FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a kit comprising at least one element for washing and at least one element for drying, for use in the cleaning of glass surfaces.

BACKGROUND ART

Glass cleaning, especially for removal of stains and streaks, definitely is one of the most tiring and stressful chores. However, it is crucial to keep the whole house bright.

In fact, a clear glass allows the sunlight to enter the house and suitably illuminate it, while if is dirty and opaque, the entrance of light rays is reduced and all defects are highlighted.

Moreover, an opaque glass, full of stains and streaks, is also immediately noticed and gives to the house a sloppy appearance.

For a glass cleaning to be really effective, it must be frequently repeated so that no dirt deposits, thereby becoming even more difficult to remove. In this way, cleaning requires relatively less effort but it must necessarily be repeated more often, because the dust brought above all by winter rains is removed from time to time. Moreover, glasses must be cleaned both outside and inside, typically with considerable consumption of dedicated products, in liquid or spray form.

Of course, professionals skilled in the field of civil and industrial cleaning, with adequate equipment and experience, may be used. However, their services have a considerable cost, making this choice disadvantageous and expensive.

The object of the present invention is to provide a practical and effective solution to the problem of cleaning glass surfaces, which is quick and easy to use and at the same time ensures excellent results.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The above object has been achieved by the kit for cleaning glass surfaces of claim 1 , comprising:

a) at least one element for washing, comprising a sponge in natural or synthetic material, entirely enclosed by a layer of synthetic polymer material, woven by circular knitting, and having a grammage value of 200-320 g/m ² , b) at least one element for drying, comprising a sponge in natural or synthetic material, entirely enclosed by a layer of synthetic polymer material, woven by warp knitting, and having a grammage value of 200-300 g/m ² , wherein the side of said layer of woven material facing said sponge is the right side.

In another aspect, the invention relates to a process for making the kit, comprising the steps of:

i) providing a sponge in natural or synthetic material;

ii) cutting the synthetic polymer material woven by circular knitting and the synthetic polymer material woven by warp knitting, in sizes suitable for the sponge;

iii) sewing each synthetic polymer material woven to form an envelope of suitable size to contain the sponge, leaving an opening for inserting the same;

iv) inserting the sponge in the envelope and closing the opening to form the at least one element a) or the at least one element b), and

v) associating at least one element a) and at least one element b) to form the kit.

In a further aspect, the invention relates to the use of the kit for cleaning glass surfaces both in civil and industrial environments.

In the present invention, "glass surfaces" refers to any objects made of or coated with glass, such as mirrors, window glasses, glass walls, windows, windshield and back windows of vehicles, glasses, bottles, pitchers, decanters, laboratory glassware, and eyeglasses.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURE

The characteristics and the advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following detailed description, from the working examples provided for illustrative purposes and from the accompanying Figure 1 , which shows the kit of Example 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The subject of the invention is therefore a kit for cleaning glass surfaces, comprising: a) at least one element for washing, comprising a sponge in natural or synthetic material, entirely enclosed by a layer of synthetic polymer material, woven by circular knitting, and having a grammage value of 200-320 g/m ² , b) at least one element for drying, comprising a sponge in natural or synthetic material, entirely enclosed by a layer of synthetic polymer material, woven by warp knitting, and having a grammage value of 200-300 g/m ² , wherein the side of said layer of woven material facing said sponge is the right side.

It has been surprisingly found that the association of at least two elements having the technical features mentioned above allows dust and stains to be removed from glass surfaces, advantageously in a very short time and at the same time reducing the use of detergents. In fact, the layer of synthetic polymer material woven by circular knitting fabric offers a conveniently knurled surface which allows the glass to be washed without using particular friction strength, while the layer of synthetic polymer material woven by warp knitting offers a particularly smooth and absorbing surface able to dry quickly and prevent halos. It should be noted that in the at least one element b), the side of said layer of material woven by warp knitting facing said sponge is the right side. This means that the exposed side, and thus the "working" side, is the reverse side, since it has been observed that the features of the woven surface thus exposed ensure quicker and more effective drying.

Moreover, the fact of having a sponge within the elements advantageously allows the grip by the end user to be facilitated and thus makes the use of the kit more practical and handy.

It should also be noted that each seam on the woven synthetic polymer material of element b), in order to entirely enclose the sponge, faces inwards, i.e. towards the sponge itself, thus being not visible outside (Figure 1 b). This not only makes the kit element aesthetically nicer but also improves the comfort of use and eliminates the risk of scratches on the surface to be treated. Optionally, on the other hand, the seam on the woven synthetic polymer material of element a), in order to entirely enclose the sponge, may form a protrusion outwards, therefore being visible (Figure 1a). This allows having a protruding edge that facilitates the removal of dirt, increasing the action of the knurled surface but without scratching the surfaces.

Preferably, said synthetic polymer material comprises polyester, polyamide, viscose, acrylic, polyurethane, teflon, aramid, modacrylic, vinyl chloride, polyethylene, polypropylene, or mixtures thereof.

The synthetic polymer material of the at least one element a) and the synthetic polymer material of the at least one element b) may be the same or different.

More preferably, said synthetic polymer material comprises polyester and polyamide.

According to a preferred embodiment, said synthetic polymer material consists of 90-70% by weight of polyester and 10-30% by weight of polyamide. This improves the cleaning and drying efficiency of the elements of the kit.

Preferably, the grammage value of the synthetic polymer material in the element a) is 200-300 g/m ² , more preferably it is 250-300 g/m ² .

Preferably, the grammage value of the synthetic polymer material in the element b) is 200-280 g/m ² .

More preferably, the grammage value of the synthetic polymer material in the element a) is higher than the grammage value of the synthetic polymer material in the element b).

In preferred embodiments, the grammage value of the synthetic polymer material in the element a) is 270-290 g/m ² , and the grammage value of the synthetic polymer material in the element b) is 240-260 g/m ² .

The sponge of at least one element a) and the sponge of at least one element b) may be the same or different.

Preferably, the sponge of both the at least one element a) and the at least one element b) comprises polyurethane in an amount of at least 70% by weight, on the weight of the sponge.

In one embodiment, polyurethane is present in said sponge in an amount of 85% by weight, on the weight of the sponge.

Said sponge is preferably a solid having two mutually parallel surfaces. Such surfaces may be rectangular, square, oval or circular, as such or in an ergonomic version, i.e. having one or more concavities along the respective major sides for facilitating the grip. In a further preferred embodiment, said sponge is 15-20 cm long, 10-15 cm wide and 2-5 cm high. With these dimensions, the elements of the kit are even more practical to hold and more handy and versatile.

Preferably, in each element of the kit, the layer of synthetic polymer material woven is in the form of a closed envelope containing the sponge therewithin, said envelope adhering to at least 70% of the surface of the sponge, preferably to at least 85% of the surface of the sponge. This significantly improves the friction effect of the element a) and the drying effect of the element b).

To further improve the adhesion between sponge and woven polymer material without altering the softness to the touch of the latter, each element may be quilted at the center of the major surface of the sponge.

In particular, as shown in Figure , quilting may be made at the center of the major surface of the sponge parallel to the longest sides of the same.

The color of the synthetic polymer material woven by circular knitting and the color of the synthetic polymer material fabric woven by warp knitting may be different to facilitate the recognition and the use by the end user.

In another embodiment, the kit of the invention further comprises: c) instructions for the simultaneous, separate or sequential use of the at least one element a) and the at least one element b) in the cleaning of glass surfaces.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the kit of the invention comprises:

a) at least one element for washing, comprising a sponge in natural or synthetic material, entirely enclosed by a layer of synthetic polymer material, woven by circular knitting, and having a grammage value of 270-290 g/m ² , b) at least one element for drying, comprising a sponge in natural or synthetic material, entirely enclosed by a layer of synthetic polymer material, woven by warp knitting, and having a grammage value of 240-260 g/m ² , wherein the side of said layer of woven material facing said sponge is the right side, wherein said synthetic polymer material consists of 90-70% by weight of polyester and 10-30% by weight of polyamide, wherein the layer of synthetic polymer material woven is in the form of a closed envelope containing the sponge therewithin, said envelope adhering to at least 70% of the surface of the sponge, and wherein each element is quilted at the center of the major surface of the sponge.

In a further embodiment, the kit of the invention consists of:

a) at least one element for washing, comprising a sponge in natural or synthetic material, entirely enclosed by a layer of synthetic polymer material, woven by circular knitting, and having a grammage value of 200-320 g/m ² , b) at least one element for drying, comprising a sponge in natural or synthetic material, entirely enclosed by a layer of synthetic polymer material, woven by warp knitting, and having a grammage value of 200-300 g/m ² , wherein the side of said layer of woven material facing said sponge is the right side, and c) instructions for the simultaneous, separate or sequential use of the at least one element a) and the at least one element b) in the cleaning of glass surfaces.

It should be understood that any possible combinations of the preferred aspects of the kit as described above are likewise preferred and thus described.

In another aspect, the invention relates to a process for making the kit described above, comprising the steps of:

i) providing a sponge in natural or synthetic material;

ii) cutting the synthetic polymer material woven by circular knitting and the synthetic polymer material woven by warp knitting, in sizes suitable for the sponge;

iii) sewing each synthetic polymer material woven to form an envelope of suitable size to contain the sponge, leaving an opening for inserting the same;

iv) inserting the sponge in the envelope and closing the opening to form the at least one element a) or the at least one element b), and

v) associating at least one element a) and at least one element b) to form the kit.

As clearly stated above, in the case of the at least one element b), the envelope made with the synthetic polymer material woven by warp knitting must be sewn on the reverse side, so as to put the right side in contact with the sponge.

In a further aspect, the invention relates to the use of the kit described above for cleaning glass surfaces both in civil and industrial environments.

It should be understood that all aspects identified as preferred and advantageous for the kit of the invention should be deemed as similarly preferred and advantageous also for the production process and the relevant uses.

Below are working examples of the present invention provided for illustrative purposes.

Example 1.

Preparation of a kit according to the invention

A kit of one element a) and one element b) was produced, as shown in Figure 1. In particular, in both elements, the sponge comprised 85% by weight of polyurethane on the weight of the sponge, and had dimensions of 16.5 cm χ 12.5 cm x 2.5 cm.

The woven synthetic polymer material of the element a) was 85% by weight of polyester and 15% by weight of polyamide, with a grammage value of 270 g/m ² . The woven synthetic polymer material of the element b) was 85% by weight of polyester and 15% by weight of polyamide, with a grammage value of 250 g/m ² . Figure 1 shows the resulting kit, wherein a quilting is provided at the center of the major surface of both sponges which runs parallel to the longer sides of the two elements.

In each element in the kit, the layer of synthetic polymer material woven is in the form of a closed envelope containing the sponge therewithin, said envelope adhering to at least 90% of the surface of the sponge. This gave a significant improvement of the friction effect of the element a) and of the drying effect of the element b).

Example 2.

Preparation of a kit according to the invention

A kit of two elements a) and one element b) was produced.

In particular, in all the elements, the sponge comprised 85% by weight of polyurethane on the weight of the sponge, and had dimensions of 18 cm χ 14 cm x 3 cm.

The woven synthetic polymer material of the first element a) was 85% by weight of polyester and 15% by weight of polyamide, with a grammage value of 270 g/m ² . The woven synthetic polymer material of the second element a) was 70% by weight of polyester, 10% by weight of aramid and 20% by weight of polyamide, with a grammage value of 280 g/m ² .

The woven synthetic polymer material of the element b) was 85% by weight of polyester and 15% by weight of polyamide, with a grammage value of 250 g/m ² . In each element in the kit, the layer of synthetic polymer material woven is in the form of a closed envelope containing the sponge therewithin, said envelope adhering to at least 80% of the surface of the sponge.

Example 3.

Preparation of a kit according to the invention

A kit of one element a) and two elements b) was produced.

In particular, in all the elements, the sponge comprised 85% by weight of polyurethane on the weight of the sponge, and had dimensions of 15.5 cm χ 12 cm x 2 cm.

The woven synthetic polymer material of the element a) was 85% by weight of polyester and 15% by weight of polyamide, with a grammage value of 270 g/m ² . The woven synthetic polymer material of the first element b) was 65% by weight of polyester, 25% by weight of viscose and 10% by weight of polyamide, with a grammage value of 240 g/m ² . The woven synthetic polymer material of the second element b) was 85% by weight of polyester and 15% by weight of polyamide, with a grammage value of 250 g/m ² .

In each element in the kit, the layer of synthetic polymer material woven is in the form of a closed envelope containing the sponge therewithin, said envelope adhering to at least 85% of the surface of the sponge.

Example 4.

Preparation of a kit according to the invention

A kit of one element a) and one element b) was produced.

In particular, in both elements, the sponge comprised 70% by weight of polyurethane on the weight of the sponge, and had a circular shape with a diameter of 16 cm ^χ 4 cm thickness.

The woven synthetic polymer material of the element a) was 60% by weight of modacrylic and 40% by weight of polyester, with a grammage value of 260 g/m ² . The woven synthetic polymer material of the element b) was 100% by weight of polyester, with a grammage value of 220 g/m ² .

Similar to Example 1 , in the resulting kit, a quilting is provided at the center of the major surface of both sponges which runs parallel to the longer sides of the two elements.

In each element in the kit, the layer of synthetic polymer material woven is in the form of a closed envelope containing the sponge therewithin, said envelope adhering to at least 95% of the surface of the sponge.

Example 5.

Preparation of a kit according to the invention

A kit of one element a) and one element b) was produced.

In particular, in both elements, the sponge comprised 95% by weight of polyurethane on the weight of the sponge, and had an oval shape 18 cm χ 10 cm, x 3 cm thickness.

The woven synthetic polymer material of the element a) was 50% by weight of polyester and 40% by weight of viscose, with a grammage value of 290 g/m ² .

The woven synthetic polymer material of the element b) was 70% by weight of modacrylic and 30% by weight of acrylic, with a grammage value of 260 g/m ² . Similarly to Example 1 , in the resulting kit, a quilting is provided at the center of the major surface of both sponges which runs along the major diameter of the two elements.

In each element in the kit, the layer of synthetic polymer material woven is in the form of a closed envelope containing the sponge therewithin, said envelope adhering to at least 90% of the surface of the sponge.