Drum with low absorbency textured surface for a fabric treatment appliance

• US 20070163098A1
• Filed: 07/07/2006
• Published: 07/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Wright, Tremitchell, Tomasi, Donald M., McAllister, Karl D., Kaeding, Janice M., Metcalfe, LD
• Application Number:
  US11/483,216
• Publication Number:
  US 20070163098A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 28/100
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 25/00 Washing machines with receptacles, e.g. perforated, having a rotary movement, e.g. oscillatory movement, the receptacle serving both for washing and for centrifugally separating water from the laundry and having further drying means, e.g. using hot air control of washing or of washing and drying D06F33/00, D06F34/00; domestic laundry dryers D06F58/00
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/04 Details controlling or regulating devices D06F34/00
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/203 Laundry conditioning arrangements

Abstract

A fabrics revitalizing system comprises a rotatable drum having an inside surface defining an interior for holding a fabric load; at least one opening into the interior for enabling user access to the interior, a closure adapted to selectively close the opening to the interior; and a low absorbency textured surface disposed on at least one of the inside surface and the closure.

Claims

1. A rotatable drum for use in a fabrics revitalizing system having a drive system to rotatably drive the rotatable drum, a fluid removal system for removing fluid from the rotatable drum, and a fluid delivery system for delivering fluid to the rotatable drum, the rotatable drum comprising:

an inside surface defining an interior for holding a fabric load;

at least one opening into the interior for enabling user access to the interior,

a closure adapted to selectively close the opening to the interior; and

a low absorbency textured surface disposed on at least one of the inside surface and the closure.

2. The drum of claim 1 wherein the textured surface comprises a structural attribute comprising at least one member selected from a group consisting of:

a plurality of directional fibers, an open cell structure, a closed cell structure, a plurality of break-away particulate surface substructures, a plurality of microparticulate substructures, a textured substrate, and a coating.

3. The drum of claim 1 wherein the textured surface is selected from a group consisting of:

a removable pad, a permanently attached pad, a removable pad liner with a covering, and a permanently attached pad liner with a covering.

4. The drum of claim 1, further comprising fluid dispensing means for dispensing fluid from the low absorbency textured surface.

5. The drum of claim 4, further comprising an inner reservoir in fluid communication with the low absorbency textured surface for wicking fluid through the low absorbency textured surface.

6. The drum of claim 4 wherein the fluid is impregnated on the low absorbency textured surface.

7. The drum of claim 4 wherein the fluid is selected from a group consisting of:

builders, surfactants, enzymes, bleach activators, bleach catalysts, bleach boosters, bleaches, alkalinity sources, antibacterial agents, colorants, perfumes, pro-perfumes, finishing aids, lime soap dispersants, composition malodor control agents, odor neutralizers, polymeric dye transfer inhibiting agents, softening agents, anti-static agents, crystal growth inhibitors, photobleaches, heavy metal ion sequestrants, anti-tarnishing agents, anti-microbial agents, anti-oxidants, linkers, anti-redeposition agents, electrolytes, pH modifiers, thickeners, abrasives, divalent or trivalent ions, metal ion salts, enzyme stabilizers, corrosion inhibitors, diamines or polyamines and/or their alkoxylates, suds stabilizing polymers, solvents, process aids, fabric softening agents, optical brighteners, hydrotropes, suds or foam suppressors, suds or foam boosters, fabric softeners, antistatic agents, dye fixatives, dye abrasion inhibitors, anti-crocking agents, wrinkle reduction agents, wrinkle resistance agents, soil release polymers, soil repellency agents, sunscreen agents, anti-fade agents, and mixtures thereof.

8. The drum of claim 4 wherein the fluid is a perfume.

9. The drum of claim 1 wherein the inside surface comprises a plurality of baffles, and wherein the textured surface is disposed on at least one of the plurality of baffles.

10. The drum of claim 9 wherein the plurality of baffles are disposed along a portion of the inside surface defining an interior circumference of the drum.

11. The drum of claim 10 wherein textured surface is selected from a group consisting of:

a removable pad, a permanently attached pad, a removable pad liner with a covering, and a permanently attached pad liner with a covering.

12. The drum of claim 1 wherein the low absorbency textured surface is substantially non-absorbent.

13. The drum of claim 1 wherein the low absorbency textured surface is configured to absorb a portion of the sound of the fabric load moving in the interior.

14. The drum of claim 1 wherein the low absorbency textured surface is removable.

15. The drum of claim 14 wherein the textured surface comprises a structural attribute comprising at least one member selected from a group consisting of:

a plurality of directional fibers, an open cell structure, a closed cell structure, a plurality of break-away particulate surface substructures, a plurality of microparticulate substructures, a textured substrate, and acoating.

16. The drum of claim 14 wherein the removable textured surface is selected from a group consisting of:

a removable pad, a removable pad liner with a removable covering, and a permanently attached pad liner with a removable covering.

17. The drum of claim 14 further comprising fluid dispensing means for dispensing fluid from the textured surface.

18. The drum of claim 17 comprising an inner reservoir in fluid communication with the low absorbency textured surface for wicking fluid through the low absorbency textured surface.

19. The drum of claim 17 wherein the fluid is impregnated on the textured surface.

20. The drum of claim 14 wherein the low absorbency textured surface is substantially non-absorbent.

21. The drum of claim 14, wherein the inside surface comprises a plurality of baffles, and wherein the removable textured surface comprises a textured substrate surface disposed on at least one of the plurality of baffles.

22. The drum of claim 21 wherein the plurality of baffles are disposed along a portion of the inside surface defining an interior circumference of the drum.

23. The drum of claim 14 wherein the low absorbency textured surface is configured to absorb a portion of the sound of the fabric load moving in the interior.