Tumble method of rinsing fabric in a horizontal axis washer

• US 5,233,718 A
• Filed: 01/02/1992
• Issued: 08/10/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Pastryk, Jim J., Hardaway, Anthony H., Kovich, Mark B., Euler, John W., Farrington, Sheryl L., Van Newenhizen, Jeanne C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Morris, Theodore
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chaudhry, Saeed T.
• Application Number:
  US07/815,782
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 8/158, 8/159, 68/23.5, 68/12.14, 68/58
• US Class Current: 8/158
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 35/006 for washing or rinsing only

Abstract

The present invention contemplates a rinse process which can be used with any wash cycle, but which has particular utility following a wash cycle have a highly concentrated detergent solution.

The method of rinsing fabric provided by the present invention is useful in a washer having a wash chamber rotatable about a horizontal axis. The steps undertaken in the method begin with loading fabric to be washed into the wash chamber of the washer. The fabric is then washed in a detergent solution while rotating the wash chamber about its horizontal axis for a first period of time. Next the detergent solution is drained from the wash chamber. The fabric is then rinsed by adding water to the wash chamber while spinning the wash chamber at a speed to effect less than a one gravity centrifugal force on the fabric such that the fabric will tumble within the wash chamber as it spins. Finally, the wash chamber is drained of the rinse water.

Claims

1. A method of rinsing fabric in a washer having a wash chamber rotatable about a horizontal axis comprising the steps:

(a) loading fabric to be washed into the wash chamber of said washer;

(b) washing said fabric in a concentrated detergent solution of at least 0.5% detergent by weight while rotating said wash chamber about said horizontal axis for a first period of time;

(c) draining said concentrated detergent solution from said wash chamber subsequent to said first period of time while spinning said wash chamber at a speed to effect more than a one gravity centrifugal force on said fabric such that said fabric will not tumble within said wash chamber as it spins;

(d) rinsing said fabric by spraying water directly onto said fabric and recirculating water to said wash chamber by spraying said recirculating water directly onto said fabric while spinning said wash chamber at a speed to effect less than a one gravity centrifugal force on said fabric such that said fabric will tumble within said wash chamber as it spins;

(e) draining said wash chamber of said rinse water while spinning said wash chamber at a speed to effect more than a one gravity centrifugal force on said fabric such that said fabric will not tumble within said wash chamber as it spins; and

(f) repeating steps (d) and (e) a predetermined number of times.

2. A method of rinsing fabric in a washer according to claim 1 wherein there are at least 6 and no more than 12 of said rinsing and draining steps.

3. A method of rinsing fabric in a washer according to claim 1 wherein each said rinsing step further comprises:

spraying water onto said fabric while spinning said chamber at a speed to effect a less than a one gravity centrifugal force on said fabric such that said fabric will tumble within said wash chamber as it spins; and

recirculating said water and spraying said recirculated water onto said fabric while spinning said chamber at a speed to effect a more than a one gravity centrifugal force on said fabric such that said fabric will not tumble within said wash chamber as it spins.

4. A method of rinse fabric in a washer according to claim 1 wherein each of said recirculation cycles uses approximately one gallon of water.

5. A method of rinsing fabric in a washer according to claim 1 wherein fabric softener is mixed with said water in the last of said rinsing steps.

6. A method of rinsing fabric washed in a concentrated detergent solution in a washer having a wash chamber rotatable about a horizontal axis comprising the steps of:

(a) rinsing said fabric by adding water by spraying water directly onto said fabric and recirculating water by spraying water directly onto said fabric to and within said wash chamber while spinning said wash chamber at a speed to effect less than a one gravity centrifugal force on said fabric such that said fabric will tumble within said wash chamber as it spins;

(b) draining said wash chamber of said rinse water; and

(c) repeating steps (a) and (b) a predetermined number of times.

7. A method of rinsing fabric in a washer according to claim 6 wherein there are at least 6 of said rinsing and draining steps.

8. A method of rinsing fabric in a washer according to claim 6 wherein there no more than 12 of said rinsing and draining steps.

9. A method of rinsing fabric in a washer according to claim 6 wherein each said rinsing step further comprises:

spraying water onto said fabric while spinning said chamber at a speed to effect a less than a one gravity centrifugal force on said fabric such that said fabric will tumble within said wash chamber as it spins; and

recirculating said water and spraying said recirculated water on said fabric while spinning said chamber at a speed to effect a more than a one gravity centrifugal force on said fabric such that said fabric will not tumble within said wash chamber as it spins.

10. A method of rinsing fabric in a washer according to claim 6 wherein each of said recirculation cycles uses approximately one gallon of water.

11. A method of rinsing fabric in a washer according to claim 6 wherein fabric softener is mixed with said water in the last of said rinsing steps.

12. The method of claim 6 wherein said step of draining further comprises spinning said wash chamber at a speed to effect more than a one gravity centrifugal force on said fabric such that said fabric will not tumble within said wash chamber as it spins.

13. The method of rinsing fabric washed in a concentrated detergent solution in a washer having a wash chamber rotatable about a horizontal axis comprising the steps of:

rinsing said fabric by adding water by spraying water directly onto said fabric and recirculating water by spraying water directly onto said fabric to and within said wash chamber while spinning said wash chamber at a speed to effect less than a one gravity centrifugal force on said fabric such that said fabric will tumble within said wash chamber as it spins; and

draining said wash chamber of said rinse water;

wherein there are at least 6 and no more than 12 of said rinsing and draining steps each of said rinsing steps being followed by one of said draining steps and further wherein each said rinsing step further comprises spraying approximately one gallon of said water directly onto the tumbling clothes.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said step of draining further comprises spinning said wash chamber at a speed to effect more than a one gravity centrifugal force on said fabric such that said fabric will not tumble within said wash chamber as it spins.

15. A method of rinsing fabric washed in a concentrated detergent solution in a washer having a wash chamber rotatable about a horizontal axis comprising the steps of:

(a) spraying water directly onto said fabric while spinning said chamber at a speed to effect a less than a one gravity centrifugal force on said fabric such that said fabric will tumble within said wash chamber as it spins;

(b) recirculating said rinse water and spraying said recirculated rinse water onto said fabric while spinning said chamber at a speed to effect a more than a one gravity centrifugal force on said fabric such that said fabric will not tumble within said wash chamber as it spins;

(c) draining said wash chamber of said rinse water; and

(d) repeating steps (a), (b), and (c) a predetermined number of times.

16. A method of rinsing fabric in a washer according to claim 15 wherein there are at least 6 of said rinsing, recirculating, and draining steps.

17. A method of rinsing fabric in a washer according to claim 15 wherein there are no more than 12 of said rinsing, recirculating, and draining steps.

18. A method of rinsing fabric in a washer according to claim 15 wherein each said rinsing step further comprises spraying said water directly onto the tumbling clothes.

19. A method of rinsing fabric in a washer according to claim 15 wherein each of said recirculation cycles uses approximately one gallon of water.

20. A method of rinsing fabric in a washer according to claim 15 wherein there are at least 6 and no more than 12 of said rinsing and draining steps and further wherein each said rinsing step further comprises spraying approximately one gallon of said water directly onto the tumbling clothes.

21. A method of rinsing fabric in a washer according to claim 15 wherein fabric softener is mixed with said water in the last of said rinsing steps.

22. A method of claim 15 wherein said step of draining further comprises spinning said wash chamber at a speed to effect more than a one gravity centrifugal force on said fabric such that said fabric will not tumble within said wash chamber as it spins.