Wet Cleaning Method, And Washing Machine Having A Wet-cleaning Batch-processing Function For Same

Abstract

A wet cleaning method is disclosed, which does not use chemicals and still does not contract or crushes lines as in dry cleaning. The wet cleaning method includes steps for folding laundry to clean and putting in a mesh bag, tightening the mesh bag such that the laundry is tightened with compression, putting the laundry under the compression of the mesh bag into a drum of a washing machine, filling up the drum with water and cleaning the laundry in the drum, and rinsing the cleaned laundry.

Description

FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY

[0001] The present invention relates to a method of wet cleaning and a washing machine, more specifically to a method of wet cleaning and a washing machine having a batch processing function of wet cleaning.

BACKGROUND OF TECHNOLOGY

[0002] These days, it is called a transitional era changing from an IT era to an Eco-friendly GT (Green Technology) era. Due to pollution problems, commodities from houses to cars, electronic goods, and necessities may be sold well only if they are presented as eco-friendly. Further, as people pursue the Eco Life supporting eco-friendly consumption, such an eco-friendly consumption style is considered as an alternative life style in the days of high consumer price, which is sky-rocketing lately. In Korea, even the government encourages such eco-friendly trends such as "Green Hub Korea" or "Green Growth". In the USA, President Obama also implements the eco-friendly policies that began almost twenty years ago already. The inventor, an expert of washing machine, who has introduced the eco-friendly washing to USA and Canada for last seven years (out of 34 years of washing career) has felt sorry to observe that the wet cleaning which was supposed to be eco-friendly was far from being eco-friendly. Therefore, the inventor performed researches for better eco-friendly dry cleaning and has been convinced that the solvent used in dry cleaning at washing stations must be replaced by water for processing laundry, which is really eco-friendly and can be done. There are about 80,000 washing businesses (45,000 factories and 35,000 agencies) in the USA and about 35,000 washing businesses in the South Korea, and the dry cleaning solvent used in 70-80% of laundries in USA and Canada and about 10% of South Korean laundries is perchloroethylene (PERC). Due to its carcinogenic possibility the regulation on this solvent perc began in California, being spread to the other States in USA and the other countries. The regulating of the cleaning solvent polluting the environment is lead by USA and Italy. California State, New York State, Italy, etc. prohibit additional installation of washing machines using perc, and are disposing the washing machines using perc gradually. California has prohibited the perc machine already and plans to dispose all of them gradually by Year 2019, and New York ordered to install a sealed-off room in all the laundries. Also due to pollution of soil and water, many landlords are prohibiting the use of any kinds of solvent on the close of rent contract. Hydrocarbon solvent, an alternative solvent replacing the perc, is being used by about 20% of laundries, but since that solvent is a material extracted from petroleum and then refined, it cannot be considered to be environmentally safe entirely, and as it was known to destroy the ozone layer and pollute the atmosphere, the regulating has begun already. The most ideal alternative of the dry cleaning using solvent is wet cleaning, which processes the laundry with water. Therefore, the Environmental Protection Agency of USA selects one university per State, encourages the wet cleaning through seminars, and the State Government is paying subsidiary to the laundry businesses using the wet cleaning. California has supported the wet cleaning with subsidiary for a long time, and New Jersey Environmental Protection (DEP) is planning to support each laundry business with $25,000.about.$37,000 if the laundry business changes from the perc machine to the hydrocarbon or wet cleaning. Also in Korea, about 90% of laundry businesses are using inflammable solvents from petroleum, and it is harmful to humans and pollutes the atmosphere with the solvent evaporated when drying in air after cleaning. In the USA, many laundry businessmen using hydrocarbon use the word "organic" improperly to attract customers, but since they uses chemicals like the perc the laundry community admits that it is not eco-friendly cleaning. There are other dry cleaning solvents such as silicon, CO2, or other things, but even though they are not harmful, but surely they are still chemicals. The monitors in Environmental Organizations in the USA say that the alternatives to the perc used by the laundry businesses are just a little less harmful. A person from the National Cleaners Association (NCA) said "Many cleaners are misusing the words `organic` or `Environmentally friendly cleaning`. People understand it as `no-chemicals` according to common senses, but since the `organic material` indicates all the material with carbon including the perc, the word `organic` used by the cleaners can be misunderstood easily. Even though cleaned with some nuclear waste, it may be called `organic`." However, the reason why many cleaners in the USA and the world prefer dry cleaning to wet cleaning is because they do not have knowledge and know-how about wet cleaning and there is no innovative wet cleaning machine. In fact, many wet cleaning machines are appearing in the market in the USA. The wet cleaning washing machines being sold in the USA currently are headed by Miele of German-made and Wascomat of USA-made, and other washing machines are being developed by the water washing machine companies. Also, Aqua Solo (manufactured by Choongmoo Industry) imported from Korea by Korean Importers such as Hwasung is sold under various brands. However, they have some problems, such that many of the cleaners who have used them found problems such as contraction of fabric, color migration, and drying types and thought that it is too soon to go over to wet cleaning.

[0003] Wet cleaning processes the laundry all with water comparing to the conventional dry cleaning using solvent. The wet cleaning is drastically different from the regular water cleaning.

[0004] Wet cleaning is a method of cleaning using water, which minimizes contraction, color migration, and structural deformation of fabric that can be resulted when the laundry is soaked with water. That is, the wet cleaning is a cleaning method, which can clean the fabric, prone to be contracted or decolorized by a regular water washing, without contraction, color migration, and structural deformation of fabric.

[0005] The wet cleaning was introduced in the USA about 20 years ago, but it was just 10 years ago when the wet cleaning was implemented officially. The wet cleaning was introduced as an alternative to the perc as a result of heavy environmental regulation of the solvent, the perc. The first wet cleaning in the USA was an automated hand wash using a water washing machine, but it was not received well because of its non-efficiency, no economic efficiency, a weakness in handling grease stain, etc. Furthermore, it could not solve the problems of contraction, color migration, roughening due to washed out sizing of fabric, etc. What came after that was so called tensioning finishing equipment, which was a device for flattening the cloth by pulling the shrunk one. The cleaners using the wet cleaning asserted that they finalized the wet cleaning with the finishing equipment. However, in fact, it is far from a completion. Even the wet cleaning method by the best wet cleaning machine gave an impression that the wet cleaning is a cleaning method for ruining clothes due to the wrong way and the poor function (including the program). As pointed out previously, the wet cleaning machines could not solve the problems of contraction (especially for 100% wool), color migration, creasing and roughening (disappearance of sizing), etc.

[0006] In the regular water wash, there were problems of disappearance of plumb lines and contraction due to crushed sewing lines.

[0007] Also, the conventional wet cleaning has the problems of disappearance of plumb lines and contraction due to crushed sewing lines, which could not make a big difference from the general water washing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

Technological Problems to Solve

[0008] The inventor found the problems and their reasons in the wet cleaning while teaching eco-friendly cleaning method to the cleaners in USA and Canada for 7 years (out of 34 years of career). The market of wet cleaning is now just beginning in Korea, but is becoming general in USA and Canada.

[0009] One thing that all the cleaners agree to is that the wet cleaning washes more cleanly than dry cleaning. However, everyone hesitates to use the wet cleaning due to the problems of contraction and deformation of clothes.

[0010] In fact, if washing using the wet cleaning known to the community so past, jackets or trousers of 100% wool contract and the sewing lines get crushed, making plumb lines disappear. And, usually the linings of 100% acetate shrink after cleaning. There might be some degree of difference, but overall the problems are same.

[0011] The problems of the conventional wet cleaning and their reasons are as follows.

[0012] 1. Problem of contraction of clothes including 100% wool

[0013] (Reason 1) The clothes contract due to the mechanical action in washing.

[0014] The all-wool clothes cannot be prevented from contracting due to the mechanical action in spite of all the controlling of quantity and temperature of water, detergent, amount of detergent, and the speed and time of rotation of washing machine.

[0015] Some say that it is possible to clean softly without deformation if lowering the speed of drum than the regular washing machines according to cleaning program in order to reduce damage to the fabric in water.

[0016] However, the laundry immersed in water and located below is washed while being pressed down by the weight of water and the weight of other wet laundry in the above. In such a case, due to the rotation of drum and falling by rotation, the laundries are entangled with and rubbed against one another, destroying the fabric material fabricated in production. Therefore, the inner sewing lines of jackets and trousers are crushed, the plumb lines disappear, and also the linings of 100% acetate shrunk.

[0017] (Reason 2) Contraction due to high RPM in spin-drying.

[0018] The wet cleaning system performs a high speed spin-drying to shorten drying time by shedding off as much water as possible from the laundries, but because of this deep and small creases are set in the fabric, contracting the laundries.

[0019] (Reason 3) Contraction in the process of flattening in a dryer.

[0020] The deep creases and foldings formed by high power spin-drying are not flattened easily if being pressed after natural drying, lowering the productivity. Therefore, right after spin-drying it is supposed to be spun in cold air before taking out, and then have the creases flattened out while providing steam for a few minutes. From the wet laundries of 100% wool or shrinkable fabric, the creases can be flattened out by heat in the dryer. However, the physical force from friction and entanglement deforms and contracts them.

[0021] 2. The fabric deforms quickly and accumulated detergent residues make the laundries smell later.

[0022] According to many wet cleaning cleaners in US, the customers wondered why the 100% wool suits get old so quickly.

[0023] That is, they said that the edge of the sleeves gets worn fast, loosening threads, and the entrance to pockets and ends of cuffs get worn off, making the suit look very old.

[0024] For example, suppose that a customer has the cleaner clean his suit made of 100% wool with wet cleaning once a month. It is worthwhile to think how the suit changed with time.

[0025] Most of wet cleaning laundries, in order to minimize the contraction of fabric, use small amount of water with chemicals such as detergent, sizing, conditioner, etc., resulting in a lot of bubbles. This must be rinsed 2-3 times to get rid of the chemicals from the suit, but sometimes they just dry it without a rinse at all.

[0026] If the rinse is not done properly to shorten the time when the laundries are in water, the detergent and other chemicals may remain in the laundries. Therefore, if wet cleaning is applied to the same suit more than one or two times, then the detergent must be accumulated in the suit and gets smelly, such that the customer would complain so. And, if the rinse is not enough, the laundries are not clean and the natural softness and touch of them are replaced with those of toughness and stickiness.

[0027] Another test may be performed.

[0028] Gathering clothes washed with wet cleaning for a while and cleaning them without any detergent may be tested. Most probably, a lot of bubbles may be observed in the drum of the washing machine. Since the rinse was not enough, it is that the soap or other chemicals from wet cleaning accumulated in the clothes found their way into water.

[0029] Dry cleaning is not very different, either. Also in dry cleaning, cleaning is done with a lot of detergent and chemicals. If gathering the laundries washed for a while with dry cleaning and trying regular water cleaning in a washing machine, one must observe the same bubbles again.

[0030] It is a serious problem for us to think that the detergent and chemicals have been accumulated in the laundries so as to make lots of bubbles in simple water cleaning. Any cleaning method which leaves lots of detergent and chemicals behind in the laundries cannot be called clean or eco-friendly.

[0031] 3. Pulling equipment must be installed to recover the contracted clothes.

[0032] Shrinking of cloth means that the fiber and the fabric were deformed already, meaning that the cloth is damaged already. Therefore, pulling the shrunk cloth with equipment may result in another round of deformation. If they are shrunk and stretched every time of washing, such clothes surely cannot last long. However, the cleaners could not give the shrunk clothes to the customer, and they must try to recover them from shrinkage even with pulling-out, and that was why they needed the pulling equipments.

[0033] 4. Various special detergent and chemicals must have been used.

[0034] Another complaint from the wet cleaning cleaners is the high cost for detergent and special chemicals. The wet cleaning cleaners in US use soaps and chemicals for wet cleaning, which cost them $600 to $1000 a month in average.

[0035] The manufacturers of wet cleaning machine or the cleaners using them have a fixed idea that wet cleaning is done by the wet cleaning machine and that they must use special kinds of soap and chemicals for wet cleaning.

[0036] However, wet cleaning can be done using a neutral detergent sold in the general market without contracting or shrinking and at a low cost, resulting in an eco-friendly cleaning without special chemicals.

[0037] Because of the above problems, most cleaners think that wet cleaning has a serious limit and so it cannot replace the dry cleaning. Also, even though they know that water can get rid of stains for a good cleaning, the cleaners dare not try to clean with water.

[0038] But, if a right type of wet cleaning machine is given, any one can clean 100% wool without contraction or deformation at home with no special knowledge using the eco-friendly cleaning method.

[0039] It is a general impression about the wet cleaning method that if one use a conventional wet cleaning method in a cleaner's store, the clothes get shrunk and creased, have the linings shrunk, and it takes longer to press due to the crease's disappearing.

[0040] However, according to the wet cleaning method of the invention, the above would turn out to be untrue. And the results of the wet cleaning method of the invention are more excellent and much cleaner than dry cleaning or conventional wet cleaning. It can be compared to the dry cleaning in productivity.

[0041] The object of the invention is to provide a wet cleaning method of cleaning 100% wool without contraction or deformation, which could not be done with the conventional wet cleaning method.

[0042] Another object of the invention is to provide a wet cleaning method, which can clean using regular home washing machine or regular business-type washing machine, not a wet cleaning washing machine sold in the market currently, performing cleaning as if performed with dry cleaning.

[0043] Still another object of the invention is to provide a wet cleaning method, which is eco-friendly and much excellent than the conventional wet cleaning methods.

[0044] Still another object of the invention is to provide a wet cleaning method, which solves the shrinking problems of 100% wool, Cashmere, Linen, Rayon, etc. in a regular water cleaning. (Silk is not included though.)

[0045] Still another object of the invention is to provide a wet cleaning washing machine, which realizes the wet cleaning method according to the invention.

[0046] Still another object of the invention is to provide a wet cleaning method and a wet cleaning washing machine, which is comparable to dry cleaning in effectiveness (productivity) and more excellent than the dry cleaning in eco-friendliness.

Solutions to Problems

[0047] A wet cleaning method according to the invention comprises steps for folding a laundry to clean and putting in a mesh bag, tightening the mesh bag such that the laundry is tightened with compression, putting the laundry under the compression of the mesh bag into a drum of a washing machine, filling up the drum with water and cleaning the laundry in the drum, and rinsing the cleaned laundry.

[0048] The method preferably further comprises a step for spin-drying of the rinsed laundry.

[0049] The method may further comprise a step for putting neutral detergent into the washing machine prior to the step for washing.

[0050] The step for the cleaning may comprise a step for washing the laundries for 2 minutes to 10 minutes according to kinds and states of fabric in cold water, preferably for 3 minutes to 5 minutes.

[0051] The step for rinsing may be repeated two of more times, preferably 3 times. Sometimes the number of rinsing may be increased or decreased according to the states (such as the degree of accumulation of soap or chemicals) of the laundries.

[0052] The step for spin-drying may be performed with an RPM of the washing machine below about 600, preferably about 500.

[0053] The step for spin-drying may increase the RPM of the washing machine slowly, stay at the maximum speed for 5 to 10 seconds, and then stop. Preferably, the overall time for the step for spin-drying is not exceeding 1 minute. If the time gets longer than 1 minute, creases get more and more in the laundries.

[0054] A washing machine having a batch processing function of wet cleaning comprises a drum installed rotatably, a motor for rotating the drum, a loader having a water-supplying valve and a water-draining pump or a water-draining valve, a key input for a user's inputting information, a memory for storing a washing machine-operating algorithm and cleaning related information, a display for displaying information regarding cleaning according to input data from the key input, and a controller for controlling operations of the load portion by outputting control signals to a driver for driving the load portion, the memory, and the display according to data inputted from the key input,

[0055] wherein the memory stores wet cleaning data comprising a cleaning data for filling water the drum and cleaning the laundry received in the drum, a rinsing data for rinsing the cleaned laundry, and a spin-drying data for spin-drying the rinsed laundry,

[0056] wherein the rinsing data comprises data for performing the step for rinsing,

[0057] wherein the key input comprises a wet cleaning selector for the user to select the wet cleaning,

[0058] wherein the washing machine is configured, such that if a wet cleaning starting key is pressed when the wet cleaning selector is chosen after putting the laundry to clean into a mesh bag, making the laundry received in the mesh bag compressed by tightening the mesh bag, and putting the laundry into the drum of the washing machine, the wet cleaning data stored in the memory are read out by the controller, and the load portion is controlled by the read-out wet cleaning data, so as to perform the steps for cleaning, rinsing, and spin-drying in batch.

[0059] The cleaning data preferably comprises data for the step for cleaning for 2 to 10 minutes according to kinds of fabric and states of the laundries in cold water.

[0060] The spin-drying data preferably comprises data for spin-drying performed with a low RPM of the washing machine below about 600, preferably about 500.

[0061] The wet cleaning selector is provided with an independent function key, or the display is a touch screen and the key input including the wet cleaning selector are preferably disposed on the touch screen of the display.

[0062] Preferably, in the key input is provided a wet cleaning educating selector, in the memory are stored letters, image, video clips or their mixed educating data for explaining the wet cleaning method to the user, and if the wet cleaning educating selector is chosen and executed the controller controls the memory and the display such that the educating data is outputted to the display.

[0063] The spin-drying data is preferably data for making a total time of spin-drying within 1 minute.

[0064] The spin-drying data is preferably data for increasing the RPM of the washing machine slowly, staying at the maximum speed for 5 to 10 seconds, and then stopping.

[0065] The cleaning data is preferably data for cleaning for 3 to 5 minutes.

[0066] Preferably in the memory is further stored a regular cleaning data for regular water washing.

[0067] In the memory are stored letters, image, video clips or their mixed educating data for explaining the wet cleaning method to the user, and if the wet cleaning educating selector is chosen and executed or according to the user's selection after selecting the wet cleaning selector is chosen the controller controls the memory and the display such that the educating data is outputted to the display.

[0068] A speaker may be provided in the washing machine, and the educating data may further comprise audio data.

[0069] The invention of the above constitutions provides an eco-friendly wet cleaning method of cleaning laundries, which are prone to be contracted and deformed during cleaning such as 100% wool, without contracting and deforming and a washing machine realizing the wet cleaning method.

[0070] The invention enables to clean like in a dry cleaning using home washing machine or business-type washing machine without the expensive conventional wet cleaning machine.

[0071] The wet cleaning method of the invention is eco-friendly and excellent compared to the conventional wet cleaning method.

Advantages

[0072] The eco-friendly cleaning according to the wet cleaning method of the invention is more advanced than the dry cleaning or the conventional wet cleaning in followings:

[0073] 1. The laundries are not contracted, deformed, or damaged.

[0074] The wet cleaning method according to the invention enables cleaning without contraction and deformation as in dry cleaning by controlling how to put the laundries into the washing machine and other programs such as wash cycle, water amount, water temperature, spin-drying time, RPM (number of revolution of drum a minute), etc. The laundries are not contracted, deformed, or damaged.

[0075] 2. Water is used instead of solvent.

[0076] The wet cleaning method according to the invention cleans the laundries without contraction or deformation without using special chemicals such as perc used in the dry cleaning, hydrocarbon, CO2, silicon, etc.

[0077] 3. The cost is reduced.

[0078] The wet cleaning method according to the invention can be performed by anyone using regular home or business-type washing machine, not the expensive wet cleaning machine.

[0079] 4. It is a really eco-friendly cleaning method.

[0080] Since it is a cleaning method using a little bit of regular soap or not, the cost of soap or chemical can be saved.

[0081] Since it is a cleaning method that gets rid of soap or chemical accumulated in the laundries, it is really eco-friendly.

[0082] 5. It is smell-free.

[0083] Since no special chemicals except a little bit of neutral soap are used, it does not smell.

[0084] 6. The laundries are light and their color is brighter than one cleaned by dry cleaning.

[0085] Since the eco-friendly cleaning method according to the invention gets rid of soap or chemicals accumulated during the dry cleaning or the conventional wet cleaning, the laundries get much lighter and their color gets brighter.

[0086] 7. It is good to health, for the chemicals are removed from the laundries.

[0087] The environmental problems resulted from the conventional cleaning method might induce diseases such as dermatitis, allergy, or atopy, and since the eco-friendly cleaning method removes the soap or chemicals, it is the eco-friendly cleaning method, which does not make trouble to the health.

[0088] The `eco-friendly cleaning` in the present application may be defined to be a cleaning method, which is not dry cleaning using solvent and cleans the laundries such as 100% wool, prone to be contracted or deformed by a regular water washing, without contraction or deformation using water only.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0089] FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining a wet cleaning method according to the invention;

[0090] FIGS. 2 through 8 are pictures showing exemplary procedures of folding a pair of trousers, putting it into a mesh bag, and tightening;

[0091] FIGS. 9 through 13 are pictures for explaining an example of how to fold a suit;

[0092] FIGS. 14 though 18 are pictures for explaining an example of how to fold a sweater;

[0093] FIG. 19 is a partially enlarged picture showing a plumb line of 100% wool trousers cleaned by the wet cleaning method of the invention;

[0094] FIG. 20 is a picture showing enlarged edge of the trousers after wet cleaning in FIG. 19;

[0095] FIG. 21 is a picture showing enlarged inner sewing line of the trousers after wet cleaning in FIG. 19;

[0096] FIG. 22 is a picture showing enlarged seam of the inner sewing line of the trousers after wet cleaning in FIG. 19;

[0097] FIG. 23 is a block diagram showing a washing machine for realizing a wet cleaning method according to the invention; and

[0098] FIG. 24 is a flow chart showing an exemplary operation of the washing machine in a case of selecting a wet cleaning selector (112) of FIG. 23.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF INVENTION

[0099] Below, preferable embodiments of the invention are described referring to the figures.

[0100] FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining a wet cleaning method according to the invention.

[0101] The wet cleaning method according to the invention comprises a step S1 for folding the laundry to clean and putting the same into a mesh bag. The laundry is folded many times before putting into the mesh bag so as to be received in the mesh bag well. How to fold the laundries is going to be described in detail.

[0102] Then the mesh bag is tightened such that the laundry received in the mesh bag is compressed S2.

[0103] The laundries tightened and compressed by the mesh bags are put in the drum of the washing machine S3.

[0104] The drum of the washing machine is filled with cold water, and cleans the laundries received in the drum S4.

[0105] Here, the cold water is water supplied by running water at a room temperature. It might be different according to the regions and the seasons, and usually the temperature of the cold water might be 10 to 15 degrees in Celsius. The water temperature may be suitable from 10 degrees to 20 degrees with 15 degrees at the center. Sometimes a cold water under 10 degrees may be used in the present invention. The amount of water is to soak all the laundries in the drum enough. In the process of filling the drum with the cold water, it is preferable to spin the drum slowly. A suitable amount of neutral detergent may be used as detergent. Sometimes the detergent may not be put in, and cleaning may be done without any detergent. It is because the laundries may have soap or chemicals accumulated already therein.

[0106] The cleaning may be performed for 3 to 5 minutes in the cold water. In a case of business-type washing machine for cleaning shirts, if the speed and the head of the drum are big, it may be within 3 minutes. And it is possible to clean for over 5 minutes, but it is not recommendable from the view of time and cleaning efficiency. If possible the cleaning by wet cleaning may be done within 5 minutes.

[0107] Discharging water is preferably performed for not more than 15 seconds if possible, and the drum may be spun softly during the water discharging.

[0108] After spin-drying, the drum is filled again with the cold water and rinsing is performed S5. The rinsing is performed by filling the drum with enough water and spinning the drum for 5 to 10 seconds. Such rinsing step may be performed preferably 3 times. It is OK with four or more times of rinsing, but the time and cost would increase. If it bubbles up even after 3 times of rinsing, more rinsing may be needed.

[0109] After the rinsing step, the drum may be spun slowly and spin-drying is performed S6. If possible, the spin-drying may be performed as the RPM of the drum is increased to about 500, when it reached the maximum speed of about 500 the spin-drying is performed for about 5 to 10 seconds, the drum decelerates, and then stops. In such a case, the maximum RPM speed of the drum may be about 600 possibly, in which creases are increased more or less comparing to 500, and then it is desirable to shorten the time of spin-drying in order to reduce the creases.

[0110] When the drum stops, the mesh bags are taken out of the drum, and the laundries are taken out of the mesh bags and dried on hangers for natural drying S7.

[0111] In the above case, there is no contraction or deformation in the laundries. That is, if the cleaning is done with the wet cleaning method according to the invention, the laundries can be cleaned without contraction or deformation without using chemicals such as perc which was used in the dry cleaning.

[0112] However, the followings are not guaranteed contraction-free using the wet cleaning method of the invention.

[0113] 1. Clothes cleaned by the regular wet cleaning, for they were shrunk by the regular wet cleaning and stretched by press or ironing.

[0114] 2. Very old all-wool laundries, for they were made by incomplete fabricating method.

[0115] 3. Custom-tailored all-wool suits, for the seam were made to be shrunk when soaked by water.

[0116] 4. Clothes made of bad fibers having improper weight and length in manufacturing. The wet cleaning method of the invention as in the above is suitable to clean 100% wool, cashmere, linen, rayon, etc., which may be contracted in regular water cleaning, but silk is not included.

[0117] FIGS. 2 through 8 are pictures showing exemplary procedures of folding a pair of trousers, putting it into a mesh bag, and tightening.

[0118] First, as shown in FIG. 2, a pair of trousers 10 to do wet cleaning is put neatly on a side on a table 20 as if to hang on a hanger. In this state, the sewing line 12 is disposed along a center of the trousers in a direction of length of the trousers 10. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the portion of the trousers 10 from waist to a trouser cuffs is folded at a location where the cloth sticks out by about one inch from the sewing line 12 shown in FIG. 2 as a base line. In FIG. 3, the sewing line 12 is not seen because it was covered by the cloth. By this, the sewing line 12 of the trousers 10 and the folded portion are disposed substantially parallel to each other with an interval of about one inch. The redundant cloth strips of about 0.5 inch remain on both right and left sides in the trousers 10 after sewing, and the trousers 10 is folded where the sewing line 12 sticks out by about one inch, in order to prevent the redundant strips from being creased. If the redundant strips are creased, they must be flattened by ironing after cleaning, which is inconvenient.

[0119] In a state of being folded long by side, they are folded in half with top on bottom as shown in FIG. 4, and as shown in FIG. 5 they are folded in half one more time. Preferably, as shown in FIG. 6, they are folded in the same direction in half once again.

[0120] In a state of being folded as shown in FIG. 6, as shown in FIG. 7 the folded trousers 10 are put into the mesh bag 30, tied solid by tightening the mesh bag 30 as shown in FIG. 8, put into the drum of the washing machine, and as described in the above, they can be cleaned through the steps for cleaning, rinsing, and spin-drying along with the other laundries. The steps for cleaning, rinsing, and spin-drying performed by the washing machine are going to be described in more detail in the explanation of the washing machine according to the invention.

[0121] The reason for tightening the laundries is to minimize the mechanical force on the laundries in the machine and movement. By compressing the laundries so as to make the fiber structures have tension and counteract the shrinking force of the fibers, the contraction can be prevented, and the structural damages of the laundries caused by frictions among one another (laundries against laundries, laundries against the drum of washing machine) can be prevented. If the mesh bag is tightened loosely, too many creases may be resulted and the laundries can be contracted or deformed by friction caused by minute movement in the mesh bag.

[0122] FIGS. 9 through 13 are pictures for explaining an example of how to fold a suit.

[0123] First, as shown in FIG. 9, a jacket 40 is put on a floor or the table 20 neatly and buttoned up. Then as shown in FIG. 10, the jacket 40 is flipped on the other side neatly. In such a state, with a center line 42 in the center of the right and left sides as a center, as shown in FIG. 11, both arms 44 are folded inward symmetrically and the shoulder lines are puffed up. Then as shown in FIG. 12, the jacket 40 is folded in half, and then as shown in FIG. 13, it is folded in half with top on bottom one more time.

[0124] Afterward, the jacket 40 folded as shown in FIG. 13 is put into the mesh bag as explained referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, tightened and tied hard, put into the drum of the washing machine, and cleaned with the steps for cleaning, rinsing, and spin-drying described in the above.

[0125] FIGS. 14 though 18 are pictures for explaining an example of how to fold a sweater.

[0126] How to fold the sweater 50 is follows.

[0127] As shown in FIG. 14, the sweater 50 is placed on the table 20, and if there are zippers or buttons, fasten them. Then, as shown in FIG. 15, fold the sweater 50 in half with the left side on top of the right side. Thus, both arms 52 are folded together, and the torso 54 is folded on itself Then, fold the folded arms 52 onto the folded torso 54, making the arms 52 folded on the torso 54 as shown in FIG. 16. Afterward, fold the torso 54 and the arms 52 from top to bottom once as shown in FIG. 17, and fold one more time as shown in FIG. 18. Put the folded sweater as shown in FIG. 18 into the mesh bag as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, tighten and tie, put them into the drum of the washing machine along with other laundries, and then execute cleaning, rinsing, and spin-drying.

[0128] FIG. 19 is a partially enlarged picture showing a plumb line of 100% wool trousers cleaned by the wet cleaning method of the invention.

[0129] FIG. 19 is a partially enlarged picture showing a sound state of a plumb line 14 of 100% wool trousers cleaned by the wet cleaning method of the invention, FIG. 20 is a picture showing enlarged edge of the trousers after wet cleaning in FIG. 19, FIG. 21 is a picture showing enlarged inner sewing line of the trousers after wet cleaning in FIG. 19, and FIG. 22 is a picture showing enlarged seam of the inner sewing line of the trousers after wet cleaning in FIG. 19.

[0130] As shown in FIGS. 19 through 22, the all-wool trousers cleaned by the wet cleaning method of the invention do not show substantial difference from trousers cleaned by the dry cleaning.

[0131] As shown in FIG. 19, the line 14 is there intact in the all-wool trousers cleaned by the wet cleaning method of the invention. This is because the cloth of the all-wool trousers 10 is not contracted.

[0132] Also, as shown in FIG. 20, the end portion of cuff 16 of the trousers 10 cleaned by the wet cleaning method of the invention is not crushed and remains as it was.

[0133] And the all-wool trousers 10 cleaned by the wet cleaning method of the invention, as shown in FIG. 21, have sewing lines 12 in the trousers 10, which are not crushed as if done by the dry cleaning. Also, as shown in FIG. 22, the inner sewing lines 12 and seam 18 of the all-wool trousers 10 are not crushed.

[0134] As a result of tests performed by the inventor, the all-wool trousers 10 cleaned by the wet cleaning method of the invention were 100% not contracted as if cleaned by the dry cleaning, and they were not contracted but they were as slick as artificial fiber trousers.

[0135] That is, the all-wool trousers 10 cleaned by the wet cleaning method of the invention have the same states as an all-wool trousers which were cleaned by the dry cleaning. It holds true for an all-wool jacket and sweater.

[0136] FIG. 23 is a block diagram showing a washing machine for realizing a wet cleaning method according to the invention, and FIG. 24 is a flow chart showing an exemplary operation of the washing machine in a case of selecting a wet cleaning selector 112 of FIG. 23.

[0137] A washing machine 100 having a batch processing function of wet cleaning is to select the wet cleaning of the invention described in the above and perform it. For this, in a key input 110 is provided the wet cleaning selector 112. In this key input 110 are provided buttons needed to select conventional functions such as a start button for starting the operation of the washing machine in addition to the wet cleaning selector 112. In the memory 120 are stored wet cleaning data 122 for performing the steps of S4.about.S6 in FIG. 1, more specifically, the procedures shown in FIG. 24. This is one of features of the washing machine 100 having a batch processing function of wet cleaning. This wet cleaning data 122 may be changed and set within ranges (as described in the steps S4.about.S6 in the above).

[0138] If a starting signal is applied from the key input 110 in a state in which the wet cleaning selector 112 is selected by the above, a controller 130 reads out the wet cleaning data 122, and controls the operations of a motor 142 for rotating the drum 140, a draining pump 144 for draining, a supplying valve 146 for water supplying, etc. according to the read wet cleaning data. This is also another feature of the washing machine 100 having a batch processing function of wet cleaning.

[0139] In the state with the wet cleaning selector 112 selected, before the starting signal from the key input 110 is applied, steps for selecting the kind of the laundries, displaying how to fold the laundries according to the selected kinds, etc. in the display 150 may be performed.

[0140] And the washing machine 100 having a batch processing function of wet cleaning may provide in the key input 110 a wet cleaning educating selector 114 for educating the wet cleaning method of the invention, and in such a case a wet cleaning method educating data 124 must be stored in the memory 120. For the wet cleaning method educating data 124, letters, image, video clips, or their mixed education data for explaining the wet cleaning method of the invention to the user may be stored.

[0141] The controller 130, if the wet cleaning educating selector 114 is selected and executed, controls the memory 120 and the display 150 such that the wet cleaning method educating data 124 are outputted to a screen of the display 150. This is for explaining the wet cleaning method of the invention to users including the house keepers so as to help them to perform it easily. This is also another feature of the washing machine 100 having a batch processing function of wet cleaning, which is different from the conventional washing machines.

[0142] In cases, the wet cleaning method educating data 124 described in the above helps the users to perform the wet cleaning method of the invention easily by displaying how to fold the laundries in the display 150 according to the kinds of the laundries to clean in the state with the wet cleaning selector 112 selected. For example, when the users select the wet cleaning selector 112, it can help the users to perform the wet cleaning method of the invention easily by having the users select whether the laundries are suit jacket, sweater, wool trousers, etc. and if the kind of the laundries is inputted, displaying in order the steps for folding the laundries, putting the folded laundries into the mesh bags, compressing the laundries by tightening the mesh bags, and putting the laundries into the washing machine and closing the door to the washing machine.

[0143] Recently, new material has been developed for clothes, but the professional cleaners do not like to clean the clothes made of such a new material, and sometimes they damage such expensive laundries. The same is true to the house keepers. The washing machine having a batch processing function of wet cleaning provides a wet cleaning educating function for educating users to learn the technology needed for the eco-friendly cleaning. The wet cleaning method of the invention may be taught to the users so as to learn and repeat the wet cleaning method by explaining with video clips through the display 150 attached to the washing machine 100 rather than with booklets. The education data is not limited to the cleaning method according to the invention.

[0144] In the memory 120 of the washing machine having a batch processing function of wet cleaning may be stored question data such as the followings and their answer data.

[0145] How can I clean by a regular water cleaning program?, What is the water cleaning?, What is the wet cleaning?, How can I do the water cleaning or the wet cleaning?, What are the kinds of fabric?, What are the kinds of detergent?, How can I use different detergent?, etc.

[0146] Besides, the program may be developed so as to provide technology and information allowing the users to select various necessary points.

[0147] Additionally, in the washing machine 100 having a batch processing function of wet cleaning may be basically provided a power supply 160, a door switch 162, a heater 164, a load portion driver 166, a speaker 168, etc.

[0148] Also, in the key input 110 may be provided a regular cleaning selector 116 for selecting the conventional regular cleaning. In the memory 120 should be basically provided a washing machine operating program 126 for controlling operations of the washing machine. In cases, the memory 120 may be provided in the controller 130 partially or entirely. Also, if it is not a washing machine for cleaning according to the wet cleaning method of the invention only, in the memory 120 may be preferably stored the regular cleaning data 128 for conventional regular cleaning, too.

[0149] If the wet cleaning method, the eco-friendly cleaning method invented by the inventor as described in the above, is programmed and can be educated by displaying in the display 150 the educating data for performing the method, the eco-friendly wet cleaning method according to the invention may be spread to the whole world and helpful to prevent the environmental pollution of the Earth. Also, every home may be able to try the eco-friendly cleaning by the wet cleaning method of the invention.

[0150] If the washing machine is made, which is able to perform the steps S4.about.S6 of the invention as shown in FIG. 1 or the procedures in FIG. 24 just by pressing the starting button by the user's selecting the wet cleaning selector 112, through which the washing machine operating program 126 executed in the controller 130 reads out the wet cleaning data 122 stored in the memory 120, then the wet cleaning method of the invention may be able to be executed most effectively in the washing machine 100.

[0151] The wet cleaning selector 112 may be provided as a function key. If the display 150 is a touch screen, the key input 110 including the wet cleaning selector 112 may be displayed preferably on an initial screen of the display 150.

[0152] There was no a wet cleaning machine which can clean laundries like the dry cleaning so far, but if cleaning according to the wet cleaning method of the invention using the washing machine according to the invention as in the above, the laundries can be cleaned by the wet cleaning almost like the dry cleaning. The procedures of cleaning using the washing machine shown in FIG. 23 are described below.

[0153] First, fold the laundries as described in the above, put them in the mesh bags, tighten them, open the door to the washing machine, and put them into the drum. Put a small amount of neutral detergent into a detergent hole. In cases, the neutral detergent may not be used.

[0154] If turning on the power while locking the door to the washing machine, selecting the wet cleaning selector 112 from the key input 110, and pressing the starting button, the washing machine operating program 126 loaded in the controller 130 reads out the wet cleaning data 122 from the memory 120, and controls operations of the load portion such as the motor 142, the supplying valve 146, the draining pump 144, etc., performing cleaning, rinsing, spin-drying, etc. through the load portion driver 166 following the wet cleaning data 122.

[0155] In cases, the operations of some components of the load portion may be controlled directly by the controller 130, not through the load portion driver 166. Since this is a well-known technology and any one with an ordinary skill in the art can realized easily, its explanation is omitted here.

[0156] The entire procedures of the washing machine 100 such as cleaning, rinsing, and spin-drying according to the wet cleaning data 122 may be appropriately about 15 minutes, but it may be increased or decreased more or less according to the time for cleaning, water supplying, draining, rinsing, and spin-drying.

[0157] The more detailed wet cleaning processes are explained below.

[0158] First, fill up the drum 140 with cold water by opening the supplying valve 146 S21. The amount of water is appropriate if it can soak the laundries enough. On the other hand, the drum 140 may be rotated slowly by operating the motor 142 through the load portion driver 166 while filling up water. If the water supplying is done, close the supplying valve 146, and perform cleaning by rotating the drum 140 by operating the motor 142 for about 2 to 10 minutes, preferably about 3 to 5 minutes S22. If the cleaning is done, stop the motor 142 or reduce the speed, and drain water from the drum 140 by operating the draining pump 144 S23. Draining is preferably done for about 15 seconds as fast as possible. It is preferable to rotate the motor 142 softly during the draining.

[0159] Then, fill the drum 140 with cold water by operating the supplying valve 146 and perform rinsing. Rotate the drum for about 5 to 10 seconds after filling the drum 140 enough with water. Drain again S24. Draining may be preferably as fast as possible. Such a rinsing may be preferably performed 1 time to 4 times. Preferably, perform 3 times.

[0160] If rinsing is done, spin-dry while rotating the drum 140 slowly S25. The RPM of the drum 140 may be increased slowly to 500. Once the RPM of the drum 140 reaches 500, spin-dry for about 5 to 10 seconds, and then preferably decelerate to stop.

[0161] After the spin-drying as in the above, as in the regular cleaning, if the drum 140 stops to rotate, open the door to the washing machine, take out the laundries, and dry them naturally. Of course, the laundry must be taken out from the loosened mesh bag before drying.

[0162] The laundries cleaned by the wet cleaning method of the invention and dried naturally does not contract or deform as in the dry cleaning using chemicals. The effect that the lines on the trousers do not disappear can be obtained.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0163] The wet cleaning method according to the invention may be performed in home as well as professional laundry facilities. By installing necessary cleaning program for the method of the invention in the washing machine, it can be done more effectively.

Claims

1. A wet cleaning method comprising steps for: folding a laundry to clean and putting in a mesh bag; tightening the mesh bag such that the laundry is tightened with compression; putting the laundry under the compression of the mesh bag into a drum of a washing machine; filling up the drum with water and cleaning the laundry in the drum; and rinsing the cleaned laundry.

2. The wet cleaning method of claim 1, further comprising a step for spin-drying of the rinsed laundry.

3. The wet cleaning method of claim 1, further comprising a step for putting neutral detergent into the washing machine prior to the step for washing.

4. The wet cleaning method of claim 1, wherein the step for the cleaning comprises a step for washing the laundry for 2 minutes to 10 minutes according to kinds and states of fabric in a cold water, preferably for 3 minutes to 5 minutes.

5. The wet cleaning method of claim 1, wherein the step for rinsing is repeated two or more times.

6. The wet cleaning method of claim 5, wherein the step for rinsing is repeated 3 times.

7. The wet cleaning method of claim 2, wherein the step for spin-drying is performed with a low RPM of the washing machine below about 600, preferably about 500.

8. The wet cleaning method of claim 2, wherein the overall time for the step for spin-drying is not exceeding 1 minute, and the step for spin-drying increases the RPM of the washing machine slowly, stay at the maximum speed for 5 to 10 seconds, decreases the RPM and stop in order.

9. A washing machine having a batch processing function of wet cleaning comprising a drum installed rotatably, a motor for rotating the drum, a load portion having a water-supplying valve and a water-draining pump or a water-draining valve, a key input for a user's inputting information, a memory for storing a washing machine-operating algorithm and cleaning related information, a display for displaying information regarding cleaning according to input data from the key input, and a controller for controlling operations of the load portion by outputting control signals to a driver for driving the load portion, the memory, and the display according to data inputted from the key input, wherein the memory stores wet cleaning data comprising a cleaning data for filling water the drum and cleaning the laundry received in the drum, a rinsing data for rinsing the cleaned laundry, and a spin-drying data for spin-drying the rinsed laundry, wherein the rinsing data comprises data for performing the step for rinsing, wherein the key input comprises a wet cleaning selector for the user to select the wet cleaning, wherein the washing machine is configured, such that if a wet cleaning starting key is pressed when the wet cleaning selector is chosen after putting the laundry to clean into a mesh bag, making the laundry received in the mesh bag compressed by tightening the mesh bag, and putting the laundry into the drum of the washing machine, the wet cleaning data stored in the memory are read out by the controller, and the load portion is controlled by the read-out wet cleaning data, so as to perform the steps for cleaning, rinsing, and spin-drying in batch.

10. The washing machine having a batch processing function of wet cleaning of claim 9, wherein the cleaning data comprises data for the step for cleaning for 2 to 10 minutes according to kinds of fabric and states of the laundries in a cold water.

11. The washing machine having a batch processing function of wet cleaning of claim 9, wherein the spin-drying data comprises data for spin-drying performed with a low RPM of the washing machine below about 600, preferably about 500.

12. The washing machine having a batch processing function of wet cleaning of claim 9, wherein the wet cleaning selector is provided with an independent function key, or the display is a touch screen and the key input including the wet cleaning selector are disposed on the touch screen of the display.

13. The washing machine having a batch processing function of wet cleaning of claim 9, wherein in the key input is provided a wet cleaning educating selector, in the memory are stored letters, image, video clips or their mixed educating data for explaining the wet cleaning method to the user, and if the wet cleaning educating selector is chosen and executed the controller controls the memory and the display such that the educating data is outputted to the display.

14. The washing machine having a batch processing function of wet cleaning of claim 9, wherein the spin-drying data is data for making a total time of spin-drying within 1 minute.

15. The washing machine having a batch processing function of wet cleaning of claim 9, wherein the spin-drying data is data for increasing the RPM of the washing machine slowly, staying at the maximum speed for 5 to 10 seconds, and then stopping.

16. The washing machine having a batch processing function of wet cleaning of claim 10, wherein the cleaning data is data for cleaning for 3 to 5 minutes.

17. The washing machine having a batch processing function of wet cleaning of claim 9, wherein in the memory is further stored a regular cleaning data for regular water washing.

18. The washing machine having a batch processing function of wet cleaning of claim 9, wherein in the memory are stored letters, image, video clips or their mixed educating data for explaining the wet cleaning method to the user, and if the wet cleaning educating selector is chosen and executed or according to the user's selection after selecting the wet cleaning selector is chosen the controller controls the memory and the display such that the educating data is outputted to the display.

19. The washing machine having a batch processing function of wet cleaning of claim 18, wherein a speaker is provided in the washing machine, and the educating data further comprises audio data.