# US 10,480,110 B2 · Melamine wipes and methods of manufacture

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,480,110 B2
- Document ID: US10480110B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/728,348
- Filed: 2017-10-09
- Published: 2019-04-11
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2017-10-09
- Assignees: The Clorox Company
- Applicants: The Clorox Company
- Inventors: Nikhil P. Dani
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10480110B2

## CPC

- B32B 5/26: another layer {next to it} also being fibrous or filamentary {(relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers B32B5/12)}
- D04H 1/498: entanglement of layered webs
- A47L 13/16: Cloths; Pads; Sponges (metal scraping sponges A47L13/07)
- B32B 5/022: {Non-woven fabric}
- B32B 5/024: {Woven fabric}
- B32B 5/026: {Knitted fabric}
- B32B 5/08: the fibres or filaments of a layer being of different substances {, e.g. conjugate fibres, mixture of different fibres}
- B32B 5/18: characterised by features of a layer {of} foamed material
- B32B 5/245: {another layer next to it being a foam layer}
- B32B 5/32: {at least two} layers being foamed {and next to each other}
- B32B 7/09: by stitching, needling or sewing (by {mechanically connecting} fibrous layers {to another layer} B32B5/06)
- B32B 7/12: using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties
- B32B 29/005: {next to another layer of paper or cardboard layer}
- B32B 29/007: {next to a foam layer}
- B32B 29/02: next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
- D04H 1/46: by needling or like operations to cause entanglement of fibres (D04H1/45 takes precedence; needling machines D04H18/00)
- D04H 1/492: by fluid jet (D04H1/49 takes precedence)
- D04H 3/11: by fluid jet
- B32B 2250/03: 3 layers
- B32B 2250/40: Symmetrical or sandwich layers, e.g. ABA, ABCBA, ABCCBA
- B32B 2262/023: Aromatic vinyl resin, e.g. styrenic (co)polymers
- B32B 2262/0238: Vinyl halide, e.g. PVC, PVDC, PVF, PVDF
- B32B 2262/0246: Acrylic resin fibres
- B32B 2262/0253: Polyolefin fibres
- B32B 2262/0261: Polyamide fibres
- B32B 2262/0276: Polyester fibres
- B32B 2262/0284: Polyethylene terephthalate [PET] or polybutylene terephthalate [PBT]
- B32B 2262/0292: Polyurethane fibres
- B32B 2262/04: Cellulosic plastic fibres, e.g. rayon
- B32B 2262/062: Cellulose fibres, e.g. cotton
- B32B 2262/065: Lignocellulosic fibres, e.g. jute, sisal, hemp, flax, bamboo
- B32B 2262/08: Animal fibres, e.g. hair, wool, silk
- B32B 2262/14: Mixture of at least two fibres made of different materials
- B32B 2266/0285: Condensation resins of aldehydes, e.g. with phenols, ureas, melamines
- B32B 2307/728: Hydrophilic
- B32B 2307/73: Hydrophobic
- B32B 2307/732: Dimensional properties
- B32B 2432/00: Cleaning articles, e.g. mops or wipes
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- D04H: MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL (weaving D03; knitting D04B; braiding D04C; net-making D04G; sewing D05B; tufting D05C; finishing non-woven fabrics D06); FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING {; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION}(non-woven fabrics having an intermediate or external layer of a different kind, e.g. of woven fabric, B32B)
- A47L: DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING (brushes A46B; cleaning quantities of bottles or of other hollow articles of one kind B08B9/00; laundry D06F); SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL (cleaning in general B08)

## Abstract

Methods for manufacturing wipes including melamine entangled into a nonwoven, and associated articles of manufacture. Such a method may include providing a melamine sheet (e.g., contiguous, rather than discrete melamine particles), providing first and second nonwoven sheets, and positioning the melamine sheet between the first and second nonwoven sheets. The sandwich structure is hydro-entangled at high pressure to force the melamine material to become entangled into the nonwoven material, to a degree that a portion of the melamine is actually exposed on the exterior face(s) of the wipe, which are generally provided by the nonwoven sheets. Such a wipe exhibits the drapability of a wipe, with the scrubbing benefits (e.g., very effective cleaning of baseboards, crayon off walls, etc.) of melamine, with greater durability than existing melamine cleaning articles, which tend to quickly crumble during use.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for manufacturing a wipe comprising melamine and nonwoven components the method comprising:
(a) providing a melamine sheet;
(b) providing first and second nonwoven sheets;
(c) positioning the melamine sheet between the first and second nonwoven sheets;
(d) hydro-entangling the melamine sheet and at least one of the nonwoven sheets such that the melamine and at least one of the nonwoven sheets are entangled together, such that a portion of the melamine is exposed on an exterior face of the wipe generally provided by the nonwoven sheets.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second nonwoven sheets are spunbond.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the wipe has a thickness of less than 0.125 inch and is drapable.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the melamine sheet has an initial thickness as provided that is greater than a thickness of the finished wipe.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the melamine sheet has an initial thickness from 0.0625 inch to 0.5 inch, and the melamine sheet becomes compressed during the manufacturing method, wherein the thickness of the finished wipe is from 0.01 inch to 0.05 inch.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the hydro-entangling is performed at a pressure of at least about 100 bars.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, the method further comprising pre-wetting the melamine and the nonwoven prior to hydro-entangling, the pre-wetting being at a pressure insufficient to hydro-entangle the melamine into the nonwoven.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the pre-wetting is performed at a pressure of about 25 bars.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the melamine sheet is contiguous, such that the wipe is substantially void of separated particles of melamine.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the melamine sheet is hydro-entangled into both of the first and second nonwoven sheets, such that a portion of the melamine is exposed on both exterior faces of the wipe.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, the method further comprising drying the wipe after hydro-entangling.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the nonwoven sheets are provided as a roll, and the melamine is provided in the form of sheets or rolled sheets, wherein the nonwoven roll and the melamine sheets or rolled sheets are of substantially the same width.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, the method further comprising providing a tissue layer within the wipe.

### Claim 14

A method for manufacturing a wipe comprising melamine and nonwoven components, the method comprising:
(a) providing a melamine sheet in which the melamine is provided as a contiguous sheet, rather than in the form of discrete melamine particles;
(b) providing first and second nonwoven sheets;
(c) positioning the melamine sheet between the first and second nonwoven sheets;
(d) hydro-entangling the melamine sheet into both of the nonwoven sheets such that the melamine is entangled through both of the nonwoven sheets, such that a portion of the melamine is exposed on both exterior faces of the wipe generally provided by the nonwoven sheets, wherein the hydro-entangling is performed at a pressure of at least about 150 bars.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the first and second nonwovensheets are spunbond.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein the wipe has a thickness of less than 0.25 inch and is drapable.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, the method further comprising pre-wetting the melamine and the nonwoven prior to hydro-entangling, the pre-wetting being at a pressure insufficient to hydro-entangle the melamine into the nonwoven.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, the method further comprising drying the wipe after hydro-entangling.