Fabric article treating device and system with static control

• US 20050076534A1
• Filed: 08/26/2004
• Published: 04/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: DuVal, Dean Larry, Ofosu-Asante, Kofi
• Application Number:
  US10/927,212
• Publication Number:
  US 20050076534A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 34/597
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/02 Characteristics of laundry or load
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/10 expressed as capacitance or resistance
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/38 Conditioning or finishing, e.g. control of perfume injection
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/18 Condition of the laundry, e.g. nature or weight
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/02 Devices for adding soap or other washing agents
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/203 Laundry conditioning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/44 of conditioning or finishing, e.g. for smoothing or removing creases

Abstract

A fabric article treating device includes an interior dispenser adapted for location inside of a fabric article drying appliance, a controller and a static sensor adapted for sensing static charge inside the fabric article drying appliance. The controller is configured to initiate dispensing of anti-static agent when the static sensor senses a predetermined amount of static charge.

Claims

1. A fabric article treating device, comprising:

an interior dispenser adapted for location inside of a fabric article drying appliance;

a controller; and

a static sensor adapted for sensing static charge inside the fabric article drying appliance;

wherein the controller is configured to initiate dispensing of anti-static agent when the static sensor senses a predetermined amount of static charge.

2. A fabric article treating device, comprising:

an interior dispenser adapted for location inside of a fabric article drying appliance;

a reservoir adapted to contain a benefit composition, wherein the interior dispenser and the reservoir are adapted for fluid communication with one another;

a controller; and

a static sensor adapted for sensing static charge inside the fabric article drying appliance;

wherein the controller is configured to initiate dispensing of the benefit composition when the static sensor senses a predetermined amount of static charge.

3. The fabric article treating device of claim 2, wherein the static sensor comprises a capacitive sensor.

4. The fabric article treating device of claim 2, wherein the benefit composition comprises anti-static agent.

5. The fabric article treating device of claim 4, wherein the anti-static agent comprises an electricity conducting composition.

6. The fabric article treating device of claim 4, wherein the anti-static agent comprises a solvent-soluble electricity conducting polymer.

7. The fabric article treating device of claim 3, wherein the capacitive sensor is adapted to have a range of from about −

2 kV/cm to about 2 kV/cm and have a sensitivity of about 1 V/cm.

8. The fabric article treating device of claim 3, wherein the capacitive sensor is adapted to have a range of from about −

20 kV/cm to about 20 kV/cm and have a sensitivity of about 10 V/cm.

9. A fabric article treating device, comprising:

an air ionizer adapted to dispense ionized air inside a fabric article drying appliance to quench a static charge;

a controller; and

a static sensor adapted for sensing static charge inside the fabric article drying appliance;

wherein the controller is configured to activate the air ionizer when the static sensor senses a predetermined amount of static charge.

10. The fabric article treating device of claim 9, wherein the air ionizer comprises an ionizing bar.

11. The fabric article treating device of claim 9, wherein the air ionizer comprises an ion air jet.

12. The fabric article treating device of claim 9, further comprising:

an interior dispenser adapted for location inside of the fabric article drying appliance;

a reservoir adapted to contain a benefit composition, wherein the interior dispenser and the reservoir are adapted for fluid communication with one another.

13. A fabric article treating system, comprising:

a fabric article drying appliance having a chamber and a closure structure, the closure structure having a closed position and at least one open position, the closure structure allowing access to the chamber;

a dispenser in communication with the chamber;

a static sensor in the chamber; and

a controller configured to initiate dispensing of anti-static agent when the static sensor senses a predetermined amount of static charge.

14. The fabric article treating system of claim 13, wherein the anti-static agent comprises an electricity conducting composition.

15. The fabric article treating system of claim 14, further comprising a charging circuit that imparts an electrical charge to the anti-static agent, thereby generating an electrostatic spray.

16. The fabric article treating system of claim 14, wherein the static sensor comprises a capacitive sensor.

17. The fabric article treating system of claim 13, further comprising:

a reservoir adapted to contain a benefit composition including the anti-static agent; and

a fluid handling system that compels the benefit composition from the reservoir toward the dispenser, thereby dispensing the benefit composition into the chamber.

18. The fabric article treating system of claim 14, wherein the electricity conductive composition comprises one or more polymers selected from the group consisting of polyanilines, polypyrroles, polyacetylene, polyphenylene, and polythiophene.

19. The fabric article treating system of claim 17, wherein the benefit composition comprises one or more components selected from the group consisting of:

fabric softeners, superwetting agents, water absorbing agents, humectants, preservatives, buffering agents, hueing agents, perfumes, lubricants, anti-abrasion agents, wrinkle-mitigating agents, pH adjusting agents, emulsion stabilizing agents, malodor control agents, oil dispersing solvents, anti-foaming agents, salt, viscosity adjusting agents, chelating agents, anti-oxidants, radical scavenging agents, soil releasing agents, anti-soiling agents, and anti-bacterial agents.

20. The fabric article treating system of claim 13, wherein the reservoir comprises a pouch.