Composition, bleaching element, method for making a bleaching element and method for inhibiting the yellowing of intentionally distressed clothing manufactured from dyed cellulose fabric

• US 5,322,637 A
• Filed: 06/06/1991
• Issued: 06/21/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Richard O'Grady
• Original Assignee: Richard O'Grady
• Inventors: O'Grady, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Lovering, Richard D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANTHONY, JOSEPH DAVID
• Application Number:
  US07/711,047
• Time in Patent Office: 1,111 Days
• Field of Search: 252/186.33, 252/186.36, 252/186.1, 252/187.24, 252/186.25, 8/107
• US Class Current: 252/186.25
• CPC Class Codes: D06L 4/12 combined with specific additives
• CPC Class Codes: D06L 4/23 using hypohalogenites
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 11/11 with halogen acids or salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 11/50 with hydrogen peroxide or peroxides of metals; with persulfuric, permanganic, pernitric, percarbonic acids or their salts
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 11/70 with oxides of phosphorus; with hypophosphorous, phosphorous or phosphoric acids or their salts
• CPC Class Codes: D06P 1/67391 Salts or oxidising-compounds mixtures

Abstract

A composition, bleaching agent, bleaching element, method for making a bleaching element and a method for intentionally distressing fabric, typically blue indigo denim cloth. The disclosed composition includes a mixture of an oxidizer and an acid that eliminates or substantially reduces yellowing of the fabric after acid washing. The preferred oxidizer is preferably selected from the group consisting of potassium permanganate, sodium permanganate and sodium hypochlorite. The preferred acid is an acid such as phosphoric acid. A bleaching element made in accordance with the present invention includes an abrading device impregnated with the composition of the present invention. The method for intentionally distressing fabric such as denim includes the step of tumbling or otherwise subjecting the fabric to a bleaching element made in accordance with the invention. The disclosed invention further includes a finished garment treated by the disclosed method for intentionally distressing fabric.

Claims

1. A bleaching element for distressing fabric, comprising:

an abrading device selected from the group consisting of pumice stone, silica sand, diatamatious earth, and dicalcium phosphate, the abrading device being impregnated with;

(I) a bleaching agent having a molecular structure comprising an element selected from the group consisting of chlorine and manganese, and (II) an acid;

the bleaching element being made according to a process comprising the steps of;

soaking the abrading device in an aqueous solution for a time sufficient for the aqueous solution to impregnate the abrading device, said aqueous solution consisting essentially of the bleaching agent, the acid, and water, the bleaching agent being present in an amount from about 1 to 25% by weight of the aqueous solution and the acid being present in an amount from about 0.5 to 50% by weight of the aqueous solution;

thereafter, withdrawing the abrading device from the aqueous solution; and

drying the abrading device,

whereby the bleaching agent is present in the bleaching element in an amount sufficient to bleach the fabric to be distressed when the bleaching element is tumbled with the fabric in a tumbler, and the acid is present in the bleaching element in an amount sufficient to eliminate latent yellowing of the fabric due to exposure of the fabric to ultraviolet light.

2. The bleaching element of claim 1 wherein said bleaching agent is selected from the group consisting of potassium permanganate, sodium permanganate and sodium hypochlorite.

3. The bleaching element of claim 1 wherein said bleaching agent comprises potassium permanganate and said acid comprises phosphoric acid, said bleaching element having a substantially exposed outer surface which allows for direct contact between the abrading device and the fabric to be distressed so that the outer surface of the bleaching element can abrade and bleach the fabric.

4. The bleaching element of claim 1 wherein the acid comprises phosphoric acid.

5. The bleaching element of claim 1 wherein the bleaching agent is selected from the group consisting of potassium permanganate, sodium permanganate and sodium hypochlorite and the acid comprises phosphoric acid.

6. A method for making a bleaching element for distressing fabric and inhibiting any latent yellowing of the fabric comprising the steps of:

soaking an abrading device in an aqueous solution for a time sufficient for the aqueous solution to impregnate the abrading device, said aqueous solution consisting essentially of;

(I) a bleaching agent having a molecular structure comprising an element selected from the group consisting of chlorine and manganese, (II) an acid, and (III) water;

the bleaching agent being present in an amount from about 1 to 25% by weight of the aqueous solution and the acid being present in an amount from about 0.5 to 50% by weight of the aqueous solution;

thereafter, withdrawing the abrading device from the aqueous solution; and

drying the abrading device,

whereby the bleaching agent is present in the bleaching element in an amount sufficient to bleach the fabric to be distressed when the bleaching element is tumbled with the fabric in a tumbler, and the acid is present in the bleaching element in an amount sufficient to eliminate latent yellowing of the fabric due to exposure of the fabric to ultraviolet light.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said bleaching agent is selected from the group consisting of potassium permanganate, sodium permanganate and sodium hypochlorite.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the acid comprises phosphoric acid.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the bleaching agent is selected from the group consisting of potassium permanganate, sodium permanganate and sodium hypochlorite and the acid comprises phosphoric acid.

10. A method for distressing fabric and inhibiting any latent tendency of the fabric to yellow comprising the step of:

tumbling a fabric to be distressed in a tumbler with a plurality of bleaching elements for a time sufficient to distress the fabric and impart an acid-washed appearance to the fabric, each said bleaching element comprising an abrading device selected from the group consisting of pumice stone, silica sand, diatamatious earth, and dicalcium phosphate, the abrading device being impregnated with;

(II) a bleaching agent having a molecular structure comprising an element selected from the group consisting of chlorine and manganese, and (II) an acid;

the bleaching elements being made according to a process comprising the steps of;

soaking the abrading devices in an aqueous solution for a time sufficient for the aqueous solution to impregnate the abrading devices, said aqueous solution consisting essentially of the bleaching agent, the acid, and water, the bleaching agent being present in an amount from about 1 to 25% by weight of the aqueous solution and the acid being present in an amount from about 0.5 to 50% by weight of the aqueous solution;

thereafter, withdrawing the abrading devices from the aqueous solution; and

drying the abrading devices,

whereby the bleaching agent is present in the bleaching elements in an amount sufficient to bleach the fabric to be distressed when the bleaching elements are tumbled with the fabric in a tumbler, and the acid is present in the bleaching elements in an amount sufficient to eliminate latent yellowing of the fabric due to exposure of the fabric to ultraviolet light.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the bleaching agent is selected from the group consisting of potassium permanganate, sodium permanganate and sodium hypochlorite.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the acid comprises phosphoric acid.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the bleaching agent is selected from the group consisting of potassium permanganate, sodium permanganate and sodium hypochlorite and the acid comprises phosphoric acid.