# US 8,772,186 B2 · Reversible color-changing sanitizer-indicating nonwoven wipe > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,772,186 B2 - Document ID: US8772186B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/720,154 - Filed: 2012-12-19 - Published: 2013-05-02 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2009-03-31 - Assignees: Illinois Tool Works Inc. - Applicants: Illinois Tool Works Inc. - Inventors: Darren J. Farrugia; Lesley J. Ward; Veronica R. Reichert - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8772186B2 ## CPC - A47L 13/17: containing cleaning agents (A47L13/19 takes precedence {; chemical compositions C11D17/049}) - A01N 25/34: Shaped forms, e.g. sheets, not provided for in any other sub-group of this main group - A01N 33/12: Quaternary ammonium compounds - A47L 13/16: Cloths; Pads; Sponges (metal scraping sponges A47L13/07) - C11D 1/62: Quaternary ammonium compounds - C11D 3/40: Dyes {; Pigments} - C11D 3/43: Solvents - C11D 3/48: Medical, disinfecting agents, disinfecting, antibacterial, germicidal or antimicrobial compositions - C11D 17/049: {Cleaning or scouring pads; Wipes} - D06P 1/004: {Dyeing with phototropic dyes; Obtaining camouflage effects} - D06P 1/50: Derivatives of cellulose - D06P 1/65118: {Compounds containing hydroxyl groups} - D06P 1/65125: {Compounds containing ester groups} - D06P 1/928: {Solvents other than hydrocarbons} - D06P 5/138: {fugitive dyeing} - G01N 31/22: using chemical indicators (G01N31/02 takes precedence) - A61L 2/28: Devices for testing the effectiveness or completeness of sterilisation or disinfection, e.g. indicators which change colour - Y10T 442/20: Coated or impregnated woven, knit, or nonwoven fabric which is not [a] associated with another preformed layer or fiber layer or, [b] with respect to woven and knit, characterized, respectively, by a particular or differential weave or knit, wherein the coating or impregnation is neither a foamed material nor a free metal or alloy layer - Y10T 442/2525: Coating or impregnation functions biologically [e.g., insect repellent, antiseptic, insecticide, bactericide, etc.] - 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) - A01N: PRESERVATION OF BODIES OF HUMANS OR ANIMALS OR PLANTS OR PARTS THEREOF (preservation of food or foodstuff A23); BIOCIDES, e.g. AS DISINFECTANTS, AS PESTICIDES OR AS HERBICIDES (preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes which kill or prevent the growth or proliferation of unwanted organisms A61K); PEST REPELLANTS OR ATTRACTANTS; PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS - C11D: DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL - D06P: DYEING OR PRINTING TEXTILES; DYEING LEATHER, FURS OR SOLID MACROMOLECULAR SUBSTANCES IN ANY FORM - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A reversible color-changing sanitizer-indicating nonwoven wipe, comprising: a nonwoven fabric; a dried reversible color-changing ink formulation durably bound to the nonwoven fabric using a polymer binder and by drying using heat and/or vacuum; and a sanitizer composition impregnated in the nonwoven wipe which includes a free quaternary ammonium compound; wherein the reversible color-changing ink formulation comprises at least the polymer binder, an anionic indicator and an ionic stabilizer, and causes the nonwoven wipe to repeatedly change back and forth 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; and the reversible color-changing ink formulation is durably bound to the nonwoven fabric by drying before the sanitizer composition is impregnated in the nonwoven wipe. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The nonwoven wipe of claim 1, wherein the reversible color-changing ink formulation comprises about 10-50% by weight of the polymer binder, about 10-50% by weight of a plasticizer; about 10-50% by weight of a wetting agent, about 1-10% by weight of the anionic indicator compound, and up to about 10% by weight of the ionic stabilizer based on a dry weight of the ink formulation. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The nonwoven wipe of claim 1, wherein the threshold concentration of free quaternary ammonium compound is about 180-250 ppm based on a dry weight of the nonwoven wipe. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The nonwoven wipe of claim 1, wherein the free quaternary ammonium compound comprises N-alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The nonwoven wipe of claim 1, wherein the free quaternary ammonium compound comprises N-alkyl dimethyl ethyl benzyl ammonium chloride. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The nonwoven wipe of claim 1, wherein the anionic indicator comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of bromothymol blue, thymol blue, m-cresol purple, xylenol blue, xylenol orange, phenol red, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The nonwoven wipe of claim 2, wherein the color-changing ink formulation comprises about 20-45% by weight of the polymer binder, about 15-40% by weight of the plasticizer, about 15-40% by weight of the wetting agent, and about 1.5-7% by weight of the anionic indicator compound. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The nonwoven wipe of claim 1, wherein the nonwoven fabric comprises about 50-100% by weight absorbent nonwoven fibers and about 0-50% by weight reinforcing nonwoven fibers. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The nonwoven wipe of claim 8, wherein the absorbent fibers comprise cellulose fibers. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The nonwoven wipe of claim 1, wherein the polymer binder comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate derivatives, carboxymethyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, nitrocellulose, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The nonwoven wipe of claim 2, wherein the plasticizer comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of dibutyl phthalate, triethyl citrate, bis-(2-butoxylethyl) adipate, bis-(2-ethylhexyl) sebacate, diethyl phthalate, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) The nonwoven wipe of claim 2, wherein the wetting agent comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, 2-ethoxy ethanol, triethylene glycol, sorbitol, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 13 (depends on 2) The nonwoven wipe of claim 2, wherein the anionic indicator comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of bromothymol blue, thymol blue, m-cresol purple, xylenol blue, xylenol orange, phenol red, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 14 A reversible color-changing sanitizer-indicating nonwoven wipe, comprising: a nonwoven fabric; a dried reversible color-changing ink formulation durably bound to the nonwoven fabric using a polymer binder and by drying using heat and/or vacuum; and a sanitizer impregnated into the nonwoven wipe; wherein the reversible color-changing ink formulation comprises at least the polymer binder, an anionic indicator and an ionic stabilizer, and causes the nonwoven wipe to repeatedly change back and forth between a first color when the sanitizer in the nonwoven wipe exceeds a threshold concentration and a second color when the sanitizer in the nonwoven wipe falls below the threshold concentration; and the reversible color-changing ink formulation is durably bound to the nonwoven fabric by drying before the sanitizer is impregnated into the nonwoven wipe. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The nonwoven wipe of claim 14, wherein the sanitizer comprises a free quaternary ammonium compound. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The nonwoven wipe of claim 14, wherein the quaternary ammonium compound comprises N-alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The nonwoven wipe of claim 16, wherein the sanitizer composition further comprises N-alkyl dimethylethyl benzyl ammonium chloride. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The nonwoven wipe of claim 16, wherein the reversible color-changing ink formulation comprises the polymer binder and an anionic indicator compound. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The nonwoven wipe of claim 18, wherein the anionic indicator comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of bromothymol blue, thymol blue, m-cresol purple, xylenol blue, xylenol orange, phenol red, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 20 A reversible color-changing, sanitizer-indicating nonwoven wipe for use with a quaternary ammonium-containing sanitizer composition, comprising: a nonwoven fabric, a dried reversible color-changing ink formulation durably bound to the nonwoven fabric using a polymer binder and by drying using heat and/or vacuum; and a quaternary ammonium-containing sanitizer composition impregnated into the nonwoven wipe; wherein the reversible color-changing ink formulation comprises at least the polymer binder, an anionic indicator compound and an ionic stabilizer and causes the nonwoven wipe to repeatedly change back and forth between a first color when a free quaternary ammonium compound in the nonwoven wipe exceeds a threshold concentration and a second color when the free quaternary ammonium compound falls below the threshold concentration; and the reversible color-changing ink formulation is durably bound to the nonwoven fabric by drying before any sanitizer composition is added to the nonwoven wipe. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The nonwoven wipe of claim 1, wherein the ionic stabilizer is selected from the group consisting of di(long chain alkyl)dimethyl ammonium chlorides; N-methyl-N,N-bis(long chain alkanoyl oxyethyl)-N-(2-hydroxymethyl) ammonium methylsulfates; vinylbenzyl dimethylcocoammonium chlorides; methyl trioctyl ammonium chlorides; and combinations thereof. ### Claim 22 (depends on 14) The nonwoven wipe of claim 14, wherein the ionic stabilizer is selected from the group consisting of di(long chain alkyl)dimethyl ammonium chlorides; N-methyl-N,N-bis(long chain alkanoyl oxyethyl)-N-(2-hydroxymethyl) ammonium methylsulfates; vinylbenzyl dimethylcocoammonium chlorides; methyl trioctyl ammonium chlorides; and combinations thereof. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The nonwoven wipe of claim 20, wherein the ionic stabilizer is selected from the group consisting of di(long chain alkyl)dimethyl ammonium chlorides; N-methyl-N,N-bis(long chain alkanoyl oxyethyl)-N-(2-hydroxymethyl) ammonium methylsulfates; vinylbenzyl dimethylcocoammonium chlorides; methyl trioctyl ammonium chlorides; and combinations thereof.