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US 4,489,574 AGranted
Apparatus for highly efficient laundering of textiles
AssigneeThe Procter & Gamble Company
InventorWolfgang U. Spendel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention comprises apparatus and process for laundering textiles based upon utilizing quantities of an aqueous liquid wash liquor in the wash step ranging from, at least, just enough to be substantially evenly and completely distributed onto all portions of the textiles to, at most, about 5 times the dry weight of the textiles to be laundered. This results in an extremely efficient use of the detergent composition. The present invention also comprises novel wash liquor and detergent compositions for use in said apparatus and process.
Claims26
Laundering apparatus exhibiting increased detergent efficiency in removing soils from discrete loads of assorted soiled textiles, said apparatus comprising:
- a. a first compartment for retaining said soiled textiles during the laundering process;
- b. means for producing a quantity of concentrated aqueous wash liquor comprising from about 40% to about 99.9% water and at least about 1000 parts per million of a detergent composition;
- c. non-immersing applicator means for distributing a quantity of said concentrated aqueous wash liquor not exceeding about 11/2 times the dry weight of said soiled textiles onto the surface of said soiled textiles while said textiles are retained in said first compartment and while said soiled textiles are in a substantially dry state, there being at most minimal amounts of free wash liquor in said first compartment after said wash liquor has been completely distributed;
- d. means for delivering said concentrated aqueous wash liquor to said applicator means;
- e. means for exposing the surfaces of substantially all of said soiled textiles to said applicator means while said concentrated aqueous liquid wash liquor is being distributed in said first compartment, whereby said wash liquor is substantially evenly and completely distributed onto the surfaces of said soiled textiles;
- f. rinsing means for contacting said textiles with a quantity of an aqueous liquid rinse liquor after said wash liquor has been allowed to remain in contact with said soiled textiles for a period of time, said quantity of rinse liquor being sufficient to produce enough free water on the surface of the textiles to adequately suspend the soil and detergent composition;
- and
- g. means for separating said rinse liquor containing said wash liquor and said soils from said textiles.
5 more elements
Laundering apparatus exhibiting increased detergent efficiency in removing soils from discrete loads of assorted soiled textiles, said apparatus comprising:
- a. a moisture-pervious movable chamber for retaining said soiled textiles during the laundering process mounted within a moisture-impervious stationary chamber;
- b. means for producing a quantity of concentrated aqueous wash liquor containing from about 40% to about 99.9% water and at least about 1000 parts per million of a detergent composition;
- c. non-immersing applicator means for distributing a quantity of said concentrated aqueous wash liquor not exceeding about 21/2 times the dry weight of said soiled textiles onto the surface of said soiled textiles while said textiles are retained in said movable chamber and while said soiled textiles are in a substantially dry state, there being at most minimal amounts of free wash liquor in said movable chamber after said wash liquor has been completely distributed;
- d. means for delivering said concentrated aqueous wash liquor to said applicator means;
- e. means for exposing the surfaces of substantially all of said soiled textiles to said applicator means while said concentrated aqueous liquid wash liquor is being distributed in said movable chamber, whereby said wash liquor is substantially evenly and completely distributed onto the surfaces of said soiled textiles;
- f. rinsing means for contacting said textiles with a quantity of an aqueous liquid rinse liquor sufficient to produce enough free water on the surface of the textiles to adequately suspend the soil and detergent composition after said wash liquor has been allowed to remain in contact with said soiled textiles for a period of time, whereby said rinse liquor simultaneously removes said wash liquor and said soils from said textiles;
- g. means connected to said stationary chamber for simultaneously removing said concentrated wash liquor, said soils and said rinse liquor from said moisture-pervious chamber;
- and
- h. force generating means connected to said moisture-pervious chamber for mechanically removing the bulk of any rinse liquor remaining in contact with said laundered textiles.
6 more elements
Laundering apparatus exhibiting increased detergent efficiency in removing soils from discrete loads of assorted soiled textiles, said apparatus comprising:
- a. a generally cylindrical moisture-pervious drum for retaining said soiled textiles during the laundering process rotatably mounted within a moisture-impervious stationary drum;
- b. means for producing a quantity of concentrated aqueous wash liquor containing from about 40% to about 99.9% water and at least about 1000 parts per million of a detergent composition;
- c. drive means for rotating said moisture-pervious drum connected thereto;
- d. non-immersing applicator means for distributing a quantity of concentrated aqueous liquid wash liquor not exceeding about 21/2 times the dry weight of said textiles onto the surface of said textiles while said textiles are retained in said rotatably mounted drum and while said textiles are in a substantially dry state, there being at most minimal amounts of free wash liquor in said rotatably mounted drum after said wash liquor has been completely distributed;
- e. means for exposing the surfaces of substantially all of said soiled textiles to said applicator means while said concentrated aqueous liquid wash liquor is being distributed in said rotatably mounted drum, whereby said wash liquor is substantially evenly and completely distributed onto the surfaces of said soiled textiles;
- f. means connected to said moisture-pervious drum for imparting mechanical energy to said wash liquor-containing textiles;
- g. means for applying heat energy to the wash liquor-containing textiles contained in said moisture-pervious drum;
- h. rinsing means for contacting said textiles with a quantity of an aqueous liquid rinse liquor after said wash liquor has been allowed to remain in contact with said soiled textiles for a period of time, said quantity of rinse liquor being sufficient to produce enough free water on the surface of the textiles to adequately suspend the soil and detergent composition whereby said rinse liquor simultaneously removes said wash liquor and said soils from said textiles;
- i. means connected to said stationary drum for removing said concentrated wash liquor, said soils and said rinse liquor from said moisture-pervious drum;
- and
- j. force generating means connected to said moisture-pervious drum for mechanically removing the bulk of any rinse liquor remaining in contact with said laundered textiles.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.