Washing apparatus

• US 6,691,536 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2001
• Issued: 02/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Sakkab, Nabil Yaqub, Deak, John Christopher, Noyes, Anna Vadimovna, Radomyselki, Arseni V., Scheibel, Jeffrey John, Vinson, Phillip Kyle, Burckett-St. Laurent, James Charles Theophile Roger, France, Paul Amaat, Hartman, Frederick Anthony, Severns, John Cort, Thoen, Christiaan Arthur Jacques Kamiel
• Primary Examiner(s): Stinson, Frankie L.
• Application Number:
  US09/849,893
• Publication Number:
  US 20020133886A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 68/18.F, 68/18.R, 68/18.C, 68/24, 68/58, 68/23.R, 68/234, 68/235, 68/122.7, 68/122.3, 68/27, 340/525, 340/286.M, 340/309.15, 340/307.3, 340/309.4
• US Class Current: 68/12.27
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28033 Membrane, sheet, cloth, pad, lamellar or mat
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 33/02 with electrical or magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/049 Cleaning or scouring pads; Wipes
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 2111/12 Soft surfaces, e.g. textile
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 2111/48 Regeneration of cleaning solutions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/162 containing Si
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/2041 Dihydric alcohols
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/30 Amines; Substituted amines ; Quaternized amines
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3765 in liquid compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3773 in liquid compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3905 Bleach activators or bleach catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3932 Inorganic compounds or complexes
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3942 Inorganic per-compounds C11D3/3902 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3945 Organic per-compounds C11D3/3902 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3947 Liquid compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/395 Bleaching agents
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/40 Dyes ; Pigments
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/43 Solvents
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/50 Perfumes
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 7/24 Hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 7/263 : Ethers
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 7/3209 : Amines or imines with one to four nitrogen atoms; Quaternized amines
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 7/5004 : Organic solvents
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 7/5009 : containing phosphorus, sulfur or silicon, e.g. dimethylsulfoxide
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 7/5013 : containing nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 7/5022 : containing oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 7/5027 : Hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/20 : Operation modes, e.g. delicate laundry washing programs, service modes or refreshment cycles
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/28 : Air properties
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/44 : Opening, closing or locking of doors
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/30 : characterised by mechanical features, e.g. buttons or rotary dials
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 37/42 : Safety arrangements, e.g. for stopping rotation of the receptacle upon opening of the casing door
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 43/00 : Dry-cleaning apparatus or methods using volatile solvents D06F9/00 - D06F41/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 43/02 : having one rotary cleaning receptacle only
• CPC Class Codes: D06L 1/02 : using organic solvents
• CPC Class Codes: D06L 1/04 : combined with specific additives D06L1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D06L 1/10 : Regeneration of used chemical baths
• CPC Class Codes: D06L 1/12 : using aqueous solvents
• CPC Class Codes: D06L 4/17 : in an inert solvent
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 13/005 : Compositions containing perfumes; Compositions containing deodorants
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 23/06 : Processes in which the treating agent is dispersed in a gas, e.g. aerosols aerosol compositions C09K3/30
• CPC Class Codes: F26B 21/14 : using gases or vapours other than air or steam , e.g. inert gases

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for treating, refreshing or cleaning fabric articles, especially articles of clothing, linen and drapery.

Claims

1. A fabric treating apparatus comprising:

a treatment chamber capable of receiving a fabric to be treated;

a cleaning fluid comprising a lipophilic fluid; and

a programmable selector comprising at least two selections of operation, including a first selection identified as “

dry-clean”

, “

delicate care”

or “

light soil” and

a second selection identified as “

refresh”

, “

deodorize”

, “

fabric treatment”

or “

rinse/soften”

;

wherein when a fabric to be treated is present in the treatment chamber and the cleaning fluid is introduced into the treatment chamber, the treatment chamber retains an amount of lipophilic fluid up to the absorptive capacity of the fabric contained therein.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the treatment chamber is a lipophilic fluid pervious chamber.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus further comprises an outer chamber capable of receiving the lipophilic fluid from the treatment chamber that is not retained in the treatment chamber.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the outer chamber houses the treatment chamber.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the outer chamber comprises an exit port through which the cleaning fluid exits the outer chamber.

6. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the cleaning fluid exits the outer chamber at a rate such that the amount of lipophilic fluid in the treatment chamber does not exceed the absorptive capacity of the fabrics contained therein.

7. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the treatment chamber is movable with respect to the outer chamber.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the treatment chamber is movable at more than one speed with respect to the outer chamber.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the treatment chamber can rotate at a speed of from about 0.5G to about 3G.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the treatment chamber can rotate at a speed of from about 50G to about 450G.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus further comprises an applicator for introducing the cleaning fluid comprising a lipophilic fluid into the treatment chamber.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the applicator comprises a storage chamber for containing the cleaning fluid, and optionally, one or more additional storage chambers for containing adjunct ingredients.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the storage chamber or the additional storage chambers are detachably associated with the applicator.

14. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the applicator comprises means for evenly distributing the cleaning fluid onto the fabrics when contained within the chamber.

15. The apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the applicator comprises a nozzle capable of delivering droplets of the cleaning fluid having an average droplet size of from about 10 microns to about 1200 microns.

16. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus further comprises a mechanical element associated with the treatment chamber, wherein when a fabric to be treated is present in the treatment chamber and the cleaning fluid is introduced into the treatment chamber, operation of the mechanical element results in the treatment chamber retaining an amount of lipophilic fluid up to the absorptive capacity of the fabric contained therein.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the mechanical element comprises a motor.

18. The apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the mechanical element comprises a centrifugal extractor.

19. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein when a fabric to be treated is present in the treatment chamber, the fabric'"'"'s movement is unconstrained within the treatment chamber.

20. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus further comprises a filter element.

21. The apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the filter element comprises a cartridge detachably associated with said apparatus.

22. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus further comprises a gas inlet port.

23. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus further comprises port through which a fluid selected from the group consisting of air, other gases, water and mixtures thereof can enter and exit the apparatus.

24. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the treatment chamber comprises one or more walls that define an internal volume.

25. The apparatus according to claim 24 wherein one or more walls comprise a door through which fabrics can be introduced into the internal volume.

26. The apparatus according to claim 25 wherein the door comprises a locking system such that the door can not be opened during operation of the apparatus.

27. The apparatus according to claim 25 wherein the apparatus comprises a gas sensor that measures the level of lipophilic fluid vapor within the treatment chamber an prevents the opening of the door prior to attainment of a safe level of lipophilic fluid vapor.

28. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus has dimensions similar to those of a domestic washer and/or dryer.

29. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus has dimensions similar to those of a commercial dry-cleaning machine.

30. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a garment tag detector.

31. An apparatus according to claim 30 wherein the garment tag detector is a radiofrequency detector.

32. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus further comprises means for conducting a conventional aqueous immersive wash process.

33. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus is capable of performing both a conventional aqueous wash/dry process as well as a non-immersive cleaning process.

34. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the programmable selector further comprises a third selection identified as “

water wash”

, “

normal”

, or “

high soil”

.