Uv treated scrubbing articles and methods of making same

Abstract

A scrubbing article including a substrate and a UV treated texture layer on a surface of the substrate. The substrate is formed from a single layer of foam or sponge material having a thickness that is conducive to handling or holding. The UV treated texture layer is a resin-based material forming a textured abrasive layer on the surface of the substrate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A scrubbing article comprising:
 a substrate comprising one of a foam and a sponge material;   an ultraviolet (UV) crosslinked texture layer formed on a surface of the substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The scrubbing article of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a thickness of at least 2 cm. 
     
     
         3 . The scrubbing article of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a thickness of at least 3 cm. 
     
     
         4 . The scrubbing article of  claim 1 , wherein the UV crosslinked texture layer is formed on at least two surfaces of the substrate. 
     
     
         5 . The scrubbing article of  claim 1 , wherein the texture layer defines a pattern. 
     
     
         6 . The scrubbing article of  claim 5 , wherein the pattern includes a plurality of discrete segments. 
     
     
         7 . The scrubbing article of  claim 6 , wherein the discrete segments include at least one of series of unconnected lines, dots or images. 
     
     
         8 . The scrubbing article of  claim 1 , wherein the texture layer extends a maximum 200 microns outwardly from the surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         9 . The scrubbing article of  claim 1 , wherein the texture layer includes a plurality of randomly distributed texturings. 
     
     
         10 . The scrubbing article of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a chemical solution absorbed into the substrate.   
     
     
         11 . The scrubbing article of  claim 1 , wherein the texture layer comprises a hardness that is at least equal to a hardness of the substrate. 
     
     
         12 . The scrubbing article of  claim 1 , wherein the texture layer hardness is greater than the hardness of the substrate. 
     
     
         13 . The scrubbing article of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate consists of a single layer of material. 
     
     
         14 . A method of manufacturing a scrubbing article comprising:
 transferring a resin composition onto a surface of a substrate to form a UV treatable texture layer on the surface and thereby form an interim scrubbing article;   treating the interim scrubbing article with UV radiation to form a UV crosslinked texture layer on the substrate surface;   wherein the substrate comprises one of a foam and a sponge material.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the UV crosslinked texture layer has a relative hardness greater than a hardness of the substrate. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the UV treatable texture layer and UV crosslinked texture layer each define a pattern. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 prior to the treating step, exposing the interim scrubbing article to heat to evaporate an amount of solvent from the UV treatable texture layer.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the UV treated texture layer comprises a UV polymerized texture layer having a relative hardness equal to or greater than a hardness of the substrate. 
     
     
         19 . A method of manufacturing a scrubbing article comprising:
 forming a UV treatable composition on a surface of a substrate to form a UV crosslinkable texture layer; and   UV treating the texture layer by exposing the texture layer to UV radiation to form a UV crosslinked texture layer;   wherein the substrate consists essentially of a sponge or a foam material.