Process of cleaning and restoring garments

• US 6,673,121 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2001
• Issued: 01/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Douglas Mettlach, Rae D. Angus
• Original Assignee: Douglas Mettlach, Rae D. Angus
• Inventors: Mettlach, Douglas, Rae, D. Angus
• Primary Examiner(s): Stinson, Frankie L.
• Application Number:
  US10/022,059
• Publication Number:
  US 20020073491A1
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: 815/8, 815/9, 814/91, 682/07, 68/13.R, 68/5.R, 68/5.A
• US Class Current: 8/149.1
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 35/001 using ozone

Abstract

A process of cleaning textiles, including textiles that are labeled dry clean only, without the use of large quantities of environmentally hazardous dry cleaning fluids such as those containing perchloroethylene or petroleum. The process uses hand treatment of soiled areas with a cleaning agent, with subsequent washing in water, followed by washing in ozonated water to remove the cleaning agent and the water. The textile is dried using a process that does not depend on tumbling of the textile in the presence of heat to dry the textile.

Claims

1. A process of cleaning textiles, comprising the steps of;

a. applying at least one cleaning agent to at least one soiled area of a textile which is labeled dry clean only;

b. introducing said textile to water and mixing said water and said textile, and removing said cleaning agent and soil from said textile, wherein said cleaning agent or said soil are not materially removed by imparting kinetic energy to said textile;

c. introducing chilled ozonated water to said textile to further remove said cleaning agent and to remove said water from said textile; and

d. drying said textile at a temperature imparted to said textile of less than 55 degrees Celsius.

2. A process of cleaning textiles as described in claim 1, wherein said textile is dried by the application of vacuum to said textile.

3. A process of cleaning textiles as described in claim 1, wherein said chilled ozonated water contains not more than three (3) parts per million of ozone.

4. A process of cleaning textiles, comprising the steps of;

a. applying at least one cleaning agent to at least one soiled area of a textile which is labeled dry clean only;

b. introducing said textile to water and removing said cleaning agent and soil from said textile by mixing said water and said textile in a cleaning machine, wherein said cleaning machine does not remove said cleaning agent or said soil by imparting kinetic energy to said textile;

c. removing said water from said cleaning machine;

d. introducing chilled ozonated water to said textile in said cleaning machine to further remove said cleaning agent and to remove said water from said textile, wherein said cleaning machine does not materially remove said cleaning agent or said soil by imparting kinetic energy to said textile;

e. removing said textile from said cleaning machine;

f. drying said textile at a temperature imparted to said textile of less than 55 degrees Celsius.

5. A process of cleaning textiles as described in claim 4, wherein a drum of said cleaning machine is operated at or below eleven (11) revolutions per minute.

6. A process of cleaning textiles as described in claim 4, wherein said chilled ozonated water is recirculated from said cleaning machine to an ozone generator that increases the ozone level in the chilled ozonated water and back to said cleaning machine.

7. A process of cleaning textiles as described in claim 6, wherein an ozone level of said ozonated water in said cleaning machine is monitored, and wherein said ozone level indicates when said textile is to be removed from said cleaning machine.

8. A process of cleaning textiles as described in claim 7, wherein said chilled ozonated water which is present in said cleaning machine contains not more than three (3) parts per million of ozone.

9. A process of cleaning textiles as described in claim 6, wherein dissolved gas is removed from said chilled ozonated water after exiting said cleaning machine and prior to entering said ozone generator during recirculation of said chilled ozonated water.

10. A process of cleaning textiles as described in claim 9, wherein said chilled ozonated water which is present in said cleaning machine contains not more than three (3) parts per million of ozone.

11. A process of cleaning textiles as described in claim 6, wherein said chilled ozonated water which is present in said cleaning machine contains not more than three (3) parts per million of ozone.

12. A process of cleaning textiles as described in claim 4, wherein said textile is dried by the application of vacuum to said textile.

13. A process of cleaning textiles as described in claim 4, wherein said textile is conditioned after removal from said cleaning machine by attaching one or more weights to said textile and introducing steam into an interior of said textile.

14. A process of cleaning textiles as described in claim 4, wherein said chilled ozonated water which is present in said cleaning machine contains not more than three (3) parts per million of ozone.