# US 10,499,784 B2 · Cleaning article having discrete seal bonds > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,499,784 B2 - Document ID: US10499784B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/082,014 - Filed: 2016-03-28 - Published: 2016-10-13 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2015-04-09 - Assignees: The Procter & Gamble Company - Applicants: The Procter & Gamble Company - Inventors: Mark Mason Hargett; Gavin John Broad - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10499784B2 ## CPC - A47L 13/16: Cloths; Pads; Sponges (metal scraping sponges A47L13/07) - A47L 13/20: Mops - A47L 13/38: Other dusting implements {(using adhesive surfaces A47L25/005)} - 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 A cleaning article having a layer of tow fibers and a layer of sheet material, joined together in a laminated construction. The layer of tow fibers and the sheet may be joined together at a spine. The spine is a seal between the adjacent, superimposed layer(s) of fibers and sheet(s). The seal comprises a plurality of individual bonds. The bonds overlap in the longitudinal direction and optionally in the transverse direction. This arrangement provides, at least, the benefit of less instantaneous energy draw when forming the seal using thermal bonding. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cleaning article having a longitudinal axis and a transverse direction orthogonal thereto, said cleaning article comprising: at least one sheet, at least one layer of tow fibers joined to said sheet at a seal to form a laminate, said tow fibers generally extending in the transverse direction, and a repeating unit, said seal comprising a plurality of adjacent, successive discrete bonds collectively extending in a generally longitudinal direction to form a spine, said discrete bonds at least partially overlapping adjacent bonds in both the longitudinal direction and the transverse direction, so that each said tow fiber is joined to said sheet by at least one said discrete bond, wherein said bonds are spaced on a longitudinal pitch of 3 to 18 mm and said bonds are serpentine shaped, wherein each said bond of said seal has an identical longitudinal length and identical longitudinal pitch between adjacent bonds, said length being greater than said pitch, wherein each said bond has a width, said length being greater than said width, wherein a plurality of said bonds are substantially identical in size and shape, wherein a longitudinally orientated line through the repeating unit intercepts the discreet bonds the repeating unit in at least two positions. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A cleaning article according to claim 1 wherein said seal comprises two rows of bonds, wherein said bonds in each row interlock with adjacent bonds. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A cleaning article according to claim 1 wherein said spine is juxtaposed with said longitudinal axis and further comprising two rows of bonds outboard of said spine, with one said row being disposed on each side thereof, forming two sleeves suitable for removably receiving at least one fork tine of a handle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A cleaning article according to claim 1 wherein said spine is juxtaposed with said longitudinal axis and further comprising two rows of bonds outboard of said spine, with one said row being disposed on each side thereof, forming two sleeves suitable for removably receiving at least one fork tine of a handle. ### Claim 5 A cleaning article having a longitudinal axis and a transverse direction orthogonal thereto, said cleaning article comprising: at least one sheet, at least one layer of tow fibers joined to said sheet at a seal to form a laminate, said tow fibers generally extending in the transverse direction, and a repeating unit, said seal comprising a plurality of discrete bonds collectively extending in a generally longitudinal direction, said discrete bonds overlapping in the longitudinal direction, whereby each said tow fiber is joined to said sheet by at least one said discrete bond, a plurality of said bonds having at least one segment oriented in the transverse direction, wherein said bonds are spaced on a longitudinal pitch of 3 to 18 mm and said bonds are serpentine shaped, wherein each said bond of said seal has an identical longitudinal length and identical longitudinal pitch between adjacent bonds, said length being greater than said pitch, wherein each said bond has a width, said length being greater than said width, wherein a plurality of said bonds are substantially identical in size and shape, wherein a longitudinally orientated line through the repeating unit intercepts the discreet bonds the repeating unit in at least two positions. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A cleaning article according to claim 5 wherein said bonds have a length and a width perpendicular thereto, said length being greater than said width. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) A cleaning article according to claim 5 wherein said bonds are C-shaped or V-shaped. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A cleaning article according to claim 7 wherein said bonds are concave towards said longitudinal centerline. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A cleaning article according to claim 8 wherein said bonds do not overlap said longitudinal centerline. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A cleaning article according to claim 9 wherein said bonds are interlaced. ### Claim 11 A cleaning article having a longitudinal axis and a transverse direction orthogonal thereto, said cleaning article comprising: at least one sheet, at least one layer of tow fibers joined to said sheet at a seal to form a laminate, said tow fibers generally extending in the transverse direction, and a repeating unit, said seal comprising a plurality of successive discrete bonds collectively extending in a generally longitudinal direction to form a spine, said seal comprising two generally longitudinal rows of discrete bonds, each said bond having a length and a width perpendicular thereto, said discrete bonds at least partially overlapping adjacent bonds in the longitudinal direction, so that each said tow fiber is joined to said sheet by at least one said discrete bond, wherein said bonds are spaced on a longitudinal pitch of 3 to 18 mm and said bonds are serpentine shaped, wherein each said bond of said seal has an identical longitudinal length and identical longitudinal pitch between adjacent bonds, said length being greater than said pitch, wherein each said bond has a width, said length being greater than said width, wherein a plurality of said bonds are substantially identical in size and shape, wherein a longitudinally orientated line through the repeating unit intercepts the discreet bonds the repeating unit in at least two positions. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A cleaning article according to claim 11 wherein each said tow fiber is joined to said sheet by at least two said discrete bonds. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) A cleaning article according to claim 11 wherein said bonds transversely overlap, so that a single fiber intercepting two bonds is bonded to a different length or width of each of said two bonds. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) A cleaning article according to claim 11 wherein said seal comprises at least two longitudinally oriented rows of said bonds, at least a portion of said bonds in each said row being disposed on opposite sides of said longitudinal axis. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) A cleaning article according to claim 11 wherein said seal comprises two rows of bonds, one said row being disposed on each side of said longitudinal axis.