Recapture of ions applied in a wash process

• US 7,851,429 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2007
• Issued: 12/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Wright, Tremitchell, Luckman, Joel Adam, Riehle, Robert D., Yusuf, Zaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Webb; Gregory E
• Application Number:
  US11/745,039
• Publication Number:
  US 20080276962A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,317 Days
• Field of Search: 510/311, 510/376, 811/1, 813/7
• US Class Current: 510/376
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 35/003 using electrochemical cells
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 35/006 for washing or rinsing only

Abstract

A wash cycle is provided for a clothes washer, the clothes washer having a wash zone for receiving a substrate load to be cleaned. The wash cycle includes a step of providing a wash liquor for applying to the substrate load. Another step is loading the wash zone with the substrate load. Another step is mixing metal ions with an inactive bleaching agent as catalyst agents to catalyze an activation reaction to produce an active bleaching agent. Another step is combining the active bleaching agent with the wash liquor. Another step is applying the wash liquor with the active bleaching agent to the substrate load. Another step is capturing the metal ions prior to a disposal of the wash liquor.

Claims

1. A method of washing clothes in a clothes washer, the clothes washer having a wash zone for receiving a substrate load to be cleaned, comprising the steps:

providing a wash liquor for applying to the substrate load,

loading the wash zone with the substrate load,

providing an inactive bleaching agent in the wash liquor,

thereafter, mixing metal ions with the inactive bleaching agent in the wash liquor to produce an active bleaching agent in the wash liquor,

applying the wash liquor with the active bleaching agent to the substrate load, and

capturing the metal ions prior to a disposal of the wash liquor.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the inactive bleaching agent is selected from the group consisting of peroxides including perborate, percarbonates, perphosphates, persilicates, persulfates, their sodium, ammonium, potassium and lithium analogs, calcium peroxide, zinc peroxide, sodium peroxide, carbamide peroxide, hydrogen peroxide, peroxy acids, organic peroxides and mixtures of such peroxides.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the metal ions are selected from the group consisting of transition metals and transition metal organic compounds.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the bleaching agent is introduced to the wash liquor in an inactive state and the step of mixing the metal ions comprises forming an electrode with a transition metal and running a current through the electrode while the electrode is in contact with the wash liquor.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the bleaching agent is introduced to the wash liquor in an inactive state and the step of dispensing the metal ions comprises dispensing a liquid solution containing the metal ions into the wash liquor.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of mixing metal ions with the inactive bleaching agent comprises releasing previously captured ions into the wash liquor.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of capturing the ions comprises dispensing a compound to the wash liquor to one of precipitate and sequester the ions.

14. The method according to claim 13, including the step of capturing the precipitated or sequestered ions via filtering the wash liquor.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of capturing the ions comprises exposing the wash liquor containing the metal ions to a material which selectively absorbs the ions.

5. A method of washing clothes in a clothes washer, the clothes washer having a wash zone for receiving a substrate load to be cleaned, comprising the steps:

providing a wash liquor for applying to the substrate load,

loading the wash zone with the substrate load,

mixing metal ions with an inactive bleaching agent to produce an active bleaching agent,

applying the wash liquor with the active bleaching agent to the substrate load, and

capturing the metal ions prior to a disposal of the wash liquor,

wherein the bleaching agent is introduced to the wash liquor in an inactive state and the step of mixing the metal ions comprises providing a solid block of material containing the metal ions, or salts thereof, and subjecting the block to a flow of wash liquor thereover.

8. A method of washing clothes in a clothes washer, the clothes washer having a wash zone for receiving a substrate load to be cleaned, comprising the steps:

providing a wash liquor for applying to the substrate load,

loading the wash zone with the substrate load,

mixing metal ions with an inactive bleaching agent to produce an active bleaching agent,

applying the wash liquor with the active bleaching agent to the substrate load, and

capturing the metal ions prior to a disposal of the wash liquor,

wherein the step of mixing the metal ions comprises operating an electrolysis system with an electric current flowing in a first direction and the step of capturing the metal ions comprises operating the electrolysis system with the electric current flowing in an opposite direction.

9. A method of washing clothes in a clothes washer, the clothes washer having a wash zone for receiving a substrate load to be cleaned, comprising the steps:

providing a wash liquor for applying to the substrate load,

loading the wash zone with the substrate load,

mixing metal ions with an inactive bleaching agent to produce an active bleaching agent,

applying the wash liquor with the active bleaching agent to the substrate load, and

capturing the metal ions prior to a disposal of the wash liquor,

wherein the step of capturing the metal ions comprises capturing the metal ions in a disposable cartridge.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the step of capturing the metal ions in the disposable cartridge comprises using an ion exchange resin.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the step of capturing the metal ions in the disposable cartridge comprises using a molecular sieve.

12. The method according to claim 9, including a step of activating a user perceptible indicator to signal when the cartridge requires replacement.

15. A method of washing clothes in a clothes washer, the clothes washer having a wash zone for receiving a substrate load to be cleaned, comprising the steps:

providing a wash liquor for applying to the substrate load,

loading the wash zone with the substrate load,

mixing metal ions with an inactive bleaching agent to produce an active bleaching agent,

applying the wash liquor with the active bleaching agent to the substrate load, and

capturing the metal ions prior to a disposal of the wash liquor,

wherein the step of capturing the ions comprises dispensing a compound to the wash liquor to precipitate the ions,

wherein the compound dispensed to precipitate the ions comprises a flocculent.

17. A method for washing clothes in a clothes washer, the clothes washer having a wash zone for receiving a substrate load to be cleaned, comprising the steps:

applying a wash liquor to a substrate load,

introducing an inactive bleaching agent into the wash liquor,

at a desired time in the method for washing clothes, subsequent to the introduction of the inactive bleaching agent into the wash liquor, dispensing metal ions into the wash liquor as catalyst agents to catalyze an activation reaction to produce an active bleaching agent, and

capturing the metal ions prior to a disposal of the wash liquor.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the step of introducing the inactive bleaching agent occurs simultaneously with the introduction of a detergent into the wash liquor.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the step of introducing the inactive bleaching agent into the wash liquor occurs independently of introducing a detergent into the wash liquor.

20. A method for washing clothes in a clothes washer, the clothes washer having a wash zone for receiving a substrate load to be cleaned, comprising the steps:

in a wash cycle, applying a wash liquor with an inactive bleaching agent to the substrate load in the wash zone,

subsequent to the application of the wash liquor with the inactive bleaching agent to the substrate load, mixing metal ions with the inactive bleaching agent as catalyst agents to catalyze an activation reaction to produce an active bleaching agent,

applying the wash liquor with the active bleaching agent to the substrate load in the wash zone, and

capturing the metal ions prior to a disposal of the wash liquor.