Dispensing of metal ions into batch laundry washers and dryers
AssigneeApplied Silver, Inc.
InventorsRussell J. Bik, James Charles Copeland, Elizabeth Hutt Pollard, William Morris
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Abstract
Articles, compositions, and methods for treating textiles and other materials with an antimicrobial compound during laundry and/or drying cycles are described. The articles and compositions include a metal ion having antimicrobial efficacy. Methods include the use of the articles and compositions in laundry and/or drying cycles to provide antimicrobial treatment of the textiles and materials.
Claims9
An article for imparting antimicrobial efficacy to a textile, the article comprising
- a sheet or strip impregnated with a dissolvable metal salt selected from silver sulfate, silver nitrate, silver chloride, and any mixture thereof, wherein the metal salt dissolves to form silver ions, wherein the silver ions have a first release rate from the sheet or strip;
- and
- coated onto the sheet or strip, a gel consisting of a dissolvable layer having a first thickness and a dissolvable metal salt selected from silver sulfate, silver nitrate, silver chloride, and any mixture thereof, wherein the metal salt dissolves to form silver ions, wherein the silver ions have a second release rate from the gel, and wherein the second release rate is controlled by the dissolvable layer.
A method for introducing a metal ion to at least one of a wash cycle and a rinse cycle, comprising
- dispensing, at or near the beginning of the wash cycle, an article for imparting antimicrobial efficacy to a textile, the article comprising:
- a sheet or strip impregnated with a dissolvable metal salt selected from silver sulfate, silver nitrate, silver chloride, and any mixture thereof, wherein the metal salt dissolves to form silver ions, wherein the silver ions have a first release rate from the sheet or strip;
- and
- coated onto the sheet or strip, a gel consisting of a dissolvable layer having a first thickness and a dissolvable metal salt selected from silver sulfate, silver nitrate, silver chloride, and any mixture thereof, wherein the metal salt dissolves to form silver ions, wherein the silver ions have a second release rate from the gel, and wherein the second release rate is controlled by the dissolvable layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.