Uniform delivery of compositions

• US 7,681,328 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2005
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Littig, Janet Sue, Heilman, Laura Lynn, Nguyen, Antony Thanh, Ofosu-Asante, Kofi, Pancheri, Eugene Joseph, Strang, Janine Morgens, DuVal, Dean Larry, Combs, Mary Jane
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu; Jiping
• Application Number:
  US11/123,306
• Publication Number:
  US 20050251924A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,782 Days
• Field of Search: 345/95, 345/97, 34/60, 34/74, 134/93, 134/95.3, 68/121.8, 68/121.9
• US Class Current: 34/597
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/50 Perfumes
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/203 Laundry conditioning arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/30 Drying processes controlling a series of operations in domestic laundry dryers D06F58/32

Abstract

A system for uniformly delivering treatment compositions to fabrics in a fabric article drying appliance. The system also provides for efficient delivery of treatment compositions to fabrics in a fabric article drying appliance. A method is also provided for the uniform and efficient delivery of treatment compositions to fabrics in fabric article drying appliances.

Claims

1. A system for spraying fabric in a fabric article drying appliance, the system comprising:

a) a tumble dryer having a rotating drum;

b) a treatment composition;

c) a controller; and

d) a pump, the pump comprising;

i) a conduit wherein the conduit includes an inlet and a discharge for transferring the treatment composition from the inlet of the conduit to the discharge of the conduit; and

ii) a nozzle having at least one orifice wherein the size of the orifice nozzle is between about 200 microns to about 600 microns wherein the nozzle is connected to the discharge of the conduit;

whereby the controller controls the spraying of the treatment composition through the nozzle so as to spray onto fabric in the tumble dryer while the tumble dryer drum is rotating, the spray being characterized by a cone angle and having;

i) a mean droplet size of the treatment composition of about 100 microns to about 1000 microns;

ii) a cone angle formed by the spray in the tumble dryer between about 35°

to about 150°

;

iii) a flowrate at the point the spray enters the tumble dryer of about 0.5 ml/min to about 100 ml/min;

iv) a linear velocity at the point the spray enters the tumble dryer of about 0.5 m/second to about 20 m/second; and

wherein the nozzle is positioned into the tumble dryer such that it is either in quadrant one, quadrant two, quadrant three, or quadrant four, and wherein the nozzle when present in quadrant one has a tilt angle ranging from about 80 to the left to about 45°

to the right and from about 45°

up to about 35°

down;

when present in quadrant two the nozzle has a tilt angle ranging from about 80°

to the right to about 45°

to the left and from about 45°

up to about 15°

down;

when present in quadrant three the nozzle has a tilt angle ranging from about 80°

to the right to about 45°

to the left and from about 45°

up to about 15°

down; and

when present in quadrant four the nozzle has a tilt angle ranging from about 80°

to the left to about 15°

to the right and from about 45°

up to about 15°

down.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the treatment composition has a Brookfield viscosity of about 200 cps or less as measured at a temperature of approximately 24°

C. using an LVI spindle.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the treatment composition has a surface tension of about 3 to about 100 dynes/cm as measured between about 20°

C. to about 25°

C.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the treatment composition is a perfume, an anti-static agent, a fabric hand modifier, or a combination thereof.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the nozzle further comprises a deflector.