MODULAR FABRIC REVITALIZING SYSTEM

• US 20110016928A1
• Filed: 09/29/2010
• Published: 01/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Minkin, Alexander V., McAllister, Karl D., Beihoff, Bruce C., Kaeding, Janice M., Wright, Tremitchell, Luckman, Joel A., Doyle, Colleen M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,844,160 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 68/19
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/203 Laundry conditioning arrangements

Abstract

A modular system according to one embodiment of the invention for treating a fabric load comprises a first module and a second module. The first module can include a chamber having an interior for holding a fabric load, and the second module can have at least one of a fluid delivery system, a fluid removal system, and a fluid recycling system. The modular system can further include conduits for coupling the systems of the second module with the first module.

Claims

1. A modular system for treating a fabric load, the modular system comprising:

a first module comprising;

a chamber with an interior;

at least one opening into the chamber for enabling user access to the interior of the chamber; and

an air flow system configured to move air into, through, and out of the chamber; and

a particulate removal system in communication with the air flow system;

a fabric movement system for causing movement of the fabric load within the chamber;

a second module having a fluid delivery system and a fluid removal system;

a first conduit fluidly coupling the fluid delivery system with the interior of the chamber; and

a second conduit fluidly coupling the fluid removal system with the interior of the chamber.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the second module further comprises at least one of:

a stain treatment system;

an ironing system;

a working surface;

a storage compartment for a stain treatment fluid;

a fluid dispenser;

a means for applying pressure to fabric;

a means for applying heat to fabric;

a means for drawing fluid and particulates from fabric;

a sink;

a water dispenser;

a water heater;

a fluid cooling system;

a fabric hanger;

a drawer;

a recirculation system for recirculating fluids removed from the chamber back into the chamber; and

a storage compartment.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the first module and second module are configured to be stacked vertically.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the first module is adjacent the second module.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a stain pre-treatment module.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a sanitization module.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the fluid delivery system comprises at least one of:

a steamer; and

a vapor insertion system.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the fluid delivery system comprises at least one chemistry delivery device comprising one of a soft-sided pouch and a hard-sided cartridge container.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the particulate removal system comprises a filter within the air flow system.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the air flow system comprises an ionizer configured to ionize the air.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the chamber and the air flow system can be operated as a conventional clothes dryer.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the chamber and the air flow system can be used to at least one of:

(a) dry a wet load of clothes and then revitalize the clothes and (b) revitalize an initially dry load of clothes.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the air flow system includes a filter selected from:

a locked down sealed edge filter;

a filter for at least one of a vapor, a fog, and a colloidal suspension;

an electrostatic filter;

a filter impregnated with a catalyst for producing at least one of a species and radical for cleaning;

a filter impregnated with a reactant to chemically treat a substance present in air;

a neutralizing filter to remove a previous treatment; and

an air permeable matrix having a plurality of pores with a greatest pore dimension in a range from about 0.10 micron to about 1500 microns.

14. A modular system for treating a fabric load, the modular system comprising:

a first module comprising;

a rotatable container having an interior for holding a fabric load;

at least one opening into the container for enabling user access to the interior;

an air flow system configured to move air into, through, and out of the interior; and

a particulate removal system in communication with the air flow system;

a second module having a fluid delivery system and a fluid removal system; and

a conduit fluidly coupling the fluid delivery system with the interior.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the second module further comprises at least one of:

a stain treatment system;

an ironing system;

a working surface;

a storage compartment for a stain treatment fluid;

a fluid dispenser;

a means for applying pressure to fabric;

a means for applying heat to fabric;

a means for drawing fluid and particulates from fabric;

a sink;

a water dispenser;

a water heater;

a fluid cooling system;

a fabric hanger;

a drawer;

a recirculation system for recirculating fluids removed from the interior into the interior; and

a storage compartment.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the first module and second module are configured to be stacked vertically.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the first module is adjacent the second module.

18. The system of claim 14, further comprising at least one of:

a stain pre-treatment module; and

a sanitization module.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein the air flow system comprises an ionizer configured to ionize the air.

20. The system of claim 14 wherein the container and air flow system can be operated to at least one of:

(a) dry a wet load of clothes as a conventional clothes dryer, (b) dry a wet load of clothes and then revitalize the clothes, and (c) revitalize an initially dry load of clothes.

21. The system of claim 14 wherein the fluid delivery system comprises at least one of:

a steamer; and

a vapor insertion system.

22. The system of claim 14 wherein the fluid delivery system comprises at least one chemistry delivery device comprising one of a soft-sided pouch and a hard-sided cartridge container.

23. The system of claim 14 wherein the air flow system includes a filter selected from:

a locked down sealed edge filter;

a filter for at least one of a vapor, a fog, and a colloidal suspension;

an electrostatic filter;

a filter impregnated with a catalyst for producing at least one of a species and radical for cleaning;

a filter impregnated with a reactant to chemically treat a substance present in air;

a neutralizing filter to remove a previous treatment; and

an air permeable matrix having a plurality of pores with a greatest pore dimension in a range from about 0.10 micron to about 1500 microns.

24. A revitalizing module for use with a fabric dehydration system having a rotatable container with an interior for holding a fabric load;

a fluid removal system for removing fluid from the container;

at least one opening into the container for enabling user access to the interior of the container; and

a particulate removal system in communication with the interior of the container;

the revitalizing module having;

a fluid delivery system;

a first conduit fluidly coupling the fluid delivery system with the interior of the container;

a fluid recycling system; and

a second conduit fluidly coupling the fluid removal system with the fluid recycling system.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the revitalizing module further comprises at least one of:

a stain treatment system;

an ironing system;

a working surface;

a storage compartment for a stain treatment fluid;

a fluid dispenser;

a means for applying pressure to fabric;

a means for applying heat to fabric;

a means for drawing fluid and particulates from fabric;

a sink;

a water dispenser;

a water heater;

a fluid cooling system;

a fabric hanger;

a drawer;

a recirculation system for recirculating fluids removed from the interior back into the interior; and

a storage compartment.

26. The system of claim 24 wherein the fluid delivery system comprises at least one of:

a steamer; and

a vapor insertion system.

27. The system of claim 24 wherein the fluid delivery system comprises at least one chemistry delivery device comprising one of a soft-sided pouch and a hard-sided cartridge container.