Uniform delivery of compositions

• US 20050251924A1
• Filed: 05/06/2005
• Published: 11/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Du Val, Dean Larry, Combs, Mary Jane, Littig, Janet Sue, Heilman, Laura Lynn, Nguyen, Antony Thanh, Ofosu-Asante, Kofi, Pancheri, Eugene Joseph, Strang, Janine Morgens
• Granted Patent: US 7,681,328 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 8/115.510
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/50 Perfumes
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/203 Laundry conditioning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/30 Drying processes controlling a series of operations in domestic laundry dryers D06F58/32

Abstract

A system for uniformly delivering treatment compositions to fabrics in a fabric article drying appliance. The system also provides for efficient delivery of treatment compositions to fabrics in a fabric article drying appliance. A method is also provided for the uniform and efficient delivery of treatment compositions to fabrics in fabric article drying appliances.

Claims

1. A device for depositing benefit composition in a fabric article drying appliance, the device comprising:

a pump, the pump comprising;

a) a conduit wherein the conduit includes an inlet and a discharge; and

b) a nozzle having one or more orifices connected to the discharge of the conduit;

wherein the inlet of the conduit is in communication with a source of benefit composition so as to dispense the benefit composition through the conduit from the source of benefit composition to the nozzle whereby the benefit composition is dispensed from the nozzle into the fabric article drying appliance whereby the benefit composition has a mean droplet size of from about 100 microns to about 1000 microns and wherein the cone angle formed by the benefit composition that is discharged from the nozzle is between about 35° and

about 150°

.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the nozzle is positioned into a fabric article drying appliance such that it is in quadrant one, quadrant two, quadrant three, quadrant four, or a combination thereof, and wherein the nozzle when present in quadrant one has a tilt angle ranging from about 80°

to the left to about 45°

to the right and from about 45°

up to about 35°

down;

when present in quadrant two the nozzle has a tilt angle ranging from about 80°

to the right to about 45°

to the left and from about 45°

up to about 15°

down;

when present in quadrant three the nozzle has a tilt angle ranging from about 80°

to the right to about 45°

to the left and from about 45°

up to about 15°

down;

when present in quadrant four the nozzle has a tilt angle ranging from about 80°

to the left to about 15°

to the right and from about 45°

up to about 15°

down, and combinations thereof.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the average flow rate at the discharge of the nozzle is between about 0.5 ml/min to about 100 ml/min.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the size of the nozzle orifice is between about 200 microns to about 600 microns.

5. The device of claim 2 wherein the average linear velocity at the discharge of the nozzle is between about 0.05 m/second and about 2 m/second.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the benefit composition includes a spray stream as it exists the nozzle and wherein the length of the benefit composition spray stream measured as it exits the nozzle is from about 20% to about 95% of the length of the fabric article drying appliance horizontal axis.

24. The device of claim 1 wherein the nozzle further comprises a deflector.

7. A device which provides deposition efficiency of a benefit agent used to treat fabrics, the device comprising:

a fabric article treating device the fabric article treating device associated with a tumble dryer in a manner such that the benefit composition is dispensed from the fabric article treating device into the tumble dryer whereby the deposition efficiency of the benefit composition into the tumble dryer is about 95% or more.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the fabric article treating device comprises a nozzle.

10. The device of claim 7 wherein the benefit composition has a viscosity of about 200 cps or less as measured at about 24°

C. using a Brookfield Viscometer with an LVI spindle.

11. The device of claim 7 wherein the benefit composition has a surface tension of about 3 to about 100 dynes/cm as measured between about 20°

C. to about 25°

C.

9. A system that provides deposition efficiency of a benefit agent used to treat fabrics, the system comprising:

a) a tumble dryer; and

b) a fabric article treating device the fabric article treating device associated with the tumble dryer in a manner such that benefit composition is dispensed from the fabric article treating device into the tumble dryer whereby the deposition efficiency of the benefit composition into the fabric article drying appliance is about 95% or more.

12. A device which provides uniform distribution of a treatment composition on fabric in a fabric article drying appliance, the device comprising:

a fabric article treating device wherein the fabric article treating device is associated with the drum of a tumble dryer in a manner such that a benefit composition is dispensed from the fabric article treating device in the form of a spray into the drum wherein the spray contacts the fabric in the drum so as to provide a uniformity of about 75% or more distribution of the benefit composition on fabric present in the drum.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein at least about 95% or more of the benefit composition sprayed in the drum of the tumble dryer is deposited on the fabric in the drum.

14. A method for depositing benefit composition in the drum of a tumble dryer, the method comprising:

a) providing a pump, the pump comprising a conduit wherein the conduit includes an inlet and a discharge and a nozzle connected to the discharge of the conduit;

b) placing the inlet of the conduit in communication with the source of benefit composition wherein the inlet of the conduit is in communication with a source of benefit composition;

c) dispensing the benefit composition through the conduit from the source of benefit composition to the nozzle and into the drum of the tumble dryer whereby the benefit composition has a mean droplet size of from about 100 microns to about 1000 microns, a linear velocity through the nozzle of between about 0.05 m/second and about 2 m/second, and wherein the nozzle is positioned in the dryer drum in quadrant one, quadrant two, quadrant three, quadrant four, or a combination thereof, and wherein the nozzle when present in quadrant one has a tilt angle ranging from about 80°

to the left to about 45°

to the right and from about 45°

up to about 35°

down;

when present in quadrant two the nozzle has a tilt angle ranging from about 80°

to the right to about 45°

to the left and from about 45°

up to about 15°

down;

when present in quadrant three the nozzle has a tilt angle ranging from about 80°

to the right to about 45°

to the left and from about 45°

up to about 15°

down;

when present in quadrant four the nozzle has a tilt angle ranging from about 80°

to the left to about 15°

to the right and from about 45°

up to about 15°

down, and combinations thereof.

15. A method for providing efficient deposition of a benefit agent used to treat fabric, the method comprising:

a) providing a fabric article treating device;

b) providing a benefit composition;

c) associating the fabric article treating device with the benefit composition;

d) discharging the benefit composition from the fabric article treating device into the drum of a tumble dryer whereby at the discharge of the fabric article treating device the benefit composition has a cone angle between about 35° and

about 150°

; and

e) rotating the tumble dryer concurrent with step d, before step d, after step d, or a combination thereof.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising providing a drum of a tumble dryer associated with the fabric article treating device such that the benefit composition is dispensed from the fabric article treating device into the fabric article drying appliance whereby about 95% or more of the benefit composition dispensed into the drum of the tumble dryer is deposited onto the fabric in the tumble dryer.

17. A method for depositing benefit composition in a fabric article drying appliance, the method comprising:

a) providing a fabric article treating device, the fabric article treating device comprising a conduit wherein the conduit includes an inlet and a discharge and a nozzle connected to the discharge of the conduit;

b) placing the inlet of the conduit in communication with the source of benefit composition wherein the inlet of the conduit is in communication with a source of benefit composition;

c) dispensing the benefit composition through the conduit from the source of benefit composition to the nozzle and into the drum of a fabric article drying appliance whereby the uniformity of distribution of the benefit composition onto the fabric is at least about 45%.

18. A system for spraying fabric in a fabric article drying appliance, the system comprising:

a) a tumble dryer

b) a spray for spraying a treatment composition onto fabric in the tumble dryer, the spray having;

i) a mean droplet size of the treatment composition of about 100 microns to about 1000 microns;

ii) a cone angle formed by the spray in the tumble dryer between about 35°

to about 150°

;

iii) a flowrate at the point the spray enters the tumble dryer of about 0.5 ml/min to about 100 ml/min;

iv) a linear velocity at the point the spray enters the tumble dryer of about 0.5 m/second to about 20 m/second.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the treatment composition has a Brookfield viscosity of about 200 cps or less as measured at a temperature of approximately 24°

C. using an LVI spindle.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the treatment composition has a surface tension of about 3 to about 100 dynes/cm as measured between about 20°

C. to about 25°

C.

21. The system of claim 18 wherein the treatment composition is a perfume, an anti-static agent, a fabric hand modifier, or a combination thereof.

22. The system of claim 18 further comprising a nozzle, wherein the spray is dispensed through the nozzle into the tumble dryer.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the nozzle further comprises a deflector.