Method and washing machine for imparting antistaticity to fabric structure and fabric structure imparted with antistaticity

• US 7,597,718 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2005
• Issued: 10/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Iimori, Kyoko, Hiramoto, Rie, Yoshikawa, Hirofumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Douyon; Lorna M
• Assistant Examiner(s): KHAN, AMINA S
• Application Number:
  US11/664,289
• Publication Number:
  US 20070251022A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,562 Days
• Field of Search: 811/551, 811/56, 442/110, 252/8.61, 252/8.81, 252/8.91
• US Class Current: 8/115.6
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/04 Quantity, e.g. weight or variation of weight
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/18 Condition of the laundry, e.g. nature or weight
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 35/003 using electrochemical cells
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 11/42 Oxides or hydroxides of copper, silver or gold
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 11/83 with metals; with metal-generating compounds, e.g. metal carbonyls; Reduction of metal compounds on textiles
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 2200/00 Functionality of the treatment composition and/or properties imparted to the textile material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2418 Coating or impregnation increases electrical conductivity or anti-static quality

Abstract

Provided are a method capable of imparting antistaticity to a fabric structure in a simple manner without causing any color change in the fabric structure, a fabric structure imparted with antistaticity by the method, and a washing machine that imparts antistaticity to a fabric structure according to the method. The method for imparting antistaticity to a fabric structure allows a metal or metal compound to adhere on a surface of the fabric structure by drying the fabric structure in a state where a liquid containing the metal or the metal compound exists on the surface of the fabric structure.

Claims

1. A method for imparting antistaticity to a fabric structure, comprising:

applying water containing silver ions of a first concentration on surfaces of clothes in a rinsing step after a washing step of the clothes;

spraying the water containing silver ions of a second concentration, larger than the first concentration, on the surface of the clothes using an atomizer mist; and

drying the fabric structure in a state where the applied water containing silver ions is present and adheres on the surface of the fabric structure via surface tension.

2. The method for imparting antistaticity to a fabric structure according to claim 1, wherein applying the water containing silver ions on a surface of the fabric structure consists of spraying the water on the surface of the fabric structure, thereby allowing the silver ions to adhere on the surface of said fabric structure.

3. The method for imparting antistaticity to a fabric structure according to claim 1, wherein said water containing silver ions is a liquid in which metal ions elute out by electrolysis of metal electrodes in the liquid.

4. The method for imparting antistaticity to a fabric structure according to claim 1, wherein said silver ions are is made to adhere in an amount in a range between 0.5 mg or more and 50 mg or less, with respect to 1 kg of said fabric structure.

5. The method for imparting antistaticity to a fabric structure according to claim 1, wherein said fabric structure is a structure containing chemical fiber.

6. The method for imparting antistaticity to a fabric structure according to claim 1, wherein applying the water containing silver ions on a surface of the fabric structure consists of showering the water on the surface of the fabric structure, thereby allowing the silver ions to adhere on the surface of said fabric structure.

7. The method for imparting antistaticity to a fabric structure according to claim 6, wherein showering the water containing silver ions is carried out for 3 seconds.

8. The method for imparting antistaticity to a fabric structure according to claim 6, wherein showering the water containing silver ions is carried out for 20 seconds.