U.S. patent application number 10/311037 was filed with the patent office on 2005-02-10 for inflated bag for cleaning clothes.
Invention is credited to Franzolin, Giorgio.
Application Number | 20050028290 10/311037 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 9894539 |
Filed Date | 2005-02-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050028290 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Franzolin, Giorgio |
February 10, 2005 |
Inflated bag for cleaning clothes
Abstract
This invention relates to a process for cleaning and/or
refreshing soiled fabric article(s) by placing the soiled fabric
article(s), together with a cleaning composition, into a bag,
sealing the bag, placing the bag into the drum of a laundry washing
machine, inflating the bag and running a wash cycle on the washing
machine. The invention also relates to a fabric cleaning and/or
refreshing kit.
Inventors: |
Franzolin, Giorgio; (Mirano,
IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Norris McLaughlin & Marcus
220 E 42nd Street 30th Floor
New York
NY
10017
US
|
Family ID: |
9894539 |
Appl. No.: |
10/311037 |
Filed: |
October 6, 2003 |
PCT Filed: |
June 26, 2001 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/GB01/02811 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
8/115.51 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C11D 17/041 20130101;
C11D 11/0017 20130101; D06F 43/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
008/115.51 |
International
Class: |
D06M 010/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 28, 2000 |
GB |
0015778.4 |
Claims
1. A process for cleaning and/or refreshing soiled fabric
article(s) comprising; the folowing two steps in either order 1)
placing the soiled fabric article(s) into a gas and water
impermeable bag so that the fabric article(s) are in contact with
the inside surface of the bag and a cleaning or refreshing
composition, and 2) placing the bag into the drum of a laundry
washing machine, and 3) sealing the bag, 4) inflating the bag with
a gas to an extent that it will occupy a major portion of the
volume of the drum, 5) running a wash cycle of the laundry washing
machine, 6) and removing the cleaned or refreshed fabric article(s)
from the bag.
2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the bag is inflated to
occupy substantially all of the volume of the drum.
3. The process according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bag is
inflated by introducing gas into the bag.
4. The process according to claim 3, wherein the gas simultaneously
serves as a carrier for introducing at least a portion of the
cleaning composition into the bag.
5. The process according to claim 4, wherein the gas serves as a
carrier for all of the cleaning composition.
6. A fabric cleaning or refreshing kit comprising, (a) one bag made
of gas and water impermeable flexible material having at least one
opening to introduce soiled fabric article(s), a sealing system to
seal the opening after introduction of the soiled fabric
article(s), and means to inflate the bag; and (b) at least one
cleaning and/or refreshing composition.
7. The kit according to claim 6, wherein the means for inflating
the bag is a one-way valve adapted to be connected to an air or gas
supply.
8. The kit according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the cleaning and/or
refreshing composition is provided in the form of an aerosol or
other system comprising a gaseous carrier.
Description
[0001] This invention relates to a process for cleaning and/or
refreshing soiled fabric article(s) by placing the soiled fabric
article(s), together with a cleaning composition, into a bag,
sealing the bag, placing the bag into the drum of a laundry washing
machine, inflating the bag and running a wash cycle on the washing
machine. The invention also relates to a fabric cleaning and/or
refreshing kit.
[0002] Typically, there are two different methods of cleaning
fabrics, namely, first, by immersing and agitating the fabrics in
an aqueous washing medium including detergent, typically in a
laundry washing machine, usually referred to as "laundry washing",
and, second, in particular for specific kinds of fabrics, by using
non-aqueous solvents in a specific process usually referred to as
"dry cleaning".
[0003] In dry cleaning, various hydrocarbon and halocarbon
solvents, such as trichloroethylene or perchloroethylene, have been
used as a cleaning medium to dissolve or disperse soils. Such
solvents typically exhibit a high evaporation rate so that they
readily volatilize after their application and can easily be
recovered. One of the most inconvenient disadvantages of a dry
cleaning process is that it is limited to commercial cleaning
operations, which employ expensive specialized equipment. Thus, the
consumer is not able to clean or refresh his garments by himself,
which is not only inconvenient, but also costly. Moreover, the use
of organic solvents having such high volatility tends to release
vapours, which are deleterious to human health. Although there is a
strict control of commercial dry cleaning operations, many
consumers are reluctant to use such services for ecological
considerations.
[0004] Various processes for dry cleaning processes to be carried
out in the home have been proposed in the art
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 3,432,253 is directed to a dry cleaning
process which involves placing in an air impermeable bag a fabric
to be cleaned and a quantity of dry cleaning agent, sealing the bag
to confine therein the fabric, the cleaning agent and a quantity of
cushioning air to help preventing wear of the fabric to be cleaned,
tumbling the bag to cause the cleaning agent to clean the fabric,
removing the cleaned fabric from the bag, and removing the cleaning
agent from the fabric.
[0006] GB 1 598 911 is directed to a method for cleaning garments
comprising the steps of placing the fabrics in a perforated
flexible bag, sealing the perforated bag and the fabric contained
therein in a liquid-impermeable flexible bag containing a dry
cleaning solvent, and agitating the second bag and its content in a
drum of a domestic washing or drying machine.
[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 4,336,024 is directed to a home dry cleaning
process and formulations useful in such process. This method
comprises the steps of applying to the textile material a quantity
of cleaning agent comprising an organic solvent, placing an
absorbent sheet in contact with the textile material, covering the
surface of the absorbent sheet not in contact with the textile
material within an impermeable sheet, forming the impermeable sheet
into a closed system encompassing the absorbent sheet and the
textile material, in particular forming the impermeable sheet into
a bag-like structure, spinning such closed system on the interior
surface of the drum of a washing machine to enable the cleaning
agent to migrate into the absorbent sheet, and removing the textile
material from the closed system.
[0008] PCT Application WO 93/23603 discloses a dry cleaning kit for
in-dryer use comprising a plastic bag to enclose in
vapour-impermeable manner a soiled fabric, and a fabric-cleaning
article, comprising a porous substrate sheet impregnated with a
gelled cleaning composition, as well as a process for the use of
this kit by placing the soiled fabric article and the
fabric-cleaning article into the plastic bag, closing and sealing
the bag, tumbling the bag in a hot air dryer, and removing the
cleaned fabric article from the bag.
[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,851 discloses a very similar home dry
cleaning process and in particular a specifically useful dry
cleaning composition to be used with such process.
[0010] A number of U.S. Patents, in particular U.S. Pat. Nos.
5,547,476, 5,630,847, and 5,630,848, are directed to an in-home dry
cleaning process, as well as to related formulations, comprising
the steps of placing the fabrics to be cleaned and the cleaning
composition within a flexible plastic bag, closing and sealing the
bag, placing said bag in a rotating apparatus, rotating the bag for
a specific time period, and removing the fabrics from the bag. The
preferred rotating apparatus for this process is a hot air dryer.
However, also a laundry washing machine could be used.
[0011] Although these prior art documents illustrate various
alternative approaches for home dry cleaning, they still have some
shortcomings and limitations.
[0012] In particular, none of those processes is specifically
designed for the use in the normal washing cycle of a laundry
washing machine. As the number of hot air dryers present in the
home is still low in most countries, a specifically designed
process and system for use in an automatic washing machine would be
extremely useful due to the larger numbers of such machines found
in the home.
[0013] Thus, it is an object of the invention to provide a process
for cleaning, preferably water-free cleaning, at home specifically
adapted for use with a laundry washing machine.
[0014] According to the first aspect of the present invention there
is provided a process for cleaning and/or refreshing soiled fabric
article(s) comprising, or preferably consisting essentially of;
[0015] the folowing two steps in either order
[0016] 1) placing the soiled fabric article(s) into a gas and water
impermeable bag so that the fabric article(s) are in contact with
the inside surface of the bag and a cleaning or refreshing
composition, and
[0017] 2) placing the bag into the drum of a laundry washing
machine, and
[0018] 3) sealing the bag,
[0019] 4) inflating the bag with a gas to an extent that it will
occupy a major portion of the volume of the drum,
[0020] 5) running a wash cycle of the laundry washing machine,
[0021] 6) and removing the cleaned or refreshed fabric article(s)
from the bag.
[0022] Advantageously, the bag is inflated to occupy substantially
all of the volume of the drum.
[0023] In a preferred embodiment, the bag is inflated by
introducing gas into the bag. The gas is ideally air which is
forced into the bag, for example, by means of a manual or powered
pump.
[0024] In a further preferred embodiment the gas simultaneously
serves as a carrier for introducing at least a portion, preferably
all of the cleaning composition into the bag.
[0025] According to a second aspect of the present invention there
is provided a fabric cleaning or refreshing kit comprising,
preferably consisting essentially of: (a) one bag made of gas and
water impermeable flexible material having at least one opening to
introduce soiled fabric article(s), a sealing system to seal the
opening after introduction of the soiled fabric article(s), and
means to inflate the bag; and (b) at least one cleaning and/or
refreshing composition.
[0026] In a preferred embodiment of the kit, the means for
inflating the bag is a one-way valve adapted to be connected to an
air or gas supply, and, optionally an air pump or compressed gas,
preferably air.
[0027] Advantageously the cleaning and/or refreshing composition is
already provided in the bag, ideally in the form of a solid or a
liquid, or can be added to bag prior to sealing the bag as a solid
or liquid. After sealing the bag the composition can be added in
the form of an aerosol or other system comprising a gaseous carrier
which is introduced into the bag. When the composition is in the
form of a liquid this may be added as is or within a rupturable
container. The container will rupture either when subjected to
agitation in the wash cycle of the washing machine or exposed to
elevated temperatures of 45.degree. C. to 95.degree. C. found in
the machine wash cycle of the washing machine. The composition may
contain components in the form which will evaporate at temperatures
of 45.degree. C. to 90.degree. C. found in the wash cycle, for
example perfumes or solvents, allowing for an even spread onto the
fabric.
[0028] Surprisingly, the inflation of the bag filled with the
fabrics to be cleaned, after the insertion of the bag into the drum
of a conventional domestic laundry washing machine, allows the
cleaning or refreshing process to be run in the normal cycle of the
washing machine in a very simple and effective way providing
numerous advantages over the prior art processes.
[0029] When using a normal washing cycle of conventional laundry
washing machines a reduction in the water consumption is achieved
without taking any special measures. Laundry washing machines
normally control the amount of incoming water with the aid of
sensors situated at a certain level in the cuvette of the machine.
As the inflated bag occupies a major portion, and preferably all of
the volume of the drum of the laundry washing machine, this level
is reached with only a fraction of the water that would be required
in the absence of the inflated bag. First results have shown that
the amount of water consumed was reduced to between 35 and 50% of
the normal water consumption.
[0030] When inflating the bag in the drum of the laundry washing
machine, the walls of the bag will be pressed to the interior walls
of the drum so that both the bag and the drum will rotate
integrally. This will specifically ensure a very effective tumbling
of the fabrics, which is a factor well known for effecting an
appropriate cleaning or refreshing performance, which is sometimes
difficult to achieve with the processes of the prior art.
[0031] A further advantage of an inflated bag is that it will
prevent uneven distribution of the weight load in the drum.
Finally, maximising the volume of the bag and therefore its surface
also maximises a heat transfer from the heated water into the
interior of the bag. Moreover, using the normal washing cycle of a
laundry washing machine with heated water results in a more even
heat transfer to the surface of the bag and avoids any "hot spots"
which may occur when using a hot air dryer. Thus, requirements of
the choice for the material of the bag are less restricted,
although very similar material as known from prior art can be used,
in particular polyethylene.
[0032] An important aspect of the present invention is that the bag
is formed from a material which is both gas and water impermeable
to ensure that the gas remains within the bag to hold the inflated
state and maintain the concentration of cleaning agent(s) during
the process, and to avoid leakage of water into the bag as this
would be detrimental in a dry cleaning procedure.
[0033] In the process according to the present invention the bag
filled with the soiled fabric article(s) to be cleaned and/or
refreshed will have to be inserted into the drum of the laundry
washing machine in a non-inflated (or at least not fully inflated)
state in order to facilitate entry into the machine. Although there
may be different means to inflate the bag after insertion into the
drum which are encompassed by the present invention, a preferred
way would be a one-way valve in the wall of the bag which can be
connected to an air or gas supply to introduce air or gas into the
bag to inflate it to its final state.
[0034] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the gas to
inflate the bag could simultaneously serve as a carrier for
introducing at least a portion of the cleaning composition into the
bag. Thus, the cleaning and/or refreshing composition could be
provided for in the form of an aerosol or other system comprising a
gaseous carrier. By inflating the bag with such gaseous system,
loaded with the cleaning and/or refreshing composition, this
cleaning and/or refreshing composition could be added to the system
in a very effective way, improving the even distribution of the
composition within the volume of the bag and onto the fabric
articles. Moreover, adding the cleaning and/or refreshing
composition in this specific form will avoid to use the usual means
for supplying such composition, namely a support (towellette or
others) having absorbed thereon the cleaning and/or refreshing
composition. This specific way of adding the cleaning and/or
refreshing composition would not only permit a more even
distribution and allow the cleaning and/or refreshing composition
to start acting from the moment of dosage, but will also avoid
direct contact of the fabrics with the concentrated compositions as
present on the usual support which may cause damages to the fabrics
by decoloration, spotting, etc.
[0035] The features disclosed in the foregoing description, and/or
in the claims may, both separately and in any combination thereof,
be material for realising the invention in diverse forms
thereof.
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