FIELD

The present invention relates to a scouring member highly capable of removing stubborn grease or stains without scratching the object to be cleaned.

BACKGROUND

Nowadays, there are a diverse number of materials used in cookware, kitchen sinks, bathtubs, vanities, toilets, and the like. Normally, when cleaning these areas, wash cloths or scouring pads are used to scrub surfaces and clean away grease or stains.

However, the types of grease or stains, the way in which the grease or stain is stuck to the surface, and the ease of removability is also variable depending on the unique properties of each of the diverse types of materials. Additionally, there are various levels of scratchability. Particularly, when grease or a stain with a relatively high hardness is adhered to a utensil or the like that has a relatively low hardness, it is difficult to remove that grease or stain without scratching the utensil.

For example, in recent years, IH (Induction Heating) cooking devices have rapidly become popularized. Top plates of these devices are generally made from glass raw materials, but stains that adhere to such are frequently grease and stains. It is difficult to remove such grease or stains without damaging the glass raw material of the top plate. Additionally, there is a trend to use the same glass raw material used in IH cooking devices in gas stoves as well, so the same problem exists here.

Additionally, in recent years, a focus on protecting the environment has caused a push away from using detergents that contain surfactants, as much as possible.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-225187 describes a moist cleaning sheet including a substrate sheet capable of holding a liquid that is impregnated with an aqueous detergent, wherein at least one surface of the substrate sheet includes a liquid-permeable fiber mass, and scouring particles having a Mohs hardness of 5 or less are retained in the fiber that forms the fiber mass.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-327429 describes a bathtub cleaning tool including a pouch filled with charcoal particles having a diameter of from 0.9 mm to 5.5 mm on one side or both sides of a sponge-like plate-like core material. The charcoal particles can alternate the pouch filled with the charcoal particles and a cloth covering this pouch as desired.

SUMMARY

The disclosed scouring member is highly capable of removing stubborn grease or stains that does not easily scratch surfaces to be cleaned that are formed from materials having relatively low hardness. The scouring member is capable of removing stubborn grease or stains without the use of a detergent. The scouring member is capable of removing stubborn grease or stains without scratching a top plate of an IH cooking device or a gas stove made from glass raw materials, and without the use of a detergent.

In one embodiment, the disclosed scouring member includings a substrate layer and a scouring coating layer that is disposed at least on part of the substrate layer and includes a binder and powdered activated carbon.

A scouring member can be provided that can remove stubborn grease and stains from surfaces to be cleaned made from materials having a Mohs hardness greater than powdered activated carbon, particularly, from ceramics, glass, hollows, and the like; and that does not easily scratch the surface of the object to be cleaned.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a view showing an embodiment of the disclosed scouring member.

Figure 2 is a view showing an embodiment of the disclosed scouring member. Figure 3 is a view showing an embodiment of the disclosed scouring member. Figure 4 is a view showing an embodiment of the disclosed scouring member. Figure 5 is a view showing an embodiment of the disclosed scouring member. Figure 6 is a view showing an embodiment of the disclosed scouring member.

Figure 7a is a magnified cross sectional view of an example of the scouring coating layer included in the scouring member.

Figure 7b is a magnified cross sectional view of an example of the scouring coating layer included in the scouring member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The scouring member of the present disclosure includes a substrate layer and a scouring coating layer that is disposed on at least part of the substrate layer. A surface of the substrate layer may have a first surface and a second surface opposed to the first surface. In this case, the first and the second surfaces form a thickness of the substrate layer.

The scouring coating layer includes a binder and powdered activated carbon

(particles). A Mohs hardness of the powdered activated carbon is from about 2 to less than about 7. Therefore, with the scouring member of the present disclosure, grease or stains on a surface having a Mohs hardness that is higher than the Mohs hardness of the powdered activated carbon (e.g. about 7 or higher) can be removed without scratching the surface. Even if the powdered activated carbon is embedded in the binder, the raw material is adjusted so that a thickness of the binder is as thin as possible, and thereby the hardness of the scouring coating layer becomes controlled by the hardness of the powdered activated carbon. As a result, grease and stains can be effectively removed without scratching the surface to be scrubbed due to the scouring action by fine convex-concave features of the powdered activated carbon. If a construction is employed in which the powdered activated carbon is partially uncovered from the binder, grease and stains can be removed without the use of a detergent due to the adsorption action of the powdered activated carbon itself. Therefore, an environmentally-friendly scouring material that is easy to use can be provided.

An aspect of the scouring member of the present invention will now be explained while referring to the drawings.

Figure 1 shows a scouring member 1 having a substrate layer 10 that includes a first surface 12 and a second surface 14 opposed to the first surface 12, wherein a scouring coating layer 16 is provided on an entirety of the first surface 12. A thickness d of the scouring member 1 is substantially equal to a thickness of the substrate layer 10, which is decided by the first surface 12 and the second surface 14. The scouring member 1 can be obtained, for example, by forming the scouring coating layer 16 by spray coating a slurry including a liquid binder and powdered activated carbon on the entirety of the first surface 12 of the substrate layer 10. The thickness d is not particularly limited, but can be set, for example, to from about 5 mm to about 50 mm. Additionally, by cutting the substrate layer 10 that has the scouring coating layer 16 formed on the entirety of the first surface 12 into a desired shape, the scouring member 1 can be obtained as a finished product. Figure 2 shows a scouring member 2 having a substrate layer 20 that includes a first surface 22 and a second surface 24 opposed to the first surface 22, wherein a scouring coating layer 26 is provided on an entirety of the first surface 22. The scouring member 2 can be obtained, for example, by forming the scouring coating layer 26 on unmasked parts by spray coating a slurry including a liquid binder and powdered activated carbon on the partially masked first surface 22 of the substrate layer 20.

Figure 3 shows a scouring member 3 having a hexahedron-shaped substrate layer 30 that includes a first surface 32 and a second surface 34 opposed to the first surface 32, wherein a scouring coating layer 36 is provided on all six faces including the first surface 32 and the second surface 34. The scouring member 3 can be obtained, for example, by forming the scouring coating layer 36 on all surfaces by spray coating a slurry including a liquid binder and powdered activated carbon on the first surface 32 and the second surface 34 of the substrate layer 30, cutting the substrate layer 30 into a desired product shape as necessary, and then further spray coating the same slurry on the other four sides, not including the first surface 32 and the second surface 34.

Figure 4 shows a scouring member 4 having a substrate layer 40 that includes a first surface 42 and a second surface 44 opposed to the first surface 42, wherein a scouring coating layer 46 is provided partially on each of the first surface 42 and two sides adjacent thereto. The scouring member 4 can be obtained, for example, by forming the scouring coating layer 46 on unmasked parts by spray coating a slurry including a liquid binder and powdered activated carbon on the partially masked first surface 42 of the substrate layer 40, then cutting the substrate layer 40 into a desired product shape as necessary, and thereafter, using the same mask, spray coating the same slurry onto a part of each of the two sides adjacent to the scouring coating layer 46 of the first surface 42.

Figure 5 shows a scouring member 5 having a substrate layer 50 that includes a first surface 52 and a second surface 54 opposed to the first surface 52, wherein a scouring coating layer 56 is provided on the first surface 52 and a part of four sides adjacent to the first surface 52 from the first surface 52 to a thickness dl . The scouring member 5 can be obtained, for example, by forming the scouring coating layer 56 by immersing the specified thickness part of the first surface 52 side of the substrate layer 50 in a slurry including a liquid binder and powdered activated carbon and then drying.

Figure 6 shows a scouring member 6 having a substrate layer 60 that includes a first surface 62 having convex-concave features and a second surface 64 opposed to the first surface 62, wherein a scouring coating layer 66 is provided on an entirety of the first surface 62. The scouring member 6 can be obtained, for example, in the same way as the scouring member 1. A maximum thickness d2 of the scouring member 6 is substantially equal to a thickness of the substrate layer 60 that is decided by the first surface 62 and second surface 64, and is not particularly limited, but can be set, for example, to from about 5 mm to about 50 mm.

Figure 7a is a magnified cross sectional view of an example of the scouring coating layer included in the scouring member of the present disclosure. A single particle 72 of the powdered activated carbon is shown completely embedded in a binder 70. Figure 7b is a magnified cross sectional view of another example of the scouring coating layer. The single particle 72 of the powdered activated carbon is shown partially uncovered from the binder 70. At least a part of all of the powdered activated carbon 72 included in the scouring coating layer is partially uncovered from the binder 70. Therefore, it is not necessary to use detergent because the adsorption action of the powdered activated carbon itself is manifested and grease and stains can be absorbed. Additionally, due to superior scouring action and adsorption action of the powdered activated carbon 72, dry-wiping with another member after scrubbing the surface with the scouring member (re-wiping) can be avoided. The powdered activated carbon 72 is not limited to being partially uncovered from the binder 70 in an initial state, and, for example, may become uncovered from the binder 70 during use of the scouring member. However, because the powdered activated carbon 72 is a fine powder, compared to particulate activated carbon and the like, it is less prone to become dislodged from the binder 70.

Materials that can be used as the substrate layer include, for example, a woven, knitted, nonwoven or foam.

The nonwoven can be obtained by subjecting thermoplastic fibers, for example, to processing by a method such as card methods, air-laying methods, spun-bond methods, melt-blow methods, or wet methods. Although conventionally known materials may be used as the material of the nonwoven, it is not limited thereto. Specifically, the material of the nonwoven may be selected from, for example, polyolefms (polyethylene,

polypropylene, polybutylene, and the like), polyamides (nylon 6, nylon 6/6, nylon 10, and the like), polyesters (polyethylene terephthalate and the like), copolymers including acrylic monomers; and blends and copolymers thereof. Additionally, semisynthetic fibers (acetate fiber and the like), natural fibers (cotton, paper, and the like), regenerated fibers (cellulose, rayon, and the like) and other non-thermoplastic fibers can be blended with the thermoplastic fibers.

A foam material to be used as the foam may be selected as desired from, for example, regenerated cellulose foam, urethane resin foam, melamine resin foam, olefin resin foam, and the like. Sponges are also included in the foam.

A fabric weight of the substrate layer is not particularly limited, but can be set, for example, to from about 50 g/m ² to about 800 g/m ² or from about 80 g/m ² to about 700 g/m ² .

When the substrate layer has the first surface and the second surface, these surfaces may be substantially flat, or may have convex-concave features of various shapes. In this case, the thickness of the substrate layer that is decided by the first surface and the second surface can be made substantially constant. "Substantially constant" is an expression including measurement error due to the physical properties of the substrate such as pliability and the like, and refers to a state in which the thickness of the raw material forming the material of the substrate is not deliberately altered.

The scouring coating layer includes powdered activated carbon that is held on the surface of the substrate layer by the binder. The powdered activated carbon may be dispersed throughout an entirety of the binder, or may be dispersed in a part of the binder. Proportions of the powdered activated carbon and the binder in the scouring coating layer are not particularly limited, but, for example, when an entirety of the scouring coating layer is 100 parts by mass, the powdered activated carbon may be set to from about 5 parts by mass to about 40 parts by mass.

The scouring coating layer is provided on a surface of the fibers, resins, and the like of the nonwoven and the foam that constitute the substrate layer, and a thickness thereof is not particularly limited as long as it is sufficient to hold the powdered activated carbon, and for example can be set to from about 1 μιη to about 300 μιη.

All of the powdered activated carbon provided in the scouring coating layer may be embedded in the binder or may be a combination of powdered activated carbon that is embedded in the binder and powdered activated carbon that is partially uncovered from the binder. Furthermore, all of the powdered activated carbon in the binder may be partially uncovered from the binder. By partially uncovering at least a part of the powdered activated carbon from the binder, the adsorption effect of the powdered activated carbon itself will be manifested as well as the scouring effect due to the inclusion of the powdered activated carbon being manifested.

The binder of the scouring coating layer holds the powdered activated carbon on the substrate layer. Liquid binders including organic polymeric resins can be used as the binder. Examples of such polymeric resins include phenolic resins (both resol and novolac), urea-formaldehyde resins, melamine formaldehyde resins, acrylated urethanes, acrylated epoxies, ethylenically unsaturated compounds, aminoplast derivatives having pendant unsaturated carbonyl groups, isocyanurate derivatives having at least one pendant acrylate group, isocyanate derivatives having at least one pendant acrylate group, vinyl ethers, epoxy resins, and mixtures and combinations thereof.

Examples of the powdered activated carbon include powdered activated carbons manufactured according to known methods from raw materials such as wood powder, brown coal, coal, coke, wood coal, coconut husk, bamboo coal, resin, petroleum residue, animal bones, and the like. Powdered activated carbons having a Mohs hardness of from about 2 to less than about 7 can be used.

The diameter of the powdered activated carbon is not particularly limited, but can be set, for example, to from about 20 μιη to about 500 um, or from about 20 μιη to about 200 μιη. Additionally, the average diameter of the powdered activated carbon can be set, for example, to about 150 μιη.

The diameter and average diameter of the powdered activated carbon can be measured according to the method stipulated in JIS Kl 474(2007).

The scouring member can be manufactured by forming the scouring coating layer on the substrate layer using a conventionally known method.

The scouring coating layer can be obtained by, for example, preparing a slurry by dispersing the powdered activated carbon in a liquid binder, then applying this slurry to the surface of the substrate layer using a conventionally known coating method such as spray coating, roll coating, or the like, and then curing or solidifying the binder.

At this time, before applying the slurry to the surface of the substrate layer, a pre- coating layer may be applied to the surface of the substrate layer as a pretreatment for a substrate layer that is formed from a nonwoven, or the like. Due to this pretreatment, the scouring coating layer applied thereafter is held to the substrate layer better, and in cases when the raw material forming the substrate layer is a fiber, the cohesive strength of the fiber increases.

The shape of the scouring member is not particularly limited, and may take a variety of shapes. When the scouring member has the first surface and the second surface opposed to the first surface, the shapes of these surfaces may be, for example, rectangular (squares, rectangles, diamonds, parallelograms, trapezoids, or the like), triangular, polygonal, star-shaped, circular, or elliptical. Scouring members having such shape can be manufactured by combining conventionally known methods. For example, the scouring member can be obtained by applying the scouring coating layer to desired sections after cutting the substrate into a desired shape; or by applying the scouring coating layer to at least one of the first surface and the second surface, then cutting to a desired shape, and then further applying the scouring coating layer to the sides of the substrate layer, as necessary.

The scouring member of the present invention includes a powdered activated carbon having a Mohs hardness of from about 2 to less than about 7, and therefore, can remove grease and stains adhered to the surfaces of kitchen sinks, bathtubs, vanities, toilets, and utensils that are formed from materials having a Mohs hardness that is higher than the Mohs hardness of the powdered activated carbon (e.g. about 7 or higher) without scratching the surfaces thereof. Additionally, detergent is unnecessary and in some cases re-wiping is also unnecessary because the powdered activated carbon absorbs grease. Examples of surfaces having a Mohs hardness of about 7 or greater, to which cleaning by the scouring member of the present invention is suitable, include cookware and the like formed from ceramics, glass, hollows, and the like.

Examples

Manufacture of the Scouring Member

Polyester fiber (17 dtex) was processed using a Rando-Webber machine to produce a nonwoven having a thickness of about 15 mm and a fabric weight of about 230 g/m ² . A pre-coating layer was provided by applying the pre-coating solution shown in Table 1 to the surface while feeding the obtained nonwoven between two rubber rollers and curing by heating for 10 minutes at 185°C. A dried coating weight of the obtained nonwoven was 580 g/m ² . Thereafter, the slurry shown in Table 2 was prepared. The average diameter of the powdered activated carbon used was 150 μιη. The obtained slurry was applied to an entirety of the surface of the nonwoven on which the pre-coating layer was provided by spray coating. A coating weight was 2.2 g/100 cm ² . Thereafter, the nonwoven on which the slurry was applied was heated for 10 minutes at 160°C and the scouring member 1 shown in Figure 1 was obtained.

Table 1