Apertured Wiping Cloth

Abstract

The present invention provides a wiping cloth which has unique surface properties, tactile feel and enhanced wiping performance for wiping both wet and dry surfaces. The wiping cloth has a series of three-dimensional projections which encircles apertures. The wiping cloth is made from a substrate which contains a thermoplastic polymer.

1 . A wiping cloth for wiping both wet and dry surfaces, said wiping cloth comprising a substrate containing thermoplastic fibers, said substrate having a first side and a second side, the substrate having a plurality of apertures therethrough, wherein at least a portion of the apertures defines a plurality of three-dimensional fibrous projections on the first side of the substrate and the three-dimensional fibrous projections encircles each aperture, each three-dimensional fibrous projection contains thermoplastic fibers, wherein a portion of the thermoplastic fibers in each of the three-dimensional fibrous projections are deformed, and wherein the three-dimensional projections retain their shape during use. 
     
     
         2 . The wiping cloth according to  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a nonwoven web. 
     
     
         3 . The wiping cloth according to  claim 2 , wherein the nonwoven web comprises a meltblown nonwoven web, a spunbond nonwoven web, a coform nonwoven web, a bonded carded web, a spunlace nonwoven web, a hydroentangled nonwoven web, or composites or laminates thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The wiping cloth according to  claim 3 , wherein the nonwoven web comprises a hydroentangled nonwoven web. 
     
     
         5 . The wiping cloth according to  claim 4 , wherein the hydroentangled nonwoven web comprises staple fibers hydraulically entangled with substantially continuous thermoplastic fibers. 
     
     
         6 . The wiping cloth according to  claim 5 , wherein the staple fibers comprise cellulosic fibers. 
     
     
         7 . The wiping cloth according to  claim 1 , wherein the substrate has a plurality of three-dimensional projections extending from the second side of the substrate, and wherein the three-dimensional projections extending from the second side encircle a second portion of the apertures in the substrate. 
     
     
         8 . The wiping cloth according to  claim 7 , wherein the substrate comprises a nonwoven web. 
     
     
         9 . The wiping cloth according to  claim 8 , wherein the nonwoven web comprises a hydroentangled nonwoven web having staple fibers hydraulically entangled with substantially continuous thermoplastic fibers. 
     
     
         10 . The wiping cloth according to  claim 1 , wherein the apertures are placed in the substrate in a pattern. 
     
     
         11 . The wiping cloth according to  claim 1 , wherein the first side of the substrate has a top surface, wherein the three-dimensional projections extend from the top surface, each three-dimensional projections having a height of about 5 mm or less. 
     
     
         12 . The wiping cloth according to  claim 11 , wherein the height of the three-dimensional projections is between about 0.3 to about 1.3 mm. 
     
     
         13 . The wiping cloth according to  claim 2 , wherein the nonwoven web comprises a mixture of thermoplastic fibers and non-thermoplastic fibers. 
     
     
         14 . The wiping cloth according to  claim 13 , wherein the thermoplastic fibers comprise between 10% and 90%, by weight, of the nonwoven web. 
     
     
         15 . The wiping cloth according to  claim 14 , wherein the thermoplastic fibers comprise between about 10% and 30%, by weight, of the nonwoven web. 
     
     
         16 . The wiping cloth according to  claim 13 , wherein the non-thermoplastic fibers comprise pulp fibers. 
     
     
         17 . A wiping cloth for wiping both wet and dry surfaces, said wiping cloth comprising a substrate which comprises a nonwoven web containing substantially continuous thermoplastic fibers and staple fibers, wherein the staple fibers are hydraulically entangled with the substantially continuous thermoplastic fibers, said substrate having a first side and a second side, the substrate having a plurality of apertures therethrough, wherein at least a portion of the apertures defines a plurality of three-dimensional fibrous projections on the first side of the substrate and the three-dimensional fibrous projections encircles each aperture in the portion of apertures, each three-dimensional fibrous projection contains at least one substantially continuous thermoplastic fiber, wherein the at least one substantially continuous thermoplastic fiber in each of the three-dimensional fibrous projections is deformed, and wherein the three-dimensional projections retain their shape during use. 
     
     
         18 . The wiping cloth according to  claim 17 , wherein the staple fibers comprise cellulosic fibers. 
     
     
         19 . The wiping cloth according to  claim 18 , wherein the substantially continuous thermoplastic fibers comprise between 10 and 90% by weight of the nonwoven web. 
     
     
         20 . The wiping cloth according to  claim 19 , wherein the substantially continuous thermoplastic fibers comprise between about 10% and 30%, by weight, of the nonwoven web. 
     
     
         21 . The wiping cloth according to  claim 17 , wherein the staple fibers comprise thermoplastic fibers. 
     
     
         22 . The wiping cloth according to  claim 17 , wherein the first side of the substrate has a top surface, and the three-dimensional projections extend from the top surface, each three-dimensional projections having a height of about 5 mm or less. 
     
     
         23 . The wiping cloth according to  claim 22 , wherein the height of the three-dimensional projections is between about 0.3 to about 1.3 mm. 
     
     
         24 . The wiping cloth according to  claim 17 , wherein the second side of the substrate has a plurality of three-dimensional projections encircling a second portion of the apertures. 
     
     
         25 . The wiping cloth according to  claim 17 , wherein the apertures are placed in the substrate in a pattern. 
     
     
         26 . The wiping cloth according to  claim 17 , wherein the nonwoven web has a basis weight between about 33 grams per square meter and 200 grams per square meter. 
     
     
         27 . The wiping cloth according to  claim 17 , wherein the apertures are present in the substrate in a density of about 5 apertures per square centimeter to about 20 apertures per square centimeter.