Absorbent cleaning pad and method of making same

Abstract

A surface cleaning pad is provided having a pad body configured for attachment to a cleaning implement and a tab coupled to the pad body and extending beyond an edge of the pad body. The tab is configured to be grasped by a user of the cleaning implement to facilitate detachment of the pad body from the cleaning implement.

1 . A surface cleaning pad comprising: 
 a pad body configured for attachment to a cleaning implement; and    a tab coupled to said pad body and extending beyond an edge of said pad body, wherein said tab is configured to be grasped by a user of the cleaning implement to facilitate detachment of said pad body from the cleaning implement.    
     
     
         2 . The surface cleaning pad of  claim 1 , wherein said tab extends outwardly from said pad body in a plane substantially parallel to a plane of a cleaning surface of said pad body.  
     
     
         3 . The surface cleaning pad of  claim 1 , further comprising means for attaching said pad body to the cleaning implement.  
     
     
         4 . The surface cleaning pad of  claim 3 , said attaching means comprising at least one attachment member coupled to said pad body and configured for attachment to a bottom side of the cleaning implement.  
     
     
         5 . The surface cleaning pad of  claim 3 , said attaching means comprising attachment members coupled to said pad body and configured to wrap around a portion of the cleaning implement and to couple to each other, thereby fastening said pad body to the cleaning implement.  
     
     
         6 . The surface cleaning pad of  claim 3 , said attaching means comprising an attachment member configured for attachment to a top side of the cleaning implement.  
     
     
         7 . The surface cleaning pad of  claim 6 , said attachment member comprising a hook or loop fastener.  
     
     
         8 . The surface cleaning pad of  claim 6 , said attachment member comprising a perforated sheet configured for attachment to a bottom side of the cleaning implement, said perforated sheet being separable into independent segments configured to couple with the top side of the cleaning implement.  
     
     
         9 . A surface cleaning implement comprising: 
 a head portion;    a pad body coupled to said head portion; and    a tab coupled to said pad body and extending beyond an edge of said pad body and an edge of said head portion, wherein said tab is configured to be grasped by a user of said surface cleaning implement to facilitate detachment of said pad body from said head portion of said surface cleaning implement.    
     
     
         10 . The surface cleaning implement of  claim 9 , wherein said tab extends outwardly from said pad body in a plane substantially parallel to a plane of a cleaning surface of said pad body.  
     
     
         11 . The surface cleaning implement of  claim 9 , further comprising means for attaching said pad body to said head portion of said surface cleaning implement.  
     
     
         12 . The surface cleaning implement of  claim 11 , said attaching means comprising at least one attachment member coupled to said pad body and attached to a bottom side of said head portion of said surface cleaning implement.  
     
     
         13 . The surface cleaning implement of  claim 11 , said attaching means comprising attachment members coupled to said pad body and wrapped around said head portion of said surface cleaning implement and coupled to each other, thereby fastening said pad body to said head portion of said surface cleaning implement.  
     
     
         14 . The surface cleaning implement of  claim 11 , said attaching means comprising an attachment member attached to a top side of said head portion of said surface cleaning implement.  
     
     
         15 . The surface cleaning implement of  claim 14 , said attachment member comprising a hook or loop fastener.  
     
     
         16 . The surface cleaning implement of  claim 14 , said attachment member comprising a perforated sheet, said perforated sheet being attached to a bottom side of said head portion of said surface cleaning implement or said perforated sheet being separated into independent segments and coupled to the top side of said head portion of said surface cleaning implement.  
     
     
         17 . A method of assembling a surface cleaning pad comprising the steps of: 
 a) applying a barrier to a surface of an airlaid composite; and    b) folding the barrier over at least one width-wise edge of the airlaid composite, thereby encapsulating the width-wise edge of the airlaid composite.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising the step of folding the barrier over at least one length-wise edge of the airlaid composite, thereby encapsulating the length-wise edge of the airlaid composite.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said step of applying a barrier comprises positioning the barrier to extend beyond a width-wise edge of the airlaid composite.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said step of applying a barrier comprises applying the barrier to surfaces of two or more airlaid composites.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said step of applying a barrier comprises positioning the barrier to extend beyond a width-wise edge of each of the airlaid composites.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising the step of cutting the barrier at a location between the airlaid composites.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said step of folding the barrier comprises folding the barrier over at least one width-wise edge of each of the airlaid composites, thereby encapsulating the width-wise edge of each of the airlaid composites.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising the step of coupling at least one attachment member to the barrier at a position configured for coupling with a cleaning implement.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  further comprising the steps of cutting a hook or loop fastener into strips and adhering the strips to the barrier.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising the step of coupling at least one dirt entrapment member adjacent a cleaning surface of the airlaid composite.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  further comprising the steps of cutting a dirt entrapment material into strips, folding the strips, and adhering the folded strips to the cleaning surface of the airlaid composite.  
     
     
         28 . A surface cleaning pad comprising: 
 a pad body formed from an airlaid composite; and    a barrier applied to a surface of said airlaid composite and folded over at least one width-wise edge of said airlaid composite, thereby encapsulating said width-wise edge of said airlaid composite.    
     
     
         29 . The surface cleaning pad of  claim 28 , said barrier additionally folded over at least one length-wise edge of said airlaid composite, thereby encapsulating said length-wise edge of said airlaid composite.  
     
     
         30 . The surface cleaning pad of  claim 28 , further comprising at least one attachment member coupled to said barrier of said pad body, said attachment member being positioned for attachment to a bottom side of a cleaning implement.  
     
     
         31 . A surface cleaning pad comprising: 
 a pad body;    means coupled to said pad body for attaching said pad body to a cleaning implement and facilitating use of said surface cleaning pad to clean a surface with the cleaning implement; and    means coupled to said pad body for engaging said surface cleaning pad to a hand of a user and facilitating use of said surface cleaning pad to clean a surface without use of the cleaning implement.    
     
     
         32 . The surface cleaning pad of  claim 31 , said attaching means comprising: 
 means for attaching said pad body to a bottom side of a head portion of the cleaning implement; and    means for attaching said pad body to a top side of the head portion of the cleaning implement.    
     
     
         33 . The surface cleaning pad of  claim 32 , said attaching means comprising a perforated sheet fastened to said pad body and configured to couple with a bottom side of a head portion of the cleaning implement, said perforated sheet separable into independent segments configured to couple with a top side of the head portion of the cleaning implement.  
     
     
         34 . The surface cleaning pad of  claim 31 , said engaging means comprising a hand strap having end portions coupled to said pad body, said hand strap and said pad body together defining a passage sized and positioned to receive the hand of the user.  
     
     
         35 . The surface cleaning pad of  claim 31 , said pad body being formed from an airlaid composite.  
     
     
         36 . The surface cleaning pad of  claim 31 , said mechanical attaching means comprising a hook or loop fastener.  
     
     
         37 . The surface cleaning pad of  claim 31 , further comprising a tab coupled to said pad body to facilitate detachment of said pad body from the cleaning implement.  
     
     
         38 . A surface cleaning pad comprising: 
 a pad body having a width generally corresponding to that of a head portion of a cleaning implement; and    a perforated sheet oriented to extend substantially across said pad body in a width-wise direction, said perforated sheet having end portions fastened to the pad body and a surface extending in said width-wise direction configured to couple with a bottom side of the head portion of the cleaning implement, said perforated sheet being separable into independent segments configured to couple with a top side of the head portion of the cleaning implement.    
     
     
         39 . The surface cleaning pad of  claim 38 , said perforated sheet being formed from an elastic material.  
     
     
         40 . A surface cleaning pad comprising: 
 a pad body formed from an airlaid composite, said pad body having a cleansing surface configured for cleansing contact with a surface to be cleaned and an opposite surface configured to be positioned facing a cleaning implement;    a barrier adhered to and substantially covering said opposite surface of said pad body; and    a pair of dirt entrapment members adhered to said cleansing surface of said pad body.    
     
     
         41 . The surface cleaning pad of  claim 40 , said dirt entrapment members each comprising a strip of dirt entrapment material folded over and adhered.  
     
     
         42 . A surface cleaning pad configured for attachment to a cleaning implement, said surface cleaning pad comprising a pad body and a barrier coupled to said pad body, wherein at least one portion of said barrier is folded and coupled to itself in a first configuration to be stored between the pad body and the cleaning implement and wherein said at least one portion of said barrier is attached to the cleaning implement in a second configuration.  
     
     
         43 . The surface cleaning pad of  claim 42 , further comprising an attachment member coupled to said barrier for attaching said pad body to a surface of the cleaning implement.  
     
     
         44 . The surface cleaning pad of  claim 42 , further comprising a cohesive positioned to couple said folded portion of said barrier to itself.  
     
     
         45 . The surface cleaning pad of  claim 31 , said means for attaching said pad body to a cleaning implement comprising at least one strap positionable to secure said pad body to said cleaning implement.  
     
     
         46 . A surface cleaning pad comprising: 
 a pad body formed from an airlaid composite, said pad body having a first surface configured to face a surface to be cleaned and an opposite surface configured to be positioned facing a cleaning implement;    a barrier adhered to and substantially covering said opposite surface of said pad body; and    a pair of dirt entrapment members coupled to said pad body and positioned to be interposed between said first surface of said pad body and the surface to be cleaned.    
     
     
         47 . The surface cleaning pad of  claim 46  wherein the entrapment members are adjacent said first surface.  
     
     
         48 . The surface cleaning pad of  claim 46  wherein the entrapment members are coupled directly to said first surface.  
     
     
         49 . The surface cleaning pad of  claim 46  wherein at least opposite ends of each of the dirt entrapment members are fixed with respect to said pad body across their width.  
     
     
         50 . The surface cleaning pad of  claim 49  wherein the opposite ends of said entrapment members are fixed to said pad body.  
     
     
         51 . The surface cleaning pad of  claim 49  wherein each of the dirt entrapment members are fixed with respect to said pad body along their length.  
     
     
         52 . The surface cleaning pad of  claim 51  wherein a longitudinally extending edge of each dirt entrapment member is fixed with respect to said pad body.  
     
     
         53 . The surface cleaning pad of  claim 51  wherein each of the dirt entrapment members is fixed to said pad body.  
     
     
         54 . The surface cleaning pad of  claim 51  wherein a longitudinally extending edge of each of the entrapment members is not fixed with respect to said pad body.