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US 11,236,464 B1Granted
Ozone mist fabric finishing
AssigneeLevi Strauss & Co.
InventorDebra Laney
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mist of water and air and ozone gas is used in the finishing of fabrics of jeans and other apparel to achieve a faded, worn, or washed appearance and finish. Jeans or other apparel items are processed in a chamber of a finishing machine. Water and air mist that includes drops of liquid water are sprayed into the chamber. Ozone is separately introduced into the chamber. After processing, the jeans or other apparel will have a stonewashed or acid-washed appearance.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- placing dry jeans or other apparel into a chamber;
- spraying water droplets and air in the chamber, wherein first portions of the jeans absorb water from contacting the water droplets and second portions of the jeans absorb less water relative to the first portions;
- injecting ozone gas into the chamber while the spraying water droplets and air is occurring;
- rotating the jeans with first and second portions in the chamber with the water droplets and air and ozone gas, wherein the ozone gas reacts with the first portions resulting in a first bleaching effect and reacts with the second portions resulting in a second bleaching effect, and the second bleaching effect is less than the first bleaching effect;
- and
- due to the different first and second bleaching effects on the jeans, obtaining a stonewashed effect on a surface of the jeans or other apparel.
3 more elements
A method comprising:
- placing dry jeans or other apparel into a chamber;
- spraying water droplets and air in the chamber with the dry jeans while the chamber is static, wherein while the jeans are static in the chamber, first portions of the jeans absorb water from contacting the water droplets and second portions of the jeans absorb less water relative to the first portions;
- after turning off spraying of water droplets and air in the chamber, rotating the chamber with jeans comprising first and second portions;
- after the chamber is rotating, injecting ozone gas into the chamber, wherein the ozone gas reacts with the first portions of the jeans resulting in a first bleaching effect and reacts with the second portions resulting in a second bleaching effect, and the second bleaching effect is less than the first bleaching effect;
- and
- due to the different first and second bleaching effects on the jeans, obtaining an acid washed effect on a surface of the jeans or other apparel.
3 more elements
A method comprising:
- placing dry jeans or other apparel into a chamber;
- spraying water droplets and air in the chamber with the dry jeans while the chamber is rotating, wherein while the jeans are being rotated in the chamber, first portions of the jeans absorb water from contacting the water droplets and second portions of the jeans absorb less water relative to the first portions;
- after turning off spraying of water droplets and air in the chamber and the chamber continues rotating, injecting ozone gas into the chamber, wherein the ozone gas reacts with the first portions of the jeans resulting in a first bleaching effect and reacts with the second portions resulting in a second bleaching effect, and the second bleaching effect is less than the first bleaching effect;
- and
- due to the different first and second bleaching effects on the jeans, obtaining a stonewashed effect on a surface of the jeans or other apparel.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.