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  Disk or pad-shaped fiber composite articleUSPTO Application #: 20060178067Title: Disk or pad-shaped fiber composite article Abstract: The invention relates to a disk or pad-shaped fiber composite article (2) for the care and cleaning of human skin, comprising a non-woven fiber layer (4) which forms one surface of the article and a thermoplastic film layer (6) forming another surface thereof. The invention is characterised in that in order to form a more versatile fiber composite article, the thermoplastic film layer (6) has a porous structure for receiving fatty components of human skin. (end of abstract) Agent: Dreiss, Fuhlendorf, Steimle & Becker - D-70032 Stuttgart, DE Inventors: Rainer Mangold, Angela Rompp, Jana Michelmann USPTO Applicaton #: 20060178067 - Class: 442327000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Fabric (woven, Knitted, Or Nonwoven Textile Or Cloth, Etc.), Nonwoven Fabric (i.e., Nonwoven Strand Or Fiber Material) The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060178067. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] The present invention concerns a disk or pad-shaped fiber composite article for the care and cleaning of human skin, comprising a non-woven fiber layer which forms one surface of the article and a thermoplastic film layer forming another surface thereof. [0002] Articles of this type are usually called cotton pads. A cotton pad of the above-described type is disclosed e.g. in DE 200 05 170 U1. The thermoplastic coating of this conventional cotton pad is provided with an abrasive surface by incorporating a solid granulate into this thermoplastic film layer to facilitate removal of skin impurities or skin particles thereby also using an abrasive-free cleansing milk or peeling cream. [0003] WO 00/33974 discloses a cotton pad comprising a non-woven fiber layer and a joining barrier layer which may be formed from a thermoplastic film or a paper coated with thermoplastic material. This barrier layer borders a surface layer comprising a fold which serves as a handle and which may be formed, in accordance with one embodiment of the document, from "ADVANTECH 2000 Synthetic Paper", which is a paper comprising polypropylene. Although this surface-forming layer could be called a thermoplastic film layer, it is not a usable layer but merely serves to hold the cotton pad. [0004] EP 0 527 779 B1 discloses a similar cotton pad. The gripping strap as well as the barrier layer may be formed from a suitable thermoplastic film material. In accordance with one embodiment, the holding strap can be folded into its useable shape to expose a surface region of the barrier layer disposed below which is covered when the gripping strap is in the packaged position. Only the opposite non-woven fiber layer thereby forms the side which is defined for cleaning the skin. This document mentions that the barrier layer should be impermeable to liquid and particles. [0005] DE 199 16 640 A1 discloses a similar cotton pad. [0006] A cosmetic product is also available on the market which consists of one single thermoplastic fat-absorbing film layer. This product may be used for skin care and cleaning. [0007] Departing from the above-mentioned prior art, it is the underlying purpose of the present invention to improve a fiber composite article in the form of a so-called cotton pad such that it can be used in many ways for human skin care and cleaning. It should meet various requirements which exist in practice and depend not only on the respective user but also on different applications, such as e.g. removing of cosmetic substances, dirt, or fatty components from the skin. [0008] This object is achieved in accordance with the invention with a cotton pad of the above-mentioned type in that the thermoplastic film layer has a porous structure to receive fatty components of human skin. [0009] The invention proposes to use a porous thermoplastic film layer in a cotton pad as a surface layer for wiping or cleaning human skin, and not only as fluid barrier or grasping aid, thereby providing a wider range of application for the cotton pad. The surface-exposed non-woven fiber layer can be used in a conventional fashion for application or removal of cosmetic substances and also for cleaning the surface of the skin. The likewise surface-exposed thermoplastic film layer may preferably be used to remove fatty components from human skin. These fatty components are received by the hydrophobic, i.e. lipophilic film layer and its pores. The non-woven fiber layer may e.g. be initially used and the article may subsequently be folded by folding the used non-woven fiber surface together to be able to use the thermoplastic film layer on the other side for subsequent removal of fatty components from the skin. The film layer is preferably initially used to remove fatty components. The make-up is subsequently corrected with the non-woven fiber upper surface, e.g. to apply powder or the like. [0010] The use of polyolefin, in particular polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP) or a mixture thereof has proven to be advantageous. It is also advantageous if the thermoplastic film layer contains a preferably inorganic filler. To produce a thermoplastic film layer which is suited to receive fatty components, a thermoplastic polymer is mixed with a preferably inorganic filler, wherein a film is conventionally produced from the mixture which is then stretched thereby producing the pores. [0011] In an alternative manner, the filler-containing film is provided with pores through calendering. The above-mentioned porous film layer also refers to a film layer which has openings of a pore size of less than 50 .mu.m, often called micropores, wherein the film layer could also contain larger pores. A pore size of mainly less than 50 .mu.m has proven to be advantageous, in particular 0.5 to 50 .mu.m or 0.5 to 40 .mu.m and preferably 0.5 to 30 .mu.m or 0.5 to 20 .mu.m, in particular 0.5 to 10 .mu.m. [0012] Films of this type are known in the form of the above-mentioned available product. Thermoplastic film layers may also be used such as those described e.g. in EP 0 293 482 B1 or in DE 33 06 843 A1 and in U.S. Pat No. 4,585,604 in the form of back sheet materials for absorbing hygiene articles. [0013] It is feasible and could prove to be advantageous, to provide the non-woven fiber layer and the film layer on the same side of the article, wherein each forms a part or a region of the side of the article provided for cleaning the skin. The surface regions concerned could be disposed next to each other and be flush with each other. An embodiment is also preferred with which the non-woven fiber layer is disposed on the side of the article opposite to the film layer, as indicated above. [0014] There are no particular restrictions for forming the non-woven fiber layer. The use of a soft and smooth non-woven fiber material has proven to be advantageous. Cotton is preferred, which is advantageous and suitable in many respects. The non-woven fiber layer may also comprise thermoplastic fibers and be thermally solidified by melting the thermoplastic fibers. The integrity of the non-woven fiber layer in a cotton pad of the relevant type is of particular importance. Thermal solidification of cotton pads is a feasible and advantageous method for the solidification of non-woven material, in addition to other feasible compacting methods such as calendering or water jet needling. [0015] In one particularly advantageous composition, the non-woven fiber layer comprises 5 to 20 weight % of thermoplastic fibers and optionally, in particular, up to 95 weight % of cotton fibers. [0016] In one particularly advantageous composition, the non-woven fiber layer comprises synthetic microfibers, e.g. viscose or polyester fibers, of a fiber thickness of less than 1 dtex, in particular mixed with cotton fibers. The content of the microfibers in the non-woven fiber layer is, in particular, between 40 and 90 weight %. [0017] A non-woven fiber layer which consists of 100% cotton fibers is also feasible and advantageous. The use of water jet solidification from one or both sides of the non-woven fiber layer is particularly suited in this case to solidify the non-woven fiber such that it can be grasped and used without falling apart. [0018] The weight per unit surface area of the non-woven fiber layer is advantageously between 50 and 260 g/m.sup.2. A non-woven material thickness of 1.2 mm to 5 mm has proven to be advantageous under a test pressure of 0.5 kPa. [0019] The present invention also concerns the use of a porous thermoplastic film layer, known per se, as a surface layer in a fiber composite article comprising a non-woven fiber layer, to receive fatty components of human skin during skin cleaning and care. [0020] The surface densities of the thermoplastic film layer are between 20 and 80 g/m.sup.2 and their thickness is between 30 and 70 .mu.m. [0021] Further features, details and advantages of the invention can be extracted from the enclosed claims and the drawing and the following description of a preferred embodiment of the inventive fiber composite article. [0022] The FIGURE shows a perspective view of a cotton pad, designated in total with reference numeral 2, comprising a non-woven fiber layer 4 of e.g. 100 weight % of cotton or e.g. 85 weight % of cotton and 15 weight % of thermoplastic bicomponent fibers. In the latter case, the fibers are homogenously mixed and the resulting non-woven fiber layer is thermally solidified through melting the surface component of the bicomponent fibers which has a lower melting point than a core component. A non-woven fiber layer, which consists essentially of cotton fibers, is preferably solidified e.g. through water jet needling. The non-woven fiber layer of both embodiments may have a surface design with grooved or honeycomb pattern structure on its usable side (not shown in the FIGURE). [0023] A film layer 6 of a thermoplastic polymer, preferably on the basis of polyolefin, e.g. PE or PP comprising an inorganic filler is disposed on the side of the non-woven fiber layer 4 opposite to the side of use. [0024] The film layer may be joined to the non-woven fiber layer e.g. using a hot-melt glue or through other means available to the person skilled in the art. Continue reading... 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