Reversible color-changing sanitizer-indicating nonwoven wipe
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorsDarren J. Farrugia, Lesley J. Ward, Veronica R. Reichert
Life of this patent
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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.
Claims20
A method of making an article having reversible color-changing properties, comprising the steps of:
- providing a fabric formed of flexible polymeric material;
- applying a solution including a reversible color-changing ink formulation and a solvent to the fabric;
- drying the solution on the fabric to remove the solvent;
- and
- permanently binding the reversible color-changing ink formulation to the fabric;
- wherein the reversible color-changing ink formulation comprises a polymer binder, a plasticizer, a wetting agent and an anionic indicator compound, and the drying causes the reversible color-changing ink formulation to permanently bind to the fabric;
- and
- impregnating the dried fabric with a quaternary ammonium compound-based sanitizer solution;
- wherein the article changes back and forth between a first color and a second color during at least four cycles of impregnation with the quaternary ammonium compound-based sanitizer solution followed by depletion of the quaternary ammonium compound-based sanitizer solution from the article.
A method of imparting reversible color-changing properties to a polymeric article, comprising the steps of:
- providing a polymeric article;
- applying a solution including a reversible color-changing ink formulation to the polymeric article;
- drying the solution on the polymeric article;
- and
- permanently binding the reversible color-changing ink formulation to the polymeric article;
- wherein the reversible color-changing ink formulation comprises a polymer binder, a plasticizer, a wetting agent and an anionic indicator compound, and the drying causes the reversible color-changing ink formulation to permanently bind to the polymeric article;
- and
- impregnating the dried polymeric article with a quaternary ammonium compound-based sanitizer solution;
- wherein the article changes back and forth between a first color and a second color during at least four cycles of impregnation with the quaternary ammonium compound-based sanitizer solution followed by depletion of the quaternary ammonium compound-based sanitizer solution from the article.
A method of monitoring a concentration of quaternary ammonium-containing compound using a polymeric article, comprising the steps of:
- contacting a quaternary ammonium compound-containing solution to the polymeric article;
- using the polymeric article, causing a reduction in the quaternary ammonium compound below a threshold concentration wherein the polymeric article changes from a first color to a second color;
- and
- contacting more of the quaternary ammonium compound-containing solution to the used polymeric article until the quaternary ammonium compound exceeds the threshold concentration wherein the polymeric article changes from the second color back to the first color;
- wherein the polymeric article comprises a reversible color-changing ink formulation permanently bound thereto using a polymer binder;
- wherein the article changes back and forth between the first color and the second color during at least four cycles of contacting with the quaternary ammonium-compound containing solution followed by depletion of the quaternary ammonium compound-containing solution from the article.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.