According to the invention there is provided a drying and/or cleaning device comprising a continuous length of absorbant sheet material wound into a roll, the material having transverse lines of weakness at intervals along its length, and an adhesive on the roll to mitigate against the roll becoming inadvertently unwound, such adhesive being sufficiently weak to permit soiled material to be removed from the exterior surface of the roll.

The invention further provides a method of making a drying and/or cleaning device comprising providing a continuous length of absorbant sheet material, forming transverse lines of weakness at intervals along the length of the sheet material, forming the length of sheet material into a roll, and, prior to or after forming the roll, providing an adhesive on the roll to

mitigate against the roll becoming inadvertently unwound, such adhesive being sufficiently weak to permit soiled material to be removed from the exterior surface of the roll.

The invention further provides a drying and/or cleaning apparatus comprising a roll of absorbant sheet material removably mounted on a handle, the roll being rotatable relative to the handle to enable different regions of the exterior surface of the roll to engage a surface to be dried and/or cleaned, the material having transverse lines of weakness at intervals along its length, and an adhesive on the roll to mitigate against the roll becoming inadvertently unwound, such adhesive being sufficiently weak to permit soiled material to be removed from the exterior surface of the roll.

The invention will be understood in greater detail from the following description of preferred embodiments thereof given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a drying and/or cleaning device according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a material for use in the manufacture of the drying and/or cleaning device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an underneath plan view of the material of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a drying and/or cleaning device according to the invention; Fig. 5 is an underneath plan view of a material for use in the manufacture of a third embodiment of drying and/or cleaning device according to the invention; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a drying and/or cleaning device according to the invention, made from the material shown in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of drying and/or cleaning apparatus according to the invention; Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of drying and/or cleaning apparatus according to the invention; Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of drying and/or cleaning apparatus according to the invention;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of drying and/or cleaning apparatus according to the invention; Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of drying and/or cleaning apparatus according to the invention; Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a sixth embodiment of drying and/or cleaning apparatus according to the invention; Fig. 13 is a schematic view of an apparatus for use in applying adhesive in the manufacture of a further embodiment of drying and/or cleaning device according to the invention; and Fig. 14 is an end view of the apparatus of Fig. 13 with the device shown in cross-section.

Referring to Fig. 1, a drying and/or cleaning device 10 according to a first embodiment of the invention comprises a continuous length of highly absorbant sheet material 100 wound into a roll 11 on a hollow cylindrical core 12. The material 100 has transverse lines of weakness, such as lines of perforations 14, which extend substantially fully across the width of the material 100 at intervals along its length, so as to allow successive individual sheets of the material

100 to be torn from the exterior of the roll 11 in the manner of a toilet or kitchen roll.

An adhesive 16 is present between each line of weakness 14 and the next to mitigate against the roll 11 becoming inadvertently unwound. In the Fig. 1 embodiment the adhesive is present on the material 100 along a plurality of lines 16 each transverse to the longitudinal direction of the material 100 and each just upstream of a respective line of weakness 14. In this context,"upstream"means in a direction towards the centre of the roll of material 100. It will be understood that in Fig. 1 the line of adhesive 16 is actually on the underside of the material 100, i. e. on the surface facing the core 12, and will not be visible on the outside surface of the roll 11. However, it is shown in Fig. 1 to indicate its position relative to the line of weakness 14.

In a second embodiment of drying and/or cleaning device 10a, Fig. 4, the roll 11 is flattened to an approximately elliptical cross-section as compared to the substantially circular roll of the device 10 of Fig. 1. In other respects the device 10a is the same as the device 10.

To manufacture the device 10 or 10a, a continuous length of the material 100 is provided, Figs. 2 and 3, which show the top and underneath surfaces 101 and 102

respectively of the material 100. The top surface 101 is what will ultimately be the exterior (drying/cleaning) surface of the roll 11.

The sheet material 100 may be a highly absorbent tissue paper similar to but heavier than that used on paper towels, but any other material which has highly absorbent qualities may be used, such as that made from a combination of wood pulp, nylon and other materials.

A particularly advantageous material which may be used is that sold by Kimberley Clark under the trade name Hydroknit or Workhorse. Alternatively, one could use a cotton cloth towelling or other suitable textile or material comprising approximately 700-. viscose/30 polyester.

During manufacture of the device 10 or 10a, the length of material 100 is drawn, in the direction of the arrow A in Figs. 1 and 2, from a supply of such material (not shown) to a roll-forming apparatus (also not shown).

Roll-forming apparatus is well-known in the paper manufacturing art, and does not require further description.

Prior to winding the length of material 100 into the roll 11, the transverse lines of perforations 14 are formed at intervals along the length of the material 100 to define successive individual sheets 103 of the material 100, and the lines of adhesive 16 are applied

to the surface 102, each just upstream of a respective line of perforations 14, Fig. 2.

The purpose of the adhesive 16 is to avoid the material 100 on the roll becoming loose and inadvertently unwound, and, by applying the adhesive 16 to the material prior to the roll-forming process, when the material 100 is wound into the roll 11 the adjacent layers of the material are adhered together. Thus, when an individual sheet 103 of the material 100 on the roll 11 is torn off, the adhesive will retain the remainder of the material 100 securely on the roll.

However, while it is important that this adhesive be strong enough to retain the material 100 on the roll against inadvertent unwinding, it should preferably be sufficiently weak to permit soiled material 100 to be torn undamaged from the exterior surface of the roll 11 when it is desired to expose fresh material. It is also preferable that the adhesive should not be abrasive when cured, if the roll of material is to be used to clean and dry surfaces which are not scratch resistant.

An example of a suitable adhesive 16 is manufactured by Henkel under the mark Technomelt (Hot Melt) Q5427-21.

The adhesive 16 may be applied by a plurality of spray nozzles located over the path of the material 100 and synchronised with the perforation-forming mechanism

(not shown). The adhesive 16 is sprayed at a temperature of between 140-160°C.

The adhesive 16 may be applied before or after the lines of perforations 14 are formed, and may be applied continuously across substantially the entire width of the material 100 in a narrow strip, or be applied intermittently across the width. Intermitent application of ahdhesive can both reduce adhesive costs and allow for easier removal of each sheet 103 from the device 10 or 10a.

Following the formation of the perforations 14 and deposition of the adhesive 16, the material 100 is wound onto the core 12 to form the roll 11 with the surface 101 on the outside of the roll and the surface 102 on the inside, with or without a supporting insert of the desired shape and configuration. Thus, in the case of the embodiment of Fig. 1, the material 100 may be wound onto a cylindrical mandrel to provide the device 10, while in the case of the embodiment of Fig.

4 the material 100 may be wound onto a flattened mandrel to provide the device 10a. The core 12, which is made, for example, from cardboard, serves as a supprt for the material when the mandrel is removed.

In alternative method of manufacture, Fig. 5, the adhesive 16 is applied to the underneath surface 102 of the material 100 continuously or intermittently along

at least one line 104 parallel to the longitudinal direction of the material, in the present embodiment three such lines 104. The resultant device 10b is shown in Fig. 6, where the paths 104 of the adhesive are shown by the dashed lines, although, since the adhesive is on the underside of the material 100, such adhesive would not actually be visible externally. Of course, the device 10b could be flatted like the device 10a.

Other configurations of the adhesive 16 are possible, but whatever configuration is chosen the adhesive should be present between each line of weakness and the next, preferably just upstream of each line of weakness, to mitigate against the roll 11 becoming inadvertently unwound.

To use the device 10,10a or 10b to mop up water and/or to clean a surface, the device is gripped and rubbed over the surface to be cleaned or from which water is to be removed. At any given time only a portion of the exposed surface of the material 100 will be in use, and fresh portions can be used by turning the roll 11 in the hand. When the exposed surface of the roll 11 is deemed to have been fully used around the full circumference of the roll 11, the soiled sheet or sheets 103 can be removed by gripping the free end of the outermost sheet 103, lifting it to release it from the underlying sheet, and tearing along the

perforations 14. As mentioned, the adhesive 16 is of the type which will retain the integrity of the sheet 103 while being removed from the roll but can enable easy detachment therefrom when required in the manner described. There is now exposed fresh material 11 enabling continued use the device in the same fashion.

This use continues until such time as all of the sheets 103 of the roll 11 have been used.

In order to reduce or eliminate the danger of water seeping into an unnecessary depth of the material 100 of the roll 11, a continuous length of a waterproof backing material (not shown) of, for example, a relatively non-absorbent paper may be wound in conjunction with the material 100 when forming the roll 11 so as to become interposed between adjacent layers of material 100 on the roll 11. Thus, during manufacture of the device 10,10a or lOb, prior to the roll-forming operation a continuous length of the waterproof backing material would be brought against the surface 102 of the length of material 100 so that the two became rolled up in the manner of a"Swiss roll". The length of waterproof material would be formed with transverse lines of weakness in register with those of the material 100, and an adhesive between each line of weakness and the next.

Alternatively, a waterproof coating may be provided on the inside surface of the sheet material 100, i. e. the

surface 102 facing inwardly towards the centre of the roll 11. This waterproof coating may comprise a layer of polyethylene in an amount of 20% by weight of the sheet material 100.

Although the above has described the drying and/or cleaning devices 10,10a and 10b used for cleaning"as is", devices according to the invention may for convenience be mounted on a handle to provide a drying and/or cleaning apparatus.

Thus, Fig. 7 shows an apparatus including a drying and/or cleaning device 10 (or lOb) removably mounted on a handle 50. The handle 50 has a main handle portion 51 and an integral U-shaped lower end 52. The lower end 52 comprises a pair of parallel legs 53,54 which are substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of the portion 51, joined by an element 55 substantially parallel to the axis of the portion 51. The leg 54 has a cylindrical sleeve 56 rotatably mounted thereon. In use, the core 12 of the device 10 (or lOb) is slid onto the sleeve 56 and is an interference fit thereon.

Then, using the handle 50, the device 10 (or lOb) is rolled back and forth across a surface to be dried and/or cleaned. As the outer surface of the roll 11 becomes soiled, fresh material 100 may exposed by tearing off the outer sheets. When the roll 11 is exhausted, the empty core 12 may be removed from the

sleeve 56 and a fresh device 10 (or lOb) slid onto the sleeve.

Fig. 8 shows a second embodiment of a drying and/or cleaning apparatus including a drying and/or cleaning device lOc removably mounted on a handle 120. The device lOc is similar to the device lOb, except that the roll 11 is flattened and only one longitudinal line 104 of adhesive 16 is provided, centrally along the length of the material 100. The flattening creates two opposite relatively flat surfaces 112,113 and two relatively highly curved edges 115,116.

Alternatively, if not pre-flattened, the roll 11 will become flattened in use.

The handle 120 comprises a shallow generally U-shaped hand grip 121 made of a flexible plastics material.

The grip 121 has a bridge portion 122 and two legs 123 depending from opposite ends of the bridge portion 122.

The free end of each leg 123 is bent inwardly to form a lug 124 for retaining the roll of material 100. A guard plate 125 having two holes formed therein, through which respective leg portions 123 pass, extends across the width of the grip member 121.

The handle 120 is fitted to the flattened roll 11 by snap fitting the lugs 124 over the edges of one flat surface 112 or 113 so that they engage the internal surface of the core 12 of the roll 11. A user may then

employ the roll 11 for cleaning/drying surfaces by gripping the handle 120 by the bridge portion 122 with the user's fingers passing between the bridge portion 122 and guard plate 125. It will be seen that the manner of gripping the handle causes the guard plate 125 to push against and thus retain the roll 11 securely in the handle 120.

Once one flat surface 112 or 113 of the roll of material has been soiled, the user can rotate the roll 11 relative to the handle 120 to bring the soiled surface of the roll under the plate 125 and thus expose the opposite clean surface. Once the two flat surfaces 112 and 113 of the roll of material have been soiled, the user can then tear off a portion of the sheet material as far as the next line of perforations 14.

In a third embodiment, Fig. 9, the device 10c is fitted to a handle 130 comprising a shaft 131 carrying an L- shaped bracket 132. The bracket 132 comprises a first leg 133 extending laterally relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 131 and a second leg 134 extending substantially parallel to the shaft axis.

The second leg 134 includes a mid-portion 135 of flat cross section on which a stop member 136 is slidably mounted.

A generally rectangular support plate 137 is mounted on the free end of the leg 134 for pivotal movement about

an axis substantially normal to the shaft axis. The device 10c is located over the support plate 137. The core of the roll is dimensioned so that, when fully flattened it can be pushed easily onto the support plate 137, after which it resiliently flexes back to a slightly rounder state to grip the edges of the plate 137. The edge of the plate 137 remote from the leg 134 can preferably project from the core and be provided with a rubber wiper 138, which can be used to remove excess water from a surface, without needing to use the roll 11. In any case, it will be seen that when the roll has absorbed water in use, it can be left to dry out for and hour or two without the need to remove the exposed outer sheets of the roll.

In the third embodiment, the axis of rotation of the support plate 137 substantially bisects the plate 137.

With the stop member 136 pushed right up towards the leg 133, the plate 137 and hence the roll 11 is free to rotate without interference. In use, with the stop member 136 in this position, if the shaft 131 of the handle 130 is offered at an angle to a surface to be cleaned/dried, the plate 137 will be free to pivot to allow the roll 10 to lie with one or other of the surfaces 112,113 flat against the surface to be dried.

To enable the user to use the opposite flat surface 112,113 the roll 11 is simply rotated through 180 degrees on the handle 130, which is equivalent to

rotating the handle through 180 degrees relative to the circumference of the roll 11.

It is advantageous to allow a user to employ a curved edge 115 or 116 of the roll 11 against a surface to facilitate removal of more stubborn stains. This is enabled by sliding the stop member 136 down towards the end of the leg 134 remote from the leg 133. Now, starting from a position where the shaft 131 is vertically upward (as referred to Fig. 9), if the shaft is rotated downwardly by the user in the direction of the arrow B, there will come a point at which the stop member 136 will come to bear against the roll 11, preventing any further rotation of the shaft 131 relative to the roll. Thereafter, further rotation of the shaft 131 will cause the roll 11 to tip up to permit the end 115 to be used for cleaning. Rotation of the shaft 131 in the opposite direction to the arrow A will correspondingly tip the roll up in the opposite direction to permit the edge 116 to be used.

Alternatively, the edge 116 may be used by turning the handle 30 over, i. e. rotating the shaft 131 through 180 degrees about its own axis.

It may not be desirable for a user to use a stop member 136 to adjust the operation of the handle 130. In a further embodiment, Fig. 10, the stop member is absent from the handle, and the leg 134 has a uniform cross- section. Further, the axis of rotation of the support

plate 137 does not bisect the plate 137 but is offset towards one transverse edge of the plate 137, in this case the edge corresponding to the edge 115 of the roll 11.

In use, by appropriately rotating the shaft 131 around the edge 115 of the roll, either one of the flat surfaces 112 or 113 may be used to clean/dry a surface.

However, if the shaft 131 is rotated until the leg 133 comes to abut against the roll 11 near the edge 116, the leg 133 acts as a stop member preventing further rotation of the shaft 131 relative to the roll 11. Now the edge 115 can be brought to bear against the surface to be cleaned/dried. It will be seen that a drawback of this embodiment is that the edge 116 cannot be brought to bear against a surface in the above manner.

In either of the embodiments of Figs. 9 and 10, one or more of the transverse edges (not shown) of the plate 137 can be shaped to act as ice scrapers when the roll 11 is removed. In the Fig. 8 embodiment, it will be seen that one or more of the longitudinal edges of the guard plate 125 can be shaped to act as ice scrapers when the roll 11 is removed.

In a variation of the Fig. 9 embodiment, the stop member 136 is affixed to the side of the support plate 137 adjacent the leg 134, so that it acts in the same manner as the leg 133 of the Fig. 10 embodiment to

prevent rotation of the roll. In this case both the edges 115 and 116 can be used when the leg 133 abuts the stop member.

A further embodiment of drying and/or cleaning apparatus is shown in Fig. 11. This embodiment is similar to that of Fig. 9, except that a cleaning a device 10a of the kind shown in Fig. 4 is used and the slidable stop member 136 of Fig. 9 is replaced by a stop member 136a rotatable on the leg 133 of the bracket 132. The arrangement is such that the stop member 136a can be releasably locked in a first position of use (as shown in Fig. 11) to prevent full 360 degree rotation of the device 10a. This allows a user to employ a curved edge 115 or 116 of the device 10a against a surface to facilitate removal of more stubborn stains. However, by rotating the stop member 136a to a second position of use at right angles to the position shown in Fig. 11, the plate 137 and hence the device 10a is free to rotate without interference.

In a further embodiment, Fig. 12, one end of the handle 130 is centrally located between two rollers 160 (only one shown) which are independently rotatable about a substantially common axis, and two devices 10 (or lOb) are provided each with its own core 12 which is an interference fit on a respective roller 160. A ratchet mechanism 164 is located centrally between the rollers 160 and twin pawls (not shown) control each roller

independently of each other. This ratchet mechanism provides that the devices 10 (or lOb) can turn freely when the handle 130 is pushed in a first or forward direction thereby enabling the devices 10 (or lOb) to absorb any residue of water. On the second or backward direction, by virtue of the engagement of the pawls with the teeth of the ratchet mechanism, the devices 10 (or lOb) are prevented from rolling and instead impart a sliding action which greatly facilitates the cleaning and drying of all types of hard floors. In order to allow continuous rolling in either direction means (not shown) are provided to disengage the pawls from the ratchet teeth. In a modification of the apparatus of Fig. 12, only a single roller 160 and single ratchet mechanism 164 may be mounted to the handle 130.

In the foregoing embodiments, the adhesive was applied along one or more lines transverse to or longitudinally of the surface of the sheet material 10. Figs. 13 and 14 show an alternative method of applying the adhesive.

In Fig. 13, a belt conveyor 501 conveys flattened rolls 511 of the sheet material 100 to a spraying station 502 in the direction of the arrow 510. The rolls 511 may be manufactured as described herein for the devices 10a or 10c, except that the line or lines of adhesive 16 are not applied during the roll forming process. The station 502 includes a pair of supports 503 disposed respectively at opposite sides of the conveyor 501,

each support having a respective spray head 505 which is fed with a suitable liquid adhesive via a tube 506.

As each roll 511 is brought between the spray heads 505 the conveyor 501 halts for a short period, during which adhesive 512 is sprayed by the spray heads 505 onto the opposite edges of the material 100. Then the conveyor moves on to bring the next roll 511 to the spraying station 502 where that too is sprayed, and so on. The operation of the conveyor 501 and spraying station 502 may be controlled by conventional electrical circuits.

The adhesive form a coating over the edges of the roll 511 and preferably soaks a short distance into the roll between the adjacent turns of the material 100. If desired the adhesive may also include a disinfectant mixed therewith, or the apparatus may include further spray means, included in the spraying station 502 or in a separate spraying station upstream or downstream of the spraying station 502, for applying the disinfectant as a separate spray. As a further alternative, in place of, or together with, the disinfectand, a perfumed liquid may be used.

The finished drying and/or cleaning devices 520 are removed from the conveyor 501, and may be used as they are, by hand, or affixed to a handle in the manner shown in any of Figs. 8 to 11 to form a corresponding drying and/or cleaning apparatus. Of course, apparatus

similar to that shown in Fig. 13 may be used to spray adhesive on the opposite edges of round, as opposed to flattened, rolls to form cleaning devices which may be used alone or in apparatus of the kind shown in Figs. 7 and 12.

The invention is not limited by or to the embodiment described herein which may be modified or varied without departing from the scope of the invention.