Disposable lint remover and method of manufacture thereof

Abstract

A disposable lint remover mitt includes an adhesive laminate having a liner, a release coating disposed on the liner, a face adhesive disposed on the release coating, and a face sheet adhered to the face adhesive. A patterned adhesive is disposed on a top portion of the face sheet, with a top web adhered to the patterned adhesive. The top web and the face sheet form a pocket therebetween for accommodating a hand of a user therewithin. The liner is removed from the adhesive laminate of the mitt, thereby exposing the face adhesive. With the mitt on the hand of the user, the exposed face adhesive functions to remove lint from a fabric article when the mitt is pressed thereagainst.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates generally to devices for removing lint and other debris from clothing and the like, and to a method for manufacture of such devices. The present invention relates specifically to a disposable mitt or glove for removing lint and other debris from clothing and the like, that is provided either singly, or in a supply roll comprising a plurality of such mitts or gloves; and to an in-line converting and printing process for manufacture thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Clothing and other fabric covered articles, such as chairs, couches, and the like, have a tendency to collect or attract lint. In the following exposition, the word “lint” includes fibers from both natural and/or synthetic sources, including hair from any animal, and any natural and/or synthetic particles and/or particulate matter, and the like, as well as dust, other debris, and the like.

[0003] Aesthetically, the presence of lint on clothing and other fabric covered articles is unattractive. Further, the presence of lint on these articles can present adverse effects such as, for example, triggering allergic reactions in humans, and contaminating sensitive devices such as computer equipment when the lint becomes detached from the fabric.

[0004] Removal of lint from fabric is generally a difficult task. Preferred methods of lint removal, other than by washing or dry cleaning the fabric article, typically include adhesive bonding of the lint to a removal device. Exemplary devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,427,726 entitled ADHESIVE COATED ROLL issued to Wolfrum, and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,970 entitled LINT GLOVE issued to Woodard.

[0005] The Wolfrum patent teaches a roll of perforated or slitted web material provided with a continuous coat of adhesive. The adhesive web roll is coupled to a pin-like roller, and may then be used in a rolling action across a fabric article for adhesion of lint thereto and removal of the lint from the fabric. The perforation or slits allow a user to then discard that portion of the adhesive web carrying the lint, for disposal thereof.

[0006] The Woodard patent teaches a lint mitt including a plurality of disposable adhesive sheets, with the mitt having a compartment for a user's fingers and a separate compartment for a user's thumb.

[0007] The aforedescribed Wolfrum and Woodard devices are not truly disposable. That is, in each device, only a particular adhesive sheet is disposable; the user must retain either the roller (in Wolfrum) or the mitt itself (in Woodard). Such devices are, because of their complexity and dependence on a specific carrying mechanism such as a roller or mitt, expensive to manufacture. Also, the Woodard device is hand-dependent in that orientation of the thumb compartment relative to the adhesive sheets determined which hand of a user may be employed for use of the mitt.

[0008] Further, no such device is capable of readily and inexpensively conveying desired sales and marketing information.

[0009] It is to be noted that other methods of removing lint have been employed. These include the use of adhesive packaging materials such as packaging tapes, shipping labels, and the like in non-uniform, one-time use applications. Such methods are not easily employed by a user, and are unwieldy. Also, as in the aforementioned patents, no provision is made with these one-time methods for readily and inexpensively conveying desired sales and marketing information.

[0010] Thus, there exists a need for a lint remover mitt that is (i) truly disposable, (ii) not dependent on a specific carrying mechanism, (iii) inexpensive to manufacture, (iv) not hand-dependent, and (v) capable of readily and inexpensively conveying desired sales and marketing information, inter alia.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] An object of the present invention is to provide a lint remover that is disposable.

[0012] Another object of the present invention is to provide a lint remover that does not require an accessory for its use.

[0013] A further object of the present invention is to provide a lint remover that may be readily adapted to either the left hand or right hand of a user.

[0014] A still further object of the present invention is to provide a lint remover that is inexpensive and simple to fabricate, being capable of readily and inexpensively conveying desired sales and marketing information.

[0015] In accordance with the present invention, a disposable lint remover mitt includes an adhesive laminate having a liner, a release coating disposed on the liner, a face adhesive disposed on the release coating, and a face sheet adhered to the face adhesive. A patterned adhesive is then disposed on a top portion of the face sheet, with a top web then being adhered to the patterned adhesive. The top web, being adhered to the top portion of the face sheet by the patterned adhesive, forms a pocket between the face sheet and the top web for accommodating a hand of a user therewithin. In use, the liner is removed from the adhesive laminate of the mitt, thereby exposing the face adhesive. With the mitt on the hand of the user, the exposed face adhesive functions to remove lint from a fabric article when the mitt is pressed thereagainst.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] FIG. 1 is an overhead perspective illustration of a disposable lint remover mitt constructed in accordance with the present invention.

[0017] FIGS. 2a, 2b, and 2c are magnified side view illustrations of components of the lint remover shown in FIG. 1.

[0018] FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a manufacturing method, in accordance with the present invention, for manufacture of the disposable lint remover mitt of the present invention.

[0019] FIG. 4 is an illustration of a plurality of disposable lint remover mitts of the present invention, provided in a continuous and perforated web form.

[0020] FIGS. 5a and 5b are in-use illustrations of the mitt shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Herein, the words “mitt” and “glove” may be taken as synonymous, and are intended to include any devices into which the hand of a user may be inserted, or which cover at least in part a hand of a user.

[0022] Referring to FIG. 1, thereshown is an overhead perspective illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a disposable lint remover mitt 10 of the present invention.

[0023] In FIG. 1, disposable lint remover mitt 10 preferably includes a generally arch- or mitt-shaped pressure sensitive (p-s) adhesive laminate 100 and a correspondingly arch- or mitt-shaped printable top web 110 adhered thereto. Printable top web 110 is adhered about a majority of its edges to p-s adhesive laminate 100, such that a pocket is formed for insertion of a hand thereinto in a direction of reference arrow H.

[0024] Referring to FIGS. 2a-c, construction components of mitt 10 are depicted in magnified cross-section.

[0025] In particular, in FIG. 2a, typical components of p-s adhesive laminate 100 are depicted. Therein, laminate 100 includes a liner 200 having a release coating 210 provided thereon. Release coating 210 is typically impregnated into liner 200 to form an overall “release liner” having a unitary construction. A full-coat p-s face adhesive 220 is provided on release coating 210. In turn, a face sheet 230 is provided in adhesive contact with face adhesive 220. As known to those skilled in the art, release coating 210 functions to allow removal or “peel off” of liner 200 from laminate 100, for exposure of face adhesive 220 as desired.

[0026] Adhesive laminate 100 is commercially available in roll form for in-line printing and converting (as will be described in manufacture of mitt 10) from, for example, Green Bay Packaging Inc.—Coated Products Operations of Green Bay, WI, and from Avery Dennison Corporation of Pasadena, Calif.

[0027] FIG. 2b next depicts a patterned adhesive 240 having been selectively disposed on face sheet 230 of laminate 100.

[0028] FIG. 2c then depicts a top web 110 having being adhered, in part, to face sheet 230 of laminate 100 by way of bonding with patterned adhesive 240. It is to be appreciated that patterned adhesive 240 is selectively disposed on face sheet 230 such that partial adhesion of top web 110 to face sheet 230 thereby accordingly creates the aforementioned pocket of mitt 10.

[0029] FIG. 3 depicts an exemplary in-line web press manufacturing scheme 300 for mass production of mitt 10.

[0030] Therein, adhesive laminate 100 is shown as being supplied in a conventional roll form to a multi-unit press 310, in a direction of arrow L. Multiunit press 310 typically includes a printing and adhesive application station 320, a bonding station 330, a downstream printing station 340, and a converting station 350, as will be further described.

[0031] With laminate 100 so supplied to press 310, printing and adhesive application station 320 of press 310 is capable of performing operations of printing desired images on face sheet 230 of laminate 100, and applying patterned adhesive 240 to face sheet 230. It is to be understood that press 310 is selectively capable of providing a variable number of print stations (not illustrated) for application and drying of pigmented inks, coatings, and adhesives applied to laminate 100. As understood by those of ordinary skill in the printing arts, the exemplary multi-unit press 310 may be any suitable narrow- or wide-web press such as a flexographic, letterpress, gravure, screen, or offset press. Such presses are commercially available from, for example, Comco International of Milford, Ohio, or Mark Andy Inc. of St. Louis, Mo.

[0032] Also in manufacturing scheme 300, top web 110 is similarly supplied in roll form to bonding station 330 of multi-unit press 310, in a direction of arrow L. Bonding station 330 performs an operation of bonding or otherwise “marrying” top web 110 to face sheet 230 by way of patterned adhesive 240. It is to be appreciated that patterned adhesive 240 is preferably a suitable conventional glue that is capable of securely bonding top web 110 to face sheet 230, but may also be provided by way of an ultraviolet (UV) cured adhesive, a hot melt glue, or even a thermoplastic bonding technique.

[0033] After top web 110 has been married to face sheet 230 at bonding station 330, the resulting combined web 1000 of laminate 100 and top web 110 is passed to downstream printing station 340, for further printing on top web 110 as may be desired to create printed messages and the like on mitt 10 (as shown in exemplary fashion in FIG. 1). As aforedescribed, such printed messages may be printed on top web 110, as well as on face sheet 230 of laminate 100, by the aforementioned presses as part of any well known printing operation therewithin.

[0034] Combined web 1000 is next passed to converting station 350. At converting station 350, die cutting or other perforation techniques may be selectively performed on web 1000. Specifically, at station 350, top web 110 is die cut in the arch- or mitt-shaped fashion (depicted in FIG. 4). Additionally, tear lines or perforations 400 (also illustrated in FIG. 4) through combined web 1000 are provided about each resulting mitt 10 by the die-cutting technique.

[0035] Converting station 350 also performs an operation of removing waste 110W from combined web 1000 having been die cut from top web 110 in the mitt-shaped fashion as aforedescribed. Re-winding of waste 110W may then be accomplished by any number of well-known re-winding methods, for ease of disposal thereof.

[0036] Finally, combined web 1000 containing mitts 10 may be re-wound into a supply roll as a finished product, again by way of any number of well-known methods, for ease of handling thereof. Alternatively, of course, combined web 1000 could be processed into a stack of sheets (not illustrated) containing a series of individual mitts 10.

[0037] FIG. 4 depicts a plurality of mitts 10 in a portion of a supply roll having been produced by in-line manufacturing scheme 300.

[0038] Therein, top web 100 has been die cut in the arch- or mitt-shaped fashion by converting station 350 of press 310 as aforedescribed, with excess portions thereof also having been discarded (as aforedescribed with reference to FIG. 3). It is to be appreciated that perforations 400 also provided by station 350 enable any number of a plurality of mitts 10 to be detached by a user from combined web 1000 having been processed by the in-line web press manufacturing scheme 300. Although not depicted in FIG. 4, mitt 10 may include printed messages and the like (as has been shown in exemplary fashion in FIG. 1). Such printed messages may be printed on top web 110, as well as on face sheet 230 of laminate 100, by the aforementioned presses as part of any well known printing operation therewithin.

[0039] Referring now to FIGS. 5a and 5b, mitt 10 is depicted as in use on left and right hands, respectively, of a user. Although not shown in the figures, the user has separated each mitt 10 from the roll form of laminate 100 containing a plurality of finished mitts 10, resulting from manufacturing scheme 300. It is to be appreciated that such a roll form of mitts 10 is advantageous for efficient storage and dispensing of individual mitts 10 as desired, as in, for example, a hotel for distribution of mitts 10 to individual guest rooms. Also in the figures, liner 300 has been removed from laminate 100 of each mitt 10, thereby exposing face adhesive 220.

[0040] With face adhesive 220 thus exposed, and with a given hand of the user inserted in a given mitt 10, mitt 10 is capable of easily removing lint from a fabric article when face adhesive 220 is pressed thereagainst.

[0041] It is to be particularly appreciated that the aforedescribed preferred construction of mitt 10 allows use thereof on either hand of a user, irrespective of thumb position. Further, mitt 10 supplied in roll form provides an inexpensive and completely disposable lint remover, that does not require maintenance of a dedicated roller or glove.

[0042] While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the accompanying figures, it will be understood, however, that other modifications thereto are of course possible, all of which are intended to be within the true spirit and scope of the present invention. It should be appreciated that components of the invention aforedescribed may be substituted for other suitable components for achieving desired similar results, or that various accessories may be added thereto.

[0043] For example, adhesive laminate 100 (along with corresponding printable top web 110) could be formed into any desired shape for functioning as a mitt or otherwise.

[0044] Also, an adhesive (not illustrated) could be provided on top web 110 by any suitable means such that mitt 10 is thereby rendered to be a two-sided lint remover for “heavy duty” uses.

[0045] Additionally, although not illustrated, an adhesive could be provided on a portion of an underside of top web 110, within the pocket formed by top web 1 10 and adhesive laminate 100, for removably securing mitt 10 to a hand of a user.

[0046] Also, water soluble films and adhesives could be substituted for laminate 100 (including face adhesive 220), patterned adhesive 240, and top web 110 accordingly, thereby making mitt 10 biodegradable and “environmentally friendly”.

[0047] Further, the aforedescribed perforated roll form of mitts 10, of laminate 100 having been processed by the in-line web press manufacturing scheme 300, may be provided in a “linerless” fashion. That is, with reference to FIG. 2c, a release coating (not illustrated) could be fully applied to top web 110. With laminate 100 then provided without liner 200 and without release coating 210, the manufactured roll may then be re-wound onto itself with the release coating of top web 110 ensuring that the roll of mifts 10 may be unwound for individual tear-off and distribution as desired. In this manner, a manufacturing cost saving may be realized since liner 200 and associated release coating 210 is not required.

[0048] Additionally, mitt 10 could be constructed in such a way as to specifically use liner 200 to form the pocket of mitt 10, rather than simply discarding liner 200 after removal thereof from face adhesive 220 of laminate 100. That is, although not illustrated, liner 200 of an individual mitt 10 could be hingeably connected to face sheet 230 of laminate 100 at one edge of mitt 10. The hinge connection could be provided by selectively omitting a portion of release coating 210 from laminate 100 along a strip of liner 200. Thus, liner 200 would be adhesively connected in a hinge manner to face sheet 230, after having been pulled away, in use, from face adhesive 220. Liner 200 could then be brought over face sheet 230 about the adhesive hinge, and secured by any suitable means to an edge of mitt 10 opposite the adhesive hinge, with a desired hand pocket being formed thereby.

[0049] Finally, it is to be appreciated that printed messages could be printed on liner 200, as well as directly on the various adhesives described herein.

[0050] It is to be understood that any suitable alternatives may be employed to provide the disposable lint remover mitt of the present invention, along with its manufacturing scheme.

[0051] Lastly, the choice, of course, of compositions, sizes, and strengths of various aforementioned components of miff 10 are all a matter of design choice depending upon intended uses of the present invention.

[0052] Accordingly, these and other various changes or modifications in form and detail of the present invention may also be made therein, again without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A disposable lint remover mitt for removing lint from fabric articles, comprising:

an adhesive laminate including,

(i) a liner having a top liner surface and a bottom liner surface, and a release coating disposed on said top liner surface,

(ii) a face adhesive disposed on at least a portion of said release coating of said top liner surface, and

(iii) a face sheet having a top surface, and a bottom surface adhered to said face adhesive;

a patterned adhesive disposed on at least a portion of said top surface of said face sheet; and

a top web adhered to said patterned adhesive, whereby said top web and said face sheet form a pocket for receiving a hand thereinto,

wherein said liner is removable from said adhesive laminate, such that said face adhesive is exposed thereby for collecting lint thereon when said face adhesive of the mitt is pressed against the lint.

2. The disposable lint remover mitt of claim 1, wherein said face adhesive is a pressure sensitive adhesive.

3. The disposable lint remover mitt of claim 1, wherein said patterned adhesive is selected from the group consisting of a conventional glue, an ultraviolet (UV) cured adhesive, a hot melt glue, and thermoplastic bonding.

4. The disposable lint remover mitt of claim 1, further comprising an adhesive provided on said top surface of said top web.

5. The disposable lint remover mitt of claim 1, further comprising an adhesive provided on an underside portion of said top web within said pocket formed by said top web and said face sheet, said adhesive being capable of being in contact with a hand of a user for removably securing the mitt to the hand of the user, when the hand is inserted into said pocket.

6. The disposable lint remover mitt of claim 1, wherein said face sheet is capable of retaining printed images thereon.

7. The disposable lint remover mitt of claim 1, wherein said top web is capable of retaining printed images thereon.

8. The disposable lint remover mitt of claim 1, wherein said adhesive laminate is water soluble.

9. The disposable lint remover mitt of claim 1, wherein said patterned adhesive is water soluble.

10. The disposable lint remover mift of claim 1, wherein said top web is water soluble.

11. A disposable lint remover mift for removing lint from fabric articles, comprising:

a liner having a top liner surface and a bottom liner surface, and a release coating selectively disposed on a majority of said top liner surface whereby said release coating covers all but a strip of said top liner surface;

a bottom face adhesive disposed on said release coating and on said strip of said top liner surface;

a face sheet having a top surface, and a bottom surface adhered to said face adhesive;

a top face adhesive selectively disposed on an edge portion of said top surface of said face sheet opposite said strip of said top liner surface;

wherein (i) said liner is capable of being pulled away in part from said face adhesive and brought over said face sheet about said strip of said top liner surface in a hinge fashion and secured to said top face adhesive opposite said strip of said top liner surface, with a desired hand pocket being formed thereby, and (ii) said liner having been pulled away in part from said face adhesive thereby exposes said face adhesive for collecting lint thereon when pressed against the lint.

12. A disposable lint remover mitt for removing lint from fabric articles, comprising:

a face sheet having a top surface and a bottom surface;

a linerless adhesive provided on at least a portion of said bottom surface of said face sheet;

a patterned adhesive provided on at least a portion of said top surface of said face sheet;

a top web adhered to said patterned adhesive, whereby said top web and said face sheet form a pocket for receiving a hand thereinto; and

a release coating provided on said top web,

wherein said linerless adhesive is capable of collecting lint thereon when said linerless adhesive of the mitt is pressed against the lint.

13. A method of in-line manufacture of a plurality of disposable lint remover mitts for removing lint from fabric articles, comprising the steps of:

providing an adhesive laminate and a top web;

selectively adhering said top web to said adhesive laminate to form a combined web, wherein said combined web has a plurality of hand pockets formed therein by the selective adhesion of said top web to said adhesive laminate;

selectively cutting through said top web, in a desired shape, to a depth not including said laminate, to form a plurality of mitt portions and waste portions in said combined web;

removing said waste portions from said combined web; and

perforating said combined web about said mitt portions to form a plurality of individual mitts, said individual mitts being separable from said combined web thereby.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of printing an image on said adhesive laminate corresponding to said plurality of individual mitts.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of printing an image on said top web corresponding to said plurality of individual mitts.