Spot cleaning system and method
First Claim
1. A substantially self-contained spot cleaning system, comprising:
- a self-supporting workstation, adapted for supporting other system components thereon, and including a generally upright vacuum arm with a vacuum area at which vacuum force applied to said vacuum arm is focused;
electric water boiler means, supported on said workstation, for generating steam at a steam output thereof;
a controllable steam spray gun and steam hose operatively interconnected with said boiler means steam output; and
vacuum means, supported on said workstation, for supplying a relatively high vacuum force to said vacuum arm, so that such vacuum force is applied to a soiled garment to be cleaned and which is received on said vacuum arm at said vacuum area thereof, and to which garment is applied steam with said controllable steam spray gun.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A substantially self-contained system and corresponding method provides practical spot cleaning of soiled garments without requiring the use of chlorinated solvents. A soiled garment may optionally be pretreated with a water base, nonchlorinated cleaner. Thereafter, a relatively high level of vacuum force is applied to the soiled garment to be cleaned while steam is directed onto the spot. The steam comprises the main cleaner when no pretreatment is used, and comprises the flushing agent whenever a water-based pretreatment cleaner is used. Drying effects obtained with the vacuum force may be augmented by the addition of compressed air directed onto the garment. A self-contained workstation practicing such methodology may include an electric water boiler for generating steam and an industrial grade vacuum pick-up with a waste collector for generating the relatively high vacuum force, preferably at least about 80 inches of mercury of static pressure.
46 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A substantially self-contained spot cleaning system, comprising:
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a self-supporting workstation, adapted for supporting other system components thereon, and including a generally upright vacuum arm with a vacuum area at which vacuum force applied to said vacuum arm is focused; electric water boiler means, supported on said workstation, for generating steam at a steam output thereof; a controllable steam spray gun and steam hose operatively interconnected with said boiler means steam output; and vacuum means, supported on said workstation, for supplying a relatively high vacuum force to said vacuum arm, so that such vacuum force is applied to a soiled garment to be cleaned and which is received on said vacuum arm at said vacuum area thereof, and to which garment is applied steam with said controllable steam spray gun. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for substantially self-contained spot cleaning of soiled garments, comprising:
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providing a self-supporting workstation supporting thereon a generally upright vacuum arm with a vacuum area at which vacuum force applied to said vacuum arm is focused, an electric water boiler means for generating steam at a steam output thereof, a controllable steam spray gun and steam hose operatively interconnected with said boiler means steam output, and vacuum means for supplying a relatively high vacuum force to said vacuum arm; placing a soiled garment to be cleaned onto said vacuum arm with a spot or stain on such garment situated at said vacuum area; and operating said vacuum means and manipulating said steam spray gun so as to apply steam to such garment while also applying said relatively high vacuum force thereto so that the garment is steam cleaned and dried. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of commercially spot cleaning soiled garments without the use of chlorinated solvents, said method comprising:
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pretreating spots on the soiled garment to be cleaned by the application of water-based nonchlorinated cleaners thereto; applying a relatively high vacuum force to the pretreated spots; directing a flushing agent onto the pretreated spot of the garment being cleaned while continuing to apply said vacuum force thereto, so as to remove both soil and pretreatment cleaner therefrom; and subsequently drying the garment being cleaned. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A system for commercially spot cleaning soiled garments without the use of chlorinated solvents, said system comprising:
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a user workstation; means for pretreating spots on the soiled garment to be cleaned by the application of water-based nonchlorinated cleaners thereto; vacuum means for selectively applying a relatively high vacuum force to the pretreated spots; and spray means for selectively directing a flushing agent onto the pretreated spot of the garment being cleaned while continuing to apply said vacuum force thereto, so as to remove both soil and pretreatment cleaner therefrom as such garment is dried with said vacuum force. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method for commercially cleaning spots from garments using a water-based nonchlorinated solvent, said method including:
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providing a substantially self-contained user workstation operating on electrical power supplied thereto, said workstation having an upper work surface;
a stand-up vacuum arm;
an electrically powered self-contained water boiler steam generation system having a supply of water and an associated controllable steam spraying gun and steam hose;
means for resting said steam spray gun when not in use;
an electrically powered self-contained vacuum means for selectively supplying at least about 80 inches of mercury of static pressure vacuum force to said vacuum arm;
a vacuum exhaust waste collector for collecting debris and dirty liquids vacuumed up with said vacuum force; and
an electrically powered self-contained air compressor with an associated air spray gun and air hose;providing electrical power to said workstation; penetrating spots on a garment to be cleaned by applying a water-based nonchlorinated cleaner thereto; operating said steam generation system so as to generate steam available to a workstation user through operation of said controllable steam spray gun; placing the pretreated garment to be cleaned onto said vacuum arm; applying said vacuum force of at least about 80 inches of mercury of static pressure to the garment to be cleaned by activating said vacuum means; with said vacuum force applied, operating said steam spray gun for working the pretreated garment spot with steam, so as to clean the garment of its spot and flush the cleaner therefrom to be received under said vacuum force in said vacuum exhaust waste collector; and drying the garment by operating said air spray gun so as to direct compressed air into the garment while continuing to apply said vacuum force to the garment, which garment is thereby cleaned and dried with a water-based solvent in a substantially self-contained system and without use of chlorinated substances.
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30. A method of commercially spot cleaning soiled garments without the use of chlorinated solvents, said method comprising:
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pretreating spots on the soiled garment to be cleaned by the application of nonchlorinated cleaners thereto; and applying a relatively high vacuum force to the pretreated spots so as to flush both soil and pretreatment cleaner therefrom and for drying the garment being cleaned. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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34. A system for commercially spot cleaning soiled garments without the use of chlorinated solvents, said system comprising:
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a user workstation; means for pretreating spots on the soiled garment to be cleaned by the application of nonchlorinated cleaners thereto; and vacuum means for selectively applying a relatively high vacuum force to the pretreated spots, so as to flush both soil and pretreatment cleaner therefrom as such garment is drying with said vacuum force. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37)
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Specification