# US 4,397,754 A · Personal cleaning products > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,397,754 A - Document ID: US4397754A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/305,262 - Filed: 1981-09-24 - Granted: 1983-08-09 - Earliest claimed: 1980-09-27 - Assignees: Caligen Foam Limited; W. E. Saxby (Nottingham) Limited - Inventors: Peter S. Collishaw; Donald Bird - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4397754A ## CPC - C11D 17/049: {Cleaning or scouring pads; Wipes} - C11D 10/045: {based on non-ionic surface-active compounds and soap} - C11D 1/72: Ethers of polyoxyalkylene glycols - Y10S 521/905: Hydrophilic or hydrophobic cellular product - Y10T 428/24314: Slit or elongated - Y10T 428/249994: Composite having a component wherein a constituent is liquid or is contained within preformed walls [e.g., impregnant-filled, previously void containing component, etc.] - Y10T 428/249995: Constituent is in liquid form - C11D: DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A disposable personal cleaning product comprises a thin substrate, preferably open celled polyurethane foam, from 1-5 mm thick having dispersed throughout its cross-section a detergent composition comprising a non-ionic alcohol ethoxylate and a fatty acid soap, preferably 90-10% by weight of the former and 10-90% by weight of the latter, the ratio of detergent composition to substrate being between 2:1 and 10:1 by weight. The substrate may be provided with slits or similar openings which may be engaged by a user's fingers to enable the product to be maintained in an open or spread condition during use. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A disposable personal cleaning product comprising a substrate consisting of a sheet of open celled foam structure from 1-5 mm thick having dispersed throughout its cross-section a detergent composition comprising a non-ionic alcohol ethoxylate and a fatty acid soap. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A product according to claim 1 wherein the ratio of detergent composition to substrate is between 2:1 and 10:1 by weight. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A product according to claim 2 wherein the ratio of detergent composition to substrate is approximately 4:1 by weight. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) A product according to claim 2 wherein the detergent composition comprises 90-10% by weight of a non-ionic alcohol ethoxylate and 10-90% by weight of a fatty acid soap. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1, 2, 4) A product according to claim 1, 2 or 4 wherein the non-ionic alcohol ethoxylate is selected from natural fatty alcohols, linear synthetic alcohols and branched chain synthetic alcohols having 10 to 18 carbon atoms in the chain together with 10-30 moles of ethylene oxide. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1, 2, 4) A product according to claim 1, 2 or 4 wherein the non-ionic alcohol ethoxylate comprises a blend of two synthetic alcohol ethoxylates having 13 and 15 carbon atoms respectively in the chain in the ratio of 67% of the first to 33% of the second, both blended with 20 moles of ethylene oxide. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1, 2, 4) A product according to claim 1, 2 or 4 wherein the fatty acid soap comprises a saturated fatty acid having 10 to 22 carbon atoms neutralised with an organic amine or ammonia. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A product according to claim 7 wherein the fatty acid soap comprises stearic acid ethanolamine. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1, 2, 4) A product according to claim 1, 2 or 4 including 2-5% by weight of a perfume composition. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1, 2, 4) A product according to claim 1, 2 or 4 wherein said open-celled foam structure comprises polyurethane foam. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A product according to claim 10 wherein said foam structure comprises polyester-urethane foam. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) A product according to claim 10 wherein said foam has 18 to 22 cells per linear centimeter. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1, 2, 4) A product according to claim 1, 2 or 4 wherein said substrate is provided with through openings disposed at and confined to peripheral regions thereof, said openings being positioned for ready engagement by a user's fingers to enable the product to be maintained in an open or spread condition during use, and the remaining surface area of said substrate being unbroken. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A product according to claim 13 wherein said openings comprise slits. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) A product according to claim 13 which is of generally rectangular shape and wherein three such openings are provided adjacent three of the four edges of the product. ### Claim 16 A disposable personal cleaning product comprising a substrate consisting of a sheet of open celled polyurethane foam from 1-5 mm thick having dispersed throughout its cross-section a detergent composition comprising 90-10% by weight of a non-ionic alcohol ethoxylate and 10-90% by weight of a fatty acid soap, the ratio of detergent composition to substrate being between 2:1 and 10:1 by weight. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A product according to claim 16 wherein said substrate is provided with through openings which may be engaged by a user's fingers to enable the product to be maintained in an open or spread condition during use. ### Claim 18 A personal cleaning product comprising an open celled substrate of thin sheet-like form provided with through openings disposed at and confined to peripheral regions thereof, said openings being positioned for ready engagement by a user's fingers to enable the product to be maintained in an open or spread condition during use, and the remaining surface area of said substrate being unbroken. ### Claim 19 A method of producing a disposable personal cleaning product comprising impregnating a continuously moving sheet of open-celled foam from 1-5 mm thick with a detergent composition comprising a non-ionic alcohol ethoxylate and a fatty acid soap in a melted condition by compressing the foam sheet, applying the melted detergent composition, and allowing the sheet to expand to draw the composition into and disperse it throughout the cross-section of the foam structure. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) A method according to claim 19 wherein the foam structure comprises polyester-urethane foam having 18 to 22 cells per linear centimeter. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19, 20) A method according to claim 19 or 20 wherein the melted detergent composition is applied to the compressed sheet at a temperature of 45.degree.-55.degree. C. and after expansion the sheet is cooled to around 25.degree. C. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19, 20) A method according to any of claims 19 or 20 wherein the ratio of detergent composition to substrate is between 2:1 and 10:1. ### Claim 23 (depends on 19, 20) A method according to any of claims 19 or 20 wherein the ratio of detergent composition to substrate is of the order of 4:1. ### Claim 24 (depends on 19, 20) A method according to any of claims 19 or 20 wherein said detergent composition comprises 90-10% by weight of non-ionic alcohol ethoxylate and 10-90% by weight of fatty acid soap. ### Claim 25 (depends on 19, 20) A method according to any of claims 19 or 20 wherein the impregnated sheet is cut into sections of desired size and provided with through openings which may be engaged by a user's fingers to enable the product to be maintained in an open or spread condition during use. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) A method according to claim 25 wherein said openings comprise slits.