Washing apparatus

• US 6,898,951 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2003
• Issued: 05/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Scheibel, Jeffrey John, Vinson, Phillip Kyle, Burckett-St. Laurent, James Charles Theophile Roger, France, Paul Amaat, Hartman, Frederick Anthony, Sakkab, Nabil Yaqub, Radomyselski, Arseni V., Severns, John Cort, Deak, John Christopher, Thoen, Christiaan Arthur Jacques Kamiel, Noyes, Anna Vadimovna
• Primary Examiner(s): Stinson, Frankie L.
• Application Number:
  US10/738,551
• Publication Number:
  US 20040129032A1
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 134/122.R, 134/199, 134/122.P, 134/54.P, 101/74, 68/94, 68/97
• US Class Current: 68/5.00C
• 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. An apparatus for treating fabric articles comprising:

a fabric article treatment chamber wherein a fabric article to be treated is contacted with a fabric treating liquor which comprises a cleaning fluid, a composition or both;

a first container for providing the cleaning fluid which comprises a lipophilic fluid;

a second container for providing a fabric treating composition which comprises an adjunct ingredient; and

a metering device associated with the first and second sources and the chamber;

wherein the first and/or the second containers are removably attached to the apparatus and the metering device is configured to control amount of the cleaning fluid and of the fabric treating composition in the fabric treating liquor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the metering device comprises a manifold valve and conduits connecting the metering device to the first and second containers.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cleaning fluid and the fabric treating composition are combined with fabric article in the treatment chamber.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cleaning fluid and the fabric treating composition are combined prior to entering the treatment chamber.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lipophilic fluid comprises at least about 50 wt % of the fabric treating liquor in the treatment chamber.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lipophilic fluid is selected from the group consisting of linear or cyclic organosilicones, fluorinated solvents, C6 or higher diols, and mixtures thereof.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fabric treating composition is a detergent composition or a finishing composition.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the adjunct ingredient comprises less than about 15 wt % of the fabric treating liquor in the treatment chamber.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first or the second container is a refillable or replaceable container.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a source for water which is detachably associated with the metering device, the treatment chamber, or both.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the fabric treating liquor comprises lipophilic fluid, water or mixtures thereof.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the metering device is configured to control amount of the lipophilic fluid, the fabric treating composition and water in the fabric treating liquor.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a mechanical element configured to retain an amount of cleaning fluid up to absorptive capacity of the fabric article in the treatment chamber.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the mechanical element is a motor or a centrifugal extractor.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a recovery system for separating components of the fabric treating liquor.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the recovery system is removably attached to the apparatus and is replaceable.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the recovery system is self-cleaning.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an air circulation system, which comprises a heater, a blower, and optionally, an air duct operatively associated with the heater and the blower.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising one or more sensors for monitoring temperature of heated air, or mixtures of air, lipophilic fluid vapor and/or ozone.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an applicator for delivering the fabric treating liquor into the treatment chamber such that the fabric article is contacted by the fabric treating liquor.

21. A method for treating fabric articles comprising the steps of:

(a) placing a fabric article in the treatment chamber of the apparatus according to claim 1; and

(b) dispensing a fabric treating liquor into the treatment chamber such that the fabric article is contacted by dispensed fabric treating liquor.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising the step of removing at least one of the containers from the apparatus and replacing it with a new container having the same or different content as the one being replaced.

23. The method of claim 21 further comprising the step of refilling at least one of the containers with the same or different content from the prior content in the container.