A method for transforming a supply stream (2) of elements (1) having one flat object or a group of flat objects lying on top of one another that are conveyed overlapping one another to produce a stream in which the stream elements are distanced from one another both transverse and parallel to the conveying direction (F). The stream elements are oriented parallel to the conveying direction (F). Every stream element (1) is gripped in a same location which, in the conveying direction (F), is situated in the center of the element and in which location the element is not overlapped by adjacent elements (1). Every stream element is then displaced transverse to the conveying direction (F), while the spatial element orientation remains essentially unchanged. The displacement is different for successive stream elements (1) in a predefined sequence. For gripping the stream elements (1) in a clamping manner, clamping elements (5.1) are used, which are capable of being displaced transverse to the conveying direction (F) along guide links (6).

1. Field of the Invention
The invention is situated in the field of materials handling technology and it concerns a method and a device serving for transforming a supply stream, in which flat stream elements are conveyed with their flat expanse aligned essentially parallel to the conveying direction and in particular overlapping one another. The method and the device in particular serve for transforming a supply stream being conveyed in a loosely supported manner and comprising, as stream elements, groups of flat objects (e.g. printed products) having different formats and lying loosely on top of one another, the groups overlapping one another. This supply stream is transformed into a conveying stream, in which the groups again are conveyed loosely supported, but are at a distance from one another, so that, for example, they can be supplied to a packaging operation using a packaging material supplied from a roll.
2. Description of Related Art
Transformation of a supply stream (imbricated stream), in which individual, flat objects, such as printed products, are conveyed overlapping one another, into a stream in which the objects are conveyed behind one another and, if so required, at a distance from one another, is, according to the state of the art realized by accelerating the objects such that their spacing becomes greater than their expanse in the conveying direction. This method is unproblematic if the flat stream elements are stable and the conveying rates (in elements per unit of time) are not very high. For high conveying rates and for stream elements that are relatively long in the conveying direction, such methods give very high conveying speeds, and starting from a supply stream-with a high degree of overlap necessitates also high accelerations, for the mastering of which in particular not very stable stream elements, for stabilization, are gripped at their leading edge.
In order to circumvent the difficulties mentioned above, it is also proposed to split up an imbricated stream of the type mentioned into part streams, wherein at a switch-point stream sections are alternately supplied to one or the other of the part streams from the leading end of the imbricated stream, the stream sections being groups of overlapping stream elements. By subsequent suitable transformation, the partial streams can be made into streams in which the stream elements are conveyed one behind the other and which, due to the reduced conveying rate resulting from the splitting-up, are conveyed at a speed that is correspondingly lower than in the case described above.
The sections of the imbricated stream alternately assigned to each part stream usually are deviated from the main stream in a direction transverse to the principal surfaces of the flat stream elements (for a loosely supported imbricated stream: downwards or upwards), which deviation can be realized using a very simple device, such as a pivoting conveying substrate.
If an imbricated stream is to be directly transformed into part streams (i.e. without further transformation of the part streams) in which the stream elements are conveyed without overlap, i.e. behind one another and at a distance from one another, it is necessary to deviate from the imbricated stream not streams sections comprising a plurality of overlapping elements each, but rather individual elements. For this purpose, every element has to be gripped individually prior to the splitting-up, usually with the help of two gripper conveyors, as, for example, described in the publication EP-1063187 (or U.S. Pat. No. 6,401,903), one gripper conveyor being assigned to each longitudinal edge of the imbricated stream and one gripper conveyor being arranged on each side of the stream. In a gripping zone, the gripper conveyors run parallel to the imbricated stream, and downstream of the gripping zone they diverge. The gripper conveyors are operated in synchronism with the imbricated stream such that the grippers of one of the conveyors grip every second stream element from one side (longitudinal edge zone of the stream) and the grippers of the other conveyor grip the other stream elements from the other side. The gripped stream elements are then moved apart by the diverging gripper conveyors and are then, for example, transferred to further conveying means.
For splitting an imbricated stream as described in the last paragraph it is necessary that the two opposite edges of the flat stream elements situated on both sides of the imbricated stream can always (for all stream elements) be gripped in the same way. This means that these edges of all stream elements need to be positioned the same way in the imbricated stream. Or it means that the supplied, overlapping stream elements all have to have the same width. Splitting into more than two partial streams is not possible. For being able to grip individual stream elements it is further necessary that in the imbricated stream to be split-up the overlap of the stream elements is such that there are locations without overlap. If this condition is not fulfilled, the leading stream element needs to be laterally moved away from the supply stream before the next stream element can be gripped, which in particular in the case of stream elements of little stability is very difficult to implement.
For splitting imbricated streams by deflecting individual stream elements, it is also possible to grip the leading edge of the one stream element positioned at the leading end of the imbricated stream, as described in the publication EP-1155992. These leading edges are alternately gripped by the grippers assigned to the part streams to be established, and the gripper tracks diverge downstream of the gripping zone. For such splitting methods, the same severe conditions apply for the leading stream element edges as is the case for the lateral element edges in the method described further above. On the other hand, however, this method makes it possible to split the imbricated stream into more than two part streams. Because the leading edge of an element can only be gripped when the preceding stream element is situated at a distance from the leading end of the imbricated stream, on splitting a loosely supported stream, pairs of downstream and upstream elements have to be moved relative to one another, when only the downstream element is held gripped but not the upstream one. This can become a problem if the stream elements are unstable.
As long as the stream elements being conveyed in the imbricated supply stream are individual flat objects of the same format overlapping one another in a regular manner (regular scale spacing), the conditions as mentioned above to be fulfilled by the supply stream for being able to be split by gripping and leading apart individual stream elements according to the methods of the state of the art do not represent a problem. Even when groups of objects of the same format lying stacked one upon the other constitute the overlapping stream elements of the imbricated stream, there are no significant difficulties due to these conditions. If, however, the overlapping stream elements of the imbricated stream are groups of flat objects lying loosely upon one another and having differing formats and shapes and/or being stacked non-uniformly, it becomes considerably more difficult or even impossible to create an imbricated stream in which the mentioned conditions are fulfilled. This is in particular the case, because it is necessary, that in every gripped group all objects are gripped, but no object of a preceding or following group is gripped also.
It is an object of the invention to create a method and a device to transform, with simple means, a supply stream of stream elements (individual flat objects or groups of flat objects lying one upon the other) being conveyed overlapping one another, into at least one conveying stream of stream elements that do not overlap one another, but rather are conveyed one behind the other and possibly also beside each other. The inventive method and device are to allow a significantly greater degree of freedom regarding characteristics of the stream elements and their arrangement in the supply stream and in the at least one conveying stream to be established, than is the case for the known methods described above which serve the same purpose. In particular, it is to be possible to transform supply streams of overlapping groups each comprising flat objects of differing formats lying one upon the other or objects with the same format lying one upon the other not in the form of a regular stack, with a minimum of conditions regarding the arrangement of the objects in the groups and the arrangement of the groups in the supply stream. Nonetheless, the device to be created for the implementation of the method is to be simple and in particular is to be adaptable in an as simple as possible manner to varying characteristics of the stream elements of the supply stream and to different requirements made of the stream transformation.
According to the fundamental idea of the method of the invention, for transforming the supply stream being continuously conveyed in a conveying direction, first, the stream elements of the supply stream overlapping one another and advantageously being loosely supported are individually gripped and then they are differently displaced in a regular sequence transverse to the conveying direction. The spatial orientation of the stream elements thereby remains substantially unchanged so that, following the displacement, the stream elements can be released and can, for example, be conveyed away once again loosely supported. For gripping, displacing, and simultaneously conveying away the stream elements, these are not gripped in the zone of their leading edges, but rather at a location distanced in a conveying direction from the leading edge and advantageously being situated in the conveying direction approximately in the middle of the stream elements. The gripping location, as required, may include or not include a lateral element edge and is essentially the same for all stream elements of the supply stream. The sole condition to be imposed on the supply stream is that it must be possible to grip all stream elements in the same way and that the stream elements do not overlap one another at the gripping location, i.e. that the spacing of the stream elements in the supply stream is greater than half the length of the stream elements in the conveying direction.
For gripping, displacing, and simultaneous onward conveying, for every stream element an upper and a lower clamping element is provided. The stream element is gripped by being clamped between the clamping elements transverse to its flat expanse (for a loosely supported stream element: from above and from below). The upper and the lower clamping elements are conveyed in the conveying direction with the same, essentially constant speed as the supply stream and with, in conveying direction, a constant distance or spacing between one another which distance is substantially the same as the element spacing in the supply stream. In addition, the clamping elements are displaceable in a controlled manner to a varying degree transverse to the conveying direction. As still remains to be demonstrated, this ability of being displaced may be limited to the upper clamping elements, depending on the requirements regarding additional support of the stream elements during displacement and onward conveyance. In such a case, lower clamping elements are provided being assigned to different diverging tracks and being conveyed along these tracks.
Advantageously, the transverse displacement is implemented parallel to the flat expanse of the stream elements (for loosely supported stream elements: essentially horizontally) such that the stream elements following the displacement are arranged beside each other. In doing so a conveying stream is produced, in which the stream elements, for example, are conveyed behind and beside each other in a staggered manner, distanced from one another parallel to the conveying direction and transverse to the conveying direction, i.e. a conveying stream, which in a simple manner can be conveyed away by a single conveyor belt and which is especially suitable for packaging the stream elements with the help of a quasi endless packaging material supplied from a roll. Such packaging is, for example, described in the publication EP-1188670. The number of stream elements being conveyed beside each other in such a conveying stream is in essence freely selectable.
The displacement, however, may also be implemented transverse to the flat expanse of the stream elements (for loosely supported stream elements: vertically), wherein the stream elements have to have a sufficient flexibility for the displacement and wherein part streams arranged one above the other are produced, in which part streams the stream elements are conveyed one behind the other and, for example, with a distance between one another. The number of part streams that can be produced in such a manner is in essence freely selectable.
For being able to grip the stream elements in a location, which does not include an edge, the upper and the lower clamping elements are independent of one another, i.e., they are coupled to separate driving means. For gripping in a lateral edge zone, it is advantageous to combine each upper clamping element with one lower clamping element to form a clamp and to couple the clamps to a single drive means. The drive means for driving the clamping elements advantageously are chain pairs driven in circulation, wherein the two chains are arranged on two opposite sides of the supply stream each wherein guide links are arranged between the two chains. The guide links extend transverse to the conveying direction and each guide link carries a clamping element or a clamp being displaceable to and fro between the chains. The length of the guide links or the distance between the circulating chains, respectively, is matched to the distance transverse to the conveying direction to be established between the stream elements. Furthermore, the drive means comprise control means for controlling the different displacements of the clamping elements along the guide links in the predefined, regular sequence. If possible, the control means are designed as stationary cams.
The most important advantages of the stream transformation in accordance with the invention are that all stream elements of the supply stream can be gripped in essentially the same location and before the stream elements are moved relative to one another, that the gripping location can be located in a central zone (without involvement of an element edge), that, in the conveying stream to be established, a substantially freely selectable number of stream elements can be conveyed beside each other or an essentially freely selectable number of part streams can be established respectively, and that the spatial orientation of the stream elements is not altered so that, for example, stream elements being supplied in a loosely supported manner can be conveyed away again in a loosely supported manner after the stream transformation without the need of a further re-orientation. The advantages of the central gripping location, the advantage of the prevention of relative movement of stream elements not yet held gripped and the advantage of the spatial stream element orientation remaining unchanged are particularly relevant for stream elements that are groups of flat objects loosely lying on top of one another, and in particular for such groups in which the objects have different formats or in which the objects have similar formats but are not regularly stacked within the group.
It goes without saying that it is also possible to utilize the method and the device according to the invention for transforming supply streams comprising other stream elements, for example for transforming supply streams of individual objects all having the same format or of regular stacks of objects of the same format or also for transforming supply streams in which such stream elements do not overlap one another, but rather are conveyed one behind the other. In the same manner, while the method and the device according to the invention are very advantageous for establishing conveying streams in which the stream elements are at a distance from one another (i.e. do not overlap), it is equally possible to use the method and the device for producing streams in which the stream elements overlap one another, i.e. for changing the manner of the overlapping of the supply stream. It is further possible to use the method and the device according to the invention for splitting the supply stream into sections, i.e., into groups of overlapping stream elements, and to convey these away either beside or above one another.

Method and device for transforming a supply stream of flat stream elements, in particular a supply stream in which the elements are conveyed overlapping one another


The subject invention involves high moisture containing bar compositions comprising required amounts of a borate compound. The borate compound structures water in the bar thereby enabling the retention of high amounts of moisture without compromising bar properties.

The present invention relates to bar compositions comprising Borax as water structurant, particularly toilet soaps made by milling, plodding and stamping, wherein the water content of the said bars can be significantly increased and retained in the bar, without introducing process related problems and while maintaining good user attributes (e.g., hardness, rate of wear, lather, mush etc.). Thus, these high moisture retaining bar compositions containing Borax enable significant cost savings because of the replacement of total fatty matter (TFM) with water.
Conventional toilet soaps are normally composed of predominantly soap (e.g.,  greater than 70% TFM), 10-13% water and the usual additives (e.g., soda, salt, dyes and perfumes). These bars are typically produced by mixing soap and/or other synthetic surfactants with useful additives, followed by milling, plodding and stamping.
The subject invention is concerned with high moisture containing, low cost Borax soap bars, in which soap constitutes the majority if not all of the surfactant system, although it will be understood that any surfactant system may be used in place of soap. Such bars may also comprise one or more filler materials such as, for example, talc.
In low cost toilet soaps, TFM is generally the most expensive ingredient. Since the level of TFM needed for acceptable detergency is much lower than what is used in conventional toilet soaps, it is desirable to replace TFM with water, air or cheaper fillers, while retaining processability and good bar properties.
As noted, one plausible route to reducing cost is to replace TFM with water. Typically, however, incorporating higher levels of water (e.g., xe2x89xa715% and particularly xe2x89xa720%) introduces many process and product related problems. Process related problems include production of soft soap masses that are difficult to mill, plod and stamp. Further, even if one were to succeed in avoiding process related problems, high levels of water are difficult to retain in the bar due to enhanced water activity, indicating free water that will be lost, bringing the equilibrium moisture level down to same level as in conventional soaps. Thus, significant losses of moisture from the bars leads to product related problems such as volume shrinkage, cracking and high rates of wear. Accordingly, moisture retention in a high moisture containing toilet bar requires water to be immobilized, which is difficult to achieve under low cost scenario. For this reason, soap bars sold in many developing countries typically contain only 12-13% moisture.
Unexpectedly, applicants have now discovered that by using required amounts of borate compounds (e.g., Borax, calcium borate, calcium-magnesium borate, sodium calcium borate) and/or boric acid (xe2x80x9cpuffedxe2x80x9d Borax as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,708,425 is generally not the type of boron compound contemplated for use in the bars of the subject invention) as water structurant/filler, it is possible to not only incorporate but also retain much higher amounts of water than previously possible, while maintaining good processability and good bar properties.
The use of borate compounds or boric acid in personal care products generally is not new. As described in a Service Bulletin from Borax Company, borates have been used in many personal care products including soaps (see Section 2.2 of bulletin).
When previously used with soaps, however, Borax has been used as a soluble scrubber in powdered hand soap compositions of the type used to clean medium to heavy soils found in industrial operations; or in liquid soaps (page 5 of Bulletin, first full paragraph).
Borates were also used in the production of laundry soap chips (discontinued in 1960""s) or as a constituent of a multi-component enzyme stabilization system. Two examples of borate used as part of an enzyme stabilization system are GB 2,186,833 (Unilever) and WO 98/54285 (Procter and Gamble).
However, both these examples contain enzymes which are undesirable for personal wash applications (bars of the subject invention contain no enzymes). Further, without fillers (e.g., talc), these compositions are said to be soft and doughy (see page 16, lines 12-14 of WO 98/54285) and, even with fillers, applicants have found these compositions to be much softer compared to those of the subject invention (e.g., 8 or below, preferably below 7, more preferably below 6).
Further, these bars of the art require cooling tunnels to achieve even the levels of hardness they possess, which increases the cost of their production. The subject invention uses no such cooling tunnels to achieve hardness.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,708,425 to Compa et al. teaches a detergent bar containing about 5 to 60% by wt. puffed Borax. This work specifically calls for puffed Borax or other puffed salts to which the user properties of the bar are attributed. The puffed Borax is compositionally different than Borax or other boron-containing compounds of the invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,798,181 to Vazquez teaches enzymatic detergent bars (not pure soap bars) containing 10-40% synthetic detergent, 0.5-5% enzymes, 5-40% binder (e.g., to help retain water), 20-60% inorganic builder and 12-25% water. Borax may be used as possible inorganic builder. The bar is a detergent bar which contains enzymes unlike bars of the invention which contain no enzymes.
Finally, none of the prior art teaches Borax as a water structurant which enables not only the incorporation but even the retention of high amounts of water in the bar.
The present invention relates to personal wash bar compositions containing surfactant (preferably, at least 30% of the surfactant system is anhydrous soap); borate compound, greater than 0.1 to 25%, preferably 0.5 to 20%, more preferably 1 to 18%, preferably not including puffed Borax (composition may comprise lower levels of 2%, 3% or 4% Borax as well); water, at least about 20 to 60%, more preferably 20 to 50%, more preferably 24 to 40%, most preferably 24 to 35%; wherein the borate compound, preferably without any other binder, is structuring water at high levels to provide bar with hardness (expressed as penetration value) of less than or equal to 8 (measured using penetrometer) more preferably less than or equal to 7, more preferably 4-6 and wherein said bars are made by conventional milling, plodding and stamping.
More specifically, the invention comprises an enzyme-free personal wash bar composition comprising:
(a) 30% to 70%, preferably 40% to 60% by wt. of a surfactant selected from the group consisting of fatty acid soap, anionic surfactant other than soap, amphoteric surfactants, nonionic surfactant and mixtures thereof;
(b) greater than 0.1% to 25% by wt. of a borate compound (e.g., Borax, calcium borate, sodium calcium borate, calcium magnesium borate, boric acid, etc.);
(c) about 20% to 60% by wt. water;
wherein said bar has hardness expressed as penetration value of less than or equal to 8 as measured by penetrometer; and
wherein said bar is made using a step in which ingredients used to form said bar are mixed, milled, plodded and stamped.
The present invention relates to high moisture containing bars, preferably bar soaps containing 30% to 100% of surfactant system of fatty acid soaps and made by conventional milling, plodding and stamping route. Generally, it is difficult to introduce let alone retain, large amounts of water into soap bars (e.g., moisture levels greater than 20% to 60%, preferably 20% to 50%, more preferably 24% to 40%, most preferably 24% to 35%) without introducing process and product related problems.
Unexpectedly, applicants have now discovered that borate compounds (including boric acid) can be used to structure water, thereby allowing the incorporation as well as retention of large amounts of water in the bar (in place of, for example, more expensive fatty acid soap) and without need of costly structurants or binders. Thus, the borate compound or mixture of compounds allows production of bars having hardness expressed as penetration value of less than or equal to 8, preferably less than or equal to 7, more preferably 4 to 6 using penetrometer tests.
Each of the ingredients in this composition is set forth with more particularity below:
Surfactant
Bar compositions of the invention preferably comprise surfactant system in which at least 30% to 100%, more preferably 50% to 100%, more preferably 70% to 100% and most preferably the entire 100% of surfactant system comprises fatty acid soap.
The balance of the surfactant system may be a surfactant selected from the group of surfactants, comprising of anionic surfactant (other than soap) nonionic, amphoteric/zwitterionic and mixtures thereof.
The anionic detergent active which may be used may be aliphatic sulfonates, such as a primary alkane (e.g., C8-C22) sulfonate, primary alkane (e.g., C8-C22) disulfonate, C8-C22 alkene sulfonate, C8-C22 hydroxyalkane sulfonate or alkyl glyceryl ether sulfonate (AGS); or aromatic sulfonates such as alkyl benzene sulfonate.
The anionic may also be an alkyl sulfate (e.g., C12-C18 alkyl sulfate) or alkyl ether sulfate (including alkyl glyceryl ether sulfates). Among the alkyl ether sulfates are those having the formula:
RO(CH2CH2O)nSO3M
wherein R is an alkyl or alkenyl having 8 to 18 carbons, preferably 12 to 18 carbons, n has an average value of greater than 1.0, preferably greater than 3; and M is a solubilizing cation such as sodium, potassium, ammonium or substituted ammonium. Ammonium and sodium lauryl ether sulfates are preferred.
The anionic may also be alkyl sulfosuccinates (including mono- and dialkyl, e.g., C6-C22 sulfosuccinates); alkyl and acyl taurates, alkyl and acyl sarcosinates, sulfoacetates, C8-C22 alkyl phosphates and phosphates, alkyl phosphate esters and alkoxyl alkyl phosphate esters, acyl lactates, C8-C22 monoalkyl succinates and maleates, sulphoacetates, alkyl glucosides and acyl isethionates.
Particularly preferred are the C8-C18 acyl isethionates. These esters are prepared by reaction between alkali metal isethionate with mixed aliphatic fatty acids having from 6 to 18 carbon atoms and an iodine value of less than 20. At least 75% of the mixed fatty acids have from 12 to 18 carbon atoms and up to 25% have from 6 to 10 carbon atoms.
When used, the term xe2x80x9cfatty acid soapxe2x80x9d is used in its popular sense, i.e., alkalimetal or alkanol ammonium salt of aliphatic alkane or alkene monocarboxylic acids. Sodium, potassium, mono-, di- and triethanol ammonium cations, or combinations thereof, are suitable for purposes of the invention. Generally, sodium soaps are used. Soaps useful herein are the well known alkali metal salts of natural or synthetic aliphatic (alkanoic or alkenoic) acids having 13 to 22 cations, preferably 12 to 18. They may be described as alkali metal carboxylates of acrylic hydrocarbons having about 12 to 22 carbons.
Amphoteric surfactants which may be used in this invention include at least one acid group. This may be a carboxylic or a sulphonic acid group. They include quaternary nitrogen and therefore are quaternary amido acids. They should generally include an alkyl or alkenyl group of 7 to 18 carbon atoms. They will usually comply with an overall structural formula:
where R1 is alkyl or alkenyl of 7 to 18 carbon atoms;
R2 and R3 are each independently alkyl, hydroxyalkyl or carboxyalkyl of 1 to 3 carbon atoms;
m is 2 to 4;
n is 0 to 1;
X is alkylene of 1 to 3 carbon atoms optionally substituted with hydroxyl, and
Y is xe2x80x94CO2xe2x80x94 or xe2x80x94SO3xe2x80x94
A further possibility is that the amphoteric detergent is a sulphobetaine of formula:
where m is 2 or 3, or variants of these in which xe2x80x94(CH2)3 SO3xe2x88x92 is replaced by
In these formulae R1, R2 and R3 are as discussed previously.
The nonionics which may be used include in particular the reaction products of compounds having a hydrophobic group and a reactive hydrogen atom, for example aliphatic alcohols, acids, amides or alkylphenois with alkylene oxides, especially ethylene oxide either alone or with propylene oxide. Specific nonionic detergent compounds are alkyl (C6-C22) phenols ethylene oxide condensates, the condensation products of aliphatic (C8-C18) primary or secondary linear or branched alcohols with ethylene oxide, and products made by condensation of ethylene oxide with the reaction products of propylene oxide and ethylenediamine. Other so-called nonionic detergent compounds include long chain tertiary amine oxides, long chain tertiary phosphine oxides and dialkyl sulphoxides.
The nonionic may also be a sugar amide, such as a polysaccharide amide. Specifically, the surfactant may be one of the lactobionamides described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,389,279 to Au et al. which is hereby incorporated by reference or it may be one of the sugar amides described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,814 to Kelkenberg, hereby incorporated into the subject application by reference.
Examples of cationic detergents are the quaternary ammonium compounds such as alkyldimethylammonium halogenides.
Other surfactants which may be used are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,723,325 to Parran Jr. and xe2x80x9cSurface Active Agents and Detergentsxe2x80x9d (Vol. I and II) by Schwartz, Perry and Berch, both of which are also incorporated into the subject application by reference.
Borate Compounds
The compound or compounds of the invention is typically a borate (e.g., Borax) containing boron.
More specifically, boron does not occur in elemental form in nature but is typically found combined with oxygen, sodium, and calcium. Traces of boron salts are present in rocks, soil, and water almost everywhere; however, large deposits of borate minerals are comparatively rare and exist in only a few places in the earth""s crust.
The oldest and most plentiful form of boron known to man is the mineral salt Tincal (sodium tetraborate decahydrate, or simply, Borax). Other borate minerals that occur naturally and are mined commercially include Colemanite (calcium borate), Hydroboracite (calcium-magnesium borate), Kernite (sodium borate), and Ulexite (sodium-calcium borate).
In addition to being naturally mined, materials can be made from others. Thus for example, boric acid (Sassolite) can also be chemically made from Tincal (Borax), Kernite as well as many other borate ores.
The boron compound can be any of these borate minerals (e.g., sodium tetraborate decahydrate, calcium borate, calcium-magnesium borate, sodium borate etc), boric acid or mixtures of the two.
The table below lists a variety of borate compounds that can be used in the subject invention.
Typically, the borate compound or compounds will comprise 0.1 to 25%, preferably 0.5% to 20% by wt., more preferably 1 to 18% of the bar compositions. It may comprise 2%, 3% or 4% minimum levels.
What is unique to the invention was the discovery that these boron compounds structure large amounts of water, preferably in the absence of binders and structurants normally found in bars, which allowed for replacement of surfactant (e.g., TFM) and production of less expensive bars.
The boron containing compound is preferably not the xe2x80x9cpuffedxe2x80x9d Borax compound described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,708,425 which is chemically a distinct compound prepared by heating disodium tetraborate decahydrate (Na2B4O7 10 H2O) or the pentahydrate to 200-450xc2x0 F. to dry and than to 600-800xc2x0 F. to cause the material to swell/aerate (xe2x80x9cpuffingxe2x80x9d).
Water
As noted, a key to the invention was the observation that the boron compound allowed much greater quantities of water to be structured without introducing process problems and while retaining good bar user attributes (e.g., good hardness, i.e., less than or equal to 8).
Typically, bars of the invention comprise at least 20-60% by wt. moisture, preferably at least 20% to 50%, more preferably 24% to 40%, more preferably 24% to 35%.
Additives
Additives such as dyes, perfumes, soda ash, sodium chloride, brighteners, etc. are normally used in an amount 0 to 3%, preferably 0.01 to 2% of the composition. Some examples are set forth below.
Perfumes; sequestering agents, such as tetrasodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA), EHDP or mixtures in an amount of 0.01 to 1%, preferably 0.01 to 0.05%; and coloring agents, opacifiers and pearlizers such as zinc stearate, magnesium stearate, TiO2, EGMS (ethylene glycol monostearate) or Lytron 621 (Styrene/Acrylate copolymer); all of which are useful in enhancing the appearance or cosmetic properties of the product.
In addition, the bar compositions of the invention may include 0 to 25% by wt., preferably 1 to 25% by wt., more preferably 5 to 20% by wt. skin protection and benefit agents and/or performance enhancers optional ingredients as follows:
Further, the bar composition of the invention may include 0-25% by weight of crystalline or amorphous aluminium hydroxide. The said aluminium hydroxide can be generated in-situ by reacting fatty acids and/or non-fatty mono- or polycarboxylic acids with sodium aluminate, or can be prepared separately by reacting fatty acids and/or non-fatty mono- or polycarboxylic acids with sodium aluminate and adding the reaction product to the soap.
Such optional additives may include polyalkylene glycol of MW 2000 to 20,000; starches; water soluble polymers chemically modified with hydrophobic moiety (e.g., EOxe2x80x94PO block copolymer).
Other optional additives may include one or more of structurants such as soluble alkaline silicate, kaolin, talc, inorganic electrolytes such as tetra sodium pyrophosphate, organic salts such as sodium citrate, sodium acetate, and modified starches.
Optionals may further include antimicrobials such as 2-hydroxy4,2xe2x80x24xe2x80x2 trichlorodiphenylether (DP300); preservatives such as dimethyloldimethylhydantoin (Glydant XL1000), parabens, sorbic acid etc.
The compositions may also comprise coconut acyl mono- or diethanol amides as suds boosters, and strongly ionizing salts such as sodium chloride and sodium sulfate may also be used to advantage.
Antioxidants such as, for example, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) may be used advantageously in amounts of about 0.01% or higher if appropriate.
Cationic polymers as conditioners which may be used include Quatrisoft LM-200 Polyquaternium-24, Merquat Plus 3330xe2x80x94Polyquaternium 39; and Jaguar(copyright) type conditioners.
Polyethylene glycols as conditioners which may be used include:
Another ingredient which may be included are exfoliants such as polyoxyethylene beads, walnut shells and apricot seeds.
Benefit Agent
The benefit agent optionals of the subject invention may be a single benefit agent component, or it may be a benefit agent compound added via a carrier into the process stream. Further the benefit agent may be a mixture of two or more compounds, one or all of which may have a beneficial aspect. In addition, the benefit agent itself may act as a carrier for other components one may wish to add to the bar composition.
The benefit agents can be emollients, moisturizers, anti-aging agents, skin-toning agents, skin lightening agents, sun screens etc.,
The preferred list of benefit agents include:
(a) silicone oils, gums and modifications thereof such as linear and cyclic polydimethylsiloxanes; amino, alkyl alkylaryl and aryl silicone oils;
(b) fats and oils including natural fats and oils such as jojoba, soybean, rice bran, avocado, almond, olive, sesame, persic, castor, coconut, mink oils; cacao fat; beef tallow, lard; hardened oils obtained by hydrogenating the aforementioned oils; and synthetic mono, di and triglycerides such as myristic acid glyceride and 2-ethylhexanoic acid glyceride;
(c) waxes such as carnauba, spermaceti, beeswax, lanolin and derivatives thereof;
(d) hydrophobic plant extracts;
(e) hydrocarbons such as liquid paraffins, vaseline, microcrystalline wax, ceresin, squalene, pristan and mineral oil;
(f) higher fatty acids such as lauric, myristic, palmitic, stearic, behenic, oleic, linoleic, linolenic, lanolic, isostearic and poly unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA);
(g) higher alcohols such as lauryl, cetyl, stearyl, oleyl, behenyl, cholesterol and 2-hexydecanol alcohol;
(h) esters such as cetyl octanoate, myristyl lactate, cetyl lactate, isopropyl myristate, myristyl myristate, isopropyl palmitate, isopropyl adipate, butyl stearate, decyl oleate, cholesterol isostearate, glycerol monostearate, glycerol distearate, glycerol tristearate, alkyl lactate, alkyl citrate and alkyl tartrate;
(i) essential oils such as mentha, jasmine, camphor, white cedar, bitter orange peel, ryu, turpentine, cinnamon, bergamot, citrus unshiu, calamus, pine, lavender, bay, clove, hiba, eucalyptus, lemon, starflower, thyme, peppermint, rose, sage, menthol, cineole, eugenol, citral, citronelle, borneol, linalool, geraniol, evening primrose, camphor, thymol, spirantol, penene, limonene and terpenoid oils;
(j) lipids such as cholesterol, ceramides, sucrose esters and pseudo-ceramides as described in European Patent Specification No. 556,957;
(k) vitamins such as vitamin A and E, and vitamin alkyl esters, including those vitamin C alkyl esters;
(l) sunscreens such as octyl methoxyl cinnamate (Parsol MCX) and butyl methoxy benzoylmethane (Parsol 1789);
(m) phospholipids; and
(n) mixtures of any of the foregoing components.
A particularly preferred benefit agent is silicone, preferably silicones having viscosity greater than about 50,000 centipoise. One example is polydimethylsiloxane having viscosity of about 60,000 centistokes.
Another preferred benefit agent is benzyl laurate.
The benefit agent generally comprises about 0-25% by wt. of the composition, preferably 5-20%.
Processing
The bars of the invention are made typically from a mixture obtained by mixing soap/surfactant base with all the desired ingredients (see examples 1-7) in a ploughshare or Paterson mixer at about 85xc2x0 C. The mixture is typically cooled to room temperature, aged, milled, plodded and stamped.
Bar Properties
The resulting bar will typically have a hardness expressed as penetration value (less is the penetration value higher is the hardness) of less than or equal to 8, preferably less than or equal to 7, more preferably at least 4 to 7 as measured by penetrometer test.
Typically, bars have density of about 0.8 to 1.3 g/cm3. One significant advantage of the invention is that it allows incorporation of filler such as talc without significantly affecting the bar density.
Bars have low rates of water by which is meant the bar typically has excellent moisturize retention and relatively low amounts of shrinkage both upon stamping and upon use.
Typically, the bars will retain about 85% to 95% of moisture at ambient temperatures and at varying relative humidities (e.g., 55-95% relative humidity).
Typically bars also will have low xe2x80x9cmushxe2x80x9d values and low cracking scores as well as lather properties comparable to other toilet soaps.
Protocol
This method of measuring bar hardness is performed quite simply by first placing a bar on a sturdy flat surface. The penetrometer is a long cylindrical-like instrument containing at the top a gauge (for measuring in millimeters and hundredth of millimeters) and in the middle a release level which, when released, releases a penetrating cone from the base. The penetrometer is grasped firmly in one hand and its base is placed on the bar surface. When steady, the release lever is to be pushed in and then to the left in one smooth motion. This will allow the pointed penetration cone to drop into the bar surface. The instrument is to be held steadily in place for two minutes. After the two minutes has elapsed, the gauges on the top of the instrument are read. This reading is the number of millimeters that the tip of the cone has penetrated after two minutes (e.g.,xe2x80x94small gauge reads 4, large gauge reads 0.27xe2x80x94this reflects that the cone has penetrated 4.27 mm over the two minute measurement).
To improve steadiness, the penetrometer can be clamped in position prior to pressing the release lever. After the reading is collected, the tip of the penetration cone is wiped off, the instrument inverted (the penetration cone will slide back inside) and the release lever is pushed back to the right (to lock the cone in place). At least two readings should be collected from each bar. Measurements are routinely expressed as mm/2 min. (lower readings=harder bars).
Except in the operating and comparative examples, or where otherwise explicitly indicated, all numbers in this description indicating amounts or ratios of materials or conditions or reaction, physical properties of materials and/or use are to be understood as modified by the word xe2x80x9caboutxe2x80x9d.
Where used in the specification, the term xe2x80x9ccomprisingxe2x80x9d is intended to include the presence of stated features, integers, steps, components, but not to preclude the presence or addition of one or more features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.
The following examples are intended to further illustrate the invention and are not intended to limit the invention in any way.
Unless indicated otherwise, all percentages are intended to be percentages by weight.

High moisture retaining bars compositions comprising borax as water structurant

Unilever Home and Personal Care USA, division of Conopco, Inc.


A networked health-monitoring system configured to collect and process patient health-related data. A plurality of remote patient sites each includes at least one display, a data management unit for collecting patient health-related data, a memory, and stored program instructions for generating health-monitoring related information on the display. A central server connects to the data management unit at each patient site. The system transmits messages for display at the patient sites and at least one of these messages is a message selected by a health care professional.

Controlling or curing conditions of ill health generally involves both establishing a therapeutic program and monitoring the progress of the afflicted person. Based on that progress, decisions can be made as to altering therapy to achieve a cure or maintain the affliction or condition at a controlled level. Successfully treating certain health conditions calls for rather frequent monitoring and a relatively high degree of patient participation. For example, in order to establish and maintain a regimen for successful diabetes care, a diabetic should monitor his or her blood glucose level and record that information along with the date and time at which the monitoring took place. Since diet, exercise, and medication all affect blood glucose levels, a diabetic often must record data relating to those items of information along with blood glucose level so that the diabetic may more closely monitor his or her condition and, in addition, can provide information of value to the healthcare provider in determining both progress of the patient and detecting any need to change the patient's therapy program.
Advances in the field of electronics over the past several years have brought about significant changes in medical diagnostic and monitoring equipment, including arrangements for self-care monitoring of various chronic conditions. With respect to the control and monitoring of diabetes, relatively inexpensive and relatively easy-to-use blood glucose monitoring systems have become available that provide reliable information that allows a diabetic and his or her healthcare professional to establish, monitor and adjust a treatment plan (diet, exercise, and medication). More specifically, microprocessor-based blood glucose monitoring systems are being marketed which sense the glucose level of a blood sample that is applied to a reagent-impregnated region of a test strip that is inserted in the glucose monitor. When the monitoring sequence is complete, the blood glucose level is displayed by, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) unit.
Typically, currently available self-care blood glucose monitoring units include a calendar/clock circuit and a memory circuit that allows a number of blood glucose test results to be stored along with the date and time at which the monitoring occurred. The stored test results (blood glucose level and associated time and date) can be sequentially recalled for review by the blood glucose monitor user or a health professional by sequentially actuating a push button or other control provided on the monitor. In some commercially available devices, the average of the blood glucose results that are stored in the monitor (or the average of the results for a predetermined period of time, e.g., fourteen days) also is displayed during the recall sequence. Further, some self-care blood glucose monitors allow the user to tag the test result with an "event code" that can be used to organize the test results into categories. For example, a user might use a specific event code to identify test results obtained at particular times of the day, a different event code to identify a blood glucose reading obtained after a period of exercise, two additional event codes to identify blood glucose readings taken during hypoglycemia symptoms and hyperglycemia symptoms, etc. When event codes are provided and used, the event code typically is displayed with each recalled blood glucose test result.
Microprocessor-based blood glucose monitoring systems have advantages other than the capability of obtaining reliable blood glucose test results and storing a number of the results for later recall and review. By using low power microprocessor and memory circuits and powering the units with small, high capacity batteries (e.g., a single alkaline battery), extremely compact and light designs have been achieved that allow taking the blood glucose monitoring system to work, school, or anywhere else the user might go with people encountered by the user not becoming aware of the monitoring system. In addition, most microprocessor-based self-care blood glucose monitoring systems have a memory capacity that allows the system to be programmed by the manufacturer so that the monitor displays a sequence of instructions during any necessary calibration or system tests and during the blood glucose test sequence itself. In addition, the system monitors various system conditions during a blood glucose test (e.g., whether a test strip is properly inserted in the monitor and whether a sufficient amount of blood has been applied to the reagent impregnated portion of the strip) and if an error is detected generates an appropriate display (e.g., "retest"). A data port may be provided that allows test results stored in the memory of the microprocessor-based blood glucose monitoring system to be transferred to a data port (e.g., RS-232 connection) of a personal computer or other such device for subsequent analysis.
Microprocessor-based blood glucose monitoring systems are a significant advance over previously available self-care systems such as those requiring a diabetic to apply a blood sample to reagent activated portions of a test strip; wipe the blood sample from the test strip after a predetermined period of time; and, after a second predetermined period of time, determine blood glucose level by comparing the color of the reagent activated regions of the test strip with a color chart supplied by the test strip manufacturer. Despite what has been achieved, numerous drawbacks and disadvantages still exist. For example, establishing and maintaining diabetic healthcare often requires the diabetic to record additional data pertaining to medication, food intake, and exercise. However, the event codes of currently available microprocessor blood glucose monitoring systems provide only limited capability for tagging and tracking blood glucose test results according to food intake and other relevant factors. For example, the event codes of currently available monitoring systems only allow the user to classify stored blood glucose readings in a manner that indicates blood glucose tests taken immediately after a heavy, light or normal meal. This method of recording information not only requires subjective judgment by the system user, but will not suffice in a situation in which successfully controlling the user's diabetes requires the recording and tracking of relatively accurate information relating to food intake, exercise, or medication (e.g., insulin dosage). An otherwise significant advantage of currently available blood glucose monitoring systems is lost when blood glucose test results must be recorded and tracked with quantitative information relating to medication, food intake, or exercise. Specifically, the system user must record the required information along with a time and date tagged blood glucose test result by, for example, writing the information in a log book.
The use of event codes to establish subcategories of blood glucose test results has an additional disadvantage or drawback. In particular, although alphanumeric display devices are typically used in currently available microprocessor-based blood glucose monitoring systems, the display units are limited to a single line of information having on the order of six characters. Moreover, since the systems include no provision for the user to enter alphanumeric information, any event codes that are used must be indicated on the display in a generic manner, e.g., displayed as "EVENT", EVENT, etc. This limitation makes the system more difficult to use because the diabetic must either memorize his or her assignment of event codes or maintain a list that defines the event codes. The limited amount of data that can be displayed at any one time presents additional drawbacks and disadvantages. First, instructions and diagnostics that are displayed to the user when calibrating the system and using the system to obtain a blood glucose reading must be displayed a line at a time and in many cases, the information must be displayed in a cryptic manner.
The above-discussed display limitations and other aspects of currently available blood glucose monitoring systems is disadvantageous in yet another way. Little statistical information can be made available to the user. For example, in diabetic healthcare maintenance, changes or fluctuations that occur in blood glucose levels during a day, a week, or longer period can provide valuable information to a diabetic and/or his or her healthcare professional. As previously mentioned, currently available systems do not allow associating blood glucose test results with attendant quantitative information relating to medication, food intake, or other factors such as exercise that affect a person's blood glucose level at any particular point in time. Thus, currently available blood glucose monitoring systems have little or no capability for the generating and display of trend information that may be of significant value to a diabetic or the diabetic's healthcare professional.
Some currently available blood glucose monitoring systems provide a data port that can be interconnected with and transfer data to a personal computer (e.g., via an RS-232 connection). With such a system and a suitable programmed computer, the user can generate and display trend information or other data that may be useful in administering his or her treatment plan. Moreover, in such systems, data also can be transferred from the blood glucose monitoring system to a healthcare professional's computer either directly or remotely by telephone if both the blood glucose monitoring system (or computer) to which the data has been downloaded and the healthcare professional's computer are equipped with modems. Although such a data transfer provision allows a healthcare professional to analyze blood glucose data collected by a diabetic, this aspect of currently available blood glucose monitoring systems has not found widespread application. First, the downloading and subsequent analysis feature can only be used by system users that have ready access to a computer that is programmed with appropriate software and, in addition, have both the knowledge required to use the software (and the inclination to do so). This same problem exists with respect to data transfer to (and subsequent analysis by) a healthcare professional. Moreover, various manufacturers of systems that currently provide a data transfer feature do not use the same data format. Therefore, if a healthcare professional wishes to analyze data supplied by a number of different blood glucose monitoring systems, he or she must possess software for each of the systems and must learn to conduct the desired analyses with each software system.
The above-discussed disadvantages and drawbacks of microprocessor-based self-care health monitoring systems take on even greater significance with respect to children afflicted with diabetes, asthma and other chronic illnesses. In particular, a child's need for medication and other therapy changes as the child grows. Current microprocessor-based self-care health monitoring systems generally do not provide information that is timely and complete enough for a healthcare professional to recognize and avert problems before relatively severe symptoms develop. Too often, a need for a change in medication and/or other changes in therapeutic regimen is not detected until the child's condition worsens to the point that emergency room care is required.
Further, currently available microprocessor-based health monitoring systems have not been designed with children in mind. As previously mentioned, such devices are not configured for sufficient ease of use in situations in which it is desirable or necessary to record and track quantitative information that affects the physical condition of the system user (e.g., medication dosage administered by a diabetic and food intake). Children above the age at which they are generally capable of obtaining blood samples and administering insulin or other medication generally can learn to use at least the basic blood glucose monitoring features of currently available microprocessor-based blood glucose monitoring systems. However, the currently available monitoring systems provide nothing in the way of motivation for a child to use the device and, in addition, include little or nothing that educates the child about his or her condition or treatment progress.
The lack of provision for the entering of alphanumeric data also can be a disadvantage. For example, currently available blood glucose monitoring systems do not allow the user or the healthcare professional to enter information into the system such as medication dosage and other instructions or data that is relevant to the user's self-care health program.
The above-discussed disadvantages and drawbacks of currently available microprocessor-based blood glucose monitoring systems also have been impediments to adopting the basic technology of the system for other healthcare situations in which establishing and maintaining an effective regimen for cure or control is dependent upon (or at least facilitated by) periodically monitoring a condition and recording that condition along with time and date tags and other information necessary or helpful in establishing and maintaining a healthcare program.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Messaging to remote patients in a networked health-monitoring system


A holster assembly for use with a hand-held utility knife having a segmented blade. The holster assembly comprises a plastic holster having a generally hollow interior and a blade well located inside the hollow interior of the holster. The blade well has at least one slot therethrough. By simply twisting the knife, a user may break off the endmost blade segment exposing a fresh cutting edge. The used blade segments are collected inside the blade well.

This invention relates to the storage of utility knives having segmented disposable blades, and more particularly to an apparatus for storing and holding such a utility knife along with used blade segments resulting from use of the knife.
Utility knives adapted to hold segmented blades are known. Such knives are commonly used to cut wallpaper, cardboard or other types of similar products. As the cutting edge of the endmost segment of the blade becomes dull due to repeated use, the endmost blade segment may be snapped off exposing a fresh blade segment having a fresh cutting edge. This process may be repeated until all of the blade segments have been used. The remainder of the blade may be removed from the knife and a replacement blade having multiple unused segments may then be inserted into the knife. This process may be repeated as long as replacement blades are available.
Most of these hand-held utility knives are adapted to retract the segmented blade so that the cutting edge of the endmost segment may be withdrawn into the interior of the knife when the knife is not being used. A knife capable of retracting the blade is generally safer than a knife in which the blade is not retractable. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,103,421 and 4,226,020 disclose knives having a cutting blade which may be fully or partially retracted and held in such a position.
One difficulty with using a knife with a segmented blade is that with repeated use, the cutting edge of the endmost blade segment will dull. The endmost blade segment must then be broken off from the remainder of the blade. Usually, some sort of tool is necessary to grasp or engage the endmost used blade segment and break it off from the remainder of the blade. Once the endmost blade segment is broken off, it must be discarded safely. Several knives such as the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,063,356 have been equipped with a device, often called an end cap, which may be removed from one end of the knife and used to snap off the endmost segment of the blade. Such an end cap usually has a slot therein which is adapted to receive the endmost blade segment. One difficulty with using an end cap to snap off endmost blade segments is that once the endmost blade segment has been broken off from the remainder of the blade, there is no place for the used blade segment to be placed or stored safely. Consequently, the used blade segment may drop onto the floor where it may be picked up by a child or stepped on or otherwise cause harm to someone in the vicinity. Only if the user of such a hand knife is able to maintain pressure on the sides of the end cap while the endmost blade segment is located in the slot of the end cap will the used blade segment not fall away from the end cap onto the floor. If the user is able to hold the used blade segment with the end cap, the user may walk over to a trash can and properly dispose of the used blade segment. However, often the user is on a ladder or nowhere near a trash receptacle. Therefore, this method of breaking off and disposing used blade segments is not always practical. In addition, it is time consuming and requires a great deal of effort.
Another difficulty with using an end cap to break off an endmost blade segment is that often the user""s hands are wet or dirty so, consequently, when trying to snap off the endmost blade segment with the end cap, the user""s hands may slip and result in a skin cut. Because the slot in the end cap is relatively narrow, it is difficult to properly line up the slot in the end cap with the endmost blade segment. The user may miss the slot in the end cap, causing the cutting edge of the endmost blade segment to cut the user.
Knives have been developed which are adapted to store used blade segments temporarily. Examples of such knives are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,093,993 and 5,014,429. However, these knives are adapted to house or store a limited number of used blade segments. Additionally, proper disposal of these used blade segments is difficult once the storage space of the knife has been filled.
Another difficulty with using an end cap of a hand knife to break off blade segments is that two hands are required to remove the end cap from one end of the knife and place it over the endmost blade segment at the other end of the knife in order to properly snap off the endmost blade segment. Often when a user is on a ladder or in another such location, two hands are not available because the user must use one hand to hold himself or herself in place for safety purposes.
Therefore, it has been one objective of the present invention to provide a mechanism for holding and storing a utility knife and collecting used blade segments for proper disposal.
It has been a further objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus which is capable of being used with a utility knife having a segmented blade in which the endmost blade segment may be quickly and easily snapped off by the user with the use of only one hand.
It has been a further objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus adapted to store both a hand-held utility knife and a plurality of used blade segments which may be worn by a user comfortably.
The invention of this application which accomplishes these objectives comprises a holster assembly for use with a hand held utility knife adapted to hold a segmented blade. Such utility knives take many different forms and are the subject of numerous patents. The invention of this application may be used with many different hand held utility knives. Therefore, the utility knife and the segmented blade form no part of the present invention.
The holster assembly of the present invention is adapted to receive and hold a utility knife having a segmented blade and a disposable blade well. The holster assembly comprises a plastic holster having multiple wall portions and a bottom portion, the wall and bottom portions defining a hollow interior adapted to receive and store a utility knife having a segmented blade and a disposable blade well. The holster has an open top so that the utility knife may be removed and used without disturbing the blade well. Similarly, the blade well may be removed without disturbing the utility knife.
The holster preferably has a clip secured to a rear wall portion of the holster, enabling the user to secure the holster onto his or her belt, pants or a pocket where it is in a user-friendly position and will not interfere with the ability of the user to work. Other securing mechanisms not specifically illustrated and described such as belt loops may be used as well to secure the holster to the user.
The disposable blade well is removably located inside the generally hollow interior of the holster. The blade well has a generally hollow interior adapted to collect and receive used blade segments. The blade well has a first slot therethrough whereby an endmost segment of the knife blade may be placed into the slot and the knife twisted in order to break off the endmost segment of the knife blade, the endmost segment falling inside the blade well.
Consequently, a fresh, sharp edge of the segmented blade is exposed for use. Upon repetition of this process, multiple used blade segments are collected inside the hollow interior of the blade well. Once the hollow interior of the blade well is sufficiently full, the blade well may be discarded and replaced with an empty, new disposable blade well.
The blade well has a finger loop secured to the top of the blade well whereby a user may lift the blade well away from the holster by inserting a finger into the finger loop and pulling the blade well upwardly. In this manner, the blade well, once full of used blade segments, may be removed and discarded. An empty blade well may then be inserted into the hollow interior of the holster and the process repeated.
The blade well also has a second slot formed through the top of the blade well. This second slot enables a user to discard the end piece of a segmented knife blade (the piece left over after all the segmented pieces have been used) by passing the end piece through the second slot and into the hollow interior of the blade well. Although the second slot is preferably formed in the top of the blade well, it may be located at any other location. Similarly, the first slot may be located anywhere on the blade well, although it is illustrated in one specific location.
The blade well has a storage compartment integrally formed therein. The blade storage compartment is adapted to store additional unused segmented blades. Although the blade storage compartment is preferably integrally formed with the blade well, it may be separately formed and attached to the blade well. The storage compartment functions to safely store additional segmented blades which may be inserted into the utility knife once the blade in the knife is worn out due to use and all of the segments broken off. The storage compartment has a cap hingedly connected to the blade storage compartment which may be lifted in order to remove one or more unused blades from the blade storage compartment.
The blade storage compartment is vertically oriented and sized so as to engage a receptacle integrally formed in the holster. The engagement of the blade storage compartment of the blade well with the receptacle of the holster functions to inhibit lateral movement of the blade well inside the generally hollow interior of the holster yet permits the blade well to be lifted out of the hollow interior of the holster.
The holster assembly of the present invention may be worn by a user in a position where it will not interfere with the user""s ability to work with a hand-held utility knife. In addition, the holster assembly provides a storage device for collecting and storing used blade segments. A slot in the blade well enables a user to engage the endmost blade segment of the utility knife with the slot and simply twist the utility knife in order to break off the endmost blade segment. This is a relatively easy method of breaking off the endmost used blade segment. The user does not have to use two hands to break off an endmost blade segment. These and other objects and advantage of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following description of the drawings.

Holster assembly with disposable blade well