Multifunctioning method utilizing a two phase non-aqueous extraction process
First Claim
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1. A method of laundering a fabric load comprising the steps of:
- contacting the fabric load with an aqueous working fluid in a wash chamber of a washing machine wherein the aqueous working fluid consists of water and a washing additive selected from the group consisting of;
builders, surfactants, enzymes, bleach activators, bleach catalysts, bleach boosters, bleaches, alkalinity sources, antibacterial agents, colorants and mixtures thereof;
processing the fabric load with said aqueous working fluid;
substantially removing the aqueous working fluid from the wash chamber and contacting the fabric load with a first non-aqueous working fluid of the type which extracts some of the aqueous working fluid from the fabric load;
substantially removing the first non-aqueous working fluid from the wash chamber and contacting the fabric load with a second non-aqueous working fluid;
drying the fabric load following the step of substantially removing the first non-aqueous working fluid from the wash chamber and contacting the fabric load with a second non-aqueous working fluid;
wherein the first non-aqueous working fluid is selected from the group;
terpenes, halohydrocarbons, glycol ethers, polyols, ethers, esters of glycol ethers, esters of fatty acids, long chain carboxylic acids, long chain alcohols, short-chain alcohols, siloxanes, dibasic esters, aliphatic hydrocarbons, i-propyl myristate, soy methyl esters, ethyl hexyl lactate, and mixtures thereof; and
wherein the second non-aqueous working fluid is selected from the group;
methoxynonafluorobutane, ethoxynonafluorobutane, propoxynonafluorobutane, and mixtures thereof.
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Abstract
A method of laundering a fabric load is disclosed including the steps of processing a fabric load in an aqueous-based working fluid, substantially replacing the aqueous-based working fluid with a non-aqueous working fluid of the type which extracts some of the aqueous-based working fluid from the fabric load.
323 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of laundering a fabric load comprising the steps of:
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contacting the fabric load with an aqueous working fluid in a wash chamber of a washing machine wherein the aqueous working fluid consists of water and a washing additive selected from the group consisting of;
builders, surfactants, enzymes, bleach activators, bleach catalysts, bleach boosters, bleaches, alkalinity sources, antibacterial agents, colorants and mixtures thereof;processing the fabric load with said aqueous working fluid; substantially removing the aqueous working fluid from the wash chamber and contacting the fabric load with a first non-aqueous working fluid of the type which extracts some of the aqueous working fluid from the fabric load; substantially removing the first non-aqueous working fluid from the wash chamber and contacting the fabric load with a second non-aqueous working fluid; drying the fabric load following the step of substantially removing the first non-aqueous working fluid from the wash chamber and contacting the fabric load with a second non-aqueous working fluid; wherein the first non-aqueous working fluid is selected from the group;
terpenes, halohydrocarbons, glycol ethers, polyols, ethers, esters of glycol ethers, esters of fatty acids, long chain carboxylic acids, long chain alcohols, short-chain alcohols, siloxanes, dibasic esters, aliphatic hydrocarbons, i-propyl myristate, soy methyl esters, ethyl hexyl lactate, and mixtures thereof; andwherein the second non-aqueous working fluid is selected from the group;
methoxynonafluorobutane, ethoxynonafluorobutane, propoxynonafluorobutane, and mixtures thereof. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification