Cleaning sheets comprising a polymeric additive to improve particulate pick-up and minimize residue left on surfaces and cleaning implements for use with cleaning sheets

Abstract

Cleaning sheets comprise an additive that is selected to enhance the pick up and retention of particulate material from surfaces, while minimizing the amount of residue left on the surface being cleaned. If the type of additive and level of additive on the cleaning sheet are not carefully selected, the sheet will leave a residue on the surface being cleaned resulting in filming and streaking of the surface that is unacceptable to consumers. The additive is preferably selected from the group consisting of a wax, an oil, and mixtures thereof. Cleaning implements comprise a mop head having a resilient bottom surface, a portion of which preferably has a substantially smooth curved profile or crown which engages a removable cleaning sheet.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A mop head for a cleaning implement, comprising: 
 a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a bottom surface for engaging a cleaning sheet; and    wherein said bottom surface of said mop head has a gap at least one of said leading edge or said trailing edge of at least about 1.5 mm.    
     
     
         2 . The mop head of  claim 1 , wherein said gap is at least about 2 mm.  
     
     
         3 . The mop head of  claim 1 , wherein said gap is between about 2 mm and about 5 mm.  
     
     
         4 . The mop head of  claim 1 , wherein said bottom surface of said mop head has said gap at said leading edge and said trailing edge of said mop head.  
     
     
         5 . The mop head of  claim 1 , wherein said bottom surface of said mop head has a contact surface whose width between said leading edge and said trailing edge is less than about 50 mm.  
     
     
         6 . The mop head of  claim 5 , wherein the profile of said contact surface is substantially straight.  
     
     
         7 . The mop head of  claim 6 , wherein said width of said contact surface is between about 2mm and about 50 mm.  
     
     
         8 . The mop head of  claim 1 , wherein said bottom surface of said mop head has a contact surface whose width between said leading edge and said trailing edge is less than about 25 mm.  
     
     
         9 . The mop head of  claim 1 , wherein said bottom surface of said mop head has a contact surface whose contact surface ratio is less than about 70%.  
     
     
         10 . The mop head of  claim 1 , wherein said bottom surface of said mop head has a contact surface whose contact surface ratio is between about 1% and about 5%.  
     
     
         11 . The mop head of  claim 1 , wherein said bottom surface of said mop head has a contact surface whose contact surface ratio is between about 1% and about 2%.  
     
     
         12 . The mop head of  claim 1 , wherein said bottom surface of said mop head has a contact surface which is substantially curved.  
     
     
         13 . The mop head of  claim 12 , wherein said contact surface of said mop head has a radius of curvature.  
     
     
         14 . The mop head of  claim 13 , wherein said radius of curvature is at least about 300 mm.  
     
     
         15 . The mop head of  claim 13 , wherein said radius of curvature is at least about 1000 mm.  
     
     
         16 . The mop head of  claim 13 , wherein the ratio of said gap to said radius of curvature is between about 0.5 and about 1000.  
     
     
         17 . The mop head of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of said bottom surface of said mop head has a texture thereon.  
     
     
         18 . The mop head of  claim 1 , wherein the profile of said bottom surface of said mop head comprises one or more steps.  
     
     
         19 . A cleaning implement, comprising: 
 a handle;    a pivotable joint attached to said handle;    a mop head according to  claim 1 , said mop head attached to said pivotable joint.    
     
     
         20 . The cleaning implement of  claim 19 , further comprising a cleaning sheet.  
     
     
         21 . The cleaning implement of  claim 20 , wherein the ratio of the caliper of said sheet to said gap is between about 0 and about 0.65.  
     
     
         22 . The cleaning implement of  claim 19 , further comprising a coupling having three legs for changing the orientation between said pivotable joint and said handle, wherein at least on of said handle or said pivotable joint can releaseably engage at least two of said legs.  
     
     
         23 . A cleaning implement for use with a cleaning sheet which is also suitable for hand dusting, comprising: 
 a handle;    a pivotable joint attached to said handle;    a mop head attached to said pivotable joint, said mop head having a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a bottom surface for engaging a cleaning sheet; and    wherein said mop head has a length of at least about 400 mm and a length to width ratio between about 0.3 and about 1.    
     
     
         24 . The cleaning implement of  claim 23 , wherein said bottom surface of said mop head has a gap at least one of said leading edge or said trailing edge of at least about 1.5 mm.  
     
     
         25 . A cleaning implement, comprising: 
 a handle;    a pivotable joint attached to said handle;    a mop head attached to said pivotable joint, said mop head having a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a bottom surface for engaging a cleaning sheet, wherein said bottom surface of said mop head has a gap at least one of said leading edge or said trailing edge; and    a cleaning sheet attached to said mop head, wherein the ratio of the caliper of said sheet to said gap is between about 0 and about 0.65.    
     
     
         26 . The cleaning implement of  claim 25 , wherein said ratio of the caliper of said sheet to said gap is between about 0.1 and about 0.6.  
     
     
         27 . A cleaning implement, comprising: 
 a handle;    a pivotable joint attached to said handle;    a mop head attached to said pivotable joint, said mop head having a leading edge, a trailing edge; and    a cleaning sheet attached to said mop head around said leading edge and said trailing edge of said mop head, said cleaning sheet having a bottom surface, wherein said bottom surface of said cleaning sheet has a gap at least one of said leading edge or said trailing edge of said mop head of at least about 1.5 mm.    
     
     
         28 . The cleaning implement of  claim 27 , wherein said gap is at least about 2 mm.  
     
     
         29 . The cleaning implement of  claim 27 , wherein said gap is between about 2 mm and about 10 mm.  
     
     
         30 . A kit for a cleaning implement, comprising: 
 a mop head having a pivotable joint, said mop head having a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a bottom surface for engaging a cleaning sheet, wherein said mop head has a gap at least one of said leading edge or said trailing edge of at least about 1.5 mm; and    a coupling having three bores, wherein at least one of said handle or said pivotable joint can releaseably engage at least two of said bores.    
     
     
         31 . A package, comprising a cleaning sheet suitable for hand dusting and suitable for use with a floor mop having a mop head, said cleaning sheet comprising a substrate having a length of at least about 400 mm and wherein the ratio of the length to the width of the sheet is between about 0.4 and about 1.  
     
     
         32 . The package of  claim 31 , further comprising a set of instructions in association with the package, the set of instructions comprising an instruction to use the cleaning sheet with a floor mop.  
     
     
         33 . A cleaning sheet comprising: 
 (a) a substrate; and    (b) a polymeric additive selected from the group consisting of pressure sensitive adhesive, tacky polymer, and mixtures thereof;    wherein said polymeric additive is incorporated onto said substrate at a level of from about 0.1 g/m 2  to about 10.0 g/m 2 .    
     
     
         34 . The cleaning sheet of  claim 33 , wherein said polymeric additive is incorporated onto said substrate at a level of from about 0.3 g/m 2  to about 6.0 g/m 2 .  
     
     
         35 . The cleaning sheet of  claim 34 , wherein said polymeric additive is incorporated onto said substrate at a level of from about 0.5 g/m 2  to about 4.0 g/m 2 .  
     
     
         36 . The cleaning sheet of  claim 33 , wherein said polymeric additive is a pressure sensitive adhesive comprising: 
 (a) an adhesive polymer;    (b) optionally, a tackifying resin;    (c) optionally, a plasticizer; and    (d) optionally, a component selected from the group consisting of diluents, stabilizers, antioxidants, colorants, fillers, and mixtures thereof.    
     
     
         37 . The cleaning sheet of  claim 33 , wherein said polymeric additive is a tacky polymer selected from the group consisting of: polyisobutylene polymers, alkyl methacrylate polymers, polyalkyl acrylates, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         38 . A cleaning sheet comprising: 
 (a) a substrate; and    (b) a pressure sensitive adhesive incorporated onto said substrate, said pressure sensitive adhesive comprising: 
 (i) an adhesive polymer;  
 (ii) optionally, a tackifying resin;  
 (iii) optionally, a plasticizer; and  
 (iv) optionally, a component selected from the group consisting of diluents, stabilizers, antioxidants, colorants, fillers, and mixtures thereof;  
   wherein said pressure sensitive adhesive has an Adhesive Work Value of from about 130 to about 1000.    
     
     
         39 . The cleaning sheet of  claim 38 , wherein said Adhesive Work Value from about 160 to about 750.  
     
     
         40 . The cleaning sheet of  claim 39 , wherein said Adhesive Work Value from about 250 to about 650.  
     
     
         41 . The cleaning sheet of  claim 38 , wherein said pressure sensitive adhesive has an additional adhesive characteristic selected from the group consisting of: 
 (a) a Tack Value of from about 100 to about 500;    (b) a Cohesive/Adhesive Ratio of from about 0.2 to about 20;    (c) a Stringiness Value of from about 2.5 to about 12.0; and    (d) combinations thereof.    
     
     
         42 . The cleaning sheet of  claim 41 , wherein said pressure sensitive adhesive has a Tack Value of from about 150 to about 400.  
     
     
         43 . The cleaning sheet of  claim 38 , wherein said adhesive polymer is selected from the group consisting of block co-polymers containing polystyrene endblocks, and polyisoprene, polybutadiene, and/or poly ethylene-butylene midblocks; polyolefins such as polyethylene, polypropylene, amorphous polypropylene, polyisoprene, and polyethylene propylene; ethylene-vinylacetate copolymers, polyisobutylene; poly(vinyl ethylene-co-1,4-butadiene); natural rubber [poly cis-isoprene]; polyacrylic acid, preferably 2-ethylhexylacrylate and iso-octlyacrylate, and polymethacrylic acid or their salt; polydimethylsiloxane, polydiphenylsiloxane, poly methyl phenyl siloxane; polyvinyl alcohol; and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         44 . The cleaning sheet of  claim 44 , wherein said adhesive polymer is a cross-linked acrylate polymer.  
     
     
         45 . A cleaning sheet comprising: 
 (a) a substrate; and    (b) a tacky polymer;    wherein said tacky polymer has an said Adhesive Work Value is from about 50 to about 1000.    
     
     
         46 . The cleaning sheet of  claim 45 , wherein said Adhesive Work Value is from about 75 to about 250.  
     
     
         47 . The cleaning sheet of  claim 47 , wherein said Adhesive Work Value is from about 100 to about 150.  
     
     
         48 . The cleaning sheet of  claim 45 , wherein said tacky polymer has a T g  of from about −150° C. to about 0° C.  
     
     
         49 . The cleaning sheet of  claim 45 , wherein said tacky polymer has a molecular weight of from about about 1000 to about 500,000.  
     
     
         50 . The cleaning sheet of  claim 45 , wherein said tacky polymer has an additional adhesive characteristic selected from the group consisting of: 
 (a) a Tack Value of from about 300 to about 500;    (b) a Cohesive/Adhesive Ratio of from about 0.2 to about 20;    (c) a Stringiness Value of from about 0.4 to about 12.0; and    (d) combinations thereof.    
     
     
         51 . The cleaning sheet of  claim 45 , wherein said tacky polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyisobutylene polymers, alkyl methacrylate polymers, polyalkyl acrylates, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         52 . The cleaning sheet of  claim 51 , wherein said tacky polymer is polyisobutylene polymer.  
     
     
         53 . A cleaning sheet comprising: 
 (a) a substrate; and    (b) a polymeric additive selected from the group consisting of pressure sensitive adhesive, tacky polymer, and mixtures thereof;    wherein said polymeric additive is incorporated onto said substrate in zones comprising a center zone and two side zones; wherein said side zones are located on each side of said center zone; wherein the level of said polymeric additive in said center zone is from about 0 g/m 2  to about 1.5 g/m 2 ; and wherein the level of said polymeric additive in said side zones is from about 0.1 g/m 2  to about 5.0 g/m 2 .    
     
     
         54 . The cleaning sheet of  claim 53 , wherein said polymeric additive is a pressure sensitive adhesive and has an Adhesive Work Value of from about 130 to about 1000.  
     
     
         55 . The cleaning sheet of  claim 53 , wherein said polymeric additive is a tacky polymer and has an Adhesive Work Value of from about 50 to about 1000.  
     
     
         56 . A cleaning implement comprising: 
 (a) a cleaning sheet comprising: 
 (i) a substrate; and  
 (ii) a polymeric additive selected from the group consisting of pressure sensitive adhesive, tacky polymer, and mixtures thereof,  
   (b) a mop head comprising a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a bottom surface for engaging said cleaning sheet;    wherein said bottom surface of said mop head has a gap at least one of said leading edge or said trailing edge of at least about 1.5 mm; and wherein said polymeric additive is incorporated onto said substrate in zones comprising a center zone and two side zones; wherein said side zones are located on each side of said center zone; wherein the level of said polymeric additive in said center zone is from about 0 g/m 2  to about 1.5 g/m 2 ; and wherein the level of said polymeric additive in said side zones is from about 0.1 g/m 2  to about 5.0 g/m 2 .    
     
     
         57 . The cleaning implement of  claim 56 , wherein said polymeric additive is a pressure sensitive adhesive and has an Adhesive Work Value of from about 130 to about 1000.  
     
     
         58 . The cleaning implement of  claim 56 , wherein said polymeric additive is a tacky polymer and has an Adhesive Work Value is from about 50 to about 1000.