Reversible color-changing sanitizer-indicating nonwoven wipe
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorsDARREN J. FARRUGIA, Lesley J. Ward, Veronica R. Reichert
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Abstract
A nonwoven wipe having a reversible sanitizer indicator for multiple uses and recharges is provided. The nonwoven wipe includes a cloth-like nonwoven fabric coated with a reversible color-changing ink formulation. During use, the nonwoven wipe is impregnated with a quaternary ammonium compound-based sanitizer. When the level of free quaternary ammonium compound falls below a threshold level, the color-changing ink formulation changes from a first color to a second color, indicating the need to recharge the wipe. When the nonwoven wipe is recharged with sanitizer solution, the color-changing ink formulation changes back to the first color.
Claims21
A reversible color-changing sanitizer-indicating nonwoven wipe, comprising:
- a cloth-like nonwoven fabric;
- and
- a reversible color-changing ink formulation bound to the nonwoven fabric;
- the reversible color-changing ink formulation including about 10-50% by weight of a polymer binder, about 10-50% by weight of a plasticizer, about 10-50% by weight of a wetting agent, and about 1-10% by weight of an anionic indicator compound, based on a dry weight of the ink formulation.
A reversible color-changing sanitizer-indicating nonwoven wipe, comprising:
- a cloth-like nonwoven fabric;
- a reversible color-changing ink formulation bound to the nonwoven fabric;
- and
- a sanitizer composition impregnated in the nonwoven wipe which includes a free quaternary ammonium compound;
- wherein the color-changing ink formulation reversibly changes between a first color when the free quaternary ammonium compound in the nonwoven wipe exceeds a threshold concentration and a second color when the free quaternary ammonium compound in the nonwoven wipe falls below the threshold concentration.
A method of making a reversible color-changing sanitizer-indicating nonwoven wipe, comprising the steps of:
- providing a cloth-like nonwoven fabric including at least about 50% by weight absorbent nonwoven fibers;
- applying a solution of a volatile organic solvent and a reversible color-changing ink formulation into the cloth-like nonwoven fabric, the ink formulation including about 10-50% by weight of a polymer binder, about 10-50% by weight of a plasticizer, about 10-50% by weight of a wetting agent and about 1-10% by weight of an anionic indicator compound, based on a dry weight of the ink formulation;
- and
- drying the reversible color-changing ink formulation to remove the organic solvent and bind the reversible color-changing ink formulation to the nonwoven fabric.
A method of cleaning a surface, comprising the steps of:
- providing a nonwoven wipe including a nonwoven fabric and a reversible color-changing ink formulation bound to the nonwoven fabric;
- providing a sanitizer solution;
- impregnating the nonwoven wipe with the sanitizer solution;
- wiping the surface with the nonwoven wipe until the color-changing ink formulation changes from a first color indicating sufficient sanitizer solution to a second color indicating insufficient sanitizer solution;
- and
- impregnating the nonwoven wipe with additional sanitizer solution at least until the color-changing ink formulation changes back to the first color.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.