Disposable cleaning sheets comprising a plurality of protrusions for removing debris from surfaces

Abstract

Disposable cleaning sheets for removing debris from a surface comprise a substrate and a plurality of protrusions affixed to the substrate. The cleaning sheets of the present invention have one or more of the following characteristics: (a) “Protrusion Flexibility” of at least about 0.5 grams, preferably from about 1 to about 200 grams, and more preferably from about 5 to about 70 grams; (b) “Glide Resistance” of less than about 1200 grams, preferably from about 25 to about 950 grams, and more preferably from about 200 to about 750 grams; (c) “Hair Capture Efficiency” of at least about 10%, preferably at least about 30%, and more preferably at least about 60%; and/or (d) “Sheet Capacity” of from about 0.2 to about 20 grams, preferably from about 0.5 to about 10 grams, and more preferably from about 0.75 to about 5 grams. When the present cleaning sheet is attached to a cleaning implement, the Attachment Force between the cleaning sheet and the cleaning implement will typically be at least about 600 grams, preferably at least about 1000 grams, and more preferably at least about 1400 grams. Methods of removing debris from a surface comprise contacting the surface with a cleaning sheet of the present invention.

1 - 28 . (canceled)  
   
   
       29 . A substantially planar disposable cleaning sheet in combination with a cleaning implement, said sheet comprising: 
 i) at least one layer of a substantially planar fibrous substrate material said layer having a front, a back and side edges, a first outer surface and a second outer surface, wherein said substrate comprises a nonwoven material; and    a plurality of protrusions affixed to at least one of said first and second outer surfaces of said substrate layer and extending outwardly therefrom and away from said implement in order to contact a surface to be cleaned,    wherein said disposable cleaning sheet is removably attached to a cleaning implement at a surface thereof, said surface of said cleaning implement being generally planar and suitable for disposing said sheet into generally planar contact with a surface to be cleaned.    
   
   
       30 . The disposable cleaning sheet of  claim 29  wherein said protrusions have a Protrusion Flexibility of at least about 0.5 g.  
   
   
       31 . The disposable cleaning sheet of  claim 30  wherein said Protrusion Flexibility of said protrusions is from about 1.0 g to about 200 g.  
   
   
       32 . The disposable cleaning sheet of  claim 31  wherein said Protrusion Flexibility of said protrusions is from about 5.0 g to about 80 g.  
   
   
       33 . The disposable cleaning sheet of  claim 29  wherein said cleaning sheet has a Glide Resistance of less than about 1200 g.  
   
   
       34 . The disposable cleaning sheet of  claim 33  wherein said Glide Resistance is from about 25 g to about 950 g.  
   
   
       35 . The disposable cleaning sheet of  claim 34  wherein said Glide Resistance is from about 200 g to about 750 g.  
   
   
       36 . The disposable cleaning sheet of  claim 29  wherein the efficiency of hair capture for said disposable cleaning sheet from said surface is from about 30 to about 100% as measured by the Hair Capture Efficiency Test.  
   
   
       37 . The disposable cleaning sheet of  claim 36  wherein said efficiency of hair capture is from about 60 to about 100%.  
   
   
       38 . The disposable cleaning sheet of  claim 36  wherein said cleaning sheet has a total hair holding capacity of from about 0.2 to about 20 grams.  
   
   
       39 . The disposable cleaning sheet of  claim 38  wherein said total hair holding capacity is from about 0.5 to about 10 grams  
   
   
       40 . The disposable cleaning sheet of  claim 37  wherein said peak load resistance is from about 200 g to about 750 g.  
   
   
       41 . The disposable cleaning sheet of  claim 29 , wherein, said protrusions are arrayed in a pattern on said at least one of said first and second outer surfaces of substrate and said protrusion pattern covers at least about 5% to about 100% of said at least one of said first and second outer surfaces of substrate surface and comprises form about 1 to about 1000 protrusions per square cm, and wherein the balance of at least one of said first and second outer surfaces of substrate is substantially free of protrusions.  
   
   
       42 . The disposable cleaning sheet of  claim 29  wherein said protrusions are hooks having: 
 i) a height of from about 0.05 mm to about 80 mm    ii) a stem width at ⅓ height of form about  0 . 002  mm to about 5 mm    iii) a Vertical gap opening height of from about 5% to about 100% of said height (i).    
   
   
       43 . The disposable cleaning sheet of  claim 42  wherein said protrusions comprise a thermoplastic resin with a softening point between about 45° C. to about 260° C.  
   
   
       44 . The disposable cleaning sheet of  claim 43  wherein said resin has an elastic modulus of from about 0.0001 to about 0.15 kN/m 2 .  
   
   
       45 . The disposable cleaning sheet of  claim 29  wherein said protrusions are disposed in a checkerboard pattern.  
   
   
       46 . The disposable cleaning sheet of  claim 29  wherein said sheet is substantially rectangular, having two pairs of parallel edges and said protrusions are disposed in stripes.  
   
   
       47 . The disposable sheet of  claim 46  wherein said stripes are parallel to one of said edges.  
   
   
       48 . A disposable cleaning mitt, said cleaning mitt having a cleaning sheet for cleaning a soft surface, said sheet comprising: 
 i) at least one layer of a substrate material, said layer having a first outer surface and a second outer surface wherein at least a portion of said substrate material is substantially planar;    ii) a polymeric additive for retaining particulate matter onto said cleaning sheet, wherein said polymeric additive is chosen from at least one of a pressure sensitive adhesive, a tacky polymer, and mixtures thereof and wherein said polymeric additive is applied to at least one of said first and second outer surfaces of said substrate material at a level of at least about 0.1 g/m 2 ; and    iii) a plurality of protrusions affixed to at least one of said first and second outer surfaces of said substrate material and extending outwardly therefrom in order to contact a surface to be cleaned;    iv) said cleaning sheet being incorporated into a mitt, whereby a user can insert a hand onto the mitt and contact said protrusions with a surface to be cleaned.