16) is composed of a thermoplastic resin with a molded smooth surface finish.
The flexible outer shell's second surface 16 may be any thermoplastic resin whose physical and processing properties lend themselves to manufacturing washing implements. Flexible outer shell first surface 14 may be any foamed plastic that provides a rough molded surface. Preferably it includes a woven fibrous mat.
The inventive cleansing implement contains a resilient core held inside the flexible outer shell. A preferred resilient core consists of one or more individual polymeric mesh sponge(s) each comprising a plurality of plies of an extruded tubular netting mesh prepared from nylon or a strong flexible polymer, such as addition polymers of olefin monomers and polyamides of polycarboxylic acids.
Preferably the tubular netting has a maximum transverse expanded diameter of about 8 to 16 inches with the contracted minimum diameter on the order of about ½ inch. The tubular netting is preferably open at both ends so that it can be easily utilized in making the multi-ply netting for the preparation of the scrubbing section. The netting is prepared from fine filaments of polymeric material having a thickness preferably varying from about 10 to 18 mils. The netting is prepared from as many as 50 to 200 such filaments which appear to cross over each other at a 45.degree. angle and are bonded at junction points at intervals varying from about 3/16 to ½ inch, depending upon the type of netting or fabric desired. It is important that the bonding of the filaments at the indicated intervals be of such a nature as to securely attach the filaments together and provide a strong netting for the lather generation. The bonding is preferably accomplished by the extruding technique, heat sealing the filaments together or by use of appropriate adhesives. Additional examples of suitable resilient mesh material are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,462,135 issued on Jul. 31, 1984 and herein incorporated by reference.
The inventive cleansing implement is advantageously used with lathering surfactants. By a “lathering surfactant” is meant a surfactant, which when combined with water and mechanically agitated generates a foam or lather. Preferably, these lathering surfactants should be mild, which means that they must provide sufficient cleansing or detersive benefits but not overly dry the skin or hair, and yet meet the lathering criteria described above.
A wide variety of lathering surfactants is useful herein and include those selected from anionic, nonionic, cationic, and amphoteric surfactants and mixtures thereof.
Among the anionic lathering surfactants useful herein are the following non-limiting examples which include the classes of:
Nonionic lathering surfactants suitable for the present invention include C10-C20 fatty alcohol or acid hydrophobes condensed with from 2 to 100 moles of ethylene oxide or propylene oxide per mole of hydrophobe; C2-C10 alkyl phenols condensed with from 2 to 20 moles of alkylene oxides; mono- and di-fatty acid esters of ethylene glycol such as ethylene glycol distearate; fatty acid monoglycerides; sorbitan mono- and di-C8-C20 fatty acids; and polyoxyethylene sorbitan available as Polysorbate 80 and Tween 80® as well as combinations of any of the above surfactants.
Other useful nonionic surfactants include alkyl polyglycosides, saccharide fatty amides (e.g. methyl gluconamides) as well as long chain tertiary amine oxides. Examples of the latter category are: dimethylododecylamine oxide, oleyldi(2-hydroxyethyl)amine oxide, dimethyloctylamine oxide, dimethyldecylamine oxide, dimethyltetradecylamine oxide, di(20-hydroxyethyl)tetradecylamine oxide, 3-didodecyoxy-2-hydroxypropyldi(3-hydroxypropyl)amine oxide, and dimethylhexadecylamine oxide.
Suitable amphoteric or zwitterionic lathering surfactants for use in the present compositions include those broadly described as derivatives of aliphatic quaternary ammonium, phosphonium, and sulfonium compounds, wherein which the aliphatic radicals can be straight chain or branched, and wherein one of the aliphatic substituents contains about 8 to about 30 carbon atoms and another substituent contains an anionic water-solubilizing group, such as carboxy, sulfonate, sulfate, phosphate, phosphonate, and the like. Classes of zwitterionics include alkylamino sulfonates, alkyl betaines and alkylamido betaines, such as stearamidopropyldimethylamine, diethylaminoethylstearamide, dimethylstearamine, dimethylsoyamine, soyamine, myristylamine, tridecylamine, ethylstearylamine, N-tallowpropane diamine, ethoxylated (5 moles ethylene oxide) stearylamine, dihydroxy ethyl stearylamine, arachidylbehenylamine, and the like. Some suitable betaine surfactants include but are not limited to alkyl betaines, alkyl amidopropyl betaines, alkyl sulphobetaines, alkyl glycinates, alkyl carboxyglycinates, alkyl amphopropionates, alkyl amidopropyl hydroxysultaines, acyl taurates, and acyl glutamates, wherein the alkyl and acyl groups have from 8 to 18 carbon atoms. Non-limiting examples of preferred amphoteric surfactants include cocamidopropyl betaine, sodium cocoamphoacetate, disodium cocoamphodiacetate, cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine, and sodium cocoamphopropionate, which are particularly suitable as mild-type cleansers for skin and hair.
In a preferred embodiment, the cleansing implement of the present invention is manufactured using the following method:
1. Polyurethane foam sheets (obtained from Dingban, Jiangsu China; 20 gms/cubic meter density, 25 mm thickness) are bonded and compressed by vulcanization, at about 130 degrees C., for about 5 minutes, at pressure of 20 T (i.e. 200 KN) with woven polyester mesh into a flatter sheet of 2 mm thickness.
2. The foam sheets are then compressed again (at about 160 degrees C., pressure 20 T, for about 200 seconds into a curved shape.
3. Curved shapes are then die cut to the desired final shape, and the apertures are die cut out.
4. The logo is applied by heat transfer.
5. The foam piece is inserted into the right cavity of an injection molder (Haitian International Holdings Limited)
6. An inner mould is hung inside the cavity, in order to make the implement hollow.
7. The injection moulder is closed and TPR (thermoplastic resin, F125G (Styrene Ethylene Butylene Styrene Block Copolymer), Linhai Xinbo) having a Shore A Durometer of 20, is injected (at 190 degrees C.). This injection captures the edges of the foam so the foam and the TPR are permanently moulded together.
8. The injection moulder is opened, and the tools are pulled out. The inner mould is then pulled out of the TPR piece
9. At this stage, the implement has a top tab on both sides that is about ½″ long.
10. 2 pieces of 9 gram tied polymeric mesh sponge (from Ninghai Yuzhoul Craft Co, LDPE, 3.5″ width) are inserted inside.
11. The top tabs are ultrasonically welded shut using a heat sealing machine (Haitian International Holdings Limited), a temperature of about 200 degrees C. and 2.5 seconds sealing time.
12. The welded top tabs are die cut to a width of approximately 2-3 mm.
Other art recognized methods may be used to manufacture the inventive implement.
Except in the operating and comparative examples, or where otherwise explicitly indicated, all numbers in this description indicating amounts of material ought to be understood as modified by the word “about”.
The following non-limiting examples will more fully illustrate the embodiments of this invention. All parts, percentages and proportions referred to herein and in the appended claims are by weight except for surface area and unless otherwise illustrated.
The lathering performance of the inventive implement illustrated in
