US 8,398,721 B2Granted

Dry-cleaning article, composition and methods

AssigneeDry, Inc.

InventorRayvon E. Reynolds

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Dry cleaning and fabric-treatment compositions, methods and articles incorporating the same that are suitable for use in drying machines, such as hot air drying machines found in households, apartments, and laundromats, which are normally adapted to dry wet garments and the like from a washing machine. In some embodiments, the composition includes at least one organic solvent, with the at least one organic solvent forming the greatest weight percentage of the active components in the composition. In some embodiments, the composition also may include water and/or at least one surfactant, emulsifier, perfume, and/or application-specific composition. In some embodiments, the article includes a dispenser from which the composition is selectively dispensed onto a dry garment or other object to be cleaned. In some embodiments, the dispenser includes an internal chamber containing the composition, and the composition is dispensed onto objects prior to placing the objects in a drying machine.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method for cleaning dry garments, the method comprising:

dispensing, from an internal chamber of a dispenser, a dry-cleaning composition onto a garment to be cleaned in a drying machine, wherein the garment to be cleaned is a dry garment that is not suitable for laundering in a household washing machine, wherein the dispenser is adapted to selectively dispense the dry-cleaning composition directly onto the garment to be cleaned, wherein the dispenser is selected from the group consisting of an aerosol spray vessel, a pump-actuated spray vessel, and a pressurized spray vessel, wherein the dry-cleaning composition comprises at least one organic solvent, water, and at least one of a pet-odor removing substance, a smoke-odor removing substance, and a urine-odor removing substance;
placing into the drying machine the garment to be cleaned that contains the dry-cleaning composition dispensed from the dispenser, wherein the drying machine is a household type drying machine normally adapted to dry wet garments from a washing machine;
and
tumbling the garment to be cleaned that contains the dry-cleaning composition from the dispenser with heated air in the drying machine to clean the garment with the dry-cleaning composition, wherein the placing and the tumbling do not include placing the garment to be cleaned in a bag.

1 more element

A method for cleaning dry garments, the method comprising:

dispensing, from an internal chamber of a dispenser, a dry-cleaning composition onto a garment to be cleaned in a drying machine, wherein the garment to be cleaned is a dry garment that is not suitable for laundering in a household washing machine, wherein the dispenser is adapted to selectively dispense the dry-cleaning composition directly onto the garment to be cleaned, wherein the dispenser is selected from the group consisting of an aerosol spray vessel, a pump-actuated spray vessel, and a pressurized spray vessel, wherein the dry-cleaning composition comprises an emulsion that comprises at least one organic solvent and water;
placing into the drying machine the garment to be cleaned that contains the dry-cleaning composition dispensed from the dispenser, wherein the drying machine is a household-type drying machine normally adapted to dry wet garments from a washing machine;
and
tumbling the garment to be cleaned that contains the dry-cleaning composition from the dispenser with heated air in the drying machine to clean the garment with the dry-cleaning composition;
and
during the tumbling, contacting the garment to be cleaned with a dry-cleaning composition that is not dispensed from the dispenser, wherein the placing and the tumbling do not include placing the garment to be cleaned in a bag.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/158,666Filed 13 Jun 2011 · continuation
Priority: 13 Oct 1998
Published: US 2012/0030881 A19 Feb 2012
Granted: 19 Mar 2013
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

C11D 17/047
Compositions releasably affixed on a substrate or incorporated into a dispensing means: arrangements specially adapted for dry cleaning or laundry…
C11D 1/72
Non-ionic compounds: ethers of polyoxyalkylene glycols
D06L 1/01
Dry-cleaning or washing fibres, filaments, threads, yarns, fabrics, feathers or made-up fibrous goods: using only solid or pasty agents
D06L 1/02
Dry-cleaning or washing fibres, filaments, threads, yarns, fabrics, feathers or made-up fibrous goods: using organic solvents

Family

Application09/170,755Parent of this continuation · filed 13 Oct 1998
Application09/416,522Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 8 Oct 1999
US 5,965,504 AParent of this continuation · filed 12 Oct 1999
Application60/170,747Us provisional application · filed 14 Dec 1999
Application60/193,488Us provisional application · filed 31 Mar 2000
Application60/193,679Us provisional application · filed 31 Mar 2000
Application09/737,613Parent of this continuation · filed 13 Dec 2000
US 6,190,420 B1Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 20 Feb 2001
Application11/056,942Parent of this continuation · filed 11 Feb 2005
US 6,855,172 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 15 Feb 2005
Application11/986,416Parent of this continuation · filed 21 Nov 2007
US 7,300,467 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 27 Nov 2007
Application12/261,414Parent of this continuation · filed 30 Oct 2008
US 7,446,083 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 4 Nov 2008
Application12/815,868Parent of this continuation · filed 15 Jun 2010
US 7,744,654 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 29 Jun 2010
US 7,959,686 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 14 Jun 2011
US 2012/0030881 A1Pre-grant publication · published 9 Feb 2012
Application09/737,613Parent of this continuation-in-part
Application09/416,522Parent of this continuation
US 2001/0002496 A1Published application
US 2005/0192198 A1Published application
US 2008/0076691 A1Published application
US 2009/0056033 A1Published application
US 2010/0242185 A1Published application
US 8,398,721 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.