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  Wipe and methods for manufacturing and using a wipeUSPTO Application #: 20080076314Title: Wipe and methods for manufacturing and using a wipe Abstract: A wipe is provided including a nonwoven substrate and an active agent containing composition. The nonwoven substrate includes a mixture of natural fiber and polylactide fiber. The nonwoven substrate can contain about 0.5 wt. % to about 75 wt. % of the polylactide fiber and about 10 wt. % to about 95 wt. % of the natural fiber. The nonwoven substrate can have a basis weight of about 10 lb/3000 ft2 to about 50 lb/3000 ft2. The wipe can contain the active agent containing composition in an amount of about 0.5 lb/3000 ft2 to about 300 lb/3000 ft2. The wipe can be provided so that it satisfies the definition for biodegradability according to ASTM D 6868-03. A method for manufacturing a wipe is provided. (end of abstract) USPTO Applicaton #: 20080076314 - Class: 442327 (USPTO) The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080076314. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001]This application claims priority to U.S. application Ser. No. 11/503,864 that was filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Aug. 14, 2006. The entire disclosure of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/503,864 is incorporated by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002]The present invention relates to a wipe, and to methods for using a wipe. The wipe includes a nonwoven substrate that contains natural fiber and polylactide fiber, and active agent. The wipe can be provided as a wet wipe or as a dry to touch wipe, and can be available for use in wiping a hard surface such as a counter, a floor, furniture, tile, ceramic, etc. The wipe can be contained in packaging as a single wipe or can be contained in packaging as multiple wipes. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003]Wet wipes are typically pre-moistened, disposable towelettes which may be utilized in a variety of applications both domestic and industrial, and perform a variety of functions. Wet wipes can be used to wipe inanimate surfaces. In addition, wipes can be used as personal hygiene wipes (e.g. hand wipes) for cleaning various parts of the body. Wet wipes can provide numerous benefits such as cleaning, cleansing, and disinfecting. [0004]One particular application for wet wipes is wiping and/or cleaning surfaces and the application of compositions to surfaces, for example, kitchen and bathroom surfaces, spectacles, shoes and surfaces which require cleaning in industry, for example, surfaces of machinery or vehicles. [0005]Wet wipes are commonly constructed from webs of combinations of synthetic, man-made and natural fibres, such as polyolefin fibres, viscose fibres, cotton fibres, which are generally moistened with an aqueous composition which may contain amongst other ingredients surfactants, preservatives, oils and scents depending on the end use envisaged. [0006]Disposable wipes for cleaning hard surfaces are described. See WO 89/05114 and EP 0 211 773. Wipes can be provided from fabric of natural or synthetic fibers, and can include an antimicrobial agent. See EP 0 113 254 and EP 0 233 943 [0007]Traditionally, hard surface cleaning wipes have been made using synthetic fibres because synthetic fibres provide sufficient strength in the wipe for it to withstand the stress and strain of the cleaning action. Wipes made using natural and synthetic fibres have generally been much weaker in terms of tensile strength and have required the use of a binder or wet strength agent to increase the tensile strength to a level suitable to withstand the cleaning action. EP 0 602 881 discloses a wet wipe comprising wool pulp and man-made fibres made preferably for use in personal hygiene, for example as moist toilet paper. The wipes also comprise a wet strength agent, for example polyacrylamide, to improve the wet strength of the wipe. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008]A wipe is provided according to the invention. The wipe includes a nonwoven substrate and an active agent containing composition. The nonwoven substrate includes a mixture of natural fiber and polylactide fiber. The nonwoven substrate can contain about 0.5 wt. % to about 75 wt. % of the polylactide fiber and about 10 wt. % to about 95 wt. % of the natural fiber. The nonwoven substrate can have a basis weight of about 10 lb/3000 ft.sup.2 to about 50 lb/3000 ft.sup.2. The wipe can contain the active agent containing composition in an amount of about 0.5 lb/3000 ft.sup.2 to about 300 lb/3000 ft.sup.2. [0009]A method for manufacturing a wipe is provided according to the invention. The method includes the step of forming a nonwoven substrate and a step of loading an active agent containing composition onto the nonwoven substrate. The nonwoven substrate can be formed from a mixture of natural fiber and polylactide fiber by a wet laid process. The mixture can contain about 0.5 wt. % to about 75 wt. % of the polylactide fiber and about 10 wt. % to about 95 wt. % of the natural fiber. The active agent containing composition can be loaded onto the nonwoven substrate in an amount of about 0.5 lb/3000 ft.sup.2 to about 300 lb/3000 ft.sup.2 DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0010]A wipe includes a nonwoven substrate and an active agent containing composition loaded onto the nonwoven substrate. The wipe can be used for various applications including cleaning, dusting, disinfectant, deodorizing, moisturizing, imparting a fragrance, etc. The wipe can be provided as a moist wipe or as a wipe that is dry to touch. A wipe that is dryer to touch generally has a dry or nontacky feel. The wipe can be packaged as a single wipe or the wipe can be packaged in a container having multiple wipes. [0011]The wipe can be provided as a biodegradable wipe. In general, a biodegradable wipe is a wipe that satisfies the definition for biodegradability established by ASTM D 6868-03. It should be understood that the wipe does not have to satisfy the biodegradability definition of ASTM D 6868-03. If desired, the wipe can be provided so that it does satisfy the biodegradability definition of ASTM D 6868-03. Nonwoven Substrate [0012]The nonwoven substrate can be formed from a mixture of natural fiber and polylactide fiber. The substrate can include a sufficient amount of polylactide fiber to provide the nonwoven substrate with desired cloth or hand feel characteristics, and to provide the nonwoven substrate with desired porosity. [0013]Natural fiber refers to fiber formed from plants or animals. Natural fibers are not fibers that are formed as a result of extrusion or spinning. The natural fibers can be obtained from a source of fiber using techniques such as chemical pulping, chemical mechanical pulping, semi chemical pulping, or mechanical pulping. Natural fibers from plants are often referred to as cellulosic fibers. [0014]Exemplary natural fibers that can be used to form the nonwoven substrate include wood fibers and non-wood natural fibers such as vegetable fibers, cotton, various straws (e.g., wheat and rye), various canes (e.g., bagasse and kenaf), silk, animal fiber, (e.g., wool), grasses (e.g., bamboo, etc.), hemp, corn stalks, abaca, etc. [0015]Wood fiber can be obtained from wood pulp. The wood pulp can include hardwood fibers, softwood fibers, or a blend of hardwood fibers and softwood fibers. The pulp can be provided as cellulose fiber from chemical pulped wood, and can include a blend from coniferous and deciduous trees. By way of example, wood fibers can be from northern hardwood, northern softwood, southern hardwood, or southern softwood. Hardwood fibers tend to be more brittle but are generally more cost effective for use because the yield of pulp from hardwood is higher than the yield of pulp from softwood. The pulp can contain about 0 to about 70% hardwood fibers (or about 0 to about 100%) based on the weight of the fibers. Softwood fibers have desired paper making characteristics but are generally more expensive than hardwood fibers. The pulp can contain about 0 to about 100% softwood fibers based on the weight of the fibers. The pulp can contain a blend of hardwood and softwood fibers. [0016]The natural fibers can be extracted with various pulping techniques. For example, mechanical or high yield pulping can be used for stone ground wood, pressurized ground wood, refiner mechanical pulp, and thermomechanical pulp. Chemical pulping can be used incorporating kraft, sulfite, and soda processing. Semi-chemical and chemi-mechanical pulping can also be used which includes combinations of mechanical and chemical processes to produce chemi-thermomechanical pulp. [0017]The natural fibers can also be bleached or unbleached. One of skill in the art will appreciate that the bleaching can be accomplished through many methods including the use of chlorine, hypochlorite, chlorine dioxide, oxygen, peroxide, ozone, or a caustic extraction. [0018]The pulp can include a recycle source for reclaimed fiber. Exemplary recycle sources include post-consumer waste (PCW) fiber, office waste, and corrugated carton waste. Post-consumer waste fiber refers to fiber recovered from paper that is recycled after consumer use. Office waste refers to fiber obtained from office waste, and corrugated carton waste refers to fiber obtained from corrugated cartons. Additional sources of reclaimed fiber include newsprint and magazines. Reclaimed fiber can include both natural and synthetic fiber. Incorporation of reclaimed fiber in the nonwoven substrate can aid in efficient use of resources and increase satisfaction of the end user of the wipe. [0019]Refining is the treatment of pulp fibers to develop their papermaking properties. Refining increases the strength of fiber to fiber bonds by increasing the surface area of the fibers and making the fibers more pliable to conform around each other, which increases the bonding surface area and leads to a denser sheet, with fewer voids. Most strength properties of paper increase with pulp refining, since they rely on fiber to fiber bonding. The tear strength, which depends highly on the strength of the individual fibers, actually decreases with refining. Refining of pulp increases the fibers flexibility and leads to a denser substrate. This means bulk, opacity, and porosity decrease (densometer values increase) with refining. Fibrillation is a result of refining paper fibers. Fibrillation is the production of rough surfaces on fibers by mechanical and/or chemical action; refiners break the outer layer of fibers, e.g., the primary cell wall, causing the fibrils from the secondary cell wall to protrude from the fiber surfaces. Continue reading... Full patent description for Wipe and methods for manufacturing and using a wipe Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Wipe and methods for manufacturing and using a wipe patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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