Dry cleaning method

• US 7,837,741 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2005
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Kerpels, Fred, Overdevest, Pieter E., Wright, Tremitchell, Luckman, Joel A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pyon; Harold Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAMMER, KATIE L
• Application Number:
  US11/587,727
• Publication Number:
  US 20090007345A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,051 Days
• Field of Search: 814/2, 510/285
• US Class Current: 8/142
• CPC Class Codes: D06L 1/02 using organic solvents

Abstract

The present invention provides a safe method for cleaning fabric articles, comprising the step of treating the fabric articles with a working cyclosiloxane dry cleaning solvent to remove contaminants from the articles, wherein the working solvent is contacted and mixed with a solidifying catalyst in case of an increased temperature event. The present invention also provides a dry cleaning system suitable for carrying out the method of the invention. Since said method has improved safety, it is very suitable for in-home use.

Claims

1. A method for conducting a safe dry cleaning process for cleaning fabric articles in a dry cleaning system, comprising the steps of:

treating the fabric articles with a working cyclosiloxane dry cleaning solvent in the dry cleaning system to remove contaminants from the articles, the working cyclosiloxane dry cleaning solvent having a pre-determined flash point temperature; and

adding a solidifying catalyst into the working cyclosiloxane dry cleaning solvent and fabric articles and wherein the temperature of the environment surrounding the dry cleaning system or the temperature of the dry cleaning solvent exceeds the predetermined flash point temperature of the working cyclosiloxane dry cleaning solvent, during an increased temperature event.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

adding a cross-linking agent into the working cyclosiloxane dry cleaning solvent and wherein the temperature of the environment surrounding the dry cleaning system or the temperature of the working cyclosiloxane dry cleaning solvent exceeds the predetermined flash point temperature.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

a used cyclosiloxane dry cleaning solvent is formed as a result of the fabric treatment and is separated from the fabric articles and cleaned-up in a reclamation device of the dry cleaning system; and

the method further comprising the step of adding solidifying catalyst into the used cyclosiloxane dry cleaning solvent and wherein the temperature of the environment surrounding the dry cleaning system or the temperature of the dry cleaning solvent exceeds the predetermined flash point temperature.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the used cyclosiloxane dry cleaning solvent is cleaned in the reclamation device and is used as the working cyclosiloxane dry cleaning solvent.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the working cyclosiloxane cyclosiloxane dry cleaning solvent is first contacted by the cross-linking agent, and subsequently contacted by the solidifying catalyst.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

transporting the working cyclosiloxane dry cleaning solvent into a vessel of the dry cleaning system prior to adding the solidifying catalyst.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the working cyclosiloxane dry cleaning solvent is a cyclosiloxane solvent.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the working cyclosiloxane dry cleaning solvent is decamethyl cyclopentasiloxane (DS).

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the working cyclosiloxane dry cleaning solvent is used in a total amount of from 10 kg to 150 kg depending on the load of fabric articles to be cleaned.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the solidifying catalyst is selected from a strong acid or a strong base.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the solidifying catalyst is an alkali metal.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the solidifying catalyst is a phosphazene base.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the solidifying catalyst is used at a concentration of from 3 to 5000 ppm, based on the total weight of cyclosiloxane dry cleaning solvent applied.

14. The method according to claim 2, wherein the cross-linking agent is a branched silicone based compound comprising at least 1 silicium atom and at least 3 oxygen atoms covalently bonded to said silicium atom.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the cross-linking agent is selected from the group consisting of poly (diethoxysiloxane), poly (dimethoxysiloxane) and tetraethoxysilane.

16. The method according to claim 2, wherein the cross-linking agent is used at a concentration of from 0.05% to 10% by weight based on the total weight of working cyclosiloxane dry cleaning solvent applied.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fabric articles are treated with a cleaning composition comprising the working cyclosiloxane dry cleaning solvent and a disposable treatment composition.

18. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

forming a used cyclosiloxane dry cleaning solvent during the fabric treatment; and

adding a cross-linking agent into the working cyclosiloxane dry cleaning solvent and the used cyclosiloxane dry cleaning solvent after adding the solidifying catalyst.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein the solidifying catalyst is an alkaline earth metal hydroxide.

20. The method according to claim 1, wherein the solidifying catalyst is selected from the group consisting of potassium, sodium, lithium, cesium and rubidium.

21. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the dry cleaning system comprises a vessel having a barrier; and

the method further comprising the step of opening the barrier prior to adding the solidifying catalyst to the working cyclosiloxane dry cleaning solvent.

22. A method for conducting a safe dry cleaning process for cleaning fabric articles in a dry cleaning system, comprising the step of:

adding a solidifying catalyst into the dry cleaning system containing working cyclosiloxane dry cleaning solvent having a predetermined flash point temperature and wherein the temperature of the environment surrounding the dry cleaning system or the temperature of the dry cleaning solvent exceeds the predetermined flash point temperature of the solvent, during an increased temperature event.

23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising the step of:

adding a cross-linking agent into the working cyclosiloxane dry cleaning solvent and wherein the temperature of the environment surrounding the dry cleaning system or the temperature of the working cyclosiloxane dry cleaning solvent exceeds the predetermined flash point temperature.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the cross-linking agent is a branched silicone based compound comprising at least 1 silicium atom and at least 3 oxygen atoms covalently bonded to said silicium atom.